Madhya Pradesh Holiday List 2026

Thursday · 1 January

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

Saturday · 3 January

Marks the birth of Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad.

Tuesday · 6 January

Marks the birth of Guru Gokuldas Ji Maharaj, revered in central India.

Wednesday · 14 January

Marks the sun's passage into Capricorn, kept as Makar Sankranti in the north and Pongal in the south.

Wednesday · 21 January

Honours Hemu Kalani, the Sindhi revolutionary hanged by the British in 1943 at the age of nineteen.

Friday · 23 January

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

Saturday · 24 January

Marks the birth of Devnarayan, the folk deity revered as an incarnation of Vishnu in Rajasthan.

Sunday · 25 January

Marks the appearance of the river Narmada, worshipped as a goddess across central India.

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.

Saturday · 31 January

Marks the birth of Swami Ramcharan, founder of the Ramsnehi sect of Rajasthan.

Sunday · 1 February

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

Tuesday · 3 February

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

Sunday · 8 February

Honours Shabari, the forest-dwelling devotee of the Ramayana whose offering Rama accepted.

Thursday · 12 February

Marks the birth of the founder of the Arya Samaj, a reformer who called for a return to the Vedas.

Sunday · 15 February

Honours Eklavya, the Nishadha prince of the Mahabharata who taught himself archery, revered by tribal communities.

Sunday · 15 February

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

Thursday · 19 February

Marks the birth of Shivaji, founder of the Maratha empire.

Monday · 2 March

The bonfire on the eve of Holi, commemorating the burning of the demoness Holika.

Tuesday · 3 March

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

Thursday · 5 March

Sisters mark their brothers' foreheads and pray for their long life, two days after Diwali.

Sunday · 15 March

Marks the birth of Mata Karma, the Chhattisgarhi devotee of Krishna revered by the Sahu community.

Wednesday · 18 March

Marks the birth of Raja Todar Mal, the finance minister who reformed Mughal land revenue.

Thursday · 19 March

The Marathi new year, on which a decorated gudi is raised outside the house for prosperity.

Friday · 20 March

The Sindhi new year, marking the birth of Jhulelal.

Friday · 20 March

The last Friday of Ramadan, falling with the martyrdom day of Rani Avantibai Lodhi.

Saturday · 21 March

Marks the appearance of Matsya, the fish avatar of Vishnu, revered particularly by fishing communities.

Saturday · 21 March

The Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan, celebrated with communal prayers, feasts, charity, and family gatherings.

Monday · 23 March

Honours Nishadraj Guha, the boatman king of the Ramayana who ferried Rama across the Ganga.

Friday · 27 March

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

Tuesday · 31 March

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

Wednesday · 1 April

The annual closing of bank accounts on 1 April. Banks are shut; government offices stay open.

Wednesday · 1 April

Honours Hatkeshwar Mahadev, the presiding deity of the Nagar Brahmin community.

Friday · 3 April

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

Saturday · 11 April

Marks the birth of Jyotirao Phule, the reformer who opened schools for girls and campaigned against caste.

Monday · 13 April

Marks the birth of Vallabhacharya, founder of the Pushtimarg school of Vaishnavism.

Tuesday · 14 April

The birth of B. R. Ambedkar, falling with Vaisakhi, the spring harvest festival and Sikh new year.

Tuesday · 14 April

Marks the birth of Sant Sen, the poet-saint revered by the Sen community.

Wednesday · 15 April

The Malayalam new year, on which the first sight of the year is arranged as the auspicious Vishukkani.

Monday · 20 April

A day held to be so auspicious that anything begun on it endures; traditionally chosen for new ventures and for buying gold.

Monday · 20 April

Marks the appearance of Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu.

Wednesday · 22 April

Marks the birth of Adi Shankaracharya, the philosopher who consolidated Advaita Vedanta.

Thursday · 23 April

Marks the appearance of Chitragupta, keeper of the record of deeds, revered by the Kayastha community.

Friday · 1 May

Marks the birth, enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha, all traditionally held to have fallen on the same full-moon day.

Friday · 15 May

Honours Kevat, the boatman of the Ramayana who ferried Rama across the Ganga.

Tuesday · 26 May

The day before Bakrid, kept for preparations.

Wednesday · 27 May

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

Sunday · 31 May

Marks the birth of Ahilyabai Holkar, the Maratha queen of Indore remembered for temple building and just rule.

Friday · 5 June

Marks the Prophet Muhammad's declaration at Ghadir Khumm, observed chiefly by Shia Muslims.

Wednesday · 17 June

Honours Maharana Pratap of Mewar and Chhatrasal of Bundelkhand, both remembered for resisting Mughal rule.

Tuesday · 23 June

The foundation day of the Maheshwari community, marking its origin story of deliverance by Shiva.

Wednesday · 24 June

Honours Rani Durgavati of Gondwana, who died resisting Mughal invasion in 1564, falling with Ashura.

