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8th November 2026

Sikhi

Sikhs celebrate Bandhi Chhor Divas / Divali since Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, was released from Gwalior prison in Madhya Pradesh on this day in 1619 CE. The day is known as Bandhi Chhor Divas (Prisoner Release Day) because 52 imprisoned princes (Bandhi) were released (Chhor) by him on this day (Divas). It is celebrated in October-November by both Sikhs and Hindus.

The Mughal Emperor Jehangir had long had an antagonistic relationship with this new religious community, now rising within his kingdom – so much so that he had ordered and carried out the execution of Guru Arjun, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs and Guru Hargobind’s predecessor. During the time of the 6^th Guru, Sikhism had become the fastest growing religion. Unfortunately, religious leaders and the Emperor became fearful and jealous, so they ordered the Guru to be detained in Gwalior fort in 1612 CE.

Rather than being a sanctuary of tranquility, Gwalior Fort was really a prison where enemies of the state, including a number of Rajput princes were detained. On entering the fort, the Guru was greeted by 52 Indian princes. They had been stripped of their kingdoms my the Emperor and were being ill-treated, with insufficient food and no clear clothes to wear. True to his na ture, the Guru inspired them to join him in daily prayers and did his best to improve their conditions. In time, they came to respect and honour him.

Jahangir was alarmed by the Guru’s popularity in the fort. In addition to this a group of prominent Sikhs campaigned in Delhi to secure his release. Troubled with fearful visions, and the remembrance that Guru Hargoband had once saved his life, the Emperor gave orders for him to be allowed his freedom. But when his release was offered him by the Emperor Jehangir, the Guru rejected the offer unless the 52 imprisoned Hindu princes were also given their freedom. To meet the Emperor’s churlish condition that only those who could hold on to his cloak could leave the prison with him, the Guru had a coat made for himself with long panels to which all 52 could cling. The princes each grasped a panel, 26 on the right and 26 on the left as they left. In this way, the Guru secured the release of all his fellow inmates.

Several days later, when Guru Hargobind reached Amritsar, the Hindu festival of light, Divali, was being celebrated. In their joy at seeing their Guru again, the people lit up the whole city with candles, lights and lamps. After almost four hundred years this tradition continues in Amritsar, and on this day the Harimandir is aglow with thousands of candles and floating lamps, strings of lights decorate the domes, and fireworks burst in the sky. Elsewhere, all around the world, Sikhs commemorate Bandi Chhor Divas, Prisoner Release Day, by lighting hundreds of candles in the evening around the gurdwara, singing shabads composed by Bhai Gurdas in praise of Guru Hargobind, preparing a festive langar, and basking in the spirit of joy, freedom and festivity. It is a festival marked by gifts of new clothes, presents and sweets –  a true ‘Festival of Liberation’.

8th November 2026

Jain

Divali has a special significance for Jains, as on this day in 527 BCE Mahavira gave his last teachings and at midnight attained ultimate liberation. Today temples and shrines are decorated, often with toys and images of animals, and Jains meditate on the teaching he gave on this day. Many devout followers fast for the two days of Divali, following the example of Mahavira. Lamps are lit and children are given sweets by their parents, though the songs, dances and noise of Hindu celebrations are not common amongst the Jain communities. Jain business people traditionally start their accounting year from the day after Divali.

The examples set by Mahavira and his teachings are central to all Jain belief and practice, so Divali is a time for meditation and penance, and for generously caring for all living beings. The focus of meditation is usually based on his last discourse, which became famous as the Uttaradhyayan Sutra, sometimes known as the Vipak Sutra, which has become seminal for much of Jain teaching and belief.

11th November 2026

National

The Sunday nearest to Armistice Day, devoted to remembering the dead of the two World wars and subsequent wars. 

11th November 2026

Baha’i

Baha’u’llah is held by many of his followers to be the founder of the Baha’i faith. He was born the eldest son of a Persian nobleman in Tehran, Persia, in 1817. For Bahá’ís, the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh is a Holy Day celebrating the rebirth of the world through the love of God.

`Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh, stated that during this holy day the community should rejoice together to increase the unity of the community. Bahá’ís usually observe the holy day with community gatherings where prayers are shared and the birth of Bahá’u’lláh is celebrated. Bahá’u’lláh stated that in communities where the majority of the population are Shi’a Muslims, such as Iran, his followers should exercise caution in celebrating the twin birthdays so that they do not upset the majority of the population who are mourning during the Islamic month of Muharram.

The birthdays of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh are now celebrated as the Twin Holy Birthdays on two consecutive days each year and these are two days that Bahá’ís will wish to be absent from work or school. (In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the most holy of the Bahá’í scriptures, Bahá’u’lláh wrote that his birthday and that of the Báb ‘are accounted as one in the sight of God’)

Bahá’ís believe that God causes special people to be born at different times in history and in different places in order to ‘educate the souls of men, and refine the character of every living man…’ (Abdu’l-Bahá, son of Bahá’u’lláh). The Bahá’í Faith refers to such people as ‘Manifestations of God’, for Bahá’ís, Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, and Muhammad were all Manifestations of God, as were many others whose names and stories are lost. But God has also sent two Manifestations of God in the persons of the Báb (ʿAli Muhammad Shirāzi – October 20, 1819 – July 9, 1850) and Bahá’u’lláh (Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Núrí -12 November 1817 – 29 May 1892) both born in Persia (now Iran). 

15th November 2026

Japanese

Girls of seven, boys of five and girls of three are dressed up in new clothes and taken to a Shinto shrine to pray for their future well-being. As is the case with Hinamatsuri, the family’s care for children and their upbringing is a central aspect of Japanese family life.

As part of the festival, girls are dressed in kimonos while boys wear haori jackets and hakama trousers, for the celebration, and visit the shrine with their families to participate in a Shinto purification ceremony to pray for a long and happy life and to mark their passage into middle childhood. The ages three, five and seven are said to have been chosen as odd numbers are considered auspicious in Japanese numerology.

The custom dates back to the Heian period (794-1185) when child and infant mortality was high. It began amongst court nobles and then spread to the samurai class who added several rituals. During the samurai era, it was customary for children to have their heads shaved at birth. It was kept short until the age of three. The Shichi-go-san festival marked the time when children could start growing their hair, referred to as “kamioki” (literally ‘putting on hair’).

Although this custom is no longer observed, the celebration of the day that marked it is. At the age of three, boys and girls make their first debut at the local shrine wearing traditional Japanese clothes. Then at the age of five, boys celebrate ‘hakamagi-no-ig’, their first time to officially wear ‘hakama’ or formal Japanese pants. And at the age of seven, girls celebrate ‘obitoki-no-gi’ when they wear the traditional ‘obi’ sash to tie their kimono for the first time instead of simple cords. Children get Chitoseame in a bag with a crane and a turtle on it. In Japan these animals are symbols of long life. Chitoseame is wrapped in an edible rice paper so children do not have to bother with removing the wrapping.

5th November 2026

Buddhist

Anapanasati day, which is observed by monks in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, is marked by two different ceremonies: one falls on the day after the final day of the three months long Rains Retreat; the other falls on the same day or at some time during the month that follows.

The first is the ‘Invitation’ or ‘Pavarana’ ceremony (see above), usually held towards the end of   October. On the same day or up to a month later comes the Kathina ceremony. Anapanasati is the last day on which the Kathina ceremony may be observed.

This ceremony, the ‘Invitation’, takes place at the very end of the Rains Retreat when the monks and nuns meet together and invite one another to point out each other’s faults, as they have been observed during the Retreat. Its purpose is to help them in purifying themselves. A monk (Bhikkhu) has to be open to any criticism from colleagues or from lay people he (or she) has met regarding his/her behaviour.

Being open to criticism in this manner was a way of life the Buddha himself inaugurated. Since then the monks of the Sangha need to be sensitive to complaints made by others in order to win their respect and to encourage them to learn and progress in the Dhamma (teaching). In particular they have to take note of the remarks made by their fellow monks. It is a kind of check-and-balance system between individual Bhikkhus as well as between the senior and the junior monks.

