Dec 1980

t 1 $ / W-^ ~ I I r nv ^r4flp>| 5^^ hes/ * I • I J*' itV'c' I » » I I • u IMpr tEDi December 1980 Price Rs. 5December 1980 Volume 3 No. 6 ( READERS’ FORUM EVENTS AND PERSONALITIES MATCHBOX MIDAS Amavaz Mama NEWS FROM THE MEDIA BPP ELECnONS: THE WINDS OF CHANGE THE TOWERS OF BABEL? THE WELL TO LIVE Shapur Desai DASTUR DHALLA — X A PAHLAVI COMMENTARY ON THE ASEM VOHU Maneck F. Kanga IN MEMORIAM Cover: Dadabhoy Naoroji. Courtesy Rustom Sagar ’s collection of matchbox labels 3 6 12 15 20 25 26 32 40 42 EDITOR Jehangir R. Patel EXECUTIVE EDITOR R. P. ITiaiiavala ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amavaz Patel DESIGN CONSULTANT Mini Boatwala DESIGN Ketayun Chothia. Rohinton BUlimoria ADVERTISING Veera Parbhu, Khuslhroo Amroliwala MANAGEMENT Zarin BilUmorla CIRCULATION M. R. Ambujakshan Nair Parsiana is published by Jehangir R. Patel at C/o H. L. Rochat, Nav- sari Chambers ground floor, 39 A. Nayak Marg, Port, Bombay-400001 and printed by him at the Bom­ bay Chronicle Press, Sayed Abdulla Brelvi Rd., Bomlbay 400001. All rights reserved. Address all edito­ rial and business correspondence to Parsiana GP.O. Box 892, Bom­ bay 400 001. Phone: 268730. Annual inland subscription: Rs 30 for one year (12 issues); Rs 55 for two years (24 Issues); Foreign subscription rates. Seamail Rs 50 one year, Rs 90 two years; Airmail Rs 100 one year, Rs 180 two years. For U.S. personal cheques add $ 2 to cover bank charges. For Indian upcountry cheques add Rs 3 for bank charges. Cheques and drafts are to be drawn in favour of Parsiana. Single copy price Rs 5 and Re 1. All rates sub­ ject to change in postal rates.4READERS’ FORUM u *¦ I ¦#< * »»»» »<* Let Parsis understand that if others want to convert, we should welcome them in order to enlarge the Pars! at this critical juncture in our long history. May 1 say that I, and most Zoroastrians, share that frustration. In his letter of May 20, 1980 to community. Jamshed Pavri, Shahpur Captain wrote, “One has to start somewhere, ‘Rejection Syndrome ’ with some constitution, drawn up by ' some people. ” 1 agree if “somewhere ” related to some authorized representa ­ tives installed by a Zoroastrian world body of standing, e.g. the World Zoro ­ astrian Congress ... if “some constitu ­ tion ” was similarly an authorized draft looking teenagers played Gin Rummy outside with cigarettes hanging out of the corners of their mouths, Hstening to the latest unmemorable disco al ­ bum on the local radio station. I think many children of Parsi couples have a strong rejection syndrome when they are teenagers or even younger against all forms of identification''as Parsis. What a loss — to them. FAROKH CONTRACTOR Neu) Jersey U.S.A. The Strange Case of Geo^e Edalji ‘The Case of the Short-sighted Parsi ’ in the Parsiana issue of March-April 1980 was interesting and more so as it revealed the name of the father of this unfortunate man who suffered on account of the miscarriage of jus ­ tice, until Sir Arthur Conan Doyle appeared on the scene. The account of the case as stated in the book Famous Crimes Myste­ ries and Romances — The Great Stories of Real Life, edited by Max Pamberton, concurs with the account stated in The Times of India. How ­ ever, the following facts do not appear in the newspaper ’s report; — 1. Ge­ orge Edalji was the son of the Vicar O'f the Parish of Wyrley in Stafford ­ shire. 2. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle des ­ cribes George ’s father as the coloured clergyman, but does not men­ tion liis name. 3. George ’s mother has ________ been described as ‘brave, blue-eyed by Jehangiir pT ^ttha (Paraana July and grey-haired ’, but she is not des- ----- _______________________________ cribed as a coloured woman. 4. George 7__ 7 ______ J has a younger sister. 5. George was community ^and 27 years old when the incident took place in 1903. 6. £ 300.00 raised by The Daily Telegraph as donation for ¦ _ an old correspondence exchanged between if a Parsi female marries a non-Farsi aunt who had advanced the funds for Shahpur Captain, vice-president of then her children can take on at the Doongarwadi (e.g. as watchmen right for him. I have not done any- and malis). These are the people who faces of the dead bodies should be Kept uncovered to let them have a last Church. In 1839 Dr. John Wilson converted two young Parsis of his school. One of them was Dhunjibhoy incident, because I was the one who Navroji who also joined the Church. 1— -------- — -- - ----- , -- -- Is it possible that Shapurji Edalji was was my father and I did what was the second convert of Dr. John Wilson. ' ’ ’ ’ " ‘ . Can readers throw more light on thing against the religion. If at all are nearest to the Dhakmas, because the subject? anyone thinks that the above incident they work in the gardens right up to ---- — _ ---------- wrong, then he or she should the top and also provide security at come forward and give, concrete proof night. There are many other such of facts to the contrary, and answer examples which can be put forward, the queries running in my mind, I do not wish to create any ill- which are: — Why are Parsi dead feelings amongst my fellow Zoroas- bodies carried into the Dhakhmas by trians. I am myself, a firm believer in my religion. I am strictly against I or any other method of disposing the dead bodies other than what my religion permits i.e. Dokh- VIRASP P. MEHTA Karachi Darvish : The Last Farewell Recently, my father Darvish Rashid Irani (Arestani), who had served the ................. Parsi Community throughout his life, people other than ''Nassasalars in smafl of heaven. about that? I believe that this is against the religion. Does any Parsi know why a dog menashin. has to be shown to the dead body twice or thrice in between the Paidasht ceremony? It is believed that the dog “crossed the bar, ’ and took the path villages? Why is nothing being done cremation of heaven. - ..................................... When his corpse was being carried by the Nassasalars and Khandias after the Paidasht ceremony, his face was left uncovered. This was probably the first incident where this happened and ______ ___________ ____ ______ I think there must be a controversy shows the way to the eternal path (way in the minds of a few Parsis, as to heaven). I further believe that a d.og why the usual custom was broken. I is the only animal who gets premoni- am writing this letter as a result of tions; but we cannot xmderstand each a friendly argument, which I had with other, a Parsi gentleman who is 70 years old, almost the age of my father. This gentleman asked me why Dar- (he Paidasht? Is there any concrete vish made this gotala? He went on to proof for doing so? I firmly believe ask why his face was kept uncovered that non-Parsis cannot enter the Bungli after the Pmdasht ceremony, which is ' ... . - against the religion. I do not think the ^^oroastrian waivu c* uiai ivsyvvw wux xvxx^xvzix, religion has even mentioned this. These their feelings should be respected and to heaven). I further believe that a dog Why are non-Parsis not allowed to see. the face of the dead body'after because, our religion is sacred and to preserve secrecy. I also believe that when a non-Parsi respects our religion. A J* i T ’ » A 4 t < • f f 1 Dr. SY RUS DARVISH IRANI Zopadpalti Zoroastrians As per statistics there, are 1200 dila ­ pidated houses in Bombay. Say there are 100 such houses occupied by Zoroastrians, and in each house there arc four families, then we immediately need 400 flats. Within the next 5 to 7 years some more houses in Bombay will collapse and if within that time some 600 to 750 flats are not provided take, my word you will find the Zo ­ roastrians staying on the footpaths in zopadpattis like other communities. Shiavax R. Vakil says he has 50 lakh rupees at his disposal he also says that he was the ex-trustee of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat, (Parsiana August 1980). As the ex-trustee he must know of how much vacant land there is with the trustees and where? He also must know the name of the donors. I have got four suggestions to make : 1) Coll«;t some 50 Zoroastrians. 2) Ask the families of the donors to bring pressure on the trustees to spare the land for housing or start construc ­ tion of houses. 3) We have 40,000 male and 20,000 lady earning mem- bers, request them to donate Rs 10 or more to file a civil suit against the trustees. 4) We Zoroastrians be­ lieve in the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, if all three methods fail then let us have a satyagraha before the office of the BPP trustees or a hartal fast to death. NAREIMAN S. BAXTER Pune rt'^ Grieved family members mourning Darvish Photo Rashid Bamanbehram Acknowlec^ement The newspaper clippings on ‘The Odd Couple* {Parsiana August 1980) were contributed by Cyrus B. Presswalla of Toronto, Canada, a Chartered Ac ­ countant with the Income Tax Depart ­ ment of the Government of Canada. 5Events and Personalities ‘Sezdo ’ in Navsari The funeral of Nariman Pithawala, the, former vice-president of the Surat District Panchayat who was brutally murdered in September, (see News from the Media) created a flurry be­ cause his face was left uncovered out ­ side his home following the geh-sarna ceremony. The Bombay Samachar of 5 Octo ­ ber 1980, prominently featured a photograph of the incident which is reproduced in Parsiana. “If this can happen in Navsari, the Vatican of the Parsis ”, commented Jehan Eferuwala. editor of The Samachar, “there is no reason why Bombay should not follow it as a matter of regular prac ­ tice ”. The Bombay Parsi Panchayat wrote a letter to Dastur Meherji Rana, the Pithawala ’s face uncovered outside his home 4 • =¦ 5^ high priest of Navsari, asking if the report of Pithawala ’s face being shown to the public after the geh-sarna cere ­ mony was correct. Rana replied that he was not present on the occasion, but that the face was uncovered out ­ side Pithawala ’s residence. It is not known whether the Bombay Parsi Panchayat trustees asked for verifica ­ tion from the president of the Surat Parsi Panchayat, Maneck Gheyara who was present at the funeral. Threat to Zoroastrian Bank A Directive issued by the Reserve Bank of India, threatens the Zoroas ­ trian Co-operative §^edit Bank with closure, feared the bank ’s president Rustam Gagrat in his speech at the fifty-third annual general meeting of the bank held on 17 October 1980. The Directive imposes, “restrictions on advances to be granted by urban co-operative banks against security of shares of various joint stock compa ­ nies, ” said Gagrat. Issued on 19 April 1980, the Direc ­ tive “not only restricts fresh advances but also renewals of existing facilities and by its enforcement the business of the urban co-operative banks in gene­ ral and our bank in particular will not only be seriously affected but will re ­ sult in closure ..warned Gagrat. These “unreasonable restrictions on the activities of the bank ”, would aggravate the problems and difficul ­ ties of the middle and lower middle class community members which the bank helps, pointed out Gagrat, add ­ ing that a representation had been made to the Reserve Bank of India requesting exemption from the opera ­ tion of the Directive, and that the matter was under correspondence. The bank ’s profit and loss account for the year ended 30 June 1980 showed a profit of Rs 3.81 lakhs against the previous year ’s profit of Rs 3.41 lakhs; the total deposits of the bank increased from Rs 89.61 lakhs to Rs. 98.28 lakhs during the year under report, said Gagrat. “Since the introduction of the bud ­ get in June 1980, the economic condi ­ tion had not only not improved, but on the contrary considerably deterio ­ rated. It is high time that Mrs Indira Gandhi realised that in order to have a democratic, stable and effective government and to maintain law and order she should have a consensus, which can only ensure a truly demo ­ cratic government for our country, ” stated Gagrat. The managing committee also expressed regret and sorrow at the passing away of Saros Jehangir Rus- tomji, who Gagrat noted was “on the committee since the last 12 years and J was intimately connected with its ac ­ tivities. He was a devoted worker and his advice and assistance as a retired banker were greatly valued by all of us. By his death, the bank has lost a committee 6I highly experienced adviser, a selfless an Association, and the only foreign and sincere friend. ..” member association so far is the Zo- The present managing committee roastmn Society of British Columbia, consists of : Rustam Aideshir Gagrat. ' ~ “ Noshir Sorabji Pochkhanawala, R. P. Marzban, N. B. Jeejeebhoy, C. Dinshaw, Jehangir F. Shroff, J. J. Gan- devia, Homa D. Petit, T. R. Andhya- rujina, H. P. Ranina and B. S. Bulsara. FOZAWACs Amatnre Athletics The first Zoroastrian Athletic Cham ­ pionships, hosted by the two year old Federation of ~ Associations for Welfare and Culture (FOZAWAC), were held on 27-28 December 1980 at the Bombay Uni­ versity Stadium. FOZAWAC’s mai ­ den venture was open to amateur Zoroastrian athletes and featured events such as sprints, hurdles, discu.s throw, relay, tug of war, high jumps and long jumps amongst others. According to a write-up on the Federation, FOZAWAC was formed by Dr Aloo P. Billimoria, a medical practitioner, president of FOZAWAC and the A. H. Wadia Baug Welfare Centre, and Jivanji Jamadar, an ad ­ vocate, vice-president of FOZAWAC and the president of the Rustom Baug Association; who together with a few friends and well-wishers endeavoured to establish a federation of all Zoroas ­ trian associations. They wanted “to have an apex body to consolidate the efforts made by various Zoroastrian bodies and associations for the up- liftment of the community in the fields of sports, welfare, culture and social activities. FOZAWAC was registered under the Societies Registration Act in December 1978, and also with the Bombay Public Trust Act in January N the Zoroastrian ? a The FOZAWAC Managing Com ­ mittee consists of : Dr Aloo P. Billi- moria, president; Jivanji M. Jamadar. The ^roastrian Students Teachers vice-president; Meherjibhai K. Daru- Association (ZOSTA), the brain child wala and Burjor M. Mehta, joint of FOZAWAC’s Sports Sub-Commit- honorary secretaries; Framurze, K. F. tee Secretary Jamshed Hodiwala, says Madan, honorary treasurer; and mem- Billimoria, has been specially brought bers : Cyrus P. Dastoor, Bomi E. Dotiwala, Zal K. Eranee, Jamshed S. Hodiwala, Jamshed S. Kermani, Adi D. Mehta, Peshotan D. Nargolwala and Dara K. Parakh. The Sports Sub ­ committee consists of chairman : Peshotan Nargolwala, scretary : Jam ­ shed Hodiwala, members : Farro kh Engineer, Ninaz Irani, Ama Motiwala and Naval Pithawala. Nassasalars: A Dying Breed The professional corpse bearers in the twin cities of Secunderabad and Hyderabad are “dying out fast. ” In a speech made by E. J. Tarapore, hono ­ rary-secretary of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of Secunderabad and Hyde- derabad, on the occasion of the dia ­ mond jubilee celebrations of The Khan Bahadin* Seth Edulji Chenoy Anju- man Dar-e-Meher, he noted that, “in the very near future this category of service will be extinct and we will have to depend on the services of young volxuiteers of our community to perform the functions of the Nassas­ alars. There seems to be a feeling amongst our youth that to perform the functions of the Nassasalars is below their dignity or a prohibited ritual. Let us assure them that such service is in fact the highest tribute they could pay to the dear departed. ” Tarapore also noted, “in view of Gagrat : ‘unreasonable restriction ’ into existence by FOZAWAC to re ­ present Zoroastrian school children who will participate in the champion ­ ships. “The lack of finance is the biggest hurdle, ” points out Jamadar. Billi- moria anticipates that a minimum of Rs 20,000 will be required for the , , . , , , championships, but adds that most of difficulties encountered by the . . Nassasalars to meet more than one ,0-0 - ¦ FOZAWAC banner with its embroi- death on the same day or frequent „ dered emblem. Some of the finance deaths in a short spell of days your Initially the idea faced antagonism has already come in from the proceeds Anjuman has thought it fit to acquire from local associations, who felt their " ¦ - ' - — - " v— -- - autonomy would be threatened, said Dr Billimoria. ‘ have their activities, ” explains Jama ­ dar, “but this is a handicap to those donor ’s request. ’ response... ’' outside. . . we want to reach and en- Prizes include trophies, medals and Among the highlights of the dia- courage the largest section of the Certificates of Honour. “There are mond jubilee year celebrations are community. ” soj^e dormant Parsi associations with ghambars, machis, kirtans and jas- At the first meeting to discuss idle funds and trophies. ” says Jama- hans. As a ‘jubilee project, ’ the FOZAWAC, representatives of 30 dar, who might donate; the Zoroas- managing committee has taken up the .Associations attended, notes Billimo- trian Society of British Columbia will construction of eight flats in the Anju- ria, of which, only 11 are at present L. __ pxii,vo, affiliated. They are: The A. H. Wadia though it is unlikely to send any par- Baug Welfare Centre, The Bombav ticipants, he states. Parsi Association, The Rustomji Wa- _ ___ dia Welfare League. The Rustom intended to include Zoroastrianr from they are ready, ’ Bang Association, The Delhi Parsi ” ' ' Anjuman, The Sir Ness Wadia Club, The Gamadia Colony Welfare Asso ­ ciation, The Iranian Zoroastrian An­ juman, The Malcolm Baug Zoroastri- will be required for the thes^ will be initial expenses like the d^^ * emblem? Some ”of the finance deaths in a short spell ’of days your party Jamadar of 60,000. Our appeal to the An- of a natak sponsored by the Federa- Utility Van to convey the dead tion in October 1980 and Rs 10,000 ’^s last resting place, at a cost “Individual colonies has been donated by a party Jamadar of Rs. 60,000. Our appeal to the An- , T declined to name, according to the juman has met with a magnificient donor ’s request. Prizes include trophies, medals and are be contributing some of the prizes, man compound for needy families. ¦ „ _____L “The climax of the jubilee celebra- The Bombay ticipants, he states. tions will be the opening of the new Though these championships are blocks with a jashan ceremony when *’'“3’ notes an Anjuman all over the world, the only organiza- circular. tions from outside Bombay likely to The jubilee celebrations started send representatives are from Surat, with a mochi and jashan on 24 July, Poona, Ahmedabad and Delhi, ac- the presiding high priests for which cording to Jamadar. were Hormazdiar Dastur of Poona The jubilee celebrations started ac- 7and N. D. Minochehr-Homji of Bom- r bay. The function was chaired by the joined Tata Services in 1968 as a Pub- Anjuman president Sq. Ldr. Jamshed lie Relations Officer, notes the bio ­ Italia, who gave the welcome speech, data. and called for a prayer for Panthaky Noshirwan Dastur who has been ser ­ ving the, Agairy for 40 years and suddenly took ill, reports Parsiana and a former Secretary-General of the correspondent Sanober Marker. Italia hoped tha^ffie fire in _ . . , , - ___ ______ Agairy which had Wumed for “sixty of the Indian Association of Industrial director-general of the International years will burn for centuries more. ” Editors states the bio-data. Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Bazar Pdtrika successively, until_ he Swedes Select Sethna ’ ' ' Chairman of the Atomic Energy Com ­ mission India, Dr Homi N, Sethna^ has been elected member of the Royal A member of the Managing Com- Swedish Academy of Engineering Sci- mittee of the Tata Agricultural and ences, in recognition of his contribu- Rural Training Centre for the Blind tions in the field of atomic energy. . : At a formal ceremony held at the Public Relations Society of India, Con- Vienna International Centre on 26 the fectioner was also the past president September 1980, Dr Sigvard Eklund, He has authored three books. The presented the certificate of membership to Sethna, reports The Times oj India dated 30 September 1980. Dr Eklund, also a member of the Academy, spoke of the significant con ­ tributions made by Sethna “to the development of numerous programmes for the utilisation of atomic energy in India, ” noted The Free Press Journal dated 30 September 1980. The select group of Foreign Mem­ bers of the Academy includes, among others, prominent nuclear scientists such as Nobel Laureate Dr Glenn Seaborg of the United States, Dr A. M. Petrosyants, President of the State Committee for the Utilisation of Atom ­ ic Energy, of the Soviet Union and Dr Walter Marshall, Deputy Chair ­ man of the Atomic Energy Authority of the United Kingdom. The Company ’s Catalyst The Associated Cement Companies (ACC) director. Pesi Jagus, who was responsible for the planning and exe­ cution of the company ’s catalyst and absorbents (CATAD) project, received the Indian Chemical Manufacturers Association (ICMA) award for pro ­ cess engineering of chemical plants, for 1979, on behalf of ACC. At the ICMA Annual General r's ' % and Gehraos. The Observer The Alibag Observato^ which cele- the ber 1980 was started 75 years ago, by Meeting held recent^ at the Crystal the late Dr N. A. F. Moos. According Room of Bombay s Taj Mahal Hotel, ) the union minister for petroleum, 29 October 1980, Moos was the first chemicals and fertilizers, Veerendra Indian director of the, former Colaba presented the award “in recog- ( Booklet on Zoroastrianism A 12-page booklet entitled ‘The Tea- Chings of the Prophet Zarathushtra ’ S published and distributed free of W charge by Mehraban Zartoshty of Iran, can be collected from Mahyar Patel, secretary and treasurer of the Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman, Ker- mani Building, 2nd floor. Sir Phiroze- shah Mehta Road, Fort, Bombay 400 001. P. R. Cemgress Chiefs Adi N. C^ectioner, public relations advisor to the House of Tatas, has been appointed chairman of the Pub ­ licity Committee for the 1982 World Public Relations Congress to be held in Bombay. The theme of the congress which is being held in the east for the first time, will be ‘The Interdependent World, ’ says Confectioner, and notes, “We hope that the main objective of this congress will be to consider the . • integration of all mankind into one Confectioner; Publicity Chairman world community and how this can be achieved through public relations. ” Decline oj Bombay, The Shiv Sena, Jamdied Bhabha, director of public relations of Tatas, says Confectioner, will be the General Chairman of the _ _____________ World Public Relations Congress brated its platinum jubilee in Novem- Committec, and Confectioner will be | ----- ----- his executive assistant. t____________________________ Confectioner, who was the former to a report in The Indian Express dated chief Public Relations Officer of Tatas, 7“ ' ” ’ is also elected chairman of the Bom- 1____ ___ ____ __ ______ _____ ... _ bay chapter of the Public Relations observatory, which was threatened by uition of the successful penetration of Society of India (PRSI). The only pro- the imminent advent of the electric company into sophisticated areas fesSional organisation of Public Rela- tram system nearby in 1900. Alterna- advanced technology even by con- tions practioners in the country, ex- the imminent advent of the electric ^^e company into sophistical^ areas tram system nearby in 1900. Alterna- L.. J . Z , plains Confectioner, the PRSI has 800 chosen by Moos in Alibag, Maha- members all over India, 300 of whom rashtra, and at Manora, Karachi. are in Bombay. The organisation ‘__ /____________________ ., 1 holds regular meetings and^ also con- amongst the leading magnetic obser- inyoMng intensive efforts and heavy Joining ACC in 1947 as a civil engineer after graduating from Bom- tive sites for the observatory were then temporary world standards and their . great enterprise in undertaking the manufacture of such a wide range of “Today the Alibag observatory ranks products from catalyste to refractories risks. ” states the ICMA citation. ducts diploma courses in Public Re- vatories in the world ”, notes The Ex- lations at St. Xavier ’s and Bhavan ’s press, adding that Moos ’s work, Ter- Colleges in Bombay, he adds. restrial Magnetism — a discussion o« An economics graduate of Calcutta the Colaba Magnetic data of 60 years, bay University, Jagus was awarded University Confectioner started his ’ ............................. " career as a journalist with The Bom ­ bay Chronicle in 1953, and was later _ western India correspondent for the of 77, was considered an authority on sumed the office of Director of United Press International, The Hin- the science of Seismology and had Research, and in 1980, he was ap- dustan Standard and The Amrita “is regarded as a standard work by the U.S. Government Fellowship for scientists in Europe. ” Post-Graduate training at Purdue Moos, who died in 1936 at the age University. Indiana. In 1975, he as- made a special study of earthquakes, pointed as a full-time director to serve 8on the Board of ACC. Jagus is also a member of numerous technical committees of the Indian Standards Institution, Research Advisory Com ­ mittee of the Cement Research Insti ­ tute of India, Working Group (Concrete) of the Central Board of Irrigation and Power, and the Civil Engineering and Public Health Com ­ mittee. He, is also director of STUP Consultants, a structural engineering consultancy company. Mm' to" Ja£us: receieving the ICMA award on behalf of ACC Tribute to a Teacher I Professor of philosophy at Bombay ’s | Wilson College, Sheriar K. Ookerjee, was presented an award by the Natio ­ nal Foundation for Teacher ’s Wel­ fare Greater Bombay Committee on Teacher ’s Day, for his “valuable ser ­ vices rendered in the field of educa ­ tion. ” The award was presented to the 55 year old, congenial, educatio- _ _______ nist by the Maharashtra Chief Minis- Xrt*"socl^ "oF'^Yndia * Tor '**1980-81. Swimmer Persis Madon led Maharash- ter, A. R. Antulay on 5 September f 26 Aueust 1980) ^ra ’s seven-member women ’s team for 1980, at Metro' Theatre, Bombay. ’ the national aquatics, held in Luck- A trustee of the Alexandra Girls doctoral degree in commerce has now, from October 8 to 12, 1980. School, Bombay, founded by his grand awarded to Viraf Minocher Sixteen year old Madon, an II th father Maneckjee Cursetjee, Ookerjee ohaiia by the Bombay University for standard student of St. Xavier ’s Col- has read papers on philosophy and .......................... ¦ ’ ¦— ’ . . .. logic at various conferences and semi ­ nars in India and abroad and has _ __ __________ ___ ____________________ been a regular contributor of articles pp.rsn nnel departments. ’ {Times of In- 18). {Times of India, 26 September to various journals, notes his bio-data. 2^1 October 1980) 1980) A former secretary and president of the Bombay Philosophical Society, professor of Oncology to be Swimmer Kunish Contractor, also of appointed in India is Dr. D. J. Jussa- St. Xavier ’s College, Bombay, won walla^ at the Tata Memorial Hospital, four events in the Inter Collegiate Bombay. He will be in charge of Aquatic Meet held at the Mahatma planning and development at the hos- Gandhi Memorial Olympic Pool in pital and its Cancer Research Insti- _ tute. {Free Press Journal, 3 July 1980) the men’s individual championship, according to newspaper reports. Lieutenant-General A. M. Sethna has „ , . _ ., _ . sident of the Special Executive Ma- (junior boys) of Campion School, and gistrates Club. {Sunday Standard, 22 Farrok Irani (sub-junior boys) June 1980) - Noted Bombay architect, Homi N. Dallas, was re-elected president of the Art Society of India for 1980-81. {Times of India. 26 August 1980) A doctoral degree in commerce has now, from October 8 to 12, 1980. . ) of Cathedral School. {Times oj India, 20 August 1980). his thesis entitled: ‘Forms control pro- lege, Bombay, also won eight gold gramme in selective firms with special medals in this year ’s national age-group reference to study of forms of their championships in group one (under Gandhi Memorial Olympic Pool Bombay, in September, and retained ^4^ if. '' 1^' F / 'i,- Xi according to newspaper reports. b^een appointed vice-chief ’of the Army Farrokh Engmeer is among - .... , .r,or.x the 30 newly appointed honorary life members of the Marylebourne Cricket staff. {Times of India, 7 July 1980). Road Safety Patrol Officer Khursh- Club. Engineer has served as wicket- ed Noshir Variava of Surat is report- keeper and batsman for Lancashire, edly the only officer in Gujarat to get {Indian Express, 10 September 1980) the awards for bravery, gallantry and '' humanity all together for the third Rustom Havewalla, of Tata Sports L.xk. X___ Club, gained his eighth successiye title — tory and** English f°om the South of ‘fastest man on wheels ’ on wanning “ ‘ , 22 J__ ;’-2 the 1,000 metres sprint (men’s) at the h*opes*'to join the police force 30th Maharashtra State Cycling Cham- pionships held at the Vallabhai Patel 'It Stadium, Bombay on 25-26 October 1980. Second and third runners up in the men’s were Sprinters ’ Firdaus Irani and Yezdi Khambatta respectively. Three Bombay students figured in the Pannese Khodabux (MCC - Promise) list of winners in the Bombay High bagged first place in the boy ’s 1,000 Schools Badminton Championships metres and in the women ’s 1,000 held in August 1980. The winners metres Armin Arethna (MCC-Pro- in their respective age groups are mise) bagged first place, followed by Meherzin Mistry (senior girls) of J. B. Rakshin Patel (Sprinters). {Times of . ’a*.*>* time. A B.A. Hons, graduate in His- Gujarat University, 23 year old Vari ­ ava now I . as an inspector in the traffic depart- Ookerjee: receiving the award from Antulay Ookerjee is keenly interested in the ment, according to his bio-data. ¦ problems of higher education and has has always been my ambition to be a also given courses in western music police inspector, says Variava. appreciation to M.A. students in Aesthetics and students of Indian music of the University of Bombay, notes the bio-data. SPOTLIGHT _ Well-known architect and social work- Meherzin Mistry (senior girls) of J. B. Rakshin Patel (Sprinters). {Times of er Jamshed Aga has been elected pre- Petit School, Jehangir Mahaluxsuiwala India, 27 October 1980). metres 9-w The Nagpur Eleven Eleven Nagpur students were presen ­ ted merit prizes by the Nagpur Parsi Anjuman on the 85th anniversary celebrations of the Bai Heerabai No- sherwanji Mullan Dar-E-Meher in Nagpur. “The Anjuman Dar-E-Meher cele ­ brations were spread over five days from October 11 to 15 and were or ­ ganized by the Nagpur Parsi Cricket Gymkhana, under the leadership of its President Khushroo Doongaji, helped by committee members Mehru Watchmaker and Nargis Desai, with festivities as varied as they were in­ teresting, ” notes Dilnavaz Bhagwagar, Parsiana's Nagpur correspondent. They included a flower arranging competition, a cooking competition, an exhibition-cum-sale of embroidery and handicrafts, a quiz, a fancy dress, a dinner and a dance. "T, ¦__1___ the frivolities and inject a tone of re ­ ligious sobriety, two evenings were devoted to lectures by Dasturji Mino- chehr-Homji of Bombay, ” adds Bhag ­ wagar. The prize winning students, writes Bhagwagar, are; P" ' __ Dadachanji, for her Ph.D. thesis The Phonetics and Phonology of Parsi- Gujarati and English — considered diploma course in travel and tourism; an original contribution of academic Tester Feroze Mwlcadflin for success ­ value in Linguistics; Samanaz Rohinton fully completing a course at the ITI ‘To balance «C' ^=- I 'if' in textile engineering with 72 percent; Iliraz Keki Medhora, Pervin Phiroze Kotwal and Adil Keki Bala, for secu ­ ring the highest marks among Zoroas ­ trian students at the B.Sc., H.Sc., and S.S.C. examinations respectively. A special prize was awarded to 15 year old Hoshang Behram Irani for his outstanding performance in the short term course held at the Bhosla Military School, Nasik, during the summer of 1980. Hoshang secured a gold medal in horse riding and swimming and was selected as the best cadet out of 318 cadets, notes Bhagwagar. The Late Seth Rustamji Bala Best All Round Sportsman shield was awarded to AEtab Burjor Bhanicha, and the Late Bapai Dastur champion ­ pionship shield for jxmiors went to Rashid Feroze Karbhari. Karbhari : Junior Shield Award ¦ Darukhanawalla, for passing her M.A. Rashid D. Bamanbehram with^Linguistics^ ini the : first dMsion; Professional Photographer for Dr Ruxana Dadi Dalal, awarded the K/F XVBAiHla A^iSULl dWAlkXwU LiXv Professional Degree Course Merit Photos of Weddings, Navjotes Mehm Hnchono P^ize for passing her final MBBS Birthday parties. Contact: Mosnang examination in the first division; Sher- naz Jfthflng ir Govadia, for standing Flat No. 3, First Floor, No. 6 Wadia first class first in the post-graduate Block, Khareghat Colony, 30A Hughes Road, Bombay 400 007. Phone: 826074 For Pure Diamonds JEWELLERS 324. GRANT ROAD, BOMBAY 400007. TELEPHONE: 371483 APPOINTED VALUERS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA IIr Matchbox Midas I s'-? S < Arnavaz Mama MADEy!|U&tRIA An empty matchbox, a useless cont ­ emptible castaway, may yet have a claim to fame if its label is espied by a certain pair of eyes. Those eyes be­ long to fair, fastidious-looking Rust ­ om Sagar; and his cognitive fingers have retrieved many a treasure from the Taj ’s collection of international waste during his 34 year-old associa ­ tion with that bastion of good living. Retrieved, reviewed, the minutae of its label is mentally docketted before the box is skillfully denuded of its spendour and replaced among is low ­ ly surroundings. Thus philumnist Sagar has built up, almost since boy ­ hood, a priceless heritage of match ­ box labels. “Where would you like to begin?” asks Sagar and continues, “You name it, I have it. ” Not all the originals are on display; many have been reduced to beautifol colour transparencies. Its a lot easier to carry them this way, professionally strung into plastic en­ cased strips and far less of a strain. ‘Sagar of the Taj ’ Having lost a few prized pieces in transit. Sagar seems to be chary of carrying all his treasures in one brief ­ case! Printed in Austria. Sweden, Japan, Burma, India, England, the US, Ca ­ nada, Czechoslovakia, China and the USSR, often bilingual, sometimes tri ­ lingual, the labels record their own tales of the social, cultural and histori ­ cal changes of the 20th century. There are labels that belong to the presafety match age and others that proclaim the virtues of safety match ­ es. Kings, emperors and demagogues, European and oriental, hobnob to ­ gether, historical enmities laid at rest under the stem eye of matriarch Victoria. There is a circus series in colour and all the sports — tennis, swimming, rowing, golf, cricket, rac ­ ing. The professional series includes the rope dancer and the ricKshaw- walla, the toddy tapper, leaf cutter and the Kitmatgar (waiter) in all the I I ^Mpresn aTEO I W A The matchbox labels in Sagar ’s g collection are a vivid commentary g on the socio-political scene. Among B the various communities depicted, i the Parsis held their own: Offering g sukhad-loban over the atash dadgah I was a daily ritual in Parsi homes, I ladies of the community dressed in I the fashion of the times; Dadabhoy I Naoroji (cover) fighting for India I in the British Parliament. 12collection from the onslaught of dust and pests? Sagar smiles. “I have to be very careful and limit handling to a minimum, ” he says simply. The discernment and devotion with which Sagar has piled label on label have been amply documented. Not only have the Tata and Taj house journals eulogised, Asia Magazine that and Orientations have paid colourful noticed how they were named after umes, their features. These were the __ xuuiai ^ngers and actresses of those days. Hotels Cornpany ’^Yof ’which alive? She is an old lady now. She not too long ago! “Look at Khorshed ”, Sagar conti ­ nues, “see the gold ink us^. It still shines. ” ?«-- —________ _ S^ga ’^’s^c®^^®ction of matchbox Hotel, Bombay: manship and colour and the quality 1908 to i9147"My father "shapoorti pF fVia rrtofflwnl 4.1. , .. - . - i A production. myself joined in 1946.” Thus the finery of his uniform. Victoria, Ed­ ward, Gandhi and Nehru virtually relive their lives in Sagar ’s albums, from youth to old age. Nor is the Nazi menace eliminate — the once ubiquitous Jack Boot finding a lone representative as befits the victory of time over people ’s perspectives! But it is over Hira Jan, Manek Jan, Goher Jan and other beauties 1’_ : ______________ Sagar waxes eloquent: “Have you tribute; Sagar'^and'^his collSition"have noticed how they were named after also appeared on TV in the United precious stones? Look at their cost- States. uraes, their features. These were the Pleasantly friendly, the Indian ^ngers and actresses of those days. Hotels Company ’s (of which Taj is Ihd you know that Goher Jan is the flagship) dapper Director-Sales . —J was for so many years the Taj s ban- ^featured briefly on Bombay TV quet manager that people instinctive- }y fQj. sagaj. yyhen they want to Look at Khorshed , Sagar conti- book a party, says the hotelier. V j''" ’ Sagar is the third generation Indeed^,J the meticulous detail of his family to serve the Taj Mahal “My grandfather label^ provK^e a resume of past crafts- Dhunjibhoy Sagar was there from marwhip and colour and the quality 1505 lo i9i4. My father Shapoorji of the material that went into their joined in 1911 and retired in 1958. I ‘ j ' V myself joined in 1946.” Thus the How does he preserve this amazing Sagar family has given the Taj 87 , years of service — 10 years more than its own 77 years — amply justifying the legend on Sagar ’s visiting card: “Sagar of the Taj. ” But alas, there may not always be a Sagar at the Taj: “My son Poms qualified from the Catering College and joined me here. But then he changed his mind. Now he has decid ­ ed to settle in the States along with Vispi. Vispi. my elder son, is a che ­ mical engineer.