Film premiere: 'Mobed: The Parsi Priest'

An immersive glimpse into the experience of children who live and undergo intensive training to become Mobeds at the last Zoroastrian priestly school still functioning in India, at a time when the Parsi culture and the ancient Avestan language of the scriptures are at risk of being lost from memory.

Becoming a full Zoroastrian priest necessitates strict training, memorising extensive scriptures and their pronunciation in the ancient Iranian language of Avestan. This film gives viewers a unique glimpse into the lives of young children who leave home each term to live and train at the last functioning Zoroastrian priestly schools in India. With the new generations of priestly lineage increasingly choosing more profitable career paths, there are very few full Mobed priests left, and the Zoroastrian ritual culture is at risk of being lost. This has left the only other Zoroastrian priestly school with no students, and the responsibility of preserving the Zoroastrian cultural heritage falls to the Dadar Athornan Institute. 

Weaving together the perspectives of the current young students, their families and the teachers and staff at the institute, we discover how the Madressa is changing over time. At the same time, we get a rare insight into Zoroastrian rituals and their meanings, through the words of practising Mobeds, unprecedented footage of the Yasna ritual and the tending of the fire temple.

Registration

The film will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker and a reception to follow. Registration is mandatory, so please confirm your place by emailing the ZTFE Secretariat: secretary@ztfe.com.

Venue

The screening will take place at the Zartoshty Brothers Auditorium. The venue is diagonally opposite Rayner's Lane underground station.