Delhi

Public Holidays Guide

Most offices in Delhi observe a five-day or six-day workweek, with Sundays off. All through the year, there are many holidays, more than are common in most Western countries. Some of the bank holidays in India are fixed while others, specifically for Indian festivals, vary every year as they are calculated according to the Indian (lunar-based) calendar. Fixed date holidays followed in Delhi are:

• Republic Day: 26th January (India become a democratic republic on this day in 1950)
• Independence Day: 15th August (India attained freedom from the British Rule on this day in 1947)
• Gandhi Jayanti: 2nd October (Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi-the Father of the Nation)

Holidays (based on Lunar/Indian calendar):

• Dussehra: In October or November, Dussehra or Vijayadashmi is a Hindu festival to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
• Diwali: Festival of Lights, celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over the Ravana, the evil king of Lanka, and is sometime in October or November

Bank Holiday Schedule

Banks and public institutions, as well as some schools, are closed on the following holidays, although offices may choose to remain open on most of these days (with the exception of Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti, on which most offices are required to close for business). If a holiday falls on a Sunday, you will not normally get the following Monday off in lieu.

*See explanation above