Banks in Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, and Shimla will remain closed today, October 7, in observance of Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti and Kumar Purnima. The closures form part of a packed festive month, as October 2025 includes 21 official bank holidays across India, covering major religious and cultural celebrations such as Dussehra, Diwali, and Chhat Puja.
The holiday calendar for the banking sector, issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), varies by state and city, depending on local customs and observances. Alongside regional holidays, all banks remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, as well as on Sundays.
Bank Holidays In October
According to the RBI’s list, October opened with back-to-back holidays for Navratri and Dussehra in several cities, followed by Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, a nationwide closure. The early part of the month also saw closures in cities like Gangtok and Agartala for Durga Puja and Lakshmi Puja.
Today, banks in select cities are closed for Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, marking the birth anniversary of the revered sage, and for Kumar Purnima, a harvest festival celebrated in Odisha and parts of eastern India.
The mid-October period includes Karva Chauth (October 10) in Shimla and Kati Bihu (October 18) in Guwahati. The second half of the month will see widespread closures around Diwali, beginning October 20 and extending through October 23, covering various regional observances such as Naraka Chaturdashi, Kali Puja, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj, and the Vikram Samvat New Year in Gujarat and parts of northern India.
The festive season will culminate with bank holidays for Chhath Puja on October 27 and 28 in Bihar and Jharkhand, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary on October 31 in Ahmedabad.
Online Banking and ATMs Remain Functional
Despite physical branch closures, customers can continue to access most banking services online. Net banking, mobile apps, and UPI transactions remain unaffected, barring any scheduled maintenance notifications from individual banks. ATMs across the country also continue to operate as usual, ensuring easy access to cash during the festive season.
“Customers are advised to plan their cash withdrawals and in-person banking activities in advance, especially during back-to-back festive holidays,” a senior banking official said.
Major banks, including the State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank, have issued advisories encouraging customers to make use of digital platforms for fund transfers, bill payments, and other routine transactions during the festive period.
As the festive calendar unfolds, customers are advised to check their regional bank schedules before visiting branches. With online banking and UPI ensuring round-the-clock access, most financial operations are expected to continue smoothly despite the long list of October holidays.