* Sagar began collecting matchbox labels largely “because everyone else collected stamps. ” Today, the Smith ­ sonian Institute, USA considers them an heirloom worth evaluating because, unlike most boys when they grow up. Sagar continued, enthusiastically, ava ­ riciously tucking fresh labels away as they came to him, as solitary finds or as mini collections from friends : “A lot of people know of my hobby ” says Sagar, “so whenever they spot a matchbox with a good label, they pass it on to me... ” With Best Compliments From MERWANJEE POONJIAJEE & SONS PVT. LTD. MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS OF SUN BRAND INDIAN CONDIMENTS SINCE 1876. I 13combined News from the Media WBh Dr. Pangborn ’s choice of Zoroas ­ trianism for study has been based on the threat of the religion ’s extinction and inadequate study of it so far. “I also chose Zoroastrianism because other religions have been studied so much in depth that they are ‘bumed- out ’ territory, ” he said. Dr. Pangbom has also studied Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and modem religious movements like the Ramakrishna order, the Arya Samaj and the Brahmo Samaj. He was the only Western invitee at the, centenary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda. R. K. RANGAN (Times of India 13.8.80) 3,000 which is also the number of the U.S. and Canada. Recently, Jamshed Guzder, presi ­ dent of the Indian Merchants ’ Chamb ­ er, described Parsis as a “vanishing tribe ” in view of the community ’s exceptional pattern of shrinking popu ­ lation. The population of Parsis has been declining because of the deferment of marriages. The average age of a bride was 30 years and the males put off marriages still further, according to Dr. Pangbom. Migration of Parsis Distresses The postponement of marriages is Commiinity owing to the delay in earning a “de- The brain drain has spread signifi- cent income ” and gaining residential cantly to the minority Zoroastrian accommodation. T^is delay also community in India. induced young Parsis to stay single An increasing number of qualified as evidenced by the growing number Parsis are adopting homes in Western of bachelors and spinsters. countries with their settlements parti- The stimulus to migration is pro- cularly marked in the U.K., the U.S. vided by better job prospects abroad, and Canada. The trend of migration among Par ­ sis forms a vital section of research on the socio-religious aspects of Zo- adapting Pangbom, professor of comparative their familiarity with Western i____ . religion at Rutgers, the State Univer- and the facility of communication sity of New Jersey. ’ ‘ " " * Dr. Pangbom, an acknowledged _____ Indologist, has virtually finalised his impoverished state of Parsis. Some 40 findings and his manuscript for publi ­ cation titled Zoroastrianism — a be- leagured faith is ready. Dr. Pangbom has been in Bombay served, for a week talking of his research with __ leaders of the Parsi community and hopeiess? ‘^r. Pangb*om “h^ with publishers for an Indian edition “ of the study. The American scholar ’s research has taken nine years and has invol ­ ved discussion with leading^ Parsis in Calcutta, Allahabad and Udwada, the St. Peters of Parsis, keeping the oldest widespread of fires in Parsi temples. ¦ • Settlements of Parsis have been springing up at an amazing speed in London, Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Chicago and Washington. The migration of Parsis is particu- ___ _ larly disquieting to the community ritual^ which has been losing 10 per cent of its population because of the, death rate overtaking the birth rate. Punning on the plight of Parsis, Dr Pangtora said: TJe current to do so. is the world ’s largest secular demo ­ graphic pattern has fnghtened the The emigrants are also less rigid in cracy, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs comminuty to death. their attitude to inter-community mar- and members of other faiths who live Leaders of the Parsi commumty in riages so long as the inducted members abroad practise their religions there. India have been concerned over their participate in the Parsi association So do Parsis living abroad. •' declining numbers. Its existing stren- activities. The associations, holding The matter we are certainly con- gth is placed at 90,000, thrice that of progressive ideas, are deem^ to be cemed about is our poverty. A mis- Iran, which has the next largest instruments of the desired social taken impression generally prevails number of Zoroastrians. England has change. . . _ . - _ Vanishing Parsis I have read the report about the migration of Parsis in your paper (August 13/14). I do not agree with Dr. Pangbom ’s prognosis about the Parsi community nor with the obser ­ vation that Parsis are a vanishing race. - . , . - .u . First. Parsis are not a race. We arc . — * 3 themselves to their new a communitv of India Qmaii indftpH roastnans made by Dr. Cyrus R. homes abroad quite easily because of bm which has been pla^g its cart in Pannbom. nrofessor of comnarativ^ th^ir famiiiaritv with mom the political, economic ^and tional development of our great country of which we are very much a part and parcel. It may be noted that Parsis as a minority co mmunity representation in any elected body. The Parsis are not “vanishing ” by any means, just because our numbers - ---------------------- We are opti- playing as important a role as ever before in the life of the nation. It is true we had played a pioneering role in the growth of industry, commerce. Bombay, Surat, Navsari, Hyderabad, The stimulus to migration is pro- The early emigrants invite and spon ­ sor the ones left behind at home. Dr. Pangbom finds emigrant Parsis to their new through the medium of English. Migration is also inspired by the percent of the commumty members of India had never asked for separate have to be supported on some sort of ---------- aid or the other. Dr. Pangbom ob- Although the situation appears continue to remain smaU. . ’ "J ! an < ¦ mistic prognosis to make. He consi ­ ders the present sense, of urgency to trigger munity. shipping, banking, education and in Except for some diehards along the various professional fields. Today, western Indian seaboard, most Parsis because our larger sister communities are becoming more liberal, i—• a “renaissance ” in the com- making have come up, the role may appear compromises on socio- ' ’ • *• - - religious matters. The migrating Parsis, for instance, __________ ______________ ____ are believ^^to accept ^ests abroad to earn a lavish iiving, there among them, however, insist on people nity is going down the drain at home. to be numerically small. But none the less it is significant. Just because, some Parsis are going the hereditary confines. The orthodox is no reason to fee? that thTrnm^n. among them, however, insist on people nity is going down the drain at home, from^ priestly lineage to perform temple I am not in favour of such “outgoings ”, but I certainly do not regard it as a Priests at Parsi temples abroad are matter of vital concern affecting the generally “moonlighters ”, the ones future of our community. After all, who work for a living and are trained Zoroastrianism is one, of the several to perform rituals when called upon great religions of our coimtry which to do so. The emigrants are also less rigid in their attitude to inter-community mar- India have been concerned over their participate in the Parsi association So do Parsis living abroad. ----------U.-. T*., The associations, holding -- the i^xt largest instruments of the desired social taken that the Parsis are a well-off commu- 15k mty. We are not by any yardstick, by the Shah, and to make Iran their away from Ac batter^ -cW; -whi^ The Parsis are as poor proportion- home again. They were given much had skidded into a field after colli- ately as any of our sister communities, respect and all facilities to this end. sion with a truck. Ramanlal alias Sixty percent of the Parsis live below This aggravated the animosity of the Gumla, the driver of the truck, later the poverty line. Over 1000 Parsis in --------------------------- Bombay sleep on the foothpaths or in our fire temple premises or com ­ pounds. We have, lands and funds — some of them are lying uselessly lock- ----- ed up with the Parsi Panchayat —but the Cyrus centenary at Persepolis we are not building for the poor as v/c should. Unemployment is another bugbear, being an all India problem, affecting the Parsis as any other com- ” AU^these do affect the growth rate, pressed sorrow at the Sigh ’s demise, but it is far better to have a restricted community like a small family, than a bigger one we cannot afford. Nor ways, is the small size of the community cause for any distress. It is by no I contribution of the, community to ­ wards national welfare. We are not by any yardstick, by the Shah, and to make Iran their away ¦ - home again, *— ------------- ** ‘ respect and all facilities to this end. sion Muslims, especially the mullahs. When reported to the Palsana police that the Shah refused to let the mullahs the accident occurred while, he was crown him and his Queen, that was trying to save a goat. the last straw! Only yesterday, Pithawala had During , the famous celebrations of complained to the Surat rural police , . Gunila and the complaint everybody who was somebody from had been forwarded to the Palsana every country was invited, including police with instructions to prepare for from India. It is sad to relate that ~ •• ’ ’ - after eating the salt at the Shah ’s table neither India nor any countty has ex­ President Sadat, may God shower blessings on his family now and al- befriended the Shah. Even ,,,, __ ------ though his country was not wholly brother-in-law of Gumla. _ .CC _ 1 X * means affecting the importance or the from doing the right thing. ... If mac fni nh exteming Gumla, an alleged bootle- ger. Gumla, it was said, was employed years ago as a driver in Pithawala ’s poultry unit, but he was later sacked. Subsequently, he, was reported to have taken to bootlegging. The truck is registered in the name of Shantibhai self-sufficient, nothing stopped him It was deplorable to observe that uiiai rtuioiv. the most devout pro-Shah Iran- Hoifrj^H.'^TBLyABHHAH ians who own restaurants in l^mbay (Times of India 14.8.80) < Lament (or a King i Since the death of the Shah of Iran mem wouju reacn across uic svos lu -- -- v J u i. bod 1 have been seething with frustration destroy them. hawala had been beaten x < i m had -....................... •------------ --—n BATHSHEBA SOPARKAR not been traced yet. She seems to nave this subject. But 1 decided to ^ve (Indian Express 22.8.80) run away during the, confusion after -_ - V. _ the incident. A "p a ribakrishn a ’s letter “Death of a Awa^, for^Fir^CI^ __ A man then rush^ i^o the spot of an outsider fire brigade, L. S. D. Mehervanji, has found Piffiawala bleeding. He was been awarded the President ’s Fire lying on the road supporting himself Services Medal for distinguished palms. When the police reached the, site, following a complaint by the son of Pithawala ’s aide, some bamboos were seen lying on the road. One of his chappals was on his leg, while the other was not seen. He was rushed to the hospital. A file and a bag were found missing. Pithawala ’s assistant, Nashi Ahmed, The incident occurred while Pitha ­ wala was driving to his poultry office at c - dence. Chalthan from his Navsari resi- While the staff members of lans wno own rcsiaurains in jxjujuaj - , . , , . could not down their shutters in grief his office were waiti^ ’ on the day the Shah died for fear that a Halpali gwl. who Ud the talons of the Khomeini Govern- «o®Panied Plthaii^ ran ment would reach across the seas to « the poultry unit shoutmg Jthat Pit- BATHSHEBA SOPARKAR (Indian Express 22.8.80) aft not being able to voice my opinion on t„^ ~j -- ” ’ ’ / - ~ vent to my feelings after riding Mr. AuV 2)? He has voiced The Chief Fire Officer of the Bombay the ‘iffishap ’ down the road and they my own thoughts. If he as can do so, I, who had roots in Iran, having lived there, having all my an ­ cestors from that country, should be service. _ able also to express my true feelings. ? , , _ . I am surprised that not a kind word years ago and was promoted to Divi- was uttered by any Indian on the sional Fire Officer in 1969 and Deputy death of the Shah of Iran. I realise Chief Fire Officer three years later, that all countries, because of the “black Before joining the fire brigade he was gold, ” have to be diplomatic; but to in the, auxiliary fire service and was what extent? seriously injured in the 1944 Bombay rimawaia s assisiam, /imuvu. Has anyone noticed that most of Docks explosion. This did not deter claimed that some eight to ten people those who have been executed in Iran him from resuming his duties once j^attered Pithawala and ran away, have Zoroastrian-Iranian names? That he was on his legs. After the incident, Jinabhai Darji, a all these unfortunates like Hoveda and He has been concerned with almost former GPCC (I) president, demand- the rest were originally followers of every major house, collapse and fire inquiry. In a statement, he Zarathustra and that their forefathers and the rescue of hundreds of people, ^oted that Pithawala had recently hhd to either flee the country or em- He was the recipient of the Police (jggn campaigning against bootleggers brace Islam at the point of the sword Medal in 1975 for meritorious service Chalthan area 1,300 years ago. Even the Shate and the. Municipal CorMration gave p,thawala who has been associated fall,er and hn , fate ’s {ath« favo^ him a silver medalfor his extra- the Surat district poultry co- the Zarathusthi sect and that is why ordmary gallantry, the mullahs were never given the up- f ----- , “ per hand. True, after embracing Islam they respected that religion and its Surat Leader Killed precepts; but Iran was never ever an Nariman Pithawala, Islamic country till the Turks and the president of the Surat district pancha- porting the cause of landless Adivasis. Arabs invaded it 1,300 years ago. yat, was reportedly bashed up at Six persons have been arrested in i Who were Jamsheed, Shapoor, Xer- Chalthan village this morning. He connection with the murder, according xes. Darius and Cyrus the Great? They succumbed to his injuries at the civil to reports. lyere aU followers of Zarthusthra. The hospital, Surat, shortly before noon. Pithawala jis survivedj)^his father, Parsees from India were invited to F'' ' • ¦ «¦ »--* ’ - - — dome back to their ancient homeland his Award for Fire Cl^ awarded the President ’s Fire Medal for distinguished Mehervanji joined the fire brigade 30 was the recipient of the Police Even the Shah ’s and the. Municipal Corporation gave silver medal for his extra- (freT'^ess Journal 15A.80) operative society, was a former direc ­ tor of the, district co-operative bank. Over the years, he has reportedly former vice- clashed with big landlords while sup- a ¥ Al yat, was reportedly bashed up Chalthan village this morning. Pithawala is survived by his father, Pithawala was badly mauled and his two sisters, two brothers and wife, body was found about 85 feet (Times of India 3,9’1980) 17the scene of a gruesome murder in India Company presented him with a the early hours this morning. Silver Rule in 1754, and another one Cawas Elavia (45), a devoted ser- in 1772. The ships he built, totally Indian , , character and international in 12 times and dumped into a well, when standard and performance, saw act- Life Terms for 3: Parsi Coople Murder Additional Sessions Judge B. S. Gove- kar on ' Amamath, Murli Yellappa and Am- rappa Gopalappa and sentenced them to life imprisonment on charges of , * .— ------- ---------------- ----- ---------- house trespass by night, robbery and servant from stealing silver utensils England and France. British vessels, murder of an elderly Parsi couple at belonging to the temple. battered during such wars, were diver- Gamdevi. Bombay, on December 27. According to a police source, the ted to him for repairs. 1978, alleged murderer. Homi Karanjia had It would be only fitting that the Shera, 85, and her husband, Feroze been employed on a temporary basis Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) __ _ _____ 2 " Cawas Elavia (45), a devoted ser- Tuesday convicted Shivaji vant working in the Agiary since years, ¦¦¦¦¦'”________’ * - was reportedly stabbed on the chest in J ¦ . ¦ ¦ ” ’ ___________ ___________ he attempted to stop a newly-hir^ jpn during the naval wars between According to a police source, the ted to him for repairs, alleged murderer. Homi Karanjia had Nagarwala, 86, the deceased, used to by the Agiary just a few days before should perpetuate his memory by reside with Shera ’s brother, Framroze the Pateti festival last week. naming one of its biggest carriers Dhondy, at Dham^ Mansion, Gam- devi. At the time^bf the crime, their niece, Ms. Roshan Mehta, was also ........ . staying in the flat to look after her board and steal valuable silver uten- the Pateti festival last week. naming one of its biggest It is understood that at about 2 after the great shipbuilder. a.m., Homi went up to the first floor of the Agiary to break open a cup ­ father, Mr. Dhondy, who had turned jUg Cawas, who was asleep, was dis- blind. Roshan and her father slept in the living room and the elderly couple slept in a room adjacent to the rear side, door. In the morning of December 28, 1978, Shera did not open the rear door as usual for Hari, their domestic servant. Hari, therefore, rang the door ­ bell at the main entrance and Roshan let him in. When Roshan and Hari went to wake up Shera, they found Shera and Feroze lying with their hands tied Agiary well, with cloth pieces and blood oozing from their mouths. They were appa ­ rently dead. Their bedroom had been ransacked during the night. An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be asphyxia due to throttling and suffocation. Amamath, an ex-servant of the Nagarwalas, was arrested at night on the following day (December 28) at Dadar railway station as he was about to board a train to Gulbarga in Kar ­ nataka. Murli was arrested a few hours later near the V.T. railway station and the third accused, Gopal ­ appa, was arrested at his native place of Gurguntha in Karnataka on January 3. 