1. Afrasiyab was the evil king of Turan. He is likened to kings like Zohak and Alexander. In the Avesta, his name is Frangharasya. He ruled over Turan for a very long period. His reign started from the time of Peshdadian King Minocheher and he ruled continuously when seven different kings successively ruled over Iran.
   2. Afrasiyab was the son of Pashang, grand-son of Zaad-sham and great grandson of Tur. As the Peshdadian king Faridun was the father of Tur, Afrasiyab was descended from an Iranian lineage. However since his intentions acts were always evil, he did not receive help from the Yazads and Ameshaspands.
2. He was very evil and crooked. He never adhered to the code of war and broke peace treaties several times at his convenience when he saw Iran in trouble or difficulty. He tried to seize the Kyani Khoreh thrice, in order to become the emperor of Iran but was unsuccessful every time.
3. The lengthy wars between Iran and Turan depicted in the Shahnameh were fought between him and the Iranian king Kaekhushru, to avenge the unjust death of his father Siyavaksh, who had married Afrasiyab’s daughter Ferangez but was later killed by Afrasiyab at the instigation of his wily brother Kasrevaz.
4. Though Kaekhushru was Afrasiyab’s own maternal grandson, the former brought about his end near Lake Chaechist. Afrasiyab’s son Jehan and later grand son Arjasp continued to rule over Turan after him.
5. Afrasiyab even killed his own noble brother Agreras as he was just and was favourably disposed towards the Iranians.
6. The great Rustom Pahelvan was Afrasiyab’s strongest adversary. He was brought near the jaws of death several times, but each time the crafty Afrasiyab managed to escape. Afrasiyab was also instrumental in Sohrab’s death at the hand of his father Rustam as he had given a huge army to Sohrab when he went to Iran to look for his estranged father.
7. Just as Rustam Pahelvan is famous among Central Asian countries for his valour, Afrasiyab is known there for his notorious and evil acts.

1. The Zoroastrian religious texts state that the mode of disposal of death should have the following four criteria:

(a). The mortal remains of a departed person be taken to an elevated place. (b). It should be as much away from habitation as possible. (c). The corpse should be exposed to carrions (corpse eating birds) like vultures, kites and crows. (d). The corpse should be exposed to the rays of the Sun (khurshed nagirashni)

2. Since ancient times, even before prophet Zarathushtra, the Mazdayasnis used this system of disposal of the dead. Later prophet Zarathushtra too accepted this system and fortified it further. Throughout the Shahnameh there are references of kings desiring to be exposed in the dakhmas, and the Iranian kings giving the benefit of Dokhmenashini even to their adversaries.
3. Since ancient times, Zoroastrians have been vehemently against any other system or mode of disposal of the dead like burning, burying or keeping in water, as each of the other modes not only use up a lot of natural resources, but also pollute one or the other element of nature.
4. The Dakhmas of ancient Iran were not like the Dakhmas that we know of now. In pre-Zoroastrian times, though the four above mentioned criteria were observed, there was no surrounding wall. Gradually a surrounding wall was built.
5. The earliest Dakhmas were very elementary stone structures with a platform inside and a pit in the centre. In Iran, after every few decades, the place of the Dakhma was shifted.
6. The Dakhmas prepared with elaborate rituals that we have in India now, were developed in India when it was realised that it would not be possible to regularly shift the position of Dakhmas.
7. The Dokhmenashini system is the most ecological and nature friendly way of disposing the corpse. Dokhmenashini is essential even from a spiritual point of view, as the spiritual constituents of the body need to be re-united with their natural constituents like air and sunlight.

1. The Dakhma is a religious institution which is almost as important as a fire temple. Whenever Zoroastrians settled at a new place, they would have a Dakhma built and consecrated as soon as there were 8 to 10 families. There were about 120 Dakhmas in India in 1906.
2. When the Dakhma is to be constructed, an elevated ground away from habitation is selected.

A well is dug about 300 paces from the site to provide water for the rituals and for subsequent use. The ground is cleaned with taro by letting cows graze there for some time. Then water is sprinkled and the ground is surrounded by a cloth curtain, and Baj-dharna rituals and a Jashan is performed.

