Sep 1973

OCTOBER 1973 Price Rs. 2' ---- If the J the iiKeiinooa 01 uicu manj- vv. - out of the community. Parsis institute is short of funds we could the whole treat the newcomers request some J J does the likelihood of their marry- compelled to ask “Why? ing and then directing his gaze at me curiosity, benign neglect or hosti- t ______' -a. - printed and distributed your maga- j^g our religious ceremonies, our zine and now you ’re filing your places of worship and the grounds -------- -- arrets to declaration. This has to be done ^here we leave our dead. Whether a year for mernbersh p) editor’s column f on the wnoie trear me xchuvou ..—r ------- - * - The judge glanced at the papers ebher with restrained affection, to donate the amount. But i and ihen directing his gaz,c al mC curiosity, benign ncglcd hwSti- the trifling amoun crhnlars commented, “You have published, nty. yhey are barred from attend- month to deny f^udents, schoia zine and now you ’re filing your places of worship and the grounds as ourselves who have declaration. This has to be done ^here we leave our dead. Whether a year for to before you bring out the maga- pne approves or disapproves of a magazine who denied zine. ” Humbly I noted, “there intermarriage, the fact remains oriental studies cannot • be d^ , was a delay. ” “Didn’t you know that Parsis are marrying out in verges on the absurd. Ifte ca you were supposed to file the larger numbers than ever before Institute owes us an explana^ :ion, papers before? ” he continued. I and what their spouses think of if not as the -c.navinv ’mem- answered weakly something about the community will shape and in- certainly as a -p y g being allowed a month ’s grace, fluence this generation of Parsis ber. itc readers wondering all the while that of all and those to come. Joan Contrac- A magazine maeazine they the judges in Bombay hardly one tor, an American married to a and readers get t g must have heard of Parsiana and parsi, offers her thoughts and views deserve. Parstana flourisnes on y ___ T 1-„>I T.____o zafloptivp and if jvnii suDOort it. 10 this enu we him at the Chief Presidency candid article. Magistrate Court. And then Hyderabad and Justice Jal H. Vakil smiled and Secunderabad are wondering why subscription, ” and handed me an papcis. uciuici iiv anti vviiat men ------ - — ------- — -^vina mem- answered weakly something about community will shape and in- certainly as a -p Y & llXUdv llClVv XlwAX vX L XTdl wllCX O XlVl- , why it was I had to appear before the Parsis in a reflective and if you support ir- __ Wadia him at the Chief Presidency candid article. are pleased to welcome K. Waaia, Magistrate Court. And then said, “Well, anyway, here ’s my Jh'iavax V^ir does ~not refer to subscription, ” and handed me an controversy over the disposal envelope addressed to Parsiana all because he hadn ’t ready for the posting. ‘ Pass the last issue of receipt along, ” he added. We did. parsiana. Anyway as he finally And so Parsiana marches on. supplied a photograph of himself, Another issue has made its way to we reciprocated with a copy. We the Press leaving in its destructive now boast of two trustees of the wake, insomnia, fatigue, loss of Parsi Panchayat as subscriber^ weight, health, mind etc. And P. P. Khambata and Dr. Aspi h. these are only the minor problems. Golwalla. Two down, five to go. The major ones —ah, that ’s another while we ’re on the subject of story. subscription, it may be pointed A sense of humour has never qui that the K. R. Cama Oriental been appreciated in New Delhi, institute will not be subscribing even though the capital provides to Parsiana. In a letter dated 21st 90 per cent of the comedy in this August the institute noted that country. So when Field Marshal “complimentary copies used to be Sam Manekshaw encroached on received by us. ’ ' N. S. Guzder, and the monopSy of the politicians he ihat* complimentary copies be sent ^hapoorji PaUonji in our auveiiis- found himself ostracized and to us in future also. ” We wrote mg fold Our mSii fam" ’ persona non grata. Gone were back explaming the huge extendi- Wa la Gu d , of It is requested Air-India, N. S. Guzder, ana ¦ ¦ Shapoorji Pallonji in our^ Wadia, Guzder, and Pallonji fami ­ lies and the management of to Air-India. „uc Among the papers handed to us the by Mahyar B. Patel at the Al- Biruni millenary celebrations held under the auspices of the Iranian Despite the characteristic complimentary copies to some Zoroastrian Anjuman and Jhe Iran - ’ - The institute League is one c .......— - _ _ Gone were back explaining the huge expendi- ''i the promised house, secretariat ture entailed by us in both printing < ; - - - • • •----- ---------- insignia awaits release. country and an election for Prime country had paid their subscrip- - .................. - • .11-^ xiuev L entitled “Praise of with Truthfulness ” with a sub-heading “ “Al-Biruni ’s Advice to Authors and __ ___ _ : ¦’ To imply info'rm that journalists write anything but ‘i is to ... well ... imply We are not without fault.'* But who is? As Al-Biruni ’s ‘advice ’ is valid for all we quote ‘We must distinguish different “One of them tells a lie, as in- plight, congratulating us on Al-Biruni s Aovice lo “commendable work ’; but Perhaps to numour very mucn m cviucuvc, -very mucn regie 11,111157 >.0 / ti, but reluctant to speak of himself, you that it will not be possible the trutn . --------- our with his irrepressible sense of quj - -iiif xzprez miipti in evidence. ” “very much regret(ting) to and staff car. The Field Marshal ’s ^nd giving maximum coverage ____ ’ . The man the community and pointed out who* helped win a war for this several libraries throughoi^ tL' Minister Gandhi left Delhi an out- tions and so it would b6 unfair to cast. L , _____ , lack of gratitude shown by our ^nd not others. : leaders, Geeta Doctor found the ^rote back “sympathizing ” Field Marshal “as ebullient as ever y humour very much in evidence, but rciuviaiiL IVF oi/viw. Wi IV Will iiwv ..~ r------- , , “When he shook hands at the end fpr our Institute to subscribe to tne ^trum.^ of the interview his steely grey ffle magazine. ” No reason was eyes rivetting abruptly to attention, given for the decision. It seems his hand shot out stiffly from petty to quibble about one subscrip- the^ scholar : his side —it was like being sud- tion but when the subscriber con- . e ‘ denly in front of a firing squad. ” cerned is among the foremost classes oi/®PO£ters. As the number of young Parsis centres for literature onParsis ’further an interest of venturing abroad increases, - Znmastnan studies one feels tenaing to lun cerned is among J 1- - ---- and Zoroastrian studies one soOPINION Literary Quarterly his own either by lauding his have a hard time with ball-point ‘ family or nation on the opposite users as you can ’t remove the ink _ wr WTAWT side, by thinking that thereby he easily, ” she says. Her neighbour vlllll can gain his ends. In both cases Ms Shirin Canteenwalla, gives her he acts from motives of objection- a helping hand with the transfer ­ able cupidity and animosity. mations. Ms Deboo ’s small flat is “Another one tells a lie regard- inundated with cards of all sizes, ing a class of people whom he likes, shapes and colours. They arrive as being under obligation to them, from all over the world. An Air- or whom he hates because some- India purser brought three ear ­ thing disagreeable has happened tons from London and Scindia ’s between them. Such a reporter is transports two or three cartons near akin to the first mentioned free from Toronto and London, one, as he too acts from motives The cards are sold and the money of personal predilection and enmity, received, around Rs. 4,000, is dis- “Another tells a lie because he tributed to leper homes, blind is of such a base nature as to aim schools, orphanages, nurseries and thereby at some profit, or because other deserving causes. So next he is such a coward as to be afraid time you ’re wondering what to do of telling the truth. with all the greeting cards you re- “Another tells a lie because it ceive, send them over to Ms Articles, nions. Poems, A Journal devoted to Original Indian writ­ ing in English. Fiction, Drama, Reviews, Opi- is his nature to lie and he can- Deboo ’s ‘workshop ’ at 675 Parsi not do otherwise, which proceeds Colony, Dadar, Bombay 400014. from the essential meanness of his In the cause of alleviating our character and the depravity of his country ’s balance of payment de- innermost being. ficit, Parsiana helps stem the rot. “Lastly, a man may tell a lie, A cheque for three pounds has Magazine for the Indivi- from ignorance, blindly following been received for an air-mail sub- others who told him. scription from Dr. and Ms Sohrab “That man only is praiseworthy H. Kutar in England and a five who shrinks from a lie and always dollar cheque from Jamshed Under the special care of adheres to the truth, enjoying Pavri in Canada. Perhaps All q Katrak credit even among liars, not to India Radio will mention this mention others. ” in their next export news (We fit in the first category.) bulletin. While lunching with the Katraks scholars in this country we would in Dadar Parsi Colony the con- like to take up cudgels against versation evolved from daughter the Government of India. Scholars, Coming to you from the Publisher of Opinion, The from dualist; next And on behalf of the "¦'t'i I Gauri Deshpande First issue October 1973 Annual subscription : Rs. 8 Siloo ’s Ph.D thesis on the l^arsis Jamshed Kanga and Faribourz $5, £2. to greeting cards. Ms Jerbanoo B. Nariman, among others, had been Deboo explained how she takes invited to attend the 29th. Inter ­ used greeting cards, tears out or national Congress of Orientalists paints over the written words, in Paris recently. Exchange was slips a new sheet in and presto, granted to Kanga but not to Nari- the card is reincarnated. “We man. The question now arises as to what criteria the Reserve Bank and the concerned ministry used to arrive at this decision. Was the decision made on an impartial ’ evaluation of their respective I papers and if so since when has I the Government of India been I competent to judge scholarly I works? Or was the decision for I some totally unrelated reason, such i as “you went last year, you can ’t J go again. ” If that be the case, then Sljjllll a man ’s proficiency is of no im- j portance, it becomes a hindrance. Surely once a respected inter- ¦'**«*^ national body has judged an in- dividual competent, the Indian Government should not play God and deny a person his freedom n of movement and the right to study I what he pleases without the fear I of incurring political vengeance. Write to : The Editor, Opinion Literary Quarterly, 40C, Purnima, Ridge Rd., Bombay 400 006 to (?) 4(^6^ 3GUESS A WHO’S COMING I TO I I J DINNER? n liv n Judging from the limited res- ting at each sitting. He will only tance, a few aged, as well as young ponse to our contest seeking a have to count the children to get children, who wish to leave earlier, more civilized manner of conduct- the necessary discount from the The dinner for this group may ing meals at Navjotes and Wed- caterer. start at about 7.15 and may last for dings, it would seem Parsis by and this system is adopted, it about 45 minutes, large are quite content to suffer should be called ‘Kharas Jamva fortune to satiate their appetites. Rusi dings, it would seem Parsis by and Group No. 2 In this group, numbers to be All, however, is not lost. Rusi given 2/1, 2/2, 2/3 and so on, P. Kharas with his “Kharas Jamva ~- which will indicate guests for the Chalo” system. Professor P. D. Every Invitation Card and Reply second group. This group will be Sunavala and E. H. Engineer have Card must be numbered, and those nearest and dearest friends come up with solutions that solve attending must be requested to wellwishers, who would like part of the problem but still leave bring the numbered Invitation Card g^joy till late hours, many miles to go before we eat — for Dinner. Based upon the replies dinner for this group may gracefully. Below are their recom- received and the number that can about 8 and may last for mendations for which they receive be accommodated at one sitting,^all 45 minutes. Rs. 25 each: I have had the same problem micropnone inai inviiation varu ,. tn bp when I had the Navjote ceremony j^^g l^g accommodated . | P which of my two daughters, so I am get- first sitting, Nos. C to D at 3/3 and so on which ting prepared for their weddings. the second sitting and so on. If indicate guests for the Well here is my solution:-As gj^^g exact seats also may 3rd group ;and they will be the each guest enters give them each a reserved indicating' the number members of the family and the rest, coloured number ticket. Yellow for invitation card and whether S the first sitting, blue for the second first or second sitting on a J? 1 Zt T b7 o 1 J Xi- - xi-;_j “as the reply cards, which will be 01 more importance. In the invitation Cards, one para ­ graph will have to be added at the “Please reply at an early date, on the slings and arrows of outrageous chalo’ system. R. P. Kharas given. 