Jan 1978

I JANUARY 1978 PRICE Rs. 3 & 2- M I I' Sir/f»inv<22S A?- S' sI r k idone. Perhaps it was the longing for firmer roots, a sense of identity in the vast surrounding multitude. Whatever the reasons, the event the statement issued by Shiavax R. Vakil, the eminent lawer and for ­ mer Trustee of the BPP, on the Towers of Silence in Bombay in 1973 (see Parsiana October and November 1973 issues). That and the subsequent developments shook the community to its core. In its wake, people sought desper- subsequent H beliefs, seek new answers to age ­ less questions, try to make up for lost time. From the confusion and turmoil emerged the desire to do when a Christian Rev. J. Wilson converted two Parsi boys, the community first reacted with outrage and then subsequently acted to create institutions for the study and dissemination of reli ­ gious knowledge. Over 130 years later the community once again felt the need to strenghthen its roots. The Third World Zoroastrian ( i What finally brought about the dnlnrriTl change, made a lethargic cottimu- LiUlLUi O V^VIUILUI of itself, organize a world congress? Perhaps it was the realization that all was - At a press conference called by the not well and something needed to be organizers of the Third World Zoroastrian Congress, one of the reporters asked the Bombay Parsi that could not be derived from imi- Panchayat Trustees present why tating other cultures. Or per- there was a gap of 13 years between haps it was the insecurity of a the holding of the second and third minority that felt it would be lost congress. ‘Because, ’ replied BPP Trustee Jamshed Guzder, ‘no one took an interest. ’ Sad but true. For that triggered the renaissance was many years this community be ­ haved as though it were oblivious to its existence. Parsis took an in ­ terest in everything except them ­ selves. Community affairs were con ­ sidered the preserve of the elderly, the orthodox, and the eccentrics. But over the last five years the situation has visibly changed. At social and cultural gatherings, at ately to reaffirm or question old work and in the home, it is not imcommon to hear community issues being discussed, argued, attacked or ridiculed. Numerous booklets, pamphlets and circulars something constructive. In 1843 articulating differing points of when a Christian missionary, view are published and distributed, often without charge. The mass media in India and abroad focus on the community ’s significant con ­ tribution to the country, its dimi ­ nishing numbers, its method for dis posal of the dead, the high incid ­ ence of breast cancer and its age old religion, among other features. Even the Indian movie industry has Congress is the outcome of that considered it a commercially viable proposition to lend a Parsi back- drop to their productions. Every year scholars from within ginate here. The the country and abroad come to Society of Ontario had first decided research and study the social, reli ­ gious, cultural, economic and de ­ mographic state of the community, past and present. Overseas, 2^ro- astrian associations are springing up at the rate of one or two a year, and symposiums and seminars have been held in Toronto, London and Chicago. The munificence of the Iranian millionaire philanthro- phist, Arbab Rustam Guiv has resulted in the first Zoroastrian cen ­ ter being established in the New World, with a second due to follow. In India, the formation of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India has resulted in zonal conferences being hosted in Bangalore, Delhi and Secun ­ derabad. With Compliments of STARLITE Electrical Works Electrical Engineers and Contractors necessity. The idea of holding a congress at this time, however, did not ori- here. The Zoroastrian Fern House 13, Ormiston Road Bombay 400 039. to host a Congress in Toronto in 1977. One of their main objectives was to inform the general public of their existence and to thereby generate interest in Zoroastrianism. Tn India, there have been no clear- cut goals for the Congress. Aside from a stated desire to bring Zoro- astrians from all over the world to ­ gether, there appear to be no sub ­ stantial intellectual objectives. The various pressures brought to bear on the organizers from all sides has resulted in so many compromises, that the Congress appears to be little more than an extended lecture series. The format of the meeting does not allow for much individual par ­ ticipation and whatever discussion and i/that docs tafce'placff'l^liriJe ’sui^^ ’ tionally leleasi^ by a ' ___________ - »«»magis- to approval. ?Gid yet it would' be trate. We carry below an account in unfair to say that' the Congress, Khushroo ’s words: serves no worthy purpose. Like the ‘When I reached the airport there Wilson and Vakil episodes, it has were hundreds of riot police and heightened the community ’s con- thousands of spectators. It could sciousness. It may serve as an im- only mean one thing. Mrs Gandhi petus for hosting further congresses, was going to Bombay on our flight, both local and international —con- gresses where the goals and pur- ‘What seat would you like, sir? ___ * “The one next to Mrs Gandhi, ” poses will be better 'articulated and I quipped, half jokingly. known to a larger number of con- “Here ’s your boarding card, sir, cemed individuals, where construe- seat 2C. Mrs Gandhi is in 2A. tive proposals for the betterment of known to a larger number of con- 99 2 ;__ Z _ ¦ ’ Not everyone gets the oppor- the community wfil be put forth tunity to chat-up an ex-Prime and implemented. Minister. It took me 20 minutes to come up with my opening line! “You’ve had a hard day M’am, but you look none the worse for it. ” Mrs G: (smiling) “All my days * * ? ;n< Warden Is goi>d For sandalwood Head Office 378 Grant Road Bombay 400 007 and Branches Tel. 371464 Quality sandalwood Aggarbatties, gum benzoin (loban) and other Perfumes % Among the most newsworthy greet- ] ing cards we received for the New are hard. I am used to it. Do you Year (we get about two or three; know we almost got crushed in Agra most of our mail is bills) was one the other day. There were 8,000 from Jeroo and Khushroo Engineer, people on a platform made foi Khushroo, who works with Cadbury 2,000.” Fry (the chocolate company) tells of a conversation he had with former popularity ” (an improvement over Prime Minister Ms Indira Gandhi my opening line, don ’t you think?), while on a Bombay-bound Indian 99 “You underestimated your own ¦ “ ~ ' ¦ ¦ ¦ " I Mrs G: (frowning) “They should- Airlines lligtrt on October 4th, the n ’t have been there in the first day Ms Gandhi was uncondi- place. ” / Wishing The Third World Zoroastrian Congress Every Success I ASIATIC TRAVEL SERVICE g I 12. Murzban Road. Fort. BOMBAY 400 001. | I Telephone No. 268151 (8 Lines). Grams: AIRASIA | B Telex: AIRASIA 011-3151 g I II I I I, i THIS BOOH SAWS IT AU ACCUR ATUWI t* 1 4 ¦ Visa Regulations, Immigration Laws. 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I 5“Did they break through the police cordon then? ” Mrs G: (still frowning) “The police just stood around doing nothing. ” Another 20 minutes pass. Come on Khush think of something ! “This is probably the best thing that ’s happened to you since the elections ” (not a good lead in. She ’s puzzled). “I mean it ’s prob ­ ably the stupidest thing the Janata Government has done since they took office. ’ Mrs G: (matter of fact) “Oh no! They have done lots of other stupid things ... what are you read ­ ing? ” “Confessions from the Clink, .. er... purely co-incidental, I assure you!” She laughed. It made my day —make that year! ’ >» Father-in-Law aaas The bird has flown. After strug ­ gling with the exigencies of Bom­ bay life for close to a year, our able associate, Ms Shirin Patel has returned to England. In that sun ­ less land, she will lend her formid ­ able skills to the Time-Life book publishing company, her former employers, who intend to bring out a book on Bombay. Shirin is their India Connection. Therefore, yours truly is one again saddled with the day to day miseries of bringing out Parsiana. As one of our associates, Ms Ruzbeh Antia puts it: After a bath, having cleansed his body of the plague of matter, and after his prayers, having cleansed his spirit of the plague of desire, he entered the fire temple. Bowing before the flame he touched the ground and applied on his forehead camphor and wood ash which the Dastur had ladled out of the fire-bowl. Then he lit a butter lamp— Ahura Mazda had to be told that the flame of devotion had been kindled in his heart. ? ‘Nodding his head and stroking his beard. The martyred editor begs to be heard, “My staff is inefficient, the press is lazy, Everything combines to drive me crazy. There’s flasks to be washed, coffee to be bought. And there’s the B.P.P. trusteeship to be sought. There’s nothing to be done, just no way out. But to scratch my head and im- potently shout.’’ Sitting down to his prayers he meditated on Asha, the Divine Law and Vohu Mana, the Good Mind and having crushed Angara Mainyu the evil principle and Ahriman, the devil he asked Ormuzd ]or favours, the same favours which a warrior or peasant or a trader in skins and spices would have asked in the days of Zohak or Zarathustra— long life for his son long life for his daughter and peace for his ancestors, a ghost-wall of fungus faces receding into time like the avenue of sphinxes. A. few days later, Ruzbeh won a scholarship to Cambridge Univer ­ sity and gave up a lucrative job at Parsiana to teach English at St, Xavier ’s College for the interim fwriod. Thus, if this issue appears a little truncated, realize it is an act of God. not the management And he stepped out of the fire-temple to discover that his shoes had been stolen. i 1 Keki Daruwala1 k ’t ? 1 J li READERS' FORUM 9 countries are diligently compiled and presented to the community. Maintaining a line of communica ­ tion among the various groups of heartening to ’ read of the enthusi- _ ___________ . ' . . 