Bank holiday today, August 26, 2026: Banks are closed in several Indian cities and states for Eid-e-Milad, Milad-un-Nabi, Barawafat and, in Kerala, Thiruvonam. The closure is not nationwide, so customers should check their city and branch before visiting.
Are banks closed today, August 26, 2026?
If you are planning a bank visit today, Wednesday, August 26, it is important to check the local holiday schedule first. According to the Reserve Bank of India holiday calendar, bank branches in several centres are closed today for regional observances including Id-E-Milad, Barawafat and Milad-un-Nabi. Kerala also observes Thiruvonam on the date.
The RBI holiday system is organised around specific banking centres, which means a festival holiday in one part of India does not automatically mean that every bank branch in the country is closed. The current RBI-based schedule lists closures in centres including Mumbai, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bhopal, New Delhi, Lucknow and several other cities.
For customers, the simplest way to avoid a wasted trip is to check the RBI holiday calendar or confirm the status with the individual bank branch before leaving home.
State-wise bank holiday list for August 26
Several major banking centres are observing a holiday today. The RBI-based list includes the following locations:
- Maharashtra: Mumbai, Nagpur and Belapur
- Karnataka: Bengaluru
- Madhya Pradesh: Bhopal
- Tamil Nadu: Chennai
- Uttarakhand: Dehradun
- Telangana: Hyderabad
- Manipur: Imphal
- Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu and Srinagar
- Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow and Kanpur
- Kerala: Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram
- Delhi: New Delhi
- Bihar: Patna
- Chhattisgarh: Raipur
- Jharkhand: Ranchi
The holiday is linked primarily to Id-E-Milad, Milad-un-Nabi or Barawafat, while Kerala has the additional observance of Thiruvonam. Current reports based on the RBI calendar also identify Andhra Pradesh among states where banks are closed for the August 26 observance.
This centre-based system is particularly relevant for customers in Tier-2 cities. For example, a person in Nagpur should not assume that banking operations are available simply because banks remain open in another city in Maharashtra. Nagpur is specifically listed among the centres observing the August 26 bank holiday.
What is Eid-e-Milad and why are banks closed?
Eid-e-Milad, also known as Milad-un-Nabi or Mawlid, commemorates the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. In India, the date and the way the holiday is observed can vary according to government and regional holiday calendars.
For 2026, Milad-un-Nabi is being observed on Wednesday, August 26. Different government and institutional calendars may use names such as Id-E-Milad, Milad-un-Nabi or Barawafat for the observance. The Economic Times notes that the holiday is included in the calendars of several government institutions, while implementation of closures can vary between states and organisations.
The distinction matters because not every holiday is a nationwide banking holiday. Banks follow the RBI’s holiday framework, which takes local and regional observances into account.
Can you use UPI, ATMs and net banking today?
A bank branch holiday does not mean that the entire banking system stops working. Customers can generally continue using digital services such as UPI, internet banking and mobile banking even when their local branch is closed.
ATMs also generally remain available for cash withdrawals and other supported services. However, availability can depend on the machine, bank network and scheduled maintenance.
Transactions or requests that require a physical branch may have to wait until the branch reopens. These can include certain document submissions, account verification, some cash-related services and other requests that require staff intervention.
Customers should also remember that digital transactions can have their own processing and settlement timelines. A bank holiday may affect some back-office or physical processes even when UPI and online banking continue to function.
How to check if your bank branch is open
The most reliable approach is to check the holiday status for the specific banking centre rather than relying only on a general state-level holiday list.
First, identify the city where your branch is located. Then check the RBI holiday calendar for that centre. Customers can also check their bank’s official website, mobile application or customer-care service for branch-specific information.
If you need to submit documents, complete verification or conduct another transaction that requires staff assistance, it is better to confirm the branch’s operating status before travelling.
This is especially useful around regional festivals because nearby cities can have different holiday schedules. The RBI calendar itself shows that August 26 closures apply to selected centres rather than all Indian banking locations.
What about the stock market on August 26?
The bank holiday should not be confused with a stock market holiday. The National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange are open for regular equity trading on August 26, 2026.
However, August 26 is a settlement holiday for the stock market. This means trading continues, but certain clearing and settlement activities are not processed on that day. Investors should therefore distinguish between whether the market is open for trading and whether a particular transaction is being settled.
This distinction is useful for bank customers who also invest in shares, mutual funds or other market-linked products.
What happens next for bank holidays?
August 26 is not the final bank holiday of the month. The RBI-based August calendar also lists August 28 as a holiday at several banking centres for regional observances including Raksha Bandhan and other local occasions.
Sunday, August 30, will also be a regular weekly bank holiday across India. Customers with pending branch work should therefore check the upcoming holiday schedule if their transaction cannot be completed today.
The important point is that bank holidays in India are not always uniform. A branch may be closed in one city while another branch of the same bank continues operating elsewhere.
Key Takeaways
- Banks are closed today, August 26, in several Indian banking centres for Eid-e-Milad and related regional observances.
- Nagpur, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, New Delhi and several other centres are listed for closure.
- UPI, ATMs, mobile banking and internet banking generally continue to operate even when physical branches are closed.
- Customers should check the RBI holiday calendar or their bank’s official branch information before visiting.
FAQ
Are banks closed across India on August 26, 2026?
No. The August 26 bank holiday is not nationwide. The RBI holiday calendar lists specific banking centres where branches are closed for regional observances.
Are banks closed in Nagpur today?
Yes. Nagpur is included in the RBI-based list of banking centres observing the August 26 holiday for Id-E-Milad. Physical bank branches in Nagpur are therefore closed today.
Will UPI and net banking work on August 26?
Generally, yes. UPI, internet banking, mobile banking and ATM services continue to be available during bank holidays, although individual services can be affected by technical maintenance or other operational issues.
Is the stock market also closed today?
No. NSE and BSE are open for regular trading on August 26, although the day is observed as a settlement holiday.
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