Government Holidays 2026 | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ರಜೆಗಳು
List of public holidays in Karnataka and India for 2026 (subject to official gazette).
2026 Public Holidays — Karnataka & India
26 holidays · 9 national / state observances
Indicative list of government and widely observed public holidays for 2026 relevant to Karnataka, based on Kannada Panchanga festival data. Final holidays are subject to the official government gazette / notification each year. Always verify with your employer or school before planning leave.
What this list includes
- Pan-India national holidays (e.g. Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanthi)
- Karnataka-relevant festivals often notified as holidays (e.g. Ugadi, Dasara, Deepavali, Rajyotsava)
- Other observances marked as holidays in our Panchanga dataset
Related: All Festivals 2026 · Marriage Muhurat · Today’s Panchanga
| Date | ಕನ್ನಡ | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | ಹೊಸ ವರ್ಷ | New Year's Day | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
| 2026-01-14 | ಮಕರ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ / ಪೊಂಗಲ್; ಷಟ್ಟಿಲ ಏಕಾದಶಿ | Makara Sankranti / Pongal; Shattila Ekadashi | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-01-26 | ಗಣರಾಜ್ಯ ದಿನ | Republic Day | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
| 2026-02-15 | ಮಹಾ ಶಿವರಾತ್ರಿ | Maha Shivaratri | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-03-03 | ಹುಣ್ಣಿಮೆ (ಫಾಲ್ಗುಣ) / ಹೋಳಿ | Hunnime (Phalguna) / Holi | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-03-04 | ಹೋಳಿ / ಕಾಮದಹನ | Holi / Kamadahana | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-03-19 | ಉಗಾದಿ | Ugadi (Kannada New Year) | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-03-26 | ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮ ನವಮಿ | Sri Rama Navami | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-04-02 | ಹನುಮಾನ್ ಜಯಂತಿ | Hanuman Jayanthi | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-04-14 | ಡಾ. ಬಿ.ಆರ್. ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ಜಯಂತಿ | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanthi | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
| 2026-04-20 | ಬಸವ ಜಯಂತಿ / ಅಕ್ಷಯ ತೃತೀಯ | Basava Jayanthi / Akshaya Tritiya | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-08-15 | ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ದಿನ | Independence Day | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
| 2026-08-21 | ವರಮಹಾಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ ವ್ರತ | Varamahalakshmi Vrata | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-09-04 | ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಜನ್ಮಾಷ್ಟಮಿ | Krishna Janmashtami | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-09-13 | ಸ್ವರ್ಣ ಗೌರಿ ವ್ರತ | Swarna Gowri Vrata | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-09-14 | ಗಣೇಶ ಚತುರ್ಥಿ | Ganesh Chaturthi | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-10-02 | ಗಾಂಧಿ ಜಯಂತಿ | Gandhi Jayanthi | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
| 2026-10-20 | ಮಹಾ ನವಮಿ / ಆಯುಧ ಪೂಜೆ | Maha Navami / Ayudha Puja | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-10-21 | ವಿಜಯದಶಮಿ (ದಸರಾ) | Vijayadashami (Dasara) | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-10-25 | ವಾಲ್ಮೀಕಿ ಜಯಂತಿ | Valmiki Jayanthi | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
| 2026-11-01 | ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ | Kannada Rajyotsava | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
| 2026-11-08 | ದೀಪಾವಳಿ | Deepavali (Naraka Chaturdashi) | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-11-10 | ಬಲಿ ಪಾಡ್ಯಮಿ | Deepavali (Balipadyami) | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-11-27 | ಕನಕದಾಸ ಜಯಂತಿ | Kanakadasa Jayanthi | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
| 2026-12-14 | ಸುಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯ ಷಷ್ಠಿ | Subramanya Shashti | ಪ್ರಮುಖ |
| 2026-12-25 | ಕ್ರಿಸ್ಮಸ್ | Christmas | ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ |
How to use this holiday list
This page is for leave and school planning. It marks days that are national observances or commonly notified holidays in a Karnataka context, based on our festival dataset. It is not the official Karnataka government gazette. Banks, IT companies, and schools publish their own calendars — always match against your HR or school circular before booking tickets.
Religious importance and public holiday status are different. Ekadashi may matter for fasting without closing offices; Republic Day closes offices without being a vrata.
Karnataka highlights in 2026
- Ugadi (19 Mar) — typically a state holiday; see Ugadi guide.
- Dasara / Deepavali cluster (Oct–Nov) — plan leave early; see seasonal guide.
- Kannada Rajyotsava (1 Nov) — state formation day observances.
Full ritual list (including non-holiday vratas): All Festivals 2026.
National vs state vs optional
National holidays (Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanthi, Christmas on many lists) usually close banks and government offices nationwide. State observances (for example Kannada Rajyotsava) matter strongly inside Karnataka but may be working days elsewhere. Optional / restricted holidays appear in some government lists for specific communities — private offices vary widely. Always ask HR before booking non-refundable travel against an “optional” row.
Cross-check festival context on month guides such as January (Republic Day + Sankranti) or November (Rajyotsava + Deepavali).
Stacking leave with the Panchanga
Smart families stack gazette holidays with nearby festivals: Sankranti near long weekends in January, Ugadi in March, Dasara in October, Deepavali in November. Use Dasara & Deepavali 2026 and Ugadi 2026 for ritual context, and this page for leave math. Wedding travellers should also open Muhurat 2026 so ceremony dates and holiday trains do not collide blindly.
Holidays FAQ
Why does a festival appear here and on Festivals?
Festivals explains the rite; Holidays flags leave impact. Some rites are culturally huge but not gazetted every year.
Do bank holidays always match this list?
Follow RBI / bank notices — do not assume every cultural row closes your branch.
Related: How to Read a Kannada Panchanga · About our methodology