Bank Holidays In October

The bank holidays in October 2022 are following:

Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti (2nd October)

This day commemorates the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi also commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi is a freedom fighter who is known for his non-violence ethics.

This day is celebrated to send out a message of peace and harmony and strict non-violence. On this day people perform prayers and pay homage across different states.

In a lot of schools and colleges activities are held like theatre and plays which enact the freedom struggle that Mahatma Gandhi had to endure during the 1940s.

Maha Ashtami (3rd October)

Maha Ashtami also called Durga Ashtami is celebrated in different states across the country like West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Manipur, and Assam among other states.

On this day, nine young girls who are said to represent the 9 different avatars of Goddess Durga are worshiped.

According to Hindu mythology, the world was threatened by an evil buffalo demon, who was called Mahishasura. Mahishasura was known to be very powerful and could not be defeated by anyone, be it a man or a god.

To ensure he doesn’t cause havoc amongst civilization, the gods gave rise to a ten-handed goddess who possessed the weapons from the 10 gods.

Maha Navami (4th October)

Maha Navami or Durga Navami marks the 9th day of the Durga Puja which is celebrated all over the country.

On this day, banks in cities like Agartala, Bengaluru, Chennai, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Patna, and other cities remain closed on account of the festival.

Vijaya Dashami (5th October)

This day is celebrated by people who follow Hindu customs and traditions. It is also called Diwali and is celebrated for 10 days. On the 10th day, huge figurines of Ravana, the demon king of Lanka are set ablaze by a person wielding a bow and an arrow.

This signifies the victory of Rama and the reunion between Rama and his wife Sita. The main significance of this day is the winning of good over evil.

This is the last day of Durga puja. In some areas, people immerse idols of Durga, Lakshmi, and Ganesha in water bodies.

Second Saturdays (8th October)

Banks all over India do not function on 2nd Saturdays and 4th Saturdays. This is being followed ever since the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released instructions. 

Eid e Milad (9th October)

Eid e Milad is also called Mawlid or Eid-al-Gadhir and this day commemorates the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed. People who follow Islamic traditions dress up in new green clothes, offer prayers and also exchange gifts with each other.

On this day, prayer meetings are held at night and parades can be seen during the day. Meals are also served in various mosques and in other community buildings to mark the festival. 

Friday following Eid e Milad (14th October)

In the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Friday following Mawlid is very important. The people who follow Islamic traditions are known to pray on this day which is considered an auspicious occasion for them.

Fourth Saturday (22nd October)

Banks all over India do not function on 2nd Saturdays and 4th Saturdays. This is being followed ever since the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released instructions. 

Diwali (24th October - 26th October)

Diwali is called the festival of lights and is celebrated by Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains all over the country. This is a 5-day festival where people burst crackers and dress up in new clothes.

This festival is celebrated to get rid of our dark desires and focus on the good rather than the evil. This festival unites people from all over the country irrespective of their religion or caste.

This is the time when people embrace each other with joy and celebrate being with one another as well.

Bhai Dooj (27th October)

Bhai Dooj is a festival celebrated by the people who follow Hindu customs and traditions. Bhai Dooj also goes by different names as follows: Bhai Beej, Bhau Beej, or Bhai Phonta. People in Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa typically celebrate this festival.

Chhath Puja (30th October)

Chhath Puja is a Hindu festival celebrated in a few states in the country. Some of the states that follow this tradition are West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. However, banks are closed in Bihar and Jharkhand on this day.

The rituals performed during this festival are considered to be a lot stricter as opposed to other Hindu festivals.

This involves fasting without drinking a sip of water, the common tradition of taking a dip in certain water bodies, offering their prayers whilst standing inside the water.

The food prepared on this day will not contain salt, garlic, or onions. On the 31st of October, banks in Bihar will remain closed on account of this festival.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti (31st October)

This day commemorates the birth anniversary of the first deputy prime minister of the country, Shri. Sardar Vallabhai Patel.

He was born in Gujarat in the year 1875 in a small village called Nadiad. On this day, people pay their respects to the former PM and in certain areas of the country, a moment of silence can be observed.

Banks in Gujarat are closed on account of this day. This day also goes by the name National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. The reason for the second name is because Patel Ji was on a mission to unite India extensively.


Apart from the festivals mentioned above, we have a few more festivals where banks remain closed, but this is regional.

• Mahalaya Amavasya is another festival that is celebrated in the southern and western parts of the country.
  
  This marks the end of a 16-day period where Hindu folks pay respects to their ancestors by performing the required rituals and offering food as a part of a service.
  
  

• Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated on the 9th of October and this day marks the birth anniversary of an ancient philosopher who goes by the name Maharishi Valmiki.
  
  Maharishi Valmiki is also the author of Ramayana which is an ancient epic written in Sanskrit. Another name for this festival is Pargat Diwas.
  
  

• In Assam, banks will be closed on 17th October due to Kati Bihu. This festival is celebrated by lighting lamps in different parts of the houses and as a ritual, the main lamp is lit and placed near the Tulsi plant.
  
  A tulsi plant is typically present in every Hindu household and is considered to be auspicious. 

Conclusion

Banks across the country work on most days of the year. They also work on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of every month according to the instructions given by the Reserve Bank of India. But banks are also closed on most Sundays of the month.

I hope you liked our article on bank holidays in October 2022, if you have any comments or suggestions do share them in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is 30th Oct 2022 a holiday?

Yes, 30th October is a bank holiday on account of Chhath Puja. Chhath Puja is a Hindu festival celebrated in a few states in the country. Some of the states that follow this tradition are West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. 

Q2. Is 9th Oct  2022 a bank holiday in Uttar Pradesh?

Yes, 9th October is a bank holiday in UP on account of Eid-e-Milad. Eid e Milad is also called Mawlid or Eid-al-Gadhir and this day commemorates the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed. 

People who follow Islamic traditions dress up in new green clothes, offer prayers and also exchange gifts with each other.

Q3. Is October 4th a holiday in Kerala?

Yes, the 4th of October is a bank holiday on account of Durga Puja. Maha Navami or Durga Navami marks the 9th day of the Durga Puja which is celebrated all over the country.

On this day, banks in cities like Agartala, Bengaluru, Chennai, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Patna, and Kerala remain closed.