The Iranshah Udwada Utsav (IUU) 2024 buzz is in full swing, even as we close in on the Community’s much awaited fest – the largest platform for the coming together of Zoroastrians from India and across the world, to yet again celebrate our cultural, social and religious ethos, in Udwada – our pilgrimage headquarters! Parsi Times is delighted to continue being the Media Partner of one of the most looked forward to events in the Parsi calendar.

Celebrated every two years, the Iranshah Udwada Utsav commenced its opening chapter in 2015, followed by increasing pomp and patronage, in 2017 and 2019. However, the pandemic impacted the two-yearly continuity, but the fourth chapter of IUU is back this year, and promises to be even more special and spectacular than before! IUU 2024 will be held in Udwada, from 27^th – 29^th December, 2024. A large number of community members have already booked their three-day stay in Udwada and nearby areas, so as to not miss out the exciting celebrations of Zoroastrian culture and festivities.

The IUU is the culmination of great planning and collaborative efforts of the ‘Foundation for Development of Udwada’ and Gujarat Tourism. Since its inception in 2015, the IUU has been hailed as the worldwide Zoroastrian Community’s premier cultural fest, drawing in over 4,000 participations globally. The tremendous success received of this gigantic undertaking has the community eagerly looking forward to IUU 2024!

How it all started…

In 2014, PM Shri Narendra Modi suggested that the community come up with an event in the form of a ‘festival’ that would bring together our miniscule yet cherished community across the world, with Udwada as our pilgrim centre. With immense planning and collaborative efforts by the ‘Foundation for Development of Udwada’ (FDU) and a group of dedicated volunteers, supported by Gujarat Tourism, the ‘Iranshah Udwada Utsav (IUU)- 2015’ was birthed as one of premier cultural fests of the Zoroastrian community worldwide, with an attendance of over 4,000 local, national and global community members.

IUU-2015 comprised a culture-rich schedule comprising monajats, short films, religious and comedy skits, music performances and felicitations of Zoroastrian achievers. A galaxy of eminent Parsis attended the felicitation of the legendary late Shri Ratan Tata, on 27^th December, 2015. Noted philanthropist, Dr. Cyrus S. Poonawalla, Chairman, Serum Institute of India, graciously sponsored the event in memory of his loving wife, Late Villoo Poonawalla. Late Cabinet Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley, had also graced the occasion. As the curtains came down on IUU-2015, the organizing committee of FDU promised an even grander ‘IUU-2017’… and delivered even more!

IUU-2017 (December 23-25, 2017), with its theme – ‘Threads of Continuity’ – drew in even larger numbers of the global Zoroastrian community at our pious Udwada gaam, to once again celebrate, cherish and honour our culture, history and greats! Inaugurated by former Gujarat CM – Vijaybhai Rupani and Minority Affairs Minister – Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, IUU 2017 saw eminent physician, Dr. Farokh Udwadia felicitated by former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu.

IUU-2019 lived up to its promise of being even bigger and better than its previous editions, with an increasing number of community members coming to Udwada to pay homage to Iranshah Atash Behram and partaking the spirit of community camaraderie and pride. Like the earlier chapters, IUU-2019 also commemorated our culture and ethos in an environment that nurtured unity, bonding and unity, across three days of festivities which explored and celebrated the essence of Parsipanu.

All the IUU chapters proved to be extremely successful, as community members brimmed with pride and a sense of belonging, feeling enriched, engaged and entertained, as culture and camaraderie took center-stage, alongside a sense of privilege and gratitude for our forefathers. With ‘Iranshah Udwada Utsav-2024’ just a few weeks away and registrations quickly filling up, the Community can look forward to yet another three days of bonding with fellow Zarthostis from across the world, revisiting our roots and soaking in our Zoroastrian culture – all laced with fun and entertainment! So, block your dates for from 27^th – 29^th December, 2024, for this Zoroastrian Mega Event fostering Parsipanu and ‘Hamazor’ (unity)!

More details to follow soon in the upcoming editions of Parsi Times, so stay tuned!