A dastūr, sometimes spelt dustoor, is a term for a

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil within the framework of a monotheistic ...

high priest who has authority in religious matters and ranks higher than a

mobad A Mobed, Mowbed, or Mobad (Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭢𐭥𐭯𐭲) is a Zoroastrian cleric of a particular rank. Unlike an '' herbad'' (''ervad''), a ''mobed'' is qualified to serve as celebrant priest at the Yasna ceremony and other higher liturgic ...

herbad Hērbad (also ''hīrbad'', ''hērbed'' or ''ērvad'') is a title given to Zoroastrian priests of minor orders. In the present day, ''hērbad'' is the lowest rank in the Zoroastrian priesthood, and is granted following the basic ''navar'' ceremon ...

. In this specific sense, the term is used mostly among the

Parsis Parsis () or Parsees are an ethnoreligious group of the Indian subcontinent adhering to Zoroastrianism. They are descended from Persians who migrated to Medieval India during and after the Arab conquest of Iran (part of the early Muslim co ...

of India. The term has also been used in a secular sense to refer to a prime minister, minister or government councillor. The first person to be accorded the title Dastur was

Meherji Rana The first Dastur Meherji Rana, sometimes known as Mayyaji Rana, was a spiritual leader of the Parsi community in India during the sixteenth century. He was renowned among the Parsis and other communities due to his “vast knowledge and spiritual ...

(born 1514 at

Navsari Navsari is the ninth biggest city in the state of Gujarat in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Navsari District. Navsari is situated between Surat & Mumbai. Navsari is a twin city of Surat. It is located 37 km south of Sura ...

). He was invited by

Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...

to his court in 1578 AD. He was accorded the title in 1579 AD by the local Zoroastrian priests thus establishing a seat (Gaadi, similar to the seat of a

Bhattaraka A Bhaṭṭāraka ( pka, भट्टारक "holy one") heads traditional Digambara Jain institutions. He is responsible for training scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing endowments, presiding over installation ceremonies and running ...

Sankaracharya Shankaracharya ( sa, शङ्कराचार्य, , " Shankara-''acharya''") is a religious title used by the heads of amnaya monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism. The title derives from Adi Shankara; te ...

). Dastur Kaikhushru Cowasji Ravji became the eighteenth successor to the seat and title of MeherjiRana in 2019.Er. Kaikhushru Cowasji Ravji Annointed As 18th Meherjirana Gaadi Heir, Parsi Times June 10, 2019
/ref> He became a

Mobed A Mobed, Mowbed, or Mobad (Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭢𐭥𐭯𐭲) is a Zoroastrian cleric of a particular rank. Unlike an ''herbad'' (''ervad''), a ''mobed'' is qualified to serve as celebrant priest at the Yasna ceremony and other higher liturgical ...

59 years earlier.

References

*Boyce, Mary (2001). ''Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''. London: Routledge Zoroastrian rituals Religion in Iran Zoroastrianism in India Parsi people Dastur Persian words and phrases {{Zoroastrianism-stub