2017 IS FULL OF LONG WEEKENDS. FOR INDIANS-- YAY!

Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Nov 20, 2016, 03.00 AM IST

By Ranadeep Chakraborty 

The only thing as good as an action-packed New Year is the promise of long, lazy weekends. And in that, 2017 won’t disappoint. With plenty of public holidays falling on and around weekends, the foresighted Bengalurean is likely to have plenty of time away from office.

The first holiday of 2017 falls on a Saturday, January 14, for Sankranti. Then, in the fourth week of January, comes Republic Day, falling tantalisingly on a Thursday. We know what you’re thinking. ‘Oh, just need to take that Friday off and…’

Exactly.

Moving on to February, Maha Shivaratri falls on Friday the 24th.

Holi (March 13) sits colourfully on a Monday.

Ugadi heralds the Kannada New Year on a Tuesday (so if that elderly aunt can please just fall sick on the Monday before…); great things are in store.

“Usually, we get long weekends only during Dasara or Deepawali. But the next year promises to be a great one because of the number of long weekends. We have extended weekends in March too, which is unusual. The Ugadi situation is good news for those of us who like to travel home and be with family during festivals,” said Nischith Gowda, a techie.

In April there’s Good Friday, which is also Ambedkar Jayanti, and May Day (Labour Day) is a Monday.

August is a treat with two long weekends; taking a leave on August 14 (Monday) would result in straight holidays from August 12-15. Similarly, Ganesh Chaturthi falls on August 25, a Friday.

Put your slyest foot forward for Dasara, which promises this wonderful offer: take three days’ leave, get 10 days off. The holiday falls on September 29 (Ayudha Puja) followed by Vijaya Dasami (September 30). Again, October 2 is a public holiday (Gandhi Jayanti).

If you can somehow wriggle out of work on October 3, 4 and 6, October 5 (Thursday) is Valmiki Jayanti – skip a Friday – and the weekend is here! So a little bit of planning (and evading) can land you a straight holiday from September 29 to October 8.

But if you somehow missed that window, despair not. October’s Deepawali will put that cracker of a smile back on your face. From Wednesday to Friday (official offs), followed by the weekend — you’ll have 5 days to chill.

Spoilt rotten already, Rajyotsava Day disappointingly falls on a Wednesday. But Christmas brings cheer again, falling festively on a Monday. “After this year’s Sunday Christmas, to have a Christmas next year on a Monday means a guaranteed long weekend from 23rd to 25th,” cheered Suresh Joseph, a student.

May be it’s not too early to say 2017 is going to be a great year. Aye?