Bank Holidays March 2026: March 2026 will be one of the most holiday-heavy months for banks across India, with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) listing up to 18 closures, including weekend offs and major festival-based holidays. However, the total number of holidays may vary between 17 and 18 days depending on the state and type of banking operations.
With Holi, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Ram Navami, Mahavir Jayanti and several regional festivals falling this month, customers are advised to review the complete city-wise schedule before planning branch visits. As March also marks the financial year-end, timely planning becomes even more important.
Key Highlights: Bank Holidays in March 2026 as Per RBI Calendar
According to the official calendar issued by the Reserve Bank of India:
- 17 to 18 total bank holidays in March 2026, depending on state
- 5 Sundays: March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29
- Second Saturday: March 14
- Fourth Saturday: March 28
- Major festival holidays vary by city
- Holidays declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act
- Cheque clearing and over-the-counter services remain unavailable on notified dates
- Digital services such as ATMs, UPI, mobile banking and net banking continue to function
- All scheduled and non-scheduled banks, including State Bank of India, follow the RBI holiday framework
- Agency banks handling government business will remain open on March 31, 2026, despite Mahavir Jayanti, to facilitate financial year-end government transactions
Complete State-Wise Bank Holiday List – March 2026
March 1 – Sunday
Pan India weekly off
March 2 – Holika Dahan
Banks closed in:
Kanpur and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)
March 3 – Holi (Second Day) / Dol Jatra / Dhulandi / Holika Dahan / Attukal Pongala
Banks closed in:
Belapur, Mumbai and Nagpur (Maharashtra),
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh),
Dehradun (Uttarakhand),
Gangtok (Sikkim),
Guwahati (Assam),
Hyderabad (Telangana),
Jaipur (Rajasthan),
Kanpur and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh),
Kolkata (West Bengal),
Panaji (Goa),
Patna (Bihar),
Ranchi (Jharkhand),
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala),
Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh)
March 4 – Holi / Holi 2nd Day – Dhuleti / Yaosang 2nd Day
Banks closed in:
Agartala (Tripura),
Ahmedabad (Gujarat),
Aizawl (Mizoram),
Bhubaneswar (Odisha),
Chandigarh,
Dehradun (Uttarakhand),
Gangtok (Sikkim),
Imphal (Manipur),
Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh),
Jammu (Jammu & Kashmir),
Kanpur and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh),
New Delhi,
Patna (Bihar),
Raipur (Chhattisgarh),
Ranchi (Jharkhand),
Shillong (Meghalaya),
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)
March 8 – Sunday
Pan India weekly off
March 13 – Chapchar Kut
Banks closed in:
Aizawl (Mizoram)
(Note: Some earlier city references mentioned Jammu; however, the primary RBI listing associates Chapchar Kut with Mizoram.)
March 14 – Second Saturday
Pan India weekly off
March 15 – Sunday
Pan India weekly off
March 17 – Shab-I-Qadr
Banks closed in:
Imphal (Manipur),
Jammu and Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir)
March 19 – Gudhi Padwa / Ugadi Festival / Telugu New Year’s Day / Sajibu Nongmapanba (Cheiraoba) / 1st Navratra
Banks closed in:
Belapur, Mumbai and Nagpur (Maharashtra),
Bengaluru (Karnataka),
Chennai (Tamil Nadu),
Hyderabad (Telangana),
Imphal (Manipur),
Jammu and Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir),
Panaji (Goa),
Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh)
March 20 – Eid-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan) / Jumat-ul-Vida
Banks closed in:
Jammu and Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir),
Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala),
Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh)
(Some expanded city listings appeared in certain sources; however, the core RBI calendar specifies closures in these regions for March 20.)
