Department of Arts & Crafts
Religious Arts & Crafts
Multiple art and craft forms contribute to the religious practice and ritual of the Parsi-Zoroastrians. Daily practices such as the Kusti, Divo, Loban, Chauk and a visit to the Agairy are carried out by Zoroastrians all over the world. There is a level of fear among-st most Zoroastrians- that the craft is on a steady decline and drastic measures should be taken for the craft to survive. The craft at one level has reached a point where the religious significance has been overshadowed by a monetary motive. Use of alternative materials in Kusti is an issue which has to be tackled. Most weavers feel that the craft will flourish only “With the will of God.” While Kusti weaving, with its roots in oral tradition, has for the first time been studied and documented in a Parzor publication, other crafts need research.
Sudreh Stitching and Kusti Weaving
The Sudreh and Kusti were traditionally a part of daily Parsi life. They remain a symbol of the Zoroastrian faith but are often taken for granted or neglected as few understand the skill of the craft or the significance of the daily ritual. The making of the kusti and sudreh are part of a living heritage, which link craft and art to religious traditions. The tradition of kusti weaving is practiced in various parts of the country. Earlier a priest or his wife wove the kustis. Due to the diminishing boundaries between the priestly class and laity, women of the laity have also started weaving kustis. What was once considered a domestic skill necessary for every young girl, and taught at Parsi girl’s schools, has with the changing times become a specialized craft practiced mainly by elderly women.
Toran Making
Torans are generally made of small glass beads, the best quality being Czechoslovakian, woven together with extraordinary skill to adorn door frames and bring in good luck. Toran Making is difficult. The tiny glass beads can only be threaded together with a very fine needle. If even one bead breaks or is wrongly placed, the design will be ruined. Once the pattern is complete the threads are cut from the loom and sealed with an agarbatti or candle. Some classic Toran designs include fish, cocks and flowers. In the Indian Gujarati tradition, torans are also made with cloth or shells, as well as beads embroidered onto cloth. Most Parsi homes have woven, decorative torans with floral/ animal motifs, or with religious blessings crafted with beads. This craft is practised on the same loom used to weave the kusti. Torans were traditionally woven at a time when the woman was “impure” and not permitted to handle the sacred thread.
Chalk Designs
For those familiar with the practice, a Parsi house can be identified with the chalk designs at the entrance. The ancient Iranian use of lime to keep insects away was transformed by Parsi women learning the intricacies of rangoli from their Gujarati sisters into Parsi chalk designs. The women sprinkle their verandahs with water every morning, and sometimes also in the evenings, and create wonderful patterns of chalk or rangoli. This ritual settles dust and helps, as in Iran, keep insects away. Even though most verandahs are now tiled or cemented, simple rituals like this continue as part of the Parsi lifestyle in India. Little chalk boxes made of tin with perforations was the result of a clever use of everyday resources with simple technology. These are now used to make the chalk decorations quickly every morning and especially on auspicious occasions. The floor around the fireplace in a Fire Temple is also decorated with chalk, as is the hearth of the priest- kept ready with logs on a bed of ash with chalk designs around it, ready for any ritual necessity.
Diva-Na-Kakra
The Divo and its fire are used significantly in almost all Parsi-Zoroastrian rituals from birth to death. The Divo or oil lamp lit in Parsi houses, daily reminds the family of their goal- the enlightenment of Ahura Mazda’s wisdom. There is usually a designated place for prayers where the divo is lit. Till recent times a divo was also lit at the well in the evenings in Gujarat, where 3-4 families, till date, share a well for daily water usage.
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