The Gahanbar ceremony and end-of-summer gahanbar ceremony were held, along with the opening of a children’s park, and were showed online on the Instagram of the Zoroastrian Association of Shiraz.
In praise of the creation of the earth, the gahanbar for Paytah Shaim Gah was held virtually on Thursday, Shahrivar 25, 1400, at 6 pm, on the last day of this chahreh. This ceremony began with an online broadcast of Avesta recitation by Mobed Rostam Khosraviani together with group prayers offered to Ahura Mazda, at the Adrian site in Shiraz. Farnam Iraji hosted the live broadcast of the Gahanbar ceremony, and Khosrow Qods, President of the Shiraz Zoroastrian Association, and Armita Jamshidi Kalantari of the Religious Commission were present, and other Zoroastrians of Shiraz followed this ceremony through the Instagram procedure of Shiraz Zoroastrian Association due to the pandemic of coronavirus and to follow the health procedures. At the end of this ceremony, a music video showed the renovated children’s playground; it was demonstrated by Khosrow Ghods, Jashan Khani of mobed Rostam Khosraviani and preparations arranged by Shahriar Kavoosi Zeynabad.
Renovation of the children’s playground was done with the help of Shiraz Zoroastrian Association and the help of Parisa Timsari after her late father, Sirus Hormozdiar Timsari, Homa Mehrshahi after her husband, late Sohrab Noshirvan Javanmard, and Homayoun Bijani Nasrabadi after her daughter Mitra Khodarahm Pourvafadari Zeynabadi.
According to the Zoroastrians, Paytah Shahim Gah Gahanbar is the time of the creation of the “earth” by God, and the ceremonies of this Gahanbar are held like other Gahanbars. In Zoroastrian villages, the tablecloth of Gahanbar is spread out with ceremonial objects and food on them. Gahanbar is held every day in a different household. The time of this five-day celebration from Arshtat Izad to Anaram Izad in the Zoroastrian calendar is equal to 21-25 Shahrivar in the official calendar of the country. This Gahanbar, like other Gahanbars, will last for five days and will end on the day of Anaram, which is equal to the 15th of September.
Avesta reading by mobed Rostam Khosraviani
Khosrow Ghods, President of Shiraz Zoroastrian Association
Armita Jamshidi, head of the religious commission, and Farnam Iraji, in charge of online broadcasting
Photos by Shahram Pourdehi Zeynabad
