Sikkim Holiday Calendar 2026: Losoong, Saga Dawa, Public & Commercial Holidays
In Sikkim, public, commercial, and industrial workplace holidays are regulated under the Sikkim Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1983, the Factories Act, 1948, and annual notifications issued by the Home Department, Government of Sikkim under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
Enterprises in Gangtok (service & administrative hub), Rangpo, Singtam (pharma manufacturing corridor), and Namchi must structure their annual holiday rosters around Buddhist, Bhutia, Lepcha, and Nepali cultural festivals—foremost among them Losoong/Namsoong, Saga Dawa, Pang Lhabsol, and Dasain/Tihar.
Under the Sikkim Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, employers must provide a minimum of 8 paid holidays per year, including the 3 National Holidays and approved regional cultural holidays.
📅 Official Sikkim Statutory Holiday Calendar 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Occasion | Classification | Mandatory for Private Sector? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-01-2026 | Thursday | New Year's Day | Gazette / Regional | Yes (Corporate Off) |
| 14-01-2026 | Wednesday | Makar Sankranti / Maghe Sankranti | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (High Regional Priority) |
| 26-01-2026 | Monday | Republic Day | National Holiday | Yes (Mandatory Paid Off) |
| 19-02-2026 | Thursday | Losar (Tibetan New Year - Year of Fire Horse) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (Major Cultural Mandate) |
| 03-03-2026 | Tuesday | Holi | Gazette / NI Act | Yes |
| 21-03-2026 | Saturday | Id-ul-Fitr (Ramzan) | Gazette / NI Act | Optional |
| 01-04-2026 | Wednesday | Annual Bank Account Closing | NI Act (Sec 25) | Banks Only |
| 03-04-2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Gazette / NI Act | Yes (Corporate Off) |
| 14-04-2026 | Tuesday | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti | State & National Gazette | Yes |
| 01-05-2026 | Friday | May Day | State Mandatory Holiday | Yes (Statutory Mandate) |
| 16-05-2026 | Saturday | Sikkim State Day (41st Statehood Day) | State Foundation Day | Yes (Major State Mandate) |
| 02-06-2026 | Tuesday | Saga Dawa (Enlightenment of Lord Buddha) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (Major Buddhist Festival) |
| 15-08-2026 | Saturday | Independence Day | National Holiday | Yes (Mandatory Paid Off) |
| 26-08-2026 | Wednesday | Pang Lhabsol (Worship of Mt. Khangchendzonga) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (Major State Cultural Priority) |
| 02-10-2026 | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | National Holiday | Yes (Mandatory Paid Off) |
| 18-10-2026 | Sunday | Durga Puja / Dasain (Maha Ashtami) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (Sunday Overlap) |
| 19-10-2026 | Monday | Durga Puja / Dasain (Maha Navami) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (High Regional Priority) |
| 20-10-2026 | Tuesday | Vijaya Dashami (Dasain) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (Major State Festival) |
| 08-11-2026 | Sunday | Diwali (Laxmi Puja) | Gazette / NI Act | Yes (Sunday Overlap) |
| 10-11-2026 | Tuesday | Bhai Tika (Tihar Festival) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (High Regional Priority) |
| 10-12-2026 | Thursday | Losoong / Namsoong (Sikkimese New Year - Day 1) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (Major State Festival) |
| 11-12-2026 | Friday | Losoong / Namsoong (Day 2) | State Gazetted / Regional | Yes (Major State Festival) |
| 25-12-2026 | Friday | Christmas | Gazette / NI Act | Yes (Corporate Off) |
📋 Employer Compliance Checklist for Sikkim
- Annual Notice of Holidays: Exhibit the approved holiday list on workplace notice boards by 1st January.
- Weekly Day of Rest: Provide one full day of weekly rest to all workers under the Sikkim Shops & Commercial Establishments Act.
- Double Wages or Comp-Off: Provide double wages (200%), or regular pay plus a paid compensatory off within 30 days to employees who work on a declared holiday.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is Pang Lhabsol in Sikkim?
Pang Lhabsol is an exclusive Sikkimese cultural festival commemorating the historic blood brotherhood pact between the Lepcha and Bhutia communities and offering homage to Mount Khangchendzonga as the guardian deity of Sikkim. It is an official gazetted public holiday.
2. What are Losoong and Namsoong?
Losoong (Bhutia New Year) and Namsoong (Lepcha New Year) mark the end of the harvest season and the traditional new year in Sikkim, celebrated with Chaam mask dances at major monasteries.