India Public Holidays in the Year of the Rabbit 2023

Holidays dot our calendars and help us mark the progress of time. The list of public holidays in India below will help you plan your trips in advance and maximize your vacations in 2023.

New Year’s Day marks the start of a new year (January 1) according to the Gregorian calendar. The day is a public holiday in India with government offices, schools and most businesses closed. Many will reflect on their past year accomplishments and set new goals for the New Year.

Noted as one of the few traditional Hindu festivals, Makar Sankranti celebrates Sun’s transition into Makar (Capricorn) and it marks the start of the month of Magh.

It is celebrated all over the country with different names. Each state celebrates this festival as per their tradition and culture.

Republic Day is India’s national holiday and it is celebrated in India on January 26 with great grandeur and pride. Every year, the celebrations of the holiday feature spectacular military and cultural pageantry.

This day celebrates the anniversary of the Constitution of India and the transition of India from a British Dominion to a republic on 26th January, 1950. Usually, Indians will fly their tricolor flag and sing songs like ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Jan Gan Man’, as well as play tribute to all the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives in a bid to gain the freedom of India.

Holi is a festival marking the last full-moon day of the lunar month, and it celebrates the beginning of spring and the victory of good over evil. Based on a Hindu legend, the festival has a significant cultural influence on India.

The festival is celebrated in different ways across the country, the most noted one being in Mathura. In this city, the festival lasts for 16 days, and is primarily played with flowers.

Maha Shivaratri, which literally translates to “great night of Shiva”, is a Hindu festival that largely celebrated in India as well as in Nepal. According to Hindu calendar, the day is observed on the new moon day in the month of Maagha.

People who follow the Hinduism in India celebrate Maha Shivaratri. Hindu temples across the country are usually decorated with lights and colorful decorations, and people offer night long prayers to Shiva Lingam.

Ugadi, noted as a major festival in Karnataka (also Yugadi), Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra (Gudi Padwa), is the name for the Hindu New Year for Marathi hindus in certain states of southern India. North Indians don't celebrate Ugadi but start nine days Chaitra Navratri Puja on the same day and also eat Neem with Mishri on the very first day of Navratri.

Ram Navami is a significant Hindu festival celebrating on the ninth day of Chaitra month (the first month in the Hindu lunar calendar). It falls on March 30 in 2023.

The festival celebrates the birth anniversary of Lord Rama. On this day, people usually visit temples to seek blessings on this day. Although the festival is celebrated all over the country, the major celebrations take place at Ayodhya, Bhadrachalam, Rameswaram, and Sitamarhi.

Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated 13 days after the waxing (rising) half of the Hindu month of Caitra, which usually takes place in late March or early April in the Gregorian calendar. And it’s regarded as the most significant religious holiday in Jainism.

The festival honors the birth of Mahavira, the Buddha’s contemporary and the 24th and final Tirthankara. In 2023, the festival falls on April 4.

Good Friday is a Christian feast that honors the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible.

Christians believe that all of their sins were forgiven as a result of his death. In fact, humanity was spared from the wrath of God the father thanks to Christ's sacrifice for their well-being. Thus, Christians commemorate this sacrificial offering on Good Friday.

Easter is a Christian holy day that remembers the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a public holiday celebrated across most of India. This year, it’s observed on Sunday, April 9.

Ambedkar Jayanthi is celebrated annually on April 14 in India. The celebration honors the life of the renowned polymath, jurist, economist, and civil rights activist — Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.

The day is also observed as Equality Day in India.

The Eid ul Fitr celebrations in India share some similarities with those of the rest of the world, however there are some minor differences.

The religious rituals remain the same while the food and treats are uniquely Indian.

May Day, also known as the Labor Day or International Worker’s Day, celebrates on May 1 every year. It’s celebrated across the globe, including India. Like many other countries, on this day, the Government offices, schools, and colleges remain closed.

Although the day just became well-known in India in 1923, it honors the infamous Haymarket tragedy that occurred in the US in 1886.

Buddha Purnima, also known as Vesak, is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the followers of Buddhism all over the world.

This auspicious day marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and is celebrated by Buddhist sects with much fervour.

The event takes place on Purnima, the first full moon day of Vaisakha, a month in Hinduism that corresponds to April or May in the Gregorian calendar. In the year 2023, Buddha Purnima will be commemorated on Friday, May 5.

Bakrid, also known as Eid al-Adha, is celebrates on June 29 and 30. It falls on Thursday and Friday. It’s an Islamic holiday that is celebrated in India and other areas of the world with large Muslim populations.

This important holiday in India is a day of reverence and respect. It is also an excellent opportunity for Indian Muslims to enjoy a day off from work and to bond with their friends and family members.

Muharram refers to the first month of the Islamic Calendar. Muharram is celebrated as New Year’s Day among the Muslim community all over the world.

The holiday is solemn and people pray and spend much of the day in holy locations. Usually, they will meet family and friends and exchange conversation and sweets. Many will choose multiple days round Muharram to mourn and fasting while there is no pomp and show during the holiday.

The Independence Day in India is celebrated on August 15 every year in honor of the birthday of the nation. On August 15, 1947, India achieved its independence from British rule and became a sovereign nation.

The day is observed with great enthusiasm across India.

According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, the Raksha Bandhan (also known as Rakhi) falls on a full moon day in the month of Shravana (August). The festival of rakhi brings entire family together and strengthens the bond of love and affection between the siblings.

Janmashtami is a traditional Hindu holiday that celebrates the first earthly appearance, or the birth, of the god Krishna. It is a holiday that brings spiritual renewal and the celebration of new beginnings and a fresh new year.

Janmashtami is one of the most vibrant holidays in Hinduism and is celebrated in honor of the birth of one of the most loved deities.

Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Ganesh Sankathara or Sankathara Chaturthi among Hindus. Hindus celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi on the fourth day following the new moon that occurs in the month of Bhadrapada.

In India Hindu months, there are two Chaturthi Tithis in each lunar month. Purnima during Purnimaasi or Krishna Paksha is known as Sankashti Chaturthi and during Amavasya during Shukla Paksha as Vinayaka Chaturthi. Fasting is considered to be strict and only fruits, roots like potatoes etc, and vegetable products should be consumed.

Eid e Milad, also known as Mawlid and Milad un Nabi, celebrates the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. The holiday also honors Muhammad’s life and teachings. It is observed on the 12th day of Rabi-ul Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated in India on October 2, and the annual celebration stands out as an international symbol of peace.

Gandhi’s life is revered in India and around the world as an example of how to live simply and devotedly. On his birthday, people across India gather together to observe Gandhi Jayanti. They offer flowers on pictures and statues of his likeness, sing songs, pray, and light candles. All government offices, banks, post offices, and schools are closed for this holiday.

Vijayadashami or Dussehra is celebrated as the victory of good over evil on the 10th day of Ashvina month. It is one of the biggest festivals observed by the Hindu community in the country.

Diwali's date is determined by the India calendar and changes every year, ranging from October to November. It is observed on the 15th day of the 8th month (the month of Kartik) in India's calendar. The day is an Amavasya or 'new moon day'.

In 2023, the holiday falls on November 12.

Guru Nanak Jayanti is a holiday that celebrates the birthday of Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. It is also known as Guru Nanak’s Prakash Utsau.

Guru Nanak Jayanti is a time for happiness and fun, but the festival also brings attention to the teachings of Guru Nanak. This holiday starts on the full moon day during the month of Katak. Since lunar calendars fluctuate each year, Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated during October or November on the Gregorian calendar. This year, it falls on November 27.

Christmas is a Christian festival which is celebrated for honoring the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated all over India.