Muktads start today (7/August/19)
“Muktads start today (7/August/19)🙏🌹❤
Muktads are of 10 days duration starting from Roj Ashtad (today) of Mah Spendarmad and ending on Vahishtoisht Gatha, when, according to Zoroastrian tradition, all Fravashis and souls collectively descend every year to their houses in particular and into the world in general. They remain wherever there is purity, prayers, performance of rituals and goodness.
The Muktad days are also known Farvardegan, which means “days of remembering the Fravashis.”
Every creation – spiritual or material – has a Fravashi. Human beings have individual Fravashis as their Guardian spirits.
The Fravashis helped Ahura Mazda in the process of creation and also help Him in upholding creations. They help waters to flow, plants to grow, clouds to go where needed and the sun, moon and planets to go around in their orbits. They uphold the sky and earth.
Muktad is a joyous and festive occasion to welcome and be hospitable to the Fravashis. The Muktad celebrations have a twofold significance. Firstly the festival is to thank all the Fravashis collectively as they help us in many ways. Secondly these days are to individually remember the souls and the Fravashis of our own dear departed ones.
Thus the days of Muktad are to offer reverence to all Fravashis and remembering the Fravashis and souls of our own dear ones.
In many religious traditions, the souls of the departed ones descend on the earth once a year. The Hindus refer to these days as Shradh, and the Christians as Lent.
According to Zoroastrian tradition the Fravashis descend to clean the world of its impurities at the end of each year. Unlike in other traditions, we remember not just the departed ones during these days, but all Fravashis in Nature.
Muktad are the days of enhancing communication between the physical and spiritual worlds. The needs of humans beings and divine beings is mutually fulfilled – We receive blessings of health, happiness and peace, and the divine beings feel happy on account of our hospitality, prayers and remembrance. The blessings of the Fravashis can give happiness and add meaning to our lives.
The simple ritual would be to light a divo/candle, place a bunch of flowers & some sweets
Simple Muktad Prayers include
Muktad no namaskar
(az hamā gunah patet pashemanom. ashaunam vanghuhish surao spentao fravashayo yazamaide (thrice). Ahmai Raeshcha – Hazangharem – Jasa me Avanghe – Kerfeh Mazda).
21 Yatha Ahuvaryo & 12 Ashem Vohu
Courtesy: Jehangir Bisney