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| The Journal for the Study and Research into the Mandaean Culture, Religion, and Language |
| Modern Mandaeans call this clothing " rasta". In the Mandaean religious literature the rasta is referred to as ‘ustlia, an indication that at one time the name was changed. (5) |
| Research by AJAE |
| Copyright 2001 |
| In the name of the Great Life! On the day they clad Manda d-Hiia in his vestment His radiance shone forth over the worlds of Light His brilliance shone forth over the worlds of light And the worlds of light that beheld his radiance All gather to him, all flocked toward him And opened their mouth an blessed Manda d-Hiia Saying to him: “Blessed is thy radiance That shineth over the waters How bright is thy radiance Thine appearance giveth out light and becometh not dim” (2) |
| " Come, be for me a loving shepherd and watch me a thousand out of ten thousand. I will bring thee then sandals of glory with them canst thou trend down the thorns and the thistles. Earth and heaven decay, but the sandals of glory decay not. Sun and moon decay, but the sandals of glory decay not. The stars and heaven's zodiacal circle decay, but the sandals of glory decay not. The four winds of the [world-] house decay, but the sandals of glory decay not. Fruits and grapes and trees decay, but the sandals of glory decay not. All that is made and engendered decays, but the sandals of glory decay not. So then be for me a loving shepherd and watch me a thousand out of ten thousand." (22) |
| Figure 1 |
| All Mandaeans, priests and laymen during religious ceremonies must wear a ritual dress. The garment is made of a natural fiber, usually cotton or muslin, although silk is allowed. The color of this clothing is always white. (3) |
| " If the vestments of a priest be silken there must be no snarls therein" (4) |
| " 'ustlia d-Ziua " "rainments (garments) of light" (6) |
| "...(and the men who) put their feet on the ground, for (there are?) pure shoes for their feet..." (24) |
| "And the masitqa is supplied therewith, and the vestments- the tunic, stole, leggings, girdle, and sandals proceed from it..." (23) |
| Sandals are not considered part of the rasta today, but there is clear indication in the Mandaean scriptures that sandals (sandle) were used. (21) |
| Sharwaley itres Himiana itres bi trén tavi bi trén gatri Dasha byaminey, qam qummey, Rughzey nasifey Marghna bsmaley, tagha byaminey Uisakhtha ('saqta) byaminey Kushta asiakh utrisey. (prounciation is given for spelling) |
| "I consecrate (lit. set up) my leggings. I consecrate the girdle with two virtues, with two knots The dasha (pouch) on my right: standing upright, My rughza, my stole My staff on my left (arm), my tagha on my right, And my ring on my right (hand) Righteousness make thee whole (he addresses the rasta) and establish me" (20) |
| The priest recites: |
| Introduction |
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| A priest in his rasta. |
| The ritual clothing is symbolic “of the heavenly dress of light, which according to Mandaean religion, is worn by the ‘uthre (angels) and pure souls”. (7) |
| "And when you say ‘On the day when they dressed Manda d Hiia in his vestments’ —the vestment he puts on shines out” (1) |
| “Clothe yourself in white (garments) and cover yourself in white (covering) like the garments of radiance and coverings of light. Put on white turbans like resplendent wreaths.” (8) |
| Volume 3 Special Issue Online edition |
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| The rasta is put on before a baptism and is used over and over again. (9) The rasta is never washed with soap and can become tinged brown due to the mud of the river. (10) There are several occasions when a new rasta is called for: a wedding (11), the ordination of a priest (12), at the feast of Dihba Daima, (13), during the zidqa brika when a person is acting as proxy (14), and for when a person is dying (15). It is believed that one time the Mandaeans dressed exclusively in the rasta. (16) Modern Mandaeans today wear a wide variety of clothing colors and styles, with western dress being preferred. While white is the color preferred according to Mandaean scriptures, many Mandaeans today wear clothes of different colors. Yet I know of Mandaeans who still insist on wearing white or light colored clothes rather than dark or black clothing. That old adage of “good guys wear the white hats” is apparent. (17) The ritual dress is made of various parts. Lady Drower in her book The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran comments on two schools of thought in relationship to the number of pieces contained in the rasta. According to the Mandaean priests of Qal’at Salih there are 5 pieces pertaining to the layman’s attire and 7 pieces for the priest attire. Where as the priests of Amarah figure 7 pieces for the layman and 9 pieces for the priests. The difference is that Amarah priests include the daša and takka as separate pieces while the priests of Qal’at Salih consider these two pieces as part of the ksuia and the šarwala. (18) The complete dress consists of a tunic (sadra or ksuia), drawers (pants) (šarwala), girdle (belt) (himiana), turban (burzinqa), and nasifa. The šarwala has a tie string (tikta or takta or takka) and the ksuia a patch pocket (daša). In addition to these a priest has his crown (taga) and his ring (šum yawar). (19) After a priest has dressed in the rasta, he double checks his clothing to make sure everything is in order. He touches each part of the rasta in consecration making sure every piece is where it should be. |
| As for sandals or shoes I know personally of Mandaeans who never walk outside on the earth without shoes or sandals upon their feet. This tradition could be a throwback to those days. (26) |
| Sandals of course are made of a natural grass like material or wood, leather sandals are not allowed. Dr. Buckley writes being allowed to enter the Mandi in Ahwaz while wearing a pair of wooden sandals: |
| "...By special permission from Sheik Jabber, I was granted a particular honor to enter on wooden sandals into the windowless hut....." (25) |
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