The Dead Are Visiting Right Now — And You've Never Heard of This Holiday
Inside the Zoroastrian Festival of Souls, the oldest ancestor remembrance tradition on Earth March 16, 2026 Right now — today, as you read this — one of the oldest religious observances in human history is underway. And unless you're part of a community that numbers fewer than 200,000 people worldwide, you've probably never heard of it. It's called Muktad . And for ten days every March, Zoroastrians around the world believe the spirits of the dead return to walk among the living. What Is Muktad?
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Inside the Zoroastrian Festival of Souls, the oldest ancestor remembrance tradition on Earth March 16, 2026 Right now — today, as you read this — one of the oldest religious observances in human history is underway. And unless you're part of a community that numbers fewer than 200,000 people worldwide, you've probably never heard of it. It's called Muktad . And for ten days every March, Zoroastrians around the world believe the spirits of the dead return to walk among the living. What Is Muktad? Muktad (also called Frawardigan) is a ten-day observance that closes out the Zoroastrian religious year. In the Fasli calendar — the version that stays aligned with the seasons — it runs from March 11 through March 20 . The final five days overlap with Hamaspathmaidyem , the sixth and last Gahambar (seasonal feast), which specifically honors humanity and marks the approach of the spring equinox.
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Gathas · Avesta