The idiom, ‘might is right’ has been proven wrong by many revolutionary leaders and activists throughout history. A minority of two trustees on the Board of the three hundred and fifty-one-years old Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) also proved this idiom wrong, on 20th October, 2021. Globally, nationally or at BPP, sometimes power goes to the…
At the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) held on Tuesday 12th October 2021, the Chairman Mrs. Armaity R Tirandaz declared that elections to fill the two vacancies on the Board due to the passing away of Zarir Bhathena and later the resignation of Yazdi Desai shall now be…
Ardibehesht is the second month of the Zoroastrian calendar. It is a month that celebrates, truth, righteousness, divine order and healing. Ardibehesht is an Amshaspand (Archangel) or Amesha Spenta (Bounteous Immortal) who presides over the energy of fire. Adar Yazad is a Hamkara or helper of Ardibehesht. It is for this reason that many fire temples were consecrated in this month, the most notable being the Anjuman Atash Behram which…
Aderbad Bin (son of) Mahrespand was the Mobedan Mobed (Supreme Pontiff) and Prime Minister during the long reign (309-379 A. D.) of Shapur Hormazd also known as Shapur II. According to the Pahlavi Dinkard, from his father’s side, Aderbad Mahrespand belonged to the family of Zarathushtra, and from his mother’s to the family of Shah Vishtasp. During…
Today, Saturday, 21st August, 2021 is Khordad Roj of Fravardin Mah, which we traditionally celebrate as Khordadsal, commemorating not just the birthday of Asho Zarathushtra, but also rededicating our lives to His timeless message of attaining happiness by making others happy and perfecting the imperfections in our lives by making the right choices. In the…
This Shahenshahi New Year, let’s co-create with Ahura Mazda and with His Wisdom, a kinder and more loving world to live in. Let this be a promise we make to ourselves individually and collectively, as a community. Let us resolve to make this goal an attainable purpose of our daily living. Let this not just…
Almost every religious tradition observes a day or days for remembering their near and dear departed ones. They say grief is the last act of love that we offer to those we loved; and remembering them is akin to breathing life into their fading presence from our life. Most humans, by nature, are ritualistic and…
Among ancient Zoroastrian sacred texts, the Vendidad is probably the most significant – both historically and liturgically, and yet, it is condemned as an outdated ‘Zoroastrian Penal Code’ and the work of babbling Magi priests obsessed with imaginary demons and magic. Even today, many question the historical significance of the Vendidad. Let us understand that it is the only Nask or…
Aspandarmad or Spendarmad is the twelfth and last month of the Zoroastrian calendar. It is dedicated to Spenta Armaity – the divinity presiding over Mother Earth. While the term ‘Spenta’ can be variously translated as ‘increasing, growing, good, holy and benevolent’, the term ‘Armaity’ can also be variously translated to mean ‘devotion, piety and peace’. Spenta Armaity is an Amesha…
To Zoroastrians Bahman Mah is what Shravan Maas is to the Hindus. Just as Hindus avoid non-vegetarian food during Shravan Maas, Zoroastrians also do likewise during Bahman Mah. However, while Hindus also observe fasting during the month of Shravan Zoroastrians do not. Interestingly in the Zoroastrian calendar of three hundred and sixty-five days there is…
26th May, 2021 will commemorate the 190th birth anniversary of the saintly Zoroastrian priest, healer, astrologer and alchemist – Dasturji Jamshed Sohrab Kukadaru. He was born in Surat on 26th May, 1831 (Mah Ava, Roj Zamyad) and passed away on 5th September, 1900 (Mah Fravardin, Roj Behram) of the Shahanshahi Yazdezardi calendar. Even after close…