22nd October 2025
Hindu
Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakut or Annakoot, is a Hindu festival celebrated on the first lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartika, on the fourth day of Diwali. Devotees worship Govardhan Hill and prepare and offer a large variety of vegetarian food to Krishna as a mark of gratitude.
2nd October 2025
Jewish
The 10th day of Tishrei, the 7th Month of the Jewish Calendar
This is the final day of the ten days of repentance, following on from Rosh Hashanah, and is the holiest day of the year in the Jewish calendar. The Torah calls it the ‘Sabbath of Sabbaths’, and it is marked by ‘afflicting the soul’ – chiefly expressed through a total fast that lasts for 25 hours. Jews spend the eve and most of the day in prayer in the synagogue, asking for divine forgiveness for past wrongs and resolving to improve in the future in their attempt to live a moral life. In the days before the festival they will have tried to set right any breakdown in their relationships with others. Now they ask the Almighty for forgiveness before the gates of heaven are closed and the record books are sealed, so that they may live throughout the coming year as He would wish.
Many Jews who observe no other religious customs refrain from work on this day, observe the fast and attend the lengthy synagogue services. On this uncomfortable day washing, bathing, anointing the body, sexual activity and wearing leather shoes or coats are all prohibited to those over 12 or 13 years of age, though dispensations are available for people in poor health or in childbirth. White clothing is worn to express purity, and some wear a white kittel reminiscent of the shroud that is used to bury the dead, but more importantly also reminiscent of the extremely simple costume of the High Priest when the Temple still stood in Jerusalem.. This is the only festival of the year when men wear their prayer shawls for evening worship.
The services are lengthy, and involve prostration and standing erect for up to an hour at a time. The Kol Nidre (All Vows) service on the eve of the festival encourages repentance for all types of sins, including for instance mistreatment or exploitation of others, arrogance, selfishness and gossip – the ‘evil tongue’ in its many forms. The closing service (Neilah) at the end of the period of fasting lasts for an hour, during which the doors of the Ark are kept open and accordingly all must stand. The Book of Jonah is read and a common greeting ‘G’mar Chatimah Tovah’ (May you finally be sealed for good) is offered by all to each other. A long blast on the shofar concludes the main proceedings, followed as on Shabbat by the Havdalah (separation) ceremony, and finally a shared meal.
This is a time for making gifts to the poor (often via charities) in accordance with the instructions of the Torah and the Talmud, albeit nowadays in a spirit of generosity rather than as expiation for guilt – although for some the concept of the scapegoat or the sacrificial chicken that carry away our guilt may still survive.
Leviticus 16:4-34, 23:27-32.
6th October 2025
Chinese
This Mid-Autumn festival celebrates the moon’s birthday. Traditionally, offerings of moon cakes are made by women to the goddess of the moon. Offerings are also made to the rabbit in the moon, who is pounding the elixir of life with a pestle. ‘Spirit money’ is bought along with incense and offered to the moon by women. They also make special ‘moon’ cakes containing ground lotus and sesame seeds or dates. These contain an image of the crescent moon or of the rabbit in the moon, and children holding brightly coloured lanterns are allowed to stay up late to watch the moon rise from some nearby high place.
7th October 2025
Jewish
This is an eight day long harvest festival which commemorates the 40 years the Jews spent in the wilderness on the way from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. A temporary hut or a frail booth – called a sukkah – is built outside the house each year at this time for eating meals and for visits and socialising. In hot countries families may live in their sukkah during the festival. The roof has to be open in part to the elements, so that the stars may be visible through the gaps, and is covered with branches and leaves and decorated with fruit.
Spending time in the family’s temporary sukkah recalls their newfound liberty in days gone by, an element that underlies many of the festivals Jews celebrate, constantly reiterating and revisiting the central narrative of the Jewish story, the Exodus from Egypt and the journey to the Promised Land. It also recalls the fragility of life – both during the Exodus and in the present day – and the fact that all creation is dependent on the goodness of the Almighty for its life and comfort. Extending hospitality to others, and especially to the needy, is a particular Sukkot custom.
Many synagogues build sukkot that are used for communal meals and celebration, since many homes have no room for a personal sukkah. In Israel, blocks of flats are frequently built with their balconies not directly above one another so that the balcony can be used to build a small sukkah which it will be properly open to the sky as required. On each day of the festival special sections of the Torah and the Prophets are read, including the instruction to dwell in booths. The book of Ecclesiastes is also read.
