Atash Behram

An Atash Behram (Fire of Victory) is the highest grade of a fire that can be placed in a (Zoroastrian) fire temple. The establishment and consecration of this fire is the most elaborate of all the grades of fire. It involves the gathering of 16 different types of fire, including lightning, fire from a cremation pyre, fire from trades where a furnace is operated, and fires from the hearths as is also the case for the Atash Adaran. Each of the 16 fires is then subject to a purification ritual before it joins the others. 32 priests are required for the consecration ceremony, which can take up to a year to complete.

Types of fire

The 16 types of fire required for an Atash Behram are:^[1]

1. Fire used in burning a corpse
2. The fire used by a dyer
3. The fire from a house of a king or a ruling authority
4. Fire from a potter
5. Fire from a brick-maker
6. From an ascetic
7. Fire from a goldsmith
8. Fire from a mint
9. From an ironsmith
10. Fire from an armourer
11. From a baker,
12. From a brewer
13. From a soldier
14. Fire from a shepherd
15. Fire produced by atmospheric lightning
16. Fire from the house of any Zoroastrian

List of Atash Behrams

This is a list of Atash Behrams that still survive today.

Image	Name	Location	Year Established
	Iranshah Atash Behram	Udvada	1742
	Desai Atash Behram	Navsari	1765
	Dadiseth Atash Behram	Mumbai	1783
	Vakil Atash Behram	Surat	1823
	Modi Atash Behram	Surat	1823
	Wadia Atash Behram	Mumbai	1830
	Banaji Atash Behram	Mumbai	1845
	Anjuman Atash Behram	Mumbai	1897
	Yezd Atash Behram	Yazd	1932

References