NAMC LECTURE SERIES

Topic: Life of Prophet Zarathushtra

Date: Sunday December 20, 2020 @ 2:00 PM  Eastern – 11 AM Pacific

Join Meeting on Zoom
https://zoom.us/j/95671042784?pwd=bkNNaDVQVG9CcjRXeXE2ZUVUaGpUdz09
Meeting ID: 956 7104 2784
Passcode: NAMC

This presentation will deal with the whole life history of our Vakhshur-e-Vakhshuraan Zarathushtra Spitamaan. It will cover the usual stories of his birth, troubles he faced in childhood from his enemies, his ten year seclusion in a mountain and his difficulties in teaching his religion. Then we will cover his amazing eulogy in Farvardin Yasht. And finally, we cover his own account from snippets of his own Gathas.

Presenter: Soli Dastur

Soli was born as the eleventh child in Udvada Zoroastrian priestly family and is a full- fledged Mobed from Udvada. He came to USA in 1960 for Graduate studies in Chemical Engineering, worked 30 years at Procter & Gamble and five years as a consultant. He then devoted most of his time in retirement to the study of the religion. He started religion classes in South Florida and taught 17 Tele Classes. He also started Weekly Zoroastrian Scripture Extracts (WZSEs) and now has produced more than 388 WZSEs continuously. He has been married to Jo Ann for 54 years and has twin daughters and 5 grandchildren.

North American Institute of Zoroastrian Studies

Lecture Series

Date: Sunday	Time (ET)	Topic	Presenter
December 20, 2020	2 pm	Life of Prophet Zarathustra	Soli Dastur
January 10, 2021	2 pm	Early Development of Zoroastrianism and its Influence on Other Religions	Cawas Desai
February 14, 2021	2 pm	Atash Puthra Ahurhe Mazdao	Behram Panthaki
March 14, 2021	2 pm	Zoroastrianism 101	Fariborz Shahzadi
April 11, 2021	2 pm	Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds – Is it all it takes?	Khushroo Mirza
May 9, 2021	2 pm	Amesha Spenta – A Stairway from Physical to Spiritual	Jehan Bagli

Zoom link:

December 20, 2020 https://zoom.us/j/95671042784?pwd=bkNNaDVQVG9CcjRXeXE2ZUVUaGpUdz09

January 10, 2021 https://zoom.us/j/97552531474?pwd=ZVI3N3NTTmd0NnlvclI0TzJPemxMdz09

February 14, 2021 https://zoom.us/j/92315349246?pwd=SUo2czNicGZ6TVNCQ0FiM1VKU1Q3Zz09

March 14, 2021 https://zoom.us/j/95091850303?pwd=bkpXNWcrN1ZiMUZpK1c4U3lUZ3F5Zz09

April 11, 2021 https://zoom.us/j/99475344471?pwd=cVVMYkpjc25tMUpDcm9lYk0wYURiQT09

May 9, 2021 https://zoom.us/j/95628797294?pwd=WGZuVXdwSEt3MitEc1U2S092REQzdz09

Sunday December 20, 2020 at 2 pm Eastern Time

Topic: Life of Prophet Zarathushtra

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/95671042784?pwd=bkNNaDVQVG9CcjRXeXE2ZUVUaGpUdz09

Meeting ID: 956 7104 2784 Passcode: NAMC

This presentation will deal with the whole life history of our Vakhshur-e-Vakhshuraan Zarathushtra Spitamaan. It will cover the usual stories of his birth, troubles he faced in childhood from his enemies, his ten year seclusion in a mountain and his difficulties in teaching his religion. Then we will cover his amazing eulogy in Farvardin Yasht. And finally, we cover his own account from snippets of his own Gathas.

Presenter: Soli Dastur

Soli was born as the eleventh child in Udvada Zoroastrian priestly family and is a full- fledged Mobed from Udvada. He came to USA in 1960 for Graduate studies in Chemical Engineering, worked 30 years at Procter & Gamble and five years as a consultant. He then devoted most of his time in retirement to the study of the religion. He started religion classes in South Florida and taught 17 Tele Classes. He also started Weekly Zoroastrian Scripture Extracts (WZSEs) and now has produced more than 388 WZSEs continuously. He has been married to Jo Ann for 54 years and has twin daughters and 5 grandchildren.

Sunday January 10, 2021 at 2 pm Eastern Time

Topic: Summary of Early Development of Zoroastrianism and it’s Influence on Other Religions

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/97552531474?pwd=ZVI3N3NTTmd0NnlvclI0TzJPemxMdz09

Meeting ID: 975 5253 1474 Passcode: NAMC

The Presentation outlines the origins of Zoroastrianism and the date of its establishment. It talks about the split between Zoroastrianism and Hinduism and shows how pre-Zoroastrian Divinities crept back into the religion of Zarathushtra after His time. The presentation also outlines the adoption of fire as the symbol of the religion and Zoroastrianism’s influence on other religions.

