Today Special Day in India

What Is Today Special Day in India? Complete Holiday and Festival Calendar 2026

India has one of the most colourful and busiest holiday calendars around including Indian national holidays, Hindu holidays, Muslim holidays, Sikh holidays, Christian holidays, Jain holidays, Buddhist holidays, regional holidays and even international observances. You’ll find whatever you’re looking for here, whether you’re an Indian worker trying to plan your time off, an employer making a company calendar, a student needing to know about school holidays in India, or are just plain curious about what the holiday is today in India this is your easy-to-use, accurate, and comprehensive guide to Indian holidays in 2026.

Find every gazetted holiday, restricted holiday, festival date, bank holiday, and long weekend possible in India for the year 2026. We provide context for what each holiday is and how it’s celebrated.

Gazetted Holidays vs Restricted Holidays: What Is the Difference?

Not all holidays in India carry the same obligation. Understanding the distinction matters for both employers and employees.

• Gazetted Holidays: Mandatory public holidays declared by the Government of India. All central government offices, banks and most public institutions close. These are uniform across the country for central offices.
• National Holidays: A subset of gazetted holidays. Only three exist: Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti. Observed in every state and union territory without exception.
• Restricted Holidays: Optional holidays. Central government employees may choose any two during the year based on personal or religious preference. State governments may handle these differently.
• Regional Holidays: States declare additional holidays relevant to local festivals and observances. These vary significantly across India; what is a gazetted holiday in Tamil Nadu may not be observed in Rajasthan.

Note: Holidays that depend on moon sighting such as Eid ul-Fitr, Bakrid, Muharram, and Milad-un-Nabi   are listed as tentative and may shift by one day based on the official moon sighting announcement.

National Holidays in India 2026

India has exactly three national holidays, declared by Parliament and observed uniformly across every state, union territory and central government office. On these days, government offices, banks, schools, and most private companies remain closed.

Republic Day   26 January 2026 (Monday)

Republic Day marks the day on which the Constitution of India came into effect on 19th December 1950, replacing the Government of India Act as the Indian subcontinent’s governing document. The celebrations include processions of Horse show mounted patrol and tableaux from different states; displays from Indian Air Force; speeches by the President of India and a National day parade. Flag-hoisting ceremonies and cultural programmes take place at institutions across India. Republic day in 2026 will be celebrated on Monday. This day creates a default long weekend of three days from Saturday 24 January to Monday 26 January.

Independence Day   15 August 2026 (Saturday)

Independence Day celebrates India gaining independence from British rule on 15 August 1947. The Prime Minister raises the national flag at Red Fort in Delhi and addresses the nation. Flag-hoisting events, cultural performances, and patriotic programmes are hosted in schools, offices, and public spaces across India on 79th Independence Day in 2026 (India will be 79 years old this year). Since Independence Day 2026 is on Saturday, employees looking to make a long weekend of it can take the preceding Friday off.

Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti   2 October 2026 (Friday)

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated as the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as the Father of the Nation. Prayer meetings and cultural events are held across the country along with tributes paid to Gandhi at Raj Ghat, his memorial in New Delhi where he was cremated. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations. Gandhi Jayanti 2026 is on Friday, giving you a natural 3 day weekend through Sunday 4 October.

Complete List of Holidays and Observances in India 2026

The table below covers every gazetted and restricted holiday observed at the central government level in 2026, month by month. State-specific and regional holidays are not listed here as they vary significantly by state.

Note: Dates marked ‘Tentative’ for Islamic holidays are subject to change by one day based on the official moon sighting announcement by religious authorities.

Major Festival Dates in India 2026: Full Guide

India celebrates more festivals than any country that has multiple religions, regional holidays, and seasonal festivals. Here is a full list of festivals for 2026 including holidays and what they are celebrating.

Diwali 2026

Diwali   the Festival of Lights   is the most widely observed festival in India and falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The five-day celebration begins with Dhanteras and concludes with Bhai Dooj:

• Dhanteras: Friday, 6 November- auspicious day for purchasing gold, silver, and new goods
• Choti Diwali / Naraka Chaturdashi: Saturday, 7 November- cleaning and decoration of homes
• Diwali / Lakshmi Puja: Sunday, 8 November- the main night of fireworks, diyas, and Lakshmi worship
• Govardhan Puja: Monday, 9 November- offerings and celebrations, gazetted holiday
• Bhai Dooj: Tuesday, 10 November   celebration of the brother-sister bond

The Diwali week in 2026 is the best long-weekend opportunity of the year. With the main day on Sunday and Govardhan Puja on Monday, taking Friday 6 November off creates a five-day unbroken break.

