Outrage over Darius Khambata’s remark on fire temple
Maharashtra’s former advocate-general Darius Khambata stirred up a hornet’s nest at the Iranshah Udvada Utsav on Saturday with his unorthodox solution to tackle intermarriage among Parsis–throwing open fire temples to anyone initiated into the faith with a navjote ceremony , reports Nergish Sunavala. “Is this the Iranshah (sacred Parsi fire) preservation festival or the Iranshah destruction utsav?“ a livid audience member said.
Instead of being outraged, we should be grateful to Mr. Khambatta for opening our eyes to reality.
We should applaud Maharashtra’s former advocate-general Mr.Darius Khambata for his bold statement. Actually Mr.Khambata being a legal luminary par excellence should file a PIL in the Supreme Court for free Proselytism activities to be allowed in India by one and all irrespective of their religions. Why put restrictions/impediments in the form of foreign contribution regulation act (fcra) for proselytising activities of sects of Christainity and Islam. In this he should be supported by people like our great Dasturji Khurshed, Mr.Berjis Desai, Mr.Dinshaw Tamboli and like minded reformists and elitists Parsis.
ONCE SOMEONE HAS BEEN BAPTISED AS A ZOROASTRIAN BY NAVJOTE, THEN HE/SHE IS ENTITLED TO PRAY AT THE TEMPLE OF ZOROASTER….WHEREVER THAT MAY BE…AND WHATEVER ANCESTRY THE INDIVIDUAL MAY HAVE.
HOWEVER AS A DIS-INCENTIVE TO INTER-COMMUNITY MARRIAGE, IN OUR PRESENT PRECARIOUS POSITION, THE BAN MAY TO SOME EXTENT DISCOURAGE SUCH EVENTS.
I DONT SEE HOW ENCOURAGING SUCH INDIVIDUALS TO PRAY AT THE FIRE TEMPLE WILL DISCOURAGE INTER-COMMUNITY MARRIAGES.
Ushta all
I will add my 2 cents: Zoroastrianism stands for EQUALITY. There are no Do or Don’ts. Every women whether married to a ZoroastriN OR A NON Zoroastrian Spouse had a right to enter the fire temple including the kids that result from that union.
Nobody has any ownership of the Religion & has NO AUTHORITY say who can or Canot enter the fire temple.
Only a Zoroastrian Parsi can enter our Agiaries, Atash Adarans, Atash Behrams and yes, our Vada Dasturji and all our Mobeds and Dasturjis have the authority.
FIRE TEMPLES WERE, ARE, AND WILL BE BUILT BY ZOROASTRIANS. NO MONEY HAS COME FROM THE CURRENT JOB LOTS. TATAS RECENT 175 MILLION TO USA compared to RELIGION ,ZILCH. THE POOR PARSEE MINDS HIS OWN OR NOT. THE RICH JUMPING ON THE SPOUSE GOES TO SUPREME COURT. BUILD YOUR OWN AND HAVE A DANCE HALL BESIDES IT. ALSO ZORASTRIAN FIRE TEMPLES ARE PRIVATE PROPERTIES JUST LIKE ,ONES HOME. ONE CANNOT PUT ONES HAND IN MONEY POT (I.E.. CRIME) SO ALSO ENTERING THE TEMPLE, ONE ROBS THE SPIRITUALITY
FARIDA……U WANTED TO PUT TWO CENTS. U COPIED OR HEARD…… WHICH WAS THE FIRST jewish SETTLEMENT…answer two cents on the dollar.
u pray, maybe sandalwood smoke comes out of your house. then a notice is kept on your house, “fire temple” people want to enter. what’s your action. ALL THIS FROM A “HAD A RIGHT’.
Is the religion Universal?
