August 2026 is the most financially disruptive month in India’s banking calendar, and the most underestimated. Most people think of August as a quiet month with only Independence Day as the headline holiday. In reality, August 2026 has four major holidays spread across three different weeks: Independence Day on 15 August, Milad-un-Nabi on 26 August, Raksha Bandhan on 28 August, and First Onam on 25 August in Kerala. Stack these on top of five Sundays, two bank-closed Saturdays, and a handful of north-east regional holidays, and some states end up with as few as 18 branch-banking days in a 31-day month.
The financial sting is in the timing. Milad-un-Nabi lands on a Wednesday, mid-week, right when most businesses are processing payments. Raksha Bandhan lands on a Friday, creating a 4-day gap going into the weekend in several states. And Independence Day falls on a Saturday that banks would normally work making it a triple-disruption point for payroll, cheque clearances, and loan disbursals. This guide gives you the complete, verified list of bank holidays in August 2026, national, state-wise, and festival-specific, so you can plan every transaction without being caught off guard.
At a Glance: August 2026 Bank Holiday Numbers
| Metric | Count |
| Days in August 2026 | 31 |
| Sundays | 5 (2, 9, 16, 23, 30 August) |
| Bank Saturdays closed | 2 (8 Aug — 2nd Saturday; 22 Aug — 4th Saturday) |
| National gazetted holiday | 1 (15 August — Independence Day) |
| Total closure days (varies by state) | 12–15 |
Quick Answer: Is 15 August 2026 a Bank Holiday?
Yes — all banks are closed on 15 August 2026. Independence Day is a national gazetted holiday that takes precedence over all other rules. Although 15 August 2026 is a Saturday — and banks are normally open on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays — the national holiday overrides this. Every bank branch across India will be closed on 15 August 2026.
Master Bank Holiday Calendar — August 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Observance | Type | Coverage |
| 2 Aug | Sunday | Weekend closure | Weekend | All India |
| 4 Aug | Tuesday | Ker Puja | Public Holiday | Tripura |
| 8 Aug | Saturday | 2nd Saturday / Tendong Lho Rum Faat | Bank Holiday | All India (Sikkim) |
| 9 Aug | Sunday | Weekend / Quit India Movement Day | Weekend | All India |
| 13 Aug | Thursday | Patriot’s Day (Bir Tikendrajit Day) | Public Holiday | Manipur |
| 15 Aug | Saturday | Independence Day / Parsi New Year (Shahenshahi) | National Holiday | All India |
| 16 Aug | Sunday | Weekend closure | Weekend | All India |
| 19 Aug | Wednesday | Birthday of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur | Public Holiday | Tripura |
| 22 Aug | Saturday | 4th Saturday — Bank closed | Bank Holiday | All India |
| 23 Aug | Sunday | Weekend closure | Weekend | All India |
| 25 Aug | Tuesday | Milad-un-Nabi / First Onam | Public Holiday | Kerala, Andhra Pradesh |
| 26 Aug | Wednesday | Id-e-Milad / Milad-un-Nabi / Thiruvonam (Onam) | Public Holiday | Most states |
| 28 Aug | Friday | Raksha Bandhan / Pang-Lhabsol / Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi | Public Holiday | North India, Sikkim, Kerala |
| 30 Aug | Sunday | Weekend closure | Weekend | All India |
2nd and 4th Saturday Bank Holidays — August 2026
| Saturday | Date | Status |
| 1st Saturday | 1 August 2026 | Banks OPEN |
| 2nd Saturday | 8 August 2026 | Banks CLOSED |
| 3rd Saturday | 15 August 2026 | Banks CLOSED (Independence Day — national holiday overrides) |
| 4th Saturday | 22 August 2026 | Banks CLOSED |
| 5th Saturday | 29 August 2026 | Banks OPEN |
Important note: In August 2026, three Saturdays see bank closures — the 2nd Saturday (8 Aug), the 3rd Saturday which is Independence Day (15 Aug), and the 4th Saturday (22 Aug). This is unusual and means branch banking is unavailable on three out of five Saturdays this month.
