Our Tele Class #17 was broadcasted from the new beautiful Dallas Dar-e-Meher on Sunday July 27th at 12 Noon NY Time (11 AM Dallas Time, 9 AM on the West Coast). This was the third Tele Class being broadcasted outside our Hira Villa home in University Park, Florida.
A little background about this class:
Jo Ann and I were invited to perform a wedding in Dallas on Saturday July 26th 2014.
Taking advantage of this, Anahita Sidhwa, Poras Balsara, Keshvar Buhariwalla, and others thought it would be nice if I gave a presentation to ZANT next day Sunday July 27th on an interesting subject, may be one of our previous Tele Class. Instead, I suggested that why not we broadcast from ZANT Center our next Tele Class? This was accepted by all concerned in ZANT and so Tele Class #17 was broadcasted from Dallas Dar-e-Meher.
Attached please find the summary of our Sunday’s Tele Class #17 from Dallas Dar-e-Meher together with the web links for the 5 YouTube video segments.
One reminder again: Please suggest the subject(s) for our next Tele Classes! Thank you!
Love and Tandoorasti, Soli
=============== Tele Class #17 Summary===========
North American Zoroastrian Religious Tele Class #17 – Sunday July 27 2014 12 noon NY Time
Influence of Zoroastrian Religion on other World Religions
Ervad Soli P. Dastur
A Zoroastrian Religion Class was held by Telephone on July 27th 2014 by Jo Ann Dastur & Ervad Soli P. Dastur from Dallas Dar-e-Meher, Dallas, Texas.
North American Zoroastrian Religious Tele – Class –Sunday April 6th 2014 11 AM EDST
Gahambars
Ervad Soli P. Dastur
A Zoroastrian Religion Class was held by Telephone on April 6th 2014 by Jo Ann Dastur & Ervad Soli P. Dastur from their home, Hira Villa, in Sarasota, Florida.
There were about 37 callers with multiple people listening together in some homes by calling a Tele-meeting phone number. The people were from both Canada and USA, from NY to Chicago and San Diego, Montreal to Miami, Dallas to NJ. The class material was a PowerPoint Presentation sent ahead of time to all participants in PDF format.
The three PDF documents were sent out to all giving details about this Tele Class.
Some Tele Classes ago, we covered a cursory look at the Zarathushtri Custom, nay requirement, for holding Gahambars as the community gathering. In our scriptures, it is one of the requirements for the Zarathushtris to hold 6 Gahambars a year, to thank Dadar Ahura Mazda for his 6 creations! In the olden days in Iran, this has been a custom followed religiously to this day. In India, many small villages used to hold them at least once a year.The full credit to revive Gahambars in India goes to the First Baronet Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy who donated to Bombay Parsi Punchayat a handsome sum of money to revive the Gahambars in Mumbai. This original fund has mushroomed over the century and BPP still holds Gahambars in Mumbai from this donation.Sir JJ also donated handsome sums to small towns like Navsari, Surat, etc. for the same purpose which is also still followed in these towns to date.So, in this Tele Class on April 6th, we will present detailed history of the Gahambars, how they were celebrated in Iran in the olden days and today, how they were celebrated in olden India and continued to date, and how the various diasporas all over the world celebrate them today.At the end, we would like to make a fervent plea to FEZANA, NAMC and all NA Z Associations to celebrate our 6 Gahambars correctly according to the Fasli (seasonal) calendar.We will have an opportunity to do so during our upcoming NAZC in LA in December when the correct Maidhyarem Gahambar falls on 12/31 – 1/4. I am also making a fervent plea to LA Z Associations in charge of this NAZC to celebrate this Gahambar on our traditional Gala Evening of 12/31 with a Satum prayer with all the Mobeds present praying together.We will end this Tele Class by performing the traditional Cyber Hum Bandagi and Cyber Hama Zor Greeting.Hope you all understand the importance of Gahambars and enjoy these interesting history and current practice of Gahambars all over the world!. Soli started the class off by thanking all the participants (37 callers in all) especially Kersi and Dolly Munshi, Tele Class coordinator, ZAF President Furrokh & Khushnam, etc. who took time of their busy schedule to attend and support our Tele Classes. He also thanked FEZANA VP Homi Gandhi for attending the Tele Class. After covering the main subject of Gahambars, we performed our customary cyber Hum Bandagi in English, from Dr. Dhalla’s book: Homage Unto Ahura Mazda. The subject was:
“Birth of Zarathushtra”,
by reciting all together ending with our signature Zoroastrian greeting of: “Hamaa Zor, Hamaa Asho Bade” (May we be united in righteousness) performed by all attending the Class, a cyber Hamaa Zor all over North America! Read more
This is the second video of a Jashan Ceremony to bless a new home. The family was moved flawlessly by Short Notice Movers Inc. so the ceromony could start on time as planned.