1979. There was also a fourth accused in the case, one 1-------------- -------- .. was absconding for seven to eight months after the, incident. Hence, evi ­ dence i sufficient for conviction and he was acquitted. The investigations were carried out by PI B. G. Salunke. PSIs A. R. Tambaku. V. B. Sharma and P. S. Gokhale and PCs T. P. Shaikh. P. M. Ikke and L. K. Bhiwangade. B. P. DASTVR, (Indian Express 5-9-1980) Died : Ardeshir Rustamji Irani, alias Keliseth, 66, a former president of the turbed by the sx>und and caught Homi igatpuri Municipal coimcil and busi- red-handed, it was alleged. nessman of Kalyan, Maharashtra, of According to reports, Cawas, raised a heart attack on 26 August 1980, an alarm, it was stated, but his voice according to a report in The Free was not heard downstairs as Homi Press Journal, dated 29 August 1980. had carefully preplanned the theft and The paper added that cinema houses had shut the windows. The accused at Kalyan and Ambamath and the reportedly, then hid himself under the Kalyan market remained closed for a staircase and as Cawas was descend ­ ing, stabbed him on the chest repeat ­ edly. After that, the accused allegedly tied a big stone with a white sheet on Cawas ’s leg and threw the body into day as a mark of respect. Died : Freany Wadia, 81, joint hono ­ rary treasurer and one of the founders of All India Animal Welfare Associ ­ ation. According to a report in The Free Press Journal, dated 18 June - - 1980, the Managing Committee of the lice, Homi then^panicked and went to India Animal Welfare Association - __ _____ _____ o „ _____1 Wadia ’s the Vatcha Agiary, who had gone jeath. A recipient of the Indian Prani Mitra award in Wadia, notes the newspaper. Mohammed Hanif. who thrown. The fire brigade^was absconding for seven to eight According to inquiries by the po- r . ¦¦ ¦ ¦ . /' ¦ ' . _ _ ___________ __ meet Dasturji Dadina, head priest of called a meeting to mourn over to the Banaji Agiary nearby. Homi is said to have told the priest that Cawas had been kidnapped by some men The priest then lodged a complaint with the police. It is learnt that Homi slipped off and Dasturji Dadina then went in a taxi towards V.T. to find him. At through streets, louowi 3.30 a.m., reportedly, Homi was found large number of dogs almost in the Modikhana area and arrested. __ - - —___ 2 ‘ ' The accused was brought to the fhe Journal. Vatcha Agiary, where he reportedly confessed to the crime and pointed out the well, where the body had been ~ * ¦ sum- moned to take out the body. The Paltoii Road police are investi- A Government ’s 1967, was instrumental in the improvement of the conditions at the Lethal Cham ­ bers and the Slaughter Houses and the minimising of cruelties at these places. “It was a common sight to see her ---- through streets, followed by a " ' ’ t remini ­ scent of St. Francis of Assisi. ” noted Old post cards etc./wanted against him was not foimd gating the case. . 2-- ___ ' ' > (Times of India 3£.8O) Advertiser wishes to buy OLD picture postcards, photographs, cigarette cards, playing cards, posters, prints, illustrated books, albums and Great Ship-Builder other related material. Only very few people know that the Willing to pay top prices for single late Lowjee Nusserwanjee Wadia items or entire collections, helped construct India ’s first dry dock Please send, detailed list with at Bombay and built ships for the Bri- expected prices to The Advertiser, (Indian Express 13.9.1980) tish Navy which were known for their (OLD) G/o. Parsiana, G.P.O. - ' • *’ ' * “superb craftmanship and durability ”. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. That was way back in 1750. For the excellence of workmanship the East Gniesome Murder in Vatcha Fire Temple The Vatcha fire temple in Bombay was 19I I BPP ELECTIONS **The winds of change” Till early October it appeared that the office-to-office registration drive. to the U.S.A., was not spar^ from forthcoming Bombay Parsi Panchayat No sooner had the voter reg^tration the smear campaign for statmg his Anjuman Committee ^^tions would campaign begun, than the CER faced views on the community in an ^rtic e be a cake-walk for BPP Chairman B. a barrage of criticism from the Bom- in the Samachar. We do not thi^ K. Boman-Behram and Trustee an-Behram — Noble and other oppo- that the recent b£ade of Nam_ Palkhi- Dr Nelie Noble. The community at i------------ large was ignorant of the impending conservative Gujarati daily, The ja^ 31st December deadline for voter regi- - cfr stration arid those who wished to ----------- form an opposition were unclear how out to destroy the religious customs . ¦ _________ ____ Zfclzl iTfoirc to proceed. But then a small group of concern ­ ed individuals who had been meeting at intervals since a year prior, decided was a to take up the challenge. Meeting in an office once a week in the evenings, -----tC ’ they called themselves the Committee of the Panchayat and Jehan Daru- for Electoral Rights (CER) and their prime objective was to enrol as many Parsis as possible on to the electoral rolls. In a leaflet entitled “Do You Know? ” which was distributed to Parsis throughout Bombay and re ­ printed in the Parsi press, the Com ­ mittee noted that in the 1974 Anju ­ man Committee elections, only three percent of the community voted and that “most Parsis do not Know how the election system works. ” “We felt alarmed at the lack of in­ terest displayed by the average Parsi Zoroastrian in Bombay, ” said Jam ­ shed Kanga, an Indian Administrative Service official and convenor of the group. Kanga, along with 29 other prominent Parsis, wrote and circulat ­ ed a letter (‘Need for Change, ’ Parsi­ ana June 1980) pointing out the ills in the present election system and sug ­ gesting reforms. Several of the signatories, namely Noshir Sidhva, managing director of Grindwell Norton, Behram Hathi- khanawala, a director in the same company, Homi Kanga, an executive in Philips, Tehmtan Andhyarujina, Dadi Engineer, Dara Zaiwalla and Sohrab Morris, all prominent lawyers, and others formed the CER core group and chalked out a programme of Sunday morning meetings in the various Parsi neighbourhoods as well as a public meeting at Cowasjee Je- hangir Hall on 28th December. Aid^ by a group of about 30 public spirit ­ ed persons from various parts of Bombay, CER started a door-to-door, 22 vala against our customs and the Panchayat was a mere coincidence, ” 1 a letter in the Jame, linking Palkhivala ’s name to the CER. Undaunted by the criticism, Palkhi- vala publicly stated his support to the CER, “CER deserves the support of fro'iit"'for"*Shiavax Vakil, the individuals who are sacrificing their ; ¦ ’ „ ‘ - —I BPP^Ru7tom "GaMat, V noted critic awakening in the community regard- Lw _ ___ - __ r_. ¦ ing its right as voters. Perhaps the walla? th? Editor ^f ” The Bombay plight of the Parsi community was Samachar, the prestigious Gujarati never so desperate within living mem­ daily that espouses liberal causes. ory as it is now. Only the official Even Nani Palkhivala, the noted leaders of the community who have jurist and India ’s former ambassador control and management of the vast sition camps throu^ letters in the e-Jamshed, that alleged the CER members were reformers who were and practices and that the old ways were the best and should be continu- . ed. The letters aUeged that the CER the entire coi^unity. wao ti fxwiiv ivzi - ----- > _ , — controversial former trustee of the time and energy to bring about an Ya®e!siKi > i ¦i YOU! 1 1} ¦ I I { I ine at home, went to the Panchayat funds Here also because of the intense ____________ : --------------- -1— ----:?.> The Anjuman Pax, the opposition large towards the Panchayat, many of party, took the matter to court alleg- the Rayomand Committee members ing the forms were presented after the Panchayat ’s office hours and that the electoral rolls were not properly main- charities existing for Parsis can pos- ing at home, went to the Panchayat tuno. were awo occause oi me mwnsc siblv imnlement broad-based schemes office to see the forms were accepted, distrust among the community at for the amelioration of the commu- ------ manv of nity. ” From the beginning the CER faced an uphill task. Obtaining the registra ­ tion forms in sufficient quantities in­ volved a meeting with Boman-Beh- tained. ram, who sanctioned 5,000 forms on condition that further forms be given on these being filled. The community by and large was either apathetic or hostile at the men- tion of the Panchayat. Only when they main plank of The Independent Or- were told they had a chance to improve thodox was that the religion was in matters and participate in the decision «”«*”«’>• making process, did they relent. Add­ ed to CER’s difficulties was an archa- _ ic and complicated electoral procedure while he believed in dokhmanashini. which few could comprehend and in which money played the dominant role. The A, B, C, of the BPP For years the Panchayat had made no attempt to acquaint Parsis with their — —.c- —j----- ------------------ , rights aside from the mandatory will have to convince a larger number Mazdayasme Monastene mystical notices in the Gujarati papers. The of more knowledgeable voters th?.* electoral scheme, laid out by the the CER, which states that religious Bombay High Court in 1910 and sub- i ................................. . sequently amended, permits Parsi and the community at large, is a Zoroastrians over the age of 21 an threat to the ‘dharam. ’ indirect vote for the trustees. Boman-Behram, al, , . . _ There are two registers of voters former mayor of Bombay, and me chalked out for the community ’s who elect the trustees directly, the ‘F’ Register comprising of people who leader Minocher Pundole, made it The measure of CER’s success have donated Rs. 5,000 or over to the clear they would not give up their could be gauged by the voter registra- BPP and the ‘E’ Register. These two ................ registers form the Anjuman Commit ­ tee. The ‘E’ Register comprises of „ three other registers, namely ‘A’, that to non-Parsis were rejected by the chayat had not been able to achieve is people who have donated Rs. 500. Panchayat staff on orders from the ‘C’, university graduates and ‘D’ all two trustees. Only when the issue those over the age of 21. On a pro- 1' portional representative basis, the A, cants turned to lawyers, did the two refused to sign the compromise note. Noble ’s Pundolite group swept the ‘A’ Register in the 1974 poll and if the Rayomand Committee members The Bombay High Court, however, were to be enrolled on the ‘A’ Regi- tumed down their plea for preventing ster. Noble would lose her hold on the trustees from holding the election those seats. _ _ and the Pax then called for a boycott of the elections. In that election the In addition to Boman-Behram and Noble ’s groups, which appear to have an electoral alliance, the other major groups in the fray, include the Anju ­ man Pax, Boman-Behram ’s old party prior to 1973 which for years controll- danger and the threat was Shiavax VaKil. Vakil had issued a statement on the Towers of Silence noting that ed the ‘E’ Register, and Ms Meher the ancient system of disposal was not working to satisfaction in Bombay. Dh^ ’am Danger Master-Moos ’ party which is concen ­ trating on the ‘C’ graduates Register. Boman-Behram ’s second term of ______ ______ trusteeship expires in December 1981 Once again 'Boman-Behram, Noble and he is expected to stand for an- and others are raising the same ‘religi- o the r ten year term. Ms Moos, a law- on in danger ’ cry. But this time they yer by profession is the founder of the ¦ ¦ '' ---=-1 that school of thought. and others are raising the same ‘religi- of more knowledgeable voters ,1— 2Z?_, ..¦-11. .3 None of the other groups reportedly issues should be decided by the priests are holding public meetings, possibly to avoid questioning as to their stand on the various issues and because lawyer and they have no stated plan or program- threat to the ‘dharam. Boman-Behram, former mayor of Noble, a disciple of the late mystical ills. The measure of CER’s hold on the E Register without a fight, tion figures which shot up from Applications of Parsi women profess- around 7,000 to over 20,000 in less ing the Zoroastrian faith but married than three months, a figure the Pan ­ in over 20 years as registration is for life. The BPP staff worked on Sundays Panchayat staff on orders from the threatened to explode and the appli- and other holidays to clear the appli- C and D registers elect people to the relent but not before demanding the ‘E’ Register. ’ L The number of people on the ‘E’ taining to their religious beliefs. , Register is determined by the number Another controversy arose over the change. Now he said “the winds of of donors on the ‘P Register. There- ‘A’ Register which comprises those change ’’ had finally come to the Dic- fore, if the number of donors is 300 who hav^ donated R^500_and over kensian office of the Panchayat where in December 1980, the number of 1 ‘ candidates elected to the ‘E’ Register Committee, which had collected seve- on February 21, the date of the elec- ral lakhs of rupees for housing on be­ tions, will be 300. Thereafter, the ‘E’ half of the Panchayat and who had Register will remain constant at 300 been told by BPP Trustee Jamshed N. till 1988, but the ‘P Register will C ' continue to grow. As a result, it will have their names on the ‘A’ or ‘F’ be those with bought votes who will P be in the majority when electing a money donated, found when they ap- trustee to the Panchayat board. 1 In the 1974 election. Noble, a medi- Behram and Noble opposed their ap- lacks is the proper managerial system cal practitioner and social worker, plications. They charged that the Ray- that will make the organization more who along with Boman-Behram had omand Committee was not entitled effective and capable in preparing formed ‘The Independent Orthodox ’ to this right. Guzder managed to long term schemes for tackling the party, had submitted 1,000 registra- forge a compromise, requesting the community ’s problems, ” said Kanga tion applications on the last date of donors to state the money could be at the meeting. To that extent, the enrollment. When the Panchayat re- attributed to a Panchayat account for community without casting a single portedly refused to accept them, housing at the proposed Godrej Bang vote, had already set the Panchayat Boman-Behram, who was convalesc- instead of the Rayomand Committee on the right path. applicants sign sworn affidavits per ­ taining to their religious beliefs. cations. At the C. J. Hall meeting Trustee Guzder said that for years the Pan ­ chayat had been protected from ‘A’ Register which_ comprises those change ” had finally come to the Dic- to the Panchayat. The Rayomand for even a 50 rupee dole seven trustees had to reportedly sanction the amount. A retired IAS officer, R. K. Anklesa- ria would be the BPP’s first chief exe­ cutive, relieving the trustees of the Guzder that they would be entitled to day to day routine of the office and ’ ’ ¦ .... permitting them to concentrate on the Register depending on the amount of larger issues, said Guzder. . ¦ - , , ¦ “We do not feel today that the plied for membership, that Boman- Panchayat lacks resources ... What it Behram and Noble opposed their ap- ' ' ‘ ‘ 23THE TOWERS OF BABEL? pollution, we ig civilized and yet we do not allow our other co ­ editorialized “We talk of soi pride ourselves on t A new dimension has been added to the perennial controversy over the dis ­ posal of the dead, namely, how silent should the Towers of Silence be. The issue was raised on Farvardin Doongarw^i in 1980), the most sacred day for the remembrance of the dead, when a group of well-intentioned Parsis decid- _ __ ____________ ___ ______ ed to hold a Hama-Anjuman Jashan ^nd revive our ancient tradi- and Humbandagi at the Ichhaporia Pavilion at Bombay ’s Doongarwadi. According to newspaper^reports and golwala, an active community worker Samachar, the prestigious Gujarati daily which espouses liberal causes, _____ ____________ __ ___ the organizers, Rustom B. F. Kuka, complained that they could barely Naval R. Unwalla of the Zoroastrian hear the prayers ... the chairs and the Colony Association, Chikalwadi and loudspeaker system were supplied at Dinshaw A. Merchant of the Andheri Zoroastrian Association obtained per ­ mission from the Bombay Parsi Pan ­ chayat to use microphones and loud speakers at a low volume. ______ _ ____________ . “This function was attended by the issue of communal versus individu- of the Ichhapbria Pavilion is less than the^dead. “I have been praying for the son for years, ” wrote Ms Manekshaw. religionists to say their prayers at the •- peace, ” editorialized Roj, Farvardin Mah, (13 SepUmber Samachar Editor Jehan Daruwalla. , .L. several participants of the pub ­ lic function strongly differed. “Such public functions reinforce our commu- tions, ” wrote Jamshed Modi of the Havrashta Foundation. Peshotan Nar- _______ „ _ , _____ _ ________ ________ L : letters from readers in The ^omba^ teh the volume of the microphones " was too low and “that occasionally the persons sitting outside the pavilion tee. With Compliments From GLOBE THEATRES PVT. LTD. no cost ... some o'! the mobeds did not accept the ashodad.” Two other letters one by Shirin . Manekshaw and another by N. Z. Ko- speakers at a low volume. oka, readers of The Samachar, raised “This function was attended by the issue of communal versus individu- nearly 2,000 persons and the capacity al prayer on an occasion to remember soul of my dear departed husband and son for years, ” wrote Ms Manekshaw. “For saying other prayers, I avail my- sahebs... in this case nobody can substitute for me. This prayer is inti ­ mately personal. Apart from saying prayers, myself and many like me meditate and recall the loving memori ­ es of our beloved ones. It may be that the organizers meant well. Perhaps Siting "outTide ffie PaSuom One give greater solace to t^reaved persons Two thousand voices do not help me.” Kooka noted in his letter “that some of the organizers with whom I had a talk argu^ that disturbances are everywhere, in the Agiaries, Atash Behrams and even at Doongarwadi where hundreds of Parsis gather ... “In this case nobody can substitute for me. This prayer is intimately personal.' self of the paid services of our Mobed 1,000 persons, ” wrote the organizers in a letter to The Bombay Samachar issue of 5 October 1980. “This means that 50 per cent of the people who wanted to participate in the Hama- rr . . ¦ Anjuman Jashan and Humbandagi lhey thought that Humbandagi would were SxkkXXAA WAAW A Y « •. . will appreciate that it is not possible and lend dignity to the occasion ... to keep the attention of the participat- dn nnt heln me. ing public focussed on the prayers re ­ cited by Dasturji Saheb Kaikobad Da- stur (of Udvada) without the aid of a microphone ... It is a common experi ­ ence of many that when we go to our Atash Behrams, Agiaries and Doong ­ arwadi, we do hear fellow worshippers does it however mean such disturbanc- or the priest offering their prayers es should be officially encouraged and rather loudly. But this does not mean < . • that we should admonish others by years, we have been used to praying telling them what they should do. ” mir«Miv«« when the Hnmhan. Critics, however, charged that the occupation of the pavilion and the use of microphones “hurt the sentiments and feelings of a number of Parsis who votees ... for such purposes we dt^not had come to Doongarwadi to pay their ’ " homage to the dead, ” noted Sohrab M. Dastur in a letter to The Samachar of 21 September, that initially sparked off much so we have forgotten to pray for the controversy. ourselves. ” es should be officially encouraged and even organized .. .for many, many , . ¦ ¦ ¦ . . ¦ J by ourselves ... when the Humban- dagi is meant to be heard by 2,000 per ­ sons, it would be loud enough to shatter the solitude of individual de­ need high priests or mobeds. We have been leaving too much of our prayers and ceremonies to the priestly class. So Established April 3, 1915 Controlling : * REGAL BOMBAY CAPrroL BOMBAY ? GLOBE CALCUTTA * ROXY MADRAS 25Desai: declining trend World Confess Papers Social and Cultural Survey THE WILL TO LIVE Sapur F. Desai Sapiir Desai, a former joint-secret ­ ary of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat is an authority on Parsi demography, having written several books on the subject. His paper on the ‘Social and Cultural Survey of Zoroastrians in the Recent Past and Suggestions for the Future, ’ entitled ‘A