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Bihar Holiday Calendar 2026: Chhath Puja, Statutory, Public & Commercial Holidays

In Bihar, public, commercial, and industrial workplace holidays are regulated under the Bihar Shops and Establishments Act, 1953, the Factories Act, 1948, and annual notifications issued by the General Administration Department, Government of Bihar under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

Enterprises in Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, and industrial corridors must structure their annual holiday rosters around Bihar's signature festivals—foremost among them Chhath Puja, Bihar Diwas, and state memorial anniversaries.

Bihar Statutory Quota

Under the Bihar Shops and Establishments framework, employers must provide a minimum of 8 paid holidays per year, including the 3 National Holidays and approved state festival closures.

📅 Official Bihar Statutory Holiday Calendar 2026​

The following table reflects the comprehensive statutory, public, gazetted, and cultural festival holiday schedule declared for Bihar in 2026:

DateDayHoliday / OccasionClassificationMandatory for Private Sector?
01-01-2026ThursdayNew Year's DayGazette / RegionalYes (Standard Corporate Off)
14-01-2026WednesdayMakar SankrantiGazette / RegionalYes (High Regional Priority)
23-01-2026FridayVasant PanchamiGazette / RegionalOptional / Corporate Choice
24-01-2026SaturdayKarpoori Thakur JayantiState Gazetted / RegionalYes (State Pride Holiday)
26-01-2026MondayRepublic DayNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
01-02-2026SundaySant Ravidas JayantiGazette / Restricted HolidayOptional / Sunday Overlap
04-02-2026WednesdayShab-e-BaratGazette / Optional HolidayOptional / Floating
16-02-2026MondayMaha ShivratriGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
02-03-2026MondayRamzan (Beginning) / Holika DahanGazette / RegionalOptional / Floating
03-03-2026TuesdayHoliGazette / NI ActYes (Major State Priority)
21-03-2026SaturdayEid-ul-Fitr (Day 1)Gazette / NI ActYes
22-03-2026SundayEid-ul-Fitr (Day 2) / Bihar Diwas (Bihar State Day)State Foundation DayYes (Sunday Overlap)
26-03-2026ThursdayEmperor Ashoka AshtamiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / State Mandate
27-03-2026FridayRam NavamiGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
01-04-2026WednesdayAnnual Bank Account ClosingNI Act (Sec 25)Banks Only
03-04-2026FridayMahavir Jayanti / Good FridayGazette / NI ActYes (Corporate Off)
14-04-2026TuesdayBhimrao Ambedkar JayantiState & National GazetteYes
23-04-2026ThursdayVeer Kunwar Singh JayantiState Gazetted / RegionalYes (State Pride Day)
25-04-2026SaturdayJanaki NavamiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Floating
01-05-2026FridayMay Day & Buddha PurnimaState Mandatory / GazettedYes (Statutory Mandate)
28-05-2026ThursdayEid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)Gazette / NI ActYes
18-06-2026ThursdayAnugrah Narayan Sinha JayantiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / State Memory
26-06-2026FridayMuharram (Day 1)Gazette / NI ActOptional / Floating
27-06-2026SaturdayMuharram (Day 2)Gazette / NI ActOptional / Floating
29-06-2026MondayKabir JayantiGazette / Restricted HolidayOptional / Floating
04-08-2026TuesdayChehallumGazette / Optional HolidayOptional / Floating
15-08-2026SaturdayIndependence DayNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
24-08-2026MondayLast Monday of Shravana (Final Somwar)State Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Regional Choice
28-08-2026FridayHazrat Muhammad Sahib Birthday (Milad-un-Nabi) / Raksha BandhanGazette / RegionalOptional / Floating
04-09-2026FridayShri Krishna JanmashtamiGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
14-09-2026MondayHaritalika Teej FastState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Regional Priority
17-09-2026ThursdayVishwakarma PujaState Gazetted / Industrial HolidayYes (Industrial Mandate)
02-10-2026FridayMahatma Gandhi JayantiNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
04-10-2026SundayJivitputrika Fast (Jitiya)State Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Sunday Overlap
11-10-2026SundayJaiprakash Narayan JayantiState Gazetted / MemorialOptional / Sunday Overlap
14-10-2026WednesdayChhath Puja (Kharna)State Gazetted / RegionalYes (Major State Festival)
17-10-2026SaturdayDurga Puja (Saptami)State Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Corporate Choice
18-10-2026SundayDurga Puja (Mahashtami)State Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Sunday Overlap
19-10-2026MondayDurga Puja (Mahanavami)State Gazetted / RegionalYes (High State Priority)
20-10-2026TuesdayDussehra (Vijaya Dashami)Gazette / NI ActYes (Major State Priority)
21-10-2026WednesdayShri Krishna Singh Jayanti / Durga Puja (Ekadasi)State Gazetted / MemorialOptional / Floating
08-11-2026SundayDiwaliGazette / NI ActYes (Sunday Overlap)
09-11-2026MondayGovardhan PoojaState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Regional
10-11-2026TuesdayChitragupta Pooja / Bhai DoojState Gazetted / RegionalYes (High Regional Priority)
15-11-2026SundayChhath Puja (Evening Arghya - Sandhya Arghya)State Gazetted / RegionalYes (Major State Festival)
16-11-2026MondayChhath Puja (Morning Arghya - Usha Arghya)State Gazetted / RegionalYes (Major State Festival)
24-11-2026TuesdayGuru Nanak JayantiGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
03-12-2026ThursdayDr. Rajendra Prasad JayantiState Gazetted / MemorialYes (State Pride Holiday)
24-12-2026ThursdayChristmas EveGazette / Restricted HolidayOptional / Floating
25-12-2026FridayChristmas DayGazette / NI ActYes (Corporate Off)

📋 Employer Compliance Checklist for Bihar​

  1. Annual Display of Holidays: Post the approved holiday calendar on employee notice boards and digital portals before 1st January.
  2. Weekly Close Day Alignment: Under Section 7 of the Bihar Shops and Establishments Act, every establishment must observe one full day of weekly closure.
  3. Double Wages or Comp-Off: Employees required to work on a declared festival holiday must be compensated with double wages or given a paid compensatory off.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)​

1. Is Chhath Puja a multi-day paid holiday in Bihar?​

Yes. Chhath Puja is the most revered religious and cultural festival in Bihar. The state government gazettes a multi-day holiday encompassing Kharna, Sandhya Arghya, and Usha Arghya.

2. Is Bihar Diwas (March 22nd) a mandatory state holiday?​

Yes. 22nd March commemorates the creation of Bihar state (separated from Bengal Presidency in 1912) and is celebrated as an official public holiday across all administrative, commercial, and educational establishments.