3 by educated and old for the upliftment of our - ¦__________ community and maintenance of our had been cut before this, but in a very limited quantity. About 160 years ago. when there were no vernacular newspapers in . western India, a few Gujerati Parsis is very important and it is advertisements used to appear in heartening to read of the enthusi- the Bombay Courier, an English asm and pride amon^ the young newspaper ' Indians, for which Gujerati type were cut 1. Chhapgar (or Jeejeebhoy Byramjee Chhapgar) an employee of the paper, in 1797. Marzban who was a good friend of Chhapgar, used to visit him fre ­ quently at the Bombc^ Courier press, which inspired him to start 'Adoption, Marriago and his own Gujerati press. I' ’ ' the only Gujerati press at that time, no name was given to it for several years. It was known as ‘Fardoonjee Murzbanjee nu karkha- nu' (Fardoonjee Murzbanjee ’s ______ __________ workshop) until it came to be known whether they have been published? as Mumbai Samachar Press when y ‘ ...... the paper was printed. Those interested in further de- ____________________ tails on the origin of Gujerati type ^nd traditions, it is primarily due and printing presses in Western |q socio-economic solidarity, India, can refer to the first two personal laws, religious faith and chapters of my thesis Gujerati fervour, and unity in resolving Patrakari (History of Gujerati difficulties. It is on these pillars Journalism) published in Gujerati tj^^t the community must build its The Congress 1950. future. ’ But, he is contradicting No Parsi, however eminent or dr ratan r. marshall himself; by advocating conversion learned he may claim to be, is Surat. children of mixed marriages and morally justified in preventing co- reforms in personal laws, religious ‘ religionists in different parts of the Job-Wise customs and traditions, the author world from keeping in touch with From time to time, we read sug- jg dividing the community and each other and discussing and gestions in Parsi papers for the weakening the very pillars on which thrashing out problems which are economic betterment of our com- , the community can build its future, of vital interest for the preservation munity. To contribute laudable m. j. giara and progress of our community in suggestions is one thing, but to Madras, all its aspects. implement them and put.them into If scholarship and learning do practice is another, not go hand in hand with broad ­ mindedness and tolerance, they are a veritable curse to humanity. B. S. SURTI Secunderabad. 1 h I read L 'Tit, I •> "IB B -<»• A » 1 A »< 1 I I I Readers' views are welcome on any subject of interest to the community and should be sent to The Editor, Readers' Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. by Byramjee Jeejeebhoy religious principles and traditions. ’ • ’’ ----- RUSTAM T. SAKLATH Calcutta. Rustam Saklath is former president of the Parsi Zoroastrian Associa­ tion of Calcutta. It being Divorce.' Rustom S. Gae states, ‘Inter-com ­ munal marriages among Parsis may be as high as 25 per cent. ’ Would he please enlighten us how these statistics have been collected and He has very rightly stated about our community, ‘If it has been able to maintain its identity, uniqueness DR RATAN R. MARSHALL Surat. From time to time, we read sug- Gae replies: The percentage of oT* dedicated social inter-communal ^marriages among Parsis mentioned in my article was based on speeches made by some of the participants at the first zonal conference of Parsi anjumans of North India held in New Delhi on 23 January 1977. In this connec­ tion the expression ‘may be’ has been used as the exact percentage of such marriages is not known. The children of Parsi fathers by alien mothers who have been duly I our ucw ‘Zoroastrians admitted into Ute' Zoroastrian Abroad ’ (Parsiana, Jun.-Jul. ’77) religion are included by judical • to printing, publishing and editing makes interesting reading. Since a m the of hisShri Mumbaina Samachar (The fair number of the intelligent sec- have Bombay Samachar), published a tion of our community has migrated fathers by Parsi calendar and some books in out of India and settled in different been admitted into the religion Gujarati for which he cut Gujarati parts of the world, it is very neces- type with the help of the ladies of sary that details of the various i^su^^r t^ cor!!- his family. However, Gujarati type activities of the Parsis m several is a p J 9 A group workers have met and formed, ‘The Employment Guidance &rvice ’. which will advise and guide our young to choose their future careers. Those interested may call at 2nd Parsi Types floor, Navsari Bldg, Dr D. N. You have stated that Fardoonji Road. Bombay 400 001, between Marzbaniee was the first to cut 5.30 and 7.30 p.m. Gujerati type (‘Earn & Learn ’. dinshaw behramji irani Parsiana, Oct.-Nov. ’77), I should like to add further ; Mobad 5.30 and 7.30 p.m. 'Zoroastrians Abroad' Fardoonji Marzban, Your new feature father of Guj'erati journalism, prior ,................... • his ^Shri Mumbaina Samachar (The fair number of the intelligent sec ­ printing, publishing and editing makes interesting reading. Since a Ws family. However, Gujarati typeI I *» » munity to consider and decide, shwe the same fate. Courts would no doubt, consider and decide the issue, if raised be- city should be reduced. fore them. The number of agiaries in the For example, within a short radius in Tardeo, there are three or more 'Season's Greetings' agiaries-r-one at the junction of It is essential that the New Forjett Street and Tardeo Road, Year be celebrated on the same another a bit further on and one day by, both, the Parsis and opposite Grant Road Station. If Iranis of India. I agree with two of these agiaries were done Dr Jehan Bagli (‘Zoroastrians away with and the fire transferred Abroad ’, Parsiana, Oct.-Nov. ’77) to the remaining one, the land thus that henceforth, only Jamshedi obtained could be used for a more Navroz, 21st March, should be practical purpose like housing at ' Another very bad practice these days is the presence of Parsis begging outside our fire-temples. If there were less, but better- no^ oidy the village maintained agiaries in the city, « , parsis would be proud of their dirty places of worship and would con ­ tinue to pray in them. observed as New Year ’s day by cheap rates for Parsis. Parsi Zoroastrians. SOHRAB A. KALYAN The Urban Agiari It is ] agiari (‘Readers ’ Forum ’, Parsiana, Oct-Nov ’77) that and untended, but agiaries and Atash Bahrams in Bombay also is Q ij QQ H. B. DAV AR 10 PTH uiQ 'Northwest by South* While appreciating the keen iitterest shown by the participants at the first zonal conference of the Parsi anjumans ot North India, (Forriana. Jun.-Jul. ’77) where resolutions to convert non-Parsi Zoroastrians, by marriage and by birth, to Parsi Zoroastrianism and to permit non- Parsi Zoroastrians to observe death ceremonies of Parsi Zoroastrians were heatedly debated and received sanction, one is not sure of the competence of the participants to discuss and, particularly to decide on these subjects. Discussion on such subjects and decisions, if necessary, should best be lefi to competent Parsi Zoroastrians who have devoted their lives to the study and consideration of the Parsi race and the Zoroastrian religion. ADI E. TAKAFOM A BB II II IB •J II JI Ar> iiILj And Company Private Limited Building Contractors & Civil Engineers Registered Office: 70, Medows Street, Fort, Bombay-400 001 Administrative Office: Oram: New India Centre, 17, Cooperage Road. Fort, Bombay-400 001 Ginframe Bombay Phone : 254262/212844 * Bl* II 11PEOPLE I The, Bonn Connection t . Dr Fredie A. Mehta, the noted - economist and director of Tata Sons Limited, has been elected President of the 1,350-member Indo-German Chamber of Com- | merce for the year 1977-78. The J Chamber is engaged in promoting industrial growth in India. : Mehta, who has been associated I with the Tatas for 21 years, hails ? from Karachi where he studied at St Patrick ’s High School. After ? graduating from St Xavier ’s Col- ‘lege, Bombay, he won a Tata *. scholarship enabling him to take his Master of Science degree in Economics at the London School of Economics. At the L.S.E. he won several awards, as a result of which he could complete his doc ­ torate in 1955. He joined the Tata Administrative Services in 1956. r- J 4^ ¦ Bhacca : social service Mehta : Promoting industry 1 h r An active Rotarian, the Leprosy Hospital, the Antituber- 58-year-old general practitioner is culosis Hospital, president, Gujerat a trustee of about 30 charitable and State Gymnastic Association, direc ­ religious trusts, both within the tor, Gujerat Safe Deposit Company ¦ ¦ ” ¦ Limited and past president ^d also associated with numerous secretary of the Surat Medical social service organizations, being Union. His wife, Mehroo is also ¦ a doctor. trustees. Now Surat Trustee Dr Sam. S. Bhacca who hails from community and outside it. He is a family of doctors, became the also associated with numerous newest and youngest addition to the Surat Parsi Panchayat board of vice-president of the Parvatibai Coorlawala : search for new dance forms (Photographs of dances per ­ formed recently in Bombay). Uttara dances Uttara Asha Coorlawala, the New York-based, modern dance expo ­ nent, and founder-director of the Mandala Dance Theatre Company, has been awarded a two-year Homi Bhabha fellowship. Currently in India to research Indian dance and incorporate its traditions ^and images in her choreography, Asha gave a series of USIS-sponsojed perfor-J i >i J mances in Bombay. Calcutta, Darjeeling and Jamshedpur and is scheduled to give many more. A graduate of Bombay ’s Wal- singham High School, Asha attend ­ ed St. Xavier ’s College before leav- . ing for America. She graduated from Smith College and then studied dancing at the famous Martha Graham School of Con ­ temporary Dance in New York. Since then she has been tutored by other masters such as Merce Cim- ningham. Pearl Lang and Yurikov. She later started the Mandala dance group with trained professional dancers, dedicated to the continuing search for new dance forms. ‘Uttara ’ is the name of a legendary dancer in the Mahabharata and was given to Asha by her guru. Swami Muktananda. ITT - t i •W B 1 Poetic Licence J Poet Adil Jussawalla was one of i the writers selected to participate in the International Writing Program held at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, U.S.A. The three-month pro- gramme, held from September 1977 to January 1978, permits participants I to “ do anything, including walking ¦ on the water of the Iowa river ” as I well as making literary contributions, m Jussawalla is the author of two F books of poems, Land's End and Missing Person and editor of the anthology. New Writing in India. He has co-edited another anthology. Statements and is one of the four poets who run the publishing con ­ cern. Clearing House which has brought out collections of poetry by Jussawalla, Gieve Patel, Arun Kolatkar and Arvind Krishna to January 1978, permits participants f Jussawalla : ‘free ’ verse ' Mehrotra. h Aquatic Achievements The swimming prowess of 18-year- old Rustom Ratan Marshall helped his college, the Sir K. P. College of Commerce. Surat, to win the team championship at the South Gujarat University inter-collegiate