In celebration of Diwali 2024, banks across India will observe a long weekend, with closures spanning four days starting October 29. This festive break kicks off on Tuesday with Dhanteras, the first day of Diwali festivities, a time when schools and public offices also observe holidays. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a notification for these bank holidays, allowing both employees and customers to prepare for the closures as Diwali celebrations reach full swing.
Key Dates And Closures Across Indian Cities
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released its holiday list, detailing when banks will remain closed in observance of Diwali-related celebrations and other regional events. Here’s a breakdown of bank schedules for the upcoming days:
October 30, 2024: Choti Diwali / Naraka Chaturdashi
On October 30, most of India will celebrate Choti Diwali, also known as Naraka Chaturdashi. However, banks will remain open across all cities on this day. The Chaturdashi Tithi will start at 1:15 pm on October 30 and will end at 3:52 pm on October 31.
October 31, 2024: Main Diwali Bank Holiday
The primary bank holiday for Diwali will begin on October 31 in select cities. According to the RBI’s October 2024 holiday schedule, banks will be closed on this date in the following locations:
- Cities Closed: Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Itanagar, Kanpur, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Lucknow, New Delhi, Panaji, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla, and Thiruvananthapuram.
- Cities Open: Agartala, Belapur, Dehradun, Gangtok, Imphal, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Shillong, and Srinagar.
On this day, the Abhyang Snan Muhurat, considered an auspicious Diwali ritual, will occur from 5:20 am to 6:32 am.
October 31, 2024: Kali Puja And Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Birthday
Alongside Diwali celebrations, October 31 will also honor Kali Puja and mark the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first Deputy Prime Minister. This holiday is observed in certain regions as National Unity Day, adding to the significance of this date during the Diwali season.
November 1, 2024: Diwali Amavasya & Kannada Rajyothsava
Banks will be closed on Friday, November 1, in select cities to observe Diwali Amavasya (Laxmi Pujan)/Deepawali/Kut/Kannada Rajyothsava. Bank closures on this day will affect Agartala, Belapur, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Gangtok, Imphal, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Shillong, and Srinagar. Banks in other cities will remain open.
November 2, 2024: Diwali Celebrations
Saturday, November 2, marks Diwali festivities including Bali Pratipada, Balipadyami, Laxmi Puja, Govardhan Pooja, and Vikram Samvat New Year. Although banks are typically open on the first Saturday of the month, this day will see closures in cities like Ahmedabad, Belapur, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Gangtok, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Nagpur. Banks in all other cities will operate as usual.
November 3, 2024: Bhai Dooj And National Closure
Sunday, November 3, is a national holiday as it’s the first Sunday of the month and the closing day of Diwali celebrations, observed as Bhai Dooj. All banks in India will be closed on this day as part of the standard weekend closure.
