CD of Gatha prayers

"May the message of the Gathas enrich your life” reads the message signed by Kersi Limathwalla, trustee of The M. J. Wadia Fire Temple Trust, placed inside the handsome CD case exhibiting a visual of the German style Zoroaster. Titled Gatha Prayers, the audio disc contains recitations by Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia of the five Gathas and the Framraot Ha. The disc has been produced by the trustees of Lalbaug’s The M. J. Wadia Fire Temple Trust with assistance from sound engineer Hanosh Dubash.

In the preface to the accompanying booklet, containing the prayers in the Roman script, Karanjia, principal of the Dadar Athornan Madressa writes that "the Gathas as prayers are accorded the highest place in Zoroastrian scriptures, as they are the inspired words of Prophet Zarathushtra himself.” The word "Gatha” means "song” and the prayers are poetic in nature, containing measured stanzas, with meter, syllables and pauses. "The Gathas embody lofty metaphysical ideas which are very beneficial for the mental and spiritual progress of man,” he elaborates.

These prayers are recited on each of the Gatha days — Ahunavad, Ushtavad, Spentomad, Vohu-khshathra and Vahishtoisht — while the Framraot Ha, a commentary of the Ashem Vohu, is specially recited during the first five days of the muktad prayers which occur at the end of the Parsi calendar year. Karanjia explains that the Framraot Ha and the Gathas can be recited in any of the five gahs, which means at any time of day or night. The booklet, published by the trustees of the M. J. Wadia Fire Temple Trust is in response to the need and demand for the prayers in the English script.