Mah Tir, Mah Bahman & Asfandarmad 1 Mah Asfandarmad 1369
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Mah Tir, Mah Bahman & Asfandarmad 1 Mah Asfandarmad 1369, Fravardin & l FEZAN A IN S I D E T HJ S I S S U E Federation of Zoroastrian • Summer 2000, Tabestal1 1369 YZ • Associations of North America http://www.fezana.org PRESIDENT: Framroze K. Patel 3 Editorial - Pallan R. Ichaporia 9 South Circle, Woodbridge, NJ 07095 (732) 634-8585, (732) 636-5957 (F) 4 From the President - Framroze K. Patel president@ fezana. org 5 FEZANA Update 6 On the North American Scene FEZ ANA 10 Coming Events (World Congress 2000) Jr ([]) UJIR<J~ AIL '14 Interfaith PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF '15 Around the World NORTH AMERICA 20 A Millennium Gift - Four New Agiaries in Mumbai CHAIRPERSON: Khorshed Jungalwala Rohinton M. Rivetna 53 Firecut Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776 Cover Story: (978) 443-6858, (978) 440-8370 (F) 22 kayj@ ziplink.net Honoring our Past: History of Iran, from Legendary Times EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Roshan Rivetna 5750 S. Jackson St. Hinsdale, IL 60521 through the Sasanian Empire (630) 325-5383, (630) 734-1579 (F) Guest Editor Pallan R. Ichaporia ri vetna@ lucent. com 23 A Place in World History MILESTONES/ ANNOUNCEMENTS Roshan Rivetna with Pallan R. Ichaporia Mahrukh Motafram 33 Legendary History of the Peshdadians - Pallan R. Ichaporia 2390 Chanticleer, Brookfield, WI 53045 (414) 821-5296, [email protected] 35 Jamshid, History or Myth? - Pen1in J. Mist1y EDITORS 37 The Kayanian Dynasty - Pallan R. Ichaporia Adel Engineer, Dolly Malva, Jamshed Udvadia 40 The Persian Empire of the Achaemenians Pallan R. Ichaporia YOUTHFULLY SPEAKING: Nenshad Bardoliwalla 47 The Parthian Empire - Rashna P. Ichaporia nenshad @yahoo.com 49 Sasanian Zoroastrianism: Nikan Khatibi The Changed Face of the Faith - Lovji Cama (949) 349-9492, [email protected] Tanaz Billimoria, Zal Karkaria, 54 Lest We Forget - Dinaz Kutar Rogers Pervez Mistry 56 Readers' Forum BUSINESS MANAGER-ADVERTISEMENTS Jamshed Gandi, Bertorelli & Co. 59 Youthfully Speaking - Nikan Khatibi and Nenshad bardoliwalla 150 Spear Street, Suite 1700 64 A Scientific Analysis of Nirang, Part II - Bm·zoo J. Nadjmi San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 905-0330, [email protected] 65 Prayer Corner - Kersey H. Antia SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER 65 Zarathushti Enterprise, Products and Services Rustom Kevala 69 Financial Corner - Jeny M. Kheradi 8812 Tuckerman Lane Potomac, MD 20854 72 Please Give From Your Heart (301) 765-0792, [email protected] 74 Matrimonials MAILING DAY CREW 75 Personals Dilshad Antia, Bachi Damkevala, Sunny Deboo, Freya Dhunjishaw, Adel 75 Milestones Engineer family, Dilnavaz Irani, Rashna 78 Events and Honors Ghadialy, Zarine Karanjia, Roshan Patel, Rivetna family, Farida Shroff, Aban 79 Profile: Yasmin Thanavala - Edible Inoculations Vazifdar, Zarine Weil ... Ardeshir B. Damania 8'1 Looking Back: ON THE CovER: Gateway of All Lands, Pesi Davar, Largesse in Singapore - Pesi B. Chacha built by Achaemenian emperor Xerxes I, at Persepolis, fifth century BCE. Zend Zend's Yazdani Bakery 84 Books and Such CovER DESIGN: Zenobia Rivetna ISSN 1068-2376 2 FEZANA JOURNAL- SPRING 2000 The darkest age of Zoroastrianism Pallan R. lchaporia Khushrow Parviz had succeeded in Mohammed had made Medina and Guest Editor extending the frontiers of the Sasa Mecca, his birth place, centers of an am honored to be invited as nian Empire almost to the extent of Arabian movement that the Arabs Guest Editor of this issue of the Achaemenid Empire, but at this developed into a world wide move FEZANA Journal. The theme critical juncture he was betrayed by ment by the conquest of Iran. "History of Iran: from Legendary his son. It is an irony of fate that After Mecca and Medina became Times Through the Sasanian Kobad II (Sheroy) died within a year Muslim, it was necessary to secure Empire" is very wide and checkered in an epidemic and was succeeded by allegiance of all the other desert Arab and can fill volumes. The response his infant son Ardashir III. He was tribal people. In the process of doing for submitting papers was substantial assassinated by Shahrbaraz, a Gen this, wars over water holes, scanty and we regret that we could not eral of the Persian Army. who seized pastures, men-at-arms and camels accommodate all, for which we seek the throne, and in turn was murdered were enlarged into international cam your understanding and indulgence. within two months. Anarchy set in paigns of expansion. Editor Roshan Rivetna and I have and resulted in a succession of short The vulnerability of Sasanid Zoroas done our best to put before you the time rulers. Yazdegard, grandson of trian Iran assisted the expansionist history of our ancestors in a clear, Khushrow came to the throne in 633 process. When Yazdegard Ill, the last concise and interesting manner. Of to become the last Sasanian king. Zoroastrian Sasanian sovereign came special