Zoroastrian Religious Calendar

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The Zoroastrian religious calendar

The religious calendar is a matter of some controversy among Zoroastrians. There are currently three main calendars in use: Fasli, Shahanshahi, and Qadimi. The oldest Zoroastrian calendar ('Old Avestan') was evidently a seasonal one, but it is not clear how it was kept in harmony with the seasons. In later years ('Younger Avesta' and Sasanian times) the prescribed method was to add a month every 120 years, but none of the three modern calendars follow this tradition. Cf. Denkard 3, chapter 419 and Bundahishn chapter 25.

FASLI ('seasonal'): A religious calendar which is kept in harmony with the seasons by intercalating one day every four years, patterned after the Gregorian calendar. Naw Ruz (New Year's Day) is fixed on March 21.
SHAHANSHAHI (or Shenshai): The calendar of many Parsee Zoroastrians, including some of the more influential Dasturs (High Priests). It is based on a religious calendar which was theoretically synchronized with the seasons by intercalating a month every 120 years, but the intercalation was not consistently followed. Naw Ruz was observed on August 23, 1995. A recent proposal would reform the Shahanshahi calendar by bringing it back into harmony through the intercalation of whole months.
QADIMI ('ancient'): In 1746 a group of priests and laymen in Surat adopted the Irani calendar on the assumption that it represented an older tradition. The Qadimi calendar is one month ahead of the Shahanshahi.

Each month and each day of the religious calendar is presided over by a spiritual being; special prayers (from the Khorda Avesta) are observed in honor of that spiritual being. Days where the same spiritual being presides over both month and day (marked with * in the table below) are particularly sacred.

See also Adarbad Mahraspandan's advice on activities for each day of the month.

Names of the days and corresponding dates of observance per Fasli calculations:

	Mah (Month)
Roz (day)	Frawardin	Ardwahisht	Hordad	Tir	Amurdad	Shahrewar
Ohrmazd	Mar21	Apr20	May20	Jun19	Jul19	Aug18
Vohuman	Mar22	Apr21	May21	Jun20	Jul20	Aug19
Ardwahisht	Mar23 r	Apr22 *	May22	Jun21	Jul21	Aug20
Shahrewar	Mar24	Apr23	May23	Jun22	Jul22	Aug21 *
Spandarmad	Mar25	Apr24	May24	Jun23	Jul23	Aug22
Hordad	Mar26	Apr25	May25 *	Jun24	Jul24	Aug23
Amurdad	Mar27	Apr26	May26	Jun25	Jul25 *	Aug24
.
Day-pa-Adar	Mar28	Apr27	May27	Jun26	Jul26	Aug25
Adar	Mar29	Apr28	May28	Jun27	Jul27	Aug26
Aban	Mar30	Apr29	May29	Jun28	Jul28	Aug27
Khwarshed	Mar31	Apr30 g	May30	Jun29 g	Jul29	Aug28
Mah	Apr1	May1	May31	Jun30	Jul30	Aug29
Tir/Tishtar	Apr2	May2	Jun1	Jul1 *	Jul31	Aug30
Goshorun	Apr3	May3	Jun2	Jul2	Aug1	Aug31
.
Day-pa-Mihr	Apr4	May4	Jun3	Jul3	Aug2	Sep1
Mihr	Apr5	May5	Jun4	Jul4	Aug3	Sep2
Srosh	Apr6	May6	Jun5	Jul5	Aug4	Sep3
Rashnu	Apr7	May7	Jun6	Jul6	Aug5	Sep4
Frawardin	Apr8 *	May8	Jun7	Jul7	Aug6	Sep5
Warharan	Apr9	May9	Jun8	Jul8	Aug7	Sep6
Ram	Apr10	May10	Jun9	Jul9	Aug8	Sep7
Wad, Gowad	Apr11	May11	Jun10	Jul10	Aug9	Sep8
.
Day-pa-Den	Apr12	May12	Jun11	Jul11	Aug10	Sep9
Den	Apr13	May13	Jun12	Jul12	Aug11	Sep10
Ard	Apr14	May14	Jun13	Jul13	Aug12	Sep11
Ashtad	Apr15	May15	Jun14	Jul14	Aug13	Sep12 g
Asman	Apr16	May16	Jun15	Jul15	Aug14	Sep13
Zam	Apr17	May17	Jun16	Jul16	Aug15	Sep14
Mahraspand	Apr18	May18	Jun17	Jul17	Aug16	Sep15
Anagran	Apr19	May19	Jun18	Jul18	Aug17	Sep16

