Indian Banks to Close for Dhanteras and Diwali Festivals
Listen to the story
Banks across India are set to close for several days around the festivals of Dhanteras and Diwali, the famous Hindu festival of lights.
Dhanteras, which marks the start of the Diwali celebrations, falls on November 6, 2026. Some bank branches will remain closed that day.
Many people are also asking whether banks will be open on Saturday, November 7, just before the main Diwali holiday. Major lenders such as SBI, HDFC, and ICICI are expected to follow the official holiday schedule.
However, bank holidays in India are not fixed nationwide. Each state follows its own list, which can lead to confusion for customers planning transactions.
The RBI, or Reserve Bank of India, publishes an official calendar every year listing bank holidays for each state. This calendar includes national holidays as well as regional festival days.
Because Diwali and related festivals like Dhanteras are celebrated differently across regions, the exact closing dates can vary from one state to another.
Customers are advised to check the RBI calendar or contact their local branch to confirm opening hours during the festive period.
Even when physical branches are closed, most banking services remain available through online banking and mobile apps, allowing customers to continue basic transactions.
The festive season is typically a busy time for banks, as many people withdraw cash or make transfers ahead of celebrations.
Vocabulary10 words
- Diwali
- a major Hindu festival of lights celebrated in India
- state
- a region of a country with its own local rules
- RBI
- India's central bank that manages the banking system
- calendar
- a document listing dates, such as holidays
- branch
- a local office of a bank
- online banking
- using the internet to do bank tasks
- transaction
- an action of sending or receiving money
- festive
- related to a celebration or holiday time
- lender
- a bank or company that gives loans
- regional
- relating to a specific area, not the whole country
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Quiz
Answer key
1. November 6 2. Each state follows its own holiday list 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Banks across India are set to close for several days around the festivals of Dhanteras and _____, the famous Hindu festival of lights.
Dhanteras, which marks the start of the Diwali celebrations, falls on _____ 6, 2026.
Many people are also asking whether banks will be open on Saturday, _____ 7, just before the main Diwali holiday.
However, bank holidays in India are not fixed nationwide. Each _____ follows its own list.
The _____, or Reserve Bank of India, publishes an official calendar every year listing bank holidays for each state.
Customers are advised to check the RBI calendar or contact their local _____ to confirm opening hours.
Even when physical branches are closed, most banking services remain available through _____ and mobile apps.
The _____ season is typically a busy time for banks, as many people withdraw cash ahead of celebrations.
Discussion questions
- Why might it be confusing for customers that bank holidays differ by state?
- How does online banking help during festival holidays?
- Do festivals in your country affect bank or business schedules? How?
- Why do you think banks get extra busy before festivals like Diwali?
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