3. A senior priest recites the Baj of Sarosh and digs the ground with a pick-axe reciting 21 Yatha ahu Vairyos. This is called the “Kodali Marvani Kriya.” Thereafter labourers dig the foundation which would be about 8 feet deep, which takes about two weeks.
4. After this, the “Tāno purvāni kriyā” is done in which 101 very fine cotton threads are thrice taken around 301 nails with particular weight specifications, the heaviest nail weighing about 20 Kilograms. The total weight of all the nails comes to 100 Kilograms. The Tana ceremony takes about three hours to complete. It is meant to control the nasā (physical and spiritual contagion) emanating from the corpse.
5. Thousands of devout Zoroastrians gather to witness the Tana ceremony. The visitors throw gold, silver and copper coins, currency notes and even ornaments in the pit as their contribution towards the building of the Dokhma. It is considered meritorious to witness the construction of a Dokhma. The place is kept open for viewing for about two weeks, to enable people to come and witness the Tana.
6. The construction of the Dokhma starts over the nails and threads. First the circular structure is built and then the pavis are made inside with the central pit (bhandar). The ratio of the structure to the bhandar is about 3:1.

8. After the construction is complete, a day is fixed for its consecration. The consecration process goes on for four days, during which several Baj-dharna, Yazashne and Vandidad rituals are performed. On the fourth day, a Jashan is performed before the assembled gathering and the Tandarosti is recited for the person sponsoring the construction of Dakhma. Now the Dakhma is ready for use, in which, preferably the first body to be laid should be of a child or a pious man.

1. Lake Chaechist is a sacred lake, the waters of which have special spiritual and therapeutic powers. It is mentioned in the Avesta and Pahlavi texts and the Shahnameh. It is believed to be connected to the Sea Vourukasha.
2. It is mentioned in Avestan texts like Atash Nyash, Avan Yasht, Gosh Yasht, Ashishwangh Yasht and Siroza Yasht. It is especially remembered as the place where King Kae Khushru prayed to different Yazads. He also established the spiritual fire Adar Gushasp, the fire which helped him become the king, near lake Chaechist. It was again at lake Chaechist that king Kae Khushru captured and defeated the evil Turanian king Afrasiyab.
3. Lake Chaechist, is one of the several lakes mentioned in the Pahlavi text Bundahishn. The Pahlavi Bahman Yasht states that fire Gushasp burns on the banks of Lake Chaechist. It further states that the lake is deep and has medicinal water which drives away diseases.
4. In present times, Chaechist Lake is identified with the Caspian Sea, which is the world’s largest lake. It is situated on the Northern border of Iran.  It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaizan to the west and Turkmenistan to the southeast. Its waters are believed to have therapeutic qualities and excellent for relieving rheumatism. Lake Chaechist is also identified with lake Urumiyah in northwest of Iran by some scholars.

1. Airyaman Yazad is a very strong and powerful Zoroastrian Yazad. However, he is not so well known among Zoroastrians as no Roj is dedicated to him nor is there any Yasht dedicated to his honour. However Yasna chapter 54 and Vendidad chapter 22 are entirely dedicated to him. Yasna chapter 54 can be separately recited as a stand-alone prayer for invoking Airyaman Yazad.
2. The meaning of the word Airyaman is “one having a noble mind.” He is always referred to as ishya, that is desirable and loved. In the Havan Geh prayer, Airyaman Yazad is remembered as desirable, strong, victorious, free from malice, who keep away all harm. Praying to him is regarded only next to praying to the 5 Gathas.
3. The two main functions of Airyaman Yazad are maintaining harmony in relationships, especially marriage, and giving health and immunity and fighting against diseases. Along with Ardibahesht Ameshapsand he is regarded as the chief among healing Yazads. He is said to have a cure for all diseases. He is always invoked in the Marriage benedictions (lagan naa ashirwad) as he is regarded as the Yazad presiding over marriages. He will help the future savior in bringing about Frashokereti, the final renovation.
4. He is an associate of Ardibahesht Ameshaspand, and is always remembered along with him. In the Ardibahesht Yasht, he is mentioned as a powerful Yazad who needs to be invoked, and who is helpful in overcoming black magic and sorcery.
5.  The Vedas have a divine being by the name Aryaman whose qualities are similar to Airyaman Yazad. Aryaman belongs to the group of good divine beings called Adityas. He is an associate of Mitra and Varuna. Aryaman too presides over marriage.

