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
Adherents of Zoroastrianism use three distinct versions of traditional calendars for liturgical purposes, all derived from medieval Iranian calendars and ultimately based on the Babylonian calendar as used in the Achaemenid empire.
''Qadimi'' ...
, 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 Mazda, otherwise known as the
Amesha Spentas. Each of these festivals is celebrated over five days. The six festivals are:
Gahambar, Building & Celebrating Community
heritageinstitute.com, Zoroastrian Heritage, Author: K. E. Eduljee
* Maidyozarem Gahambar ('mid-spring' feast), April 30 – May 4
* Maidyoshahem Gahambar ('mid-summer' feast), June 29 – July 3
* Paitishahem Gahambar (feast of 'bringing in the harvest'), September 12 – September 16
* Ayathrem Gahambar ('bringing home the herds'), October 12 – October 16
* Maidyarem Gahambar ('mid-year'/winter feast), December 31 – January 4
* Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar (feast of 'all souls', literally 'coming of the whole group'), March 16 – March 20
See also
* Zoroastrian festivals
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 intercalate leap years and hence the day of the Gregorian calendar year on ...
* Nowruz
Nowruz ( fa, نوروز, ; ), zh, 诺鲁孜节, ug, نەۋروز, ka, ნოვრუზ, ku, Newroz, he, נורוז, kk, Наурыз, ky, Нооруз, mn, Наурыз, ur, نوروز, tg, Наврӯз, tr, Nevruz, tk, Nowruz, ...
* Sadeh
)
, observedby = Canada (by Iranian Canadians) USA (by Iranian Americans)
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References
Zoroastrian festivals