November Holidays 2026: Complete Holiday List

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Key Holidays in November 2026, What They Are

Diwali / Deepavali (8 November, Sunday): India's largest festival, the Festival of Lights. Lakshmi Puja is performed on the main Diwali evening, homes are lit with diyas and rangoli, firecrackers are set off, and families exchange gifts and sweets. Observed across most of India by Hindu, Jain, and Sikh communities. In 2026, Diwali falls on Sunday, the following Monday (9 Nov) is the Deepavali bank holiday in several states.

Bhai Dooj (11 November, Wednesday): The fifth and final day of the Diwali cluster, celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters apply tilak on their brothers' foreheads, pray for their long life, and brothers give gifts and pledge protection. Known as Bhaubeej in Maharashtra, Bhai Phota in West Bengal, and Yama Dwitiya in some traditions. A bank holiday in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and UP.

Chhath Puja (15 November, Sunday): A Vedic festival observed in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, one of the most demanding fasts in the Hindu calendar. Devotees observe a 36-hour continuous fast (no food or water), bathe in rivers at sunrise and sunset, and offer arghya (offerings of water, fruits, and sugarcane) to the setting and rising sun. Chhath Puja 2026 falls on Sunday, most banks are already closed.

Guru Nanak Jayanti / Kartik Purnima (24 November, Tuesday): The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, one of the most important Sikh festivals globally. Observed with Nagar Kirtan (street procession with hymn-singing), langar (community meals at Gurudwaras), and all-night prayers (Akhand Path). Also observed as Kartik Purnima (full moon of Kartik month) in Odisha and Telangana, a sacred day for ritual bathing and prayers to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Martyrdom Day (24 November, Punjab): The same date also marks the martyrdom of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the ninth Sikh Guru, who was executed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi on 24 November 1675. He gave his life to protect the religious freedom of the Kashmiri Pandits and is revered as Hind di Chadar (Shield of India). Punjab observes this as a bank holiday alongside Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Kanakadasa Jayanti (27 November, Karnataka): The birth anniversary of 15th-century Kannada saint-poet Kanakadasa, a unique Karnataka-only bank holiday. Kanakadasa's Keertanas remain central to the Haridasa tradition of Carnatic music. The Udupi Krishna temple hosts special observances in his memory, including the legend of the Kanakana Kindi, the west-wall window believed to have opened to give Kanakadasa a vision of Lord Krishna.

Seng Kut Snem (23 November, Meghalaya): The annual festival of the Seng Khasi movement, the indigenous Khasi monotheistic religion founded in Meghalaya as an alternative to Christianity and Hinduism. Celebrates Khasi cultural identity, indigenous traditions, and the Seng Khasi calendar's new year. Note: BankBazaar incorrectly lists this on two different dates in their tables (23 Nov and 26 Nov), the correct date is 23 November 2026.

Lhabab Duchen (3 November, Sikkim): One of the four most sacred days in Tibetan Buddhism, commemorating the day Lord Buddha descended from the Tushita Heaven (where he had gone to teach his mother) back to earth at Sankashya. One of the few days when the merit of virtuous actions is said to be multiplied. Observed in Sikkim and Himalayan Buddhist communities with prayers, circumambulation of monasteries, and butter lamp offerings.

November 2026, States with Most Bank Holidays

Extractable Answer Blocks

How many bank holidays are there in November 2026? For most Indian states, November 2026 has three bank holidays: the 2nd Saturday (14 November), Guru Nanak Jayanti (24 November), and the 4th Saturday (28 November). States like Karnataka, UP, Rajasthan, and Haryana have up to five bank closures, including the Deepavali Holiday (9 November) and Bhai Dooj (11 November). Sikkim adds Lhabab Duchen (3 November), and Meghalaya observes Seng Kut Snem (23 November).

Is Diwali a bank holiday in November 2026? Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November, banks are already closed for the weekly off. The Deepavali Holiday bank closure falls on Monday, 9 November in Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Banks in all other states are open on 9 November. There is no nationwide bank holiday specifically for Diwali because it falls on a Sunday in 2026.

Is Guru Nanak Jayanti a national holiday in November 2026? Guru Nanak Jayanti on 24 November 2026 is a gazetted public holiday in most Indian states but not a national holiday. India's three national holidays are Republic Day (26 Jan), Independence Day (15 Aug), and Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct). Guru Nanak Jayanti is observed in most major states including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, UP, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, but is not observed in states like Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.

Is Bhai Dooj a bank holiday in November 2026? Bhai Dooj on 11 November 2026 (Wednesday) is a bank holiday in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. It is not a bank holiday in most other states. Banks in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, and most of India remain open on 11 November 2026.