Are you a Delhite wondering why all the liquor shops are shut down on the 15th of August? Or are you wandering on the streets of Mumbai on 26th January in search of classy drinks to quench your thirst but can’t find any store open? Here is the reason why you just can’t hang out with your pals in Delhi and Mumbai on National holidays without a prior stock of liquor. In India, including Delhi and Mumbai with the first month of every year comes with a list of dry days for the year.
Dry days generally refer to those specific days of the year where the sale of liquor is prohibited by the government in a particular state though its consumption is permitted. They generally take place during major national holidays that is during the times of nationwide celebrations. Festivals and occasions such as Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti and other folk celebrations like Holi are some of them and are also imposed before or during elections since these are also considered ‘festivals of democracy. Though the list of numbers and dates of dry days varies in different states, states like Gujarat, Mizoram, Bihar and Nagaland have been declared dry state where the sale of liquor is completely prohibited throughout the year.
No liquor that too on festive holiday!? Yeah, that’s a matter of sigh, I understand! More like Jag soona soona lage feeling. :/ But even though dry days are the only days nobody is looking forward to, we know important it is to note down these essential dates and be prepared for them in advance.Hereby, is a list of all the dry days in Delhi and Mumbai throughout the year to help them prepare in advance and stock the bare necessities of your life!
Delhi Dry Day List of 2021:
JANUARY, 2021: Delhi will see 3 Dry Days in Delhi
- 14 January, Thursday: Makar Sankranti
- 26 January, Tuesday: Republic Day
- 30 January, Saturday: Martyrs’ Day
FEBRUARY, 2021: Delhi will see 1 specific Delhi Dry Day and 1 nationwide Dry Day
- 19 February, Friday: Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahavir Jayanti
- 27 February, Saturday: Guru Ravidas Jayanti
MARCH, 2021: Delhi will see 3 dry days
- 8 March, Monday: Swami Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti
- 11 March, Thursday: Maha Shivratri
- 29 March, Monday: Holi
APRIL, 2021: Delhi will see 4 Dry Days
- 2 April, Friday: Good Friday
- 14 April, Wednesday: Ambedkar Jayanti
- 21 April, Wednesday: Ram Navami
- 25 April, Sunday: Mahavir Jayanti
MAY, 2021: Delhi will have 2 back to back Dry days in Delhi
- 12 May, Wednesday: Eid ul-Fitr (begins)
- 13 May, Thursday: Eid ul-Fitr (ends)
NOTE: June 2021 will see no dry days in Delhi
JULY, 2021: Delhi will see Dry Day on:
- 24 July, Saturday: Guru Purnima
AUGUST, 2021: Delhi will see 3 Dry Days
- 10 August, Tuesday: Muharram
- 15 August, Sunday: Independence Day
- 30 August, Monday: Janmashtami
SEPTEMBER, 2021 will see 1 Dry Day in Delhi
- 10 September, Friday: Ganesh Chaturthi
OCTOBER, 2021 will see 4 Dry Days in Delhi
- 2 October, Saturday: Gandhi Jayanti
- 15 October, Friday: Dussehra
- 18 October, Monday: Eid-e-Milad
- 20 October, Wednesday: Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti
NOVEMBER, 2021 will see 4 Dry Days in Delhi
- 4 November, Thursday: Diwali
- 14 November, Sunday: Kartiki Ekadashi
- 19 November, Friday: Guru Nanak Jayanti
- 24 November, Wednesday: Guru Tegh Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day (Delhi, Punjab)
DECEMBER, 2021 will see only 1 Dry Day in Delhi
- 25 December, Saturday: Christmas
Mumbai Dry Day list of 2021
January 2021 will see 3 dry days in Mumbai
- 14 January: Makar Sankranti
- 26 January: Republic Day
- 30 January: Mahatma Gandhi Death Anniversary, aka Shaheed Diwas
February 2021 will see 2 dry days in Mumbai
- 19 February: Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahavir Jayanti
- 27 February: Guru Nanak Jayanti
March 2021 will see 3 dry days in Mumbai
- 8 March: Swami Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti
- 11 March: Maha Shivratri
- 29 March: Holi
April 2021 will see 4 dry days in Mumbai
- 2 April: Good Friday
- 14 April: Ambedkar Jayanti
- 21 April: Ram Navami
- 25 April: Mahavir Jayanti
May 2021 will see 3 dry days in Mumbai 2 of which are back to back
- 1 May: Maharashtra Day (Maharashtra)
- 12 May: Eid Ul Fitr (begins)
- 13 May: Eid Ul Fitr (ends)
NOTE: June 2021 will see no dry days in Mumbai
July 2021 will see 2 dry days in Mumbai
- 20 July: Ashadi Ekadashi (Maharashtra)
- 24 July: Guru Purnima (Delhi, Maharashtra)
August 2021 will see 3 dry days in Mumbai
- 10 August: Muharram
- 15 August: Independence Day
- 30 August: Janmashtami
September 2021 will see 2 dry days in Mumbai
- 10 September: Ganesh Chaturthi
- 19 September: Anant Chaturdashi (Maharashtra)
October 2021 will see 5 dry days in Mumbai
- 2 October: Gandhi Jayanti
- 8 October: Prohibition Week (Maharashtra)
- 15 October: Dussehra
- 18 October: Eid-e-Milad
- 20 October: Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti
November 2021 will see 4 dry days in Mumbai
- 4 November: Diwali
- 14 November: Kartik Ekadashi
- 19 November: Guru Nanak Jayanti
- 24 November: Guru Tegh Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day (Delhi, Punjab)
December 2021 will see 1 dry day in Mumbai
- 25 December: Christmas
Liquor Liquor everywhere, not a single drop to drink! Unfortunately, this does become a reality for all Mumbai and Delhi people if they are not well prepared for doomsday, oops I mean dry days in their cities. Their association with the holidays can never be broken, but to all my drunk buddies, just remember:
“Try try but don’t cry,
Plan your stuff and then get high,
But do remember with a sigh,
Certain dates are just too dry,
Whether it Delhi or Mumbai
read the list before you die!”
Image Source: Google