Branch operations paused in several cities, online services remain unaffected
March 31, 2026: Banks in several parts of India remained closed on Tuesday on account of Mahavir Jayanti. The holiday, observed as part of the Reserve Bank of India calendar, affected major cities including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Kolkata. However, bank holidays vary by region, so branches in some areas continued normal operations.
As per RBI guidelines, banks remain shut on gazetted public holidays, along with the second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays. March witnessed a total of 18 bank holidays, with Mahavir Jayanti marking the final closure of the month. On this occasion, services were unavailable in cities such as Chennai, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Nagpur, Patna, Raipur, and Ranchi, among others.
Mahavir Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, and is celebrated with prayers, temple visits, and processions. While physical branches remained shut, digital banking services such as ATMs, UPI, NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS continued to function normally. The next bank holiday is scheduled for April 1, when banks will remain closed in several cities for annual financial year-end closing activities.