SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Living Zoroastrianism provides an immersive experience of the rituals and practices of the oldest monotheistic religion in the world. The VR headset puts the visitor in the centre of the Yasna - the central ritual of the Zoroastrian faith which symbolises the journey of the soul. The exhibition is part of Chouette Films’ work with the Multimedia Yasna Project (MUYA) headed by Professor Almut Hintze at SOAS and funded by the European Research Council. The heart of the project is to find innovative ways to document and preserve a tradition which is very much alive – although hidden from everyday view. The project aims to create an online platform where Study of Religions students and practicing Zoroastrians can engage with the religion in a detail never achieved before. Other highlights include sound experiences of Zoroastrians from Iran speaking about their lives, and a show of Zoroastrian artefacts and manuscripts from Iran and India.