Abstract
Traditional systems of water preservation assume significance in a world facing acute water shortage. When Zoroastrians fled from religious persecution in Persia to live in India (8th–9th century A.D.), they carried their ancient wisdom of conservation of water. The Parsi cistern (tanka-s) of Bharuch are testament to the fact that they adapted their ancient badgirs to local circumstances. This paper examines the traditional tanka system used in Parsi houses of Gujarat in perspective to historical Zoroastrian water harvesting systems from Central Asia. It takes the water management system used in Parsi houses of Bharuch as a study case which proves capability, today, of answering urging water issues. Studying the tanka could offer a solution to rejuvenate this “Dying Wisdom”.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.
Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.
Bibliography
Agarwal, Anil, and Sunita Narain (eds.). 1997. Dying Wisdom: Rise, Fall and Potential of India’s Traditional Water Harvesting Systems. New Delhi: CSE.
Arberry, A.J. 1963. The Legacy of Persia. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Boyce, Mary. 1979. Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
———. 1989. A Persian Stronghold of Zoroastrianism: Based on the Ratanbai Katrak Lectures, 1975. Persian Studies Series, No. 12. Lanham etc.: Bibliotheca Persica.
Cama, Shernaz. 2002. Asha: The Law of Harmony: A Study of Environmental Consciousness in Zoroastrian Rituals. Multinational Candidature File Submitted to UNESCO for the “Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity,” New Delhi.
———. 2016. Threads of Continuity: Zoroastrian Life and Culture. New Delhi: IGNCA and Parzor.
Chandra, Lokesh. 2000. “The Cousin Cultures of India and Iran.” Delhi Parsi Anjuman: 75th Anniversary Celebrations. Delhi: DPA.
Darmesteter, James. 1980. The Zend Avesta Part I: The Vendidad, SBE, vol. 4. Delhi, Varanasi: Motilal Banarasidass.
——— (Translation). 1980. The Zend Avesta Part II: The Sirozahs, Yasts and Nyayis, SBE, vol. 23. Delhi, Varanasi, and Patna: Motilal Banarasidass.
Ghirshman, R. 1978. Iran: From the Earliest Times to the Islamic Conquest. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Matsuura, Koichiro. 2003. “Message for World Water Day 2002.” Water and Cultural Diversity: Papers for the Kyoto International Conference, UNESCO.
Niknam, Mobed Kouroush. 2000. From Nowrooz to Naorooz: Festivities and Ceremonies of the Iranian Zoroastrians. Self Published. Edited and Translated by Mobed Mehraban Firouzgary. Tehran.
Rose, Jenny. 2015. “Festivals and the Calendar.” In The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism, edited by Michael Stausberg and Yuhan Sohrab-Dinshaw Vevaina with Anna Tessman. Chichester: Wiley.
Stausberg, Michael, and Yuhan Sohrab-Dinshaw Vevaina (eds.), with Anna Tessman. 2015. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism. Chichester: Wiley.
2001. Study of Rain Water Harvesting Structure (Tankas) in Bharuch Town, Gujarat, India. Development Alternatives Report, New Delhi.
2012. Turning the Tide: Reviving the Karez System in Balochistan. IUCN. Draft Paper Under Water and Nature Initiative.
1999–2001. UNESCO Parzor Field Recordings, Bharuch, Gujarat.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cama, S. (2019). Ava: A Living Tradition of Reverence for Water Among the Zoroastrians. In: Keller, S. (eds) Knowledge and the Indian Ocean. Palgrave Series in Indian Ocean World Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96839-1_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96839-1_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-96838-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-96839-1
eBook Packages: HistoryHistory (R0)