The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (780 page)

ra.
Sikhism
Sikh festivals are tied particularly to the Gur
s and to the founding of the
kh
ls
. Thus
Grpurbs
commemorate the births, accessions, or deaths of the Gur
s; and even those which have been received from Hinduism have been adapted: thus the lights on Div
l
celebrate the release of Guru Hargobind on this day in 1619, and Hola-Mohalla (Holi) was given a specifically Sikh character by Guru Gobind Si
gh in 1680. Of particular importance is
Baisakhi
, commemorating the founding of the kh
ls
in 1699.
Zoroastrianism
For Zoroastrians there are six seasonal festivals (
gahambars
) which together with New Year (No Ruz) constitute an annual cycle of religious obligation for all Zoroastrians. Along with the
sudre/kusti
prayers (
Naujote
), they are in fact the only compulsory practices of the religion. They exhibit the traditional spirit of joyful worship of
Ahura Mazda
(misery is a sin in Zoroastrianism), focusing on hospitality, the sharing of food and drink in which everyone has the religious obligation to undertake charitable giving to others, even if that be simply their labours. The last five days of the year are dedicated to each of the traditional five divisions of the
G
th
s
(
Avesta
) and are therefore known as ‘Gatha days’. Other religious days of the year observed are Pateti (Parsi name for No Roz), when the Patet or prayer of repentance is recited seeking forgiveness for the past. Khordadsal celebrates the birthday of
Zoroaster
and Zarthoshtno Diso his death. The time of greatest merrymaking among diaspora Zoroastrians is probably Jamshedi No Roz which is generally celebrated on 21 Mar.
Japanese
Since
Japanese religion
is ‘a brocade of religious traditions’, the festivals (
matsuri
) of all the religions involved will be a part of the Japanese scene. But there are also annual festivals which are more specifically Japanese, and which, in general (at least until recently) are observed by a large proportion of the population. Of the annual observances (
nenj
gy
gi