If you are looking for the Haryana Calendar October 2026 — also known as हरियाणा कैलेंडर 2026 अक्टूबर — this comprehensive guide is your one-stop reference. Here you will find the complete list of all public holidays, gazetted holidays, national holidays, restricted holidays, and special observance days for Haryana in October 2026. Each occasion is explained in detail, along with practical planning tips for employees, business owners, bank customers, and families.
With three gazetted holidays, one restricted holiday, two special days, and one festival falling on a Sunday, October 2026 is one of the most holiday-dense months in the Haryana Government Calendar — making it essential reading for anyone planning work schedules, travel, or festive celebrations.
Haryana Calendar October 2026 – Complete Holiday Table
The following table provides a clear, day-by-day overview of every important date and holiday in the Haryana Calendar for October 2026:
| Date | Day | Occasion / Festival | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02 October 2026 | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | National Holiday / Gazetted / NI Act |
| 06 October 2026 | Tuesday | Maharaja Ajmidh Jayanti | Special Day |
| 11 October 2026 | Sunday | Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti | Festival (Public Holiday Excluded) |
| 20 October 2026 | Tuesday | Dussehra (Vijayadashami) | Gazetted Holiday / NI Act |
| 26 October 2026 | Monday | Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti | Gazetted Holiday / NI Act |
| 29 October 2026 | Thursday | Karva Chauth | Restricted Holiday (RH) |
| 31 October 2026 | Saturday | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti | Special Day |
Detailed Guide to All Festivals and Holidays – Haryana October 2026
1. Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti – 2 October 2026 (Friday)
Type: National Holiday / Gazetted Holiday / NI Act Holiday
Gandhi Jayanti is one of India’s three National Holidays and among the most universally respected observances in the country. On Friday, 2 October 2026, India will celebrate the 157th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi — universally known as Mahatma Gandhi and lovingly called Bapu — the Father of the Nation.
Who Was Mahatma Gandhi? Born on 2 October 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, Gandhi grew up to become one of the most transformative leaders in human history. Trained as a barrister in London, he first developed his philosophy of nonviolent resistance in South Africa before returning to India to lead the independence movement against British colonial rule.
Global Recognition — International Day of Non-Violence: In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence, recognising Gandhi’s universal message of peace. This makes Gandhi Jayanti not just an Indian national holiday but a globally recognised day of reflection on the principles of non-violence.
Bank and Office Closures: Gandhi Jayanti is a National Holiday and NI Act Holiday, meaning all government offices, schools, courts, banks, and most businesses across Haryana will remain closed on 2 October 2026. Since it falls on a Friday, it creates a natural 3-day long weekend (Friday 2nd through Sunday 4th October), ideal for travel or family time.
2. Maharaja Ajmidh Jayanti – 6 October 2026 (Tuesday)
Type: Special Day
Maharaja Ajmidh Jayanti is observed on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 as a Special Day in the Haryana Calendar. This occasion honours the birth anniversary of Maharaja Ajmidh (also spelled Ajamidha or Ajameedha), an ancient and revered king from India’s Vedic era whose lineage holds extraordinary significance in the history of the Indian subcontinent.
3. Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti – 11 October 2026 (Sunday)
Type: Festival (Public Holiday Excluded — falls on Sunday)
Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti falls on Sunday, 11 October 2026. This occasion celebrates the birth anniversary of Maharaja Agrasen, one of ancient India’s most revered legendary kings and the revered founding patriarch of the Agrawal (Agarwal) community — one of India’s most prominent business and trading communities.
Who Was Maharaja Agrasen? According to tradition, Maharaja Agrasen was a just and benevolent king who lived during the Mahabharata era and ruled the kingdom of Agroha, believed to be located in present-day Hisar district of Haryana. He was a contemporary of Krishna and a descendant of the solar dynasty (Suryavansha). Maharaja Agrasen is celebrated for founding a kingdom based on equality, social justice, and community welfare — legendary principles that continue to influence the Agrawal community today.
4. Dussehra (Vijayadashami) – 20 October 2026 (Tuesday)
Type: Gazetted Holiday / NI Act Holiday
Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is one of the most exuberant and symbolically powerful festivals in the Hindu calendar, and its gazetted holiday status in the Haryana Calendar October 2026 reflects its immense cultural importance. It falls on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 — the tenth day (Dashami) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month of Ashwin.
The Dual Significance of Dussehra:
1. Lord Rama’s Victory Over Ravana: The most widely celebrated narrative behind Dussehra is the story from the Ramayana — the triumphant day when Lord Rama, with the help of Lord Hanuman and the Vanara Sena (monkey army), defeated and killed the demon king Ravana of Lanka to rescue his wife Goddess Sita. Dussehra thus celebrates the ultimate victory of righteousness (dharma) over evil (adharma), of truth over deception, and of light over darkness.
2. Goddess Durga’s Victory Over Mahishasura: In the eastern and some North Indian traditions, Vijayadashami is also the day on which Goddess Durga slew the buffalo demon Mahishasura after a nine-night battle — the same nine nights commemorated during Navratri. The tenth day (Dasha-Hara meaning “removal of ten”) marks the goddess’s ultimate triumph and the conclusion of the Navratri festival.
5. Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti – 26 October 2026 (Monday)
Type: Gazetted Holiday / NI Act Holiday
Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, observed on Monday, 26 October 2026, is the third and final gazetted holiday in the Haryana Calendar October 2026. This day celebrates the birth anniversary of Maharishi Valmiki — the legendary sage and poet who authored the Ramayana, one of the two greatest epics of Indian literature and one of the most influential texts in all of human civilisation.
