The Zoroastrian World

Although Zoroastrians in the contemporary world are numerically few - estimated recently at less than 150,000 across the globe - their ancient Iranian ancestors ruled vast areas of the Near East for over a millennium. From the mid-sixth century BCE to the mid-seventh century CE, the historical contribution of the 'Mazda-worshipping' religion to the intellectual, cultural, and political development of the region was momentous. The migration of some Zoroastrians to north-western India also had a significant social and economic impact on early modern and modern India. From the mid-seventeenth century until the present, Zoroastrianism has also played an important role in European discourse. Written by a distinguished team of international contributors, including many Zoroastrians, The Zoroastrian World presents a global guide to Zoroastrianism from the earliest period to the modern day, offering original perspectives through substantial thematic contributions on the lived experience of Zoroastrian communities across the world. This volume is organised into five distinct sections: - Imagining Zoroastrianism - The Developing Zoroastrian World - Living Realities: Zoroastrian Narrative and Symbol in the Modern World - Contemporary Challenges in the Zoroastrian World - Creative Contributions from the Zoroastrian World The Zoroastrian World provides an authoritative and accessible source of information on topics relating to the Zoroastrian religion, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary connections. The volume is essential reading for students engaged in studies of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics; Ancient and Modern Iran; the Near and Middle East; Central Asia; South Asian Religions; and Cultural History. The Zoroastrian World is intended for all curious readers, who seek to know more about this ancient, enduring religion. The editors are excited to showcase the original artwork 'The Garden of the Universe' by Hormazd Narielwalla as the cover of this book. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license

Jenny Rose is a Research Fellow at Claremont Graduate University, where she taught classes in Zoroastrian Studies before relocating to the UK in 2023. Her books relating to the Zoroastrian world include Zoroastrianism: An Introduction (2011), Zoroastrianism: A Guide for the Perplexed (2011), and Between Boston and Bombay: Cultural and Commercial Connections of Yankees and Parsis, 1771-1865 (2019). Albert de Jong is Professor of the Study of Religion at the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. He mainly works on Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, the Mandaeans, and the Roman cult of Mithras. Sarah Stewart is a Reader Emeritus at SOAS, University of London. She studied at ANU and SOAS before going on to teach in the Department of History, Religions and Philosophies at SOAS. She was a Curator of the exhibition The Everlasting Flame, Zoroastrianism in History and Imagination (Brunei Gallery, London 2013; National Museum, Delhi 2016) and Co-Founder of the SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute for Zoroastrian Studies (SSPIZS) in 2017. Her publications include Voices from Zoroastrian Iran, Vols. 1 and 2 (2018, 2020).

Introduction Part 1. Imagining Zoroastrianism 1. How Zoroastrianism imagined itself 2. Recasting Zoroastrian dualism within the Greek philosophical imagination 3. Imagining Zoroastrianism in the light of the Maga Brahmanas and the Kambojas 4. Zoroastrianism in the Chinese imagination 5. Zoroastrianism/Persian religion in the Hebrew Bible 6. Zoroastrianism in the Babylonian Talmud 7. Manichaean, Christian, and Mandaean views of Zoroastrianism 8. Zoroastrianism in early Arabic sources 9. The European 'rediscovery' of the Ancient Persians and their worldview 10. The history of the study of Zoroastrianism 11. Zoroastrianism and Freemasonry in colonial-era India and Britain: imagining Zoroastrianism and re-imagining Freemasonry 12. A 'Persian history'? Achaemenid history and Zoroastrian reception in Gore Vidal's Creation 13. The fascination of the flame: Zoroastrianism and tourism Part 2. The Developing Zoroastrian World HISTORY 14. Imagining Ahura Mazda: the earliest form of Zoroastrianism 15. Persian religion in the Achaemenid Empire 16. Zoroastrianism in the religious context of the Arsacid Empire 17. Zoroastrianism in the Sasanian Empire 18. Zoroastrianism in Iran from the Arab conquests to the mid-nineteenth century 19. Zoroastrianism in India: from the migrations of the Parsis to the late eighteenth century SOURCES 20. The developing Zoroastrian world and orality 21. The oldest sources for Zoroastrianism: Avestan and Old Persian 22. "A jewel of wisdom literature in the Pahlavi tradition of Zoroastrianism" 23. The meaning of Persian Zoroastrian literature 24. A historical overview of Parsi writing in Gujarati 25. Zoroastrian literature in English from the nineteenth to early twentieth centuries MATERIAL EVIDENCE 26. Central Asian expressions of Zoroastrianism 27. Central Asian Zoroastrianism: can a case be made for Sogdiana? 28. Zoroastrianism in Anatolia and the Caucasus 29. The 'fire worshippers' of Georgia Part 3. Living Realities: Zoroastrian Narrative and Symbol in the Modern World 30. The role of Parsi Zoroastrians in the evolution of British colonial India 31. Zoroastrian politics in the era of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran (1905-1911) 32. Reconciling Persianate and Western forms of knowledge: esotericism as Zoroastrian hermeneutics in colonial India 33. Calling on divine help: Parsi religious expressions in Mumbai, Navsari, and Surat ZOROASTRIAN COMMUNITIES IN DISAPORA 34. Zoroastrian communities outside India and Iran 35. A personal account of migrating to North America 36. Teach your children well: Zoroastrian religious education DIGITAL APPROACHES TO ZOROASTRIANISM 37. The use of digital resources in studying the Zoroastrian religion 38. Digital projects in Zoroastrianism 39. The impact of the digital world on internal Zoroastrian discourse Part 4. Contemporary Challenges in the Zoroastrian World INTERNAL CHALLENGES 40. Demographic issues and identity in twenty-first-century India: Jiyo Parsi 41. The reverberations of the dokhmenashini debate in Mumbai and Zoroastrian death rituals practised in India PERSPECTIVES ON THE ZOROASTRIAN PRIESTHOOD 42. Perspectives on the Parsi priesthood in India 43. Perspectives on the Zoroastrian priesthood in Iran 44. Perspectives on the Parsi priesthood from the UK: an interview with Ervad Yazad T. Bhadha 45. Perspectives on the Parsi priesthood from the United States: an interview with Ervad Zerkxis Bhandara 46. Who speaks for Zoroastrianism today? THE CHANGING ROLES OF MEN AND WOMEN 47. The changing roles of men and women within the Iranian Zoroastrian community 48. The changing roles of Parsi men and women in India CARING FOR THE ELDERLY 49. Care for the Zoroastrian elderly in India 50. A caring model for the elderly in the UK EXTERNAL CHALLENGES 51. Zoroastrianism and human rights 52. Zoroastrianism and the environment: reviving the forests of Doongerwadi in Mumbai, India 53. Zoroastrian approaches to business ethics and sustainable development in contemporary times Part 5. Creative Contributions from the Zoroastrian World 54. 'First Darling of the Morning': an interview with Parsi novelist, Thrity Umrigar 55. A larger laughter: the unique legacy of Parsi theatre 56. The house of song 57. Devotional poetry and songs of the Zoroastrians of Iran 58. "I yam what I yam": a conversation with screenwriter, director, and photographer, Sooni Taraporevala 59. The Garden of the Universe: an interview with artist Hormazd Narielwalla 60. Identity and silk: the emergence and re-emergence of Sino-Parsi trade textiles 61 "You have to crack a few eggs to make a Parsi omelette": an interview with chef and culinary author, Farokh Talati 62 Memories of growing up in Iran, Persian food, Zoroastrian festivals, and life as an author and cookery writer: an interview with Shirin Simmons 63 How Parsis helped make India a cricketing nation