Bank holidays for Holi: Customers have been advised to plan their banking activities accordingly and make use of digital banking platforms to avoid any inconvenience during this four-day holiday period.
Bank holidays for Holi: Banking services in several parts of the country will be impacted for four consecutive days on account of Holi and the upcoming weekend, as per the holiday schedule released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The festive season will lead to bank closures on March 13, 14, 15, and 16 in various regions.
Bank holiday on March 13
On Thursday, banks will be closed on account of ‘Holika Dahan’ and ‘Attukal Pongal’. Holika Dahan is a symbolic ritual that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It also marks the beginning of the Holi festivities. Meanwhile, Attukal Pongal, a significant festival in Kerala known globally for hosting the world’s largest women’s gathering, will also lead to closures in specific southern regions.
Bank holiday on March 14
Holi celebrations will see banks remaining closed across a large number of states on Friday (March 14). These include Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh & Telangana), Jammu, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Srinagar, and West Bengal.
Bank holiday on March 15-16
On Saturday, banks will remain closed in Tripura, Manipur, and Odisha on account of the second day of Yaoshang, a colourful five-day-long festival celebrated predominantly in Manipur. Yaoshang closely resembles Holi in spirit and blends Hindu and traditional Meitei customs. While it is a regular working day for banks in other parts of India due to it being the third Saturday, select regions will see closures. Apart from second and fourth Saturdays, banks are also closed on Sundays. Hence, banks will be closed on Sunday, March 16.
State-specific bank holidays
India’s bank holidays often depend on regional festivities and observances, leading to differences across states. However, all scheduled and non-scheduled banks uniformly observe holidays on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Notably, if a month includes a fifth Saturday, banks remain operational on that day.
Online banking services remain unaffected
While banks may be closed physically, digital banking options like Net banking, mobile banking, and UPI services will continue to function uninterrupted. However, prolonged holidays could lead to disruptions in ATM cash availability. Customers are advised to ensure that their online banking services are active and linked to their registered mobile numbers to facilitate transactions.
