Bank holiday Janmashtami 2024: Are banks closed on Monday, August 26?

Banks will remain closed on Monday, August 26, in certain parts of the country on account of Janmashtami as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines.

Banks will be closed in Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Gangtok, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, Shimla and Srinagar.

It must be noted that bank holidays differ across country according to different states. Hence, customers should check list of holidays with their nearest bank branch.

All the bank holidays are mentioned in the annual holiday calendar declared by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act. This Act deals with the issuance of cheques and promissory notes. Transactions involving these instruments are not available during such holidays.

However, all banks will operate their online and mobile banking services apps regardless bank holidays, however customers must check latest notifications for availability of such services. Customers can also withdraw cash from bank ATMs.

Janmashtami 2024

Janmashtami or Krishna Janmashtami is a Hindu festival which is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. This festival usually falls in August according to the Hindu lunar calendar. Lord Krishna is believed to be the eighth avatar of Vishnu.

On this day, devotees fast, sing devotional songs, reenact Krishna's life. They also stay up late on the eve on Janmashtami as Lord Krishna was believed to born at midnight. Lord Krishna's idol along with temples and homes are decorated with flowers and colours.

In certain parts of the country, Dahi Handi is organised to celebrate Lord Krishna's birth. This event reflects on Lord Krishna's love for dairy items and his playful nature.

In some other parts of the country, Lord Krishna's life and deeds are enacted through ‘Krishna Leela,' which is a dance drama, showing his childhood and other adventures. Such celebrations are also followed by colorful processions, music, dancing and chanting.

In the month of August banks have seven designated holidays excluding weekends.