Major Religious Holy Days
Dedicated to providing programs aimed at improving the spiritual, ethical and social aspects of life at The Claremont Colleges.
Major Religious Holy days September 2019 – May 2020
The Chaplains recommend not holding major programs on holidays in bold based on holiday restrictions, observances, and student population.
1st Semester – September 2019-December 2019
| Raksha Bandhan |
Hindu |
Aug 14 |
Wednesday |
| Eid al Ghadeer |
Muslim |
Aug 19-20 |
Mon-Tues |
| Eid al Adha |
Muslim |
Aug 10-14 |
Sat-Wed |
| Krishna Janmashtami |
Hindu |
Aug 24 |
Saturday |
| Gurgaddi Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji |
Sikh |
Sept 1 |
Sunday |
| Ganesh Chaturthi |
Hindu |
Sept 2 |
Monday |
| Shaheedi Bhai Mehtab Singh Ji |
Sikh |
Sept 6 |
Friday |
| Gurgaddi Sri Guru Ramdas Ji |
Sikh |
Sept 11 |
Wednesday |
| Gurgaddi Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji, Joti Jot Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji |
Sikh |
Sept 19-24 |
Thurs-Tues |
| Rosh Hashanah [New Year] |
Jewish |
Sept 29—-Oct 1* |
Sun-Tues |
| Navratri |
Hindu |
Sept 29 —Oct 8 |
Sun-Tues |
| Dussehra/Vijayadashami/Durga Puja |
Hindu |
October 8 |
Tuesday |
| Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement] |
Jewish |
Oct 8-9* |
Tues-Wed |
| Day of Aushura |
Muslim |
Sept 9-10 |
Mon-Tues |
| Sukkot [Feast of Tabernacles] |
Jewish |
Oct 13-20* |
Sun-Sun |
| Simchat Torah/ Shmini Atzeret |
Jewish |
Oct 20-22* |
Sun-Tues |
| Joti Jot Sri Guru Har Rai Ji, Gurgaddi Sri Guru Harkrishan Ji |
Sikh |
Oct 22 |
Tuesday |
| Janam Baba Buddha Sahib Ji |
Sikh |
Oct 23 |
Wednesday |
| Arba’een |
Muslim |
Oct 19-20* |
Sat-Sun |
| All Saints Day |
Christian |
Nov 1 |
Friday |
| Dhanteras |
Hindu |
Oct 25 |
Friday |
| Naraka Chaturdashi/Kali Chaudas/Choti Diwali |
Hindu |
Oct 26 |
Saturday |
| Diwali/Deepavali |
Jain/Sikh/Hindu |
Oct 27 |
Sunday |
| Bandi Chhor Diwas |
Sikh |
Oct 27 |
Sunday |
| Goverdhan Puja/Bali Pratipada/Bestu Varas |
Hindu |
Oct 28 |
Monday |
| Birth of the Bab |
Bahai’i |
Oct 28-29 |
Mon-Tues |
| Gurgaddi Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji |
Sikh |
Oct 29 |
Tuesday |
| Bhai Duj |
Hindu |
Oct 29 |
Tuesday |
| Saka Panja Sahib |
Sikh |
Oct 30 |
Wednesday |
| Joti Jot Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji |
Sikh |
Nov 1 |
Friday |
| Parkaash Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji |
Sikh |
Nov 12 |
Tuesday |
| Shaheedi Baba Deep Singh Ji |
Sikh |
Nov 15 |
Friday |
| Gurgaddi Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji |
Sikh |
Nov 29 |
Friday |
| Shaheedi Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji |
Sikh |
Dec 1 |
Sunday |
| Shaheedi Sahibzade Baba Ajit Singh Ji and Baba Jujhar Singh Singh |
Sikh |
Dec 23 |
Monday |
| Shaheedi Sahibzade Baba Zorawar Singh JI and Baba Fateh Singh Ji |
Sikh |
Dec 26 |
Thursday |
| Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawī |
Muslim |
Oct 28-29 |
Mon-Tues |
| Chanukah- [8-day Festival] |
Jewish |
Dec 22-30* |
Sun-Mon |
| Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
Christian |
Dec 8 |
Sunday |
| Our Lady of Guadalupe |
Christian |
Dec 12 |
Thursday |
| Christmas |
Christian |
Dec 25 |
Wednesday |
| Kwanzaa |
African-American |
Dec 26 – Jan 1 |
Thur-Wed |
| Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) |
Buddhist |
Jan. 2 |
Thursday |
2nd Semester – January 2020-June 2020
| Gurpurab Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji |
Sikh |
Jan 2 |
Thurs |
| Christmas |
Eastern Orthodox |
Jan 7 |
Tuesday |
| Neeh Pathar Sri Harmandir Sahib |
Sikh |
Jan 14 |
Tuesday |
| Makar Sankranti/Pongal |
Hindu |
Jan 15 |
Wednesday |
| Vasant Panchami/Saraswati Puja |
Hindu |
Jan 29 |
Wednesday |
| Asian Lunar New Year |
Confucian/Taoist /Buddhist |
Jan 20 |
Saturday |
| Gurpurab Sri Guru Har Rai Ji |
Sikh |
Feb 7 |
Friday |
| Thaipusam |
Hindu |
Feb 8 |
Saturday |
| Vadda Ghalughara |
Sikh |
Feb 9 |
Sunday |
| Maha Shivratri |
Hindu |
Feb 21 |
Friday |
| Ash Wednesday |
Christian |
Feb 26 |
Wednesday |
| Holi |
Hindu |
March 9-10* |
Mon-Tues |
| Purim |
Jewish |
March 9-10* |
Mon-Tues |
| Holla Mohalla |
Sikh |
March 10 |
Tuesday |
| Navroz (Persian New Year) |
Muslim/ Bahai’i /Secular |
March 20 |
Friday |
| Ugadi/Gudi Padwa |
Hindu |
March 25 |
Wednesday |
| Palm Sunday |
Christian |
April 5 |
Sunday |
| Khalsa Sajna Diwas |
Sikh |
April 13 |
Monday |
| Vaisakhi |
Hindu |
April 13 |
Monday |
| Passover Seder |
Jewish |
April 8-9 |
Wed-Thur |
| Passover |
Jewish |
April 8-16* |
Wed-Thur |
| Hanuman Jayanti |
Hindu |
April 8 |
Sunday |
| Maundy Thursday |
Christian |
April 9 |
Thursday |
| Good Friday |
Christian |
April 10 |
Friday |
| Easter Vigil |
Christian |
April 11 |
Saturday |
| Ridvan |
Baha’i |
Apr 19– May 1 |
Sun-Fri |
| Easter |
Christian |
April 12 |
Sunday |
| Puthandu |
Hindu |
April 14 |
Tuesday |
| Pascha |
Orthodox Easter |
April 19 |
Sunday |
| Ramadan Begins |
Muslim |
Apr 23 -May 23 |
Thur-Sat |
| Vesak (Buddha Day) |
Buddhist |
May 7 |
Thursday |
| Declaration of the Báb |
Bahá’i |
May 22-23* |
Fri-Sat |
| Shavuot |
Jewish |
May 28- 30 |
Thur-Sat |
*some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be date variance.