aquatic meet. With victories in the 100, 400 and 1,500 metres free style and the 100 metres back- stroke, Marshall also swam away with the individual championship at the meet held at Surat in August. Besides his aquatic achievements, the versatile Marshall has success ­ fully led his college basket-ball team and has won the inter-col ­ legiate Bhulabhai Desai English Elocution Trophy. The elected University representative of his college, he was nominated by the vice-chancellor of South Gujarat University to serve on the Univer ­ sity Students Welfare Board. r. I. b& Marshall : swimming prowess IN MEMORY OF .. . Bom in Navsari, Mehta gradua ­ ted from the Victoria Jubilee Tech ­ nical Institute and soon found him ­ self in the mill business. In 1935, he bought over the Crescent Mills which he renamed as the Shri Ram Mills. He sold that concern and took over the Burhanpur Tapti Mills which he parted with a month prior to his death. Aside from business, he had a ‘passion ’ for bhajans and was president of the Gay an Uttejak Mandali which organized musical concerts. He was also president of the Rahnumae Mazdayasnan Sabha and was responsible for having much religious literature publish^ and distributed. His interest in education led him to found the Boys ’ Town School in Nasik in 1944. ‘He wanted boys to healthy, (especially) healthy in body ’ and so he selected the hill ­ station site, recalled Pavri. Today, the school has over 700 students of all communities and is one of the institutions selected for the edu ­ cation of the Government of India merit scholars. Centenary Celebrated The birth centenary of the late Pirojsha Nusserwanji Mehta, the founder of The Boys ’ Town Public School in Nasik was celebrated on 10th December before a large gathering of students, parents, alumni and well-wishers at Bom­ bay ’s Patkar Hall. A host of speakers including Sohrab P. Kot- val, former Lok Ayukta of Maha ­ rashtra, Soli Pavri the school ’s first principal, and Dr Framroze A. --r— . . Bode, a trustee of the school, spoke 40 years ago and de velo^d ^it mto on the life and times of the late “' industrialist. A Gool Shavaksha Memorial Fund has been instituted by the Bombay ­ based social service organization. Time and Talents Club, in memory of its founder president. Ms Shavaksha, who died of cancer in April 1977, helped found the club --____ a m^ti-piupose organization with 22 committees engaged in numerous1^ Shivaji Maharaj Marg (Apollo Pier Road), Bombay 400 039. The memory of the late Dr D. P. social and cultural activities. The objectives of the fund are to give ‘Grants for research, and Scholarships to students and tea- -------------- — - chers in the educational, medical Dastur, a noted professor or and sociological fields, and in the anatomy has been commemorated creative arts and emergency help by an award mstiWd by the in sickness, for education, and in Alumni Association of the Govern- situations affecting the welfare of mein l^ntal College, Bombay^ The deserving persons, especially women " " ’ * and children. ’ A programme of concerts is be- ---- — - ing arranged, the proceeds of which (Bachelor 'Dentm will go to the Fund. Cheques can be made in the name of: Time and Talents Club, The Gool Shavaksha Memorial Fund c/o Victory Stall, sor oi anaiumy m uuc news ’ Odd. Shivaii ’s Statue. Chhatrapati Dental College smee its mception Meher-Hdmji: ‘Good jwlge^t news. Alumni Association oFthe^Govran- D. P. Dastur Memorial Award will be given to the student who stands first in anatomy in the B.D.S. ' .r. ?1 Science) ex^ina^n of Bombay University, l^tur, who iii^ on 18 April 1977 at the age of 15, was profes ­ sor of anatomy at the Government in 1945 till he retired. At the toe of his death, he was also Emeritus Professor of Anatomy at the Grant Medical.College. Bombay. During a 45-year-old association Dastur introduced a novel method thing to do. ’ said W daughter, of teaching anatomy form of lecture-cum-demonstrations, synchronising these with a study of embryology. He ’ also pioi^ered ¦A'*. writing and was very interested in everything around him, par ­ ticularly politics, sd ‘ journalism 1 __ _______ J Medical.College, Bombay. in everything around him, During a 45-year-old association t _____ ----------- -- . with the Grant Medical College, must have seemed the most natural in the Pervine. His other intereste includ-i ed sport, especially .cri^et, and music, for which Me oi views for the He leaves behmo Ids and his two daughter^, (Bn^ wrote re-i the teaching of neuro-anatomy and He leaves behmff^lys wte, Amy genetics to undergraduates and help- and his two daughter^, h|s Zarin ed in the creation of the Anatomy Adi Billimoria and Ms Pervine Museum of the College, to which Pestonji Bhujwala. | he added over 2,000 spechuens. i Died: Dara R. Meher-Homji, 67, who edited the Bombay English daily, the Evening Neyv^ of India for 10 years; of a heart attack at the Parsi General Hospital on 23 October 1977. ‘He was a very good judge of news, ’ said K. Kittu, his successor as head of the editorial department of the Evening News; and during Meher-Homji ’s tenure Jhe news ­ paper won a* govemmenf award for excellence in printing and design. After his retirement in 1970, Meher-Homji free lanced for sev ­ eral newspapers and - magazines, writing a regular column of miswl- lanea under the pen name ‘Darius ’ and a series of articles on Parsi cricketers of yesteryear fli English in the Jam-e-Jamshed. A self-taught journalist who learnt his profession ‘in the hard school of experience ’, according to Kittu, Meher-Homji joined the Times of India as sub-editor soon after his graduation from Wilson College, Bombay. He served with the newspaper group for 32 years in several responsible positions and was finally head of the editorial department of the Evening News of India. ‘He always had a flair for ART exhibition on Zoroastrian Themes by Katayun Saklat Gallery Chsmauld. Jehanqir Art Gallery, First Floor. _ Next to Museum Also visit our Art Shop alongside gallery for handpicked gift items; Traditional paintings, exquisite embroideries, reprints of well- known Indian artists, Zarathustra prints. Open 10 am to 7 pm i t 1 » 13ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD Faith, Hope and Charity is his son Shahenshah Arya Mehr, the present Monarch of Iran. We Zoroastrians enjoy the same rights as all Muslims enjoy. ‘My father was a businessman, first in Yazd, and later in Tehran, dealing in home-made cotton _L_— — J elder brother joined him, and expanded our busi ­ ness, i ' ’ ’ entered a new era. . .never (before I has the) community achieved so much in (such) a short time. . .our strength is. . .what we prove our ­ selves to be. What we hold, we have earned. What we keep will ----- _ . . be no more than what we deserve. .. dealing in home-made our communi ty members are ready goods. Later my to meet the challenge of the future j —--2 Lm, i""’ and will contribute (their utmost) ness, importmg shoes and general to the economic and social growth merchandise from^ Europe. When of America. ’ I--------u Guiv told the gathering about ran from Yazd with my elder bro* his past and what motivated him I was 20 years old, I came to Teh ­ ran f___ The ‘Door of Love ’ opened on his past and what motivated mm ther on mule-back. There was a 10th December in the ^erican to gift lhe large sum to the l^r^ city of New Rochelle. Before a I distinguished gathering of com- i munity members, diplomats, judges, 1 _ local and state officials, politicians Khorasan about 300 years ^ago . and others, the Arbab Rustam Guiv Darbe Mehr Zoroastrian Fire Mehr (Door of Love). ‘I was bom rode day and night for 14 days tc in the city of Yazd, in 1888. My reach Tehran. I forefathers migrated to Yazd from those hard days. Kiiviaoau about 3CC ycu" cgo as ‘As Dr Sarfeh just told^ you, J refugees, as they were forced to do worked hard day and night fo: SO9 Oil ttV'WWXXXV vzx. J---- - . also took active part m politics ai I can never forge account of growing religious years, developmg our busmess ant Temple was officially inaugurated, oppressions. Now there are no — - - - - - ¦ • • Zoroastrian families living m Khorasan, as it has become a Mus ­ lim religious center. ‘For centuries, we Zoroastrians suffered. Parsis in Bombay had a representative in the British Parlia ­ ment and through his efforts and influence, one 1—------------ Bombay, Mr Manekji Hataria was sent to the court of King Nasserud- - i . din Shah through British diplomatic the Senate by His “ni^rial Majest sources. This was about 100 years ago when the religious oppression VtCXU ---------------------------------------- to pay a religious tax called Jazia and the Zoroastrians who could not pay this tax had to become well as social activities. Fron vice-president of die Zoroastriai Anjuman I became the presiden and was elected many times fro® 1936 onwards. ‘I was a member of Parliamer _____ ___ in Iran and was elected five time ’zoroastrian from for (the) Majlb when I was tim< barred according to Iranian lav I was nominated as a senator, t in Describing it as a day of ‘great joy ’, the Iranian millionaire-philan ­ thropist, Rustam Guiv, who donat ­ ed the munificent sum of $1,80,000 (around Rs 16 lakhs), for the center, thanked the office-bearers and members of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York ‘for giving me this opportunity to be helpful in donating the Zoroas ­ trian Temple in New Rochelle. .. my special thanks to Dr and Mrs Rustam Sarfeh as he is the , person who has not only originated the idea to establish this temple. .. \but has (put in) tremendous work no make this project a success. uui yaj —- — —... _ . , . ‘Please be united with each Muslims. When King Nasseruddm plan my activiti es to other, worship here, conduct relig- Sumi wao ---------* ious ceremonies, discussions. Hataria to pardon Zoroastrians but also others from different cash seminars. . .May Humata, Hukta, living in Iran, of this tax, he agreed and creeds. _ . ‘Volumes can be written to de ­ Iranian Shahenshah Arya Mehr. a V wiivii tiiv xv.xfeAvzv.., __ ___ ‘About n years ago, I felt tl was wtreme.