Worm ’s Eye View, ’ was among the six papers presented on the subject at the Third World Zoroastrian Congress held in Bombay in January 1978. We carry below an abridged version of his paper. The other five papers on the ‘Social and Cultural Survey ’ appeared in - the May, July and discounting the decrease 49 percent. In 1961 (the ratio had) increased to 69 percent and in 1971 it stood at 71 percent. Taking This trend the country as a whole the Parsis are over 95 percent urbanized. It is left to the community to consider where August issues of Parsiana. In a short compass at our disposal we shall deal with that part of the, population that is comprised in Ma ­ harashtra and Gujarat, insofar as its demographic and social trends are The population is aging, a ment or reference to several artifacts of culture common to all. Social Structure Starting as a small community of refugees over 1200 years ago in this country the Parsis reached their max- mum growth, in 1941, sec table be­ low : Parsi Population 1891-1971 Variation Percent. No. of Parsis While ( shown in 1951 on account of the par ­ tition of India, there has been a constant declining trend. may have, many facets to expose, the main ones being physiological, socio ­ logical, psychological and migratory, the Parsis will be in A.D. 2000 when The community is slithering at the the Indian population may have rate of 10 percent a decade in the reached anywhere from 80 to. 100 last two census decades. At the pre ­ sent rate, the next 75 years will see us a paltry 40,000 or may be less. As it is we are today in India what we were in 1891, almost 90 years ago. The recruitment at the entry point Of life is growing meagre from decade to decade. In 1911 for every lOO per- "8®* sons there were 28 persons in the age group 0 to 15; in 1961 it was 18, (for every 100) i.e., 10 percent down. The community gained, however, in its concerned and make a general state- factor one has to take into account if we are planning for the future. with Year Percent + Variation In crores (800 to 1000 million) and the world population over 6000 million. We are today in India what we were in 1891, almost 90 years 1891 1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 89,887 94,190 100,096 101,778 109,752 114,890 111,791 100,772 91.266 + 4.79 + 6.27 + 1.68 + 7.83 + 4.68 — 2.70 — 9.86 — 9.9 Gujarat Rurals At one time Gujarat was the, reser ­ voir of talent and adventure and that was what made Bombay what it i.s today. That part of the Parsi popu ­ lation has now fallen on bad days. There is depletion everywhere. In 1961, the Parsi population of Gujarat was a little under 18,000. In 1971 it was recorded about 2,500 less, mostly population above the age of 51. The due to migration. Mobility between old age population had doubled. Ob- Bombay and Gujarat has been very viously the population is aging, a high. The result is that what is spent factor that one has to take into ac- on the growing period of the child count if we are planning for the and adulthood is a clear loss to the local community (when) the youth goes age of ^jnales and elsewhere to earn and spend. --------- “¦*: 2" "'? ‘rJ 2"<3 At one time the Bombay and Surat respectively; it rose to 37.00 and 37.50 Punchayets ran through a gamut of respectively in 1961. Again the mean vocal exercises along with other An- age at marriage was 29.08 (males) j ¦ ’ and 24.30 (females) in 1901. It rose to Gujarat 31.38 and 26.55 respectively in 1961. In 1971 the total number of Parsis recorded in India was 91,000 and in fam'ilies 'haviM nea^riy 25,000 acres of Greater Bombay 64,000 approximately, land, most v2re burdened with debts In 1901 the percentage of Parsis living in Bombay in relation to their total population in the country was found future. The mean j ' females in 1911 was 28.80 and 28.60 jumans to do something for the Parsis, especially the rural population. The 1967 survey made a surprising revelation — of the 754 land, most to the, extent of 57 percent, and that of the 1,100 families 3.5 percent were '—J to be affluent, 16.1 percent 26comfortable, 43 percent with just sufficient income, 28.1 percent with The first four days ceremonies barely sufficient income and 9.3 percent on death are crippling in th«ir haif-st^cd. The last two categories expenses, indeed a nightmare not only needed outside help but the the noor and even the medium group (43 percent) needed ’ - ~ help to keep its head above water, to avoid sinking below the poverty line. The two punchayets after having each other. And now that a number talked a lot with other local Anju- of them are emigrating, their children mans petered off in to an unfathom- in time will find it more difficult. A able silence. If anything, today the properly kept record in a confidential situation must be worse as perhaps place can go a long way to meet this our Gujarat delegates alone can show, urgent ne^. Remember if there is It is time the community woke up to its duty. Steps to be Takoi What steps can we take, to set the matter; right? First is a population register. For a small commumty it is not very difficult, provided every family participates actively and passes on th© r^uisite information, which will remain confidential. Bombay can take a lead in the matter. Second is a marriage loan program ­ me. Today a number of young people I® post-college stage, besides act- postpone marriage until they are able welfare pool of the commu ­ te earn well. A marriage loan pro- . gramme can set them up on their feet Sixth is genetic counselling. This at an early age. A further inducement requires a professional set-up and to marry early could be by way of absolutely confidential treatment and amortisation of the debt on the birth administration preferably m a hospital, of each child on a graded scale and Genetic disadvantages arising out of a guarantee to look after the children ’s dreaded diseases can be minimis^ or education upto university or vocational avoided altogether by intelligent stage, if parents cannot meet expenses. middle-class. no marriage, there are no children; if there is late marriage, there are fewer children. The minimum should be at least three children to maintain equi ­ librium of number. The more, the better. Fifth, children bom in the commu ­ nity should be the wards of the ¦ There are some 1,500 Parsi charitable trusts, which could if properly coordinated, look after all the children ’s needs from the prenatal BOYS’ TOWN Public School Nasik 2 Recognised as a Public School by the Department of Education for Indian Merit Scholars. Excelloit Qunate — AU-ronnd Education : me. Sixth is genetic counselling. (jjg counselling. The billion rupee question is: Do the Parsis want to survive? Though a slow breeder, the community not only survived for 1200 years but also made its mark in the last 300 (or so) years. Are we to lose this historical perspective and be second class citi ­ zens in our land of adoption, merely because this generation cannot see beyond its nose? If Bombay keeps attracting Parsis Cultural Aspect there is no way out but to provide Culture is a thing that does not grow housing. Today, we fear, there are out of nothing. It is an accumulation goes as human endeavour, a At one time one used to see with satisfaction a large force of Parsi butlers serving the guests. All Academic Subjects — Tech ­ nical Subjects: Workshop Techno ­ logy, Mechanical & Electrical Main ­ tenance, Carpentry & Farming. Training in Self-Government through Elected Boys ’ Office bear ­ ers. Games — Physical Training — Daily Assembly with Congrega ­ tional Prayers — Weekly intensive Zoroastrian - Geeta - Koran clas ­ ses — Excellent Modern Kitchen and Dining Room facilities —• Airy Dormitories. Moderate Fees, Free- ships and Concessions to Deserving Students. in Third is housing. The crux comes in here, more so in congested Bombay, i; _____ „„ _____ .... there is no way out but to provide Culture is a thing that does not grow housing. Today, we fear, there are out of nothing. It is an accumulation over 500 couples looking for a place of all knowledge and belief and all to live in and get married or settled, that goes as human endeavour, a There may be others who live in joint product of the interaction of environ- or extended families in small flats mental and physical forces over the who cannot bear or refrain from ages and more particularly in the bearing children. Consider the nume- milieu in which a society lives. There rical loss to the co mmuni ty if the is no doubt the Parsis have acquired • couples postpone marriage till they several cultural aspects of Indian ori- find a place or postpone bearing gin and as time wears on, some of children, till they have a decent place these cling and others get loosened or to live in. lost. Fourth is a marriage counselling Marriage and kriteritaace bureau. At a not very distant date. We do not know if the forbears that the community must go in for coun- touched the shores of India brought selling. In a sprawling city like Bom- with them their book of laws. Even bay, there are hardly any opportuni- if they went by the word of the pat ­ ties for the young to meet and know riarch, in such matters the word was a is a marriage counselling Marriage and laboitance Apply to — THE MANAGING TRUSTEE P. N. MEHTA EDUCATION TRUST Cooks Building. 324 Dr. D. N. Road, Bombay 400 001. 27lost or forgotten in time to come; These Anjumans took Dirtn on me mittee headed by one of the , J^stees, the Iranian concept of monogamy felt human needs : First, disposal of ge Cou rt Judge . Sir became a thing of the past for the the dead and for that matter creation Navroji Wadia, had suggesma m subsequent generations. It was from of a dokhma and socio-religious fes- CTeation of a Fedyated^^^^t roTvS onwards that the Pamis of tivals Ito GuJntmhurs. renort India began to learn from the Zoroas- Later some Anjumans developed said m hs jepori . trians of Iran about Zoroastrian traditions. It was not till over 100 years ago that the Bombay Parsis became con ­ scious of their own personal laws, like those of the Hindus and Moslems, ___------------ ------ and started to agitate. Today (since 10 crores between them. These two 1865) we have two sets of laws. Mar- Punchayets have good haisOn but if riage and Divorce, and Inheritance the present climate could to « and Succession. From time to time more constructive use it ccJd hcr-cf* these laws have undergone certain the Parsis of both Maharashtra and changes. Gujarat to a great extent. Society is always in a flux and be Gujarat needs to contain its Parsi it said to the credit of our elders in population in its confines and if con- potential for a healthy growth in a These Anjumans took birth on the felt human needs : First, disposal of the dead and for that matter creation Navroji Wadia, had suggested v th creation of a hontipc Reconstruction It Later into social welfare bodies and even adopted the Indian name. Punchayet. well-being of Many of these are doing yeomen ser- •' vice to the community, nctnhk cf which are, Bombay and Surat Pun ­ chayets with funds running into over It is essential for the progress and ..-ll L-l- " our community that uwx there should be co-operation between notable of various charitable trusts, not only in one branch of their activity but in all. The suggestions must be carried out under the direction of one central body. If any post war reconstrucdon _ _____ worth the name is to be attempted in could benefit earnest, it cannot be done except by a Federation of Charities, We. there ­ fore, propose that we should have without delay an organisation known as Federated Charities Reconstruction Administration (FCRA)”. th? wall and did the right thing potential for a healthy growth in a The Wadia Committee want^ no The community place which once was the cradle of delay. That was 30 years ago. I the present areat Parsis. whole generation has missed the bus eiders.'if not more. The community and the advantages that could have - • - J accrued these 30 years. Will tne com munity revive its will and do the right thing? From time to time laws have undergone certain Society is always in a flux and be the past, that they saw the writing certed measures are taken, there is on t..„ ---- — at the right time, expects the same from must keep thinking in an ascending Resource Utilisation curve insofar as social change, is assets of all Parsi trusts, concerned. approximately 1,500, could easily run Community Organisation Almost 350 years ago Navsari had its first community org^isation —- the Samast Anjuman. ” " population pocket of size all over India and abroad has an Aniuman The root of the word lies Parsi Punchayet had called a confe- in our prayer the Ata^h Nyaesh. The r “ce cf -n word used there is Vyakhanam. In dozen Bombay trusts had participated, community? Nothing. There was once Pahlavi the word used is Hanjaman One of the committees known as the a Parsi Political League but now it which has become Anjuman. Resource Pooling and Planning Com- is moribund, or just does not exist. as social change, is 350 years ago Navsari had A into Rs 30 crores. For a community of less than 90.000 in India it is a sum which, if put to judicious use. The community has never been paro- could promote the welfare, of the chial. It has never hankered after substantial weaker sections. loaves and fishes. But when the time In 1945, the Trustees of the Bombay comes it needs direction. _______ L._.Z ._"-2 _ __ * ¦ What have we done to create poli- rence of trusts in which some three tical and civic consciousness in the Politics and Civics Every Parsi a ____ i-'- Match your AMBITION to a CAREER To do so we offer you: • Diploma Course in Business Management (Oral/Postal) • Banking: C.A.I.I.B. Course (Postal & Oral) e Commerce :G.C.D. Course • Executive Secretarial Course • Private Secretarial Course e Telephone Operating • Telephone Operating-cum Receptionist Techniques • Shorthand & Typewriting • Punch Operating • Telex Operating 3 T Enquire at: Sir J. J. College of Commerce 14>Nanabhoy Lane. Hutatma Chowk, BOM BAY 400 001. Tel: 2 51185 29a Marriage and Navjote Expenses These expenses are considerably high. At one time one used to see with satisfaction a large force of Parsi but ­ lers serving the guests. Today either that class has disappeared or is just not employed as others can be so employed on a smaller wage. In the event that satisfaction of spending money to employ a few Parsis for an evening is just not there. is necessary. The community has to hold together and this is the time to act. ConcIusioB The Zoroastrian cultural values, in which our forefathers believed and lived tempered their way of life. The community has come a great way these 1,000 years and more, has seen skirmishes and wars, pestilence and Cannot something be done to revive it? We need no special rights and privileges, but to be a good citizen of this great country every Parsi needs political and civic consciousness. Nationalism must burn in his veins. The Parsis are very much the people of the land. Religious Beliefs and Customs Religious beliefs and customs are part of culture. And a social contact with different cultures makes for syn ­ thesis of certain ideas. Indeed certain customs permeate into bordering cul ­ tures, witness, the sesh, the divo, the loran, the sathia, borrowed from the Hindu culture. Again the rites that go with marriage, the coconut, the rice, the bandhan and a myraid other dSSS wls^'giten'bTthe bridSroom peSple in our society — mostly obs- ernment, and has remain^ unscatched. to the bnde and as a sort of faint reminder oif this, talk of do hazar diram in the Ashirwad but till to date the boot was on the other foot. Per ­ haps we have today dowryless mar ­ riages. The Sanskrit Ashirwad is already on the way out. Blessings in Pazend make a beautiful recitation - . but some day one may innovate, the when the pen is stretched too far same m an understandable language. I would be stepping on somebody ’s more the establishment is attacked coms if I were to refer to some of our ceremonies like geh sarna, dhup nirang, and muktad. A very devout Zoroastrian, trustee of an Atash Beh- ram and some Agiaries, always used to ask if anything could be done to curtail the first two ceremonies. To ­ day perhaps we are still in the same the laity and others, the ball of sohi- It is generally best to stick to certain It is true each generation acquires beliefs and practices in the absence values and norms and conforms to of other tangible ones taking their certain behavioural standards which ' parent generation had acquired from an earlier generation. For the last two generations we have seen a few disturbing factors. These may have been due to several reasons, principal of which are education, more contacts with the outside world, ab- of values belonging to a diff ering society or culture and other ' ' . Values and the middle-class. These can be norms held earlier began to be warped. 1 Today ’s youth is growmg up in a the subsequent occasions could be milieu that is diffemii kom the Ia.st uiittilvu. generation. From foreign dommation The maktad ceremonies should be the country has emerged into indepen- a communal affair, not individual, dence. This is the great divide between Our prayers are designed for intona- the last generation and the present tion, proper pronunciation with due one. The youth demands answers to regard to syllables and halt at the several questions — s^ial, biological, these a certain amotmt of adjustment If the pen of the journalist The Fourth Estate If the pen of the journalist The community has progressed con- brines change, it is improvement; siderably and much can be attributed to the Parsi press that has contributed in no small measure towards that end. Their strength lies in highlighting a small idea or trend, or in frustrating plague, beneficient rulers and despots, a good idea or trend. “These are oligarchic and other forms of gov- a stable existence portrays backwardness. olisarchic and other forms of cure people whose influence, in many causes, is unrecognised even by them ­ selves — who effectively act as intel ­ lectual referees, ” says James Hitch ­ cock. __________________ _ If the pen of the journalist brings Parsis. change it is improvement; a stable \ _ existence portrays backwardness. But jf the ship of destiny is to remain ' ¦ - ’ ' on an even keel it should be the en- against an established order then “the deavour of every Parsi to see that it more the establishment is attacked j ___ _ _______ 2 ____ ’ ’ ’ ' and subjected to hostile scrutiny, the the elan vital that has characterised more likely it is to suffer growing self ­ doubt and demoralisation, ” says Hit ­ chcock, one use __ . . _ tual restraint so that the public he serves gets tangible benefits. It will continue to do so for an unknown period if the Zoroastrian dictum of universal brotherhood, of live and let live, and of love for latwur continues to hold sway over the minds We have overcome many a barrier remains so and sails smooth. In short the growth of the community should . L----------•„ While one agrees with him generations yet unborn, would wish the journalist would ' his pen and paper with intellec- be a reminder to the rising generation boat and though it is the concern of the laity and others, the ball of solu ­ tion lies with the dasturs and mobeds. Change It is generally best to stick to certain It is true each generation beliefs and practices in the absence values c* ------ —o — - . place but sometime some beginning may have to be made. The muktad ceremonies should be a communal affair, not individual. ________ __ The first four day ’s ceremonies on section death are crippling in their expenses, e "¦ C indeed a nightmare for the poor and environmental factors. brought down to the minimum, and Today ’s youth is growing up in a the subsequent occasions could be milieu that is different from the curtailed. ! Social Valaes and Intergenerational Warden is good For sandalwood Head Office 378 Grant Road B embay 400 007 and Branches Tel. 371464 Qualhy sandalwood Aggarbattlea. gum benzoin (loban) and other Perfumes ,„^.