National Bank Holiday: Independence Day — 15 August 2026
Independence Day is India’s most important national holiday — the day marking independence from British rule in 1947. Every bank branch across India, without exception, remains closed on this date.
Key planning point: Independence Day falls on a Saturday in 2026. Employers who process salary NEFT on the 15th of each month should shift processing to Friday 14 August to ensure same-day salary credit. Any salary processed on 15 August will credit on Monday 17 August at the earliest.
Parsi New Year note: In 2026, Parsi New Year (Shahenshahi calendar) also coincides with Independence Day on 15 August. In Gujarat and Maharashtra — states with significant Parsi communities — both observances fall on the same date.
State-Wise Bank Holidays in August 2026
Delhi / NCR — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad / Milad-un-Nabi |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Delhi gets three non-weekend closures in August. The 26–28 August stretch is the most disruptive: Wednesday holiday → Thursday working → Friday holiday → Saturday (3rd Saturday — banks open) → Sunday closed. Anyone needing a cheque clearance, demand draft, or branch visit in the last week should complete it by Tuesday 25 August morning or wait until Monday 31 August.
Uttar Pradesh — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad / Baravafat |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
UP observes both Milad-un-Nabi and Raksha Bandhan prominently. Lucknow and Varanasi branches close on both dates. The Raksha Bandhan Friday holiday creates a 4-day gap (Friday–Monday) going into the final weekend — businesses sending vendor payments or processing salaries in UP should initiate by 26 August at the latest.
Maharashtra — 2 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad / Baravafat |
Mumbai and Pune banks observe Milad-un-Nabi (locally called Baravafat). Ganesh Chaturthi — Maharashtra’s biggest festival — is in September, so August’s holiday load is comparatively lighter. Businesses running end-of-August payroll should ensure batch processing is submitted no later than 25 August (Tuesday).
Karnataka — 2 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
Bengaluru’s tech sector often runs payroll on the last working day of the month. With 26 August being a mid-week holiday, payroll batch processing must be submitted no later than 25 August (Tuesday) to avoid delays in employee salary credits.
Tamil Nadu — 2 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad / Milad-i-Sherif |
Tamil Nadu observes Milad-un-Nabi statewide. Chennai branches follow the Chennai RBI circle notification. Verify the exact date (25th vs 26th) with your branch, as a split-day pattern has applied in previous years in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Kerala — 4 Holidays (Highest in South India)
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 25 Aug (Tuesday) | First Onam / Milad-un-Nabi |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Thiruvonam (Main Onam) / Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi / Ayyankali Jayanthi |
Kerala has the heaviest August holiday load in South India — four closures in addition to weekends. The Onam cluster (25–26 Aug) combined with Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi (28 Aug, Friday) means Thursday 27 August is the only branch banking day in the final four days of that week. Plan Kerala-based loan disbursals, property registrations, and large cheque clearances by 21 August.
Andhra Pradesh — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 25 Aug (Tuesday) | Milad-un-Nabi (First day) |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad (Second day) |
AP has a two-day Milad-un-Nabi window (25–26 Aug) in addition to Independence Day. Businesses dealing with government offices in Vijayawada should plan payments before 22 August for anything due in that final week.
Telangana — 2 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad / Milad-un-Nabi |
Hyderabad has a significant Muslim population and Milad-un-Nabi is widely observed. Some Hyderabad branches have historically followed AP’s lead on the split-day pattern — confirm with your branch whether the closure falls on 25th or 26th.
Gujarat — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day / Parsi New Year (Shahenshahi) |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Gujarat’s Independence Day coincides with Parsi New Year (Shahenshahi calendar) — a doubly important day in Ahmedabad and Surat where the Parsi community has a strong presence. Gujarat also observes Raksha Bandhan as a bank holiday, creating the same end-of-August cluster as northern states.
