January is one of the most holiday-heavy months in India due to multiple harvest festivals celebrated across regions. Lohri, which is mostly observed in North India, Makar Sankranti, and Pongal in southern states. As these festivals are observed across different states, bank holidays vary from state to state. For instance, banks are closed in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi today for Lohri, which is an important festival for the Sikh community.
Bank Holiday on Makar Sankranti: What RBI Says
Bank holidays on Makar Sankranti are not universal, as banks remain closed in some states while operating normally in others. According to the RBI holiday calendar, banks will remain closed only in some states where Makar Sankranti is officially recognised as a public holiday.
These holidays are notified under the Negotiable Instruments Act, which allows states to declare local bank holidays based on regional festivals.
States Where Banks Are Closed on January 14
As per the RBI bank holiday list for January 2026, banks will remain closed on January 14 (Makar Sankranti) in Gujarat, Odisha, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
In these states, customers will not be able to access branch-level banking services, including cheque clearing and over-the-counter transactions.
Banks Open in Other States on Makar Sankranti
In all other states and union territories, banks will remain open and functional on January 14, and regular banking operations will continue without disruption.
Customers should note that even in states where bank holidays are observed, digital banking services such as UPI payments, net banking, mobile banking apps, ATM cash withdrawals & online bill payments will operate normally.
Full List of Bank Holidays in January 2026
Here is the state-wise bank holiday list for January 2026, as per RBI notifications:
January 14: Gujarat, Odisha, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh: Bank holiday for Makar Sankranti.
January 15: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh (Pongal-related holidays)
January 16: Tamil Nadu
January 17: Tamil Nadu
January 23: Tripura, Odisha, West Bengal: Bank holiday in these states for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti and Saraswati Puja
January 26: Republic Day: this is also a national holiday, so banks across India will remain closed.