The ‘Invitation’ Ceremony is important ceremonially as well as spiritually. Without it there cannot be a proper Kathina robe-offering – any gifts of robes will only be the ordinary robe-offerings which often follow the Retreat, with no advantage or benefit to the monks themselves.

The second ceremony of Anapanasati falls on or after the final day of the three months long Rains Retreat, after cloth has been presented to the Sangha (the community of monks and nuns) by members of the lay Buddhist community. This is made into a Kathina robe by sewing patches of the cloth together. The robe is then offered by the monks present to a particular monk, usually an especially deserving or virtuous one, in a thoughtful ceremony conducted by four of his colleagues.

The word ‘Kathina’ is Pali in origin. It means a frame used in sewing robes in the period when the Buddha lived and taught in India. The Kathina ceremony is necessarily a monastic one, but the cost of producing and dyeing the robe is usually supported by the generous donations of local devotees. The laity are able to gain merit for themselves by observing the ceremony.

Throughout the four following months the monk who receives the robe enjoys the relaxation of five minor rules (out of the 220 that normally apply during and after the Retreat). These mainly relate to travel and the receipt of alms. Normally a Bhikkhu, whether senior or junior, has to inform his fellow monks who live in the same temple before he goes out. Once he has received the Kathina-robe he can choose whether to do so or not. He also has less restriction on where he travels. Usually he has to carry all the three pieces of his/her robe wherever he goes, but now he can now leave one behind if he wishes. He can also accept other robes if offered during the period of four months.

At the heart of Anapanasati, which means ‘mindfulness of breathing’, is a form of Buddhist meditation initially taught by Gautama Buddha. It is described in several suttas (discourses delivered by the Buddha) including the Anapanasati Sutta. It originated when the Buddha announced in advance one year that he would speak at the end of the Rains. This allowed a large number of monks, elders, and teachers to come together. He praised their various practices within the assembly, and then explained the importance to them of ‘mindfulness of breathing in and out’, and how it can bring ‘knowledge and liberation.’  Mindfulness, meditation and breath control have since come to be at the heart of Theravada Buddhism.

24th November 2026

Sikhi

Although the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak, was born in April 1469, his birth anniversary (one of Sikhs’ most widely celebrated gurpurbs) is still generally celebrated on the full moon day of the lunar month of Kartik. It is a celebration observed by all Sikhs on this date, whether they observe the Bakrami lunar calendar or the more recent Nanakshahi one.

As is the case with all other gurpurbs, an akhand path (a complete, unbroken reading of the Guru Granth Sahib) commences two days earlier so that it ends on the morning of the festival. Sikhs gather at the gurdwara for hymn-singing (kirtan) and to hear kathas (homilies) and share the langar (free meal). The gurdwara may be illuminated and street processions take place too, culminating in some cases, as at Baisakhi, in the washing and redressing of the nishan, the flag and the flagpole erected outside each gurdwara.

The name “Nanak” was used by all subsequent Gurus while penning down their own spiritual revelations, recorded now in the holy scripture called the Guru Granth Sahib. So the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji is also called the “Second Nanak” or “Nanak II”. It is believed by the Sikhs that all subsequent Gurus carried the same message as that of Guru Nanak and so they have used the name ‘Nanak’ in their holy text instead of their own name and hence are all understood to carry the divine ‘Light of Nanak’.

Although each of the ten human Gurus shares a common nature and equal honour, Guru Nanak is fêted as the one who initiated the Sikh tradition and determined its direction for the future. His creativity and humanity became landmarks for those who follow his example.

24th November 2026

Sikhi

1675 CE

As ordered by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in Sis Ganj, near Chandi Chowk in Old Delhi, for upholding the refusal of a number of Hindu Kashmiri Brahmins’ to convert to Islam. These Hindus had turned to him for help and the Guru told them to inform the Emperor that they would only convert if the Guru also converted. This of course he then refused to do. Guru Tegh Bahadur is accordingly honoured for sacrificing his head (sir) rather than his faith (sis) for the religious freedom of those of a different religious persuasion from himself.

