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At home amongst the Zoroastrians

 
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Khorshid



Joined: 28 Aug 2003
Posts: 459

PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 1:53 am    Post subject: At home amongst the Zoroastrians Reply with quote

At home amongst the Zoroastrians

...in Manhattan





By Simin K.
November 25, 2003
The Iranian

I guess a little background info is necessary here. I grew up in Iran under the Shah, in a secular, progressive and nationalistic middle class family that lost everything as a result of the revolution. I came to the US when I was a teenager in 1979. And I was not born a Zoroastrian.

I've been living in New York City ever since, and I live alone and am unmarried at an age that most Iranians find beyond spinsterhood and then some. Don't get me wrong, I've had my share of relationships, it's just that I'm quirky, emotionally unavailable, unable to grow up like so many friends from my generation, and culturally confused.

But not to worry, like most New Yorkers I'm in therapy, a workaholic, and fully capable of "owning my issues", as they say.

I usually attend whatever "Iranian" cultural events are held annually in New York, from the Ilkhanid Dynasty at the Met, Ghajar Art at the Brooklyn Museum, the Art of the Islamic Revolution at the Grey, to this year's Safavid Dynasty Arts at the Asia Society.

In between the mega museum events, I've made the rounds with small Rumi & Persian poetry events, whirled with the whirling Dervishes of Greenwich Village, hung out at the little Sufi bookstore in Tribecca, and attended private Sufi meetings in Soho with luminaries of the art world.

Why do I do all of this? Because I'm looking and searching for an understanding of my culture of origin, and trying to figure out who I am in addition to finding "home". So when I heard about this event, naturally I knew I had to go.

There was Dr. Kaykhosrow Irani from City University of New York (CUNY) and Dr. Farhang Mehr, a Zoroastrian fashion show, the UN Ambassador from Tajikistan, and Parsi/Iranian food. Wow, how could I miss this one? So, could a single non-Zoroastrian female walk into a religious/ethnic family-based event without knowing anyone and survive? Talk about crashing a religious family event.

The New York stop of the 3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrianism was held at the Metropolitan hotel in Midtown, on Saturday, November 15th. The Anniversary was launched by the nation of Tajikistan which surprisingly enough turns out to have a genuine interest in Zoroastrianism as opposed to Islamism, a rarity amongst Central Asian countries these days.

A Parsi Indian volunteer in all white posted at the entrance of the hotel ushered me up the stairs to the event. Inside there were a couple of hundred people seated, in a variety of different costumes. Dressed for walking around on a Saturday afternoon, I was totally underdressed in jeans and sneakers.

Most of the attendees were families, combination of Iranian and Parsi Indian. I had a hard time telling Parsis apart from the Iranians. I figured out the Iranians mostly because they were speaking Persian. The younger Parsis looked like Indian movie stars with fair skin. And that last comment was probably the single most un-PC thing I could possibly ever write.

The opening invocations by the priests were translated into Persian and followed by an introduction in English by the Parsi host, and translated into Persian by Shirin Kiamanesh, who spoke eloquent Persian with perfect articulation. The equality of the sexes was repeatedly emphasized throughout the event, as several women speakers shared the stage with the male speakers.

Rashid Alimov, the UN ambassador from Tajikistan, was next. He looked like a burly Russian guy in a suit. So you can just imagine my surprise when he walked up to the mike and spoke in perfect Persian: "Salam be baraadaraan va khaaharaan e azeez..." (Greetings to my dear brothers and sisters...).

I was deeply touched by that since one of my great grandparents was of Russian descent, and I always have a soft spot for people who look Russian and speak Persian. He spoke about Zoroastrianism in English, and talked about the unity of all the Persian-speaking people of the world.

After the speeches I walked up to Alimov to thank him and the people of Tajikistan for launching this wonderful event. He bowed and in what I can only describe as perfect Persian body language and ta'rof, he said, "khaahesh meekonam khaanoom." He had all the mannerisms I associate with being Persian.

But the main attractions were Dr. Kaikhosrov Irani and Dr. Farhang Mehr. Dr. Irani is an intellectual powerhouse, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at CUNY, ex-director of the Academy of Humanities and Sciences, recipient of numerous prestigious awards and accolades, and a remarkable scholar and respected New York City personality of Parsi Indian descent. He was a student of Albert Einstein's, has written extensively on the ethics of Zoroastrianism as a philosopher, and his father was a famous translator of the Gathas.

Listening to Dr. Irani is a treat; and there is a video interview with him for sale on Zoroastrian web sites. This man is an amazing and witty speaker who lectured on the morality of Zoroastrianism within the context of social justice. As he spoke everyone was visibly moved by his discourse on morality and ethics.

At one point defining Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds as fighting for social justice, he looked straight into the captivated audience and concluded with, "It is your duty to speak up wherever you see injustice."

If you ever get a chance to hear Dr. Irani, make sure to do so, he reminded me of Joseph Campbell, with the same gentle smile, wise eyes, simple and resonant truths, and a wealth of fascinating knowledge on the Iranian and Indian ancient worlds, mythologies and religions. He is living proof of why we need philosophers in our world.

Dr. Farhang Mehr followed. Another intellectual powerhouse, Dr Mehr is a renowned Iranian Zoroastrian, who grew up in Tehran at a time of government sanctioned and societal persecution, yet managed to fight discrimination and rise through the ranks to become Finance Minister under the Shah, Governor of OPEC, and Chancellor of Pahlavi University in Shiraz, where he transformed it into the "Harvard of the Middle East", and spearheaded efforts to revolutionize Iran's university education system. He is currently a Professor Emeritus of International Relations at Boston University.

Dr. Mehr had a cold, yet his booming and resounding voice still managed to overload the mike on more than one occasion. He had perfect enunciation of Persian words and names, deliberating over every syllable as if it were delightful pastries in his mouth. He addressed the ambassador of Tajikistan pointing out that Zarthustra had been born in that area, and most likely buried in Mazar e Sharif in Afghanistan.

He pronounced the ancient cities of Samarkhand and Bokhara as if he were reciting poetry, and spoke of how the people preserved many ancient sacred tombs and sites by giving them Arabic and Islamic approved names. At one point apparently Pasargad, the tomb of Cyrus the Great, was called the tomb of "Maadar e Soleyman" (Mother of Solomon) in an attempt to preserve and protect it from destruction.

With his bow tie, perfect enunciation, and wealth of knowledge on Iran and Iranian history, listening to Dr. Mehr is truly a treat for any nationalistic Iranian, or Persianophile. Once again, don't miss an opportunity to hear Dr. Mehr as well; he is amazing. I certainly hope that the Iranian satellite media out in L.A. will someday tape Dr. Mehr for an interview.

What religious event and celebration would be complete without a fashion show. Now that's what I call a religion made for people of Iranian origin. What followed next was an amazingly beautiful procession of exquisite fabrics in astounding colors, flowers, candles and grace in motion set to traditional Persian music.

Young Zoroastrian volunteers of Parsi and Iranian heritage modeled traditional Parsi Saris and Iranian Zoroastrian wear. A narrator provided historical background information. The Persian white Zoroastrian groom outfit was far more ornate with gold brocade trimming than the simple Parsi version. And the sofreh aroosi (decorative trays setout for a Persian wedding) have their roots in Zoroastrianism.

