Zoroastrianism, Diaspora and Pilgrimage: A Singular View

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the nexus between identity and religion through the lived experience of 3 terms: ‘Zoroastrianism,’ ‘Diaspora’ and ‘Pilgrimage’ (ZDP). All 3 aspects are deeply personal to me as a Zoroastrian, but also have a bearing on the sustainability, understanding and education of new generations of Zoroastrians; a small ethnic and religious community spread throughout the world. This thesis explores issues around the diaspora of Zoroastrians as well as the sense of re-connection and understanding of the faith emanating from pilgrimage. The Zoroastrian religion does not have any formal pilgrimage tradition, but there is a strong desire among diasporic peoples to seek meaning and affirmation through a journey to ‘homelands’. Pilgrimage, for Zoroastrians, takes place mainly in Iran, the original home of Zoroastrianism, and in India (specifically locations such as Mumbai, Navsari, Udvada, Surat and Sanjan, the latter 4 all being early settlements and home to significant fire temples and monuments). My explorations primarily focus on religious aspects and re-connections with the Zoroastrian faith. Other imperatives to research emerge from a desire to describe the experiences of diasporic Zoroastrians undertaking pilgrimage and travel in India and Iran. Further, understandings of issues of identity and distinctiveness are explored, linked to the continuance of the faith and the ethnicity of Zoroastrians. The research for this thesis is based on qualitative methodologies involving auto-ethnography, participatory action research techniques (Filipovic 2015a; Filipovic 2015b), review and analysis of secondary literature sources, narratives of experiencing pilgrimage, and attendance and management of Zoroastrian-specific and community functions. These conceptual frameworks and models are used as a base for interpretation and analysis of the data gleaned from travel, tourism and religious studies discipline areas. Conceptual constructs used to frame this study include Jafar Jafari’s ‘tourist model’ (1987), Richard Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle (1980), Norman’s discourse on ‘spiritual tourism’ (2011; 2013), Kurt Lewin’s (1947) theory of change and Shernaz Cama’s (2016) work on the Everlasting Flame (EF) International Programme and Zoroastrianism in the New Millennium (ZINTM). The use of secondary literature applying perspectives of emic versus etic or insider versus outsider viewpoints and critiques (Headland, Pike and Harris 1990) are the lens framing through which the findings of this thesis are presented. The American anthropologist and linguist Kenneth Pike coined the terms ‘emic’ and ‘etic’ (derived from Greek phonemic and phonetic) to analyse linguistic units, but increasingly they are used in the social sciences to represent viewpoints from a local (subjective) versus a global (objective) viewpoint (Headland, 1990). The auto-ethnographic data presented in this thesis comes as the result of Participatory Action Research (PAR) conducted during my 3-week pilgrimage to Iran, undertaken through an organised group tour: ‘The Complete Iran Experience with Silloo Mehta’. Data from this research study is presented in the form of a journalistic narrative employing photographs of my journey. This research is subjective, and given the personal nature of the experiences, observations and narratives, it would be inappropriate to consider these insights as generalisations to be applied to other religious or diasporic contexts. However, they shed much light on the complexities of diasporic Zoroastrianism and the implications of pilgrimage in this context. Outcomes for the thesis include a deeper understanding of the nexus between Zoroastrianism, Diaspora and Pilgrimage. Additionally, it is hoped that this study will fill a gap in knowledge and literature by becoming a pilot that may be referred to by others of the diaspora who seek to enhance their identity as Zoroastrians most notably the younger, second generation of Australian Zoroastrians. It is also hoped that the findings will allow for tour planners to give consideration to product development that people are seeking and thus give rise to a new niche market for Zoroastrian tourism and pilgrimage which is in nascent stages at the current time.