MASTERPIECES OF THE ORAL AND INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF HUMANITY

INTRODUCTION

UNESCO has recognized oral and intangible heritage as a vital factor for cultural identity, the promotion of creativity and the preservation of cultural diversity. With present-day globalization, numerous forms of cultural heritage threatened by standardization are in danger of disappearing.

Zoroastrianism, the world's oldest revealed religion has survived from the Bronze Age with its core beliefs still intact.  The Zoroastrian tradition and heritage have been handed down orally across 3000 years and the intangible wisdom of these peoples needs to be preserved and recorded in the light of the threat faced by changing life styles in the modern world.

The best guide to the religion and thought of the world's first monotheist prophet remains the tradition of his own community preserved with continuity and consistency down to modern times. This culture has held human allegiance across millennia. Yet, in India the community is declining so rapidly that they lose 10% of their population every decennial census. Small pockets of Zoroastrians continue in Iran and Central Asia as well as in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Of special importance to the Heritage of Humanity are the intangible environmental traditions of these peoples. Zoroastrianism strives to inculcate in its followers a sense of responsibility towards the environment. This reverence and concern inculcated by oral tradition and rituals make it an integral part of Zoroastrian daily life. This methodology is f particular relevance to our world today.

ASHA: THE LAW OF HARMONY

Asha, Sanskrit Rta, Cosmic law and Harmony, is essential for the balance and well being of our world. Zoroastrianism stresses the harmony of both the Menok and Getik, the spiritual and material aspects of creation and therefore provides a holistic approach to life. Reverence, care and compassion for the earth is inculcated through the theology of the Amesha Spenta and Yazatas.

 The doctrine of the Amesha Spenta and the seven creations has inculcated in man a deep sense of responsibility to the world around him. The Amesha Spenta or Holy Immortals are "the creators and fashioners, makers, observers and guardians of the creations of Ahura Mazda" (Yasht : 19). In keeping with the Zoroastrian tenets of Unity both the spiritual realm and material creation are therefore consecrated in these angelic beings. Man the chief creation has a great responsibility for in this "religion of action" the fulfillment of the Divine plan can only come through the conscious choice and efforts of each individual to protect this earth.

 The Char Disha-No-Namaskar, (Salutation to the four directions) the Jamvani Baj, (Grace before meals) the Kutra no Buk, (the Morsel for the dog) and other daily actions are celebrations of the unity of the web of life. The rituals associated with the Navroze Table of the Zoroastrian New Year, the celebration of Ava Parab, which emphasizes the sanctity and importance of water, Adar Roj, honouring fire, Bahman Mahino, paying respect to the animal world are a few examples of the interconnectedness of all nature.  Reverence for the sun and moon is seen in the prayers (Nyashes) and the Yasna Ceremony, the Jashan, the rituals of Afringan, and the Six Gahambars, seasonal festivals, which invoke the blessings of all aspects of creation. The days and the months relate to both spiritual and physical manifestations of divinity. The festivals are accordingly related and rituals exemplify the interconnectedness of all being.

 Alexander of Macedon destroyed almost all the written texts of Zoroastrianism in 331 B.C. during the conquest of Persia. Later, after some of the fragments had been compiled, the Arab invasion of Iran in the 7th Century A.D. led to further destruction of most of the tangible heritage of the faith and its heritage sites. The Zoroastrians had to depend almost entirely on their Oral Traditions.

 These oral traditions, customs and rituals, reflecting this ancient culture have been protected through millennia by the Priests and by the laity. There is hence an urgent need to protect and preserve in a contemporary context the environmental consciousness of the Zoroastrian community.

OBJECTIVES

 The aim of "Asha: the Law of Harmony - A Study of Environmental Consciousness in Zoroastrian Rituals" is to explore, record and interlink environmental wisdom and methodology that has been handed down through 3000 years with academic researches. It will not only preserve and encourage traditions and ways of life but also document and analyze them. It will further relate them to the modern context to attract youth and encourage them to understand and continue this ancient wisdom. This can be achieved by the following:

  Transforming traditions into tangible data by recording, documenting and archiving in digital/audio visual format for preservation and study.

