Pilgrimage Sites and Religious Calendar Catalog
A reference catalog of the major pilgrimage sites and the principal festivals of the world’s religions. The first half lists destinations with tradition, location, ritual obligation, and annual attendance where established. The second half is a calendar of festivals month by month, giving date system (solar / lunar / luni-solar), tradition, and significance. Use this when sequencing fieldwork, scheduling content, or citing the ritual year.
I. Pilgrimage Sites — Islam
| Site | Location | Tradition | Significance | Annual attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecca — Masjid al-Haram + the Ka’ba | Mecca, Saudi Arabia | Sunni + Shia | Hajj (5th pillar of Islam) during Dhū al-Ḥijjah 8–13; Umrah year-round | ~2.5 M Hajj pilgrims (pre-pandemic 2019); ~10–20 M Umrah |
| Madinah — Al-Masjid an-Nabawi | Madinah, Saudi Arabia | Sunni + Shia | Prophet Muhammad’s mosque + tomb; visit recommended after Hajj | ~10 M+ |
| Al-Aqsa / Masjid al-Aqsa | Jerusalem | Sunni + Shia | Third-holiest site; site of the Isra’ and Mi’raj | restricted access |
| Karbala — Shrine of Imam Husayn | Karbala, Iraq | Shia | Arba’een — 40th day after Ashura — largest annual gathering in the world | ~25–30 M (2023) |
| Najaf — Shrine of Imam Ali | Najaf, Iraq | Shia | Tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib (d. 661); historic center of Twelver scholarship | several million annually |
| Kadhimiya — Shrines of 7th + 9th Imams | Baghdad, Iraq | Shia | al-Kazim + al-Jawad shrines | several million |
| Samarra — Al-Askari Shrine | Samarra, Iraq | Shia | 10th + 11th Imams; site where the 12th Imam went into occultation 874 | (bombed 2006; restored) |
| Mashhad — Imam Reza Shrine | Mashhad, Iran | Shia | 8th Imam (d. 818) | ~25 M annually (largest in Iran) |
| Qom — Fatima Masumeh Shrine | Qom, Iran | Shia | Sister of Imam Reza; theological center | ~20 M annually |
| Touba — Mosque of Touba | Touba, Senegal | Sufi Muridiyya | Magal pilgrimage 18 Safar; tomb of Amadou Bamba | ~5 M |
| Ajmer Sharif — Dargah of Mu’in al-Din Chishti | Ajmer, India | Sufi Chishti | Urs festival 6th Rajab | ~0.5–1 M at Urs |
| Konya — Tomb of Rumi | Konya, Turkey | Sufi Mevlevi | Şeb-i Arus ceremonies 17 Dec annual death anniversary | ~3 M+ visitors |
II. Pilgrimage Sites — Judaism and Christianity
| Site | Location | Tradition | Significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Wall (Kotel) | Jerusalem | Judaism | Last surviving retaining wall of the Second Temple; principal Jewish pilgrimage site since 1967 | Open access; large crowds at Shavuot, Tisha B’Av |
| Temple Mount / Har HaBayit | Jerusalem | Judaism | Site of First + Second Temples; status quo limits Jewish prayer; visits encouraged by some rabbinic authorities since 1980s | Status quo contested |
| Hebron — Cave of the Patriarchs (Tomb of the Patriarchs) | Hebron, West Bank | Judaism + Islam (Ibrahimi Mosque) | Traditional burial of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, Leah | Status quo divided |
| Tomb of Rachel | Bethlehem | Judaism | Burial place of Rachel, wife of Jacob | regulated access |
| Meron — Tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai | Mt Meron, Israel | Judaism (esp. Hasidic) | Lag B’Omer pilgrimage | ~500 k at Lag B’Omer |
| Uman | Uman, Ukraine | Hasidic Judaism (Breslov) | Tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810); annual Rosh Hashanah gathering | ~30–40 k annually (pre-2022) |
| Church of the Holy Sepulchre | Jerusalem | Christianity (Catholic + Greek Orthodox + Armenian + Coptic + Ethiopian + Syriac) | Site of Crucifixion + Resurrection per tradition since Constantine 326 | ~3 M+ visitors |
| Bethlehem — Church of the Nativity | Bethlehem | Christianity | Site of Christ’s birth | several million |
