Sons of the Sun faith finds similarity with Hindus

The delegation came to perform Sun worship rituals by performing Armenian folkloric dances and chants. This faith is a branch of Zoroastrianism and survived over several centuries in Armenia, facing several genocides.
Talking to Deccan Chronicle, Nayira, a member of the delegation, said the culture of worshipping nature was common to many ancient cultures and was now uniting people from different faiths in different parts of the world. She said they worship the Sun god at the Garni Temple, like Hindus, and it is the only remaining Pagan temple in Armenia. The temple was believed to have been built by King Tiridates I in the 1st century AD.

Naynira said that after the invasion of Christians, the idols of their Gods were demolished. Like Hindus, the ancient Armenians used to worship a plurality of Gods. The ancient Armenians called themselves ‘Children of the Sun’ as they worshipped a creator called Ara, a powerful deity of intelligence who manifests as the Sun.
Nayira maintained that the Sun is life, love and everything to them. “We too distribute sweets and sweet bread like Hindus distribute “Prasadam”, wishing for the wellbeing of others after worshipping the Sun God,” Naynira explained.
Stating that though Armenia was a Christian country now, Nayira said some Armenians still followed the Sons of the Sun faith. The annual festival of worshipping the Sun God at the Garni temple comes in February. After the USSR disintegration in 1991, which till then banned the religion, the Sons of Sun faith registered their community and started worshiping at Garni Temple, Nayira informed.