Today@Dal

See below for a sample of dates to observe, reflect, and celebrate or view the full Multifaith calendar, available on our website: http://multifaithcalendar.org/cal/dologin.php?id=469

March 13
Holi (HI)
In India the Spring Festival is called Holi, the festival of colours. It is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Lord Krishna and Radha. The festival mainly started to welcome the spring season and win the blessings of Gods for good harvests and fertility of the land. It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali. Holi closes the wide gaps between social classes and brings Hindus together. Together, the rich and poor, women and men, enjoy each other’s presence on this joyous day.

Hola Mohalla (SI)
Hola Mohalla or simply Hola is a Sikh festival that takes place on the first of the lunar month of Chet which usually falls in March. This follows the Hindu festival of Holi; and the Guru made Hola Mohalla an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in simulated battles. Together the words "Hola Mohalla" stands for "mock fight." During these festivals, processions are organized in the form of army type columns accompanied by war-drums and standard-bearers and proceeding to a given spot or moving in state from one gurdwara to another. The custom originated in the time of Guru Gobind Singh who held first such mock fight event at Anandpur in February 1701.

Commonwealth Day
Commonwealth Day is annually held on the second Monday of March. It commemorates the Commonwealth of Nations, which is a union of some countries that used to be part of the British Empire. It is not a statutory holiday; rather it is a day of observance by close to one billion persons of their common bonds and the contribution of the Commonwealth of Nations to the creation of a harmonious global environment.

March 14
Sikh New Year’s Day (SI)
The years of the Nanakshahi Sikh calendar start with the birth of Guru Nanak in 1469. The calendar is based on the length of the tropical solar year, instead of the lunar cycle, meaning that dates will not fluctuate from year to year as they did previously under the old lunar based calendar. The Sikh New Year begins with Chet 1 which in the Common Era calendar is March 14.

March 16-20
Ghambar Hamaspathmaedem (ZO)
Ghambar Hamaspathmaedem occurs on the intercalary days celebrates the creation of human beings and commemorates passed souls.

March 17
St. Patrick’s Day
Around the globe Irish people and those of Irish descent celebrate St. Patrick's Day, which is one of Ireland’s biggest holidays. The special holiday is devoted to the patron saint of Ireland. The religious day is marked by a special mass for the feast and traditionally everyone wears green. This is considered the middle of the Spring season and is also referred to as the Vernal Equinox.