The Zoroastrian Religion: The Teh Naojote Religion

The Zorastrian religion is a very religion is a very ancient and influencial religion. The religion, much like any other religion emcompasses many rituals and ceremonies. This essay will discuss one such ceremony, called teh Naojote. It will discuss what the Naojote ceremony is, the significance of it and the celebration; while also comparing it to other similar celebrations , like the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. The Parsi Naojote celebration is a ritual ceremony that is very important and crucial in the Zoroastrian religion an set of beliefs. This ritual, as the name implies, is a rite of passage ritual in the Zoroastrian religion. Children, both boys and girls, usually at the age of seven go through this ritual in order to become purified and in
Once the Bathing is finished the child is than taken into a room where all of his family, relatives and the priests are preparing the ceremony. The child goes and sits in front of the high priest who is conducting the ceremony. There certain things that are placed in front of the priest before the ceremony begins. A new set of clothes, which include the Kusti and the Sudre, a tray full of rice, a tray full of flowers which are presented to everyone present at the ceremony, a lighted lamp, fire burning on censer with fragrant sandalwood and frankincense; and “A tray, containing a mixture of rice, pomegranate grains, small slices of coconut, raisins, and almonds, to be sprinkled, later on, on the child as a symbol of prosperity”.[ Ibid,192]
The actual ceremony begins with the high priest placing the sacred shirt in the hands of the child. Followed by him reciting the patet, which is a prayer of repentance. The child also recites the prayer him/ herself. But if they do not know the prayer by heart, than they would recite the ahunwar, several times. Once the recitation is over the oryaer would than stand up and commence what is known as the The Investiture proper.[
In both cases their is a religions elder who leads the celebration. In the instance of the Naojote ,it is usually the head priest who leads the whole ceremony and blesses the child. While in the instance of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah it is the Rabbi who teaches the child about the Torah and guides them through their studies a year in advance of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Some times during the day of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah the Rabbi of the temple might have a special service. Furthermore in both ceremonies, the attendance of the family members is evident and important. One of the most glaring similarities is when it comes to the tefillin and the sacred shirt and kusti. Much like the kusti and the sacred shirt, the tefillin is a religious symbol. Before becoming a man, the tefillin is not worn by boys or someone who has not become a Bar Mitzvah. much the Kusti and the sudre , the tefillin represents not only the devotion of the wearer to their religion. But also their role within their religious society. Wearing the tefillin much like the Kusti and sudre, symbolises their active role in their religious community. Moreover now the boy has a responsibility of wearing the tefillin for all the service henceforth.Antoher similarity between the ceremony, is both ceremony require the child to recite or read parts of the holy text. In the case of Naojote, the boy/girl is required to recite zorastrian prayer. While in the case of the