* We Zoroastnans had need to establish the Rustam Gui ¦[ Foundation and I did so. I mao special visits to India and mar foreign countries to observe an Shah was requested by Mr Manekji only my Zoroastrian communii Hataria to pardon Zoroastrians Guiv has also offered a donatio of $600,000 (around 54 lai scribe the troubles, difficulties, and rupees) for a Zoroastrian Center : Toronto, Canada. The money to be donated from a fund in tl name of Guiv’s deceased nephew Mehrban, and will go towart the purchase of around 10,0( square metres of land and tl and building and interiors of the cente Challenging Goals Huvarasta (good thoughts, good to do so, and we could survive. _ words and good deeds) guide all ’ *" (and) bring happiness and laughter. ’ ____ Heading the list of diplomats oppression -each individual man, present from India, Iran and Paki- woman and child of Zoroastrian Stan, was the Indian ambassador faith had gone through for centu- to the U.S., Nani Palkhivala. ‘If ries in Iran to survive and to pro ­ to give is more blessed than to tect our religion. We kept immense receive, then Arbab must be the faith in our Ahura Mazda, and chanted the Avesta, our holy pra ­ yers. .. . ‘When Iran became a constitu- Over 260 delegates representing . tional monarchy, our conditions im- woman and child of Zoroastrian ‘If to give is more blessed than to happiest man alive, ’ said the secretly worshipped Him, ambassador. Referring to Guiv as ............... ‘ ‘a true Zoroastrian in the true sense of the word, ’ Palkhivala noted, Arbab ‘could not have made a ____________ better choice for the exercise of his proved. And after Rezashah Pah- Zoroastrian communities in Nor _ _____ _____________________ America participated in the Secoi deep philanthr opic interest in this lavi established the Pahlavi dynasty. North American Zoroastrian Syi part of the world. ’ we Zoroastrians benefitted. Reza- posium on ‘Survival and Perpetu -................. • • ----- i-xr.., ----------------- tjQji Qf Zoroastrianism ’, held Chicago last summer (see ‘Zoroa Eruch Mun^hi. president of the shah was a very thoughtful person, ZAGNY not^, *our community has with a dynamic personality, and so1 j ) 1 J 4 t i Zoroastrian association in North at the toj> ’. “ Surion"^ toW ’worldwide acadnmio re- consunaiion auu ____ , the crass- dasturs, mobeds and schol^^wto between'^the^isol^d cognition and strengthen the grass- and local roots of the community. Frye visualized this approach as the fastest way to build an in ­ frastructure of Zoroastrianism in the New World —academics, religious leaders, development of religious materials and interaction with a growing Zoroastrian community. The cost of such an endowed virai. —¦ million dollars (Rs 90,00,000) if associated with a lion —would necessitate trians Abroad, ’ Parsiana Oct-Nov. ’77 issue). According to a report tided, ‘Synopsis and Highli^ts ’, with powers overriding those of « * if IC fr> l^^'a purely advisor ^^dy seekmg mim ber of issues of im- ‘[Q luw A.—- ------------ Dr Jehan Bagli, past chair —one ’77 issue). According to a report prepared by the meeting s chair- ti^ of the symposium the following; —To knit the separate ‘island communities of Zoroastrians in North America into a cooperative entity that can strengthen their collective future, while maintainmg the autonomy of each local associ ­ ation. _ ^To review religious codes, where mutations from the Indian model may be a prerequisite to survival in a North American milieu. —To study the inspiring religion America. The purpose is to increase communication, < cooperation 1--------- Zoroastrian communities be construed as a federal structure with powers overriding those of local associations. Rather, it is to be a purely advisory body seekmg to establish a North American con ­ sensus on a number of issues of im ­ portance to the Zoroastrian community. ---- . _ - president of the Zoroastrian Asso ­ ciation of Quebec, was chosen to coordinate tW, cBcnt Mmoo —;--~ifted ”ction by the en- IS^rnT —~ ?S?-had Sre iJorth American Zoroastnan ’ community. come. of ^Zoroastrianism, with the help . chair for Zoroas- Steps for increasing numbers of leading world authorities m ^ndov^ns a_ Cha ^f Jamshed Mavalwala, pro- order to instil pride in our faith p _ professor of fessor of anthropology at the and strengthen our vitality and Dr J. ’ l University of Toronto and presi- ^wer to turvive. I™ Civilizations an^^ Uan^ Zoroastrian Society of ‘Judged in terms of progress guages at the ’ sym- Ontario called for a collective against these challenging goals, keynote JP^aker national effort, both in the U.S. and noted Bhote, ‘the symposium was posium, Zoroas- Canada, to influence immigration an outstanding success.' Among o{ “endowed chan on Zoro^ Zotoastrims. O’ on Aduiaoty “WeS comprise flow.have^five chans on^Amenm contribution university of international reputa- tinn —would necessitate a top come. ’ Formation Council. The council representatives an would from Iranian Civilizations and Lan ­ guages, Harvard University, and keynote speaker at the sym ­ posium, urged the establishment of an endowed chair on Zoroas ­ trianism at a majm American university. This was one of the ways in which the Armenians saved their religion and their identity 25 years ago. They VWXX.K-— flow have five chairs on Armenian each local studies. The object was I., ----- a Match your AMBITION to a CAREER To do so we offer you: • Diploma Course in Business Management • Banking: &A.1.I.B, Course (Postal & Oral) • Commerce ;G.C.D. Course • Executive Secretarial Course • Private Secretarial Course • Telephone Operating • Telephone Operating-cum Receptionist Techniques Private Secretarial Course • Telephone Operating • Shorthand & Typewriting • Punch Operating Enquire at: sir J. J. CoMege of Commerce 14,Nanabhoy Lane, Flora Fountain, BOMBAY 400 001. Tel^251185 ~__ - ___ > growing up in a Zoroastrian milieu, a desire to search for their pre-Is- He suggested parents educate them- lamic Zoroastrian roots. Dr Par- selves about- their religion and then thava Behesht Nejad, professor of teach their children themselves^ Oregon, outlined the growth of the worth of the religion, hold regular instruction materials and host regional summer camps for more concentrated contacts with other Zoroastrian youth. no the socio-economic well-being ot Iran. Tlmusands Irmii^ ha^ a cnimtry, as they did in India, l-- -- —. Mavalw flla urged active involve- lamic Zoroastrian roots. Dr Par- ment in civic affairs, so that tuava -- --y— —- _ Zoroastrians could be judged py'’''’*'’®' .,?'..*?. their contributions to North f American society. —.< . . .u o u Bagli urged the accepUnce of adherents coming mto the told, offsprings of a ^^roastrian and a AAo.,oi,r,oio , non-Zoroastrian, irrespective of the sex of the Zoroastrian spouse. - -------- , . - ,, , . Such offsprings should also include ting crowds . They wiled for stai^ adopted cnildren. *------ -------------- Bagli made an eloquent plea for to accept expansion conversion into the faith, quoting ‘ from Zarathushtra himself. Gatha Ushtavaiti—Yasna . Zarathushtra declares that those Washington, D.C., who refrain from accepting indi ­ viduals into the faith will themsel- ----- . ves have failed to walk the path it alone, could result in fragmen- of Asha and to follow the religion tation —the same fate that has of Mazda. Conversion started with befallen Christwity._ Zarathushtra and was practiced ” without inhibition by early Zoroas ­ trians. In India, proselytism was stopped because of social and economic circumstances. But condi ­ tions on this continent require reappraisal if the Zoroastrian com­ munity is not to vanish into history books. Mavalwala stressed that conver ­ sions were already taking place in to In 46. Mazdayasnan movement with new religious classes, distribute religious However, both Mavalwala and Bagli struck a note of caution in opening ‘the floodgates to the drif- darfs that could be ‘flexible enough CODE CHANGES • I and fine Among the ‘possible code chan- enou^ to reject undesirable influ- ges ’ mooted at the meet were those ences. ’ Sam Bhathena, president touching upon: of the Zoroastrian Association of ;' __ ~ ~, asserted the The Priests need for Zoroastrians to be in step Dr Rostam Sarfeh, founder, with their brethren in India. Going publisher, and editor of Hukt magazine noted the alarming at ­ trition worldwide in the ranks of full-time mobeds. He urged the Zoroastrian community to rai^ siTfl&cient funds to assure their Frye summarized the whole sub ­ ject of conversion with his famous <¦ than be assunilated. Sarfeh, epigram : ‘It is better to assimilate financial security. Sarfeh also re- commended that the ranks of mobeds be opened to lay Zoroas ­ trians willing to acquire knowledge K»r juuvji v-auia, vice-president and training to qualify as mobeds. of the Zoroastrian Association of Sarfeh ’s suggestions were echoed by Educating Children Dr Loyji Cama. Greater ^ew York, stressed that Bagli, who^urged the abolition of the focus should be on the children, who did not have the advantage of the term ‘behdin’. Knowledge of the religion, rather than heredity. WITH BEST COMPLIMENTS FROM MAZDA MANUFACTURING COMPANY No. 6 Datta Mandir Road, Bhandup, Bombay-400 *078. Makers of Hospital, PharmaceutiGal and Heavy Duty Industrial Kitchen and Canteen Equipment.¦wwaawiRt'' slpuld be the criterion for the 'mobed Qt tomorrow. Prayers in English Ba^i recommended the incorpo ­ ration of selected interpretations of our prayers in English to supple ­ ment the Avestan lyrics, crucial ’, he said, ‘to bring within the realm of ceremonial obser ­ vances, a language understandable both by the performer as well as by the observer. ’ J^mshedi Navroze Bagli urged the restoration of Jamshedi Navroze on 21st March not only as a festival day but as the true start of the Zoroastrian calendar year. 21st March is not only the day of the equinox; it also coincides with Roj Hormuzd and month Fraver din. The synopsis of the gathering will be distributed to Zoroastrian associations all over the world free of cost, notes Bhote. ‘The sym- posium has generated many valu ­ able ideas that deserve extensive study, debate and practical action in every Zoroastrian community in the world, ’ writes Bhote. ‘In our quest for vitality and perpetuation of our religion, may this sympo- sium prove to be a historic mile ­ stone. ’ CANADA ‘it is The New Capital Jamshed PavriTis’ono of the few chroniclers of Parsi history in the New World. Through his periodic newsletters, he has kept the overseas community informed of their historical heritage both in India and abroad. Below we carry an abridged report of his article on the Parsis in Canada. GAZDAR ashirwad ceremony performed, but it takes a civil procedure to make it legal; in the event of death, though the geh sarna nearly al ­ ways takes place, the country ’s re ­ gulations specify that only mem ­ bers of the gravediggers ’ union can bury the dead. The Canada community, how ­ ever, is still a hascent ope, esta- . blished almost solely within the last decade or so. The first Zoroas ­ trian body to be formed, the Zoroastrian fraternity, was brought into being as recently as 1966, by a small