The Modi Shahenshahi Atash Behram in Surat celebrated its 194th Salgreh on 2nd October, 2017, with a ‘Maachi’ at 7:00 am in Havan geh, attended by over a hundred Parsis. The highlight of the salgreh celebrations was the ‘Kavyani Zando’ which was paraded through the streets near the Atash Behram with a decent Parsi population at 7:30am. The Parsees garlanded the ‘Zanda’, performed achhu michhu, donated cash or grains, and distributed sweets. As the procession returned to the Atash Behram, the Parsees sang ‘Chhaiye Ame Jarthosti’, as the flag was hoisted atop the Atash Behram. A ‘Khushali nu Jasan’ was performed later in the day by thirty mobeds at the Atash Behram. The evening celebrations witnessed a religious talk by Er. Darayus Katrak on various aspects of Behram Yazad, organized by the Athornan Mandal, followed by a community dinner.

Legend says that the tyrant King Zohak of Peshdadin dynasty killed the sons of Kaveh who was a blacksmith. To avenge the death of his sons he collected a group of soldiers to fight Zohak. Uniting under the flag he made of leather, all of them took the help of Faredoon and defeated Zohak. Faredoon decorated this ‘Kaviyani’ flag (as it was made by Kaveh) with silk cloth, gold and silver thread and precious gems. Later, the flag became a respected symbol of the kings who followed. A replica of this flag was made in Surat by Dhanjisha Maneckhi Tadiwala in 1927. It is 11 ft. long and 5 ft. broad. It has the symbol of sun and moon in two corners, an afarganiyu with Atash and a Farohar.