– Firoza Punthakey Mistree –

The Parsis/Iranis of India and the Iranian Zoroastrians are the inheritors of a vulnerable heritage and legacy that has traversed time and survived three millennia. The recently published ‘The Collected Scholarly Writings Of Dastur Firoze M. Kotwal – Volume II’, authored after great research and painstaking efforts by Vada Dasturji Firoze M. Kotwal, and edited by Firoza Punthakey Mistree and Cashmira Vatcha Bengalli, is a compilation of his selected writings. As a High Priest who has performed the high rituals in his hometown of Navsari, and can read with fluency, the Avestan, Pahlavi, Persian and Gujarati manuscripts, Dasturji Kotwal remains the last Zoroastrian inheritor of this complete legacy.

His deep grasp of Zoroastrianism brings the faith’s past vividly to life in this latest book, a powerful tribute to Parsi resilience and determination to hold to our practices despite centuries of exile. The book has something for everyone. Whether you are interested in the birth and legends of Zarathushtra and the miracles that foretold his birth or in the Parsi-dominated history of Navsari and the priests who served the sacred fire there, there is enough to keep you turning the pages and marvel at the enduring spirit of a community.

For Parsis worldwide, the Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada holds supreme spiritual significance. In his latest book, Dasturji Kotwal brings alive the remarkable story of how nine Parsi families, entrusted as guardians, protected the sacred fire through centuries of upheaval, from Sanjan to Navsari, before finally enshrining it in Udvada. He gives due importance to the Qissa-e Sanjan, a Persian verse chronicle often dismissed by skeptics, explaining how it documents the ritual processes and apparatus used to consecrate the Iranshah.

A key highlight is the chapter on the authenticity of the Parsi priestly tradition. Dasturji Kotwal challenges the modern trend of diluting traditional Zoroastrian rituals under the false claim that they are influenced by alien faiths. He presents compelling evidence to counter this narrative, emphasizing the sanctity and continuity of Parsi religious practice. His work is both a defence of tradition and a reaffirmation of identity for Zoroastrians everywhere.

Dastur Kotwal’s book sheds light on ancient Zoroastrian festivals like Jashan-e Sada, the festival of fire and hope, and Jamshidi No Ruz, the Iranian New Year, deepening our understanding of their significance. He explores sacred rituals, including the elaborate consecration of the Warasyaji (sacred bull), and explains the purpose and timing of the Niyaishes and Yashts, offering clarity for both the devout and the curious.

The story of the Aden fire’s creation and the consecration of a dadgah fire, with or without zohr, reflects the foresight of Zoroastrians, who, even when far from their homeland, ensured the presence of a sacred flame for prayer. Short, engaging articles profile community stalwarts including Manekji Limji Hataria, emissary to Iranian Zoroastrians; Hormarjee Bomanjee Wadia, founder of the H.B. Wadia Atash Behram; and scholar-priest Bahmanji Nusserwanji Dhabar, who translated the Persian Rivayats. Biographical notes on past High Priests and the fascinating tale of nirang being carried to London, to satisfy sceptics about the purity and efficacy of the consecrated libation, further enrich this valuable collection of Parsi heritage.

Those who question the beauty and resilience of our prayers should pause and reflect: around 1500 BCE, a child may have recited Ashem Vohu and Yatha Ahu Vairyo with the same devotion as a child today. This timeless legacy endures across centuries, continents and cultural upheavals.

Dasturji Kotwal’s profound grasp of Zoroastrian faith, manuscripts, and rituals enables him to interpret the past with rare authority. His unwavering commitment to the hokm-e dīn, or religious comandments, has earned deep respect. Even at his venerable age, he continues to enrich both, community and academia, with a remarkable trove of scholarly contributions.