| Nazareth — Basilica of the Annunciation | Nazareth, Israel | Catholic + Orthodox | Site of the Annunciation | ~2 M+ |
| Vatican — St Peter’s Basilica + St Peter’s Square | Vatican City | Catholic | Tomb of St Peter; papal masses + canonizations | ~7 M annually |
| Rome — Four Major Basilicas | Rome | Catholic | Holy Year (Jubilee) pilgrimages — 2025 ordinary Jubilee | ~30+ M in Jubilee years |
| Lourdes — Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes | Lourdes, France | Catholic | Apparitions to Bernadette 1858; healing waters | ~6 M annually |
| Fátima — Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima | Fátima, Portugal | Catholic | Apparitions 1917; pilgrimage 13 May + 13 Oct | ~5 M annually |
| Santiago de Compostela | Galicia, Spain | Catholic | Tomb of St James the Greater; Camino routes (Camino Francés, Portugués, Norte, del Norte, Primitivo) | ~450 k completed Camino in 2023 |
| Czestochowa — Jasna Góra | Czestochowa, Poland | Catholic | Black Madonna icon; principal Polish pilgrimage | ~4–5 M annually |
| Knock — Knock Shrine | Knock, Ireland | Catholic | Apparition 1879 | ~1.5 M |
| Guadalupe — Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe | Mexico City | Catholic | Apparition to Juan Diego 1531; most-visited Marian shrine in the world | ~20 M annually (~10 M on 12 Dec feast) |
| Aparecida | São Paulo state, Brazil | Catholic | National patroness of Brazil | ~12 M annually |
| Mt Athos | Halkidiki, Greece | Greek Orthodox | Twenty monasteries; men-only since 1046 | ~50 k male pilgrims |
| Meteora monasteries | Thessaly, Greece | Greek Orthodox | Six clifftop monasteries (14th–16th c) | ~2 M annually (mostly tourists) |
| Mt Sinai — St Catherine’s Monastery | South Sinai, Egypt | Greek Orthodox | Burning Bush site; founded 565 by Justinian | restricted access |
| Etchmiadzin | Vagharshapat, Armenia | Armenian Apostolic | Mother See; founded 301 | (regional pilgrimage) |
| Lalibela | Lalibela, Ethiopia | Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo | Eleven rock-hewn churches, 12th c | ~100 k+ at Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) |
| Mt Tabor — Church of the Transfiguration | Mt Tabor, Israel | Catholic + Orthodox | Traditional site of Transfiguration | (regional) |
III. Pilgrimage Sites — Hinduism
| Site | Location | Tradition | Significance | Annual attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kumbh Mela — Prayagraj (Allahabad) | Confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Uttar Pradesh | Pan-Hindu | 12-year Purna Kumbh; 144-year Maha Kumbh (last 2025) | Maha Kumbh 2025: ~660 M attendances over 45 days (Indian govt figures) — largest religious gathering ever |
| Kumbh Mela — Haridwar | Haridwar, Uttarakhand | Pan-Hindu | 12-year cycle | ~100 M+ over festival |
| Kumbh Mela — Nashik | Nashik, Maharashtra | Pan-Hindu | 12-year cycle | tens of millions |
| Kumbh Mela — Ujjain (Simhastha) | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh | Pan-Hindu | 12-year cycle | tens of millions |
| Varanasi (Kashi) | UP, India | Pan-Hindu | Holiest city; cremation at Manikarnika Ghat; Vishwanath Temple | ~7 M+ annually |
| Char Dham (small) | Yamunotri + Gangotri + Kedarnath + Badrinath, Uttarakhand | Vaishnava + Shaiva | Himalayan circuit | ~5 M annually (May–Oct season) |
| Char Dham (great) | Badrinath + Dwarka + Puri + Rameshwaram | Pan-Hindu | National four-corner circuit defined by Adi Shankara | ~10 M+ across sites |
| Puri — Jagannath Temple | Odisha | Vaishnava | Rath Yatra in Ashadha | ~1 M+ at Rath Yatra |
| Tirupati — Venkateswara Temple | Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh | Vaishnava | One of the richest temples in the world | ~30–40 M annually |
