Jharkhand Calendar 2026 January: Planning ahead for the new year always starts with one simple thing — a reliable calendar. If you live in Jharkhand or follow the state’s regional festivals, bank holidays, and government-gazetted days off, this guide covers everything you need for January 2026.
Below you’ll find the complete list of festivals, executive holidays, bank holidays, and gazetted holidays falling in January 2026, along with a free downloadable PDF of the Jharkhand Calendar for easy offline access. We’ve also explained why each date matters, how the state’s calendar differs from the national one, and how to make the most of this information whether you’re a student, government employee, banker, or simply someone who loves to plan ahead.
Why the Jharkhand Calendar Matters
Jharkhand has its own set of regional observances — Sohrai, Khuntaw, and other tribal and cultural festivals — that don’t always appear on a standard national calendar. Government employees, bank staff, students, and businesses in the state rely on this localized calendar to plan leaves, exams, travel, and important events without last-minute surprises.
The state government issues an official holiday list every year that includes gazetted holidays (mandatory for all offices), restricted holidays (optional, employee’s choice), and executive holidays (specific to certain departments or regions). Understanding the difference helps you plan better, especially if you work in a government office, bank, school, or private organization that follows the state calendar.
Whether you’re a government employee checking gazetted holidays, a student planning study leave, a shop owner deciding business hours, or simply someone who wants to know when the next long weekend falls, this January 2026 calendar has you covered.
Jharkhand Calendar 2026 January – Full Festival & Holiday List
Here is the day-wise breakdown of festivals and holidays for January 2026 in Jharkhand:
| Date | Day | Festival / Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day | General Observance |
| 04 January | Sunday | Pausha Purnima | Religious / Panchang |
| 07 January | Wednesday | Sankashti Chaturthi | Religious / Panchang |
| 10 January | Saturday | 2nd Saturday | Bank Holiday |
| 12 January | Monday | Sohrai | Executive Holiday |
| 13 January | Tuesday | Sohrai / Khuntaw | Executive Holiday |
| 14 January | Wednesday | Makar Sankranti | Executive Holiday |
| 15 January | Thursday | Shattila Ekadashi | Religious / Panchang |
| 23 January | Friday | Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti / Basant Panchami | National Observance / Festival |
| 24 January | Saturday | 4th Saturday | Bank Holiday |
| 26 January | Monday | Republic Day | Gazetted Holiday |
| 29 January | Thursday | Jaya Ekadashi | Religious / Panchang |
| 30 January | Friday | Pradosh Vrat (Shukla) | Religious / Panchang |
This table gives you a quick snapshot, but let’s look at each of these dates in more detail so you understand their significance and how they might affect your work, travel, or festival planning.
Download the Jharkhand Calendar 2026 January PDF
For offline access, you can download the complete Jharkhand Calendar for January 2026 in PDF format. It’s a handy, printable version you can pin on your wall, put up on an office notice board, or save on your phone for quick reference anytime.
Detailed Look at January 2026 Festivals and Holidays in Jharkhand
New Year’s Day – 1 January (Thursday)
The month begins with the customary New Year celebration. While it isn’t a traditional Indian festival, New Year’s Day is widely observed across offices, schools, and businesses in Jharkhand, often marked with family gatherings, resolutions, and small celebrations.
Pausha Purnima – 4 January (Sunday)
Pausha Purnima is the full moon day of the Hindu month of Pausha. It holds religious significance for many families who observe fasting, take holy dips, and perform charity on this day. Since it falls on a Sunday in 2026, it conveniently aligns with a non-working day for most people.
Sankashti Chaturthi – 7 January (Wednesday)
Dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Sankashti Chaturthi is observed by devotees who fast through the day and break their fast after sighting the moon in the evening. It’s a monthly observance that many households in Jharkhand follow with devotion.
Sohrai and Khuntaw – 12 and 13 January (Monday & Tuesday)
These are among the most culturally significant tribal festivals of Jharkhand. Sohrai is essentially a harvest festival celebrated by tribal communities to honor cattle and give thanks for a good harvest season. Homes are decorated with beautiful traditional Sohrai paintings, and cattle are worshipped as a symbol of prosperity.
Khuntaw, closely linked with Sohrai, involves worship of ancestral spirits and is deeply rooted in the tribal traditions of the region. Both days are marked as executive holidays, meaning government offices in the relevant departments and regions remain closed to allow employees to participate in the festivities.
Makar Sankranti – 14 January (Wednesday)
One of the most widely celebrated harvest festivals across India, Makar Sankranti marks the sun’s transition into Capricorn and the beginning of longer days. In Jharkhand, it’s often celebrated alongside the tail end of Sohrai festivities, with special dishes made from til (sesame) and jaggery, kite flying, and community feasts. It is observed as an executive holiday in the state.