·     A museum and archival centre, which will preserve and display the culture of the Zoroastrians.

·      Keeping traditions and rituals alive in their original cultural context by revitalizing and encouraging the practitioners. There will be special emphasis on cross-generation transmission from knowledgeable elders to youth.

By the conclusion of the project "Asha: the Law of Harmony - A Study of Environmental Consciousness in Zoroastrian Rituals", it is hoped that the aims of listing the unique rituals associated with the preservation of nature, the ancient "Tanka" system of water harvesting, the cosmic laws of harmony that have survived from pre-historic times and which are exemplified in the rituals and festivals of the Zoroastrian Calendar, could be recognized and preserved as masterpieces of oral and intangible heritage of humanity. 

HOW THE ASHA PROJECT WAS CREATED

 The Parzor Project was requested in February 2002 to make a multinational candidature for the Award including areas of the original Zoroastrian homelands. The countries, which worked with Parzor, were INDIA, IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, SRI LANKA, UZBEKISTAN AND TAJIKISTAN.

 After due consideration it was decided to focus on Zoroastrian environmental consciousness, which remains a vital part of the heritage of all these countries. Zoroastrianism has been called "The world's first ecological religion" and has preserved environmental consciousness in both life and rituals. The Core rituals of the Yasna and Jashan, dating back to the Bronze Age encapsulate this environmental consciousness. Such environmental concern is the need of modern times and hence it was felt that these traditions, so ancient yet so relevant, could be submitted for the award of "Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity".

 Activity

 To create a multinational candidature a great deal of communication was required between countries. The Parzor project is a non-profit research and documentation programme initiated by UNESCO and hence did not have the funding necessary for undertaking the creation of a multinational candidature without financial assistance.

 A request was made for assistance in the preparation of the Candidature File and submitted to UNESCO Paris in February 2002. UNESCO Paris provided financial assistance.

 The key activity in the first period of work was to establish linkages between the Parzor Project in India and the Zoroastrian communities and Government authorities in the other countries.  This has required a great degree of coordination and cooperation especially in view of linguistic and communication difficulties.

 It was also required to sensitize the priests, who are the practitioners of the environmental rituals of the Yasna and Jashan in order to permit the recording of these practices. The Yasna is only performed by very few priests and was recorded in Mumbai after obtaining necessary permission.

 It was decided to conduct a three day ASHA INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP at New Delhi, where delegates of the countries and Government representatives could interact and create a ten year Action Plan which would preserve this ancient heritage of humanity.

 Resource persons were located in Iran, Tajikistan, Central Asia and the CIS region; Sri Lanka and meetings were held in Mumbai with the Head Priest Dastur Firoze Kotwal to seek his permission and blessings for the recording of the inner ritual of the Yasna. The Trustees of the Dadar Athornan Madressa in Mumbai sanctioned the arrangements for the filming and photography. 

Through the Internet and other forms of communication a dialogue was established with the Anjumans, (community organizations) of the participating countries. Dastur Meherban Firouzgary and Prof. Kasra Vafadari of Iran agreed to be resource persons and began gathering material from various locations in Iran. Mr. Esphandiar Azarmeher was appointed to be the Tajik representative and was also supported by other Central Asian countries as their representative. His knowledge of the languages of Central Asia helped in communication with this region. Prof. Jamsheed Choksy was appointed the Sri Lankan representative and contact was made with him in the USA where he works.

 Dr. Shernaz Cama and other researchers began travel, research and collection of data for the preparation of the Candidature File. Data was collected and collated from various countries and the visual support required was commissioned. Planning of the ten-minute beta film, its script and other technical details was begun.

