By Hamad 
October 2025 is a festive month, and if you need to go to your Bank Holidays, you must plan very carefully! The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that banks across the country will be closed for a total of 21 days during the month. This huge number includes national holidays, regional festivals, and the usual weekend closures.
While all your online banking and ATM services will still work, you won’t be able to visit a bank branch for face-to-face services. Since many holidays are specific to certain cities, you must check the list below for your area before heading out.
Why Bank Holidays Change by City
You might notice that a bank is open in one state but closed in another. This happens because bank holidays are set by three different rulebooks:
- Old National Laws: Rules like the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, decide on some major national holidays.
- RBI Guidelines: The RBI sets rules for when big money transfer systems like RTGS and NEFT get a break.
- State Government Decisions: This is the biggest reason for differences. State governments announce holidays for their local festivals.
This means holidays like Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) are observed everywhere, but regional festivals cause closures only in specific states:
- Chhath Puja closes banks only in places like Patna and Ranchi.
- Kati Bihu closes banks only in Guwahati.
- Lakshmi Puja closes banks in Kolkata and Agartala.
Therefore, checking the list for your city is absolutely essential.
The Main Dates to Remember in October 2025
October is packed with many long closures. Here are the most important days when bank services will be affected:
National and Major Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday | Affected Area |
| October 2 | Thursday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra/Durga Puja | All India (Nationwide Closure) |
| Oct 11 | Second Saturday | Standard Weekend Off | All India |
| Oct 25 | Fourth Saturday | Standard Weekend Off | All India |
Diwali Festival Week: Back-to-Back Closures
The week of Diwali requires the most planning, as many states will have multiple days off in a row:
- October 20 (Monday): Diwali (Deepavali) – Banks are closed in most major cities across the country.
- October 21 (Tuesday): Govardhan Puja – Closures in places like Mumbai, Nagpur, and Bhopal.
- October 22 (Wednesday): Vikram Samvat New Year – Closures in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Lucknow.
- October 23 (Thursday): Bhai Dooj – Closures in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Lucknow.
If you have urgent in-branch work, you should complete it before October 20 or wait until after October 23.
Other Important Regional Closures
- October 1 (Wednesday): Vijayadashami / Mahanavami – Closures in many states like Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu.
- October 27 & 28 (Mon & Tue): Chhath Puja – Banks closed in Patna, Ranchi, and Kolkata.
- October 31 (Friday): Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti – Banks closed in Ahmedabad.
Remember that all Sundays (October 5, 12, 19, 26) are also standard weekly bank holidays.
Full City-Wise Bank Holiday Calendar (Simplified)
Here is the detailed, simplified breakdown of bank closures in October 2025:
| Date | Holiday Name | Example Cities Closed |
| Oct 1, Wed | Vijayadashami/Durga Puja | Bengaluru, Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow, Chennai, Kochi. |
| Oct 2, Thu | Gandhi Jayanti/Dasara | ALL India Closure |
| Oct 3–4, Fri–Sat | Durga Puja/Dashain | Gangtok (Sikkim) |
| Oct 5, Sun | Weekly Off | All India |
| Oct 6, Mon | Lakshmi Puja | Agartala, Kolkata |
| Oct 7, Tue | Valmiki Jayanti | Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Shimla |
| Oct 10, Fri | Karva Chauth | Shimla |
| Oct 11–12, Sat–Sun | Second Weekend Off | ALL India Closure |
| Oct 18, Sat | Kati Bihu | Guwahati |
| Oct 19, Sun | Weekly Off | All India |
| Oct 20, Mon | Diwali (Deepavali) | Most Cities (Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, etc.) |
| Oct 21, Tue | Govardhan Puja | Mumbai, Nagpur, Bhopal, Srinagar |
| Oct 22, Wed | New Year’s Day (Vikram Samvat) | Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Lucknow |
| Oct 23, Thu | Bhai Dooj | Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Shimla |
| Oct 25–26, Sat–Sun | Fourth Weekend Off | ALL India Closure |
| Oct 27–28, Mon–Tue | Chhath Puja | Patna, Ranchi, Kolkata |
| Oct 31, Fri | Sardar Patel Jayanti | Ahmedabad |
How to Manage Your Money During the Breaks
Even with 21 closure days, your essential banking services will remain available 24/7. Only services that need a physical teller are affected.
Services That Will Still Work (24/7)
- Online/Mobile Banking: Use your bank’s app or website for all transfers, checking balances, and paying bills.
- UPI: Instant money transfers are unaffected.
- ATMs: You can withdraw cash anytime (but try to do it before a long break to avoid empty machines).
- Cards: Debit and credit card payments work as usual.
Services That Will Be Delayed
- Cheque Processing: If you drop a cheque on a bank holiday, its clearance will be delayed until the bank reopens.
- Cash Deposits: Large deposits or withdrawals that require a bank counter.
- Official Bank Documents: Services that need a physical stamp, signature, or a new Demand Draft.
Tips for Stress-Free October Banking
- Act Early: If you have any major payments, large transfers, or branch visits planned, finish them before the Diwali week (Oct 20–23).
- Go Digital: For all daily transactions, rely on online banking and UPI to avoid needing the bank branch entirely.
- Check Due Dates: Your loan EMI and credit card payment deadlines will not change because of a bank holiday. Set reminders to ensure you pay them on time!
Track Regional Festivals: If you live in a state like Bihar, Jharkhand, or Gujarat, pay extra attention to the regional holidays like Chhath Puja and New Year’s.
