Udvada Atash Behram
Also called: Iranshah · Topic: India, a Home to Many: Diasporas and Refuge · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 5 "India, a Home to Many"
Meaning
The Udvada Atash Behram is a fire temple at Udvada in south Gujarat, close to where the Parsis first landed. Atash Behram is the highest grade of Zoroastrian sacred fire. Its fire is called the Iranshah. Tradition says it is the ancient sacred fire that the Parsi refugees carried from Persia and first lit at Sanjan. It is thought to be the oldest Zoroastrian fire still burning anywhere. That makes it the holiest place for Parsis.
Example
The fire was moved to several places over the centuries and reached Udvada in the 18th century. The present temple building also dates from the 18th century. It still burns there today, and Parsis from across the world come to visit.
Don't confuse with
- Sanjan: this is the place where the Parsis landed and where Jadi Rana gave them shelter. Udvada is where the sacred fire burns today.