Zoroastrian festivals
Encyclopedia
Zoroastrianism
has numerous festivals and holy days, all of which are bound to the Zoroastrian calendar
. The Shahenshahi and Kadmi variants of the calendar do not intercalcate leap years and hence the day of the Gregorian calendar year on which these days are celebrated shifts ahead with time. The third variant of the Zoroastrian calendar, known as either Fasli (in India) or Bastani (in Iran), intercalcates according to Gregorian calendar rules and thus remains synchronous with the seasons. For details on the differences, see Zoroastrian calendar
.
, otherwise known as the Amesha Spenta
s. The six festivals are:
Each of these festivals is celebrated over five days.
or Jashan (meaning "worship", "oblation") service is then held in their honor on those day/month intersections.
Six of these Jashan days are dedicated to the six Ameshaspands (Amesha Spenta
s). These six days are respectively:
In parentheses are the Fasli/Bastani calendar dates.
Five name-day feasts are dedicated to other yazata
s with a name/month dedication:
The remaining name/month dedication is to Dae "Creator", whose jashan is celebrated on each of the four days (1st, 8th, 15th, 23rd day of the month) that are dedicated to the Creator Ahura Mazda
. Each of those four days is called Jashan of Dadvah ("Creator").
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
has numerous festivals and holy days, all of which are bound to the Zoroastrian calendar
Zoroastrian calendar
This article treats of the reckoning of days, months and years in the calendar used by adherents of the Zoroastrian faith. Zoroastrian religious festivals are discussed elsewhere, but have a fixed relationship to Nawruz, the New Year festival, whose timing is discussed below...
. The Shahenshahi and Kadmi variants of the calendar do not intercalcate leap years and hence the day of the Gregorian calendar year on which these days are celebrated shifts ahead with time. The third variant of the Zoroastrian calendar, known as either Fasli (in India) or Bastani (in Iran), intercalcates according to Gregorian calendar rules and thus remains synchronous with the seasons. For details on the differences, see Zoroastrian calendar
Zoroastrian calendar
This article treats of the reckoning of days, months and years in the calendar used by adherents of the Zoroastrian faith. Zoroastrian religious festivals are discussed elsewhere, but have a fixed relationship to Nawruz, the New Year festival, whose timing is discussed below...
.
Gahambars
The seasonal festivals, called gahambars (meaning "proper season"), occur six times a year. Due to the peculiarities of the Shahenshahi and Kadmi variants of the Zoroastrian calendar, in those variants the seasonal festivals are actually celebrated many months in advance and are therefore said to reflect the six "primordial creations" of Ahura MazdaAhura Mazda
Ahura Mazdā is the Avestan name for a divinity of the Old Iranian religion who was proclaimed the uncreated God by Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism...
, otherwise known as the Amesha Spenta
Amesha Spenta
' is an Avestan language term for a class of divine entities in Zoroastrianism, and literally means "Bounteous Immortal" The noun is amesha "immortal", and spenta "furthering, strengthening, bounteous, holy" is an adjective of it...
s. The six festivals are:
- Maidyozarem Gahambar ('mid-spring' feast)
- Maidyoshahem Gahambar ('mid-summer' feast)
- Paitishahem Gahambar (feast of 'bringing in the harvest')
- Ayathrem Gahambar ('bringing home the herds')
- Maidyarem Gahambar ('mid-year'/winter feast)
- Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar (feast of 'all souls', literally 'coming of the whole group')
Each of these festivals is celebrated over five days.
Name-day feasts
Eleven divinities of the Zoroastrian pantheon have both a day-of-the-month and a month-of-the-year dedicated to them. A special YasnaYasna
Yasna is the name of the primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta as well as the name of the principal Zoroastrian act of worship at which those verses are recited. The Yasna, or Izeshne, is primarily the name of the ceremony in which the entire book is recited and appropriate...
or Jashan (meaning "worship", "oblation") service is then held in their honor on those day/month intersections.
Six of these Jashan days are dedicated to the six Ameshaspands (Amesha Spenta
Amesha Spenta
' is an Avestan language term for a class of divine entities in Zoroastrianism, and literally means "Bounteous Immortal" The noun is amesha "immortal", and spenta "furthering, strengthening, bounteous, holy" is an adjective of it...
s). These six days are respectively:
- Jashan of Ardavisht, celebrating fireAtarAtar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
and all other luminaries. 3rd day of the 2nd month (April 22) - Jashan of (K)HordadHaurvatatHaurvatat is the Avestan language word for the Zoroastrian concept of "wholeness" or "perfection." The hypostasis of that concept is the divinity Haurvatat, who is the Amesha Spenta of water , prosperity, and health....
, celebrating the watersAbanApas is the Avestan language term for "the waters", which—in its innumerable aggregate states—is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters....
. 6th day of the 3rd month (May 25) - Jashan of AmurdadAmeretat' is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian divinity/divine concept of "not dying." As the hypostasis of immortality, Ameretat is the Amesha Spenta of long life on earth and perpetuality in the hereafter....
, celebrating plants. 7th day of the 5th month (July 25) - Jashan of Shahrevar, celebrating metals and minerals. 4th day of the 6th month (August 21)
- Jashan of BahmanVohu ManahVohu Manah is the Avestan language term for a Zoroastrian concept, generally translated as "Good Purpose" or "Good Mind", referring to the good moral state of mind that enables an individual to accomplish his duties...
, celebrating animal creation. 2nd day of the 11th month (January 16) - Jashan of Spendarmad, celebrating the earthZamZam is the Avestan language term for the Zoroastrian concept of "earth", in both the sense of land and soil and in the sense of the world...
