Feb 1974

MARCH 1974 Price Rs. 2 Z/^ .ftf ’sMi*! tZ K J Rffia ''iw 5 JP J 1 wwt e^w WMsm' ‘<‘llUUIle»^»!'<';^ U' if ¦ff JJ i S’ I1' ¦ t J 'o -T f »? Ct February-March 1974 CONTENTS Page No. (• EDITOR'S COLUMN . . LETTERS THE WAILING WALL . THE ORTHODOX VICTORY ., THE LEGACY OF LESLlU SAWHNY . by Manjula Padmanabhan PARSIS OF GARDEN CITY THE RAJKOT INCIDENT PLAIN TALK ON PARS) PROBLEMS by P. B. Warden THE DELHI DIALOGUE by Sanober MarKbr SHOULD PAR^fS LEAVE BOMBAY ? by Feroza PayriMaiur CAM <300 SPE/MC asIGUSIj 7 A LEAP INTO THE LIGHT by Geeta Doctor A ' PARSIA^A COVER of B. K. Boman-Behram Nalie Noble by Mai^uia Padmanabhan -Jl jM Z ¦8 12 l4 T8 20 22 24 25 26 30 32 and r * 9 I I S'' 'I, the Bahg^^e ‘ commiiW eTfeclioas. Ws article on _ BO»^-mrai» rallied that he Pa^ in Ws issiK bmgs to *‘regffcP(fed) that it will not be mind the fi^ationship betiwjEcn w Greetings readers. It is the year possib§ for me to give an inter- C^pt. Khnrehid Lalkaka ^d of the Panther 1353—a year of view as the matter is sMb-jWice and the election petition filed by Lalkaka ^d to agars,, some of the members of the favour buriai arid had converted Aniuman Pax is still pending in to Oiristiatfi^F fo^" _ r "’tether it was'my grandfather’^ c^'atl^r vdd^^t'fear '^ Pj^^yat inclu^g my^ are beine lynched. There was an air parties to the petition*. ’ A phone him back to tlfe TOld, . of ron^viality about the Fasali call made on behalf of Ms Ncble kfiow as both^n AtXKadeh as numbers con- expressed the same sentiments, one w.fte wn^. ft^er » ereeated for the annual affair. NoW while it is fitear they cattttot the W gra^fd^rjm Dinshaw Irani, vice-president of express their views on the ele^ an ardent drthodqx who kept his the Anjuman, told those gathered tion, surely there is no need to be they were free to ask any ques- silent on the community. After tions regarding the annual report receiving l_—. -- and that no information would mandate, even though the ^per- be withheld. Ajid Major Aderbad centage of voters who turned up editor’s column of the Panther 1353—a , war. Your Editor udiered it in with members of the Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman, one of the .— few associations whose functions Court- The Trustees of the Parsi WhetL_ he can attend wiAout fear of Panchayat inclu^g myseM are mediating inftjd^th^ being limched. There was an air parties to the petition*. ’ A phone ^o, of the members of the 'S I 1 head covered at all times except ____ when bathing (he never greeted such an overwhelming us if our heads were bare). But the two of them were the greatest of friends. So much so that my grandfather would gift ^cigars fully smoke them in his presence ............ : smoke in my grandfather’s vicinitw ”- ; There is something about the S oiu uruiuuvi, a certain tolerant,, the ability to laugh; to overlook faults, to fight for a principle without wanting to destroy those who oppose it, that command^ our admiration. Perhaps it is th^ ....................... „ differences with their children conducted, that prevented long over the years t^jmello^th^: Perhaps they better hutnan limitations and ‘rotil^ Irani, president of the Anjuman, was small, the community is gra^Jather would gitt cig^^^^^ chatted freely with members, entitled to know what their Lalkaka, patiently and courteously answer- plans are. If the case drags on fully smoke them m ^is pre^nc^ hie their questions regarding trust in court, as cases do, will their occasionally directing yhiffs_ijA, property. ^Perhaps our Parsi trusts reticence continue even if it is smoke in my grandfather s^vicinii^^^, . could follow their example.' ’ - - Our cover story this month is incomplete but the fault is not ours. Both the principal charac­ ters involved, Ms Nelie Noble and Boman Kavasji Boman- Behram refused us interviews. „ , We wrote to both congratulating manner in which the voting was Aem on their election victories c—2,1 ’ * ’ “" ‘ ” and requested their views on fihe queues and t^pttlehedks. plans are. If the case drags on -------- . in court, as cases do, will their occasionally direcpng reticence continue even if it is counter to the best interests of the community? As for the orthodox, arrangements on the election day, that much maligned, over­ worked, underpaid bureaucracy, the Parsi Panchayat, must be given, credit for dHe systematic t: 1 i - i T(/ J. of trying to sW« people to fit As the controversy over the disposal of the dead seeiM to occupy ninety-five per cent of our energy, the remaining five per cent being utilized to rush for food at weddings and noy/o^^j Parsiana now offers a bold novel solution. We hit upon file i I w I y< 9 < ? % '%3 ' ^¦¦- C< I I r »v V 4J- -A - M.,.'>n one mon^agi toil someone accident ^hot< •». pet on an The question, ^dse '¦ asi^how to.disppsfr.of the body. j^i^one sfiggesfed we feed it to eapk roaches. But then a non- ParsiTneittber of the staff objected inifedtemanded that the carcass he As emotions. moi^t^, g^ebne suggested burial but I j^ted out for this we requiied • ’ ’—By Ia|!e, v^^iTloon no sotjjtion Jia-t j at., 11 ,'nwnicipal permission. - • *Btrived Staff members Hyreaten^d a^erao. indefinite lockout. And then the Lt;*' 1 _ _ J _ i liu T’'!* -fl fe'* ***>¦ t^ing swept and the apt’s ! ^Sl S': pan and, dumped into the waste­ basket. A To avoid such a recurrence, -we ^rked night and day on a solu- i was opposed to the dokhmas for I Dotivala: '' No sense of history.' original letters written by men like Dadabhoy Naoroji and Pherozeshah Mehta, in the garbage lot of his building! They, had 5!^ SS^the da^*^^^^ lost for- -.ever. - Even now when. Dotivala seeks information from people, he finds “by and large people don’t bother. They think they are doing ytat a favour by giving you infoima- tion or an interview. But there I are those who have been Very helpful and courteous. -People I have even written in from America.” , i In the past’, authors who de­ voted their lives to chrqnicling the events and perronalities the community seldona ‘ received thgir full due. H. D. Darukhana- wala who spent the latter part of , his life on his monumental two . ¦ volume series Parsi Lustre on Indian _ Soil today languishes a poverty-stricken destitute in a Navsari hopie for the elderly. The one-time sportsman and author of Parsis and Sports, he owes much lost for- written 4- .Xion for the disposal the dead. U" of present subsistence to the normal course of events, at the municipal dumping grounds except ?"u,aS :o7n,''ar»u‘;:;';r:,;:n;r'i" S; young^^ple he coached m account of the acute fuel crisis, municipal dumping grounds except roller-skating, often buying skates As far as’burial in land or sea, the that a few stray letters buffeted out of his own i^ney for th(^. ^guihent was we had polluted by the wind caught Dotwala’s who could not afford them. Jn . .I —--1- Ua caiiToooH thncA Kilt hig latcr ycafs he broke both his _ ____ had polluted by the wind’ caught Dotwala’s the gCtod earth enough in our life- and' so should spare it in d^ath.. The logical and obvious altierttative therefore is—pyramids. Hygienic, ancient, providing em- - ‘ ¦’ the successful attention. He salvaged those but ployihent for thousands, plan may prove so that the Indian government may consider exporting it. Actually, - a deep study of our ancient texts, “including the last few issues of Parsiana would show that the first pyramid ever constructed was built by a Pars!: Jehangir Pyramidwalla. Those wishing to •.follow the Parsiana Pyramid Plan ' .^te advised to start storing up on ! from now. ir^is often lament the dedrth 'X gjf-^ literature available bn the S? ^int and available ' only at; Xarsis deserye the fix they are in. ¦ .serids Parsi Pioneers notes, ^^P^ras^have nb-sense of history.” . . ¦ i- . Vi ' 'i^Wmmunity. Most books are out ^-exorbitant 4prices. By and, large t s Godrej Dotivala, .author of , le serids on Parsi Pioneqrs notes. >» Ml^ti^la.' who been collecting .^-^fenh'd^or^- Tdr . the last twenty * ‘ on . -jMoneerihg aspects * c^^lrai^is for a book entitled ¦ he. found sofhe of his moSt“‘*-Faiaable -•--- . bflraidisi^’a book entitled Pprsi big . *: . ** ¦ : • .s' " • material, . M' Statement about Ownership and other Particulars about PARSIANA Form IV {See Rule 8) Bombay hfonthly Jehangir R. Patel Indian G. Claridge & Co., Caxton House, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road. Bombay 400 001. Jehangir R. Patel Indian 285, J. Dadaji Marg, Bombay 400007. 1. Place of Publication .. . 2; Periodicity of its ^l^ie^i^ . 3. " Printer’s name ,.. Nationality y. : X^ddress .. .. - . .. Singh Road, 4. Publisher’s name Nationality . Address .. .. 5. Editor’s name Nationality JAddress .. ; t --W Jehangir R. Patel Indian 285, J. Dadaji Marg, Bombay 400 007. ! sb^ 6? Nimes "and addr^sei^ of indi- l^ngir R. Patel, wduals who owft the ncW^per 28S, J. Daitejt’Marg. Bombay 400 007. and partjSers^ or shareholders holding more than one per cent of the total csmitaE I. Jehangir R.. Pm4thereby, declare,the putitmlars given above are Sd-\jEHANGIR X- PATEE) Jehangir R. Patel, true to the b^sst of‘my krtowjedge, and belief. < Date : March 1, 1974, 'i-. J4 r litfidal^' cause. De^- legs and poW; mbVfe -about wiA the help bf a stick. ’ . , , “He was too good-hearted. jHte TWm . Paref Anjuman’s Vicf- may be sent to the Honorary , left his job, everything. He'be- .President Nowsherwanji has Treasurer, Delhi'Parsi y^juiftan, ' came a pauper, basically on ac- - ’ " " ' ' count of these two books,” says 1 Dotivala, who has no intention of following in his predecessor’s foot­ steps. He is the manager of the Bombay Branch of Paper Products , ¦ ’ I’ve been writing the book Dharamsala caters to the needs as a hobby.” of Parsis from outstations at «* out^^tatio^ 1, news, the . Pa^f Ahjtiman’s Vic§- out|^;^ti<^ news, tioBS tn cash, drafts or- cheques, written in totwo additional Sahadurshah Zafar Marg, DeUfi I Gate, New Delhi-1, ..’ZZ- present , gratefully acknowledge the same. The donations of Rs. 1,000 and above will be eopimemorated by inscribing the nanjes of the donors on- the. fiiarble tablet in the Dharamsala.' And in Nasik, the Boys’ Town lodging charges." Visitors and Public School is keen on en- tourists coming to Delhi and, rolling -'more Parsi students for more important, the young people the next term. The school has who come to Delhi for employ- its hands'’ full “but* we always , ' : try and accommodate, boys from Dharamsala, until they make their the community,” says Keki P. own arrangements, which takes < Mehta whose father, the late about four to six months’ time. . “The need for adding more rooms are being constructed in the Dharamsala. At 1 there are 18 rooms, of which two are used as Priests’ Quar­ ters, ?^owsjierwanji writes “The Gate, New Delhi-1, who Ltd, UkJ M ------- ----- - --------- Dotivala’s purpose in bringing moderate bearing and out Parsi Pioneers^ is to acquaint the young people with the past of the community. “There is a tendency, amongst us to magnify . . - - all our weak points. The good ment and business, stay in the points are never brought out. To this end Dotivala requests people to send him information * (904-B Surya Apartments, 53 B. .. — „ Desai Rd., Bombay 400-026) on rooms in the Dharamsala is felt strongly because the .occupancy, particularly during seasons, is full and sometimes the passengers are of Parsis from outstations at strongly because the .occupancy. details of the pioneering achieve­ ments of Parsis, past arid present. The nucleus of the book will be _ _ around 12 to 14 articles on Parsjs denied admission for want of of national standing; the latter part will feature 400 to 500 Parsis, who were ‘firsts’ in various walks of life such as Dr. Rustom Jal Vakil (Medicine), Sohrab Modi the Delhi Parsi Anjuman has (films), Dolly Nazir (swimming), committed Rs. 45,000 to add two Shapoorji Pallonji (construction), Dara KhurQdy (dairy), Jal Pardi' Walla (athletics) and countless pieet the demand for reservations others, .. . ..