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Zoroastrian Heritage

Author: K. E. Eduljee

Page 2. 365-Day Fasli-Bastani/Gregorian Perpetual Calendar Grid

Correlates Zoroastrian Fasli Calendar dates with the Gregorian Calendar

» Page 1: Overview & Organization

» Page 2: 365-Day Fasli-Bastani/Gregorian Calendar Grid

» Page 3: Zoroastrian/Gregorian Monthly Calendar - Fasli, Shenshai & Kadmi

» True Zoroastrian Year by Behram Pithavala (pdf download)

Zoroastrian Fasli and Gregorian Calendar

Note: The Gregorian Calendar uses a combination of names and numbers, while the Zoroastrian calendar uses religiously significant names.
Days in colour are days of special significance. Click for an explanation noted below the grid.

	Month (Mah)
(Click colour boxes for explanations below):			Nowruz-New Year's Day		Jashne / Parab days		Sadeh	Rapithwan	Khordad Sal	Gahanbar / Gahambar		Farvardigan/Muktad
	Rapithwan above ground months: Ground waters cooler than surface waters e.g. deep well waters are cooler than pond waters							Rapithwan below ground months: Ground waters warmer than surface waters e.g. deep well waters are warmer than pond waters
Day (Ruz/Roj)*	1.Fravardin	2.Ardibehesht	3.Khordad	4.Tir	5.Amordad	6.Shahrivar	7.Meher	8.Aban	9.Adar	10.Dae	11.Bahman	12.Aspandmard
Seasons	Spring			Summer			Autumn			Winter
Week 1 (7 days). * 'ruz' is Persian and 'roj' is Guajarati for 'day'
1. Hormazd	M 21^Nowruz	April 20	May 20	June 19	July 19	August 18	Sept 17	Oct 17	Nov 16	16^Daegan	Jan 15	Feb 14
2. Bahman	March 22	April 21	May 21	June 20	July 20	August 19	Sept 18	Oct 18	Nov 17	Dec 17	16^Bahmangan	Feb 15
3. Ardibehesht	March 23	22^{Ardibeheshtgan}	May 22	June 21	July 21	August 20	Sept 19	Oct 19	Nov 18	Dec 18	Jan 17	Feb 16
4. Shahrivar	March 24	April 23	May 23	June 22	July 22	21^Shahrivargan	Sept 20	Oct 20	Nov 19	Dec 19	Jan 18	Feb 17
5. Aspandmard	March 25	April 24	May 24	June 23	July 23	August 22	Sept 21	Oct 21	Nov 20	Dec 20	Jan 19	18^Esfandgan
6. Khordad	26^{Khordad Sal}	April 25	25^Khordadgan	June 24	July 24	August 23	Sept 22	Oct 22	Nov 21	Dec 21^Yalda	Jan 20	Feb 19
7. Amordad	March 27	April 26	May 26	June 25	25^Amordadgan	August 24	Sept 23	Oct 23	Nov 22	Dec 22	Jan 21	Feb 20
Week 2 (7 days)
8. Dae-pa-Adar	March 28	April 27	May 27	June 26	July 26	August 25	Sept 24	Oct 24	Nov 23	23^Daegan-Adar	Jan 22	Feb 21
9. Adar	March 29	April 28	May 28	June 27	July 27	August 26	Sept 25	Oct 25	24^Azargan	Dec 24	Jan 23	Feb 22
10. Aban	March 30	April 29	May 29	June 28	July 28	August 27	Sept 26	26^Abangan	Nov 25	Dec 25	24^Sadeh-Kerman	Feb 23