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.

Saturday · 27 June

The worship of Shiva as Bada Mahadev, kept in the Ashadha month in central India.

Monday · 29 June

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

Thursday · 16 July

The chariot festival of Jagannath, in which the deities are drawn through the streets in great wooden chariots.

Wednesday · 29 July

The day pupils honour their teachers, kept on the Ashadha full moon and dedicated to the sage Vyasa.

Sunday · 9 August

The day recognising India's tribal communities, kept with the United Nations' indigenous peoples' day.

Thursday · 13 August

Marks the birth of Durgadas Rathore, the Rathore noble who preserved the Marwar kingdom against Mughal annexation.

Saturday · 15 August

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

Saturday · 15 August

Navroz, the Parsi new year, marking renewal and the start of the Zoroastrian year.

Monday · 17 August

Worship of serpent deities, on which milk is offered at snake images and anthills.

Wednesday · 19 August

Marks the birth of Tulsidas, author of the Ramcharitmanas.

Wednesday · 26 August

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

Wednesday · 26 August

The harvest festival of Kerala, marking the annual homecoming of the mythical king Mahabali.

Friday · 28 August

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

Wednesday · 2 September

Marks the birth of Balarama, elder brother of Krishna, kept as Hal Shashthi in parts of northern India.

Friday · 4 September

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

Monday · 14 September

Marks the birth of Ganesha, remover of obstacles, whose clay images are worshipped and then immersed.

Thursday · 17 September

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

Friday · 18 September

The first eating of the new rice, falling with the martyrdom of the Gond rulers Shankar Shah and Raghunath Shah.

Monday · 21 September

Marks the death of Veer Tejaji, the Rajasthani folk hero invoked against snakebite.

Tuesday · 22 September

Jal Jhulani Ekadashi, on which deities are taken in procession to water to the beat of drums.

Friday · 25 September

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

Thursday · 1 October

Marks the birth anniversary of the Syedna, spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community.

Friday · 2 October

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

Friday · 9 October

Marks the birth of Mahamati Prannath, founder of the Pranami sect.

Saturday · 10 October

The final day of Pitru Paksha, on which offerings are made to all ancestors.

Sunday · 11 October

Marks the birth of Maharaja Agrasen, the legendary king held to have founded Agroha and the Agrawal community.

Sunday · 18 October

The eighth day of Navratri, among the most sacred of the nine nights.

Monday · 19 October

The ninth day of Navratri, the last before Vijaya Dashami.

Tuesday · 20 October

The tenth day, marking Rama's victory over Ravana and Durga's over Mahishasura.

Monday · 26 October

Honours Maharaj Ajmodh Dev, alongside the samadhi anniversary of Tekchand Ji Maharaj.

Monday · 26 October

Marks the birth of Valmiki, author of the Ramayana.

Thursday · 29 October

A day-long fast kept by married women for their husbands' well-being, broken on sighting the moon.

Saturday · 7 November

The southern Indian observance of Diwali, kept a day earlier than in the north.

Sunday · 8 November

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

Monday · 9 November

Marks Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan to shelter the villagers from Indra's storm, kept the day after Diwali.

Monday · 9 November

The day after Diwali, on which Govardhan Puja is kept and the new business year opens.

Wednesday · 11 November

Sisters mark their brothers' foreheads and pray for their long life, two days after Diwali.

Sunday · 15 November

Four days of offerings to the setting and rising sun, kept with fasting and river-bank worship.

Sunday · 15 November

The national day honouring India's tribal communities, marked on the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.

Monday · 16 November

Honours Sahastrabahu Arjuna, the thousand-armed king revered by the Kalar and Haihaya communities.

Friday · 20 November

Marks the birth of Sant Namdev, the Marathi poet-saint of the Bhakti movement.

Sunday · 22 November

Honours Jhalkari Bai, the soldier of Jhansi who impersonated the Rani to let her escape the British in 1858.

Tuesday · 24 November

Marks the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, observed with processions and continuous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Thursday · 3 December

The international day of persons with disabilities.

Friday · 4 December

Honours Tantya Bhil, the Bhil leader hanged by the British in 1889 after a long campaign of resistance.

Monday · 14 December

Marks the execution of the ninth Sikh Guru in 1675 for defending the right to religious freedom.

Wednesday · 16 December

Marks the birth of Taran Taran Swami, founder of the Taranpanth tradition of Digambara Jainism.

Friday · 18 December

Marks the birth of Guru Ghasidas, founder of the Satnami sect and a reformer against caste discrimination in Chhattisgarh.

Wednesday · 23 December

Marks the appearance of Dattatreya, held to combine Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in one form.

Friday · 25 December

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

Sunday · 27 December

Marks the birth of Khetsingh Khangar, the founder of the Khangar dynasty of central India.

Thursday · 31 December

Marks the birth of Balinath Ji, the saint revered by the Bairwa community of central India.