Mah (Month)
Roz (day) Mihr Aban Adar Day Vohuman Spandarmad
Ohrmazd Sep17 Oct17 Nov16 Dec16 * Jan15 Feb14
Vohuman Sep18 Oct18 Nov17 Dec17 Jan16 * Feb15
Ardwahisht Sep19 Oct19 Nov18 Dec18 Jan17 Feb16
Shahrewar Sep20 Oct20 Nov19 Dec19 Jan18 Feb17
Spandarmad Sep21 Oct21 Nov20 Dec20 Jan19 Feb18 *
Hordad Sep22 Oct22 Nov21 Dec21 Jan20 Feb19
Amurdad Sep23 Oct23 Nov22 Dec22 Jan21 Feb20
.
Day-pa-Adar Sep24 Oct24 Nov23 Dec23 * Jan22 Feb21
Adar Sep25 Oct25 Nov24 * Dec24 Jan23 Feb22
Aban Sep26 Oct26 * Nov25 Dec25 Jan24 s Feb23
Khwarshed Sep27 Oct27 Nov26 Dec26 Jan25 Feb24
Mah Sep28 Oct28 Nov27 Dec27 Jan26 Feb25
Tir/Tishtar Sep29 Oct29 Nov28 Dec28 Jan27 Feb26
Goshorun Sep30 Oct30 Nov29 Dec29 Jan28 Feb27
.
Day-pa-Mihr Oct1 Oct31 Nov30 Dec30 * Jan29 Feb28
Mihr Oct2 * Nov1 Dec1 Dec31 g Jan30 Mar1
Srosh Oct3 Nov2 Dec2 Jan1 Jan31 Mar2
Rashnu Oct4 Nov3 Dec3 Jan2 Feb1 Mar3
Frawardin Oct5 Nov4 Dec4 Jan3 Feb2 Mar4
Warharan Oct6 Nov5 Dec5 Jan4 Feb3 Mar5
Ram Oct7 Nov6 Dec6 Jan5 Feb4 Mar6
Wad, Gowad Oct8 Nov7 Dec7 Jan6 Feb5 Mar7
.
Day-pa-Den Oct9 Nov8 Dec8 Jan7 * Feb6 Mar8
Den Oct10 Nov9 Dec9 Jan8 Feb7 Mar9
Ard Oct11 Nov10 Dec10 Jan9 Feb8 Mar10
Ashtad Oct12 g Nov11 Dec11 Jan10 Feb9 Mar11
Asman Oct13 Nov12 Dec12 Jan11 Feb10 Mar12
Zam Oct14 Nov13 Dec13 Jan12 Feb11 Mar13
Mahraspand Oct15 Nov14 Dec14 Jan13 Feb12 Mar14
Anagran Oct16 r Nov15 Dec15 Jan14 Feb13 Mar15

	Mah (Month)
Roz (day)	Mihr	Aban	Adar	Day	Vohuman	Spandarmad
Ohrmazd	Sep17	Oct17	Nov16	Dec16 *	Jan15	Feb14
Vohuman	Sep18	Oct18	Nov17	Dec17	Jan16 *	Feb15
Ardwahisht	Sep19	Oct19	Nov18	Dec18	Jan17	Feb16
Shahrewar	Sep20	Oct20	Nov19	Dec19	Jan18	Feb17
Spandarmad	Sep21	Oct21	Nov20	Dec20	Jan19	Feb18 *
Hordad	Sep22	Oct22	Nov21	Dec21	Jan20	Feb19
Amurdad	Sep23	Oct23	Nov22	Dec22	Jan21	Feb20
.
Day-pa-Adar	Sep24	Oct24	Nov23	Dec23 *	Jan22	Feb21
Adar	Sep25	Oct25	Nov24 *	Dec24	Jan23	Feb22
Aban	Sep26	Oct26 *	Nov25	Dec25	Jan24 s	Feb23
Khwarshed	Sep27	Oct27	Nov26	Dec26	Jan25	Feb24
Mah	Sep28	Oct28	Nov27	Dec27	Jan26	Feb25
Tir/Tishtar	Sep29	Oct29	Nov28	Dec28	Jan27	Feb26
Goshorun	Sep30	Oct30	Nov29	Dec29	Jan28	Feb27
.
Day-pa-Mihr	Oct1	Oct31	Nov30	Dec30 *	Jan29	Feb28
Mihr	Oct2 *	Nov1	Dec1	Dec31 g	Jan30	Mar1
Srosh	Oct3	Nov2	Dec2	Jan1	Jan31	Mar2
Rashnu	Oct4	Nov3	Dec3	Jan2	Feb1	Mar3
Frawardin	Oct5	Nov4	Dec4	Jan3	Feb2	Mar4
Warharan	Oct6	Nov5	Dec5	Jan4	Feb3	Mar5
Ram	Oct7	Nov6	Dec6	Jan5	Feb4	Mar6
Wad, Gowad	Oct8	Nov7	Dec7	Jan6	Feb5	Mar7
.
Day-pa-Den	Oct9	Nov8	Dec8	Jan7 *	Feb6	Mar8
Den	Oct10	Nov9	Dec9	Jan8	Feb7	Mar9
Ard	Oct11	Nov10	Dec10	Jan9	Feb8	Mar10
Ashtad	Oct12 g	Nov11	Dec11	Jan10	Feb9	Mar11
Asman	Oct13	Nov12	Dec12	Jan11	Feb10	Mar12
Zam	Oct14	Nov13	Dec13	Jan12	Feb11	Mar13
Mahraspand	Oct15	Nov14	Dec14	Jan13	Feb12	Mar14
Anagran	Oct16 r	Nov15	Dec15	Jan14	Feb13	Mar15

