Today, Saturday, 19^th April 2025 (Roj Dae-pa-Adar, Mah Adar) is observed as the birthday of the kitchen or hearth fire, also referred to as ‘Chulah nu varas’. Tomorrow, Roj Adar of Mah Adar, will be observed as ‘Atash nu Parab’ or the birthday of fire – the giver of light and life. This day coincides with the Christian feast of Easter which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, three days after his crucifixion.

When the Roj and Mah coincide, the day is celebrated as Parab (Gujarati term meaning holiday or festival). The equivalent corresponding Pahlavi term would be Jashan or celebration (festival). Parabs are observed with a thanks-giving Jashan ceremony, which involves offering litany to the fire (Atash Nyaish) as also the Afringan which is prefaced by the Pazand Dibache propitiating the souls of the departed.

Ninth Day Of The Ninth Month

Adar is the Divinity that presides over fire. Interestingly, Adar is the ninth day of every month and also the ninth month of the year. Nine is a sacred number across several religious traditions. In the Zoroastrian tradition, Asho Zarathustra is often depicted holding a nine-knotted stick called Navgar.

In numerology, each number from one to nine is associated with a particular element. The number nine is often associated with fire, representing energy, passion, and action. This association is based on the belief that the number nine, along with the number three, represents the element of fire and is linked to traits like charisma, enthusiasm and a driven pursuit of goals.

Chulah Nu Varas

Chulah nu varas literally means birthday of the hearth Fire over which food is prepared. The kitchen is cleaned and the area around the cooking stove is decorated and the stove itself is garlanded with marigold flowers and the stove is not used from early evening (Uzirin Gah) till next morning.

The birthday of the kitchen fire is observed with several decorative items particularly the sagan-ni-ses. An oil lamp is also lit and placed in the ses, with rice (symbolizing prosperity, fertility, and good fortune), rock sugar (symbolising sweetness of life), a green betel leaf (symbolising auspiciousness and sanctity) with sticks of turmeric (symbolising purity, good health and good fortune), dried dates (symbolising good health and energy), betel nut (symbolising devotion and the eternal nature of existence) and a coconut (symbolising spiritual rejuvenation).

A small Afarganyu is also lit and fed with fragrant wood and incense. Just as we apply a tikka on the forehead, the kitchen stove and the wall behind are decorated with red kum-kum paste which is considered auspicious and the colour red once again signifies life and energy that fire gives us.

Why Marigold?

According to the Zoroastrian text, Bundahishn, Adar is associated with the marigold (calendula) flower, known to embody qualities of purity, strength and new beginnings. It’s one of the reasons why Zoroastrians prefer to garland the kitchen stove on its birthday as also adorn the entrance to the kitchen and the main door with marigold flowers.

Marigold is believed to have derived its name from ‘Mary’s Gold’, taken from the fact that early Christians placed flowers instead of coins on Mother Mary’s altar as an offering. This flower is often used in festivities honouring Mother Mary. Hindus also use it during marriages and Zoroastrians associate this flower with fire because of its colour.

Just like roses are linked to love, and lilies are linked to peace, Marigolds are linked to Surya Dev or the ‘Sun god’ in Hinduism. The bright orange-yellow shades of the Marigold flower are similar to the orange-red hue that covers the sky during sunset and sunrise, and these flowers are thus believed to be auspicious. And, not just Surya Dev, the dual colours of Marigold are also said to be a symbol of the sacred fire that is energetic and vibrant. The positive energy that a Marigold flower has and the happiness that the colours add to a person’s heart and mind are believed to help people abandon negative thoughts.

Hearth Fire

In various cultures, the kitchen fire and the hearth hold symbolic and spiritual significance, often representing a connection to domestic life, family, and the divine. Some cultures, like those in Vietnam, have specific deities or spirits associated with the hearth. The Kitchen God (Zao Jun) in Chinese folk religion is believed to report on family conduct to the celestial gods. A Vedic fire ritual in the kitchen, also known as a Homa or Yagna, involves offering rice, ghee, and other items into a sacred fire with mantras, to invoke blessings and purify the space. This practice, rooted in ancient Vedic traditions, aims to bring balance and harmony to the household. The kitchen, being a place where food is prepared, is often considered a sacred space. The Homa ritual is believed to help purify the kitchen and create a positive energy flow and offering of ghee to the fire is believed to bring blessings and protection to the household.

Easter With Fire

In the Christian faith there is the tradition of the Holy Fire at the ‘Church of the Holy Sepulcher’, also known as ‘Holy Sepulcher’, which is a church built at the traditional site of Jesus’ Crucifixion and burial in Jerusalem. According to the Bible (John 19:41–42), the tomb of Jesus was close to the place of the crucifixion, and so the church was planned to enclose the site of both the cross and the tomb.

The Holy Fire (or ‘Holy Light’ as recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church) is described by Orthodox Christians as a miracle that occurs every year at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Great Saturday (which happens to be today), or Holy Saturday, the day preceding Orthodox Easter. There is a belief that the Holy Fire rekindles annually on the day preceding Orthodox Pascha (Orthodox Easter). At this time, blue light is said to emit within Jesus’ tomb, rising from the marble slab covering the stone bed believed to be the stone upon which Jesus’ body was placed for burial. The fire is also said to spontaneously light other lamps and candles around the church. Pilgrims and clergy say that the Holy Fire does not burn them.

Religious Observations

It is considered spiritually rewarding to chant the Atash Niyaesh and the Ardibehest Yasht every day during this holy month and particularly on Roj Hormad, Ardibehesht, Dae-pa-Adar, Adar, Sarosh and Bahram. It is recommended that the Atash Niyaesh should be chanted standing before a fire at an Agyari or Atash Bahram or the hearth fire that one may be maintaining at home.

The Atash Niyaesh is a beautifully woven tapestry of verses from the seventy-two chapters of the Yasna including verses from the Gatha. While reciting the Atash Niyaesh, the devotee offers gratitude to Ahura Mazda through fire as the medium and seeks blessings of good health and prosperity for all.