OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 191 



5. offering tray. — Brass, nickel plated. Used in the service of the 

 Afringans, which are prayers from the Khorda-Avesta (see p. 182), 

 recited only by priests. They are recited on a carpet spread on 

 the floor on which are placed, either in a metal tray or on plantain 

 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 remem- 

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

 of the protecting spirits. Diameter, 17% inches; depth, IK inches. 

 Bombay, India (Plate 71 (lower). Cat. No. 216054, U.S.N.M.) 



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

 No. 5, only smaller in size. Diameter, 12}^ inches; depth, 1% inches. 

 Bombay, India. (Cat. No. 216055, U.S.N.M.) 



7. Sudra. — Every Parsee — male or female, priest or layman — must 

 be invested between the ages of 7 and 15 with two articles of dress, 

 called sudra (A vesta, anahdata) and the Kusti (Avesta, aiwyaong- 

 hanem). 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 72 threads 

 of white wool, representing the 72 chapters (has) of the Parsee 

 scriptures, in the sacredness of which the neophyte is figuratively 

 bound. The investiture with these two sacred garments, called 

 Novzot, which somewhat corresponds to the Christian ceremony of 

 confirmation, takes place under elaborate solemn ceremonies and is 

 the first important religious ceremony performed over a Parsee child, 

 consists of two parts — the Nahan and the Navzot proper. The nahan 

 is the religious ablution. The candidate 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 consecrated urine of bulls (nirang) ^^ 

 and holy water, while reciting certain holy texts. When the washing 

 is done the candidate is dressed in a pair of trousers and cap with a 

 white clean linen sheet wrapped around the upper part of the body. 

 He or she is then conducted into the room where the navzot proper 

 is to be performed. The candidate 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 burning with sandal wood, frank- 

 incense, and other pure fragrant substances. The priest as well as 

 the candidate recite the Patet — that is, the confession of sins and re- 

 pentance. After this the candidate is required to hold the sudra with 

 both hands, and the chief priest, placing his own upon them, causes 

 the candidate to recite the Zoroastrian confession of faith (Kalma- 

 i-din): "Most true, full of wisdom and good is the religion which 



»• Bull'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, Pahlavi and Persian, gomez, and when conse- 

 crated by special prayers, nirang. 