Four species of plant, the lulav (palm branch), the etrog (a yellow citrus fruit), three branches of the hadas (myrtle) and two of the aravah (willow) are used each day of the festival, the etrog in the left hand and the other branches, bound together, in the right. They are waved side by side in all four directions of the compass and up and down to demonstrate the universality of the Almighty, while reciting appropriate blessings. This follows the teaching of the Torah in Leviticus (23:40) ‘On the first day, you will take for yourselves a fruit of a beautiful tree, palm branches, twigs of a braided tree and brook willows, and you will rejoice before the L-rd your G-d for seven days.’ Above all else, this is a festival of rejoicing at the bounty enjoyed at harvest time as a gift from G-d by the people of Israel.
Leviticus 23:33-43.
NB The first two days and the last two days are full festival days when, for Orthodox Jews, work is not permitted.
15th October 2025 Simchat Torah (Jewish)
14th October 2025 Shemini Atzert (Jewish)
This festival, whose name means ‘Rejoicing in the Torah’, marks the completion of the annual cycle of reading from the Torah. As the reading of the Law in the synagogue should be continuous, a second scroll is begun again as soon as the final portion of the Torah has been read from the first scroll; so, as the reading from Deuteronomy ends, with the next breath, Genesis begins without a break – the Torah is a circle that never ends. All the Torah scrolls are paraded around the synagogue, with children dancing and singing, as do many of the adults, giving as many people as possible the honour of carrying a Torah scroll. Progressive Jews frequently celebrate this one day earlier, combining it with the eighth day of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret.
The Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and given to members of the congregation to hold; then they march around the synagogue and everyone kisses the Torah scrolls as they pass. This ceremony is known as hakafot, which means “to march around” in Hebrew. Once the Torah holders return to the ark everyone forms a circle around them and dances with them.
There are seven hakafot in total, so as soon as the first dance is completed the scrolls are handed to other members of the congregation and the ritual begins anew. In some synagogues, it is also popular for children to hand out candy to everyone.
During Simchat Torah services the next morning, many congregations will divide into smaller prayer groups, each of which will use one of the synagogue’s Torah scrolls. Dividing the service up this way gives every person in attendance the opportunity to bless the Torah. In some traditional communities, only the men or pre-bar mitzvah boys accompanied by adults bless the Torah (post bar mitzvah aged boys are counted among the men). In other communities, women and girls are also allowed to take part.
Because Simchat Torah is such a happy day, services are not as formal as at other times. Some congregations will drink liquor during the service; others will make a game out of singing so loud that they drown out the cantor’s voice. Overall the holiday is a unique and joyful experience.
The association of joy with the reading and study of Torah recurs in much of Jewish worship, and celebrations such as Shabbat, Shavuot and Pesach all bear witness to the centrality of Torah to Jewish life.
1st October 2025
Zoroastrian
Jashn-e Mehergan is an Autumn festival, and like NoRuz its origins have been lost in antiquity. Mehergan is dedicated to the divinity Meher or Mithra, who is associated with the sun and with justice. The ripening of the crops and fruits at this time of the year is seen as symbolic of the ripening of the world into fullness, before the moment of the ultimate victory over evil. It evokes the physical resurrection of the body along with its immortal soul, as promised by the Lord, Ahura Mazda.
It is customary at this time to visit the Fire Temple to offer thanks to the Creator God, to participate in a jashan or thanksgiving ceremony, to listen to stories of King Faridoon’s triumphant capture of the evil Zohak, and to share in a special community meal. For this celebration, the participants wear new clothes and prepare a decorative, colourful table. The sides of the tablecloth are festooned with dry wild marjoram. On the table are placed a copy of the Khordeh Avesta (the ‘little Avesta), a mirror and a sormeh-dan (a traditional eyeliner or kohl), together with rosewater, sweets, flowers, vegetables and fruits, (pomegranates and apples), and nuts such as almonds or pistachios. A few silver coins and lotus seeds are set in a dish of water, scented with extract of marjoram.
A burner is also part of the table setting, ready for frankincense and seeds of Syrian rue to be thrown on the flames. At lunch time, when the ceremony begins, everyone in the family stands in front of the mirror to pray. Sherbet is drunk and then – as a good omen –kohl is applied around the eyes. Handfuls of wild marjoram, lotus and sugar plum seeds are thrown over one another’s heads while they embrace each other. The meal concludes with an appropriate drink, dancing and merrymaking.
