Zoroastrians in Sulaymaniyah celebrate the birth of Zarathustra

SULAYMANIYAH — Zoroastrians in Sulaymaniyah commemorated the birth of Zarathustra, marking what they consider to be the 3762nd anniversary of the event.

The celebration took place at the Zoroastrian temple on Salm Street, drawing attendees from the Zoroastrian faith as well as representatives from other religious communities, including an official from the Sulaymaniyah Directorate of Islamic Affairs.

Zoroastrian tradition holds that Zarathustra was born six days after the first day of Newroz, which explains the timing of the celebration.

The event featured a mix of rituals, including the distribution of sweets, chanting of special Zoroastrian hymns, recitation of the Zoroastrian Gathas, and speeches. Activities also included singing and traditional dancing.

Since 2015, Zoroastrians have been officially recognized as a religion in the Kurdistan Region, with a designated representative in the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.

The Yasna Organization for Developing Zoroastrian Philosophy has previously claimed that there are around 300,000 Zoroastrian followers in Kurdistan. However, this lofty figure has not been confirmed by the Ministry of Endowments.

In an attached video interview, Azada Dindar, a member of the Zoroastrian community, discusses the significance of the day’s celebrations with 964media, highlighting the importance of the event to Zoroastrians.