Also Read: Bank Holidays December 2025: RBI Issues Full List of 18 Regional and Weekend Closures Across India
March 21 – Ramzan-Id (Id-Ul-Fitr) (Shawal-1) / Khutub-E-Ramzan / Sarhul
Banks closed in:
Agartala (Tripura),
Ahmedabad (Gujarat),
Aizawl (Mizoram),
Belapur, Mumbai and Nagpur (Maharashtra),
Bengaluru (Karnataka),
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh),
Bhubaneswar (Odisha),
Chandigarh,
Chennai (Tamil Nadu),
Dehradun (Uttarakhand),
Gangtok (Sikkim),
Guwahati (Assam),
Hyderabad (Telangana),
Imphal (Manipur),
Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh),
Jaipur (Rajasthan),
Jammu and Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir),
Kanpur and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh),
Kohima (Nagaland),
Kolkata (West Bengal),
New Delhi,
Panaji (Goa),
Patna (Bihar),
Raipur (Chhattisgarh),
Ranchi (Jharkhand),
Shillong (Meghalaya)
March 22 – Sunday
Pan India weekly off
March 26 – Shree Ram Navami
Banks closed in:
Ahmedabad (Gujarat),
Aizawl (Mizoram),
Belapur, Mumbai and Nagpur (Maharashtra),
Chandigarh,
Dehradun (Uttarakhand),
Jaipur (Rajasthan),
Kanpur and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh),
Kolkata (West Bengal),
Ranchi (Jharkhand),
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)
March 27 – Shree Ram Navami (Chaite Dasain)
Banks closed in:
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh),
Bhubaneswar (Odisha),
Gangtok (Sikkim),
Hyderabad (Telangana),
Patna (Bihar),
Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh)
March 28 – Fourth Saturday
Pan India weekly off
March 29 – Sunday
Pan India weekly off
March 31 – Mahavir Janmakalyanak / Mahavir Jayanti
Banks closed in:
Ahmedabad (Gujarat),
Belapur, Mumbai and Nagpur (Maharashtra),
Bengaluru (Karnataka),
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh),
Chennai (Tamil Nadu),
Jaipur (Rajasthan),
Kanpur and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh),
Kolkata (West Bengal),
New Delhi,
Patna (Bihar),
Raipur (Chhattisgarh),
Ranchi (Jharkhand)
However, agency banks dealing with government receipts and payments will remain open on March 31, 2026, to facilitate financial year-end transactions for FY 2025–26, as per RBI advisory.
Stock Market Holidays in March 2026
The National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange will remain closed on:
- March 3
- March 26
- March 31
School Holiday Variations Around Holi 2026
School closures may vary by state:
- March 3–4: Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh
- March 2–3: Rajasthan
- March 3 only: Some southern states
Parents are advised to check individual school notifications.
Banking Services During Holidays
Even on notified holidays:
- ATMs remain operational
- UPI services function normally
- Net banking and mobile banking continue
- Online fund transfers and bill payments remain accessible
However, services under the Negotiable Instruments Act, including cheque clearing and branch-based transactions, will not be available.
Spiritual Insight: The Unique Knowledge of Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj
March 2026 is filled with major festivals such as Holi, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Ram Navami and Mahavir Jayanti — each reflecting devotion, faith and the victory of righteousness. While people celebrate these occasions with rituals, colours, prayers and fasting, the deeper purpose of human life often remains unexplored.
According to the spiritual teachings of Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj, true devotion goes beyond traditional customs and festival observances. His discourses emphasise scriptural-based worship, correct spiritual knowledge and the path to salvation as described in holy scriptures. He explains that while festivals inspire faith and unity, attaining complete spiritual benefit requires understanding the true method of worship mentioned in sacred texts.
His followers believe that by following authentic spiritual guidance rooted in scriptures, one can rise above ritualistic practices and move towards lasting peace and liberation. In this perspective, festivals become not just celebrations, but reminders to seek true spiritual wisdom and understand the real purpose of human birth.
A Month of Festivals and Financial Planning
March 2026 combines major national and regional festivals with the financial year-end, resulting in one of the highest numbers of banking holidays in the calendar. While the Reserve Bank of India has clearly outlined the schedule, variations across states mean customers must review their specific city listings carefully.
With up to 18 holidays including weekends, early financial planning, digital banking usage and advanced transaction scheduling will help individuals and businesses avoid inconvenience during this festive and financially significant month.
FAQs on Bank Holidays March 2026
1. How many bank holidays are there in March 2026 as per RBI?
There are 17 to 18 bank holidays in March 2026, including five Sundays, second and fourth Saturdays, and festival holidays like Holi, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Ram Navami and Mahavir Jayanti.
2. Are banks closed nationwide on the same dates in March 2026?
No, bank holidays in March 2026 vary by state. Some cities observe closures on specific festival dates while banks in other states remain open.
3. Will banks be closed on both March 3 and March 4 for Holi 2026?
Yes, banks are closed on March 3 or March 4 depending on the state. Holi holidays differ region-wise as per the RBI state-wise holiday calendar.
4. Will online banking services work during March 2026 bank holidays?
Yes, ATMs, UPI, mobile banking and net banking will function normally. However, cheque clearing and over-the-counter branch services remain unavailable on notified holidays.
5. Are banks open on March 31, 2026, despite Mahavir Jayanti?
Banks are closed for Mahavir Jayanti on March 31, but agency banks handling government transactions remain open for financial year-end government business.
