{"id":599,"date":"2011-03-18T12:47:19","date_gmt":"2011-03-18T12:47:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/projectconversion.com\/?p=599"},"modified":"2011-03-18T12:47:19","modified_gmt":"2011-03-18T12:47:19","slug":"purity-in-the-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/projectconversion\/2011\/03\/purity-in-the-market.html","title":{"rendered":"Purity in the Market"},"content":{"rendered":"

I thought I’d do something different for today’s post. Yesterday\u00a0I featured the account of an American convert to the Zarathushti\u00a0Faith. As you know, conversion is a hot topic within the faith and most traditionalist and even moderates consider the practice inappropriate. In an effort to offer a balanced dialogue regarding this matter, I invited several traditional Zarathushtis\u00a0to give us their side of the story. None replied. This puts me in an awkward position because even though I purposed not to get involved in the nuance of sectarian dispute, I find myself supporting the reformist movement.<\/p>\n

But the\u00a0fact remains that the traditionalist side must be\u00a0presented. Instead of throwing down\u00a0a scholarly summation of\u00a0history, I thought I’d use\u00a0the medium of the short story to illustrate the\u00a0views of\u00a0the traditional Parsi.\u00a0Keep in mind, these are broad strokes made\u00a0only so that you get an idea of the rational behind why traditional Parsis feel\u00a0as they do.<\/p>\n

“Purity in the Market”<\/h4>\n

Daitya stalked my daughter, Jaleh, in the market for\u00a0months. She said she didn\u2019t notice; every time her cheeks blushed and a smile tickled her lips as she veiled her face with the sari, I know that she did.\"\"<\/a> Daitya was a good, hard-working boy from a descent merchant family. My wife bought spices from his shop every week.<\/h4>\n

When their eyes met in a fleeting glance from across the market, I made my way in front of Jaleh and folded my arms. The smile melted from Daitya\u2019s face and he returned to work. The time had come to speak with the boy.<\/h4>\n

I approached his father in the market the next day and asked if I could use Daitya\u2019s help with some repairs. Daitya followed me back to my shop. I directed him to the cart where I sold pottery and linen. He looked around for Jaleh when he thought I wasn\u2019t paying attention.<\/h4>\n

\u201cI need you to hoist these poles while I re-fasten the canvas. The last storm loosened the rope.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d he said and lifted the pole. His face flushed as he strained. Sweat beaded along his forehead. He grunted and dropped the pole. A customer asked about one of my pots so I left Daitya to his task.<\/h4>\n

I took my time and chatted with the customer\u2014a white-clad Brahmin\u2014as Daitya struggled to lift the pole and balance it in place. The Brahmin made his purchase and left. I took the other end of the pole just as Daitya lost his balance. He looked at me, short of breath, and sighed.<\/h4>\n

\u201cThank you. I thought I would fall under the weight.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Daitya held the pole in place as I fastened the rope and tethered the canvas. His body trembled as he pushed up against the pole. I smirked and tied the first knot.<\/h4>\n

\u201cMy wife and daughter will stop by your father\u2019s cart for spices today. In two day\u2019s time we will celebrate my people\u2019s landing here over 400 years ago.\u201d<\/h4>\n

He grunted and looked back at his father\u2019s spice cart. There were a few customers, but none were Jaleh. He returned his gaze to the ground as his toes dug into the dusty floor.<\/h4>\n

\u201cLiving alongside my people, surely you\u2019ve heard our story…\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cA little, sir.\u201d<\/h4>\n

I tied the second knot. The weight of the poll eased upon Daitya\u2019s arms.<\/h4>\n

\u201cThey sailed across the sea from Persia to escape the armies of Islam. Our temples and people were being exterminated and forced to convert. We escaped to save our religion, the good<\/em>\u00a0religion taught by Zarathushtra.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Daitya freed one hand and wiped his brow with his forearm. \u201cMy father said your ancestors met the ruler here, Jadi Rana, and he granted them asylum.\u201d<\/h4>\n

I smiled. \u201cHindus have always enjoyed the epics.\u201d I pulled the third knot tight and moved to the last. \u201cThough I\u2019ve never been at sea, I always imagine the ships my people sailed upon like the poles and canvas of my shop. When I think about their journey and the hardships they endured just to save our culture and religion, I give thanks to Ahura Mazda for giving us this home.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cYour people are brave and honorable, sir,\u201d he said as he released the pole.<\/h4>\n

I threaded the last knot and looked down at Daitya. He stared out into the market toward his father\u2019s shop. I peeked beneath the canvas. My wife and daughter approached Daitya\u2019s spice stand. I brought my head back beneath the canvas.<\/h4>\n

\u201cIn many ways, my shop is like one of those ships…could you brace that corner pole for me?\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cWhat? Yes, sorry.\u201d Daitya grabbed the corner post, glanced back at Jaleh, and then looked up at me.<\/h4>\n

\u201cThese polls are like the courage and strength of my ancestors and made up the planks of the ships. The canvas is similar to the sails used on the ships. They represent their faith as they spread open their hearts and minds, ready to receive the wisdom and Good Mind of God to carry them like the wind to their new home.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Daitya\u2019s face slowly turned down from mine. His grip loosened from the post.<\/h4>\n

I tightened the last knot. \u201cThese ropes\u2014the knots\u2014are like my people today. We hold the traditions and the memories of my ancestors together.\u201d Daitya stepped back as I set my hands on my waist and inspected the canvas, posts, and knots. \u201cNotice how you struggled with that pole. It isn\u2019t because you aren\u2019t strong, but because that pole isn\u2019t yours to bear.\u201d<\/h4>\n

He looked back at Jaleh. She smiled at first, but the smile faded as Daitya slouched and walked away from my shop toward the river. Her eyes trembled with tears as she met my gaze. She covered her face with the sari and looked away. They never saw each other again.<\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I thought I’d do something different for today’s post. Yesterday\u00a0I featured the account of an American convert to the Zarathushti\u00a0Faith. As you know, conversion is a hot topic within the faith and most traditionalist and even moderates consider the practice inappropriate. In an effort to offer a balanced dialogue regarding this matter, I invited several…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":437,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-599","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zarathushti"],"yoast_head":"\nPurity in the Market - Project Conversion<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/projectconversion\/2011\/03\/purity-in-the-market.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Purity in the Market - Project Conversion\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I thought I’d do something different for today’s post. Yesterday\u00a0I featured the account of an American convert to the Zarathushti\u00a0Faith. As you know, conversion is a hot topic within the faith and most traditionalist and even moderates consider the practice inappropriate. 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