A Parsi Times reader recently asked whether the Vendidad is a philosophical poem like the Gatha or prose enshrining an ancient ‘Zoroastrian Penal Code?’ He also wanted to know if it was simply a textual commentary or a sacred religious ritual? Finally, he was curious about why it is performed after midnight and considered as spiritually meritorious to perform the Vendidad ceremony in the memory
Read moreHow does a tradition survive across millennia? How is knowledge preserved, practiced, and passed on—not just through texts, but through memory, ritual, and everyday life? The module “Orality, Customs and Ecology”, part of the TISS–PARZOR Online Certificate Programme on Culture & Heritage Studies, invites you to explore these questions in depth. Convened by the deeply committed Dr. Kerman Daruwalla, the
Read moreRock relief of Ardashir I receiving the ring of kingship by the Zoroastrian supreme god Ahura Mazda. Credit: Wojciech Kocot / CC BY-SA 4.0 A new study suggests that the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism influenced Jewish communities living under the Achaemenid Empire. The research, published in the journal Iran, provides evidence that Zoroastrian religious ideas and practices reached regions far beyond
Read moreThis short film is a chapter from the epic Shahnameh by Firdausi Tusi. It’s a story of the valiant spiritual warrior king Shah Faridun. It is entirely AI generated. This movie is dedicated to my children and all the children of the world. Guidance, inputs,support Ervad Dr Ramiyar P Karanjia Script :Melinda Bryce AI Production Direction & Editing : Bikash
Read moreHow, where and when horses were domesticated, is a matter of dispute among scholars and archaeologists. Though horses were carved in Palaeolithic cave-art as early as 30,000 BC, these were probably depictions of wild horses. Most of the available evidence supports the hypothesis that horses were domesticated in the Eurasian Steppes, in approximately 3,500 BC. Horses In Greek Mythology The
Read moreThe Zoroastrian World February 2026 The Zoroastrian World is a monthly newsletter that shares key news, events, opportunities and publications from across the study of Zoroastrianism. If you are not already subscribed to the SSPIZS mailing list, please sign up here. Visual Journey The Sasanian Zoroastrian fire temple of Chahar Qapu in Qasr-e Shirin, Western Iran © Ali Matin, 2002. From the
Read moreNAMC Institute of Zoroastrian Studies is pleased to announce the following sessions: Online Discussion: ‘Concept of Cause and Effect in Zoroastrianism’ – Sunday, March 8, 2026 – 11 AM Eastern
Read moreKind Courtesy : https://gathasofzarathushtra.com/ by Dina McIntyre, with the permission of the Author
Read moreFEZANA Religion Education Committee (REC) Invites You to An ancient Zoroastrian ritual: The Yasna Haptanghaiti A talk by Professor Almut Hintze Saturday, February 21, 2026 9am PT, 11am CT, 12noon ET JOIN ZOOM MEETING Abstract: This richly illustrated talk discusses the composition, contents and ritual role of the Yasna Haptanghaiti, which translates as ‘Worship in Seven Sections’. Exploring the
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