11. Khorsheed	March 31	30^Maidyozarem	May 30	29^Maidyoshem	July 29	August 28	Sept 27	Oct 27	Nov 26	26^{Zarthosht Diso}	Jan 25	Feb 24
12. Mah	April 1	May 1	May 31	Jun 30	July 30	August 29	Sept 28	Oct 28	Nov 27	Dec 27	Jan 26	Feb 25
13. Tir	2^Sizdah-Bedar	May 2	June 1	July 1^Tirgan	July 31	August 30	Sept 29	Oct 29	Nov 28	Dec 28	Jan 27	Feb 26
14. Gosh	April 3	May 3	June 2	July 2	August 1	August 31	Sept 30	Oct 30	Nov 29	Dec 29	Jan 28	Feb 27
Week 3 (8 days)
15. Dae-pa-Meher	April 4	May 4	June 3	July 3	August 2	Sept 1	Oct 1	Oct 31	Nov 30	30^Daegan-Meher	Jan 29	Feb 28
16. Meher	April 5	May 5	June 4	July 4	August 3	Sept 2	2^Mehergan	Nov 1	Dec 1	31^Maidyarem	30^Sadeh-Iran	March 1^{Leap Year}
17. Sroosh	April 6	May 6	June 5	July 5	August 4	Sept 3	Oct 3	Nov 2	Dec 2	Jan 1	Jan 31	March 2
18. Rashne	April 7	May 7	June 6	July 6	August 5	Sept 4	Oct 4	Nov 3	Dec 3	Jan 2	Feb 1	March 3
19. Farvardin	8^Farvardingan	May8	June 7	July 7	August 6	Sept 5	Oct 5	Nov 4	Dec 4	Jan 3	Feb 2	March 4
20. Bahram	April 9	May 9	June 8	July 8	August 7	Sept 6	Oct 6	Nov 5	Dec 5	Jan 4	Feb 3	March 5
21. Ram	April 10	May 10	June 9	July 9	August 8	Sept 7	Oct 7	Nov 6	Dec 6	Jan 5	Feb 4	March 6
22. Govad	April 11	May 11	June 10	July 10	August 9	Sept 8	Oct 8	Nov 7	Dec 7	Jan 6	Feb 5	March 7
Week 4 (8 days)
23. Dae-pa-Din	April 12	May 12	June 11	July 11	August 10	Sept 9	Oct 9	Nov 8	Dec 8	7^{Daegan Din}	Feb 6	March 8
24. Din	April 13	May 13	June 12	July 12	August 11	Sept 10	Oct 10	Nov 9	Dec 9	Jan 8	Feb 7	March 9
25. Ashishvangh	April 14	May 14	June 13	July 13	August 12	Sept 11	Oct 11	Nov 10	Dec 10	Jan 9	Feb 8	March 10
26. Ashtad	April 15	May 15	June 14	July 14	August 13	12^Paitishem	12^Ayathrem	Nov 11	11^Sadeh-Yazd	Jan 10	Feb 9	Farvardigan/Muktad
27. Asman	April 16	May 16	June 15	July 15	August 14	Sept 13	Oct 13	Nov 12	Dec 12	Jan 11	Feb 10	March 12^fm
28. Zamyad	April 17	May 17	June 16	July 16	August 15	Sept 14	Oct 14	Nov 13	Dec 13	Jan 12	Feb 11	March 13^fm
29. Mahraspand	April 18	May 18	June 17	July 17	August 16	Sept 15	Oct 15	Nov 14	Dec 14	Jan 13	Feb 12	March 14^fm
30. Aneran	April 19	May 19	June 18	July 18	August 17	Sept 16	Oct 16	Nov 15	Dec 15	Jan 14	Feb 13	March 15^fm
Intercalary / Gatha Days (see explanation on page 1). They are also called the Panjeh or Muktad (last five of ten Muktad days)
1. Ahunavad											Mar 16^{Hamaspathmaidyem}		^fm
2. Ushtavad												March 17	^fm
3. Spentamad												March 18	^fm
4. Vohishathra												March 19	^fm
6. Vahistoish	During leap years, this last Gatha day is repeated resulting in a total of six Gatha days. The leap day is called Avardad-sal-Gah. ^{Leap Year}											March 20	^fm

Grid colour key: explanations of days with special significance:

Colour	Explanation
Nowruz	Jashne (Festival) of Nowruz - New Year's day festival, the spring equinox.
Jashne / Parab	jashne /jashn / jashan and parab are festivals where the name of the month and day coincide. Two, Tirgan and Mehergan, are particularly popular community-wide celebrations that mark the quarter and half-year.
- Farvardingan	Jashne (Festival) of Farvardingan or Froodog, April 8, remembrance day for the fravashis and souls of the departed. Also see Farvardigan days, the ten days defore Nowruz and which are also days of remembrance
- Ardibeheshtgan	Jashne (Festival) of Ardibeheshtgan, April 22, celebrates good order, cleanliness, purity and truth.
- Khordadgan	Jashne (Festival) of Khordadgan, May 25, celebrates water as an element of creation: the river, lake, sea and ocean and other waters. Khordad is the modern form of the Avestan Amesha Spenta Haurvatat wholeness and excellence
- Tirgan	Jashne (Festival) of Tirgan, July 1, a ten-day quarter year festival, celebrating the border dispute settlement between Iran and Turan during the reigns of their kings Manuchehr and Afrasiab respectively. The Avesta's Tir Yasht 6 or 8.6 briefly refers to Erekhsha (Arash in modern Persian), greatest archer among the Aryans, who shot an arrow from Mount Khshaotha to Mount Khvanvant. Middle Persian Zoroastrian Pahlavi texts expand on the legend. Post Arab authors further expanded on the legend (recounted variously by al-Biruni, al-Tabari, Ebn al-Atir, Gardizi, Gorar, Mojmal, Maqdesi, Gorgani, Talebi and Balami). According to one version of the modern legend, after an epic battle, the two kings Manuchehr and Afrasiab agreed that the border between their kingdoms would be demarcated by the spot where an arrow (tir) shot from the top of a mountain (Mount Damavand according to Balami but various other locations in other texts) landed. According to Biruni, the angel Esfandarmad (Spenta Aramaiti) instructed Manuchehr to prepare a special bow and arrow whose wood, feather, and iron arrow-head (cf. Gorar p. 183) were taken from a designated forest, eagle, and mine. Manuchehr then appointed the pahlavan Arash-e Kamangir (or Kamaangir. Also Arash-e Sewatir) the archer to the task. Arash climbed the heights, stripped naked and announced that he would sacrifice his life in the deed (cf. Biruni), faced north and then pouring his life-force into the effort, launched his arrow. The arrow shot by Arash at dawn on the day of Tir in the month of Tir, rose high into the sky, flew until noon and landed striking a walnut (cf. Biruni) tree near the Jihun (also spelt Gihon, Jayhun, Gaihoon) River which then became the border. The Jihun is identified with the Amu Darya or Oxus, the border between Ancient Airan and Sugd. Another version of the legend states Iran had been occupied for eight years by Afrasiab the terrible and during this time it did not rain in throughout the realm. Afrasiab consulted the astrologers and Zu Tahmasp replied that in occupying Iran, Afrasiab had broken a covenant established by King Feridoon when he had divided the first and vast Iranian empire between his three sons, each to rule autonomously and in peace. Turan he assigned to be ruled by his eldest son Tur and Iran by his son Iraj. Because Afrasiab had sinned, it would not rain until Afrasiab left Iran and retired behind a border to be established by the landing point of an arrow shot by Tahmasp. Afrasiab agreed and on the day of Tir in the month of Tir, Zu Tahmasp with the name of God on his lips sought divine providence and launched his arrow. Thereupon Afrasiab took his armies and withdrew from the land of Iran. On the day of Govand, nine days after the day of Tir, the skies opened and the parched lands were watered and its rivers began to flow. There was much rejoicing and the people swam in the rivers and ran out into the rain splashing each other with water which they do to this day. In Iran, every year thereafter, a festival was celebrated with great joy for the ten days from the day of Tir to the day of Govand in the month of Tir. The dasturs of the faith would write a prayer, a Nirang, on a strip of cloth and tie it around the wrists of the faithful which, they removed and threw into lakes and seas on the day of Govand with prayers that all misfortune may likewise be drowned by the waters. Tir is also the modern name for the star Tishtar or Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. On the day before Tirgan, homes are cleaned and on Tirgan day, as with Nowruz, people wear new clothes and tie rainbow-coloured silk thread or bands around their wrists. Since the 1950s, this legend has been used by Iranians to assert their historic roots and express their desire to be free from non-Iranian tyranny. [Also see Wikipedia and Iranica.]
- Amordadgan	Jashne (Festival) of Amordadgan, July 25, celebrating the creation of plants and vegetables.
- Shahrivargan	Jashne (Festival) of Shahrivargan, August 21, celebrating the creation of the sky and minerals.
- Mehergan	Jashne (Festival) of Mehergan, Oct 2, half year festival, celebrated for six days from Meher ruz / roj. The day is dedicated to the angel Mithra and all the Mithraic qualities: friendship, the word as bond, loyalty, and kindness.
