Rituals play a prominent role in Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest religious traditions of mankind. In this book, scholars from a broad range of disciplines make the first ever collective effort to discuss Zoroastrian rituals in different historical contexts and geographical settings.

"The Parsis of India" examines a much-neglected area of Asian Studies. In tracing keypoints in the development of the Parsi community, it depicts the Parsis' history, and accounts for their ability to preserve, maintain and construct a distinct identity. For a great part the story is told in the colonial setting of Bombay city. Ample attention is given to the Parsis' evolution from an insular minority group to a modern community of pluralistic outlook. Filling the obvious lacunae in the literature on British "colonialism," Indian society and history, and, last but not least, "Zoroastrianism," this book broadens our knowledge of the interaction of colonialism and colonial groups, and elucidates the significant role of the Parsis in the commercial, educational, and civic milieu of Bombay colonial society.

This volume traces the history of Zoroastrianism at times and places where its existence has previously been largely ignored, or treated only episodically. Literary, archaeological and numismatic evidence has been drawn on (some of it only recently brought to light), and local developments are distinguished. In Iran itself some 200 years of Macedonian rule had little effect on the national religion. To the east, Zoroastrianism survived in the Greco-Bactrian kingdoms and under Mauryan suzereinty, where it came into contact with Buddhism. In Eastern Mediterranean lands it was maintained by Iranian expatriates well down into Roman imperial times. They adopted Greek for their written tongue, and Zoroastrian doctrines thus became known in the Greco-Roman world. Study is made accordingly of Zoroastrian contributions to Hellenistic thought, and to Judaism, Christianity and Mithraism; and an excursus provides a thorough reassessment of the Zoroastrian pseudepigrapha.

Preliminary material -- GENERAL -- THE GODS OF PAGAN IRAN -- DEMONS AND EVIL-DOING, FABULOUS CREATURES, FIRST MEN AND HEROES -- DEATH, THE HEREAFTER AND FUNERAL RITES -- THE NATURE OF THE WORLD AND ITS ORIGINS -- THE PAGAN CULT -- ZOROASTER -- AHURA MAZDĀ, ANGRA MAINYU AND THE BOUNTEOUS IMMORTALS -- THE TWO STATES AND THE THREE TIMES -- THE UNRECORDED CENTURIES -- THE LEGENDS OF ZOROASTER AND HIS SONS -- THE LAWS OF PURITY -- THE ZOROASTRIAN FUNERAL RITES -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX -- ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.

The significance of the Zoroastrian religion in the development of the history of thought is often only mentioned in passing, or is completely overlooked. Zoroastrianism has developed over a span of at least three thousand years, with roots in a common Indo-Iranian culture and mythology, then becoming part of imperial Iranian ideology within an Ancient Near Eastern setting, and emerging in variant forms in western and central Asia in late antiquity. The religion continues as a living faith for an estimated 130 - 150,000 adherents in the world. Most Zoroastrians if asked, 'In a nutshell, what do Zoroastrians believe?' would begin their answer with the moral maxim: 'Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds.' Zoroastrianism: A Guide for the Perplexed takes this foundational trifold ethic as the framework for its three main chapters. The book presents a comprehensive study of the religion through its focus on the questions that perplexed seekers might ask of a Zoroastrian concerning ideology and ethics; current discussions of 'text' and 'author'; and the putting-into-practice of the religion.