There are seven great Zoroastrian festivals each year. Ancient in origin, they are linked to the Iranian agricultural year and to the seven physical creations for which the Amesha Spentas are responsible. In the atash behrams priests recite the holy day’s special liturgy. People participate in the jashan, or thanksgiving and memorial ceremony, and follow the special custom of the day, which may be merrymaking, putting on new clothes, or visiting the fire temple. The six Zoroastrian gahambars (festivals) are: Maidhyoizarem (Midspring) Maidhyoishem (Midsummer) Paitshahem (Harvest) Ayathrem (Bringing in Cattle) Maidhyairem (Midwinter) Hamaspathmaedem Muktad (All Souls) The seventh and highest festival is Navruz, the New Year. The festival celebrates the creation of fire and the Benefi cent Immortal Asha Vahista, or Highest Truth. It is thus the most sacred and joyous of all Zoroastrian holy days. It is held in the spring, just after the sixth gahambar, and so represents the renewal of life that spring symbolizes. It also represents the new order to come with Frashogard, world renewal. On Navruz people exchange presents, put on new clothes, settle any outstanding arguments, and visit their fire temple to reaffi rm their faith. Zoroastrians celebrate gahambars as part of their religious duty. They believe that such times of community joy and harmony provide a glimpse of the spiritual world.
Jashan is a ceremony for thanksgiving and memorializing. It is performed during the gahambars and Navruz but it may be performed at any time that people want to express gratitude and happiness, as for a wedding, a navjote, a housewarming, or the dedication of a new fire temple. Individuals may also sponsor a jashan for a celebration or in memory of someone who has died.
During the jashan the priests sit on the floor on either side of a cloth that contains an afargan, or fire urn, a tray of sandalwood and incense for feeding the fire, and a tray of offerings of flowers, fruit, milk, bread, and frequently wine. They begin by lighting the fire and offering prayers to consecrate it. They then remember the departed souls of the faithful, starting with Zarathustra and Zoroastrian heroes. They first repeat prayers related to the person or event being celebrated or remembered. In the next part of the jashan the flowers on the tray before them are exchanged during the recitation of a prayer. The exchange of flowers symbolizes the journey of the fravashis from heaven to the earthly world and back. They repeat the yatha ahu vairyo and Ashem vohu prayers and the prayers of thanksgiving. The priest calls on the spiritual world to bless the worshippers, reciting a special prayer, the Afringan, for those who sponsored the jashan. The ceremony is then at an end. The ceremony is an expression of happiness: gratitude for past blessings and joy in the good things in the present and future. The jashan may be a private affair or accompanied by a feast in which all members of the community participate.
Early Settlements and Human Communities in Ancient Persia
