Odisha Holidays List 2026: Official Gazette & Bank Calendar
Complete Odisha Holidays List for 2026. Official Revenue Dept Gazette notification, NI Act bank holidays, school vacation dates & Odia festival calendar.
The Government of Odisha, through the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, officially notifies the comprehensive list of public holidays, bank holidays, and optional leaves under state gazette notifications (Notification No. RDM-Reg-MISC-0021-2025-42428/R&D.M.). Whether you are a state government employee, a corporate professional planning long weekend getaways, a parent tracking school vacation schedules, or a traveler exploring Odisha’s rich festive heritage, having the official calendar is indispensable.
Odisha’s holiday calendar is distinct because it harmonizes national secular occasions with culturally significant indigenous festivals such as Pana Sankranti (Odia New Year), Raja Parba, Rath Yatra, Nuakhai, Kumar Purnima, and Prathamastami.
Here is your comprehensive, month-by-month guide to the Odisha Holidays List 2026, covering gazetted public holidays, bank closures, school vacations, and optional leaves.
⚡ 2026 Odisha Holidays at a Glance
| Category | Total Holidays | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Gazetted Public Holidays | 29+ Days | Mandatory holidays for all Odisha State Government offices and revenue courts. |
| Bank Holidays (NI Act) | 20+ Days | Declared under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 by RBI. |
| Optional / Restricted Leaves | 9 Days List (Avail 1) | State employees may choose one optional holiday per calendar year. |
| Official Sponsoring Body | Revenue & Disaster Management Dept | Notified via official Odisha State Gazette. |
| State Administrative Portal | Government of Odisha | Central repository for public notices and administrative orders. |
Complete Odisha Public Holidays List 2026 (State Government)
Below is the official schedule of declared public holidays for all government offices, administrative departments, and municipal corporations across Odisha:
| Sl. No. | Festival / Occasion | Date (2026) | Day of Week | Holiday Classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Year’s Day | 01 January 2026 | Thursday | State Holiday |
| 2 | Makar Sankranti | 14 January 2026 | Wednesday | Gazetted Festival |
| 3 | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti / Veer Surendra Sai Jayanti | 23 January 2026 | Friday | State Observance |
| 4 | Republic Day | 26 January 2026 | Monday | National Holiday |
| 5 | Saraswati Puja / Basanta Panchami | 23 January 2026 | Friday | Gazetted Festival |
| 6 | Panchayati Raj Divas (Biju Patnaik Jayanti) | 05 March 2026 | Thursday | State Commemoration |
| 7 | Dola Purnima | 03 March 2026 | Tuesday | Gazetted Festival |
| 8 | Holi | 04 March 2026 | Wednesday | Gazetted Festival |
| 9 | Id-ul-Fitre (Ramzan) | 21 March 2026 | Saturday | Religious Holiday |
| 10 | Sri Ram Navami | 27 March 2026 | Friday | Religious Holiday |
| 11 | Utkal Divas (Odisha Day) | 01 April 2026 | Wednesday | State Foundation Day |
| 12 | Good Friday | 03 April 2026 | Friday | National Gazetted |
| 13 | Maha Vishuva Sankranti / Pana Sankranti (Odia New Year) / Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti | 14 April 2026 | Tuesday | State Gazetted |
| 14 | Buddha Purnima / Birthday of Pandit Raghunath Murmu | 01 May 2026 | Friday | State Gazetted |
| 15 | Sabitri Amabasya (Sabitri Brata) | 16 May 2026 | Saturday | Odia Festival |
| 16 | Raja Sankranti | 15 June 2026 | Monday | State Gazetted |
| 17 | Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) | 27 May 2026 | Wednesday | Religious Holiday |
| 18 | Muharram | 25 June 2026 | Thursday | Religious Holiday |
| 19 | Rath Yatra (Puri Car Festival) | 16 July 2026 | Thursday | State Gazetted |
| 20 | Independence Day | 15 August 2026 | Saturday | National Holiday |
| 21 | Jhulana Purnima / Rakhi Purnima | 28 August 2026 | Friday | Gazetted Festival |
| 22 | Janmashtami | 04 September 2026 | Friday | Religious Holiday |
| 23 | Ganesh Puja | 14 September 2026 | Monday | Gazetted Festival |
| 24 | Nuakhai (Agrarian Festival of Western Odisha) | 15 September 2026 | Tuesday | State Gazetted |
| 25 | Birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Eid-e-Milad) | 26 August 2026 | Wednesday | Religious Holiday |
| 26 | Gandhi Jayanti | 02 October 2026 | Friday | National Holiday |
| 27 | Durga Puja (Maha Navami) | 19 October 2026 | Monday | State Gazetted |
| 28 | Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra) | 20 October 2026 | Tuesday | State Gazetted |
| 29 | Rahas Purnima / Kartik Purnima (Boita Bandana) | 24 November 2026 | Tuesday | State Gazetted |
| 30 | Prathamastami | 02 December 2026 | Wednesday | Traditional Holiday |
| 31 | Christmas Day | 25 December 2026 | Friday | National Gazetted |
Note: Festivals that coincide with Sundays or 2nd/4th Saturdays (e.g., Maha Shivaratri on Feb 15, Pahili Raja on June 14, Mahalaya on Oct 10, Mahasaptami on Oct 18, Kumar Purnima on Oct 25, and Diwali on Nov 8) are listed in a separate gazette annexure.
