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Congress Steet, Salem, MA ‘1070. fee Cee A eet coms Sir pla eg ac act Sah a Tepe Sel Cid 5 sted pl es rs SECT Sa cor rm et ee Beebo ie Panls Sloe nl Scones ona Specie eet Behe Bet as ieee eal e RESET PEE pn nt 0 tg SSRIS Tp als fon EP a vc min py mt tm cee en oe ar Indo-Iranian Journals published mes per smn: nox, Api ‘Sobserption pies, per voluae:Institons § 125.30, Secors-las postage puid at New York, N.Y. USPS No. 491-750. US. Mailing Agent: Expediters ofthe Printed Word Lia, 11-35 45th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101. Published by Kinwer Academic Publisher, Spuitoulevid SO, P.O, Bex 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands, and 101 Philp Dave, Norwell,MA 02061, U.S.A Posimaster: Please sen all ress commotion to: Kluwer Academic Pubishas Groop, fo Bxpodior of the Printed Word Led, 11-35 45 Avenue, Long Island Gis NY 1101, US.A, Joly, and October ringed on acid-free paper DASTUR FIROZE M. KOTWAL A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PARSI PRIESTHOOD* “The Sasanian empire came to a formal end with the murder of Yazdegird TM at Mery in 651 A.C; but it was not until 200 years or more had passed that a group of devout Zoroastrians from Kohistan in the north-east of Iran found the ever-increasing religious persecution growing too much to bear, and resolved to seek freedom of worship elsewhere. They travelled south to the port of Hormuz on the Persian Gulf also known as MOghistan ‘place of ‘the magi ie. Zoreastrian priests; and eventually secured a ship and sailed ‘eastward, men, women and children. Their frst halt was at the port of Diu in Kathidwacd, where they are said to have stayed for 19 years. From there they sailed again towards the southern part of Gujarat, but met with a dreadful hurricane in the middle of the sea. The faithful devotees of Ahura Mazda stood up and prayed to Him to deliver them from this calamity. If they reached, unlhurt, the shores of Gujerat, they vowed that they would ‘consecrate a sacred fire in honour of Bahrdm, the god of victory, who helps land protecta the devout in perilous journeye. Their sincere prayers were speedily answered, and the violent storm subsided. The founding fathers of the Parsi community reached the shores of southern Gujarat in Vikram Samvat 992, ie. 936 A.C. They named their newly-founded colony after Sanjan, a town in the Khwaf district of Kohistan, from where they originally In fulfilment of the vow taken on the high seas, the Parsi setters began to make preparations for installing a sacred fire on the soil oftheir new haven, Sanjan. They sent two priests overland to Khorasan to undergo the puriticatory ablutions (barashnom) and to bring back with them the ritual implements (“ldt)' necessary for consecrating a sacred fire, Other Kh6résani priests, well-versed in executing such holy works, accompanied them on their return to Sanjan where, in accordance with the dictates of the religion, they consecrated the sacred fire and installed it in about the middle of the tenth century A.C For about three centuries, the Parss lived together in Sanjan, When their numbers grew, members of both the clergy and laity began to move away towards the northern part of Gujarat, and to establish colonies there. Indo-Iranian Journal 33: 165-115, 1950. 8'1990 Khover Academic Publisher. Printed in the Netherlands. el166 DASTUR FIROZE M. KOTWAL ORIGIN OF THE PARSI PRIESTHOOD Priests naturally formed the backbone of the group of Parsis who came to Inia in 936 A.C. Theie early history down to the time of Shapur Shab the common ancestor of almost ll Parsi priests, is unetievable. Besides ‘Shipur Shabriyar, the ancient commemorative list of departed worthies contains the names of Hérmazdyar Rémyir and Néryésang Dhaval, his grandsons, fom whom the priests of four major groups trace their lineage? (Of these two grandsons of Shapur Shahriyér, Néryésang Dhaval*is ccle- brated as a Sanskrit scholar who lived in Sanjan in the later part of the twelfth century Among the Pass who migrated northwards from Sanjan, there