2/1, 2/2, 2)3 and so on. Every Invitation Card and Reply second group? This group will be that needs to be done at the Hall or Baug, is to announce over the Qj-oup No. 3 microphone that Invitation Card number ticket. Yellow for invitation card and whether and red for the third. At the head of the table will be a small board indicating the num­ bers on that particular table with a colour strip indicating the parti ­ cular sitting for example the first table will show nos. 1-20 with a yellow strip on the top indicating the first sitting. Each seat will have a corresponding number so that the ‘ guests will go quietly to their res ­ pective numbers. x/x, x/x., _ _ v,.., . . _ * Tn this way all the mad rush will which will indicate guests for the your number given on this Invita- be avoided and the host will know first group. This group will be for bon card. exactly how many people are sit- the guests coming from a far dis- (Continued on page 5, col. 5) placard attached to the seats. P. D. Sunavala Before releasing the invitation follows; — cards, the host should prepare a list “Please reply at an early date, on of the expected guests, group them t^g enclosed self-stamped reply in the following manner, and give garj. them the numbers as follows: — “Our Volunteers will see to your comforts, and will guide you to In this group, numbers to be your secured seat at the dinner given 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 and so on, table; if you will please tell them A.LETTERS To Be Or Not To Be I have just seen the August issue of “Parsiana ” in its new garb and I hasten to offer you my sincere congratulations on your new ven ­ ture. From beginning to end, the first issue provides not only excel ­ lent reading material but also wholesome food for thought. A. D. Gorwala ’s article “To Be Or Not To Be ” deserves to be read and re-read by every Parsi worth the name. If the first num­ ber is any indication of what you are going to serve up month after month, I have no doubt that ¦‘Parsiana ” will soon rank among the leading journals of the city, and Congratulations for your Parsiana August 1973. Through your Par ­ siana I got a peep deep into the present day Indiana. You are doing very well by nourishing the new and healthy thought-roots of your community by which one day Balaram Street Zoroastrian Com- Farsiaita mittee (for the benefit of Parsees). When the number of members in­ creased it was named The Grant Road Parsee Association and some years later when members were from all of Bombay, it was named The Bombay Parsee Association. Major S. R. Bamji the whole nation could benefit. As there is a deep-rooted relation of an individual to the Universe likewise there is an interdepen ­ dence of a community and the Nation. Unless communities in their own right are healthy no nation can be a healthy nation in the world. With frank and free-minded wri ­ ters like Geeta Doctor and others you are bound to succeed in your mission. A. Sort of Curse I was glad to see the newlook Parsiana (August 1973) in which two articles were of special in­ terest to me. Anatomy of a Divorce was very informative and A Sort of Curse cleared an issue about which a lot has already appeared in the Parsi press. I have followed the “curse con- Parsis and non-Parsis alike will troversy enjoy reading it. With best wishes for your success. me. to was ever since it started sometime in May • 1973. I was amazed to read all sorts of sweep ­ ing remarks and vague accusations r” Rochak Pandit Cyrus E. Lalkaka I was thrilled to read ‘Parsiana ’ and more so when other communi ­ ties take interest —by getting to know and understand others I feel, one day we could blend into one common humanity. Arzan Rikhys ’¦1 DINNER {Continued from page 4} The youngsters of the family will come out willingly to work as vol ­ unteers and will work wonderfully, if encouraged a little. The host will have to supply them with the copies of the list prepared for the incom ­ ing guests with the numbers allott ­ ed to them, group by group. Their duty will be to welcome the guests and guide them to their secured seats. As soon as all the replies are re- Fariburz Nariman. In my groups and numbers. Make pro- 1 Mr. Nariman s erudite vision for those families whose 3 are more. All the chairs are to be number ­ ed 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on. Suppose a few may not be able to tioned by you "briefly and in the attend the function, and some may « ---------------------------- ¦* • . .t t Qi relevant"quotes from Mr. Nari- moment they may turn up! To ac- I ¦yu' L - j-v* ’Tf=B m . 1 p Trt J I vnrt ' I I i '1 1 ' Divorce You may be interested to learn that The Bombay Parsee Associa ­ tion, of which I was one of the founders in 1921, had as one of its activities the “Parsee Arbitra ­ tion Board. ” This board had a number of cases withdrawn from The Matrimonial Court, or had them stopped from going to Court, and settled their disputes pri ­ vately and a number of couples were made to run their households jointly in love, peace and harmony. One case was of a couple who had been separated for 10 years, and the case taken to the Matrimonial Court. Years ago, when I was a . . .... ----------- ----- - delegate of the Matrimonial Court, against a promising scholar like ceived, arrange them according to I had requested the presiding judge, Mr. F'—’^"’”’ . ......................... late Justice Bomanji Wadia, through opinion Mr. Narimans erudite ¦ our Foreman the late Keko- rejoinder in the Bombay Samachar numbers bad Adenwalla, to allow me to countered the issues raised by-his settle the case out of the Court, critics but from the layman ’s point The late Bomanji Wadia was kind of view, it left something unsaid, enough to adjourn the court. I was This ‘something ’ has been men- successful in settling the case in y-” ^’•-Ay the Court Building within three most appropriate manner by means not reply, and yet at the last of relevant quotes from Mr. Nari- moment they may turn up! To ac- man ’s lecture. By discreetly select- commodate such guests, volunteers ing these passages from the lecture, may arrange for them on certain you have proved beyond doubt vacant seats if any, or arrange for that the subject of the lecture was a few extra chairs and tables, ac- purely academic and certainly not cording to convenience. one which would affect or endanger in my humble opinion, this solu- our Foreman tne lare js.eKu- ... bad Adenwalla, to allow me to countered^ the jssues^ raised by-his ThriatrBomanji “wadia*was''kTnd of view, it left something unsaid. Besides Matrimonial Cases, cases from the Public Court and one even from the High Court were settled. This activity has ceased since 1970, when I retired from the Presidentship of The Bombay Parsee Association. This body was first formed in 1921, as the Tardeo-Grant-Road- one which would affect or endanger in my humble opinion, this solu- the existence of our religion or tion, if worked out in co-operatiorl, community in any way. will turn out to be effective and fine. P. P. Framroze E.H. Engineer 5ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN Widening Perceptions of the Parsi Community JOAN CONTRACTOR It often comes as something of a shock to the average, upstand ­ ing Bombaywala Parsi, to learn the world outside of India, or even Bombay, has rarely heard of the Parsi Community. That I had heard something about the community, before meeting and marrying a Parsi, and taking up residence in Bombay, was some ­ what exceptional. The word “Parsi ” first came to my attention at the age of 17 in an American Literature class. We were study ­ ing the latter half of Herman Melville ’s Moby Dick, in which a zombie-like character who is des ­ cribed as a Parsi ” named Fedallah, appears unaccountably as a confederate of the obsessed and mentally tainted Captain Ahab. The emaciated, dialogueless character, with the inaccurate name, was intended to represent shadowy evil and extreme exoticness. The cultural representation, like the name had no basis in sociological fact, but, unlike the average high school literature student, the word “Parsi ” stuck in my mind. The t. • , * , , -I < , . , , 1 social event m the Parsi life, next year, while still in high school, , an exceptionally educated and * I also caught the inference that informed World History teacher tt ,• j i Parsis generally enjoyed social while discussing the Persian Em- types. He lived near where life. As I began to meet Farok pire, mentioned that the few ' large University of socially, he pointed out to me, remaining Zoroastrians in the ^’chigan campus and as we walked vvith a certain amount of pride, world were the Parsis that lived the same direction toward the that he was encouraged to go out. in India. I progressed to Univer- bus stop, he paused to talk i learned that Indians of other sity, and in an Asian Studies fellow Ii^ian student. It was communities are not so en- course learned that the Parsis fled ? j 'x • j ¦ strange couraged. Farok had a certain Iran because of religious persecu- individual had friends . Because social honesty, a tendency to help tion with the advent of the Muslim being members of the same himself to another portion of food religion, and that was the reason organization, we met again a few without being urged, or to point ' •' • • • • - - out a mistake, or something that he disliked with a minimum of prevarication. I admired. Farok wore a checked The “fire worshipping obsessed Captain and Ahab. * IB jacket, a maroon patterned shirt, a tan striped tie, and brown cor- duruoy pants, and green suede j square toed slip-ons. He explained i that the tie was of a hand woven I cloth that Gandhi had encouraged i Indians to weave as a symbol of I resistance to the British Raj. I was I impressed with this fact and for- I gave the tie, but the shoes bore my disapproval forever after. As I grew to know Farok he began to discuss the Parsi Com- «. munity. He told me about the , Towers of Silence in which human < bodies are left exposed to the > elements. This practice did not particularly upset me, as I am not fussy about what is to happen to my body after I die. He also told me about his navjote ceremony, in which he sipped a small quantity of cow urine. This custom upset me a bit more. I also got glimpses of a typical Parsi wed ­ ding, at which long tables of people ate big meals off banana leaves. I caught the inference that the wedding is the prime exceptionally educated and * listic types. He lived near where Michigan campus and as we walked in the same direction toward the same bus stop, he paused to talk to a fellow Indian student. It was individual had friends! of being members of the same Because * VlltlVJlly CXIIVL LlldL W flu vXlw X vdOKJll « ¦¦ — .. for their location in India. ^t a party. I was dis­ appointed that the only chair in So, a certain minimal historical the room was opposite this intro- prevarication. This social icono- knowledge of the Parsi community verted seeming person, apd clasm made him entertaining and was gleaned from my formal wondered what on earth I would very well liked. Farok liked to education. Also while in college say to him. That proved to be no attend western classical music I met my would-be husband, a problem as he immediately began concerts, movies and usually stop ­ concrete example of a Parsi. Seeing to explain to all and sundry that ped off at a restaurant after these Farok from across a large audi- he was from India, not an Ameri- events. He enjoyed eating. He torium, my first impression was can Jew as I had thought, and ’ ’ - — ' - that he looked self-conscious and that he was a graduate student, very Jewish. I decided he was not, as I had thought, a lowly a peculiar individual, but then freshman. I had noticed that his again, I had always gotten on well style of dress was not at all in the very well liked. attend western classical concerts, movies and usually stop ­ events. ] also enjoyed parties and liked to talk to everyone, not stay in a corner and talk to only the people he already knew. I was surprised 1 “ J . J. -J -------- ------------------------- - realize that Farok liked witn international and individua- high class men ’s store mode which American jazz and spent hourslistening to live jazz bands in professional Parsi couples as well. Parsis are^ temperamental. Tr^^ down a sidewalk in an American generalize the Parsi Community most even-tempered of Parsi males city, on a lovely warm night danc- has whole-heartedly adopted Wes- is a machine of recrimination and ing and singing all the words to tern forms of entertainment. menace behind the wheels of his ¦ ¦ - - - - - ¦ ' car, even to the point of shouting Another form of entertainment, abuses at a fellow Parsi. I have not quite so typically Western is observed one of the mildest the before-mentioned Parsi ten- friends become downright dency to talk about themselves, threatening when he felt the need The self-amused conversations for ^is sister. A given years usually fall into two general cate- situation will, in general, bring out ? gories, anecdotes of past practical fjre temper in any Parsi, but a three or inconvenience as reacting to it. We kept one friend locked out of entertainment. our apartment until 1 A.M., with Individual eccentricities also no good excuse and his greeting provide hours of entertainment, to us was pleasant, even cheery. The man who liked to work on I’m sure that in the same situation his car at 4.00 A.M., the woman I would have been very angry, who used to hold tea parties for . her ceramic cats, the same woman If the typical Parsi believes who used to whip the ricksha- hirnself to be eccentric and wallas with her umbrella, and her excitable, he also thinks himself eccentricities If the typical Par si believes himself who used to whip the ricksha ­ good works that motivated the to be charitable, a basically sound hapless workmen to forgive her. observation. Parsis do go en- In such anecdotes the conversation thusiastically