Zoroastrian Funeral Customs and Traditions

In Zoroastrian belief, death is not an ending but a passage. For the first three days after death, the soul is believed to remain near the body, supported by the prayers of family and priests. On the dawn of the fourth day, the soul travels to the Chinvat Bridge (the Bridge of the Separator), where its deeds in life are weighed. A life lived in accordance with humata, hukhta, hvarshta (good thoughts, good words, good deeds) widens the bridge and leads the soul to the House of Song, the heavenly abode.

After death the body is washed and dressed in clean white clothing, including the sudreh (sacred shirt) and kusti (sacred cord) for initiated Zoroastrians. The Sagdid ceremony then takes place: a dog is brought into the presence of the body so that its gaze may confirm death and ward off evil; dogs hold a revered place in Zoroastrianism for this reason. Priests recite the Geh Sarna, a recitation of the Ahunavaiti Gatha, beside the body, while mourners gather in the prayer hall for further prayers.

Disposal practices vary. In Mumbai and a few other Parsi centres, the traditional Dakhma (Tower of Silence) is still used, where the body is exposed to the sun and to scavenging birds: a practice rooted in the belief that the sacred elements of earth, water, and fire must not be contaminated by a corpse. Many Iranian Zoroastrians moved to burial in lined graves in the twentieth century, and Zoroastrians in Western diaspora communities most often choose burial or cremation. All methods are accompanied by the same prayers and care.

The fourth day, Chaharum (Iranian) or Uthamna (Parsi), is especially solemn; the soul is believed to cross the Chinvat Bridge. A gentler mourning continues for thirty days, with monthly (Masiso) and yearly (Roj/Mahino) prayers thereafter. Offering a prayer in the deceased's name, or arranging for a priest to perform a remembrance ceremony, is among the most cherished gifts a friend can give. The guides below cover what to say, what to expect, what to wear, and how to support the family.