“Iran anjuman edicts”

Two puzzling items in "Zoroastrians Abroad” (Parsiana, November 7, 2008) require clarification.

The first one is "Tehran anjuman edicts.” The situation in Iran concerning the ever-thorny subject of conversion needs to be carefully reassessed in the light of the uncompromisingly fanatical attitude of the vastly majority religion. The Zardushtis simply cannot afford to antagonize the Islamic regime over this religiously sanctioned matter, unlike the dhongidox Jarthostis who are fanatically against their own religious injunctions. Regrettable, but hardly understandable! What remains puzzling is — did the Tehran Anjuman knowingly or unintentionally omit the Khurshidi/Jamshidi No-ruz (always March 21) from their shortened festive list, as reported? If so, why?

Regarding the second item, "Iranian heritage,” since when was Persepolis "unearthed” in 1910? The Achaemenian terraced complex has been publicly visible to visitors, travelers and passers-by since around 520 BCE. The infamous Alexander — that exemplar of Greek civilization! — performed his arsonist makeover around 330 BCE. Ernest Herzfeld and others after him have conducted excavation programs after clearing away the accumulated rubble of the centuries which then brought to light foundation charters and several Old Persian cuneiform inscriptions. Its beautiful bas-reliefs were brutally disfigured by the religiously crazed ancestors of the very same "archeologists” who now pretend to want to protect them! The Italian initiative of restoration work at Persepolis under the industrious husband-and-wife team of G. and Ann Britt Tilia went into hibernation, only to be happily reawake­ned by newer Italian and German expeditions to the area.

Naqsh-i Rustam’s main cliff-face still displays the cruciform facades of rock-tombs of four Achaemenid kings of whom only Darius I ("the Great”) left inscriptions. The stand-alone enigmatic stone tower, still known as the Ka’ba-yi Zardusht, has on three sides of its base the inscriptions of Shahpuhr I (also "the Great”!) and the ambitious pontiff Kirdir. Thanks forever to the brilliant philological labors of Herzfeld, M. Sprengling, Walther Henning, Philip Huyse, Roland Kent, Pierre Lecoq and a host of others, including Erich Schmidt from whom we have excellent photographic records and studies. No doubt the tourism and cultural authorities will claim every credit in their efforts to absolve themselves of the accusation of being jahiliyyas (deniers of pre-Islamic Iranian civilization). In any case, don’t let them fool the Parsiana editors!

Mount Rahmat is a trifle older than 6,000 years: halve it, add five zeros and a bit, and we will have a truer note of its geological age. Perhaps what is meant is the earliest levels of excavated history? Parsagada on the Marvdasht plain, with the famous Cyrus II mausoleum and the ruined Zendan tower, has several as yet unexcavated sites. Cyrus’ great heartland capital is reported to be under threat from the rising ambient moisture levels from the nearby projected dam construction with its adjoining railway link and "convenient” access station for swarms of tourist vandals.

Five Yathas and three Ashems would not come amiss in changing minds and attitudes. Greater miracles have been claimed in the past for this composite spell. So let’s pray! The best of good sense to all of us!

FARROKH VAJIFDAR

London, UK

f.vajifdar@btinternet.com