Bank holiday on November 5: Are banks closed in your state tomorrow for Guru Nanak Jayanti?

Banks in many states across India will remain closed tomorrow on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Gurupurab, the celebration of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.

On Wednesday, November 5, banks across several Indian states will be shut, including Mizoram, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu & Srinagar, Uttar Pradesh, Nagaland, West Bengal, New Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Guru Nanak Jayanti significance

Guru Nanak Gurpurab, also called Guru Nanak Prakash Utsav, celebrates the birth of the first Sikh Guru and the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak. It is one of the most important festivals in Sikhism. It commemorates the teachings of equality, honesty and selfless service.

On the occasion of Gurupurab, celebrations involve prayers, processions like prabhat pheris and nagarkirtan, and community meals called langar.

Stock markets in India, the NSE and BSE, will also be closed on November 5 for Gurupurab. There will be no stock market transactions, including in equity, derivatives, securities lending and borrowing and currency derivatives, on Wednesday. Further, trading on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) will remain closed in the morning session, between 9 am and 5 pm, while the evening session (5 pm to 11:30/11:55 pm) will continue as usual.

Other bank holidays in November

There are many other bank holidays in November, including Kannada Rajyothsava, Igas-Bagwal, Kartika Purnima, Rahas Purnima, Nongkrem Dance, Wangala Festival and Kanakadasa Jayanthi. Bank holidays in India depend on the state and region, as different holidays are celebrated in different states.

Along with state-wise holidays, all banks are closed on Sundays and the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.

Digital banking, mobile banking and UPI services remain functional even on bank holidays, making it easier for people to access their funds. Even ATMs remain operational for cash withdrawals during emergencies.