It's the National Capital Territory’s holiday calendar, which automatically seems to mean that it carries more weight than most. When offices close here, it isn’t just a local pause – all central government institutions, including courts, ministries, regulators, and educational establishments, slow down together. The city feels it immediately. Traffic slows to a trickle as people empty out of government buildings in droves. Even private offices that don’t formally shut often press the brakes.
Delhi is the seat of the central government; its calendar sits at the intersection of two systems. Central government holidays apply across the board. On top of that, the Delhi state government notifies a limited set of additional religious and public holidays that reflect how the city-state actually functions. The list is deliberately curated.
Religious diversity matters here, but not every festival becomes a citywide shutdown. What makes it onto the official calendar depends on whether a day reliably alters attendance, court schedules, school operations, and public services across the NCT. Everything else is handled through restricted holidays or individual leave policies.
The list below reflects commonly notified and institutionally followed holidays in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
List of National, Public, and Religious Holidays in Delhi (NCT) for 2027
| Date | Day | Holiday | Holiday Type |
|---|
| Jan 01 | Friday | New Year's Day | Public |
| Jan 26 | Tuesday | Republic Day | National |
| Mar 10 | Wednesday | Id-ul-Fitr | Religious |
| Mar 22 | Monday | Holi | Religious |
| Mar 26 | Friday | Good Friday | Religious |
| Apr 15 | Thursday | Ram Navami | Religious |
| Apr 19 | Monday | Mahavir Jayanti | Religious |
| May 01 | Saturday | May Day | Public |
| May 17 | Monday | Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) | Religious |
| May 20 | Thursday | Buddha Purnima | Religious |
| Jun 16 | Wednesday | Muharram | Religious |
| Aug 15 | Sunday | Independence Day | National |
| Aug 15 | Sunday | Id-e-Milad (Milad-un-Nabi) | Religious |
| Aug 25 | Wednesday | Janmashtami | Religious |
| Oct 02 | Saturday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | National |
| Oct 09 | Saturday | Vijayadashami (Dussehra) | Religious |
| Oct 29 | Friday | Diwali | Religious |
| Nov 14 | Sunday | Guru Nanak Jayanti | Religious |
| Dec 25 | Saturday | Christmas Day | Religious |
Dates for religious festivals follow lunar calendars and reflect commonly observed 2027 calculations.
Major Religious Holidays 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|
| Mar 04 | Wednesday | Holi |
| Mar 21 | Saturday | Id-ul-Fitr |
| Mar 26 | Thursday | Ram Navami |
| Mar 31 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti |
| Apr 03 | Friday | Good Friday |
| May 01 | Friday | Buddha Purnima |
| May 27 | Wednesday | Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) |
| Jun 26 | Friday | Muharram |
| Aug 26 | Wednesday | Id-e-Milad (Milad-un-Nabi) |
| Sep 04 | Friday | Janmashtami |
| Oct 20 | Tuesday | Vijayadashami (Dussehra) |
| Nov 08 | Sunday | Diwali |
| Nov 24 | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day |
How Holidays Function in Delhi
The list of holidays is strictly followed by government offices, courts, and institutions under the Delhi government. The central government offices also follow more or less the same list without many changes. That's why it seems the effect of holidays here is greater than in other states.
Private companies are not bound by the list created by the Delhi government, but most of them tend to synchronize with the national holidays and major religious festivals. Many offices might be open, but the attendance rates tend to be very low on Holi, Diwali, or Dussehra.
Banks follow notifications from the RBI, which partially overlap with this list but may vary from year to year. Schools and colleges are generally in sync with the Delhi government calendar, but exam dates take precedence over holidays.
Also Read: Holiday List in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 2027
FAQs
1. Is Delhi’s holiday list the same as the central government’s list?
Largely, yes. Delhi follows central holidays closely, with a small number of additional public holidays.
2. Why does Delhi not have many regional holidays?
Delhi is a Union Territory without a single regional cultural identity. The calendar prioritizes administrative impact over regional representation.
3. Are private companies required to observe Delhi government holidays?
No. Private employers set their own holiday policies.
4. Why do some festival dates change every year?
Many religious festivals follow the lunar calendar, which shifts annually.
5. Are banks closed on all these days?
Banks follow RBI-designated holidays, which may not match the Delhi list exactly every year.
