Esfand · Spenta Armaiti 1416

February 19 – March 20, 2038

SatSunMonTueWedThuFri
1 19 Feb
2 20 3 21 4 22 5 23 6 24 7 25 8 26
9 27 10 28 11 1 Mar 12 2 13 3 14 4 15 5
16 6 17 7 18 8 19 9 20 10 21 11 22 12
23 13 24 14 25 15 26 16 27 17 28 18 29 19
30 20

Events this month

  • Magha Puja (Sangha Day) · Magha Puja · 1 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Buddhist · Cultural

    The gathering of 1,250 enlightened disciples before the Buddha, on the full moon of Magha (Sri Lanka's Navam Poya); in Thai leap years Thailand keeps it a month later.

  • Khamenei killed · Koshte shodan-e Khamenei · 9 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Iranian · Historical

    Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the Islamic Republic since 1989, was killed in an Israeli air strike on his compound in Tehran, part of a joint operation with the United States, on the first day of the 2026 Iran war (9 Esfand 1404; 28 February 2026). Iranians celebrated in the streets of many cities.

  • Baloch Culture Day · 12 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Baloch · Cultural

    The Baloch people's day for their culture, kept every 2 March since 2010 with Baloch dress, folk music, dances and food, in Balochistan, Iran, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf states.

  • Women's Right to Vote · Haqq-e Ra'y-e Zanan · 13 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Iranian · Historical

    Iranian women gained the right to vote and to stand for parliament by government decree (3 March 1963), after a referendum in which women voted.

  • Maha Shivaratri · 14 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Hindu · Cultural

    The great night of Shiva, kept with a night-long fast and vigil on the 14th night of the waning moon of Magha (Phalguna in the northern reckoning), in February or March.

  • Vartanants (St Vartan and his companions) · Vartanants · 14 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Armenian · Historical

    The Armenians who fell at Avarayr in 451, in today's West Azerbaijan province, on the Thursday before Great Lent.

  • Losar (Tibetan New Year) · Losar · 16–18 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Buddhist · Cultural

    The Tibetan New Year, the first day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, celebrated for fifteen days with the main festivities on the first three.

  • Beginning of the Great Fast (Assyrian) · Sawma Raba · 17 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Assyrian · Cultural

    The Sunday seven weeks before Easter that opens the Great Fast, the Assyrian Church of the East's 50-day Lent.

  • Women's March Against Compulsory Hijab · 17 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Iranian · Historical

    On International Women's Day, tens of thousands of women marched in Tehran against the new rule of compulsory hijab (17 Esfand 1357; 8 March 1979).

  • Clean Monday · Kathara Deftera · 18 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Christian · Cultural

    The first day of Great Lent, 48 days before Orthodox Easter; a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, with kites and lagana bread.

  • Completion of the Shahnameh · Payan-e Sorayesh-e Shahnameh · 25 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Iranian · Cultural

    Ferdowsi finished the Shahnameh, the Persian Book of Kings, in 1010 after some thirty years' work.

  • Festival of Fire · Chaharshanbe Suri · 26 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Iranian · Ancient festival

    Bonfires on the eve of the year's last Wednesday, to leave the old year's troubles behind.

  • Halabja chemical attack · 26 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Kurdish · Historical

    Saddam Hussein's regime gassed the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988, killing thousands.

  • Oil Nationalization · Melli Shodan-e San'at-e Naft · 29 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Iranian · Historical

    Under Mohammad Mosaddegh's leadership, Iran's oil industry was nationalized: the Majlis passed the law on 24 Esfand and the Senate on 29 Esfand 1329 (20 March 1951).

  • Newroz fires (Kurdish Newroz Eve) · 30 Esfand · Spenta Armaiti

    Kurdish · Ancient festival

    On the evening of 20 March Kurds light the Newroz bonfires, as the legend says Kawa the blacksmith did after overthrowing the tyrant Zahhak.

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