was a ‘band who settled in the little town of Navsar in about 1275 A.C; and Zanthsht MObad, a grandson of Hormazdyir RimySr, accompanied them together with his two sons, Kimdin and Mabad, to cater for their religious needs Afterwards, Zarthdsht’s younger brother, Babram Mabad, let Sanjan for Bharuch (Broach) with another batch of Paris to become eventually the ancestor of the Bharuch priests. In Navsar, Pahlan M@bad, a grandson of Zarthosit Mobad, chose to go to Surat and eventually became the ancestor of the Gadavra® priests. At the end ofthe fourteenth century. the Parsi population of Navsari increased considerably, and the descendants of Kamdin Zarthisht had to employ another priest, named Hom Bahmanyr, trom Sanjan. Hm Bahmanyar came to Navsari with his only son Farédun as an employee of the descendants of Kémdin Zarthosht, ‘but continued aso to serve the Sanjan Atash Bahram with his son. After some yeats, the descendants of his brother Hérmardyar Bahmanyir in Sanjan objected to their earning a livelihood in two places, and asked Farédin and his two sons” to work either in Navseri or in Sanjan. Farédn and his sons refered their case to their employers and indicated theie wilingness to settle permanently in Naysari and forego their right fo serve the Atash Bahram in Sanjan, provided that the descendants of Mobad Kamin, headed by Pablan Anna® and Kaka Dhanpil? agreed to divide the share from the proceeds of ceremonies equally between themselves and the ‘three sons of Farédin in perpetuity. The family members of Pahlan Anna ‘and Kaka Dhanpil agreed to this proposal, and the three sons of Farédin Flom became equal partners with them, to be called thereafter the Bhagara ‘or Bhagarsith," i. the co-sharers, These five priests became the lineal ancestors ofall Bhagara priests, forming, as it wee, ve family groups or stocks, called pols (Guj pol: ‘a street, a lane). A leading member from each of the five pols held an important religious office conferred on him by the Bhagarsith Anjoman, The five offices are: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PARSI PRIESTHOOD. 167 1, The head ofthe Kaka Palin stock made the her of a deceased person recite the formula. of sésh'? on the third day after death inthe presence of an assembly 2. The head of the Kaki Dhanpal stock acted as eustodian ofthe con- secrated bulls urine (nizangdin).° 3, The head of the Ashi Farédin stock conducted the penitentiary prayer (pat) in an assembly gathered to honour the departed soul on the third day after death 4, The head of the Mahyar Farédin stock gave permission for intations into priesthood, called Nawar and Maritab,!? and a member of his family was ented to conduct the fist day of the Nawar ceremony. 5, The head of the Chanda Farédin stock maintained records and pr served documents for the Anjoman's archives. “These five offices seem to have been allocated in about the middle of the fifteenth century and remained in this way until 1579 A.C, when the whole Anjoman of Navsari appointed Meherji Rand” as the first high priest (Vadi Dastur) of India. By the middle of the fifteenth century the priests seem to have settled comfortably in groups within different regions of Gujarat. In order to saleguard the interests of each group, the elders met together in conference in Sanjan and established five priestly jurisdictions, called panshaks,* demarcated by rivers. They all agreed that no priest would ever perform any ceremony, even for himself, in a panthak that did not belong to him. “The five divisions of the panshak were made in the following way: 1, Sanjand priests: from the river Dantora to the river Pir. 2. Bhagarid priests: from the river Par to the river Tapi 3. Godavr§ priests: from the river Tapf to the river Narmada. 