Diwali bank holiday: Are banks open or closed on Wednesday, October 22 for Govardhan Pooja, Gujarati New Year?

Diwali bank holiday: Banks will be closed in some parts of the country on Wednesday, 22 October to observe various festivites related to Diwali, according to the region-wise holiday calendar of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Bank holiday for Diwali 2025: Region-wise list

Banks are scheduled to remain closed in Ahmedabad, Belapur, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Gangtok, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mumbai and Nagpur on Wednesday, 22 October for Diwali, Vikram Samvant New Year Day, Govardhan Pooja, Balipadyami and Laxmi Puja.

Diwali 2025

Diwali or Deepawali is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals. It honours the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It is believed that Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya on this day after defeating King Ravana, a victory celebrated by lighting lamps.

The date of Diwali is traditionally determined according to the Hindu calendar. This date might differ from region to region. However, Diwali was celebrated in most parts of the country on October 20.

Govardhan Pooja 2025

Some banks across the country are closed today for Govardhan Pooja, a festival celebrated after Diwali. This festival honours Lord Krishna's act of lifting the Govardhan hill to protect the villagers of Vrindavan from heavy rain and storms sent by Indra.

Gujarati New Year 2025

The RBI has declared a bank holiday for the Vikram Samvant New Year, which marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. This day is celebrated in Gujarat as Bestu Varas or Gujarati New Year.

Apart from these festivities, the RBI has designated holidays for Balipadyami, which celebrates Lord Vishnu's Vamana Avatar victory over Bali, and Laxmi Puja, which honours Goddess Lakshmi, who is believed to bring wealth and prosperity.

When are banks closed?

Banks are typically closed in various parts of the country to mark national, religious, and regional observances. In addition to festivities, banks are closed on the second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays of the month.

Upcoming bank holidays in October 2025

October 23 - Banks will be closed for Bhai Bij, Bhaidooj, Chitragupt Jayanti, Laxmi Puja (Deepawali), Bhratridwitiya and Ningol Chakkouba in Ahmedabad, Gangtok, Imphal, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow and Shimla.

October 27 - Banks will be closed in Kolkata, Patna and Ranchi for Chath Puja.

October 28 - Banks will remain shut in Patna and Ranchi for Chath Puja.

October 31 - Banks will be closed in Ahmedabad for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Birthday.

What banking services are available on a bank holiday?

On bank holidays, online banking services are most likely to be available across the country to ensure access to banking services that can be used by customers for convenient financial transactions.