Zoroastrianism settlement that were there in Parsiwada...Diu...

https://iranicaonline.org/articles/parsi-communities-i-early-history

Link👆🏾 for those who wish to read up on Zoroastrianism and Zoroastrians (Parsees as we are locally called in India)

I was told we used to have an agiary and a dakhmu in Diu... So it was first on my list to hunt down...
Thankfully the first person I asked for help was very happy to have met 2 parsees in his hometown... He volunteered to take us triple seat on his Enfield to the above 2 places...
The Fire temple has been converted into a temple of learning for the past 25 years... Prior to that I was informed that for over 60 or 70 years the place had shut down as Zarthostis had left the place way back... No worshippers no Fire temple and Dakhmu is like a picnic spot...

The Dakhmu or Cemetery shut probably 80 years back

Below are my picture story of a community that is still very very fondly remembered by the locals...

The Fire Temple that was... Remanats of a vibrant past...
The dadgah now converted into an alter...
Basic structure remains... Tiling done but still considered a sacred worship area...
Temple of Learning for young impressionable citizens of tomorrow's dawn...
The well has been left un touched...still being used to draw water...
The arches too haven't been tampered.
Exit out of the complex...

The Parsees Dakhmu ( Cemetry).
There are 2 wells and a bungli...land is huge and walled off... I was told govt.is caring for it... 

the bungli

It has been desicrated with vulgar scribbles... Didnt want to click the scribbles.
I never ever thought in my life time I would enter one of these alive.

Since its been non active for 80yrs. I was ok to enter...it did feel vv strange to me...


The small door in the well to the outside world...
well near bungli
Bungli
inside the bungli
you can see the dakhmu from the bungli
on our way out
For visiting the Doongerwadi asked for Solar Power Plant...it is right next to it.
when visiting Gangeshwar temple there is a diversion for the Doongerwadi known as Parsi Nangli (the board aas been removed...you may not find it).

From Google bhai...  👇🏾

Interestingly, few know that it was the island of Diu on which the Parsis first landed when they migrated to India, after the fall of the Sassanian Empire in Iran in the 8th century. According to Parsi lore, they spent 19 years on the island, before they set sail for Sanjan, also on the west coast of India, in Gujarat...

Like the Fire Temples, functioning Towers of Silence are out of bounds except for Parsis, alive or dead. There was a thriving Parsi community on the island of Diu, a Portuguese colony until 1961. Several decades ago, the last of the Parsis living in Diu left the island to settle elsewhere.

This lone statue is of a Parsees gentleman who started the first liquour making outlet (bhatti) in Diu... (As told to me by the locals)

Comments

  1. Anonymous7 January 2023 at 23:20

    Unbelievable and very Informative, younger generation take interest to find out more where AATESHPADSHA STAYED FOR SO LONG LIKE BAHROT AND OTHER PLACES, REGARDS

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8 January 2023 at 23:56

    Excellent presentation with informative text and meaningful photographs.
    What could have been verbose and dull was fortunately presented in an interesting manner. Well done Diana

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9 January 2023 at 09:56

    Thanx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous11 January 2023 at 02:30

    Thanks Diana for bringing out this very valuable information about our Fire Temple & Dakhmu in Diu. Not many people know about this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous1 February 2023 at 22:34

      Yes...even I got to know very late in life but was always keen to visit our past heritage

      Delete
  5. Anonymous13 January 2023 at 07:03

    Sourcing out people for the same made an intersting journey for me.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous18 January 2023 at 09:41

    Salute to you Diana for unearthing and presenting to us such a rich heritage of our Zoroastrian religion. Big thank you to those persons who are doing a wonderful job of maintaining these properties in Bhuj, Jamnagar and Diu.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous18 January 2023 at 11:15

    Very nicely done. If you are looking for forgotten places, look for a place called Nimach in MP. They had a functioning agiari and a dakhmu. Bodies were brought from as far away as Udaipur for dokhmenshini. Male Parsee family and friends acting as nasesalars would drive non- stop after removing the doors on the vehicle, washing the vehicle and placing the body on ice slabs. After reaching town the ceremonies would be performed, body was placed on an iron gurney and a walking procession would set out 7-10 miles to the dakhma.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23 January 2023 at 01:54

      Thanx for sharing this bit of the past...

      Delete
  8. Anonymous18 January 2023 at 19:00

    Excellent find, Diana.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous23 January 2023 at 01:54

    Thanx...enjoyed my journey

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous24 February 2023 at 12:58

    Exciting and well informative to our young generation kids. Congratulations to Diana for such publications and educational tpoic. God Bless.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous25 February 2023 at 04:07

    Glad its appreciated

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous22 April 2023 at 00:38

    Excellent job done . May DADAR AhuraMazda help her in all her endeavour. Thanks for the information.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous26 April 2024 at 16:33

    Enjoyed your photographs and writing style , but the English language Nazi in me spotted the desicrated instead of desecrated , sorry ! Keep it up or as they say in Farsi ; Khaili Khub !

    ReplyDelete

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