May every day be Navroze

Posted by:

Roj Spendarmad Mah Ava 1386 Yz.

Jamshedi Navroze is an auspicious day, not only for Parsis, but also for the entire Creation. A great cosmic event unfolds as the sun enters the sign of Aries and begins its perambulation of the Zodiac. How does this cosmic event affect us and what is the importance of the Navroze day? Why is it called Jamshedi Navroze?

The universe abounds with the blessings of the Lord Ahura Mazda. These blessings, called Asere Roshni, are essential ...

Continue Reading ?
19
MAR
11

Navroze, New Year Wishes

The Navsari I knew and cherished

Posted by:

Roj Aneran Mah Sherevar, 1386 Yz.

The recent events in Navsari have once again shifted the focus of the community to death and its aftermath. As before, the community is sharply divided into two factions – those for the traditional method of Dokhmenashini and those virulently against it. Once again, attempts have been made to offend the sensibilities of normal Parsis by the illegal, immoral and unethical practice of video shooting the insides of some Dakhma and widely sharing the clip ...

Continue Reading ?
12
FEB
14

Navsari

A true Zoroastrian Thanksgiving

Posted by:

A true Zoroastrian Thanksgiving

Roj Mohor Mah Tir, 1386 Yz.

As our Parsi brothers and sisters in America join many millions of their countrymen in observing the festival of Thanksgiving over this weekend, it seems to be an apt moment to think about what would be a truly Zoroastrian form of thanksgiving. Originally, Thanksgiving was a post-harvest festival celebrated to thank God for the rich and abundant harvest. Over the years, the seasonal and religious aspect has been quietly replaced by the excessive importance to ...

Continue Reading ?
26
NOV
11

Zarathushtrian facts

Our greatest inheritance

Posted by:

Roj Khorshed Mah Khordad, 1386 Yz.

It’s a tough world and many of us face a tough life. At such times, the feeble mind tries to fall back on some interesting ‘what if’ scenarios. What if I had this or that, what if I had married some person or the other, what if I had done this in my childhood days, what if a magical genie suddenly appeared and gave me three wishes…

Going through the Whatsapp status messages on the mobile, ...

Continue Reading ?
26
OCT
14

Navjote, Religion

Can we attend such ‘Navjotes’?

Posted by:

Roj Jamyad Mah Ardibehesht, 1386 Yz: Baj of Seth Jehangirji S. Chiniwalla

The season for weddings and Navjotes will soon begin. Already the first invites have started trickling in. As is the case, many invites are for functions where, in case of marriages one party is non-Zoroastrian, or in the case of Navjotes, one of the parents is non-Zoroastrian.

What should we do? For many Parsis unfortunately, the question doesn’t even arise today – why, it’s an invite, so we have to ...

Continue Reading ?
13
OCT
28

Navjote, Zarathushtrian facts

Who are we Parsis?

Posted by:

Gatha Vahishtoist, 1385 Yz.

 

Tomorrow we mark the beginning of 1386 Yz, or the 1386th year since the last Zoroastrian King of Iran, Yazdegerd Shahryar ascended the throne. In that long period of time, the world has changed a lot. Empires have risen and fallen, countries have arisen and been destroyed, millions of people have lost their lives – all claiming to fight for God and His religion.

Zoroastrianism has reduced from being the state religion followed by nearly 30 million souls ...

Continue Reading ?
16
AUG
13

New Year Wishes, Zarathushtrian facts

A box of tissues for Mr. Jehangir Patel please!

Posted by:

A box of tissues for Mr. Jehangir Patel please!

Roj Govad Mah Dae, 1385 Yz.

The ubiquity of Whats-app means that even on days when prayer and reflection is necessary, the peace is broken by the incessant beep announcing one more message. When such beeps resound early in the morning, their shrillness seems even more pronounced and urgent…is it some good news, or a harbinger of doom, some calamitous occurrence or a friend on another continent sending a message oblivious of the time difference?

This morning’s non-stop messages from a stream ...

Continue Reading ?
4
JUN
27

Zarathushtrian facts

Saying goodbye to Darab

Posted by:

Roj Khordad Mah Meher, 1385 Yz.

It is my sad duty to inform readers of Frashogard of the passing away of Darab Unwalla, the last surviving son of Mobed Behramji Unwalla in Boca Raton, Florida on 18th February 2016, Roj Spendarmad Mah Meher 1385 Yz. In his passing, Darab also shares his Baj with that of the great Khshnoom stalwart Ervad Phiroze S. Masani, who passed away on the same day more than 70 years ago.

Unlike his ...

Continue Reading ?
20
FEB
15

Darab Unwalla

Sleepless in Udvada

Posted by:

Roj Ardibehesht Mah Shehrevar 1385 Yz.

So the great Udvada Utsav has ended. The statues have been lifted away, the grand shamiana dismantled, cleaning up has been done, the hordes of tourists and visitors are gone, the vendors are busy counting their earnings, the blaring sirens and wailing VIP security vans have been replaced by the howling stray dogs. While the Internet and Zoroastrian media is ablaze with all sorts of acrimonious debate, back here is Udvada, which I call home ...

Continue Reading ?
17
JAN
17

Udvada Utsav

The Migration of Parsis to India 9: The Battle of Qadissiyah

Posted by:

Roj Ava Mah Tir, 1385 Yz.

16th November, 636 dawned as any other day in history. The two armies faced each other. The expectations and nervous energy was palpable as over 60,000 Iranian troops – infantry, cavalry and a special elephant regiment from India jostled to form the precise order of battle. The river Ateeq lay behind them. The 45,000 infantry and 15,000 cavalry was deployed in four divisions, each about 150 metres from the other. The battle front stretched nearly ...

Continue Reading ?
25
NOV
2

Migration to India

Page 2 of 29 12345...»