Presenter: Cawas Desai

Cawas Desai is a student of the Zarathoshti religion, particularly its history and evolution. He was the Founding President of the Zoroastrian Association of Pennsylvania and New Jersey and continues to actively participate in their monthly adult religion classes. Cawas was one of the first Office Bearers of the North American Mobeds Council and has presented papers at NAMC seminars and at North American Congresses.

Sunday February 14, 2021 at 2 pm Eastern Time

Topic: ATASH PUTHRA AHURAHE MAZDAO –

The Universal Omnipresent Divine Energy

– A visible manifestation of the inner flame.

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/92315349246?pwd=SUo2czNicGZ6TVNCQ0FiM1VKU1Q3Zz09

Meeting ID: 923 1534 9246 Passcode: NAMC

Most Niyayeshes invoke the veneration of a specific creation of Nature and are recited at a specific time. The unique feature of Atash Niyayesh is that it can be recited at any time, day or night. This unique litany directs devotees to the awareness and care of the environment by maintaining purity and cleanliness. It addresses essential aspects of a devotee’s life – commitment to physical and spiritual evolution of oneself, equality of gender, to be industrious, ecologically conscious and not to be selfish but to think of others. A conscientious devotee faithful to these features, through his/her truthful dedication to the Fire (both the outer physical one and the inner Divine Fire) is the recipient of profound benedictions.

Presenter: Behram Panthaki

A unique combination of a soldier and a priest, Brigadier Ervad Behram Panthaki served in the Indian Army for over 30 years. On taking voluntary retirement in 1994, he immigrated to USA to join his family. Since his arrival in Washington DC, he has served the religious needs of the ZAMWI community and propagating the Zoroastrian Faith by giving lectures at colleges, schools and churches in the Tri-State Area.

Sunday March 14, 2021 at 2 pm Eastern Time Topic: Zoroastrianism 101

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/95091850303?pwd=bkpXNWcrN1ZiMUZpK1c4U3lUZ3F5Zz09

Meeting ID: 950 9185 0303 Passcode: NAMC

At least 20 “Basic” things one should know about the Zoroastrian Religion

Presenter: Fariborz Shahzadi

Born in Nashik, India, to Iranian Zoroastrian parents, Fariborz completed his Navar in 1964 and Martab in 1965 at Fanaswadi Dadiseth Atash Behram in Mumbai. He worked evenings and weekends with his father, Mobed Sohrab, as a priest at the Dadiseth Agiary in Mumbai from 1964-1970 while going to University. He has served as a Zoroastrian religious teacher, Camp Counsellor, and speaker at Youth and Adult Zoroastrian Congresses and has several publications to his credit.

Sunday April 11, 2021 at 2 pm Eastern Time

Toipic: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good deeds

– Is it all it takes?

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99475344471?pwd=cVVMYkpjc25tMUpDcm9lYk0wYURiQT09

Meeting ID: 994 7534 4471 Passcode: NAMC

Many of us declare that all we need to lead a good Zoroastrian life is to practice Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. This talk is intended to show that actually we need more than this triad.

Presenter: Khushroo Mirza

Khushroo was born in India and immigrated to Montreal, Canada, in 1969. He is a Master Mariner with Degrees from India and Canada. He ran his Shipping Company and also worked as a Consultant before retiring and moving to Toronto. He has served as President of ZAQ and VP of OZCF. He is a trained Mobedyar and has been actively involved in religious education and discussions since 1980.

Sunday May 9, 2021 at 2 pm Eastern Time

Topic: Amesha Spenta – A Stairway from Physical to Spiritual

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/95628797294?pwd=WGZuVXdwSEt3MitEc1U2S092REQzdz09

Meeting ID: 956 2879 7294 Passcode: NAMC

The talk will elaborate the Divine level of the Holy Immortals with references from Older and Younger Avestan texts. It will further describe in detail the implications of each of the emanations to demonstrate how one ascends the steps of the Divine staircase to transform oneself to the highest spiritual level

Presenter: Jehan Bagli

Ervad Jehan Bagli retired as Distinguished Research Fellow of Wyeth/Ayrest Pharmaceutical Research. He was a founding member and President of Zoroastrian Association of Quebec, and the editor of Gavashni, a North American Zarathushti publication, for 16 years. He has published six books and lectured extensively on various aspects of Zoroastrian religion in North America and abroad.