4, Bharucha priests: from the river Narmada to the river Mahi. 5. Khambata priests: from the river Mabi to the river SSbarmati” [Neither the original covenant signed by the elders of the five priestly groups ‘ot its copy exists today, The agreements made in subsequent centuties between different groups of priests bear it out that the priests in general fully respected the covenant and regarded it as sacrosanct. The oldest ‘existing document which reflects ths state of affairs is dated 1543 AC. Tt is an agreement between the whole Anjoman (which included both the ‘Bhagari priests and laymen) of Navsari and the Sanjind Anjoman, and it spells out the priestly jurisdictions of two major groups of priests, the Sanjinds and Bhagarias In the latter half of tie Tteenth century, Ssnjan fell on evil days on168 DASTUR FIROZE M. KOTWAL phere ohne ude, en i oie “ee stpainae A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PARSI PRIESTHOOD 169 account of the devastating attack by the armies of Sultan Mahmud Begadi ‘of Gujarat in 1465 A.C. In order to protect the sacred fire against possible sacrilege by the Muslim conquerors, the valiant Sanja priests carried their ‘most precious possession to the mountain fasiness of Bahrat about fourteen miles to the south of Senjan, and hid the fire in a cave-dwelling with win- dows, doors and pillars, already carved out of the steep rocks. After a brief stay in the Bahrét hill, the Atash Bahram was taken to Binsda, and then, through the good offices of Changi Asha, a wealthy layman of Navsari, it ‘was cartied thence to Navsari in about 1479 A.C. The three courageous priests who brought the sacred fire to Navsari were Khirshéd Kamin, Nagan Rim and Chaiyyn Shaér, from whom the nine existing families of ‘Sanjana pricsts are descended. They sill enjoy the exclusive right to serve the sacred fire. With the enthronement of the sacred fire in Navsari, both the San and Bhagarié priests began to live amicably, helping each other in the affairs of the religion and respecting the covenant entered into by thei elders more than a century before. The presence of the sacred fire, housed in a building provided by the Bhagarsath Anjoman, added lustre to the far name of Navsari, which now became, in its own righ, the headquarters of both the Sanjanis and Bhagarié. Because of the calamities which had befallen the Sanjind priests in Sanjan and is vicinity, their economic condi- tion became straitened. They asked the Bhagarsith Anjoman to help them by giving them the diocese of the town (not the whole region) of Bulsir. ‘The Bhagari priests came to their rescue at this difficult time and granted them the diocese of Bulsar. The Sanja Anjoman of Navsari sent Shapur Rind to serve the Parsi community there. Because of a quarrel between two groups of laity, another dari mil seems to have been established in Bulsir lunder the charge of Jamasp Bhai, a Sanjana priest. In course of time, the descendants of Shapur Rind and Jamasp Bhaijf began to manage the affairs of Bulsar independently from the Sanjini Anjoman, refusing to pay the ecclesiastical dues, and consequently they lost their right to serve the sacred fire, Ti the last quarter of the seventeenth contury, there arose in Navsari a deadly feud between the Bhagariés and a few lay members of the Parsi ‘community called the Behdins ("those of the Good Religion’). For the sake ‘of supervision and equitable distribution of religious works amongst the priests, the Bhagarsdth Anjoman of Navsari passed a resolution in 1672 AC directing the priests to perform certain major ceremonies according to their tuens in and around Navsari, as also in other distant parishes such as170 DASTUR FIROZE M. KOTWAL, Bombay” and the nearby Parsi setlements like Chaul, Kalyan, Bhimardi and Thana. The Behdins of Navsari did not approve of the mandate issued by the Bhagarsith Anjoman to the priests and resolved in a meeting in 1673 AG. that they would get ceremonies oftheir houscholds performed by priests of their own choice. This stance ofthe Behdins infuriated the Bhagaris, and in course of time, i took an ugly turn culminating in the murder of two Bhaperia priests?! in 1686 AC. at a public place called ‘Tarbta. This dastardly act of murder agitated the Bhagariés so much that they, in their agony, killed six Behdins in retaliation. The influential Behdlins convicted twelve Bhagarias on charges of murder and got them imprisoned in Surat. Later on, they were released from gaol through the 00d offices of Kunverji Nandbhai Modi. the great leader of the Parsi community at Surat, and were sent back home safely to Navsari In order to implement effectively their resolution of 1673 A.C, the Behdins won over to their sie dissident Bhagara priest, Mindchcher Homi." who began to act as 2 family priest of the Behctins with the help of his three sons. In order to eam a living with ease and comfor, three more Bhagat priests, viz. Meherji Chindnd,?