Many of you have requested me to record a video of a Jashan Ceremony so that many of you, and especially the young Navarias can view, listen and follow how a Jashan Ceremony is performed and prayed.
In this spirit, Jo Ann and I have recorded this Jashan Ceremony for your view. Please note that me being from Udwada Sanjana 9 Families, the prayers are according to the Sanjana Mobeds. Praying for over an hour without a book is quite challenging and in so doing, a minor error or a few words or sentences may have been omitted unintentionally and I beg forgiveness from Dadar Ahura Mazda and you all for the same. Hope you all understand this.
So, here is the description of this Jashan Ceremony video:
This Jashan Ceremony video was recorded by Mrs. Jo Ann Dastur and Ervad Soli P. Dastur, living in Hira Villa, Sarasota, Florida, USA.
Ervad Soli was asked to perform a Jashan by M/M Manijeh & Rustom Kermani to celebrate their new House Warming in their beautiful home in Orlando, FL, on Sunday September 1st 2013, Shehenshahi Roj Dae-pa-Meher, Maah Farvardin, 1383 YZ.
The main purpose of recording this video is to be a training help to young Ervads world over so they know correct procedure, pronunciations, and rituals of the Jashan Ceremony.
Further more, I have been asked by many a Parsi/Irani Zarathushtris friends to have such a video for the Behdins in remote areas where sometime it is hard to get a Mobed to perform the Jashan Ceremony. It is hoped that such a Behdin or Anjuman can play this video as a substitute for a Mobed.
The Jashan contains the Deebaache (Introduction), three Kardaas of Daadaadaar Ahura Mazda, Daham and Sarosh, ending in 3 Aafrins of Ardaafravash, Buzorgaan and Hafta Ameshaashpands, ending in the Doa Tandoorasti for the Kermani family.
At the very end, Ervad Soli in his customary fashion explained some points about our religion which he calls them: Jashan Side Chats!
Today, he explained how Daadaadaar Ahura Mazda created the whole world in six stages, each with a particular creation, like Sky, Waters, Earth, Vegetation, Animal Kingdom and finally HIS most loved creation, The Mankind! He then explained how these 6 creations of Ahura Mazda are represented in the items of a Jashan.
Then he followed this with the explanation of the Joti and Raathwi in a typical Jashan, the Flower Ceremony, and striking the Karasyaa on 4 Cardinal points and 4 corners so as to represent the whole world around us and spreading Jashan Prayers in all directions.
I come from the Dastur Family of Udwada, one of the 9 Families entrusted the care of the Holy Iranshah Atash Behram. I was in that wonderful Boarding School of MF Cama Athornan Institute for 9 years, 1945 – 1954, and was trained by unbelievably devoted Athornan Teachers, themselves Yozdaathregar Mobeds, in all aspects of Mobedi Profession. I became Navar, Martab and Saamel in that beautiful Iranshah Atash Behram under the watchful eyes of seasoned and expert Yozdaathregar Mobed Saahebs, for which I am very grateful.
Due to this orientation of my family coming from 9 Sanjana Families Panth (referred to sometimes as Udwadias or Sanjanas), I have used the Jashan Prayers performed by my Sanjana forefathers, which may be a little different from other Panths.
We hope it is of some value to our Zarathushtri Humdins all over the world!
May the Flame of Fellowship, Love, Charity and Tolerance burn ever eternal in our hearts so we can do HIS work with humility, diligence and eternal enthusiasm!
Atha Jamyaat, Yatha Aafrinaamahi! (May it be so as we wish?)
Zoroastrian Religious Topics after a Jashan Ceremony
During our 5th Annual South FL 5 Muktad Gatha Prayers and the Navroze Jashan, August 13th through 18th, after Jashan prayers each of the 5 Gatha Days and on Navroze, Ervad Soli P. Dastur gave a few minutes explanation of our various religious items and prayers like President Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats. We coined them: Jashan-Side Chats.
