On Friday, September 4, 2026, customers who plan to visit a bank branch should check their state-wise holiday schedule before heading out. It is Krishna Janmashtami or Krishna Jayanti, and bank branches will close in some parts of India.
However, September 4 is not a nationwide bank holiday across every state and city. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has a state- and city-specific holiday calendar so a festival holiday can lead to branch closures at some locations and banks continue normal operations elsewhere. The RBI's holiday calendar outlines closures based on regional observances and the location of the bank branch.
Are banks closed on September 4 for Janmashtami?
Yes, bank branches in several states are going to be closed on September 4 for Krishna Janmashtami.
The 2026 bank holiday lists show Janmashtami on September 4 as a holiday in several states including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir.
Bank holiday schedules can vary by city even in the same broad regional calendar. Thus, customers should check the location of the branch before visiting.
For example, the 2026 holiday calendar published by HDFC Bank lists September 4 as Janmashtami in places such as Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab, among other regional schedules.
Why is Janmashtami a bank holiday?
Krishna Janmashtami marks the birth of Lord Krishna and is one of the major Hindu festivals celebrated across India.
The festival is observed with prayers, devotional programmes, temple celebrations and midnight ceremonies. Mathura and Vrindavan, which have been associated with Lord Krishna since the Mahabharata, are expected to experience a big celebration on the festival.
Because religious and regional holidays are determined separately across states, Janmashtami does not necessarily mean bank closures everywhere in the country.
SBI, PNB, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank
Customers of major lenders such as State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Axis Bank should follow the holiday schedule applicable to their branch location.
The holiday is not just about branch operations but also the entire digital network of the bank. So customers should not assume that all branches in India will be closed because of Janmashtami.
If a service is needed in-person, one should be careful to check the branch holiday calendar in advance.
Will ATMs, UPI and Net Banking Work?
Even when bank branches are closed for Janmashtami, most digital banking services are expected to remain available.
Customers can generally continue using:
- UPI,
- Internet banking,
- Mobile banking applications,
- ATMs,
- Debit and credit card services,
- Online fund transfers.
Digital services occasionally do have scheduled maintenance or technical interruptions, but a branch holiday itself does not normally mean that online banking services stop operating.
Customers who need cash can therefore use ATMs, but routine payments and transfers are generally done through UPI and mobile or internet banking.
September 2026 has several bank holidays
Janmashtami is just one of several bank holidays scheduled in September 2026. In addition to Sundays, there are regular weekend closures (the second Saturday on September 12 and the fourth Saturday on September 26).
Other regional festival holidays are also scheduled during the month, so the total number of bank closure days varies considerably from one state to another.
Bank Holiday on September 4: What is the main takeaway?
September 4, 2026, is a bank holiday for Krishna Janmashtami in many states, but it is not a nationwide bank closure. Before visiting their branch, customers should check the RBI holiday calendar or the state-wise schedule of their bank.
If you live in a state where Janmashtami is considered a holiday, branch services will not be available on Friday. But ATMs, UPI, mobile banking, and net banking should be available.
Since bank holidays are local to the location, it is safest to check the exact branch schedule before planning an in-person banking visit.
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