| Vaishno Devi | Trikuta Hills, Jammu | Shakta | Cave shrine to Mata Vaishno Devi | ~9 M annually |
| Sabarimala — Ayyappa Temple | Pathanamthitta, Kerala | Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis (Ayyappa) | Mandala Pooja (Nov–Jan); contested gender access | ~25–30 M annually during season |
| Vrindavan + Mathura | UP | Vaishnava | Krishna’s youth | ~10 M+ |
| Pushkar | Rajasthan | Brahma | One of few Brahma temples; Pushkar Mela | ~0.2–0.5 M at Mela |
| Madurai — Meenakshi Amman Temple | Tamil Nadu | Shakta-Shaiva | Chitrai festival | ~1.5 M+ at festival |
| Pashupatinath Temple | Kathmandu, Nepal | Shaiva | Mahashivaratri | ~1 M+ at Mahashivaratri |
| Muktinath | Mustang, Nepal | Hindu + Buddhist | Vishnu shrine + Buddhist site | ~0.1 M |
| Mt Kailash + Lake Manasarovar | W. Tibet | Hindu + Buddhist + Jain + Bön | Abode of Shiva (Hindu); Demchok (Buddhist); Ashtapada (Jain); Tise (Bön) | restricted; ~0.05 M permitted annually |
IV. Pilgrimage Sites — Buddhism
| Site | Location | Tradition | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumbini | Rupandehi, Nepal | All | Buddha’s birthplace; Maya Devi Temple; Ashokan pillar |
| Bodh Gaya — Mahabodhi Temple | Bihar, India | All | Site of Buddha’s enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, c.528 BCE |
| Sarnath — Dhamek Stupa | Varanasi, India | All | Buddha’s first sermon (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) |
| Kushinagar | UP, India | All | Buddha’s parinirvana c.483 BCE |
| Eight Great Sites (Buddhism) | India + Nepal | All | Lumbini + Bodh Gaya + Sarnath + Kushinagar + Rajgir + Vaishali + Shravasti + Sankassa |
| Mt Wutai | Shanxi, China | Mahayana | One of the Four Sacred Mountains; Manjushri |
| Mt Putuo | Zhejiang, China | Mahayana | Avalokiteśvara (Guanyin) |
| Mt Jiuhua | Anhui, China | Mahayana | Ksitigarbha (Dizang) |
| Mt Emei | Sichuan, China | Mahayana | Samantabhadra |
| Mt Koya (Koyasan) | Wakayama, Japan | Shingon | Founded by Kukai 819; mausoleum of Kobo Daishi at Okunoin |
| Mt Hiei (Enryaku-ji) | Shiga + Kyoto, Japan | Tendai | Founded by Saicho 788; “marathon monks” |
| Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage (Henro) | Shikoku island, Japan | Shingon | Circuit ~1,200 km associated with Kukai; ~88 temples |
| Mt Kailash | Tibet | Vajrayana (also Hindu + Jain + Bön) | (above) |
| Lhasa — Jokhang + Potala | Tibet | Vajrayana | Most sacred Tibetan Buddhist site |
| Tashilhunpo Monastery | Shigatse, Tibet | Vajrayana Gelug | Seat of Panchen Lama |
| Sigiriya + Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak) | Sri Lanka | Theravada (also Hindu + Christian + Muslim) | Footprint shrine; pilgrimage Dec–May |
| Shwedagon Pagoda | Yangon, Myanmar | Theravada | Reputed to enshrine Buddha relics |
| Borobudur | Central Java, Indonesia | Mahayana (heritage) | 9th-c stupa; pilgrimage at Vesak |
V. Pilgrimage Sites — Sikhism, Jainism, Bahá’í, Zoroastrianism, Indigenous
| Site | Location | Tradition | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) | Amritsar, Punjab, India | Sikh | Foundational gurdwara; Akal Takht; daily langar for ~100 k |
| Hemkund Sahib | Uttarakhand, India | Sikh | Site of Guru Gobind Singh’s previous-life meditation per Dasam Granth |
| Anandpur Sahib | Punjab, India | Sikh | Birthplace of Khalsa 1699 |
| Nankana Sahib | Punjab, Pakistan | Sikh | Birthplace of Guru Nanak 1469 |
| Palitana — Shatrunjaya Hill | Gujarat, India | Jain (Svetambara) | ~900 temples on hill complex |
| Shravanabelagola — Gommateshwara statue | Karnataka, India | Jain (Digambara) | 17-m monolith of Bahubali; Mahamastakabhisheka every 12 years (last 2018) |
| Mt Abu — Dilwara Temples | Rajasthan, India | Jain | Five marble temples, 11th–13th c |
| Bahá’í World Centre — Shrine of the Báb | Haifa, Israel | Bahá’í | Resting place of the Báb |
