Public holidays in India

Public Holidays in India, also known as Statutory Holidays, or colloquially Government Holidays, consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays that are legislated in India at the union or state levels. While many of these holidays are honored and acknowledged nationwide, state legislation varies in regard to which are officially recognized.

India, being a culturally diverse society, celebrates many holidays and festivals, but there are only three national festivals: Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15 August), and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October).

In India, there are more than 30 grand festivals which are celebrated in major parts of India along with other state festivals. States have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics.

Popular Hindu festivals like Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Maha Shivratri, Janmashtami, Saraswati Puja, Guru Purnima, Ganesh Chaturthi, Raksha Bandhan, Holi, Durga Puja, Dussehra, and Diwali; Jain festivals like Mahavir Janma Kalyanak and Paryushan; Sikh festivals like Guru Nanak Jayanti and Vaisakhi; Muslim festivals like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Mawlid, and Muharram; Buddhist festivals like Ambedkar Jayanti, Buddha Jayanti, Dhammachakra Pravartan Day, and Losar; Parsi Zoroastrian holidays such as Nowruz; and Christian festivals like Good Friday, Christmas and Easter, some festivals are celebrated by the whole India and some festivals are celebrated by limited region of India.

National holidays

National holidays are observed in all states and union territories of India.

They are:

Other notable holidays

States generally adopt the same holidays as the union government with some variations. In addition to the official holidays, many religious, ethnic, and other traditional holidays, as well as observances proclaimed by officials populate the calendar. At the discretion of the employer, other holidays are common additions to the list of paid holidays.

Holidays with religious significance

In India, people from various religions coexist together. Religious and cultural holidays are characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices.

Hindu holidays

Hindus celebrate a number of indian festivals all through the year. Hindu festivals have one or more of religious, cultural and seasonal significance. The observance of the festival, the symbolisms used and attached, and the style and intensity of celebration vary from region to region within the country. A list of the more popular festivals is given below.

Islamic holidays

Sikh holidays

A number of Sikh holidays are Gurpurbs, anniversaries of a guru's birth or death; marked by the holding of a festival.

Christian holidays

Buddhist holidays

Jain holidays

Parsee (Zoroastrian) holidays

The '' Shahenshahi'' and ''Kadmi'' variants of the Zoroastrian calendar do not intercalate leap years and hence the day of the Gregorian calendar year on which these days are celebrated shifts ahead with time. The third variant of the Zoroastrian calendar, known as either ''Fasli'' (in India) or ''Bastani'' (in Iran), intercalcates according to Gregorian calendar rules and thus remains synchronous with the seasons. The Parsis in India use a Shahenshahi calendar, unlike the Iranian Zoroastrians who use a Kadmi calendar. The North American and European Parsis have adapted their own version of the Fasli calendar. These differences cause changes in the dates of the holidays. For example, the Zoroastrian New Year, Nowruz, falls in the spring for the Iranians but in the summer for the Parsis.

Ravidassia holidays

Ayyavazhi holidays

Holidays in government offices

Central and State governments in India issue annually a list of holidays to be observed in the respective government offices during the year.Holidays to be observed in central government offices during 2017
Note a new version of this document is released each year, and old versions may not be available beyond one or two years previous. The list is divided into two parts:
* Gazetted holidays (Annexure I)
* Restricted holidays (Annexure II)

In addition, local administrations also issue a list of holidays, known as local holidays, which are observed at the district level.

Central government

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) on behalf of the Government of India issues a list of holidays to be observed in central government offices during the year. The list is divided in two parts i.e. Annexure I & Annexure

Annexure I

Annexure I, also known as Gazetted holidays, consists of a list of holidays that are mandatory once decided. This list consists of two parts:
* Paragraph 2
* Paragraph 3.1

=Paragraph 2

=
It consists of holidays that are observed compulsorily across India. These holidays are:

# Republic Day
# Independence Day
# Gandhi Jayanti
# Mahavir Janma Kalyanak
# Buddha Purnima
# Christmas Day
# Dussehra
# Diwali (Deepavali)
# Good Friday
# Guru Nanak's Birthday
# Eid ul-Fitr

=Paragraph 3.1

=
In addition to the 14 compulsory holidays mentioned in paragraph 2, three holidays are chosen from the list below by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the respective state capitals (if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State). The final list is applied uniformly across all Central Government offices within each state. They are notified after seeking the prior approval of the ministry, and no changes can be made thereafter. No change is permissible in regard to festivals and dates.

