January 1 - New Year’s Day

Although the traditional New Year’s celebrations on the Hindu Calendar are in the springtime, India also joins with much of the rest of the world to celebrate 1 January as New Year’s Day, in accordance with the Gregorian Calendar.

January 14 - Makar Sankranti

This is a popular Hindu festival that occurs on or around 14th January across India. The day is known by various names and there is a variety of different customs observed in the different Indian states.

Uttarayana is also considered a time of good fortune and important events are scheduled during this period.

January 26 - Republic Day

On 26 January, India celebrates Republic Day. This public holiday is one of four national holidays and is always celebrated on this date.

Republic Day is an important national holiday that commemorates the establishment of the Constitution of India. Republic Day is marked by parades, patriotic songs, exhibitions and fun, celebrating the cultural unity of India.

February 21 - Maha Shivratri

Maha Shivaratri is a famous Hindu festival celebrated each year in reverence of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration.

March 10 - Holi

The Hindu festival of Holi is celebrated on the last full moon day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month, which usually falls in early March.

Holi is also known in some states as Doljatra, or Dola Purnima. In Nepal, it is known as Fagu Purnima.

March 25 - Gudi Padwa

This regional Indian holiday is the traditional new year for Marathi Hindus. It also marks the start of the civil year among Hindus, particularly in the central Indian states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.

April 02 - Ram Navami

Ram Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. It is celebrated on the ninth day of Chaitra month (the first month in the Hindu lunar calendar). It marks the culmination of the spring festival of Vasanta Navratri (Chaitra Navratri) which begins on Ugadi.

April 10 - Good Friday

Many countries observe Good Friday as a national holiday on the Friday before Easter. The day commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.

June 23 - Ratha Yatra

Ratha Yatra is a regional holiday observed in Odisha, India. It is celebrated on Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya (second day after the new moon in the month of Ashadha). This means it is usually held in late June or early July, during the rainy season in Odisha.

August 1 - Eid al-Adha(Bakrid)

Known as Eid al-Adha, Eid ul Adha, Id-ul-Azha, Id-ul-Zuha, Hari Raya Haji or Bakr-id; the 'Feast of Sacrifice' is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar.

August 3 - Raksha Bandhan

This ancient Hindu festival is also known as Rakhi Purnima. It is celebrated on the full moon of the Hindu month 'Shravana'.

Raksha Bandhan celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. As the concept of love and duty between siblings is universal, this festival is popular with many cultures in India and transcends its Hindu origin.

August 11 - Janmashtami

Janmashtami is a Hindu festival and a Gazetted holiday in many regions of India. It may be known as Gokulashtami or Sreekrishna Jayanthi in some regions. ​According to the Hindu calendar, Janmashtami is celebrated on the Ashtami (eighth day) of Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Shravana or Bhadra (in the Hindu calendar, there is a leap month once every three years).

August 15 - Independence Day

Indian Independence Day is always celebrated on August 15th. It is the National Day of India. Also known as 'I-Day', this public holiday marks the date in 1947, when India became an independent country.

The British established their first outpost on the Indian Subcontinent in 1619 at Surat on the northwestern coast.

August 22 - Vinayagar Chathurthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is normally a public holiday in the Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu regions of India.

August 30 - MUHARRAM

Muharram refers to the first month of the Islamic Calendar. The complete month of Muharram is sacred according to the Muslims. However, it is the tenth day which is of most significance. Different factions of the Muslim community observe this day for different reasons. While the Shia Muslims celebrate this day to mourn the death of Husayn Ibn Ali, the Sunni Muslims observe this day to celebrate the victory of Moses over Egyptian Pharaoh.

August 30 - First Onam

Onam is a Hindu festival celebrated by the Malayali people of Kerala, India. Originally a harvest festival, it is the state festival of Kerala. The festival lasts 10 days with official state holidays on three or four days starting from Onam Eve (Uthradom) to the Third Onam Day.

October 02 - Mahatma Gandhi Birthday

Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday celebrated across India to mark the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the "Father of the Nation". It is celebrated on October 2nd every year. It is one of three official declared National Holidays of India and is observed in all its states and territories.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2nd 1869 in Gujarat, then known as Porbandar, British India.

October 25 - Dussehra

On this day, many of your colleagues in India will celebrate the culmination of the ten day Dussehra festival. It may be known in some regions as Vijayadashami and in parts of southern India, it is known as Dasara. Other regional spellings include Dashera and Dussera.

November 14 - Diwali

The Festival of Lights is known as Deepavali (deep - lamp, vali - array). This is the name of the festival in Southern India and is how the festival is referred to in other Asian countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. In Northern India, it is more commonly known as Diwali, but they are essentially the same celebration.

Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama, who was the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, from a fourteen year exile.

November 30 - Guru Nanak's

The Birthday of Guru Nanak Sahib falls on Kartik Puranmashi, the full moon day of the month Kartik, which usually falls in November in the western calendar.

December 25 - Christmas Day

On this day, over two billion people (over a third of the world's population) will celebrate the birth of Christ.