Mehregan is an Iranian festival and is celebrated in honour of Mithra, the angel of covenants, and hence of interpersonal relationships such as friendship, affection and love. He is the greatest of the Yazats (angels), and is an angel of light, associated with the sun (but distinct from it), and with legal contracts. Mithra is also a common noun in the Avesta meaning ‘contract’. He is said to have a thousand ears and ten-thousand eyes.
Mithra figures prominently in the writings of other religions too. He is mentioned in the Rig Veda over 200 times, where the Sun is said to be the eye of Mithra. In the angelology of Jewish mysticism, as the result of Zoroastrian influence, Mithra appears as Metatron, the highest of the angels. He appeared as Mithras, god of the Mithraic religion popular among the Roman military. He is also mentioned in Manichaeism and in Buddhist texts. Mehregan, Tiragan, and Norooz, were the only Zoroastrian feasts to be mentioned in the Talmud, which is an indication of their popularity – and his.
2nd October 2025
Hindu
The festival of Dussehra, usually falls on the last day of the Durga Puja celebrations, which is also the tenth day after the start of Navratri. It is observed throughout India to commemorate the victory of Lord Rama over the ten-headed demon Ravana. He, Ravana, was the king of Lanka who had abducted Rama’s wife, Sita, and was subsequently vanquished in battle. Large effigies of him are burnt as the sun goes down. This day is celebrated as the ‘Victorious Tenth’ (Vijaya Dashami) and huge figures of Ravana alongside his son, Meghnada, and his brother, Kumbhakarna, are filled with fireworks and set on fire in public parks. In the UK some temples carry this out, even if on a smaller scale.
On this day, Hindus worship the goddess Durga, who, pleased with Rama’s devotion, gave him the secret knowledge of how to kill Ravana. By using this, he was able to defeat Ravana and rescue his abducted wife, Sita. On this last day of the festival, young men and small boys, dressed as Rama, as Lakshman, his brother, as Hanuman, Rama’s chief supporter, and as Ravana, the demon, proceed through the streets of the community as part of an elaborate float. Rama and Ravana engage in battle; Ravana is defeated. At the end of the day, images of Ravana are placed in lakes and rivers to symbolise his defeat.
Then at sunset Rama fires an arrow into giant sized images of Meghnada and Kumbhakarna, stuffed – as is the effigy of Ravana – with crackers and explosives; finally an arrow is shot into Ravana’s effigy also, to the encouraging shouts of ‘Ramchandra ki jai’, ‘Victory to Rama’, and large explosions ripple through the sky.
Dussehra also symbolises the triumph of the warrior goddess Durga over the buffalo demon, Mahishasura. The story relates how asuras or demigods had become powerful and tried to defeat the devas and capture heaven. The goddess Durga came to the rescue and took up the form of Shakti to kill Mahishasura. Riding on a lion, she fought him for nine days and nights. On the tenth day, she killed him. Thus, in both legends, the festival tells a story of the victory of good over evil.
Dusshera is celebrated with excitement and fervour across the country. People revel in the festivities by wearing new clothes, exchanging gifts, preparing delicacies, watching Ramlila plays and burning huge effigies of Ravana in the evening. However, every state in India has its own story behind the festivity and its own unique way of celebrating it. Dusshera is celebrated not just in India, but in other countries as well including Nepal, Bangladesh and many others. It is a time when Hindus all over the world visit their relatives and friends.
For the nine days of Navaratri, people fast and perform religious rites so as to sanctify themselves and take a step towards purity, piousness and prosperity. On the tenth day, they burn everything that is evil in them, hatred, maliciousness, greed, anger and violence (symbolically represented by the burning of effigies of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhakaran) and so they emerge as better individuals filled with a sense of gratitude, devotion and reverence.
Though there are several legendary tales behind the festival and its celebration, all culminate by marking the rise of goodness over evil, of positivity over negativity. In burning the effigies people attempt to burn away all their selfishness, and then follow the path of truth and goodness. According to Hindu Scriptures, by worshipping the ‘shakti’ on these nine-days, householders attain the threefold powers, (physical, mental and spiritual), which help them live their lives as the gods direct.