The crowd cheered the young models, and they took it all in good stride. The Parsi girls showed a lot more skin than the modest Iranian Zoroastrian girls in green shawls covering their hair. I wondered if it was the influence of Islam or simply the practicalities of geography, the chilly and windy high peaks of Iran not exactly requiring the same clothing sensibilities as steamy Bombay during the monsoon season.

Little boys and girls in all white bearing flowers, a baby in a traditional red satin dress, red chiffon Saris with silver stars, true cobalt blue satin with gold, a mother and daughter team in traditional wear, young men in amazing traditional robes striding confidently and handsomely down the catwalk to donbak music, and lots and lots of candles, the whole thing was like a dream.

The show concluded with a selection of contemporary wear for young Zoroastrians set to Worldbeat House music featuring shirts made from exotic fabrics and jeans. The Mobeds (priests) were the last to walk on stage, proving that these priests are not holier than everyone else, but rather fully integrated with their communities and quite comfortable and involved with the younger generations.

So back to my original question, could a single unaccompanied female who didn't know anyone at this event and was not related to anyone, survive this religious, family-based celebration? Yes, that was the amazing part. The Iranian and Zoroastrian families welcomed me, and I have to say nobody glared at me the way they do down at the Arab stores on Atlantic Avenue, where they can smell that I'm from their part of the world and they definitely don't approve of the way I look.

Over spicy Parsi finger food and Golab (rose water) drinks dyed red, I managed to socialize with different groups. I couldn't find any of the promised Iranian food, since everything was Parsi and Indian. A Parsi couple explained to me what the Patel leaves were and how to eat it, I gasped over how hot it was, and they looked at me smiling and claiming it was too bland for them.

They inquired about spices in Persian cooking and for some unknown reason I could only think of Turmeric, which they approved of, and then I drew a blank. So I offered, "Well we use mostly herbs in our cooking." Later on, duh, it came to me: Saffron, Somagh (Sumac), Cinnamon, and the list goes on.

Dr. Mehr was a pleasure to speak to, and Iranian and Parsi families embraced me as one of their own. I walked up to Dr. Irani and asked him: "How do you recognize injustice without getting angry, and how do you confront it without anger?" His eyes twinkled as if he had heard a magic phrase, he sighed "Ahhhh," and threw up his hands with a smile, "that is the question isn't it."

I met another young woman from Iran who like me had wondered in, in search of home and was also not from a Zoroastrian background. We laughed and shared samosas while raving about the familiarity of all the sights and sounds, and the amazing beauty and Persianness of everything around us.

Both of us agreed, that neither one of us would ever dare walk into a Muslim event, but this event with family, grace, joy, love, music, ethics, philosophy, history, and politics with Iranians, Parsis and Tajiks was an amazing celebration of everything we both recognized as quintessentially Iranian and Persian, with Indian influences thrown in.

Later a mobed priest and his wife talked to us and showed us books and publications on Zoroastrianism. They were an amazing and loving couple, with a lot of patience and affection for everyone who wondered by with questions. Their daughter had gone to Iran with other young Parsis as part of a documentary, and she spoke to us about her visit to Takht e Jamshid (Persopolis). A small group of non-Zoroastrians of all ethnicities had clustered around their table leafing though pamphlets, asking questions, and listening intently.

The sound of laughter, the Persian music and the candles finally got to me. The sight of the little boys and girls in pristine white with flowers got to me. The beautiful fabrics with vibrant colors got to me, the donbak and traditional Persian music got to me, all the sensory delights got to me and all the speeches, the wonderful Tajik gentleman, Dr. Mehr's resounding and booming voice pronouncing the names of ancient cities as if he were reciting Hafez, and Dr. Irani's discourse on ethics and the twinkle in his eye all came together for me in an instant moment of clarity and recognition.

There was beauty, grace, profound ideas, kitsch and a passion for justice mixed with prayers and a fun family outing. What was this, and why was it all so familiar to me and comfortable like a favorite pair of well-worn shoes? This was a celebration of the ancient religion from my country of origin 3000 years later. I stood there recognizing and understanding that these 3000 years were as much a part of me and who I was as anything else. In that moment I understood that there was knowledge and recognition of Zoroastrianism embedded in my body, in my genes, in my mind and in my soul.

And was there actually a spiritual moment there? Yes there were many, but the amazing part of it was the recognition that this spirituality didn't have to be packaged like a weekend at a Catskills ashram, or resplendent with religious pomp and circumstance. It wasn't a typical white light moment, just the moment in which I realized that everything that I had grown up understanding as my culture had a sacred, divine and religious origin. Everything that I had taken for granted as my culture of origin was totally intertwined with Zoroastrianism.

Actually, that was the white light moment. There it was, everything that was so unique to my culture, including things that I had loved and judged harshly about my culture, the high and the low, the shallow and the profound, the sacred and the profane, the kitschy and the classic, all were resonating with this ancient religion. And that afternoon in Manhattan, I truly felt at home amongst the Zoroastrians whom I came to finally see as my true kin, and that is when I realized I am a Zoroastrian, have been my whole life, and didn't realize it before until it finally clicked.

After the event I walked down Lexington Avenue through Little India stopping at a favorite Indian store for Albaloo Khoshk (dried sour cherries), Nader the Persian store was already closed for the evening.

Standing in line in front of me were two Persian women picking up Basmati rice and arguing about the price in Farsi. I felt like telling them about my great discovery. "Bebakhsheed khaanoom man ham Irani hastam, va allaan daarem as een maraaseme zartoshti meeyaam," (Excuse me, I am also Iranian, and I'm just coming from this Zoroastrian event.).

I wanted to blurt out that I had finally realized who and what I was and share this amazing discovery with them. But they walked out with their Basmati rice before I had a chance to. So I paid for my sour cherries and smiled at the Indian girl behind the register. She smiled back at me, and I walked home happy in the dark, chilly autumn New York night, with my sour cherries and amazing discovery. I felt content and whole. Ashem Vohu.

Helpful links

The 3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrianism is coming to a city near you. Take the time to visit some of these events, this anniversary only comes around every 3000 years. For more information on events planned throughout the US and the world check the Adobe Acrobat file on: http://www.fezana.org/unngo.htm

For more on Dr. Irani and his works see his web site: http://www.kdirani.com

For more on Dr. Mehr see:
http://www.vohuman.org/Author/Mehr,Farhang.htm
http://www.bombayparsipunchayet.org/Spring14.htm

As part of the celebrations there will a first ever Zoroastrian Film Festival in Chicago:
http://www.zac-chicago.org/zfilmfest2003/

Zarthushti Women's International Network (ZWIN), is sponsoring an exhibition of different aspects of Zarthushti culture in celebration of the Anniversary on its website:
http://www.zwin3.net/

Web Based and academic Journal of Zoroastrianism:
http://www.vohuman.org/

A Web site and organization of Iranian Zoroastrians devoted to converting people of Iranian decent to Zoroastrianism anywhere in the world:
http://www.bozorgbazgasht.com/

The California Zoroastrian Center in co-operation with other organizations in the area is organizing a three day festival "Messages of Zarathushtra and Today's World Affairs", December 20-23, 2003. The Secretary General of UNESCO Mr. Koichiro Matsuura and his wife have been invited, and CNN is planning to send a crew.