group of 17 “pioiieer ” Parsis. The four executive mem ­ bers were Dara Dastur, Boman- shah Ghadiali, Minocher Treasury- wala and Najamai Shroff. The Fraternity published a small write ­ up in The Jam-e-Jamshed, to pro ­ vide information and assistance to prospective Parsi settlers seeking richer pastures abroad. To their surprise, they were inundated by several hundred replies requesting further information. Owing partly to the help of Such well-wishers as Dr Jehanbux Bagli, Hormusji Daruwalla and Dhunji- shah Surti, a large number were able to emigrate, the majority set- At the time of the gold rush of 1866, when people from all over the world came to seek their for ­ tune, there arrived at Barkerville, British Columbia, a lone adven ­ turous Parsi. His name is un- limown but most likely he was Majieckji Faramji Javeri, whom the Parsi Prakash recorded as a gold prospector in California around the same time. He was PRIVATE LIMITED probably the first Zoroastrian to enter Canada. Today, a century and ten years since that first foray into the vast northern hinterlands of the Ameri ­ can continent, there are nearly 1,800 Parsis in Canada. These modem . - - adventurers also came in search of tling in Toronto and Montreal. E • . ” J ” " - - - had even induced the Canadian government to send an interviewer to Bombay to screen prospective immig rants. Twelve hundr^ peo- JEWELS AND ANTIQUES Earlier, a Jehangirji R. Paymaster fortune, but of a different kind — higher living standards, better job prospects, professionjd training. Most are young permanent settlers with a wide variety of vocational _ , We are buvers of vour qualifications, holding remunera- ple had responded to Paymasters old emerald, diamond, jwarl tive jobs Already, inclosing few onzl numbcts of Parsis are buymg Jamshed, ana a lew nunarea aciu and ruby jewelry for wMch property, a sign that ally made the journey. But due we pay the highest prevailing - - - - - — —’— market prices. TAJ MAHAL HOTEL BOMBAY Please consult us before selling your old Jewellery. -Phone: 255577 ' ,. But due they are well ahead' financially; a to some misunderstanding," Pay- few of the more adventurous have master (who later changed his sur ­ name to Medora) eventumly earned more criticism than praise- for his trouble. Parsis might have gainfed a foot ­ hold in the country earlier, had they are well ahead financially; a prospered ih the real estate markets. Many find their faith sorely chal ­ lenged by the different social norms and values of their new ----- — . . , , davironment. At marriages there the efforts of Sir Pherozshah_Cur- are those who still have the setji Sethna seen light. One of theapply for landed immigrant status, migration of the community to la^Stt-^minent Parsis to visit" the apply for landed immigrant status, migration of the community to I i^RQitiy, he had worked for over All hold positions of esteem and Canada, when a far-sighted Iranian j 9 years with the Sun Life Assur- are now Canadian citizens except Zoroastrian offered $50,000 to- i nee Company of Canada until he for Ghadiali who emigrated to wards the building of a fire-temple retired as the General Manager of California. fee Company in India. — - - — - are now Canadian citizens except Zoroastrian offered $50,000 to- for Parsi Canadians, the immi- fhe Company in India. He had The Second World War saw Lt. grants were not prepared to accept discussed the emigration of Parsis J. A. Moos of the Royal Canadian his benevolence. with the Canadian Government, Navy stationed at Esquimalt, and but the Second World War inter- ~ - Vened; by the time it was over, India had gained her independ- three sons in Vancouver as landed . Though they had . come with a view to permanent Toronto to discuss the future of the community in its new home was an indication that the com­ munity members were possibly The Second World War saw Lt. in 1941 Rustamji D. Bana left Kobe, Japan, and arrived with his It takes time before a newly- arrived community can settle down, adjust itself to its alien habitat and re-establish its ethnic identity. A symposium held in 1975 in ence and immigration had become immigrants, difficult. At one time, Sir Homi i ‘ ‘ Mehta ’s son, Jalbhai, had bought settlement, the eldest son seeing 200 acres of land in Canada possi- active service in the Royal Cana- bly with the idea of starting a dian Air Force, Rustomji eventu- business but returned to Bombay ally emigrated to the U.S.A., be- entering the second phase of and sold the property off before came an architect and is now re- settlement —^thinking of the future anything came of it. tired in San Francisco. of their children and re-examin- Academic prospects and the war brought a steady trickle of Parsis always, upon establishing a settle- heritage. Zoroastrian Associations to Canada. Shiavak Nowroji ment, made arrangements for the * Katrak, son of Nowroji Dadabhai disposal of their dead, the present Katrak, Chief Executive Engineer community in Canada seems less of the Bombay Improvement Trust, concerned with this matter. When through took degrees in dentistry from Toronto University in 1922 and leave from work to locate a suit- returned to Bombay. Dara Dastur, ' ’ ' ~ Keikhushroo Barucha, Bomanshah Ghadiali and possibly Dorabji went unheeded even though he less disciplined atmosphereywhich Wadia too, came to the same Uni- managed to find one. As it stands, characterizes modern life, con- versity prior to the establishment Vancouver and Montreal are the certed effort is made to see that A of the immigration quotas in 1953 only cities offering such facilities, important ceremonies are not com- ' and were among the first Parsis to In the mid-60 ’s at the time of peak- pletely forgotten. In Vancouver. tired in San Francisco. While past Parsi emigrants had ing their cultural and religious have sprung up in British Colum ­ bia, Ontario and Quebec. They communicate with their members newsletters containing Dhunjishah Surti took special current hews, items of Parsi his ­ tory and commentaries on the able spot for a Zoroastrian burial religion. Though religious senti ­ ground, his considerable efforts ments are difficult to kindle in the less oiscipiinea atmospnereyi characterizes modern life, f(*‘ ............... ................... ............. ...... COURSES FOR YOU * Business Accounts * Personal Secretaries * Business Correspondence * Personal Assistants * Special Ladies Coarse * Borne Management * Special English Course * Personality Development * * * Computer Programming Diploma in Commerce (I.M.C.) Government Commercial Diploma * Rapid. Reading * Business Management * Punch Operating * Shorthand & Typewriting * Taxation * C.A.I.I.B. * Conversational Arabic & French Call or write immediately ; DAVAR’S COLLEGE OF COMMERCE Sl.l^ahatma Gandhi Road, Fort, Bombay 400 023. Tel: 251634 ESTO. >900 25i s 1 3 f I A -I > a nnccpri Boman-Behram; Perhaps, I can- service; there are about 30-39 are passeo. not say what will happen with departments and sections of the . . maturity. Other anjumans in panchayat; every trustee manages Parsiana: But why have these India still look to the Bombay about four or five of them. To be samast anjuman meetings not been Panchayat for advice and assist- a trustee is an honour- but the nri- held since 1933? ance. .... Boman-Behram: There was _ occasion for it. In 1933, these con ­ troversies were very acute. After ____ ‘33 or ‘34, and particularly after Bombay Panchayat? independence, these controversies practically died down but have shoot been revived recently. Parsiana: anjuman comprise of? Boman-Behram: The general body of the community. Anyone can be present there. They can express young? their opinion and then resolutions What does the samast no mary objective is service. Parsiana: But there is no legal Parsiana: Should more power be unction to the leadership of the delegated to the administrative . wing of the panchayat so that a Boman-Behram: Yes, it is an Jia mkaA X * J .J _ _ _ *_ _? t of historical tradition, panchayat office every <4 I f SRfiii Grinding the masala 1 I Si L^’^1-1 jobs in agiaries or mills. Pavri B thinks that Parsis seem to find this kind of work very degrading while I Wadia points out that though some F of the poor Parsis who come to >X' baugs to beg would be only too willing to work, they cannot man ­ age it. Not only is the work hard, it is also badly paid. The head cook and the managers receive the ability of raw materials, transport highest wages, at Rs 50 a day, v— — r------------ while the servers are the lowest paid up with oil lamps. The poor and with Rs 3.50 a day, a fact which the middle-class, who lived mainly > in mohallas (quarters), normally built a mandap (pavillion) on the ________ ____ ____ _ _ open space outside and held the They reportedly gamble, drink, celebration there. ‘Big gatherings were rare in those days, ’ Bhoot says; ‘perhaps the average number was 100-150. Only the very rich called over 500 people and a thou ­ sand was considered a very great and labour. Strikes may disrupt supplies or out-of-stock ingredients may go underground. The shortage caterers try to explain away of banana leaves in winter sends by pointing out that they receive the price shooting up to Rs 25 dps and are given sets of clothes, for 100, and after every occasion, at least two dozen passes are ) and pilfer, and caterers have re ­ broken and over a dozen pieces of portedly decided to enlist security cutlery are found missing. Labour “ shortage can be so acute that ‘the first thing we have to do when we go to the baug in the morning is 4 Polishing the silver own bungalows, with the place lit officers to maintain order. Another detriment is the govern ­ ment-imposed restrictions, first ---------------- j „---- introduced during the second world thing. ’ It was only with the growth 41of the city and small apartments, that baugs came into being and the middle-ciass. following the exam ­ ple of the rich, began calling in the caterer. The weddings of yester ­ year were altogether a different kettle of fish. The guests rolled up in horse-drawn victorias and a deputy of the host stood at the door to pay the fare. Aerated drinks were rare, a tamri (pot) of water and a katli (small pitcher) made the rounds of the gathering several times before the bar was declared open with ‘Bar par chalo ji (Come to the bar). ’ Alcohol was served again with the main meal, and even the bhonas sent home were accompanied by a bottle of Scotch. Initially, the menu had been extremely simple, only fish and eggs with rice and dar. But in the drawn cart) which had to pay a khatara tax of a rupee to enter the baug. The caterer also had to pay a khuta pass