. 5th day of the 12th month (February 18)
In parentheses are the Fasli/Bastani calendar dates.
Five name-day feasts are dedicated to other yazata
Yazata
Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept. The word has a wide range of meanings but generally signifies a divinity...
s with a name/month dedication:
- FarwardFravashiA fravashi is the guardian spirit mentioned in the Avesta of an individual, who sends out the urvan into the material world to fight the battle of good versus evil...
igan, celebration of the Fravashi FravashiA fravashi is the guardian spirit mentioned in the Avesta of an individual, who sends out the urvan into the material world to fight the battle of good versus evil...
s on the 19th day of the 1st month (April 8). - TireganTireganTiregân also known as Jashn-e Tiregân is an ancient Iranian festival coinciding with the mid summer festivals. -Overview:...
, celebration to TishtryaTishtryaTishtrya is the Avestan language name of an Zoroastrian benevolent divinity associated with life-bringing rainfall and fertility. Tishtrya is Tir in Middle- and Modern Persian...
, the rains, on the 13th day of the 4th month (July 1). - AbanAbanApas is the Avestan language term for "the waters", which—in its innumerable aggregate states—is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters....
agan, celebration of Apas AbanApas is the Avestan language term for "the waters", which—in its innumerable aggregate states—is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters....
, the waters, in particular of Aredvi Sura Anahita. It falls on the 9th day of the 8th month (October 26). - AdarAtarAtar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
gan, celebration of Atar AtarAtar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
, fire. Adargan falls on the 10th day of 9th month (November 24). - MehreganMehreganMehrgân or Jashn-e Mehregân is a Zoroastrian and Persian festival celebrated since the pre-Islamic era to honor the Yazata of "Mehr" , which is responsible for friendship, affection and love. It is also widely referred to as Persian Festival of Autumn...
, celebrating MithraMithraMithra is the Zoroastrian divinity of covenant and oath. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seeing protector of Truth, and the guardian of cattle, the harvest and of The Waters....
on the 16th day of the 7th month (October 2).
The remaining name/month dedication is to Dae "Creator", whose jashan is celebrated on each of the four days (1st, 8th, 15th, 23rd day of the month) that are dedicated to the Creator Ahura Mazda
Ahura Mazda
Ahura Mazdā is the Avestan name for a divinity of the Old Iranian religion who was proclaimed the uncreated God by Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism...
. Each of those four days is called Jashan of Dadvah ("Creator").
Other holy days
Other holy days include:- Nouruz, New Year's Day. In the Fasli/Bastani variant of the Zoroastrian calendar, this day is always the day of the spring equinoxEquinoxAn equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator...
(nominally falling on March 21).
In the Shahenshahi and Kadmi calendars, which do not account for leap years, the New Year's Day has drifted ahead by over 200 days. These latter two variants of the calendar, which are only followed by the Zoroastrians of India, celebrate the spring equinox as Jamshed-i Nouroz, with New Year's Day then being celebrated in July/August as Pateti (see below).
- Pateti, "(day) of penitence" (from patet "confession," hence also repentance and penitence). This is actually a day of introspection, and originally occurred on the last day (or on the last 5 days) of the calendar year. For reasons related to single day occasions being observed over six days, (the last day of) Pateti came to fall on (the first day of) the New Year's Day celebrations, and in India (Shahenshahi/Kadmi calendars) came to be "celebrated" on New Year's Day itself. Although the name has been retained, Pateti is no longer a day of introspection.
- SadehSadehSadé or Sada Jashn-e Sada/Sadé , also transliterated as Sadeh, is an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated 50 days before Nowruz. Sadeh in Persian means "hundred" and refers to one hundred days and nights past the end of summer...
, a mid-winter festival traditionally celebrated 100 days (hence sadeh) after the first day of winter, or alternatively, 50 days (100 days and nights) before New Year's Day. Because this festival involves building a bonfire, it is also called AdarAtarAtar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
-Jashan.
- Zartosht No-DisoZartosht No-DisoZartosht no-diso, or Zarthost no deeso, is an important day of mourning in the Zoroastrian religion. It is a commemoration of the death anniversary of the prophet Zoraster. It is observed on the 11th day of the 10th month...
, the death anniversary of ZarathushtraZoroasterZoroaster , also known as Zarathustra , was a prophet and the founder of Zoroastrianism who was either born in North Western or Eastern Iran. He is credited with the authorship of the Yasna Haptanghaiti as well as the Gathas, hymns which are at the liturgical core of Zoroastrianism...
, which is celebrated on the 11th day (Khorshed) of the 10th month (Dae). In the seasonal calendar, Zoroaster's death anniversary falls on December 26. - Khordad SalKhordad SalKhordad Sal is the birth anniversary of Zoroaster. Zoroastrians all over the world, specifically in India celebrate the day in a great glamor. Parties and ghambars are held. Special prayers and jashans are also held throughout the entire day...
, which celebrates the birth anniversary of Zoroaster. It falls on the 6th day ([K]hordad) of the 1st month (Farvardin). In the seasonal calendar, Zoroaster's birth anniversary falls on March 26.
External links
- The festival days in the Fasli/Bastani variants of the Zoroastrian calendar for 2007.
- The festivals in detail:
- The Zoroastrian Festival of Mihragan (Jashan-e Mihragan)
- The Festival of Tiragan (Jashan-e Tiragan)
- The Zoroastrian festival of Sadeh (Jashan-e Sadeh)
- Gahambars
- Khordad Sal (Zoroaster's birth anniversary)
- Zarthost-no-deeso (Zoroaster's death anniversary)