Pir Shalyar, an elderly man, cured an ailing princess after many physicians failed to help her. The princess’ father then agreed to let Pir Shalyar marry his daughter in a ceremony held on the 40th day of winter. So goes the legend that dates back at least 700 years.

The celebration is held over three weeks. In the first week, children distribute walnuts, telling people that the ceremony is coming. At dawn on the Wednesday of the second week, children sing songs from the rooftops of their homes. After sunrise, cows and sheep are sacrificed and in the evening, people play the daf drum and pray.

On the final day of the celebration, bread baked from wheat and walnut and shaped like the sun are brought to the tomb of Pir in Iran’s Kurdistan province.

A pir is a pilgrimage site in the Zoroastrian faith.

Pictured here, people in the Kurdistan Region town of Hawraman celebrate the festival of Pir Shalyar.

Photos by Bahman Shabazi