India Announces 2014 Holiday Schedule

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DELHI – The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has announced the official holiday schedule for 2014.

Gazetted Holidays

It has been announced that the following holidays will be observed in all the Administrative Offices of the Central Government located at Delhi/New Delhi (restricted holidays included) during the 2014 calendar year:

Id-E-Milad

  • Jan 14th

Eid-E-Milad is also known as Nabi Day, which commemorates Prophet Muhammad’s birthday.

Republic Day

  • Jan 26

Republic day is a national holiday commemorating the 1950 promulgation of the country’s Declaration of Independence Constitution of India.

Holi (Restricted Holiday)

  • March 17

Holi is also called the festival of colors.

Ram Navami (Restricted Holiday)

  • April 8

Ram Navami is dedicated to the memory of Lord Rama. The festival commemorates the birth of Rama, who is remembered for his prosperous and righteous reign.

Mahavir Jayanti

  • April 13

Mahavir Jayanti is an auspicious occasion for the Jain community. Followers visit the temples and offer a ceremonial bath, known as ‘abhishek’, to Mahavira’s idol. The temples are lavishly decorated with flags to mark the anniversary of Lord Mahavira’s birth.

Good Friday

  • April 18

Many Christians around the world observe Good Friday on the Friday before Easter Sunday. Good Friday is one of the major days of the Christian season.

Buddha Purnima

  • May 14

Buddha Purnima (Buddha Jayanti) is a Buddhist festival that marks Gautama Buddha’s birth. It falls on the day of the full moon in May.

Eidu’l-Fitr

  • July 29

Eidu’l-Fitr (Eid) is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal.

Independence Day

  • August 15

India celebrates Independence Day on August 15 every year. India became an independent nation on August 15, 1947.

Janmashtami (Restricted Holiday)

  • August 18

Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm. According to the Hindu calendar, this religious festival is celebrated on the Ashtami (the 8th day of the dark fortnight) of Krishna Paksh.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday

  • October 2

Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday is a national Holiday in India. This year marks the 145th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of Nation.

Dussehra

  • October 3

Dussehra is celebrated as victory of Lord Rama over evil Ravana and also triumph of Goddess Durga over the evil Mahishasura.

Ied-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)

  • October 6

Ied-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) is observed by Muslims around the world. During this festival they make special efforts to pray and attend a sermon at their mosque.

Diwali

  • October 23

Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights.  It is common for people to light small clay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil within an individual. Several Indian businesses may start their financial year by opening new accounting books on the day of Diwali for good luck.

Muharram

  • November 4

Muharram refers to the first month of the Islamic Calendar. The complete month of Muharram is sacred according to the Muslims. They visit mosques and shrines and offer their condolences to the martyr Imam Hussain.

Guru Nanak’s Birthday

  • November 6

Guru Nanak’s Birthday is extensively celebrated as Gurpurab across India and is an auspicious festival in Sikhism and celebrated to remember the philosophy of Guru Nanak.

Christmas Day

  • December 25

Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed cultural holiday, celebrated generally on December 25 by billions of people around the world.

Restricted Holidays

In India, each employee is allowed to avail himself/herself of any two holidays to be chosen by him/her out of the list of Restricted Holidays. The List of Restricted holidays is as follows:

New Year’s Day

  • January 1

Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday

  • January 7

Makar Sankranti/Pongal

  • January 14

Basant Panchami

  • February 4

Guru Ravidas’s Birthday

  • February 14

Shivajijayanti

  • February 19

Swami Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti

  • February 24

Maha Shivratri

  • February 27

Holika Dahan

  • March 16

Ugadi

  • March 31

Vaisakhi

  • April 14

Guru Rabindranath’s Birthday

  • May 9

Hazarat Ali’s Birthday

  • May 13

Rath Yatra

  • June 29

Jamat-ul-Vida

  • July 25

Raksha Bandhan

  • August 10

Parasi New year

  • August 18

Ganesh Chaturthi

  • August 29

Onam

  • September 7

Maharishi Valmiki’s Birthday

  • October 8

KarwaChouth

  • October 11

Goverdhan Pooja

  • October 24

Bhai Duj

  • October 25

Chhath Puja

  • October 29

Guru Teg Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day

  • November 24

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