Zarathushtrian facts

Nearly all of us have, at some point in our lives, lit a Divo, either at home or on our visit to the Fire Temple. Many Parsis have a fascination for doing a Divo, either on a specific day or Roj, or at a particular place or Agiary. In our blind following of this important tradition, we often make serious mistakes which go against the basic laws of the Zarathushtrian faith.

It is necessary to say a few words about doing the Divo in the correct manner.

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Now let us look at the correct procedure to do the Divo at home. Once you have decided on the glass, the medium and the Kakro, make three sets of the same. That is, have three identical glasses, three ankras – one to go with each of the three glasses and a good number of Kakras to last a while. Keep a separate steel ‘dabba’ or a glass bottle in which you will store the Ghee or oil. Also keep a separate cleaning brush and soap/liquid to clean these vessels. All these implements should be stored in such a manner that no person in an ‘unclean’ state or a non-Parsi can come into contact with them. A high shelf in the kitchen cabinet can be reserved only for this purpose and instructions given to maintain its exclusivity. Similarly, the place where you will keep the Divo (generally a glass shelf with photographs of the departed relatives and/or the Prophet) should be such that accidental touching by unauthorised persons is avoided.

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