Voices from Zoroastrian Iran: Oral Texts and Testimony. Vol. 1: Urban Centres (Gottinger Orientforschungen, III. Reihe: Iranica)

Voices from Zoroastrian Iran (Volumes I and II) is the result of an oral studies research project that maps the remaining Zoroastrian communities in Iran and explores what has happened to their religious lives and social structures since the Revolution of 1979 and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. 0Interviews included in Volume 1 are with Zoroastrians from the urban centres of Tehran, Kerman, Ahvaz, Shiraz and Esfahan. Participants refer to community leaders, historical figures, local events, teachers and religious texts that have shaped their views and understanding of the religion. They also address the impact of recent history upon their lives. The religion itself is presented as understood by those interviewed, drawn largely from the interpretations of Iranian scholars and scholar-priests, as opposed to those of predominantly western scholars. A chapter in the book is devoted to a survey of the main Iranian Zoroastrian religious observances as well as some popular customs. As a result of the new Constitution, the return to shari ?a and the eight-year war with Iraq that followed the Revolution, the relationship between Zoroastrians and the state changed. The new political environment began to shape the religious and social identities of the next generation through Zoroastrian institutions such as the anjomans (councils) as well as those established by the government of the Islamic Republic. 0The interviews for this book span a period of living memory that reflects both pre- and post-revolutionary Iran. The views expressed are informed by the changes that took place during that time and throw light on subjects as diverse as education, emigration, conversion and religious reform Cover Title Pages Map of Iran Contents Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction Oral Texts and Their Role in the Zoroastrian Tradition Oral Testimony Chapter 1 - Background and Context: religion 1.1 Revelation/Divine Inspiration 1.2 Doctrine and Teaching 1.3 Ritual and the Priesthood 1.3.1 ‘Inner’ rituals 1.3.2 ‘Outer’ rituals Chapter 2 - Devotional Life: customs and observances 2.1 The Religious Year 2.1.1 The old and new calendars 2.1.2 Months 2.1.3 Days 2.1.4 The five gahs, or ‘watches of the day’ 2.1.5 Nabor days 2.2 Annual Festivals 2.2.1 Nowruz 2.2.2 Sizdah be-dar (national holiday) 2.2.3 The six gahambars 2.2.4 Mahiyaneh festivals 2.2.5 Other annual festivals 2.2.6 Porseh Hamegani 2.3 Daily Observances 2.3.1 Early morning 2.3.2 At mealtimes 2.4 Acts of Worship 2.4.1 Visiting the fire temple 2.4.2 Shahverahram Izad 2.4.3 Other shrines/pilgrimage sites 2.5 Rites of Passage 2.5.1 Sedreh-pushi 2.5.2 Weddings 2.5.3 Death ceremonies 2.6 Popular Customs 2.6.1 Sofreh 2.6.2 Chak-o Duleh Chapter 3 - Background and Context: society 3.1 Historical Background 3.1.1 Jadid al-Eslam 3.2 Internal Governance: Zoroastrian Anjomans and the Tehran Anjoman-e Mowbedan (T.A.M.) 3.2.1 The Zoroastrian Anjomans 3.2.2 Kankash-e Mowbedan-e Tehran (Tehran Anjoman-e Mowbedan) 3.3 The Relationship with the State Following the Revolution of 1979 3.3.1 The Constitution 3.3.2 The Civil Code 3.3.3 The Penal Code 3.3.4 Zoroastrian Personal Status (see Appendix B) 3.3.5 The Status of Women 3.4 Identity Formation: What it Means to be Zoroastrian and Iranian 3.4.1 Language 3.4.2 Religious education 3.4.3 Literature and poetry 3.4.4 The Iran–Iraq War 3.4.5 Conversion, intermarriage and emigration Chapter 4 - Kerman 4.1 Introduction 4.1.1 Anjoman and other associations 4.1.2 Schools 4.1.3 Demographics 4.2 Kerman – Interviews Interview with Mr EF Interview with Mr AZ Interview with Ms AK Interview with Mr HF Interview with Mrs ZB, Mr SB (her husband), Mr Kh B (his brother) and afourth, unnamed person who intervenes occasionally Chapter 5 - Tehran 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Tehran – Interviews Interview with Mr RY Interview with Mr BP Interview with Mrs PKR Interview with Mr PM Interview with Mrs KK Interview with Mr BS Interview with MMF Interview with Mrs PN Interview with Mr RS Chapter 6 - Ahvaz, Shiraz and Esfahan 6.1 Ahvaz – Introduction 6.1.1 The Zoroastrian community 6.2 Ahvaz – Interviews Interview with KP Interview with MP Interview with Mr BJT, Ahvaz 6.3 Shiraz – Introduction 6.4 Shiraz – Interviews Interview with Mowbed RK Interview with FJK Interview with FK 6.5 Esfahan – Introduction 6.6 Esfahan – Interviews Interview with Mr KT Interview with Dr SB Conclusions Bibliography Word List Table of Interviewees Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Index Voices from Zoroastrian Iran (Volumes I and II) is the result of an oral studies research project that maps the remaining Zoroastrian communities in Iran and explores what has happened to their religious lives and social structures since the Revolution of 1979 and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. Interviews included in Volume 1 are with Zoroastrians from the urban centres of Tehrān, Kermān, Ahvāz, Shirāz and Esfahān. Participants refer to community leaders, historical figures, local events, teachers and religious texts that have shaped their views and understanding of the religion. They also address the impact of recent history upon their lives. The religion itself is presented as understood by those interviewed, drawn largely from the interpretations of Iranian scholars and scholar-priests, as opposed to those of predominantly western scholars. A chapter in the book is devoted to a survey of the main Iranian Zoroastrian religious observances as well as some popular customs. As a result of the new Constitution, the return to shari 'a and the eight-year war with Iraq that followed the Revolution, the relationship between Zoroastrians and the state changed. The new political environment began to shape the religious and social identities of the next generation through Zoroastrian institutions such as the anjomans (councils) as well as those established by the government of the Islamic Republic. The interviews for this book span a period of living memory that reflects both pre- and post-revolutionary Iran. The views expressed are informed by the changes that took place during that time and throw light on subjects as diverse as education, emigration, conversion and religious reform. - Información editorial