First Day of Ridván Festival: April 21
First Day of Ridván Festival is a religious observance for the followers of Bahá’í.
The First Day of Ridván Festival is celebrated on April 21, and the festival continues until May 2. The first day, the ninth day, and the last day are all non-working days according to the Bahá’í faith.
History of the First Day of Ridván Festival
Ridván means “paradise”, and the festival got its name from the Garden of Ridván, over the Tigris River outside Baghdad. This is where Bahá’u'lláh, founder of the Bahá’í faith, remained for 12 days from April 21 to May 2, 1863 after he was forced to leave Baghdad by the Ottoman Empire.
During these 12 days, Bahá’u'lláh received many visitors who came to help him and his family prepare for the journey to Constantinople. In the presence of his sons, Bahá’u'lláh announced his messianic mission, telling all that he was “he whom God shall make manifest”, the messianic figure repeatedly mentioned by the Báb. Before him many others had claimed to be the messiahs of the Bahá’í faith, but only Bahá’u'lláh’s claim was successful, and his followers became known as the Bahá’ís.
The family of Bahá’u'lláh was not able to join him until the ninth day because the Tigris River had risen due to the rains, and travel to the Garden of Ridván was difficult. On the 12th day, they all left Ridván and started their journey to Constantinople. The 12 days of Bahá’u'lláh in the Garden of Ridván are now celebrated as the Ridván Festival—also known as The Most Great Festival and King of Festivals—and it is the most holy festival of the Bahá’í faith.
First Day of Ridván Festival Traditions, Customs and Activities
The First Day of Ridván celebrates the arrival of Bahá’u'lláh to the Garden of Ridván. Bahá’u'lláh declared the Festival of Ridván as the most holy for Bahá’is, and he gave specific instructions that the first, ninth, and twelfth days be holy days for the entire Baha’i community. These three days are non-working days, and classes are suspended as the Baha’i community gathers to celebrate their faith.
The First Day of Ridván Festival is also the administrative day when the elections of local and national Spiritual Assemblies occur as part of the festivities. There are no prescribed ways to celebrate the first day of Ridván. Buildings may be decorated with white and bright colors, representing an outdoor canopy like the one that Bahá’u'lláh stayed in. During the celebrations there are readings that recount the stay of Bahá’u'lláh in the Garden of Ridván.
Other interesting posts:
- The Ninth Day of Ridván Festival Celebrated by Followers of Bahá’í
- Ascension of Baha’u'llah Commemorated by Followers of Bahá’í
- The Nineteen Day Fast Observed by the Followers of Bahá’í
- Declaration of the Báb Commemorated by Followers of Bahá’í
- Bahá’i Celebrates the Birth of the Baha’u'llah
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