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Jharkhand Holiday Calendar 2026: Sarhul, Karam, Public & Commercial Holidays

In Jharkhand, public, commercial, and industrial workplace holidays are regulated under the Jharkhand Shops and Establishments Act, 2000, the Factories Act, 1948, and annual notifications issued by the Department of Personnel, Administrative Reforms and Rajbhasha, Government of Jharkhand under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

Enterprises in Ranchi, Jamshedpur (Tata Nagar steel & manufacturing), Dhanbad (coal & mining belt), and Bokaro must structure their annual holiday rosters around the state's revered tribal and cultural festivals—most prominently Sohrai, Sarhul, Hul Diwas, Karma Puja, and Bhagwan Birsa Munda Jayanti.

Jharkhand Statutory Quota

Under the Jharkhand Shops and Establishments framework, employers must provide a minimum of 8 paid holidays per year, including the 3 National Holidays and major regional festival days.

📅 Official Jharkhand Statutory Holiday Calendar 2026​

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

DateDayHoliday / OccasionClassificationMandatory for Private Sector?
12-01-2026MondaySohraiState Gazetted / RegionalYes (Major Tribal Harvest Festival)
13-01-2026TuesdaySohrai (Khuntav)State Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Regional Choice
14-01-2026WednesdayMakar SankrantiGazette / RegionalYes (High Regional Priority)
23-01-2026FridaySubhash Chandra Bose Jayanti / Vasant PanchamiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Corporate Choice
26-01-2026MondayRepublic DayNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
03-03-2026TuesdayHolika DahanGazette / RegionalOptional / Floating
04-03-2026WednesdayHoliGazette / NI ActYes (Major State Priority)
21-03-2026SaturdayEid-ul-Fitr / SarhulGazette / NI ActYes (Major State Priority)
24-03-2026TuesdaySarhul (Adivasi Spring Festival - Additional Off)State Gazetted / RegionalYes (Major Tribal Festival)
26-03-2026ThursdayRam NavamiGazette / NI ActYes (Major State Priority)
31-03-2026TuesdayMahavir JayantiGazette / NI ActOptional / Floating
01-04-2026WednesdayBank Annual ClosingNI Act (Sec 25)Banks Only
03-04-2026FridayGood FridayGazette / NI ActYes (Corporate Off)
14-04-2026TuesdayAmbedkar JayantiState & National GazetteYes
01-05-2026FridayBuddha Purnima / Pt. Raghunath Murmu Jayanti / Labour DayState Mandatory / GazettedYes (Statutory Mandate)
27-05-2026WednesdayEid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)Gazette / NI ActYes
26-06-2026FridayMuharramGazette / NI ActOptional / Floating
30-06-2026TuesdayHul Diwas (Santhal Rebellion Memorial)State Gazetted / RegionalYes (High State Pride Priority)
16-07-2026ThursdayRath YatraState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / High Regional Priority
15-08-2026SaturdayIndependence DayNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
26-08-2026WednesdayMilad-un-Nabi (Prophet Mohammad's Birthday)Gazette / NI ActOptional / Floating
28-08-2026FridayRaksha BandhanState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / High Regional Priority
04-09-2026FridayJanmashtamiGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
14-09-2026MondayGanesh ChaturthiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Corporate Choice
17-09-2026ThursdayVishwakarma PujaState Gazetted / Industrial OffYes (Major Industrial Mandate)
22-09-2026TuesdayKarma PujaState Gazetted / RegionalYes (Major Tribal Festival)
23-09-2026WednesdayKarma Puja (Phoolkharkosi)State Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Tribal Choice
02-10-2026FridayMahatma Gandhi JayantiNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
19-10-2026MondayMaha AshtamiState Gazetted / RegionalYes (High State Priority)
20-10-2026TuesdayMaha Navami / Vijaya DashamiGazette / NI ActYes (Major State Priority)
08-11-2026SundayDiwaliGazette / NI ActYes (Sunday Overlap)
09-11-2026MondayGovardhan PujaState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Regional
11-11-2026WednesdayBhaiyya Dooj / Chitragupta PujaState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Regional Priority
15-11-2026SundayBirsa Munda Jayanti (Jharkhand Foundation Day) & ChhathState Foundation DayYes (Major State Mandate - Sunday Overlap)
16-11-2026MondaySurya Shashti Dala Chhath (Morning Arghya)State Gazetted / RegionalYes (Major State Festival)
24-11-2026TuesdayGuru Nanak JayantiGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
25-12-2026FridayChristmasGazette / NI ActYes (Corporate Off)

📋 Employer Compliance Checklist for Jharkhand​

  1. Annual Display: Post the approved holiday list on employee notice boards and digital portals before 1st January.
  2. Weekly Day of Rest: Under the Jharkhand Shops and Establishments Act, every worker must be granted one full day of weekly rest.
  3. Double Wages or Comp-Off: Provide double wages (200%), or normal pay plus a paid compensatory off within 30 days to employees who work on a declared holiday.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)​

1. Is Sarhul an official public holiday in Jharkhand?​

Yes. Sarhul is the main spring festival of the tribal communities (Munda, Oraon, Ho, Santhal) in Jharkhand celebrating nature and Sal trees, and is officially gazetted as a public holiday.

2. What is Hul Diwas (June 30th)?​

30th June commemorates the historic Santhal Rebellion of 1855 led by brothers Sido and Kanhu Murmu against British colonial rule and zamindari exploitation, celebrated as Hul Diwas across Jharkhand.

3. Is Jharkhand Foundation Day (November 15th) a mandatory state holiday?​

Yes. 15th November marks both the birth anniversary of legendary tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda and the official foundation of the state of Jharkhand (created in 2000), making it one of the most prominent state holidays.