***% individual. tion, proper pronunciation with due enT of a sentence. How many mobeds religious, and cx^uraL do so? ----- - ------- i 2 31aek atmakatha STUDENT OF NEW IDEAS The life of Dastur Dhalla X The high priest of the Karachi Parsis, Dr Maneck N. DhaUa, was an outstanding religious scholar of world repute. He has left to posterity i On rv»uuui ana scnoiarsnip through his books on Zoroastrian theology, history, literature and life. ‘Aek Atmakatha ’ is his autobio­ graphy in Gujarati, first published in 1942 and revised after his death by his wife, Cooverbai, to whom he had dedicated the work a gift on the diamond jubilee of their wedding. ‘Dastur Dhalla: The Saga of a Soul’ is the English translation of the autobiography by Gool and Behram Rustomji, and published by the Dastur Dhalla Memorial Insritttte, Karachi. TTiis is the tenth condensed extract from the book. THE STORY SO FAR Bom into a poor dastur family in Surat on 27 August 1875, Dhalla moved with his family to Karachi three years later. He started schooling at six and by eight he was married to five-year-old Cooverbai. After failing in his school e^^ms, Dhalla sought employment while educating himself in religious matters; arrangements were made ? Iranian languages at the Mulla-Pheroze and the Sir Jamsetji Jeejibhoy Madiessahs in Bombay. He arrived in the city liberal factions of Bombay J ___ J ¦ Parsi Tbeosophists were gaining fulfilled his ambition of studying at some western university. Four years were spent at « rieh ® York ’s Columbia University, nsc« ___ ____ _ .J • .« - ™ as * IxlliUIa moved with his family to Karachi three yeare later. He started schooling at six and hy eight he While educating himself in religious matters; arrangements were made ? Iranian languages at the Mulla-Pheroze and the Sir Jamsetji Jeejibhoy Madiessahs in Bombay. He arrived in the city when the Pars! orthodox and liberal factions of Bombay were engaged in controversies and the Parsi Theosophists were gainins ground. Dhalla came mto contact with several prominent Parris of the tim es, among whom were Jamshedji Tata, Jeevanji Modi and Shapurii Dorabji Saklatvala. He obtained his masters degree in Iranian languages from Bombay University, and with the help of Saklatvala, Tata and others 32 V. W. Jackson, a well-known Zoroastrian scholar of the west. Du­ ring this time, his father expired, and Dhalla was obliged to remit more money home to enable bis family to meet the household expenses. Besides following the prescribed course of study, Dhalla read widely on his own, attended and gave lectures, and grew interested and involved with the debate on cremation prevalent among Zoroas ­ trians at the time. In 1906 he secured his mas ters degree, and in 1908 his PhJ>. from Columbia University. thinker of new thoughts, the student of new ideas and the propagator of new concepts. In 1905, I had set foot on American soil as an orthodox. Now in 1909, I was leaving the shores of the New World as a reformist. The followers of every faith have reckoned their own religious literature to be God-given and sacred —the lan ­ guage of their religion to be divine and celestial. Likewise, since childhood I had heard and read that Avesta was a celestial language and that Ahura Mazda and His Yazdas and Amshas- pands (angels and archangels) spoke in that tongue and heard and accepted prayer in that language only. It was also stated that our ancestors possess ­ ed the esoteric knowledge of the laws of evolution and were aware of all the problems of birth and death. Hence whatever they had written was trans- ^ndental and supernatural and should be accepted unquestioningly with new turn, humility and credulity. It was the bounden and sacred duty of reUgious --------- ¦ particularly of religious leaders, dasturs and mobeds — to establish through whatever means pos ­ sible, the traditions of our forefathers as correct, intelligible and equally ap ­ plicable to all ages. Believing that “old IS gold, ” they must be preserved intact. I had been reared in the midst of such thinking and had left the shores "America with such bi- "^rathushtra and Mohammed have left their teachings in the form of the written word, while others like Jesus spread it by word of I began to look at life from a fresh angle. My religion took a _ __ _ All that existed perished while the an non-existent became a reality. It was 8^0131-^ — the renaissance of my religious life, and all this transpired within the span of less than four years of my study. Under the advice and direction of Professor Giddings, the renowned pro ­ fessor of sociology, in my spare time I commenced a study of the social history of savages, semi-civilised and civilised people. By reading books on w,. xw„xavux ivi z^enca wnn «,rh i anthropology and sociology, I began gotted thoughts playing in my mind scientifically, questions Prophets like Zarathushtra and relating to superstition, magic, cust- * - - - - ana oms, ceremonies, prayer, priesthood, society, marriage and other allied sub- jects. I studi^ their origins historical- mouth, which ^Ss WntoS y, and, for the very first time I began ciples put into writing But these reli to see vivKfiy how they have progress- gious teoks do no?SntaS oX thek ed from the primitive stage to their own teachings. Religious books are present condition. My three years and continuously increasSg and bv the rune mon As of scientific and critical time they are declared perfect or seal ^udy at Columbia University of sub- ed by royal or jects such as theology, ethics, anthro- much of the ancient teaching before philosophy era- the prophets ’ birth and also much of teachings, have Place, time and conditions alter, yet that which is imsuited and what seems superstitious, ridiculous and wrong for gious books do not contain only their own teachings. Reli^ons books are U .V misconceptions that their later disciples ’ teachings have a way into thcm^^ blinded mental vision, traditional be- “* liefs and upbringing. I was now eager to become the (the development of a nation is not abolished. Due to ignorance or to ap ­ pease a large conservative majority, leaders volunteer to prove them cor ­ rect and to make them applicable to all ages. They are obliged to do so be­ cause unthinldngly they deem every ­ thing equally sacr^ and persist in pre ­ senting them as part of religion. To meet with the meaningless „„ „ ponsibility that has been shouldered befieved that Zarathushtra under the pretext of religion and to himself had written the vS^r Gathas and the complete very early times, religious literature is ¦ considered to have a dual meaning, pie propagators of this theory of dua ­ lity declare that the meaning that can be gleaned from the surface of religi ­ ous literature is not its intrinsic mean ­ ing. They encompass within its depths a hidden and true purport. The exoter ­ ic meaning is for the masses while the esoteric meaning is for scholars, saints and highly evolved souls. It IS quite undersUndable that our community stirred by sentiment, still writers of the Pahlavi age, while trans- clings to this mistaken belief. lating Avesta or interpreting this vixv luuuuo auu wsolete language made free use of the Lord ’s Prayer of the Christians are this popular meth(^. It is possible that their main prayers, the basic prayer of J ®^^^bsts existed in that period Zoroastrians is the Ahunavar. It is and have left behind them literature that can solve the so-called mysteries of ^roastrian scriptures. But the Pah ­ lavi literature that has come to us con- tains no such references. Posterity has posed of 21 words. On the strength of a legend took birth over 2,000 Our religious books -- the Y^^ana years ago, that each of these 21 words represents a volume and that Ahura Mazda sent his holy Prophet Spitaman Zarathushtra into this world with 21 Nasks. About a century ago, the mob- eds as well as behdins, believed that these Nasks were God-sent or that Zarathushtra, having received a divine inspiration, had composed them him ­ self. Even today a large majority of the community credulously accepts the validity of this myth. With the passage of time a very large portion of these Nasks have „ X, ____ been lost, yet the Vendidad in its com- Gathas is Avesta, but it is different pleteness, together with other bits and and older than the Avesta of the Ven- parts have been preserved in the exist- didad. A 100 years ago we firmly be- ing Avestan literature. Hence an unbi- lieyed that Zarathustra himself had ased study of philology has proved written the Gathas and the complete that all the Nasks have not been the Avesta, so they are equally sacred and Composition of one person or of one their composition, their grammatical ’ not preserved them, r Visparad, 'Vendidad and the Yashis are all written in Avesta. But the stud ­ ent of Avesta through philology, the science of languages, will be able to res- A hundred years ago we firmly Avesta. can state at once that the language of the C ’ ¦ ¦ and older than the Avesta of the Ven- didad. A. 100 years ago we firmly be- r ’ ..... ............................... - - - written the Gathas and the complete important. A large majority of the period. The construcfion of the words, V - '¦ their composition, their grammatical ’ clings to this mistaken belief. structure clearly manifest that they As the Gayatri of the Hindus and have been written by different people T n J! xL- different epochs. There has elapsed a span of about 5,000 years between the time when Zarathushtra wrote his own words and those written by his last disciples. Many a time Zarathushtra, in his Gathas, begins a verse in the form of said in the Yajeshna that Ahura Maz ­ da composed the primary verse of the Ahunavar before the birth of either of the two worlds. The Ahunavar is com- K» SERSON Electrolytic Capacitors For All Electronic Applications FVom 12 VDC To 350 VDC Manufacturers : SERSON INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD. Pimpri P.F.P.O., Poona-lfi. Cable: Etchfoil Poona-18. Phone: 8237-9 33TOYS Representative of foreign firm wishes to purcha^: Forei gn old toys made of tin, cast iron, wood etc. with or without wind up mehanism; old dolls made ot porcelain, papier mache, wood, wax, preferably with original clothes; doll houses fully furnished or odd items, miniature doll house furniture in silver, porcelain, wood etc; old train sets and models of steam engines, ships, cars; complete tin or lead toy armies in original boxes or individual pieces; old metal money banks, musical boxes and any toys featuring Walt Disney characters; old children ’s books, magazines or comics. Hurry up and send a list of any of the above mentioned items that yon desire to sell together with your expected price to: TOYS c/o. Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay-400 001. a query. For example ; "Tat thva per- asa areshmoie vaocha Ahura": “Tell me clearly what I ask of you, O Ahura Mazda. ” There is no reply from Ahura Mazda. Zarathushtra himself replies or it can be gleaned from the meaning of the script. The later writings of the Vendidad function in another manner. They assign to Zarathushtra their own personal beliefs as questions and paint Zarathushtra as the questioner. "Purest Zarcdhushtra Ahurem Mazdam ’’ “Zara thushtra asked Ahura Mazda, ‘Oh. Ahura Mazda ’ ” and after that, "Aat mroot Ahura Mazda" (“Then Ahura Mazda said ”). This method is very objectionable and misleading. Thou ­ ghts that did not emanate from Zara ­ thushtra, opinions which he did not uphold, have been accredited to him. The authors intention was that any ­ thing written in the name of the Pro ­ phet or under his authenticity would be faithfully believed by the people. The aim is noble but the method is most confounding. Amongst the Roman Catholics the heir to St. Peter ’s throne is known as the Pope; according to the Yajashne the disciples of Zarathushtra have been qualified as Zarathushte-tamo — ‘greatly resembling Zarathushtra. ’ Greek authors have written that there was not just one single Zoroaster but many bearing that name. This Nask of the Vendidad has been written hund ­ reds of years after Spitama Zarathush ­ tra, the founder of the Zoroastrian religion. The prophet himself has not composed, compiled or written it. Some disciple of his has written it and handed it down as Zarathushtra ’s. This is the plain truth. Zoroastrianism has passed through many forms of existence. One was when the Achaemenians were defeated by Alexander and another when the Sassanian dynasty was destroyed by the Arabs. Besides, such hardships have been inflicted on the religion as to alter permanently the tone and texture of the pure and pristine faith of Zarathushtra. When Zarathushtra propagated his new religion in Persia, the Persian Aryans followed the Indo-Iranian faith of their forefath ­ ers. They remained aloof from this new religion. Some time before the fall of the Achaemenian dynasty there was a large-scale syncretism of religions in Persia. There was a fusion of the an ­ cient Indo-Iranian relipon and the new Zoroastrian religion and this new-born synchronized religion gave rise to the belief that Ahura Mama ’s own holy prophet, Spitaman Zara ­ thushtra had founded it. The vast I ft JEENA & COMPANY ESTD. 1900 IATA AIR CARGO Clearing, Forwarding Wardlousing and Insurance Agents 10, Veer Nariman Road, Fort, Bombay-1. Cable ; ‘JUSTITIA’ Telex : 2313 Phone : 312032 Branches: E. Merc House 19/B, Shakespeare Sarani (Formerly Theatre Road) CALCUTTA-16 Phone : 444711 ‘Jeena House ’ 50, Hanuman Road Connaught Circus NEW DELHI PHONE : 310821 I 34literature of both these religions oa various subjects was collected. It was then apportioned into 21 parts and interwoven with the 21 words of the Ahunavar and the 21 Nasks were propounded in their entirety as com ­ posed by Zarathushtra. This myth were present on these occasions they still exists. ” ’ ’ ” ’ • ' ' We are often told that we have not the authority to stray even an iota would be bewildered because of their ignorance of this language. Their state would be similar on hearing the Dhu- from our literary heritage. We have pjiirang prayers recited at an Uthamna. no right even to suggest any alter- recited during the Navjote and almost the whole of the marriage ceremony are recited in Pazend. (Pazend is Pah ­ lavi written in the Avesta script with ­ out ideograms — i.e. non-Iranian words.) If Zarathushtra or his disciples Ninety years ago, when Khurshetji Cama came from Europe after study ­ ing the Zoroastrian scriptures accord ­ ing to' this new method, and, on the strength of that new, scientific know ­ ledge, declared that only the five Gathas had been composed by Zara- sentiment and lack of study. The primary lesson that philology teaches us is that religious language is not celestial and its .writings follow the rules and regulations of philology. no right even to suggest any alter- On the solemn occasion of a funeral ations to it. Yet the history of religi- the Ahunavad Gotha is recited today. ( ¦ 2 been preserved intact. They have with death. Zarathushtra has included that by comparing the languages, by Greek authors have written that there was not just one single Zoroaster but many bearing that name. thushtra and other works were written on reveals that ancient tales have not This sacred prayer has no relationship by his disciples from time to time, therein the philosophy of his religion weighing them historically, ^everything and the pure precepts of ethics. As the prayer for the funeral rites has not been preserved, it has become a tradition to recite this first, sacred much light on our religious scriptures. Gotha. (From stray references in ” ’ Zoroastrian literature one may infer that in olden times the Ushtavad philological lines is liable to err. But rations passed, some of these changes Gotha was recited during funeral cere- were wrought in ignorance while monies. It is not known when and others were made knowingly. It is not why the change was made), correct to say that the prayers as re ­ cited today and the ceremonies we perform are exactly as they were dur ­ ing the days of our forefathers. ____ ______ _ ________________ Let us take a few examples. On or a sentence in the ancient Avestan important occasions like Navjotes and marriages almost half of the prayers undergone various changes. As gene- were wrought in ignorance while Many such instances can be quot ­ ed. Those who state that it is impos ­ sible to suggest the addition or alter ­ ation or deletion of a single syllable prayers are ignoring historical facts and speaking and writing from sheer Tat'inwroenanemai Howl — Bombay ? I? was not equally important, there was a great uproar in the community. The science of philology has thrown It has supplied us with correct trans ­ lations. Even he who translates on the true philologist cannot do so, be­ cause philology is a science. Philology demands the scrutiny of every sent ­ ence, every word. Avesta is an obsol ­ ete language. Its literature is limited. Sanskrit is its sister tongue and its literature is vast. Hence, very often, the explanation of some difficult Av ­ estan words can be derived from similar Sanskrit words. At times it so >' J £ Xs wSgSsK LETS BUILD THEM TOGETHER! Whether it's a five-star hotel, a Sultan's Palace, a hospital, a chemical factory, a fertiliser plant or a housing project — we have the expertise and experience —to handle any turn-key construction project anywhere in the world. Over the last 100 years we i have not only pioneered the construction industry in our country but spread our wings to Muscat and the H Middle East —where against F competition from the best I construction companies, I we won the contract for putting up the imposing Muscat Palace complex . of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman —-and completed - it in time. The multiplicity of projects carried out by us over several decades has resulted in the building up of expertise in numerous aspects of the construction industry. We proudly offer this expertise for any construction project and proposals for joint ventures would be welcome. i'^ l^^yj^.^*!.-^,*1**. .M^j?^*y Sultan of Oman] ObemUSIwwwi MOM < — Bombsv I r T***X*l*lwX . s t: 4 !<: «>! i SIS? 'S«8«'S(r^^!*!iw !