Barashnûm
Barashnûm, or Barashnûm nû shaba, is a Zoroastrian purification ritual which lasts nine nights. Because the ritual lasts nine nights, it is known as Barashnûm nû shaba or "Barashnûm of the nine nights". Also see details on the Bareshnum ceremony by a Zoroastrian senior Priest and scholar Dr Ervad Ramiyar Karanjia Etymology Barashnûm is a Zend word meaning "top of the head". The whole ritual is named "Barashnûm" because purification starts from the head of the person, which is the first part in his body which is purified. Purpose In pre-Islamic times, Barashnûm was used to purify men and women who had been defiled by contact with dead matter and by priests before undergoing training for priesthood and certain ceremonies. However, now the Bareshnum ceremony is only undertaken by priests before their Navar and Martab training ceremonies for initiation into priesthood and before the Vendidad Nirangdin Yasna ceremonies and the one to purify men or women coming in contact with dead is discontinued (refer ramiyarkaranjia.com - What is the Bareshnum ) The ritual Fargard 9 of the Vendidad prescribes the requirements for the Barashnûm ritual. It prescribes that a series of six holes two feet deep if it was summer