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Odisha Holiday Calendar 2026: Rath Yatra, Statutory, Public & Commercial Holidays

In Odisha, workplace holidays, industrial leave, and commercial closures are regulated under the Odisha Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1969, the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, and annual notifications issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Government of Odisha under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

Enterprises across Bhubaneswar (Info City), Cuttack, Rourkela, and mining corridors structure their annual holiday rosters around the state's cultural celebrations—most prominently Rath Yatra, Utkal Divas, Nuakhai, and Raja Parba.

Odisha Statutory Minimum (8 Paid Holidays)

Under Section 3 of the Odisha Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1969: Every employee is entitled to not less than 8 paid holidays per calendar year, including:

  1. Republic Day (26 January)
  2. May Day (1 May)
  3. Independence Day (15 August)
  4. Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti (2 October)
  5. 4 Additional Festival Holidays agreed upon with employees.

📅 Official Odisha Statutory & Public Holiday Calendar 2026​

The following comprehensive schedule reflects the gazetted public holidays, bank closures under the NI Act, and regional festival observances across Odisha:

DateDayHoliday / OccasionClassificationStatutory / Corporate Applicability
14-01-2026WednesdayMakar SankrantiState Gazetted / RegionalYes (High Regional Priority)
23-01-2026FridaySubash Chandra Bose Jayanti / Vir Surendrasai Jayanti / Basanta PanchamiState Gazetted / RegionalMandatory / Major State Priority
26-01-2026MondayRepublic DayNational HolidayMandatory Paid Off (Statutory)
15-02-2026 / 18-02-2026Sunday / WednesdayMaha ShivratriGazette / NI ActOptional / Floating Holiday (Simpliance: 15-02; HR Deck: 18-02)
04-03-2026WednesdayHoliGazette / RegionalMandatory / Major State Festival
21-03-2026SaturdayId-ul-FitreGazette / NI ActMandatory / Gazetted Public Holiday
27-03-2026FridayShree Rama NavamiGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
01-04-2026WednesdayAnnual Closing of Bank Accounts / Odisha State Day (Utkal Divas)State Foundation Day & NI ActMandatory State Mandate & Bank Closing
03-04-2026FridayGood FridayGazette / NI ActGazetted Public Holiday (Corporate Off)
14-04-2026TuesdayDr. B.R Ambedkar Jayanti / Maha Visuva SankrantiState Gazetted / RegionalMandatory / Major State Festival
01-05-2026FridayMay DayState Mandatory HolidayMandatory Paid Off (Statutory Mandate)
27-05-2026WednesdayBakrid (Id-ul-Zuha)Gazette / NI ActMandatory / Gazetted Public Holiday
14-06-2026 / 15-06-2026Sunday / MondayRaja SankrantiState Gazetted / RegionalMandatory / Major Cultural Mandate (Simpliance: 15-06; HR Deck: 14-06)
25-06-2026ThursdayMuharramGazette / NI ActGazetted Public Holiday / Optional
16-07-2026ThursdayRath Yatra (Car Festival of Lord Jagannath)State Gazetted / RegionalMandatory / Major State Festive Priority
15-08-2026SaturdayIndependence DayNational HolidayMandatory Paid Off (Statutory)
04-09-2026FridayJanmashtamiGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
14-09-2026MondayGanesh PujaState Gazetted / RegionalYes (Major State Priority)
15-09-2026 / 16-09-2026Tuesday / WednesdayNuakhaiState Gazetted / RegionalMandatory / Major Cultural Priority (Simpliance: 15-09; HR Deck: 16-09)
02-10-2026FridayGandhi JayantiNational HolidayMandatory Paid Off (Statutory)
18-10-2026SundayMahasthamiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Sunday Overlap
19-10-2026MondayMahanavamiState Gazetted / RegionalMandatory / High State Priority
20-10-2026TuesdayVijaya DasamiGazette / NI ActMandatory / Major State Priority
08-11-2026SundayDiwaliGazette / NI ActMandatory Paid Off (Sunday Overlap)
24-11-2026TuesdayRahas Purnima / Guru Nanak JayantiState Gazetted / RegionalMandatory / High State Priority
25-12-2026FridayChristmas (X-Mas Day)Gazette / NI ActMandatory / Corporate Off

📋 Employer Compliance Checklist for Odisha​

  1. Submission of Statement of Proposed Holidays: Employers must submit proposed festival holidays to the local Labour Officer before 31st December.
  2. Display of Notice: Exhibit the approved holiday list on the establishment notice board by 1st January.
  3. Double Wages or Comp-Off: Provide double the ordinary daily wages (200%), or regular pay plus a paid substitute holiday within 30 days to employees who work on a declared holiday.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)​

1. Is Puri Rath Yatra an official paid public holiday in Odisha?​

Yes. The world-renowned Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is a primary state gazetted holiday observed by schools, universities, banks, and private enterprises across Odisha.

2. What is Nuakhai and is it recognized as a holiday?​

Nuakhai is the premier agrarian festival of Western Odisha celebrating the season's new harvest. The Government of Odisha officially gazettes Nuakhai as a public holiday.