The Zoroastrian Mid-Summer festivities start on June 29 and last till July 3 rd . During the Mid-Summer festivities on July 1 st , the brightest star in the sky or Sirius, called Tištar or the Three-stars in the Zoroastrian lore is honored (original) (raw)
Related papers
Worshippers of Mazda or the Mazdayasnis were a Zoroastrian group that separated from their parent religion as it got corrupted while coming in contact with people of the South and sought to make a new home for themselves moving Westwards, much like the Protestants of the New World, in their flight from Arktos. On the basis of Astronomy, Spencer determines Zartoshts date of existence as 7388-7052 BC. The Mazdayasnis followed a rigid belief system which they adhere to this day even as they have long since forgotten their Cosmology but left it behind in their rituals and customs for eg - the sacred gridle symbolises the Belt of Orion, from which they take their name - Aryan.
The Sky: Connecting Science and Symmetry with Reverence
2000
The celebration of equinoxes and solstices predates the major religions of the world. Studying the vastness of the sky offers a connection between science and the human desire to understand the symmetry and order of the universe. This paper will focus on the vernal equinox, how ancient civilizations deciphered it and made it into an event with religious and cultural
Ferdowsi’s Presentation of Zoroastrianism in an Islamic Light
Journal of Persianate Studies, 2015
Composed in 10th and 11th centuryce, theShāhnāmeh(The Book of the Kings) contains Iranian ancient history since the first king, Gayumart/Kayumars, up to the end of Sasanian era. One reason behind its popularity is the poet’s method and art in describing and explaining ancient religious elements in such a way that it does not cause religious bias among Zoroastrians and Muslims. This article shows that Ferdowsi has employed various methods to read religious issues of ancient Iran in the light of the social, cultural, and religious spirit of his own time. In his epic narratives, Ferdowsi paid serious attention to contemporary beliefs and social conditions, and this can account for the popularity of theShāhnāmehand its lasting influence.
Toward a More Materialistic Ethics: Vermin and Poison in Zoroastrian Thought
Absent from the Older Avesta, vermin and poison first appear in a few verses of the Younger Avesta, whose authors misinterpreted Yasna 34.5c (where they mistook adjectival xrafstra- for a substantive) and Yasna 49.11c (whose “evil foods” [akāiš xvarəәθāiš] they took to be poison [viša-]). The Pahlavi texts take the argument further, developing a narrative in which these creatures and substances become prime weapons of Ahriman in his assault on Ohrmazd’s Good Creation. Speculation along these lines introduced novel understandings of evil as a lethal substance, rather than a destructive disposition or spirit, moving questions of morality from metaphysics to physics.
Sacred Armour: Ritual Garments of the Parsi Zoroastrians
The Zoroastrian garments of the sudreh and kusti are regarded as sacred armour and are a part of living Zoroastrian heritage. These garments link craft to religion and great symbolism is attached to their creation. This chapter provides an understanding of the place of these garments in Zoroastrian life, the weaving process and all the tools used during weaving. It traces the use of this sacred armour in the rites of passage during life and even into death. It is hoped this study will provide an accessible understanding of a little known religious and craft tradition. This paper was published in "Sacred Textiles of India" ed. Jasleen Dhamija, MARG Publications Vol. 65 No. 4, June 2014. It is reproduced here with permission.
Reclaiming the Faravahar: Zoroastrian Survival in Contemporary Tehran (Leiden University Press 2014)
Reclaiming the Faravahar is the first ethnographic study of contemporary Zoroastrians in Tehran. Examining hundreds of ritual performances, Navid Fozi shows how Zoroastrians define their identity and values in an area long marked by conflict between the Shi‘a and Sunnis. He focuses on two main concerns for Zoroastrians: continuity with the past as evidenced by their claim to be the most authentic Iranians, as well as their attempts to stand apart from the dominant Shi‘a. Fozi also provides a look at the challenges Zoroastrians have faced over the centuries while exploring how today’s members are working to remain relevant in a tumultuous regional and global context.
Ava: A Living Tradition of Reverence for Water Among the Zoroastrians
Traditional systems of water preservation assume significance in a world facing acute water shortage. When Zoroastrians fled from religious persecution in Persia to live in India (8th - 9th century A.D.), they carried their ancient wisdom of conservation of water. The Parsi cisterns (tanka-s) of Bharuch are testament to the fact that they adapted their ancient badgirs to local circumstances. This paper examines the traditional tanka system used in Parsi houses of Gujarat in perspective to historical Zoroastrian water harvesting systems from Central Asia. It takes the water management system used in Parsi houses of Bharuch as a case study which proves capability, today, of answering urgent water issues. Studying the tanka could offer a solution to rejuvenate this “Dying Wisdom”.