One finds the agiary on the western coast of India, in Mumbai and towns such as Sanjan and Diu in Gujarat. These fire temples of the Zoroastrians, frequented by those who call themselves Parsis or the people of Persia, are distinguished by their unique artwork that evokes memories of ancient Mesopotamia: giant winged bulls with human heads, and birds with human torso and head.

These creatures can be traced to 8th century BC Assyrian architecture in the lands we now call Iraq. They eventually made their way to Persia, by the 5 BC. The fantastic beasts combined the strength of bulls and eagles, and were seen as servants of the ‘one true God’. This was a revolutionary idea in the otherwise polytheistic and pagan ancient world.

Gods were represented by images back then, and housed in temples. But the Persians chose fire, preferably that which came from the sky as lightning, to represent the formless Ahura Mazda — the benevolent power, one who is not a jealous god, one who does not demand obedience. Persian monotheism influenced the Jewish community, which was exiled in Babylon at the time. The Jews were seeking a narrative to unite the displaced tribes, and they were inspired by Persian ideas such as Paradise, the Devil, and the Day of Judgement. Though the........

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