Dr. Mehr can also be heard at the Library of Congress's John Kluge Center in Washington DC on December 11th, 2003, from 2-5pm, to mark the 3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrianism. Other speakers scheduled for this event include: Professor Stanley Insler, Chairman, Iranian Studies, Yale University, and Dr. Jehan Bagli, President of the North American Zoroastrian Mobeds (clergy) Council.


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'Simin K.' is not the author's real name.
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mahi
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 9:37 am    Post subject: dear Reply with quote

Dear Khorshid - would you reccommend any books - in english - about Zoroastrianism..?

thank you -
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chai
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 29, 2003 10:04 am    Post subject: Re: dear Reply with quote

mahi wrote:
Dear Khorshid - would you reccommend any books - in english - about Zoroastrianism..?

thank you -


mahi - I know some of those sites have books listing.. try an amazon search!
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Spenta



Joined: 04 Sep 2003
Posts: 1829

PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Mahi,

If you don't mind my 2 cents:

Books on Z are divided into religious and historical ones. The following is a very small sampling of the range, based on my limited knowledge:

Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices), by Mary Boyce. She was the leading expert on Z in the west. Her books are amongst the best known, and most widely read. This is a great history of book, lots of great background info on the sacred origins of many Persian feasts and rituals. Also the Parsis, and quite a comprehensive section just on my screenname Wink

Here's a new bestselling book on Zorastrianism from a TV producer released this fall:
http://www.daneshjoo.org/cgi-bin/messageboard/ikonboard.cgi?s=2924f359fb312d6c05e020c4839d15e4;act=ST;f=4;t=131;st=30

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0415239036/qid=1070211402/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/002-9248547-6066441?v=glance&n=507846

The Zoroastrian Faith: Tradition and Modern Research by Solomon A. Nigosian is a great all in one book on the subject. Also very popular. Amazon has a deal on both right now:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/077351144X/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/002-9248547-6066441?v=glance&s=books

Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith by Peter Clark. Is a good introduction.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1898723788/qid=1070212363/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-9248547-6066441

Essays on Zarathustra and Zoroastrianism (Bibliotheca Iranica. Zoroastrian Studies Series, No. 1) This is the leading current scholarly work on Z, mostly for those intersted in the academic field
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1568591292/qid=1070212442/sr=1-14/ref=sr_1_14/002-9248547-6066441?v=glance&s=books

The Gathas of Zarathushtra: Hymns in Praise of Wisdom by Piloo Nanavutty is a very personal approach to the understanding of the songs of Zarthustra from a Parsi woman

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1890206091/qid=1070211657/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-9248547-6066441?v=glance&s=books

This is the book review page for Vohuman the Journal of Z Studies (mostly academic religious, political/social historical, and archeological.
http://www.vohuman.org/SiteMap/BookReview.htm


Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism By Mary Boyce, is of great interest for those doing research. I was going to run some passages here, amazing how the post Islamic invasion occupation writings are so similar to what people say about the IRI today.

My personal favorite is The Zend Avesta of Zarthustra by Edmond Szekely who also translated worldwide bestsellar the Essene Gospel of Peace. He wrote this 150 years ago and founded the Biogenics movement based on Zoroastrianism and the Essenes whom he claimed were inspired by the Zoroastrians. This book is great because it has defitinitions of many of the ancient pictograms and glyphs. Hard to find but you can order at:

http://poto.com/item151741.ctlg

But in terms of contemporary new age spritiual understanding and application, I think Shariar Shariari and his site are great:
http://www.zarathushtra.com/

Here is his most recent essay on Happiness:

Happiness be the lot of him who works for the happiness of others.
May the Lord grant him health and endurance.
(Yasna 43:1 - Translation D. J. Irani)

Or should we say, "may the Lord grant him the patience, the serenity and the sense of martyrdom needed to put up with the failures, the ridicule, the alienation, and the spurn of those whom he serves!"

For what kind of happiness is it, if it is to be mandated?

If it is to be stated as "Thou Shalt have Happiness, only and only if Thou workest for the happiness of Others", it becomes nothing more than an externally imposed rule. Yet another scale on Nietzsche's dragon!

A Thou shalt commandment can lead to nothing more than a sense of guilt and contempt.

"Thou Shalt be spiritual" can only lead to contempt for spirituality, and the adherent would only follow the commandment, for the fear of not being spiritual, and the avoidance of the possible consequences of disobedience.

Likewise, "Thou shalt be Happy..." can only lead one to contempt for happiness, which in turn will lead to unhappiness. Happiness that is imposed through the force of fear, guilt, or limitation is not, and can not be true happiness, just like "thou Shalt be Free" is an injunction to impose Freedom, which itself becomes dictatorial and enslaving.

So what was Zarathushtra talking about?

Zarathushtra was talking about a deeper level of happiness that comes not from a compulsion to serve, but from an innate impulsion to connect and to bring joy to others - from the impulse to life.

A deep spiritual understanding of our world can only lead us to recognize the interconnection among all of us. Such understanding makes us realize that we are not separate, that your happiness is my happiness, and my happiness is yours.

Just as no waves in the ocean are separate from each other, except in appearance. The waves find their interconnection through the ocean. We too find our interconnection through the singular and primordial Creative Impulse, of which, we are all creatures.

This understanding will also help us realize that I am most alive, not when I move or act, or achieve, or accumulate. I am most alive when I am in touch with my uniqueness, and work towards contributing and giving away my gift. The gift that only I can bring to this world. And no other can come close to the quality of my contribution.

A musician is most alive when she plays her music, not when she receives recognition for the various compositions she has created over the years. A scientist loses himself most, when he is in full concentration, pondering the question in hand, not when he has to prepare his 45 minute speech for the Nobel Prize reception. And the surfer is most alive when he is riding the wave, not when he is on the shore bragging about the wonderful ride that he had that morning.

Furthermore, when we give ourselves permission to be who we are, we also allow others to contribute their unique gifts to the world, and become willing to receive their gifts into our lives.

Joy begets joy. The scientist enjoys the sublime feelings that are aroused in him when the musician is performing in a concert. She on the other hand, feels the exhilaration of the surfer, when he is riding that perfect wave.

What's more, we can be most effective when we work on the thing that we are most effective at, namely our unique contribution. We become energized. We experience a sense of vitality. We become unstoppable. And thus, we push the boundaries of the quality and the scale of our contribution.

The scientist is most effective in the laboratory or in his library, not in the music hall, nor riding the wave.

And the "Others" who become the recipients of our contribution, can gain the maximum benefit, from what we excel at, which is nothing other than our gift. The surfer will not feel the same way about the music that is played by the scientist, as he would by the musician's performance.

The genius of the design of this physio-spiritual universe of ours is that it is completely interdependent. The surfer relies on the scientist to create better boards. The scientist depends on the musician to give voice to the feelings that he could not express as vividly. And the musician counts on the surfer's ride to become a source of vital inspiration for the next piece of music.

