Banking customers across a large part of the country are about to run into a three-day wall. Banks will stay shut on June 26 for Muharram, and with the fourth Saturday and a Sunday following right behind it, branches in major states will remain closed for three straight days starting this Friday.

Why June 26 is a holiday

The Islamic New Year began with the start of Muharram, the first month of the Hijri calendar, marking the beginning of the year 1448 AH. The month started on June 16 in Gulf countries based on crescent moon sightings, while India saw the new month begin a day later, on June 17.

Ashura, one of the most significant dates on the Islamic calendar, falls on the 10th day of Muharram. Because moon sightings vary by region, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are observing Ashura on June 25, while India's Muslim community will mark the occasion a day later, on June 26.

What shuts down on June 26

The Indian government has designated June 26 a gazetted holiday, which means central government offices across the country will be closed for the day.

Bank branches will also be shut in a number of states, in line with Reserve Bank of India guidelines. The list includes Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal — covering most major commercial centres, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata. A handful of regions, however, may not have listed it as an official bank holiday.

Stock markets, including the BSE and NSE, will be fully closed for the day, giving traders an effective three-day break once the weekend is factored in. A number of schools across the country are also expected to remain closed, though parents have been advised to check directly with individual institutions to confirm.

Digital Services

UPI, mobile banking, and ATMs will continue to function normally.

The long weekend 

The closure runs longer than a single day purely because of timing.

Since June 26 falls on a Friday, and banks already observe a mandatory holiday on the fourth Saturday of every month, which lands on June 27 this year, followed by the regular Sunday closure on June 28, branches across much of the country will effectively be shut for three consecutive days. 

Published on: Jun 26, 2026 7:05 AM IST