12th April, 2025 (today), is the first day (Roj Hormuzd) of the ninth month (Mah) of Adar as per the Shahenshahi Zoroastrian calendar. Adar is the Divinity that presides over fire. As per the Fasal or seasonal calendar, the month of Adar begins around mid-November and is celebrated right up to mid-December, when it’s cold in […]
In quiet moments, when the world is still, The soul unfolds, a gentle grace, A tapestry of dreams, a vibrant thrill, A smile upon the soul’s own face. So let the shadows softly fade, And embrace the light within, The soul’s own journey, unafraid, A beautiful, eternal win. Most religions believe the soul is […]
Over the course of a recent discussion, a friend argued upon why our community should be praying in a language (Avesta and Pazand) that we do not understand. I reckoned there are many who could feel the same way, and hence this article… Multi-sensory Experience To begin with, how do so many of us enjoy […]
We have just celebrated the spring festival of Navruz and commenced Nature’s New Year as per the Fasal or Seasonal Calendar, on 21st March. However, as per the Shahanshahi (Royal) calendar, today (22nd March 2025) is Roj Ava of Mah Ava or the sacred Parab of the water Divinity which according to the Fasal calendar […]
The Spring Equinox, as observed in the Northern hemisphere, is the time when the sun crosses the celestial equator (an imaginary line in the sky above Earth’s equator). This phenomenon happens every year on March 19, 20, or 21. Usually, Zoroastrians celebrate the first day of spring on 21st March. However, this year this ancient Iranian spring […]
Each year, 8th March (today) is celebrated as International Women’s Day (IWD) – a day when women are recognized for their varied achievements. Spurred by the universal female suffrage movement, IWD originated from labour movements in Europe and North America during the early twentieth century, with March 8 declared by Vladimir Lenin to honour the […]
Herodotus (484 - 425 BC) was an ancient Greek writer, geographer, and historian born in the Greek city of Halicarnassus which was part of the Persian Empire (now Bodrum in Turkey). He wrote ‘The Histories’ which is a detailed account of the Greco-Persian Wars. Herodotus was the first writer to do systematic investigation of historical events […]
In Shakespeare’s ‘Othello,’ Emilia tells Othello, “It is the very error of the moon. She comes more nearer earth than she was wont. And makes men mad.” The idea that a full moon can stir up emotions, provoke inexplicable behaviour, and even cause physical illness isn’t just a literary figure of speech, it’s a strongly […]
At the Annual General Meeting of the Global Council of Zoroastrians Trust (GCZT) held in Mumbai on 2nd February 2025, I was requested to speak on the topic: ‘The Importance Of Giving.’ It was a relevant topic considering several factors. As a community, especially in India, we seem to have lost our ethos of giving, […]
‘Valentine Week’ has commenced since 7th February, observed as ‘Rose Day’ and will culminate next week with Valentine’s Day on 14th February. While modern Valentine festivities generally revolve around romantic love, it also has roots in early spring observations, especially around the season of bird mating. The first recorded association of Saint Valentine’s Day with […]
Though one may not feel the full impact of the cold in cities like Mumbai and much of costal peninsular India, it is actually mid-winter in the Northern hemisphere. While Iranian Zoroastrians just celebrated Jashn-e-Sadeh on 29th January, Hindus will celebrate Vasant Panchami on 2nd February, 2025. Both are mid-winter festivals and celebrate the oncoming […]