- Abangan	Jashne (Festival) of Abangan, Oct 26, celebrating the creation of water and observed by reciting the Abzoor prayer beside rivers, streams, seas, or oceans.
- Azargan	Jashne (Festival) of Azargan, Nov 24, celebrating the creation of fire.
- Daegan	Jashne (Festival) of Daegan, Dec 16, three-quarter year festival, honouring God as creator, dadvah.
- Bahmangan	Jashne (Festival) of Bahmangan, Jan 16, dedicated to the Amesha Spenta Vohu Mano, the high mind, and celebrates the creation of animals.
- Esfandgan	Jashne (Festival) of Esfandgan, Feb 18, celebrating, dedicated to the Amesha Spenta Armaiti, and celebrates the creation of the earth.
Yalda	Jashne (Festival of) Yalda, the three-quarter year festival, marks the winter solstice (start of the solar winter) and the longest night (Shab-e Yalda) of the year. Yalda also celebrates the defeat of the forces of darkness led by ahriman with a festival of lights when torches were kept burning throughout the night. The festival of lights also celebrated the eve of lengthening of the days and the nativity / birth of Mithra. It is said (cf. Farsinet & Pars Times) that on the night of Yalda, ancient Aryans would gather in caves along the mountains of Airyana Vaeja, as 'yar-e ghar' (cave friends), to bear witness to the rising sun at daybreak of the next morning, the start of the havan gah. Yalda symbolizes the inherent duality of winter. The festival is also called Shab-e Chelleh or Cheleh, which is taken to mean the night of the fortieth day before Jashne Sadeh according to the present Iranian national calendar.
Sadeh	[Also see Sadeh in our page on Fire.] Jashne (Festival) of Sadeh (also Sadé or Sada) or a hundred days celebrates the discovery of how to kindle fire by legendary King Hushang. Iranians in general, celebrate Sadeh on the 10th day of Bahman month, i.e. January 30, 50 days (i.e. hundred days and nights) before Nowruz, March 21. (Sadeh is discussed further in page on fire.) On this day, community groups begin to congregate an hour before sunset, preferably at spot near a stream to begin the festivities. After sunset, outdoor fires are lit in an act of defiance against the cold and darkness of winter as well as the forces of evil led by ahriman. The fire ceremony is similar to the Jashne Azar / Adar preceded by the recitation of the Afringan-e Do Dahman prayers for the blessing for the community, as well as an Atash Niyayesh (the litany to fire). After the rituals, there is great feasting that in Sassanian times included the serving of wine.
- Sadeh-Yazdi	Jashan-e Sadeh / Hiromba, Traditional Yazdi: 100 (sad) days, before Nowruz. However, traditional Yazdis use the Qadimi (ancient) calendar which does not correct, as it should, for the leap year. As a consequence, the festival is now celebrated in April. In the grid above, we note the corrected date.
- Sadeh-Kermani	Jashan-e Sadeh / Hiromba, Traditional Kermani: 100 (sad) days after the Ayathrem gahambar. As with Yazdi Zoroastrians, traditional Kermanis use the Qadimi (ancient) calendar which does not correct, as it should, for the leap year. In the grid above, we note the corrected date.
Rapithwan	Rapithwan begins March 21 ends Oct 16 (the seven months during which the ground waters were cooler than the surface in Airyana Vaeja, the Aryan homeland.)
Khordad Sal	Khordad Sal - Celebration of Zarathushtra's birth. This day also celebrates or commemorates the birth of King Hushang Pishdad, King Tahmuras' defeat of Ahriman and divs, and the distribution of King Feridoon's kingdom amongst his sons, and Afrasiab's defeat by King Kai Khusrau.
Zarthosht-Diso	Zarathushtra's death anniversary (Zarthosht-no-Diso)
Farvardigan	Farvardigan / Muktad days - the ten days before Nowruz dedicated to the remembrance of the fravashis and souls of the departed. Also see Jashne Farvardingan
Gahanbars:	Gahanbars / Gahambars (see below). Agriculture and community-wide food distribution related days:
- Maidyozarem	Maidyozarem (mid-spring) April 30-May 4. The days to mark the time when cattle give birth to their young and yield milk. Farmers also inspect crops sown in late winter or early spring and determine harvest dates. Harvest of winter crops.
- Maidyoshem	Maidyoshem (mid-summer) June 29-July 3. The days marking the season of the mid-summer harvest as well as the sowing of summer crops.
- Paitishem	Paitishem (harvest time) September 12-16 The days marking the season of the harvest of the summer crops.
- Ayathrem	Ayathrem (herding time) Oct 12-16. Marking the end of the Rapithwan months and the need to prepare for the onset of the cold months: the time for the herding of cattle from pastures, the mating of cattle, and the end of annual trade caravans.
- Maidyarem	Maidyarem (mid-year) Dec 31-Jan 4. The time to start preparations for the next years agricultural season.
-Hamaspathmaidyem	Hamaspathmaidyem (mid-path of all) March 16-20. Days that mark the end of spring cleaning and the remembrance of the souls of the departed.
Ivory	Leap year intercalary day adjustment: March 1 becomes Feb. 29, March 2 becomes March 1 as so on. The additional day added during leap years is called Avardad. As well, the last Gatha day, Vahistoishish, is repeated resulting in six Gatha days during a leap year.

