It’s Friday, January 23, 2026, and if you’re in the eastern part of the country, your local bank branch is likely locked up tight. Today is a triple-threat of celebrations: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Birthday, Saraswati Puja, and Basant Panchami.
The thing is, this isn’t a national bank holiday—but for specific states, it’s the start of a massive four-day break. Or nothing.
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The “Long Weekend” Lockdown: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where if you didn’t finish your paperwork yesterday, you’re stuck until next Tuesday. Here’s the ground reality of the closures:
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The Holiday Hubs: Banks are officially closed today in West Bengal, Odisha, and Tripura. In Odisha, they’re also marking Vir Surendrasai Jayanti. The thing is, while most of India is working today, these three states are in full festive mode. Those too.
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The 4-Day Gap: And here’s the kicker—because today is a Friday, and tomorrow is the fourth Saturday (Jan 24), followed by Sunday (Jan 25) and Republic Day (Jan 26), banks in these states won’t open their doors again until January 27. Let’s be real—that’s a long time for a cheque to clear.
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Digital is Still Up: The thing is, your UPI, IMPS, and ATMs are still running. But if you need a Demand Draft or a locker visit? Forget about it. Or nothing.
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The Rest of India: For everyone else—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru—it’s business as usual today. But keep your eyes on Monday; the Republic Day closure is the one that hits everyone.
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Bank Closure Matrix (Jan 23-26, 2026)
| Date | Day | Occasion | Regions Impacted |
| Jan 23 | Friday | Netaji Birthday / Saraswati Puja | WB, Odisha, Tripura |
| Jan 24 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday | Nationwide |
| Jan 25 | Sunday | Weekly Off | Nationwide |
| Jan 26 | Monday | Republic Day | Nationwide |
And Here’s the Kicker…
The thing is, the RBI has already confirmed 16 holidays for January 2026. If you think this weekend is bad, remember that earlier this month, some states had nearly a week off between Swami Vivekananda’s birthday and Makar Sankranti. Let’s be real—January is basically the month of “rescheduled” errands. Those too.
One side comment—if you’re in Kolkata, the streets are going to be packed with Saraswati Puja pandals today. It’s an ongoing situation where the rain we saw earlier might dampen the idols, but definitely not the holiday spirit. Or nothing.
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End…