\ The information I have qoU the trustees of the Delhi Pai^i vacancy. “In all, four more rooms can be added to the present Dharam- sala. Realizing the pressing need. rooms. “Even this is not enough to 99 Pirojsha N. Mehta, founded the school, Mehta, who is the man­ aging trustee, notes financial aid is given mostly on the basis of need, as well as on merit. Tl^ monthly fee is Rs. 230 but most of the 100 Parsi students receive aid in one form or the other. The total number of boarders is 310 with 156 day students. The 27 year old school, which is situated on 21 acres of land, offers the standard academic courses from pre-primary to the S.S.C. as well as subjects such as radio techno­ logy, woodwork, typewriting and -3 set by for farming, notes Mehta. Religious instruction is given in various faiths. The stucfents re­ cite not only their own prayers but those of other religions as well. Those wishing information on the school may write to the. Principal, Boys’ Town Public School, Nasik 422(X)2. ’ 7, Recently Iran Ai^ coirfmemo- rated its twelfth year of service * as a national airline with a week of ; festivities at the Taj Rendezvous. Parsiana staff members attended the .functim of the airline» whose 4 emblem is the mythical Homa . bird with the long horse-like ears reports'on the evening: I^e menu card sported tjie photograph of an Iranian minia­ ture painted on ivory. From be­ hind the scalloped curtain over the dance floor came an odd ’ assortment of loud percussive sounds and the sudden sharp ' trills of an electric organ. Seated with us was an exotic looking raven-haired girl, distinctly Eastern . lllCCI. LUV XVI lVj3 viva WHO 1 ** , S. it the Dharamsala,, and, therefore, ^7^ture. An acre of Wd ^is “The information I have qoU the , trustees of the Delhi Parsi 9..rr.,r. J '4^ Li I K. Rustom has almost everything you need for you and your family. Baby wear and Baby fprniture, Books, Toys, and ' Games, Knitting wool. Knitting . books and Woollen garments. Utensils and accessories for your kitchen, Crockery and Tableware, Greeting cards, f Note books, PaperajWd other / I’^stafionery for yourdmme and I office. Electrical gbods, a T Cosmetics, , L K. RUST<3iM & COMP/Ufjr iH Stadium House, Vqer Nariman Road., , Bombay 400 02D. I •.V-t'' and m^e. Manjula PadmaBabhan * 4-^1 il' T F V * < I 4 AN APPEAL •Sf i % I r igi i§i This is an earnest appeal to the educated and erudite but misguide^ members of "our com­ munity who indulge in needless controversies and dissipate their energies in futile hair split* tings over such trivia as the merits and demij- g rits of Dokhme-Nashini, Crematoria and burial g grounds, to stop worrying over the trivial issue I § I 1^ igi l: ? ¦ of the dead compared to the more crucial ques­ tions facing the existence of the community like housing, education, medical carq, Cheap legal aid, marriages outside the community and most impottant of all, gaining employment for all employable Parsis. These critics should direct their energies to one or other of the above constructive programmes, for which they may be qualified. They are as free as a lark to decide on the mode of disposal of THEIR OWN dead bodies for, apres moi, le deluge. 1^ %>: 1 ||g| 1^ -¦^ B •¦ i lt‘ * (t*. f I 61^^ •** Will the critic^ ^display this elementary discretion by picking out first things first, and work for the living Parsis rather than the d^d, who are gone in any case, each mode of disposal of whom other than Dokhme-Nashini, the tenets of our dear religion. Is^ed in the best interests of the, community by Hasman Industries, Bombay-400 072 our elders have found to be inconsistent with B3 ’ ¦ .•^- 'I'." i§i KI KI KI K! 7:^. .• WBm •> KI S-3’ * c , X ? • X-i.» 5JU. «> 1 Liberty Hloto». (jharavi lus -cift^mon sind angelica—while the when approved, earn ¦Bl tot^s consisted of second Ph.p. French pa^, stufled tomato, ahd crepes violetteS for dessert. The music, which had started by this tim^Pi proved, to be an unusual re- pertoire of broadly contemporary other influences, music ranging from Trannlnpv owes Otiando to strident jazz rock num- t_._—— , . bbts which have not yet graced ancientkaniancultureand^aai- the sub-continentj’ The IranUn i . barid members sang in English that, though they (fid. not know the language, r light, however, was of the programme. Tall, dressed tion to the government. Scholars in clinging white and entirely at like Mulla Firuz, K. R. Cama, ease on sUge, she sang a medley Jivanji Mody, D. P. San)ana and & ,--------- pQ Dhalla were in their hey- rnlXn'^“:7pr;priar; day.... “They had facilWes better a great deal of applause and relations with the west and stabi- several piercing wolf-whistles lity at home,” says Gharavi. from Ms TaVOOS. Photo : Farokh Reporter Khatchikian, who has been in Bombay one and a half years now, along with his wife and three children, notes that the interest Iranians have had in India, so far as settling is ,concerned, has spanned over l,2()0 years. “There are four kinds of Iranians settled im Bombay. First the Parsis; then those who came around 300 years ago; then those who came around 30 years ago as business men and now recently students who come to India to study.” One of the fac­ tors he feels, that deters a greater influx is the language. Most learn English as a second language in school. Ms Tavoos supplied an example of some of the difficulties that arise; “She was in the restaurant,” translated Mr. Khat­ coffee. ’ But she likes to have cube sugar with her coffee and the Waiter, he couldn’t understand wuob Blit TTuxiitvi.” So she had to t.„ _ . resort to making noisy crunching Islamic period) - ’ is part of the Indian culture. More than 40 colleges and univer­ sities teach the Persian language and Persian studies. India started printing Persian books before Iran. “This is a big country and The're is a tolerance that everyone might appreciate.” Gharavi says he, his wife Parvin and their three children Sara, Ameneh and Rera, do not feel as though they are m Ms Tavoosx cube sugar Dominating the lime- __________\3 Ms Ramesh, who came on in the second half e. — r -o in clinging white and entirely at of Iranian tunes. The performance “iranOlogy,” explains Ghafavi, refers to the pre-Islamic peri^ ,of Iran. After the spread of Islam there was too much Islamic and .” The study of Quahdo Iranblogy owes nfuch to the in­ terest the, Shah ha? taken in the tions, Gharavi notes. Prior to diaC, “in Iran we did not have the opportunities Parsi scholars had in the late mneteenth and early twentieth century. There was too much trouble and opposi- P** despite her backless blouse aiid perilously hi^ heels. Ms TavoOs was the dancer who had performed for the first two days of the ‘Week’ and was part of the twenty-five- member troupe which Iran Air had flown in for the function. “They ,, spend the whole day shopping Sins^sp^" oriy^’pE^ and here,” remarked Mr. E. Khatchi- PnalisH as a second language kian, Iran Air Manager for India. “One girl bought eighteen sarees today and tomorrow she wants to “She was in the buy some more! restaurant,” translated Mr. Khat- Dinner was an unusual blend chikian, “and wanted a cup of of French and Iranian cuisine, with a main dish of Shirin-e- Pulao, which translates literally as ____ _ “sweet rice” with a chicken curry ^hat she wanted.” lavishly flavoured with cloves, j 1^0 ») 9) he couldn’t understand So she had to ^.* A ''e\ 46^(7 I *.***** ^^8 Gharavi: In old Iran’ While India and Iran have greatly influenced each other, Gharavi notes tha,t the study of Iranology is confined to Bombay. In India the Persian language (of the gestures to make herself under­ stood. Tn other Iranian news. Dr. Sayed Mehdi Gharavi, director of The Iran Culture House bjids adieu to India after an almost six-year stay. ----- . consular duties, Gharavi under­ took an exhaustive study on India’s contribution to Iranology, which he submitted to the Bombay University as a doctoral thesis. ...... — tHnuph Researched under the guidance of pother country. ,, I feel as though Dr. B. M. Gai, the paper Will, I am in old Iran. iia alter an auuvat — '- ,‘^ ¦ ,;„ ' Aside from his people here are also mentally big. , Abiue num r r +t,Qi- AVPrvnne I am in old Iran.’Jb A j- V- ¦.# LETTERS i. psyi^)logiCal security, ^uw gon^aue giving BOYSr TOWN PubUc school, Nasik Z V /A V-’ X <1 - Indian CHOICE SCHOOfelNG FOR YQUR SON Recognised as a Public School by Department of J Education—tor Merit Scholars. . Excellent Climate—All-found Edu- cation : •4 All Academic Subjects— Technical Subjects : Radio and Wood-Work Tech­ nology, Farming—Training in Self-Government through Elected Boys’ Office-bearers, Physical Training—Daily Assembly with Congre­ gational Prayers—Weekly Zoroastrian— classes— Games— intensive GeOta—Koran Excellent Modern Kitchen and Dining Room facilities —Airy Doi;|nitories. Mode- A 9WO. WABWW00.---------- -------- 'Reserving Students. rate Fees. Goncessions to APPLY TO PRINCIPAL FOR ADMISSION— bderviews in Bombay: Mornings 16th, 17th and 18th May 1974, Sth Floor, * K. R. Cama Oriental Insti­ tute, Fort, Bombay. i i I ' I h' ',1 L*Tj6, I irt J — 'w'hM' sake I of Parsiana ------- . . - . us unbiased 331^ ^^at^e arti­ cles which fev^ the true depth of Zoroastrianism and Which can dispel the cloud of 'ignorance among our youngpr set today. The cover design was ex.cellent. Ms Kashmira B. Baria Parsiana makes good reading. Your* article ‘The Religion of the Good Life’ really taught me more about my religion than I knew. Your article in the form of an interview with Mr. John Hinnells was well done. Dinshaw B. Irani Elections It is strange why only one per cent of the Parsi community should have the privilege to elect ¦ ; Trustees of the Parsi and logical religion. However, what Panchayat^ we see today is an envelope of .^.customs and traditions which the orthodox sadly cling to for the Community, Hinnells Thank you for giving us an un­ biased insight into Zoroaster s time and life through the interview with John Hinnells. Zoroastrian- - - . ism, by itself, is a most scientific the Trustees of the ’ r.---,-— -X jf ^jjg Panchayat is desirous of securing the votes from a small number of the Parsi theft there is a Guess Who? impressive picture, identity. “Answeri padabhai Naw- if Parsis of yester- roji as I draw? him. Engineer « it’s an i . . reminiscent of Parsis of yester- : __ year. It is a very intelligent face also noted t^e photograph with a broad forehead, white beard, a simple eye-glass frame and a dress worn by those who came in contact with the west. The more I look at this face the __ clear it becomes that he had pure heart and a pure mind good words and good deeds. “I am led to believe the pic­ ture is of Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji, the Grand Old Man of India, the first Indian member of the British Parliament, one of the founders of the Indian National Congress, a man who dedicated his life in the service of his country.” •So writer Rustom R. Marshall ¦ ¦ response to “Guess Who’’ in the last Among the pthws who wrote in and correcti^ identified the photo­ graph are E. JH. Engineer, IMra will receive a copy oi The Essen- ¦ K. Raiwadewala, N. D. Seervai tial Principles of Zoroastrianisn '¦ and eight-year old Purvin Dar- by Jehangir Ranina and Tet u^ bary 'who sent the above sketch E^roff to Ahura Mazda by asking us to guess the person’s H. Vajifdar. more a 1 which led him to good thoughts, I was taken of Naorbji when he was an M.P. in London. For having correctly identified the photograph, the. contestants¦ It • T'*,, '• ^¦^-- t':?