West Bengal Holiday Calendar 2026: Durga Puja, Public & Commercial Holidays
In West Bengal, public, commercial, and festival holidays are declared under the West Bengal Shops and Establishments Act, 1963, the West Bengal National and Festival Holidays Rules, and notifications published by the Finance Department (Audit Branch), Government of West Bengal under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
West Bengal is unique in India for its extensive festive season, led by Durga Puja, alongside prominent regional days like Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year), Rabindra Jayanti, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti.
West Bengal Statutory Mandate
Under Section 5 of the West Bengal Shops and Establishments Act, 1963, employees are entitled to statutory paid holidays including the 3 National Holidays, May Day, and regional festival days, with common industry rosters granting between 10 and 14 paid holidays annually.
📅 Official West Bengal Statutory & Public Holiday Calendar 2026
The following comprehensive schedule reflects the official gazetted holidays, bank closures under the NI Act, and restricted/optional holidays across West Bengal:
| Date | Day | Holiday / Occasion | Classification | Statutory / Corporate Applicability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-01-2026 | Thursday | New Year's Day | Gazette / Regional | Yes (Standard Corporate Off) |
| 12-01-2026 | Monday | Swami Vivekananda Jayanti | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory / Major State Priority |
| 14-01-2026 | Wednesday | Makar Sankranti | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 23-01-2026 | Friday | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti / Basant Panchami | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory State Statutory Holiday |
| 26-01-2026 | Monday | Republic Day | National Holiday | Mandatory Paid Off (Statutory) |
| 01-02-2026 | Sunday | Guru Ravidas Jayanti | Restricted Observance | Optional / Sunday Overlap |
| 03-02-2026 | Tuesday | Shab-e-Barat | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 15-02-2026 | Sunday | Maha Shivratri | Restricted Observance | Optional / Sunday Overlap |
| 03-03-2026 | Tuesday | Holika Dahan (Doljatra Eve) | State Gazetted / Regional | Optional / Regional Priority |
| 04-03-2026 | Wednesday | Holi (Doljatra) | Gazette / NI Act | Mandatory / Major State Priority |
| 13-03-2026 | Friday | Jamaat-ul-Vida | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 19-03-2026 | Thursday | Cheti Chand | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 21-03-2026 | Saturday | Eid-ul-Fitr | Gazette / NI Act | Mandatory / Gazetted Public Holiday |
| 26-03-2026 | Thursday | Ram Navami | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 31-03-2026 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 01-04-2026 | Wednesday | Annual Bank Closing | NI Act (Section 25) | Commercial Banks Only |
| 03-04-2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Gazette / NI Act | Gazetted Public Holiday (Standard Corporate Off) |
| 06-04-2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 14-04-2026 | Tuesday | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti - Vaisakhi | State & National Gazette | Mandatory State & National Holiday |
| 15-04-2026 | Wednesday | Bengali New Year's Day (Poila Boishakh) | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory / Major State Mandate |
| 01-05-2026 | Friday | May Day / Buddha Purnima | State Mandatory Holiday | Mandatory Paid Off (Labour Day) (Simpliance: 01-05; HR Deck: 02-05) |
| 02-05-2026 | Saturday | Buddha Purnima (Extended Observance) | Gazette / NI Act | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 03-05-2026 | Sunday | Veer Keshari Chand Shaheed Diwas | Restricted Observance | Optional / Sunday Overlap |
| 09-05-2026 | Saturday | Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti (Rabindra Jayanti) | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory / Major Cultural Mandate |
| 27-05-2026 | Wednesday | Eid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) | Gazette / NI Act | Mandatory / Gazetted Public Holiday |
| 25-06-2026 / 26-06-2026 | Thursday / Friday | Moharram | Gazette / NI Act | Gazetted Public Holiday / Optional (Simpliance: 26-06; HR Deck: 25-06) |
| 16-07-2026 | Thursday | Harela | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 04-08-2026 | Tuesday | Chehallum | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 15-08-2026 | Saturday | Independence Day | National Holiday | Mandatory Paid Off (Statutory) |
| 26-08-2026 / 28-08-2026 | Wednesday / Friday | Eid-e-Milad - Barawafat / Fateha-Dwaz-Daham | Gazette / NI Act | Gazetted Public Holiday / Optional |
| 28-08-2026 | Friday | Raksha Bandhan | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 04-09-2026 | Friday | Janmashtami | Restricted Observance | Optional / Corporate Choice |
| 17-09-2026 | Thursday | Vishwakarma Puja | Restricted Observance | Optional / Factory Holiday |
| 25-09-2026 | Friday | Anant Chaturdashi | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 02-10-2026 | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | National Holiday | Mandatory Paid Off (Statutory) |
| 17-10-2026 | Saturday | Durga Puja - Maha Saptami | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory / Major State Festive Block |
| 18-10-2026 | Sunday | Durga Puja - Maha Ashtami | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory / Major State Festive Block (Sunday Overlap) |
| 19-10-2026 | Monday | Durga Puja - Maha Nabami | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory / Major State Festive Block |
| 20-10-2026 | Tuesday | Dashara (Vijayadashami) | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory / Major State Festive Block |
| 25-10-2026 | Sunday | Lakshmi Puja | State Gazetted / Regional | Major Cultural Priority (Sunday Overlap) |
| 26-10-2026 | Monday | Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 07-11-2026 | Saturday | Deepawali (Narak Chaturdashi) | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 08-11-2026 | Sunday | Deepawali / Kali Puja | Gazette / NI Act | Mandatory Paid Off (Sunday Overlap) |
| 10-11-2026 | Tuesday | Deepawali (Govardhan Puja) | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 10-11-2026 / 11-11-2026 | Tuesday / Wednesday | Bhaiyya Dooj (Bhatridwitiya) | State Gazetted / Regional | Mandatory / High Regional Priority (Simpliance: 11-11; HR Deck: 10-11) |
| 15-11-2026 | Sunday | Chhath Puja | State Gazetted / Regional | Optional / Sunday Overlap |
| 20-11-2026 | Friday | Igas-Bagwal | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 24-11-2026 | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti - Guru Teg Bahadur Shaheed Diwas | Gazette / NI Act | Gazetted Public Holiday / Optional |
| 24-12-2026 | Thursday | Christmas Eve | Restricted Observance | Optional / Floating Holiday |
| 25-12-2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Gazette / NI Act | Gazetted Public Holiday (Standard Corporate Off) |
📋 Employer Compliance Checklist for West Bengal
- Durga Puja Festival Roster: Corporate employers and manufacturing units in West Bengal typically recognize an extended 4-day paid holiday block during Durga Puja (from Maha Saptami through Vijaya Dashami).
- Statutory Display: Employers must display the annual approved holiday schedule on internal bulletin boards and digital platforms prior to January 1.
- Holiday Work Compensation: In retail establishments and continuous operations, work performed on a gazetted holiday must be remunerated at double ordinary wages or compensated with an alternative paid off-day.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are private corporate companies in Kolkata required to give leave during Durga Puja?
Yes. It is virtually universal across private and public sectors in West Bengal to observe Durga Puja (Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami, and Vijaya Dashami) as mandatory paid holidays.
2. Is Netaji Jayanti (January 23rd) a statutory holiday in West Bengal?
Yes. January 23rd marks Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti (Parakram Diwas) and is an official statutory gazetted holiday in West Bengal.