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Explore 2026 national, state and regional holiday dates for businesses, factories and offices across India, including major festivals such as Holi, Diwali, Janmashtami and Dussehra.
Planning employee holidays becomes easier when HR teams have a clear view of national, state and regional occasions. This 2026 holiday calendar brings together important festival and holiday dates that businesses can consider while preparing employee holiday schedules.
Holiday applicability may differ by state, establishment and organization. HR teams should verify applicable government notifications before finalizing their official company holiday calendar.
▶️ Makar Sankranti / Pongal: 14th January 2026
▶️ Republic Day: 26th January 2026
▶️ Maha Shivaratri: 15th February 2026
▶️ Holi / Dhuleti: 4th March 2026
▶️ Eid / Ramzan Id: 21st March 2026
▶️ Gudi Padwa / Ugadi: 19th March 2026
▶️ Rama Navami: 26th March 2026
▶️ Mahavir Jayanti: 31st March 2026
▶️ Good Friday: 3rd April 2026
▶️ Ambedkar Jayanti: 14th April 2026
▶️ Vishu / Baisakhi: 14th April 2026
▶️ Bohag Bihu: 15th April 2026
▶️ Bakrid / Eid al-Adha: 28th May 2026
▶️ Muharram / Ashura: 26th June 2026
▶️ Rath Yatra: 16th July 2026
▶️ Independence Day: 15th August 2026
▶️ Onam: 26th August 2026
▶️ Milad-un-Nabi: 26th August 2026
▶️ Janmashtami: 4th September 2026
▶️ Ganesh Chaturthi: 14th September 2026
▶️ Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti: 2nd October 2026
▶️ Sharad Navratri Begins: 11th October 2026
▶️ Durga Puja / Maha Saptami: 17th October 2026
▶️ Durga Puja / Maha Ashtami: 18th October 2026
▶️ Durga Puja / Maha Navami: 19th October 2026
▶️ Dussehra / Vijayadashami: 20th October 2026
▶️ Diwali / Deepavali: 8th November 2026
▶️ Govardhan Puja: 9th November 2026
▶️ Gujarati New Year / Bestu Varas: 9th November 2026
▶️ Bhai Dooj: 11th November 2026
▶️ Chhath Puja: 15th November 2026
▶️ Guru Nanak Jayanti: 24th November 2026
▶️ Christmas: 25th December 2026
HR teams in Gujarat can consider national, state and regional occasions when preparing their 2026 employee holiday calendar.
Important dates to review include:
▶️ Republic Day: 26th January 2026
▶️ Holi / Dhuleti: 4th March 2026
▶️ Eid / Ramzan Id: 21st March 2026
▶️ Mahavir Jayanti: 31st March 2026
▶️ Independence Day: 15th August 2026
▶️ Janmashtami: 4th September 2026
▶️ Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti: 2nd October 2026
▶️ Dussehra / Vijayadashami: 20th October 2026
▶️ Diwali / Deepavali: 8th November 2026
▶️ Gujarati New Year / Bestu Varas: 9th November 2026
▶️ Govardhan Puja: 9th November 2026
▶️ Bhai Dooj: 11th November 2026
▶️ Christmas: 25th December 2026
Gujarat-specific holidays and additional regional occasions should be checked against the applicable 2026 Gujarat government notification before the final company holiday calendar is published.
Organizations in Maharashtra can consider national and regional occasions while preparing their employee holiday calendar.
▶️ Republic Day: 26th January 2026
▶️ Holi: 4th March 2026
▶️ Gudi Padwa: 19th March 2026
▶️ Eid: 21st March 2026
▶️ Independence Day: 15th August 2026
▶️ Ganesh Chaturthi: 14th September 2026
▶️ Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti: 2nd October 2026
▶️ Dussehra / Vijayadashami: 20th October 2026
▶️ Diwali / Deepavali: 8th November 2026
▶️ Guru Nanak Jayanti: 24th November 2026
▶️ Christmas: 25th December 2026
The final holiday status should be verified against the applicable Maharashtra government notification and the organization's holiday policy.
