THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has released the list of holidays and restricted holidays for government offices in 2018. The employees will get holiday on January 2 for Mannam Jayanthi and January 26 for Republic Day. They will get a holiday on February 13 for Sivarathri, March 29 for Maundi Thursday and March 30 for Good Friday. In May and June, the employees will have one holiday each. May 1 (May Day) and June 15 (Id-ul-fitr) are declared holidays. The month of August has six holidays -- August 15 (Independence Day), August 22 (Bakrid), August 24 (first onam), August 25 (Thiruvonam), August 27 ( Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi) and August 28 (Ayankali Jayanthi).
Muharram that falls on September 20 has been declared a holiday. The government has also given September 21 (Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi Day). On October 2 (Gandhi Jayanthi), October 18 (Mahanavami) and October 19 (Vijayadashami) have also been declared holidays.The employees will get two holidays in November - Deepavali (November 6) and Milad-i-Sherif (November 20), and one in December - December 25 (Christmas).
Easter (April 1), birthday of Ambedkar (April 14), Vishu (April 15), Karkkidaka Vavu (August 11), Third Onam ( August 26), Sreekrishna Jayanthi (September 2) fall on second Saturdays and Sundays and have been exempted from the holiday list. The banks, which work on these days will observe a holiday for the same days. Ayya Vaikunda Swami Jayanthi (March 12) and Viswakarma Day (September 17) fall under restricted holiday category. As Avani Avittom falls on August 26, it has been exempted from the list of holidays.