Banks across nine states will remain closed on Friday (28 August) as parts of the country celebrate Raksha Bandhan. According to the latest RBI holiday calendar, banks will remain closed in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh on account of Raksha Bandhan. Additionally, Sikkim observes Pang-Lhabsol and Kerala celebrates Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi/Ayyankali Jayanthi as regional holidays. The festival, which celebrates the bond of love between brothers and sisters, is listed as a regional holiday under the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) holiday calendar. As per Careerindia, banks close in specified centres only, and customers should check their city's RBI holiday matrix for exact closure details.
Both public and private sector banks will remain closed in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh on August 28. According to the latest RBI holiday calendar, Jammu and Kashmir will also observe a holiday following Eid-i-Milad-ul-Nabi. As reported by Mint, the festival holds deep significance as brothers promise to protect their sisters from all hardships. According to Careerindia, confirmed public holidays include Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, while Mumbai City and Suburban districts get a notified local holiday. West Bengal marks "Rakhi Bandhan" as a state holiday, and Kendriya Vidyalayas list it as a Restricted Holiday on August 28, 2026.
Schools across India will observe mixed closures for Raksha Bandhan 2026 on Friday, August 28. Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand are expected to remain closed, while Jharkhand has restored its holiday after earlier cancellation. The restoration came after the cancellation order was withdrawn, as reported by multiple sources. Schools in several southern and northeastern states may remain open, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, where Raksha Bandhan is generally not treated as a mandatory public-school holiday. Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas follow their respective holiday calendars, which include Raksha Bandhan as a holiday.
Despite physical branch closures, customers can access essential banking services online nationwide. As reported by Mint, customers can continue using UPI facilities, log into bank applications for payments and money transfers, and use debit cards for cash withdrawals. Online banking services remain operational around the clock, allowing customers to complete various financial transactions without interruption during branch closures. According to Careerindia, online banking, ATMs, hospitals, metro, airports and exam centres operate as scheduled, with UPI backups recommended for banking deadlines or fee payments. However, the closures may affect services such as cash deposits, cheque work and other tasks at physical branches.
For September 2026, banks will be closed across several states on 4 September for Janmashtami, 11 September for elections in Jaipur Municipal Corporation jurisdiction, 12 September for Tirubhav Tithi of Srimanta Sankardeva, 14 and 15 September for Ganesh Chaturthi, 21 September for Janmotsav of Srimanta Sankardeva, 22 September for Karma Puja, 23 September for Maharaja Hari Singh Ji's birthday, and 25 September for Indrajatra. According to Mint, these holidays are state-specific and not observed nationwide, with banks also closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of September, along with all Sundays. Banks will remain open on Saturday, August 29, as it is the fifth Saturday of the month, following RBI rules.
