Fravardigan, also known as Muktad in the Indian Zoroastrian tradition, is a solemn and spiritually rich observance that honours the souls of the departed, celebrated in the final days of the Zoroastrian calendar. Spanning ten days—five days for the Gatha (sacred hymns of Zarathustra) and five preceding days of Fravardegan—this festival is a time of remembrance, reverence, and inner purification, offering a sacred bridge between the living and the spiritual world.
The term Fravardigan is derived from Fravashi, referring to the divine essence or guardian spirit of each soul. In Zoroastrian cosmology, the Fravashi exists before birth and after death, guiding the soul in life and continuing as a force of protection and wisdom thereafter. The Fravardigan period is thus dedicated to honouring these luminous presences—not in mourning, but in gratitude and spiritual communion.
During this time, Zoroastrians believe that the spirits of the righteous return to visit their families and communities. Homes and fire temples are cleaned, purified, and adorned with flowers and light. Small altars or sacred spaces are created, often decorated with fresh water, fruits, flowers, and sacred items. Fire is kept burning continuously as a symbol of the eternal spirit, and offerings are made with prayerful intention.
Special recitations from the Avesta—particularly the Gathas and Yashts—are performed, focusing on themes of truth, cosmic order (asha), and remembrance. These prayers not only invite blessings for the deceased but purify the thoughts and actions of the living, reaffirming the Zoroastrian commitment to live with good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.
In the Parsi tradition, particularly in India, the last five days are often referred to as the Muktad days, believed to be a time when the souls (ruvan) are especially close. Families commission prayers for their loved ones, whose names are recited with devotion. The practice is intimate and heartfelt, transforming grief into a sacred act of ancestral continuity and spiritual affirmation.
Philosophically, Fravardigan reflects the Zoroastrian view that life and afterlife are deeply interconnected. The dead are not gone—they are present in spirit, guiding and sustaining the living. This worldview affirms that ethical living has cosmic resonance, and that the memory of the righteous contributes to the health of the world.
Spiritually, the festival is an opportunity to cleanse the soul, release attachments, and restore harmony. It is a liminal period—an in-between space where time slows, and silence deepens. The rituals are not elaborate for their own sake, but vehicles for reflection, healing, and renewal.
Fravardigan also underscores the Zoroastrian reverence for the elemental world. The presence of fire, water, earth, and air in the rituals reflects the belief that these forces are sacred and must be honoured not only ritually, but ethically. Care for the environment and for all life is inseparable from spiritual practice.
Artistically, the atmosphere during Fravardigan is gentle and luminous. The flickering flame, the soft scent of sandalwood, the murmur of prayer—it is a festival less of spectacle than of presence and subtle grace. It is a sacred invitation to remember, to forgive, and to realign with the eternal.
Fravardigan is ultimately a festival of spiritual continuity, gratitude, and purification. It affirms that the soul is eternal, that love does not end with death, and that each act of remembrance is an offering of light. In these ten days of stillness and devotion, the Zoroastrian heart turns toward both past and future, rooted in the eternal now, where the flame of memory and the fire of faith burn side by side.
