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PARSEE FESTIVALS AND OBSERVANCES.
In their calculation of the year only 365 days are allowed; leap is unknown to them, though there are records which prove that in every 120 years one month was added to make it correspond with the solar year.
The year
is divided into twelve months, of 30 days each, and five days, or "Gathas" as these are named, added at the end to make up the deficiency. These five Gatha days are held as the most sacred in the year, and those piously disposed spend them solely in prayers.
KHURDAD-SAL. The second of the Parsee festivals is the "Khurdad-Sal" day, or the anniversary of the birth of their prophet Zoroaster, who, they say, was born in the city of Reh, in the North of Persia, in the reign of Darius Hystapis, about 520 years before Christ. Heeren places the birth of this celebrated personage about 1,200 years anterior to this. Parsees themselves differ as to the exact time of the birth of their prophet; a part of them fix the period at B.C. 389, others at B.C. 538.
AMURDAD SAL.-This holiday, which falls on the day immediately after the preceding festival, appears to have no origin in the books of the Parsees. It is merely kept up as the continuation of the "Khurdad Sal;" no religious ceremonies aro required, and the day is always spent in festivities.
FARUHARDIN JASAN.-This day is set apart for the performance of ceremonies for the dead, "Faruhar" meaning soul or spirit. The religious portion of the people attend on the hills at Chaopatty (Bombay), where their "dokmas," or "towers of silence' are situated, and there perform prayers for the dead, in honour of their memory. The Parsees are enjoined by their religion to preserve the memory of their dead by annual religious ceremonies performed in the house; but such of their friends as die on long voyages or in unknown places, and the date of whose death cannot be positively ascertained, are, according to the terms of their religion, honoured by sacred rites on this day. The ceremony consists in a man or woman preparing small round pieces of baked bread, called darans, which are put on a copper vessel, along with fruits and flowers, over which the priest performs the prayers of the Baj, or “Vaj,” as it is called by M. Anquetil du Perron in his "Zend Avesta."
ARDIBEHEST JASAN.-This festival, as its name implies, is maintained in honour of Ardibehest Amshaspund, the angel controlling the sacred fire, that element being one of the wonders of divine creation. The fire-temples are crowded on this day, sandalwood is offered to the sacred flame, and prayers offered to the Supreme Deity.
THE NOWROZ.-The fifth on the list is the cerebrated Nowroz, called by some the Nowroz-i-Jamshid or the Nowroz-i-Sultan, the King's day. This celebrated festival falls generally about the 21st day of March, and corresponds with our Vernal Equinox. This day is observed by the modern Persians, the Arabs, the Turks, and several other Asiatic nations for the computation of the solar year, and for State purposes, such as the collection of revenue, and the arrangements for the agricultural operations of the year. Eastern writers date the origin of this festival from the time of Jamshid, the third King of the Peshdadian dynasty of Persia. Jamshid is sup- posed by Bailly to have flourished 3,209 years before Christ; the Shah Namah cele- brates him as the first King of his race, who introduced civilisation among mankind and established the computation of time.
AVA ARDUI SUR JASAN.-Ava, in the Zend text, is the name of the angel who presides over the sea, and this "Jasan," or festival, is held in his honour. The Parsees are required on this day to approach the sea shore, or any stream of water, and chant the Zend prayers, but owing to their long residence in India they have borrowed many Hindu rites in the observance of this holiday, and offerings of sugar, cocoanuts, flowers, &c., to the sea, are not uncommon. The better-informed portion of the community, however, do not join in these superstitious acts.
ADAR JASAN--Adar, another synonym for fire, is the name by which the ninth month of the Parsee year is called. This is the most sacred of the twelve months, and the ninth day of that month is held in great respect and sanctity.
Besides the above, there are the festivals of Meher Jasan, the Bahman Jas: ¤, and a few others of less importance, all of which are partially observed.