Types of fire, its purification and consecration
The 16 types of fire required for an Atash Behram are: • Fire used in burning a corpse • The fire used by a dyer • The fire from a house of a king or a ruling authority • Fire from a potter • Fire from a brick-maker • Fire from an ascetic • Fire from a goldsmith • Fire from a mint • Fire from an ironsmith • Fire from an armourer • Fire from a baker • Fire from a brewer • Fire from a soldier • Fire from a shepherd • Fire produced by atmospheric lightning • Fire from the house of a Zoroastrian: what is actually done is fire is collected from the houses of a dastur (high priest/senior priest) a mobad, and a layman. A natural fire is also kindled by striking two flint stones and the spark igniting some sandalwood. This last fire is kept with the 16th fire. Whereas fires from the professions listed above is obtained by a Zoroastrian layman or priest approaching the person and requesting he be allowed to collect burning embers from the fire, in the case of fire from a burning corpse, the Zoroastrian waits for the corpse to burn down, then with a metal ladle, with a handle at least three feet in length, he fills the ladle with sandalwood or other inflammable wood filings; these ignite by heat from the burning embers of the pyre, the person making sure the ladle does not touch the hot embers of the funeral pyre. In the case of fire from atmospheric lightning, the Zoroastrian community of the region will approach neighboring townsfolk and villagers well in advance of the purification ceremony – from months up to a year – to look out for lightning strikes on trees or plants, and to take up a portion of the burning embers of the fire if so produced, which are then transferred as soon as possible by ladle to the assigned priests to begin the elaborate work of consecration. The ceremony of consecrating the other fires need not be delayed for this fire; however, if the fire produced by lightning has not come forth by the time all the other fires have been consecrated, the final union and consecration of all the fires cannot take place. It must be indefinitely postponed until this fire is produced and consecrated. of thanksgivings and merriment amongst Zoroastrians of the place (refer J J Modi The Religious Ceremonies and Customs of the Parsis now also available in Avesta.org). ==List of Atash Behrams==