"Most of the world has been witnessing a continuous process of change in its thinking. But our religious leaders do not move forward enough,” notes the soft spoken Manoucheher Mobarakeh, embodying the quiet courtesy of an earlier era. Member of Bombay’s Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman as well as the Anjuman Zarthustian Tehran, Mobarakeh was in Bombay in connection with the activities of Dr Meher Master Moos’ Zoroastrian College.
Decrying the "performance of outmoded customs, gross superstitions, non acceptance of converts,” Mobarakeh maintained that the mental conflict these generate in minds educated in logic and science "baffles the youths who, in their confusion, are drifting away from the religion of their ancestors.”
Quoting Greek historians, Mobarakeh places the advent of Zarathustra "six thousand years before the Greek philosopher Plato or five thousand years before the Trojan War. "Others have put his birth date at more than 8000 BC in Bactria, at 4000 BC in Rey or Ragha and at 600 BC in Azerbaijan.” He accepts all these various estimates, explaining that the original Zarathushtra came 10 to 12 thousand years ago in Bactria, the second one, known as Zarathustroma I (or the first Saoshyant) in Rey and the third, called Zarathustroma II (or the second Saoshayant) in Azerbaijan.
Manoucheher Mobarakeh: passing on information
The second point Mobarakeh advanced was the similarities between the Ahunavad Gatha and the Bhagvad Gita. "In the Gathas we read ‘Happiness to those who make others happy.’ Similarly the Gita conveys, ‘Man attains the pinnacle of glory by doing his duty with total detachment.’…The Zoroastrian Gavashni and Kunashni is the Gavani and Karani of the Hindus… Unfortunately, despite these and a plethora of other similarities and parallels between the two great enduring religions, no effort has been made to familiarize the general body of Indians with a knowledge of Zoroastrianism,” he laments.
The gentleman also claims to have heard from a Chinese trader in Tehran that there are a substantial number of Zoroastrians in the Manchurian region of China where they are known as Bosi which he says is the Chinese word for Parsi. He says he has approached the Chinese embassy in Tehran and they put him in touch with a professor of Persian in Shanghai University, but his search has stopped there. "I am not sure that what I am saying is true. I am passing on the information I have received. It is up to the world community to evaluate the situation, which needs manpower and finance to pursue.”
A graduate in economics with a diploma in commerce from India, Mobarakeh is fluent in English and his native Persian. He says he has served as publicity and marketing manager of Philips Iran Ltd and later as commercial manager of Daroupakhsh Pharmaceuticals. Of his two daughters Mandana is married and settled in San Jose, California while Montre lives with her family in Tehran. In his retirement years Mobarakeh says he is happy to learn what he can about the religion and the community.