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Arunachal Pradesh

Holiday Guide for Arunachal Pradesh in 2026

Arunachal Pradesh, India’s easternmost state known as the “Land of the Dawn-lit Mountains,” is home to over 26 major tribes and an extraordinary mosaic of cultural traditions. Holidays in the state reflect this rich diversity, spanning national observances, tribal festivals, and religious celebrations from multiple faiths. 

 This guide covers the complete list of Public Holidays, Bank Holidays, and Optional (Restricted) Holidays for Arunachal Pradesh in 2026. It is designed to help HR professionals, payroll teams, and business leaders stay compliant and prepared throughout the year. 

 The holidays in this guide are categorized under: 

  • National Holidays 
  • Religious Festivals 
  • State-specific Observances (including Statehood Day and Indigenous Faith Day) 

What are the Official Public Holidays in Arunachal Pradesh in 2026?

Public Holidays in Arunachal Pradesh are announced by the State Government and must be followed by all government offices, banks, educational institutions, and most private organizations. The state observes approximately 17 public holidays in 2026, including three national holidays. 

 Below is the official list of Public Holidays observed in Arunachal Pradesh in 2026: 

Date  Day  Holiday Name  Remarks 
01-Jan-2026  Thursday  New Year’s Day  Gregorian calendar start 
14-Jan-2026  Wednesday  Makar Sankranti  Harvest festival 
26-Jan-2026  Monday  Republic Day  National holiday 
20-Feb-2026  Friday  Statehood Day  Arunachal Pradesh formation day 
04-Mar-2026  Wednesday  Holi  Festival of colours 
21-Mar-2026  Saturday  Id-ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid)*  Islamic festival (date may vary) 
03-Apr-2026  Friday  Good Friday  Christian festival 
15-Apr-2026  Wednesday  Bohag Bihu  Assamese New Year / Spring festival 
01-May-2026  Friday  Buddha Purnima  Birth of Lord Buddha 
15-Aug-2026  Saturday  Independence Day  National holiday 
02-Oct-2026  Friday  Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti  National holiday 
19-Oct-2026  Monday  Maha Ashtami  Durga Puja 
20-Oct-2026  Tuesday  Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra)  Hindu festival 
08-Nov-2026  Sunday  Diwali (Deepavali)  Festival of lights 
24-Nov-2026  Tuesday  Guru Nanak Jayanti  Sikh festival 
01-Dec-2026  Tuesday  Indigenous Faith Day  State-specific tribal faith holiday 
25-Dec-2026  Friday  Christmas Day  Christian festival 

 *Islamic holidays are subject to the appearance of the moon. Dates may vary by one day based on official lunar sightings. 

HR Action Tip: 

Ensure these public holidays are reflected in your company’s leave calendar, HRMS, and payroll systems. Statehood Day (20 Feb) and Indigenous Faith Day (01 Dec) are unique to Arunachal Pradesh and are often missed in pan-India HRMS configurations. Communicate the full calendar to employees in advance. 

What are the Bank Holidays in Arunachal Pradesh in 2026?

All bank holidays include all 2nd and 4th Saturday bank closures, in addition to government-declared public holidays. These are governed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the Negotiable Instruments Act. Payroll teams should plan salary disbursals, fund transfers, and reimbursement cycles around these closures. 

 Note also that 1 April 2026 (Annual Bank Closing) is a bank-specific closure for year-end balancing and may affect financial transactions near the fiscal year end. 

 Here is the complete list of Bank Holidays in Arunachal Pradesh for 2026: 

Date  Day  Holiday Name  Remarks 
01-Jan-2026  Thursday  New Year’s Day  Public holiday 
10-Jan-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
14-Jan-2026  Wednesday  Makar Sankranti  Public holiday 
24-Jan-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
26-Jan-2026  Monday  Republic Day  Public holiday 
14-Feb-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
20-Feb-2026  Friday  Statehood Day  Public holiday 
28-Feb-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
04-Mar-2026  Wednesday  Holi  Public holiday 
14-Mar-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
21-Mar-2026  Saturday  Id-ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid)*  Public holiday 
28-Mar-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
01-Apr-2026  Wednesday  Annual Bank Closing  Financial year end 
03-Apr-2026  Friday  Good Friday  Public holiday 
11-Apr-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
14-Apr-2026  Tuesday  Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti  Public holiday 
15-Apr-2026  Wednesday  Bohag Bihu  Public holiday 
25-Apr-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
01-May-2026  Friday  Buddha Purnima  Public holiday 
09-May-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
23-May-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
13-Jun-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
27-Jun-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
11-Jul-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
25-Jul-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
08-Aug-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
15-Aug-2026  Saturday  Independence Day  Public holiday 
22-Aug-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
12-Sep-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
26-Sep-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
02-Oct-2026  Friday  Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti  Public holiday 
10-Oct-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
19-Oct-2026  Monday  Maha Ashtami  Public holiday 
20-Oct-2026  Tuesday  Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra)  Public holiday 
24-Oct-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
08-Nov-2026  Sunday  Diwali (Deepavali)  Public holiday 
14-Nov-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
24-Nov-2026  Tuesday  Guru Nanak Jayanti  Public holiday 
28-Nov-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
01-Dec-2026  Tuesday  Indigenous Faith Day  Public holiday 
12-Dec-2026  Saturday  Second Saturday  Regular bank holiday 
25-Dec-2026  Friday  Christmas Day  Public holiday 
26-Dec-2026  Saturday  Fourth Saturday  Regular bank holiday 

 *Islamic holidays are subject to the appearance of the moon. 

