In India, the sacred fires of our consecrated Agyari and Atash Bahram are kept burning perpetually by periodically offering kathi or the slow-burning firewood of the Babool (Acacia nilotica) tree, which has low water content. Sandalwood is quick burning and used more as a fragrant offering to the Holy Fire. The Rakhya or ash of these consecrated fires is considered sacred and applied by priests and devotees to the forehead to cultivate a deeper spiritual connection. From the religious point of view, Zoroastrians also believe that the application of Rakhya to the forehead instils a sense of humility and healing.

Gift Of Healing

Theologically, Ardibehest Amesha Spenta is the healing energy of Ahura Mazda that presides over fire, and the gift of fragrant food (fuel) offered to the consecrated fire is returned to us as gift of pure, holy and healing ash. This is similar to Hindus offering fruits, milk, coconut or sweets to the deity at the Hindu temple and receiving it back as sanctified and blessed Prasad (Sanskrit for ‘gracious gift ‘or ‘blessed offering’).

In the Zoroastrian tradition, Ahura Mazda as also the consecrated fires are viewed as ‘friends’ to whom one is expected to carry gifts of fragrant wood alongside the fragrance of a life lived with Asha which embodies truth, righteous conduct, purity and harmony with all creations of the Creator. In the Atash Niyaesh we pray: ‘Vispanām para-charentam Ātarsh zasta adidhayā’ meaning: “The Fire looks at the hands of all visitors and asks: What does the walking friend bring to the sitting friend?” The walking friend is the devotee holding fragrant wood in his or her hand and the sitting friend is the consecrated fire duly enthroned at the Agyari or Atash Bahram.

Some also interpret the sitting friend as the spiritual fire within the heart and mind of the devotee who looks at his own hand and questions or reflects on what the hand lifted in prayer and bearing fragrant offerings has brought before the Creator (Ahura Mazda) at the place of worship?

The Return Gift

In the Atash Niyaesh, the devotee affirms: ‘Āat yezi-she aem baraiti aesmem vā ashaya beretem’ (meaning: When the devotee offers fragrant fuel, Ahura Mazda is pleased and blesses the worshipper). This is further elaborated as: ‘Upa-thwā hakhshoit geush vānthwa, upa viranām Pourutās’ which includes the blessings of progress, prosperity and progeny with strength and valour. Importantly, the devotee receives blessings to enjoy an active and creative mind in order to lead a happy and purposeful life performing virtuous and benevolent deeds.

Applying Rakhya

Since only an ordained priest can tend to the consecrated fire and the devotee can only offer his devotion from afar, applying the holy ash (Rakhiya) becomes a ritual gesture of connecting to the holy fire within the sanctified kebla. Thus, Rakhya, which is the residual filtrate of the consecrated fire, serves as a mark of devotion, spiritual awareness and connection to the divine. When applied to the forehead, it is believed to activate a spiritual centre of energy which mystics often call the spiritual third eye. This particular spot on the forehead above the center of the eyes, is also associated with wisdom, divinity and spiritual evolution.

Rakhya of an Atash Bahram is a Dini Alat or sacred ritual requisite for consecrating another Atash Bahram. When the first Atash Bahram was consecrated at Sanjan in India, the sacred ash of the Atash Bahram in Khorasan (Iran) was brought to India via land. Because of the ritual connection that this Holy Fire in India has with Iran’s Holy Fire, it is known as Iranshah.

Rakhya is considered so sacred that traditionally it is rubbed off once the devotee leaves the fire temple building lest it is desecrated outside the sanctified space of the Agyari or Atash Bahram. Application of Rakhya is also believed to offer protection from negative energy and bring about a calming effect. It is also believed to assist the seeker of knowledge attain concentration and focus.

Bhasma Or Vibhuti

Among Hindus, sacred ash is known as Bhasma or Vibhuti. It is essentially the residue of burnt offerings in rituals.  Like Rakhya it is considered sacred and represents the ultimate form of creation. It reminds the devotee of the impermanence of life and the need to detach from material attractions that border around greed. By applying sacred ash, devotees align themselves with the divine energy of Lord Shiva, symbolizing both the transient nature of life and the eternal soul.  It is a reminder of the mortal nature of life or wearing the very truth of mortality on one’s body.

In the Hindu tradition Vibhuti must be pinched up with the thumb and the ring finger and is usually applied at three points or energy centres on the upper body – Between the eyebrows (Agna chakra or centre of intuition, perception, and higher intelligence); At the pit of the throat (Vishuddhi chakra associated with communication and purification); and at the centre of the chest (Anahata chakra associated with the heart, love, compassion and forgiveness). It’s believed that application of sacred ash at these three points makes the devotee more spiritually-sensitive and reminds one to look inwardly for wisdom and become an expression of one’s true self with love and compassion.

Ash Wednesday

In the Christian tradition, on ‘Ash Wednesday’ the ashes of burnt palm leaves and fronds left over from Palm Sunday (commemorating Christ’s entry into Jerusalem) is mixed with olive oil and applied in the form of the cross on the forehead of the believer with the intonation: “Dust thou art, and to dust will return”. Ashes thus remind Christians of the transient nature of the physical body which is made from things that return to earth.

Lesson From Ashes

Ashes can teach us a lot. The expression ‘rising from the ashes’ symbolizes resilience and renewal after overcoming adversity or loss. It suggests that destruction or failure can be a catalyst for transformation and perhaps even an opportunity to emerge stronger and wiser. The mythical Phoenix bird, which rises from its own ashes, signifies the ability of a human being to bounce back from life’s difficult situations. The period of rising from the ashes should be seen and accepted as a phase of introspection and self-discovery, leading to personal growth and a greater understanding of oneself. It emphasizes the importance of perseverance and not giving up in the face of adversity, as even when things seem dreary, there is always the possibility of renewal.