Important Zoroastrian Sites
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Iranshah Atash Behram (Udvada, Gujarat, India.) - Most sacred temple in India because it houses the flame brought by the Parsees on their escape from Iran and the Muslims oppression over their religion. It is also popular pilgrimage spot. |
Yazd (Cental Iran) – Most important annually shrine pilgrimage area 6 holy shrines lie here for pilgrims to come hoping to seek great religious blessings. Every year, numerous Zoroastrians from all over the world visit the holy shrines.
While Indian Zoroastrians (aka Parsees) go to the Iranshah Atash Behram for their pilgrimage destination, Iranian Zoroastrians have several pilgrimage destinations called ‘pirs’ meaning ‘old place.’ Although there are several pirs around Iran, there are 6 major pirs. Each pir has specific pilgrimage days and dedications to ruling family members each with its own legend. The legends interestingly are commonly associated with the Arabian Muslims and their invasion to Persia/ Iran in the 7th century AD. Basically, each dedicated member is running away from the Arabian soldiers. When they reached the places where the shrines were eventually established, they prayed to Ahura Mazda for refuge and miraculously will the mountain open itself for the escapee to hide. Below will list the six pirs according to the order pilgrims travel first:
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Cypress of Abarkuh (Abarkuh) - Another popular pilgrimage and tourist spot, this tree houses a 4,500 year old cypress tree. Zoroastrians consider this cypress therefore, sacred, because it represents long life. It also represents truth and justice because it has seen so much history during its lifetime. People come here tying ribbons on the branches and making a wish. If the wish has been granted, they return to untie the ribbon.
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Kerman Zoroastrian Museaum and Fire Temple - Collection (Kerman) - of cultural heritage artifacts that show the ancient history of Zoroastrians. It is now considered an important place where it displays ancient Iranian culture. It is also the most popular tourist spot in Kerman. |
The Tower of Silence - Towers where Parsees and Zoroastrians place their dead on a platform for vultures or other birds to consume it. A general Tower of Silence is no more than 10 meters high and a deep pit lays under the tower. Before being carried to the platform, relatives and friends would look at the corpse one last time. Vultures will immediately devour the corpse since some already circle the Tower of Silence overhead. After the vultures have eaten the flesh, the bones drop through the grating into the pit below where the bones will be thrown into a container covered with charcoal at the end of the day. |
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