Zardusht

For almost two hundred years, scientific debates have been under way regarding the birthplace of Zardusht (Zarathustra, Zoroaster), founder of the religion named in his honour - Zoroastrianism. The problem is far from being solved. The birthplace of the prophet has not yet been identified. Most medieval Moslem historians (Biruni, Balazuri, Kazvini, Jagut al-Hamavi, et al), quoting later Zoroastrian sources, believe that Zoroaster was born in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan with its numerous fire temples played an essential role in the creation and dissemination of the canonized text of the Avesta — the sacred writing of Zoroastrianism, it was a place where Zoroastrianism was transformed into the world’s religion. in Shize (now Tahti Sulejman) One of the most revered in Persia fire temples - Adurhushnaps were in Shize (now Tahti Sulejman). About three thousand years ago (according to ancient chronicles, Zoroaster lived 258 years before Alexander the Great) in Azerbaijan near to the city of Urmiya, in the Palace, situated on the bank of the Daraj river, on the Azbar mount, lived certain Parashaspa with his wife Dogdo. They gave birth to a son called Zoroaster. A medieval manuscript says that even in his childhood Zoroaster differed from other children. He never cried and his perpetual laugh illuminated his parent’s home with Heavenly Light. Since his early childhood, he was notable for particular wisdom, and all the attempts of evil magicians to kill him were a failure. He was brought up by ministers of cult, and at the age of fifteen he began wandering about the world as a minister of cult. Aged thirty, Zoroaster as a Prophet declared a new religion. He failed to find followers in his own country, so he had to preach the new religion. When he passed a sacramental river, the Heavenly Spirit, Bahman, appeared before him to take him to the throne of God Ahura Mazda. There, Zoroaster was given a Heavenly Revelation. After that, Zoroaster went to Hell, where he was tempted to estrange from the Religion by the evil spirit Anghro Manyu (Ahriman). However, he contrived to escape the temptation. Zoroaster descended to the earth and declared a new teaching in the form of sacred writing under the name Avesta. The evil spirits pursued him on the earth too, but every time Zoroaster drove them away by praying from the Avesta. Having obtained an inspiration from Heaven, Zoroaster dressed in white clothes, with a sacramental fire and cypress scepter in his hand, came to the court of King Vishtapsa and converted him to the new religion. The neighboring rulers demanded from him to return to the religion of their ancestors, so Vishtapsa declared war against them. Vishtapsa won strongthened and Zoroaster’s teaching consolidated its position in Vishtapsa’s country. Vishtapsa built in Baktria numerous fire temples. Here Zoroaster spent his last days, and was assassinated either by evil magicians or hostile warriors. Zoroaster’s teaching proclaimed monotheism and the existence of permanent struggle between two principles - good and evil. The good was headed by Ahura Mazda, the evil - by Ahriman. Zoroaster taught that a man should assist Ahura Mazda in combating Ahriman. After all, Ahura Mazda should win this battle and exterminate evil in this world for ever. The morals were preached by Zoroaster, including good ideas, good words, good deeds and instruction to be generous, honest, restrained in one’s desires, recommendation to avoid cruelty and lawlessness. Each person should protect the cleanliness of fire, water and earth. It was prohibited to contaminate earth and fire through corporal contact. Therefore corpses were usually placed on an elevated rocky place or on a stone structure - Dahma ("Silence Tower"), where it was devoured by beasts and birds. Bones were hidden in special premises. Zoroastrianiasm expounded in the sacred writing, more correctly in the corpus of the Sacramental Book under the name "Avesta". The Zoroastrian priests preached an idea that Gats, - the oldest part of the Book, as well as its other parts, were written by Zoroaster personally as a celestial revelation, received from Ahura Mazda. In the Avesta, the idea is expressed through repeating a phrase : "So Ahura Mazda told Zarathustra". Eventually, the new religion - Zoroastrianism penetrated not only into the East, but spread in the West as well. Zoroastrianism is the world’s oldest religion. Such religions, as Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Buddism were Influenced by Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism became the first state religion. As has been noted above, contemporary Zoroastrianism and early Muslims regarded Azerbaijan as the birthplace of Zoroaster and Zoroastrianism. Here the coronation of legendary Jamshid and Sasanidian Shahinshah took place, here the Avesta was compiled for the first time. Yampolskiy considered Azerbaijan "the papal area" of Zoroastrianism. The most revered temples were located in Azerbaijan, here Zoroastrian priests from the Azerbaijani tribe of magi lived. The word “magi", in addition to its main meaning, was widely spread in scores of languages. In Azerbaijan, the word (Azeri - mug) survived under the name of Kura lowland as Mugan Duzu (Heath of Mags) and a large number of settlements (Muganly, Mugan, Muganlo, etc.) scattered all over Azerbaijan and eastern parts of Georgia. For Muslims, the word "Mugan" meant "Zoroastrian" or “a fire worshipper," so the names of the above mentioned villages might be connected with the locations of Zoroastrians among Muslims. Until now, Azerbaijanians have preserved