Odisha Holidays List 2026: Official Gazette & Bank Calendar
Complete Odisha Holidays List 2026. Check official Revenue Department gazette holidays, NI Act bank closures, school vacations, and long weekend schedules.
The Government of Odisha officially issues the annual state holiday schedule through statutory notifications released by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department. The gazetted calendar establishes mandatory public closures for state government offices, revenue courts, educational institutions, and financial institutions operating throughout the state.
Key Takeaways
- The Government of Odisha officially notifies the 2026 holiday calendar through the Revenue and Disaster Management Department gazette orders.
- State government departments, revenue courts, and municipal bodies observe 31 mandatory public holidays throughout the year.
- Commercial and public sector banks observe 20 designated closures under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act alongside 2nd and 4th Saturdays.
- Unique Odia regional festival holidays include Maha Vishuva Sankranti (Odia New Year), Raja Sankranti, Rath Yatra, Nuakhai, and Prathamastami.
- State government employees are eligible to select one optional holiday per calendar year from an approved list of nine restricted festive occasions.
At-a-Glance: Odisha Holidays 2026 Summary Table
Odisha’s holiday framework harmonizes national secular commemorations with indigenous agrarian celebrations, establishing clear operational schedules for corporate planning, civil administration, and public transit.
| Category | Total Days | Operational Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Gazetted Public Holidays | 31 Days | Mandatory closures for all Odisha State Government departments and revenue benches |
| Bank Holidays (NI Act) | 20 Days | Declared under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 by the Reserve Bank of India |
| Optional / Restricted Leaves | 9 Days (Select 1) | State civil employees may choose exactly one optional holiday during the calendar year |
| Weekend Closures | 52 Sundays + 24 Saturdays | Applicable across all state public sector banks on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month |
| Governing Authority | Revenue Dept | Official gazette administered via the Revenue and Disaster Management Department Holiday Notification Portal |
State celebrations open with patriotic programs across the capital on the annual state holiday on Utkal Divas, commemorating state foundation milestones.
How Many Public Holidays Are Declared in the Odisha Government Calendar?
The Government of Odisha has declared 31 official public holidays in the 2026 state gazette for all administrative offices, executive magistracies, and revenue courts across the state. In addition, state employees receive authorization to avail one restricted optional leave from a designated roster of nine festival days.
State government offices maintain standard working hours from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on regular weekdays, totaling a scheduled 38 hours work week. The state secretariat complex sits 4 km from Bhubaneswar railway station, with official notifications archived in the Official Odisha Government Gazette Repository.
Long holiday weekends routinely raise hotel occupancy rates above 85 percent in coastal tourist destinations. Travelers can explore seasonal rituals celebrated during these closures, including the spring traditions of Holi and Dola Purnima.
Complete Odisha Public Holidays List 2026 (Gazetted Schedule)
The following table provides the full chronological calendar of gazetted state holidays approved by the Governor of Odisha for the 2026 administrative year.
| Sl. No. | Festival / Occasion | Date (2026) | Day of Week | Holiday Classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Year’s Day | 01 January 2026 | Thursday | State Public 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 Commemoration |
| 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) | 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 |
Regional agrarian life centers on celebrations like the monsoon swing festivities of Raja Festival, marking summer transition into the rainy farming season.
Odisha Bank Holidays 2026 Under the Negotiable Instruments Act
Under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act of 1881, commercial, rural, and cooperative banking branches throughout Odisha observe 20 designated public holidays in 2026. On these days, physical teller counters and clearing houses remain closed, though online banking and automated cash machines operate continuously.
| Month | Date (2026) | Festival / Occasion | 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 |
The banking community operates under the regulatory guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India Bank Holidays Matrix Portal. Millions of devotees participate in bank-closed festive periods such as the grand Chariot Festival during Jagannath Rath Yatra.
Optional and Restricted Holidays for Odisha State Employees
The state government provides a separate schedule of nine optional holidays. Regular employees may select one day of leave based on their personal religious preferences or family customs.
- Guru Govind Singh Jayanti: 05 January 2026 (Monday)
- Mahabir Jayanti: 31 March 2026 (Tuesday)
- Shab-e-Qadar: 17 March 2026 (Tuesday)
- Bahuda Yatra (Return Car Festival): 24 July 2026 (Friday)
- Anla Navami: 18 November 2026 (Wednesday)
Prior permission must be obtained from the departmental head to record an optional holiday. A comprehensive analysis of rural customs is available through our survey of regional traditions in our guide to Odisha festivals.
School and College Vacation Schedules in Odisha
The School and Mass Education Department coordinates seasonal vacations across primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools. Major breaks include:
- Summer Vacation: Scheduled from early May to mid-June, spanning approximately 40 days to protect students from severe coastal heatwaves.
- Puja Vacation: Scheduled across Durga Puja, granting ten consecutive days of academic recess in mid-October.
- Winter Break: Scheduled between Christmas and New Year’s Day, covering seven days across state institutions.
Private schools affiliated with CBSE and ICSE boards generally follow the state government’s declared summer and autumn break windows with minor adjustments.
Long Weekend Planning: Strategic Getaway Combinations
The 2026 calendar offers five distinct three-day long weekend combinations where public holidays fall on Mondays or Fridays.
- January Weekend (Jan 23–26): Netaji Jayanti on Friday and Republic Day on Monday create a four-day travel window.
- April Weekend (April 3–5): Good Friday on April 3 pairs with Easter weekend.
- May Weekend (May 1–3): Buddha Purnima on Friday creates an ideal three-day spring window.
- October Weekend (Oct 2–4): Gandhi Jayanti on Friday connects into a scenic autumn excursion.
Travelers can utilize these long weekends to discover heritage landmarks and nature camps across the 20 must-visit best tourist places in Odisha.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Odisha Holidays List
How many public holidays are declared in the Odisha Holidays List 2026?
The Government of Odisha has notified 31 official public holidays in the 2026 state gazette for government offices, schools, and revenue benches. State employees are also permitted to select one optional leave from an approved list of nine restricted festival days.
Which government department notifies the official Odisha holiday calendar?
The Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Government of Odisha, officially issues the public and bank holiday gazette notifications. The order is released under the authority of the Governor of Odisha.
Are commercial banks in Odisha closed on second and fourth Saturdays?
All public sector and private commercial banks in Odisha observe mandatory closures on the second and fourth Saturdays of every calendar month. Bank branches also remain closed on all Sundays and 20 declared Negotiable Instruments Act holidays.
Is Raja Sankranti an official gazetted holiday in Odisha?
Raja Sankranti is an official gazetted public holiday across Odisha, observed on Monday, June 15, 2026. Government administrative offices, revenue courts, and educational institutions remain closed across all 30 districts.
How many restricted holidays can a state government employee take in Odisha?
State government employees are entitled to take exactly one optional holiday during the calendar year from the approved list of nine restricted occasions. The chosen leave requires prior notification and approval from the respective departmental head.
