Festival Calendar: Plan Your Trades Around India’s Biggest Festivals in 2025

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30'Sep 2025 Published

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Festival Calendar 2025
Home » Personal Finance » Festival Finance » Festival Calendar: Plan Your Trades Around India’s Biggest Festivals in 2025

Festivals in India do more than light up the streets. They light up the markets as well. Indian festivals are not only cultural celebrations. They influence your spending habits, the overall market sentiment, and the trading activity. For investors and traders, this makes festivals a strategic lens through which to view the markets. Knowing about the stock market holidays, when consumer demand peaks, and when optimism is highest allows you to prepare your trades in advance!

Have a look at the 2025 festival calendar.

The latest 2025 Hindu calendar festival list combines official NSE and BSE stock market holidays.

NSE and BSE Market Holidays in 2025

The first step is understanding when the stock markets will remain closed. According to the official exchange websites and banking portals, the following are NSE and BSE equity and equity derivative holidays for 2025:

DateDayHoliday / Occasion
26 February 2025WednesdayMahashivratri
14 March 2025FridayHoli
31 March 2025MondayEid‑ul‑Fitr (Ramadan Eid)
10 April 2025ThursdayShri Mahavir Jayanti
14 April 2025MondayDr. B. R. Ambedkar Jayanti
18 April 2025FridayGood Friday
1 May 2025ThursdayMaharashtra Day
15 August 2025FridayIndependence Day
27 August 2025WednesdayGanesh Chaturthi
2 October 2025ThursdayGandhi Jayanti / Dussehra
21 October 2025TuesdayDiwali (Laxmi Pujan)*
22 October 2025WednesdayDiwali / Balipratipada
5 November 2025WednesdayGuru Nanak Jayanti
25 December 2025ThursdayChristmas

*Note: On 21 October, the exchanges will conduct Muhurat trading for Diwali Laxmi Pujan.

Some holidays fall on weekends, when the market is closed anyway. These include Republic Day (26 January), Ram Navami (6 April), Bakri Eid (7 June), and Muharram (6 July).

Currency Derivatives Stock Market Holidays 2025

Sr. NoDateDayHoliday / Occasion
119-Feb-25WednesdayChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti
201-Apr-25TuesdayAnnual Bank Closing
312-May-25MondayBuddha Pournima
408-Sep-25MondayId-E-Milad
530-Mar-25SundayGudi Padwa (Weekend Holiday)

Note: All other holidays not mentioned in this table are common to both Equities and Currency Derivatives.

Stock Market Timings for Currency Derivatives

  • Normal Market: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • DBTCR / Liquid Transactions ≥ Rs 2 lakhs: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Trading occurs Monday to Friday, excluding declared holidays and Saturdays & Sundays.

Commodity Derivatives Stock Market Holidays 2025

Sr. NoDateDayHoliday / Occasion
101-Jan-25WednesdayNew Year
226-Feb-25WednesdayMahashivratri (Morning Closed)
314-Mar-25FridayHoli (Morning Closed)
431-Mar-25MondayId-Ul-Fitr (Ramadan Eid) (Morning Closed)
510-Apr-25ThursdayShri Mahavir Jayanti (Morning Closed)
614-Apr-25MondayDr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti (Morning Closed)

Note: All other holidays not mentioned in this table are common to Equities and Currency Derivatives.

Stock Market Timings for Commodity Derivatives

  • Normal Market: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 / 11:55 p.m. (varies with US daylight savings for internationally referenced non-agri commodities)
  • Trade Modification Cut-off: 11:45 / 11:59 p.m.
  • Trading occurs Monday to Friday, excluding declared holidays and Saturdays & Sundays.
  • Morning and evening session timings may vary depending on the commodity type.

Investor Insights from the 2025 Festival Calendar

  • You should plan your entries and exits around holiday closures since volumes thin out the day before.
  • It is important to watch for “bridge days” where weekends and holidays combine to create longer breaks.
  • You should use Muhurat trading on Diwali as an auspicious opportunity for long-term portfolio positioning.

2025 Festival Calendar – Key Events in 2025

Festivals in India move more than emotions. They move money, demand, and stocks.

Here is the list of 2025 calendar India festivals!

  • January – February
    Maha Kumbh Mela (13 January – 26 February 2025, Prayagraj): This is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, with tourism and services impact.
    Regional harvest festivals (Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Bihu): Rural consumption spikes. 

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (Mumbai, February): Arts and tourism footfall.

