Public Holidays in India
Complete list of official public holidays in India for , including national holidays and widely observed restricted holidays. Data sourced live from official records.
Note: India's holiday system is highly decentralized. The table below shows nationally recognized holidays. State-level and religious restricted holidays vary significantly by region and are not fully captured here.
Found … public holidays in India for .
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About Public Holidays in India
India has one of the most diverse and complex holiday systems in the world, reflecting its extraordinary multicultural, multireligious, and multilingual character. At the national level, India recognizes only three national holidays: Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15), and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2). These three are the only holidays mandated for every state and territory, for all businesses and government offices, without exception.
Beyond these three, India's holiday system operates through a category called Restricted Holidays — a list of optional holidays from which employees can typically choose a set number per year. These restricted holidays include major religious festivals such as Diwali, Holi, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Dussehra, Christmas, Good Friday, Gurunanak Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, and many more. The Government of India publishes an annual list of gazetted holidays that banks and central government offices follow.
State governments in India maintain their own distinct holiday calendars, often with significant variation. Kerala observes Onam as a major public holiday. Tamil Nadu celebrates Pongal (the harvest festival) in January. West Bengal observes Durga Puja over multiple days. Punjab celebrates Baisakhi. Maharashtra has holidays for Gudi Padwa and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti. Some states like Uttar Pradesh may observe 30 or more holidays in a year when state and central holidays are combined.
The dates of many Indian religious holidays change year to year because they are based on the Hindu, Islamic, or other lunisolar calendars rather than the Gregorian calendar. Eid dates depend on the sighting of the moon. Diwali moves within an October-November window. This variability makes India's holiday calendar particularly complex to plan around, and businesses operating across multiple Indian states must maintain awareness of different state-level observances simultaneously.
Frequently Asked Questions — India Holidays
How many national holidays does India have?
India has only 3 mandatory national holidays recognized by all states: Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15), and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2). However, central government offices, banks, and many businesses observe additional "gazetted holidays" throughout the year — typically 14 or more — covering major religious festivals. State governments add their own lists, meaning the total number of holidays observed by a given worker can range from 15 to 30+ depending on location and employer.
Which Indian states have the most public holidays?
States with the most public holidays tend to be those with high religious and cultural diversity. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal are known for observing a large number of state-level holidays. Some estimates suggest that certain state government employees in these states enjoy 30 or more holidays per year. In contrast, private sector employees in states like Karnataka or Maharashtra may have a more streamlined holiday schedule negotiated through their employer.
Is Diwali a national holiday in India?
Diwali is not one of India's 3 mandatory national holidays, but it is listed as a gazetted/restricted holiday for central government employees and is widely treated as a public holiday by state governments, banks, and most businesses across India. It falls on the new moon day (Amavasya) in the month of Kartik in the Hindu calendar — typically in October or November. Many businesses close for Diwali regardless of whether it is formally declared a holiday in their jurisdiction.
When is Republic Day in India?
Republic Day in India is always on January 26. It commemorates the date in 1950 when the Constitution of India came into effect, replacing the Government of India Act as the governing document and completing India's transition to a fully sovereign democratic republic after independence in 1947. The day is marked by a grand parade on Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath) in New Delhi, showcasing military might, cultural diversity, and states' tableaux, presided over by the President of India.
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