THE ZOROASTRIAN CALENDAR

The Zoroastrian calendar is full of holy days, feasts and festivals, giving Zoroastrians the reputation of being a joyful religion full of celebration.
Festivals are a very prominent aspect of Zoroastrian worship and are closely linked with the seasons. The origins of many festivals, such as the six Gahanbars, date back to pre-Zoroastrian times; and some festivals, as in the case of Noruz, the Iranian New Year, have become part of Islamic Iranian culture.
The Zoroastrian calendar is split into twelve months. Each day of the month is named after Ahura Mazda, an Amesha Spenta or a Yazata.
The Yazatas (venerable ones) are personified aspects of nature or mythical gods and goddesses. Each month is named after Ahura Mazda, an Amesha Spenta or other holy principles from the Avesta.
The Zoroastrian calendar presents a difficult issue for Zoroastrians, as there have been a number of changes over the centuries with the result that there are now three different calendars. This means that festivals are celebrated at different times depending on which calendar is being used by the community.
The dates given on these pages follow the Fasli calendar.

THE SIX GAHANBARS

Zoroastrians have seven obligatory feasts, six of which are the gahanbars (or gahambars):

• Maidyozarem ('mid-spring' feast)


• Maidyoshahem ('mid-summer' feast)


• Paitishahem (feast of 'bringing in the harvest')


• Ayathrem ('bringing home the herds')


• Maidyarem ('mid-year'/winter feast)


• Hamaspathmaidyem (feast of 'All Souls')

avesta.org, Zoroastrian Religious Calendar
The origins of the gahanbars date back to the pre-Zoroastrian agricultural people of the Iranian Plateau and relate to the changing seasons. They became religious observances in Zoroastrianism and are jovial communal celebrations with feasting and general merry-making.