12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.61. 



leaves, the choicest fruits and the most fragrant flowers of the season, 

 and glasses filled with fresh milk, pure water, wine, or sherbet. 

 These prayers are recited either with the object of expressing remera^ 

 brance of the souls of the departed or with that of invoking the help 

 of the protecting spirits. Diameter, 17^ inches; depth, 1^ inches. — 

 Bombay, India. (Plate 3, Cat. No. 216054, U.S.N.M.) 



6. Offeiing tray. — Brass, nickel-plated. Similar to the preceding, 

 No. 5, only smaller in size. Diameter, 12-^- inches ; depth, If inches. — 

 Bombay, India. (Cat. No. 21G055, U.S.N.M.) 



7. Sudra. — Every Parsee — male or female, f)riest or layman — must 

 be invested between the ages of seven and fifteen with two articles of 

 dress, called sudra (Avesta, anabdata) and the Kusti (Avesta. 

 aiwyaonghanem) . The former is an undershirt of muslin, linen or 

 gauze and is worn next to the skin ; the latter is a girdle made up of 

 seventy-two threads of white wool, representing the seventy-two chap- 

 ters {has) of the Parsee scriptures, in the sacredness of v,diich the 

 neophyte is figuratively bourid. The investiture with these two 

 sacred garments, called Navzot., which somewhat corresponds to the 

 Christian ceremony of Confirmation, takes place under elaborate 

 solemn ceremonies and is the first important religious ceremom' per- 

 formed over a Parsee child, consists of two parts: the Nahan and 

 the Navzot proper. The nahan is the religious ablution. The candi- 

 date is made to sit on three or more stones either in a temple or on 

 the ground floor of the house and is washed by the priest with con- 

 secrated urine of bulls {viirangY^ and holy water, while reciting cer- 

 tain holy texts. When the w^ashing is done, the candidate is dressed 

 in a pair of trousers and cap with a white clean linen sheet wrapped 

 round the upper part of the body. Pie or she is then conducted into 

 the room where the navzot proper is to be performed. The candi- 

 date is made to sit on a flat stool facing the east, the emblem of light. 

 The officiating priests take their place on a rich carpet spread on 

 the floor, while the guests sit around on chairs. A fire is kept burn- 

 ing with sandalwood, frankincense, and other pure fragrant sub- 

 stances. The priests as well as the candidate recite the Patet., that 

 is, the confession of sins and repentance. After this the candidate is 

 required to hold the sudra Avith both hands, and the chief priest, plac- 

 ing his own upon them, causes the candidate to recite the Zoroastrian 

 confession of faith (Kahna-i-din) : " Most true, full of wisdom and 

 good is the religion which God has sent through Zoroaster to this 

 world. This is the religion of Ahura-Mazda brought to man by 

 Zoroaster." Then with the recitation of certain holy texts the chief 

 priest removes the linen sheet and puts in its place the sudra. The 



" Bun's or cow's urine was thought to possess great purifying and medicinal qualities 

 and an antiseptic for demonic Infection. It is called in the Avesta gaomeza, rahlavi and 

 Persian, gomez, and when consecrated by special prayers, nirang. 



