So we learnt

The Panchayet circular about a talk and slide show by Noshir Dadrawala was not something I expected would be an evening well spent! But I had to eat my words, as the program was enlightening. There is so much in our religion and so little we know. This is where Dadra­wala came to clear the cobwebs of our minds!

Certain points that he made, made me sit up. For instance he said that the Christians call their God — Father, the Muslims are God fearing, but our religion is the only one that is God-friendly. Our religion is ecology friend­ly too, with our prayers and rituals for the life giving elements, water (Ava), fire (Atash). This is a religion that wants you to live life to its fullest, with no restrictions – good, healthy, wealthy life, no celibacy, no upvas (fasting), but all within the parameters of truth, righteousness and unasked philanthropy.

While showing us the slides of Iran, our spiritual motherland as Dadrawala calls it, he pointed out that the first postal system was given to the world by none other than King Darayous, the Great. Then while showing us the ruins of the palace of King Cyrus, the Great, we were told it was he who liberated the Jews from the Islamic forces, and even helped them to rebuild the Temple of Solomon by showing tolerance and respect for other religions.

Probably these traits are in our genes! If we Zarathushtis were so advanced, so adaptable, and so tolerant then, it’s natural these very traits should stand us well in our Karmabhumi India to this day.

Reading religious books is one thing, and hearing informative historical facts from a scholar is a very fulfilling experience which stays with the listener.

No wonder then Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh wrote two big volumes on Zarathustra — the laughing prophet and Zarathustra — a god that can dance. In the second book Rajneesh wrote, "Zarathustra would like your life to be a garden where birds sing, where flowers blossom, where trees dance, where the sun comes with joy. Zarathustra is absolutely for life, and that is the reason he does not have many followers. The poisoners and destructive people have millions of followers. And a unique teacher whose whole message is love and life has the smallest religion in the world.

"Zarathustra’s religion should be the only religion. All other religions should be buried in the cemeteries, because except for life there is no God, and except for love there is no prayer.”

RODA D. HAKIM

Baroda