Rustam at Aktepa Yunus-Abad
I met Rustam Abdukamilov this morning. He claims to be a Zoroastrian, a scholar of the Avesta book and language, and a teacher of Zoroastrian history in public schools around Tashkent. Rustam is 53 years old, frugally dressed and wears a blue baseball cap with an Asho Farohar (the ubiquitous winged angel) printed on it. His English is fairly good, I suspect better written than spoken. But when he talks of Ahura Mazda, he is eloquent. Not in a flashy, oratorical way, but in a simple, deeply felt, intellectual manner. From what I understood, his father was a storyteller, a kind of bard who would recite the poetry of Ferdowsi’s epic Shahnameh in public gatherings. Watching his father, he too memorized the 60,000-odd verses that chronicles the legends and histories of Iranian (Aryan) kings in Persian. It was through these texts that ideas about Zoroastrianism were revealed to Rustam and his family. Subsequently, Rustam undertook the study of Zoroastrianism, now completing an online PhD from Spenta University in California. Right from pre soviet to soviet times, the Abukamilov family remained ‘hidden Zoroastrians’. Even, today the State does not recognize Zoroastrianism as a religion but allows the study of Avesta language as part of the history curriculum.
Aktepa Yunus-Abad
Rustam claims there are 33 fire temples in and around Tashkent, most dating back to the 2nd century BC. We visited two: Ming Urik and Aktepa Yunus-Abad. Both mounds and dips of earth which some archeologists believe to be the sites of ancient Zoroastrian temples. During the journey to these sights, Rustam spoke at length about Ahura Mazda. The Avestan meanings, wisdom, creation, the universe, good versus evil, what it means to be a mazdayasni…. I asked him what he thought about Parsis not permitting conversions. He quoted from the Gathas of Zarathustra: Yasnas 30.2 and 45.1. I won’t paraphrase it here but it’s enough to say that in those passages (translated by C. Bartholomae), Zarathustra invites all people, men and women (narém, narem), from near and far, to come to him. Rustam put this question to me: Wasn’t King Vistasp a convert too? Didn’t the Zoroastrians of the ancient world belong to some other religion or cult before they became Zoroastrian?
At the Kolchin Home
I asked to meet a Zoroastrian family. Rustam obliged by taking me to Stanislav Kolchin and his mother Lena Kolchin. In their humble apartment, they received me with tea, sweets and biscuits. Stanislav is a handsome young man who converted from the Russian Orthodox Church to Zoroastrianism a few years ago. He converted because he felt there were gaps in the theology of the church which Zoroastrianism made whole. He considers himself Zoroastrian because, at a philosophical level, it appeals to him. It makes sense to him.
Never once in my life as a Zoroastrian have I contemplated its philosophy, mainly because I simply don’t know it. I suspect many Parsis feel this way. We know all the practices, the rituals, the prayers, the few basic tenets but what do we really understand theologically? Do we even know what our prayers mean? That’s why I was so stunned by Stanislav and how much he knew. Not just Avestan texts, he has read Mary Boyce, the Rig Veda, the Ramayanana. He quoted from Nietzsche, talked about the God Indra, Varuna, Yama. He told me that Zoroastrianism was in many ways more ‘native’ to Indo-European people. That the Russian word vedat (meaning knowledge) comes from the word veda which has Proto-Indo-European roots. Proto-Indo-European??? I don’t think I even know what that means! Stanislav, like 34 others from Tashkent, has had his navjote done. A mobed (Zoroastrian priest) from Mumbai and another from Sweden performed the ceremonies. It appears, the Tashkent Zoroastrians know the kusti prayers but know nothing of the kusti itself. As a matter of fact, they have no ritual. No temple. No priest. No special place for the dead (although there are several ancient dakhma’s (towers of silence) all over Uzbekistan). They have nothing but faith. Not born into their religion, they have consciously, with deep understanding, chosen it.