* DAda Chindji® and Pésh6tan Sohrab,” followed suit and joined with the Mindcheher Hémiji fold which now began to be called the Chahiro Sith (Guj), ic. the United Four.* Despite the unstinted support and lucrative help offered by the Dehdi to the United Four, the Bhagaris were successful in 1731 A.C. in geting 2 charter from Gangiji Réo, the governor of Navsar, and Pji Rao Gaekwad (1730-1732 A.C), the nuler of Gujarat. The charter upheld the legitimate nd sole right of the Bhagaris to perform marriage and other ceremonies of their clientele within their own jurisdiction, This gave a serous jolt to the priests aligned to the United Four, who, after much deliberation, resolved {to merge with their original fold in 1732 A.C. The Bhagariés welcomed the ‘merger bid by the priests of the United Four, and wit their characteristic ‘magnanimity, admitted them into the Bhagarsith Anjoman through a mutual agreement made in the Vadi Dar-i Mihr on April 16, 1732 The Behins ‘of Navsari did not like the reunion of priests, and they instigated the priests of the United Four to break up the covenant, which they gladly did in 1734 ‘AG. In order to safeguard their privileges with honour, the Bhagarias made ' petition to Gangiji Rio for preventing the priests of the United Four from encroaching upon their traditional rights. The leading Behdins took up the gauntlet and acted as defendants on behalf ofthe secessionists In order to arrive at an amicable solution, Gangiii Rao persuaded the leaders of both parties to appoint an arbitration court, comprising ten respectable Hindo citizens, to probe thoroughly into the matter. They all agreed to A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PARSI PRIESTHOOD m abide by the decision given by the court. The committee of ten gave its verdict largely in favour of the Bhagars, although the secessionists were recognised as an independent group and the dar-i mihr set up by the Behdins for the use of priests of the United Four was accorded validity. For a couple of centuries, all went on well in Navsari between the Sanjnds and Bhagariis. Then, because of an increase in their numbers and disruptive support and encouragement by the Behdins of Navsari, the less- disciplined among the Sanjand priests began to break the covenant made by their elders by performing the ceremonies of their own households and of those of the laity who supported their cause and were inimical to the Bhageriis. The Bhagatié priests protested, and asked to have an equal share in the proceeds of the Alash Bahrdm ifthe Sanjinis wished to persist in performing ceremonies within the priestly jurisdiction of the Bhagarids. The Sanjind priests fled a suit against the Bhagarias in the court of the Gaekwad of Baroda, the then ruling authority, who was camping at Songarh near Surat atthe time. After a few hearings of both sides, the Gaekwad gave his verdict in favour of the Bhagarias. The Sanjina priests, who owned some 25 ‘0 30 houses in Navsari, left the town with the saered fre in 1740 A.C. and. took shelter in Bulsir. Not finding themselves at ease there, they ultimately ‘established a permanent home for their sacred fire within their own par ak a Udvada in 1742 AC. To sum up, the Khaeasini group who came to Sanjan in 936 A.C. included priests who established the frst Atash Bahrdm in India with ritual implements (°4lat) brought from Khorasan. After centuries their descend- ants dispersed to different parts of Gujarat and founded five well-defined ‘ecclesiastical regions, All the Zoroastrian priests of India, except those from Khambit (Cambay), trace