Mecca for Parsis where holy fire burns from more than 1250 years - UDVADA heritage walk
UDVADA - This coastal town lies 200 km from Mumbai. Udvada means "The grazing ground of Camels" which it was before it became a fishing town. This town is renowned for Zoroastrian Atash Behram of the holy fire which has been burning for over 1250 years. The oldest place of worship still a functioning example of its kind. Udvada is to Parsis what Mecca is to Muslims, Kashi for Hindus, and the Vatican for Christians . Not many would be aware that Udvada Atash Behram (Holy fire temple) is one of the nine Atash Behram worldwide (four are in Mumbai, two in Surat, one in Navsari, and one in Udvada), The only other place outside India is in the town of Yazd in central Iran. Legend has it that during the Muslim conquest of Iran in the 7th century marginalized Zoroastrians fled to the Indian sub-continent to preserve their diminishing culture and populace. It is said that they first landed onshore in the small beach village of Nargol from where they settled in Sanjan and o...