NAVJOTE
Overview
:
The navjote or sudreh-pooshi ceremony inducts a person into the
Zoroastrian faith. For many Zoroastrians it is one of the most important
rites of passage in their lives and in the lives of their families.
Navjote
is the Indian-Zoroastrian word for the ceremony. Navjote means new
(nav) life (jote). Some say that 'jote' comes from the Avestan word
zaotar, meaning one who offers prayers. Sudreh-Pooshi is the Iranian-Zoroastrian
word for the ceremony. It means putting on the sudreh or white vest
which Zoroastrians wear.
On
this page we will call the person being initiated into the faith
- the initiate.
The
ceremony is held at any place the organizers choose. In the navjote
ceremony illustrated here with photographs, the ceremony and following
celebrations were held at an Agiary, a Zoroastrian place of worship,
in Pune, India, in 1995.
The Family :
Navjote
- The initiate and his parents
![](navjote00_small.jpg)
The parents' immediate families
The
Gathering / Anjuman:
Zoroastrian rites of passages are generally publicly witnessed ceremonies.
Family and friends gather at the place where the ceremony and the
following celebrations will take place. The gathering that witnesses
the ceremony is called an anjuman in Persian.
![](navjote01.jpg)
This
writer's immediate family in front of the agiari
This
writer's cousins and their families
This
writer's cousin and her family
The
writer's sisters and their friends
Note the sarees (see Gara Sari below)
The Gara Sari :
Some of the saris worn by the women at the navjote are called garas.
The gara is a sari traditionally worn on special occasions by Zoroastrian
women from India. Is is often part of a family's heirloom as is
the sace that can be seen in photographs below. Each gara is unique
and may be looked upon as a collector's item.
Family and friends await the start of the ceremony :
Family and friends await the start of the public ceremony
while the initiate takes a ritual bath
Preparing
to Witness the Navjote Ceremony :
The navjote is a public ceremony where the people gather and bear
witness to the recitation of the Kusti prayers by the initiate,
prayers that include a covenant to the Zoroastrian creed, and an
investiture with a vest and cord, the sudrah/sudreh and kusti.
Kusti
Prayers :
In the months or years before the day of the navjote, the initiate
will have learnt from her or his parents or family, a set of prayers
called, the Kusti Prayers. These are the daily prayers that a Zoroastrian
recites when untying and retying the cord called the kusti, around
her or his waist.
The
practice of memorizing prayers extends from the laity to the priesthood,
with the priests memorizing greater sections of the Avesta. This
practice is what has preserved the scriptures even when the scriptures
were destroyed by antagonists to the faith.
Nahan & Nirangdin - Physical and Spiritual Cleansing
:
The
start of the Nahan, the ritual cleansing bath
Before the navjote ceremony, the initiate undertakes a ritual bath
called the nahan, in a bathroom within walking distance of the area
where the ceremony will take place. During this time, friends and
family seat themselves and await the arrival of the initiate.
In
addition to cleaning the body, the nahan includes a spiritual purification
called the nirangdin that enables the initiate to enter the faith
in a state of spiritual purity. Here, in preparation for the bath,
the initiate under the guidance of the officiating priest, recites
a prayer and chews a pomegranate leaf (also see baresman).
The
initiate then either takes a small sip or symbolically places her
or his lips to a small metal container containing nirang (consecrated
white bull's urine called taro or gomez when not consecrated). The
taro is ritually consecrated to nirang in advance and is believed
to have cleansing properties (also see Darmesteter 5.5). The priest
will have added to the nirang, a pinch of the bhasam or the consecrated
ash from a fire at the fire-temple. The nirang (taro) ritual is
part of an ancient practice when taro was used externally and internally
as a disinfectant before the advent of modern anti-bacterial agents.
While strange today, thousands of years ago, the practice saved
lives. When nirang-taro is not available, pomegranate juice can
be used as a substitute.