#Republic day
# An additional day for Dussehra
# Holi
# Janamashtami (Vaishanvi)/Krishnashtami
# Rama Navami
# Maha Sivarathri
# Ganesh Chaturthi/Vinayak Chaturthi
# Makar Sankranti/Sankranthi
# Onam
# Sri Panchami/Basanta Panchami
# Vishu/Vaisakhi/Vaisakhadi/Bhag Bihu/Mashadi/Ugadi/Chaitra Sakladi/Cheti Chand/Gudhi Pada 1st Navratra/Nauraj

Annexure II

Annexure II also known as Restricted holidays, consists of a list of holidays which are optional. Each employee is allowed to choose any two holidays from the list of Restricted Holidays. The Coordination Committees at the State Capitals draw up a separate list of Restricted Holidays, keeping in mind the occasions of local importance, but the nine occasions left over, after choosing the three variable holidays in paragraph 3.1, are included in the list of restricted holidays.

Central government organisations

Central Government Organisations, which include industrial, commercial and trading establishments, observe up to 16 holidays per year, including three national holidays, viz. Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, as compulsory holidays. The remaining holidays/occasions may be determined by such establishments/organisations themselves, subject to paragraph 3.2.

Union territory administrations

Union territory administrations decide the list of holidays based on Ministry of Home Affairs letter No.14046/27 /83- GP-I dated 15 February 1984, by which they observe a total of 16 holidays, including the three National Holidays, viz. Republic Day, Independence Day, and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday.

Indian missions abroad

In respect of Indian missions abroad, the number of holidays is determined in accordance with the instructions contained in the Department of Personnel and Training's O.M. No.12/5/2002-JCA dated 17 December 2002. They have the option to select 11 (eleven) holidays of their own only after including the three National Holidays and Diwali, Milad-Un-Nabi or Id-E-Milad, Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, Eid-ul-Fitr, Dussehra (Vijaya Dasami), Guru Nanak's Birthday, Christmas Day as compulsory holidays falling on weekdays.

Banks

With respect to banks, the holidays are restricted to 15 days per year in terms of the instructions issued by the Department of Economic Affairs (Banking Division).

# Bank Holiday
# Gandhi Jayanti
# Mahavir Janma Kalyanak
# Maharaja Agresen Jayanti
# Kashiram Death Anniversary
# Dussehra (Maha Navami)
# Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)
# Dusshera (Maha Navaratri, Durgotsava, Durga Ashtami, Durga Ashtami)
# Deepawali
# Deepawali (Govardhan Puja)
# Bhai Duj/Chitragupt Jayanti
# Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
# Guru Nanak's birthday/Kartik Poornima
# Dr. B R. Ambedkar's Nirwan Diwas
# Moharram
# Christmas
# New Year's Day
# International Women's Day
# Gudhi Padwa
# Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurpurab
# Sankaranti
# Basanta Panchami
# Guru Ravidas Jayanti
# Chehalum
# Holi
# Easter Saturday
# Easter Monday
# Baishakhi
# Janmashtami
# Vishwakarma Pooja
# Eid ul Fitr
# Ganesh Chaturthi
# Anant chaturdasi
# Dussehra (Maha Ashtami)
# Maharshi Balmiki Jayanti
# Deepavali (Narak Chaturdasi)
# Eid ul Adha (Bakrid)
# Guru Teg Bahadur Shahid Diwas
# Moharram
# Christmas
# Second and Fourth Saturday of Every Month
# All Saturdays of the month in the IT sector

See also

* Bank holidays in India
* Indian New Year's days
* List of Hindu festivals
* List of Sikh festivals
* Islamic holidays
* List of Buddhist festivals

References

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