Bank Holidays In 2026 Due To National And Local Festivals In North India

In 2026, banks in the northern region of the country will see several closures, according to the latest holiday list published by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Although many holidays are universal, as they are classified as national holidays, other closures are specific to regions, as they are associated with local traditions and regional significance.

The Northern region, according to the classification of RBI regional offices, covers Chandigarh, Dehradun, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Lucknow, New Delhi, Shimla, and Srinagar. Holiday lists for these centres indicate that customers may experience differing bank closures depending on location, even within the same month.

Common Holidays in the Northern Region

Several holidays are celebrated in a similar manner in most of the regional offices in the northern part. These include the Republic Day on January 26, Independence Day on August 15, Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 and Christmas on December 25, 2026.

Major religious celebrations like Ramzan Id on March 21, Janmashtami on September 4, and Dusshera on October 20 are also widespread. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 and the annual bank closing day on April 1 are observed in nearly all northern centres.

The Diwali-associated holidays of November and Guru Nanak Jayanti of November 24 are also included in most lists, though they are named differently and observed differently in different regions.

Along these, all the scheduled and non-scheduled banks will be shut on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month according to the current banking practices.

Specific Holidays in the Region Add to Variations

Despite the common base, there are unique holidays in particular regions. Dehradun, for example, observes Igas Bagwal on November 20, a festival specific to Uttarakhand, which does not appear in other northern centres.

The region-specific holidays are the highest in Jammu and Srinagar. The two centres also celebrate Shab I Qadr, Jumat ul Vida, and Gudhi Padwa or Ugadi in March. These holidays are not listed in Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, or New Delhi.

The two centres also celebrate the Birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh on September 23, and Accession Day, along with the birthday of Maharishi Valmiki on October 26.

In January, Kanpur and Lucknow celebrate the birthday of Hazrat Ali on January 3, and Chitragupt Jayanti or Ningol Chakkouba holidays on November 11. In Dehradun, Jaipur, or New Delhi, these closures are not evident.

Good Friday will be celebrated in Dehradun, Kanpur, Lucknow, and New Delhi on April 3, but banks will be open as usual in Jaipur, Jammu, and Srinagar. Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated in Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, and New Delhi on March 31, but not in Dehradun and the Jammu and Kashmir centres.

What Customers Should Remember

As the regional holidays vary significantly, the bank customers need to review the local holiday list before scheduling to visit the bank branches or before planning any time-sensitive transactions. Digital banking services will be operational during all the holidays, which might cause bank closures.