HR Action Tip: 

Align salary disbursals, fund transfers, and reimbursement cycles in advance to avoid disruptions during bank closures. Pay special attention to the Annual Bank Closing on 01 April and the Independence Day weekend in August. 

What are the Optional (Restricted) Holidays in Arunachal Pradesh in 2026?

Restricted holidays are optional observances from which employees may select a limited number based on personal religious or cultural beliefs, subject to prior approval and company policy. Arunachal Pradesh, with its extraordinary tribal diversity, has a rich list of restricted holidays spanning Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, and indigenous observances. 

 Here is the 2026 Optional Holiday List for Arunachal Pradesh: 

Date  Day  Holiday Name  Remarks 
01-Jan-2026  Thursday  New Year’s Day  Gregorian calendar year start 
14-Jan-2026  Wednesday  Pongal  Tamil harvest festival 
26-Jan-2026  Monday  Losar  Tibetan/Monpa New Year 
31-Jan-2026  Saturday  Guru Ravidas Jayanti  Sikh observance 
14-Apr-2026  Tuesday  Ambedkar Jayanti  Birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar 
14-Apr-2026  Tuesday  Vaisakhi / Baisakhi  Regional New Year 
21-Jun-2026  Sunday  Eid-ul-Adha (Bakrid)*  Islamic festival (date may vary) 
28-Jul-2026  Tuesday  Muharram*  Islamic festival (date may vary) 
22-Aug-2026  Saturday  Raksha Bandhan  Sibling festival 
30-Aug-2026  Sunday  Janmashtami  Birth of Lord Krishna 
19-Oct-2026  Monday  Navratri / Maha Navami  Hindu festival 
05-Nov-2026  Thursday  Kartik Purnima  Holy bathing festival 
24-Dec-2026  Thursday  Christmas Eve  Christian festival 

 *Islamic holidays are subject to lunar sighting. Employees may select a limited number of restricted holidays as per company policy. 

Payroll-Sensitive Dates to Watch Out for HR Professionals

Some holidays may significantly impact payroll processing and other financial activities, especially when they fall near month-end or fiscal year deadlines. Below are the key dates HR and payroll teams in Arunachal Pradesh should flag in their planning calendars for 2026: 

Date  Day  Holiday Name  Remarks 
21-Mar-2026  Saturday  Id-ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid)  Islamic festival near fiscal Q1 close 
31-Mar-2026  Tuesday  Annual Financial Year End  Critical payroll and compliance deadline 
01-Apr-2026  Wednesday  Annual Bank Closing  Banks closed; advance payroll processing needed 
15-Aug-2026  Saturday  Independence Day  National holiday, long weekend potential 
08-Nov-2026  Sunday  Diwali (Deepavali)  Popular for extended leave clusters 
01-Dec-2026  Tuesday  Indigenous Faith Day  State-specific closure; plan disbursals early 
25-Dec-2026  Friday  Christmas Day  Long weekend combined with Saturday 

 

Got questions?

How many public holidays are observed in Arunachal Pradesh in 2026?

Arunachal Pradesh observes approximately 17 public holidays in 2026, including national, state-specific, and religious festivals.

What is Indigenous Faith Day in Arunachal Pradesh?

Statehood Day, observed on 20 February 2026, marks the formation of Arunachal Pradesh as a full state of India in 1987. It is a state public holiday celebrated with cultural events, food festivals, and sports activities.

What is Statehood Day in Arunachal Pradesh?

Statehood Day, observed on 20 February 2026, marks the formation of Arunachal Pradesh as a full state of India in 1987. It is a state public holiday celebrated with cultural events, food festivals, and sports activities.

Do all companies have to follow the same holiday list?

Government organizations follow the official state holiday list. Private firms may customize their leave plans while maintaining compliance with applicable labour laws and the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Are the second and fourth Saturdays bank holidays in Arunachal Pradesh?

Yes. As per RBI guidelines applicable to the Itanagar regional office, all scheduled and non-scheduled banks observe public holidays on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.

Can employees take leave on optional holidays?

Yes. Employees may take leave on optional (restricted) holidays after obtaining prior approval in accordance with their company policy. The number of such holidays an employee may avail is typically limited.

Are moon-based Islamic holidays fixed?

No. Dates for Id-ul-Fitr, Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha), and Muharram may vary by a day based on lunar sightings. Employers must stay updated with official announcements from state government authorities.

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