Punjab — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Punjab observes both Milad-un-Nabi and Raksha Bandhan. Combined with the 4th Saturday (22 Aug) and the Sunday weekend cluster, the last two weeks of August have very few clean working days for branch banking in Punjab.
Haryana — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Haryana mirrors Punjab’s holiday pattern. Gurugram-based corporates — especially those with vendor payables due end-of-August — should initiate NEFT transfers by 25 August for any branch-dependent documentation.
Himachal Pradesh — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Shimla RBI circle observes all three holidays. Shimla being a major tourism and property registration hub, August is already busy — the late-August holiday cluster can delay property paperwork significantly for buyers expecting registration in the 26–31 window.
Uttarakhand — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Uttarakhand observes Raksha Bandhan prominently. With Haridwar and Rishikesh being major pilgrimage-linked financial hubs where donation-related and trust transactions peak in August — plan around the late-August holiday cluster.
Rajasthan — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Jaipur RBI circle observes all three August holidays. Real estate transactions are active in Rajasthan’s secondary cities in August — confirm disbursal timelines with your lender if registration is planned in the 27–31 August window.
Bihar — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad / Baravafat |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Bihar observes all three. Patna circle branches close on Milad-un-Nabi and Raksha Bandhan. Chhath Puja — Bihar’s biggest holiday cluster — arrives in November, so August is relatively calmer beyond these three closures.
Jharkhand — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Ranchi circle observes all three. Jharkhand has a notably active September holiday calendar (Karma Puja, Janmashtami) — August’s closures set up a back-to-back festive calendar that businesses operating in the state should plan around.
West Bengal — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Kolkata is entering pre-Durga Puja prep season in August. Businesses running import/export operations through Kolkata port should note that August 26–31 is a challenging window for any documentation that requires bank countersignature or clearing.
Odisha — 3 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Raksha Bandhan |
Bhubaneswar circle observes all three. Odisha’s steel and mining sector generates large inter-bank settlements — any payment pending in August’s final week should be processed via RTGS by 25 August to avoid a multi-day clearance delay.
Assam — 3 Holidays (Unique Pattern)
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 25 Aug (Tuesday) | Tirubhav Tithi of Srimanta Sankardeva |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
Assam has a unique August holiday — the Tirubhav Tithi (death anniversary) of Srimanta Sankardeva, the 15th-century Vaishnavite saint and cultural icon of Assam, falling on 25 August. This creates a two-day consecutive closure (25–26 Aug) — Guwahati branch banking is effectively unavailable for two back-to-back working days in the final week.
Manipur — 2 Holidays (Unique Pattern)
| Date | Holiday |
| 13 Aug (Thursday) | Patriot’s Day (Bir Tikendrajit Day) |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
Patriot’s Day on 13 August honours Bir Tikendrajit Singh, the great military commander of Manipur. Banks in Imphal close on this date. Combined with Independence Day just two days later, the 13–16 August stretch has very limited branch banking in Manipur — only Friday 14 August is a working day between the two closures.
Tripura — 4 Holidays (Most in North-East India)
| Date | Holiday |
| 4 Aug (Tuesday) | Ker Puja |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 19 Aug (Wednesday) | Birthday of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
Tripura has the highest number of August bank holidays in North-East India — four. Ker Puja is a significant Tripuri tribal festival. The Maharaja’s birthday (19 Aug) is a state-specific holiday observed only in Agartala. After the July Kharchi Puja cluster, August adds four more closures — Agartala-based businesses need exceptionally clean digital transaction discipline through this period.
Sikkim — 3 Holidays (Unique)
| Date | Holiday |
| 8 Aug (Saturday) | Tendong Lho Rum Faat (coincides with 2nd Saturday) |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 28 Aug (Friday) | Pang-Lhabsol |
Tendong Lho Rum Faat is a Lepcha community festival worshipping Mount Tendong, observed in Gangtok on 8 August — which this year coincides with the 2nd Saturday bank closure. Pang-Lhabsol is a Buddhist festival thanking Mount Kanchenjunga as Sikkim’s guardian deity. Three culturally distinct state-specific holidays make August notable for Gangtok banking.
