A rasta () is a white ceremonial garment that Mandaeans wear during most baptismal rites, religious ceremonies, and during periods of uncleanliness. It signifies the purity of the World of Light. The rasta is worn equally by the laypersons and the priests. If a Mandaean dies in clothes other than a rasta, it is believed that they will not reenter the World of Light, unless the rite "Ahaba á¸Â-Mania" ('Giving of Garments') can be performed "for those who have died not wearing the ritual garment."
A rasta also has a stitched-on pocket called the daÃ
¡a.
Women also wear a robe (ÿabÃÂ) over the rasta during masbuta.
Traditionally, a new rasta is worn for Dehwa Daimana (Dihba á¸Â-Iamana à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡ à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â).
Symbolism
The rasta is expected to be transmuted after death into a "garment of glory" for the soul (Qulasta prayer : "the Perfecter of Souls ... will come out toward you and clothe your soul in a garment of radiance") â this is equivalent to the perispirit.
A Mandaic hymn, Left Ginza 3.11, states: <blockquote></blockquote>
Related clothing
The rasta for Mandaean laypeople consists of the following seven pieces of clothing. It is usually made of cotton or sometimes muslin.
- ksuia or sadra (à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â) â long-sleeved tunic with V-neck opening, may extend to the knees
- daÃ
¡a (à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â) â two cloth pieces that are stitched on the upper right side of the sadra to make a pocket
- Ã
¡arwala (à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â
à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â) â loose trousers, consists of four pieces
- tikta (à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â) â drawstring
- burzinqa â turban that is wrapped three times around the head. The loose end is called the rugza (à ¡Âà ¡Â
à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â). For priests, the rugza can be used to veil the lower face to form a pandama. It is made from a cloth that is 10 cm à3 m long, and can be cut lengthwise as needed.
- naá¹£ifa (à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â) â stole ir narrow strip of cloth worn across the neck that is sewn (doubled over) from three sides; one of the long sides is unsewn. It is made from a cloth that is 8 cm à1.95 m long.
- himiana â belt made of wool that has a sewn and unsewn end. The sewn end, in the form of a loop, is called the arwa (à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â
à ¡Â). The unsewn end, resembling a tassel, is called the karkuÃ
¡a (à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â
à ¡Âà ¡Â).
In addition, priests also wear:
- taga â silk crown
- Ã
¡um Yawar Ziwa (à ¡Âà ¡Â
à ¡ à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â
à ¡Âà ¡ à ¡Âà ¡Âà ¡Â
à ¡Â) â sacred gold ring
- margna â staff made from an olive branch
Special prayers in the Qulasta are also recited when putting on the burzinqa and pandama.
The Ã
¡iala is a burzinqa that is draped over women's heads.
See also
References