their descent from a common ancestor, Shapur ‘Shahriylr (see the genealogical tree provided on p. 168). The priests from Broach, Gédaved (including those from Surat), and Navsari (only those priests who belong to the pols of Kaka Pahlan and Kaka Dhanpsl) are descended from Hérmazdyir Ramysr, the grandson of Shipur Shahriyar; whereas the priests of Navsari who belong to the other three pols and also ‘those surnamed ‘Sanjand’* and the priests of Bulsar and Udvada, are all descended from Nérydsang Dhaval, another grandson of Shapur Shabrivar. ‘The spiritual link (silsla) with the KhGrasaai fire through the consecrated fice-ash, “lit, and priests has been maintained unbroken in Tndia. Although the monarchy of Iranian kings is eneed, the spiritual kingship of Tran still lives on through Zoroastrian ceremonies. It is hoped that it will be preserved till the time of the resurrection. May Ahura Mazda's blessings be fn those who work for the religion. Amen.2 DASTUR FIROZE M. KOTWAL, Notes + tna ead a pape in he Interotigs! Ino Suda Confeesce ed in Jerse tram tne 2-25, 1007 "tg gnc vas, he el Arabi pl) means any ceremonial consecrated abject sed igh lunge Specialy, itdentes he re sho an Atch Bahra, conseeaed Ss coe (wongdn}and te bar of sacred anbenited white ball Th pl eof he tem fort spe sje i duet the Honour cond on for is seeds {The Qasr’ sown“ story of Sofa, whch ithe mai cae ore aon ‘hou the founding of he ur oman, eros netber he dy ot Jaro the con {ecabon ofthe Sean fie The popu pend of ter tines esha on he dy Adar of ‘Remon Adu ccovdng ose wigs he sce re wat uted on Sy ASI the mon arash Temas howe, he ote atthe pate of xebraing te asvewnin of ered tes doesnot go bak frther than 15D year. Waen he fashion of ‘beng anniversaries of ies ocame popula, he mines of ds whone deter Sfcorscrsen were ot taoen were esl biered 0a he dy Ado he month Adu, Seog ascatd dey wih De rat eval of fra Deve Aduresn) 2 Ohi ve grovps ot pos nla, he oe which ted asd around Khanbit (Comb) seems thine descended loa nater neo pest, whose genealogy has nat Sen peter. MR itr gerd risteny ropa NEqeaag Dhara a header of the group wo onsets the Arath Baran in Suajen, hough Baran REkGbd, he lene San feist who wrote he Oise. sani in Nota 1599 A.C, doe at meio i al Men he dserbes he inslaton of th Sarjn Atak Barn. rronousy considering Neon fo have Den the leader ofthe group, he Pars est remeber name a etemonis by pean he od Pea le bed to hc tao prac oloweo i ave eryorsngs conta Hace Ran and 3b ‘rnsates Ship Stay although hi tay be de lo Hormazdr and Néryoeang DOL vga son named cbr) Ie worth non ha ld mance stg the mares ot drcated peor etn nstead tet of Erato thane Cerne of Fuss press, {Song terete he opie Past racic wich to pet Era oe rams of he Iited embers of he pny cls, Ost to hore of he utnases, and Dato to. toe of gh pes Peteskt Mobad Get established» dor nih in 8 sll modest Rowse whic, course ot tme became aeltioown asthe Great Dar ihr (Vk Dard MD) Pies ofa {Teroninaons tok pein beng ate in They toa er conmeria is ‘hast and most preps dar miro lad, Twat toe Sveing of eet Dano Meher ins was inte int of he Vah Dae be bore ox by # document dated 1536 AAC. For mre han 600 yeas koemamned wahoo ever-buning consecrated fe unt 1507, mher one was ited and endowed Oy 2 Sion a the Des aly, Mis, ME ives Brac Dea ‘Sine regon between the iver Tal and Narada i geerlykoown the gd nd the pis ving eave aed pbc Te tem pba i eed om gird “thte ting he godaghind™ The ren of goad consis of two pars Marva ihe ‘eponteneen the tier and Kn) esd Satis (he apo betwen te er Kin toa Narmediy wu Adlshwar ae heasgare ‘Pfaredon Hom had tee sons AU, Mg and Chin The youngest of them, Chin tus tinted im the pesPood, a hence ws not eile to nerve the Sj Ata Bau The hori ile fA was apple to Pitan Ann wh ved ong and was 9 mach Tespeved munis tne He is tatloce Ser hrown 8 KO Paha. A DRIEF HISTORY OF THE PARSI PRIESTHOOD. 