to set up the stage. The khuta was the central pole of the stage. The charge was not usually per patra but according to the charge and expenses incurred. When Nusserwanji Pavri catered, the bills usually came to at least Rs 7 to 8 per person. The normal three-course meal __ ___ __ ___ ____ now costs from Rs 22 to Rs 35, if will invade this business “tro, ’ a speciality, like stuffed chicken, is " * ' ordered. However, the profit can Testing for taste costs, Wadia feels. Patel pleads that the Parsis should seriously consider curtailing the number of dishes because, as it is, there is a lot of wastage. But Godiwala feels that as long as the present set-up continues, people will feel com ­ pelled to have three courses to save face. But the caterers are agreed that as time goes by, business will get more difficult. ‘I feel that with ­ in the next few years non-Parsis - - says Patel, who cites a couple of con- .u Crete instances where the food was be as low as 25 or 50p per patru provided at the baug by two well- the number of patras ordered; which is why caterers are reluctant to accept orders for small functions. ‘If I have a big function to cater for, then I take orders for small parties, ’ says Godiwala. ‘Cooking for small numbers is very expen ­ sive, ’ says Patel, ‘as we have to hire a baug in which to do the cooking. ’ Pavri says that he would normally insist on a minimum of 200 people to take on the catering. Of course, most caterers also pro ­ vide the food for the pre-marriage ceremonies, where the numbers in ­ volved are much smaller. The caterers have an association, but there seem to have been no constructive steps taken to regulate competition or to fix tariffs. The activities of the association seem to be almost exclusively social, y ®very year and a trip plains. But it is a hard life: long to Udvada, though they hold meet- ’ ' - ¦ ings to discuss their problems. With time, the menu will become more restricted, because of rising (leaf) and is mainly dependent on known Muslim restaurants. ‘Of course these people are not allow ­ ed to use the kitchens of the baug, but then most of them have their own commercial kitchens. ’ But, perhaps, this could also lead to a movement in the reverse direction; Parsi caterers taking up the cater ­ ing for non-Parsi functions. A start was made years ago, with Bhoot, who claimed to have catered, among other things, for cricket matches and the All-India Congress session, in 1907 at Surat. Though caterers have done this on.occas- sion, most of them agree that such assignments are very rare. It is a business which does not require much initial capital invest ­ ment. ‘It is easy to get things cheaply on hire till one has made enough to begin investing in the necessary equipment, ’ Pavri ex- ’2O’s and ’3O’s, the heyday of cater- p ing, the feasts became increasingly I more lavish, with two types of ’r fish : fried and saas, the famous i, lagan nu stew, eggs, custard or al- 1 mond pudding, rice and dar, plus || kid and chicken, rounded oft with kulfi—and all this for Rs 2.50. Reminiscing about the good old days, Bhoot said, ‘Things were so cheap then. A 100 eggs cost Rs 2, chicken was Rs 6 a dozen and a kudi of fish (22) cost only Rs i: Whenever a caterer went to a cli ­ ent ’s house, there was sagan (ceie- monial greeting) and he was al ­ ways given some pehramni (gift of money). In those days, the caterer looked to everything, says Wadia, from supplying the food and chairs to setting up the stage. All the equipment was brought to the baug in a khatara (a bullock- TiflSn for two Sa *? hours of work personally supervis ­ ing at the baug from early morning till late at night, often, for several consecutive days. ‘There is never a loss, ’ says Godiwala ‘though sometimes, we may have to write off an entire occasion. ’ Marriages outside the commu nity pose another problem. Several peo ­ ple who marry out, often have receptions where they serve Parsi- style food. But the baugs are sticky about the matter. They do not let the premises unless both parties are Parsis, and in some I cases like Albless Baug, the mar- 1 riage too has to be held there —one I cannot merely have a reception I there and tie the knot elsewhere. I However, only about five per cent I of the community ’s functions are I held in five-star hotels or elsewhere and most caterers did not seem to I think that the Crystal Room I syndrome made any appreciable I dent in the business. As Godiwala I put it, ‘Vadi ni maja te vadi maj chhe (You can ’t have the fun of a baug wedding/navjote elsewhere). ’ 4: ^-5Z-QUIZ4 !¦ r LEARN & EARN How much do you know about your social, cultural, religious and economic heritage? Most Parsis are brought up on myths which they continue to believe till the dokhma. To help readers gauge the extent of their knowledge and also to keep them informed and enriched, Parsiana continues the Z-Quiz on behalf of the sponsor of The Lost Generation Essay Competition. The entry with the highest number of correct answers will receive Rs 75, the next, Rs 50 and the third, Rs 25. In case of a tie, the amount will be split among the winners. Parsiana, Send your replies to The Editor, Z-Quiz, c/o Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001 by 1 Sth February. Answers will be publi ­ shed in the next isue. J 1. How many kinds of fire are used to consecrate an Atash Bahram fire? 2. Who was the first Indian to be knighted? 3. What is the Denkart? 4. Who is the Chief of Staff of the Indian Navy? 5. What are the names of the Amesha Spentas? 6. Who were the three Indian M.P.’s at Westminster? 7. What is the Dil no Kalmo? 8. What is the Nirang ceremony? 9. Who is the president of the Federation of Zoroastrian Anjumans of India? k-i. 10. Which dynasty did King Jam- shid belong to? Z-Quiz 2 {Parsiana, Aug.-Sep. (those who have donated Rs 500 6. What is the Vendidad? '77) failed to receive an entry with and more, university graduates and From the Avestan 'Vidaevadata' all correct answers. Ms Thrity any Parsi above the age of 21), and (the Law against the Daevas), the Keeka and Bahman S. Surti, who which along with the F register of Vendidad is a liturgy comprising both submitted nine correct solu- donors (those who have donated religious, sanitary and social codes, tioris, receive Rs 37.50 each ; Ms Rs 5,000 or more), which it should It is also the name of the nocturnal Katie F. Seervai and K. D. Charge- equal in number, comprises the ceremony of the ritual of its 22 man receive Rs 25 each and Ms electoral college which can elect fargerds (chapters). Yasmeen Nazir and A. K. Katha- a trustee of the Parsi Panchayat walla receive Rs 12.50 each, of Bombay. 7. Who won the 1975 Booker Runners-up will receive a copy prize for fiction? of Piloo Nanavutty's, Fravarane 3. Who has written the longest Ruth Prawar Jhabhwala; for her (I believe) gifted bythe Parsi Zoroa- piano piece ever? novel. Heat and Dust. strian Association of Calcutta. Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (born ft strian Association of Calcutta. Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (born Belovy are solutions to Z-Quiz 3 1892); who has, also given the only 8. How many strands of wool are {Parsiana, Oct.-Nov. '77).: public performance, lasting 2| .hrs there in a kusti? of his composition, Opus Clavicem- 72; which may represent the 72 balisticum —the longest non-rep- chapters of Yasna. 1. Which Zoroastrian priest was etitious piece for piano. summoned to the court of the Moghul summoned to the court of the Moghul 9. Which Parsi is ‘honoured ’ in emperor, Akbar? 4. How many parts are there to Madame Tussaud ’s Waxworks in Dasturji Meherji Rana; who was the Parsi marriage ceremony? London? made high priest of Navsari for Three. The initial ceremonies :‘tying ‘Buck Ruxton ’ (Dr Bukhtyar Rus- haying represented the Parsis at the the marriage knot ’, Hathevaro (hand tomji Ratanji Hakim); hanged on religious discourses held at Fatehpur fastening) and the couple throwing 12 May 1936 for the murder of Sikri from 1576 to 1579, in which rice at each other. The religious Isabella Ruxton (nee Kerr) and representatives of various religions part: conducted by two priests Maiy Rogerson, whose dismembered took part. solemnizing the bond. The con- bodies he disposed of in newspaper- eluding benediction* Ashirwad. wrapped parcels into a small tribu- 2. What is the £ register? tary of the River Annan. Popularly known as the So-nu- 5. Who is the Parsi mentioned in Mandal (guild of 100), the E register Melville ’s Moby Dick? '10.‘Who were the parents of the consists of representatives elected Fedellah (sic) ; who is described as hero Rustom in the Shah Nameh? by the other three registers of voters ‘a fire-worshipping Parsi ’. Rudabeh and Zal.The Theory, Function and Future of the Zoroastrian Priesthood by Cyrus R. Pangborn Professor Cyrus Pangborn is chairman, both, of the Department of Religion at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and of the De­ partment of Religion of its affiliate, Douglass Col lege. When he recently visited India, for re­ search on a book on Zoroastrianism in the world today, Pangborn delivered the lecture, 'The Theory, Function and Future of the Zoroas­ trian Priesthood', on the occasion of the 147th birth anniversary of the late K. R. Cama on 18th November, under the auspices of the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute. An abridged and edited version of the talk is reprinted below, while the full text will be published later in the Institute's journal. the religion after Zoroaster resulted in making the Zoroastrian priesthood hereditary from then on. The advantages of the hereditary principle are that it may constantly replenish the ranks of the priests and thus maintain a stable supply. Also, growing up in a priestly family may automatically educate young candidates in many of the requirements and taboos of the vocation; while exclusivism lends, as reward for undergoing arduous training, an aura of respect ­ ability, prestige and authority to the vocation. But, the hereditary principle has the disadvantage of being notoriously unable to guarantee the best available candidates. Automatic access to the profes ­ sion may make the vocation more attractive to the least able of priestly sons, and the laity would lose respect for, both, the vocation and its practitioners. It is institutions that give us the clearest visible clues to the nature of a religion. Fire and its veneration, fire-temples, and the priesthood are three of Zoroas ­ trianism ’s oldest institutions. It is to priesthood, and its future, that Zoroastrians today are giving a great deal of anxious thought, but with considerable ambiva ­ lence. They know, on the one hand, that no worthwhile structure, such as religion, can ultimately survive with ­ out professional leadership and, on the other hand, that their own priesthood is far too limited in its capacities to be really professional to give the leader ­ ship essential to survival. Both, the priesthood and the ritual use of fire, antedated Zoroaster in ancient Iran and the Gathas strongly suggest he was a priest by profession. Though he agreed that there should be prayers, praises and invocation spoken with right intent, he found sacrifices inordinate and wasteful and quarreled with much of the contemporary understanding of religion when he became a prophet. Unfortunately, when the Magi assumed leader ­ ship of Zoroastrianism, they emphasized precisely what Zoroaster had not — the accurate repetition of texts addressing God, and the archaic objective of drawing His-power down to earth. They gave much of the shape to the priestly vocation that is still as ­ sociated with the religion today. Training Training for a profession which demands learning by rote and much time and effort spent on memory The hereditary principle has the disadvantage of being notoriously unable to guarantee the best available candidate. The Hereditary Principle Occupations in virtually all early traditionalist societies were inherited. The Magi were a hereditary priestly class of the Medes, and their assuming leadership of work, normally begins early in life: the child is in« structed daily by his father or another priest or with other students by several priests at a madressa (semi ­ nary). Though the study of ‘sacred ’ languages is part of the training, the emphasis is on reciting after a priest exactly what he recites of a liturgy and then practising it and the actions that go with it till both are known letter-perfect. This does not stimulate curiosity, imaginative reflection nor critical judgement, besides which, the training is completed before the student is old enough to use his mind in such ways. This type of training has advantages if the concept of religion and priest is very traditional. Liturgy, in ancient times, was a formula for establishing connec ­ tion with deities who would be prompted, upon hear ­ ing it, to place their powers at the service of the reciter — something like having the right equipment for making a long-distance telephone call : if one! i The priest should teach the history, theology and ethics of the religion by public lecture and in group classes. He should be a counselor who, at least, explains the meaning and responsibilities associated with the navjote, marriage and death ceremonies; and, at best, inspires the confidence of the behdins as a wise and judicious listener and adviser when they need to discuss personal matters. i^ more^ advanced education for priests. But the Most of it should be given after a choice has been ________made to enter the profession. For, it is by choosing sity from priestly studio merely chose other vocations a vocation that is challenging, that strong motivation " ’ --2 ----- is generated and the study for it made fascinating. As in law or medicine, study for the priesthood should come after general studies in arts and sciences. This suggestion runs counter to the new mobadi- oriented plan, introduced this year at the M. F. Cama Athoman Institute, Bombay, which expects the student to have already made priesthood his choice of vocation when he is, probably, under ten. It then provides for his complete education in seven years, after which he is expected to commit himself full-time to the vocation for a minimum of 15 years. Third: an organization should be formed, consisting of priests and laity, to develop a curriculum for re- knows the formulas, the calls go through; if one does First: the priestly vocation should be rede fine d , not know them, the ‘line goes dead ’. - - .... In the modem urban communities where the majority of Zoroastrians reside, the priest trained thus is conspicuous for not possessing the educated intel ­ lect so characteristic of many of the laity. He may be respected in his role as priest but outside that role he is regarded as uneducated and socially stunted. Some years ago, the M. F. Cama Athoman Institute ., _____________________ of Bombay sought to remedy the problem by support- Second: the training should be restructured, ing more advanced education for priests. E_, JL- effort backfired. The students who went on to unjver- to which their higher education attracted them. Qualifying for Ordination The candidate must undergo twice in a row for Naver, and once more for Maratab, the Bareshnum rite of purification. A fit priest must be clean or pure in bddy, mind and spirit; a person careless of his body is likely to harbour cheap and disreputable thoughts and to be of mean and unaspiring spiritual temper. But, the need to avoid mistakes that would vitiate the rite and require starting all over again, makes one wonder if there is really place for reflection upon ideal states of character and mind. The Nature of the Vocation A priest ’s work consists, in quantitative terms, of being a member of a fire-temple staff and performing his share of rites. The symbolism of the rituals belonged originally IllOSt XorOaStflSinSy the SymbOlS to a culture that was rural, agrarian, pre-scientific and aua provincial. Though the culture changed for most remaineo me Same—eXCept fOr Zoroastrians, the symbols remained the same — except one thing; pCODJe nO longer kneW for one thing : people no longer knew their meaning. .. . •• r rv o Even the priests were slipping into ignorance of the thOir meaning, meaning of what they were doing; all they knew was that the rituals were supposed to possess great power. —i— Thus, the character-building worship of authentic ... , . , ..................... religion gradually reverted to what it had been before education and a programme for publication of Zoroaster ’s great revolution — a set of magic formulas " " ’ " for calling the deities ’ power down to earth to satisfy human wants. Though the culture changed for to a culture that was rural, agrarian, pre-scicntific and Though the culture changed for most material for all age groups. This organization could be used as a model for organizing, in every Zoroastrian community, a local ecclesiastical-policy commission which could study, discuss and recommend religious The Modern age and social policies to the already existing agencies As the laity in ever greater numbers abandoned the (such as the panchayat, anjuman and fire-temple simple, rural life and outlook, they aspired to higher trustees) for implementation. education which demanded, and at the same time Fourth : a new system of compensation for priests that stimulated, intelligence and imagination, creativity and would make their income commensurate with the in ­ disciplined thinking. The priests, however, continued ‘ to be trained almost exactly as before and to do what they had always done. Understandably, priesthood lost The system should involve regular, modest and volun ­ its meaning, its respectability and the appeal tary contributions from all ‘confessing ’ Zoroastrians ; attract new recruits. The situ- and rely, in part, on the present custom of paying for ation is a prime example of the proverbial specific ceremonies, and the monies thus collected vicious circle. If behdins (the laity) do not should be distributed to the community ’s fire-temples, respect the priests and their role enough to pay them If more full-time, well qualified priests can be brought well, the profession cannot attract the ablest can- into the profession, the part-time ones should gradually didates. The greater the proportion of the least able be discouraged. It would be unethical for them to practitioners in the ranks, the more the vocation will profit from fees that should be part of the full-time be a refuge for sons who cannot succeed in an ything priest ’s up-graded income. else. And, the greater the mediocrity, the less the - behdins are interested in rewarding it by paying well for what is of little value to them. come derived from engaging in other professions, should be formulated. necessary to is a ________ vicious circle." If behdiris (the laity) " do not / None of these proposals can be implemented easily; but the community is not without the leaders or the vision so urgently required. When Zoroastrians have faced actual life-or-death situations before, they The Future have chosen life. I believe that the available resources The future for the priesthood, therefore, looks bleak of courage and ability are adequate for helping the unless changes are made. communi ty to choose life again.REVIEW Procreate or Perish I by Katayun Gould I Surat Shehrni Parsi Vasti Vi- characteristics of these communi- sible, for immediate consideration gatvar Ankda, ana Samagra ties. Along with the figures on the and action, the proper use of stat- Parsi Samajni Vasti, Udtu Av- total population of the city, the istics would have helped him to lokan, 1975 (A Survey of the Surat survey also groups the find- show the actual dimensions of the Parsi Community of the City mgs according to the major areas problem more clearly. of Surat and an Overview of where Parsis are concentrated. This One of the social problems, to the Parsi Community in India), could help the different anjumans which the author rightly draws by Ratan R. Marshall. Surat in the city, by providing them with attention, is the disproportionate Parsi Panchayat, 1976. 