Meghalaya — 2 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
Shillong circle observes both. August is relatively lighter for Meghalaya compared to July’s heavy cluster (Beh Deinkhlam, U Tirot Sing Day).
Goa — 2 Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 15 Aug (Saturday) | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug (Wednesday) | Id-e-Milad |
Panaji circle observes both. Goa Liberation Day is in December. Ganesh Chaturthi — the state’s biggest festival — arrives in September.
The August 2026 Financial Planning Problem: The Final Week
The most important thing to know about bank holidays in August 2026 is what happens in the final two weeks.
From 22 August to 31 August, the working week pattern in most northern and central Indian states looks like this:
| Date | Day | Status (North India) |
| 22 Aug | Saturday | Bank CLOSED (4th Saturday) |
| 23 Aug | Sunday | CLOSED |
| 24 Aug | Monday | Working |
| 25 Aug | Tuesday | Working (Assam: CLOSED) |
| 26 Aug | Wednesday | CLOSED (Milad-un-Nabi) |
| 27 Aug | Thursday | Working |
| 28 Aug | Friday | CLOSED (Raksha Bandhan — northern states) |
| 29 Aug | Saturday | Bank OPEN (5th Saturday) |
| 30 Aug | Sunday | CLOSED |
| 31 Aug | Monday | Working |
In the final 10 days of August, most northern states have only 3–4 clean branch banking days. This is not the month to leave time-sensitive transactions to the last week.
Financial Planning Tips for August 2026
Tip 1: Independence Day on a Saturday — What Changes
Independence Day on 15 August 2026 is the 3rd Saturday of the month — which banks would normally work. The gazetted national holiday overrides this. Any employer processing salary NEFT on 15 August must shift to Friday 14 August to ensure same-day salary credit. Processing on 15 August means the credit arrives Monday 17 August at the earliest.
Tip 2: The Milad-un-Nabi Mid-Week Disruption
Wednesday 26 August is Milad-un-Nabi across most states — a working-week holiday in the middle of the final week. Post-dated cheques presented around 26 August will be processed on 25 or 27 August depending on your bank. For RTGS transfers that are time-bound (court-ordered, property closings), initiate by 9 AM on 25 August.
Tip 3: The Raksha Bandhan Friday Gap
In states observing Raksha Bandhan as a bank holiday (Delhi, UP, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, WB, Rajasthan, HP, UK, Odisha, Jharkhand), 28 August creates a 4-day banking gap: Wednesday holiday + Thursday working + Friday holiday + Saturday 5th (open) + Sunday closed. Any vendor payments or Q2 reconciliation that requires branch action must be initiated by Tuesday 26 August — and account for the Milad-un-Nabi closure on Wednesday. In practice: initiate by Tuesday 25 August.
Tip 4: Kerala — Plan by 21 August
Kerala has four August holidays and the week ending 28 August leaves only one branch-banking day (Thursday 27 Aug) after the Onam cluster. All property registrations, loan disbursals, and large-value transactions in Kerala should be completed by Friday 21 August.
Tip 5: Mutual Funds and SIPs in August
Independence Day (15 Aug) is typically an NSE/BSE market holiday. SIPs scheduled for 15 August will be processed at the next working day’s NAV — Monday 17 August in 2026. Milad-un-Nabi (26 Aug) is also historically a market holiday — SIPs on this date will move to 27 August. These create no financial loss but unit counts will reflect the different NAV.
Tip 6: EMI Auto-Debits in Late August
If your EMI processes on 28 or 29 August, verify whether your bank considers Raksha Bandhan a holiday in your state. In several states, Friday 28 August being a bank holiday could delay auto-debit processing to Saturday 29 August (5th Saturday — banks open) or Monday 31 August. Ensure your account has adequate balance from 27 August onwards.