- 4 II consensus of opinion^ amohgst ‘Rup^ies, pertaining to various only tfte Wealth-Tax ‘weightages’or reservation Of posts the. m<»t enlightened Parsis that trusts. There are thousands of un- and relying Solely oh .their own only the Wealth-Tax payers fortunate Par sis who are clamour- inherent worth and capabilities^— ' Should have the right to do sol. ingharaccominodation. Itisagrave this is the only ttiinority comntu- It is most unfortunate that corollary, that a chi^ bom of a nity in India that evokes pur’res-- there seems no unanimity amongst Parsi male member through his pect and goodwill, the seven trustees of the Parsi Panchayat, The last straw -which broke the camel’s back is due to the embolden step of-preservihg the inspection of the Towers of Duke outside tiie Parsi community, Silence by Shiavax R. ¦ Vakil, be considered untouchable Hari- The disposal of the corpses is jans. _ _ the most heinous practice. It ~ is high-time • now that Parsis should stop believing thg.t the rhys of sunshine, which beam on the corpses during the meridian sun for 1 ‘ ” do the needfill. The situation is further aggravated during the monsoon as it rains for days and weeks continuously. The Doonger- wadi land is a vast jungle, which could easily accommodate the latest style of crerilatorium. ______ ___ The Parsi Panchayat is in pos- ‘privileges’, never seeking ‘seats’ rapidly. What these gentlemen are session of Funds.worth crores of in assemblies and clamouring for ' saying is not true. No Such^Cotti- trusts. There are thousands of un­ fortunate Par sis who are clamour­ ing for accommodation. It is a grave cor^lary, that a chi^ bora of a marriage with a dubree^b^ con- Panchayat, The last straw-which sidered a Parsi, while the children ) of a lady of a respectable family married either to a ftrinee Or 5. T. T. School for Boys and Gi^s ' The R^kot Incid«Bt Today, under < the pretext of bodies lyini^ untouched, <;nemies of the religion are giving unnecessary weight to one or two such instances which occur in faraway places and are trying to jlead the community on the wrong path. We can inform the people who have started this wrong movement, that Today, under < the pretext of ”1 T. B. Daruwala. Good Will There are many in our School who have fallen in love with barely a couple of hours Would Puraona which portrays the Parsis, their culture and Way of life with which, alas, few Of us are fiuni- -----------------------o-------------------------------- ------------------ liar with even thou^i this brilliant in Surat, Navsari, Udwada, Broach community has been with us in and innumerable other old towns India all these centuries. Broadminded, gentle, never as- the good custom of Dok^rn^ashini , ____ is functioning as of bld—the biifiJs serting their ‘rights’ and cMming comp and consume the bodies v^ ‘privileges’, never seeking ‘seats’ rapidly. What these gentlenii^ are i- NATIONAL AND GRINDLAYS —the mternational bank at the nation's service. -ixS*'' I ii ' V AT to NAU [1 & ¦ ? ¦ A +. Bombay Branetris. 90/94, Mahatma Gandhi Road. Lloyds Branch, 270/273, Dr. 0. N. Road. 710/111, Kazi Syed Street. Mandvi. »• * Hint lipad. Lloydi Branch, 21/29 Shamaldas Gandhi Mai* 24B, Duh Road, Byculla. Advani Chambers, August Kranti Marg, Cumballa HHI. Shivaji Mandir, N.C. Kelkar Road, Dadar. , , JSF, Linking Road; Santacruz. Shivaji Path, Jambhii Nafia, L—— Thana. Smitkirao 3f7. Swamy Vivekananda Road, Vile Parle. n 43, Mahatma Gandhi Rodd, QkI9|OLAYS Ghatkopar lEast). " ,¦! 5 4u 'Vi. ffl '¦’ .'.'-•iMwY*. & >5 <-•.<-•>!' ''^’ I-' ANP ORiNP^t-AYg NATIONAL AND . BANK LIMITED INCORPORATE© IN THE JUNITEO KINGDOM. THE LIABIUTV OF MEMBERS IS LIMITED, !'t 4•W- -• 4 fl '. Conversioii Allowed Not Separate t^ 12^ solS^ go throu^ “Zorastnan denotes religion, ^ople in :^ia Dokkmanaskini. These men who Parsi denotes community. There with one are lying may be right qnce in a is no Parsi religion in existence.” that way but that doesn’t mean that the -justice Davar. sod and Ae dokhmanashini system is at fault Zoroastrian religion allows nU, if jiay^kept them in and useless, and so we should ^e ,^^^rsioii, the Parsi community S^dred some other system of dispowng t^ denounces it. If an alien were to Peaee for tn^ _ dead. The fault lies with the convert himself outside India and tto ^ immemorial that trustees and the y4n/«wa« who run pj.ofess the Zoroastrian religion tude trom t it, they commit mistakes and are would have the right to enter careless. For example, round the p-^.^ Temple and the right to dokhma there’s insufficient place j^ave his last rites at Doongerwadi, and lack of cleanline^, The bodies jj desired. Who can chal- should be laid in a clean way and jg^ge that? over and' above that '^there are mistakes made and wrong %iethods used because of which there seem to be faults in the system. Instead of finding in India to enter them? They are gentlemen are out to destroy the - system and the community should not payheed to them. Ardeshir Hormasji Talati Dinshaw Darasa Kapadia Eruch Bahadurshah Lakdawala Dinshaw Pirojshaw Daruwala ------- . , - . , . , ------------ n.. Kersasp Dastur Marzban Nalladaru Parsi when we landed in India— gion of Zarathushtra , by Dr. ba^Nadirshaw Pestonji Sena jt means, -people who came from J. n Tnwl Persia. when the VendidtM was written. Darabshaw H. Mevawala. "Rustom S. Dubash {Continued on page 21, col. 3) Zorastrian denotes religion, ________ _ ______ ***-- is no Parsi religion in existence.” 6(1 The Zoroastrian religion allows conversion, the Parsi community -— -r- xV i- There with 'one and not think J. .lI. soil and the people of India. After all, if Parsis do Aine, it is also be­ cause Indians have kept thein in Some orthodox Parsis may claim that in India the Fire Temples are restricted to Parsis only. Then, why do we allow the Iranis settled not Parsis! This only goes to show that the Fire Temples are for Zoroastrians; whoever they may be. Our whole concept of thinking is wrong; we are Zoroastrians first and have only acquired the name not Parsis! has helped them to exist and pros­ per, In many other countries, they would have been just wiped out with the regular religious, perse­ cutions, as in Europe. So, the minorities must also feel that they owe something to this great coun­ try. * Unfortunately, most of them do not and this certainly does not help weld the Indian nation into a whole. However, maybe, it is ' just a passing phase for everyone who feels this way. Ms Usha Gratry Geneva. I would request Mr. B. R. Pavri (letters column, last issue of Parsiana), to refer to "The Reli- So, the J. > >'• :• i ¦ A w • ;« Ae^ * ,1 Jit BeiiAaf Dfitng > uftre auHvieJ ttie Govemment Jiiiii/t Aufitrd for fOutsUaiii^ Exfvrt RkHe^ontMKe. Nmt ihe/ve Jom tfgaht—»ilk Ae toreteJ 1972 Avarijer Exfcrt Adiievemaill Dfeb^iMal ^^txpertt liiiie bitfOtJaice ||||ug«(ceil as. t tnMIlJJON 125 CeOKES. i25^,to^)—ihtri wtr ifieA if intkfenJent ‘OllOH ttxlik exfertt—tt Jiscemi^ buyen bi At U,S.A, U.K., Wtom Buropf, ^^imtratasia and SefiO To compttt loiA inlemoAnul ^^i^ taetik giaiili, you’ve got to Ifuiiiltltt ricteflionally h^k standaH In Jdkric fiatity and individual deiigni. SonieAing BonAay Dyeii^ have alivayt been doing. DYEING « -* ¦t*-I" SBSS5S3S8BS A', THE WAILING WALL An ill wind was blowing at by the Panchayat, J. F. S. Engineer, was chosen. Due to some changes in plan, the costs i to be cheduled Doongerwadi Sunday evening, 21st to their fortnightly Tuesday meet- in plan, the costs " ' " ’ * ’ ing. An advance of Rs. 25,000 out • revised. The wall w of a total of close to a lakh had 1 ’ been paid so far. At tJoottigerwadi ns the Grand Paradi Apartments, guards prevented visitors from Work was delayed owing to several approaching the. site and the reasons, among them being the wait entrance from near Ridge Road for a no-objection, certificate from was closed for part of the day, the airport authorities 1 The cement an inconvenience to itself lay in the open for a long time and only after persistent urging by Panchayat officials was it placed in a makeshift godown. Whether the trustees will renew their efforts to build the wall is not known. With spiralling construc­ tion costs and other high-rise apartments springing up in the vicinity of DoongerWadi there is a limit to the number of walls the Panchayat can throw up. And with the economic woes besetting the community today, the walls—even if they stand—may only bear testi­ mony to the insensitivity and April. In its wake the one lakh rupee, reinforced cement concrete superstructure built to screen Sethna’s Tower lay in shambles. The brain child of the Parsi Panchayat, the wall was built to prevent future residents of the inconvenience three Graftd Paradi skyscrapers causing motorists. The idea for the wall originated some time in mid-1972 when the from viewing Parsi corpses. A few days prior to the crash, . workers, it is said, complained that ----- ------- ------ _ ------ the structure was swaying. They Grand Paradi Apartments were reportedly refused to work on the wall and therefore, fortunately, casualties occurred when the accident took place. An examina- * making their mark on the fast growing Bombay skyline. The no casualties occurred wnen me trustees visited Sethna’s Tower to accident took place. An examina- ascertain how much of the dokhma tion of the crash site revealed large would be visible. It was decided quantities of sand and sea-shells a wall about 70 to 80 feet in height ¦ mixed with the cement. The lumps and 110 feet in length consisting crumbled if held tightly in the fist. The trustees, several of whom had gathered that , evening along with over 100 Parsis at the Hotel President to felicitate B. K. Boman- Behram on his Mayoral victory, summoned the architect retained Dinshaw Rs. 53,156-78, the last to be completed at tlw same time of a trellis-like framework support­ ing a screen, was needed. Tenders were invited and from the three received, Robust Con- . - - - . . struction Rs. 68,981.85, D. S. mony to the insensitivity and Dolikuka Rs. 68,460 and Manek stubborness of the Panchayat trustees** * i ¦ X w £ Z S' • ¦Q ¦ H' o ¦ 1 o i , '* a '' tT SeI "SI Bpyv - * W?^ ¦ V wl H J' ? ?» • i 0 J >'5.1 Is on sale at : .Faredoon Sandalwood Shop, Prin ­ cess Street, and Burjor Karahi Booksellers, Sir P. . Mehta Road, K. Bomanji and Sons Sandalwood Shop next to Dadyseth Agiary, Flora Fountain, Rezasha at Grant Road» Nalanda Book Shop, Taj Mahal Hotel, ( Sahib Singh and Sons Chemists, Veer Nariman Road, Warden Road ’ Bookshop next to Touche, Left; Rubble of collapsed wall. Sethna’s Dokhma in foreground. Above: Grand Paradi Apartments from which two Dokhmas are visible. Below; Sethna's Tower and the former wall being constructed to prevent Grand Paradi residents viewutg corpses. Welworth Dept. Store. Peddar Road, Taj Book Shop, Taj Mahal Hotel, 'Swabal Stores, Colaba Causeway. Manneys Poona Booksellers, And at other stalls and bookshops Bombay Or write to Parsiana. Post Box 892. G.P.O.. Bombay 400001. throughout subscription Annual Rs. 20; two years Rs. 36; three years Rs. 50 Foreign ; Seamail 1^, 26, $5 or £2 Airmail Ll;l<, £3 (Rs. 56) U.S.A.tTO(Rs.7O) 13campaign on one issue; SSS«''whI°S rt: i^rljornan'-pehram-topped tte S. %S^ R.^il. . list with 1,115 votes andJds Noble ___________ _ With a court order in their was second, trailing behind l^y a yo^rs from the said rasters, favour and boycott call by the few votes. opposition, the Independents won The- elections provided high, j, all the seats on the A, C and D ' S». p.d, guard precision that such stalwarts as Pars^PanchayTt%ho^^an register, tiled a suit m tne coni- ^dS^S o/X^?^i^d b4^ Ci4 Civil Court “that the ele(> oidv two vous and Wjor S. R. tion on 23rd. February was invalid Bamji a member of the newly and of no effect and farther for formed Doongerwadi Gommittee, an injunction resteaming the PhS^BoSuder of The Times Trustees of the Parsi - Panchayat KhXhed J Birdi, from holding the flection ... until of India, Khurshed J. cira, hojd the same in I accordance with the scheme.’.’ In a pile of legal papers weighing close I to two kilos, the plaintiffs accused I the office holders- of the Bombay I Parsi Panchayat with “utter in- I efficiency” in the! maintenance of I the all important election rdlls and I stated that ‘‘jib?'valid and fair I ^election caA be Meld or should be I permitted tO' be held on the basis I of these registers.” The Specific I allegation against thfe seven I trustees c' /___ I was that they had riot “applied I their minds” to the provisions of I the electoral scheme. I The plaintiffs, advocate, Ashok I Desai* stated in the course of his I argument , that “Three-hnndred- I and-sixty-five dead people are on I the rolls including trustees of the I Parsi Panchayat (Maneck Mistry I and Pestonji Hansotia). Surely they I T^e Panchayat) know which of I ?A battery of legal talent were rang^ on ¦ both sides.Hie plaintiffs were represented M. by Desai, SamN. Variava, Md Tebm^n RT ¦ Andhyaruj ina who were briefed by Rust am H A. Gagrat and Homa D. Petit df Gagrat ¦ and Co. The defence consisted of Ramrao Adik, and P. K. Pandit, counselled by B. H. Aatia. the polls at the last Panchayat elec- At public meetings, in advertisements and in the the Towers of formed Doongerwadi Gommittee, Pheroz Bookbinder of The Times I s bW • : Th* ref* golfer- contend^ t a “l 4 same remove 1 from the utter iijefficiency _ _____ . in the administratiop; which is drama till the eleventh hour. Four disclosed by the mode'arid manner members of the Anjuman Pax, the which the .;^egisters are main- o . . '-1^ ' , tAiued, the appearance of^tbe unihes trolled the nomination and elec- ____ tion of candidates,, to the ‘E nnbealthy malpractices and voting register, filed a suit in the Bom- list with 1,115 votes and Ms Noble was second, trailing behind a tained, the appearance of the narties thfe of the Parsi Panchayat | ’¦5 S! ;'1 of dead voters are conducive t» on behalf of deceaged persons can ——W—— The A*B C D of the Elections Above th^ raucou^ street sounds of hustling hawkers and lumber- ing traffic on Dadabboy Naoroji r‘ Road stales the office theT^i Panchayat. From' its windihg wooden staircase to its ancient lift, . ; to the racks of paper that vie with portraits of stately Parsis, * J the accent is on the past; of the times when ^rks scurried to the footfalls of Readymoneys and * Jeejeebhoys and of the days when a TrusteeMVas'kihg and the Pan­ chayat his kingdom. In his The Parsi Panchayat And Its Working Sapur F. Desai, a former joint secretary of the Parsi Panehayat, notes, “In the login­ ning the P^chayat was a quasi- judidaj-cum-social body dispens­ ing justice arid enacting bundo- busts. Between 1775 and 1825 it was a poWeriul social organisation. Tn the absence of the laws of the find it dispensed people’s justice to the wrong-doers of the com- p^ity in social and religious Panehayat, notes. judidaj-cum-social body dispens­ ing justice arid enacting bundo- busts. Between 1775 and 1825 it was a poWeriul social organisation. Tn the absence of the laws of the find it dispensed people’s justice to the wrong-doers of the com- spSieres.’’ , Over the years the powers of the trustees were pared. Laws and customs came more and more under lhe jurisdiction of the courts, Desai notes, “In the begintting of tile ^re^ent century a serious chai- Laws J - ibe made on production of certi- ¦ ¦ 1 of affect the number of Register 'E'. ' Ihe' lawyers for Jhe defense checking the same... . noted that around Rs. 20^000 in • “The election scheme required expenses had been incurred by / the Panchayat to prepare and print the’Pahchayat in the printing of ¦ four separate lists containing t^e ballots and other preparations for p names of all persons whose names the next day’s dection and that f, appear upon Registers A, C, D people from out of Bombay had , p and F by August 1970.” Instead been arriving in town since the J* of this, * the • plaint alleged the morning. They stated the rolls , Panchayat “utilized the old printed had been maintained and that J list of voters ... prepared in 1967 redress couldalways be sought and have made cancellations, dele- from the Trustees of the Parsi tions, additions and alterations... Panchayat. without initialling or signing the same and/or verifying the correct­ ness. ~ styled instead of printed additional office hours on Decepiber 1973, the names stated to appear on the said deadline for registering voters, registers.., it is respectfully sub- According to information re­ mitted tljat ho valid and fair elec- ceived by the plaintiffs they alleged tion can be held on the basis of the Panchayat office “declined to B., these registers.” accept the large number of 1,000 , ¦ The plaintiffs’ lawyer stated that applications ... as they were re-. , J the number of members on the ceived after office hoprs, pointing ‘F’ Register was placed at 189 but out that it was imfiossible for them in actuality the number was only to check them and accept the ap- 184, five members having died, plications after the closing of the This, the counsel noted, would office. As a result of this Defendant ficates there being no ’fi^hod 1«rr tKo corrtA The Pax mernbers alleged that 1,000 names had been submitted They have further cyclo- fOr registration by Ms Noble after lehge was thrown to the Trustees Panchayat, for the trustees. in the Boftiljay High Court... that E and F Registers formed the the right to appoint Trustees was electoral college of the Trustees vested in the general body of and in the year 1911 the first seven Zoroastrians in Bombay and that a scheme be framed for the appointment of Trustees, for the due administration of funds and amended in 1931 and 1935,” noted . properties---- Until then the Desai. “By the amendment of 1935 the community could appoint not more than one lady, as a Trustee.” whenever' vacancies A trustee’s terrp is for . ten years In 1910 the scheme was after which he,'^an seek re-election . .Wirrti i-P "Uz* tiripkor ‘The Trustees of the Parsi Panchayat were appointed. They were all males. The scheme was later Until then the Trustees were not elected but they were appointed by the surviving Trustees whenevei* vacancies arose. 1 finally approved by the High Court if he wishes whereby 4 Registers known as A, B, C and D came into existence. ‘A’ Register stood for those donors - who gave to the Trustees a dona­ tion of Rs. 500 and more but less than Rs. 5,000, B Register includ­ ed titled gentry, Gazetted Officers, etc; C embraced graduates and D like demos, embraced all those above the age of 21, whether male or female.” From these four registers a hundred were appointed to the “E” Register, also known as t_ So-nu-Mandal. The elections for the “E” Register are held every chayat. seven years. The “E” Register in consisting of titled gentry, gazet- turn votes along with members of ted officers etc., was scrapped, its the “F” Register, people who have members being absorbed in the donated Rs. 5,000 and over to the other registers, fir As the yeaVs ^passed by, the number bn the “F” Register, the donors, exceeded those’ on the “E” Register, the elected repre­ sentatives. 'To ensure that both donors and elected members were equally represented, the High Court ruled in 1970 that the num­ bers on the “E” Register be the same as those in the “F’ Register. As a sop to women’s liberation, the number of women trustees permitted at any one time was the raised to three, thereby ensuring always a male dominated Pan- Also the “B” Register, ’^5^ ¦I I # N Ms Noble ^Our community is sound’ No. 10“. ’ (Ms Noble) phoned Defendant No. 4 (Boman-Behram), one of the Trustees 'of the Parsi Panchayat, complaining against the refusal. (Boman-Behram) having undergone a major operation, was convalescing at his residence and on receipt of the phone call camg down to the office ... resting on a walking stick, with his sister, long after the office Hours and ordered the members of the staff,.. to receive the' aforesaid applica­ tions.” * . jBoth Boman-Behram and Nelie Nqble denied the ch^ges in their respective affidavits, Boman- Behram stating he attended the office on the request of Nadir Mulla, president of the Panchayat. “At his request I went to the office of the Parsi Panchayat between 3.45. and 4 p.m. on the said date when several applicants including (Ms Noble) were present. At about 4.20 p.m. I telephoned (Mulla) informing him that I was in the office of the Parsi Panchayat and inquiring whether he would be able to attend the same. (Mulla) informed me that he was held up by some urgent legal work and requested me to carry on ... I was in the office of the Parsi Panchayat upto 5.50 p.m. I gave instructions to the Joint Secretary^ Mr. Antia and his assistant, Whi afl&davits, 15-'vA • • ? ¦ •* JEENA & COMPANY (ESTD. IMO) Anklesaria not to accept any __ _ __ „ ___ J.,_ 7 the president of the Parsi Pan- application forms for enrollment chayat, ^tyhose term expires this _ .2 7 ' / " ¦'5 year may seek yet another ten "l say that (Ms Noble) year term, his fourth. Similarly ’ ¦ ' ’ " 5;?-?.“'::. Mulla has refrained from making his views bn the community known pub- on the register of voters aftet 5.45 P-t®- , 7 ' ' . has acted in the matter on with Lady Jehangir. her own and not at my instance, i as alleged ... The Plaintiffs be­ long to a group called the Anju- licly and has thereby escaped man Tax (Party) of which I was arqusing the wrath Of any parti- fdrmerly a member. On 22nd cular group. The trustee the November 1971, I, with twelve Independents would' most want to other members, resigned from the oust is Erach N^dirshah, whose said Pax because of certain irre- term ends in two years. Ms Noble gularities in its management of may then seek the trusteeship^ of Parsi politics all crystal-ball gazing is futile. 1 arqusing the wrath of any parti- J 3 j IATA AIR CARGO Clearing, Forwarding Warehousing and Insurance Agents 10, Veer Nariman Road Fort, BOMBAY-I Cable: “Justitia ” Telex: 2313 PHONE: 258413 Us Branches : E. Merc House 19/B, Shakespeare Sarani (Forrherly Theatre Road) CALCUTTA-16 PHONE: 444711 “Jeena House, ” 50, Hanuman Road Connaught Circus NEW DELHI PHONE: 310821 which we did not ^prove. Since But given the fast changing world then the Plaintiffs and certain ' ” other members of the Pax have been carrying on a campaign of vilification against me ... in January/February 1974 about 14 other members have also resigned from the said Pax.” Judge Guttal of th® Bombay City Civil Court after a lengthy •hearing refused to grant the in­ junction. On February 22nd, one day prior to the elections. Justice Apte of the Bombay High Court after deliberating over the pro­ ceedings for three hours in which close to an hour was spent on the complexities of the Panchayat election system also denied the injunction. The Pax leader, Boman- shaw H. Minocherhomjee, then called upon his group to boycott the elections. For the moment the Indepen- trying lomuieadii, community, dents, who are a loosely knit conglomerate of several orthodox groups with an electoral under­ standing, intend to concentrate their efforts in unseating Vakil for his statement on the dokhmas. A signature-collecting drive is in ¦ the offing. As to whether they can unseat him constitutionally is doubtful. Vakil himself is adamant he will not resign on the issue of dokhmanashini. if he . is no longer effective in the Panchayat he says he will step down in favour of another. As to what the Independents nassesalars alone totalling a lakh long-range plans are, it is hard to ef _ _____ -‘—2 J... " say as both Boman-Behram and buildings sprouting around the Ms Noble refused to speak to dokhmas {Time Magazine in its Parsiana on the grounds the April 1st issue published a photo­ matter was sub judice. The graph taken from a skyscraper election case is still pending in being constructed on a plot of land the courts. - - - . . Given the set-up of the Pancha­ yat today, the Independents may bearers carrying a Parsi corpse not get a chance to flex their newly found muscle in the near future. It is possible that Nadir Mulla, REPIiT TO THE “SO-CALLED TRUTHy ’ OP SATyAWADI SAVAKSHA (s. R. vjura*) trustee or rjuisi roNCHiiTET A I '¦’’I Dear Fellow Zoraatriaas, We have to invite your attentkMi to • very serious sHuation created by the newly elected Trustee of The Parsi Panchayet Mr. S. R. VakiL • Mr. Vakil was elected a iniilee it, November 1971 trusteeship of the Parsi Puoehayet is the highest bonopr w community can confer on one of Us members. Has Mr. VaWI Pf®*" himself worthy of the honour or the confidence jrtaced in him by Ibe.el6ctoraie? We leav^ jt to the immunity to judge after readmg what we have stai^ her^der. . ta his reeeht cyckntyfed statement (part of which in Oujarati in Bomb^ Samacbar dated ) be has “JJ” our systeoL, of DtAhBenashini and attempted to cr^te a lund w tMally iacomet picturoof the interiorfllthe Dbkbmas, thereby ¦ ' ¦ ¦ . . - 1 There » absolutely no truth io Mr. Vakil ’s statement that vultures at Doongerwadi are becoming scarce. On the contrary, when we the undersigned visited the Dokhmas on a number of occasions, we observed 100 to 120 vultures In the vicinity of the tower in which the body was to be consigned. Moreover it has been officially ascertained by the Punchayet that the total number of vultures in the areg varies from 250 to 300. ' 1 ..1 .J ¦1 1 1 I Pamphlet distribifted by Independents Whatever the Independent’s program, if they wish to main­ tain all the ancient institutions, rituals and customs of the com­ munity they face an uphill, task. The Doongarwadi estate alone runs at a deficit of Rs. 25,000 a year, the salaries of the khandias and Vakil of rupees. And in the light of tall , sub judice. The formerly belonging to a trustee of the Parsi .Panchayat, showing pall- into a dokhma) there is a limit to the number of walls the Panchayat can build. The wall being built 16a urahd Param ----- - lakTi. T^e ^ilT’have' to d^ide whet'iei-^’priority should be given t» more walls for the dead or housing for the living. If non­ Parsis can now view Parsi corpses, should the ban preventing other communities from paying their respects at the last darshan be . continued?. These and related questions ’ and developments are , *¦ / fast overshadowing the contro­ versy Vakil raised. To date: In Rajkot Dr. Kersi Dastur removed his father’s corpse