Khordad Sal is a religious festival celebrated by which Indian community to commemorate the birth of Prophet Zarathustra or Zoroaster?

Introduction / Context:
India is home to many religious communities and festivals. Khordad Sal is one such festival that appears in general knowledge questions related to Indian culture and religion. The question here tests whether you can correctly identify which community celebrates Khordad Sal and understand its significance, especially for examinations dealing with social and cultural awareness.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The festival mentioned is Khordad Sal.- The options list several religious communities present in India.- We assume the conventional association of Khordad Sal with the birth anniversary of Prophet Zarathustra, also known as Zoroaster.

Concept / Approach:
Khordad Sal is a festival of the Parsi community, which follows the Zoroastrian faith. It marks the birth of Prophet Zarathustra, the founder of Zoroastrianism, according to the traditional Zoroastrian calendar. The Parsi community in India, especially in cities like Mumbai and parts of Gujarat, observes this day with prayers, special gatherings, charitable activities and family celebrations. Other communities listed in the options have their own distinct festivals and do not traditionally celebrate Khordad Sal, which makes it straightforward to match this festival with the Parsi community.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recognise the name Khordad Sal as being linked to Zoroastrian tradition and Prophet Zarathustra.2. Recall that in India, followers of the Zoroastrian faith are known as Parsis.3. Observe that the Sikh, Jain, Hindu and Buddhist communities have other major festivals such as Gurpurab, Mahavir Jayanti, Diwali and Vesak, which are not called Khordad Sal.4. Match the festival Khordad Sal with the Parsi community from the options provided.5. Conclude that the Parsi community is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Reliable sources on Indian festivals and encyclopedias on world religions describe Khordad Sal as a Zoroastrian observance. They explain that it falls on the sixth day of the first month in the Zoroastrian calendar and is widely celebrated by Parsis in India and Zoroastrians elsewhere. Cross checking with such references confirms that Khordad Sal is not associated with Sikhism, Jainism, Hinduism or Buddhism.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Sikh community: major Sikh festivals include Gurpurabs and Baisakhi, not Khordad Sal.- Jain community: important Jain festivals are Mahavir Jayanti and Paryushan, different from Khordad Sal.- Hindu community: while Hindus celebrate many festivals such as Diwali and Holi, Khordad Sal is not traditionally one of them.- Buddhist community: key Buddhist observances include Vesak and Asalha Puja, not Khordad Sal.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Khordad Sal with general Persian sounding terms and may incorrectly link it with other communities. Another mistake is to rely only on familiarity with larger communities like Hindus and Sikhs and randomly choose one of them. To avoid such confusion, it is helpful to remember that Parsis are followers of Zoroastrianism, that their places of worship are called fire temples and that special days like Khordad Sal and Navroz are central to their religious life. Keeping these key associations in mind makes questions about the Parsi community easier to answer.

Final Answer:
Khordad Sal is a religious festival celebrated by the Parsi community.