Shattila Ekadashi – 15 January (Thursday)
This Ekadashi falls in the Krishna Paksha of the Magha month and is considered highly auspicious for devotees of Lord Vishnu. Fasting on this day is believed to bring prosperity and remove past sins, and it’s commonly observed by religious households across the state.
Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti / Basant Panchami – 23 January (Friday)
This date carries a double significance in 2026. It marks the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, one of India’s most revered freedom fighters, observed with patriotic programs in schools and colleges. On the same day, Basant Panchami is celebrated — a festival dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, music, and arts. Students, in particular, worship books and musical instruments on this day, and yellow clothing is traditionally worn to mark the arrival of spring.
Republic Day – 26 January (Monday)
Republic Day is a gazetted national holiday and one of the most important dates on the Indian calendar. It commemorates the day the Constitution of India came into effect in 1950. Across Jharkhand, flag hoisting ceremonies, parades, and cultural programs are organized at schools, colleges, and government institutions. Since 26 January falls on a Monday in 2026, many people may plan a short getaway or long weekend around this date.
Jaya Ekadashi – 29 January (Thursday)
Another Ekadashi observance in the same month, Jaya Ekadashi falls in the Shukla Paksha of the Magha month. Devotees observe a fast and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu, believing it brings freedom from sins and negative energies.
Pradosh Vrat (Shukla) – 30 January (Friday)
The month closes with Pradosh Vrat, a fasting ritual dedicated to Lord Shiva, observed twice a month on the 13th day (Trayodashi) of both lunar fortnights. It is considered highly auspicious for seeking blessings related to health, wealth, and removal of obstacles.
Bank Holidays in January 2026
As per the RBI’s holiday schedule, banks in Jharkhand remain closed on all Sundays and on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. In January 2026, this means:
- 10 January (Saturday) – 2nd Saturday Bank Holiday
- 24 January (Saturday) – 4th Saturday Bank Holiday
Apart from these, banks will also remain closed on Republic Day (26 January) and may observe reduced or shifted hours around Sohrai and Makar Sankranti, depending on the branch and region. It’s always a good idea to confirm with your local bank branch if you have urgent transactions planned around these dates.
How to Use This Calendar Effectively
- Government employees should note the executive holidays (Sohrai, Khuntaw, Makar Sankranti) since these are region-specific and may differ from the national holiday list or from other states.
- Bank customers should plan transactions around the 2nd and 4th Saturday closures, along with Republic Day.
- Students and job seekers can mark Republic Day and other gazetted holidays while preparing exam schedules, travel plans, or competitive exam timelines.
- Anyone following Panchang-based dates (Ekadashi, Purnima, Sankashti Chaturthi, Pradosh Vrat) can use this list for fasting and puja planning throughout the month.
- Private sector employees and business owners can use this calendar to plan staffing, store hours, and marketing campaigns around key festival dates like Makar Sankranti and Basant Panchami.
Jharkhand Calendar vs National Calendar – What’s Different?
While most national holidays like Republic Day and New Year’s Day apply uniformly across India, Jharkhand’s calendar stands out because of its tribal and regional observances. Festivals like Sohrai and Khuntaw are unique to Jharkhand and a few neighboring states, and they aren’t listed on generic Indian calendars. This is exactly why a state-specific calendar like this one is useful — it fills in the gaps that a general national calendar misses, giving you a complete and locally accurate picture of the month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What are the gazetted holidays in Jharkhand in January 2026? Republic Day on 26 January is the main gazetted holiday, along with New Year’s Day on 1 January.
Q2. When is Sohrai celebrated in 2026? Sohrai falls on 12 and 13 January 2026 (including Khuntaw), observed as executive holidays in Jharkhand.
Q3. Are banks closed on Makar Sankranti in Jharkhand? Makar Sankranti (14 January 2026) is marked as an executive holiday; actual bank closure may vary by branch, so it’s best to check with your local bank.
Q4. How many bank holidays are there in January 2026? Apart from Sundays, banks in Jharkhand remain closed on the 2nd Saturday (10 January), the 4th Saturday (24 January), and Republic Day (26 January).
Q5. Is 23 January a holiday in Jharkhand? 23 January marks Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti and Basant Panchami. While schools and colleges often organize special programs, it may not be a full closure day for all offices — check your organization’s specific holiday list.
Q6. What is the difference between an executive holiday and a gazetted holiday? A gazetted holiday applies to all government offices across the state or country, while an executive holiday is specific to certain departments, regions, or communities, often tied to local or religious observances.