| End of Ramadan (may be changed to the nearest day) - Saturday June 16, 2018 Muslim, Sufi : Ends the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. There were 30 days of strict fasting from sunup to sundown in honor of the first revelation to the Prophet Mohammed.
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| Summer holiday (beginning) - Friday June 22, 2018 School holidays :
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| Banks Inventory Day - Tuesday July 2, 2019 Banks only : Annual Closing of the Royal Bank of India (RBI)
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| Summer holiday (end) - Tuesday July 3, 2018 School holidays :
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| Bhanu's anniversary - Saturday July 13, 2019 Secular holiday : Anniversary of Nepali Litterateur Bhanu Acharya
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| Independence Day - Thursday August 15, 2019 Secular holiday : Commemorates the day in 1947 when India achieved freedom from British rule
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| Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Janmashtami) - Monday September 3, 2018 Hinduism : Hindu celebration of the birthday of Sri Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Krishna. Sweets, fruits and milk products are available in abundance.
Sri or Shree: A prefix denoting auspiciousness
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| Awal Muharram (Maal Hijrah) - Friday September 21, 2018 Muslim, Sufi : The first day of the year is observed on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. The first Islamic year beginning in 610 AD during which the emigration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, known as the Hijra [Wikipedia]
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| Banks Inventory Day - Saturday September 29, 2018 Banks only :
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| Durga Puja (Saptami) - Tuesday October 16, 2018 Hinduism : Seventh day of the Dashain festival. Fulpati, which means sacred flowers and leaves , is collected for three days from the jungle. The jamara (a six inch tall yellow grass) and kalash (holy vessel) to be used by the Royal Family are brought from the ancestral palace (the original royal palace used during Prithivi Narayan Shah's reign) in Gurkha in a three-day parade complete with military regiment and priests. Date confirmed in 2018
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| Durga Puja (Astami) - Mahastami - Wednesday October 17, 2018 Hinduism : The main festival in Bengal in tribute to goddess Durga. Bengalis celebrate with new clothes and other gifts which are worn on the evenings when the family goes out to see the pandals (temporary structures set up to venerate Durga). date confirmed in 2018
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| Mid-term holiday (beginning) - Wednesday October 17, 2018 School holidays :
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| Durga Puja Ashtami (Nabami) - Thursday October 18, 2018 Hinduism : On the tenth day of Dashian, Dashami, the eldest of the family will give tika to all others. Parents will do this for their children and married children will visit their parents for this occasion. http://home.kabelfoon.nl/~eijkfj/engels/e-dashian.htm
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| Durga Puja (Dashami) - Friday October 19, 2018 Hinduism : The main festival in Bengal in tribute to goddess Durga. Bengalis celebrate with new clothes and other gifts which are worn on the evenings when the family goes out to see the pandals (temporary structures set up to venerate Durga). date confirmed in 2018
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| Mid-term holiday (end) - Saturday October 27, 2018 School holidays :
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| Buddha's Coming Down from Heaven - Wednesday October 31, 2018 Buddhism (Theravada) : Celebration of his return to earth from heaven. Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, and his mother expired after seven days. At the age of 41, he ascended to heaven to preach to his mother.
Nuns and monks and king Zug Chen Nyingpo were worried because they did not know where hewas. His disciple, the clairvoyant Sharibu, had a vision of the lord to be in heaven. Another disciple of Lord Buddha, Mao gyel ge bu, who was known to possess miraculous powers, ascended to heaven and requested Buddha to return to earth. He agreed to descend.
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| Deepavali/Dipabali - Wednesday November 7, 2018 Hinduism : The Light festival starts with festivities. The week celebrates 1.Dhanteras, 2.Kali Chaudas, 3.Deepavali, 4.Navu-Varsha (new year), 5.Bhai-beej. The Vai cast is mainly concerned. May last several days
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| Bhai Teeka/Panchak Yama - Friday November 9, 2018 Hinduism : Called Bhaubeej in India, this is a Bhai Bij legend in Hindu mythology: after slaying Narkasur, Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra who gave him a warm welcome with sweets and flowers. She also affectionately applied tilak on Krishna's forehead. Since then the custom of celebrating Bhaubeej or Bhai Bij started. Carrying forward the Bhaubeej ceremony in traditional style, sisters' perform arti of their brother and apply a red tika on the brother's forehead. This teeka ceremony, on the occasion of Bhai Bij signifies sister's sincerest prayers for the long and happy life of her brother. In return brothers bless their sisters and treat them with Bhaubeej or cash gifts.
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| Teyongsi Sirijunga Sawan Tongnam - Saturday December 8, 2018 Culture : Https://www.sikkimssdg.gov.in/
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| Sikkhim New Year - Monday December 10, 2018 Secular holiday : Losoong also called Namsoong by the Lepchas is the Sikkimese New Year. It is usually the time when the farmers rejoice and celebrate their harvest. Although the festival is celebrated privately among family members and friends there is an air of festivity all around. The Black Hat dance takes place at this festival commemorating the victory of good over evil, with ‘chaams’ held in many monasteries two days prior to Losoong.
The festival of Lossong is mostly celebrated in the month of December every year with traditional gaiety and colour both by the Lepchas and Bhutias. Certain competitions are also held in traditional skills, such as, archery and bouts of merry making go on for days.
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| Sikkhim New Year - Tuesday December 11, 2018 Secular holiday : Losoong also called Namsoong by the Lepchas is the Sikkimese New Year. It is usually the time when the farmers rejoice and celebrate their harvest. Although the festival is celebrated privately among family members and friends there is an air of festivity all around. The Black Hat dance takes place at this festival commemorating the victory of good over evil, with ‘chaams’ held in many monasteries two days prior to Losoong.
The festival of Lossong is mostly celebrated in the month of December every year with traditional gaiety and colour both by the Lepchas and Bhutias. Certain competitions are also held in traditional skills, such as, archery and bouts of merry making go on for days.
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| Winter holiday (beginning) - Friday December 14, 2018 School holidays :
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| Christmas Day - Tuesday December 25, 2018 Catholic or protestant : Since pre-historic times in Europe, festivities (bonfires, offrerings) were marking the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual. The Roman festival of Saturnalia lasted several days in December (gambling and offerings). Germanic tribes also celebrated mid-winter (drinking and rituals). The Bulgarian (with Koleduvane) and the Polish (with Gwiazdka) perpetuate this tradition. Jesus of Nazareth was probably born in springtime (Reformists favour autumn). But in the 4th century, December 25th was chosen for the celebration of his birth by Pope Julius I (Bishop Liberus is also mentioned in 354 A.D.). Thus, a Christian element was introduced in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Before 1582, the Papal States and other Italian city states celebrated New Year’s Day on Christmas Day.
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