Muktad (Fravardeghan Days)
Zoroastrians following the Shenshai calendar observe Muktad during the last 10 days of the religious year. During this time, they believe, the fravashis (spirits) of the righteous departed return to […]
Zoroastrians following the Shenshai calendar observe Muktad during the last 10 days of the religious year. During this time, they believe, the fravashis (spirits) of the righteous departed return to […]
Janmashtami, Hindu festival celebrating the birth (janma) of the god Krishna on the eighth (ashtami) day of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September). The number eight has another significance in the […]
First Parkash (opening ceremony) of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the main Sikh scripture, is observed on September 1. The Granth, or Adi Granth, is a collection of prayers and hymns. […]
Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chaturthi, in Hinduism, 10-day festival marking the birth of the elephant-headed deity Ganesha, the god of prosperity and wisdom. It begins on the fourth day (chaturthi) of the month of […]
Eid Milad-un-Nabi is an annual celebration to commemorate the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad and is observed in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar, […]
Mehregan is the Persian Festival of Autumn, honoring Mehr, the goddess of light, friendship, love and kindness. A reminder of Zoroastrianism’s “good words, good deeds and good thoughts,” the festival […]
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is one of Judaism’s holiest days. Meaning “head of the year” or “first of the year,” the festival begins on the first day of Tishrei, […]
Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement—is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. Falling in the month of Tishrei (September or October in the Gregorian calendar), it marks the […]
Dussehra, in Hinduism, holiday marking the triumph of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, over the 10-headed demon king Ravana, who abducted Rama’s wife, Sita. The festival’s name is derived from the Sanskrit words dasha (“ten”) and hara (“defeat”). Symbolizing the victory of good over evil, […]
Ayathrem is associated with vegetation, believed to be the first sign of life after creation. This festival marks the return of cattle from grazing in faraway lands. Zoroastrians celebrate it on the 206th to 210th days, usually October 12 to 16. Zoroastrians observe six seasonal festivals that celebrate the sanctity of God’s universal creations. Each Gahambar […]