Government Holiday List 2026: Darjeeling (West Bengal) and Sikkim
Government offices, banks, and schools across Darjeeling and Sikkim follow two separate official holiday calendars — one issued by the West Bengal government (which covers Darjeeling district) and one by the Sikkim government. Here's the full 2026 list for both, so you can plan ahead whether you're dealing with a government office in the hills or across the border in Sikkim.
West Bengal government holidays 2026 (covers Darjeeling)
These are the full public holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, as notified by the West Bengal Finance Department.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 Jan (Thu) | New Year's Day |
| 12 Jan (Mon) | Swami Vivekananda's Birthday |
| 23 Jan (Fri) | Netaji's Birthday / Saraswati Puja |
| 26 Jan (Mon) | Republic Day |
| 3 Mar (Tue) | Doljatra |
| 21 Mar (Sat) | Eid-Ul-Fitr |
| 26 Mar (Thu) | Ram Navami |
| 31 Mar (Tue) | Mahavir Jayanti |
| 3 Apr (Fri) | Good Friday |
| 14 Apr (Tue) | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's Birthday |
| 15 Apr (Wed) | Bengali New Year |
| 1 May (Fri) | May Day / Buddha Purnima |
| 9 May (Sat) | Tagore's Birthday |
| 27 May (Wed) | Bakrid |
| 26 Jun (Fri) | Muharram |
| 15 Aug (Sat) | Independence Day |
| 4 Sep (Fri) | Janmashtami |
| 2 Oct (Fri) | Gandhi Jayanti |
| 10 Oct (Sat) | Mahalaya |
| 19–21 Oct (Mon–Wed) | Durga Puja (Astami, Nabami, Dasami — includes Dussehra/Vijayadashami) |
| 8 Nov (Sun) | Kali Puja (Diwali) |
| 11 Nov (Wed) | Bhratridwitiya |
| 24 Nov (Tue) | Guru Nanak's Birthday |
| 25 Dec (Fri) | Christmas |
West Bengal also declares a separate, longer list of state government holidays (non-public, but still office closures) covering additional Durga Puja days, Holi, and other observances — offices dealing with the state government should check both lists, not just the public-holiday one above. Kali Puja (8 Nov) technically falls on this second list rather than the main public-holiday table, but functions as a full bank and government holiday in practice, so it's included above for clarity.
Sikkim government holidays 2026
Sikkim's calendar leans more heavily on Buddhist and Nepali cultural festivals specific to the state, alongside the national holidays shared with West Bengal.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 Jan (Thu) | New Year's Day |
| 14 Jan (Wed) | Maghe Sankranti |
| 19 Jan (Mon) | Sonam Lhosar |
| 26 Jan (Mon) | Republic Day |
| 18 Feb (Wed) | Losar (Tibetan New Year) |
| 3 Mar (Tue) | Bhumchu Festival |
| 4 Mar (Wed) | Holi |
| 21 Mar (Sat) | Id-ul-Fitr |
| 27 Mar (Fri) | Ram Navami (Chaite Dasain) |
| 3 Apr (Fri) | Good Friday |
| 14 Apr (Tue) | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti |
| 16 May (Sat) | Sikkim State Day |
| 31 May (Sun) | Saga Dawa |
| 13 Jul (Mon) | Bhanu Jayanti |
| 8 Aug (Sat) | Tendong Lho Rum Faat |
| 15 Aug (Sat) | Independence Day |
| 4 Sep (Fri) | Janmashtami |
| 2 Oct (Fri) | Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday |
| 19–21 Oct (Mon–Wed) | Durga Puja |
| 1 Nov (Sun) | Lhabab Duchen |
| 9 Nov (Mon) | Diwali (Laxmi Puja) |
| 9 Dec (Wed) | Losoong / Namsoong |
| 25 Dec (Fri) | Christmas |
Worth knowing if you're in the Darjeeling hills
The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration generally follows the West Bengal state calendar above for its gazetted holidays, but local offices in the hills sometimes observe additional closures for Gorkha and Buddhist community festivals — Losar, Maghe Sankranti, and similar dates that appear on Sikkim's list but not West Bengal's — through separate local notifications rather than the state gazette. If a specific office closure matters for your work, it's worth confirming directly with that office rather than relying on either list alone.
Genre: closest fit is Culture, given the holiday list is largely built around cultural and religious festivals | District: Darjeeling / Sikkim
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Sources:
- Holiday List for West Bengal Government Employees, 2026 — WBXPress (based on the West Bengal Finance Department's official notification)
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