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
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 some variance by a day.
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
The Chaplains recomended not holding major programs on holidays in bold based on holiday restrictions, observances, and student population.