from the dokhma when after 24 hours he found it and other corpses that had been lying there for months, untouched by vultures. The Dahnu Anjuman has voted in favour of an Aramgarh. The Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of Secunderabad and Hyderabad circulated a questionnaire among members of the Anjuman asking them whether they were in favour of dokhmanashini. In Madras Phiroj Nogi Clubwalla was cremated with full Zoroastrian religious rites even though a dokhma exists. In Bulsar the government wishes to acquire part of the dokhma lands. And on the Doongerwadi lands, it is now re­ ported, a Varasiaji, the albino bull whose urine is used for religious ceremonies, has been buried after the geh sarvanu ceremony, a right denied to Parsis who wish to be buried or cremated. The Independents will also have to contend with various other problems that afflict the com­ munity: an increasing Parsi beggar population, unemployment, housing shortage, dwindling num­ bers, too many agiaries and not enough Parsis, the plight of the mobeds, and nineteenth century Parsi institutions trying to cope with twentieth century problems. How the Independents intend to deal with all these problems is not known. Boman-Behram will be fully occupied for the next year carrying out his mayoral duties. As for the others, a clue to their approach may be found in a ' circular signed by Ms Noble and seven Independents. They noted, “attacks on our religion and our customs have been made in the • past but they have proved futile {Continued on page,2\) ItK r THEr AIAYOR TOO lapse receive pairs. He is the Decline of Bombay, tion^ Controversies in India ThejRise and Growth of the B. D. At 59, the fruits of a lifetime’s Petit Parsi General. Hospital. A lawyer by profession, he is associated with over 30 social and * r educational institutions. — the eiiergetic bachelor realized the jg^der of the Civic Forum, a poli- 1’ labour must taste sweet to Boman Kavasji ' Boman-Behram. Aside from sweeping the Panchayat polls, educational institutions. He is the eiiergetic bachelor realized the jg^der of the Civic Forum, a poli- ambition of many stymied years: tical organization consisting of 1*.. T. A«. jjjdependent and rebel Congress­ men. Traditionally an indepen­ dent, Boman-Behram joined the the Mayoralty of Bombay. As The Indian Express headline sum­ med it : '‘Boman Mayor, at last.” In a keenly contested, see-saw Congress Party for a brief spell, battle that almost shattered the He has fought ardently over the electoral understanding between-* years to prevent encroachment on the opposition parties, the twice the few. remaining open spots in defeated tenacious politician de- this crowded city. feated his onlj* Congress rival 85 to 49. the first since Independence. 1 carries on a family lisadition: his In his inaugural address delivered ¦ doing so he becomes before the Municipal Corporation, irst Parsi Mayor of Bombay ^be Mayor noted, “Bombay is no J. ¥ _ _ ______ ____ , ________IS no ^15° longer beautiful. Bombay has be- " come a slum and even its finest uncle Sir Jehangir Boman-Behram localities are under the impending was Mayor in 1931. threat of being turned into slums. Bbman-Behram has served' as a Our city must not be allowed to municipal councillor since 1957 go the way of those which have and is a.former member of the passed into historical oblivion.” Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. It is ironic that the fear Boman- In 1960 he started the Civic Centre Behram expressed for the city's to help redress civic grievances, survival should be similar to the He has also been active in seeing one facing its Parsi inhabitants that buildings in danger of col- today. ' »J: H a< u u Z O ; U O s !? •w < «• ¦smd,‘He believed European in his ways.” He was |in freedom m «all senses of the educated at Simla and later at the rit was (difficult to choose. ¦' P" "z. . word, SO why not have a course 3that gives freedom,of the spirit?’” jjAnd so it wasZ thsft . ffie . Leslie European in his ways.” §> The housing scarcity has given rise to several related phenomena: dwindling numbers, as Parsis either don’t marry or marry late or marry out of the community. ‘?Within one year, seven Parsi girls have married out of the com­ munity,” notes Sidhwa. “There *. jU .ii: ¦r *1’ r* -’•aS; ..IX. .....x." X.X X..- ucvciiL piauc vusia uiic lu twu . Jehangir Kothari Memorial Hall lakhs on ownership basis.” Around across the street^from the agiary. sixty Parsi families are property ated on the choicest property right in the heart of the old city. They i,* "s’. * .I Both the hall and agiary are situ- owners, mostly of bungalows, ated on the choicest property right , in the heart of the old city. They ‘ Yo« have to go to the suburbs are managed by the Anjuman and satellite towns, notes Sidhwa. - ¦ - . — “The Anjuman cant do anything for newcomers. We can’t find We 1' which also looks after the B.J. Entee Parsi Dharamsala, the . Kothari Hall Annexe—which con- jobs ^r businesses for them. sists of nine residential flats, and are not running an employment the Tower of Silence. agency. They must come and Sidhwa estimates the assets of the Anjurnan at thirty lakhs, part of which is with the Bombay Parsi Panchayat. “There is an excess income over exp^diture of fifteen agency. search for themselves. They must take the initiative. The Anjuman can only welcome them to be one of us.” Sidhwa recalled how many years 'I i. S’ f 5 Sidhwa “ fFe missed the bus." 20 Ipic by Farokh Reporter 11 s t *>«*** the Rajkot Incident by Feroza Paymaster “is in a very dilapidated state. it is a hygienic method of dispos- in tne cny uuv vxx ing of the dead, but hoW.xan they not surrounded by say it is ^ygi^c^en they have re are no khandias never beeri allowed t^ go in. 1 think it is all priest-cr^^ of the dead, but how can they It is located in the city but on mg an open spot 1 buildings. There are or nassesalars, so bodies nave to be carried in by volunteers. “There X/rOneTaT6f'Tj?rson''wl.o p« VEod^rta'tke had died fotr months before on it becomes a mass grave. Just hke 5»“:SS'-S SBgrxaw bodies were dried up and uneaten. There Was a slight stink as in the dissection room nassesalars, so bodies have to four uneaten bodies when I nassesolars have joined forces with them. In Bombay, the- khandias, most ^scientific is donating your body to a medical college. The an electric crematorium. I think the dokhma system in Bombay ___________ (Most priests— thb younger' group, have been in favour of this. What we are asking for is a, impartial committee to investigate the situation in Bom­ bay. Then we. should* do some­ thing. It is up to the Panchayat to do something. H we don’t, the S in LllC VW VW -------7- , r ............... medical ’ second is dokig It by^me^ns of College; it’s not obnoxious. Rajkot ' ;_____ _ Tlia fonnnpratlire tiSCS “I had occasion to visit Rajkot to pay my last homage to my father who died on the 18th of January 1974. Along with the volunteers, my brother. Dr. Homi, and I entered the dokhma to lay the mortal remains of my dear father to rest. I was horrified to see four dead bodies consign^ several months ago inside the dokhma lying untouched in identi­ fiable form. “In view of this state^ of affairs, after 24 hours I ' *’ '’‘7'’ with my brother to remove the remains of my dead father from thedokhmfl. When we went inside the dokhma found my father s body was lying untouched by the vultures. We therefqre took him out again side the dokhma.” foarked off a controversy s««md our unchangeable laws. They , .. J- _____ 4-z^ of a is very hot. The temperature rises tne aoKnma n summer and so the corpses are -^t dried,” said the doctor. “There are approximately 100 Parsis in Rajkot,” notes Dastur and the numbers are declining^. “Deaths occur once in six months so people still use the jq qq someining. n wc There is a burial , Government and MunicitiaUty will which was used in the past our it. The. public staying since the dokhrna was construct' - take objec- ed it has been,lying idle. . -t----- -— the notice of the Par^ Public approximately 100 I 1 I I I since the dokhma 'viSiS construct' ed it has been , lying idle. , , ^The above facts I. aip brjh^g to - ------------------------ £|^J91VCIV^ I^^^w*****-”* •.« — with the hope that they will arrive ' on tit anyw£^.’‘ alternative form of disposffl ¦¦ of the several dokhmds in thZmofussil areas where there are no vultures and where bodies are lying untouched for months and years.” Dastur’s critics take a less san- s wc _ _______ guine view of the matter. In a in and buriedTiim just out- pamphlet published by eight Surat Parsis (see Letters page) Dastur labelled an “enemy” of the _ at an ____ T decfded, along in t^sp^t brother to remove the surgeon, second unchangeable laws.’ tion tharit is an unhygienic system^ hesitate because they have their As for the wait that wfas* being *built round . . , “it is stupidity—a wa^te of money. It will further drive away the vultures.”2 “I feel that the place should remain in the same way; the Bttnglis etcetera should be left. Only in place of the dokhma, we should build a crematormm, no matter how expensive it isTOther- wise one fine morning you- might ahd the Qbvernment will ^ not As for the- a^ dokhmti. Dastur says drive •1^, Parcon _ _________ i_ •' ble in an orthodox stronghold like ar? there?’ Another problem in / TJie concludingj speaker, Dadi housing.... half the Mi^try, Trustee of the Delhi are housed in charity Anjuman noted “The Federation blocks... but we are only at the Is seized by a revolution in the "" “ ” ' ' ¦ ......... _ ' ¦ ’ He felt the problems discussed that evening would be tackled by the Federation and not shelved. SanQber Marker #¦ 5 cfr.r.4 4. VI • .— ... uuu wv are omy at me acxicu uy a revumnon in to be ladpn fringe” of solving the problem thinking of the community.” to De laaen with high tea. Across he noted ' the way members of the Delhi Parsee Anjuman and delegates to Marshall, secretary of the Federation of Zoroastrian Surat Parsee Panchayat asked Anjumans of India made their way behdins could not become into Bhiwandiwalla Hall for the P^ests, and be allowed to perform evening reception and get-together. simple ceremonies; He com- The executive council of the ^i^ented on the fact that there were Federation had met earlier in the ' - —j ______ _ __ _ _____ _ uvuvo day for their bi-annual meeting P^ests who earned their living by to survive. In contrast to Darwin barred. Shiavax P. Nargolwalla, vice- president of the North Zone of the Federation of Zoroastrian Anju­ mans in India noted the aim of the Federation is “to look after the there Petit Parsi General Hospital and social welfare. We are sin- -------- - ------ - -*------- ----------- ..-i.** cerely trying to solve our burn- audience and Major Banker asked "^ork but his palms were empty, ing problems”. about the system for the disposal Uptil now he had begged and bor- Thp Fprlpratinn * J x" M. J. R. Gheyara, rowed to run, maintain and expand of a ProDolTmnHp vice-president of the west zone the hospital. He felt himself de­ World ZoroasT4an Second noted “In Surat we have sold some Seated by the demands of the in- iQA? ,,^'”^°3Strian Congress in of the Dokhma lands. 