  • March – April
    Holi (14 March): Promote FMCG, beverages, and travel segments.
    Eid‑ul‑Fitr (31 March): Apparel, food, and gifting demand.
    Mahavir Jayanti, Ambedkar Jayanti, Good Friday: Public holidays.
    Baisakhi, Vishu, Poila Boishakh (mid-April): Regional New Year spending uplift.
  • May – June
    Bakri Eid (7 June): Food, livestock, and community retail demand.
    Summer fairs and melas: Local tourism and services sectors.
  • July – August
    Raksha Bandhan (9 August): Jewellery, gifting, sweets.
    Independence Day (15 August): Government policy announcements.
    Ganesh Chaturthi (27 August): Retail, cultural spending surge.
  • September – October
    Navratri (22 September – 2 October): Fashion, jewellery, consumer durables.
    Durga Puja and Dussehra (September–October): Eastern India retail boom.
    Diwali (21–22 October): The peak consumption period across sectors.
    Karva Chauth, Sharad Purnima, Chhath Puja: Jewellery and gifting sectors.
  • November – December
    Guru Nanak Jayanti (5 November): Public holiday.
    Christmas (25 December): Retail, travel, and gifting activity.

Calendar 2025: Festivals, NSE/BSE Holidays, and Market Focus

indian calendar 2025 with Holidays and Festivals-

MonthKey FestivalsMarket HolidaysInvestor Focus
Jan–FebKumbh Mela, harvest festivalsMarkets openTourism, services, rural economy
MarchHoli14 MarchFMCG, beverages, pre-holiday trades
AprilEid‑ul‑Fitr, Baisakhi, Good Friday10, 14, 18 AprilConsumer retail, watch holiday gaps
May–JuneBakri Eid, summer fairsFood, livestock, and local consumption
July–AugRaksha Bandhan, Independence Day, Ganesh Chaturthi15, 27 AugustJewellery, consumer durables
Sept–OctNavratri, Durga Puja, Diwali2, 21, 22 OctoberRetail, consumer spending, festive sentiment
Nov–DecGuru Nanak Jayanti, Christmas5 November, 25 DecemberRetail and gifting cycles

How Festivals Shape Markets

  1. Volume and Volatility

The day before holidays often sees unusual trading patterns. You can expect lower liquidity or sudden position squaring.

  1. Sectoral Cycles
  • Consumer goods and FMCG: Spike in demand before Holi, Diwali, and Durga Puja.
  • Jewellery and apparel: Strong during Raksha Bandhan, Karva Chauth, and Diwali.
  • Travel and hospitality: Surges during long weekends and cultural festivals.
  • Media and entertainment: Higher demand during festival breaks.
  1. Sentiment Plays

Festivals carry optimism. New beginnings encourage investment flows, IPO enthusiasm, and consumer buying. You should be cautious of reversals after the festive high fades.

  1. Extended Break Risks

Long weekends increase gap risk. You should reduce leveraged exposure before breaks to avoid unexpected volatility.

  1. Local Micro-Economies

State-specific festivals like Onam or regional melas have outsized effects on local economies. For investors tracking companies with strong regional dependence, this is crucial.

Conclusion

Festivals in India are never just about celebrations. They change the rhythm of life, and the markets feel it too. The day before Diwali, trading slows down. Holi brings a spike in consumer spending. Regional festivals like Onam or Vishu create short bursts of activity in local markets. 

For investors, it’s less about luck and more about paying attention: seeing how people spend, when sentiment is high, and where the market might move. The 2025 festival calendar isn’t just a list of holidays. It’s a guide to exploring the year with awareness, strategy, and a little cultural insight.

Stock Market Holidays 2025 | FAQs

What are the holidays for Nifty in 2025?

NSE and Nifty will observe key holidays like Independence Day, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Guru Nanak Jayanti, and Christmas in 2025.

Is NSE open on 15 August 2025?

NSE was closed on August 15, 2025, for Independence Day.

How to pick good stocks?

First, you must define your investment goals, research the company and its sector, and stay updated on market trends and news.

What is the Nifty 50?

 Nifty 50 is a benchmark index of the top 50 companies on NSE, reflecting India’s equity market performance.

What time is the Diwali stock market open in 2025?

On October 21, 2025, NSE will hold a special Muhurat Trading session. Timings may vary, but they are usually around 1:45–2:45 PM or 6:15–7:15 PM. You can always check with your broker a few days in advance.

How many holidays will the Indian stock market observe in 2025?

The Indian stock market (NSE and BSE) will observe 14 trading holidays in 2025.

Source: NSE

Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks; read all the related documents carefully before investing.

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