1. The Alburz mountain range is situated in the North-east of modern day Iran, stretching from Azerbaijan to Afghanistan. It is the most prominent range of mountains in West Asia. Its highest peak is Mount Demavand which is located in Amol city in the province of Mazandaran. The word Alborz means “the tall guard.”
2. Alburz is known as Hara-berez in the Avesta and Harburz in Pahlavi. It is referred in cosmological as well as historical writings. In Zamyad Yasht it is mentioned as the first mountain to appear on the earth. Ahura Mazda created it for Meher Yazad, so that the heavenly bodies could go around it. It is considered so high that poetically it is said that the Ameshaspands oversee the entire material world from there and its peak reaches the stars, moon and the sun. The Alborz was considered the source of the Aredvi Sura Anahita, from the peak of which it, poured down into the sea Vourukasha. The place from where the river Aredvi emerges is referred to as Hukairya.
3. The Shahnameh describes it as an enormous mountain. It mentions that Faranak left her infant son Faridun on Mt. Alburz in the care of a holy man, where he was trained. At the age of sixteen he came down from there along with Kaveh to defeat the evil Zohak. Saam, the king of Zabulistan, cast away his son Zaal on the Alburz mountain, where Simurgh the saintly man looked after him and brought him up till he was found later and brought back to the city. Later, Zaal sent his son Rustam to Alburz mountains to look for Kae Kobad and bring him to take over the reigns of Iran, thus starting the Kayanian dynasty. King Kae Kaus, the second king, ordered the foot of Mt. Alburz to be excavated and two cellars dug under it to serve as stables for horses and mules.
4. Kings Hoshang and Jamshed went to the Alburz mountain to worship Yazads like Avan, Gosh and Ram.
5. Mt. Alburz is also considered to be the dwelling place of Peshotan, brother of king Kae Vishtasp, who was blessed with an immortal body by prophet Zarathushtra.

1. The Persian Revayats are an important part of Zoroastrian religious texts. In terms of authenticity, they are not considered as authoritative as Avesta and Pahlavi writings, but still they have an importance of their own. The word Revayat literally means “customs, traditions and practices.” They also contain Persian translations of some texts like Bahman Yasht and Jamaspi.
2. After the Zoroastrians came from Iran to India about 1200 years back, there was a long period of time, when they were not in touch with their brethren in Iran. It was in the early 15^th century that they became properly aware of Zoroastrian presence in Iran.
3. Thereafter, priests in India, when they needed guidance in religious and related matters, they accumulated their questions and sought guidance from the Iranian priests. From the 15^th to the 17^th centuries, priests from India sent their representatives to Iran, with hundreds of queries on religion, ceremony, scriptures, customs, and practices to the priests of Iran.
4. Lengthy and detailed replies in Persian language were received from time to time. These replies were collected and the literature thus formed constitute the ‘Persian Revayats.’ They were named after the emissary, that is, the person who was sent with the questions.
5. During the course of three centuries about twenty-two Revayats came to India. The first Revayat was brought in 1478 A.C. by one Nariman Hoshang, a resident of Broach, and hence is known as ‘The Revayat of Nariman Hoshang.’ Similarly, other Rivayats are known after the persons who brought them. For instance, Revayats of Kama Bohra, Faredun Marazban, Kaus Kama, Kamdin Shapur and Bahman Punjya. Some Revayats are anonymous, as the identity of the person who brought them is not known.
6. In the 17th century, most of these Revayats were collected, and classified subject-wise by Hormazdyar Framarz, Darab Hormazdyar, and Barzo Kamdin.
7. Recently the K.R.Cama Oriental Institute has re-published the English translation of Hormazdyar Framarz’s Revayats, which is a collection of several Revayats. It was done by the great scholar Er. Bamanji N. Dhabhar, and first published almost a hundred years ago.

1. A religion is made up of three aspects –knowledge, practices and living. Being a Mazdayasni Zarthoshti is a complete package of all these three aspects. The following seven teachings are most essential to make a person a true Mazdayasni Zarthoshti.
2. Understanding the Mazdayasni Zarthoshti religion and practicing it, especially the ethical aspects – which include Humata “good thoughts” Hukhta “good words” and Hvarshta “good deeds.”
3. Having the Navjote performed at the proper age, that is, after completing six years and before completion of nine years and thereafter wearing the Sadra-Kasti throughout life.
4. Doing Kasti regularly and reciting Farajyat prayers (at least the small one) daily.
5. Regularly visiting the Agyari or Atash Behram.
6. Marrying a Mazdayasni Zarthoshti at the appropriate time and having at least 2 children.
7. Believing in and participating in rituals and having them performed when necessary.