1964. It came into being in 1971. CO dv Fifty-two Anjumans have joined Surat the Federation and to facilitate administration it has been divid­ ed into four zones with a vice- president at the head of each We are sin- Warden {Continued from, page 24) Federation had met earlier in the ^^rsi missionaries but only ruthless in her demands for fitness from which the press had been Priesthood. He reminisced on° the stands Prof. Kuropotkin’s theory P^st glory of the Parsees and spoke of Compassionate Aid to make as on the ¦ declining Parsee popula- many as possible fit to survive. Dr. tion. He felt it was partly because Daruwala appeals on the one hand nrany young girls,_were marrying on compassionate grounds and also out of the community. When they proposes to promote our welfare by were asked why, they replied that sheer strength of sinew. interests of our community and young pTrsee°rneT^o^ Dr. Homi Mehta of the B. D. also to look after the econoihic Petit Parsi General Hospital nar- Questions were invited from the rated that his hands were full with about the system for the disposal Uptil now he had begged and bor- of the dead. M. J. R. Gheyara, ------" ... vice-president of the west zone “In Surat we have sold some ----- ------- There are mates and the flocks of their sym- 60 deaths a year—20 from outside pathetic visitors who over-crowd and 40 from Surat. I for the lobbies and sometimes defiantly one feel that some of the assets at other times clandestinely should be used in a more produc- violate all hospital decency and tive manner. We should be bold discipline. He uttered a word of 2one enough to act practically. Are we 'earning that Donors now appeared ¦ / ' still so orthodox? We are not. I exhausted in resources and pati- Nadirshah R. Mulla, president ^^^t know why we are afraid ents must learn to rest content with of the Federation spoke on the step. I am glad the ^ess and less. various problems facing the com- in the hearts of our Jal Heer jibendin, editor of the munity “the first problem, parti- younger generation.. This is a Kaiser-e-Hind Gularly in Bombay, is poverty, tiuie when everybody will ask a the minutes of the meeting felt the Upto ten years ago you never saw Question and expect a reply—that housing problem was acute but not hopeless. His lament w^that most of our institutes are run by committees which lack harmony. They differ and differ indefinitely I our a Kaiser-e-Hind who summarised to too much charity. They collect answer that in the Vendidad sufficient money to go on from so.” nf the instance “The last thing I expected to ana ainer maeflnitely for alms omsM? Alhl happens ^ter and finally agree to disagree. No- The aMhnriHe^'^ P Mr. Mulla. “We Jhiig gets done. Work piles up. the beiarTd?heS «s ofBcS “"“"ed with our comuiunitv Inq^ttes are never answered. Effl- complaint lodged. “No one com- < plained, he noted. “We are en­ couraging begging, if I may put it ,, ‘ senseless election system’’ which strongly, which was not there Deft? when rfllst’^c"*^e scrapped as it is non- became presi- representative. It is too restric- “Another problem is employ- burial took pfacr^non pLs^&s^had representative. He ment. Parsees were pioneers in to sit outside and werJ^nnf promised support through his industry once. But not today. It ed to pav the weekly to any movement to reform is our wish to help and en- dXTwt the election system. Parsis must courage young Parse? entrepre- thi^V^m"^ The last thing I expected our death,” said Mr. Mulla. “We Work piles up. are concerned with our community I^Quiries are never answered. Effi- not what happens to them after ^’^ucy is at its lowest. Heer jibendin death. This controversial question ^®^leves that at the root of is not to be discussed today ” troubles is our archaic. root of to be discussed today.' IS our wish to help and now awake and arise or be for- possi- ever fallen. ’ *SHOULD PARSIS LEAVE BOMBAT 1 by Feroza Paymaster I Over the years Parsis have been gradually migrating. Most them leave in search of greener pastures away from the strife and struggles of life in India. Yet it is in India that Par'sis have realized their full potential in all walks of life. Will they fare as welT overseas or are they better off here? Will the community and the religion con­ tinue to exist if the exodus continues? With these queries in mind, we asked our seven inter­ viewees this month whether Parsis should leave Bombay. The interviewees were chosen to represent a cross-section of the community. They are not a random sample and, therefore, deductions as to what per cent are in favour of leaving or staying cannot be drawn. r. i d t "1 Rati Kapadia, 46, Head of Ratan Tata Industrial Stall ' “I wouldn’t mind going to some I > place in India itself, if I had better work opportunities, but I would I not go abroad. The latter may give me a (’ ' ''2 ~ H countries, but the companionship, B warmth and unity which is found Bombay. B here, cannot be found there.” If she B left Bombay, Ms Kapadia says she really tries, he can push his way ¦ would like to go to a place where through. The housing problem is I there are other Parsis: “Not that I the same everywhere.” The main B would hate others or think they attraction in Bombay is family ties. “Its the main reason for my not moral courage if our people wanting to leave Bombay. How­ ever, once the children are settled, it would be alright.” But she would definitely return for a visit. “Bombay is my birth-place and I would really miss it.” chance of seeing foreign always there to support the fire temples” if the Parsis left but the community would certainly disintegrate. Ms Kapadia feels that there are enough job opportunities in “Nowadays .industries have improved a lot, and if one 26 are unfriendly, but it would give me are there. If there is no dokhma or fire temple, I would still go. God is within us, and one can always sit at home and do the necessary. Trusts and charities are* ’ -I 4^ -i. It Jt. * 5 I I S-, D KhuBrpkhQWr 28^ Marketing Research * Air-lndia Dham>b Officer, Air-lndia “In the present circumstances one would say leave the country^ « to settle.^ “You (0n’t fireW^hg^. It is in yew heart As ; __- iare so ,nsiltay kickouts. Although Bombay has Bbn&ay, arid hovij dften dp w< jRsit been, safe upto now, you. tend to theip?’^Tf Parsis moved put, “the" wonder what’s going to happen. / tRists woW stin be there to Will we be. accepted after 20 aippprt the fire .t«im^es. It is» only years?’’ Dhanoo feds it would be the nmb^ds 5^-axe suppo;^g. ThQ lovely to move to a place where thing^to .dd WouKl he to leave the there are other Parsis. ‘Tn a place ‘‘top five** (fire tbmple^ arid close like London one has lots of friends * doWn the rest. Yes, the eommu- and relatives but if yqu leave yOu nity would-disinte^te'if we were want to leave for material pros- to leave. We ajse jso adaptable that pects. Job prospects are good our children‘ would not get the in Australia, I’m told that one can hang of '^occasions like Pateti and earn and save at the same time. But'the choice is really between family ties and material prospects.” Dhanoo says it is hot necessary that there should fee a dokhma and fire temples in the place she Government.” _. fire ttS pr;^. Parsis are sixth on the list for . if isKthtere 4 A . 1 ‘f -¦X 1 * r ¦# to leave. We ajfe jso adaptable that our children’-.would not get the Navroze.” If she left, Dhanoo says she would Come back to Bombay for a visit. “I don’t hate the country or the people, it’s the Hoshi Driver, 23, Clerk, Central Bank of India “I think yre should stay in city, but housing is the main . Bombay. Parsis have been the problem. In every metropolitan main founders of commerce in the ' city it is the same. The trusts of - the community should be resource­ fully utilized to meet this need. We have land here.’’ If he were to leave. Driver says he would like to go to a place ,.1t. “I think we should stay in ’ City, and the community has esta­ blished itself here for years. I for one wouldn’t want to leave my family, job, all the amenities I enjoy here, unless I really had better opportunities. Bombay is where there are other Parsis? He quite safe. It all depends on how we live. If we stay together, it is better.’’ Driver feels that'job opportu- nities, are “easily available in the family here. would also requite the presence of a dokhma and fire temple. “I don’t think I would particularly come back to Bombay to get married, but I would come and visit my Goolbai Master, 65, Housewife servants. If Parsis did leave, the com­ munity may break up “but family ties can be maintair|ed by regular visits and correspo^ence.’* “I’m in favour of our leaving. Even after getting a degree it is not easy to get a job. There’s too much favoritism. Influence is needed to secure a good posi- visits and correspondence.” The tion. Also from what we read > agiaries would still be supported in the papers the safety of Bom- by the trust money. Ms Master bay appears to be rather doubtful, says she would want to go to a place where there are other Parsis, Her first preference is England. “I’m very devoted to religious things so I’d very much prefer to have a fire temple. Of course it is impossible to expect a dokhma abroad.” She would want to conge J5 » I don’t think we could be much better off in other Indian cities. I V If we go abroad, we would be appreciated much more. There are good opportunities for bright students, and they are very well paid. To maintain their standard , of living they would certainly , 1 have to work hard and would have back to Bombay “for a visit. How j to do without the luxury of often would depend on the finance.’’ •a "bi K. fl ',A ? 4 t- A '¦3 s ^U**!*.4 '’W /Ndshir destQ; 49, Business Partner, Trading Company “Looking back at the 27 years where there 'are other Parsis. The of'Independence I f^el t^at those presence of a ^^e-^EnplQ “would of Tndependence I fiel t^at those presence of a who want to make it good—have be a consideration”. Tbe dokhma a better life-‘^should go. , < should go to die western coun- ¦ tdes where life is much more systematic and reward!^. Though j have known of Parsi^Whb'^ve ‘ gone ’ abroad and then retuiHed. \ Ther^- would be no point in moving to andthier city th India as,r--L ’ — attmctidn. Indian city. * ‘'At this sthge J w&uld think twice before leaving. . Years *,back I had thought of going; bu^;;,! am not technically qualified,” says,,Jesia. If he left now, he — ; would want to, go to a place hind. i haye known of Parsi^Whty'^iave Bombay holSs the greatest action. It is- al^ tfi^^^^f^t They “is not a necessity but I’d prefer it since it’s an S ^Arnavaz Kefrnani, 21, StAident Murse, D. Petit Parsi General Hospital “On the whole I think we must be there. However, they should . stay b®’’®' since our living condi- stay in India. J" If everyone keeps J 4, tion is. quite high. I wouldn’t leave ‘ going abroad, India ¦ is going to ’ Bombay, I am very comfortable come down a little.” Supporting “‘i here. It’s safe where I .live. If the ugtoncs would be “a problem.- I I had to leav6 Bombay, like if I I suppose Parsis,,can donate by I was getting married to someone money-order from other parts of I outside Bombay, • I would. That’s India." I different.” If she Were to leave I Bombay, Arnavaz; says she would I go to a place where there are ’ Parsis since they would “look after £* , other Parsis,” and also where there are L-------- r-— - - - - , , , - ¦ , “it would not make any difference, didn't have someorie there, if “The Parsi community would there were no Parsis around, I ’ > i ' not break up if Parsis left. They would come back to Bombay to tJ. would be scattered but they would get married.” V • '28 It’s safe where I .live. »s 9» “The families would feel the dis- * tance in the beginning but they would get used to it.” H she left, Arnavaz says “I would come back firZtemples? M tordokhmas to^Bomtey for a visit. , TUso, if I there were no Parsis around, I Bhtiri Mehta, 69, Retired “No, I feel ParSis should remEun in Boflabay. ' , . here fba the past many years, and in Bombay " ith *its cosmopolitan outlook 1 ‘for the progress of the commu­ nity. The city is congested, but deserving Parsis have chances of securing jobs, for the simple al? pfSt I would go back to reason that employers in private Calcutta.’' — ' enterprises attach greater im­ portance to merit and hard work than to communal outlook. Also as far as Indian cities go Bom­ bay is comparatively safe. Parsis can maintain their’ standard of living, if they don’t get over- extravagant. “Parsis have a future here and J their coun­ try instead of going abroad. The community being so srnoll it can ill afford to export Parsis from They have thrivea *<"** “d “p - frv inctAorl nf onino there’s plenty ofr<^ Bombay. nrAnrACC of THa' oommil- “I would not like to leave Bombay At all,’’ says Mehta who has been here since 1953. “If at 9r If he had to go to an­ other place, Mehta feels “the cli­ mate would be the deciding factor, more than the presence of Parsis, fire-temples, and dokhmas^ “I would dike to come back once in 3 to 4 years, to see how much uglier Bombay has become—for curiosity^s sake, 'K «icgr 5 •* • t * Can at Va^^t to move Wixxx xxxs. ....