Public Holidays in India
Statutory public holidays in India, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
India at a glance
India has no single national holiday list: the central government sets a core of gazetted holidays while each state adds its own, so the calendar varies by region. Three national holidays are observed everywhere.
Many dates follow the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which is why Diwali and Holi fall on different Gregorian dates each year.
India public holidays 2026
India has 18 public holidays in 2026 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Republic Day | Jan 26Mon | National |
| Holi | Mar 4Wed | National |
| Eid al-Fitr | Mar 21Sat | National |
| Ram Navami | Mar 26Thu | National |
| Mahavira's Birthday | Mar 31Tue | National |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | National |
| Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's Birthday | Apr 14Tue | National |
| Buddha Purnima | May 1Fri | National |
| Eid al-Adha | May 27Wed | National |
| Ashura | Jun 26Fri | National |
| Independence Day | Aug 15Sat | National |
| Prophet's Birthday | Aug 26Wed | National |
Showing 12 of 18 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in India
The urban centres that anchor most trips to India.
New Delhi
A capital of wide ceremonial boulevards, Mughal tombs and layered bazaars.
Mumbai
India's financial and film capital on a peninsula of bays, markets and colonial facades.
Jaipur
The Rajasthan capital of hilltop forts, painted havelis and block-printed textiles.
Agra
Home of the Taj Mahal alongside two more UNESCO Mughal masterpieces.
Kolkata
A river city of colonial terraces, bookshops and the great Durga Puja festival.
Kochi
A Kerala port of spice warehouses, Chinese fishing nets and colonial churches.
Top attractions in India
The places that draw most visitors to India.
Taj Mahal
Shah Jahan's white marble mausoleum, the most famous building in India.
Jaipur City Palace
A working royal complex of courtyards, museums and painted gateways.
Amber Fort
A hilltop Rajput fort above a lake, with mirrored halls and ramparts.
Varanasi Ghats
Stone steps down to the Ganges where pilgrims bathe and cremation fires burn.
Kerala Backwaters
A network of lagoons and canals navigated by converted rice barges.
Hampi
The vast ruins of the Vijayanagara capital among giant granite boulders.
Festivals, food and getting around India
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
-
🎉
New Year's Day
Falls on Jan 1
-
🎉
Hazarat Ali's Birthday
Falls on Jan 3
-
🎉
Pongal
Falls on Jan 14
-
🎉
Makar Sankranti
Falls on Jan 14
-
🎉
Vasant Panchami
Falls on Jan 23
-
🎉
Republic Day
Falls on Jan 26
Food & drink
Getting around
Indian Railways is the backbone of long-distance travel; book well ahead, since festival periods sell out weeks in advance.
Travelling around India’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in India tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
India's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
India public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does India have?
India has 18 public holidays in 2026, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for India is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are India's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, India typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in India?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for India?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.
School holidays in India
School calendars in India are decentralised. Below is the official Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (Ministry of Education) vacation schedule for central government schools, summer-station Group A. State board calendars could not be confirmed from official state government pages and are therefore left out. Term boundaries are not published in the official memo, so the term table is empty.
2026
| Region | Holiday | Starts | Ends | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVS central schools (Group A) | Summer vacationIncludes Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, Guwahati and others. | 8 May 2026 | 16 Jun 2026 | official page |
| KVS central schools (Group A) | Autumn breakAround Dussehra. | 15 Oct 2026 | 24 Oct 2026 | official page |
| KVS central schools (Group A) | Winter break | 23 Dec 2026 | 11 Jan 2027 | official page |
Official sources: Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Ministry of Education - Vacation and Breaks 2026-27 (checked 10 Sep 2026)
School term dates in India
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.