“How trust-worthy?”

In response to my letter "How trust-worthy?” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, April 7, 2006) the editors query "Outside of India and Pakistan, marriages between Parsi Zoroastrians are under civil law. A Parsi couple cannot be legally wed by a Parsi priest in North America or the UK. Does Bhagalia disqualify the children of all such unions from being considered Parsis and Zoroastrians?”

The answer will be clear on reading the following to get a fair assessment of the situation. The religious requirements for a proper, religiously correct wedding ceremony, in accordance with our religion, can be fully complied with only in India or Pakistan. This will be confirmed by any Zoroastrian priest, reasonably learned in our Zoroastrian religion. The couple undergoing such a wedding ceremony would be considered legally and religiously wed and their children would be considered Parsi Mazdayasni Zoroastrians. The requirements for such a wedding are:

•Both the spouses are born-Parsi Zoroastrians and profess the Mazdayasni Zoroastrian religion

•The wedding ceremony is conducted in two parts:

•Both the partners have to undergo the nahan which is a purificatory ceremony with nirang. Without nirang, there can be no nahan. And without nahan there can be no wedding ceremony.

•The ashirwad ceremony consists of chanting of sacred Avesta and Pazand prayers by two qualified Barashnoom priests in the presence of fire and two witnesses who have to be Parsi Zoroastrians. In these prayers, it is categorically stated that "the ceremony is being performed according to the canons of the Mazdayasni religion.” The exact Pazand words are "Awar Daad U Aaeen e Deeni Mazdayasni.”

Further, in the ashirwad ceremony, there are two Avesta passages in the midst of other sacred Pazand passages. These form the most important part of the nuptial blessings. They are very important because they are two nirangs, "talismanic chants” which shower special benedictions for the unification of the souls and bodies of both the parties in holy matrimony. This will ensure the accelerated progress of the souls of the husband, wife and the children born to them. Also, because of the ashirwad ceremony, children born to the couple inherit the best qualities from both of them.

•The wedding should be performed by Barashnoom priests, within the confines of an agiary or atash behram. In addi­tion, baugs are available in India where they fall within the "Kasts” of these institutions and could be suitable for a larger gathering. There are no Barash­noom priests outside India and Pakistan.

In brief, the absence of Barashnoom priests and the nahan purificatory ceremony with nirang (which is not possible outside India or Pakistan) negates any marriage ceremony of Parsi Zoroastrians in foreign lands. Consequently the children born to them would not be considered Parsi Zoroastrians.

This sad state can be easily rectified by Parsi Zoroastrians themselves in foreign lands, without creating problems for themselves, their children and the whole community. Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians in the UK, US and Canada and elsewhere are all, with very few exceptions, much wealthier than their counterparts in India. By Indian standards, many of us could be considered "lakho­pa­ties” and many of us are "carore­pa­ties.” Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians can easily spend a few thousand dollars for a plane fare to come to India and have a properly performed religious ceremony like a wedding in a consecrated agiary or atash behram in India, by dasturs here.

Parsi/Iranian Zoroastrians in foreign lands should realize that their wedding ceremony is more than just a social event to impress their friends. It is the most important religious event in their lives and in the lives of their children. They could have a private wedding in India and fly back and have a grand reception in the foreign land they live in.

At present, Parsi Zoroastrians are having non-religious marriage ceremonies abroad and then claiming for themselves and their children, the rights bestowed by properly performed Zoroastrian wedding ceremonies. One cannot understand why they, with all their wealth and education, want to have their wedding ceremony performed in foreign lands even though such ceremony has no religious value.

Now, who is at fault here? The Parsi Zoroastrian community in India who is following the tenets of our religion or those foreign based Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians who are only looking to their convenience and seem to have only "surface” love and devotion towards our religion and that too, only when it is convenient for them.

The answer is clear.

The parents themselves have disqualified their own children. That responsibility for disqualification lies solely on the parents and cannot be shifted on anyone else.

The Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian community in India should stand firm in this respect and with the support of the Parsi Punchayet and other religious organizations like the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis inform foreign based Parsis to take serious note in this matter and change their ways if they want their children to be considered Parsi Zoroastrians, with the right of entry to our religious institutions in India. If the Parsi Zoroastrian community in India is not firm in its stand now, it will gradually lose the priceless treasures we have in India, like our consecrated fire temples and dakhmas which are the envy of the world.

MEHLI BHAGALIA

California, USA