What Works on Bank Holidays in August 2026
Bank holidays affect branch operations only. The following remain fully functional:
| Service | Available on Bank Holidays |
| UPI (GPay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM) | Yes — 24×7 |
| NEFT transfers | Yes — 24×7 (since RBI’s 2019 round-the-clock mandate) |
| IMPS transfers | Yes — 24×7 |
| Mobile and internet banking | Yes — fully functional |
| ATM cash withdrawals | Yes — fully functional |
| Credit/debit card transactions | Yes — fully functional |
| RTGS transfers | Check RBI RTGS holiday schedule — may vary |
| Cheque clearance | No — branch-dependent |
| Demand drafts | No — branch-dependent |
| Locker access | No — branch-dependent |
Conclusion
August 2026 is not a month to leave your banking to chance. The combination of Independence Day on a normally-working Saturday, Milad-un-Nabi on a mid-week Wednesday, and Raksha Bandhan on a Friday creates a final two-week period where branch banking is available for only 3–4 working days in most northern and central states.
The three rules for August 2026 banking:
- Complete anything branch-dependent for the second half of August by 25 August
- Use UPI, NEFT and IMPS for routine payments — they work 24×7 regardless of holidays
- Verify your state’s specific list — the difference between 2 holidays (Goa) and 4 holidays (Kerala, Tripura) is significant
August 2026 rewards early action and punishes assumptions. Mark your calendar, plan your transactions, and use digital banking freely on the days when the branch is closed.
FAQs About Bank Holidays in August 2026
Q1. How many bank holidays are there in August 2026?
Nationwide, there are a minimum of 8 fixed bank closure days: 5 Sundays, 2nd Saturday (8 Aug) and 4th Saturday (22 Aug). Additionally, Independence Day (15 Aug — falls on a normally-working 3rd Saturday) closes banks for an effective 3-Saturday closure month. State-specific holidays (Milad-un-Nabi, Raksha Bandhan, Onam, regional) push the total to 12–15 closure days depending on your state.
Q2. Is 15 August 2026 a bank holiday even though it is a Saturday?
Yes. Independence Day is a national gazetted holiday and takes precedence over the regular Saturday rule. Even though 15 August is the 3rd Saturday — which banks normally work — all bank branches will be closed nationwide on 15 August 2026.
Q3. Is Raksha Bandhan a bank holiday everywhere in August 2026?
No. Raksha Bandhan (28 August) is declared a bank holiday in northern and central states — Delhi, UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. It is not declared a bank holiday in southern states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, or Telangana. Verify with your specific branch.
Q4. When is the 2nd Saturday in August 2026? The 2nd Saturday of August 2026 is 8 August 2026. All banks across India remain closed on this date. In Sikkim, 8 August also coincides with Tendong Lho Rum Faat — a local tribal festival, making it a doubly observed holiday.
Q5. When is the 4th Saturday in August 2026?
The 4th Saturday of August 2026 is 22 August 2026. All banks across India remain closed on this date per RBI guidelines.
Q6. Is Milad-un-Nabi on 25 or 26 August 2026?
Most states observe Milad-un-Nabi on 26 August 2026 (Wednesday). Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Assam have closures on 25 August as well (or instead). The date can vary by one day based on the RBI circle notification for your state. Always confirm with your specific bank branch.
Q7. Will stock markets be closed on Milad-un-Nabi 2026?
Stock exchanges (NSE/BSE) maintain their own holiday calendars. Milad-un-Nabi has historically been an exchange holiday. Verify against NSE’s official 2026 holiday list before planning equity transactions on 26 August.
Q8. What is the best day to process time-sensitive payments in August 2026?
For transactions that need branch banking and must be processed in the second half of August: Tuesday 25 August is your best and safest day — it falls between the 4th Saturday weekend and the Milad-un-Nabi closure (26 Aug) and is before Raksha Bandhan (28 Aug). In Kerala and Assam, even 25 August has closures — for those states, target Thursday 21 August as the final safe date.