into org^ized is provided to fill in between band money raising ventures. These numbers at dances and courses at ventures, such as fund raising, rp<;tanrants concerts, plays, and dances are resrauranrs. consonance with the already mentioned tendency of Parsis in general, to enjoy these activities. Parsis do go into hapless workmen to forgive her. observation. is provided to fill in between band money raising ventures. concerts, plays, and dances Bombay. I remember walking From these observations I could I have observed that even tne down a sidewalk in an American generalize the Parsi Community most even-tempered of Parsi males city, on a lovely warm night danc- has whole-heartedly adopted Wes- is a machine of recrimination and ing and singing all the words to tern forms of entertainment. “Ain’t Misbehavin ’ ”. I gradually realized that the oft discussed cultural gap between East and West didn’t much exist between Farok and myself. friendship, Farok and I decided to anecdotes'of past practical Jhe ‘'temper “in ' mv marry, and circumstances dieted and anecdotes about the ^^ific situation will bring that we would live in BofTway. eccentricity of particular indivi- ^gj-y side of any human duals. If people have so many being. The Parsis I have met are cribed Parsi Community at cldse practical joke stories to relate, as capable of over-looking a slight hand. It is easy to generalize f^en playing practical jokes must inconvenience as reacting to it. about a group of people by study- another full scale method .of ing one individual in that group, but to generalize about a group from a group is much more diffi­ cult. Also, the Parsi Community, in general, loves to talk about itself, and it is difficult to separate the observations that I have often heard the Parsis make about them ­ selves, from the observations that I, myself, have made. What Parsis generally say about themselves constitutes the Parsi Myth. The Typical Parsi Couple are fun lov ­ ing, eccentric, excitable, charitable and genetically and religiously exclusive. In my experience, I have met many individuals who fall into this proto-type, but I am not quite sure if, left to my own city, and I am sure that tne it is difficult to say whether devices I would have made quite community has full measure of its charity motivates the social the same observations. share of unusual personalities, but or vice versa. I know I observed that my husband f e human community m generd, individuals who devote most of enjoyed a good time in very many. Any famiy can p - lives to organizing charity Western modes of theater and crazy relative s one . ventures, and that they have concert attendance, restaurants a ’^^^stors was a very accomplished much. I have seen and dances. It has been my observation that the typical Western classical music concert audience in Bombay is about 75 per cent Parsi, who visibly and vocally express their appreciation of the performances by standing, and shouting “encore ”. Similarly, the amateur English theater, audiences are packed with Parsis , - , and a fpw Par^i nampc arp cnrp tn change back, thus his nickname ana a tew rarsi names are sure to Pxzxxr, mv appear in the programmes. A typical crowd in any restaurant is sure to have a large table of voci ­ ferous Parsis, and it is common to see several familiar faces and perhaps, a few acquaintances. I have also observed that the Bom ­ bay dance floor is not complete without a smoothly and showily performing dance studio trained . Parsi team, going through their munity is eccentric goes hand-in ­ paces, and perhaps, a few less hand with the stereo-type that the I Parsis love to entertain them ­ selves with stories of their eccentri- not quite sure if, left to my own city, and I am sure that the share of unusual personalities, but the human community in general, has many. Any family can pro ­ duce crazy relative stories. One of my ancestors was a very re ­ ligiously involved Puritan who faithfully left food in his back ­ yard to feed the good spirits, and devoted one half of his life trying to get the stiff Calvinist com ­ munity to change a fine point of religious dogma. After he succeed ­ ed, he had a vision that convinced him to spend the later half of his life trying to persuade them all to that "Troublechurch Brown ”. Even my younger brother showed a marked affinity for the old time movie actresses, Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis, etc., in his early teens, and long before such nostalgia was in style. So, I would say that eccentricity is a human, not an exclusively Parsi characteristic. The myth that the Parsi Com- So, Qyidc.1. HaRFOOJJ'. 1____ ___ ______ ____ __ __ ............ - • Parsi to beggars, although whether one Good, bad, or indifferent, it is women love diamonds and emer- _ ’_______’ ’ la really important let is in question, and I have situation, and people cannot con- wedding is not complete without . in necklaces, bracelets, and ear- When surprise wears off, dis- rings. approval wanes. yhe tendency toward rich for- I have written about some which Parsis decorate The before-men- manner in their homes, tioned love of Chinese things is apparent in the Chinese style vases which no upper class Parsi home is without. I have been in several hAmes in which lovely hand carv ­ ed rosewood furniture is preserved. Another typical feature is brocade upholstery, often with 18th cen ­ tury European pastoral scenes. Crystal chandeliers are prized, and European China sets are often displayed. The peasanty and in­ substantial in home furnishing seem to receive short shrift from the Parsi housewife. The comfortable substantiality of the Parsi woman ’s taste seems to be a reffection of her position in society. The Parsi girl must be college educated to qualify for society and generally Parsi women do something with their educa- ¦j tions. All the Parsi girls that I know are trained to do something professionally. I have friends who are micro-biologists, architects, the Parsi stereo-type, but there textile designers and literature are < 'J '//h old dugli clad Parsi men give alms Parsis among my best friends, are representatively Parsi. approves of this charitable out- human nature to get used to a aids and L. .1—-1-.-, — - : --------- . known poor boys who have vaulted tinually be shocked at my existence the display of lakhs worth of gems themselves up financially with in Bombay married to a Parsi. ’ ~*i-**' educational aid from Parsi trusts. The stereo-type of the Parsi as - ---- in thp genetically and religiously exclu- I have written about some of niality sive, I have found to be true. It the characteristics that make up is well known that the Parsi Community will let no one join the religion without one ’s father being a Parsi. I have heard it said that even if one ’s father is a Parsi, one ’s mother must be a Parsi to really qualify as a “Real Parsi ’’. I have been reminded that the Parsis are the “best ’’ people in India, al ­ though no one has explained in what way Parsis are best. This attitude is partly a competitive esprit de corps. I have also been told that members of other com ­ munities have said similar things about their group. Regretably, a feeling of group superiority is an Indian characteristic, that Parsis have adopted. The reaction of the Parsi Com ­ munity to a foreigner married to a Parsi may be an interesting study in group attitudes. A friend tells me that when the ladies of the community first heard of my hus­ band ’s impending marriage to a foreigner, before I had even arrived in Iiidia, they were are other characteristics that 1 translators, executive secretaries, already wondering what he saw have noticed about the community professors. Parsi women who are 7" ---’''="2 ----- ¦¦ __ - _ _________2 married usually stay involved with which was held in Bombay, I did much, notice about itself. When the community at large. I know notice several scowling stares. £ gj-s£ arrived in India, I had women who are extensively in­ fH/j. Best cohmoni w ? wttM- v>\hT others tHE«e 2 in me. At my^ wedding reception^ that the community does not, so " 7’ ’ , ¦ '. When the community at large. I know notice several scowling stares. £ gj-st arrived in India, I had women who are extensively in­ People, from time to time, there- difficulty picking a Parsi out from volved with club work, and cuT after have reminded me that some t£ie j-gst of the local population, tural activities, and others who other Parsis, not themselves, have gut it was not long before I teach sewing and cooking classes, prejudices and resentments against learned to recognize a certain Parsi men, in general, take women foreign wives. I have noticed aestheticism in the community. If seriously. They may joke 'about with people I have known that £ see a young woman, wearing a woman ’s inferiority, but they when a. Parsi-foreign marriage short, straight, sleeveless dress, wouldn ’t say it unless they ex- breaks up, the blame is placed and sandals, with short hair, and pected women to understand the squarely on the shoulders of the a few gold bracelets, I know that humor. If they really believed in foreign wife, even when the hus- £ am looking at a Parsi. I have women ’s inferiority, they wouldn ’t band has made noticeable mistakes, noticed that Parsi women like to consider it a joke. Parsi boys that One always has to account for the wear cotton prints in shades of I know are very critical of a girl ’s fact that people have more in their brown, gray, black and maroon, mental and intellectual abilities minds than they are saying, but Simple, short dresses are worn in and are consciously attracted to on the whole I don ’t think that the daytime, but in the evening, girls who are lively, articulate and the Parsis that I have met bear the women tend toward a lush well read. me much illwill. I have attended formality in dress. Any Parsi Parsi wedding and navjote func- wedding or navjote is the display tions and parties where Parsis of < • - all age groups have gathered; and chantilly lace, and nylon crepe generations than is noticeable in I nave met innumerable Parsis. with gold work. Parsi women love -.k- funntinnc Everyone has treated me in a Chinese things and Chinese formality in dress. Any Parsi V4.«JkV«. cm* friendly manner. Indeed, I count broidered saris and sari borders Another outstanding charac ­ teristic of Parsi social relations, is opportunity for yards of satin, that there is less segregation of the ’ ‘ , _ ______ ___ 1- __'__ - I with gold work. Parsi women love the West. Many social functions {Continued on page 17, col. 3) 8THE LIVING AND THE DEAD (Below is a slightly abridged and edited version oi Shiavax R. Vakils "An Appeal to the Parsi Com- gone a tremendous mental connict on me ibbuc uie wonu ui vuituica, wuv navv whether I should bring out the truth or suppress Human bodies due to some reason or other (modem It is no use suggesting breeding the vultures. The vultures have the same instinct human beings munitu of Bombay:'} have, viz., to go where they can thrive, not where ' they have to strive for survival. Three to four bodies I have during the last six months or so under- a day on the average is not enough for flourishing ----- „ tremendous mental conflict on the issue the world of vultures, who have enormous appeUtes. wilfully and "'deliberately from the members of my medicines and drugs probably) do not provide an Cmuxuiuu Iij I L„ld d_ Z- z. —! attractive meal for vultures unlike the carcasses ot and tile'members of the Community are the bene- cows, buffaloes and other animals. ficiaries. A trustee is under an obligation to act with On 22nd April 1970, I published a pamphlet, in Community true facts. I hoM the position of a trustee ficiaries. A trustee is under an obligation to act with -----------------------. - utmost good faith in relation to the affairs of his which I expressed my views regarding the Towers of beneficiaries. He should not suppress a material fact Silence and stated as under . coming to his knowledge which affects the interest of At Bangalore there was the beneficiaries. After due deliberation, I have come existence. .