Our very good friend, Jaspar Pardiwalla recorded the first two of them on his cell phone and Jo Ann and I recorded the last two Jashan Side Chats for the benefit of all.
Here are these four Jashan Side Chats given by Ervad Soli P. Dastur.
A Zoroastrian Religion Class was held by Telephone on June 30th 2013 by Jo Ann Dastur & Ervad Soli P. Dastur from their home, Hira Villa, in Sarasota, Florida.
There were about 31 callers with multiple people listening together in some homes by calling a Tele-meeting phone number. The people were from both Canada and USA, from NY to Chicago and Los Angeles, Montreal to Miami. The class material was a PowerPoint Presentation sent ahead of time to all participants in PDF format.
In November 2011, Rohinton Rivetna, one of the founders of the Society of Scholars of Zoroastrian Religion (SSZ) requested me to present some material from the 101 letters book of Dr. Ervad J. J. Modi’s 502 page tome: My Travels Outside Mumbai. He started his travels in a boat from Mumbai in 1925 and after 208 days he returned home visiting Africa, Europe, USSR, Iraq, Iran, Karachi, etc. He took meticulous notes during his travels, observing, discussing many subjects and comparing them, especially in Iran and Iraq, with our Parsi customs of that time. I have used item 4 above from this presentation.
Soli started the class off by thanking all the participants (31 callers in all) especially Kersi and Dolly Munshi, Tele Class coordinator, ZAF President Furrokh & Khushnam, etc. who took time of their busy schedule to attend and support our Tele Classes.
He also thanked FEZANA UN NGO Committee Co-Chair Persons Homi, Behram, and Afreed Mistry for awarding Jo Ann and him a replica of the Cyrus Cylinder for all the FEZANA work performed by them, especially the Tele Classes. Soli assured all that this award will be prominently placed in their Hira Villa.
He then described Jo Ann and his visit to Manhattan for performing a wedding and then staying over to visit the Cyrus Cylinder Exhibit at the NY MET starting June 20th. He presented some photos of the exhibit.
After covering the above 4 subjects, we performed our customary cyber Hum Bandagi in English,from Dr. Dhalla’s book: Homage Unto Ahura Mazda:
“Zarathushtra is Lord of Mankind”,
by reciting all together ending with our signature Zoroastrian greeting of: “Hamaa Zor, Hamaa Asho Bade” (May we be united in righteousness) performed by all attending the Class, a cyber Hamaa Zor all over North America!
Agenda Slide with Discussed Topics
A young Zarathushtri at the Sanctum
Sistan as the Prime Meridian in Zarathushtra’s Time
In most homes, families gathered in front of their computers following slides of this presentation as I spoke about them from my home.
We also request all of you to suggest what topics we should cover in the next Tele Classes.
Many of the interested Humdins want us to place this one hour class as an Internet video. We have done that already and placed it in 5 segments on YouTube.
You can access them here :
May the Flame of Fellowship, Love, Charity and Tolerance burn ever eternal in our hearts so we can do HIS work with humility, diligence and eternal enthusiasm! Atha Jamyaat, Yatha Aafrinaamahi! (May it be so as we wish?) Love and Tandoorasti, Soli
North American Zoroastrian Religious Tele – Class – Sunday June 2nd 2013 11 AM EDST
Zoroastrian Subjects
Ervad Soli P. Dastur
A Zoroastrian Religion Class was held by Telephone on June 2nd 2013 by Jo Ann Dastur & Ervad Soli P. Dastur from their home, Hira Villa, in Sarasota, Florida.
There were about 38 callers with multiple people listening together in some homes by calling a Tele-meeting phone number. The people were from both Canada and USA, from NY to Chicago and Los Angeles, Montreal to Miami. The class material was a PowerPoint Presentation sent ahead of time to all participants in PDF format.
The three PDF documents were sent out to all of you as attachments to the last message giving details about this Tele Class.
They were:
1. 20130602 NA Tele Class Zoroastrian Subjects.pdf – PowerPoint slides for the Tele Class
North American Zoroastrian Religious Tele – Class – Sunday April 21st 2013 11 AM EDST
Zoroastrian Death Ceremonies in Indian Sub-Continent and North America!
Ervad Soli P. Dastur
A Zoroastrian Religion Class was held by Telephone on April 21st 2013 by Jo Ann Dastur & Ervad Soli P. Dastur from their home, Hira Villa, in Sarasota, Florida.
