State holiday list · 2026

Bihar Holiday List 2026

Every gazetted and restricted holiday in Bihar for 2026, from the state's own published list — with dates, weekdays and the long weekends.

Get Ekam on Google PlayWhat's in the app

30Gazetted
23Restricted
12next to a weekend

In 2026, Bihar has 30 gazetted holidays and 23 restricted holidays. Gazetted holidays are days when state government offices are closed. Restricted holidays are optional days that employees can apply to take off.

All 53 holidays in 2026

January 5

  1. New Year

    Restricted

    Thursday · 1 January

    Marks the first day of the year on the Gregorian calendar, celebrated globally with festivities and new resolutions.

  2. Makar Sankranti

    Restricted

    Wednesday · 14 January

    Marks the sun's passage into Capricorn and the start of longer days, celebrated with kite flying, bonfires and sesame sweets.

  3. Vasant Panchami

    Gazetted

    Friday · 23 January

    Marks the arrival of spring and the worship of Saraswati, goddess of learning and the arts.

  4. Karpoori Thakur Jayanti

    Restricted

    Saturday · 24 January

    Marks the birth of Karpoori Thakur, twice Chief Minister of Bihar and an advocate for the backward classes.

  5. Republic Day

    Gazetted

    Monday · 26 January

    Marks the day in 1950 the Constitution of India came into force, replacing the Government of India Act as the country's governing document.

February 3

  1. Sant Ravidas Jayanti

    Gazetted

    Sunday · 1 February

    Marks the birth of Ravidas, the fifteenth-century poet-saint whose verses are included in the Guru Granth Sahib.

  2. Shab-e-Barat

    Gazetted

    Wednesday · 4 February

    The night of records, kept with prayer and remembrance of the dead in the month before Ramadan.

  3. Mahashivratri

    Gazetted

    Sunday · 15 February

    The great night of Shiva, kept with fasting and night-long worship.

March 9

  1. Holika Dahan

    Restricted

    Monday · 2 March

    The bonfire on the eve of Holi, commemorating the burning of the demoness Holika and the rescue of the devotee Prahlad.

  2. Holi

    Gazetted

    Tuesday – Wednesday · 3–4 March

    The festival of colours, marking the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil.

  3. Ramzan ka Antim Jumma

    Restricted

    Friday · 13 March

    The last Friday of Ramadan, drawing the largest congregational prayers of the year.

  4. Id-Ul-Fitr (Eid)

    Gazetted

    Saturday · 21 March

    Marks the end of Ramadan's month of fasting, celebrated with congregational prayer, charity and family meals.

  5. Bihar Diwas

    Gazetted

    Sunday · 22 March

    Marks the creation of Bihar as a separate province in 1912, celebrated across the state with cultural programmes.

  6. Id-Ul-Fitr (Eid)

    Restricted

    Sunday · 22 March

    Marks the end of Ramadan's month of fasting, celebrated with congregational prayer, charity and family meals.

  7. Samrat Ashok Ashtami

    Gazetted

    Thursday · 26 March

    Marks the birth anniversary of Emperor Ashoka, observed in Bihar as a state holiday.

  8. Ram Navami

    Gazetted

    Friday · 27 March

    Marks the birth of Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, celebrated with readings of the Ramayana.

  9. Mahavir Jayanti

    Gazetted

    Tuesday · 31 March

    Marks the birth of Mahavira, the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara of Jainism.

April 5

  1. Yearly Closing of Bank Accounts

    Restricted

    Wednesday · 1 April

    The annual closing of bank accounts on 1 April, applying to government offices with banking functions.

  2. Good Friday

    Gazetted

    Friday · 3 April

    Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, observed by Christians with fasting, prayer and church services.

  3. Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti

    Gazetted

    Tuesday · 14 April

    Marks the birth of B. R. Ambedkar, principal architect of the Constitution of India and campaigner against caste discrimination.

  4. Veer Kunwar Singh Jayanti

    Gazetted

    Thursday · 23 April

    Honours Kunwar Singh, the Bihar leader who fought the British in the uprising of 1857 in his eightieth year.

  5. Janaki Navami

    Gazetted

    Saturday · 25 April

    Marks the birth of Sita, also called Janaki, the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila.

May 3

  1. May Day & Buddha Purnima

    Gazetted

    Friday · 1 May

    International Workers' Day falls on the same date as Buddha Purnima, which marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha.

  2. Id-Ul-Zuha (Bakrid)

    Gazetted

    Thursday · 28 May

    The festival of sacrifice, commemorating Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, marked by the sharing of meat.

  3. Id-Ul-Zuha (Bakrid)

    Restricted

    Friday · 29 May

    The festival of sacrifice, commemorating Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, marked by the sharing of meat.

June 4

  1. Anugrah Narayan Sinha Jayanti

    Restricted

    Thursday · 18 June

    Marks the birth of Anugrah Narayan Sinha, freedom fighter and the first Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

  2. Muharram

    Gazetted

    Friday · 26 June

    The first month of the Islamic year; the tenth day, Ashura, is kept in mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala.

  3. Muharram

    Restricted

    Saturday · 27 June

    The first month of the Islamic year; the tenth day, Ashura, is kept in mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala.

