Zoroastrian Festivals - Gahambars

The seasonal festivals, called gahambars (meaning "proper season"), occur six times a year. Due to the peculiarities of the Shahenshahi and Kadmi variants of the Zoroastrian calendar, in those variants the seasonal festivals are actually celebrated many months in advance and are therefore said to reflect the six "primordial creations" of Ahura Mazda, otherwise known as the Amesha Spentas. The six festivals are:

• Maidyozarem Gahambar ('mid-spring' feast)
• Maidyoshahem Gahambar ('mid-summer' feast)
• Paitishahem Gahambar (feast of 'bringing in the harvest')
• Ayathrem Gahambar ('bringing home the herds')
• Maidyarem Gahambar ('mid-year'/winter feast)
• Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar (feast of 'all souls', literally 'coming of the whole group')

Each of these festivals is celebrated over five days.