This time a big change has been seen in Madhya Pradesh regarding Mahavir Jayanti. The holiday which was earlier scheduled for March 31 has now been changed to March 30. This decision has not been taken suddenly, but following religious traditions and continuously arising demands. This decision of the state government has also affected people’s plans, office schedules and school-college holidays.

In the order issued on Sunday, March 29, 2026, it was made clear that Mahavir Jayanti will now be considered as the government holiday of March 30 only. In such a situation, for those who were expecting a holiday on March 31, this change is definitely a bit shocking.

Why was the Mahavir Jayanti holiday changed?

The main reason behind this decision of Madhya Pradesh government is religious traditions. According to Jain society, this year the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir Swami will be celebrated on 30th March. In the government calendar released earlier, the holiday was declared on March 31, which was different from the actual date.

To correct this mistake, Prithvipur MLA Nitendra Brijendra Singh Rathore had written a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav demanding to change the date of holiday. He had clearly said that according to religious traditions, holiday should be declared only on the right date.

The government took the decision after the demands of the organizations

Not only the MLAs, but BJP, Congress and many social organizations also raised this issue. Everyone urged the government to declare Mahavir Jayanti holiday on the right day i.e. 30th March.

After considering all these demands, the Madhya Pradesh government took a decision and declared March 30 as a government holiday instead of March 31. The government has also issued an official order regarding this decision.

What special thing was said in the government order

Another important thing has been said in the order issued by the government. If Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated on March 31 in any district, there will be no need to issue a separate order there.

This means that flexibility has been maintained according to local needs. That is, on the day on which the festival will be celebrated as per tradition, arrangements can be made accordingly.

What is the significance of Mahavir Jayanti?

Mahavir Jayanti is a major festival of Jainism, which is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Mahavir. On this day, special pujas, processions and religious programs are organized in Jain society. This festival gives the message of non-violence, truth and restraint. It is celebrated with devotion and enthusiasm throughout the country, especially in states like Madhya Pradesh where there is a sizeable number of Jain community.