Editing Parsis (section)

== Religious practices ==
=== Purity and pollution ===
The balance between good and evil is correlated to the idea of purity and pollution. Purity is held to be of the very essence of godliness. Pollution's very point is to destroy purity through the death of a human. In order to adhere to purity it is the duty of Parsis to continue to preserve purity within their body as God created them. A Zoroastrian priest spends his entire life dedicated to following a holy life.

=== ''Navjote'' ===
Zoroastrians are not initiated by [[infant baptism]].  Children are initiated into the faith when they are old enough to recite some required prayers along with the priest at the time of the [[Navjote]] ceremony, ideally before they reach puberty. Though there is no actual age by which a child must be initiated into the faith (preferably after seven years), Navjote cannot be performed on an adult. While the Parsi traditionally do not do adult Navjote (except in cases where it is performed for descendants of Parsi wanting to join the faith), the Iranian Zoroastrian equivalent, the sedreh-pushti can be done at any age for those wanting to convert.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-konstantin-became-farrokh/articleshow/1167559.cms|title=How Konstantin became Farrokh|author=Bachi Karkaria|date=July 11, 2005|website=The Times of India|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107232202/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-konstantin-became-farrokh/articleshow/1167559.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

The initiation begins with a ritual bath, then a spiritual cleansing prayer; the child changes into white [[Pajamas|pajama]] pants, a [[shawl]], and a small cap. Following introductory prayers, the child is given the sacred items that are associated with Zoroastrianism: a sacred shirt and cord, [[sedreh|sudre]], and [[Kushti|kusti]]. The child then faces the main priest and fire is brought in to represent God. Once the priest finishes with the prayers, the child's initiation is complete and he or she has become part of the community and religion.

=== Marriage ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2017}}{{main|Zoroastrian wedding}}
[[File:Parsee Wedding 1905.jpg|thumb|Parsi wedding 1905.]]
Marriage is very important to the members of the Parsi community, believing that in order to continue the expansion of God's kingdom they must procreate. Up until the mid-19th century child marriages were common even though the idea of child marriage was not part of the religious doctrine. Consequently, when social reform started happening in India, the Parsi community discontinued the practice{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}. There are, however, rising problems over the availability of brides. More and more women in the Parsi community are becoming well educated and are therefore either delaying marriage or not partaking at all{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}. Women within the Parsi community in India are 97% literate; 42% have completed high school or college and 29% have an occupation in which they earn a substantial amount of money. The wedding ceremony begins much like the initiation with a cleansing bath. The bride and groom then travel to the wedding in florally decorated cars. The priests from both families facilitate the wedding. The couple begin by facing one another with a sheet to block their view of each another. Wool is passed over the two seven times to bind them together. The two are then supposed to throw rice to their partner symbolizing dominance. The religious element comes in next when the two sit side by side to face the priest. {{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

=== Funerals ===

{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2017}}

{{Main|Dakhma}}
[[File:Parsee Tower of Silence, Bombay.jpg|thumb|Parsi Tower of Silence, Bombay.]]
The pollution that is associated with death has to be handled carefully. A separate part of the home is designated to house the corpse for funeral proceedings before being taken away. The priest comes to say prayers that are for the cleansing of sins and to affirm the faith of the deceased. Fire is brought to the room and prayers are begun. The body is washed and inserted clean within a [[Sedreh|sudre]] and [[Kushti|kusti]]. The ceremony then begins, and a circle is drawn around the body into which only the bearers may enter. As they proceed to the cemetery they walk in pairs and are connected by white fabric. A dog is essential in the funeral process because it is able to see death. The body is taken to the tower of death where the vultures feed on it. Once the bones are bleached by the sun they are pushed into the circular opening in the center. The mourning process is four days long, and rather than creating graves for the dead, charities are established in honor of the person.

[[File:Parsi Fire Temple Delhi.jpg|thumb|Parsi Fire Temple Delhi]]

=== Temples ===
[[File:Parsi Fire Temple of Ahmedabad - Gujarat, India (4586854549).jpg|thumb|Parsi Fire Temple of [[Ahmedabad]], India]]
Zoroastrian festivals were originally held outside in the open air; temples were not common until later. Most of the temples were built by wealthy Parsis who needed centers that housed purity. As stated before, fire is considered to represent the presence of Ahura Mazda, and there are two distinct differences for the types of fire for the different temples. The first type of temple is the Atash Behram, which is the highest level of fire. The fire is prepared for an entire year before it can be installed, and once it is, it is cared for to the highest possible degree. There are only eight such temples located within India. The second type of fire temple is called a Dar-i Mihr, and the preparation process is not as intense. There are about 160 of these located throughout India.