— -- -------------------- our religious ideas, practices and morning began witft prayers i- — thought and development.' also explains why he feels that *-------------- . . translations whether in Gujerati saying my prayers in Gujerati reason _ or English have a limited value, from any translation I could lay terest in the religion. forSss to take into account my hands on, and even then I stren^hened in my resoive to uv Sp “mental ^e^ronment” for realised that some of the prayers something to preserve our religion Jihich Se prayers are meant, they carried little meaning in today’s when I saw young Parsis go over K pvercises lack- world ” Much later when he to Christianity because they said i„T,Te toSrSd *pft of fte rtsiftd teP^i Mecca, Bombay, they did not know what their nrtinal P he describes the shock he received religion was all about. I have also original. X . _ ‘•.Alo-t-nrac anH friPTins WnO “I am not unprepared for vehement criticism from orthodox Zoroastrians at this attempt to “profane” our sacred prayers,” says Vajifdar who feels that lhe chanting of prayers in an ancient tongue has a magical effect which people might find soothing but which also has a tendency of rendering them meaningless. “Some people pray without realis­ ing what they are saying, so that their prayers t;““ irrelevant.” ---- — Soft spoken and mild, Vajifdar make a deep impression doS not look like an iconiclast “With its texts in t/ a W ¦¦ - ¦ r Mr & Ms Vajifdar outside their Ooty home. Gujerati and English, and its simple yet attractive language and ideas, I took to it immediately. ’ ------------ ju "ceaseo lu pray," Vajifdar. and it would perhaps be incor- “Verv few (if any at all) under- rect to describe him as such, for what they Pray, or even "XiS™!S^^nS r^aduairstlrt^d-¦paying modes'Of thouiBt as from English.’ know if they are using the: cor- ] punctuation, 99 he notes. have remained stagnant He lewxx VUVIV ----------------------- ' U---„ ¦ _ 'with the times and bring days in Karachi, in line with modem This necessity *and of pfayere. in attributes tlns^ to the eucalyptus shaded cottage, religious train&ig of schpob j morning began with a prayer Guru Jhough of course in a much in Avesta, followed by a transla- more modest fom and with the tion of it in Gujerati and English, specific intention of rekindling the when each of following the fexample of hiS tioil Ui IL 111 ---------- wj,-—— -r i “From these early days I took to attention of those who for one Qj, |.jjg other had'lost in- ____ _ ____ . “I was and " even ^n I strengthened in my resolve to do at tomanner in which religious a host of relatives and friends who matters were conducted. “I was ’ *' able to see for myself how our everything was left tp the mobeds. r - " --- ’ J-——. — of the various ceremonies left me ----- thoroughly disgusted. Religion scholars took an interest and seemed to have been reduced to realised the futility of doing every­ thing in a dead language ^there old to look outside for, have migrated out of India and auic LU xwx - — I realise that for them, the religion religion had degenerated, and hdw of Zarathustra means little or everything was left tp the mobeds. nothing and still less to the The way they prayed and disposed children born in foreign lands, of the Various ceremonies left me “If today’s leading Parsis and thoroughly disgusted. Religion scholars took the fooling of the people and a mockery of God.” _ ___ J_ -- By this time Dr. M. N. Dhalla’s become entirely book Homage Unto Ahura Mazda had been published and was to on him. Avestan, would be no need for Parsis, young or solace.” Apart from the prayers the book, therefore, also attempts to provide in as brief and com- (Continued on page 36, col. 1) 3 .¦3 first'I didn’t , even see Martha. You feel terri- '¦ ' fidd. And then you see her .and she gives "this veryspecial incre­ dible feeling of support to a per­ son. YOti forget everything else and just danceJ’ , Asha, who has ¦s recalling her first audition before Martha Gi^ham. a^t in 'alone. ."S* 3; modem dance troupe whic^ re­ cently performed in B&hibay. Mandala • can mean many things-, very simply it can mean a circular design,but at a deeper level it can' mean resolving the inner core with the outer reality, the centre of the circle with . empfiasis was on tne tree j-g^^h out to her. I respect her circumje^nce. . sion ol. body movements. Exer- as ap artist but not very much as ' ' ¦, , cises m modem «ance are evolved ” “I feel that I mn the product from a dose study of the body.” people. of two cultures, said Asha speak- Asha felt that it would be a very Mandala dance group, ing of the synthesis that Mandala challenging experience for her to- them is "nobody ip charge.” All is seeking to bring between pioneer modem dance techniques professional Westerq^ and -Eastern forms of ' r its dancera who equate their id^ “Both of them are a ,„d towards the evoXtion of a new dance. “ ' 1 P twenty-five and thirty-five and all of us have had formal experience in various dance companies. We ’find that working together in this manner is much more rewarding.” Describing how she choreo- since then studied under several „y' other famous dancers such as, Merce ^Cunningham, Pearl Lang and Yuriko, finds that her feelings , towards Martha Graham are in­ clined to be ambivalent By Geeta Doctor Natyam and Odissi styles. Bharat Natyam the emphasis is on rhythm,” she explained while in mbdem danc^ which reveals the ambivalent "She is taliuence of Freud and Jung the . emphasis was on the free expres- - sion of body movements. “Exer­ cises in modem dance are evolved from a dose study of the body.” Asha felt that it would be a very «• seeking to bring between pioneer modern dance techniques In India with its strong backgrbund of traditional danCe forms and, looks forward to the time when she will be teaching at her own school of modern dance in Bom- - dancing;- part of me. Why not combine the techniques of both these Cultures to express what I am? It is not something that I am doing merely to be different. Modem dance is basically a revolt against subjects and attitudes that are too con­ servative. It has to he if it is to make itself relevant to the toes. Wu I choreograph a pSier , was interested in dance I have to w^rk at it till ! Asha but bef»e voinB find the exact movement whi<*<‘' P’^?*^ -*?® will express my* idea.' No other movement will do. Only then will it be true to the idea? True to ‘Most 0f us jyre between “It’s, all like a dream,” she said, d^ribing the chain of events diati finally led to her joining the famous Martha Graham School of Y^,tShi’^ she said, “The Contemporary Dance in NeW-York. ’ ’’ '" • Father , was interested in fir^t tlrae -I heard Ananda’s Snowflower I said, dance to that” and listening to the ’ I XT ?x wnam inro proiessronau scnoof' sound of the music she would try wil| express my* idM. No other ^jmcing experieif^ were out the fiidvements flowing from movement will do. Only th^en will limited to “folk dancing in school it. noting “I Jike.that movement” •J a little modelling.”,. It was and then going on to the next. ¦ ’• ' orfy after sh^ graduated from . “I respect the human body and •Asha is not thfe first dancer to Smith College in America that she don’t feel that It should be hidden .. . _ 1 XI _• _ T -r,* J* « a . . - * . . • - ----- Uday Shanker, Ram Gopal and ously. r' • ’• • '' ” • ¦ ¦ _ _ _______ __ _ . i^vf have also tfiedy but whereas being “very democratic. 'Anyone violence that was expressed in their interpreftrticms ¦ mainly of grafting technical inno­ vations on a traditional founda­ tion of Indian dance, Asha seeks -not everyone stays on.” Once in India' to evolve a new form altogether, ; ’ combining her knowledge of mod- j _ _ . _______ __ ern dance with her study of Bharat selected for the apprentice pro- body into a spasm of pure animal ‘whai^ into professmuU school” •“1 her dancing experiences, were limited to “folk dancing in school and a little modelling.”, It was only after sh^ gradu^ld from Tve got.to «‘T’i attemp.t such a synthesis. Il* India, decided to go in for dancing..seri-• or covered too much. The body Uday Shanker, Ram Gopal and ously. She ‘‘describes dancing can never lie. That is why I felt Mrin^irii SaraWiai to name only a - schools in the- United States. Us ’that I could never get used to the ! some of the dance forms,” said sons why she felt glad to be back "You know the sheer initial^ training they could be phasized Suddenly contorting her their interprefetions consisted can go, even a housdWife if she __ __ __ ____ ____ , : feels like it, and join a dance cl^s. Asha expitfining some of the rea- And so many of them do though < students have gone through the physical violence’ of if,” she em- 32t : .feft'*}f ’'^ak ’5^rnethiag jage; , .. , ____ „ could- not'unde^tahd. tife- is Sq \ much more'fgracious here,” said Asha looking serene again in the cool seclusion of-her green arid white* becfroonl, “I just don’t feel that kind of tension in me.” “That’s a weird question” said Asha replying to whetter she had any strong feelings ' about being Parsi. i ‘Tve neyei Aad Io ques­ tion the fact; that I’nf a PariSi’. , That’s just what I am. . When pep pie ask me about my Rationality,’ I say I am an Indian, and if they ask me about 'my religion,aI say I am a Zoroastrian. I don’t-say I’m a Parsi because they’re* ^probably not familiar with tRe term. ' “I can’t wear a S’wdra • with „ leotard,” confessed Ash^'whb ’felt that since slm_ spent almost seven hours-a day'in a leotard and had to change her costome five or six times daily it would be impracti­ cal for her to continue wearing a sudra-kusti. But talking of the. need to preserve some of the tradi­ tional Pars! customs, Asha empha tically advocated maintaining the Towers of Silence ,with their an­ cient rituals of disposing the dfead. “I think its beautiful. It- brings us so close to Nature and to primitive Man. Primitive rituals can be beautiful.” Asha denied that this line of jng could be taken to that she wduld adviae a return to living in ? caves. and other such primitive forms of existence. Ijwere,to chbose my dream house - I would have whole* lot of very anti<|ue pieci^ and.xipmbine them ‘ with a completely mmlern type gf furniture with ‘ chrome .. fitting^’ she said explaining that it was^a - combination of the primitive with' the modern that she saw in hav­ ing’the ToWers of Silence in'the context of today’s society. ' Z sides, ecologically- also I think it’s very good. It gives us. that whole, big park over there. It doesn’t pollute the air. ] beneficial. Particularly i cities where there is so much poV . a close to Nature and lii>e reason­ mean “If A We wish ^q^to respond to our herSelf.” Ihi fact.-diis^tjancejiyas performance spontaneously,” says meant to represent ‘^End of ’ a note to ..^e Manila Dance som tinje and Angry Sea?’. ' IJieir nprp ir zioocrt i- thek reactious w^e however on a higher T think it ’c repertoirc of modern dances. Two level than thpt b£ a gentletn^ sit-' I think It s more girls ,behind us obviously ting'in4iont Vith. hisTamil^ Ho. , “ took •^is to mean tjiat they were resporitf^ spontaneously by gehBy lution ftom the exhauSt nind? of^ to give m/umpng com- , nodpingto‘ sleep' while cars and from factories.