Anaheeta
You know, we can argue their eligibility till the cows come home. Don’t we all know how good Parsis are at that? How can they be Zoroastrians… they are just fire worshippers… where is their temple… does it have a wall facing the south, what do they do with their dead… these are questions we can keep asking. The truth is, they’re not waiting for our approval. Whether we consider them Zoroastrian or not is of no concern to them. What matters is that they feel wholly accepted by Ahura Mazda, the highest wisdom. Who cares what we think?
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13 Comments
Anaheeta,
Assume you are Parsi Zarthoshti but astonished that coming from India you can have any misguided concept in false conversions and the fact that NO one can translate and know The Khordeh Avesta….but you can learn oh so much more from us The Pundol Group…………….it is very wrong to encourage conversion when people are NOT spiritually Zarthoshti and why we can not recognise such people as a part of our faith,
cyrus
Dear Cyrus
Thanks for taking time to read my post. My opinions on conversions or for that matter yours, is of no consequence to the Tashkent Zoroastrians. We may endlessly debate, form groups, slot people into false, true and spiritual zoroastrians, but the fact of the matter is, they don’t need your endorsement or my acceptance. They are because they believe.
Anaheeta
Dear Anaheeta,
I totally agree with you.
It is because of this past unconfirmed beliefs that Zoroastrians are diminishing.
No Members of Religion can increase in numbers unless you convert just like in case of Christianity and Islam.
It is wishes of people.
Let the true mind prevail
Dear Anaheeta: “Good Thoughts,Good Words & Good Deeds” are the under pinnings of our Zoroastrian beliefs. A breathtakingly profound yet simple Religion.
When ‘Fundamentalists’ kidnap a Religion it is no longer pristine & Spiritual!!
It becomes a messy mutation from the Holy to the corrupt ego-driven peacocks that strut around with their ‘attention-getting’ version of The Holy Book!! Maybe enough TRUE Zoroastrians will band together & drive these disruptive irreverant forces to the side lines where they surely belong.
Noshir Hansotia.
Originally from Dadar Parsi Colony,Bombay.Proud of it,too !!
good for you.
do not pay attention to those old fashion folks.
remember the 1st Zorasterians were all converts otherwise there would not be any today.
Dear Anaheeta,
Congratulations. A very interesting and enlightening article. Must say I like your reply.
Very interesting. Best wishes!
Hi Anaheeta, Thank you for a fascinating account. Being lost in rituals and superstitions so many of us are oblivious of the spiritual attributes of Zoroastrianism. It takes fresh minds, like those of your Tashkent contacts, to better comprehand our simple but profound faith.
Anaheeta,
This is a wonderful article to provide food for thought to the Parsi zealots who firmly, though wrongly, believe that they were the chosen few by the prophet Zarathustra to follow him and practice his teachings. They have discarded the truth that when Zarathustra came down from the mountains he said ” Ahura Mazda has given me the knowledge and told me to pass it on to ALL OF HUMANITY.” The BPP in Mumbai has been using legal as well as strong arm tactics to stop people from performing navjote ceremonies of inter-caste marriages. I’m just wondering how they are going to object people like Stanislav and Rustam in Tashkent from embracing the Zoroastrian faith. I personally know many Russians who have adopted Zoroastrianism and I hope more of humanity from all parts of the world do so to keep the faith alive. The Parsi zealots are going to be extinct anyways.
Dear All,
Interesting that my post should attract renewed interest around its 1st anniversary! I do think we need to speak up more and push harder for change before we’re all consigned to towers of silence. Have just returned from my uncle’s funeral. What’s with those sniffer dogs??? For God’s sake, we’re armed with a death certificate, the man’s been gone for a whole 6 hours and they still drag that hapless creature to him. It yelped and cried all the way to the dakhma. On the other hand, listening to two priest perform the 7 pm prayers was so very beautiful. Their flowing white robes, sonorous voices filtered through crisp white face masks, the gentle fragrance of sukhar…what a dignified and calming way to say goodbye.
Well done, Anaheeta. Loved d artical. Xerxis.
Good article. Glad to know that we have brothers there too.
Anaheeta, Amazing work. I truly believe that nobody is a born Zoroastrian.