Businesses in Rajasthan can review national and regional festival dates when preparing their annual employee holiday calendar.
▶️ Republic Day: 26th January 2026
▶️ Holi: 4th March 2026
▶️ Eid: 21st March 2026
▶️ Rama Navami: 26th March 2026
▶️ Independence Day: 15th August 2026
▶️ Janmashtami: 4th September 2026
▶️ Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti: 2nd October 2026
▶️ Dussehra / Vijayadashami: 20th October 2026
▶️ Diwali / Deepavali: 8th November 2026
▶️ Guru Nanak Jayanti: 24th November 2026
▶️ Christmas: 25th December 2026
The applicable Rajasthan holiday notification should be checked before publishing the final employee calendar.
Different states and regions observe different festivals. Multi-location organizations can consider relevant regional occasions when preparing location-specific employee calendars.
▶️ Gujarat: Gujarati New Year / Bestu Varas: 9th November 2026
▶️ Maharashtra: Gudi Padwa: 19th March 2026
▶️ Maharashtra: Ganesh Chaturthi: 14th September 2026
▶️ Karnataka: Ugadi: 19th March 2026
▶️ Tamil Nadu: Pongal: 14th January 2026
▶️ Kerala: Vishu: 14th April 2026
▶️ Kerala: Onam: 26th August 2026
▶️ Assam: Bohag Bihu: 15th April 2026
▶️ West Bengal: Durga Puja period: 17th–20th October 2026
▶️ Odisha: Rath Yatra: 16th July 2026
▶️ Punjab / North India - Baisakhi: 14th April 2026
▶️ North & Central India: Chhath Puja: 15th November 2026
These dates are useful for planning, but the applicable holiday status should be confirmed for the specific state, establishment and organization.
Manufacturing companies often operate multiple shifts and production schedules. HR teams therefore need to consider holidays together with attendance, shift planning, overtime, leave and workforce availability.
A factory holiday calendar can include:
▶️ National holidays
▶️ State holidays
▶️ Regional festivals
▶️ Company holidays
▶️ Optional holidays
▶️ Restricted holidays
▶️ Location-specific holidays
▶️ Shift and workforce requirements
The final calendar should be reviewed against applicable state notifications and requirements for the establishment.
Companies operating across multiple states may need different holiday calendars for employees in different locations.
For example:
▶️ Gujarat: Diwali, Gujarati New Year and other applicable regional holidays
▶️ Maharashtra: Gudi Padwa and Ganesh Chaturthi
▶️ Karnataka: Ugadi and Kannada Rajyotsava
▶️ Tamil Nadu: Pongal and Tamil New Year
▶️ Kerala: Vishu and Onam
Maintaining location-wise holiday calendars helps HR teams avoid applying the same holiday schedule to every employee when different locations have different requirements.
When is Holi in 2026?
Holi falls on 4th March 2026. Holiday applicability can vary by state and organization.
When is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali / Deepavali falls on 8th November 2026. Related dates include Govardhan Puja on 9th November and Bhai Dooj on 11th November.
When is Janmashtami in 2026?
Janmashtami falls on 4th September 2026.
When is Ganesh Chaturthi in 2026?
Ganesh Chaturthi falls on 14th September 2026.
When is Dussehra in 2026?
Dussehra / Vijayadashami falls on 20th October 2026.
Can companies have different holiday calendars for different states?
Yes. Multi-location organizations can maintain location-specific holiday calendars based on employee location, applicable holidays and company policy.
Is every festival an official holiday?
No. Festival dates and official holidays are not always the same. Organizations should check applicable government notifications and their own holiday policy before finalizing the employee calendar.
Managing different holiday calendars becomes easier when employee locations, holidays, attendance and leave are connected in one HRMS.
OceanHR helps growing businesses manage employee records, attendance, leave, payroll and workforce operations from one connected platform.
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