While
the bath symbolizes external physical cleansing, the nirangdin represents
internal spiritual cleansing. Put in another way, through the nahan
and nirangdin rituals, the initiate symbolically prepares herself
or himself to partake in the navjote ceremony with clean hands,
and a clean heart as well. The symbolism also reminds the initiate
that good health is needed to undertake the rigours and responsibilities
of life. In the photograph to the left, the priest can be seen giving
the initiate a small container. In all likelihood, this container
contained taro.
Also
in the photograph, note the white, powdered chalk design, called
chuna or rangoli, outside the threshold of the bathroom as well
as the string of flowers (often tuberoses) on the upper frame of
the door called a toran (for more on torans see the page on marriage
customs). This practice is both decorative and thought to be auspicious.
The
priest stands outside the door while the initiate bathes behind
closed doors. After the bath, the initiate puts on a loose fitting
white trouser somewhat like a pyjama, a shawl wrapped over the shoulders,
back and chest, and a prayer cap. Zoroastrians cover theirs heads
while praying.
Ceremonial Walk and Achu Michu :
![](navjote05.jpg)
The
walk to the ceremonial area starts
Initiate's
mother and aunt carry the sace
Achu
Michu: the initiate's grandmother circles an egg around his head
![](navjote06_small.jpg)
Achu
Michu: the initiate's grandmother circles an egg around his head
The
female members of the family headed by the eldest woman, in this
case the initiate's grandmother, play a significant role in accompanying
the initiate from the bathroom to the ceremony hall. They carry
with them a tray called a sace or ses containing symbolic utensils,
a coconut, flowers or a garland, sugar, rice and a set of new clothes,
Including a new sudrah and kusti that the initiate will wear after
the ceremony.
The
belief is that this is a particularly vulnerable time for the initiate
as the temptations of evil assail the new initiate in order to introduce
doubt and turn the initiate away from the chosen path. Therefore,
once the group arrives at the initiation area, the eldest woman,
here the initiate's grandmother, exorcises any lurking evil, and
prepares the initiate to begin the initiation process, cloaked as
it were, with an aura of protection.
During
the ritual called achu michu a raw egg is circled around the initiate's
head seven times to absorb and ward off evil. Alternatively, rather
than circling the egg over the head, the elder can walk around the
initiate seven times before smashing the egg on the ground beside
the initiate's feet destroying any exorcised evil or the evil that
may have been cast of the initiate. The process can be repeated
with a water, rice, betel-nut, dates (placed in the tray or held
in the hand) and finally a coconut which is also smashed on the
ground. Each presumably has a special quality to absorb or ward
off evil.
The
ritual has no support or justification in Zoroastrianism. It is
nevertheless an interesting tradition that adds to the various rituals
of the ceremony. The symbolism, is that Zoroastrians are ever vigilant
against evil and seek to walk the path of Asha or goodness.
Age of Reason and Responsibility :
Originally, the initiation ceremony took place on the threshold
of a person entering the age of reason - the age for assuming personal
responsibility - deemed by tradition to take place on attaining
fifteen years of age (cf. Sad-Dar, chapter 10, a sixteenth century
BCE Persian text, Sad-Dar meaning 'Hundred Doors', and Tir / Tishtrya
Yasht 8.13-14). The ceremony which took place after the fourteenth
birthday (Sad-Dar, chapter 46) but before the fifteenth, was primarily
a coming of age ceremony with a confession of faith included. The
person being initiated was considered to have the mental capacity,
maturity and training to accept the Zoroastrian faith and its tenants
through free will, to make reasoned choices, and to be responsible
thereafter, for her or his decisions (Vendidad 18.54).
At
birth, an individual is born into the care of her or his parents
and remains their ward until the coming of age. After a navjote,
the person is born again into a new life, this time as a responsible
person, accountable in this life and the after life for every thought,
word and deed. The concept of being born again is an Aryan concept
shared with Hinduism where it is called dvijas - twice born (also
see our page on Aryan Prehistory - Jamshidi era), and where the
initiation or thread ceremony is called upanayana meaning bringing
within. Perhaps we can take this to mean that the responsibility
for a person's thoughts, words and deeds now resides within that
person - within their soul.
