Zoroastrianism
The first Zoroastrians
to enter India arrived on the Gujarati coast in the 10th century, soon
after the Arabian conquest of Iran and by the 17th century, most of them
had settled in Bombay. Zoroastrian practice is based on the responsibility
of every man and woman to choose between good and evil, and to respect
God's creations. The religion's founder, Zarathustra, who lived in Iran
in 6000 BC was the first religious prophet to expound a dualistic philosophy,
based on the opposing powers of good and evil.
Most Zoroastrians can
be seen in Bombay today where they are known as Parsees. They have no distinctive
dress and few houses of worship. Five daily prayers, usually hymns uttered
by Zarathustra and standardized in the religious text Zenda Avesta, are
said in the home or the temple, before a fire, which symbolizes the realm
of truth, righteousness and order.