Complete holiday calendar for India 2026 — National Holidays, West Bengal & other state holidays, religious festivals, and optional holidays. Updated for HR compliance and leave planning.
| Date | Day | Holiday / Occasion | Type | Applicable Regions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | ||||
| 1 Jan | Thursday | New Year's Day | Optional / Regional | Select establishments — WB, MH, KA, Goa, Delhi |
| 12 Jan | Monday | Swami Vivekananda Jayanti | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal |
| 23 Jan | Friday | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti | State Holiday | West Bengal · Odisha |
| 26 Jan | Monday | Republic Day | National Holiday | All States & UTs — Pan India |
| February 2026 | ||||
| 2 Feb | Monday | Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) | Optional / Regional | West Bengal · Bihar · Assam · UP |
| 17 Feb | Tuesday | Maha Shivaratri | Religious | Most States — Gazetted Central; Optional in WB |
| March 2026 | ||||
| 4 Mar | Wednesday | Holi / Dol Jatra (Doljatra) | Religious | West Bengal (Dol Jatra) · North India · Maharashtra |
| 21 Mar | Saturday | Eid ul-Fitr (Id-ul-Fitr) (Approx.) | Religious | West Bengal · All States — subject to moon sighting |
| 26 Mar | Thursday | Ram Navami | Religious | Gazetted — Most States incl. WB, UP, MH, KA |
| 31 Mar | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti | Religious | Gazetted Central — Gujarat · Rajasthan · Maharashtra · WB |
| April 2026 | ||||
| 3 Apr | Friday | Good Friday | Religious | All States — Gazetted Central (mandatory in most) |
| 14 Apr | Tuesday | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti | State Holiday | Gazetted Central · Maharashtra · Karnataka · WB · Pan India |
| 15 Apr | Wednesday | Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal |
| May 2026 | ||||
| 1 May | Friday | May Day / Labour Day / International Workers' Day | State Holiday | West Bengal · Tamil Nadu · Karnataka · Maharashtra · Kerala |
| 1 May | Friday | Buddha Purnima | Religious | Gazetted Central · WB · Maharashtra · Bihar · UP · HP |
| 27 May | Wednesday | Eid ul-Adha / Bakrid (Approx.) | Religious | West Bengal · All States — subject to moon sighting |
| June 2026 | ||||
| 26 Jun | Friday | Muharram (Islamic New Year) (Approx.) | Religious | West Bengal · UP · Delhi · most states — subject to moon sighting |
| July 2026 | ||||
| 16 Jul | Thursday | Rath Yatra | Optional / Regional | West Bengal (Mahesh, Serampore) · Odisha · Gazetted Central optional |
| August 2026 | ||||
| 15 Aug | Saturday | Independence Day | National Holiday | All States & UTs — Pan India |
| 26 Aug | Wednesday | Milad-un-Nabi (Prophet's Birthday) (Approx.) | Religious | West Bengal · UP · Rajasthan · most states — subject to moon sighting |
| 28 Aug | Friday | Raksha Bandhan | Religious | UP · Rajasthan · MP · WB (optional) · Gazetted Restricted |
| September 2026 | ||||
| 4 Sep | Friday | Janmashtami | Religious | West Bengal · UP · Delhi · Haryana · Rajasthan · Gazetted Central |
| October 2026 | ||||
| 2 Oct | Friday | Gandhi Jayanti | National Holiday | All States & UTs — Pan India |
| 10 Oct | Saturday | Mahalaya (Tarpan) | Optional (WB) | West Bengal — marks beginning of Durga Puja fortnight |
| 2 Oct | Friday | Gandhi Jayanti | National Holiday | All States & UTs — Pan India |
| 17 Oct | Saturday | Maha Shashthi (Durga Puja begins) | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal · Assam · Odisha — Durga Puja week |
| 18 Oct | Sunday | Maha Saptami (Durga Puja) | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal |
| 19 Oct | Monday | Maha Ashtami (Durga Puja) | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal |
| 20 Oct | Tuesday | Maha Navami (Durga Puja) | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal |
| 21 Oct | Wednesday | Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra / Durga Puja) | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal · Gazetted Central · Pan India |
| November 2026 | ||||
| 8 Nov | Sunday | Diwali / Kali Puja (Lakshmi Puja) | Religious | West Bengal (Kali Puja) · North India · Maharashtra · Pan India |
| 9 Nov | Monday | Kali Puja (Day 2 / Bhai Phota - first day) | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal |
| 11 Nov | Wednesday | Bhai Phota (Bhratri Dwitiya) | State Holiday (WB) | West Bengal |
| 16 Nov | Monday | Chhath Puja | Optional / Regional | West Bengal · Bihar · UP · Jharkhand |
| 24 Nov | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab) | Religious | West Bengal · Punjab · Delhi · Haryana · Himachal · Gazetted Central |
| 14 Nov | Saturday | Children's Day | Optional / School Holiday | Pan India — schools & select establishments |
| December 2026 | ||||
| 25 Dec | Friday | Christmas Day | Religious | All States — Gazetted Central (mandatory in most) |
| 31 Dec | Thursday | New Year's Eve | Optional | Select establishments — WB, MH, Karnataka, Goa |
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Holiday Compliance — Employer Obligations (2026 Update)
Employers must display the annual 2026 holiday list on a notice board before 31 December 2025 under most state Shops & Establishments Acts. The WB Government issued its 2026 holiday notification (No. 4188-F(P2)) on 27 November 2025. Under the Factories Act 1948, at least 1 weekly holiday is mandatory. National holidays (Republic Day 26 Jan, Independence Day 15 Aug, Gandhi Jayanti 2 Oct) are mandatory with pay across all establishments. Islamic holidays (Eid ul-Fitr, Bakrid, Muharram, Milad-un-Nabi) are subject to moon sighting — check official gazette updates. Under new Labour Codes (effective 21 Nov 2025), if an employee works on a national holiday, they are entitled to compensatory leave or double wages. Durga Puja 2026 falls 17–21 October — ensure WB employees are given these 5 days. Read about Shops & Estab. compliance →
Our experts track state-specific holiday notifications and keep your HR calendar updated automatically — so you never miss a filing.