Bank Holidays in January 2026: Banks Shut for Pongal, Lohri & Makar Sankranti; Check State-Wise List

The new year 2026 has brought with it festive vibes, as India will celebrate the most important harvest festivals this month. Bank holidays in January 2026 will be heavily influenced by major revivals like Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Lohri, etc. In addition to regular weekly bank holidays on Sundays and second/fourth Saturdays, many states will observe closure during the occasion falling mainly between January 14 and January 16, as per the RBI holiday list notified under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

January 2026 bank holidays include these regional holidays and one national holiday on Republic Day, January 26.

Bank Holidays for Pongal, Lohri & Makar Sankranti;

Lohri, January 13: The festival is celebrated primarily in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi, so banks in these regions will remain closed on that day.

Makar Sankranti, January 14: this is a pan-Indian harvest festival known by various names, including Uttarayan, Sakraat, Magh Bihu and Sankranti. The Makar Sankranti bank holiday will be observed across most of the states.

Pongal, January 14-17: Particularly significant in Tamil Nadu, Pongal is a four-day harvest festival.

State-Wise Bank Holiday

South India

In Tamil Nadu, customers will experience an extended closure period around the Pongal bank holidays.
January 14: Thai Pongal
January 15: Thiruvalluvar Day
January 16: Uzhavar Thirunal

Bank holidays will also vary in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana due to local observances tied to Sankranti.

North & Central India

Punjab, Haryana & Himachal Pradesh: Bank holidays will be observed around Lohri on January 13 and the subsequent Sankranti celebrations.
Gujarat, Maharashtra & Rajasthan: Sankranti/Uttarayan festivities on January 14

East & Northeast

States such as Assam, observing Magh Bihu, will see bank holidays on Jan 14.

Other January 2026 Bank Holidays

In addition to festival closures:

Banks will be closed on all Sundays, the second Saturday (January 10) and the fourth Saturday (January 24).

Republic Day (January 26) is a nationwide bank holiday with uniform closure across India.

Digital Banking Still Works

Even when physical branches are closed, UPI, mobile banking, ATMs and net banking services continue to operate for basic financial transactions during bank holidays.

Tasks such as cheque deposits, account services, loan documentation or cash withdrawals requiring branch visits should ideally be completed before the scheduled bank holidays.