------------------- utmost good faith in the Community if I suppressed Jhe truth played a Reading part.Litigation ensued and^oday of Silence which divided the Bangalore Parsi Com ­ munity, which upto that date had been united. The result is that the Tower of Silence is hardly used. At Delhi, there is a burial ground. Parsi corpses even after the last rites, are allowed to be touched and seen by non-Parsis. The last darshan is not barred, unlike at Doongerwadi, to non-Parsis. It is this outdated custom of not allowing a dead body There is a paucity of birds, coming to his knowledge which affects the interest of At Bangalore there was a Parsi graveyard in lue ucucuuiaiivo. ALvx I crdstcncc. A Tower of Silence was built in the year to the conclusion that I would be perpetrating an open 1939-40 in which the head priests and Dastoorjis about the existing state of affairs of the Towers of both are functioning simultaneously. It is the Tower Silence. Between December 1972 and September 1973, I have gone inside the Towers of Silence several times (on many occasions with one of my co-trustees, Dr. A. Golwala) with a view to ascertain their condition. I have also on several occasions checked the issue of paucity of birds and I set out below my observations : It is a myth to suppose that even during the viewed by non-Parsis who wish to pay respect months when the birds are there ‘in plenty ’ the flesh p,as given momentum to the crematorium move- of the bodies of the departed is substantially con- ^lent in Bombay. sumed by the birds. There is a paucity of birds. Whilst Doongerwadi is not a place where there whatever the reasons may be, with the result that crematorium .... it is neither in the hands substantial parts of the bodies remain untouched. qJ |-|^g reformists nor in the hands of the orthodox to Small portions are eaten not only by vultures hut by decide the place of crematorium. No Government or crows and kites. Municipality would allow a crematorium to be Every human carcass is consigned to the well erected in the heart of a locality which is covered (Bhandar) on the next day after it is laid to rest. When the bodies are lowered in the well, they are consigned one over the other like dead carcasses of animals and remain so in that state for months rotting and stinking in the process of decomposition. At present there are only portions of three Towers of Silence in use. The use of the other Towers is suspended because persons from buildings in the proximity can view and in fact were viewing the dead bodies when laid to rest. Some of the bodies con ­ signed to the Tower now not in use for over a year are still rotting in the stage of decomposition. These are the facts. I am therefore of the opinion that : A stage has now arrived (though late it be) that the members of the Community sit together and arrive at a solution for an alternative method for disposal of the dead. The three possible methods are: burning, burying and consignment to the sea. The problem today has acutely affected not only Bombay but Karachi, Calcutta, a number of villages adjoining Surat (including Bhesan, Rander, Bhatha, Adajan, Ichhapor, Kudiana and Ilav) and a number of towns in Maharashtra and a number of towns in Madhya Pradesh where the birds have become prac ­ tically extinct. It is for want of guidance from the Parsi Community of Bombay that the ‘status quo ’ continues.j all Jour sides by palatW skyscrapers. ’ had found that there »» Zut^r" DooTge^Si practically on ------ _ The first people to object^to such a non-1 trustees ofThe Parsi Punchayet in which I stated: — The Trustees are also aware of the^ feet that wadt Tower of ^Silence were exhibited at Raveline j elected a trustee. In light of the above views Street. I would like to know: — which I had expressed openly, before I was elected a If the Trustees have investigated the authenticity trustee, I was invited by one of the Parsi Associations of the said photographs, if so, what is their finding? of Bombay to express my views of dokhme-nashini. of Silence? Whv should the Trustees not allow a few repre- sentatives <------- ----- Silence after undergoing Nahan and other ceremonies^ with a view to enable them to assess the^ state ot affairs and place before t-- - ------- _ „ information of the inner conditions of the Towers of Silence? Are the Trustees aware tl„t zt Towers of Silence in the Mofussil the bodies are lying for years untouched by any bird, in particufer, at — Kudiana, Bhesan, Mahuva, Ilav, Igatpuri and Banga- essential that a lure { yy llttL VUllOUX li'-t.lT V. ------------ VXWll. X. uxxxx ------- ----- UXVX J . , J for the bodies which have been lying so for years alternative method for disposal of the dead is bound On the 23rd November 1971, a year and a half after receipt of the above letter, I was invited by the jg ^ge dwelling in me past ur uittimus Trustees of the Parsi Punchayet for a meeting. I re- leaders of the Community for their alleged past produce below the relevant extracts of the minutes omissions, though much can be said in that respect, as recorded by the Trustees: What we are now concerned with is the future. The Mr. Vakil stated that he had already put his world is changing fast. views in his letters and had raised three issues. One was the matter of the method of the disposal of the dead. He felt that the problemds ot tne community, me memuers ui me vuiuiuumij great importance because the Paucity^of ; the^birds solution. The trustees of at various places such as Keachi, Calcutta, tgatpuri g^ aj.g servants and not the and many other places m Gujarat and at Boinbay Community. I feel that even at this also. He was of the opinion that because of vanou setting aside all our differences and personal factors the number of birds were getting lesser and ^^ggther across a table and lesser day hy day. He, therefore, requested e P l solution which would be accepted by Trustees to guide the commun tyjdis ns as an alternative method of disposal of the dead tain principles of altamatiye suggestion fthe dis ^g posal of the dead. He pointed out that alternative g^^gated and enliehtened Community to find out mode(s) of disposal were to be found at various places where there were no dokhmas and even at Bangalore ‘Where a dokhma whs in existence a burial x - , ground was also there and it was taken greater ad- it is imperative that we should at least lift the ban vantage of by the Parsis. It was argued by some that which we have imposed upon our Priests not to per- the Doongerwadi lands could not be used in any other form the funeral and other obsequial ceremonies for manner or for any other purpose. He agreed that Zoroastrians who believe in other methods for disposal if there was a grant of land by the Government for of the dead. It is an unjust ban. Whatever faith we any other purpose except the purpose mentioned in There is no tyranny in the world greater than spiritual the grant. However, with regard to the lands either tyranny. . move would be He again requested the Trustees to make up their minds and think of an alternative solution as he thought that with this jet age noise and big build- premises, the vidtures would ultimately disappear, xixv nuu.vwx--- ------ On expiry of one year from the date on which certain photographs alleged to be those of Doonger- I, trustees of the Parsi Punchayet, _ zM«i . ____ _ x.wvz'L* «1‘%«4‘az1 of . •» T.x 11_1xxA. 4-1* zil^zxTZA _ __________ _ _- ± VVCIO V* *-.*»*-^*-. -- ---c-- 1 4. J Street. I would like to know: — which I had expressed openly, before I was electe Manekshaw adroitly fielded any our plans went immediately into arms almost dropping questions on the subject without action. ” cup off the table. A Gurkha specifying his intention. He did not The Field Marshal himself, the immediately appeared and led intend becoming a planter as had recipient of the highest award given him away like a child that had 13I ¦ ¦ ¦>' f>> 9b L **» ' \ & \ ' . V .. W®-' ^iw ? < j: -3» i-^ 1L„... n w P« : ;;4escaped from the nursery. The . Field Marshal fortified himself early days. I see no reason to be- it has been trusted in India, with another salami sandwich. “The lunch was one of those buffet affairs, ” said his wife, “where one can rarely have time to eat pro ­ perly. ” The Field Marshal was amused to be questioned about there being a fighting spirit that distinguished one set of people others. Basically it is a very honest from Be other. “I have heard this cnmmunity with a spnse. of hohour for years. I had under my com ­ mand people from all over India. All of them fought extremely well. It did not matter whether the man was a Kashmiri pundit or someone from the South here. It all de ­ pended on the sort of leadership they had. After all when you come to think of it the Parsi community does not particularly 1--'-" ’ J a martial I know we have a back- pre-requisite for its survival in the and a sense of loyalty. That is why .It lieve, why it should not keep on has never demanded any rights going. After all it has survived for but has identified itself with India a pretty long time. Though it completely throughout. Also I might not last in the same form, must add that it speaks highly “We are a self-supporting com- of the majority community that munity which is more advanced it has no prejudices whatsoever and better educated than many towards us.” ~ ¦ On the prospects of peace for community with a sense of hohour the sub-continent Manekshaw ex- t distinguish itself by spirit. I 1----- - ground which traces its ancestry back to Cyrus the great and so on; but basically the Parsi community has been a trading community. ” “I think all this talk of going back to Cyrus and the influence of the past is made too much of, ” said Ms Manekshaw in her forth ­ right manner, point in it. ” Speaking about the community Manekshaw was frank in his admiration of its achievements, though he maintained that he would not describe himself as “a rabid practicing Zoroastrian. ” I was strongly tempted to inquire whether he had circled his kusti three times and prayed that Ahri­ man may be rooted out of this world before he embarked on his victorious campaign but desisted from doing so as I did not notice any sudra lurking under his orange T-shirt. “I lead a godly life and that ’s about all, ” he said. Both his daughters had married Parsis but that, confessed Manekshaw, “was just a coincidence ” for he did not have any strong feelings on the subject. Nor did the fact of his being a Parsi have any effect on his career. He had he said ’ been first and last a professional soldier and had always been treated as such. He felt that if the Parsi com ­ munity had done well for itself it was due to the basic integrity and self-confidence in themselves combined with a strong sense of purpose. ¦ of the past is made too much of, ” “I don ’t see any I -f-' -4 >iW Xi I ¦ I i I I i H J » r t' He had he said Oi M « M » , >cz '' z ?¥»<- ’y* < < It is a small well-knit community. Possibly this was a 16pressed a more optimistic view dors with golden coats gleaming than has normally been heard in in the last rays of the evening sun these times of disenchantment, and a black one also, sitting at He did not feel that either Pakistan attention in a line. In front of or India were in any position to them lay their bowls of steaming I have attended have includ- start another round, though both supper. Manekshaw walked up to the host or hostess ’s parents, countries may have replenished them, hands behind his back. I'hey the West, parents are to be their stockpile of weapons. Pakistan looked up expectantly. “Good little and heard less, and it is had lost a majority of her techni- boys, ” he said, and at that word ®ot necessary to address more cal staff and a great many of her the three dogs lunged at their a “good evening ” and a senior officers had been com- bowls and noisily slurped up their “thank you ” to the host parents, pulsorily retired. While it was dinner. Bombay, it is de rigor to con- possible to train a soldier in six yKe mist had started rising nn friend ’s parents months it was not possible to n • f a greater length, and include them luuuins, IL was iiui pussiuic lu valley m swathes of blue and if o tram a staff capable of manning purple In the few minutes of fad- conversations. If a friend s and maintainine the sophisticated • r L*. minutes or laa parent gets sick, a visit to the hos- diiu Iiidinidining me supiiibucdieu jpg light, the white Starry blossoms military equipment that was in- jp shone brightlv against P ,“ Y .failed for. This would creasingly being put into use. (ijg green hillsfde For a considered necessary in the Besides he felt that it was iust not 4. een hillside, tor a West. Great issues of race rela- cesiues ne leit tnat it was just not moment everything looked in- controversial wars and a possible to conquer a vast country credibly fresh and bright and p”- ’ ®onfr°versial wars, and a like India and it was this con- — . ° - j fldence in her own strength which was vindicated in the last war. “It was a resounding victory which India has not had for years. they don ’t have faith in themselves now they never will.” This was however no reason to Corporation commercially execut- While it was dinner. The mist had started rising up LOOKING IN {Continued from page 8} in the trees shone brightly against . For a moment everything looked in- sharp change in cultural behaviour, '*"3 music, art, etc. along with the • great changes brought about by the growing industrial revolution and contrast of the financial boom of WARDEN {Continued from page 11} the post World War II years, with , the depression of the nineteen If we now start a Financial thirties, have driven the genera- J • ., ¦ , , ----------- •' ------- ¦ tions apart in the West. In India, spiritually oriented it shall things do not change so fast, the text Manekshaw mentioned that succeed admirably because we level of prosperkv has the anxiety shown in the Indian need one badly and urgently. . - p f r 3 3 " ' 7 build-up served a useful purpose. “It ’s a good thing for India to have these fears. It stops her from slowing down her defence pre ­ parations. ” On the other hand there was certainly no need to mis­ interpret Iran ’s belligerent postures as a direct threat to India. “Iran - . has certainly procured arms, ” he urgency and necessity of said, the Shah has his own rea ­ sons for this. He is surrounded . , • . , - ----- on all sides by Arab countries. He ^P capital, leave capital has a tremendous amount of surplus free and take on hire rooms in funds. You must realize that Iran . existing Industrial Estates and Pakistan are close neighbours ’ with the Baluchi tribes in . - . . die who divide themselves between own capital to their own the two countries. Any disruption enterprise but not sufficient money , j: n “ • ol Pakistan is dangerous for Iran. on the load of big ^'Sest concentration of Parsts in As it is Pakistan is in a bad way ^o ’^thly rents. Retiring men may m ay. I have dealt with ^ne- politically