Diwali in 2024 has an unusual two-day celebration, with the festival being observed on both October 31 and November 1 due to the Amavasya Tithi (new moon day) spanning both days. This split has led several states to declare bank holidays on different days, so those planning bank visits are advised to check their state-specific holiday schedule.
November 1 Bank Holiday
The Reserve Bank of India has declared a bank holiday on November 1 in certain states in observance of Diwali Amavasya (Laxmi Pujan), Deepawali, Kut, or Kannada Rajyothsava. Bank closures on November 1 will apply in:
- Agartala (Tripura)
- Belapur, Mumbai, Nagpur (Maharashtra)
- Bengaluru (Karnataka)
- Dehradun (Uttarakhand)
- Gangtok (Sikkim)
- Imphal (Manipur)
- Jammu and Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir)
- Shillong (Meghalaya)
October 31 Bank Holiday
On the other hand, several other states, including Gujarat, Mizoram, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland, West Bengal, Goa, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, as well as Chandigarh and Delhi, have observed October 31 as the bank holiday for Diwali.
Why Diwali 2024 is Celebrated Over Two Days
The Amavasya Tithi for Diwali this year starts on October 31 at 3:52 pm and ends on November 1 at 6:16 pm. This overlap has led to certain regions observing Diwali and related holidays on either of the two days, depending on local customs and traditions.