Guru Tegh Bahadur was the youngest of the five sons of Guru Hargobind, and was born in 1621 CE. His name means ‘Mighty of Sword’, and his father foresaw that he would become his successor as Guru in due course. He received effective training in archery and horsemanship as well as in the classic teachings of the Sikh traditions. He showed early promise of mastery in all these fields, and also gave evidence of a deeply mystical temperament by his prolonged spells of seclusion and contemplation. This strain of his genius is best expressed in his sublime poetry, preserved in the Guru Granth. There was no doubt that he was his father’s favourite and that mighty events awaited him.

The Guru held several meetings with the Emperor, Aurangzeb. During the course of the discussions and the arguments that ensued in these conferences, Aurangzeb tried to justify his actions to crush infidels, by arguing that the Hindus were destined to be thrown into hell if they did not worship Allah, the one true God. He claimed he was carrying out this policy on the orders of the Almighty and that the only way for Hindus to gain admission to heaven and to avoid hell was to embrace Islam.

Guru Tegh Bahadur in His reply told the Emperor of Delhi: ‘All men are created by God and therefore must be free to worship in any manner they like.’ It is worth noting that the Sikhs are as much against idol worship as are the Muslims. Ideologically therefore Guru Tegh Bahadur and Aurangzeb were much nearer to each other, than either were to the Hindus – whose cause the Guru was defending. It is apparent that the Guru was espousing an ideology in which he himself did not believe. This is why his sacrifice was unique.

At the end of these discussions the Emperor gave the Guru three options:
(i) To embrace Islam as His religion and receive the highest honours in his court.
(ii) To perform miracles, which the Muslims regarded as the fundamental characteristic of a true prophet;
(iii) To accept death.

The Guru declined to accept Islam or to perform any miracles.  ‘God’s favour is not for the purpose of show, like a juggler.’ Instead he willingly accepted the third offer – that of death. He was placed in prison in Delhi, and when he continued to plead the case for Hindu emancipation, he was placed in an iron cage and tortured. He was forced to witness the torture and death of some of his followers, one (Matidas) being sawn in half, while reciting the Japji, another being thrown into a cauldron of boiling water, and yet another torn apart. The Guru still refused to submit and was beheaded on the Emperor’s order. His example of courage and bravery had a profound influence on those who supported and followed him, and led eventually to a new era of freedom and tolerance for all.

30th November 2026

National

Andrew, the apostle, was brother of St Peter, and the first disciple to follow Jesus. He was crucified at Patras in Greece and has been patron saint of Scotland since the 8th century. In the Anglican communion he is associated with missionary activity.

29th November 2026

Christian (Western Churches)

Advent means ‘Coming’. It heralds the start of the Christian year, and commences on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It is often celebrated by lighting the first candle in the advent crown – a circular wreath of greenery. A further three candles are lit on subsequent Sundays, culminating with the Christmas candle on the 25th of December. Together these signify the transition from darkness to light, the light of Jesus coming into the world.

The earliest celebration of Advent dates back to the year 567 CE when monks were ordered to fast during December, in preparation for Christmas. Some Christians fast during Advent to help them concentrate on their preparations for celebrating the coming of Jesus. In many Orthodox and Eastern Catholics Churches, Advent lasts for 40 days, starting on November 15th. It is also called the Nativity Fast. Orthodox Christians no meat or dairy foods during Advent, and they may also avoid olive oil, wine and fish.

There are some Christmas Carols that are really Advent Carols. These include ‘People Look East’, ‘Come, thou long expected Jesus’, ‘Lo! He comes, with clouds descending’ and, perhaps the most popular advent song, ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel!’.

There are several ways that Advent is counted down but the most common is by a calendar or candles. There are many types of calendars used in different countries. The most common ones in the UK and USA are made of paper or card with 24 or 25 little windows. One of these is opened each day in December and a Christmas picture is displayed underneath.

For Christians Advent is a time of preparation for and reflection on the mystery of the incarnation. It is observed through private prayer and self-discipline and its aim is to ready the believer for celebrating at Christmas the miracle of God’s taking human form.