Republic Day
26 January — the day the Constitution of India came into force in 1950.
Where it is kept All India; the principal ceremony is at Kartavya Path, New Delhi.
When it falls
A fixed Gregorian date. It does not move.
Overview
The Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950, replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the country's governing document and making India a republic within the Commonwealth.
The date was chosen deliberately. On 26 January 1930 the Indian National Congress, meeting at Lahore, had declared Purna Swaraj — complete independence — and the day had been observed as Independence Day through the 1930s and 1940s. Bringing the Constitution into force on that anniversary connected the two.
Where it comes from
The Constituent Assembly first met on 9 December 1946 and sat for two years, eleven months and eighteen days. The Drafting Committee was chaired by B. R. Ambedkar. The document that resulted is the longest written constitution of any sovereign country.
The parade at Delhi has been held since 1950, moving to its present route in 1955. The Beating Retreat ceremony on 29 January closes the four days of observance.
Why it matters
It marks the point at which India's authority derived from its own Constitution rather than from an Act of the British Parliament — the specific constitutional fact the day commemorates.
The Preamble is read out in schools and offices, and the reading is the substance of the civic observance.
How to celebrate
- Fly the flag correctly — saffron at the top, and in a position of honourFlag Code of India 2002, as amended; the rules are specific and legally enforceable.
- Read the PreambleIt is the day's customary civic act and takes a minute.
- Take the flag down properly at the end of the day if it is not illuminatedSince the 2022 amendment a flag in the open may be flown day and night, but a damaged or soiled flag must be destroyed in private, by burning or otherwise, in a dignified manner.
What to avoid
These are not all the same kind of thing. Some are prohibitions from a named text, some are Indian law, some are practical, and some are a confusion worth not repeating. Each item says which it is.
- Do not use paper or plastic flags that will be dropped on the groundDiscarded flags after 26 January are the most common breach of the National Honour Act; paper flags are not to be thrown away after the event.
- Do not print the flag on clothing, napkins, cushions or disposable itemsProhibited under the Flag Code and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971.
- Do not fly a torn or soiled flag, or let it touch the ground or waterBoth are offences under the 1971 Act.
- Do not fly the flag upside down or use it as drapery or a coveringSpecified prohibitions in the Flag Code.
Where this comes from
Everything above is either computed by this site’s own panchang engine, or drawn from the works listed here. Where a custom is modern, commercial or contested, the page says so rather than presenting it as ancient.
- Constitution of India, in force 26 January 1950; adopted by the Constituent Assembly 26 November 1949.
- Lahore session of the Indian National Congress, Purna Swaraj declaration, 26 January 1930.
- Flag Code of India 2002, as amended in 2021 and 2022.
- Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971.
Dates are computed for the place named above and will differ elsewhere. Regional traditions vary; where two reckonings are in use, both are named rather than one being chosen silently.
Other festivals
All festivals, with dates for any year · The calendar on the home page