Are banks closed today, 28 August? Check the full list of states where branch visits may be affected by Raksha Bandhan

Banks across several states will remain closed on Friday (28 August) as some parts of the country will celebrate Raksha Bandhan .

Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival that celebrates the bond of love between brothers and sisters. On this joyous occasion, sisters visit their brothers and tie rakhis around their wrists. The sacred thread symbolises love, protection, and affection between siblings. In return, brothers express their love and affection by giving meaningful gifts to their sisters.

The festival holds deep significance, as brothers promise to protect their sisters from all hardships.

Since Raksha Bandhan is listed as a regional holiday under the Reserve Bank of India's ( RBI ) holiday calendar, one can check the status of banking operations in their state.

Both public and private sector banks will remain closed in some states. These include: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh.

Following Raksha Bandhan, banks will remain open for two days in the month of August, including Saturday (29 August) and 31 August (Monday).

Those delaying their tasks related to banks, including paying a visit in September, should check the list of holidays on which the banks will remain closed. In September, the banks will be closed across several states on 4 September for Janmashtami, 11 September for elections in the jurisdiction of Jaipur Municipal Corporation, 12 September for Tirubhav Tithi of Srimanta Sankardeva, 14 and 15 September for Ganesh Chaturthi, 21 September on the occasion of Janmotsav of Srimanta Sankardeva, 22 September for Karma Puja, 23 September for the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji, and 25 September for Indrajatra.

It is worth noting that on these public holidays, banks will not be closed across the country, as they are state-specific holidays and not observed across the nation. Additionally, banks will remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of September, along with all Sundays.

On working days, public dealing operations at banks begin at 10:00 am and continue till 4:00 pm.

While customers are advised to check with their local bank branches for exact holiday applicability, they can still access essential banking services online, as these remain operational nationwide despite physical branch closures.

Even when bank branches are closed, customers can access online banking services across the country, allowing them to complete various financial transactions without interruption.

Separately, you can continue using your Unified Payments Interface (UPI) facilities or log into your respective bank's application to make payments and receive money. These services are available around the clock, despite the physical branch closures.