Legend:

* = Name day feasts
r = Rapithwina begins Mar 23 ends Oct 16
s = Festival of Sadeh (Jashan-e Sadeh)
g = Gahambars ('feasts'):

                                            1992-5       1996-9       2005-8       2009-11      2012         2013
   Maidyozarem ('mid-spring' feast):     F: Apr30-May4   Apr30-May4   Apr30-May4   Apr30-May4   Apr30-May4   Apr30-May4
                                         S: Oct2-6       Oct1-5       Sep29-Oct3   Sep28-Oct2   Sep27-Oct1   Sep27-Oct1
                                         Q: Sep2-6       Sep1-5       Aug30-Sep3   Aug29-Sep2   Aug28-Sep1   Aug28-Sep1

   Maidyoshahem ('mid-summer' feast):    F: Jun29-Jul3   Jun29-Jul3   Jun29-Jul3   Jun29-Jul3   Jun29-Jul3   Jun29-Jul3
                                         S: Dec1-5       Nov30-Dec4   Nov28-Dec2   Nov27-Dec1   Nov26-30     Nov26-30
                                         Q: Nov1-5       Oct31-Nov4   Oct29-Nov2   Oct28-Nov1   Oct27-31     Oct27-31

   Paitishahem (feast of 'bringing in    F: Sep12-16     Sep12-16     Sep12-16     Sep12-16     Sep12-16     Sep12-16
      the harvest'):                     S: Feb15-19     Feb14-18     Feb11-15     Feb10-14     Feb10-14     Feb9-13
                                         Q: Jan16-20     Jan15-19     Jan12-16     Jan11-15     Jan11-15     Jan10-14

   Ayathrem ('bringing home the herds'): F: Oct12-16     Oct12-16     Oct12-16     Oct12-16     Oct12-16     Oct12-16
                                         S: Mar15-19     Mar14-18     Mar13-17     Mar12-16     Mar11-15     Mar11-15
                                         Q: Feb15-19     Feb14-18     Feb11-15     Feb10-14     Feb10-14     Feb9-13

   Maidyarem ('mid-year'/winter feast):  F: Dec31-Jan4   Dec31-Jan4   Dec31-Jan4   Dec31-Jan4   Dec31-Jan4   Dec31-Jan4
                                         S: Jun4-8       Jun3-7       Jun1-5       May31-Jun4   May30-Jun3   May30-Jun3
                                         Q: May5-9       May4-8       May2-6       May1-5       Apr30-May4   Apr30-May4

   Hamaspathmaidyem ('coming of the      F: Mar16-20     Mar16-20     Mar16-20     Mar16-20     Mar16-20     Mar16-20
      whole group [of farohars]',        S: Aug18-22     Aug17-21     Aug15-19     Aug14-18     Aug13-17     Aug13-17
      feast of All Souls):               Q: Jul19-23     Jul18-22     Jul16-20     Jul15-19     Jul14-18     Jul14-18
         - Ahunawad
         - Ushtawad
         - Spentomad
         - Wohukhshathra
         - Wahishtoisht
      (Parsi Mukhtad adds 5 days to beginning)

   Noruz ('New Year's Day')              F: Mar21        Mar21        Mar21        Mar21        Mar21        Mar21
                                         S: Aug23        Aug22        Aug20        Aug19        Aug18        Aug18
                                         Q: Jul24        Jul23        Jul21        Jul20        Jul19        Jul19

Watches (gahs) of the day:

Many prayers are altered according to the time of day.

Hawan (sunrise to noon)
Rapithwin or Second Hawan (noon to 3 p.m.)
Uzerin (3 p.m. to sunset)
Aiwisruthrem (sunset to midnight)
Ushahin (midnight to sunrise)

Important festivals

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')
Noruz (New Years)
Jashan-e Mihragan
Jashan-e Tiragan
Jashan-e Sadeh

Significance of the names

The first seven days celebrate Ahura Mazda and the Amesha Spentas, (lit. Beneficent Immortals) sometimes called the Archangels. They are the highest spiritual beings created by Ahura Mazda.