In other words, we make others happiest, when we are at our happiest. And we are at our happiest, when we make others the happiest we possibly can.

But the challenge of being ourselves is testing. The scientist will spend many hours in fruitless contemplation of the problem, often with no apparent or even remotely probable solution in sight. Defeat overshadows the scientist's life for a large part of it, until perhaps a breakthrough is attained, or until the scientist moves on to another problem, leaving the one in hand, for posterity.

The musician will spend a large part of her life, practicing the fundamentals of music on her instrument. Often hours are spent on a daily basis, going over repetitive motions for as long as necessary to master the piece. Composition is not always spontaneous, nor at will. The creative process becomes illusive and frustrating. Musical life can be self-defeating, at least until inspiration hits, or one moves on to the next piece.

The surfer may get up every day, looking at the ocean, either being stopped by the storms, or by the calm. When in the water, the surfer may wait for wave after wave, until a good one arrives. And not every good wave that arrives shall result in a good ride. The surfer may fall in, lose his balance, or miscalculate the timing of the good waves, time after time. And the process becomes an exercise in patience. At least until that perfect timing and balance happen to coincide with the good wave - on a good day.

Perhaps Zarathushtra was considering all these factors when he said, " May the Lord grant him health and endurance."

May the Lord grant us the physical health to be able to utilize our gift, and the mental health to be able to discern what is our uniqueness. And hence, give ourselves permission, and have the courage to make use of the innate creative impulse within us to manifest our gift, and thus contribute to our world.

And may the Lord grant us the endurance to overcome all obstacles and all failures, real or imaginary; as well as to not be swayed by the naysayer, the jealous or the resentful, whether they are inside our heads or elsewhere.
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Spenta



Joined: 04 Sep 2003
Posts: 1829

PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dorood and Afarin to our Tajik sisters and brothers! They created this celebration, and this november and december there will be major events all around the US and the world in celebration. Once freed, Iranians will also join you in discovering and celebrating their heritage and proudly sharing it with the world!

Please take the time to visit some of these events and to particpate and support this global celebration of our heritage!




The 3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrianism:
http://www.fezana.org/unngo.htm

" Zoroastrian culture has historically embraced the promotion of social justice and peace."

Celebrations to Mark the 3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrian Culture: Recently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated 2003 as the "3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrian Culture”. This celebration was initiated by the nation of Tajikistan to honour Zoroastrianism as their ancestral religion. Zoroastrian communities worldwide (coordinated in North America by FEZANA) are planning celebrations marking this milestone anniversary. Some planned events commemorating Zoroastrian heritage and culture include conferences in Tajikistan, a Zoroastrian cultural exhibition in Mumbai, India, and a music festival in Vancouver, Canada.

4 th millennium of Z culture Write-UP FEZANA Journal October 2003

A small land-locked country with lofty snow-capped Pamirs-- which in our geography books used to be referred to as “the roof of the world”-- called Tajikistan approached UNESCO to declare this year as the celebration of 3000 th anniversary of Zoroastrian Culture. Half the population of this small country of 6 and a half million people is of “original Tajik” descent who have maintained in their collective consciousness the ancient history and culture of the land of the “Avesta’, where the Shahnameh of Firdausi is recited as well as the operas of “Rustom and Sohrab” and the “Life and Message of Zarathushtra ”. And this after 80 years of religious repression during the communist regime!! The thirst for revival is intense but can the rest of the Zarathushti population in the diaspora satisfy this thirst?

This small act by this small nation state has galvanized the world Zarathushti community in their own quest for reviving and revitalizing their roots, in searching for lost heroes and epics, in claiming a place in the sun of their own culture which became submerged in the dominant culture of the British Empire in India and in the colonies. Communities in North America, India, England and Europe are organizing cultural events to both inform their own members and to inform the neighboring communities of their cultural heritage.

TAJIKISTAN
The Tajik Ministry of Culture celebrated this event on September 5 th which had originally been planned for March 21 st 2003. The event was marked by a conference to which foreign scholars and guest were invited. There were several non-Zarathushtis scholars from, Germany, California, Paris and Holland. The only Zartahushti presence was that of Dr Mehr Master Moos, President of the Zoroastrian College, Sanjan .
An Afarganyu , Kustis and “topis” (prayer caps) were gifted, as well $3000 towards the building of a Zoroastrian Cultural Centre in Dushanbe, with a room for Atashkadeh, a room for a library, and a room for meetings and Jashans. This has been a desire of the the Tajiks.

Several books were officially launched on this occasion
1 The book Yashts Vol 1, coauthored by Dr Moos and Prof Rustom Fuzaylov.
2 A book with colour pictures of Yazads and Ameshaspends found in an old Fire Temple excavation in Tajikistan
3 Poems from Zarathushtra

The day culminated with a special stage performance of “The Message of Zarathushtra” and the opera “Rustom and Sohrab”


SWEDEN
Mobed Jamshid Kamran mentions that preparations are on the way but nothing concrete to report.

AUSTRALIA
A committee has been put in place by President Tim Desai of Zoroastrian Association of New South Wales.

INDIA
The celebrations in India were inaugurated by H.E. Mr K. Matsuura, Director General of UNESCO. He opened the Parzor Exhibition “Pictures with a Purpose” in Delhi, July 10 th 2003 . A special Parsi Food Festival was also organized as part of the Exhibition. Both these events and a special tribute to the Zoroastrians of India, were mentioned by the Prime Minister of India in his inaugural address to the international conference “Dialogue among Civilizations”.

The Indian National Commission for co-operation with UNESCO and UNESCO PARZOR celebrated the 3000 th anniversary of Zoroastrian Culture on October 2-4 th 2003 The Governor of Maharashtra presided over the celebrations which were held at Tata theatre. There were multiple events, the inauguration in Mumbai of the UNESCO Parzor exhibition “Pictures with a purpose”. The ceremonial release by Jaswant Singh, the Union Finance Minister, of the five rupee commemorative, limited edition, coin of Dadabhai Naoroji , a film screening of “In War and Peace” , the Life of Field Marshall Sam Maneckshaw, a seminar on Zoroastrian Eco-ethics and Environment , seminar on
Demography and Health, a presentation and film on “Zarthushti culture-A Revival” and a film on the Bahrot Caves and Sanjan Excavation. On the last day there was a song and dance performance by the Dance troupe of Shiamak Davar

CONTACT: Shernazcama@hotmail.com; wzcf@bom8.vsnl.net.in


NORTH AMERICA

CALIFORNIA
As part of a series of celebrations for this event, the Persian Zoroastrian Organization on September 5 th invited Prof Farhang Mehr, former Chancellor of Pahlavi University in Shiraz, and former Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of Iran, to a give a lecture at de Anza college in Cuppertino, California.
The California Zoroastrian Centre in co-operation with other organizations in the area is organizing a three day festival "Messages of Zarathushtra and Today’s World Affairs” December 20-23, 2003. The Secretary General of UNESCO Mr Koichiro Matsuura and his wife have been invited, and CNN is planning to send a crew.
There will be 6 speakers,including the Head of the European Union Zoroastrian Studies in Brussels. The Minister of Culture in the late Shah’s administration who was responsible for establishing Ministry of Culture and promoting and encouraging Avestan and Gatha studies in the Universities. The late Pourdavoud was one of the fruits of his efforts for the love of
Zarathushtra. The languages used during this festival will be English, French, German and Farsi .
Regional US government authorities will also be invited. Contact emehrfar@yahoo.com