Gahanbars / Gahambars

Gahanbars / Gahambars celebrate both an aspect of the creation of the world and an agricultural harvest or a communal distribution of food. Each Gahambar lasts for five or six days, during which time the community gathers to share common meals, socialize and distribute food. See the Gahanbar page for a more detailed description of the festivals.

Yazdi Pilgrimage Calendar

Pilgrimage Site	Calendar / Pilgrimage Days
	Gregorian	Zoroastrian
Pir-e Herisht	March 27-31	Mah Farvardin. Ruz Amordad-Khorsheed
Pir-e (Ma) Siti	June 14	Mah Khordad. Ruz Ashtad
Pir-e Sabz (Chak-Chak)	June 14-18	Mah Khordad. Ruz Ashtad-Mahraspand
Pir-e Narestaneh	June 23-27	Mah Tir. Ruz Aspandmard-Adar
Pir-e Banoo	July 4-8	Mah Tir. Ruz Meher-Bahram
Pir-e Naraki	August 3-7	Mah Amordad. Ruz Meher-Bahram

Forms of Month/Day Names & Meaning

The sequence of day names in Yasna 16 of the Avesta are as follows:
1. Dadvah Ahura Mazda 2. Vohu Manah 3. Asha Vahishta 4. Khshathra Vairya 5. Spenta Armaiti 6. Haurvatat 7. Ameretat
8. Dadvah Ahura Mazda 9. Atar 10. Apo 11. Hvar 12. Mah 13. Tishtrya 14. Geush Urvan
115. Dadvah Ahura Mazda, 16. Mithra, 17. Sraosha, 18. Rashnu, 19. Fravashayo, 20. Verethragna, 21. Raman, 22. Vata
23. Dadvah Ahura Mazda, 24. Daena, 25. Ashi, 26. Arshtat, 27. Asman, 28. Zam, 29. Manthra Spenta, 30. Anaghra Raocha.