and the situation on the 1*^^^ hands with them. ralizations that people make about This is solved by the Parsi Panchayat. On ralizations of my own. , a Parsi Community is nothing will not tolerate the disintegra- trustee of the Panchayat what than a group of individuals with tion of Pakistan. Iran would come our financial position is his reply the same cultural, and religious into the conflict only to protect her was “All that comes goes. ” It is backgrounds, and a similar life ex ­ own interests. ” very true and the Community must perience. Generalizations cannot It was 6 o ’clock and one of the ^ot rest its hope all the time, in all cover individuals and exceptions Gurkhas came and reminded the "tatters, on the Parsi Panchayat. to rules may outweigh the rules Field Marshal of something. He Besides why in a Financial Cor- themselves. So, my knowledge invited us to join him in a cere- poration set up for commercial and and familiarity with the Parsi Com- mony outside. We went out and industrial purposes incorporate a munity as a group of individuals found the three dogs, two labra- body that in law cannot trade? • continue to grow. • “Do you wonder now why I anl staying here? ” said the soldier. If text Manekshaw mentioned that succeed admirably because press regarding Iran ’s military we level of prosperity has not altered so greatly over the past All out-dated methods, faulty fifty years, and government foreign approach, and erroneous attitudes policy is not largely questioned. So must change. How long shall we the concerns, tastes and attitudes wait for our urgent need : A Finan- of the family man or matron in her cial Corporation? Immediately fifties, will not differ much frdm with its formation, new ideas for those of the young couple in their suitable ventures will pour in. twenties. The children ’s educa- In previous issues of Parsiana latest concert, the best re- _ J —i an performance of the family Industrial Estate has been empha- ‘'^3; discussed with equal sised. Better still instead of lock- by young and old. I have described my experi ­ mental journey of familiarity and free and take on hire rooms in twenties. ‘lenoours ™ different locations suitable to the ^"O'^ledge of the Parsi Commu- the mid- Y^ung entrepreneurs, who have from the scraps offered by my ¦ ¦ ... - . . formal education, to knowing one Parsi individual, to confronting the N. W. Frontier and in Baluchistan is far from comfortable. why the Shah has said that Iran my asking Nadirshah Mulla, monthly rents. Retiring men may Bombay. I have dealt with gene ­ join hands with them. i Our housing problem cannot be Barsis, and have made a few gene- ' . But, the more 17THE VERSATILE GENIUS: AL-BIRUNI As for the Parsees, Al-Biruni ban Bahmani. In the paper, Irani . The small gathering at the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute Hall last month to commemorate the 1000 birth anniversary of the scientist ­ scholar Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni did little honour to the man. Perhaps as Jehanbakhsh Daruwala, who read a paper on the Arab scholar noted, Al-Biruni ’s efforts were directed in the fields of mathematics, theology, astronomy, philosophy, chemistry and the like, subjects with which the layman cannot easily identify. “Everyone knows of Firdausi (his contem ­ porary) but not Al-Biruni, ” he noted. Abu’l Raihan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Al-Biruni was born in September 973 A.D. in the terri ­ tory of Khiva, now part of the U.S.S.R. Khiva was then known as Khwarizm, one of the cultural centres of its time, and Al-Biruni was therefore often referred to as Khaarizmi. He was a Shia Muslim but like Firdausi he wrote elo ­ quently of the glory and culture and history of Iran. Daruwala notes that early in life Al-Biruni distinguished him­ self in scholarly pursuits and in turn won favour with the ruling prince of Khiva, who appointed him councillor at his court. Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, a powerful neighbour of Khiva, invaded the kingdom in 1017 and took as hostages many prominent citizens, including Al-Biruni. “Ghazni (in Afghanistan), ” says Daruwala, “had a cosmopolitan population of soldiers, literary men and artisans from different parts of the world including India, many of whom had been brought there as captives because of their . , - ..ait. - learning or proficiency in the arts, gives exhaustive details not only of quotes Al-Biruni on the customs In such an environment, where the [he religion of the Zoroastrians of the Zoroastrians ; of those times : vast wealth of India in terms of but also of the Jews, and the ‘ The firs day (o^^the [J^^hn-z-Fa^- material and human resources was Sabians. The German scholar ken, the festival of lights) is know aHHina tn thp nrosneritv of Edward Sachau, records that many as Nim Sardah and the second as ’ Afghanistan, Al-BirJni ’s^ attention residents of Khiva believed in Maian id Khara. On these days, was diverted more and more to- . wards India and things Indian, cities fire temples existed in Here he could learn directly from time of Al-Biruni. the Hindus as well as from their manuscripts which were available recently to attend the Al-Biruni in abundance ... in his captivity birth millenary celebrations there, he wrote Tarikh dl-Hind {Indica) had his paper, “The causes that a treatise on the various aspects led to the appearance of learned of India in the 10th and 11th men in Iran after the advent of “Biruni gives the following centuries. ” Islam, ” read in Persian by Meher- account in his book . about the Ahura Mazda and that in many they assembled in the Fire-Temple, the where food was served to them specially prepared from maize-flour, ghee (clarified butter) and sugar. Some of them calculated the Nim Sardah five days earlier, when it fell on the first day of the month of Mihr of the Parsis. “Biruni Rashid Irani, who left for Iran 19festival of Nao Ruz and of the THE SULTAN AND THE SCHOLAR Al-Biruni made mysterious and astonishing light which used to appear on a moun ­ tain in Fars, as well as about the He mentions: Al-Biruni made no secret of that nothing is hidden from you Said Ibn Fazel says that on the his dislike for Sultan Mahmud, how was it that you could not top of the mountain Dema (in Moving in the entourage of foresee your predicament? ” With- Fars), on every Nao Ruz night, Mahmud he never spoke of him in out a word Al-Biruni produced the ® appear, irrespective the flattering terms customary in written forecast he had prepared be- condition of those days Mahmud was merely fore the first meeting with Mahmud, the weather. But the Fire of Amir Mahmud ” for him. The crestfallen Sultan ordered Al- Kalwazeh was much more mysteri- ¦ - ¦ ¦ - - -- OUS than the former, and it is hard to believe unless by direct percep ­ tion. Abul Faraj Zanjani Hasib told me that I have seen this Fire. The year in which Azad-ud-Dawlah came to Baghbad (during the second-half of the fourth century A.D.), we went out to Kalwazeh. The Fire was like myriads of lighted candles and it appears on the night of* Nao Ruz on the western bank of the Tigris, direct ­ ly opposite Kalwazeh. Azad-ud- Dawlah posted his guards there to investigate the truth of the matter, lest the Magians (Zarathushtrians) may not be playing tricks upon him. The guards failed to detect the source of the Fire. The more that they pressed forward towards the Fire, the further it receded away from them, but when they withdrew away from it, the Fire approached nearer them. ” In the field of science, Daruwala « ¦ notes, “Al-Biruni discussed geo ­ metrical methods of trisecting plane angles and other problems which cannot be solved with ruler and compass alone* Later on they were known as Al-Biruni nrnbipm.? nroxen open tor ms exit. Then occasions ms The author sim^ified stereogmphie he triumphantly opened the sealed ’^^re against my opi- projection, described accurate ’ methods of determining latitudes and longitudes and wrote on geodetic measurements. He dis­ cussed the question of the earth ’s rotation on its axis, but failed to reach a definite conclusion, pos- , , sibly for want of adequate scientific the tower of the palace, experimentally for the specific gravity of eighteen precious stones and metals. His findings are re ­ markably accurate. “He knew that the speed of light was immensely greater than ... that of sound. A thousand years Pfessed his regret at his hasty de- ago he explained on hydrostatic ®^sion. Taking advantage of this principles the ascent of water in OPP^^^^^^F^ Vazir made a clean natural springs and artesian wells. asked to bring As a keen observer of natural , .® humiliated scholar before the Abridged and edited from J. Daru- kmg. Asked Mahmud, “If you claim wolds paper on Al-Biruni. He deduced the values Ali Akbar Dekhuda the eminent Biruni held in solitary confinement Persian Scholar has given an in- for six months. Only one slave was teresting legend in his treatise on allowed to look after the prisoner. Abu Raihan (Al-Biruni). According to Tarikh-i-Negaristan and Nafais- ul-Funun, when Al-Biruni and two other scholars entered Ghaznin Sultan Mahmud gave them an audi ­ ence. The courtiers while introduc ­ ing Al-Biruni said that he (Al- Biruni) was so perfect in the science of astrology that nothing was hid­ den from him. Mahmud said that God alone was omniscient. Al- Biruni asked Mahmud to put him th J^® to the test so that he may be con- *® vinced. “I have taken a decision, ” ^he said Mahmud. “Tell me what it is/’ and impart- The Sultan had decided by which gate he would leave the palace on that day, the palace having twelve gates. Al-Biruni calmly took up his .. _ astrolabe and set to work. After nionths had expired, the Vazir some time he told Sultan Mahmud tactfully steered the conversation T have worked out the reply. ” He on astrology to Al-Biruni and wrote the reply on a piece of paper, lamented that on both occasions he sealed it and handed it over to the surpringly correct and yet was Sultan. Mahmud ordered that the unfortunate enough to incur the wall of the palace facing him should "'^rath of the Sultan. Mahmud there- be broken open for his exit. Then upon said, “On both occasions his reply with a crushing look at Al- nion. Kings want that an opinion Biruni. But to Mahmud ’s shock pxpressed before them should be and dismay, the sealed reply keeping with their known showed the astrologer could read views. On that day if Al- the Sultan ’s mind like a book. An Biruni had shown that at angered Mahmud ordered Al- °^® his predictions had Biruni be hurled down to death 8®”^® wrong, I would have reward- _ paicive. him.” Mahmud then released Khwaja Husain Maymandi, the Al-Biruni and richly rewarded him. Vazir, saw to it before carrying out ^hl^ happened within the period the royal order that a net was stipulated by the_ unknown astro- A1-Biruni interviewed the man and found him ignorant of astrology. He then examined the man ’s horos ­ cope and found that his stars were such that even if he predicted some ­ thing apparently absurd and impossible it would come true. It is said that once when the slave was passing through a field an astrologer stopped him and said, “If you give me two dirams I will tell you something interesting and worth your while. ” The coins ex ­ changed hands and the astrologer said, “A good and noble man with whom you are connected is in dist ­ ress but within three days he will ed the good news. But Al-Biruni laughed at him and said, “It was stupid of you to listen to such non ­ sense and throw away two dirams. ” Meanwhile, as the period of six Vazir, saw to it before carrying out happened within the period the royal order that a net was stipulated by the unknown astro ­ spread out over the ground. Al- Out of professional curiosity Biruni thereby escaped with a ’ minor fracture. After a few days the Sultan ex- {Continued on page 28, col. 3) 19DO YOU WEAR THE SUDRA-KUSTI? FEROZA PAYMASTER The following eight interviewees thustra compared life with a battle- worn by Kay any an kings and were specially chosen to represent field—fighting against evil, handi- priests even before Zarathustra, a cross-section of the community, caps and misery. These two are He too went through the Navjote They are not a random sampling the uniform of a Mazdeyasni. It ceremony as one of the Magi. In and, therefore, deductions as to means that this was the uniform our confession or creed we are now what per cent of the community known as Mazdeyasni Zarathustra, as a whole wears or does not wear. The four knots of the kusti, repre- knows or does not know the signi- commitments, 1. I shall ficance of the sudra and kusti can- worship God (Ahura Mazda). 2. I not be drawn. In. order to enlighten shall follow Zarathustra. 