Eid al-Adha is among the most important Islamic festivals celebrated globally and marks the spirit of sacrifice, devotion and charity. The occasion commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering faith and obedience to God. According to Islamic belief, Ibrahim was instructed in a dream to sacrifice his son Ismail as a test of faith. But before the sacrifice could take place, God replaced Ismail with a ram which symbolised mercy and devotion.
The festival falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Since the Islamic calendar is moon-based, the exact date of Eid celebrations may vary across regions depending on the sighting of the moon.
Bank holiday on May 27
As per the RBI holiday calendar, banks in several regions will remain closed on Wednesday, May 27, for Eid-ul-Adha, Bakri Eid or Id-ul-Zuha observances.
The cities where banks are scheduled to remain shut include Agartala, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Guwahati, Imphal, Jammu, Kanpur, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Lucknow, New Delhi, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla, Srinagar and Thiruvananthapuram.
Bank holiday on May 28
Banks in another set of cities are scheduled to remain closed on Thursday, May 28, for Bakrid celebrations. These are Aizawl, Belapur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna, Shillong, Srinagar and Vijayawada.
Online banking services to remain available
Even during bank holidays, customers are expected to have uninterrupted access to digital banking facilities. Services such as internet banking, mobile banking apps, UPI transactions and ATM withdrawals continue to operate during public holidays.
Why Bakrid is celebrated
Eid al-Adha is observed by Muslims around the world through prayers, gatherings and Qurbani rituals. During Qurbani, animals such as goats, sheep, cows or camels are sacrificed in remembrance of Ibrahim’s devotion.
The meat from the sacrifice is traditionally divided into three equal portions. One part is kept for the family, another is distributed among relatives and friends, while the third portion is given to the poor and needy.
