Public holidays in India

Public holidays in India

Public holidays in India, also known as statutory 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 honoured 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 holidays: Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15 August) and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October).^[1][2]

States have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular Hindu festivals of Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Maha Shivratri, Onam, Janmashtami, Saraswati Puja, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Raksha Bandhan, Holi, Durga Puja, Dussehra and Diwali; Jain festivals are Mahavir Janma Kalyanak and Paryushan; Sikh festivals like Guru Nanak Jayanti and Vaisakhi; Muslim festivals of Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Mawlid, Muharram; Buddhist festivals like Ambedkar Jayanti, Buddha Jayanti, Dhammachakra Pravartan Day and Losar; Parsi Zoroastrian holidays such as Nowruz, and Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter as well as days of observances such as Good Friday are observed throughout India.

National holidays

Soldiers of the Madras Regiment during the annual Republic Day Parade in 2004

National holidays are observed in all states and union territories.

India has three national days.

They are:

Date	English name	Commemorates
26 January	Republic Day	Adoption of the Constitution of India^[3] (1950)
15 August	Independence Day	Independence from the United Kingdom (1947)
2 October	Gandhi Jayanti	Birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869)

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.