Holidays in March 2020 & 2019

Holidays help us get time for ourselves and our loved ones. Given this fact, we all look forward to holidays. Knowing them well in advance helps us plan vacations with our near and dear ones.

Here, we have compiled a list of public and bank holidays for the month of March 2020. Read on to know the dates when you can enjoy your time with your loved ones without having to worry about missing work.

List of Holidays in March 2020

Listed below are the public holidays that fall in the month of March 2020.

Note: Hazrat Ali’s birthday and Bihar Divas fall on 8 March and 22 March 2020, respectively, both Sundays.

**Check the holidays with the government gazette

List of Bank Holidays in March 2020

In the month of March 2020, banks would remain closed on the days listed in the table below in addition to the regular bank holidays. It is noteworthy to mention here that as per the country’s Central Bank i.e., Reserve Bank of India (RBI) all public and private sector banks are closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of a month.

Note: Please authenticate the dates with the Holiday list issued by RBI.

A brief description of Holidays in March 2020

• Panchayati Raj Diwas: The day commemorates the birthday of Biju Patnaik, the legendary former Chief Minister of Odisha. Patnaik revived Panchayati Raj in the year of 1992 with panchayat elections being held in the country after a long time.
• Chapchar Kut: Chapchur Kut is the most joyful festival of the Mizos. The festival is held during the period when the bamboos and trees that have been cut down are being awaited to dry for the purpose of burning for jhumming.
• Doljatra: The festival is dedicated to Lord Krishna. On the day, an idol of Lord Krishna is taken out on a procession in a palanquin. The festival is more significant for Bengali people as it is the birthday of the great Vaishnava saint named Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
• Hazrat Ali’s Birthday: The day commemorates the birth of Hazrat Ali, the fourth successor of Muhammad. He is considered to be the first Muslim as he is believed to be the first man to have accepted Islam.
• Holi: The festival of Holi is one of the most revered and celebrated festivals in the country. Known as the festival of colours, it brings a lot of positivity into the lives of the people. In addition to that, Holi brings the society together and strengthens the secular fabric of the country.
• Yaosang 2nd Day: Celebrated in Manipur, the festival is the unique form of Holi. Celebrated by the local Meitei people, the festival connects the past with the present. The festival of Yaosang was a harvest festival until the 15th century. However, with Hindu preachers starting to spread Vaishnavism in the state during that time, the festival was converted into a Hindu one that is dedicated to Krishna.
• Martyr’s Day: The day is celebrated to remember the sacrifice of Indian revolutionaries namely Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru. The three young revolutionaries were hanged to death by the British. They continue to be a source of inspiration for the young generation.
• Ugadi: The festival celebrates the Kannada New Year. It is regarded as the herald of the harvest season. The festival involves religious observances and customs. As part of the celebration, homes are cleaned, and the temples are decorated.
• Gudi Padwa: The festival which falls on the first day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month Chaitra celebrates the Marathi New Year. It is considered to be the most powerful day of the year as the universe in believed to have been created by Lord Brahma on this day. People celebrate the festival by decorating the house, performing rituals and hoisting the Gudi flag.
• Sajibu Nongmapanba: The festival celebrates the new year of the Manipuri people. The festival marks the beginning of the new cycle of life on the Meitei calendar. The festival is marked by praying, feasting, and climbing nearby hillocks. Sajibu Nongmapanba enhances the spirit of unity, cohesiveness, and brotherhood among various communities.
• 1st Navratra: Celebrated on the first day of the Hindu Luni-Solar calendar, the festival is known as Chaitra Navratri. The rituals and customs followed during the festival are the same as the ones followed during Shardiya Navratri.
• Telegu New Year: The festival is the same as Ugadi. It is the first day of the Telegu New Year. As part of the celebrations, people take oil baths, decorate their houses, and prepare special dishes such as ‘Pachadi’ and ‘Bevu Bella’.
• Cheti Chand: Cheti Chand is basically a Sindhi festival. It commemorates the birthday of Saint Jhulelal, the Sindhi patron and also marks the start of the Sindhi New Year. To mark the occasion, processions are taken out and the ‘Water God’ is worshipped.
• Sarhul: Celebrated during the spring season, it is an important festival of the Oraon tribe, which can be found in the Jharkhand region of the country. It is believed that after the festival the earth becomes fertile. For the rituals of the festival, Sal and Mahua flowers are used.

With so many holidays close together in March, which holidays mark your vacation days in 2020?

This page is extremely useful for you to understand the dates and days of the festival holidays, regional holidays, national holidays and bank holidays in the month of March 2019. The page consolidates the list of holidays declared in the Indian states. If you are a working professional, you shall be able to plan your leaves. If you are a businessman, you shall be able to stock festival-specific items to be sold during festival holidays. The list of holidays in March 2019 helps you plan a vacation to the destinations of your choice.

List of Holidays in March 2019

The following table outlines holidays in March 2019:

List of Bank Holidays in March 2019

The following table illustrates the bank holidays in March 2019:

Bank Holidays in March 2019 on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays

As per the notification of the Reserve Bank of India, all the public and private sector banks observe public holidays on the second and fourth Saturdays each month. The first and third Saturdays will be regular working days for banks. The bank employees have to work on the fifth holiday if there are five Saturdays in a month. The banks will remain shut on 9 March 2019, the second Saturday of the month, and on 23 March 2019, the fourth Saturday of the month.

List of Monthly Holidays

A brief description of the Festival Holidays in March 2019

• Chapchar Kut: Chapchar is a colorful harvest festival of Mizoram and is celebrated by multi-cultured people in the state. Women perform the bamboo dance as a part of the festival celebration. Every community living in the state exhibits its traditional form of dance.

• Maha Shivaratri: Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival dedicated to the God Shiva. The devotees of the God Shiva observe fast, visit the nearest Shiva temple to perform the rituals, and also participate in the night jagaranas in remembrance of the God. Maha Shivaratri is a public holiday in March 2019 in several states.

• Hazrat Ali Birthday: The Jayanti of Hazrat Ali, who was the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, is observed on the thirteenth day of Rajab according to the Islamic calendar. Hazrat Ali is recognised for his extraordinary contributions and devotion to the community of Islam. Hazrat Ali Birthday is a restricted holiday in March 2019 in Uttar Pradesh.

• Yaoshang Second Day: Yaosang is a 5-day spring festival observed in Manipur. Cultural sports and events are organised on the second day of Yaoshang at the Govindajee Temple. Like Holi, the Hindus play with colors.

• Holi: Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, signifies the victory of good over evil. The festival of Holi, which lasts for a night and a day, is observed in many parts of India. Families, friends and relatives play with colors on the festival day.

• Doljatra: West Bengal celebrates Doljatra with pride and the people in the state worship Krishna and Radha. Like Holi, Doljatra is also a festival of colors. Some places organise bhajans and poojas. The idols of Krishna and Radha are placed on an attractively designed buggy.

• Bihar Diwas: Bihar Day or Bihar Diwas is observed on 22 March every year. It was the day on which Bihar was formed. Bihar Day is a public holiday in Bihar. While government offices remain closed, schools organise several programs for students.

• Shaheed Diwas of Bhagat Singh: Punjab and Rajasthan celebrate Shaheed Diwas in remembrance of Bhagat Singh, who was a revolutionary and great freedom fighter and was hanged on 23 March 1931.

Holiday Destinations In India