Here is a useful tool to help plan your work schedules, meetings
and travel to India. (See “Navigating
India’s Holidays” for a more in-depth treatment,
with many useful tips.) These are the principal Indian holidays
for 2010. Note that not all of them are observed in every state,
or in every company. Also, the names differ a bit from state to
state. If you have any specific questions, send them to
.
| DATE |
HOLIDAY |
TYPE |
| Jan 14 |
Makara Sankranthi (Sun Entering
Capricorn & Winter Harvest)
Called Pongal in Tamilnadu |
Hindu |
| Jan 20 |
Basant Panchami (Celebration of
the Goddess Saraswati) |
Hindu |
| Jan 26 |
REPUBLIC DAY (Celebration of India’s
Constitution adopted in 1950) |
NATIONAL |
| Feb 12 |
Mahashivaratri (Celebration of
the God Shiva) |
Hindu |
| Feb 27 |
Id-e-Milad (The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday) |
Muslim |
| Mar 1 |
Holi (The Festival of Colors)
Especially important in North India |
Hindu |
| Mar 16 |
Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Purnima
(Hindu Lunar New Year)
In Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra |
Hindu |
| Mar 24 |
Ram Nawami (Birth of the God Ram) |
Hindu |
| Mar 28 |
Mahavir Jayanti (Birth of the Sage Mahavira) |
Jain |
| Apr 1 |
Annual Accounts Closing Day |
Secular |
| Apr 2 |
Good Friday (Commemoration of
Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion) |
Christian |
| Apr 14 |
Birthday of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar
Architect of India’s Constitution
and leader of the Dalits |
Secular |
| May 1 |
May Day (Labor Day) |
Secular |
| May 27 |
Buddha Purnima (Birth of the Buddha) |
Buddhist |
| Aug 15 |
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Celebration of India’s independence
from Great Britain in 1947 |
NATIONAL |
| Aug 19 |
Parsee New Year (Mostly
celebrated in Mumbai) |
Zoroastrian |
| Sept 2 |
Shrikrishna Jayanti / Janmashtami
(Birth of Lord Krishna) |
Hindu |
| Sept 10 |
Id-ul-fitr (End of Ramadan Fast) |
Muslim |
| Sept 11 |
Ganesha Chaturthi (Birth of the God Ganesh)
Especially popular in Maharasthra |
Hindu |
| Sept 30 |
Half-Yearly Accounts Closing Day |
Secular |
| Oct 2 |
MAHATMA GANDHI’S BIRTHDAY
Celebration of Mahatma Gandhi as “The Father of the Nation” |
NATIONAL |
| Oct 17 |
Durga Puja / Vijaya Dashami / Dussehra (Victory of the Goddess Durga)
Especially popular in Bengal and Karnataka |
Hindu |
| Nov 5 |
Diwali / Deepavali (Festival of
Lights)
Main all-India Hindu festival |
Hindu |
| Nov 17 |
Id-ul-Zuha / Bakrid (The Feast
of Sacrifice) |
Muslim |
| Nov 21 |
Guru Nanak Jayanti (Birth of Guru
Nanak) |
Sikh |
| Dec 17 |
Ashura / Muharram (10th Day of
the Islamic New Year)
Especially important to Shia Muslims |
Muslim |
| Dec 25 |
Christmas (Celebration of the
birth of Jesus Christ) |
Christian |
For more information about
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for working with India, call us at 510-525-9222 or write to
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