During
the navjote ceremony, the initiate makes a pledge to abide by the
tenants of the faith, a covenant that a Zoroastrian will renew every
time she or he recites the Kusti prayers. The initiate should therefore
have the capacity to enter into this pledge, to maintain the pledge,
and to be responsible and accountable for every thought, word and
deed. In Mithraic terms (Mithra is the angel and guardian of contracts
and promises), the pledge is a binding contract containing covenants.
At
some time after the Arab invasion of Iran and by the time of the
writings of the Rivayat (15th to 17th century CE orthodox Iranian
answers to questions from the Parsees of India) of Kaus Kamdin (p.
29-30 of manuscript MU 1), the age for the initiation ceremony was
lowered and a child could be initiated after the age of seven. Nowadays,
for children born to Zoroastrian parents, the navjote ceremony takes
place between the ages of seven and twelve. Perhaps initiation at
a young age is for reasons of modesty since the sudrah is worn over
a bear chest during navjote ceremonies in India (however, the sudrah
can be placed over, say, a blouse). However, one wonders whether
a child understands the significance of a covenant and whether a
person and her or his soul can be considered responsible for decisions
made at the age of seven. It would be interesting to know how Zarathushtra
initiated the "first hearers and teachers" of the faith
listed in the Farvardin Yasht, a chapter within the Zoroastrian
scriptures that memorializes Zoroastrians of old.
Navjote
Ceremony :
Setting :
The
Patet: The initiate seeks repentance
The
traditional ceremony is conducted with priests and the initiate
sitting on the floor or on a raised platform. Where priests are
not available, the ceremony is conducted by an elder or someone
familiar with the rites. The officiating priest sits directly opposite
(facing) the initiate. The initiate and sometimes the officiating
priest are flanked by assistants.
One
of the assistants maintains the fire called the Atash Dadgah. The
initiate sits on a low stool, called a patlo, covered with a white
sheet. Most Zoroastrian ceremonies are conducted on the floor covered
with a white sheet called a sofreh. The practice reminds Zoroastrians
to be humble, to be grounded and to stay connected with the earth
and nature.
The
sace or ses, that in our photographic tour was carried by the mother
and aunt, is placed beside the initiate. The sace contains new clothes
as well as a sudrah and kusti with which the initiate will be invested.
When
sitting opposite one another, the initiate sits facing the sun.
During the investiture, the priest will stand behind the initiate
and both will face the source of light.
The
area is decorated with strings of flowers.
Patet - Repentance :
The final step in preparation for initiation into the faith including
investiture with articles of faith, is repentance for past sins.
This final spiritual cleansing enables the person to start a new-life,
a nav-jote.
This
part of the ceremony is preformed sitting down, with the initiate
and head priest facing one another. The officiating priest and any
assistants begin the patet prayers. The initiate joins the prayers
if she or he knows the prayers or can follow along. If not, the
initiate is expected to silently repeat the Ahunavar (Yatha Ahu
Variyo).
At
the conclusion of the patet, the initiate and officiating priest
rise to stand facing one-another marking the start of the investiture
ceremony and the navjote proper. Once standing, together they begin
to recite the kusti prayers, prayers for untying and retying the
kusti.
Investiture :
At the conclusion of the patet, the initiate and officiating priest
rise to stand facing one-another marking the start of the investiture
ceremony and the navjote proper. Once standing, together they begin
to recite the kusti prayers, prayers for untying and retying the
kusti.
![](navjote08_small.jpg)
The
Navjote starts
![](navjote10_small.jpg)
The
Navjote: Putting on the Sudrah Sudreh-Pooshi in Persian
![](navjote11_small.jpg)
The Navjote: Tying the Kusti
Sudrah/Sudre
and Kusti/Kushti :
The
sudrah/sudre/sudreh and kusti/kushti are articles of faith, worn
as undergarments from the navjote ceremony onwards.
