Angel over my heart

It is simple. It is pure. It is a basic and relatively cheap silver chain with a small pendant attached to it. The pendant is a beautiful handmade "mini-statue” of sorts, depicting the Farohar. It was created in the holy town of Udvada, India; given to me on my navjote, a ceremony dedicating myself as a true Zoroastrian. The Farohar is not a God, nor a prophet. He is not really an angel, but rather a physical manifestation of a more spiritual "guardian angel.” The power Farohar possesses to influence people comes from the meaning he stands for, and his figure is a symbol for that.

A man, on top of a winged angel, his hands folded in prayer. In my interpretation of him lies the meaning. His face is human, and therefore resembles his relationship to mankind. He has two wings with three feathers each, representing good thoughts, good words and good deeds. The lower part also has three feathers consisting of bad reflection, bad words and bad deeds. These however, are below him, indicating that we must turn away from the bad and head toward the good. There is a circle in the center of the figure showing that our spirit has neither a beginning nor an end. The Farohar represents our human spirit.

In troubling times, I realize I am unconsciously clutching the pendant tightly in my hand. It forces me to throw out the negative forces and bring in the positive. Maybe the powers of hope that the Farohar is said to have are real. Maybe they are not. That is not the point. I believe, and therefore I am inspired to be all that the Farohar stands for. The real power is what the object makes me feel, not what it is physically. When I clutch this charm in my hand, I sometimes think back to the several other times I was holding it. Those were also times of need. It makes me realize, "I have held you before, and therefore I have been in despair before. I survived through those times to be here today, so I can also overcome these obstacles.” It is a reminder that obstacles can, and will be solved.

Farohar keeps me grounded. It is a piece of my roots in India, my heritage, and my religion. It is a piece of my extended family. They can otherwise be easily forgotten in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Especially due to my circumstances in life, living in an area with few Zoroastrians, and close to zero Zoroastrian influence, wearing this symbol over my heart at all times is a constant reminder of who I am, where I come from and where I wish to go.

The object is not important. It is cheap silver, no longer shiny or attractive. It is after one analyzes the significance of what Farohar symbolizes that it becomes irreplaceable. It is the pendant around my neck, but truly the angel over my heart. BEHZAD DABU

Chicago, Illinois, USA