August Bank Holidays 2024
To know more about the bank holidays in August 2023, check the list below :
| Date | Day | Holiday | States |
07 August
| Wednesday
| Haryali Teej
| Many states across India
|
08 August
| Thursday | Tendong Lho Rum Faat
| Sikkim
|
15 August
| Thursday | Independence Day
| National Holiday
|
16 August
| Friday
| De Jure Transfer Day
| Puducherry
|
15 August
| Thursday
| Parsi New Year
| Maharashtra, Gujarat
|
19 August | Monday | Raksha Bandhan | Many states across India |
| 19 August | Monday | Jhulan Purnima | Odisha |
Brief description of August Holidays 2024
Eid al Adha: The festival also known as Id-ul-Zuha or Bakr-Id is celebrated by the Muslim community. Often referred to as the festival of sacrifice, special prayers are held as part of the festival. On the day of the festival, people wear new clothes, greet others and offer gifts to their near and dear ones. A sheep or goat is sacrificed on the day and its meat is shared with family members, neighbors, and the poor.
Raksha Bandhan: Raksha Bandhan is a festival that observes the love between a brother and sister. On the day of the festival, a sister ties rakhi on her brother’s wrist in the presence of the family. The brother in return promises to take care of his sister and offer special gifts.
Jhulan Purnima: It is another important festival for the followers of Lord Krishna. The festival celebrates the Radha-Krishna attachment together with the romantic passion of the rainy season. As part of the festival, idols are both Radha and Krishna and decorated and placed on an ornate swing. People visit temples and swing the deities amidst bhajans and kirtans recited by priests. Special aartis are held in temples on the occasion.
Ker Puja: The festival is held after two weeks of Kharchi Puja. The puja is done to honor Ker, the guardian deity of Vastu Devata. As part of the puja, offerings and sacrifices are made to the deity. Once the puja is done by the devotees, they take part in singing and dancing.
Tendong Lho Rum Faat: It is one of the most important festivals celebrated in Sikkim. As part of the three-day festival, prayers are offered to Mount Tendong. People prepare a model of the mountain with nine stones and worship it. To seek blessings, people sing and dance wearing masks. The festival holds special significance for the Lepcha tribe.
Janmashtami: Janmashtami is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. It is celebrated with a lot of devotion on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the Hindu month of Bhadon. The festival is celebrated at midnight as it is believed that Krishna was born on a dark, stormy, and windy night. As part of the festival, pujas and aartis are held in various parts of the country.
Patriot’s Day: The day is observed in Manipur to pay tributes to the heroes who laid down their lives while fighting the British during the Anglo-Manipuri war. A state program is held every year on the day to pay tributes to the brave hearts.
Independence Day: A national holiday, the day commemorates the country’s independence from British rule. While the main celebration takes place at Red Fort in New Delhi, various functions are held in different states of the country. As part of the festival, the national flag is unfurled, patriotic programs are organized, and the freedom fighters who laid down their lives are remembered.
Parsi New Year: The day is celebrated to mark the beginning of the Iranian calendar. The day also known as Jamshed-i-Nouraz is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm.
Baba Sri Chand Ji Jayanti: The day commemorates the birthday of Sri Chand, the eldest son of Guru Nanak. On that day, people remember the life of Sri Chand and his preaching. Special events are held to mark the occasion.
Ayankali Jayanthi: The day is celebrated to honor Ayankali, a social reformer who worked extensively for the development of those who were treated as outcasts. On the day, his efforts are remembered, and tributes are paid in different parts of Kerala.
Ramdev Jayanti: The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Baba Ramdev, a Rajasthani king who ruled over Pokhran in the 14th century. Considered to be an incarnation of Lord Krishna, it is believed that he possessed spiritual powers. On the day, temples built for him are decorated. People prepare special meals as well as offer toy wooden horses with new clothes in the temples. Ramdev Jayanti is celebrated on the second day of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada.
Ashura: It is the tenth day of Muharram. It commemorates the death of the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad as well as marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. For Shia Muslims, Ashura is not a festival but a sad event. It is a period of grief and mourning. People assemble at mosques to lament and grieve the martyrdom of Husayn. It is believed that taking part in Ashura washes away one’s sins.
Thiruvonam: The tenth and final day of the Onam festival is known as Thiruvonam. The day is important for the Malayali community as it is believed that Lord Mahabali comes to visit his people. Special prayers are performed on the day to seek divine blessings and a grand feast called ‘Onasadya’ is arranged. The feast which mainly consists of 9 courses is an indispensable part of Thiruvonam as it reflects the spirit of the season.
