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References: Festivals Through the Year

  1. Moon Phases - NASA Science - A clear explanation of the Moon's phases and why the cycle from new moon to new moon takes about 29.5 days, the building block of every lunar and lunisolar calendar in this chapter.

  2. Islamic calendar - Wikipedia - An overview of the Hijri calendar: its 12 lunar months, its 354- or 355-day year, the tradition of starting each month by sighting the crescent moon, and how different countries decide the date.

  3. Holidays to be Observed in Central Government Offices During the Year 2026 - Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training (reproduced by Gconnect) - The official 2026 holiday list used for this chapter's dates, including Holi, Eid al-Fitr, Buddha Purnima, Dussehra and Diwali, with the matching dates in India's national Saka calendar.

  4. Change in the date of holiday on account of Id-u-Zuha (Bakrid) to 28th May, 2026 - Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training order of 22 May 2026 (reproduced by StaffNews) - A real example of a holiday moved by one day after the moon was sighted.

  5. Durga Puja in Kolkata - UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage - Describes the ten days of Durga Puja, from clay sculptures shaped by local artisans to the final immersion, and why UNESCO inscribed it in 2021.

  6. Garba of Gujarat - UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage - Explains the circle dance performed during Navaratri in Gujarat, inscribed in 2023.

  7. Mangal Shobhajatra on Pahela Baishakh - UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage - The story of the Bengali New Year procession in Dhaka, begun by Fine Art students in 1989 and inscribed in 2016.

  8. Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz ... (Nowruz) - UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage - The shared listing of Nowruz across many countries, including Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.

  9. Vesak Day - United Nations - Explains what Vesak commemorates and how the UN General Assembly recognized the Day of Vesak in 1999.

  10. H. Res. 824: Recognizing the religious and historical significance of the festival of Diwali - US Government Publishing Office - A 2025 House resolution that sums up what Diwali means to Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, and why it matters to South Asian Americans.