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About the Zoroastrian religion being universal, please read the articles by the Zoroastrian scholar Roni Khan on the subject. These are on http://tenets.zoroastrianism.com/roni33a.html and are titled “Universalism and all that”. In a nutshell this series of articles explains that the message of every religion is indeed universal. However the Tarikats (methods to worship and to reach God) of each religion are specific and must be followed by certain peoples to whom the message (Paigham) was given by the prophet (Paighambar). So for example, Iran was sent the Prophet Zarathushra, and the Jews were sent the Prophet Christ. If God had intended only one universal religion, he would not have sent multiple prophets to different people, since that would mean religious wars. Our Creator is Wise and not so foolish. However, when the followers of a religion started saying their religion is “universal”, it let to conversion and then religious wars in the last 2000 years. And the world has never been the same since conversion started.
The above comments by Porus says it all. Besides, by pushing for conversion so determinedly in this day and age, we are really implying that our forefathers, and the likes of Dasturji Meherjirana, Dasturji Kookadaru, Dasturji Kanga and many other scholarly and holy people of our faith in the years gone by, were all totally wrong in their views about the ‘tarikats’ needed to be a true Zarathushti, and that includes forbidding to inter-marry. Only convoluted brains want reforms solely for their own convenience, and perhaps feeling a pinch deep down knowing they are doing something not right.
The accepted rule that Zarathushti boys can inter marry and their progeny can undergo Navjote ceremonies, and not so for the Zarathushti girls is certainly an appalling and ridiculous one. Since when has the legal system started to dictate the do’s and don’ts of a religion? Anyone who should have the last word on matters of religion are the High Priests in our community, some of whom, we hope have not been tainted with compromising our religious tenets for their own personal agendas.
Dequan mentions that proselytising be supported by ‘elitists Parsis’. What an ignorant comment! The definition of elitist (adj.) is “(of a person or class of persons) considered superior by others or by themselves, as in intellect, talent, power, wealth, or position in society”. Whatever gives him the idea that an aristocrat or a snob within our community would be best suited to resolve this religious issue? No wonder – as the saying goes – you go around town to look for one dummy, and lo and behold, you discover scores of them.
Anyways, as I said in my very first comment – it’s sad to see the rift within our community, the way we had once seen in Christianity, and still see in Islam. A long time ago, we had a conflict between our priestly class on who collects the dough for feeding the ‘Padshah’, and who gets the money for the liturgical prayers done for the behdins. This is how the priests were divided into the Bhagarias and Sanjanas. Then there was another discourse on which calendar should we use – this rift was so passionate that individuals were even killed for their beliefs. That’s how we ended up with Shehnshai and Kadmi calendars. Now, this issue of inter-marriages has forcefully cropped up – thanks to the Tata’s and other such elitists who with the strength of their wealth and their high place in society corrupted the minds of our High Priests at the time and made their proselytising wish come true. No wonder, the Court of Law also sided with the elitists at the time. Let’s remember, in most cases, the elitists are somewhat similar to dictators with a very big ego and little or no tolerance for disagreements. In fact, these elitist Parsis must not be allowed to even enter this debate of inter-marriages, ’cause if they come in, they usually win. Unfortunately, the most pious of us can and will be trapped by the temptation of gaining material and other non-tangible favours by these elitists.
All said and done Mr Khambata should have thought not once, not twice but a hundred times before saying what he did. This certainly was not the right place, or the moment for him to say it. Iranshah Udwada Utsav was a celebration where Zoroastrians from all over the world congregated to pay homage and respect to our Dadar Ahura Mazda, our Pak Atash Padshah, our Asho Zarathustra Saheb.
Ushta Porus
We lock horns again! I will state to who all those believe that the religion Zoroastrianism is
SOLELY for Zoroastrians then those who pray the prayers let me ask them what does the Prayer Yenghe Hatam mean?
So remember that when the great call comes the sunset gleams you will be judged by your Good Thoughts Good Words Good Deeds not how many times you went to the Fire Temple or performed ceremonies or prayed the Avesta etc.. inside out.
Also making a Big Hooplah to the see the Cyrus Cylinder & not following the Message is a Real Sham
So step down from your High Horse & Spread the Divine Message:
Universality Equality & Justice for All!