173 > Tae ater ofthe famowssohola-prest Assn KEKE KEKE i here 3 proper mae. "By taking into account the share of Chindi Faved, the eights of his descendants were uly Fecognised and safeguard "a former umes the sered breads (drén) were brought ro the Vad Dac Mit nd the rests cunscrted them according (0 thei ums. As wage fo the act of conection hey {ook oo one stered bread from each ofthe drnolleings. Tat st of taking out rd rom cach oferig is called bhoge Kadh (Gu) "Yo take out the bhogor or din (Av. dana ‘poruon, and those pists who perform tis et are called Bhagr adhnard (Gu) ox Fhagard Tis practice of sharing from the offeriagsteceaterapplid wo all ther ete ‘monies, and ithe ongin ofthe ler Bhagar "Ate the Utama ceremony onthe thir day after death, the seaior priest used formerly to recite a thor! forma named ssh (a shonened form of svt), exhorting the eldest son to have the Sih ceremonies prformed forte benef of the departed soul. The pest also decared to he assenbly the number of Ahunars the devout had undertaken 1 recite ‘dng te fat year aller the death andthe il ien to the deserving cash and kind. I tas ej tha the ees son of the decrated, or his neatest ml tlie, Soult rep ‘his formula after the priest. The 60h formula, expressed in corapt Gujarat and Persians ‘ow seldom sd "ac the appointunent of Meher Rnd as hgh pis, te Kotwal fly belonging tothe [Ashi Fare stock was given the charge ofthe niin bythe Bhagarsih Aajomar. 1 Re ir the prerogative ofa high priest to conde the pa, tis right was rnaerrsd on {0 Meher Rnd on his appointment a high pres "3 pret’ som i ated int the presto by the ceremony of Naw quale to perocm high tures trough the Maratb ceremony. 1’ Since Cnéndi Paredin was no inated int the prisihood, the Bhagarcth Anjoman alloted Bin a now ecdesistl function 2 Meer ne no ea, as mpd by Mis ale VS i os Mee, Men, ie same is remembered in Zoroatan ceremonies wih his adopive fbr as Der Meher Erac Viens "Pris juedicions or pashaks are of wo spe: the vigil one demareated by svers and those tha develope i ner mes with stitigs ofthe Farsi population nthe ater ‘ype, priest belonging to any ef the five groups may be employed by the ay Yo perform ceremonies. Bembny i good example ofthe later ype, since there priests ofa five groups have ther own places fr ceremonies. Enough descended Kom a diferent priestly line the Khambité priests seem to have Igken part in the Sanjan conerece to determine the piel joruditons. 5 According wo on old manoxeript (. $6) of thor obituary acies in my postesson. he rest in charge ofthe clientele of Bombay was named Ervad (E) Darab E»Faramvoze E. Bahnan Osti (©) MehesO. Farédin E- Chinand E. Kein whe sie ia Sarat 1717 (1651 AC), He was elcknames Dass Chizns ard he belonged wo the Lashkar! fara within the Ashi Farédn stock, He seems to be the st priest ia charge ofthe Parsi community of the hen king vilageof Bombay. Tho murder of two pists, sie. Mindck Bohrbm ofthe Nevin fay and Rustam Shiper ofthe Ani family, cok place on te ay Rastn ofthe month Baton, Samrat 1743 (September 7, 1686) Aer some decedes, the Bhagusith Anjman endowed s public memorial wocehip (Ishan) a honour of thi artycdom wich contac he dy Ete ae Wehsias hledm the skomish mere NaMné Meher, Koka Aspu (ther of Mani Koki Tal, Nahns Casa), Meher Suh, Rehman Pashutan and Rustam Ship 2 in appreciation ofthe great favour showa by Kanverj: Nanas to the smiprzoned Bhugarié priests, the Bhaarsih Anjoman peformed two Ushamnd ceremonies in hour of ‘he tao deceased relatives of Kunin the Vadi Dari Minin 1650 AC. Pablan Faredan,174 DASTUR FIROZE M. KOTWAL the father ofthe celebrated priest DScSbPablan, who was one ofthe wel imprisoned Prete, made arangements forthe seremoniet."The Anjoman took the respons of eating twenty-two lakhs of Ahunavar prayer on behalf ofthe sal ofthe fist aie and wen ive lake forthe her during the fst Jexe of ese 2 Mincheher Hemi belonged to the Ban family within the Ching Fasain sock He swat the sn-nvnw of Maa Kuki Tals lading Behn opposed tothe Bhaganids. His ‘ougest son Adar surrepioniy performed & Newar ceremony with» Sanna pis, tamed Tamadsp Bhai of Bulan ac Bhagy’-Danch vlage near Nova This am others {roup sites cred e commotion among the tasitonalt priests of Navsah mich eve {tally esate inte the expan of Mindcheber Howland bi thre sons frm the Bhagae- {318 Aajeman. 