1. Ohrmazd (Av. Ahura Mazda) The Lord of Wisdom, Zarathushtra's name for God

2. Vohuman (Av. Vohu Mano) Good Mind or Purpose. Presides over animals.

3. Ardwahisht (Av. Asha Vahishta) Highest Asha. Presides over fire.

4. Shahrewar (Av. Khshathra Vairya) 'Desirable Dominion'. Presides over metals.

5. Spandarmad (Av. Spenta Armaiti) Holy (or Beneficent) Devotion. Presides over the Earth.

6. Hordad (Av. Haurvatat) Wholeness (Perfection or Health). Presides over the waters.

7. Amurdad (Av. Ameretat) Immortality or Life. Presides over plants.

The second week celebrates LIGHT and NATURE:

8. Day-pa-Adar (Av. Dadvah) The Creator's day before Adar.

9. Adar (Av. Atar) Fire

10. Aban (Av. Aban) Waters

11. Khwarshed (Av. Hvar Khshaeta) The Shining Sun

12. Mah (Av. Mah) The Moon

13. Tishtar (Av. Tishtrya) The Star Sirius, brightest star in the heavens

14. Gosh (Av. Geush) Sentient Life or the Ox-Soul

The third week celebrates moral qualities:

15. Day-pa-Mihr (Av. Dadvah) The day of the Creator before Mithra

16. Mihr (Av. Mithra) Yazad of the Contract

17. Srosh (Av. Sraosha) Yazad of 'Hearkening', i.e. paying attention

18. Rashnu (Av. Rashnu) Yazad of Truth

19. Frawardin (Av. Fravashis) The Guardian Angels

20. Warharan (Av. Verethraghna) Victory, Triumph over evil

21. Ram (Av. Raman) Peace, Joy

22. Gowad (Av. Vata) Wind, atmosphere

The fourth week celebrates religious ideas:

23. Day-pa-Den (Av. Dadvah) The day of the Creator before Den

24. Den (Av. Daena) Religion, also Inner Self or Conscience

25. Ashi (Av. Ashi) Blessings or Rewards

26. Ashtad (Av. Arshtat) Rectitude, Justice

27. Asman (Av. Asman) Sky

28. Zam (Av. Zam) Earth

29. Mahraspand (Av. Mathra Spenta) Holy Word (Manthra), also specific sections of scripture with certain poetic and spiritual properties

30. Anagran (Av. Anaghra Raocha) Endless Light

Avesta -- Zoroastrian Archives Contents Prev zcal.html Next Glossary

1. Ohrmazd (Av. Ahura Mazda)	The Lord of Wisdom, Zarathushtra's name for God
2. Vohuman (Av. Vohu Mano)	Good Mind or Purpose. Presides over animals.
3. Ardwahisht (Av. Asha Vahishta)	Highest Asha. Presides over fire.
4. Shahrewar (Av. Khshathra Vairya)	'Desirable Dominion'. Presides over metals.
5. Spandarmad (Av. Spenta Armaiti)	Holy (or Beneficent) Devotion. Presides over the Earth.
6. Hordad (Av. Haurvatat)	Wholeness (Perfection or Health). Presides over the waters.
7. Amurdad (Av. Ameretat)	Immortality or Life. Presides over plants.

8. Day-pa-Adar (Av. Dadvah)	The Creator's day before Adar.
9. Adar (Av. Atar)	Fire
10. Aban (Av. Aban)	Waters
11. Khwarshed (Av. Hvar Khshaeta)	The Shining Sun
12. Mah (Av. Mah)	The Moon
13. Tishtar (Av. Tishtrya)	The Star Sirius, brightest star in the heavens
14. Gosh (Av. Geush)	Sentient Life or the Ox-Soul

15. Day-pa-Mihr (Av. Dadvah)	The day of the Creator before Mithra
16. Mihr (Av. Mithra)	Yazad of the Contract
17. Srosh (Av. Sraosha)	Yazad of 'Hearkening', i.e. paying attention
18. Rashnu (Av. Rashnu)	Yazad of Truth
19. Frawardin (Av. Fravashis)	The Guardian Angels
20. Warharan (Av. Verethraghna)	Victory, Triumph over evil
21. Ram (Av. Raman)	Peace, Joy
22. Gowad (Av. Vata)	Wind, atmosphere

23. Day-pa-Den (Av. Dadvah)	The day of the Creator before Den
24. Den (Av. Daena)	Religion, also Inner Self or Conscience
25. Ashi (Av. Ashi)	Blessings or Rewards
26. Ashtad (Av. Arshtat)	Rectitude, Justice
27. Asman (Av. Asman)	Sky
28. Zam (Av. Zam)	Earth
29. Mahraspand (Av. Mathra Spenta)	Holy Word (Manthra), also specific sections of scripture with certain poetic and spiritual properties
30. Anagran (Av. Anaghra Raocha)	Endless Light