Public holidays in India

People celebrating Holi in Delhi.

Hindus celebrate a number of festivals all through the year. Hindu festivals have one or more of religious, mythological 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.

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

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. This is, however, is looked down upon by many of the Parsis, who continue to use the Shahenshai 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.

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, also known as Gazetted holidays, consists of a list of holidays that are mandatory once decided.[10] This list consists of two parts:

• Paragraph 2
• Paragraph 3.1

It consists of holidays that are observed compulsorily across India.[10] These holidays are:

1. Republic Day
2. Independence Day
3. Gandhi Jayanti
4. Mahavir Janma Kalyanak
5. Buddha Purnima
6. Christmas Day
7. Dussehra
8. Diwali (Deepavali)
9. Good Friday
10. Guru Nanak's Birthday
11. Eid ul-Fitr
12. Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
13. Muharram
14. Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (Id-e-Milad)

so all the holidays are there

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.[10]

1. An additional day for Dasahara
2. Holi
3. Janamashtami (Vaishanvi)
4. Ram Navami
5. Maha Shivratri
6. Ganesh Chaturthi/Vinayak Chaturthi
7. Makar Sankrantili
8. Onam
9. Sri Panchami/Basanta Panchami
10. Vishu/Vaisakhi/Vaisakhadi/Bhag Bihu/Mashadi Ugadi/Chaitra Sakladi/Cheti Chand/Gudhi Pada 1st Navratra/Nauraj

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.[10]

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.[10]

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.[10]

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, Idu'l Fitr, Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami), Guru Nanak's Birthday, Christmas Day as compulsory holidays falling on weekdays.[10]

In 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).[10]

1. Bank Holiday
2. Gandhi Jayanti
3. Mahavir Janma Kalyanak
4. Maharaja Agresen Jayanti
5. Kashiram Death Anniversary
6. Dussehra (Maha Navami)
7. Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)
8. Dusshera (Maha Navaratri, Durgotsava, Durga Ashtami, Durga Ashtami)
9. Deepawali
10. Deepawali (Govardhan Puja)
11. Bhai Duj/Chitragupt Jayanti
12. Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
13. Guru Nanak's birthday/Kartik Poornima
14. Dr. B R. Ambedkar's Nirwan Diwas
15. Moharram
16. Christmas
17. New Year's Day
18. International Women's Day
19. Gudhi Padwa
20. Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurpurab
21. Makar Sankaranti
22. Basanta Panchami
23. Guru Ravidas Jayanti
24. Chehalum
25. Holi
26. Easter Saturday
27. Easter Monday
28. Baishakhi
29. Janmashtami
30. Vishwakarma Pooja
31. Eid ul fitr
32. Ganesh Chaturthi
33. Anant chaturdasi
34. Dussehra (Maha Ashtami)
35. Maharshi Balmiki Jayanti
36. Deepawali (Narak Chaturdasi)
37. Eid ul Adha (Bakrid)
38. Guru Teg Bahadur Shahid Diwas
39. Moharram
40. Christmas