CHICAGO
The Zarathushti International Film Festival (ZIFF) and the Zoroastrian Association of Chicago (ZAC) together with the Council of Parliament of World’s Religions and the Columbia College in Chicago are hosting the 1 st Zoroastrian Film Festival – Chicago
2003- Our beliefs, Our History, Our culture, October 17-18 2003. Visit www.zac-chicago.org/zfilmfest2003

NEW YORK
A show case of events has been planned for November 15, 2003 (starting around noon) at Metropolitan Hotel, New York City marking the UNESCO-affiliated 3000th anniversary Celebrations of the Zoroastrian Culture”. The program highlights will include talks by renowned scholars on the influences of Zoroastrianism on other world cultures, opening prayers, a book display table, recorded music and other unique exciting features. Prof. Kaikoshrov D. Irani: CUNY professor emeritus of philosophy Dr. Farhang Mehr: Boston University professor emeritus of international relations, and former deputy prime minister of Iran also featuring Book Displays, musical and multi-media exhibits, Zoroastrian invocation Prayers by priests, a Fashion show of Zoroastrian attire, and Zoroastrian Foods - Iranian and Parsi

Contact homi_gandhi@usa.net


TORONTO
ZSO will be hosting a list of events from November 28, 2003 to January 31, 2004 with a “Showcase of Zoroastrianism” on November 28. “Youth open House” will be celebrated on Sunday November 30,. In co-ordination with the Mosaic Multifaith Organizations there will be demonstration of a “jashan” on Sunday December 7, The finale will be on January 31 at the Royal Ontario Museum (R0M) where there will be an exhibit on
Persian artifacts, as well as lectures illustrating the influence of Zoroastrianism through the ages.

A special invitation for all the events will be sent to Members of Parliament, city councilors, mayors of different municipalities. A general information booklet as well as a pamphlet are being produced for the public to educate them about Zoroastrianism.

Contact MIRZAFA@tc.gc.ca or kerman@priest.com or roxannamirza@yahoo.com

VANCOUVER
A ZSBC committee has been formed to prepare a program.
A Mehergan Music Festival of Music of Ancient Persian Nations and Tribes is planned for October 11, 2003 at Capilano College, N. Vancouver 7-10 p.m.

Contact Feri Dehmeri www.oshihan.org/mehergan.htm

HOUSTON
An Interfaith Ministry for Women and the Zoroastrian Association of Houston are planning an event in February 2004 Contact yasmin.pavri@milliman.com

ZARATHUSHTI WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL NETWORK (ZWIN)
ZWIN is sponsoring an exhibition of different aspects of Zarathushti culture on its website. www.zwin3.net Topics: the Zoroastrian tour; The Zoroastrian Closet (Ghara Gallery and Korr Corner), Zoroastrian Traditions; The Zoroastrian Hall of Fame, the Zoroastrian library. Visit the site and reacquaint yourself with 3000 years of Z culture.

GENERAL
FEZANA has prepared a special power-point presentation on Zoroastrian Culture to be used by member associations for their own celebrations. A press release has been prepared which will be available on the FEZANA website. Articles in the Interfaith Journals are written to sensitive our neighbours, co-workers and
the community about the contributions Zarathushti have made not only to world religious thought but has also enhanced the cultural community around the world.

A 4 hour interview (Domains of Belief) of Prof Kaikhosro Dinshaw Irani with Shahriar Shahriari has been put on DVD and is available to the general public for purchase. Prof Irani discusses the various subjects from Zoroastrianism’s influence on other religions, to Einstein and the morality of the theory of relativity. In conjunction with the 3000th anniversary celebrations this tape can be used to bring awareness of Zoroastrianism to the local community and neighborhood. These are some of the events planned around the world, if you and the events you are
planning have not been included contact dollydastoor@sympatico.ca
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Spenta



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PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seminar on Zarthustra's Contributions to Humanity
Jointly Presented By:

Library Of Congress' John Kluge Center, UNESCO, and The World Zoroastrian Organisation

To mark the UNESCO-declared 3000th Anniversary of Zarthustra in 2003

Internationally-reputed Scholars of Zoroastrianism Will explore the Theme

Dr. Jehan Bagli: "Zarthustra's Times & His Monotheistic, Universal Faith"
President, North American Zoroastrian Mobeds (clergy) Council

Professor Stanley Insler: "Zarthustra's Gathas, Basic Doctrines & Philosophy"
Chairman, Iranian Studies, Yale University

Dr. Farhang Mehr: "Zoroastrianism's Influence on World Religions, & Relevance of Its Concepts to Today's Humanity"
Professor Emeritus, Boston University, and Iran's Deputy Prime Minister Under the Shah.

December 11th, 2003 2-5pm
Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson Bldng. Room Lj-119
10 1st Street SE, Washington DC

Open to Everyone. No Tickets Required
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Spenta



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PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2003 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
We talked with a Magi, a Zoroastrian clergyman, about this ancient religion which was once the dominant creed of Iran. Many Moslem-background Iranians were there, asking the Magi questions on theology. Could a grass-roots revival of Zoroasterism be taking place among those Iranians disillusioned with Islam, even though it is a capital crime in Iran for a Moslem to convert to any other faith?




The Persian translation

For me, Iran now has a human face

By Eric Jerpe
December 10, 2003
The Iranian


Two years ago, after the collapse of a publishing deal I had pinned my hopes on, I was feeling deeply discouraged and about ready to throw in the towel . But two Iranian-born scientists, my former roommate Vahid and his sister Anahita, were impressed by my novel, discerning in it elements of pre-Islamic Persian spiritualism and mythology. With their help I established an arrangement to hire Anahita's friend from school, a young woman named Mojgan, to translate my novel into Persian.

For two years Mojgan and I corresponded via e-mail. She completed the translation and sent it to me in hardcopy and "Zarnegar", a Persian-language software. (The package was mailed from Tehran to Dubai to London to Washington and left outside the door of my home in Greenbelt for me to retrieve after I came home from work.)

The title of my novel in Persian, chosen by Iranians, is Ourmazd Khoud Khandeh, which translates into English as "The Man who Claimed to be God". Mojgan and I finally talked over the telephone. She and her family expressed a great desire to meet me, so I decided to visit them in Iran as well as tour a few of that country's impressive archeological sites. In July, 2002, I traveled to that region, spending eight days in Turkey and ten days in Iran.

At the gate in the Istanbul airport, I waited to board the 10:00 PM flight to Tehran. The waiting lounge was filled with members of that new subculture, the Iranian-American. Two teen-age girls dressed like Britney Spears sat next to me, talking to each other in Valleyspeak and to their parents in Persian.

