Bardoli Agiyari Appeal

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: TZML Admins <tzmladmn@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 8:04 PM
Subject: Bardoli Agiyari Appeal
To: TZML <TraditionalZarathushtris@yahoogroups.com>

Dear humdins,

enclosed is an appeal for donations towards the Bardoli Agiyarui.

Sincerely
TZML Admins

"Aashish", Suthar Falia, Bardoli, Dist. Surat – 394 601.
Trust Reg. No. C/164 Surat
02622 229270        e-Mail:  nesjap@yahoo.co.in
Date: August 25, 2010

Dear Mesdames / Sirs,

You may be aware that the Bardoli Jarthosti Anjuman (BJA) has made
in-roads in the field of charity to our fellow brethren as also to all
mankind when we have, with the blessings from Ahura Mazda, planned and
successfully executed many projects for the upliftment of the poor and
downtrodden people in Bardoli and the surrounding areas.

Our Trust is known amongst the poor for providing relief during their
time of need, be it in the field of housing, helping the poverty
stricken, the old and the aged, and providing help to those affected
by natural calamities.

We are happy to announce that our Bardoli Agiary which was consecrated
in December 1885, will be completing a glorious span of 125 years on
Roj Adar, Mah Tir Yz 1380 ie. on November 25, 2010.  This is the only
functioning Agiary in the East of the whole of Surat District having a
Mobed to look after the Holy Atash Padshah Saheb.

However, on account of our several commitments to alleviate the misery
of the poor families living in abject poverty, we have been unable to
build-up our corpus.  For your information, the corpus of BJA is
Rs.4,27,000/- only as of date.  You will agree that in the present
times, this corpus amount is ridiculously low!  At this juncture, we
are faced with the herculean task of repairing and refurbishing our
Agiary which is presently in a very dilapidated condition.  The wood
has all gone rotten due to white ants and there is heavy leakage from
the roof and the walls which could prove detrimental to the Atash
Padshah Saheb.

The Agiary building, after serving the community members for 125 years
has weathered the vagaries of nature and is now in urgent need of
structural repairs and renovations which is estimated at about
Rs.81,50,000/- (Rupees Eighty One Lakhs and Fifty Thousand only).
Therefore, on the advice of our Architect, Mr. Jehanbux T. Bilimoria
of Mumbai, we will need to initially construct the Mobed Quarters in
the Agiary compound, shift the Holy Fire there and thereafter
reconstruct the Agiary building.  As you may be aware, the expenses to
be incurred, is way beyond our means.

On behalf of Bardoli Jarthosti Anjuman, we hereby make this humble
appeal to all philanthropic individuals and Trusts to help us
financially in this project of utmost importance to our community and
our religion as, all the other Agiaries in the radius of 50 kms around
Bardoli – in Surat District, have either shifted their holy Fire
elsewhere and closed down or do not have a full time Mobed to look
after their Agiary.

The trustees of BJA has decided that any donor who donates
Rs.80,00,000/- or above will have the privilege of naming the entire
complex including the Mobed quarters building as per the donors wish
and a Marble plaque along with a photograph / bust to be placed near
the entrance of the Agiary Complex or in the Agiary Premises. Any
donor who donates Rs.15,00,000/- or above will have the privilege of
naming one wing of the Agiary as per the donors wish and a Marble
plaque along with the photograph if any, will be placed in this wing.
All donations above Rs.50,000/- will be mentioned on a marble plaque
to be placed in the Agiary premises.

As per our policy of accountability towards our donors, we hereby
guarantee that all our donors will be at liberty to examine and check
our books of accounts and a copy of the audited accounts will be
supplied to them on request.

Please send your contribution in the name of Bardoli Jarthosti
Anjuman. We assure you that all donations will immediately be
acknowledged and our official stamped receipt issued thereof.

Thanking you and looking forward to your favorable response.

Yours truly,

First ever perpetually burning Atash Dadgah in the Western World

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: aspi colah
Date: Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 9:01 AM
Subject: First ever perpetually burning Atash Dadgah in the Western World

Dear Friends, Some of you might have heard about this already...but if you would indulge and kindly check out our website www.myzdgroup.org and give me some feed back and suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.  Some of you might know me from the traditional zoroastrian portals...others, I am a devoted follower of your blogs and postings...this is a special request to all you stalwarts. I know we cant replicate the religious power houses we have in India...but this is a grass root effort by some of us here to do the right thing and to leave a lasting legacy for our community and our children here to emulate and follow. I would also appreciate if one of you could forward this to KND, now ofcourse Vada Dasturji Saheb Kaikhoshrow Nawroji Dastur Meherjirana...who's religious expertise and intricate knowledge of khshnoom has so helped and inspired me to create this unique design of our beloved Farohar shaped Ahunavar Complex. Thanking you one and all for keeping the divine light shining for us all. Yours respectfully, Aspi Colah. P.S: also please forward to Gustad Forbes, Nauzer Bharucha, Karl Sahukar and others.

