Bank Holidays for Pongal, Lohri, and Makar Sankranti: State-Wise List for Next Week
With major winter and harvest festivals approaching — including Pongal, Lohri, Makar Sankranti, and Magh Bihu — several states will see bank closures next week. In total, there will be up to seven bank holidays, including weekend offs. However, this does not mean banks will be shut nationwide for seven days; most holidays are regional and apply only to select states.
According to the RBI holiday calendar, Tamil Nadu will see four consecutive bank holidays due to Pongal celebrations and related observances.
Bank Holidays in Tamil Nadu Next Week
Tamil Nadu will have four straight non-working days for banks between January 12 and 18:
- 15 January: Banks closed for Pongal (Thai Pongal), the state’s main harvest festival dedicated to the Sun God. Celebrations begin on January 14.
- 16 January: Holiday for Thiruvalluvar Day, honoring the Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar, celebrated along with Pongal festivities.
- 17 January: Banks closed for Uzhavar Thirunal, a day dedicated to farmers and Tamil Nadu’s agrarian heritage.
- 18 January: Regular Sunday holiday.
Bank Holidays Next Week — State-Wise
- 12 January: West Bengal — Swami Vivekananda Jayanti
- 14 January: Gujarat, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam — Makar Sankranti / Magh Bihu
- 15 January: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Sikkim — Uttarayana Punyakala / Pongal / Maghe Sankranti / Makara Sankranti
- 16 January: Tamil Nadu — Thiruvalluvar Day
- 17 January: Tamil Nadu — Uzhavar Thirunal
- 18 January: All India — Sunday weekly off
Overall, January 2026 includes 16 bank holidays, four of which are already over. Customers are advised to plan their banking work accordingly and use online services wherever possible.