Boarding time arrived. We all went through the check-in and boarded the Turkish Airways flight. It was not too different from your typical American or European flight, as Turkey is very much a secular state. During the hours we took to fly to Tehran, I read a story I had loved as a child, Sinbad the Sailor from the Scheherazade tales. Few people know that Scheherazade is a Persian, not an Arabic name.

What is commonly called The Arabian Nights was originally called The Thousand and One Nights (in Persian, Hezar Afsanah). Historical records indicate that Scheherazade (Shahrzad) actually lived during the Sassanian dynasty, centuries before the time of Mohammad, when the predominant religion of Iran was a faith called Zoroastrianism.

When the Hezar Afsanah was translated into Arabic, the setting was changed to the Golden Age of the Arabs, the reign of Caliph Haroun-Al-Rashid of Baghdad. From Arabic the Scheherazade tales were translated into French and English, hence the name Arabian Nights. The story of Scheherazade is actually a plea to end the mistreatment of women; throughout the tales women are continually saving men from their own folly.

We arrived at Tehran airport around 3:00 AM. As we disembarked from the plane, I noticed that those two teen-age girls, along with the other females, were now all covered-up in traditional garb.

I went through customs, picked up my luggage and went to the exit. There I saw a man holding a sign with my name. I identified myself, and he escorted me outside to where he introduced me to a middle-aged woman. In textbook English, she welcomed me to Iran and identified herself as Nasrin, my guide while in this country. We went to the car, and I was driven to my hotel. There I checked in for two nights, thanked my hosts, and went up to my room on the fifteenth floor. Utterly exhausted, I slept till almost noon.

The next day, at lunchtime, I met Mojgan for the first time. It was a wonderful experience to meet the sweet, young translator I had been communicating with for two years via e-mail. Of course, she was all covered up in traditional garb. She told me that she could not accompany me on the trip to Persepolis but that she would try to join my personal tour (arranged for me by my Iranian-American friends) in Yazd, the desert town where the Zoroastrian religious minority is centered.

I was given a guided tour of Tehran which included the infamous former U.S. embassy. In the evening I visited the family of Vahid and Anahita, where I met the parents, sisters, a nephew and a niece of my friends in Greenbelt. They were extremely nice to me, and inside the privacy of their home the women and the girl were dressed just as they dress in the West.
After two days in Tehran, Nasrin and I flew on Iran Air to Shiraz in the south. On the plane the stewardesses wore long, black uniforms with typical airline emblems while keeping their hair covered in shawls.

In Shiraz, we met our driver, Ishmael, who also spoke good English. Ishmael drove Nasrin and me through the subtropical town, first stopping at a caravanesi and then the tomb of the poet Hafez, where I first observed how truly reverent Iranians can be. I saw a man bowing and crying as he touched the elaborate tomb of Hafez, as if the poet was a loved relative who had just died.
The three of us toured the fantastic ruins of Persepolis. The next day, we began our overland journey north. We viewed colossal, well-preserved statue carvings of action scenes from the distant past, visiting Parsegard, the tomb of King Cyrus, the world's oldest tree (a cypress) and other amazing sites.

In the middle of the desert, we came upon the ancient city of Yazd. There we were joined by Mojgan. Together, we visited the "Towers of Silence", twin mountain plateaus where corpses used to be left for the vultures, and witnessed a fantastic desert sunset.

The next morning, the four of us drove to the site of a prominent Zoroastrian fire temple in Yazd. Behind a class encasement, a fire supposedly drawn from the destruction of Persepolis by Alexander the Curse was still burning. We talked with a Magi, a Zoroastrian clergyman, about this ancient religion which was once the dominant creed of Iran. Many Moslem-background Iranians were there, asking the Magi questions on theology. Could a grass-roots revival of Zoroasterism be taking place among those Iranians disillusioned with Islam, even though it is a capital crime in Iran for a Moslem to convert to any other faith?

That same day, we drove through the desert to Chek-Chek (which means "drop-by-drop" in Persian), a cliff on the side of a mountain where Zoroastrians congregate for the summer solstice religious ceremony. After ascending a seemingly endless set of stone steps, we arrived at the "sacred spring" fire temple. There we met a Zoroastrian couple who told us of the last princess of the Sassanian dynasty, who, being chased by Moslem fanatics, vanished into the mountain of the sacred spring.

According to legend, when this daughter of the King of Yazd returns in spirit, the religion of Iran will once again be Zoroasterism. A Magi came by and unlocked the doorway to the fire temple, inviting us into the sacristy. (Vahid later told me that I had been granted a privilege generally denied to non-Zoroastrian Iranians.) Inside, I was allowed to light the flame and, as is customary, petition the Eternal Being while so doing. I prayed that the Iranians may somehow break out of their present-day trap.

That evening, we had tea at a nice outdoor café. At one point, a mullah (easily recognizable in his medieval garb) walked by our table. Here I experienced a little shiver, because he was accompanied by an entourage of tough guys in three-piece suits who looked like Mafia-style hit men ready to break kneecaps should the mullah give the order. The mullah and his entourage stopped, stared at me for a few moments, then walked on.

We then drove to the beautiful city of Isfahan, touring the majestic palace of the Safayeed kings. We continued our drive north, visiting a remote village that claimed to be the oldest continuously inhabited village in the world. I'll never forget the look of fear in the eyes of the people. They literally snapped to attention when the mullah and his entourage walked by.

We continued north, passing by the Islamic religious center of Qom. I was surprised at how modern and well-developed the Iranian highways are. Iran is not primitive. Eventually, we arrived back in Tehran.

In the evening, I was a guest in the home of Mojgan's family. Many people were there, and, as with Vahid's family, the girls and women were dressed the same as in the West. (It was nice to see Mojgan dressed that way.) Mojgan's friends and relatives treated me as though I was a great author from the dreamland of America! I never felt so honored in my life. They were very apologetic, and said they hoped Americans did not hate Iranians.

In the early pre-dawn, Nasrin and Mojgan and Ishmael took me to the airport. They helped me through the check-points, and then we said our farewells. I took the plane to Istanbul and a connecting flight to Izmir. That very afternoon, I was relaxing on an Aegean beach, admiring as works of art the girls in bikinis, wishing that the many Shahrzads of Iran had the same freedom to enjoy life and beautify the environment. [See: Return of Shahrzad]

You hear about a controversial place like Iran in the news and thereby develop pre-conceived notions. But once you've been to such a place, you can never look at it the same way again. For me, Iran now has a human face.
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zoroastrians Fight Extinction

December 23, 2003
VOA News
Zlatica Hoke



The opening bars of Richard Strauss’ composition “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” became famous as the theme for Stanle Kubrick’s 1968 movie “2001: A Space Odyssey.” But apart from academics and some 300-thosuand believers, few people know much about ancient Iranian prophet Zarathustra and his teaching.

“Yet only one thousand years ago, millions, millions espoused Zarathustra’s monotheistic percepts in nations which stretched from (the ancient Chinese city of) Sian (western China) to the Eastern China across central Asia, northern India, Iran, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia up Greece in the west and Arabia, north Africa and Ethiopia in the south,” says Adi Davar, a board member of the World Zoroastrian Organization. Mr. Davar spoke at a recent seminar on Zoroastrian religion at the Library of Congress in Washington.