3. / shall us as to the meaning of these -jr f&ht against Evil. 4. I shall have sacred ornaments, Dastur K. S. full faith in God’s justice. Dabu offered the following ex- Cotton is allowed for the planation'. sudreh, not silk. However this is a SMd-reh=^path of benefit=patn of point. Wool is supposed purity. It reminds a man of his represent the innocence of a fight against evil, and our ancestors • :> lanib. called it an armour of a soldier. On it there is a small pocket near the chest which has two implica­ tions— :r. * A Vj; is 1. the bag in which you fill merits (savab), 2. the bag of faith. It is known as Giroban —bag of faith, kisseh-e-kerfa —bag of righteous­ ness. On the sudreh, there is the kusti which again is an emblem of a soldier’s sword-belt. Thus Zara- Navjote means enlisting a new recruit to the army fighting against evil—since he is a worshipper of God. But in Iran, it is called Navzad i.e. the second birth of a Soul undertaking responsibility—a spiritual birth. It admits the male or female to the religious fold as well as the community. As Samuel Laing wrote: ‘^Grant me oh Ahura in thy ranks to stand, Valiant soldier, faithful to the end.” .I < < »*•«• • • * Zarir Cama, 26, Assistant Accountant, Mercantile Bank 55 “The sudra-kusti is the only “I wouldn ’t say it ’s expensive. It tangible form of communication lasts for around two years and with my religion, which is after works out to less than Rs. 2 a all very important to me. I wear month. Nothing can be done about it all the time because it means it with rising costs. I think for to me basically that I’m a Parsee. the sudra you could use a coarser I’ve been told that it symbolically material than Malmal. Wouldn ’t is a kind of shield against Hari- make a difference. My father wore man (devil). But that in itself is khaki sudras in World War II,” intangible —it ’s purely symbolic. To However, he said he did not feel an educated person it may not that instead of the standard kusti mean much, but it ’s a necessary “a great, big, thick rope be tied symbol. ” The shape and size of around.' the sudra says Zarir, “must conform to one ’s basic idea of a sudra. It shouldn ’t be something like a shirt. ” When asked if the kusti is too children to wear the sudra-kusti, expensive for the lower and middle he says “Definitely. I’d insist. Of to be Parsis. income groups Zarir said he was course, by the time they grow up wear it, I’d feel less hurt. The in- not aware of the price. On being if I insist they wear it, they ’d no fluence of the mother is greater told it costs anywhere between doubt tell me to go to hell. I would than that of the father ... I’m a firm Rs. 16 to Rs. 40 depending on the feel slightly hurt. If I married a Zoroastrian. Being a Parsi means a length and thickness, he remarked non-Parsi I’d want the children lot to me. ” When Zarir had his Navjote ceremony performed he says he was “too young to feel it important. ” As to whether he would want his But if they don ’t onCoomi Paymaster, 53, Housewife “Of course I wear it all the says she “very vaguely ” recalls the time. Actually, more because of Navjote ceremony. “Yet, it is an its association with the Zoroastrian important event in one ’s life, for reli^on and also because I’m this is the time when we are ad- habituated to wearing it. Quite mitted into our religion. ” often, the sudra is uncomfortable, E ' ' especially with today ’s shorter the sudra, Ms Paymaster says, “If saree blouses. I vaguely feel the a person is wearing a sudra he ’d sudra-kusti has some protective better wear the proper design as power —the thought of ages be- laid down by custom. The shape hind it that it is a sort of protecting and size can change with the times, armour against evil. It makes me But the thought behind it is more feel to some extent at least that important —keeping our words and I’m obedient to the preservation deeds pure. ” Since “the impact is I would want my children to wear and unity of Zoroastrians which, I the thought, ” she feels that a the sudra-kusti but if they don ’t it think, is my duty. In the Dastur- change were it necessary would wouldn ’t upset me. It wouldn ’t be ji’s classes I attended, I learnt that not make a difference. “The a catastrophe. Following the mess- the sudra is a reminder to keep Giroban is a symbol to remind us age of Zoroaster is more im- our thoughts pure. ” Ms Paymaster that our good deeds are collected, portant. ” Farok Bhaisa, 29, departmental head, Hardcastle Waud “I don ’t think it ’s necessary to r ” ' wear the sudra-kusti to prove I’m size of the ^sudra, Farok says" “Any- a Zoroastrian. I never wear it. I stopped wearing it, when I was about eighteen. I guess the sudra- kusti is a symbol of religion. If you believe, you don ’t need sym­ bols. I’ve a faint idea of what it represents. It ’s not just a piece of cloth. To some it might repre ­ sent faith, but to me it does not represent it well enough. I would ¦swartz and kusti? He does not want the Navjote ceremony to be remember his Navjote cere- performed for my children. They mony “in detail. It was such a must have something to belong to. long time back. I don ’t know, but I would like them to wear the I don ’t think I felt it was an im- sudra-kusti to start with. After- portant event in my life. Even wards their religious life is up to now, I don ’t think it ’s that im- them. ” Regarding the shape and size of 95 Regarding the shape, design and thing will do. It means what it means. I don ’t feel the impact would be lessened if a material other than malmal is used. ” As for the name and meaning of the small pocket on the sudra he confesses, “I don ’t know. Not really. ” Nobody “in particular taught me about the sudra and kusti?’ remember 99 55 ceremony which takes you into the portant, except that this is the religion. ” Vira Patel 23. Staff, Hopefuls Baby Care Centre “I do wear the sudra-kusti all She feels “there should be a re- , j the time. However, when I wear gular shape ” for the sudra. sarees the sudra is not worn fully, think a sudra made of malmal has I wear it because we are made to its significance. It can be wear it —because we are Parsees differentiated from other clothes, we have to wear it —it differentiates No other clothing is made out of us from others. It doesn ’t mean malmal. I __ ” __ _ anything to me, but I have been to be made of malmal. told that the sudra with the seven , • • ’ • - • seams and front thing represent the sudra and kusti. The stages purity. My granny taught me . about the sudra-kusti, and we also ¦ learned in school al religious in­ struction classes. I would not force my children to wear the significance. “I I would want my sudra — _____ Another material would lessen the impact that the kusti has to go through in it ’s done on any other material. These stages are important. I partly sudra-kusti, but I would like them recall my Navjote ceremony. There to. L ---------- --- ----- - they didn’t wear it. They must Pte and Wedding, when you under ­ lead their own life. It ’s not a sin go all the ceremonies. I would like who know how to make the kusti not to wear the sudra-kusti. Even to have the Navjote ceremony per- should be given wool at a nominal if we don ’t wear it people will call formed for my children. ” Vira feels cost so that they can earn a liveli- us Parsees. ” “the kusti is expensive. Poor people hood by selling kustis.'" making could not be I any I wouldn ’t feel offended if are two important events : the Nav- 21Zubin Nadirshaw, 24, Export Executive, Forbes Forbes Campbell ? 75^ ! I I 1 “I’ve developed a kind of affec- neither too long nor too short, i tion for the sudra-kusti" says neither too broad nor too tight Zubin. “I’ve been wearing it for fitting. Certainly not waisted. ” such a long period of time, it ’s a Regarding the material used for kind of habit with me. Sometimes the sudra-kusti Zubin says, “I I don ’t wear it, but that ’s very guess I wouldn ’t be able to tell, seldom, if I don ’t I’d be uncom- The most comfortable material to fortable. It ’s like a watch, you my mind is malmal. All the same, feel a need for it. I wouldn ’t feel I don ’t particularly think the totally lost without it. I don ’t think impact would be lost if another I’ve been told at all what the similar material is used, and the or something, ” says Zubin. As sudra-kusti represents, but I be- thought behind it remains the to what it represents, he asks, “Is lieve it stands for purity. I don ’t same. On the other hand, I think it purity? I don ’t know. ” know how expensive the kusti is, the kusti should remain the kusti. Zubin would certainly want the but I believe it is expensive. ” The same kind of wool should be Navjote ceremony performed for “Any shape or size for the sudra used. It should have the same his children. “But it depends on certainly will not do. It has to be texture, feel, length. ” The pocket the times and also on whether my a size which is comfortable and on the sudra is called “the Ganyan wife wants it or not. ” It ’s a Nothing can However, Mani Meherhomji, 23, Secretary-cum-research assistant. Personal and Productivity Service “It ’s like this. I wear a kusti think it represents anything. most of the time because it doesn ’t just a piece of cloth and rope. ” come in my way —it ’s more a “The kusti is certainly very matter of habit than anything else, expensive, especially for the poor The sudra on the other hand I and middle class. Yarn is ex ­ feel is very uncomfortable and pensive. Something should be impractical to wear outside, so I done about it. The malmal, ’ used only wear it at home. I stopped for making the sudra is very wearing the sudra approximately hygienic since it absorbs the body ’s three and a half years ago. You perspiration. Nothing can be start growing up and I felt uncom- better than that. However, a fortable. I mean, why should I change in material for the sudra- unnecessarily put myself into dis- kusti would not lessen its impact comfort. When I first started as it doesn ’t have an impact in the learning my prayers, I was very first place. ” The shape of the sudra enthusiastic. The Navjote was an doesn ’t matter either, she says important event in my life —it was though it ’s very loose and baggy, to having a Navjote ceremony per- something centered round me, '^^Sudras before looked much better. ” formed for her children, she says and then, it lost all relevance. The If she were to have children Mani “if l marry a Parsi it will depend Dasturji taught me about the sudra- says she “wouldn ’t mind if they on him. If I marry outside, then kusti before my Navjote. I don ’t did not wear the sudra-kusti.” As never. 59 Hoshang Parbhu, 56, Foreman, Paint Department, Godrej & Boyce Parbhu says he wears the sudra- like it to be performed for my kusti “because I’m born a Parsi. children. ” It means something to me, a sort According to Parbhu “Malmal* of religious ‘thing ’ I’m born a is rather convenient (material for Parsi and I want to continue that a sudrd)—its the thinnest and the way. I would want my children best. ” Regarding the shape and to wear it, but I would not feel size of the sudra he feels “the offended if they didn’t, certainly gariyan should be there, and there not. I don ’t think it ’s a sin not should be a regular shape. Good to wear it. deeds and good thoughts collect in “My mother taught me about this pocket {gariyan)" The kusti the sudra-kusti. I don ’t remember is “definitely very expensive for anything of my Navjote ceremony, the poor and middle class, ” says I’m now fifty-six, the Navjote was Parbhu. “What can be done about at the age of eight. It was and is it is for the Panchayat and Dastur- an important event in life and I’d jis to decide. ” - II a 22.7^ WHEN A HUG IS NOT A HUG SPACE RINGS For the growing child The teether that's also a toy. Made from durable plastic in three colours that will keep your children happily occupied for hours. (The following message is published in the public interest courtesy of : The Hopefuls Baby Care Center, Nursery School & K.G., Parsee Lying-In Hospital 40 Bastion Rd. (Opposite Cathedral School) Fort, Bombay 400-001 Phone 262624.) message Send your cheque or money order for Rs. 5 inclusive of postage and packaging (add an extra rupee for V.P.P. and upcountry cheques) to ; HOPEFULS BABY CARE CENTRE P.B. 16507 Cumballa Hill Post Office Bombay 400-026 (Distributors wanted) Single children do not hate their newly-born brothers or sisters ; they feel a mixture of love and jealousy. The degree to which they feel either emotion depends directly on the parents. If a mother can assure the older child that the baby in no way displaces her affection for him, she will have gone a long way towards endearing the one to the other. The jealousy takes many forms. Sometimes the older child openly attacks the baby or perhaps tolerates it unconcernedly for a few days and then suggests taking it back to the hospital. Other children simply resort to being a general nuisance, systematically destroying priceless heirlooms or reverting to earlier distress-signals, such as bed-wetting or thumb-sucking. Again, some children do not allow their jealousy to show at all and either lose all interest in any activity and mope or they make a point of being affectionate to prove to themselves that they are not jealous. It is only natural that they should feel jealous since the hours of atten ­ tion formerly devoted solely to them have necessarily to be adjusted to include the new baby. The best way to deal with any of the more demon ­ strative forms of jealousy is to gently but firmly prevent the child from heaving a building-block at his little brother or sister and to impress upon the child that one understand these feelings but will not sympathize with the actions. To humiliate or punish one while consoling the other would only inspire further jealousies and desires to remove the latest family mem ­ ber. The less overt forms of jealousy need a little more careful handling since the cause of a child ’s subdued behaviour would not be immediately obvious. Parents who fondly observe, “ Oh, my little daughter actually loves her baby brother —she even hugs him so hard that he cries, ” ought to understand that their daughter ’s motives are not entirely honorable. 