In the Persian Empire of the book of Esther, the Gnostic fire ... - WBM
In the Persian Empire of the book of Esther, the Gnostic fire ... - WBM
In the Persian Empire of the book of Esther, the Gnostic fire ... - WBM
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Zoroastrianism<br />
n November 26, 2008,<br />
a Pakistan-based<br />
terrorist group<br />
unleashed three days<br />
<strong>of</strong> fatal strikes on Mumbai,<br />
<strong>In</strong>dia. People around <strong>the</strong> world<br />
looked on in horror as <strong>the</strong> attacks,<br />
primarily in <strong>the</strong> city’s high-class sou<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
end, targeted economic, tourist, transportation,<br />
and medical centers. Beyond <strong>the</strong> obvious<br />
tragedy for <strong>the</strong> residents <strong>of</strong> Mumbai, <strong>the</strong><br />
majority <strong>of</strong> whom are Hindu, for two small<br />
religious groups with communities spread<br />
across <strong>the</strong> globe, <strong>the</strong> Mumbai assault struck<br />
personally. The Parsis – a group <strong>of</strong> Zoroastrians<br />
who immigrated to <strong>In</strong>dia from Iran in <strong>the</strong><br />
Middle Ages due to religious persecution –<br />
witnessed <strong>the</strong> attacks up close. For centuries,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Parsi community has been concentrated<br />
in South Mumbai, and some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> structures<br />
targeted were proud symbols <strong>of</strong> its success on<br />
<strong>the</strong> subcontinent. Among Jews, <strong>the</strong> focus <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> attacks was <strong>the</strong> Chabad House – a spiritual<br />
and physical watering hole for Israeli and o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
Jewish tourists located in an old Zoroastrian<br />
landmark known as Nariman House. Three<br />
years on, <strong>the</strong> attacks remain a painful memory<br />
for Jews. <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> Israeli media, discussions <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Mumbai tragedy are <strong>of</strong>ten heartbreakingly<br />
juxtaposed with a photo <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> smiling, radiant<br />
young religious couple who ran <strong>the</strong> Chabad<br />
House, who were murdered <strong>the</strong>re along with<br />
four o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
A few months before <strong>the</strong> attacks, I was living<br />
in Manhattan’s Little <strong>In</strong>dia. One rainy Friday<br />
afternoon, I sat down with anthropologist Leila<br />
Vevaina <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> New School,<br />
who was writing a <strong>the</strong>sis<br />
on notions <strong>of</strong> communal<br />
space in Mumbai’s Parsi<br />
neighborhood, where she<br />
was born. <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> her<br />
research, Leila had learned <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jewish<br />
concept <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> eruv and was fascinated by <strong>the</strong><br />
way eruvin have encouraged Orthodox Jews<br />
to congregate in neighborhoods delineated by<br />
ritual poles and strings. Leila interviewed me<br />
extensively. As a “native informer,” I initiated<br />
her into <strong>the</strong> intricate and controversial world<br />
<strong>of</strong> eruv building. For my part, I learned<br />
about <strong>the</strong> distinctively rich texture <strong>of</strong> Parsi<br />
life. As I listened to Leila’s descriptions <strong>of</strong><br />
her family-centered community, with its<br />
emphasis on education, drive, and success, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> intertwining <strong>of</strong> ritual and food, it began<br />
to sound familiar. Knowing she had done<br />
considerable field work in South Mumbai, I<br />
sent her an e-mail when <strong>the</strong> attacks struck to<br />
check that she was safe. I was relieved to learn<br />
that, although shaken, she and her family had<br />
escaped harm.<br />
One or Two?<br />
My observations about <strong>the</strong> similarities between<br />
Jews and Parsis are not <strong>the</strong> product <strong>of</strong> a private<br />
idiosyncrasy. <strong>In</strong>dians <strong>of</strong>ten refer to Parsis as<br />
“<strong>the</strong> Jews <strong>of</strong> <strong>In</strong>dia” – something <strong>of</strong> a misnomer,<br />
since Jews have been in <strong>In</strong>dia longer than<br />
Parsis. Recent writings on Zoroastrianism<br />
abound with comparisons to Jews and <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
The name<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> arch<br />
villain, Haman,<br />
seems to<br />
come from<br />
hammanah –<br />
“<strong>of</strong> like mind”<br />
– for rulers<br />
tend to cherish<br />
yes-men<br />
The victories <strong>of</strong> Darius I are<br />
depicted on a monument in<br />
Behistun, Iran. This section<br />
shows Darius, at center, facing<br />
his captives. The inscription<br />
proclaims Ahura Mazda as <strong>the</strong><br />
deity who granted Darius his<br />
kingdom<br />
Photo: dynamosquito<br />
The Faravahar symbol has<br />
come to represent <strong>the</strong><br />
Zoroastrian religion over <strong>the</strong><br />
centuries, although opinion<br />
is divided as to whe<strong>the</strong>r it<br />
depicts Ahura Mazda or <strong>the</strong><br />
“ancient souls” also revered<br />
by Zoroastrians. Wall painting<br />
from a <strong>fire</strong> temple in Taft, Iran<br />
Photo: Alan D. Coogan<br />
32 February/March 2012 www.segulamag.com