Zoroastrianism in Tajikistan

Dear Fariborz

What is happening in Tajikistan is of the outmost importance!!!
I know that Kamran Jamshidi and many of the Europe-based Zoroastrians have been going to Tajikistan for several years to conduct navjotes and in general support the fast growing Z community there. There are many stories and pictures from these trips on the web.
The extreme friendliness towards Zoroastrianism is both part of a nationalistic project (to make Tajikis different from other neighboring Central Asian and Turkic peoples) but also a bulwark against Islamic militancy which almost threw Tajikistan into civil war a few years ago. Please also note that there are large Tajik populations in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. For example, the majority of the population of Samarkand, Uzbekistan is Tajik!
So Zoroastrianism is now a strong movement against Islamism (rather than islam) in all these countries.
But there is also a general belief in and support of Zoroastrianism ideologically, which is absolutely genuine.
We need to support this movement as best we can. It will also have a strong influence on events in Iran in the nearby future.

Ushta
Alexander

2009/12/8 Fariborz Rahnamoon

Thanks to you all - Dino and Alexander and friends

Just before reading your mail and feeling your enthusiasm to understand and spread the teachings of Zarathustra, I happened to read a blog posted by ZNA (Zoroastrian News Agency) which I am sure they published without reading it.

But there are people out there small and big with financial support form governments and oil money who are actively going against the very few who are trying to revive Zarathustra teachings. Read the blog and decide for yourself.

One such person who is trying hard to revive the ancient teachings of Zarathustra is fortunately the President of Tajikistan but unfortunately with little or no support from Zarathushties. Tajikistan is the only government in the modern world that supports and is proud of its Zarathushti roots. Just last year they ordered the closure of over 300 mosques built without proper permits with Saudi and Iranian money.

These are the people of Balkh who 3700 year ago accepted Zarathustra and here they are once again trying to revive it. Lets see what we can do to help. Lets brain storm.

Every September they have their Republic day celebration and every two years they have a cultural conference as part of the celebrations. 2004 was about Zarathustra 2006 was about Aryan Civilization and 2008 was about the poet Rumi 2010 I do not know we need to find our. Esphandiar if he is still on the Ushta list can help us.

By the way here are the two blogs I mentioned above.

http://academictalmud.blogspot.com/2009/12/zoroastrika-dictatorika.html

They even attended the Gatha conefrence

http://academictalmud.blogspot.com/2009/06/department-of-dualism.html


With Regards & Best Wishes
Fariborz Rahnamoon
http://www.ancientiran.com
http://www.wzccbc.com