The names of the months and days have evolved from the Avestan language in Yasna 16, to Pahlavi, to modern Iranian-Farsi and Indian-Parsi pronunciations.

Month Names
Month No.	Avestan	Pahlavi	Farsi	Parsi	Translation
1	Fravashi	Farvardin	Farvardin	Farvardin	Guardian angel
2	Asha Vahishta	Ardwahisht	Ordibehesht	Ardibehesht	God's law, goodness
3	Haurvatat	Hordad	Khordad	Khordad	Wholeness, perfection
4	Tishtrya	Tishtar	Tir	Tir	Sirius, brightest star
5	Ameretat	Amurdad	Mordad	Amordad	Undying
6	Khshathra Vairya	Shahrewar	Shahrivar	Shahrivar	Dominion
7	Mithra	Mihr	Meher	Meher	Light
8	Apo / Aban	Aban	Aban	Avan	Water
9	Atar	Adar	Azar	Adar	Fire
10	Dadvah	Dae	Dae	Dae	Creator
11	Vohu Manah	Vohuman	Bahman	Bahman	High mind
12	Spenta Armaiti	Spandarmad	Esfand	Aspandard	Equanimity
Day Names
Week/Day No.	Avestan	Pahlavi	Farsi	Parsi	Translation
1/1	Ahura Mazda	Ohrmazd	Hormozd	Hormazd	God
2	Vohu Manah	Vohuman	Bahman	Bahman	High mind
3	Asha Vahishta	Ardwahisht	Ardibehesht	Ardibehesht	God's law, goodness
4	Khshathra Vairya	Shahrewar	Sharivar	Shehrevar	Dominion
5	Spenta Armaiti	Spandarmad	Esfand	Aspandard	Equanimity
6	Haurvatat	Hordad	Khordad	Khordad	Wholeness, perfection
7	Ameretat	Amurdad	Mordad	Amardad	Undying
2/8	Dadvah Atar	Dae-pa-Adar	Dae-pa-Adar	Dae-pa-Adar	Creator's day before fire
9	Atar	Adar	Azar	Adar	Fire
10	Apo / Aban	Aban	Aban	Avan	Water
11	Hvar Khshaeta	Khwarshed	Khorsheed	Khorsheed	Sun
12	Mah	Mah	Mah	Mah	Moon
13	Tishtrya	Tishtar	Tir	Tir	Sirius, brightest star
14	Geush Urvan	Gosh	Gosh	Gosh	Soul of Life
3/15	Dadvah Mithra	Day-pa-Mihr	Dae-pa-Meher	Dae-pa-Meher	Creator's day before light
16	Mithra	Mihr	Meher	Meher	Light
17	Sraosha	Srosh	Soroosh	Sroosh	Inner voice
18	Rashnu	Rashnu	Rashne/Rasti	Rashne	Truth
19	Fravashi	Farvardin	Farvardin	Farvardin	Guardian angel
20	Verethraghna	Warharan	Bahram	Bahram	Victory, triumph over evil
21	Raman	Ram	Ram	Ram	Peace, Joy
22	Vata	Gowad	Govad	Govad	Wind, atmosphere
4/23	Dadvah Daena	Day-pa-Den	Dae-pa-Din	Dae-pa-Din	Creator's day before Din
24	Daena	Den	Din	Din	Discerning faith
25	Ashi	Ashi	Ard/Ashishvangh	Ard/Ashishvangh	Blessings, rewards
26	Arshtat	Ashtad	Ashtad	Astad	Rectitude, justice
27	Asman	Asman	Asman	Asman	Sky
28	Zam	Zam	Zamyad	Zamyad	Earth
29	Mathra Spenta	Mahraspand	Mahraspand	Maraspand	Bright manthra
30	Anaghra Raocha	Anagran	Aneran	Aneran	Endless light

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