The festival of Dusshera is noteworthy for both its moral and its cultural significance. People, irrespective of their creed, culture or religion, gather to vanquish all evil and unpleasant things and imbibe the goodness around them. The essence of the festival lies in its message: with devotion to the goddess it is possible to overcome all obstacles and emerge victorious and successful.
29th October 2025
Chinese
This Double Ninth festival is the day for hill climbing or ‘going up on a high place’. It reminds of an ancient seer who foretold an imminent natural calamity and escaped by going into the hills. The rest of humanity ignored his warnings and perished. Kites are flown, family graves visited, and a ‘golden pig’ is shared by large families with fruit, wine, tea and rice.
7th October 2025
Buddhist
Pavarana is a Buddhist holy day celebrated on Aashvin full moon of the lunar month. This usually occurs on the full moon of the 11th month. It marks the end of the three lunar months of Vassa, sometimes called “Buddhist Lent.” The day is marked in some Asian countries where Theravada Buddhism is practiced.
6th October 2025
Sikhi
On October 6th, 1708, the day before his death, Guru Gobind Singh (the Sikhs’ tenth Guru, 1666 -1708) declared that, instead of having another human Guru, from now on Sikhs would regard the scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, as their Guru.
The composition known as the Adi Granth contains the bani (teaching) of six of the Gurus of the Sikh faith, along with some of the writings of certain Muslim fakirs and Hindu saints. It was compiled in this form in the year 1604, incorporating at a later stage the addition of a sacred composition dictated by Guru Tegh Bahadur.
The first copy of the Guru Granth Sahib was installed in the Harimandir (the Golden Temple in Amritsar) in 1604. The fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, compiled the book, which was written down by his uncle, Bhai Gurdas, and printed in Punjabi. The second (enlarged) edition was completed in 1705 by the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh. He added the hymns of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the Ninth Guru, and a couplet of his own to the volume created a century earlier. Since then, the authorised version has been transcribed and printed a number of times. Its veneration is an article of faith with all Sikhs.
It is the only scripture of its kind which contains the songs, hymns and utterances of a wide variety of saints, sages and bards from differing traditions. Much of the volume carries the compositions of Hindu bhaktas, Muslim divines, Sufi poets and other God-intoxicated souls, whose hymns and couplets, while rendered in their own idiom, find a ready correspondence in the songs of the Sikh Gurus. Guru Arjan’s purpse was to to affirm the fundamental unity of all religions, and the unitary character of all mystic experience.
Then, in October, 1708, in a gurdwara at Nanded, on the banks of the Indian river Godawari, Guru Gobind Singh designated the Adi Granth as his successor, using in his address the words, ‘Guru maneyo Granth’ (consider the Granth to be the Guru), affirming the text of the Granth as sacred and terminating the traditional line of human Gurus. Installed now as the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’, it became the central text of Sikhism, and the eternal Guru of all Sikhs. In this way he conferred Guruship on the Granth Sahib as the living Guru of the Khalsa, declaring in his speech that the temporal functions of the Guru would be performed by the Five Beloveds, the Panj Pyares, the leaders of the Khalsa; and that spiritual guidance would be given in future by the Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Gobind Singh prostrated himself as he offered his obeisance to the sacred Granth. He conferred Guruship on the Granth by walking around it five times and bowing his head before it. He declared that after him, the living Guru would be embodied in the Guru Granth Sahib. The Granth is now central to all Sikh worship and is said to incorporate the living spirit of the ten human Gurus. This gurdwara, Abchal Nagar Sahib gurdwara, is also the place where Guru Gobind Singh died the next day on October 7, 1708.
Guru Gobind Singh did not appoint any human successor in the line of human Guruship as had been the previous tradition. He declared the Guru Granth Sahib to be the ultimate source of authority and the eternal Guru of the Sikhs. Today the Sikh religion holds that in each of the succeeding Gurus, the spirit of Guru Nanak, the first Guru was incarnate, and wherever Sikhs assembled, he would be present. Today the sacred Granth is installed in all Sikh holy places of worship and is treated as the presiding presence of the Guru.
A building becomes a gurdwara (‘house of the Guru’) when the Guru Granth Sahib is kept inside. The Guru is placed on a raised throne-like platform (takht) with a decorated canopy above it. Every morning the Guru is taken out from its special rest room and carried on the head to the centre of the gurdwara, where it is placed on the throne. Devotees offer gifts as they bow to the Granth, whenever they enter the Gurdwara.