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Roj Ashtad Mah Ardibehest, 1380 Yz.
Today, 13th October 2010 marks the 37th death anniversary of Seth Jehangirji S. Chiniwalla, the lion of Ilm-e-Khshnoom. A few words in his memory would be apt to let readers of Frashogard know who Jehangirji really was. Here is a photograph of Jehangirji.
The 19th century brought with it great challenges to our religion. Hundreds of years of carefully preserved traditions, culture and practices were ...
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Roj Dae-pa-Din Mah Ardibehest, 1380 Yz.
The centuries after the Islamic conquest of Iran were a period of untold hardship for the few Zoroastrians who refused to convert to the new religion. In these forgotten years, unbelievable levels of persecution, torture, exploitation and debasement were meted out to our ancestors. In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, these atrocities surpassed earlier levels. There was a real danger that not only the few Zoroastrians who existed in Iran, but also the valuable ...
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Roj Jamyad Mah Bahman, 1379 Yz.
In my earlier post I had informed readers about the sad demise of Shah Behram – the Bhagarsath Anjuman’s Varasyaji in Mumbai and the significance and importance of this majestic religious instrument in our religion. In the same post I had also noted that the Bhagarsath Anjuman had kept a spare white bull to be consecrated as and when the need arose. After the death of Shah Behram, the ...
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Roj Amardad Mah Bahman, 1379 Yz.
It is my sad duty to inform readers of Frashogard that the holy Varasyaji ‘Shah Behram’, attached to the Bhagarsath Panth in Mumbai and stationed at the Cama Baug Agiary passed away this morning. The Pak Varasyaji had suffered a fall a few days ago and that led to paralysis. Although the best medical care was given to him at the hospital, Shah Behram could not be revived. Shah Behram lived to the very ripe ...
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Roj Marespand Mah Amardad, 1379 Yz.
It was a hot and sultry afternoon, that 21st day of April, 1844 as Mr. Mancherji Hormuzdiar Chanddaru left the offices of the popular Parsi periodical ‘Chabuk’ (lit. Whip) near Gunbow Street in the busy Fort area of Bombay. As he walked down passing the well on the main street and entered a small lane, a group of some Parsi boys suddenly emerged and one of them swiftly unsheathed a long knife and dealt a ...
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Roj Ram Mah Khordad, 1379 Yz.
Fasli Roj Govad Mah Avan, 1378 Yz. – Birthday of Shah Behram Varzavand
Today is Fasli Mah Ava Roj Govad, which is a day of great spiritual connotation for Parsis, because it is the birthday of the promised saviour, Shah Behram Varzavand. How do we know this? This fact is mentioned in the Zand-i-Vohuman Yasht, more popularly known as Bahman Yasht. As you may be aware, our existing Avesta scriptures have Yashts for many of the ...
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Roj Adar Mah Khordad, 1379 Yz.
Fasli Ava Parab
Our religion lays great stress not only on ritual purity but also on physical purity in daily life. There is a proverb amongst Parsis: ‘Bawa, aapro Dharam to baal kartaa baarik!’, i.e. ‘Our religion is finer than a hair’. This seems to be a contradiction, since hair is dead matter and hence impure. There are specific instructions in our religion regarding how cut hair and nails should be disposed and why it is ...
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Roj Spendarmad Mah Khordad, 1379 Yz.
One evening, somewhere around the end of 1906, on a red-letter day of the Parsi calendar (a Hamkara, when Parsis are supposed to visit the Agiary), Behramshah’s wife told him that though she tried she could not somehow make it to the Agiary that day and since it was a Hamkara, she thought that at least somebody should offer sandalwood to the Padshah on their behalf. But nobody known could be seen that day and ...
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Roj Fravardin Mah Ardibehesht, 1379 Yz.
Finally, Behramshah reached Surat and met his dear mother who had waited all these years for him. Behramshah was a very changed person from the stammering adolescent which his mother had last seen him as. Behramshah narrated to his mother all the incidents which had happened in his life and his great fortune to meet the Abed Sahebs. The mother was overjoyed to see her son and listened to all his adventures with great delight ...
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Roj Khorshed Mah Ardibehesht, 1379 Yz.
In addition to the Aksir-e-Azam, the Sraoshavarez gave certain other very valuable gifts to our Master. These included a small silver Taaveez, or amulet, shaped like a betel nut. Inside this was inscribed a powerful Avesta Nirang, which had the effect of discouraging any wild animals, carnivores or any malevolent spirits from getting anywhere close to or attacking the Master during the various travels which he was about to undertake in Iran and India.
Our Master ...
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