| Bahjí — Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh | Akka (Acre), Israel | Bahá’í | Qibla for daily prayer |
| Atash Behrams (8 in India + 1 in Iran) | Mumbai + Udvada + Surat + Navsari + Yazd | Zoroastrian | Highest-grade fire temples |
| Yazd — Towers of Silence (Dakhmas) | Yazd, Iran | Zoroastrian | Traditional excarnation sites (no longer in active use) |
| Cahokia Mounds | Illinois, US | Mississippian / indigenous heritage | Pre-Columbian center; Monks Mound |
| Pyramid of the Sun + Pyramid of the Moon | Teotihuacán, Mexico | Mesoamerican heritage + Mexica revival movements | Massive Classic-era pyramids |
| Wirikuta | San Luis Potosí, Mexico | Wixárika (Huichol) | Sacred desert; peyote pilgrimage |
| Uluru | Northern Territory, Australia | Anangu (Pitjantjatjara + Yankunytjatjara) | Sacred site; climbing banned 2019 |
| Black Hills (Pahá Sápa) | South Dakota, US | Lakota + Cheyenne + Arapaho | Sacred lands; Wounded Knee 1890 + 1973 |
| Mt Taranaki | New Zealand | Maori (Te Atiawa, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Tama, Taranaki) | Sacred ancestor; legal personhood 2017 |
VI. Religious Calendar — Islamic (lunar, Hijri)
The Islamic year is 354 days; festivals drift ~11 days earlier annually relative to the Gregorian.
| Month | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Muharram 1 | Hijri New Year | Hijra commemorated; observed by reflection |
| Muharram 10 | Ashura | Mourning of Husayn at Karbala (Shia); fasting day (Sunni) |
| Safar (20th of) | Arba’een | 40th day after Ashura; major Shia pilgrimage to Karbala |
| Rabi’ al-Awwal 12 | Mawlid an-Nabi | Birth of Prophet Muhammad (observed by most Sunnis + Shias; rejected by strict Salafis) |
| Rajab 27 | Isra’ wal Mi’raj | Night Journey of Muhammad |
| Sha’ban 15 | Mid-Sha’ban (Laylat al-Bara’at) | Night of forgiveness |
| Ramadan (entire month) | Ramadan fast | 4th pillar (sawm) — dawn-to-dusk fasting |
| Ramadan 17/19/21/23/27 | Laylat al-Qadr | ”Night of Power”; sought in last ten odd nights |
| Shawwal 1 | Eid al-Fitr | ”Festival of breaking the fast” — end of Ramadan |
| Dhū al-Ḥijjah 8–13 | Hajj | Pilgrimage to Mecca |
| Dhū al-Ḥijjah 10 | Eid al-Adha | ”Festival of sacrifice” — commemorating Ibrahim’s near-sacrifice of Ismail |
VII. Religious Calendar — Jewish (luni-solar, Hebrew)
| Month | Festival | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tishrei 1–2 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish New Year | Day of judgment |
| Tishrei 10 | Yom Kippur | Day of Atonement | Holiest day; 25-hour fast |
| Tishrei 15–22 | Sukkot | ”Tabernacles” | 7-day harvest festival in booths; Shemini Atzeret + Simchat Torah follow |
| Kislev 25 – Tevet 2/3 | Hanukkah | 8 days | Maccabean rededication of Temple 164 BCE; candles |
| Shevat 15 | Tu BiShvat | New Year for trees | |
| Adar 14 (Adar II in leap years) | Purim | Esther’s deliverance | Reading of Megillah; costumes |
| Nisan 15–22 (8 days in diaspora; 7 in Israel) | Pesach (Passover) | Exodus | Seder; matzah; no leaven |
| Iyar 5 | Yom Ha’atzmaut | Israeli Independence Day | Modern; 1948 |
| Iyar 18 | Lag BaOmer | 33rd day of Omer | Bonfires; Rabbi Akiva students; Meron pilgrimage |
| Sivan 6–7 | Shavuot | Giving of the Torah at Sinai | Pentecost; pilgrimage festival |
| Tammuz 17 | Shiva Asar B’Tammuz | Walls of Jerusalem breached | Fast day |
| Av 9 | Tisha B’Av | Destruction of First (586 BCE) + Second (70 CE) Temples | Most solemn fast |
VIII. Religious Calendar — Christian (solar; varies by calendar)
Eastern Orthodox often use the Julian calendar (13 days behind Gregorian in 21st c). Movable feasts depend on Easter computation (Council of Nicaea 325: first Sunday after first full moon after vernal equinox).