Holi 2026

Holi Festival of Colours is on Wednesday, 4 March 2026. Holika Dahan (burning of the effigy) is the evening before on Tuesday, 3 March. It’s a gazetted holiday. Festival of colours, water guns, coloured powder, music, sweets, and traditional food are associated with the celebration, which varies regionally throughout India but is popular across North India particularly.

Eid Holidays in India 2026

The four major Islamic observances in 2026 are all tentative, subject to moon sighting:

• Id-ul-Fitr / Eid ul-Fitr: Around Saturday, 21 March (tentative)   marking the end of Ramzan / Ramadan
• Id-ul-Zuha / Bakrid / Eid ul-Adha: Around Wednesday, 27 May (tentative)- the festival of sacrifice
• Muharram / Ashura: Around Friday, 26 June (tentative)- Islamic New Year observance
• Milad-un-Nabi / Id-e-Milad: Around Wednesday, 26 August (tentative)- the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday

Other Major Festivals by Month

• January: Makar Sankranti and Pongal (14 Jan)- harvest festival; kite flying, traditional sweets, Pongal dish
• February: Maha Shivaratri (15 Feb)- Hindu night festival honouring Lord Shiva; fasting and temple visits
• March: Ram Navami (26 Mar)- Lord Rama’s birth anniversary; Ram Navami is a gazetted holiday
• March: Mahavir Jayanti (31 Mar)- birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira, founder of Jainism; gazetted holiday
• April: Vaisakhi (14 Apr)- Sikh New Year and harvest festival; key observance in Punjab and Haryana
• May: Buddha Purnima (1 May)- birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha; gazetted holiday
• July: Rath Yatra (16 Jul)- Jagannath chariot festival; massive procession in Puri, Odisha
• August: Raksha Bandhan (28 Aug)- the bond between brothers and sisters; sisters tie rakhi, brothers give gifts
• August–September: Onam (26 Aug Thiru Onam)- Kerala’s harvest festival; Pookalam flower arrangements, Vallam Kali boat races, Sadya feast
• September: Ganesh Chaturthi (14 Sep)- Lord Ganesha’s birth; 10-day celebration with massive idol processions, especially in Maharashtra
• October: Dussehra / Vijaya Dashami (20 Oct)- victory of Lord Rama over Ravana; gazetted holiday; Ramlila performances and Ravana effigy burning
• October: Karva Chauth (29 Oct)- Hindu women’s fast for husband’s long life; moon sighting ritual
• November: Chhath Puja (15 Nov)- sun worship festival; key observance in Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, and Delhi
• November: Guru Nanak Jayanti (24 Nov)- birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, founder of Sikhism; gazetted holiday; nagar kirtan processions
• December: Christmas (25 Dec)- Christian festival of the birth of Jesus Christ; gazetted holiday

Bank Holidays in India 2026

Bank holidays are notified state-by-state under the Negotiable Instruments Act and do not always match the central government gazetted holiday list exactly. The major national bank holidays for 2026 are listed below. Always confirm with your local bank branch before scheduling financial transactions on or around these dates.

Long Weekends in India 2026: Smart Leave Planning

Several holidays in 2026 fall on Fridays or Mondays, making it easy to extend them into three, four, or even five-day breaks with just one or two days of planned leave. The table below identifies every key opportunity.

The Diwali week (6–10 November) is the standout opportunity of 2026. Two strategic leave days   Friday 6 November and Monday 9 November   give you five consecutive days off. The Christmas break (25–27 December) is equally effortless, with Christmas falling on a Friday and delivering a natural long weekend into New Year’s.

Why National Holidays in India Matter

India’s national holidays aren’t just days off from work. They’re acts of collective remembrance. They’re the days when, as a nation, we stop and remember our past, and what we value as a country; they’re when we remember those who fought and died to build India.

On Republic Day, we remember the day India gave itself a constitution—and with it, democracy, fundamental rights, and the idea of a secular republic—all drawn from years of foreign rule and a divided struggle for independence. On Independence Day, we celebrate the day that foreign rule finally came to an end. On Gandhi Jayanti, we remember the most globally renowned hero of the independence movement, and Gandhi’s message of peace. By commemorating the UN’s International Day of Non-Violence on the same day, we link that message to humanity at large.

India’s wider list of gazetted and restricted holidays shows us something just as significant: India is not one culture. India is not one religion. India is not one tradition. Whether it’s Eid or Christmas, Buddha Purnima or Mahavir Jayanti, India’s official list of holidays is a powerful expression of our pluralistic identity enshrined in the Constitution.