many Zoroastrian customs. The names Zardusht, Zoroaster, the word "Dahma" in the meaning of "hovel" are widely used in Azerbaijan. Novruz Bairam ("A New Day") - spring equinox and the first day of the new year) with jumping over the bonfire, lighting of candles, dyeing of eggs, preparation of ritual dishes is marked in the country anusually. In many regions of Azerbaijan, to blow out a candle and put out a bonfire or furnace by water is considered to be a sin. The sudden blowing out of candle or lamp means an affliction for family in the near future, for example: a family head will die...To scold a fire or needlessly make a vow by fire is a large sin ; it is not allowed to put out a bonfire, and especially extinguish it with water. The water is too sacramental : it is not allowed to scold it and needlessly swear by its original Azerbaijanian dishes, such as "samani halvasi", "ash" and "pahlava", still remain to be ritual meals. Through Moslem religion, Zoroastrian rite of five daily prayers with an ablution of hands and feet has survived. Under the influence of Zoroastrianism, in Azerbaijan there sprang up such religious movements as a Hurramism, Hurufism, etc. It is believed that the role of Zoroastrianism in shaping Shiism is especially great. The main objects worshipped by Zoroastrians were water, fire, haoma and Gaush-Urvan (soul of bull). Besides, gods of these four objects were gods related to various natural events. There were gods of the sky, earth, sun, moon, wind, etc. The daily worship consisted of offerings and libations to fire and water. Special temples were built to worship fire (God of Fire - Atur) and water (Goddess of Water and Fecundity - Aredvi - Sura - Anachita). From times immemorial, fire played a leading role for worshippers of Azerbaijan. Suffice it say that in the word "Azerbaijan" there are components ODUR-ODUR - ADUR - ATUR - AZER, which always meant fire, though its origin had long been forgotten. In fire- temples, fire was placed on special high pedestals in the form of altars or mounted on the roofs of high cult temples the fire temples were called "the place of fire ", or "the house of fire ". The Absheron peninsula and contiguous islands with their ever burning fires on land and on the sea, with a great number of lakes filled with unique fish, plantations of unusual delicious grape and hurricane or stormy winds impressed a primitive man as an ideal place for original cults of fire, water, wind and haoma. It may be assumed that long before the appearance of Zoroastrianism the Absheron peninsula had been a large cult center, as witnessed by rock drawings of Absheron and Kobustan. Even if Zoroastrianism went no back to Absheron, it together with Mazdaism found here favorable conditions to develop and form local cults of fire, water and wind. The Absheron peninsula was the center of Mazdakism and Zoroastrianim, and there are enough arguments to corroborate this point of view. First of all, the presence of Pars on Absheron (self-name of Persian-speaking Tats). Zoroastrians escaped from Persia to India after the victory of Islam and called themselves Pars. Most probably, Absheron Parses also fled to escape from prosecutions by Muslims. Besides, most geographical denotations of Absheron may be explained in Zoroastrian terms. Ancient authors dealt with sacramental lands in Albania and eternal fires blazing on the islands of the Caspian Sea. Medieval Arabian historians wrote about Albanian fire worshippers. At the end of the XIX century, there were still eyewitnesses who remembered original fire-worshippers. They told about mosques and churches built on the ruins of the fire-temples. Medieval Muslims frequently termed Zoroastrinism as fire-worshiping, since fire played a crucial role in this religion. According to local legends and ancient chronicles Juma Mosque in Icheri Shaher and Albanian church were erected on the place of water and fare temples. On the island of Pirallahi there was a strongly revered fire temple. An image of bull worshipped by Zoroastrians was typical for numerous archaeological finds at Icheri Shaher and its vicinity. Above the gates of Gosha Gapy (Double Gates) of Icheri Shaher, there is an image of a bull surrounded by two Safavid lions. As it is seen, the bas-belief is designed to symbolize the suppression of last Zoroastrians in Baku and Absheron by Shah-Abbas people. The name of these gates goes probably back to the deformed Gaugh-Gapy (Gates of a Bull). Azerbaijanian scientists have identified that the famous tower Giz Galasi (Maiden’s Tower) situated in Icheri Shaher was a Zoroastrian temple. Some researchers are prone to attribute numerous towers of Absheron to Zoroastrian temples. It was medieval Azerbaijanian geographer Bakuvi who also stressed that there were such towers in all the villages of Absheron. Obviously the defensive nature of some of them do not rule out their use as temples. The good outward appearance of the towers can be explained by the revival of Zoroastrism on Absheron after the arrival of Seldjuks and Mongols in the Near East. In these times, the Persian Zoroastrians fled from prosecution of Muslims to the south of Fars, where in the cities of Turkobad and Sharafabad they created a new center of Zoroastrianism. At the same time, a probability remains that Zoroastrians settled down on Absheron as well. The well-known expert in medieval ceramics S.Gusejnova, proceeding from the analysis of a large number of stamps on ceramic vessels of Azerbaijan and, in particular, Absheron and Baku, inferred that some of them, especially in the epoch of Nizami, were manufactured to be used for Zoroastrian