Today’s
The World Around Us
will be presented
in Persian,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Indonesian, Japanese,
Korean, Malay,
Persian, Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish
and Thai.
Greetings,
illuminated viewers,
and welcome to
The World around Us
on Supreme Master
Television.
On today’s show,
we will visit sacred sites
of Zoroastrianism in Iran,
including
legendary fire temples,
sacred mountains,
and a world’s unique
Zoroastrian museum.
The Persian Empire was
one of the greatest empires
of the ancient world.
During the rule
of Sassanian dynasty
from the years 224 to 651,
Zoroastrianism was a
widely observed religion.
In fact, Zoroastrianism
once reached from Rome
and Greece all the way
to India and Russia.
The founding Master
of the faith was Zoroaster.
He tried
to awaken his people to
a positive outlook to life,
a life of righteousness,
compassion and
remembrance
of the one highest God
of all creation.
Thus, the message
he preached became known
as the Religion
of Good Conscience,
or the Good Religion.
In Zoroastrian belief,
fire is a symbol of
the original light of God.
Prayer often takes place
in front of a fire.
In major temples,
holy fires can be seen
kindling continuously,
never to be extinguished.
Today, in Iran, there are
about 50 Zoroastrian
fire temples remaining.
In its early stage,
the family’s house hearth
lit by the fire was used
as a place of worship.
Around the 4th century BC,
communal temples
began to be constructed
in villages and cities.
The buildings were built
generally square-shaped,
with four massive pillars
carrying round arches
and a dome in the center.
In the temples,
another symbol
of Ahura Mazda
can be found:
the winged disc.
Well before this time,
on the remote
high mountains,
there had been
previous places that
were considered sacred.
The Zoroastrians later
adopted them
as natural shrines,
with no temples, statue,
or altars.
After centuries of use,
simple temples were built.
Outnumbering the city
and village fire temples,
these peaceful mountain
shrines have since become
the focus of
Zoroastrian pilgrimages.
This is Yazd in central Iran.
This city in
the mountainous region is
the most important yearly
shrine pilgrimage area.
Six holy shrines are there
to receive sincere pilgrims
such as Pir-e-Herisht,
Pir-e-Banou,
Pir-e -Narestane,
Pir-e-Naraki.
Communal yearly
pilgrimages are believed
to yield the greatest
religious benefit.
Pilgrimage ceremonies
generally last for five days
at the shrines.
This is also an opportunity
for music and dancing.
The temple of Pir-e-Sabz,
or Chak Chak, is the
most visited holy shrine.
Each year,
from June 14 to 18,
thousands of Zoroastrians
from Iran, India,
and other countries
flock to the temple.
Tradition has it that pilgrims
are to stop the moment
they see the shrine,
and continue the rest
of the journey on foot.
Below the shrine, pavilions
have been constructed
on the cliffs to
accommodate the pilgrims.
During this January,
a renovation work
has been done
to build a ceiling
and strengthen
the shrine columns.
“Chak Chak” refers to an
ever dripping holy spring
issuing from
the towering cliff.
The most popular legend
of the shrine’s origin
is that Nikbanou,
second daughter of the
pre-Islamic Persian ruler,
the Sassanian Emperor
Yazdegerd III, had to flee
from foreign soldiers
at the time.
When she approached
the mountain, she prayed
to Ahura Mazda,
the supreme God,
for deliverance.
In response to her prayer,
the mountain opened up
and sheltered her
from the soldiers.
Beside the holy spring,
there grows an immense
and ancient tree.
It is believed that
the tree is Nikbanou’s cane.
The tears
shed by the mountain
for Nikbanou
became the spring water,
and a petrified
colorful cloth from her
was visible in the rocks.
Chak Chak is
man-made grotto, featuring
two large bronze doors,
a marble floor, and walls
darkened by
eternally burning fires
in the sanctuary.
Fire is perceived
as a holy being that
comes to assist humans.
It is also used to
invoke truth in the believer.
When praying, believers
face towards a fire,
or the sun or the moon,
which are regarded as
heavenly fires representing
Ahura Mazda Himself.
Local people say
that historical treasures
have been unearthed
by residents as well as
foreign passengers.
Coins, pieces of jewels,
and crafts, for example,
have been found around
these pilgrimage places.
It was believed
that Yazdgerd or
other Sassanian nobles,
having to depart quickly
from harm, had to bury
their heavy treasures
wherever they could.
The origin
of these mountain shrines
are said to be related
to Anahita, the goddess
of water, rain, rivers, love,
motherhood and birth.
During historical times,
the climate was wetter,
and the waterfalls
of Pir-e-Sabz
may have been more active.
Nowadays, however,
there are only
small amounts
of underground water
or narrow
intermittent streams.
In such dry environments,
water is precious
and praiseworthy;
springs, waterfalls,
and rivers are connected
to goddess Anahita
and accredited to her.
It is also believed that
these mountain shrines
were a chain of stations
for ancient Zoroastrians
to migrate to India
after the year 1100.
