Every new year brings with it a bundle of experiences. Right now, the world is gearing up to experience 2023. While people plan for events differently, it is important that we stay prepared so that we can effectively balance our personal, familial, social, and professional lives. And knowing in advance about upcoming holidays is essential to plan our vacations, celebrations, work and other interests.
Here is a list of the most important public holidays in 2023. This list covers only important festivals and days. For a detailed list pertaining to your state, consult your state holiday gazette.
List of Important Public Holidays in 2023
| Date
| Day
| Holiday
| Applicable In
|
| 1 January
| Sunday
| New Year’s Day
| All States
|
| 14 January
| Saturday
| Makar Sankranti
| Many States
|
| 26 January
| Thursday
| Republic Day
| All States
|
| 18 February
| Saturday
| Maha Shivaratri
| Many States
|
| 8 March
| Wednesday
| Holi
| Many States
|
| 22 March
| Wednesday
| Ugadi
| Many States
|
| 30 March
| Thursday
| Ram Navami
| Many States
|
| 4 April
| Tuesday
| Mahavir Jayanti
| All States
|
| 7 April
| Friday
| Good Friday
| All States
|
| 9 April
| Sunday
| Easter
| All States
|
| 14 April
| Friday
| Ambedkar Jayanti
| All States
|
| 22 April
| Saturday
| Eid-ul-Fitr
| All States
|
| 1 May
| Monday
| May Day
| All States
|
| 5 May
| Friday
| Buddha Purnima
| All States
|
| 29 June
| Thursday
| Bakrid / Eid al-Adha
| All States
|
| 29 July
| Saturday
| Muharram
| All States
|
| 15 August
| Tuesday
| Independence day
| All States
|
| 31 August
| Thursday
| Raksha Bandhan
| Many States
|
| 7 September
| Thursday
| Janmashtami
| All States
|
| 19 September
| Tuesday
| Ganesh Chaturthi
| All States
|
| 28 September
| Thursday
| Eid e Milad
| All States
|
| 2 October
| Monday
| Gandhi Jayanti
| All States
|
| 24 October
| Tuesday
| Vijayadashami
| All States
|
| 12 November
| Sunday
| Deepavali
| All States
|
| 27 November
| Monday
| Guru Nanak Jayanti
| All States
|
| 25 December
| Monday
| Christmas
| All States
|
The Indian holiday system is a bit complex to understand. India is a secular nation. The Indian constitution gives equal importance to all religions, social groups and languages. Therefore, there are different kinds of holidays we find in the national holiday gazette.
A few national holidays commemorating the events of national importance are Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.
Major festivals for Hindus include Makar Sankranti, Maha Shivaratri, Holi, Ram Navami, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Vijaya Dashami, and Diwali. Major celebrations for Christians include Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas. Important events for Muslims include Eid-ul-Fitr, Bakrid / Eid al Adha, Muharram, and Eid e Milad. The other important holidays for the people of other religions include Buddha Purnima for Buddhists, Mahavir Jayanti for Jains, and Gurunanak Jayanti for Sikhs.
India’s weekend holidays are on Sundays, when many businesses and institutions close for the week. Banks remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Many institutions choose not to work on the second Saturday of every month.
There are state specific holidays for some special events and festivals connected to each state. The list of these holidays will be published in the state holiday gazette.
With so many holidays to plan your interests, work and vacations, prepare your year planner in advance to get the most of the year in 2023.