India’s Festival Culture: What Makes Each Celebration Unique

India’s festivals are not uniform events; they are living traditions that differ by region, community, and generation. Even the most widely observed festivals take dramatically different forms across the country:

• Holi: In Mathura and Vrindavan, it is a week-long celebration tied to the story of Krishna and Radha. In West Bengal, it is called Dol Purnima and carries different rituals. In some parts of South India, it is observed quietly.
• Diwali: In Punjab, it coincides with the release of Guru Hargobind Singh from Mughal captivity and is called Bandi Chhor Divas. In West Bengal, the focus is on Kali Puja rather than Lakshmi Puja. In South India, the emphasis is on Naraka Chaturdashi.
• Onam: Exclusively Kerala’s harvest festival, tied to the mythological return of the beloved king Mahabali. The Vallam Kali (snake boat races) on the Pampa River are one of India’s most spectacular sporting and cultural events.
• Navratri and Dussehra: In Gujarat, Navratri means nine nights of Garba dancing. In the Hindi belt, it means Ramlila theatrical performances and the burning of giant Ravana effigies. In Mysuru (Karnataka), it means the famous Mysore Dasara procession.
• Chhath Puja: Unique to Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and the large diaspora communities of these states in Delhi and Mumbai. Worshippers stand in rivers and ponds at dawn and dusk, offering arghya (water) to the rising and setting sun.

State-Specific Holidays: What Varies by Region

The central government list covers gazetted and restricted holidays for central offices. States declare additional holidays relevant to their regional festivals and historical observances. Some significant state-specific holidays in 2026 include:

• Maharashtra: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti (19 Feb) and Gudi Padwa (19 Mar) are key state observances
• West Bengal: Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti (9 May) is a major observance in the state
• Tamil Nadu: Pongal (14 Jan) and Tamil New Year (14 Apr) are the most important state holidays
• Kerala: Onam (26 Aug) is the state’s biggest festival and a gazetted state holiday
• Assam: Bohag Bihu (15 Apr) marks the Assamese New Year and is a state-level holiday
• Punjab and Haryana: Vaisakhi (14 Apr) is the harvest festival and Sikh New Year, widely observed
• Bihar and Jharkhand: Chhath Puja (15 Nov) effectively halts public and commercial activity in these states

Note: Always check your state government’s official holiday notification in addition to the central government list. State notifications may differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is today’s special day in India?

India celebrates national, religious, cultural and international days of observance. It depends on the date. Based on the date provided this article will tell you if that day is a national holiday. Here is the full 2026 calendar with all gazetted holidays, restricted holidays and major festival dates so you can see what is observed on a particular day.

How many public holidays are there in India in 2026?

List of 17 gazetted holidays notified by Central Government for 20 . There are also 3 national holidays (Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti). There is a list of restricted(holiday with restriction/Optional) holidays which a Central Government employee can choose from. Additional holidays vary from state to state as they are state specific.

What are the three national holidays in India?

India has exactly three national holidays: Republic Day on 26 January, Independence Day on 15 August, and Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October. These are the only three holidays observed uniformly in every state and union territory without exception, declared under a central act of Parliament.

When is Diwali in 2026?

Diwali / Deepavali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November. The Diwali five-day period spans Dhanteras (6 November) through Bhai Dooj (10 November). Govardhan Puja on 9 November is a gazetted holiday, making it a strong opportunity for a five-day break with two planned leaves.

When is Holi in 2026?

Holi 2026 is on Wednesday, 4 March. Holika Dahan (the bonfire ritual) takes place the previous evening, Tuesday, 3 March. Holi is a gazetted central government holiday.

Are Eid dates fixed for 2026?

No. Islamic holidays   including Eid ul-Fitr, Bakrid, Muharram, and Milad-un-Nabi   are based on the lunar calendar and confirmed by official moon sightings. The dates listed in this article (Eid ul-Fitr around 21 March, Bakrid around 27 May, Muharram around 26 June, Milad-un-Nabi around 26 August) are tentative and may shift by one day.

What is the difference between a gazetted and restricted holiday?

Gazetted holidays are mandatory for all central government offices and banks to close on these days. Restricted holidays are optional; central government employees may select any two during the year based on personal or religious preference. Private sector policies vary by employer.

Which long weekend in 2026 gives the most days off?

The Diwali week (6–10 November 2026) offers the longest break opportunity. With Diwali on Sunday 8 November and Govardhan Puja (gazetted) on Monday 9 November, taking Friday 6 November off as planned leave gives five consecutive days off. The Gandhi Jayanti weekend (2–4 October) and Christmas (25–27 December) offer clean three-day weekends with no leave required.

India’s Holiday Calendar as a Mirror of Its Diversity

Probably no nation’s official calendar of events is as representative of its cultural diversity as India. A calendar that officially recognizes Eid, Christmas, Diwali, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Buddha Purnima and Mahavir Jayanti in addition to national holidays commemorating the country’s independence and democratic constitution sends a clear signal about the kind of nation India wants to be.

From planning your vacations to factoring religious holidays into business closures to school event planning or just wondering what the celebration is today in India this handy guide to India’s holidays and observances for 2026 has you covered.