130 / 822
Eternal India
encyclopedia
Marriage
*
The young couple sit facing each other.
*
The priest places a cloth between them and ties the ends round
their chains.
*
The bride's right hand placed in the groom's fight hand and tied
seven times with a piece of twine.
*
Prayers recited.
*
At a signal from the priest, an assistant holding the
afarghan
(fire censer) feeds the fire with sandalwood and incense.
*
At this point the cloth curtain is removed.
*
The bride and groom throw a fistful of uncooked rice held in
their left hands on each other symbolising prosperity.
*
Then follow
pazand
and
avesta
(admonitions and benedic-
tions) recited even in Sanskrit, with the priests throwing grains
of uncooked rice on the couple.
*
The ceremony concludes with a final blessing, presents to the
priests and visit to the Fire Temple to pay homage to the sacred
fire.
*
Prayers are said again and the
Atash Nyaesh
recited.
*
When the guests have departed and the dinner is over, the bride
goes to the groom's house, holding a small wick lamp in a
protective silver vase.
*
At the threshold, the husband lifts her over the lintel or else she
crosses it, the right foot first.
*
The lamp is kept burning in the bridal chamber all night.
Death
*
Some of the most beautiful prayers and ceremonies are centred
around death.
*
Funeral ceremonies continue for four consecutive days.
*
On the tenth day after death, certain prayers are recited both in
the home and the Fire Temple.
*
Prayers are recited*again after a month and then annually.
*
The dead body is disposed of in the Towers of Silence.
*
The flesh is devoured by birds of prey; after a few days the
bones are lowered into deep wells layered with charcoal, lime
and other minerals which dissolve the bones.
*
Thus the mortal remains are disposed of in a most hygienic
manner.
Muktad
*
Ceremonies in commemoration of the righteous dead, once a
year.
The Ijashne
*
Yasna
or
Ijashne,
an elaborate ceremony centred round the
preparation of haoma juice.
The Gahambars
*
The
Gahambars
(seasonal festival ceremonies) are six in the
year, signifying the proper season.
*
Midspring
Gahambar
(associated with the heavens).
*
Midsummer
Gahambar
(water).
*
Autumn
Gahambar
(the earth).
*
The
cattle - breeding season Gahambar
(vegetable creation).
*
The midwinter
Gahambar
(animal creation).
*
The spring
Gahambar
(man).
*
Each
Gahambar
lasts for five days.
RELIGIONS
Other ceremonies
*
The most spectacular and elaborate ceremony is the conse-
cration of the Fire Temple and the sacred fire, Atar or Atash.
*
Navar
and
Martab
(different grades of initiation into the
priesthood),
bershnum
and
khub
(purificatory ceremonies).
HOLY TEMPLES / PLACES
*
The earliest Fire Temple in India is the
Atash Behram
at
Sanjan, Gujarat, consecrated around 790 A.D.
*
At Udvada about 160 kms from Bombay, where the sacred fire
is continuously burning since 1741, is the holiest
Atash Behram
in India.
COMMONALITY
*
Vedic Hinduism and Zoroastrianism have a marked similarity.
Sanskrit words and words in the Avesta such as :
Sanskrit
Avesta
Veda
(knowledge)
A-Vista
(knowledge)
Soma
(an intoxicating drink)
Hoama
(equivalent to
Soma)
Yajna
(sacrifice)
Yasna
(worship, prayer)
Gita
(song)
Gasha
(song)
Atharvan
(fire priest)
Athraram
(fire priest)
LUMINARIES
*
Dadabhai Naoroji (1825-1917) - Grand Old Man of India.
*
Sir Phirozeshah Mehta (1845-1915) - Patriot, Jurist, founder -
Central Bank.
*
Sir Dinshaw Wachcha (1844-1936) - Governor, Imperial Bank;
President, Indian National Congress 1901.
*
Bhikaiji Cama (1861-1936) - Patriot, who fought for India's
freedom in England and France in the early years of this
century.
*
Nani Palkhivalla (1920) - Eminent Jurist.
*
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (1914)- Chief of Army Staff
(1969-72).
*
Dr Homi Jehangir Bhabha (1909-1966) - Nuclear Physicist.
*
Dr D.N. Wadia (1883-1969) - Scientist.
*
Dr Homi Sethna (1923) - Physicist.
*
Zubin Mehta (1936) - Renowned music conductor.
*
Sir Jamshetjee Jejeebhoy (1785-1859) - founder of J.J. School
of Arts, Bombay.
*
JN Tata (1839-1904) - Industrialist.
*
JRD Tata (1904-1993) - Industrialist.
*
Feroze Gandhi (1912-1960) - Nationalist, husband of Indira
Gandhi.
*
Sir Homi Mody (1883-1969) - Chairman, Central Bank of
India from 1938 - 1961, member of Viceroy's Executive
Council, Governor of Uttar Pradesh (1949-52).
*
R.K. Karanjia (1912) - Editor: Blitz.
*
D.F. Karaka (1911-1974) - Renowned Journalist.
*
Minoo Masani (1905) - General Secretary, Swatantra Party.
*
M.N. Dastur (1916) - Established Dasturco, the first Indian
firm of consulting engineers and Dastur Engineering Interna-
tional Gmbh at Dusseldorf in Germany, the first Indian firm of
International consulting engineers.
(E.N.P.U)