There were about 34 callers with multiple people listening together in some homes by calling a Tele-meeting phone number. The people were from both Canada and USA, from NY to Chicago and Los Angeles, Montreal to Miami. The class material was a PowerPoint Presentation sent ahead of time to all participants in PDF format.
After I sent out all the materials for this Tele Class, my very good friend and Past Chief Editor of FEZANA Journal, Roshan Rivetna, was very appreciative of the Tele Class materials and informed me that when she was the Chief Editor, they published the FEZANA 2005 Winter issue on the specific subject: Death and Beyond – Doctrine and Practice – on pages 31 thru 118 with a wonderful series of articles on all subjects of Zoroastrian Death Ceremonies. Click Here to view this issue online. Thank you Roshan and your wonderful associates for a wonderful issue on Zoroastrian Death Ceremonies.
Topic:
In this class, many of you have requested detailed information about the Zoroastrian Death ceremonies, especially as it relates to us in NA.
To follow up on this request, we have created this Tele Class giving details about:
1. Zoroastrian (Z) Death Ceremonies – Scripture References
2. Z DeathCeremonies performed in Indian Sub-Continent
3. Z Death Ceremonies performed in North America (NA)
We have collected pertinent information from many resources and are grateful to their authors.
We have also given a detailed list for NA of “What to do” in case of a death in the family.
North American Zoroastrian Religious Tele – Class – Sunday March 10th 2013 11 AM EDST
Background, History and content of Cyrus Cylinder and its Universal Appeal in present day!
Ervad Soli P. Dastur
A Zoroastrian Religion Class was held by Telephone on March 10th 2013 by Jo Ann Dastur & Ervad Soli P. Dastur from their home, Hira Villa, in Sarasota, Florida.
There were about 33 callers with multiple people listening together in some homes by calling a Tele-meeting phone number. The people were from both Canada and USA, from NY to Dallas and Los Angeles, Montreal to Miami. The class material was a PowerPoint Presentation sent ahead of time to all participants in PDF format.
In this class, by popular demand starting with Behram Pastakia’s suggestion, we covered in details the ancient Iranian history and culture surrounding the Cylinder of Cyrus the Great! Read more
North American Zoroastrian Religious Tele – Class –
Sunday December 2nd 2012 11 AM EST
Soli and Jo Ann presenting the Tele Class
A Zoroastrian Religion Class was held by Telephone on December 2nd 2012 by Jo Ann Dastur & Ervad Soli P. Dastur from their home, Hira Villa, in Sarasota, Florida. There were about 38 callers with multiple people listening together in some homes by calling a Tele-meeting phone number. The people were from both Canada and USA, from NY to Dallas and Los Angeles, Montreal to Miami. The class material was a PowerPoint Presentation sent ahead of time to all participants in PDF format.
This Tele Class covered the basic Zarathushtri Religion Core Beliefs. Ervad Dastur was asked to present an interactive discussion of the same subject by North American Zoroastrian Congress (NAZC) held in Rye NY under the auspices of Zoroastrian Association of Greater NY (ZAGNY) and FEZANA. In this 30 minute presentation, Ervad Dastur used a question/answer approach between 6 young Zarathushtris, 3 male and 3 female, representing 6 Amesha Spentas. They were: representing three female Amesha Spentas – Ms. Freya Motafram, Ms. Behrose Taraporewalla, Ms. Monaz Mistry, and representing three male Amesha Spentas – Ervad Viraf Nariman, Ervad Karl Khambatta and Mr. Sam Merchant. I am truly grateful for their help and I am grateful to ZAGNY and NAZC for giving me this opportunity to discuss this important subject.
This Tele Class is an expanded version of this talk to cover one hour. Soli started the class off by thanking all the participants especially FEZANA President Katayun Kapadia and Vice President Homi Gandhi who took time of their busy schedule to attend and support our Tele Classes.
Agenda Slide with Discussed Topics
The agenda covered the topics: Who do we profess to be?; The statement: Our Core Beliefs are the original teachings of Zarathushtra; What are our basic Core Beliefs of today?; Core Beliefs and Amesha Spentas; and a few verses from Zarathushtra’s Gathas and later scriptures. Soli explained why Zarathushtra was brought to the earth by Dadar Ahura Mazda, what were his basic teachings, how did he communicated with Ahura Mazda, How do Amesha Spentas point to our Core Beliefs, how do we attain Wholeness and Deathlessness using his teachings and the Amesha Spentas attributes of Ahura Mazda, How did Parsi Thy Name Is Charity came about, etc. In the end, Soli pointed out how Zarathushtra wanted to work in harmony with his people to follow the Zarathushtri Religion (Hoshbam Prayer). In order to explain the origin of our Hama Zor Greeting, he explained the first few Paras of Ardafravash Afrin which teaches us to work in harmony with all Mazdayasnian Zarathushtrians!
