Are Banks Open Or Closed Today In Tamil Nadu For Observance Of Thiruvalluvar Day?

Public and private sector banks in Tamil Nadu will remain closed on Jan. 15 in observance of Thiruvalluvar Day. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar.

However, banks in all other states are open on Wednesday.

Bank holidays in India vary from state to state depending on regional festivals and other celebrations. This means not all bank holidays may fall on the same day across India. It is important to check the bank holiday calendar in your state to plan bank visits and avoid last-minute rush for important transactions and activities.

You may visit your nearest bank branch to get an idea about the bank holidays in the state.

Here is a look at other bank holidays during the year.

There are a total of eight bank holidays in January across all states. Besides this, banks will remain closed as usual on Sundays, as well as the fourth Saturday in January.

Apart from the Jan. 15 bank holiday, there are two more bank holidays remaining in January, excluding the scheduled weekend closures. These are:

• Uzhavar Thirunal: Jan. 16 (Thursday) — Tamil Nadu. 

• Birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose/Vir Surendrasai Jayanti: Jan. 23 (Thursday) — West Bengal, Tripura and Odisha.

Banks are closed across 10 states in India, including Tamil Nadu, on Jan. 14 on account of Makar Sankranti. The Jan. 15 and Jan. 16 holidays will essentially mean that banks will be closed for three consecutive days in the southern state. 

Bank holidays are classified into three broad categories, as per the RBI bank holiday calendar, which is used to determine the holidays for these institutions. These are holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, Real Time Gross Settlement Holidays, and Banks' Closing of Accounts.

On bank holidays, in-branch services are suspended, but ATM transactions, UPI payments, and internet banking continue as usual.

Thiruvalluvar Day is typically celebrated on Jan. 15 in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal festivities. The day honours the poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, believed to have lived in the 4th century BCE. Thiruvalluvar's significant contributions to Tamil literature are still celebrated today, with his works continuing to inspire people across generations. He is best known for writing the Tirukkural, a classic Tamil text that contains 1,330 couplets. Thiruvalluvar Day was first celebrated on May 17 and 18, 1935.