Samvatsari

Saṃvatsari (Sanskrit: संवत्सरी) (lit. Annual Day or fig. Forgiveness Day) is the last day of Paryushana according to the Śvetāmbara sect of Jainism. It falls on Shukla each year in the Jain calendar month of Bhadrapada, somewhere between the middle of August and September in the Gregorian calendar.

On this day, Jains forgive and seek forgiveness for their mistakes committed, knowingly or unknowingly, on all the living beings. A yearly, elaborate penitential retreat called "samvatsari pratikramana" is performed on this day. After the pratikramana, Jains seek forgiveness from all the creatures of the world, including friends and relatives by uttering the phrase — Micchami Dukkadam or its variants like "Khamau Sa", "Uttam Kshama" or "Khamat Khamna". These phrases literally mean, "I am sorry, please forgive me." Samvatsari is the last day of an 8 day long festival called Paryushana. In Paryushana, Jains fast and visit the temple.