Finally, as it is becoming our custom, the permanent question: “We do not understand what we are praying in our daily prayers” was answered by suggesting some alternatives. The final prayer in English, from Dr. Dhalla’s book: Homage Unto Ahura Mazda:
“We pray for unity, communal, national and international”,
was recited by all together ending with our signature Zoroastrian greeting of: “Hamaa Zor, Hamaa Asho Bade” (May we be united in righteousness) performed by all attending the Class, a cyber Hamaa Zor all over North America! Read more
North American Zoroastrian Religious Tele – Class – Sunday September 23rd 2012 11 AM EDST – Ervad Soli P. Dastur
A Zoroastrian Religion Class was held by Telephone onSeptember 23rd 2012 by Jo Ann Dastur & Ervad Soli P. Dastur. Usually, this class is conducted from their home, Hira Villa, in Sarasota, Florida. The last Tele Class, at the kind invitation of our own Dinyar Mehta, Perzid Ichhaporia and other Orlando Z friends, the class was conducted from a conference room of Dinyar’s Wingate Hotel in Orlando.
This time, at the kind invitation of our friends in ZAF, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Boca Raton and surrounding areas, the Tele Class was broadcasted from a conference room in Quality Inn, Sawgrass Conference Center, 1711 N University Drive, Plantation, FL 33322.
Agenda Slide with Discussed Topics
There were about 25 ZAF friends in the conference room. Also, about 40+ people joined in by calling a Tele-meeting phone number. The people were from both Canada and USA, from NY to Dallas, Montreal to Miami. The class material was a PowerPoint Presentation sent ahead of time to all participants in PDF format.
This Tele Class covered the details of the Parsi and Irani Wedding Ceremonies. Ervad Dastur pointed out in the first slide that this whole month is auspicious in the sense that all our 3 Zoroastrian Calendars have same Roj (Day)! Reference books for Parsi and Irani weddings were covered. A new book on Persian Wedding by Bijan Moridani was found and acquired by Soli through Internet. The book covers very detailed descriptions of current customs and ceremonies of the Zoroastrian Irani weddings in Iran as well as those in the ancient times. He then pointed out that the oldest reference in our scriptures about weddings is given in his own poetic verses by none other than our own Asho Zarathushtra in his Vahishtoishti Gatha Yasna 53.3 – 7 at the auspicious occasion of the wedding of his youngest daughter Pouruchisti to Jamaspa Hvogava! He then covered details of Parsi wedding customs and ceremonies using Roshan Bharucha and late Mrs. Perin Hormusji’s Gujarati booklet translated by Mrs. Sharda Deshmukh on behalf of the FKS Foundation, available from the Parsiana Book Club.
The Customs and Ceremonies of the Irani Weddings were then discussed. He was greatly helped by respected Dasturji Mobed Mehraban Firouzgary of Tehran and his nephew Mobed Ramin Shahzadi and his wife Mobedyar Parva Namiranian. Dasturji has been helping Soli over a long period in many subjects related to our religious practices in current Iran. He gave a detailed description of the Irani wedding and Ramin and Parva sent photos and video clips of their wedding performed by Mobed Mehraban. I am deeply indebted to them for helping me in this Tele Class. Ashirwad Prayers of Parsi and Irani wedding ceremonies were described and their meaning in English were also covered.
Irani Style Aachhu Michhu
Finally, as it is becoming our custom, the permanent question: “We do not understand what we are praying in our daily prayers” was answered by suggesting some alternatives. Before we all recited the prayer, Soli presented the first part of the Atash Nyayesh performed by our own Mobed Ervad Kobad Jamshed in his sonorous voice together with the pealing of the bell! The final prayer in English, from Dr. Dhalla’s book: Homage Unto Ahura Mazda: “Ashirvad sanctifies the union of two hearts”, was recited by all together ending with our signature Zoroastrian greeting of: “Hamaa Zor, Hamaa Asho Bade” (May we be united in righteousness) performed by all attending the Class, a cyber Hamaa Zor all over North America! Read more
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