When Zarathustra Spoke, new book by Mary Settegast

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Geve Narielwalla
Date: Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 3:30 PM
Subject: When Zarathustra Spoke, new book by Mary Settegast

Dear all, "When Zarathustra Spoke, The Reformation of Neolithic Culture and Religion," a 2005 publication, is authored by Mary Settegast, who holds a graduate degree from the UCLA at Berkely, with a degree in archaeology from Columbia University, (published by Mazda Publishers Inc. www.mazdapub.com)  This bold book breaks new ground with a fresh look at recent improved calibration of archaeology remains and objects, and the almost sudden change in people's pattern of livelihood during the neolithic period (8000 to6000 B.C.), for proving our traditional dating of the prophet's era, 7000 B.C.  Starting with the various Greek mention of the Prophet Zarathustra's dating of 7000- 6000 B.C by Pliny, Eudoxus,    Xanthus and Plutarch, the author assembles the most recent updates on information of the sites and objects of Neolithic Near East, Middle East and Central Asia. There is  almost sudden change in people's preference for settled life with agriculture, in place of pastoralism, nomadism, (including the raiding of the few settled peoples when pastures failed.)  There is a disappearance  of  warlike motifs, from 6500 B.C., from the archaeology digs in this region, replaced by the profusion of copper vessels, with a huge variety of patterns that reflect a new 'ideology.' (in the words of the author.) The author further asserts there was no pressing need  for this  change from nomadism and pastoralism (or even late hunter gathering from earlier periods), and there was no pressure of population, and that people were in fact accustomed, from several centuries, of a livelihood from hunting, wild crops gathering, and grazing of lifestock that was still in the process of domesticating more animals. Several archaeologists and scholars are referred, to put forward the new belief they hold, that dynamic change is only brought about by a new ideology, religious ideology being the only predominant one in ancient days. This brings the author to Zarathustra, as she seems to arrive at the conclusion,  the only reason for these sudden dynamic changes in the history of neolithic civilization, seem to point at the new message from the prophet, urging people to adopt a settled way of life with agriculture.  The author apparently argues (my conclusion from the first reading of this book) that with the present  dating of Prophet Zarathustra at 1500 B.C.-1100 B.C. or the other dating of 600 B.C. by which times agriculture was a long established way of life, why would the new message place so much stress on agriculture and reverence for all of nature. This would be far more relevant in a more ancient dates, the traditional dating of the prophet, also mentioned by the Greeks, of around 6500 B.C. , when the peoples of the ancient regions were made aware of the benefits of a settled agricultural life, and the required care of the natural elements for the best results for agriculture. The author brings forth the new (for me atleast) finding that the huge number of copper vessels of this period are not used for any domestic purpose (as by the latest and new scientific methods show) like cooking or storing(!!!), but for only artistic and thus ceremonial purposes(!) As all communication between peoples of those days was oral, the huge profusion of patterns and motifs on vessels and bowls, of a very high degree of artistry, could have a hidden layer of meaning: there is, for example, one motif of the Sun in the center of a pattern, seen on many vessels - is this the Sun standing still at creation of the Universe by Ahura Mazda? Because, the author also finds, patterns that show the Sun "moving," which as per our traditions of the creation story, where after Ahriman's attack on the good creation, the sun begins to move in the heavens. There are repeatedly a huge number of vessels with patterns of light and dark shades, would this be the struggle between good and evil, the author asks? She clarifies further that the close similarity of the Gatha dialect with the Rigveda, could also mean  this latter literature based on words of similarity derived from the more ancient proto-Indo European group, but may be of a much later date, ie the available dialects had not changed much! The book is interesting, explores new ground with new methods of dating for archaeology etc, that forms the basis for the ancient dating of Zarathustra, that is why I thought I should inform that reading this book is worth it. For me it is available at my local council library. Geve Narielwalla Auckland.    We have a book here that explores the traditional dating of Prophet Zarathustra within the new findings