Zoroastrian Calendar - Astronomical and Mystical Aspects of The Calendars

Astronomical and Mystical Aspects of The Calendars

The three different Zoroastrian calendar-traditions are similar in regard of the principle of the beginning of the months. The Fasli, Qadimi and the Shahanshahi all (notionally) start each of the 30 day long months with the Sun entering a new constellation, similar to the Vedic (Hindu) Solar calendars as reflected in the Jyotisha (Vedic Astrology), and the Armenian calendar, but different from the Iranian (Jalaali) Calendar, the Julian Calendar, the Mayan Haab Calendar and the French Revolutionary Calendar, whose epochs of the months are fixed to the equinoxes/solstices, as are the signs of Western Astrology. The Qadimi and the Shhanshahi Zoroastrian Calendar use merely five epigomenal days, similar to the French Revolutionary, and the Coptic calendar, so their year count slowly travels through the astronomical year. Thus the Qadimi variant of the Zoroastrian calendar keeps track of precession, pointing towards an esoteric (hidden) calculus of world ages.

The Qadimi (traditional) Zoroastrian calendar puts the month of Dae (pronounced "Day") with the Sun entering the constellation of Taurus (specifically the Pleiades); thus apparently (theory) recalling the time of the origination of the zoroastrian calendar, and its relation to the discovery of the precession. At that time, one very well may conclude, that the vernal equinox also marked the sun's enterance into this constellation of the Golden Calf, the Taurus. According to Mary Boyce,

It seems a reasonable surmise that Nawruz, the holiest of them all, with deep doctrinal significance, was founded by Zoroaster himself.