ritual ceremonies. Zoroastrian temples, just as the ones of other religions, were dedicated to certain deities, cults or festivities. Zoroastrian calendar numbered 360 days, divided into 12 months, each of which consisted of 30 days. Each of the twelve months and each of the thirty days of month were dedicated to some deity and were marked as religious holidays. Solemnly celebrated were days whose names concurred with those of the month. On holidays, all people gathered in fire temples to eat, drink and thus please God. In total, the Zoroastrian druids recognized thirty main deities worthy of worshipping. The number of towers (temples) on Absheron is close to this figure too. The last twenty fifth tower was recently discovered in Sabunchi. Outside Absheron, there is just one identical tower in the village of Saadan, Divichi region. Analysis of Absheron toponyms is indicative that the names of settlements where towers - temples were located end with "han", "khan", "san", "kan", "an", "van" and mean of a place or house. We have already noted that fire temples were also called House or Place of Fire and most Absheron toponyms can easily be attributed to the Zoroastrian calendar. Below shown are the names of Absheron settlements, most of which undoubtedly originate from the names of days, months and feasts of the famous Zoroastrian calendar. Baku (the Capital city of the Azerbaijan Republic). Baga-van. The seventh month of the year - Baga-yadis (month of worshipping God - Mitra) and the sixteenth day of each month were devoted to Baga (God). Sura-khana (village near Baku). Sura - one of the names of goddess of water and fecundity. Aredvi – Sura –Anahit. Tur-kan (village near Baku). Tur-Kan. Atur - the Fire. To Atur was devoted the ninth month of the year and the ninth day of each month. In the ninth day of the ninth month the Zoroastrian feast Azer-cheshn was celebrated. On this day, fire temples were visited to offer sacrifices, kindled home fires. Gau-san (village near Baku). Gau-Bull. The Zoroastrian feast of bull worshipping was celebrated on the fourteenth day of each month. Mashtaga (village near Baku). Mazda -Zoroastrian supreme deity. In the olden times, the name of Ahura Mazda was spelt as Mashdaku, Mazdaka and Mazduka. The tenth month of the year and the first day of each month and each week were devoted to Ahura Mazda. Shaban, Shuban (village near Baku). Shaban, Aban, Apam - the deity of water. The eighth month of the year and the tenth day of each month were devoted to this deity. There was a temple of fire worshippers destroyed recently. Mardakan (village near Baku). Marda-Kan (habitation,village). (M)Arta-kan and related Shakhan (village near Baku). Sha-khan. (A)Sha-khan. Arta (Asha) - a divinity of righteousness and space order. The second month of the year and the third day of each month were devoted to this deity. Fatmai (village near Baku). One of numerous Zoroastrian fiests - Fatmai-Edas was devoted to Ahura Mazda and the souls of deceased righteous man. This holiday was second to Nowruz and celebrated in the last day of the year, on the eve of Nowruz. And now Azerbaijanians on the eve Nowruz pray for the deceased, visit their graves and leave there a samani (a plate with shoots of wheat) and holiday khoncha (a plate with ritual meal). Saadan (village near Baku). Saada - an ancient Zoroastrian fiest dedicated to fire. Saada was marked hundred days before Nowruz (Pars. Saada - hundred) in November or December. Nuwadi (village near Baku). Nuwad-ruz - holiday celebrated ninety days before Nowruz (Pars.Nuwad - ninety, ruz-day). On this day, to protect oneself against evil spirits it was recomended to eat garlic, drink wine and cook sabzi-govurma. No-khana (village near Baku). Now-ruz - a new day. Nowruz was devoted to fire and celebrated on the day of spring equinox. It was believed that Zoroaster was born on this day. Zabrat and Jorat (villages near Baku). Zab-Ratu and Jo-Ratu (Pars.-Place of Ratu). Ratu- spiritual god of humanity. All the above-stated is illustrative that Absheron since ancient times has been a large center of local and Middle East cults, including fire-worshipping, subsequently it turned into the center of Zoroastrianism. Pilgrims came here by land and by sea. The pilgrims arriving by land were welcomed by temples of Kobustan, Shikh, Sabail, Baku and all Absheron. Those arriving by sea were greeted by magnificent temples of their favorite deity scattered along the seacoast of Absheron. After that pilgrims went round all the temples, making offering and libation. The routs of pilgrims could easily be traced by the location of caravan-saraies and ovdans on Absheron and on the approaches to Baku. The origin of a pilgrim group (caravans) may be established through the analysis of caravan-saraie’s names. All the data reaffirm that pilgrims arrived from India, Iran, Central Asia and Armenia, where from ancient times there have been professed Zoroastrianism. For many years scientists have been making attempts to learn the secret of these caravan-saraies and ovdans located far from trade caravan ways. This mystery may be explained through recognizing the existence of pilgrim’s caravan ways. This route was to cross Gobustan, Shaban, Sabail, Baku, Surahana, Mastaga, Mardakan, Shakan, Absheron (village), Turkan to Pirallahi. The second route might be laid via Gau-san and Turkan. Absheron with its eternal fires and numerous lakes played such a great role in the development of Zoroastrianism that the time is now ripe to establish a monument to Zoroaster, especially as some researchers believe that Absheron was the motherland of Zoroaster.