Feast of the Flame
| Date | Darshali 21 |
| Type | Feast Day |
| Region | Sirdabi Caliphate |
The Feast of the Flame is one of the great feasts of the Azadi calendar, commemorating the start of the Sparkling Rebellion in which the Prophet al-Azad and his people aided the Irzali in overthrowing the hated Shahanshah Divyaz and his corrupt administration. This is a time to remember heroic deeds of the past, whether of physical or moral courage, which dovetails neatly with the celebrations of the Festival of the Dead. While the most radical Irzali separatists choose to see this as day more of mourning than celebration, most Irzali observe the holiday with as much gladness and piety as any other Azadi.
As part of both the feast and the Fire Festival, a great bonfire is built on this day, and collectively set alight by an entire village, neighborhood, or clan, each member of which contributes a spark or flame -- thereby symbolizing that together, many small sparks can ignite an immense blaze. Typically a whole camel, sheep, or ox is slaughtered to provide a celebratory meal for the entire community. It has also become traditional to eat the roasted meat with firebelly sauce, a sweet-and-spicy condiment made from tamarind paste, naskiri, pomegranate juice, and black pepper. In Irzal itself, and among those of Irzali heritage, it is more common to cook a communal pot of sweet-and-sour fensenjaan, a type of stew usually reserved for festive occasions.
The Feast of the Flame corresponds with the penultimate day of the Irzali Fire Festival.