Zoroastrians all over
the Persian Empire,
from Azerbaijan and Aran,
to Susiana,)
and from the Alborz
to the Zagros Mountains
moved east.
They went through
the mountainous areas
of Aghda,
Ardakan and Yazd,
where it was safe
and food and water
were available.
When we return,
we will continue to
explore the Zoroastrian
sacred mountains and
visit an anthropological
museum in Iran.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Welcome back to
The World Around Us
on Supreme Master
Television.
Let’s continue
our exploration
towards Zoroastrian
sacred mountains in Iran.
In Avesta,
the holy scripture
of Zoroastrianism,
some sacred mountains
are mentioned,
the Zamyad Yasht
and Pahlavi Bundahishn.
There is also
Mount Ushi-darena,
which means “Support of
Divine Consciousness”
or “Sustainer
of Divine Wisdom.”
This is the mountain
where Zoroaster
attained illumination
and was imparted
Divine knowledge
by Ahura Mazda.
Zoroaster was an ancient
prophet, philosopher
and religious poet.
He was believed
to have lived
many centuries ago,
although the exact year
is unknown.
When he was born,
wonderful signs
in the sky and
other marvels occurred.
He did not cry
like a normal child, but
made a delightful sound
of laughter.
As a young boy,
he had magical powers
and spoke and behaved
with precocious wisdom.
In his youth, Zoroaster
left to seek enlightenment,
meditating alone
in the deep mountains.
Some time later,
still a young man,
he experienced the first
of seven inner visions.
In these visions,
Vohu Manah,
an angel-like being,
appeared and guided him
to meet the Creator,
Ahura Mazda.
Ahura Mazda imparted
to the holy one
Divine knowledge,
which were recorded in
the Gathas of the Avesta.
As the enlightened
Master taught,
the Zoroastrian way
encourages three
fundamental principles
of good thoughts,
good words,
and good deeds.
Zoroaster also lived
for a number of years
practicing
solitary meditation
in Mt. Asnavant, now
known as Mount Ushenai.
It is referred to as the seat
of Adar Gushasp,
or the Sacred Fire.
It is in the Azerbaijan
region near the lake
of Chaechasta, which is
also known as Urumiah.
Mount Ushenai
is believed to be able
to illuminate and purify
people’s minds.
After meditating here,
Zoroaster was prepared
and empowered
to set out into the world
as an enlightened Master.
Next, let us go to
Mount Alborz,
or Mount Har-Berezaiti.
This mountain is known
for having a special path
that leads to
another dimension.
This path is called
the “Bridge of
Moral Discrimination,”
and is believed
to connect Mount Alborz
to the mountain,
Chakad-e-Daitik.
Mount Alborz is also
associated with a saintly
king, Yima Vivanghvant,
who was on the mountain
when he was invested
to become a prophet
by the grace
of Ahura Mazda.
The Alborz Mountain range
is about 1500 km long.
Located in northern Iran
and extending from west
to east of the country,
it is a natural barrier
between the Caspian Sea
and the central plateau
of Iran.
It is carpeted by forests
on the northern slopes
near the Caspian Sea.
With heavy snowfall
in winters, Mount Alborz
has some of the world’s
most popular ski terrains,
which attract
many skiers yearly.
Our final destination
is Kerman
Zoroastrian Museum
and the Fire Temple,
the sole anthropology
museum of Zoroastrians
in the world.
It was established in 1983
by Parviz Vakhashouri,
head of the Kerman’s
Zoroastrian Society,
and Mehran Gheibi,
the head of
the Society’s library.
Collecting cultural
heritage artifacts
of Kerman’s Zoroastrian
community and many
other added objects,
this museum showcases
the ancient history
of Zoroastrians.
It is now considered
an important place
that displays the culture
of ancient Iran.
The museum was designed
in the 1990s and finally
officially inaugurated
in 2005
by Iran’s Cultural,
Heritage, Handicrafts and
Tourism Organization
during Jashn-e Tirgan,
an ancient Iranian
rain festival.
Two of the items
of the museum are
a hand-written volume
of Gathas in Gothic,
an archaic Germanic
language script, dating to
over 200 years ago, and
a handmade fire brazier
that is centuries old.
The section
for photographs
and documents shows
valuable pictures of
the Zoroastrian Society
of Kerman and Rafsanjan.
Every year
during Nowruz,
the New Year in Iran with
roots in Zoroastrianism,
Kermani youths
guide visitors
to the fire temple
and museum.
Thanks in part to
their efforts, the Kerman
Zoroastrian Museum
and the Fire Temple
are the most popular
sightseeing places
of Kerman, especially
during the festive time
of Nowruz.
May the sacred sites
of Zoroastrianism in Iran
continue to inspire awe in
the ancient sages’ search
for the Truth and the light
and wisdom
of Ahura Mazda
that answered their quest.
Thank you for joining us
for The World around Us
on Supreme Master
Television.
Words of Wisdom
is up next
after Noteworthy News.
May your
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be rekindled
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Friday, June 4
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