Parsi Navjote ceremony
The word 'navjote' is a Latinized form of the Parsi Gujarati compound of nav "new" and jote "reciter [of prayer]", "invoker", "sacrificer". The second half of the word is—via Zoroastrian Middle Persian zot—an indirect continuation of Avestan zaotar, with /z/ eventually becoming /j/ because /z/ is not upheld in Gujarati.
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Although there is no upper limit to the age of the individual for which the ceremony takes place, in common practice it occurs before a girl or boy reaches maturity. Under no circumstances is it permitted to be done for a child less than seven years of age since the child is expected to comprehend the significance of the event.
In Vendidad 18.54, individuals above the age of 15 (once considered the age at which one attained adulthood) who are not yet been invested are said to be likely to fall into evil ways. In the 9th-12th century texts of Zoroastrian tradition, the same group are said to be kushad davarashni, literally "running about improperly clothed". So for instance Menog-i Khrad 2.35 and the Book of Arda Viraf (25.6.10). The latter considers such a thing to be a service to demons (the daevas). Other texts of tradition that define adulthood as the boundary include the Sad-dar 10.1 and Shayast na-Shayast 10.13.
The shirt has a construction extremely specific to this culture.
The child must bathe in sacred water before the ceremony. This represents a cleansing and purification. A full tray of rice is also placed in the room, to be given to the officiating family priest, after the ceremony. Flowers are also placed in the room, to be given to the assembling guests after the ceremony. A tray bearing a mixture of coconut, pomegranate grains, raisins, and almonds, are in the room as well, and will be sprinkled on the child after the ceremony to symbolize prosperity.
The ceremony is quite intricate, consisting of many recitals of faith and prayer.
Like most Zoroastrian rituals, Navjote takes place in the presence of a fire (see Atar). In the case of this ceremony, which takes place in a public place, the fire is not sanctified and following the event it is allowed to die out.
The Navjote ceremony itself comprises of three parts - Patet Pashemani, Din no Kalmo & Investiture of Sudre and Kusti, and Tan Darosti.
The Patet Pashemani is a traditonal prayer of repentance and is recited by the priest on behalf of the person being initiated.
The sudre is then slipped on the to initiate's forearms while reciting Yatha Ahu Vairo. The initiate then recites the Din no Kalmo (recitation of Faith to the Zarthusti religon). With another Yahta Ahu Vairyo prayer the sudre is put onto the initiate. The priest then stands behind the initiate and starts the opening stanzas from the Hormuzd Yasht. The initate then joins in and prays the Hormazd Khodai and Jasme Avangeh Mazda prayers.
The initiate is then seated and garlanded. The priest then recites the Tan Darosti (blessings and good wishes) prayer where for the first time the appropriate prefix (behdin, osta or osti) is used (see below) for the initiate. Persons who have not yet had a Navjote are acorded the prefix Khurd.
Following the ceremony, the child is viewed as a member of the Zoroastrian community, bearing responsibility with its rewards and repercussions. An individual from a lay family is addressed in the liturgy as a behdin, "follower of the [good] religion". This may be distinguished from the title for a member of a clerical family who is henceforth addressed as an osta (for males) or an osti (for females). This does not change unless the individual actually joins the priesthood.