>i ii> Rovi MMli lBW mA 1:^ n SHAPOQRJI FALLON JI & CO. (PVT.) LTD International Operations Division, Engineering & Construction .Contractors. ¦ New India Centre, 17 Cooperage Road, Bombay 400 039 Indio ( I“Saints do not fly but their disciples give them wings.” happens that in the entire existing, Avestan literature some word appears only once or twice and even in Sans ­ krit no word can be found to corres ­ pond with it. Even at such a time the philologist has not the privilege to let loose the reins of imagination and ar ­ rive at unfounded conclusions. Philology teaches him that if a sui ­ table word is not to be found in Ary ­ an languages, it is possible that, due to the contacts which the Persians had with Semetic languages, it may be found therein. He can try to un ­ ravel these complexities through scholarly research. In spite of doing this, if he is not able to arrive at a positive result, then, as a genuine philologist it is his duty to confess his inability to translate such a sentence. The history Of religions teaches us the undisputed lesson that, with the passage of time, religions have not preserved their pristine purity and from the abstract have leaned towards the concrete. In the same way, legends have made of prophets what they were not. It is written in Persian: “Saints do not fly but their disciples give them wings ”. Even so do the later Avestan and Pahlavi writings entwine the sacred name of Zarathu ­ shtra with all kinds of myths and The Zoroastrian Co-operative Credit Bank Limited Earn interest upto 10|% on Fixed Deposit Account and 5|% on Savings Bank Accounts Loans and Overdrafts granted on moderate terms. 16, HORNIMAN CIRCLE, BOMBAY 400023. Phone: 298987 legends, making them unbelievable and very different from the character ­ ization gleaned from the Gat has. Since the end of the last century, there has been an increasing number of occultists in our midst. Time and again they, in ignorance, defame phi ­ lology and discredit philologists as “dry grammarians. ” To them every ­ thing in the scriptures seems esoteric. They declare that philologists can scan only what is on the surface and can ­ not fathom the latent implications. They make an airy claim of under ­ standing these hidden secrets. Zoro ­ astrian occultists of the 17th century introduce Asho Zarathushtra as a mystic and present all his writings as mysterious or secret. Thus these pre ­ sent-day occultists think that by pre ­ senting the works of the prophet as having an incomprehensible and con ­ cealed meaning they are enhancing its value and pride themselves as being able to decipher the secrets. For example, they inform us that the description of 16 cities that ap ­ pears in the first stanza of the Vendi- dad and what is in the 13 th to 15th stanzas which relates to dogs, accord ­ ing to ancient Palilavi and Persian or the 125 year old Gujerati and modern philological translations are all wrong, because Zarathushtra would not waste time in writing about such mundane matters. The details about cities and dogs are merely superficial Zarathushtra would and their hidden purport is deeply philosophical. The primary fact is that Zarathushtra has not written the Vendidad. It has been written by others long after him and many of the items included relate to customs and practices prevalent prior to Zara- thushtra ’s age. For example, in the 7th stanza, giving an account of how a physician should be repaid for his services, it is stated that according to one ’s means these doctors should be given cows and cattle, horses, camels etc. In other words this refers to a primitive age when currency was not in vo^e. In the 9th stanza of the Vendidad there is an injunction that should a person ignorant of the laws governing the giving of a sacred bath to him who has touched a corpse, perform such rites, then he should be hand ­ cuffed, dismantled and beheaded. The same punishment is meted out to the corpse bearer who carries a dead body alone. Many such ancient customs and traditions and various subjects which are absolutely unsuited to changing times and circumstances and matters mingled with superstitious animism of the infancy of religion are included. The task of the true scholar is to differentiate between these. Reli­ gion, ethics, philosophy, ceremonies and prayer should be set apart and the rest discarded. Our spiritual leaders try to wean out from religious literature their own preconceptions and beliefs, without inspection or examination, guided only by sentiment. They select para ­ graphs that have no relevance to the main subject under consideration, as ­ sign imaginary meanings to words and as a result pose as occultists and evangelists and satisfy the credulity of the illiterate and uneducated. They attempt to appease their soul ’s hunger by offering undigestible fare. Take the debatable question of vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism that has been discussed in our com ­ munity repeatedly. These gootf people stress that the eating of flesh is pro ­ hibited according to Zoroastrianism and they believe and make others be­ lieve that their statement is beyond doubt and well proven. Since they hold the personal belief that animal slaughter is irreligious and sinful, they also believe that a religion can ­ not possibly allow flesh-eating and they attempt to make others believe likewise. The history of the origin and pro ­ gress of the religions cJ the world proves their opinions are unfounded. Our Indo-Iranian forefathers were 36We are obliged to reveal such facts, 1 since Zoroastrian vegetarians, openly ception that our fore-fathers of the and with emphasis declare that flesh ­ eating is prohibited in Zoroastrianism. When we do so, these gentlemen pose to be pious and accuse us of disgrac ­ ing our religion by publicising such evidence. The truth is that they do and constantly not hesitate to say and to write what - cows, bullocks, horses, ever they please under cover of reli ­ gion, only to substantiate, without scrutiny or examination, their own pre-conceived ideas. When sentiment ­ alists profess to pass wrong as right under the pretext of religion, then I am obliged to give lectures that would Anjuman of Bombay assembled and should a behdin be caught making use of flesh on those four Anroja days he would be fined a dcrti and given sacramental bath. (A doti, according to the Gujarati meaning of the word is (a) a gift given to the bride ’s father Our Indo-lranian forefathers were totally flesh-eaters and constantly sacrificed cows, bullocks, horses, lambs and goats in their ceremonials. It is false to say that it is a miscon- totally flesh-eaters sacrificed cows, bullocks, horses, lambs and goats in their ceremonials. The Rishis of the Rig Veda, Zarathu ­ shtra, Moses, Buddha, Jesus or Mohomed have not prohibited animal ­ slaughter in their religions. With the advent of Jainism, the religions of India, coming under its influence, gradually began to express articles. Besides, religion is truth, opinions against animal slaughter. There is no religion higher than truth. There is sufficient evidence in the r ’\ ,L__ ,___ 1____ Avesta that our ancestors 3,000 years laying the foundation-stone of a build- ago included flesh in their daily meals and offered meat-dishes in ceremoni ­ als. There is ample proof in our Pah ­ lavi books that our forefathers 2,000 years ago did so. Amongst the 21 Nasks (litanies), pages and whole chapters are assigned to animal slau ­ ghter; the particular verses to be re- _ __ mat cited by the mobed while killing, the they never did so. According to the animal that is to be used for cere mon:- ” ' es, how its various parts are offered to different Yazads, how to offer them, which animals to use are des ­ cribed at length. Buddha, Jesus last century did any such thing or that should there appear any such re ­ ferences, they are merely allegorical. Today many of our families refrain from eating flesh on Bahman, Mohor, Gosht and Ram roj. They are doing so voluntarily now, but a 100 years ago it was obligatory on all. For, like a child ’s fear of a school-master ’s rod, the trustees of the Panchayat of those days kept our fore-fathers under their thumb. In 1796 the General Body of the I reveal the truth and to write such passed a resolution to the effect that There is no religion higher than truth. Fifty years ago on the occasion of a ing or while inaugurating it, on any such auspicious occasion, we were ,.. ______________________ wont to sacrifice a goat or at least a (b) coarse Indian calico cloth. In this chicken. Today happily we hardly < ever do that. But merely to protect equivalent to the cost of the 'dotiV the fair name of our elders of about 50 to 75 years ago, it is wrong to indi ­ cate with baseless arguments, 11th verse of the Yajashne, as per age-old tradition, right up to the last century, we offered a goat ’s tongue and his left eye in ceremonies dedi­ cated to Hom Yezad. context, the fine would be anything Should a mobed be guilty of such a crime, he would be prohibited from that practising his profession for a year. In 1823 they placed this resolution again before the community and am ­ ended it to read that perchance should Chahram of a deceased person coin ­ cide with one of the four Anrojas, even on such an occasion meat should <0 i© w/st ma V'-® A friendly smile and... FRIENDLY ICECREAM H EXOTIC FLAVOURS c z I STOCKIST UIAIKIKI . I KJECPEAtn oS »Cto it ( WWW • FRIENDLY ICECREAM (BOM BAY) Majestic Shopping Centre, Shop No.. 21-25. Jagannath Shankersheth Rd., Girgaum, Bombay-400 004. TEL: 366741 31 A- \not be utilised. To protest against this resolution certain gentlemen ap ­ proached the Anjuman at Navsari. They unanimously replied: “Should a Chahram fall on Behman, Mohar, Gosht or Ram roj, you may certainly perform the ceremony with meat and its fat be placed on the sacred fire with incense and agar. This would please the deities of the animal world. ” Today we neither place the fat on the sacred fire nor do we sacrifice a goat ’s tongue or its left eye to the Hom Yezad as our forefathers in ign­ orance did for 300 years. But it is futile to nullify what has been record ­ ed in history. It is wrong to white ­ wash what came down to us through the ages. It is a mistake to assign a latent and esoteric meaning for clear and straight-forward statements. Religion has always befriended philosophy and has called her to its aid to simplify its task. The present age is an age of science, so these eso- Thoughts that did not emanate from Zarathushtra, opinions which he did not uphold, have been accredited to him. teric spiritualists frivolously make use Of the power of electricity, vibrations etc. to bring to light the so-called un ­ seen meanings of our prayers, to solve the mystery of our ceremonies and to prolong age-old queer practices that are best buried. The present-day Parsi graduates and post-graduates of Arts, Science, Law and Medicine believe and try to make others believe matters that only children or illiterates can accept. If legend related that Dastur Adarbad Marespand poured nine maunds of molten metal on his chest without any harm to himself, just to prove the greatness of the Zoroastrian religion, they accept it as a historical fact. If it is rumoured that in Akbar ’s reign some magician by his feats manifested two suns in the sky instead of one, and at that time Dastur Meherji Rana, by the strength of his mystical incan ­ tations brought down the artifical sun, they accept it as a historical fact. Should some fictitious author write that to waylay some Arabs who were following King Yazdezard ’s daughter a dastur recited the Tir Yasht and at once there was a downpour of hail and snow and on reciting the Avan Yasht immediately, there was a flood in the River Jechem, and all the Arabs were drowned, they would be­ lieve this imaginary tale to be the plain truth. Morever, the ignoramus question us verbally or in print: “Is there any dastur or mobed to be found today, so staunch and so religious? ” The people who delight in keeping themselves entangled in the web of such ideas abide in a world of fantasy. It is not correct to say that the prayers as recited today and the ceremonies we perform are exactly as they were during the days of our forefathers. If they were to be wise and seek real miracles in this living world, today ’s extraordinary and bewildering dis ­ coveries of science would supply them with a fund of such experiences. Rather than these imaginary spirits, Che inventions of intellectuals, like the talkies, or the aeroplanes that en­ able us to breakfast in Bombay and lunch at Karachi, or the wireless and the radio or many such latest inven ­ tions, are believable miracles. Asho Zarathushtra with great em­ phasis tells his audience that has come from far and near that they should listen to his teachings attentively, think about them calmly, meditate on them, and then only should they ac ­ cept them from the choice of their head and of their heart. The first lesson that I learnt through my study in America was to discard all pre-conceived ideas. The fetters of prejudice should be shattered. All facets of a question should be ration ­ ally cxamin^ through historical per ­ spective, the laws of philology, compa ­ rative religion, scientific reasoning and an intuitive awareness of huma ­ nity. With the Compliments of: N. S. GUZDER & CO. Private Limited « NEVILLE HOUSE, BALLARD ESTATE, BOMBAY-400 038. 39A Pahlavi Commentary on the Asem Vohu Maneck F. Kanga This translation of a Pahlavi com­ mentary on the Asem Vohn by Pro­ fessor Maneck F. Kanga, is reproduced from The Bulletin of The Asia Ins­ titute (No. 2 1975) of the Univers ­ ity of Shiraz, Iran. The Bombay based, 72-year-old Kanga is an inst- emationally reputed linguist, scholar and author specializing in Iranian Studies. A member of the governing body of the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute, Bombay, he was also the Institute ’s honorary secretary upto 1974. He was professor of Avesta- Pahlavi at St. Xavier ’s College, Bombay, the J. J. Zarthnsht Madressa, Bombay, the Universities of Bombay and Poona and a guest professor at Frankfurt University in 1965. Kanga headed the Iranian Studies section of the 1953, 1961 and 1966 All India Oriental Congresses. He was the Indian delegate at the Shiraz Congress of Iranology on the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the Persian Kiz^dom. The Asem Vohu. one of the three efficacious formulae of the Zoroas ­ trians. is found in its complete form m Yasna 27.14. The commentary on this short prayer, which forms a part of the Ba an Yasna, is contained in Yasna XX. One more explanation on the same text is found in the Persian Rivayats. The Pahlavi version of this latter commentary, which contains ex­ planations of all the twelve words of the Asem Vohu, is met with in two manuscripts of the Mulla Feroze Lib- ... ------ ------------- reaness^ r rary at Navsari. The efficacy of this ^y) Zartostrotom. Who is by forms) his short formula is also discussed in the name Zartostrotom? (Zartostrotom) ¦ Ha oxt Nask, frakart I. and in the Persian Rivayats. Feariess is he who performs Us What is asem? Asem is_ righteous- good and abstains from the wicked actions Without fear here k U LT-Ti:-- “t people: then whatever he recites is in this world and there in the StiS Spirit iS he partakes of is world beyond. Dountitui opint and he has been en- the votive offenne ¦ ‘S' path of the 3. What « vahistem? Vahistemis 6. What is ahmai? Ah„,ai i. what "is the path wUi' h~as'been'«i;;^c'teX, “what'^s !hou.ht'%ood woS ’anTS^it 8°?*. f" ‘Itt ^'“te °t Sood the commandment which has been and has ^elinauished moderation. Of good trouble giv»? The path of Te Boun'SSl ev. ,s he who is contented with that which Spirit (is the performance) of meri- evil deed. - ' - - ® torious deeds, and the will and action good ness. Who utters asem? He Bountiful Spirit and he has been (is the commitment) of sin and the will and action of the devs. What (is) Good deed (is) taking sin and what (is) meritorious deed? f"" ’ A? a® .-*.2 xlav wvix,*Hc lias UIVJ the Mazdayasnian Religion. Meritori- of the entire creation of Ohrmazd per- ous deed (is) that which has been fectly. Who has thought of the entire taught as meritorious deed in the Maz crcaticr. cf C.rainti.d pviftvi? " dayasnian Religion. The treaty (which) has thought perfectly of the has been contracted (is) that which (is) ' ‘ - • - between Ohrmazd and Ahriman. The commandment which has been given to Zartoxst Spiraman in the Mazday ­ asnian Religion : ‘Do ye conscienti ­ ously worship God ’. Kanga: linguist and scholar Vohu? Vohu is goodness. Who utters vohu? He utters vohu who J ---- is he who has learnt the entire Avesta and the commentary and has taught (the same) again (to others). He eats with the good, moves about with the good and abstains from the wicked ^on. Good word is good intercession. , , ------J care of water and fire, because when he takes care of water and fire well, he has thought creation of Ghrmazd perfectly? (He ; creation of Ohrmazd who) does not do unto others whatever is not good for his own body. What is evil thought, evil word, evil deed? Evil thought is infi ­ delity (and) doubtfulness towards re ­ ligion, Evil word is injurious desire, evil desire and evil aspiration on any ­ thing of others. It is he who smites and injures others (and) deprives them of their things. Evil deed is lack of care of water and fire, because when one does not take good care of water and fire, then the whole creation of Ohrmazd is scorned (by him). What is that which (is) scorn? Scorn is that, when one does unto others what is not good for his body. 4. What is asti? Asti is obedience Who utters asti? He utters (asti) who (practises) lawful obedience and pro ­ per protection. What is the word of God? Obedience is that by which he listens to the virtuous utterance. Pro ­ per speech is that when one knows everything in goodness (and) he knows that “I know ”, and that (which) he does not know he knows: “I do not know ”. The word of God is that whereby he performs anything well, and he says to others that he performs in this way what is best. 5. Wliat is usta? Usta is goodness and fearlessness. Who utters usta? He ut ­ ters (usta who is) fearless. Who is fearless? Fearless (is) he who (per- fz.. u:. actions without fear here (in this world) (and) there (in the world beyond) yasna, and whatever he partakes of is world beyond. Evil Spirit. Wl?at is the h S Sc exccJcSi. Who“ vaSeS^Hc path utters vahistem who hi SotnS What IS the treaty these three things, namely, good which has been contracted, what is thought, good word and good deed the con^andment which has been and has relinquished three things ’ given? Tile path the n^mAiv _ .J Spirit (is the performance) of meri- evil deed. What" is good though? torious deeds and the will and action good word (and) good deed‘d’ of God, and the path of the Evil Spirit Good thought is steadfastness to reli- 40 ahmai? He utters (ahmai who takes) 1 ’ ” * ¦ and just moderation. Of good trouble He is of good and just principle who keeps food and cloth ­ ing moderately and gives to the worthy that which is left over.7. What is hyat? Hyat is victory. Who utters victory? He utters victory (who is) the Emperor of men, who brings the world to triumph along with his confederates, cavalry (and) army and affords protection to the world. But injury reaches to the body (and) soul of those men who do not obey (him). 