Odisha Bank Holidays 2026 (Under Negotiable Instruments Act)
Under official notification No. RDM-Reg-MISC-0021-2025-42419/R&D.M. issued under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, banks across Odisha—including public sector banks, private commercial lenders, and cooperative banks—observe mandatory closures on declared holidays, all Sundays, and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. Guidelines are framed in concurrence with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
| Month | Date (2026) | Occasion / Festival | Day of Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14 January | Makar Sankranti | Wednesday |
| January | 26 January | Republic Day | Monday |
| March | 03 March | Dola Purnima | Tuesday |
| March | 04 March | Holi | Wednesday |
| March | 21 March | Id-ul-Fitre | Saturday |
| April | 01 April | Annual Closing of Bank Accounts | Wednesday |
| April | 01 April | Utkal Divas | Wednesday |
| April | 03 April | Good Friday | Friday |
| April | 14 April | Maha Vishuva Sankranti / Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti | Tuesday |
| May | 01 May | Buddha Purnima / Pandit Raghunath Murmu Jayanti | Friday |
| June | 15 June | Raja Sankranti | Monday |
| July | 16 July | Rath Yatra | Thursday |
| August | 15 August | Independence Day | Saturday |
| August | 28 August | Rakhi Purnima / Jhulana Purnima | Friday |
| September | 04 September | Janmashtami | Friday |
| September | 14 September | Ganesh Puja | Monday |
| September | 15 September | Nuakhai | Tuesday |
| October | 02 October | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | Friday |
| October | 19 October | Durga Puja (Maha Navami) | Monday |
| October | 20 October | Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra) | Tuesday |
| November | 24 November | Kartik Purnima | Tuesday |
| December | 25 December | Christmas Day | Friday |
School & Educational Institution Vacation Calendar
Schools affiliated with the Board of Secondary Education (BSE Odisha), Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE), and state universities observe structured vacations during summer and major festive periods:
- Summer Vacation: Usually begins in early May (around May 4th–6th) and continues till mid-June (reopening after Raja Sankranti around June 17th–19th).
- Puja Vacation (Durga Puja to Kumar Purnima): Schools remain closed for approximately 8 to 10 days covering Shasthi to Vijaya Dashami.
- Winter Break / X-Mas Holidays: Declared between December 25th and January 1st.
Major Cultural & Unique Odia Festive Holidays
Odisha observes several traditional festivals that reflect its rich agrarian, maritime, and spiritual heritage:
- Pana Sankranti & Odia New Year: Celebrated in mid-April (Maha Vishuva Sankranti), marked by the preparation of Bela Pana and the reading of the new Odia almanac (Panjika). Read our Odia Months & Seasons Guide.
- Raja Parba Festival: A unique 3-day agrarian festival in June celebrating Mother Earth, womanhood, swings (Doli), and Poda Pitha.
- Jagannath Rath Yatra Puri: The world-renowned Chariot Festival where Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra travel to the Gundicha Temple.
- Nuakhai Juhar: Western Odisha’s prime harvest festival where families offer the first harvest (Nabanna) to presiding deities like Maa Samaleswari.
- Kartik Purnima & Boita Bandana: Celebrates ancient Kalinga’s maritime voyages (Sadhabas) with miniature boat floating at dawn, followed by the commencement of Bali Jatra in Cuttack.
Optional & Restricted Holidays List 2026
State government employees can avail one optional holiday from the declared list of restricted holidays upon written permission of their reporting authority:
| Sl. No. | Festival / Observance | Date (2026) | Day of Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guru Govind Singh Jayanti | 05 January 2026 | Monday |
| 2 | Foundation Day of Brahmo Samaj | 25 January 2026 | Sunday |
| 3 | Easter Saturday | 04 April 2026 | Saturday |
| 4 | Birthday of Raja Ram Mohan Roy | 22 May 2026 | Friday |
| 5 | Bahuda Yatra (Return Car Festival) | 24 July 2026 | Friday |
| 6 | Anla Navami | 18 November 2026 | Wednesday |
| 7 | Christmas Eve | 24 December 2026 | Thursday |
How to Check Official Gazette & Download Odia Panjika
For authentic verification and astrological timings (Tithi, Nakshatra, Shubha Muhurat), residents refer to authorized publications:
- Odisha Government Gazette: Published online by the Directorate of Printing, Stationery and Publication at
odisha.gov.inandrevenue.odisha.gov.in. - Traditional Odia Panjikas: Popular printed and digital almanacs include Kohinoor Odia Calendar, Radharaman Panjika, Bhagyadeep Calendar, and Biraja Panjika.
- HRMS Odisha Portal: State employees can check leave balances and apply for casual or earned leaves via the HRMS Odisha Portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays are there in Odisha for 2026?
Under official Gazette Notification No. RDM-Reg-MISC-0021-2025-42428/R&D.M., the Government of Odisha has declared 29 general public holidays and 9 optional holidays for state government offices and executive courts.
Is Utkal Divas a mandatory public holiday in Odisha?
Yes, Utkal Divas (Odisha Day) celebrated on April 1st is an official public holiday across all government offices, schools, colleges, and state institutions to commemorate the formation of Odisha as an independent province in 1936.
When is the holiday for Jagannath Rath Yatra in 2026?
The official state holiday for the world-famous Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri falls on Thursday, 16 July 2026.
Are banks in Odisha closed on Nuakhai and Raja Sankranti?
Yes, both Raja Sankranti and Nuakhai are officially declared as bank holidays in Odisha under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act by the state government and the Reserve Bank of India.
How can government employees apply for optional holidays in Odisha?
State government employees can apply for their eligible optional holiday through the HRMS Odisha online leave module or by submitting a written request to their respective head of office.