Bank Holiday Notice: Altered Hours in Several States as Ram Mandir ‘Pran Pratishtha’ Takes Place in Ayodhya

In light of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, public sector banks (PSBs) and regional rural banks will observe a half-day off today, January 22, according to a directive from the Ministry of Finance issued on January 18.

The finance ministry’s notification reads, “This is… to inform that DoPT’s order in respect of Central Institutions and Central Industrial Establishments shall also apply to all Public Sector Banks/Public Sector Insurance Companies/Public Sector Financial Institutions and Regional Rural Banks to enable employees to participate in the Ram Lalla ‘Pran Pratishtha’ celebrations.”

Bank Holiday on January 22 Bank branches in Imphal, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Panaji will remain closed today, January 22, due to the consecration ceremony of Lord Shri Ram in the temple built in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi complex/Imoinu Iratpa, as per the RBI holiday calendar. These are holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Private banks’ branches in Uttar Pradesh will also be closed on January 22, 2024 (Monday).

Major private sector lenders, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, will remain closed today in Uttar Pradesh. HDFC Bank will observe a full-day closure in UP and Uttarakhand, while Axis Bank will remain closed for the entire day in Uttar Pradesh.

Bank Holidays January 2024 Banks in India traditionally remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Additionally, banks are closed on national holidays, public holidays, and regional holidays (which vary from state to state).

Next Week’s Bank Holidays 2024 Next week, banks will remain closed for more than three days due to Republic Day (January 26), Fourth Saturday (Jan 27), and January 28 (Sunday).

Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya The Pran Pratishtha process began on January 16. Rituals like ‘Prayaschit’ and Karmakuti puja were performed on January 16, and the idol entered the premises on January 17.

On January 18, Ram Lalla’s idol was installed in the sanctum sectorum of the grand new temple. Various ceremonies like Aushadhivas, Kesaradhivas, Ghritadhivas were organized on subsequent days leading up to the main event on January 22, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals marking the ‘Pran Pratishtha’. Special guests from various fields have been invited to the ceremony, including the cricket world, film industry, saint society, politics, art, literature, and culture.