Kasti is the thread worn by the Parsis around their waist. It is ceremonially awarded to children of the age 7 to 9, to welcome them into the Parsi community. This ceremony is called Navjot. On entering a fire temple, one must clean their face, hands, and feet and wipe them dry. This is further followed by the tying and untying of the Kasti without letting it touch the ground. The very idea of Kasti is to keep oneself free of all negativities in the world.

Five Prayers: For Zoroastrians, a day is further divided into 5 Gehs (which means ‘time’ in Avestan, the official language of the Parsis), each signifying a particular aspect of the day. Each geh has a duration of 4 to 5 hours and prayers are said in each one of them. These Gehs are the following:

1.    Havan (time of Haoma)

2.    Rapithwin (mid-day)

3.    Uziran ( high part of the day)

4.    Aiwisruthrem (time for singing prayers)

5.    Ushahin (time for enhancing consciousness)

According to the Zoroastrian belief, the first and ... More

Kasti is the thread worn by the Parsis around their waist. It is ceremonially awarded to children of the age 7 to 9, to welcome them into the Parsi community. This ceremony is called Navjot. On entering a fire temple, one must clean their face, hands, and feet and wipe them dry. This is further followed by the tying and untying of the Kasti without letting it touch the ground. The very idea of Kasti is to keep oneself free of all negativities in the world.

Five Prayers: For Zoroastrians, a day is further divided into 5 Gehs (which means ‘time’ in Avestan, the official language of the Parsis), each signifying a particular aspect of the day. Each geh has a duration of 4 to 5 hours and prayers are said in each one of them. These Gehs are the following:

1.    Havan (time of Haoma)

2.    Rapithwin (mid-day)

3.    Uziran ( high part of the day)

4.    Aiwisruthrem (time for singing prayers)

5.    Ushahin (time for enhancing consciousness)

According to the Zoroastrian belief, the first and the last gehs (Havan and Ushahin) are the best times to perform high rituals.

Boi and maachi: Boi and Maachi are performed daily to tend and feed the fire by offering fragrant pieces of wood and thus safeguarding its immortality. Boi literally means ‘fragrance’. The sacred fire is seated on a stone platform which is ceremoniously washed, accompanied by a continuous recital of Atash Nyash (prayer). This ritual is performed five times a day during the five gehs.

During maachi a throne made of 2 to 9 firewood is offered to the sacred fire, and the sacred ashes are distributed to the people attending this ritual.

Muktad: Muktad is a joyous occasion for Zoroastrians to remember all Farvahis (departed ones) who left this world. The word ‘Muktad’ means ‘righteous’ in Avestan language. It is a ten day celebration, generally held on the last ten days of their religious calendar. According to Zoroastrian faith, the Farvahis descend to this world during Muktad and pay a visit to their respective households. A pleasant atmosphere should be created in the house to welcome the souls. For this Zoroastrians follow certain things which are as follows:

·         Select a small, clean area in the house, preferably covered with curtains. 

·         Put a table in the preferred area with a vase on top filled with clean water and flowers.

·         The vase should be cleaned, and water should be changed till the last day of Muktad, to keep the sanctity of the ceremony.

·         Place an incessantly burning diva on the table, next to the vase.

·         The members of the house can devote some time every day for prayers, including the rituals associated with Kasti and the daily five time prayers there.

·         It is thought that the proper commencement of Muktad, will propitiate the souls and Farhavis and they will shower blessings on the family members. 

Jasan: An important inner ritual of Zoroastrians, Jasan is conducted only during Havan Geh (one among the five Gehs). During this ritual, a stone table is set with certain implements (mainly utensils) and the ritual continues for a period of 2 to 3 hours presided by the chief priest and the assistant priest. Just before the ritual, water is drawn from a well, mixed with goat milk and Haoma (a special kind of juice) and thus purified. This water is shifted from one utensil to the others and is finally poured back to its original source, the well. It is symbolic of man’s lifecycle in which after purgation everyone has to go back to his original resting place.

Navjot: The most important ritual in the life of a child belonging to the Zoroastrian faith, is Navjot. The ritual is performed for both boys and girls between 7 and 9 years of age, to induct them into this faith. Navjot mainly happens at a fire temple during the morning time. During this ritual, children are ceremoniously awarded the Sadra “the sacred shirt” and ‘Kasti’, the sacred thread, to welcome them into the faith. A child has to reconfirm his faith in Ahura Mazda and Zarathushtra before accepting these sacred things.