^If possible (SS Wd c^centra^on con^ming it^vould be.goodtohavefhemin «m>rkable,quanW o{ Wcotn “She' has loSt- something—she is —SO she is torturing herself by “Be- says herself.” meant to reactions wfire however on a higher int^reted her movements thus--- - __ _j searchfhg fof i|~she can’t ^hd it , 1. , J , . . so she is torturing herself by should have a right to pulling her hair and scratching Jier {Continued on ^age. 36, col. 2) * • ......... other cities also. Thou^ I realise that in a place like New York if might not be possible.” noising ^5 tQ ‘ sleep while ^his - bropd concentra^d^’ on con^ming vepx^rkable , quan^il^es Of ^Spceu^si amf wafer chips. ? jtf is perhaps unfair fo comment' on the performance from two such randorn examples of audience re-" aetiph. As unfair perhaps .as‘to DQdy—she is ’ trying th kilt put up a performance-in a strsmge an Fdr even though sionahsip tfet ^ch of., them ^ay have been " exploring bEs^ugl^ to WoA as a q^^e. _^pp4rently thhiversafproblems such lity 6f i^e, Aey did so purely in-- 1__ 2___2-— to an.Indian audience which has* hot yet had to fafce the problem of alienation or which believes life to bo an-end­ less cyble of rebirths,, signifying cause and effect,’ dandes such langua^ and expect tS^ aji^iejnce' fgjMjreYcali t'1 doubt that, mod^rn^ dance is ^ak- dance'could bdd a hew dimension not lessen its^ilmpfrtance. ' ¦ »i .1 -*•. to^n^an dance. , « v perhaps Inevitable that dances ence is doubly inh&ited from mak- » ^d ' secondly .because it . is embarrassed to admit that it does not understand it- This leads peo- ^e to take up extremist positions where they might say (as some did) “I don’t like all this modem dance . - _ business. Why do they* have to ’ flinv their /rm. and levfabout so ^QUal . but dfetk^CU; impression, much?” or, more mildly, " better. It’s so«m«^^ore gr^e ful,” which is as absurd as,sa^b that because one only understands *1;^_ .anixMi. «uv vv,xxxiiivxx« Englisb one does not like French. Xon^, dark r^-blooded dress and th^very ,^sterity of their approach These difficulties xould have been anUAhfe’ exciting possibilities it overcome if at some point in the Un a suggest in opening a hitherto performmice the members; of the unexplored regionTn the feidm of Mandala Dance Theater Gompauy \ Indian dancing. The possibilities could have come forward and ex< ^® Z J^di are .immense for, as eyeryorte ptaiMd the scope of modern dance knows, there exisB a veiy.sfoag as Aaih ^Coorlawala and her part- it sionalisrp that ^ch of., them k," * ; ?' :,’' .V / , i ituparciiiiy )UiijTCI Sell yruwicnis auvir those of Xormliness and the futX- terpretation^ |hel^mrrpa»^ so ^J^st^ntenSo St that every ^a^at shone .with an aiiHionf«(3i ¦«?hir4i tia®*! equal , but distmet/ ’impression. There was, /or exarr^le, the tragj^ intensity ofiYuriko’s performance, which Vas closest to the MarthS Gtaham. manner, ^peciqUy in a as these'*^ appear almost meanijig- jdance Tike The Cry Xes& Yet one cannot but commend indiyi^alistie, deeply personal in- fling their arms and legs about so , much?” or, more mildly, “I’m afraid 1 like classical dance much ' ¦ ! dance such as, *‘&id of Kbssom time and Angry Yurikos are immense for, as everyone performance compelled the audi- j^^nowsj there exists a very strorig epee to share high degree of unique .tradition of dance I'n concentration that modern danqe - ............... demands both from the per- form^ and the audience.. Indeed J with her rigid, Jiighly precise move­ ments she woi^ a ste^ *web x)f —. emotions that held the midience choreogra^ed by Asha Coorla- Indian audiences. Jbi this ^dance, . ’ , , - . , set to tile Vibrant tones oCAnanda „ While one cannot quart- brought the^ipi^uig strength of a Shankar^ ^com^sitioh, Asha is ; -r seeking to explore her aaea^ of , , . . .}¦ ilndian womanhood u^g the jipreter, there^ IS no doubt that wala exemplified grace in quite symbols of modern dance. It is in this case a little explanation another manner, more gentle, more deeply interesting experience woul^’have made it easief Tor the smiling, more static, like the im- as a dancer Asha comes into audience to respond better. perceptible movement of a flower own, revealing herself to Under these circumstances 'we open. And yet (without be a dancer of .unusual inte- unaer inese circumsia ces w gome into detailed descriptions of outv and ' «;ert<;itivitv Rut pvpn can only evaluate the perforrnanee ano sensitivity, but even in-tenis of whM it sought'to achieve than in what it actually ' to Come rather than an achieve- acmeve inan in wnar ir actual y individual psrsonalities Vn-ni- if oppme aimnst achieved, Tor regardless of indivi- “ itseii, tor it seems a,jmost dual reactions there is no Jiieir i^ovemente |.qq brief, to be entirely satis^ing m thfe total compoeition of the pYpp^t for Asha whn afont* ing that-nnder the predicated and except tor Asna- wno aipne i^alistic euidallce of Asha Coofla- seemed to' flow inter the spiml , laealtsM gu.dance otAstta wona tJe-dancers, uje dance, the olherS'hppcareJ to harden into Indian idance poses that were as expected as they were /acile» \ is of course a danger that v ' * , • -ie ' ..,1 ¦’, ’ '¦‘•1 uuo iiKin licari^iijBPS ui m«s« tuiypiit WiiO tnes tO SyiitjucSiZc twu m(»r- indicated by the title. divergent Torins, such as modern mg does nots^Cni'to admit or aC' ' dance and Indian dance, must face ceirt the present’’ wWeh ia M^^^ fhradoxi^ll^the ;most. signifi- danger of producing an arti- modem dance with its relentless cant contribution of the-Mandaia .g^i^i that will do justice e.Aa«*/*1v . vtAVAz - /4omz*A 'T'Vi apaf-Aw V\AV*« ' ?.! £ rr?i_ • • i ’ ™ --- —- ------- TO neitner lorm. Inis is, however, emphasis on individual .expression, formance, that is to say .their use a challenge that Asha is only too caaVc f-/v OGCtmUafA irifr* if-c r»rtr»tor*i- A-f zlaivtva tX AvnlnrA' in«Ar cl*9)%AG ° (Continned on page 36, coli 3} ner, Major Burchfield, demon- stnited earlier during a lecture demonstration at the Sydenham C^ollege last July.* was a very instructive and interesting session as it explained the whole vocabu- laiy, as 4t were, of modern dance in comparisdn with the movements ‘ Indii^ and this could w,ell become ah instrument for exploring hidden streams of Indian consciousness; This was w^at’njade “Yakshi”, almost ellortlessly within her grip, wala, of ,special itepoytance to In the same way Rebecca West V of ba^t. ' _ , „ _ rel wiWthe purist who will insist panther in the*ac^^ springing, to « that good art doOS not,^6quim'%n her movements, while Asha Coorla- intei woul^ have made it easier Tor the smiling, more static, like the im- p®rceptible movement of a flower abputjdo open. And yet (without dancer of .unusual inte- Sung mto detailed descriptions of ¦ ’ e'. individual qualities . of.-the others) all of them cOtild sub­ merge their individual parsonalities ^g^J'Tn itselFforit'seems*' and orchestrate their i^ovements in t& total compceition of the < ’ **‘Celebra- je^dancera, UUlll XUCll CIUH lU costumes, one no lohger bectane _______ - _ _ - - ........ , .» as particles in a bright pattern of movement that; caught thft^iety ---- --------- o - ----- and light hearfljdncss of the. mood; anyone wljo tries to synthesize two indicated by the title. i- — —-j-— fVradoxically, the most, signifi- dual rejections there, is no doiy®* others) all of them cOtild sub- 3. ¦ amd orchestrate their T^ovements dance as for example i tions” whefe with t_,_ _ ____„ both men and'women, fn identic^ ?*» Wjfia, the Mandala D&nCe Theater Gonmany could provide the im- for a whole new approach conscious of thenr aa Jancers, but, > to dancing irf India. As the pro- gramme notes, ' India1ni* 5 dance, “tjiough vastly exjir^sive ’ and beautiful in its mythological moor­ ing does not sijp^ni* to admit or ac- search for new dance forms and Uanee' Thdater Company’^ per­ seeks to assimilate into its coi^ci- ousness. .No art can afford to of dance to explore inner states of aonsciousness, was from the ¦ .¦*> ii' aliP' tisfy) ¦ K¦ > God (Continued from page 3(0 prehensive a manner ns possible an idea of the basic tenets of the 2k»roastrian faith. There ate also 12 prayers in the original from Dhalla’s book and. a section en­ titled “Some Poems* of Piety’ where the jiuthor has adapted poems from varfbus souifces to show that the basic humarfisin behind the Zoroastrian faith is one that finds in echo in people’s minds the World over. from varfbus souifces to lime philosophy” of the originals ’weakeried and that it may stop even while rendering them in developing in the new environ- simple English which will appeal ment. It depends on the person.” to the understanding and emotions She did not think that Parsis were of anyone who reads them. more inclined to accept foreigners . ‘ Living in the midst of a small ¦ marrying into the community* community, as Me and his wife than ’ Indians, even (hough the Freany do in OOty, emphasises dis need for each menfber of the community to contribute sdme- children in such a^ situation turn out to befj more “fair” that’s part of the whole Indian Wng himself and not delegate thing and not a characteristic of certain respotts<biliti&s Xo* rhobeds the Parsis alone, this “ idea that a ‘ or priests who might not be there ' V ' '' 'J___ I'J- 2 notes Vajifdar. In'this context he that it’s desirable to have a light relates a small instance of the complexion. My Graaidmother impact;that his book has made-. a 1 think the Parsis alone, this idea that a fair child is more beautiful and In fact Vajifdar, who throu^ relates a small induce of the complexion. My Graaidmother out ms career as’a senior official impact^that his book has made, for example would be much hap- m the State Bnnk, of, Indi^ Ms^ recent funeral at Qoty, pier if I married an Indian because ¦ travelled extensiyefy, is of they tljg jjsual Avestan prayers, I ’ .............................. opmion that Parsis would do well ’^ecit^ the English funeral prayer in adopting some of the religious - - practices of other communities. “Some of my most emotional ex­ periences have been while listen­ ing to the singing of hymns in the Gurdwaras of Delhi. Why couldn’t we introduce music in our prayers?’’ asked Vajifdar who is himself a keen musician. He also believes that some effort should be made to introduce congregational prayers. “In Karachi, for example^ the last 10 or 15 days of the year which are reserved for prayers of the dead, the Parsis of Karachi used to con- ^ter the usual Avestan prayers, I givoi in my book and said these prayers slowly and with feeling, as they should be said-. After the fimeral, some of those present asked me for a copy <jf this prayer but one Parsi lady younger than me, made me promise that I would say these prayers for her when she died. This was more eloquent a tribute than I could expect.” • Asha (Continued from page 33) go wherever they, want to” says Asha commenting on the fact that many Parsis are now leaving the country and settling abroad, par- gregate at Jehangir Bagh for a tiCularly in America, “Besides its brief period of 20 minutes. This v hot just the Parsis who are doing congregation n^ally attracts tlis. A lot of Hindus and people more than 4 ’ thousand people from other communities have also each day which .goes to show what settled down in America and are we are missing in not havjng this living there quite happily. It’s just form ot prayer. This system was that the world has become a actually introduced by the late smaller place.’ Jamshed N. R. Mehta.” -’• ** « - The most important qualifica­ tion however feels Vajifdar is __ , ___ _____ _____ that whatever prayers are said think all this business of pure person concenled. prayers. 46- congregation n^jnally more than A ’ tnbusan then she feels I would remain in India.’ "¦ ly ------ ... -..........................................................—— Igterpretations {Continued from page 34) aware of and there is no reason to, suppose that with her sensitivity and dedication, it cannot he over­ come. Any search is fraught with obstacles but this does hot mean that, the search should not be un- dertdcen. The Mandala Dance Theater Company’s performance represents a search for a new mode of expression and it is in this con­ text that we applaud Asha Coorla- wala’s spirit as a pioneer who has chosen the difficult task of “find­ ing new paths to tread om” , • Geeta Doctor ’’ , ’“Fmail for integration” explain­ ed Asha whose own dance group is fully integrated racially. “I they should be understood by the blood and people not being able m/ to* marry outside the community ’ . : is just bullshit.” Asha felt .“very of my daily life’ and routine. I definitely” that the Parsi comma.- religion to be practice and a ( * ~ ______ ,, ___ ___ _____ ______ like to feel that I am talking to nity could da with some radical my Creatof, person to person, changes in attitude. “All this nio- with feeling and understanding, and I want my relationship with be any inversions? Who knows him to be free of all ideas of what tpe Parsis were origmailly? mysticism and magic. ’ " ’ ' ‘ ' ¦ ¦ no need to do away with but it shoidc^yiot do away with reality.” Jn *his , bopk^^^^?„y^^ shdMdi be allowed to. It works - maintains that he has used as both ways. Either you* can say little Avesta terminology as pos- that in such a marriage you will He has worked mainly have two backgrounds to draw to or modifying these, has strived it so much richer, or you can say sense must stop. Why can’t there • There is . PeopUi should^ave the riSht to* tradition choose -whom to marry. If* they . ”’t want to marry non-Pafsis (hey Ip ^hjs b<^k^? W sh^d^be allowed to. Tt works both ways, that in such a marriage you will Wi ¦* sible. ] from tranrfations^ and by adding your strength from, which makes to “preserve the spirit and sub- it so much richer, or you can say that the one. background may be Warden is good For sandalwood Bead Office 378 Grant Road Bombay 400007? and branches Tel. 371464 Quality samstwood 'Aogarbatties. gum benzoin (loban) sod other ’ Perfumes •iv V « Fl ’/ < I '' V - -..I -1 - 'i I ¦¦ ¦ ,, .......—..¦¦I. Published and edited hv jAhanmr P PajwI at oss T riazian an/i r.