| Date / period | Festival | Tradition | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 weeks before Christmas | Advent | Western Christianity | Preparation for Christmas |
| 25 Dec | Christmas | Catholic + Protestant + Orthodox (Greek + Romanian + Bulgarian etc.) | Birth of Christ |
| 7 Jan | Christmas | Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Ukrainian (mostly), Coptic, Ethiopian Orthodox (Julian) | Same feast |
| 6 Jan | Epiphany / Theophany | Catholic + Western (Three Kings); Orthodox (Baptism of Christ) | |
| 2 Feb | Candlemas (Lichtmess) / Presentation | Catholic + Protestant + Orthodox | Presentation of Jesus in the Temple |
| Ash Wednesday (movable; 46 days before Easter) | Beginning of Lent | Catholic + Protestant + Anglican | Penitential season |
| Clean Monday | Beginning of Great Lent | Orthodox | 48 days before Pascha |
| Palm Sunday | (week before Easter) | All | Christ’s entry into Jerusalem |
| Maundy Thursday | (3 days before Easter) | All | Last Supper |
| Good Friday | (2 days before Easter) | All | Crucifixion |
| Easter (Pascha) | (movable; Mar–Apr Western; up to 5 weeks later in Orthodox) | All | Resurrection |
| Easter + 40 days | Ascension | All | Christ’s ascension |
| Easter + 50 days | Pentecost | All | Descent of Holy Spirit |
| 24 Jun | Nativity of John the Baptist | Catholic + Orthodox | |
| 15 Aug | Dormition / Assumption of the Theotokos | Orthodox (Dormition); Catholic (Assumption) | Mary’s death + bodily assumption |
| 14 Sep | Exaltation of the Cross | Catholic + Orthodox | |
| 1 Nov | All Saints’ Day | Catholic + Anglican | |
| 31 Oct | Reformation Day | Lutheran | Luther’s 95 Theses 1517 |
| Pentecostarion | 50 days after Pascha | Orthodox | Liturgical book + season |
IX. Religious Calendar — Hindu (luni-solar, regional variation)
| Festival | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Makar Sankranti / Pongal / Lohri | 14–15 Jan (solar — winter solstice + sun’s entry into Capricorn) | Harvest; Sun’s transition |
| Vasant Panchami | Magha shukla 5 (Jan/Feb) | Saraswati worship |
| Maha Shivaratri | Phalguna krishna 14 (Feb/Mar) | “Great night of Shiva” |
| Holi | Phalguna purnima + day after (Feb/Mar) | Festival of colors; spring |
| Ugadi / Gudi Padwa | Chaitra shukla 1 (Mar/Apr) | New Year (Deccan + Maharashtra) |
| Ram Navami | Chaitra shukla 9 (Mar/Apr) | Birth of Rama |
| Hanuman Jayanti | Chaitra purnima (Mar/Apr) | Birth of Hanuman |
| Akshaya Tritiya | Vaisakha shukla 3 (Apr/May) | Inexhaustible prosperity |
| Buddha Purnima | Vaisakha purnima (Apr/May) | Buddha’s birth (Hindu observance) |
| Rath Yatra (Puri) | Ashadha shukla 2 (Jun/Jul) | Jagannath chariot festival |
| Guru Purnima | Ashadha purnima (Jun/Jul) | Honor to gurus |
| Raksha Bandhan | Shravana purnima (Jul/Aug) | Brother-sister bond |
| Krishna Janmashtami | Bhadrapada krishna 8 (Aug/Sep) | Birth of Krishna |
| Onam | Chingam (Aug/Sep, Malayali solar) | Kerala harvest; King Mahabali |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Bhadrapada shukla 4 (Aug/Sep) | Birth of Ganesha; 10-day festival |
| Navaratri / Durga Puja | Ashwin shukla 1–9 (Sep/Oct) | Nine nights of the Goddess |
| Dussehra / Vijayadashami | Ashwin shukla 10 (Sep/Oct) | Rama’s victory over Ravana |
| Karva Chauth | Kartik krishna 4 (Oct/Nov) | Wives fast for husbands |
| Diwali / Deepavali | Kartik amavasya (Oct/Nov) | Festival of lights; Lakshmi worship |
| Govardhan Puja / Annakut | Kartik shukla 1 | Krishna lifting Govardhan |
