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Now that the new year has arrived, most festivals are still a few months away, and party season is wrapped up. Everyone is back to their usual schedule, enjoying regular meals, refreshments, and simple dishes that aren't of special note. However, many people genuinely need an escape after weeks of festivities, parties, and feasting. In light of this, dry days are chosen specifically for this purpose. India does, in fact, have numerous dry days throughout the year.
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In simple connotation, a dry day means the prohibition of alcohol sales. Apart from Republic Day, in India, a few days are earmarked for the alcohol trade ban in a year. While there is a growing movement of social sobriety across the globe, does banning boozy drinks for a few days help? But why are they called so, and what was the ideology behind it? If you have pondered such questions, here are some insights to consider.
The Meaning Of A Dry Day
Dry days are days when the government forbids the sale of alcohol in stores, bars, clubs, and other establishments to herald an event or special day of significance or hold elections. Alcohol sales are prohibited on these days. The tradition of Dry Day is supposed to have begun on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. It was done to honour and raise awareness of Gandhi's stance on alcohol. The Mahatma had regularly expressed his objection to the sale of alcoholic beverages and illegal narcotics. The legendary leader disapproved of alcoholism.
A conviction to the prohibition under the guiding principles of state policy is one of the key justifications. Gandhi was a fervent supporter of the complete alcohol ban. Prohibition thus became part of the Indian National Congress's mission, gaining its place through the Constitution among the directive principles (Articles 36 to 51). Article 47 of the Indian Constitution reads: "The state shall regard increasing the level of nutrition and standard of living of its people as among its primary duties. The state shall strive to bring about the prohibition of the use except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health."
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On several state-specific holidays, the sale of alcohol is prohibited. The majority of Indian states mark these days as significant national holidays, public holidays or events, including Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, Republic Day on January 26 and Independence Day on August 15, respectively. In India, dry days are often observed during election times. There are also a few festivals at which liquor sale is banned. Here is a full list of Dry Days in India for 2026:
January
Makar Sakranti, 14 January
Republic Day, 26 January
Martyr’s Day, 30 January
February
Maha Shivratri, 15 February
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, Maharashtra, 19 February
March
Holi, 4 March
Eid-ul-Fitr, 20 March - 21 March
Ram Navami, 26 March
Mahavir Jayanti, 31 March
April
Good Friday, 3 April
Dr B. R. Ambedkar Jayanti, 14 April
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May
Labour Day/Maharashtra Day/ Buddha Purnima, 1 May
Eid-ul-Adha, 26 May - 27 May
June
Muharram, 26 June
July
Ashadi Ekadashi, 25 July
August
Independence Day, 15 August
Janmashtami / Eid-e-Milad, 26 August
September
Ganesh Chaturthi, 14 September
Anant Chaturdashi, 25 September
October
Gandhi Jayanti, 2 October
Dushhera/Vijaya Dashami, 20 October
Valmiki Jayanti, 31 October
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November
Diwali/Lakshmi Puja, 8 November
Guru Nanak Jayanti, 24 November
December
Mahaparinirvan Diwas, 6 December
How Dry Is A Dry Day?
The consumption of alcoholic beverages by Indians predates British colonisation. Taxes and other restrictive laws have repeatedly been employed to stifle it. However, the WHO reports that the market for alcoholic drinks is expanding the fastest in India. To avoid complications with public health and safety brought on by drinking, the union and state governments severely regulate alcoholic beverages. Dry days are merely one of many strategies for reducing consumption. The consumption of boozy beverages on these days often goes uninterrupted, and perhaps it can be a yardstick to determine whether it accomplishes the desired task.
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Some states have an all-year-round Dry Day policy, which forbids the sale, acquisition, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. These include the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland, and Mizoram, where prohibition laws are upheld for social, cultural, or public health reasons. Unlike other states that declare dry days only on specific national holidays, religious occasions, or election days, these regions follow a blanket ban regardless of the date or occasion. While enforcement levels and legal exceptions may vary, residents and visitors in these states should be aware that alcohol is legally restricted every day of the year.
