dastur

{{About|the priest rank|the surname|Dastur (surname)|the TV series|Dastoor}}

File:The Religious head of Parsi community, Shri Dastur Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor calling on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on June 30, 2014.jpg, 2014]]A dastur ({{IPAc-en|d|ə|ˈ|s|t|ʊər}} {{respell|də|STOOR}}), sometimes spelt dustoor, is a term for a Zoroastrian high priest who has authority in religious matters and ranks higher than a mobad or herbad. In this specific sense, the term is used mostly among the Parsis of India. The term has also been used in a secular sense to refer to a prime minister, minister or government councillor.{{cite encyclopedia| last = Shaki| first = Mansour| date = 1994| chapter = Dastūr| title = Encyclopaedia Iranica| chapter-url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dastur}}

The first person to be accorded the title Dastur was Meherji Rana (born 1514 at Navsari). He was invited by Akbar to his court in 1578 AD.[https://parsi-times.com/2019/06/the-spiritual-legacy-of-the-first-dastur-meherjirana/ The Spiritual Legacy Of The First Dastur MeherjiRana, Noshir H. Dadrawala, Parsi Times, June 10, 2019] He was accorded the title in 1579 AD by the local Zoroastrian priests thus establishing a seat (Gaddi, similar to the seat of a Bhattaraka or Sankaracharya).

Dastur Kaikhushru Cowasji Ravji became the eighteenth successor to the seat and title of Meherji Rana in 2019.[https://parsi-times.com/2019/06/er-kaikhushru-cowasji-ravji-annointed-as-18th-meherjirana-gaadi-heir Er. Kaikhushru Cowasji Ravji Annointed As 18th Meherjirana Gaadi Heir, Parsi Times June 10, 2019] He became a Mobed 59 years earlier.