23¦; 4 ' SMOKE SIGNALS FROM THE FIRE WORSHIPPERS Geeta Doctor vivid orange flame leaps out coast and being received with trom the cover of both books, pitcher of milk. A m received with a Ms Bharucha dealing with the more BseSj'SS to engulf even the heroine m way Karanjia describes the Nav- a vivid glow of orange. Though jote of his heroine with earnest the primary aim of both covers is fidelity without ever being able to obviously to draw the attention of • - - the prospective reader, it is not entirely a co-incidence that these and certainly it has onlv authors should choose this parti- ' ’ — cular symbol to illustrate their theme, for the underlying concern in both books has been to examine ... ueu.xxuvu «iiu are ex- how much longer this flame will plained below, as for example continue to burn. Or as Karanjia sudra which one immediately learns P prophetic man- is a ‘sacred shirt ’ or Kusti which is ner. This fire that has burned for given an even more detailed des- a thousand years may soon be cription. While these may be of thrpZrZi quenched, these temples closed for some interest to non-Parsis i—' 1 wor- ] In the same Though jote of his heroine with earnest corpse-bearers have been forced to lead? Perhaps the answer is that both ® the authors in their own ways have ¦ tried to gain an insight into the community to which they belong , » ---w.—.*** praisal provides something of sig- nificance to anybody who reads the ¦ book. Inevitably, however, despite Ms Bharucha ’s qualifica ­ tions, both books cannot but be of greater relevance to Parsis, for the question that is debated, is the ultimate question of the survival of --------- i community. This may be actualize it in a meaningful man' ner to give it significance in itself. a self-conscious use of Parsi words so that they stand out of the text in italicized attention and are ex ­ years may soon be cription. the lack of both priests and f’-_ - - ____ _ hearts away from the light. ” mind are paraded and weighed against the demands of the future. The result of this libration is what gives a meaning to the story. Certainly one cannot ignore the ' Parsis themselves. Or can it be IVUUVl Lliat llCl UUUIk .1 • - , \ ------- should be considered as a ‘novel ’ always wanted to and not as “a commentary on the Parsis of our time." ’ of this, one ( whether company in agreeing with the Onlooker critic who states that the book, “is so typically Parsi that it could have been written only by a Parsi —it gives a vivid picture of ;he different strata of Parsi society. ” tn this context it is also inter- jsting to consider what kind of ludience Ms Bharucha and Karan- ia had in mind when they wrote heir books. A great deal of the jackground information that is severed in both the books is of he kind that would hardly come « a revelation to anyone, let alone *arsis, unless of course we sanc- ion the belief that Parsis are so iterested in their own selves that bey do not mind a story being epeated ad-infinitum, as long as it oncerns them. Both authors for xample cannot resist repeating ^hat must be the most retold tory in the world, about the anci- nt Parsis landing on the Indian shippers. People are tumtoi Mr Snno “/ bTotSf SS "“f=“"t«dW™s dear'to hearts away from the light. ” ' Parsis themseks C Perin Bharucha specifically cau- have very sin- tions the reader that her book provide an “Eyery- know about Parsis but were never t cannot ignore the ir time. ” In 'the face interested enough to find out ” kind undeHvni^''^thy cannot help wondering expose with Karanjia looking could Siv?an<=P t one is in ’’the wrong* after the philosophical angle and ma^tSiaYl'at ’T^aXl'ar'S o1 pKr. female is reputed to spend entire afternoons reading with moist eyes and palpitating heart. The blurb to Karanjia ’s book starts off, “Against the turbulent background of the lin­ guistic disturbances of 1956, which almost tore Bombay apart, Shirin and Ashok find love. ” It is LOVE in large neon letters followed by the trouble without which all true lovers cannot be expected to live happily after. The affair between * Ashok is conducted stealthily at first with several re- courses to Parsi places of worship and long conversations between the couple to fill up the awkward mo ­ ments which in a Hindi film would have been utilised by a song and dance sequence. Gradually the families become aware of the situation and much pacn chewing fury is vented bv the young man ’s father, though in the case of Ashok ’s mother, the aware of the situation and much o —J vciiLcu oy fte young man ’s father, though in '4__ "y possessive Hindu instance. Wish I could convey to his cause, and partly as a result mother is'^as gently uncomplain- you what the Sacred Fire means, of Adi Rewasia ’s death, his parents J— reconcile themselves to the idea that their son will marry out of the community. One cannot help but wonder whether Portia Roy, the traditionally ing as the cow itsdf which the what it does to us, to me. ..." devout Hindu is in the habit of re- Compared to this, Ms Bharucha ’s ferring to as his mother without seems to possess all the qua- so much as ascertaining the ani rhAt first effort mal ’s feelings on the subject. . , There is a sophisticated wants to marry, being half- _ .u. lacks, mere is a sopnisncarea half-Indian will make it easier for her to be accepted, as also the fact that she is rich. Karanjia at least does not try to devout Hindu is in the habit of re- much as ascertaining the ani- Shirin ’s father on the other hand, {jj-isj^ness with which she begins the being in a position to discuss Parsi with the description of a theology does so with great passion effulgence in an evening in and at great length to prove to his j ? when the monsoon clouds , - . . t, i, -c daughter that “love has blinded ^ene concessions: Ashok is vou to vour duty ” brushed aside and the scene blooded ‘native ’ with a father you to your duty swept clean before the action whiiA fhp PVPntc in the citv are gms. She draws in her characters racinV a climax, Shirin and 'vith the same sure touch, so that Yet for all the evidence that can Ashok ’s passion for each other scene whic^tlm autho^ ’ sto^cly^ des^ one of abstractions. The language said in favour of them. If facility cribes with the kind of realism that is also smooth and easy, whether is the hallmark of Ms Bharucha, one wTuld expect in a ?enny it is Adi Rewasia, the neighbour- sincerity is that of Karanjia. In dreadful ’^ the inevitable happens^ hood tough talking to his friends spite of all the painful awkward- Naturally the ayah discovers or r Shirin ’s ‘condition ’. But instead of fascinating Khurshed. ’u“ uSu7ai;;s?a^d^wSh'^_e,t^^^ aat^w£a;e ab£to Jor£e Wm the story with a little impetus from t the twists in the sub-plot quite sur- syy prisingly resolves itself on account of this. Shirin ’s father rather sud­ denly sees the light and the young couple quietly get married at a registrar ’s office. Nor is it possible in the case of invention, lity of the writing is such as to qj - in the recounting of the ‘buttocks ’ the future, mitigate the effects of the story, anecdote. ' ' Particularly in the early parts, Karanjia writes in a forced des ­ criptive style that is hard to accept. The scenes are as natural as a film set, with “mogra nestling in leafy nooks ” and “the bleeding gash of sun in a cloud contused sky”. When Shirin is saying her prayers we hear that “a drop of perspiration - . - _ uianvu i.±n trickled down between her breasts SLth better than rice, ” and went coursing towards her navel ”. After following this en ­ terprising feat on the part of a solitary drop of perspiration the reader is naturally eager to find out Ashok ’s response on beholding his fair Shirin for the first time but all we are told at that crucial moment is that “He swallowed saliva. ” The conversation is forced and she loves is not worth it. As for contending herself with criticizing Behind all to charity, their indifference to the swept clean before the action be ­ gins. She draws in her characters with the same sure touch, so that in scene after scene We feel we are be brought against the books there moving in a real world and not in is an equal amount that can be one < ' — ’ ’ " .V T it is Adi Rewasia, the neighbour- sincerity is that of Karanjia. Rhoda talking to the suavely ness of the language and the situa- ____ ;____Z"___________Z_ Z. She intro- tions, there is an inner core of duces Par's! phrases with complete such deep conviction and sincerity the conversation, providing a gios- his excesses. Karanjia appears to scry for the uninitiated at the end. be sorting out a matter which Ms Bharucha ’s facility is such that affects him deeply and which he she can even re-tell without any feels is of deep concern to all embarassment some of the oldest Parsis, the question of their sur- jokes that have been knocking vival. He does not pretend to have around and weave them into her found a solution except in the com- story to make it seem a part of her promise made by Shirin ’s father, xw. xo XV ixvxxxxxx—.......... ........ Hivciivxvii, as for cxamplc with her and also in the clear sighted faith this book to pretend that the qua- bttle dissertation on Parsi names with which Shirin and Ashok face ‘ ¦ * - - After all the elevated emotions in the earlier part of the book, the end is surprisingly re ­ strained. There is something touching in the scene where Shirin ayah discovers or All of which only contributes to the sense of disappointment at the _ , , - 5*. .11 V *1 J LVUVUlllK Hi UIC OVViiV nuviv uuum end when the plot is quickly boiled ^^gj. ^be perfunctory formality at down and all the characters sacri- - . . ficed in the mousse. Adi Rewasia murders his sister-in- vjmuvno uuv ouuivva law to get a motorbike and after j.ainjj.Qps from an overhanging providing some interesting mo- branch over them, “There, that ’s , , uciici moil iivt, she cries. “Now the scene, crashes to his deaffi. blessed, ” and think- Rhoda who at the beginning of the - - ........... book is a ..................... _ woman, attractive enough to catch the attention of the sophisticated, a label wasn ’t more important slightly bored Khurshedji, scion of - - a noble family, turns out to be a fairly standard type of witless fe ­ male who will sacrifice all for love in her criticism though one is not even after knowing that the man quite sure whether she is merely _ ______ _______ _____________ „„ :___ :_____ ____ ‘ \ brittle, for his characters are sei- Khurshedji, he is the biggest dis- particulars such as Parsi attitudes dom talking, but discussing things, appointment of all. Behind all to charity, their indifference to the The first time we hear Shirin talk- that cultured veneer lurks a melan- plight of the corpse-bearers, their ing to Ashok she is made to say, choly philanderer who regularly sense of superiority and so on, “My religion is a part of me. Un- lures women into his bed, for which rather than attacking a basic proy like most Parsis I don ’t go to the wickedness he is made to perish blem. In fact through Kurshedji Atas Behram on special days but in an air crash. Only Nari, Rhoda ’s she voices a casual opinion about as and when I feel like it. And I brother is happy, for, partly as a feel like it quite often. Today for result of Rhoda ’s championing of {Continued on page 26, col. 3) mousse. mo- sensitive intelligent the registrar ’s office, feels free again in the rainswept atmosphere of Hanging Gardens, She shakes the ing of her unborn child she con ­ cludes, “never mind if her com ­ munity didn’t confer its label upon than what it stood for. ” Ms Bharucha is more vehement 25ALL FOR LOVE ^ays Perin which must be faced and that she However she maintains, the Zoroa- Bharucha of her book. The Fire was justified in bringing up the strian religion means, “nothing at Worshippers I finished writing it topics in her book. ~ ‘ ' and that was an end to the matter. , I hardly remember the plot or the f ® . ,y®ry conservative, characters now! ” 1. ___ _ . - seven years since she wrote the might never think so. ” all ” to her. “To me it makes very little sense as a religion; maybe it makes sense to a religious scholar. I don ’t wear a sudra and kusti except on those days when I feel obliged to go to the fire temple or to a funeral. ” Perin has contributed off and on to various publications such as The Onlooker Annual, The Hindustan Standard, Eve's Weekly and the Free Press Journal. “There are two kinds of stories —serious articles and fiction stories. ” She writes mostly the former variety sometimes under an assumed name though she has published short stories. Her book was clear ­ ly written under the impetus of strong inspiration: “I can give you exact dates, I started on the first of August and finished on the fifteenth of December 1966. Of course it underwent a lot of re ­ writing, editing and changing but the main part was written at that time. ” “Publishing is a hard business, ” Parsis who were upset that' some- ‘he children, but they must not wagin ’ DelhF” Th^ body had written a book about the become a,, be-all and end-all of hish?v uSical Thev^oM Parsis and about certain subjects her life. When they ’re out of the ™ -S nu?Td Se' monZ and which are taboo in the community, house what happens to her? ” we ’ll print vour book ’ In Bom ba v What they felt was that there are She feels it will soon be impera- Sed ’^^e to but m certainly things which are wrong five for the community to open I X going to taS Ehe about the community but why did itself out because of in-breeding and Bombay printer ’s offer because I ; have to go and write about c®rtain social reasons. “The prob- primers oner because 1 them? ” The subjects which w^re ^®^ of intermarriage depends I’m very conservative, ” she It is '"at'""least ^ays, adding with a laugh, “though _____ ___ _ ¦ ’ ' ¦ ¦ ¦’ This novel and her work as Personnel ™ reference to an article of and Public Relations Officer at which examined the subject Dharamsi Moraji Chemicals leaves whether marriage is obsolete, her little time for looking back. “ not, ” she holds, “and “To the best of my knowledge, ‘ ----- ------ this is the first novel about the as long we remain the same as Parsis, ” says the author. She wrote = it in this capacity because, “I’m a Parsi ” and because, she says, “In my job I met a lot of foreigners and they were intrigued about the a^® rubbish. I agree with it upto community and had a lot of gar- ” bled ideas. Basically my book is to inform people about our com- movement; the fact that Ms munity. ” It is, therefore, with some Gandhi is prime minister “makes pride that she says “It might come things completely different. ” Perin as a surprise, but it is now recom- ^ays it is important that women mended reading for sociology and should do something apart from anthropology students of Monash “t at home with the housework. University in Australia. ” “Every woman should be able to Speaking of the reactions to her satisfied with what she is do- book, Perin says, “It came under “8- ^he should have some other attack from certain quarters, certain interests, more than just the unexpected quarters. Mostly from children. Her first duty is certainly Parsis who were upset that some- ^he children, but they must not body had written a book about the become the be-all and end-all of r _____________ ............................................