The only serial based on Zoroastrian religion and culture, completed 100 episodes recently
Funded only by donations, Humata Hukhta Hvarashta — the only serial on air based on Zoroastrian religion — completed 100 episodes last Sunday.
“Through this serial we wish to promote awareness of the significance of our rituals and a deeper understanding of the meaning of our basic prayers,” said Cyrus Dastoor, a theatre artist who has conceived, designed and directed the serial. Telecasting Zoroastrianism’s religious and cultural events all over the world, Dastoor said, “Humata Hukhata Hvarashta means good thoughts, good words, good deeds, and these three philosophies are the basic principles of our religion.”
That’s not all. It has also featured almost all Zoroastrian organisations in the world. “The Bombay Parsi Panchayat, the World Zoroastrian Organisation, Zochild and WAPIZ, you name the organisation and we have featured them in our episodes,” said Dastoor.
Humata Hukhta Hvarashta also has Zoroastrian priests who have spoken on various aspects of the faith. “The priests have tackled questions on Zoroastrianism’s various rituals. Our effort to make this serial is to lay emphasis on the necessity of propagating religious education to our future generations,” said Dastoor. Telecast on Zee Gujarati at 11.00 am, every Sunday, the centenary episode of the serial was titled ‘Fravarane’ (I choose) and had two boys discussing the Zoroastrian religion. Skits are a regular feature of the serial through which they convey religious education. Besides, the serial has also had personalities like Boman Irani and Dinyar Contractor anchoring some of the episodes.
The Frohar Foundation, under the banner of Frohar films launched this serial in August 1999. “There are many serials on air on various religions of India. In 1999, however there was no serial based on Zoroastrianism, the world’s oldest revealed religion. It has survived since pre-historic times with its core beliefs still intact, despite all the trials and tribulations that its followers have been through. Considering that this community maintains a low profile and very little is known or recorded about it, especially in the audio-visual format I felt the need to broadcast the various aspects of the religion on air which is why the serial was started,” said Dastoor.