Parsees and Pilgrimage...

My 2nd 48hrs. round trip from Mumbai to Surat and holy pilgrimage to 8 + 1 of our holy Fire temples... Of which 4 majore ones are in Mumbai itself.

(18th and 19 Jan 2023)

Started my day at 4.30 am alarm wake up, coffee and bath done... left for Charni road AtashBehram at 5.15 am...the first stop of the day and our meeting point... Time 5.30 am.

(image from internet)

Then the remaining 3 AtashBehrams in and near Dhobhi Talao area breakfast at Kayani... And off to Udwada...which is in Gujarat around 11am we started the drive towards Gujarat...

Lunch was at new WZO in Udwada ... Topped it off with 2 ice creams ... only for me...

a quick nap fresh up and then we could bow our head and say our prayers at Iranshah Saheb (takes me 50 minutes to pray at every Fire temple... I am the slowest in the group)... After that we left for Navsari ... Took the cross road left turn  instead of going straight towards highway we took the internal scenic route and heard my nephew grumble all the way... 

I liked the internal road he didnt.

Night was spent at a relative's home in Navsari... With a delicious home cooked meal... & cozy warm bed...and good company.

Dessert was at the famous ...

Jamshedji Tata's home now converted into a museum

Jamshedji Tata home

School for girls

Breakfast was a feast (nasto)

old home blocks... Navsari

Navsari narrow lanes

The famous Kolah shop

narrow lanes and lots of traffic

Navsari Fire temple

Navsari clock tower

To reach Surat was epic google took us through an extremely crowded narrow bazar area where we were frowned upon by all...

Surat Kadmi Fire Temple

coco milk shake... Yummmmm

Parsee General hospital...Surat

Surat AtashBehram...

Sukhad shop... Opp.Surat AtashBehram

Surat... Goti Adarian was the last stop for the day...

Traffic jam at Talasari...

Caffeine boost for the driver...

Home at last...I have Never seen a fog in Mumbai before ...

*~*~*~*

Some info below is from the religious whatsapp groups for people who wish to know a bit about the Parsee Religious way of LIFE...

(image from internet)

The article that is below is copied...

Authors name is shared.

It is just for info of all those people who wish to understand the different grades of Fire temples parsees have...

*AADAR is the Holy Fire,*

*(The Son of GOD).*

*Aatash Puthro, Ahura Mazdao*.

*So, it is our bounden duty to ensure its purity, and never allow it to be defiled.*

*With this mission and vision, our ancestors, 1392 years ago, to preserve and protect our Holy Fire from barbaric trials and tribulations, migrated from Persia (IRAN).*

*At Udwada, the consecrated, 1301-year old Fire of Iranshah is now tenderly taken care of by our Aathravaan Saahebs (Dasturjis, Mobeds, Ervads).*

*There are 3 stages of our Holy Fire, where its Flame is constantly being kept burning bright:*

*(1).*

*The Aatash Behram, where the consecrated fire is daily and religiously worshipped through "BOI" Ceremonies, 5-times a day.*

*(2).*

*The Aadariyaan/Agyari, where also, such "BOI" Ceremonies are performed, 5-times a day.*

*There are instances of Agyaris at Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar,Bhuj and many other cities/towns in India where, because of dismal population of Parsi-Jarthostis, and non-availability of Ervad Saahebs, such "BOI" Ceremonies are interrupted, or discontinued.*

*This, unfortunately leads to such Agyaries of Glory, becoming Aatash Daadgaah.*

*(3).*

*The Fire at Aatash Daadgaah is non-consecrated.*

*Hence here, though "BOI" Ceremonies are quite desirable, these are not mandatory.*

*A BEHDIN can also take daily care of the Aatash Daadgaah though, he cannot perform any "BOI" Ceremony.*

Courtesy Naval Uncle

Article no.2

Copied from WhatsApp

Author's name at end of article.

What is the difference between Pak Iranshah Atashbehram and the other 7 Atashbehrams ?

Why is the number of logs in the Machhi different for both these Atashbehrams ?

Why is there a difference in the Buoy ceremony among the two.

Before we answer this question, for the sake of "newcomers" we need to simplify things. The permanent planetary world referred to as Hasti (Avesta = Haiytheng Asti) has 7 Asmans or heavens. Over and above this is the Minoi Alaam or the spiritual world having two more Asmans, which are the 8th Empreyan and the 9th - Abode of Dadar Ahura Mazda where the fire energy of Athro Ahurae Mazdao Puthra operates.

All Pak Atashbehram sahebs contain a combination of 16 fires, one of which is the fire of lightning known as Atash-e-Vazisht. Pak Iranshah being the source of Pav Mahal on this Geti is categorized as Awwal Grade or first grade Atashbehram and the other 7 as Duvvam grade or second grade Atashbehram.

Pak Iranshah was consecrated by Dasturan Dastur Nairyosang Dhaval. He being an Abed saheb had the power to pull down or attract the Atash-e-Vazisht fire energy to the Chakki present on the earth at his feet. Wheras in the case of the other 7 Atashbehrams, the fire of lightning was taken from forest fires.

Pak Iranshah being Awwal grade has its connection with the 9th Asman of the Minoi Alaam where the fire energy of Athro Ahurae Mazdao Puthra operates wheras the other 7 Atashbehrams are connected to the 6th Burjishi Asman of Jupiter in Hasti. This is the reason why there are 9 log Machhi used at Pak Iranshah wheras there is a 6 log Machhi being used at the other 7. Jehangirji Chiniwala in his article on the Atashbehram Buoy ceremony mentions the total logs to be 7 in case of Duvvam grade but we have always seen and witnessed only 6.

Whenever an Atashbehram is consecrated all the 16 fires are individually collected and purified. This purification process involves performance of Pav Mahal ceremonies, the Yazashne and the Vendidad. A combination of these 2 ceremonies is known as a "Jyot". In case of the other 7 Atashbehrams of Duvvam grade, the Jyots required are 1128 for each of them. In case of Pak Iranshah the total number of Jyots is 16,594 .

In the Buoy ceremony at Pak Iranshah, a bell is struck once first after which pieces of Sandalwood are offered then again 9 bells are struck wheras in the other 7 Atshbehrams only 9 bells are struck. The first bell that is struck is the one that connects Dadar AhuraMazda to his son (puthra) on earth, this puthra is the Atash referred to in the Niayesh. Just when this connection is setup all father and son connections get fulfilled.

The Kadmi Tola has a differing system but there are sub divisions within also. The Pak Banaji Atashbehram following the Shehanshahi way and the Pak Dadyseth Atashbehram striking the bell on the words "Saoche Buye Ahmi Namane",

By: Ervad Behram Dhabhar.