  4. Kabir Jayanti

    Gazetted

    Monday · 29 June

    Marks the birth of Kabir, the mystic poet whose verses reject both ritualism and sectarian division.

August 5

  1. Chehallum

    Gazetted

    Tuesday · 4 August

    The fortieth day after Ashura, closing the mourning period for Imam Husayn.

  2. Independence Day

    Gazetted

    Saturday · 15 August

    Marks India's independence from British rule on 15 August 1947, observed with flag hoisting and national ceremonies.

  3. Antim Shravani Somvar

    Restricted

    Monday · 24 August

    The last Monday of Shravan, the month's most auspicious day for the worship of Shiva.

  4. Birthday of Hazrat Mohammad Sahab

    Gazetted

    Wednesday · 26 August

    Marks the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, observed with processions, readings and charity.

  5. Raksha Bandhan

    Restricted

    Friday · 28 August

    Sisters tie a protective thread on their brothers' wrists in exchange for a promise of protection.

September 4

  1. Shri Krishna Janmashtami

    Gazetted

    Friday · 4 September

    Marks the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, kept with midnight worship and fasting.

  2. Haritalika Teej Vrat

    Restricted

    Monday · 14 September

    A waterless fast kept by women in honour of Parvati's union with Shiva.

  3. Vishwakarma Puja

    Restricted

    Thursday · 17 September

    Worship of Vishwakarma, the divine architect, on which tools and machinery are honoured in workshops and factories.

  4. Anant Chaturdashi

    Restricted

    Friday · 25 September

    The final day of the Ganesh festival, on which the images are immersed; also a major Jain observance.

October 8

  1. Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti

    Gazetted

    Friday · 2 October

    Birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and advocate of non-violent resistance.

  2. Jivitputrika Vrat

    Restricted

    Sunday · 4 October

    Jitiya, a day-long waterless fast kept by mothers for the long life of their children.

  3. Durga Puja Kalash Sthapan

    Restricted

    Sunday · 11 October

    The installation of the sacred pot that opens the nine nights of Navratri and the Durga Puja observance.

  4. Jayaprakash Narayan Jayanti

    Restricted

    Sunday · 11 October

    Marks the birth of Jayaprakash Narayan, the socialist leader whose Total Revolution movement challenged the Emergency.

  5. Durga Puja (Saptami, Mahaashtami)

    Gazetted

    Saturday – Sunday · 17–18 October

    The seventh and eighth days of Durga Puja, the festival's most sacred period.

  6. Durga Puja (Mahanavami, Vijayadashami)

    Gazetted

    Monday – Tuesday · 19–20 October

    The ninth and tenth days of Durga Puja, closing with the immersion of the idols.

  7. Durga Puja (Ekadashi)

    Restricted

    Wednesday · 21 October

    The eleventh day, following the immersion, kept as a closing holiday in Bihar.

  8. Shri Krishna Singh Jayanti

    Restricted

    Wednesday · 21 October

    Marks the birth of Sri Krishna Sinha, the first Chief Minister of Bihar and a leader of the freedom movement.

November 4

  1. Deepavali

    Gazetted

    Sunday · 8 November

    The festival of lights, marking the triumph of light over darkness and Rama's return to Ayodhya.

  2. Chitragupta Puja / Bhai Dooj

    Gazetted

    Tuesday · 10 November

    Worship of Chitragupta, keeper of the record of deeds, alongside the Bhai Dooj bond between sisters and brothers.

  3. Chhath Puja (Kharna)

    Restricted

    Saturday · 14 November

    The second day of Chhath, on which the fast is broken after sunset with offerings of kheer.

  4. Chhath Puja

    Gazetted

    Sunday – Monday · 15–16 November

    Four days of offerings to the setting and rising sun, the principal festival of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

December 3

  1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad Jayanti

    Restricted

    Thursday · 3 December

    Marks the birth of Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India and a leader of the freedom movement in Bihar.

  2. Christmas Eve

    Restricted

    Thursday · 24 December

    The evening before Christmas Day, marked with midnight services and family celebrations.

  3. Christmas Day

    Gazetted

    Friday · 25 December

    Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, marked with church services, family gatherings and gift-giving.

Next to a weekend

These gazetted holidays fall on a Monday or a Friday — a long weekend for anyone who has the Saturday off.

More in Ekam

Ekam is more than a holiday list. Download it and you also get:

See Bihar's holidays on a calendar

Plan your leave, get reminders and keep your diary, events and money on the same calendar — free.

Get Ekam on Google Play

Source

General Administration Department, Government of Bihar, reference 3/H01/2025-Sa0Pra0-15401, dated 19 August 2025. Read it on betastate.bihar.gov.in.

How Ekam checks its lists, for every state: holiday sources.

Not a government website Ekam is an independent app by N!rvana Labs. It is not made by, affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any government or government department. Holiday dates are taken from each state government's published holiday list (every source is on the holiday sources page) and checked carefully, but mistakes can happen — please check your state's own list before making important plans. Holidays that a notification lists without a date, such as some district or local holidays, are not included. Found a wrong date? Write to support.nirvanalabs@gmail.com.

Other states