Parsis as a community love to celebrate. Not just our own feasts and festivals, even Diwali and Christmas are celebrated with equal gusto. However, often in our enthusiasm, we end up violating certain fundamental precepts of our own religion. Take for example the misuse of firecrackers during the festival of Diwali. Not only are firecrackers a source of air and sound pollution, but from a Zarathushtrian point of view, an instrument of abusing fire. Year after year, surveys and studies indicate that during Diwali, sound pollution far exceeds decibels that humans and animals can tolerate. Year after year, my dogs, for example, refuse to eat or come out from under the sofa or bed and often there are times when they begin to shiver with fright. There are also old and sick persons whose stress levels shoot up drastically during Diwali. Those with respiratory problems are often forced to leave the city. Those who stay back suffer untold agony. Diwali is also the time when hospitals record more casualties. Cases of accidental fires (can they be called accidental?) also shoot up during this period.

From a Zarathushtrian point of view, anything that endangers life, health or property is considered as druj (a force of evil) from which one must either stay away or destroy. Sadly, far from staying away, there are Parsi associations in Bombay and other towns and cities which organize formal functions for perpetuating air and sound pollution! Diwali is essentially a festival of light, which unfortunately has become a festival of noise and other forms of pollution. Why can’t Diwali (the festival of light and colour) be celebrated with lighting of oil lamps, lanterns and a display of rangoli? Must we literally blow up money in smoke with the use of noisy and harmful firecrackers?

Doctrinally, we believe that Fire is the first of Ahura Mazda’s manifested forms. Ignited matter or any other form of physical fire is, therefore, not merely physical in nature, but also has divine fire. It is this, which gives fire its purity and sacredness. Fire is energy with the capacity to animate. When the fire energies operating in our body are extinguished, we die and the body grows cold. When these energies are blocked or disturbed, we fall ill. According to the ancient science of Yoga, there are seven occult centers of life and consciousness, which enliven the physical, and astral bodies of man. They are called “chakras” (wheels) because the concentrated energy in each one is like a hub from which radiate rays of life-giving light and energy.

While Hindus activate these “chakras” with the aid of “mantras” (e.g., the chanting of the “Om”), Pranayam (‘Prana’ being life-breath or ‘lifetrons’ as Paramahansa Yogananda put it), Yoga, etc., a Zoroastrian may activate these energy centers or “chakras” with the aid of spiritual tarikaats (disciplines) like physical and mental purity and the aid of sudreh-kusti, agyari, atash behrams, manthravani, (Avestan prayers) and following the path of Asha (Righteousness), as also living in harmony with his/her environment.

When a Zarathushti reveres or prays before fire, he in essence, offers worship to Ahura Mazda through Fire. We begin the Atash Nyaish with the following salutation:

Khshnaothra Ahurahe Mazdao Nemase-te
Atarsh Mazdao Ahurahe hudhao mazishta Yazata.

Which means: “May there be the propitiation or pleasure of Ahura Mazda! Homage (be) unto thee, O Fire of Hormazd, bestowing good, the Greatest Yazata.”
We also affirm:

Us-moi uzareshva Ahura
Armaiti tevishim Dasva
Spenishta Mainyu Mazda
Vanghuya zavo ada
Asha hazo emavat vohu
Manangha feseratum

Which means: “O Ahura Mazda, the most beneficent spirit and the bestower of good things in return for prayers! Do thou purify me (ie., keep me away from wicked deeds), owing to (my) gentleness (or humility) do thou grant me strength, on account of righteousness, bestow upon (me) mighty power (and) on account of (my) good thoughts, grant me supremacy.”

We further aspire:

Rafedhrai vouruchashane, doishi
moi ya ve abifra,
ta khshathrahya Ahura ya
Vangheush ashish manangho
fro Spenta Armaite Asha
daenao Fradakhshaya

Which means: “O Hormazd! for (my) delight (and) for sufficiently acquiring religious lore, do thou grant me assuredly those gifts which (are) blessed by Shehrevar and Vohuman. O Spenta Armaiti! Instruct (me) the commandments of the religion through Asha.”

And to the Holy Fire itself we express the following sentiments:

Yasnemcha vahmemcha huberetimcha
ushta-beretimcha, vanta-beretimcha, afrinami,
tava Atarsh puthra Ahurahe Mazdao, yesnyo
ahi vahmyo, yesnyo buyao vahmyo
nmanahu mashyakanam ushta buyat
ahmai naire, yase-thwa badha
frayazaite, aesmo-zasto, baresmo-zasto
gao-zasto, havano-zasto.

Which means: “O Fire, the purifier (of all things) pertaining to Ahura Mazda! I praise Thy worship, invocation, good health-giving and friendly gift. (O Fire), thou art worthy of worship and invocation, mayest thou be worthy of worship and invocation in the abodes of me! May there be greatness (or happiness) unto that man who shall always worship thee with fuel, Baresman, milk and mortar in hand.”

Sadly it is the same fire that we hold so sacred that we misuse and abuse year after year in the name of celebrating the festival of light. Let us resolve from this year to celebrate Diwali with a difference. Let us spread light and cheer with the lighting of lamps both in our homes and in our hearts. Let us resolve to spread the light of love and the light of education. Let us light up a smile on the face of one who is poor, needy or sick. This would be celebrating Diwali in the right spirit.

Let us resolve to abstain from bringing discomfort to others with misuse of firecrackers. For a festival that promotes peace, the use of firecrackers is an instrument of violence. Instead of blowing up money in smoke let us use it to light the lamp of peace, education, good health and prosperity for all.

Seasons Greetings! And may there be more light both, during and after the festival of light.