Maidyarem Gahambar · Gahanbar-e Maidyarem

Culture of origin: Zoroastrian · Ancient festival

Holiday sources: Iran · Zoroastrianism

Maidyarem, "mid-year", is the fifth of the six gahambars, originally kept at the winter solstice, and it celebrates the creation of beneficent animals. That the winter solstice is called mid-year shows these feasts first belonged to a calendar whose year began at the summer solstice. Like the other gahambars it is a time of shared feasts, renewed fellowship, forgiveness of wrongs and charity to the poor.