* Sept/Oct HARVEST FESTIVAL Christian (Western, Anglican and Free Churches)

Displays of various foods are made in churches and Sunday schools and services are held to give thanks for the goodness of God’s gifts in nature.

1 September (Sunday) INSTALLATION OF THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB IN THE HARMANDIR SAHIB
The Golden Temple, Amritsar 1604 CE - Sikh

The Sikhs’ fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, installed the volume of scripture, the Adi Granth, on this date. It consisted of the hymns of the first five Gurus plus those of other ‘saint-poets’. Hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur were later added to form the present Guru Granth Sahib.

2 September (Monday) FRAVARDIN MAH PARAB Zoroastrian (Shenshai; Parsi)

At Fravardin Zoroastrians visit the Towers of Silence in India (or in the UK the Zoroastrian Cemetery in Brookwood, Surrey) to participate in a jashan ceremony in memory of the departed fravashis (guardian spirits and souls of the community). Sacred food is prepared as an offering to the departed during the jashan and is later shared by the participants.

3 September (Tuesday) SAMVATSARI  Jain

(International Forgiveness Day for Jains), is the last day of Paryushana. It is the holiest day of the Jain calendar. Many Jains observe a complete fast on this day. The whole day is spent in prayers and contemplation.

6 September (Friday) to 7 September (Saturday) GANESH CHATURTHI  Birthday of Ganesh Hindu

This is a Hindu festival in honour of Ganesh, the god of good fortune and new beginnings. He was the elephant headed son of Lord Shiva and Parvati, and is often referred to as Ganupati. Celebrations conclude with the immersion in water of the image of Ganesh.

11 September (Wednesday) ETHIOPIAN NEW YEAR’S DAY Rastafarian

Rastafarians have a four year cycle, in which each year is named after one of the evangelists.

16 September (Monday) THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD'S BIRTHDAY / MILAD UL NABI (12th Rabi'ul-Awwal) Muslim (Sunni)

Widely celebrated and a public holiday in many Muslim countries. Qur’anic readings and songs in praise of the Prophet feature.  The exact date of the Prophet’s birth is uncertain.

17 September (Tuesday) RABBIT IN THE MOON FESTIVAL / ZHONGQIUJIE / CHUNG CH’IU Chinese

This Mid-Autumn festival celebrates the moon’s birthday. Offerings are made to the rabbit in the moon, who is pounding the elixir of life with a pestle. ‘Spirit money’ is brought along with incense and offered to the moon by women, who also make special ‘moon’ cakes containing ground lotus and sesame seeds or dates.

19 September (Thursday) – 25 September (Wednesday) HIGAN
22 September (Sunday) SHUBUN NO HI Japanese

Marks the autumn equinox. As at the spring equinox, harmony and balance are the themes; sutras are recited and the graves of relatives are visited.

22 September (Sunday) AUTUMN EQUINOX (MABON) Wiccan / Pagan

Day and night stand hand in hand as equals. As the shadows lengthen, Pagans see the darker faces of the God and Goddess. For many Pagans, this rite honours old age and the approach of Winter

22 September (Sunday) AUTUMN EQUINOX (ALBAN ELUED or ALBAN ELFED) Druid

Day and night stand hand in hand as equals. As the shadows lengthen, Pagans see the darker faces of the God and Goddess. For many Pagans, this rite honours old age and the approach of Winter

23 September (Monday) HIGAN DAY Buddhist

29 September (Sunday) CONFUCIUS' BIRTHDAY Chinese

Confucius’ Birthday falls on the 25th day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is officially celebrated on Taiwan as "Teachers' Day" on September 28, and in Hong Kong on the third Sunday of September as "Confucius Day", though the traditional date is also often observed. Mainland China observes a "Teachers' Day" on September 10 to celebrate the efforts of today's teachers, and there is a legislative effort underway to move that to September 28.

29 September (Sunday) MICHAELMAS National

One of the four Quarter Days in the UK legal calendar.

30 September (Monday) JASHN-E MEHERGAN (or MIHR JASHAN) Zoroastrian (Iranian)

The festival of Mehergan is dedicated to the divinity Meher or Mithra, who is associated with the sun and with justice. Thanks are offered at the fire temple and the community shares in a meal that includes dry fruits and nuts, along with a drink, dancing and merrymaking.