Going for Dokhmenashini after death, wherever a dakhma is available.

1. It has been noticed that a few people today, either out of ignorance or convenience wear just one of the two. This is not correct. It is essential to wear both the Sadra and Kasti together. One becomes ineffective without the other.
2. Just as when we say “a few days” it also means nights, when we say pen, a refill is also included and when we say specs, both the frame and the glasses are implied, in our religious texts, often the mention of one, Sadra or Kasti, was enough to indicate that both are referred to.
3. Both the Sadra and Kasti are invariable for the performance of Kasti ritual. Both are necessary for affording protection to the person. A child is invested with both together at the time of the Navjote and the two should always be worn together.
4. In Iran, in the not very distant past, because of severe persecution and the fear of living under alien and hostile rulers, our Iranian Zoroastrian brethren had to wear either one and that too in a concealed manner. Even that was often at the risk of their lives, as it has been reported that people were hanged by their own Kasti. Hence in Iran, for some time in the past there was a practice of not wearing the kasti all the time. But that is not so any more.

1. The word khrafastar refers to all creeping, crawling creatures that are noxious and harmful to mankind and other good creations. According to Zoroastrian religion, polarity in the Universe exists at all levels – molecular, physical, spiritual or moral. Zoroastrian philosophy revolves around two mutually opposite forces– Spenta and Angra. Hence all living creatures are divided into two categories – ahuric “beneficent” or daevic “maleficent.” Among animals these two categories are gospand “beneficent animals” and khrafastar “noxious creatures.” The former are useful to human beings and the latter, belonging to Angra Mainyu, are harmful, and hence need to be exterminated. This Zoroastrian world view is different from the world view of many other Indian religions.
2. Though animals operate by instincts and not by conscious will, they are divided into these two groups. Cattle and most domestic animals belong to the former category, whereas wild animals, reptiles and insects belong to the latter category. Man is advised to protect the Gospands and exterminate the Khrafastars. Though the Khrafastars may be helpful in a limited way, their worth to mankind is less than the danger they pose.
3. The main khrafastars among animals are the wolf and the entire class of wild carnivorous animals, which were a regular predator of the cattle and a natural enemy of cow-herds. The ant which carries away grain, the lice that cause diseases and eat away clothes, rats, cats, serpents, wasps, bees, worms, frogs and tortoise are also included in the list of khrafastars.
4. Vanant Yazad helps mankind to be victorious over khrafastars. In the Vanant Yasht, the devotee praises the star Vanant for withstanding khrafastars. King Faridun is also invoked to destroy khrafastars as he was successful in destroying Zohak who may be regarded as a khrafastar among men. In the Gathas, the word khrafastar is used for evil men. On Aspandad roj of Aspand mah a special prayer called Nirang i khrafastar zadan “Prayer for smiting noxious creatures” is done.
5. Such was the revulsion to khrafastars among ancient Zoroastrians that druj-i-nasu “the demon of putrefaction” was also referred to as a khrafastar, which came in the form of a fly. All through history this Zoroastrian revulsion for khrafastars is amply documented by Persians, Greeks, Westerners and Indian writers and is mentioned by Plutarch, Agathias, Herodotus and Tavernier. An 18^th century Dastur of Kerman, in his last will to his son about what had to be done after his death, asked him to have khrafastars killed for the benefit of his soul.
6. In the battle between good and evil, man was expected to help the good. One way of fighting evil was to drive away or kill the khrafastars, which are harmful to the good creations. Ridding society of khrafastars was considered a meritorious act, as it rid the world of evil. One of the punishments for a sinner in ancient Iran was to drive away khrafastars from the vicinity. A ritual implement of ancient Zoroastrian priests was referred to as khrafastar-ghna “a stick to smite khrafastars.”
7. Before ending, I would request all animal loving Zoroastrian brethren to understand this Zoroastrian teaching of khrafastar in its proper light and in tandem with the philosophy of the religion. They are requested not to get emotionally carried away by their love for all living things and look down upon this unique Zoroastrian teaching. These are the very teachings that distinguish Zoroastrianism from other religions and gives it a unique and distinctive character.