August 16 Schools Holiday in these states for Janmashtami!

Aug 15, 2025, 14:54 IST

Krishna Janmashtami, an important Hindu holiday marking Lord Krishna's birthday, will be celebrated on August 16, 2025. The festive holiday is widely celebrated with much fervor and enthusiasm all over India, with believers keeping the day with prayers, fasting, devotional music and dance, and dramatic enactments of scenes from Krishna's life. Though the festival is celebrated throughout the country, the declaration of a public holiday is decided by the state, leading to varying timetables for schools and offices.

States Celebrating Janmashtami as a Public Holiday

The following states have announced August 16, 2025, as a public holiday:

Gujarat: Schools and educational institutions in Ahmedabad will be closed, enabling students to engage in cultural events and devotional music.
Odisha: Bhubaneswar will celebrate the holiday, with schools and government institutions closed.
Tamil Nadu: Chennai will also experience a public holiday, facilitating devotees to visit temples and engage in festivities.
Uttarakhand: Janmashtami will be a holiday in Dehradun, where students will have an opportunity to perform traditional dances and learn about the importance of the festival.
Sikkim: Gangtok will be celebrating the festival, with schools and colleges remaining closed.
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh: Hyderabad will be on a public holiday, enabling devotees to celebrate the festival with friends and family.
Rajasthan: Jaipur will be celebrating Janmashtami, with schools and government offices remaining closed.
Uttar Pradesh: Kanpur and Lucknow will also be celebrating the holiday, so students can attend cultural activities and learn about the history of the festival.
West Bengal: Kolkata will also have a public holiday, so devotees can celebrate the festival with traditional sweets and celebrations.
Bihar: Patna will celebrate Janmashtami, with schools and colleges being shut.
Chhattisgarh: Raipur will be observing the holiday, allowing students to sing devotional songs and learn about the importance of the festival.
Jharkhand: Ranchi will observe a public holiday to allow devotees to visit temples and celebrate.
Meghalaya: Shillong will be celebrating Janmashtami, with schools and colleges remaining shut.
Himachal Pradesh: Shimla will observe the holiday, permitting students to engage in cultural activities and gain knowledge about the history of the festival.

In these states, schools and colleges will remain shut, enabling students and families to engage in cultural events, devotional songs, and classical dance performances. The festival will also provide devotees with an opportunity to visit temples, engage in celebrations, and engage in religious activities.

States Without a Public Holiday

The following cities will have regular working days:

Tripura: Agartala will not celebrate the holiday, with schools and government institutions operating normally.
Mizoram: Aizawl will have normal schedules, with no public holiday announced.
Maharashtra: Belapur, Mumbai, and Nagpur will not have a public holiday, with schools and government institutions operating normally.
Karnataka: Belagavi and Bengaluru will have normal schedules, with no public holiday announced.
Madhya Pradesh: Bhopal will not be holidaying, with schools and government offices working normally.
Assam: Guwahati will have normal schedules, no public holiday having been declared.
Manipur: Imphal will not be a public holiday, with schools and government offices working normally.
Arunachal Pradesh: Itanagar will have normal schedules, no public holiday having been declared.
Kerala: Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram will not be holidaying, with schools and government offices working normally.
Nagaland: Kohima will have regular schedules, with no public holiday announced.
New Delhi: NCT will not have a public holiday, with schools and government offices operating as usual.
Goa: Panaji will have regular schedules, with no public holiday announced.

While Janmashtami is not a gazetted public holiday in the region, certain institutions may hold cultural events or permit for students to attend community celebrations. Devotees can also follow the festival at home with prayers, fasting, and devotional music.

Conclusion

The festival of Krishna Janmashtami is an important day for devotees all over India. Although whether to announce a public holiday differs from state to state, the festival is celebrated with much zeal and enthusiasm across the country. Whether or not it is a public holiday, the devotees will gather to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna, praying, singing devotional songs, and celebrating in traditional ways. To remain clear of confusion, it would be wise to directly ask schools, colleges, or work establishments about their timings.

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