Zoroastrianism is based on the revelations of the Persian prophet Zarathustra, or Zoroaster in Greek. He taught that the world and everything in it was created by a Wise Lord, or Ahura Mazda. Before Zarathustra, Persians believed in multiple deities, as did most nomadic tribes at the time.

Stanley Isler, chairman of Iranian studies at Yale University, says Zarathustra was very impressed with nature and its ability for cyclical renewal. He believed repetition was the basis of knowledge, and people could learn everything from nature.

“Surely, only a being of great power and wisdom was capable of fashioning the element of the cosmos and equally capable of creating the principle of truth that maintain their eternal design and rhythms,” cites Professor Isler.

Creator Ahura Mazda is symbolized by light and fire, nature’s sources of life and energy. That is why Zoroastrians usually pray before a source of light, and an urn containing fire is a prominent feature of their place of worship. The good and wise lord Ahura Mazda is opposed by dark forces of evil. Zoroastrians believe truth is the source of all good and must be pursued in order to fight deceit, the source of evil. Since humans are created by a wise lord, they have an innate ability to discern good from evil. Zarathustra preaches three basic virtues: good thoughts, good words and good deeds. He says: "Happiness unto him who gives happiness unto others.” Thus Zoroastrians value education and philanthropy. Lying, or deceit, represents a violation of basic Zoroastrian beliefs.

Cleanliness of the body as well as of the spirit is also very important. Dead and decaying bodies are considered extremely impure and so they must not contaminate water, air or earth, which are sources of life. Traditionally, Zoroastrians do not bury or burn dead bodies or throw them into water, but expose them to vultures. However, there is less emphasis on religious rites than there is on lifestyle choices.

Marriage is a lifelong commitment, often postponed for the sake of education. Inter-faith marriages and conversions have long been avoided, contributing to the decline in population. The conquest of Persia and spread of Islam, which started in the 7th century, dealt the first serious blow to Zoroastrians.

No one knows exactly when Zarathustra lived, but his origins are traditionally placed in the 6th century B.C. in the area of what is today north-eastern Iran. This would make him a contemporary of the Persians kings Cyrus or Darius. Many scholars think he lived earlier than that. Jehan Bagli, president of the North American Zoroastrian Council, says Zarathustra’s teachings were already widespread by that time.

“Nowhere in these records do we find the mention of prophet Zarathustra,” says Mr. Bagli. “If the prophet was born 569 BCE and lived, as we know from the tradition, a little over 77 years, he would be contemporary with Darius the Great. It is inconceivable that the founder of the first monotheistic faith, who lived during the same time as these renowned monarchs, whose religion was spread across their vast empire and who was a mentor of the father of Darius, be so trivially overlooked.” Mr Bagli adds: “These circumstances certainly invalidate the traditional date.”

Scholars say historic records of Zarathustra’s life may have been destroyed during two major invasions of Persia: one by Alexander the Great in 4th century B.C. and the other by Islamic tribes in the 7th century A.D. On both occasions fire temples and religious texts were burnt and many priests killed.

But there is evidence that the Avesta, the Zoroastrian equivalent of the Bible, contains Zarathustra’s original thoughts. Stanley Isler says the prophet’s hymns to God, or “gathas,” reveal much about his life and time: “He tells us that he was a priest and a master of sacred words, a manthran – someone who has power over the mantras, a word that’s familiar to many. Yet, Zarathustra goes on to say he was rejected from his tribe and his community and driven from his land, forcing him to wander far and wide under great hardship and despair until finally he was accepted by a noble prince named Vishtaspa, who became his patron and ally.”

Professor Isler notes the hymns also explain why the prophet’s own tribe exiled him. It was not only because he preached monotheism: “He bitterly complains that evil rulers attacked just and innocent people, that the rich robbed the poor, that judges produced false decisions in order to aid their benefactors. And Zarathustra goes on to say that fury and violence terrorized the peoples on all fronts and that everywhere deceit and deception seemed to hold the upper hand.”

The holy book also contains Zoroastrian prayers, rules of law and rituals. Until the 9th century AD, the Avesta was probably transmitted orally and modified along the way. Professor Isler says this makes it hard to discern truth from myth about the prophet. The 10th century persecution of Zoroastrians in Persia forced many either to convert or seek another place to live. A significant group settled in north-western India where they became known as Parsis, meaning Persians.

For a while, Parsis were growing in number and power. The city of Bombay became the center of Zoroastrianism, somewhat like Rome in the Catholic Church. But in the second half of the 20th century, the population of the Parsi-Zoroastrians fell by one third, from a peak of 114,000 in 1941 to 76,000 in 1991. In recent decades, Zoroastrians worldwide began forming local and international organizations and events to help fight their extinction. Adi Davar helped form one of these in 1980.

“The World Zoroastrian Organization is an international organization of the global community of some 300-thousand Zoroastrians,” says Mr. Davar and adds: “Some 40-thousand of them live in North America and about a thousand in this metropolitan area.”

Zoroastrian organizations prevailed upon UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to proclaim the year 2003 as the 3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrianism. More attention is paid to young people who may be able to pass on their religion and culture to following generations. The Third World Zoroastrian Youth Congress is to take place in Pune, India, from December 27 to December 31.

Conversion, once rejected by the Zoroastrian faith, is now believed to be legitimate and indeed necessary by some adherents, who also approve marriage with members of other faiths.

Scholars have acknowledged the contribution of this ancient Persian faith to the world’s religions. Zoroastrians say their prophet’s teachings are just as relevant today since deceit, violence and oppression are as prevalent as they were thousands of years ago.
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:21 pm    Post subject: there must Reply with quote

I am very interested in the Zoroastrian faith.. is there an english trasnlation of the Avesta?
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Spenta



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PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes check any of the lins above. My personal favorite is The Zend Avesta of Zarthustra by Edmond Szekely who also translated worldwide bestsellar the Essene Gospel of Peace. He wrote this 150 years ago and founded the Biogenics movement based on Zoroastrianism and the Essenes whom he claimed were inspired by the Zoroastrians. This book is great because it has defitinitions of many of the ancient pictograms and glyphs. Hard to find but you can order at:

http://poto.com/item151741.ctlg

You can find many texts in English and other languages here:

http://www.avesta.org/

Te Iranians of Sweden have also started an organisation called Bazgasht e Bozorg, or the great return. They wil help anyone of Iranian origin awhere in the world who wants to find out about or convert to zorastrianism, they are:

http://www.bozorgbazgasht.com/
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CryFreedomDMB



Joined: 08 Dec 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spenta wrote:
Dear Mahi,

If you don't mind my 2 cents:

Books on Z are divided into religious and historical ones. The following is a very small sampling of the range, based on my limited knowledge:

Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices), by Mary Boyce. She was the leading expert on Z in the west. Her books are amongst the best known, and most widely read. This is a great history of book, lots of great background info on the sacred origins of many Persian feasts and rituals. Also the Parsis, and quite a comprehensive section just on my screenname Wink

Here's a new bestselling book on Zorastrianism from a TV producer released this fall:
http://www.daneshjoo.org/cgi-bin/messageboard/ikonboard.cgi?s=2924f359fb312d6c05e020c4839d15e4;act=ST;f=4;t=131;st=30

