Zoroastrianism: From Antiquity to the Modern Period (History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Volume VII, Part 8)

The volumes of the PROJECT ON THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURE IN INDIAN CIVILIZATION aim at discovering the main aspects of India’s heritage and present them in an interrelated way. These volumes, in spite of their unitary look, recognize the difference between the areas of material civilization and those of ideational culture. The Project is not being executed by a single group of thinkers who are methodologically uniform or ideologically identical in their commitments. In fact, contributions are made by different scholars with different ideological persuasions and methodological approaches. The Project is marked by what may be called “methodological pluralism”. In spite of its primarily historical character, this Project both in its conceptualization and execution, has been shaped by scholars drawn from different disciplines. It is for the first time that an endeavour of such a unique and comprehensive character has been undertaken to study critically a major world civilization like India. Zoroastrianism: from Antiquity to the Modern Period is an interdisciplinary work in the study of Zoroastrianism form its birth around three and half millennia back in ancient Iran to contemporary times. It emphasizes the important role it played in not only the formation of Iranian culture, but also emphasizes its role in the construction of the humanist idea of the dialogue of civilization in the ancient world. Challenging the now fashionable theme of the “East”/“West” divide, as also the infamous theory of the “clash of civilizations”, this volume initiates the theme of unified world culture where Iran was the bridge between Indian in the East and Greece and Rome in the West. Thus the close relation of Zoroastrianism with early Hinduism is brought out, as also the relation between Zoroastrianism with Greek philosophy, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This volume covers topics like the close relation between Iran and India, comparison between the Rgveda and the Avesta, ethics in Zoroastrianism, the place of gender in Zoroastrian eschatology and the role played by the Parsis in the formation of secular, democratic, modern India.