Karwa Chauth 2026: Are banks open today? Check if SBI, HDFC, ICICI Bank and others are closed in your city on October 29
Banks around India will remain open today, with only one exception. Only one city has an official bank holiday for Karwa Chauth 2026.
Banks in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, are closed today, Thursday, October 29. The Reserve Bank of India’s October 2026 calendar lists this as a local holiday. The closure covers both public- and private-sector banks in the region.
Banks closed in Shimla include the State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. Axis Bank, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank and Bank of Baroda are also closed. Customers cannot use branch services at these banks during the holiday. However, online banking and mobile banking apps remain available for transactions.
Karwa Chauth is a traditional Hindu festival celebrated mainly in northern and western India. Married women fast from sunrise until moonrise on this occasion. They pray for their husbands’ safety, long life and prosperity. This year, the festival falls on Thursday, October 29.
Bank holidays in India include national holidays, local festivals and regular weekly closures. Local holidays depend on the region and the RBI calendar.
All scheduled and non-scheduled banks are closed on the second and fourth Saturdays. Banks also remain closed every Sunday. Digital banking services continue during these holidays while branch services remain shut.
Customers in Shimla who need banking services today can use their bank’s website or mobile app. UPI allows people to send and receive money round the clock. Bank apps and payment platforms support these transactions.
However, technical problems or scheduled maintenance may affect services. Banks notify their customers about scheduled maintenance affecting transactions.
Credit cards, debit cards and ATMs offer other options for payments and transactions. Customers can also set standing instructions for regular bills and recharges.
These instructions help manage recurring or scheduled expenses. Online banking remains available across the country during official holidays and weekends.
Another local bank holiday follows on Saturday, October 31, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Banks there will close for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birthday. Banks across India will then remain closed on Sunday, November 1. Customers planning to visit a branch should keep these upcoming closures in mind.
November’s bank holiday calendar includes regional holidays and regular weekend closures. Regional holiday dates include November 9, 10, 11, 13 and 16. Other regional holidays fall on November 20, 23, 24 and 27. Second and fourth Saturday closures fall on November 14 and 28.
The RBI releases its annual bank holiday list in January. Customers should contact their nearest branch to confirm local holidays before visiting.
Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.
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