Next: about 18 Jun 2027
Kabir Jayanti
The birthday of Kabir, the weaver-poet of Varanasi, kept by many weaving communities on the full moon of Jyeshtha.
What is worn for Kabir Jayanti
Kabir Jayanti is the birthday of the fifteenth-century poet and saint Kabir, kept on the full moon of the month of Jyeshtha, in May or June. Kabir lived in Varanasi and is remembered as a weaver, and his poems often use the images of the loom, the shuttle and the thread of life. The Kabir Panth, a community that follows his teaching, and many weaving families, especially in and around Varanasi, honour him on the day with songs from his verses, processions and gatherings. It is not a day with a fixed dress, but it is a natural occasion to remember the weavers behind the saree. The date is approximate, as calendars place the full moon on different days.
The sarees
Written by the EveryPallu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Kabir" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Banarasi sari: Ekabhishek, CC BY-SA 3.0, source