Baháʼí calendar begins in Tehran

Calendar Structure. The Baháʼí calendar is a solar calendar consisting of nineteen months and four or five intercalary days. Its new year occurs at the moment of the Northern spring equinox. Historically, the year was synchronized to the Gregorian calendar by starting at sunset on March 20, regardless of the exact equinox timing. This method ensured that leap year days occurred simultaneously in both calendars.

Era Beginning. Years in the Baháʼí calendar are counted from Thursday, March 21, 1844, marking the beginning of the Baháʼí Era or Badíʼ Era. Year 1 BE thus began at sundown on March 20, 1844. This date corresponds to the year the Báb began teaching, establishing the chronological foundation for the faith's historical timeline.

Báb's Early 1844 Activities. The Báb, born ʻAlí-Muḥammad Shírází, was an Iranian religious leader who founded Bábism and is one of the central figures of the Baháʼí Faith. A merchant from Shiraz in Qajar Iran, he began the Bábi Faith in 1844 at age 25. His first religiously inspired experience is dated to about the evening of 3 April 1844, and in April 1844 his wife Khadijih became the first to believe in his revelation. His declaration to Mullá Husayn followed on 22 May 1844, after the calendar's first year had begun.