Banks in many states will be closed on Mahashivratri which will be celebrated across the country on March 8 (Friday). The holiday depends on state governments and Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s list. As per the central bank holiday list banks across states will closed for 14 days in March and many states will have three days of consecutive bank holidays twice. This means there will be two long holiday weekends. These holidays will include all Sundays, second and fourth Saturdays, public holidays, and a few regional holidays in specific states. Banks are closed in these states on Friday: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jammu- Srinagar, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh. Regular bank closures are scheduled for the second Saturday (March 9), the fourth Saturday (March 23), and all Sundays throughout March.
Despite these closures, online banking services will remain operational nationwide. Although regular bank branches will be closed on these specified dates, online banking services and ATMs will continue to function seamlessly. The Hindu festival Mahashivratri, devoted to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, will be observed nationwide in India on Friday, March 8. This festival, also known as Shivratri or Mahashivratri, is celebrated with great splendour in Hindu temples, with devotees offering prayers to Lord Shiva, the destroyer and most compassionate deity in the universe. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were married on the night of Mahashivratri. This divine union is celebrated as The Night of Lord Shiva, and devotees observe this day with fasting, prayers, and rituals to seek the blessings of the divine couple.