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Today marks the first day of Ridvan, the holiest period of the year for members of the Baha’i faith, a religion that began in modern-day Iran and has major temples in Israel, Illinois and India. (Photo below shows me at the Lotus Temple in New Delhi a few years ago — very impressive building.)
The holiday runs April 21 to May 2, commemorating founder Baha’ullah’s declaration as God’s messenger. In America, adherents will both pray and organize; an official press release states that hundreds of American Baha’i communities will elect nine-member Local Spiritual Assemblies to manage affairs for the next year and send 171 delegates to the Baha’i Temple near Chicago to elect their National Spiritual Assembly or nine-member national governing council for 2010-2011.
For more on the festival, check out this Beliefnet column by Randolph Dobbs, a Baha’i leader in California.
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posted April 21, 2010 at 10:37 am
They’re a fascinating lot, the Bahais. I live maybe 20 minutes away from the Chicago temple and I used to be in regular contact with them as a member of the media. Dated a Bahai for a time years ago. Very decent and unpretentious folks on the whole. If I had to pick an Abrahamic tradition, it would be theirs.