| Bhai Dooj | Kartik shukla 2 | Brother-sister bond |
| Tulsi Vivaha | Kartik shukla 11–12 |
X. Religious Calendar — Buddhist (luni-solar; regional)
| Festival | Date | Tradition | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vesak / Buddha Purnima / Buddha Day | Vaisakha purnima (Apr/May) | Theravada + Mahayana (different dates) | Birth + enlightenment + parinirvana of Buddha (Theravada); birth only in some Mahayana |
| Asalha Puja | Ashadha purnima (Jul) | Theravada | First sermon; start of Vassa (rain retreat) |
| Magha Puja (Sangha Day) | Magha purnima (Feb/Mar) | Theravada | 1,250 disciples spontaneously assembled |
| Kathina | After Vassa, Ashvina purnima – Kartika purnima | Theravada | Robe offering to monks |
| Songkran | 13–15 Apr (solar) | Thai + Lao Theravada | Buddhist new year + water festival |
| Pchum Ben | Sep–Oct | Cambodian Theravada | Ancestors’ festival |
| Hana Matsuri | 8 Apr | Japanese Mahayana | Buddha’s birthday (Japan) |
| Obon | 13–16 Aug (or 13–16 Jul depending on region) | Japanese Mahayana | Ancestors |
| Losar | Late Jan – Mar (Tibetan calendar) | Tibetan Vajrayana | Tibetan New Year |
| Saga Dawa | 4th Tibetan month (May/Jun) | Tibetan Vajrayana | Buddha’s birth-enlightenment-parinirvana (combined) |
XI. Religious Calendar — Jain, Sikh, Chinese, Shinto
| Festival | Date | Tradition | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahavir Jayanti | Chaitra shukla 13 (Mar/Apr) | Jain | Birth of Mahavira |
| Paryushana | Bhadrapada (Aug/Sep) | Jain Svetambara (8 days) / Digambara (10 days, called Das Lakshana) | Annual repentance + fasting |
| Diwali (Mahavir Nirvana) | Kartik amavasya | Jain | Mahavira’s liberation 527 BCE |
| Vaisakhi | 13 or 14 Apr | Sikh | Khalsa founding 1699; harvest |
| Bandi Chhor Divas | Coincides with Diwali | Sikh | Guru Hargobind’s release |
| Guru Nanak Gurpurab | Kartik purnima (Nov) | Sikh | Birth of Guru Nanak |
| Guru Gobind Singh Gurpurab | Pausha shukla 7 (Dec/Jan) | Sikh | Birth of Guru Gobind Singh |
| Hola Mohalla | Day after Holi | Sikh | Martial display; Anandpur Sahib |
| Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) | Lunar Jan 1 (late Jan – mid Feb) | Chinese folk + Buddhist + Daoist | New year; family reunion |
| Qingming | 4 or 5 Apr (solar terms) | Chinese folk | Tomb-sweeping; ancestors |
| Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu) | Lunar May 5 | Chinese folk | Qu Yuan (3rd c BCE poet); zongzi |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Lunar Aug 15 | Chinese folk | Moon viewing; mooncakes |
| Hungry Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan) | Lunar Jul 15 | Chinese Buddhist + Daoist | Ghost feeding |
| Lantern Festival | Lunar Jan 15 | Chinese folk | End of New Year season |
| Hatsumode | 1–3 Jan | Shinto | First shrine visit of new year |
| Setsubun | 3 Feb | Shinto | Bean-throwing; demons out |
| Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) | 3 Mar | Shinto-folk | Girls’ day |
| Tanabata | 7 Jul | Shinto-folk | Star festival |
| Shichi-Go-San | 15 Nov | Shinto | 3-, 5-, 7-year-old children visit shrines |
Adjacent
- Sacred texts catalog for the scriptures recited at these festivals.
- Denominations and sects catalog for the bodies that observe each calendar.
- Abrahamic traditions survey · Dharmic traditions survey · East Asian traditions
- Dynasties catalog for states sponsoring pilgrimages.
- Kinship systems catalog for ritual life-cycle context.
- Religious Studies Tier 3 index · Religious Studies Tier 1 root