बहाई कैलेण्डर

•    बहाई कैलेण्डर में 19 दिनों के 19 महीने होते हैं।
•    18 वें और 19 वें महीने के बीच के 4-5 दिन लौंध के दिन, उपहारों के आदान-प्रदान और आतिय्य-सत्कार के दिन होते हैं।
•    प्रत्येक बहाई वर्ष का अंतिम (उन्नीसवां) महीना, 02 मार्च से 20 मार्च उपवास का महीना है। इन दिनों बहाईयों को सूर्योदय से सूर्यास्त तक खान-पान के निषेध की आज्ञा है।
•    प्रत्येक बहाई माह के प्रथम दिन बहाई समुदायों के मित्र उन्नीस दिवसीय सहभोज सभा मनाने के लिए साथ-साथ इकट्ठा होते हैं।

9 पवित्र दिवसों में अवकाश लेना अनिवार्य है-
    •    नव वर्ष : 21 मार्च
    •    रिजवान पर्व   
    •    प्रथम दिन : 21 अप्रैल
    •    नौवां दिन : 29 अप्रैल
    •    बारहवा दिन : 02 मई
    •    बाब का उद्घोषणा दिवस: 23 मई
    •    बहाउल्लाह का स्वर्गारोहण दिवस: 29 मई
    •    बाब का शहीद दिवस: 09 जुलाई
    •    बाब का जन्म दिवस: 20 अक्टूबर
    •    बहाउल्लाह का जन्मदिवस : 12 नवम्बर
   
    पवित्र दिवस जब कार्य स्थगित नहीं करना है-
    •    संविदा का दिन:    26 नवम्बर
    •    अब्दुल बहा का स्वर्गारोहण:    28 नवम्बर
    •    अय्याम ए हा (लौंध के दिन) 25 फरवरी से 1 मार्च

नोट : उपरोक्त तिथिया बहाई दिन की ओर इंगित करती हैं, जो पिछले सूर्यास्त से शुरू होकर त्यौहार वाले दिन के सूर्यास्त के साथ समाप्त हो जाता है।

History of the Bahá'í Faith in India

The history of the Bahá'í Faith in India started with the inception of the Faith in Iran when the Báb (literally, the Gate) inaugurated a new era in the history of the human race. The Báb Himself had appointed one of the Indian believers as the 'Letter of Living' in 1844-45, the first year of His Ministry. Since then, India is spiritually connected with the Bahá’i Faith.

As foretold by the Báb, the Promised One of all ages and peoples, Bahá’u’lláh (literally the Glory of God) revealed Himself in 1863. He, Himself, dispatched one of the distinguished Bahá'í teachers, Jamal Effendi, to teach the Cause of God in the years 1874-75. Jamal Effendi (left) travelled to many States and was successful in attracting many learned people and few Navaabs (ruler of the states) including the Navaab of Rampur State (now in U.P.) to the Faith. One young man who accepted was Syed Mustafa Roumi who later became distinguished in his manifold services and was appointed as a Hand of the Cause of God. Some of them accepted Bahá’u’lláh as the Universal Manifestation of God whose advent has been prophesied in all the Holy Scriptures. The other teachers who came to India during Bahá’u’lláh's Ministry included Mishkin Qalam, the distinguished Bahá'í Calligrapher. A series of teachers from the East and the West continued visiting India and travelling throughout the country during the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (literally, the Servant of Bahá), the much-loved Master of the Bahá'í Faith. Prominent among them were Mirza Mahram and Mirza Mahmud Zarqani.

First Hindu Background Bahá'í
Narayenrao Rangnath Shethji is believed to be the first Baha'i from Hindu Background. Better known as Vakil, was born in a well-known Hindu family in Nawsari. He learnt about the Bahá'í Faith from Mirzá Mahram. To him giving the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to others was an essential duty. He became a Bahá'í in 1909.

Mr. Vakil became a graduate in Law, of the Bombay University in 1911. He was an advocate of the Bombay High Court and one of the senior lawyers of Surat. People came from different towns and cities for his advice and benefited from his services. He was always fair towards his opponents.

The most important event in his life was his pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he met the Master, 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He said to Vakil "you will be eternally confirmed." He was elected chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma in 1923. He always set aside a portion of his income for the Cause. He helped to deepen the understanding of his fellow believers or giving the Message to others. He passed away on 2nd May 1943.

First Sikh Background Bahá'í
Professor Pritam Singh is believed to be the first member of the Sikh community in India to accept the Bahá'í Faith, and the first to publish a Bahá'í weekly magazine in India. He was born on November 16th, 1881, in Punjab.

Prof. Pritam Singh obtained his B. A. degree in History, Economics and Political Science with distinction. In 1905, he became a teacher in Achison College, Lahore. He received his Master's degree in Economics from the university of Calcutta. He was appointed Professor of Economics and joined the University of Punjab. He was a Linguist and knew Hindi, Urdu, Gurmukhi, Persian and English.

He received the message of Bahá'u'lláh from Mirzá Mahmud soon after his graduation in 1904. He undertook teaching trips alone, and with Ms Martha Root and Dr. G. Y. Chitnis. He resigned from his profession to work for the Cause of God. He had simple habits. For the last few years of his life he pioneered to Amritsar where there were no other Bahá'ís at that time. He was one of the earliest secretaries of the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 25th, 1959.