8. What is asai? Asai is righteous ­ ness. Who utters asai? He utters (asai who) is liberal, glorious (and) honourable. Who is liberal? The liberal is he whose goodness reaches him, who possesses goodness in a precious man ­ ner. Glorious is he who has welcomed him (and says) drink the nectar. Hon ­ ourable is he who keeps his hand by the side, so that by that which has come up he becomes contented. 9. What is vahistai? Vahistai is ex­ cellence. Who utters vahistai? He (utters vahistai) who (has) excellent wisdom, knowledge (and) information from this Mazdayasnian Religion (and) believes without doubt in the purity of the good Mazdayasnian Re­ ligion, which Ohrmazd taught to Zar- toxst and Zartoxst by means of the strength and power of God, and even by means of his own holiness brought the spiritual lore into the world and promulgated it Such a person is well inform^ (about) that thing and (also about) that which is evil (and) un ­ seen (unto) men. Next is that (he should be enlightened) on the sub ­ stance of God and on the testimony of the effective holy spell, so that by his own pure utterance he nourishes the word and the pure religion of Ohrmazd with goodness, whereby he is grateful and knows that (it origi ­ nates from) Ohrmazd and the holy immortals. And as to the injury which comes upon him (if) he is not able to withstand it he should be resigned and realise that (it comes) from Ahri ­ man and the devs. In order to perform duty and meritorious deeds he endures hardship. He adorns meritorious deeds who imprecatessin. He who has no mean (i.e. religion) runs away and similarly spurns meritorious deeds, which is an armour of man in war, which witholds the wrath from the body. The fruit of meritorious deeds is the principal source to the resplend ­ ent heaven. O mortal body! perform meritorious deeds, so that the soul shall attain to that which is the best existence. Be ye a liberal descemer, be ye righteous, just, undeceivablc, of virtuous deed in the world, and may you be renowned and of righteous soul in the spiritual realm. Happy is he who is liberal, just, righteous worker, and thankful to the will of God. With Compliments From EMPIRE ESTATE Liberty Building 41/42 Marine Lines Bombay 400020 * 41I IN MEMORIAM The Last Tycoon He was known as the doyen of the Iranian Zoroastrians, a slim, soft- spoken, self-made millionaire with a quick temper and a large heart. When he died on 7 October 1980 at La Jol ­ la, California, following a bout of pneumonia, Arbab Rustam Guiv was the greatest benefactor of the fledgling Zoroastrian associations in the New World, having given over a million dollars for the creation of 2k»roa- strian centres in New York, Ontario, Illinois, California and many million dollars more over the course Of his 92 years to countless charities within and without the community. “His life exemplified the visions of his faith — a life lived with honour, nobility and generosity. ” noted a memorial resolution passed by the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York, the first association in North America to receive Guiv ’s con ­ tribution for a community centre. The Zc«-oastrian Society of Ontario (ZSO) to which Guiv gave over half a million dollars noted in an editorial titled ‘Lest We Forget ’, in their ZSO newsletter: “Arbab Rustam Guiv has touched the heart of every Zoroastri ­ an who has known him and his acts of benevolence and generosity have followed him wherever he has travel ­ led... he was a man of his word and a true Zoroastrian, a true follower of the Path of Asha, devoting his time and energy to the service of humanity and to spreading the message of Humata, Hukhta, (and) Huvarshta.” About two weeks before his death, the Mehraban Guiv Darbe Mehr had been formally inaugurated in Ontario, but Guiv and his wife, Morvarid, could not attend, “due to reasons of health and personal reasons, ” noted the newsletter. “He was foremost in charity, first in the Iranian Majlis or Parliament, in the service of his fellowmen and and served the Tehran Zoroastrian first in the hearts of the Zoroastrians ”, Anjuman for 32 years, 27 of which wrote The Bombay Samachar Editor were as president and five as vice- Jehan Daruwala in his Parsi Tari Arsi president. column of 19 October 1980. “Any- Early Years thing that added to and enhanced the ~ ~ ’ greatness and prestige of Iran was a attended the Daribestan-e-Kaikosrovi deserving cause for his munificence He, however, passed his last days Ostad Khodabux, notes a biography (longing) to go back to his mother- of Guiv prepared by Jamshed Pavri, land and lay down his weary bones a chronicler of Zoroastrians abroad. with those of his ancestors and dear departed friends. This ultimate wish was not granted to him. ” The Zoroastrian Society of British Columbia (ZSBC) in a resolution re ­ ferred to Guiv as “a true Zoroastrian, full of warmth, understanding and sympathy especially for the poor ”, and resolved that his name “be taken in all future religious ceremonies ” of the ZSBG. Guiv represented the Zoroastrians a Guiv used to recall that he was not the best of students, till one day for some misdemeanor he received a thrashing at the hands of Khodabux. After that Guiv became a model pupil, was eternally grateful to his mentor Khodabux and later dedicated school in his memory. In 1908, Guiv left Yezd for Tehran on mule back to join his elder brother in the family business. Half-way through the journey, Guiv managed to travel by carriage and comparing it to the mule-back-ride, he found it such a luxury, that years later he would always say that though he had travelled by the best and most modern and luxurious means of transport, it never compared with that carriage ride. The family had begun dealing in homemade cotton goods and later ex­ panded into importing shoes and general merchandise from Europe. They had a shop-cum-office and above it a room in which Guiv and his family resided. Guiv would work till close to midnight and then sleep in the room above and the next morning by seven or so begin working in the shop. For almost the first 35 years of his life, he kept up this strenuous schedule. It was only as the business expanded and prospered that he mar ­ ried Morvarid, the daughter of a Yazd businessman named Ardeshi ’f Mehra ­ ban, and started to travel abroad an ­ nually. Aside from the money he garnered from running the family business, Guiv multiplied his wealth many tim ­ es over through his shrewd real estate dealings. According to Pavri, Guiv purchased between 150 to 200 acres of fallow land at the foot of the De- mavand mountain about 100 kilo ­ meters north of Tehran and with “determined zeal, boring tube wells, converted it into fertile land and culti ­ vated fruits and grain which were ex­ ported to European countries as well. ” To this land, he gave the name, ‘Ru- Born in Yazd, Iran in 1888, Guiv stamabad. ’ He purchased more land at a ne- school there, under a teacher named ighbouring village named Koohan, where he also built a large training and educational organization for the youth of the village, writes Pavri. Guiv: addressing the Chicago Zoroastrians in 1978 42Mahal Hotel in Bombay, he would be approached incessantly by people asking him for money. The constant demands on his generosity often made him distrustful of people and their motives. It was largely at the urging of his cousin, Ms Mahino Batliwalla, Guiv began taking interest in com ­ munity affairs around 1933 when he was elected member of the Tehran Zoroastrian Anjuman. notes Pavri. In March 1935 he became vice-presi ­ dent and upon the death of his friend, Arbab Kaikhusrow Shahrokh, Guiv became the president of the Anjuman that he Jin ally gave six lakh rupees as well as a member of the Iranian " " ' “ Majlis. Inspired by the housing colonies in to the Bombay Parsi Panchayat for housing in 1978, shortly after the host ­ ing of the Third World Zoroastrian Bombay, Guiv bought about 15 acres Congress in Bombay. of land in Tehran-Pars, a suburb of Guiv had the curiosity of a school Tehran and built 80, two unit houses for low and middle income Zoroast ­ rian families, named Rustam Bang, his disapproval of them,_ always hap- He also built an Adaran a hall for religious and community ac ­ tivities and two schools in the memory of Aga Poure Dawood, the noted Avestan scholar and Ostad Khodabux, his former teacher. Guiv also started the Guivar factory in Tehran which manufactured pipes and fittings and in which it was said Zoroastrians from any part of Iran could find work. “Tn all his acts of charity ”, writes Pavri. “it was his wife Morvarid Kha- num who impelled and pushed him all the time. Between them they creat ­ ed the Guiv Foundation. ” It was around 1975 that Guiv ’s at ­ tention was drawn by his friend Dr Rostam Sarfeh to the young Zorc- astrian associations springing up in the New World. Guiv offered monet ­ ary assistance to help establish places of worship and the first Darbe Mehr was inaugurated in December 1977 for the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY). “Be rmited ... be broad-minded and welcome newcomers who desire to know and study Zoroastrianism, ” said Guiv at the opening ceremony* “Our prophet did not ever put restric ­ tions on anyone who willingly wanted to follow his principles. ” Aside from assisting ZAGNY, Guiv financed Darbe Mehrs for the Zoro ­ astrian associations of Ontario, Chi- . cago and California. The Zoroastrian though he always felt that hotels Trust Funds of Europe received large " ’ " * donations from Guiv over the course of the years. During the Third World Zoroastrian Congress in Bombay, several appeals were made to him to donate money for housing in Bombay. Though Guiv had donated consider ­ able sums to Zoroastrian communiti ­ es in various parts of India, he was hesitant to spend in Bombay as he felt that Bombay had enough wealthy stidTand" stand? Parsis and trusts. He said he wished to give his money to those associa ­ tions whose resources were limited. And yet he often commented that Zorostrians enjoy the same rights as when he sat in the lobby of the Taj what all Muslims enjoy. One cannot Guiv had the curiosity of a school boy, always enquiring, marvelling at new developments, sometimes voicing py when he felt he had bought some ­ thing at a fair price, annoyed when he had been cheated. Seated outside the Darvish ; an institution in himself Sea Lounge restaurant of the Taj, he would carefully check every bill and ' s were a luxury for a man like himself, he would often invite groups of Iranian Zoroastrians to lunch if they happen ­ ed to reside in the same hotel. The late band-leader Goody Seer- vai, when he spied Guiv in the Taj buf ­ fet room, would often play the Iranian national anthem, which pleased Guiv greatly, and even though his feet were slowly being crippled by a circulatory ailment, he would clutch his walking Under the Pahlavi dynasty, the per ­ secution of Zoroastrians lessened and the community began to prosper. “We find words to thank Shahenshah Arya Mehr and Reza Shah Pahlavi (the late Shah of Iran and his father) for all they have done, ” said Guiv at the ZAGNY function. The subs^uent developments in Iran made it impos ­ sible to remain in that strife-tom country. After residing in Bombay for some ­ time, an increasingly dejected Guiv and Morvarid moved to La Jolla in California where following a fall he was hospitalised and developed pne­ umonia. “He was in a state of coma for the last four or five days ”, writes Pavri, “and the stout noble Zoroastri ­ an heart breathed for the last time on 7 October 1980 at 4.15 a.m. ” Guiv ’s last wish to die in Iran was denied to him. He was buried two days later, in Rosehill Memorial Gardens, Whittier, California. A week later, notes Pavri, Morvarid purchased 50 burial lots in the same cemetery and reserved an ­ other 100 to 150 lots, for a separate Zoroastrian section. In the last five years of his span of 92, the redoubtable Guiv had affected and guided the course of Zoroastrians in the New World. He was perhaps the last of the great millionaire phil ­ anthropists who with a signature on a cheque could alter the fortunes of a community overnight. The circumst ­ ances that permitted an individual in the course of his life to amass such great wealth and spend it as he thought fit are no more; and even should such circumstances exist again, how many would be guided by the instinct for benevolence that charact ­ erized the life of this great Zoroastri ­ an? In the final analysis it was the deeds of Rustam Guiv, rather then his wealth, that made him a legend. The Death of Darvish For 41 years, Rashid Arestani ’s name was linked with that of the dead. Bet ­ ter known to Zoroastrians throughout the world as Darvish, the 71 year old custodian of the Bombay Towers of Silence died alone in an obscUre hos ­ pital in Shirdi, of cerebral hemorrh ­ age on 4 August 1980. The man who had comforted countless families in their hours of bereavement and through his persuasion and contacts circumvented post mortems for so many, had himself to undergo the last legal ritual. Darvish ’s death was the cause of mourning throughout the community. Metropolitan and community news- papers carried news of his death, with The Free Press Bulleiin front page story noting, “What an end for this friend of the dead ”. The coroner ’s court 43 *held a meeting to mourn his death. 1931, and was employed as a general of; 6 August. But the most outstanding Eight years later? Darvish""started work tribute was the convening pt a Samast at Dtwngarwadi on a salary of Rs. 30, Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman Sabha on 4 meanwhile supporting a wife and two September at Bombay ’s Framji Cawa- ’ " sji Institute Hall by the trustees of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP), in whose employ Darvish served. Accord ­ ing to a report in the Gujarati daily Jam-E-Jamshed, this was the first time a man of limited means and humble circumstances was so honoured. The BPP. however, sent notice of the meet ­ ing to only two of the four Parsi news publications. __ ___ __ _ ________ _____ ___ “He must have carried to their final writer Adi Dhond^^^ the very rich, the important, the ones with titles as well as the bodie.s the^destimte, ” noted geh-sarna ceremony. “I did what was Daruwala in his Gujarati Parsi Pra- noted^a report in T/ie Indian ^Express handyman during wedding ceremonies. . nr, . ... .. —. . . _ . . tribute was the convening ot a Samas! at Doongarwadi on a salary of Rs. 30, children. At accident sites, fires, house collap ­ ses, hospitals and homes, Darvish would be present in his bedraggled coat and black cap. “He helped people from other communities at times of fires or accidents, ” noted The Bombay Samachar. “He never asked for any ­ thing for himself. ” The large gathering of Parsis and non-Parsis at his funeral was proof of his service, noted Jam-E resting place thousands of corpses, of vish ’s son Syrus ’s request, non-Parsis were permitted to see Darvish s face and pay their last respects after the The Bombay Samachar Editor Jehan right for him ”, said his son. In addition to his duties in Bombay, ----- „—1.________ court they are all alike. Darvish real- the Panchayats throughout Maha- ized this much better than us all. ” ’ • - • ---- “He has been an akabar (leader) in the fullest sense of the word, ” noted ____ _ _ Kaiser-E-Hind correspondent Phiroj Panchayat, in a letter of condolence to Mau in a Gujarati write-up. ~ ...... BPP Chairman B. K. Boman-Beh- ram, who* was requested to chair the Samast Sabha, paid tributes to Dar ­ vish saying that he was always at the call of those who were suffering and unhappy, helping them with the pre ­ parations for the last rites of their dead relations. It was through his help, noted Dastur Hormazdiar Mirza, head priest of Udvada, that many a Parsi left this world with the proper rites. Peshotan Nargolwala, an active community worker, called Darvish an institution and said that it was because God had blest Doongarwadi, that he gave the community a caretaker like Darvish. Ratan Kakalia, joint secretary of the Dadar Parsi Youths Assembly, suggested keeping a copy of Darvish ’s services to the community on record at the Panchayat and sending a copy to his family. He also suggested the setting up of a memorial at Doongar ­ wadi so that future generations may be inspired by Darvish ’s selfless ser ­ vices. Kakalia noted that the memori ­ al would be financed by the commu ­ nity. Early Years Bom on 3 August 1910, Darvish start ­ ed working at the age of seven, paint ­ ing cinema posters at Calcutta ’s August 1980. Madon Theatre, states his bio-data Darvish is survived by his wife supplied by press photographer Ra- Goolbai, two sisters, and 11 of his 14 shid Bamanbehram. At the age of 15. children, Rusi, Sheroo, Thrity, Sam, Darvish came to Bombay, and was Jehangir, Freny, Maharukh, Syrus, married to Goola Jamshed Kermani in Amy, Zarin and Soli. kash column of 6 August. “In God ’s Darvish ’s services were borrowed by rashtra and even in Gujarat. “Hi.s death is a great loss to our co mmun ity, noted the trustees of the Poona Parsi 44 posters at Darvish ’s family. Aside from tending to the dead, Darvish also made sub ­ stantial efforts to help beautify the Doongarwadi lands and solicit dona ­ tions for the upkeep of the estate. The End A believer in the Shirdi Sai Baba, Darvish left for Shirdi near Ahmed- nagar in Maharashtra on 29 July, with a premonition that he would not re ­ turn, recollects Syrus. He was 71 on 3 August, and the next day, his family in Bombay received a message stating that Darvish had been admitted to hospital since the past three days and was serious. Sam and Syrus, two of his sons, rushed to Shirdi, and after the ordeal of trying to locate which hospi ­ tal their father was in, finally traced him, only to find him dead since the previous evening. Two days after his death, Darvish ’s body finally made it to Doongarwadi, Bombay, for its last rites, after the intervention of retired Deputy Commi ­ ssioner of Bombay Police, Jal Con ­ tractor, notes Bamanbehram. “Yes, he was a close friend of the dead. Death, however, did not treat him kindly. Nor did it respect the sanctity of his body. When he died, he died alone ........” wrote Pradeep Shin- de in The Free Press Journal dated 11 Darvish survived by his wife MATRIMONIAL Matrimonial correspondence with returnable photograph cordially invited from only parents of Parsi ladies for hard working, jolly Zoroastrian country boy, belongs to poor family of Gujarat — settled in North America, never married, 34, 5 ft 6 inches, handsome, teetotaler, prejudice free, emancipated with broad cosmopolitan outlook, employed in U.S.A, with Green Card obtained through employer, $ 36,000/year, M.S., multi-disciplinary engineering-energy background. Canadian Citizen — Passport, blend of eastern-western culture, champion of woman’s higher education & rights and actively participating honorary life member of Verzavand aey Behram Verethranghna’s Peace Mission. No Bar what so ever, except quit smoking. Rich-poor, orphans, vegetarians, professionals, doctors, teachers, nurses, — all welcome. Air fare on us. Visiting India shortly. ... Erach Maneksa Singpurwala, Khorshedji Solar Services, C-210, Stratford Plaza, * 506 S. White Horse Pike, STRATFORD, NEW JERSEY 08084 U.S.A.