Durga Puja 2026: Key Dates, Rituals, Celebrations & Bank Holidays

Durga Puja is a significant celebration of the Hindus where devotees pray to Goddess Durga. It is prominently celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. 

This festival originated in the Indian subcontinent to mark the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura. Starting from its origin, every year the festival is celebrated during Ashvin, a month that falls between September and October of the Gregorian calendar. In the above-mentioned states, Durga Puja 2026 is set to be a ten-day affair, with the last five days being the most celebrated.

Through this blog, you will get an idea about the key dates of the upcoming Durga puja holiday in 2025. Additionally, we will provide you with a brief guide on how to manage your important transactions and investments, such as fixed deposits during these festive days.

When Is the Durga Puja Celebration in 2026?

In the following table, you can get the important dates for the upcoming Durga Puja 2026:

Significance of Durga Puja

As we refer to Hindu Shastra, the Durga Puja festival marks the yearly visit of Goddess Durga to her natal home together with her children. Every year this festival begins with Mahalaya, a special day that signifies Durga’s journey towards her home. 

However, the grand celebrations start with ‘Maha Sashthi’, the sixth day of this ten-day grand celebration. On this day, the devotees can see the face of Goddess Durga for the first time while the ‘dhakis’ maintain the lively scenes by playing their ‘dhaks’ - a type of drum that is deeply inherited in Bengali culture. 

On the seventh day of Durga Puja 2026, people will celebrate ‘Maha Saptami’. A banana tree will be dipped into the water, and following the ceremonial bath, a priest will drape the tree in a red-bordered white saree. As per many cultural Gurus and historians, this banana tree or ‘Kola Bou’ is another embodiment of Goddess Durga.

Next, the eighth day of the Durga puja holiday arrives, also known as ‘Maha Ashtami’. This special day marks the victory of the Goddess over ‘Mahisasura’. Devotees celebrate this great feat by offering prayers at the pandals in the form of ‘Anjali’. Besides, various social groups and clubs arrange for communal feasts where people enjoy Khichdi and other traditional delicacies.

Following ‘Sandhi Puja’, Maha Navami commences and it marks the ninth day of this massive ritual. To close the prayers, priests offer Maha Aarti and devotees flock in long queues to participate and gather blessings from the puja. This is how the last day of the puja holiday arrives - ‘Maha Dashami’. 

On ‘Maha Dashami’, the deities of Devi Durga and her children are immersed in the Ganga river. Before this event, ‘Sindoor Khela’ is being observed by married women where they smear vermillion on each other’s faces. 

Finally, ‘Visarjan’ takes place when people dance together and get fully immersed in the puja spirit. After the festivities conclude, people observe a traditional custom called 'Bijoya Dashami,' where they visit the homes of close friends and relatives, bringing sweets and seeking heartfelt blessings. 

How Is the Durga Puja Holiday Observed in a Modern Setting?

Government and bank holidays during Durga puja vary from state to state. However, the most extensive holiday is given in West Bengal starting from Maha Saptami to Vijaya Dashami. Some other states that observe Durga puja holidays are Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. 

In West Bengal, schools, government offices, colleges, and banks remain closed throughout the puja. All the people start shopping for the puja as early as a few weeks before Mahalaya, and the activity continues until the start of the puja. Clothes and gift sellers offer special discounted rates at this time of the year to attract even more customers. 

To access your bank account funds during the holidays, you will need to rely on internet banking. Suppose you invested in an FD for your Puja trip, but the maturity amount is due during the Puja holidays. This can be a major problem if you are using a traditional bank-managed fixed deposit.

So, the next time you can invest in a digital fixed deposit through Stable Money and earn up to 8.00% per year. Our platform allows users to withdraw their funds at any time without any hassle. 

By using a part of their savings, people joyously take part in cultural events along with their family and friends during the Durga puja. They hop from one pandal to the next to appreciate the sheer beauty of art and decor. Long queues and huge gatherings are very much normal during this time. 

Besides visiting pandals, people can try countless food stalls throughout the city. Also, the restaurants serve special and unique dishes. Overall, the streets and surroundings give off a vibrant, festive atmosphere, with people spending most of their time outdoors enjoying it.

This undoubtedly makes the Durga puja holiday the biggest festive gathering of the Bengalis and calls for much-needed family get togethers. Although it is a Hindu festival, in India Durga puja transcends the boundaries of religions as everyone comes together to celebrate the spirit of humanity.

Detailed Information About Banking Activities During Durga Puja

Offline banking services will come to a halt during the puja holidays. Thus, you should consider the following tips before celebrating Durga Puja 2026:

Plan Ahead 

You need to check the holiday calendar well in advance. For instance, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the Durga Puja holidays from 10th October and then from 19th to 21st October in West Bengal, during which the banks will stay closed. Similarly, you can have a look at the list of holidays in your respective state. Likewise, you will be able to complete any pending bill payments before the holiday season begins. 

Use Cash and ATMs

Banks never stop their ATM facilities for customers and this enables you to redeem cash as and when required. Nonetheless, if possible, try to secure sufficient cash beforehand as the ATMs may run out of money due to high demand in the festive season. 

Rely on Digital Banking Services

Under this segment comes UPI, other forms of digital wallets and net banking services. Through these channels, you can easily transfer funds across multiple accounts, pay bills and check your account balance anytime. 

Moreover, if you are looking forward to this holiday season to plan your finances, Stable Money can provide some vital details like the fixed deposit minimum amount. To gain this type of information, you are no longer required to visit a branch or wait for the holidays to get over. Also, you will have 24/7 access to our customer support for immediate doubt clearance. 

Conclusion

Durga Puja 2026 is going to be grander than ever, with the number of people celebrating this spectacle increasing each year. In fact, people join this festival from various parts of the world. 

To ensure that you can make the most out of this occasion, you should mark your calendar accordingly and responsibly plan important bank-related activities. For FD investments and smooth withdrawals, you can rely on Stable Money as all of our partner banks and NBFCs are licensed under DICGC, a direct subsidiary of the RBI. Hence, up to ₹5 lakh of your investments will stay secured under all means in an FD booked via Stable Money.