Who Was Maharishi Valmiki? Maharishi Valmiki holds the revered title of Adi Kavi — meaning the “First Poet” or the “Original Poet” — in the Sanskrit literary tradition. He composed the Valmiki Ramayana, a monumental epic of approximately 24,000 verses (shlokas) divided into seven books (Kandas), that narrates the life, exile, and ultimate triumph of Lord Rama.
Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated on the Purnima (full moon day) of the Hindu month of Ashwin, which falls on 26 October 2026 in Haryana.
Valmiki’s Transformative Life: One of the most powerful aspects of Maharishi Valmiki’s story is his own personal transformation. According to the Adhyatma Ramayana and other texts, Valmiki was not always a sage — he is said to have been a dacoit (Ratnakar) in his earlier life who underwent profound spiritual transformation through devotion and meditation, ultimately becoming one of the greatest sages in Hindu tradition. His story is considered a powerful allegory of the human capacity for redemption and spiritual growth through sincere devotion.
6. Karva Chauth – 29 October 2026 (Thursday)
Type: Restricted Holiday (RH)
Karva Chauth falls on Thursday, 29 October 2026, and is listed as a Restricted Holiday in the Haryana Calendar. It is one of North India’s most beloved and emotionally resonant festivals, observed primarily by married Hindu women as a profound expression of love, devotion, and prayer for their husbands’ long and healthy lives.
What Is Karva Chauth? Karva Chauth is observed on the Chaturthi (fourth day) of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) of the Hindu month of Kartik. The word “Karva” refers to an earthen pot (a symbol of prosperity and sustenance) and “Chauth” means the fourth, referring to the lunar date of observance.
7. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti – 31 October 2026 (Saturday)
Type: Special Day / Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day)
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti is observed on Saturday, 31 October 2026 as a Special Day in the Haryana Calendar. This date marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — one of the most towering figures in India’s freedom struggle and post-independence nation-building history — popularly known as the “Iron Man of India” and the “Bismarck of India”.
Who Was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel? Born on 31 October 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat, Vallabhbhai Patel was a barrister, freedom fighter, statesman, and independent India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He played a pivotal role in India’s independence movement under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, most notably leading the Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) — a successful non-violent resistance movement against oppressive British land taxes, after which the farmers of Bardoli honoured him with the title “Sardar” (meaning leader or chief).
Holiday Types in the Haryana Calendar October 2026
October 2026 is one of Haryana’s busiest holiday months. Here is a structured summary of every holiday type in this month:
National / Gazetted / NI Act Holidays
October 2026 has three gazetted holidays, all of which are also NI Act holidays — Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), Dussehra (20 Oct), and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti (26 Oct). Banks will be closed on all three of these dates.
Restricted Holidays
Karva Chauth (29 October) is the only Restricted Holiday of the month. Eligible employees can apply to avail this as one of their permitted optional leave days.
Special Days
Two Special Days fall in October 2026 — Maharaja Ajmidh Jayanti (6 October, Tuesday) and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti / Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (31 October, Saturday). Government offices remain open on the first date; the second falls on a weekend.
Festival — Public Holiday Excluded
Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti (11 October) falls on a Sunday, so no additional public holiday is granted. Celebrations proceed as usual among the Agrawal community.
Haryana Calendar October 2026 – Working Day Overview
October 2026 has 31 days, beginning on a Thursday. Here is a quick summary:
- Total Days in October 2026: 31
- Weekends (Saturdays & Sundays): 9 days (3–4, 10–11, 17–18, 24–25, 31 Oct)
- Gazetted / National Holidays on Weekdays: 3 (2 Oct Friday; 20 Oct Tuesday; 26 Oct Monday)
- Restricted Holidays (Optional): 1 (29 Oct Thursday)
- Special Days (no office closure): 2 (6 Oct Tuesday; 31 Oct Saturday)
- Festival on Sunday (no extra holiday): 1 (11 Oct Sunday)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. How many public holidays are there in Haryana in October 2026?
There are 3 gazetted/national holidays in Haryana in October 2026 — Gandhi Jayanti (2 October), Dussehra (20 October), and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti (26 October). Additionally, there is 1 restricted holiday (Karva Chauth on 29 October) and 2 special days.
Q2. Is Gandhi Jayanti a bank holiday in Haryana in 2026?
Yes. Gandhi Jayanti (2 October 2026) is a National Holiday and NI Act Holiday. All banks and financial institutions in Haryana will be closed. Since it falls on a Friday, the banking closure extends into a 3-day weekend.
Q3. What day does Dussehra fall on in October 2026?
Dussehra (Vijayadashami) falls on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 in Haryana. It is a gazetted holiday and NI Act holiday, meaning all government offices and banks will remain closed.
Q4. Is Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti a gazetted holiday in Haryana in 2026?
Yes. Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti (26 October 2026) is a full Gazetted Holiday and NI Act Holiday in Haryana. Since it falls on a Monday, it combines with the preceding weekend (Sat 24th and Sun 25th) to create a 3-day long weekend.
Q5. Is Karva Chauth a public holiday in Haryana in October 2026?
No. Karva Chauth (29 October 2026) is a Restricted Holiday (RH) in Haryana, not a gazetted public holiday. Eligible government employees can apply for it as one of their optional restricted leave days.
Conclusion
The Haryana Calendar October 2026 stands out as one of the richest months of the entire year — offering a remarkable blend of national commemoration, spiritual celebration, ancient heritage, and patriotic pride. From the universal message of peace on Gandhi Jayanti and the electrifying spectacle of Dussehra, to the literary legacy of Maharishi Valmiki, the touching devotion of Karva Chauth, and the integrative vision of Sardar Patel, every occasion in October 2026 carries a story worth knowing and a lesson worth remembering.