90pp specific data on their own members number of males receiving educa- (Gujerati). to use in any plans involving their tion as compared to females, jurisdiction. Again, a detailed analysis of the The study reveals, that the Surat level of education of each sex Parsis are so heavily weighted in would have provided the answers, .... __ _________________ favour of the 51-and-over age rather than speculation on why which have been written by group,^ with proportionately fewer wastage of females is more prom- ’ inent than of males. Other problems discussed are the dis ­ proportionate numbers concentra- ! Publications on the fertility of the Parsis in India can be divided into two types: the articles and books 1. Ll-L L_., ¦___ ___ . scholars, whose interest in the dependants under age 15, that the Parsis is more academic than per- community is bound to lose popu- sonal; and the works of Parsi lation in the next few decades. Un- _______ _______ ________ authors intending to arouse the fortunately, more precise data on ted in service occupations rather consciousness of the community age-sex composition is not avail- than the professions, the decline in regarding its dwindling numbers, able, hi order to make any autho- socio-economic conditions, and the These two categories are not ritative statements, while even the dependance of the community on mutually exclusive, but the schol- population percentage in these Parsi charities, ars are more intrigued by the fact broad age groups is not calculated, that the Parsis present such a Any judgement about the number ____________ ____ remarkable exception to the gallop- of single people —a serious problem of India, which help to see how the ing population of India, while the among the Parsis —is difficult to Surat Parsis compare. Historical Parsi authors, on the other hand, make, since only raw data is pre- data is also used to examine the do not view this phenomenon as sented rather than the percentage changes which have adversely an accomplishment. They are, of this group in the total popula- affected the community. Two understandably, concerned about tion. Also, no data on the num- the survival of the community if ber of single females over age 45, this trend of declining niun^rs, which started two decades ago, is to continue unchecked. Marshall ’s book is a good ex- 1 _¦ *..................... authors to stimulate discussion and the point of view of choosing a sin- consciousness of the communi ty age-sex composition is not avail ­ able in order to make any autho- ......... .................vuuumuuo, auu ritative statements, while even the dependance of the community Marshall also summarizes studies on the community in other parts affected the community. chapters, a summary of studies of the influence of westernization on a inore reliable flgure in terms of Parsi fertility behavior, and the fertility rather than the number of incidence of marriages with close single women over age 25, the age collaterals and non-Parsis, are chosen in the report, is available, interesting. As these studies have ample of the kind written'by Parsi This is the wrong age, even from been published only in English, authors to stimulate discussion and the point of view of choosing a sin- Marshal ’s considerable work in action by the community regard- gle cut-off point, to report the compiling and summarizing them ing its declining numbers. This is i------------- --------------- . ” . .. ..... the third survey of a Parsi com- i munity in Gujerat to be published females In 1971 was 26.6 years, as ] . _ ' * ...............................____________________________________ ._______ Iteing the surveys'of Navsari and technical details might not seem tant ideas are haphazardly distri- to gather basic census data, so that for* general circulation, but since example, thr ill-effects of consan- authoritative statements could be the author wants to use the data guineous marriages is followed by made about the composition and to make as strong a case, as pos- the possible relationship between never-married woman, since the will now make them available to mean age of marriage for Parsi the Parsi communi ty. i In the final chapter on recom- in the last three years, the others Marshall himself quotes. These mendations for action, some impor- Valsad, whose original intent was important, as the report was written buted amongst trivial points; for authoritative statements could be the author wants to use the data to make as strong a case, as pos-t I comparing it to similar demogra- Indian population. the need to keep ‘paying guests ’ comparing it to similar demogra- Indian population. The Parsi and the desire to limit the family, phic patterns which have emerged panchayats might have to get Although his data on education in all developed societies, but not together and spend the necessary shows that the wastage of females enough attention is paid by the resources to hire consultants to is greater than males (p. 23), he ‘Parsis ’ to the difficulties involved design and carry out the study, impressionistically makes the state- in reversing a demographic trend Isolated surveys like the ones of ment that women have made good once it has gone full cycle. Once Surat and other cities are useful progress in education, and males these diminishing trends are set, they and important in the context of their should determine not to fall behind usually appear to have become in this regard (p. 84). In fact, the irreversible, except for a short statement should have been rever- ‘ ' " * — — - sed, with the admonition to the community to examine the differ ­ ential treatment, educational track ­ ing and provision of opportunity for higher education for females. This chapter illustrates the need seek the help of demographers to for Parsi leadere to seek the help survey the community systemati- of specialists in demography _ in cally and find appropriate measures to deal with the problem. First, systematic data on the ‘Parsis ’ to the difficulties involved design and carry out the study, in reversing a demographic trend once it has gone full cycle. Once own communities, but these studies are not designed to gather the de ­ tailed information necessary to does not imply that the community arrive at some systematic conclu- should accept the reduction in its ’ present size as inevitable. The Parsis must realize the enormity of been till now, then, as Leela Visaria the task which confronts them, and has so well documented, their ‘eventual extinction ... appears a distant although a distinct possi ­ bility. ’ If the population continues order to arrive at some workable to deal with the problem. to decline at the annual rate of one solutions. If the two groups (of First, systematic data on the per cent observed during 1951-71, scholars-and/or of community lea- community in India must be it wquld reach one-half its present size around the year 2040, and one- fourth of its present size in the year 2110. A reversal of this trend is a long-range project with dub- It is doubtful that the Government ious results, but the Parsis have no of India would want to undertake choice. such a major project, since Parsis Ms Gould is associate professor, outside Bombay constitute such a School of Social Work, University miniscule proportion of the entire of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign period after World War II. This sions. If the Parsis continue to be apathetic in this area, as they have ders) exchanged ideas or worked gathered, as in the survey of collaboratively on this topic, it Greater Bombay which was under- would be evident that the trend in taken by the census of India Parsi population needs to be under- at the behest of Sapur Desai, stood, not in terms of the last two decades, but as the working out of a cycle which started in the last century. The Parsi experience needs to be put into perspective by ZAPPELpf^ MADE FROM REAL APPLES ’^1 FROM THE MAKERS OF MAMGOLA 'if. A QUALITY PRODUCT FROM DUKE & SONS PVT. LTD. ” CHEMBUR, BOMBAY 400088. < TELE.524143-524516 I Rft1.25p. > per . b bottle r- I 09 e 53REVIEW t IX The Three Facets of Ruby by Geeta Doctor I I 'Lagankhel' produced by Indian National Theatre and directed by Adi Marzban. sary in the same hotel room she rightly, interprets this friendly spent her honeymoon in. Burjor impulse on her part, as an invita- Patel is the jaded husband who is tion to the seduction which, pre- less than enthusiastic about his dictably ensues. Both, however. After act with sufficient poise and sophis- Ruby several attempts at seducing her tication to give the plot some ’ none too receptive husband, the credibility, and, fortunately, the situation falls apart when he admits lights are turned off just at the to what she has always playfully right (pant, pant,) moment. accused him of; being in love with his secretary. At this point, this hilariously funny comedy slams to a stop with the husband walking out, leaving the wife by herself in the hotel, on their anniversary. In the second skit, Tarak Mehta is a successful film director with an over developed libido. Considering the types of cliche these plays deal in. it is like saying that he is i The billing for Lagankhel could wife ’s anniversary ardour, well have read, ‘Starring: P Patel, Ruby Patel and Ruby Patel ’, since this triple set of playlets is obviously meant as a showcase for her talents. One has to admire the stamina of the actress. During the first part of the evening, she was supposedly on the stage continuously for al ­ most an hour; and though the other two skits were shorter with a break between them, the entire burden of keeping the pace going was, again, largely on her. When one realizes that most of the action in Adi Marzban ’s plays depends largely on what the actors saying, this is no small feat. Ruby Patel ’s jaws were wired to measuring device, they might have established an interesting record for perpetual motion. All three playlets are set in a room of a five-star hotel ¦ __ _____ ___ n.v mnu uu » Mr Marzban ’s pet scenarios which always ready to fill" Tn" the" weak reflect everything that is tawdry, Spvis in liic artificial and commercialized about Ruby Patel a hotel. In the first play. Ruby Patel, a doting, middle-aged wife, is bent on celebrating her wedding anniver- The third is the funniest se ­ quence, since it has Dinyar Contractor opposite Ruby — now. the distraught mother of a bride who has locked herself in the hotel bathroom. Most of the dialogue is aimed at the keyhole of the bath ­ room door, as the parents beg and cajole and finally threaten the daughter with the consequences of her behaviour, while all the time there are reminders from father-in- law that the guests are waiting. Dinyar portrays superbly an irate father getting more and more agitated and, in the process, becom ­ ing totally ineffectual in dealing with his daughter ’s silent tantrums until the bridegroom saves the day by walking in and asking his wife ­ to-be to ‘cool it! ’ X----------- That, perhaps, is the advice all with the director whom she knew who go to Marzban ’s plays, ex ­ in her college days. The director pecting more than mindless immediately, and as it happens, entertainment, should take to heart. are in. it is like saying that he is a If leopard with spots. Since he is a a film director, he is also a suave film director, he is also sex-maniac, dressed, therefore, in scarlet printed shirt and even guad- ier tie, while his hotel bedroom is strewn with girlie magazines and — one of lewd posters, which the hotel boys, ^ots in the action, gawk at. Enter ” '. " \ a sexy housewife who has^ come to renew her acquaintance in her college days. The director pecting 1 js ? s ! «- I* 11 '“w ilBa 1IHIH [ 1M '*1 : 1 I ! Contractor, Patel, Patel and Patel: all in the family. I