I endorse the views of Darius Ardeshir and the editors’ reply in the letter "Outmarried Parsis” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, June 21-July 6, 2019). It is the self-appointed purists and dogmatists of India who have made and want to keep our religion a closed shop.
The Gathas state that the Mazdayasni religion is a universal one, that Zarathushtra was a prophet for all mankind and not for the Iranians alone. In the Haptan Yasht "we pray the safe return of our athravans who go abroad for preaching our religion.” Ancient and medieval Zoroastrian princes married princesses from other clans.
These self-appointed purists should know the facts of physical anthropology and their effect on demography: only 11 Great Andamanese are left; only 30 Congo Gypsies are left.
I agree that the Asha Vahishta, The Zoroastrian Centre in Poona is a step in the right direction and our major anjumans/fire temples must take the lead in two respects: open our doors to the children of outmarried women who retain their religion; gradually do away with the system of pallbearers who have unfairly become outcastes.
BEHRAM T. DASTUR...