Our racial heritage, our temperamental endowment, and vicissitudes of time have built our communal characteristics, Ahura Mazda. We take life cheerfully and strive to make the most of it. We are full of life and gay of disposition. We are boisterous and obtrusive, talkative and vivacious, amiable and jovial, lively and impulsive, virile and industrious, […]
As a subject of light conversation, astrology is at once interesting, fascinating, amusing and fun. But, when astrology becomes a subject governing day-to-day life, decision-making and relationships, it no longer remains funny or amusing! Astrology probably originated in Babylon or modern-day Iraq. Cuneiform tablets have been excavated depicting horoscope charts dating from the fifth Century […]
Thirteen long centuries ago, when the Kian Glory fled past our ancestors for ever, when the crown and sceptre of the great Sassanian Empire fell, when the fame and fortune of the greatest kingdom of the day left them, when friendless and forlorn they stood and knew not where to turn, Thou our eternal friend, […]
Fravardin is the first month of the Zoroastrian calendar and very appropriately so because the month is dedicated to the Fravashi or Farohar, which is the prototype of all creation. In the Zoroastrian tradition while invoking Fravardin, we use the epitaph Farokh which means fortunate and happy. In our prayers we recite, “Mah Farokh Fravardin” […]
Health is happiness. It is the greatest blessing of life. With health, life has everything, without it, it has nothing. Health is the richest possession of man upon Earth. Blank and empty is life when it is bereft of health. Dead is the joy in life, where health is lacking. Nor birth, nor wealth, nor […]
PT: What is the significance of the ‘boi’ and ringing the bell nine times in the kebla? Er. Harvesp: The Boi is a very significant ceremony performed, as we drive out evil which tries to overpower the good. During Boi, the Mobed recites the Atash Ni Nyaish, rings the bell on the words dushmata, duzukhta, […]
Thou, Ahura Mazda, hast created Tishtrya, the radiant, glorious star genius of the rain, the lord of all other stars, for the fertility of the fields, farms and all other lands. Men and beasts, birds and plants, trees and rivers, streams and thirsty earth, look eagerly and entreatingly to the rising of the star Tishtrya, […]
Asho Zarathushtra is universally regarded as the First Prophet. He was the first to receive Ahura Mazda’s message and yet, there is so little, we, his followers who call ourselves Zoroastrian or Zarathushti know about him. Quite often, we don’t even spell or pronounce his name correctly. Many do not know the names of his […]
PT: How did we start the practice of wearing the Sudreh and Kusti? What is the relevant vow made during our Navjote ceremony? Er. Ramiyar: Wearing the Sudreh and Kusti is an ancient practice introduced by King Jamshed, even before the times of prophet Zarathushtra. Navjote is the ritual in which a Zoroastrian child is […]
What makes us like Zarathushtra among others who were enlightened? To begin with, Zarathushtra was not against life or any of its joys and bounties. All that he was against was falsehood and hypocrisy. He was not against creating wealth; in fact he saw prosperity as positive and poverty as negative. Zarathushtra was not against […]
Roj Astad to Aneran of Asfandarmad Mah and the five independent days of the Gatha are observed as the days for propitiating the Fravashis of the righteous dead. The five Gatha days are also the Gahambar days. The Gahambars are six seasonal feasts celebrated with prayers, ritual offerings and community feasts to firstly offer thanks […]