Built To Serve, Serving To Build
Atash Kadeh
History
ZAC Atash Kadeh is our prayer room and was built solely by donations received from the community at large. After we had succeeded in purchasing our property all our finances had been completely depleted. We had the Center which was a 9,000 sq. ft. but many people in the community had complained that this property did not serve our purposes because we could not make a dedicated prayer room to place our main afarganyu and be able to pray. We knew then that we would have to build a separate building for that purpose. One of our priests, Arda-E-Viraf Minocherhomjee, offered to make a substantial donation if ZAC would agree to place a plaque in memory of his parents. This was agreed at the General Body meeting.
Ernest fundraising started and every member did their part to meet the goal.
Sohrab Charna, our member architect was at the helm of this project. Rooky and Tehmi from the EC and two other architects, Dara Commissariat and Zubin Taraporevala also helped. Once the plans passed, we engaged an Iranian Zarathushti, Fereidoun Goshtasbi’s firm, NIMA for the construction of our building.
Six years after the ZAC center was opened, the dream of having a prayer hall was finally achieved. We had our opening ceremony on November 13, 2016. It was Roj Mahrespand, Mah Khordad. The building was sanctified for 48 hours by prayers offered by Mobeds Zarrir and Zerkxis Bhandara. The very first Boi ceremony was then performed by Mobed Zarrir Bhandara, followed by a Hama Anjuman Machhi and a Jashan of six Kardas was performed by twelve Ervads of the community.
Prayers and rituals, when performed with understanding, feeling, and concentration, become a powerful tool in the process of religious awareness. Prayers and rituals are what distinguishes religion from mere philosophy. The purpose of prayers and rituals is to generate a conscious awareness which, in turn, provides the devout an insight into and an understanding of the nature of Divinity. Prayers and rituals also provide a medium through which one is able to relate and bridge himself to the unseen spiritual world.
Ervad Zarrir Bhandara
Priest, ZAC
Ground Breaking
On October 18, 2015, the members arrived on the grounds which was decorated with a beautiful toran on a huge canopy and set-up for the Jashan to be performed for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Atash Kadeh by our community Mobeds Zarrir Bhandara, Zerkxis Bhandara, Jehangir Dastur and Arda-e-Viraf Minocherhomjee. After the Jashan was over, all the mobeds together with the members of the ZAC executive committee and past presidents – Noshir Jesung, Khushroo Lakdawalla, Darayus Mistry, and Vira Santoke, came toward the ground where the earth was dug out. Thereafter, to the chanting of 21 Yatha and 12 Ashem Vohu by all present everyone showered rose petals and rice into the ground. The sound of the Mathravani that filled the air at that time was truly magical!! Ervad Arda-e-Viraf was then requested to put the box with ZAC memorabilia into the hole. The special invitees were then escorted out to put the first shovels of earth into the ground, followed by everyone present.
Opening Ceremony
ZAC Atash Kadeh is our prayer room and was built solely by donations received from the community at large. Sohrab Charna, our member architect was at the helm of this project. Six years after the ZAC center was opened, the dream of having a prayer hall was finally achieved. We had our opening ceremony on November 13, 2016. It was Roj Mahrespand, Mah Khordad. The building was sanctified for 48 hours by prayers offered by Mobeds Zarrir and Zerkxis Bhandara. The very first Boi ceremony was then performed by Mobed Zarrir Bhandara, followed by a Hama Anjuman Machhi and a Jashan of six Kardas was performed by twelve Ervads of the community.
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COME VISIT US
The Atash Kadeh shall be accessible to all ZAC members as well as their families and, all guests. Any person entering the Atash Kadeh shall respect and observe the regulations posted at the entrance.
(As per the Resolution passed on July 24, 2014, at the Extraordinary General Body Meeting)
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