According to the Shahanshahi Zoroastrian calendar, the Holy month of Dae commenced on 12^th May. Observed as a month of thanksgiving to Ahura Mazda, during Mah Dae Zoroastrians acknowledge the many blessings more ceremonially. This month also fosters a sense of community and reinforces well-being via numerous Jashan ceremonies performed at home, offices, baugs or at Atash Bahram/Agyari.

Jashan means ‘rejoicing’ or an ‘assembly of rejoicing’. This is because the religious ceremony is usually followed by feasting and merriment among family/community members. It is considered most meritorious to perform Jashan on each of the four special days of the holy month of Dae (Day 1: Dae Hormuzd; Day 8: Dae Adar; Day 15: Dae Meher; and Day 23: Dae Deen), which are dedicated to the Supreme Creator and the Yazata having the Creator’s aspect, presiding over Fire (Dae-pa Adar); Light and Justice (Dae-pa Meher); and the Religion (Dae-pa Deen). Each of these four days is referred to as Jashan of Dadvah (or the Creator).

A gratitude ritual goes beyond a simple “thank you”—it’s a conscious practice of recognizing the blessings in our lives, from daily comforts to meaningful connections. Across ancient civilizations, gratitude was expressed through rituals and ceremonies honoring divine gifts. Woven into global traditions, these practices reflect a timeless human impulse: to acknowledge and appreciate life’s goodness. From ancient Egypt to modern prayer, gratitude rituals have long nurtured emotional well-being and spiritual connection.

Gratitude is deeply embedded in religious traditions worldwide, expressed through rituals, prayers, and ceremonies honoring a higher power. Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures held feasts and festivals to thank their gods for harvests, victories, and prosperity. In Buddhism, gratitude is practiced through meditation and acts of generosity. Christianity emphasizes thankfulness in worship and holidays like Thanksgiving, while Jewish customs include blessings and festivals like Sukkot. Hinduism features regular prayers and rituals of thanks to deities for sustaining life and community well-being.

Across faiths, gratitude nurtures spiritual connection and reverence. Among Zoroastrians, Jashan is about expressing gratitude and invoking divine blessings for peace, unity, good health and prosperity for all. Gratitude or thanksgiving is a powerful positive force, which positively impacts physical health, emotional and mental wellbeing, neutralizing all negativity.

Attitude Of Gratitude

Research enumerates multiple benefits of gratitude.  People who are consistently grateful are relatively happier, more energetic, and more hopeful and experiencing more frequent positive emotions. They tend to be more helpful and empathic, more forgiving and less materialistic. Focusing on gratitude helps appreciate our lives and relationships, strengthening our faith and enriching our bond with the Divine.

In contemporary times, the practice of gratitude has been embraced by various self-help and personal development movements, often stripped of its religious connotations but retaining the essence of reflection and appreciation. The popularization of gratitude journals, mindfulness meditation focusing on gratitude, and social media challenges are modern manifestations of gratitude rituals.

Cultivating gratitude can be challenging, especially during tough periods. However, when facing difficulties, remind yourself that gratitude is not about dismissing your problems but about finding a ray of light and hope in the darkness. Gratitude is not about forcing positivity or feeling obligated to be grateful for negative experiences. It’s about recognizing the good amidst the bad and finding balance. It’s okay to feel both, grateful and sad.

The High Priest Adarbad Mahraspand, Prime Minister of Shapur II (309-379 AC) wrote: “For there is no misfortune which has befallen me, Adarbad, son of Mahraspand, from which I have not derived six kinds of comfort. First, when a misfortune befell me, I was thankful that it was no worse. Secondly, that the misfortune fell upon my mortal body but not upon my soul. Thirdly, I was thankful that of all the misfortunes that are due to me, one of them has passed. Fourthly, I was thankful that I was so good a man that the accursed and damnable Ahriman and the demons should bring misfortune on my body on account of my goodness. Fifthly, I was thankful that since whoever commits an evil deed, will be made to suffer for it either personally or through his children, it was I myself who paid the penalty and not my children. Sixthly, I was thankful that since all the harm that the accursed Ahriman and his demons can do to the creatures of Ohrmazd is limited, any misfortune that befalls me is a loss to Ahriman’s treasury, and he cannot inflict it a second time on some other good man.”

Jashan – The Zoroastrian Gratitude Ritual

The Jashan ceremony is an outer liturgical ceremony, meaning it can be performed at any clean place, unlike inner liturgical ceremonies which can only be performed at an Agyari or Atash Behram, in a specially consecrated area. The Afringan is an important part of the Jashan ceremony, which is performed by one chief officiating priest – the Zaotar or Zot, or by a pair of priests, the Zot and his assistant, the Raspi. When three or more priests participate in an Afringan ceremony, it is called a Jashan, signifying an assembly of priests.

The Zot usually faces East (or another direction, except North) while performing the Afringan ceremony. The Jashan tray comprises a variety of seasonal fruits, essentially pomegranates, alongside a metal vase (Karasyo) filled with fresh water, a glass of milk, a glass of rose-syrup, variety of flowers and a fire-vase (Afarganyu). Each item holds significance. The Jashan ceremony proper is always preceded by the priests performing the Padyab-kushti, followed by the obligatory or Farziyat prayers and recital of the Atash Niyaesh or litany to the fire.

Fire is the dispeller of darkness, giver of life and a purifying, healing force. By reciting the litany to fire, the priest invokes blessings for a long and healthy life filled with warmth and light. The priest then recites the Pazand Dua Nam Setayesh in praise of Ahura Mazda. The priests then exchange a ritual hand-clasp with the words: “Hama-zor hama-asho bed,” or “May we be united in spiritual strength, may we all be righteous in our actions.”

Eight flowers are ceremonially arranged in the tray and picked, one by one, while reciting eight Yatha Ahu Vairyo, in honour of the fravashis invoked and invited to bless the ceremony. Flowers represent Amardad or the spirit of immortality. The Jashan ceremony concludes with reciting the Tandorosti praying for the good health and prosperity of all assembled.

There is deep symbolic significance behind the essentials laid out at the Jashan ceremony. In fact, all the Seven Amesha Spenta or Divinities are represented. Ahura Mazda, the foremost Amesha Spenta is represented by the priest. Bahman is represented by the milk in the glass. Ardibehesht is represented by the ritual fire that is lit for the Jashan. Shehrevar is represented by the metal vase and Aspandarmad by the clean ground over which the Jashan is performed. Finally, Khordad is represented by the fresh water and Amardad by the fresh flowers and fruits. Thus, starting with the Creator, all good creations of Ahura Mazda are recognized, celebrated and thanked during the Jashan ceremony. The fruits are eaten as chasni or blessed food that is first offered to Divinity and then consumed by devotees.