Overview of Holidays in 2026
A well-compiled list of holidays for 2026 makes it much easier to follow and plan the year. Ranging from national festivals, religious festivals and seasonal holidays, the Indian calendar of festivals is full of places to rest, travel, and party. The use of this comprehensive holidays list 2026 will assist you in planning leaves, vacations, and other special times on every holiday month.
Here is the list of all major holidays in the entire year
| Month | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| January | 26 | Monday | Republic Day |
| March | 4 | Wednesday | Holi |
| April | 6 | Monday | Mahavir Jayanti |
| May | 1 | Friday | Labour Day |
| August | 15 | Saturday | Independence Day |
| October | 2 | Friday | Gandhi Jayanti |
| October | 11 | Sunday | Diwali |
| December | 25 | Friday | Christmas Day |
Month-Wise List of Holidays in 2026
January 2026 Holidays
1st January (Thursday) – New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day is celebrated with great pomp and show across the country. While the north side celebrates it with decent enthusiasm, southern India follows a vibrant approach to this day.
13th January (Tuesday) – Lohri
Lohri is celebrated to respect the harvest of the season. These festivals are popular in states like Punjab and Haryana.
14th January (Wednesday) – Makar Sankranti / Pongal
These festivals are also much-awaited events, celebrating the harvest, culture and traditions of the Indians.
23rd January (Friday) – Vasant Panchami
The festival adorns the yellow hues, marking the arrival of the spring season in the country, celebrated with great pomp, show and events.
26th January (Monday) – Republic Day
One of the most important days of the year and an inclusion in the list of Indian Holidays, Republic Day, offers a long weekend. On this day, the special parade and shows in the capital city are a point of attraction.
February 2026 Holidays
5th February (Sunday) – Maha Shivratri
Maha Shivratri, a festival that is dedicated to Lord Shiva, is another important holiday. It is a spiritually significant month of holidays because of fasts and temple visits that are practised by many devotees.
March 2026 Holidays
4th March (Wednesday) – Holi
Symbolised by colours and Lord Krishna’s worship, Holi is one of the major festivals of India. It attracts not just locals but foreigners from all across the world who gather to celebrate the hues of life.
27th March (Friday) – Good Friday
Good Friday on 27th March (Friday), later on in the month, would provide a quiet long weekend to reflect and travel. This is the time you can take a long weekend break.
April 2026 Holidays
2nd April (Thursday) – Ram Navami
Ram Navami is a very popular Hindu festival which marks the celebrations across cities like Ayodhya, Delhi, Varanasi, and many more. And since it’s coming on Thursday, you can easily bag a long weekend by taking a holiday on Friday.
6th April (Monday) – Mahavir Jayanti
The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Mahavir. Since it’s on Monday, a good long weekend is on the cards in April.
10th April (Friday) – Good Friday
Good Friday is observed to commemorate the crucifixion of Lord Jesus. The day, mainly observed by the Christian community, is a good option to plan your vacations for long weekends.
May 2026 Holidays
1st May (Friday) – Labour Day / Maharashtra Day
Labour and Maharashtra Day, both falling on the same day and that too Friday, give a long weekend holiday option for working professionals.
25th May (Monday) – Buddha Purnima
The day, a major seasonal holiday, falls on Monday and hence, offers a long weekend option. The day observes the thrice-blessed day marking Prince Siddhartha Gautama’s birth.
June 2026 Holidays
17th June (Wednesday) – Bakrid / Eid-ul-Adha
Bakrid is one of the major festivals of India, celebrated with great enthusiasm by Muslim people.
July 2026 Holidays
6th July (Monday) – Muharram
Muharram is marked as an important holiday that highlights the beginning of the Islamic year.
August 2026 Holidays
15th August (Saturday) – Independence Day
Independence Day is one of the most important days in the country, marking our independence from British rule in 1947. On this day, plan to visit Imagicaa theme park, where you can grab offers on the water park, snow park and trampoline park. For a prolonged visit and to enjoy the best of Imagicaa, you may consider a long stay at Novotel Imagicaa.
19th August (Wednesday) – Raksha Bandhan
The day of Raksha Bandhan highlights the bond between brothers and sisters. The day is celebrated all across the country with a ceremonial event of sisters tying a sacred thread on brother’s wrists.
25th August (Tuesday) – Janmashtami
One of the major festivals of India, Janmashtami, celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. The day offers a chance to everyone to immerse in the teachings and worship of Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
September 2026 Holidays
14th September (Monday) – Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi honours the birth of Lord Ganesha, who is the lord of all beginnings in Hindu mythology. The day falls on Monday and gives way to a long weekend getaway.
17th September (Thursday) – Onam
Onam is prominently celebrated in Kerala, marking the homecoming of the king Mahabali and symbolising a golden era of prosperity.
October 2026 Holidays
2nd October (Friday) – Gandhi Jayanti
This year, Gandhi Jayanti, which marks an important government holiday, falls on a Friday. While the day is important, it also offers a brilliant chance to rejuvenate and revive, through a long weekend plan.
22nd October (Thursday) – Dussehra
Dussehra is a festival that probably offers the most joyous and pompous celebrations all across the country. It marks the day when Lord Rama defeated Raavana. The day also marks the beginning of the festival season in the country.
11th October (Sunday) – Diwali
Diwali is a Hindu festival, and it is celebrated worldwide. It marks the time when Lord Rama returned to his home city, Ayodhya, after defeating Raavana. Every home, individual, and family immerses itself in the festivities during the night, marked by prayers, the lighting of candles, eating festival sweets, and much more.
November 2026 Holidays
12th November (Thursday) – Bhai Dooj
Bhai Dooj also celebrates the bond between siblings. On this day, sisters apply a sacred Tilak on the foreheads of their brothers.
4th November (Tuesday) – Guru Nanak Jayanti
A major Sikh festival, Guru Nanak Jayanti, honours the birth of the great Guru Nanak Ji. It is not only a major entry in the list of holidays, but is also celebrated all across the world by the Sikh community.
December 2026 Holidays
25th December (Friday) – Christmas Day
Christmas Day is also a very prominent festival which is celebrated by everyone across the country. The arrival is on Friday which gives way to a good long weekend at the end of the year.