interest and educational value The final blow. A perfect scenario was to the throne in 632, the year of may be the timeline of Zoroastrian in place for the tribal savagery of the Mohammed's death, he inherited an history in the context of major world united Arab Bedouins to cast the final empire weakened by Byzantine wars events [page 22]. blow. The prolonged exhausting hos and internal dissension. Rise and fall. Although the history tilities reduced the might and power of To present times. After the sad end of ancient Iran is a magnificent era of both Iran and Byzantium, opening the of the Sasanids, for century after cen superb art, architecture and learning door for a newly emerging force from tury, the Zoroastrian faith was perse and outstanding victories for the the Arabian desert to challenge both cuted in Iran and was practiced only Zoroastrian nation, it is also woefully the states and religions. After several in seclusion and with fear. replete with treachery, intrigue, encounters, the fate of the Empire was Some Zoroastrians emigrated to betrayal and inglorious defeats. A sealed in the Battle of Qadisiyya western India where they are now significant observation is the repeti (636/631 CE) on the Euphrates canal. concentrated in Mumbai. These 'Par tion of events one can discern in the Rustam, the Sasanian supreme Com sis' have preserved their sacred writ defeat and downfall of the Achaeme mander-in-Chief was killed. Cte ings and faithfully following their nians as well as the Sasanians. siphon, the Sasanian capital with all its religious tenets. So also those who Zoroastrian Sasanids did not learn vast treasures was now at the mercy of remained behind in Iran, have pre from history and were condemned to the victorious Arabs. served their ancient faith up through the present times. live it again and completely perish Yazdegard fled to Media and orga together with their religion, which nized a new resistance. The last bat Presently some Parsis and Iranian miraculously has survived among a tle was fought at Nihavand, south of Zoroastrians (after the 1979 revolu microscopic community today. Ramadan in 642, which finally ended tion) have migrated to western coun Beginning of the end. Byzantine all hopes of regaining the Empire. tries. Both are bravely facing new social and family values and their Emperor, Heraclius struck the first The darkest age. This was the blow to weaken Zoroastrian Sasanian children may be at great risk of being beginning of the darkest age of Iran. He defeated the Persians in 622 assimilated ethically and culturally Zoroastrianism. Yazdegard sought CE; again in 627 CE he invaded into the major religions of the west. refuge in one province after another, Atropatene (Azerbaijan), destroyed But they do not have to fear the until, in 651, he was assassinated the Great Fire Temple and entered the worst. The present trend towards bet near Merv by a miller for his jewel Tigris provinces. Before King ter understanding of their religion, clad sword. With the fall of the Khushrow Parviz could muster a resis together with the inherent strength of Empire, the fate of its religion was tance, he was treacherously murdered the religion, will aid them in keeping also sealed. by his son Sheroy who ascended the their faith intact. throne as Kobad II in 628. Sheroy It is necessary to grasp the back The lessons of history, particularly was born out of Khushrow's marriage ground of the emerging force of the events leading to the downfall of the to a Christian princess, Shirin. This Arabs to understand what made them Achaemenian and Sasanian Empires, regicide was the beginning of the end achieve victories over one of the need to be hammered in again and of Zoroastrian Iran. mightiest Empires in history. Prophet again, among all Zoroastrians, partic- FEZANA JOURNAL- SPRING 2000 3 ZSO celebrates millennium "" you had to be there! Over 500 Zoroastrians from all over dinner table was served red and toast at midnight, dancing until 2 am, North America (as well as from white wine, very generously spon and a rousing rendition of Chaiye places as far away as Venezuela, sored by Trade Wind Associates and Harne Zarthoshti ushered in the new Karachi and Mumbai) got together Millennium Travel. century. on December 31, at the Banquet Cen The highlight of the live entertain Hats off to the ZSO Entertainment tre in Mississauga, Ontario, to cele ment was a surprise appearance by Committee [above, from left, Maki brate the millennium. our very own "Indian Village Peo Trumble, Bapsy Surty, chair Meher A life-size lighted afarganyu created ple" in original costumes ranging Panthaky, Xerxes and Thrity Bamji, by Jal Panthaky greeted the guests. In from Parsi Bawaji (Len Trumble in a Pervaze and Roshan Rabadi, the true Zarathushti spirit, all the raf black daglo and red ijar) to Vania Mahrukh Bapooji, Gulrukh Patel fle and door prizes were donated by (Bejan Sidhwa in a dhoti) to Sardarji and Kamal Driver] for a memorable members of the community and were (Firdosh Bulsara in a Bhangra outfit) evening.