Bank Holidays for Lohri, Makar Sankranti 2025: Are banks closed on January 13 and 14? Check details here

Bank Holiday on Lohri, Makar Sankranti 2025: The bank holiday schedule for the month of January 2025 is out and you must be wondering if the festivals of Lohri and Makar Sankranti, which are being celebrated on January 13 and 14, respectively, this year, are marked as a holiday.

Notably, in January, in addition to the festive, regional, and national holidays, all banks (public and private), banks will be closed on two Saturdays and four Sundays.

Bank Holidays for Lohri, Makar Sankranti in January 2025

So, are Lohri and Makar Sankranti bank holidays this month? The answer is no and yes. While Lohri is not a holiday for banks, Makar Sankranti is a holiday for banks in some states. On the occassion of Makar Sankranti / Uttarayana Punyakala / Pongal / Maghe Sankranti / Magh Bihu and for the holiday of the Birthday of Hazarat Ali, banks will remain closed in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Gangtok, Guwahati, Hyderabad — Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad — Telangana, Itanagar, Kanpur, and Lucknow.

Bank customers should also note that since each state in India can have different bank holidays, it is best to check with your local bank branch for their holiday schedule or list ahead of time to be properly informed and make preparations in case of emergencies or long weekends.

Overall, the first month of the year does however have 13 holidays in total, including the weekend offs. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) releases the bank holiday calendar, which is based on various factors, including national/state holidays, cultural or religious observance, operational requirements, government announcements, and coordination with other banks.

Bank holidays in January 2025: Check full list

• January 1- New Year’s Day/Loosong/Namsoong

Banks will remain closed on 1 January 2025 in Aizawl, Chennai, Gangtok, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Kolkata, and Shillong.

• January 2- Loosong/Namsoong/New Year Celebration

Banks will remain closed in Aizwal, Gangtok

• January 5- Sunday
• January 6- Sri Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday

Banks will remain closed in Chandigarh

• January 11- Missionary Day/Imoinu Iratpa/ Second Saturday

Banks will remain closed in Imphal, Aizwal

• January 12- Sunday
• January 14-Makar Sankranti/Uttarayana Punyakala/Pongal/Maghe Sankranti/Magh Bihu/Birthday of Hazarat Ali

Banks will remain closed in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Gangtok,Guwahati, Hyderabad – Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabd- Telangana, Itanagar, Kanpur, Lucknow

• January 15-Thiruvalluvar Day

Banks will remain closed in Chennai

• January 16-Uzhavar Thirunal

Banks will remain closed in Chennai

• January 19- Sunday
• January 23- Birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose/Vir Surendrasai Jayanti

Banks will remain closed in Agartala, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata

Can You Use ATMs on Bank Holidays?

Yes. For cash emergencies and requirements, all banks operate their online websites and mobile banking services apps regardless of weekend or other leaves — unless notified to users for particular reasons. You can also access any bank’s ATMs for cash withdrawals.

All of the bank’s annual holiday calendar is declared by the RBI under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which deals with the issuance of cheques and promissory notes. Transactions involving these instruments are thus not available during these listed holidays.

The RBI and state governments create a list of holidays for banks, taking into account national and local occasions, operational requirements, religious celebrations and other cultural observances. The central bank makes the announcement through its official website and notifications to banks and other financial institutions.