Dear Readers,

In addition to, and even due to our dwindling numbers, our community increasingly faces the existential challenge of diminishing footfalls in our fire temples. These divine, sacred spaces, which were once the centres of the Parsi community’s spiritual and social life, have been witnessing fewer devotees, raising concerns about their sustainability and future relevance.

Our declining presence in Agiaries is alarming because it signifies a gradual distancing from religious identity and cultural heritage. Our Fire Temples are more than just places of worship – they are repositories of history, tradition, and collective memory. There is no denying the very palpable feeling of positivity and peace that simply embraces you when you set foot inside a place of worship. You can feel the exhaustion and pain and negativity drain away from within, as you connect with your Maker. The powerful divine energy in our fire-temples rejuvenates our sense of purpose and our identity as Zarthostis, even as a sense of deep peace comes over us. Visting our Agiaries more regularly also fosters a sense of community and belonging – and it keeps us in touch with our ever helpful priests.

Sustaining the sanctity and relevance of our Agiaries requires a collective effort. The community must recognize that faith and tradition thrive not just through reverence, but through active participation. We need to foster engagement through inclusive outreach and greater youth participation as also initiatives to reignite interest.

Many faiths practise mandated weekly rituals of visiting their places of worship. As followers of Ahura Mazda and a highly evolved religion, it was assumed our better senses would ensure regular visits to reap and refresh all those mental and spiritual benefits. But in our hectic, daily rat race, we tend to forget and therefore forfeit these unconditional benefits bestowed unto us, when we merge with the divine energy within an Agiary or Atashbehram.

Let us find a way, and let us make the time to continue the wonderful tradition of paying our respects more regularly to our Agiaries, and thereby contributing to a cause much larger than ourselves!

Have a lovely weekend!

– Anahita