Khordad Sal: Khordad Roz, Fravardin Mah ( (6th Day, 1st Month). On this day, the Prophet Zarathushtra’s birthday is celebrated symbolically.

Fravardigan: Fravardigan Roz, Fravardin Mah (19th Day, 1st Month). On this day, the Priests perform a Jashan in the vicinity of the Towers of Silence in memory of all the departed souls of the community.

Tiragan: Tir Roz, Tir Mah (13th Day, 4th Month). This summer festival is devoted to Tir, the Yazata of the rains and fertility. Tir is also associated with the dog star Sirius. On this day, people splash each other with water. This festival coincides with the celebration of the second seasonal Gahambar.

Meheragan: Meher Roz, Meher Mah (16th Day, 7th Month). This festival of early Autumn is dedicated to the Yazata Meher, a divinity associated with the sun and justice; the ripening of the crops and fruits.

Avan Roz nu Purab: Avan Roz, Avan Mah (10th Day, 8th Month). This day is celebrated as the birthday of the waters when Zoroastrians go to the waters and thanks to the great nourisher and purifier of the world. Special food and prayers are also offered to the water divinity on this day.

Adar Roz nu Purab: Adar Roz, Adar Mah (9th Day, 9th Month). This day is celebrated as the birthday of Fire, when Zoroastrians thank the Fire for the warmth and light given by it throughout the year. Traditionally, on this day food is not cooked in the house, as Fire is given a rest and special prayers including the litany to the Fire ‘Atash Niyayesh’ are recited in honour of the house Fire, or “Divo“

Jash-e-Sadeh: Ashtad Roz, Adar Mah (26th Day, 9th Month). This feast is celebrated in mid-winter 100 days before the advent of spring. It is from this point of time that the day becomes longer than the night, in order that the greater light and warmth may permeate the world. The Jashan is perfomed in the Aiwisruthrim gah which is the fourth evening watch of the Zoroastrian day.

Zardosht no Diso: Khorshed Roz, Dae Mah (11th Day, 10th Month). This is the day on which the death anniversary of the Prophet Zarathushtra symbolically falls. Special prayers are recited and traditionally Zoroastrians go to the Fire Temple as a mark of rememberance of their propher Zarathushtra.

Muktad - Festival of All Souls: Astad Roz, Spendarmad Mah (26th Day, 12th Month) to the 5th Gatha Day (the 5 Gatha days are supplementary days and therefore no month is ascribed to them). It is believed that during this 10 days festival, the Spirits (Farohars) of the dead visit their near and dear ones in the physical world. The Priests perform special rituals over cooked food, fruits and fresh flowers, during which the spirits of the departed are invoked in order to seek their protection and blessings in this world.

NavRoz - New Day: This is the most important day of the year and is recongnised as to be the Seventh Crowning Festival which immediately follows the Sixth Gahambar. Navroz is associated with the Seventh Creatiion Fire, and is linked to the Amesha Spenta Ardibehesht - the best truth. The Seventh Festival, bridges the old year to the new year, with the advent of Spring. The resurgence of life takes place during this period with the symbolic victory of the forces of light over darkness.

According to tradition, this festival was founded by the Prophet Zarathushtra himself, whom it is held, received his first revelation on this day.
 

Every Parsi is meant to wear a Sudreh and Kusti. This to most non-parsis looks like e a white vest and holy thread tied around the waist. However there’s great significance in the making and wearing of the two for us Parsis. And the Sudreh and Kusti are first worn by Parsis when their Navjote is performed - that is when they’re formally and ceremonially inducted into the Zoroastrian religion.

THE SUDREH

The word Sudreh mean good path and reminds us not to abandon the good path of life. It is made of white muslin (cotton) as white stands for purity.

The front and the back of the Sudreh remind you of the past and the present and the material word and the spiritual world.

The 9 parts of the Sudreh:

• Side seam
• side seam
• Sleeve seam
• Sleeve seam
• Neck seam
• Girdo
• Gireban
• Straight Tiri
• Triangular Tiri

The seams tell us that even poor people can make a Sudreh by joining cloth together.

The Girdo which is at the back stands for (a) future good deeds (b) prevents evil spirits from attacking us, and (c) reminds us of the burdens of the past.

The Gireban or Kisse-e-kerfeh is the pocket of good deeds and reminds you to offer your good deeds to God. It is only an inch in size to suggest that we should not be too proud because all our good deeds are small compared to the goodness of God.

The Straight Tiri reminds us of evil that is present around us.

The Triangular Tiri reminds us of Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds.
THE KUSTI

The Kusti, or the pathfinder leads us in the direction of light and truth and it is a symbol of service to God.

It is made of sheeps wool and made up of 72 tars which stand for the 72 Has or the chapters in the Yasha (the Book of Worship). The Yasna contains the Gathas (songs composed by Zarathushtra) and hence are the most important part of The Avestha.

The Kusti ends in 24 strands or ‘Lar’ which suggest the 24 chapters of the Visparod (The Avestha contains Yasnas, Visperad, Vendidar Yasths and Khordad Avesta).

We wear the Kusti in the middle of our body suggesting that we follow the middle path. The Kusti is knotted 4 times on the Sudreh Kshothenanam meaning that we will follow Ahura Mazda’s path in “action”

The Navjot (or Naozot) ceremony is an ancient sacred ritual of the Zoroastrian community. It is the ceremony through which Zoroastrian children on the threshold of adolescence are initiated into the religion.

The word Navjote is made up of the words ‘Nao’ which means ‘new’ and ‘Zot’ which means worshipper, and the combination of the two literally means ‘New Worshipper’.

In preparation of the Navjot, the children spend many hours learning the prayers which are in the ancient Avestan and Pazend languages. On the day of the Navjote, the child is made to wear the Sudreh and Kusti for the first time.

The Navjote is held only after the child is at least 7 years old, because after the Navjote the child is responsible for the duty of offering prayers to God and following the religion and customs. The Navjote ceremony is a public declaration of faith and is performed in the presence of relatives and friends.

During the Navjote, the child promises to follow the teachings of Zarathushtra, and recites the Articles of Faith.

The Parsi Zoroastrian Calendar has Thirty (30) Days. They are given below, alongwith their meaning:

• Hormazd - Lord of Wisdom
• Bahman - Good Mind
• Ardibehesht - Truth & Order
• Shehrevar - Great Power
• Asfandarmad - Devotion
• Khordad - Perfection
• Amerdad - Immortality
• Dae-pa-adar - Giver of Fire
• Adar - Fire
• Ava - Water
• Khorshed - Sun
• Mohor - Moon
• Tir - Star
• Gosh - Cow
• Dae-pa-meher - Giver of Friendship
• Meher - Friendship
• Sarosh - Prayer
• Rashne - Judge
• Fravardin - Guardian Spirit
• Behram - Victory
• Mino Ram - Joy and Peace
• Govad - Wind
• Dae-pa-din - Giver of Religion
• Din - Religion
• Ashishvangh - Wealth
• Ashtad - Justice
• Asman - Sky
• Zamyad - Earth
• Manrespand - Holy Words
• Aneran - Endless Light

To find out what is the corresponding zoroastrian calendar day to the conventional world calender try out this wonderful conversion tool here.