Paryusana. The greatest Jain festival, Paryusana, takes place over an 8-10 day period about the end of August or the beginning of September. It is a time of fasting, repentance, and universal goodwill. On the last day, Samvatsari, Jains visit friends and relatives, to seek forgiveness for any harm or injury committed during the previous year. The other important modern festival for Jains is Mahavira Jayanti, which falls in March or April and is marked by meetings and processions celebrating Mahavira's birthday.

Id Ramadan, is an Islamic holy month when Muslims may not eat or drink from morning until night. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic year. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, Ramadan falls at different times of the year. Muslims celebrate Ramadan as the month during which the prophet Muhammad received the first of the revelations that make up the Quran, the holy book of Islam.

Fasting during Ramadan is the fourth of the five Pillars of Faith, the chief religious duties of a Muslim. Muslims fast in obedience to God's command in the Quran, and to atone for their sins. All Muslims must fast if they have reached puberty and are of sound mind. Exceptions are made for some groups, such as the sick, the elderly, pregnant women, and travellers. Those who are able, however, must make up for the missed fast days at a later time. A Muslim who deliberately breaks the fast must atone by fasting for two continuous months or feeding the poor.

Fasting begins at dawn and lasts until sunset. During this time, Muslims cannot take food or drink, inhale tobacco smoke or perfume, or engage in sexual activity. Believers may not even swallow their own saliva. The daily fast is broken by a light meal called the iftar, followed by the evening prayer. The preferred food for the iftar is dates and water.

Ramadan is also a time for other religious activities. The nights are often devoted to special prayers and to recitations from the Quran. During the last ten days, some Muslims seclude themselves in a mosque to give full time to religious contemplation. The end of Ramadan is celebrated by a three-day Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, Id al-Fitr.