/ which are taboo in the community, house what happens to her? What they felt was that there are She feels it will soon be impera- certainly things which are wrong for the community to open have to go and write about certain social reasons, them? ” The subjects which were of intermarriage depends on particularly reprehensible she feels, two unrelated points. The first is 1 ___ L _ intermarriage and of the dokhma of the community, her children < --- . ... . , Perin feels that these are problems fair. Why should a community released by Ae^ublishek ’ 9» and Public Relations Officer at which examined the subject Tt is not, ” she holds, “and won ’t ever be —at least I don ’t think so, > we Her views on marriage closely with those are now, tie-in closely with those on women ’s lib: “It ’s a lot of bunk; most of the outward manifestations » a point, ” She believes Indian women do not have much need for the movement; were her handling of the issue of that if a Parsi woman marries out ..... J--’ ¦ ’ --- system of disposing of the dead, “ot accepted as Parsis. That ’s not % t . draw this kind of idiotic distinc- r tion? Particularly in those cases where she has undergone a civil marriage it makes no sense. The I second is that we are growing smaller in number. We are one of the only communities in India in which the women outnumber the men. The last census shows us as __ having 46,463 females as against two centuries 44,803 males, y'" - - I women going to do? They ’re not i going to sit back and remain un- [ married because of this imbalance. felt I wouldn ’t have a choice. ” It was finally published by the Strand Book Club. The hard cover edition sold out by the end of 1968 but the paper-backs, though they have been printed have not yet been ’ . ” ’ - ¦ - . “In this country, ” she says, “you either write for love —or not at all.' —Manjula Padmanabhan SMOKE SIGNALS {Continued from page 25) the prospect ahead for the com ­ munity, “Personally I give about more —after that 99 What are all those pfft! There will be no such thing as a Parsi ” and Rhoda is made to say more conclusively, “Zoroastrianism is no longer a faith to be lived, it ’s just an unique cultural heritage. ” ¦ They would have to marry out. ” ciiA uiuuut vuiiurai iicriLdEe. Parsi, ” It is by striving to be a partial notes, I think for a com- reflection of this unique heritage vik ^'^1 achieved a that both books rise above their points — particular limitations and become r sense of humour for instance. ” in their own way —unique. —! our sense of humour for instance. ? 26•-•a '4- • THE GREATER END -r “At one time I didn’t think the Illustrated Weekly. “It was a very Parsi Community offered much personal story, ” says the author, scope for writing, ” says Burjor K. “and it was true. ” ‘ As a young Karanjia. The soft spoken editor boy Karanjia had lived a “very of Filmfare and the Chairman of sheltered life ” with his family. The the Film Finance Corporation has story is about a meeting with a since then studied the community prostitute; “I suppose I was still • and religion with the depth of re- rather naive. It upset me a great gard which made his work on deal at the time. I wanted to help More of an Indian possible. her so I told my mother that I “People thought I wrote it be- wanted money for a movie. Then cause my daughter married a I gave that money to her but she Muslim boy —an Ismaili from Dar- JUSt laughed at me. It left a very es-Salaam, but that had nothing to deep impression on me, I felt I had do with it. In fact I wrote the book to write about it. ” He writes about , before she got married. ” A mild “anything, funny things ... the heart attack and a lot of free time short story is much more made the book possible: “I first fascinating as an art form. Its ? thought of the title. I felt it would scope is narrower than a novel so be wonderful if one could write you can concentrate more on one a book on such a subject. ” subject, develop it more fully.” Notwithstanding a gestation “I have to slave a lot while writ ­ period of three years the novel may ing,” he says. “I re-wrote More of still have never seen print had it Indian three or four times and not been for a chance encounter each time I changed it the worse with a publisher at a conference in it seemed to get. It just didn’t the long run “a country is greater Berlin. “I showed him the manu- sound right. I wrote the opening than a religion. I feel it is a loss script because I thought he would at least seven or eight times until to religion but the other is the just read it and comment on it, ” it just came one day when I was greater end. ” To illustrate his says Karanjia. “The next time I taking a walk with my dog. ” The point he cites a case when out spoke to him about it, he handed end of a novel can be as much of of three applicants for a post on me the page proofs. I still wanted u surprise to the author as to a the magazine staff, a Parsi boy was to make some changes but there ’s reader. “I had a definite plan in considered most suitable. After not much you can do at that stage the beginning ” he says, with a the committee had made its choice and it had already been very well slightly bemused smile, “and then Karanjia felt he would like to make corrected. So I let it be. I’m still somewhere in the middle, parti- it clear that his decision had not not very happy with it. ” cularly in the latter portion, things been affected by the boy being .. . . began to take control of them- from the same community as him- Karanjia has two books in print selves. ” Though the author feels self. Once he had brought atten- and several short stories to his completely at home writing in Eng- tion to this possibility there was credit. This IS my second novel, lish because he “thinks in English,” consternation among the other he says, I tore the,first one up be- he feels this makes translation of members even though there were no fore It was printed. His other book succint Gujerati phrases other Parsis on the staff to suggest IS a biography of Sir Rustom Jifhcult. that favoritism was likely. He feels JSd^HSHril. His lon^ associntion with , this is 3 ponci exAnrnlp nf bnw the eminent statesman and scholar of the positive motivations communalism can interfere with began in 1943, the same time he ^^h determined to leave the I.C.S. “He Masani, and it is his deep admira- think of myself as a Parsi, ” he says gestation J, I I difficult. One of the positive motivations for the choice of theme was the author ’s own strong feelings about would otherwise be simple was a great man, ” Karahjiai says of community. “I don ’t iTxasaiii, aiiu. /t la ms uvep ctuillirtl- -------— - --- .---- *’ ¦“*' »'-!¦/ i±iuvii ux a xwxusx;, tion for the man which ma^ces the though he feels there is much about says Karanjia, speaking of his work author feel he could “come to grips the conimunity to be admired. He as the editor of Filmfare. He finds with his subject ” when he wrote teels being Parsi is basically a ques- much more satisfaction with his tion of religion. For this reason work on the Film Finance Corpo- the concept of marriage out of thq ration though he considers that on community would always rankle in the whole the Indian film world is ¦ “chaotic. ” He hopes to write about - - . . — — -- ... ...... .......- ¦ “One wouldn ’t father of the heroine jn his novel, believe the kind of things that go “T’l I’m very much of a recluse, ” author feel he could “come"to grips the conimunity to be admired. He as the editor of Filmfare. He finds with his subject ” when he wrote being Parsi is basically a ques- much more satisfaction with his the biography. religion. For this reason work on the Film Finance Corpo- “Basically my first love is the < short story. ’^ He has been writing the hearts of scholarly and> reli- “CLvdC?' He hup^’ these since his college days-but it gious ’Parsis, epitomized by the it in his next novel, was some time before any were pub- f ’ ' ’ .... . . lished. The first story to be print- In the author ’s opinion, intermar- ' on, it ’s like a kind of jungle. If I fri,- iT^^ non-Parsis would be wrote about it, I wouldn ’t write it which caught the attention of Mr. bound to “destroy the pristine as a complete story, but as discon- Mandy, former editor of The purity of the religion, ” but that in nected events, confused and dis- 27would not like to be judged by by one novel. ” —Manjula Padmanabhan 99 jointed, because that ’s how it is.” is that she is pregnant by a Hindu.' Remarking on the current tendency Echoing a remark made among youth publications to focus Khushwant Singh, Karanjia feels their attention increasingly on film- that writers lead a poor life in stars, he says, “I don ’t know why India. “I didn’t get anything out . I haven ’t even seen the accounts. ” The book was printed in hard cover first and re- Al-Birimi {Continued from page 19) cently, in paperback. He has yet to get himself a copy of the pocket- phenomena, he carefully marked he had gone to buy one it was out light of the sky at dawn and dusk, of stock. “Frankly, ” he says, with and was thus the first accurate a wry smile, “I don ’t want to go observer and describer of the and check the sales in case it isn’t Aodiacal Light. He calculated the going! ” In criticism of his novel Karan- that since it was about a very jia feels “the dramatic conflict be- they ’re doing it, the stars have so of my book, little to say. ” “Many people have told me that my book would be good for the - . , ¦« J . .. . tv a VVMV Vi tliv MMVKW” pAXVXXV/lAlVXXM.) XXV- vuiviwn^ . cinematic poten- edition because the last time the succession of changes in the tial. Someone even asked me if I - - - would sell the film rights. But I didn’t write it with the films in mind at all. For instance, the first scene takes place in a fire temple, goi^oi ” radius and circumference of the No camera man could possibly go in earth with remarkable accuracy.' to shoot that sequence. He feels In criticism of his novel Karan- that since it was about a very jia feels “the dramatic conflict be- Dastur N. Minocher-Homji while average, middle-class Parsi family tween the girl ’s love on the one refering to Al-Biruni ’s “encyc- it would have no relevance to any- hand for her lover and on the lopedic genius, ” related how one except Parsis. Though he other, for her father, has not been the seeker of knowledge on his knew that some felt he had brought out as well as it might death bed reminded a friend of his brought in his heroine ’s pregnancy have by a better writer. The story promise to tell him about the as a dramatic gimmick he feels, “I isn’t gripping, though I feel very finer points of the Muslim in- didn’t think of it like that at all. deeply about it. The characters heritance law. “Now? ” asked the Pregnancy is such a thing ... I are not real enough, they don ’t bewildered visitor. “When else wanted to bring out the beauty and live. ” He doesn ’t see himself as a then, ” replied the scholar. The pathos of it and also the fact that major Indian novelist though he friend obliged and departed, her father is not so upset about definitely expects to continue Barely had he crossed the street his daughter being pregnant and writing. “This is just a beginning, ” when he learned that Al-Biruni had unmarried: what matters to him he says, “I have to learn a lot. I died. ? 99 9) With Compliments from SHAPOORJI PALLONJl & CO. PVT. LTD. \ V k OaQQoaP . 3Qa0pI I 1 7OP0O I nppcjo 70, Medows Street, Fort, BOMBAY-400 001 Tel Noss 311274 - 254262 - 212844 y 9} \ J- K ' \ " '( V (. V t t \ \ < t 000 0^00 Dflnoaoo a OOOPPiapa JuO on Q,— ddO I--”, ta P ’ ? ? P KU BODGonl 0 GD DOOl' ? DD13OO UDUOOO aDflOao naaaao oaDPacj » n ‘ '' rP-H n nn 1 ‘**’.1 Published and edited by Jehangir R. Patel at 285 J. Dadaji Marg, Bombay-400 007 and printed for him by J- S. Khamesra for G. Claridee Co. Ltd.. Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Bombay.