Parsi priests write to Prime Minister Modi to protest Metro III work

They said construction work under the sacred Wadia fire temple will desecrate the Aatash Behram, the highest grade flame in Parsi faith

Two of the city's Zoroastrian high priests have now joined the protest against the controversial Metro III line passing below the Wadiaji Aatash Behram, by writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In their October 21 letter, they have highlighted the importance of the sacred fire in the holy shrine and urged the PM to 'find a better solution' to the issue.

Parsis protesting the Metro III line below the fire temple

A copy of the letter, which was written by Dastur Firoze M Kotwal and Dastur Dr. Kaikhushroo M. Jamaspasa, was also sent to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The high priests pointed out in the letter that the consecration of the Aatash Behram Padshah (spiritual king) is an elaborate and complex process, which takes teams of highly skilled priests over a year to enthrone the sacred fire.

'Disrupt the connection'
"Today, we do not possess the capability or the ritual skills to consecrate such sacred fires," the letter reads. It further points out that the Metro III tunnelling would disrupt the connection between the earth and temple.

"An Atash Behram is a composite whole, comprising not just the consecrated fire enthroned in the sanctum sanctorum, but also the whole edifice in which the divine fire is housed. During the process of consecration, the holy fire is linked spiritually to the earth below it..." the high priests have mentioned in the letter.

If wells go dry...
They have also brought to light how even the slightest possibility of the wells running dry might mean the end of all ritual practices on the premises. "The tunnelling process could affect the water tables diversely and there is a distinct possibility of the Aatash Behram wells going dry, in which case, none of the high rituals of the Zoroastrian faith can be performed...this religious loss is clearly unacceptable to us as High Priests of the community."

The high priests end the letter saying, "The possible desecration of our holy consecrated fires as a result of the drilling, tunnelling and severe vibrations in such close proximity of our holy places is unacceptable to us."

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