On Wednesday September 18th, the members of Zoroastrian Association of California celebrated the Ardibehest Amshaspand parabh with a Jashan performed by Ervads Zarrir Bhandara, Jal Birdy and Kairus Pir in the august presence of Dr. Ervad Rooiyanton Peshotan Peer and Mrs. Thrity Peer, which was attended by about 50 Parsis, (even though it was a weekday). This parabh was sponsored by Nilufer and Phiroz Darukhanawalla. After the Jashan, Dr. Peer gave a talk on Amesha Spentas and the importance of Ardibehest Amshashpand, stating that first we must recognize the God’s will Spenta Mainyu, with our good mind Vohu manah, to follow the righteous path through Asha Vahishta, to achieve the sovereign kingdom Kshathra Vairya on earth through Spenta Armaity as is in heaven to reach the perfection Hauravatat and thus immortality Ameretat.
Dr. Ervad Peer was felicitated by the president of ZAC Houtoxi Farhad Contractor and Ervad Zarrir Bhandara the officiating priest of ZAC. After the Jashan a Machi was offered to Atashpadshah from Khushnam Homiyar Gandhi/Crawford. The celebration concluded with the compassionate dinner prepared by Nilufer Darukhanawalla and Reshma Rustomji.
Dr. Peer also visited Professor Dr. Touraj Daryayee, the director of Persian studies at the Jordan center at the University of California. In professor Dr. Daryayee’s words, “If it was not for the Parsee priests, the world would not have known the Zoroastrianism as we know today”. Further, he invited Ervads Zarrir and Zerkxis Bhandara to address the world Zoroastrian scholar’s symposium and his students in the spring next year.
