Zoroastrians gather for annual pilgrimage at Pir-e Naraki shrine in Yazd
Iran’s Zoroastrian community launched its weeklong annual religious gathering on Sunday at the Pir-e Naraki shrine near Mehriz, in the central province of Yazd.
Held each year on the Zoroastrian calendar day of Soroush Izad—this year falling on August 3—the event draws worshippers from across the country to the foothills of Mount Naraki, 20 kilometers northwest of Mehriz. The ceremony includes prayers, cultural events, and tributes to outstanding students, benefactors, and newlyweds.
Pir-e Naraki is among the oldest Zoroastrian pilgrimage sites in Iran, nestled beside a spring in a low mountain range. Roughly 100 mud-brick rooms, known locally as kheylehs, have been constructed by the community to house pilgrims during the gathering. According to Zoroastrian belief, the site marks the mysterious disappearance of Nazbanou, a Yazdi noblewoman who was said to be the bride of a Persian king and fled to Yazd after the Islamic conquest of Fars.
Yazd is home to several significant Zoroastrian shrines, including Pir-e Sabz, Khatoun Banu, Seti Pir, Pir Herisht, and Pir-e Mehr Izad. These sacred sites remain central to the spiritual and cultural identity of Iran’s Zoroastrians, whose roots trace back over 5,000 years.
An estimated 6,000 Zoroastrians live in Yazd Province today. Mehriz County, where the Pir-e Naraki shrine is located, has a population of around 55,000 and lies 30 kilometers south of the provincial capital.