The government has officially confirmed that Muharram will be observed on June 26, 2026, bringing clarity for students, parents, and employees who were waiting for confirmation of the holiday date. As reported by multiple sources, schools, colleges, government offices, banks, and several public institutions are expected to remain closed on this occasion. The announcement provides definitive closure dates for various sectors, with banks and government offices joining educational institutions in observing this important Islamic occasion. Since the holiday falls on a Friday, many people may enjoy a long weekend along with Saturday and Sunday, offering families an extended break for travel, personal activities, or spending time together.
The Muharram holiday could lead to a prolonged break in branch-based banking services for many customers. According to Goodreturns, June 26 (Friday) is expected to be a bank holiday for Muharram, followed by the fourth Saturday holiday on June 27 and the regular Sunday holiday on June 28. As a result, several regions may witness a three-day stretch of bank closures. While physical branches may remain shut, digital banking services such as UPI, internet banking, mobile banking and ATM services are expected to function normally throughout the holiday period, ensuring continued access to essential banking services. Citizens are advised to complete important banking and official work in advance, as services may not be available during the holiday period.
According to the latest RBI holiday schedule, banks in several Indian states and union territories will remain closed on June 26 for Muharram, providing essential banking services to customers. As per Zee News, banks will be closed in the following states on account of Muharram today: Andhra Pradesh, Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Hyderabad, Jammu, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, New Delhi, Patna, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh. However, banks will also be opened in several other cities such as Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Guwahati, Gangtok, Imphal, Itanagar, Jaipur, Kochi, Kohima, Panaji, Shillong, Shimla, and Thiruvananthanthapuram. This city-wise variation ensures that banking services remain accessible in most major financial centers while observing the religious holiday. Notably, banks will be closed in cities like Agartala and Aizawl during this period. According to the latest RBI region-wise holiday calendar for fiscal year 2026-27, banks will remain closed in regions such as Agartala, Aizawl, Belapur, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Srinagar, and Vijayawada.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) and BSE will remain closed on June 26, 2026 to mark Muharram, according to the NSE's official holiday list. Trading in equity derivatives, securities lending and borrowing (SLB), currency derivatives and electronic gold receipts (EGR) will also remain suspended on this day. However, as reported by recent updates, MCX traders can still participate in the evening session from 5 PM on June 26, providing some trading opportunities despite the full-day closure of NSE and BSE. Since this holiday falls on a Friday, it offers market participants, traders, and institutional investors a clean 3-day long weekend. The stock market holiday calendar 2026 includes a total of 16 trading holidays, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, as per the NSE. After June 26, there is a nearly three-month-long gap before the next major market holiday, which is Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14, 2026.
As reported by Goodreturns, Muharram holds profound spiritual importance in Islam and is recognised as one of the religion's four sacred months. For Sunni Muslims, Ashura is observed in memory of the day Prophet Musa and the Israelites were saved from Pharaoh, with historical accounts suggesting that Prophet Muhammad fasted on this occasion and encouraged others to follow suit. For Shia Muslims, Ashura is primarily a day of mourning, commemorating the sacrifice of Imam Hussain, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, who was killed with members of his household and supporters during the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. The day is marked by prayers, processions and remembrance ceremonies, with many states in India observing a public holiday on the occasion, leading to the closure of banks, government offices and several institutions. Ashura, falling on June 26, is the solemn 10th day of Muharram (the first month of the Islamic Hijri calendar), with the Day of Ashura being one of the most important events in the Islamic lunar calendar. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will be observed Ashura on June 25 due to regional differences in moon sightings, while the Muslim community in India will commemorate the event on June 26.
According to Goodreturns, customers are advised to keep an eye on announcements from local administrations and banks, as the final date of observance may vary in some regions depending on the lunar calendar and local traditions. The next weekday bank holiday is scheduled on June 29, when banks will stay shut in Himachal Pradesh on the occasion of Sant Guru Kabir Jayanti, followed by a holiday on June 30 in Mizoram on account of Remna Ni. During bank holidays, NEFT, IMPS and RTGS services carried online are available 24x7, while branch services such as cash transactions, account opening, loan applications, and passbook updates will not be available. During the current closure period, customers can continue using UPI, internet banking, mobile banking, and ATM services for essential transactions, as these digital services remain operational throughout the holiday period. As reported by Zee News, banks will be closed for up to 11 days in June 2026, with additional closures on YMA Day/Raja Sankranti (June 15), Rev Thomas Jones (June 22), Sant Guru Kabir Jayanti (June 29), and Remna Ni (June 30). According to Business Standard, in 18 RBI banking locations, banks will be closed on June 26, with only Aizawl and Shimla remaining closed on June 29 for local holidays, while all other centers will reopen. On June 27, banks in all parts will be shut since it is the fourth Saturday of the month, as per RBI guidelines that banks are closed during all weekends except on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each month.