 With the arrival of Esphanidar Azarmeher, Tajik Delegate and Ashdeen Lilaowalla, Youth Delegate a series of meetings and draft proposals began. On 28th July 2002, Dastur Meherban Firouzgary arrived from Iran and on 29th July Dastur Dr. Firoze Kotwal, High Priest arrived from Mumbai and Prof. Jamsheed Choksy arrived from the USA. An interview and film session was held where both Dastur Kotwal and Dastur Firouzgary, practitioners and priests were filmed and interviewed.

 From the 30th of July to the 1st of August the International Asha Workshop was held at UNESCO House New Delhi.  On the first day film recording was conducted with Government representatives attending the workshop and the support for the Asha project was recorded from

 1.    Mr. Gopalaswami, Secretary, Culture, Government of India

2.    HE Mr. Masood Khalili, Ambassador of Afghanistan

3.    HE Mr. Issa Rezazadeh, Cultural Consellor of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

4.    HE Mr. Ismoil Kholnurodove of Tajikistan.

 On the 2nd of August the Parzor research team left with the filmmaker and photographer for Mumbai for recording the rituals of the Yasna and Jashan.

 The Yasna is a long ceremony performed from before dawn and special arrangements of lighting and recording had to be made. The Jashan is a community celebration and Mrs. Mithoo Jessia of Mumbai helped Parzor in organizing the arrangements and the audience participating in the Jashan. Four senior priests, led by High Priest Dastur Dr. Kotwal performed the Jashan while two senior priests, Ervad Dadachanji and Ervad Bhesania performed the long Yasna ritual. Ervad Dr. Ramiyar Karanjia the Principal of the Dadar Athornan Madressa, which is the training school for sons of priests, granted permission for filming and interviewing the young priestly apprentices undergoing the rigorous training programme required for the priesthood.

 A meeting was held with scholar Khojeste Mistree of Zoroastrian Studies at his office where an interview on Zoroastrian Environmental Consciousness was filmed as supporting documentation for inclusion in the Candidature file.

 The postproduction work on the beta film and the supporting documentation continued in August & Sept. Along with this photographic and video documentation commissioned and collected from the various countries was edited, translated and collated.

 The communities in all the countries concerned sent their written approval of the Action Plan and this was added as required to the main documentation.

 The photographs to be chosen for the Candidature File were finalized. These photographs reflect the living cultural context of the Zoroastrian community in all the areas involved with the multinational candidature.

 The Parzor film "Asha: The Law of Harmony" was edited. Electronic copies of the final document were sent to the resource persons involved in the countries participating in the multinational Candidature and their final comments and inputs were incorporated.

 All Action Plans were prepared to fit into the format of the main Action Plan prepared at the Asha International Workshop and a VHS/VCD of Interviews on Asha was finalized.

 The final documentation for submission was edited and photographs added. The second file of supplementary documentation was also prepared. Additional documentation in audiovisual format was finalized. This includes the Parzor film "Glimpses 2001", which shows lifestyles and the culture of the Zoroastrians of India, a film showing culture and traditions of the Zoroastrians of Iran, CD's of audio documentation on rituals and prayers connected with the environment prepared with the assistance of Dastur Firouzgary of Iran. Traditional music linked with festivals celebrating environmental consciousness in India, Iran and Central Asia was collated and placed on CD's for submission.

CONCLUSION

 The final multinational Candidature File entitled "Asha: The Law of Harmony, A Study of Environmental Consciousness in Zoroastrian Rituals" has been submitted to UNESCO in English along with over 100 photographs, sketches and other visual support. Documents in written and video format supporting the Candidature File and testifying to the agreement of the communities and countries with the contents of the Candidature File have been submitted as required.

 The results of this Award will be announced by the end of 2003. Juries of experts from all over the world will screen the documents, films and audio material. It is hoped that 2003, which has been declared "The 3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrian Culture" will bring good news about the Asha Candidature.