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0415239036/qid=1070211402/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/002-9248547-6066441?v=glance&n=507846

The Zoroastrian Faith: Tradition and Modern Research by Solomon A. Nigosian is a great all in one book on the subject. Also very popular. Amazon has a deal on both right now:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/077351144X/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/002-9248547-6066441?v=glance&s=books

Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith by Peter Clark. Is a good introduction.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1898723788/qid=1070212363/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-9248547-6066441

Essays on Zarathustra and Zoroastrianism (Bibliotheca Iranica. Zoroastrian Studies Series, No. 1) This is the leading current scholarly work on Z, mostly for those intersted in the academic field
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1568591292/qid=1070212442/sr=1-14/ref=sr_1_14/002-9248547-6066441?v=glance&s=books

The Gathas of Zarathushtra: Hymns in Praise of Wisdom by Piloo Nanavutty is a very personal approach to the understanding of the songs of Zarthustra from a Parsi woman

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1890206091/qid=1070211657/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-9248547-6066441?v=glance&s=books

This is the book review page for Vohuman the Journal of Z Studies (mostly academic religious, political/social historical, and archeological.
http://www.vohuman.org/SiteMap/BookReview.htm


Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism By Mary Boyce, is of great interest for those doing research. I was going to run some passages here, amazing how the post Islamic invasion occupation writings are so similar to what people say about the IRI today.

My personal favorite is The Zend Avesta of Zarthustra by Edmond Szekely who also translated worldwide bestsellar the Essene Gospel of Peace. He wrote this 150 years ago and founded the Biogenics movement based on Zoroastrianism and the Essenes whom he claimed were inspired by the Zoroastrians. This book is great because it has defitinitions of many of the ancient pictograms and glyphs. Hard to find but you can order at:

http://poto.com/item151741.ctlg

But in terms of contemporary new age spritiual understanding and application, I think Shariar Shariari and his site are great:
http://www.zarathushtra.com/

Here is his most recent essay on Happiness:

Happiness be the lot of him who works for the happiness of others.
May the Lord grant him health and endurance.
(Yasna 43:1 - Translation D. J. Irani)

Or should we say, "may the Lord grant him the patience, the serenity and the sense of martyrdom needed to put up with the failures, the ridicule, the alienation, and the spurn of those whom he serves!"

For what kind of happiness is it, if it is to be mandated?

If it is to be stated as "Thou Shalt have Happiness, only and only if Thou workest for the happiness of Others", it becomes nothing more than an externally imposed rule. Yet another scale on Nietzsche's dragon!

A Thou shalt commandment can lead to nothing more than a sense of guilt and contempt.

"Thou Shalt be spiritual" can only lead to contempt for spirituality, and the adherent would only follow the commandment, for the fear of not being spiritual, and the avoidance of the possible consequences of disobedience.

Likewise, "Thou shalt be Happy..." can only lead one to contempt for happiness, which in turn will lead to unhappiness. Happiness that is imposed through the force of fear, guilt, or limitation is not, and can not be true happiness, just like "thou Shalt be Free" is an injunction to impose Freedom, which itself becomes dictatorial and enslaving.

So what was Zarathushtra talking about?

Zarathushtra was talking about a deeper level of happiness that comes not from a compulsion to serve, but from an innate impulsion to connect and to bring joy to others - from the impulse to life.

A deep spiritual understanding of our world can only lead us to recognize the interconnection among all of us. Such understanding makes us realize that we are not separate, that your happiness is my happiness, and my happiness is yours.

Just as no waves in the ocean are separate from each other, except in appearance. The waves find their interconnection through the ocean. We too find our interconnection through the singular and primordial Creative Impulse, of which, we are all creatures.

This understanding will also help us realize that I am most alive, not when I move or act, or achieve, or accumulate. I am most alive when I am in touch with my uniqueness, and work towards contributing and giving away my gift. The gift that only I can bring to this world. And no other can come close to the quality of my contribution.

A musician is most alive when she plays her music, not when she receives recognition for the various compositions she has created over the years. A scientist loses himself most, when he is in full concentration, pondering the question in hand, not when he has to prepare his 45 minute speech for the Nobel Prize reception. And the surfer is most alive when he is riding the wave, not when he is on the shore bragging about the wonderful ride that he had that morning.

Furthermore, when we give ourselves permission to be who we are, we also allow others to contribute their unique gifts to the world, and become willing to receive their gifts into our lives.

Joy begets joy. The scientist enjoys the sublime feelings that are aroused in him when the musician is performing in a concert. She on the other hand, feels the exhilaration of the surfer, when he is riding that perfect wave.

What's more, we can be most effective when we work on the thing that we are most effective at, namely our unique contribution. We become energized. We experience a sense of vitality. We become unstoppable. And thus, we push the boundaries of the quality and the scale of our contribution.

The scientist is most effective in the laboratory or in his library, not in the music hall, nor riding the wave.

And the "Others" who become the recipients of our contribution, can gain the maximum benefit, from what we excel at, which is nothing other than our gift. The surfer will not feel the same way about the music that is played by the scientist, as he would by the musician's performance.

The genius of the design of this physio-spiritual universe of ours is that it is completely interdependent. The surfer relies on the scientist to create better boards. The scientist depends on the musician to give voice to the feelings that he could not express as vividly. And the musician counts on the surfer's ride to become a source of vital inspiration for the next piece of music.

In other words, we make others happiest, when we are at our happiest. And we are at our happiest, when we make others the happiest we possibly can.

But the challenge of being ourselves is testing. The scientist will spend many hours in fruitless contemplation of the problem, often with no apparent or even remotely probable solution in sight. Defeat overshadows the scientist's life for a large part of it, until perhaps a breakthrough is attained, or until the scientist moves on to another problem, leaving the one in hand, for posterity.

The musician will spend a large part of her life, practicing the fundamentals of music on her instrument. Often hours are spent on a daily basis, going over repetitive motions for as long as necessary to master the piece. Composition is not always spontaneous, nor at will. The creative process becomes illusive and frustrating. Musical life can be self-defeating, at least until inspiration hits, or one moves on to the next piece.

The surfer may get up every day, looking at the ocean, either being stopped by the storms, or by the calm. When in the water, the surfer may wait for wave after wave, until a good one arrives. And not every good wave that arrives shall result in a good ride. The surfer may fall in, lose his balance, or miscalculate the timing of the good waves, time after time. And the process becomes an exercise in patience. At least until that perfect timing and balance happen to coincide with the good wave - on a good day.

Perhaps Zarathushtra was considering all these factors when he said, " May the Lord grant him health and endurance."

May the Lord grant us the physical health to be able to utilize our gift, and the mental health to be able to discern what is our uniqueness. And hence, give ourselves permission, and have the courage to make use of the innate creative impulse within us to manifest our gift, and thus contribute to our world.

And may the Lord grant us the endurance to overcome all obstacles and all failures, real or imaginary; as well as to not be swayed by the naysayer, the jealous or the resentful, whether they are inside our heads or elsewhere.


I have to READ some of those books..
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