Need I say more
To all those who think what Khambatta said is correct and believe that non-Parsis should be allowed into our Fire Temples; please read the following excerpt from Frashogard written by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram, a qualified and practicing priest having undergone the Navar and Maratab initiations. He belongs to the 27th generation of the famous ‘Asa Faredun Pol’ of the Bhagaria Priests of Navsari, who trace their lineage back to Dastur Nairyosang Dhaval, the leader of the Parsis who landed in India in the 9th century AD. Hopefully, after reading what Ervad Hathiram has said, it will give some meaningful insight into why non-Parsis are not allowed into our Fire Temples.
‘Any place of worship, of any religion, is a consecrated and sacred area, filled with certain Divine Vibrations which resonate at a frequency which is most suited to those BORN INTO THAT FAITH. A visitor of a different faith, whose soul vibrates at a very different frequency causes a GRAVE DISTURBANCE in the sacred area by his dissonance. THIS IS THE MAIN REASON WHY NON-PARSIS ARE NOT ALLOWED INTO FIRE TEMPLES. Every group of souls belonging to a particular faith have a specific spiritual bandwidth at which their souls exist. All the practices, beliefs, food habits, religious ceremonies, methods of worship, traditions, are built around the core reasoning of MAINTAINING, ENHANCING AND STRENGHTENING THEIR SPIRITUAL FREQUENCIES. Any person of alien faith, with however good intentions he may have, by entering their place of worship, or practicing their traditions, or by reciting their mantras or sacred chants, IS GUILTY OF CAUSING SPIRITUAL DISORDER.’
So……. Every time Non Hindus enter countless Hindu temples open to tourists, Everytime countless mosques around the world are visited by Non Muslims, countless churches and cathedrals and Basilicas are entered by Non Christians, …..Grave Disturbances are caused in these places of Worship ??????…..
How come these places of worship have succeeded in keeping their sanctity and integrity even after welcoming worshipers of all faiths ?
I agree with you but can a microscopic community prevent defilement by fanatics who do not adhere to respect for religions of others. Can we prevent this and also provide security as can be done by the giant communities like Hindu, Muslim, Christain etc. Further for your information and knowledge which seems to be limited, many Hindu temples do not allow non Hindus and in certain masjids / mosques are out of bounds for non Muslims. There are many such countless examples.
What Hindus, Muslims, Christians do should not be our concern and followed blindly by us. Every Zoroastrian Parsi knows that non-Parsis are not allowed in our Fire Temples – that’s it.
MANECK to make matter short, please google—ORRISA JAGANATH TEMPLE PURI. and to Ervad hathiram thank you..
Awesome. Well Said. I hope Parsee understand this reason with their limited brain and vision.
The comment posted by me on 30 December, 2015, about the explanation given by Ervad Hathiram with regards to ‘why non-Parsis are not allowed into Fire Temples’ seems to have given a meaningful insight to one and all. Thank you Ervad Hathiram for helping all to know and understand the reason ‘why non-parses are not allowed into Fire Temples’. Let us all follow. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
Oh I forgot to mention that with due respect if you are Zoroastrian & believes that this religion is SOLELY for Zoroastrianst then make sure that when the soul leaves the body has some kind of ID with it or tatoed on the Soul so that it directly goes to ” HEAVEN!!!
FARIDA, body has identity when it goes to DISNEYLAND , BODY does not need identity cause body does not go TO HEAVEN —–SOUL DOES. and the ALMIGHTY GOD-AHURA MAZDA does not need to see one.
Comments dated 28/12 @9.21 pm, 29/12 @11.11 pm and 3/1 @12.19 am does not seem to be from a Zoroastrian!
Agree comments are probably made by a person (Parsi) who married a person of another faith as per their religious rites and now wants to regain entry for malafide intent.
Totally agree with your comment!
Its so sad that most Parsis today have been misled by the nefarious designs of the followers of Ilm-e-Kshnoom and do not seem to know that they are encouraging anti-Zoroastrian practices.
I think some of our Parsi friends need to see these 4 clips and hear what their own SC Justice Rohinton F. Nariman has to say about Zoroastrianism and Parsi Law in India.
https://zoroastrians.net/2015/12/16/parsi-law-applicable-to-inter-faith-marriages-by-justice-rohinton-f-nariman/