The
sudrah or sudreh or sudre is a white muslin/cambric vest. One interpretation
of the word is sud-rah, meaning the right path in Persian. It has
a small pocket at the V of the neckline, a pocket (with a slit facing
the chest) for the symbolic collection of a person's good deeds.
The pocket is called a giriban, the keeper of the pledge, or kissai
karfa, the pocket for good deeds. Before making a moral and ethical
judgment on the actions of others, a person is asked to look into
her or his own repository of deeds and gauge whether they have the
moral standing with which to make such a judgement. The fabric of
the sudreh and the charge to keep it clean reminds one to be humble
and righteous.
The
kusti or kushti is a hollow cord made from seventy two threads of
lamb's wool. It is wrapped three times around the waist, over the
sudrah. Different meanings are derived from the name ranging from
it being an ancient Aryan identifier to a destroyer of evil. The
significance of wrapping the kusti three times around the waist
is to wrap oneself in the pledge to abide by good thoughts, good
words and good deeds. The kusti is knotted twice as a symbol of
making a binding commitment to the creed (below).
Fravarane - Pledge of Faith :
The
pledge of faith made by the initiate at the navjote ceremony and
daily thereafter, is called the Fravarane. The Fravarane contains
the creed of the faith: to commit to a life based on good thoughts,
good words and good deeds. The following lines are taken from the
closing lines of the Fravarane as stated in Yasna 12.
Prayer |
Translation |
Mazdayasni
ahmi
Mazdayasni Zarathushtrish
Fravarane astuataascha fravarotascha
Astuye humtem mano
Astuye hukhtem vacho
Astuye hvarashtem shyaothanem
Astuye daenam vanghuhim Mazdayasnim |
I
am a worshipper of God
A Zarathushtrian in worship of God
These pledges and intents I do declare:
I pledge my thoughts to good thoughts
I pledge my speech to good words
I pledge my actions to good deeds
I pledge myself to the highest discerning belief in
worship of God |
Yasna
12.8,9 (and Khordeh Avesta). Translation by K. E.
Eduljee |
|
Tandorosti - Blessing :
The ceremony ends with the initiate and priest opposite one another,
and the priest offering blessings - praying that the initiate may
enjoy a long, healthy and righteous life full of grace. In Persian,
tan means body and dorost means correct or healthy in this case.
This
stage starts with the priest placing a tila or kunkun (a red powder
paste that adheres to the forehead when dry, symbolizing a third,
spiritual eye. This is a custom borrowed from the Hindus), a garland
around the initiates neck, a coconut, a bouquet of flowers, and
betel-nut leaves in the initiates hands. As the priest recites the
blessings, he sprinkles the initiate with rice and flower petals,
figuratively showering him with good fortune.
![](navjote18_small.jpg)
Priest
showering the initiate with flower petals during the tandorosti
![](navjote19_small.jpg)
The
initiate's mother congratulates him after the tandorosti
The initiate has now been initiated into the Zoroastrian faith according
to its rites and customs.
Celebration
& Festivities :
Sharing of Food :
Once the priest has left, the festivities celebrating the initiation
and coming of age start with the congregation coming up to congratulate
the initiate and give the initiate gifts, usually envelopes of cash.
When
the congratulations and the giving of gifts have finished, the gathering
retire to share a meal together.
In
India, the custom is, or was, to use banana leaves as disposable
plates.
For a person who has just entered the age of reason, and for whom
the navjote is also a coming of age celebration, the person is from
this day onwards, responsible and accountable for every thought,
word and deed.
![](navjote13_small.jpg)
Sharing
a meal together after the navjo
Source
:
http://www.heritageinstitute.com/
zoroastrianism/navjote/index.htm