Saturday, February 25, 2006

Today's Holiday: Ayyám-i-Há


The Intercalary Days (Ayyám-i-Há) from 26 February through 1 March come at the end of the Bahá' í calendar, which is made up of 19 months of 19 days each. Ayyám-i-Há adjusts the Bahá' í year to the solar cycle. These days are set aside for hospitality, gift-giving, special acts of charity, and preparing for the Fast.

Mom sent me an Ayyám-i-Há package with gifts and cards for each day!--the card (above) is especially beautiful: embroidery on paper. I'm not a practicing Bahá' í but I appreciate the importance of celebration. Every religion has its party before fasting (or the fasting equivalent).

10 comments:

Reen said...

And there's a whole host of ridiculous "Intercalary Days" songs to go with it! Oh, silly silly Ayyam-i-Ha.

K. Lorraine Graham said...

yay! Do you know about Ayyám-i-Há and Ayyám-i-Há songs? I used to know some, maybe.

Jessica Smith said...

oh, pretty, desire, love... embroidery on stained paper... ah, ... oh... how i wish i could sew.

it's good that this is a holiday because i am sending you presents tomorrow! xoxo

Reen said...

I was taught one that involved the word "intercalary" repeated multiple times. I remember thinking that "intercalary" is just too long to be in a chorus. Oh well.

K. Lorraine Graham said...

Is it "Intercalary" or "Inter-calendary"? Now I'm not so sure. Probably Ayyam-i-Ha songs are better off sung in Pharsi. IF I remember correcty Ayyam-i-Ha means something like "days of light." That's much better sounding. Somewhere I have some "learn to speak Pharsi" tapes. I should find them.

Yay! Presents from Jessica! This card does make me want to sew. Maybe we could start with needlepoint patterns?

Reen said...

It's "intercalary." Such an odd word. They need a new word. Like "Betweenmas." That's nice.

K. Lorraine Graham said...

Yes, you're right. Like February 29th is an intercalary day:

in·ter·ca·lar·y
adj.

Inserted in the calendar to make the calendar year correspond to the solar year. Used of a day or month.

Having such a day or month inserted. Used of a year.

Inserted between other elements or parts; interpolated.

Latin intercalrius, intercalris, from intercalre, to intercalate.

Jessica Smith said...

i like this word. it sounds like a rhinestone abacus.

Jessica Smith said...
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K. Lorraine Graham said...

I wrote a bunch of poems today over donuts and coffee at the beach. Maybe they'll be in honor of Ayyam-i-Ha and intercalary days. It is the end of February, after all.