January 18 Holiday or not?

January 18 is knocking on the door, and many of us are curious to know if it is a holiday or not. The answer, however, is not that simple. As different states have different holidays for different reasons, it is time to break it down state-wise.

In the southern states, January 18 is a holiday because of Pongal, a four-day harvest festival. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka have all declared January 18 a holiday as part of the Sankranti festivities.

On the other hand, many northern states have declared January 18 a holiday as the cold wave is wreaking havoc in the region. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand have shut down schools and colleges to save students from the extreme weather conditions.

In West Bengal, January 18 is a holiday because of the heavy rainfall that occurs in that region. All schools and colleges have been declared holidays by the state government for the safety of students.
In Maharashtra, it is a holiday on January 18 as it is the birthday of Shivaji Maharaj. In Gujarat, it is a holiday because of Makar Sankranti.

Holiday status varies from state to state. One must know the holiday status of their state before making any plan to avoid any inconvenience. First, get aware of the holiday schedule of your region before planning anything.

In brief, January 18 is a holiday in many states, such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. However, the rationale behind various holidays differs in every state, from Pongal celebrations in certain states to cold wave and rain-related holidays in others.

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