58 Meher Chanda, suame Kakal, belonged to the Kaki Fablan stock. He joined Mindcheher Ham fod n 1699 A.C. togemer sith hi four ron, 1 ‘Du Chindisuraamed Dadéchies, belonged tothe Ashi Fatédin stock, He joined the Mingcbeher Hien fol wih i sever ons P eshotan SShrb, serared Rabid, balonged t the Ashi Forédin stock He joinod the Mindoteher Hen fold with his wo Sock 2 After the formation ofthe Chaharo Sih by €, 1700 AC, a pest med Kaus the ‘youngest son of Jimisp BhajSanjant, who was adopted by his maternal prandther [ArpondySe Rina, 2 Bhogavia pris, coded om the BhagarsityAajoman and joined the ‘Chahine Sih asming the surname Bhandi 2 Pian Rao founded the Gackwad Symaty in Gujarati 1730 AC. 2 The Behiing became desparate and dssalsCed wit te seunion of priests They cone vened'2 mesting ofa Behn in 1738 AC. and sexalved na to icreave fs for cere: ‘monies. They fiche reiterated their support forthe 1686 resolution If he priests would ‘demand more fees than whe! wat then Flat, the Rehding would ave no tecouse Dt to perform al aocesey coremonie temztves Ifthe pnts woud cette to pororm the ‘uptil, the Rehdine would reste the peyer for health (cn dove) and econ the coupe home. I they refused to perform the stcred bread (ardn ceremony he Bebe would remember the departed seus by elleing incense 1 the fie and be stised ith ft the Priest refused to do the funeral ceremony, the Behdins wuld do iby reiting sch bj, ‘Buwrshed and milo nyayesh, and pa Te Behatns further resolved thatthe dat ihr vp in 1586 AC. lor the exclusive use ofthe peu of the Und Four would doubiess The second half of the twentieth century has witnessed an unprecedened shortage of piss: In order to fde over this appalling Stuation, the Bhagarsith Anjomaa unanimously fesolved in an histone meting eld inthe Vadi Data Mv on Jaruary 3, 1987 9 admit in 4s fold al pesty groups who had seceded from i i the pas eke he practi among the Bhspands tha! 3 priest om ary other gloup may become a [Bhagat he adopted by a Bhagand priest and is ordained» pies inthe Vad" Dar Mine of Naveen the sixteenth century a Sanjéné pet named Plsnen se adapted by Dis maternal grandfather, Sd SAAze Chi Asda, who nat & Bhagat rest blorging 0 the Many Forecast (po) Ina document of 1580 A.C, PEsbGtn appended ie Signature as Paste Tv, presumably with ns adopive father’s sume, The fst Eve ih pests of the HB. Wadia Atash Bam, Bombay, i Edal, Baran, Péshtan, Dao ‘snd Rastam, ll suraamed ‘Sanja, telogged tthe Bhagasih group and were descended from Pesan fi BIBLIOGRAPHY Bajan, B-Ecand sm Athornan’ Piri din an nd rmdriifrkang (=A econ of ters ‘elating © Para religion, custom ad tstry" Bombay 1908 (0p) A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PARSI PRIESTHOOD. 175 Modi SH. Stet n Port ht, Boat 1920. Hos 3.1 ak onic teh coment fhe fly ish, Boy iT Gn Kanga FR Bath anon ndith (= The History of te Brgy Asjoman, ante 122 oa) Komal My “Soe trv on he iy Pada mia, BSOAS, Sexi 3978 soreoe Kot FM a By yA pd he Zaring Cho 1982 Keim ty Nast dhehemt hg nna res (0 he mas cine in Va Dus Mes of Nava) 12, oy 1999 (2) Meta D3, Distr dr meen lil orth (2 “DaatrDat Mess ind memorial vlan’) 14, Bombay 197 (0) Mabsjtann D3, NOwh até ml (Notes at ec’), Bombay 1939 (Gai Manegiann D8, Dur (2"A oo of snr day oe Sea) Bombay 1982 on senny The poy of he Net Part pes, Leadon unde), pb by amor tenors Meberana 8 Ni el dard sh ain! ara aa toon vt ot ard ela (= Soqe ol to ocean te ter dan mi of Notre iy the mal nd seats of Ram he ih uc of tse, Nev 1914 (Oa) oct Teen temas ed eons of he Pars Bombay 986 ein Now pnt ane mepran ty maahno, atl dango nataons haa (a mii apy ts cunt.” depo nthe ret Des Mehr Rass Scr ot hen byte ees Pa uae Bombay. Bombay 1953 xi) For a leaned ehuque on me Gocumens, sc€ sbove “ows ang ceils” by D. 5. Meer atl B.B, Pit dharma-tholo (= “Religious places ofthe Fase"), Bombay 1906 (Gu) Patel, BB, Parsi palash (= “Pas: usw) 1, Bombay 1878 (Gu) High Priest, HEB. Wadia Atash Bahrom, AH. Wadia Building, 3rd Floor, C598, . Shankerseth Road, Bombay 400002, India