New Delhi: Banks across most parts of India will remain open on Friday, September 25, 2026, despite Anant Chaturdashi being observed on the day. Bank branches will be closed only in Gangtok, Sikkim, where September 25 is a bank holiday for the Indrajatra Festival.
Anant Chaturdashi falls on September 25 this year and also marks the culmination of the 10-day Ganesh festival, with Ganesh Visarjan being observed in many places. However, the festival itself is not listed as a nationwide bank holiday in the Reserve Bank of India’s 2026 holiday calendar.
Customers planning to visit a bank branch today should therefore check the holiday schedule applicable to their particular city or state before making a trip.
Are banks closed on September 25?
Banks will remain open in most parts of India on Friday, September 25.
The exception is Gangtok in Sikkim, where bank branches will remain closed for Indrajatra. The RBI’s holiday calendar lists September 25 as a holiday for Sikkim under the regional holiday schedule.
This means customers in cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata can generally expect bank branches to operate according to their normal Friday schedule, subject to any individual bank or local arrangements.
Anant Chaturdashi itself does not result in a nationwide closure of bank branches.
Why are banks closed in Gangtok?
The September 25 bank closure in Gangtok is linked to Indrajatra, a festival observed in Sikkim.
Bank holidays in India are not uniform across every state. The RBI’s holiday calendar includes regional holidays in addition to national holidays and regular weekly closures. As a result, a festival or local observance can lead to a branch closure in one city while banks continue operating normally elsewhere.
Customers should therefore refer to the holiday applicable to their specific banking centre rather than assuming that a festival will result in a nationwide shutdown.
Five-day disruption period begins September 26
Although banks are largely open on September 25, customers should be aware of a longer period of potential disruption beginning the following day.
Saturday, September 26, is the fourth Saturday of the month, when bank branches remain closed. This will be followed by Sunday, September 27, which is the regular weekly holiday.
A proposed three-day nationwide bank strike is then scheduled from September 28 to September 30. If the strike proceeds as planned, physical branch services could therefore face disruption for five consecutive days from September 26 to September 30.
The proposed strike has been called by banking unions over demands including a five-day working week and pension-related issues. Customers with important branch-related work have been advised to plan transactions in advance.
Public sector and rural banks to open on September 27
The Finance Ministry has said that public sector banks and regional rural banks will function on Sunday, September 27, despite it being a normal weekly holiday.
The move is intended to help customers complete essential banking work before the proposed three-day strike beginning September 28. The arrangement specifically concerns public sector and regional rural banks, so customers should check with their individual bank regarding branch availability.
The development is particularly relevant for customers who require in-person services that cannot be completed through digital banking channels.
Digital banking services remain available
A physical bank holiday does not necessarily mean that all banking services stop.
Customers can generally continue using internet banking, mobile banking applications, UPI and ATMs even when branches are closed. These services allow customers to make digital payments, transfer money and withdraw cash, although the availability of individual services can vary between banks and transaction types.
However, services that require a visit to a branch, such as certain documentation, account-related requests or other counter services, may have to wait until the branch reopens.
September bank holiday schedule
September 2026 has several state-specific bank holidays in addition to the regular Sunday and second- and fourth-Saturday closures.
According to the RBI holiday calendar, the remaining scheduled September closures include:
- September 25: Indrajatra — Gangtok
- September 26: Fourth Saturday — nationwide
- September 27: Sunday — nationwide
The RBI calendar also recorded earlier regional holidays during September for festivals and local observances, including Ganesh Chaturthi, Samvatsari, Karma Puja and the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji.
What customers should do
For customers who need branch-based banking services, September 25 is largely a normal working day, making it an important opportunity to complete pending work before the extended closure period begins.
Those planning a branch visit should nevertheless confirm operating hours with their bank, particularly if they are in Gangtok or are dealing with a branch-specific holiday.
For routine payments and transfers, digital banking channels can continue to be used during branch holidays. Customers with urgent branch-related requirements should plan ahead, especially in view of the proposed bank strike from September 28 to September 30.