Wishing you and your family a Happy Mehregan.
23 Sept.
ALL ZARATHUSHTI FESTIVALS are a landmark in Nature and should be celebrated on the exact day it occurs in Nature irrespective of which calendar is followed.
Ancient Zarathushtis respected Nature and celebrated the landmarks in Nature with accuracy. This is evident from the names of the Gahanbars which indicate the exact day of celebration. Two of the Gahanbars are named after the two seasons of Aryana Vaejah in the Arctic region where they originally lived. In the Arctic, there are two seasons Summer and Winter. They celebrated the middle of the Summer and called it Maidhyo-Shahem (Mid-Summer). Summer in the Arctic is for 216 days so Mid Summer falls on the 108th day. Which is 15 of Tir corresponding to 5 July. Winter being too cold for celebration they celebrated the Coming of Winter– Ayeh-Threm (Sarem) on the day before the winter started on 30 Mehr/ 21 October.
When they migrated to the Tropics, they celebrated the four seasons of the new home with four Gahanbars each of their name indicating the exact day of celebration.
Maidhyo-Zarem (Mid Spring) 15 Ardibesht 4 May
Paiti-Shahem (End of Summer) 31 Shahrivar / 21 Sept.
Maidh-Yarem (Sarem) (Mid- winter) 15 Bahman/4Feb.
Hamas-Path-Maedem (Equality of day and night) 28/ 29 Espand/March 19/20.
So also, they celebrated the four natural phenomenon’s that indicated the change in seasons.
Vernal Equinox – Now Rooz
Summer Solstice – Tirgan
Autumnal Equinox – Mehregan
Winter Solstice – Yalda
In the Avesta, we are repeatedly told of the importance of the Solar Year.
‘The coming of the season at the proper time of the solar year.‘ ‘Haptan Yasht’ Ha-3
‘I learn about and I work with the solar year, the righteous period.” Yasna Ha 1.9, Ha 3.11, Ha 4.14 Visparad Karda 1.4
All these festivals are landmarks in Nature and should be celebrated on the exact day that it occurs in Nature irrespective of what calendar is followed.
With Regards
Fariborz Rahnamoon