Jul 1981

a' T I 'f. I il s z\ ^2; 0 7. yta\ I p fl o '¦^9. ?0P 0p\ X.0 ( 0 'o 1 :OC<’j ;•( 0, C. ''"1 P a I sjR * .-e* 0 7 l?0, ,0 ( t 0 3 k Oi e o o o \ 0 0l ». 'r i‘ Jk I' II/ >J f f »' July 1981 Price Rs. 5 IBB W'liWi st imp I S' |3 July 1981 Volume 4 Number 1 - jWr* g”; *» READERS’ FORUM EVENTS AND PERSONALITIES ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD ADOPTION AND THE PARSIS 1981 THE ‘GAHAMBAR STYLE’ NEWS FROM THE MEDIA SPORTS DASTUR DHALLA — XV IN MEMORIAM Cover: A gahambar scene by M)ario Miranda 3 6 15 17 18 21 25 27 35 J I « -iS* ii'i ¦ .'Jj EDITOR Jehanglr R. Patel EXECUTIVE EDITOR R. P. Thanavala ASSOCIATE EDITOR Arnavaz Patel DESIGN CONSULTANT Mini Boatwala DESIGN Ketayun Chothla, Rohintoii Billimoria ADVERTISING Veera Patel IGiusihroo Amroliwala Zarin Billimoria MANAGEMENT Hanlta Irani CIRCULATICW M. R, Ambujakshan Nair Pax«iana Is published by .Tfiban gir p *4. TV T sari Chambers, grourxd'floo^ ’39'*A. Nayak Marg, Port, Bombay-400001 and printed by him at the Bom ­ bay Chronicle Press, Sayed Abella R. Patel at C/o H. L. Roebat, Nav- sari Chambers, ground floor. 39 A. Nayak Marg, Port, Bombay- 400ooi and printed by him at the bay Chronicle Press, Sayed Abella ’ Bpinibay 400 QOl. Att fi® correspon^nce bay 400 001. Phone :~26873Cl’ rights reserved. Address all edlto- r*-, __ — to Parsiana GP.O. Box''8^, “Bom- Annual inland subscription: Rs 30 for one year (12 issues); Rs 55 for two years (24 Issues); Foreign subscription rates: Seamall Rs 60 one year, Rs 110 two years; Airmail Rs 120 one year, Rs 215 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. A * .p ' r •ie ? * ? t ii I.. >: 's- fe i li fl r ¦ ‘Kfi .i' l'* * *s i r v‘ READERS’ FORUM ijjti* I n • f. • J > n fe:: r: •i * ‘ • *•»•*».)t<.* L ‘,t »- A ¦ t , I r . »»»»«»* »<»>*! *M»**** A I-I'H# ¦» 1 * 1965. and agree with Valayati ‘that it include IS a very difficult life ’, but those of us who are truly interested in this profession must continue to try and make improvements in the basic struc ­ ture of Mobedi, making this dying profession more attractive young. cricket, hockey, football, tennis, basketball, badminton, table ­ tennis and athletics. The Club started as a cricket club and continued as such for quite sometime. In the years gone by, some of our L. .f A a Readers’ views are welcome subject of interest to the c- and should be sent to TTie Editor, Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, G. P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. on ai^ to the cricket^ players have played in the ““ - ’ * \____ I one even made the all-India grade, the Stote? ~ PAURUSASr D UACOL Champioy hils^a nd Karachi. One^of^ our girls has also represented three occasions, our hoc- Hilla Parsee Cyclists Chailenge Cup nlay^ I Tribute to Vakeel I Those of us who had the good fortune ¦ of coming in contact ¦ Vakeel, citizen pir ______ _ I away on May 6, woffid I to like her and to know her ¦ whether they be known names I Hkc Verrier Elwin. Aubrey Menen I B^lraj Sahni, Mulk Raj Anand, P. L. I Tandon, Gulahdas Broker or a college I student who participated in the dis- I cussions at Nalanda. This gentle and I dedicated soul was one of the civiliz- I mg influences of Bombay. I A® said that in a democracy the I office is that of the citizen. I Hilla Vakeel ’s book. The Good Citi­ zen conveyed this message. I do wish that efforts are made to make the book compulsory reading for our school go- proud citizens of a great city. ARVIND A.’DESHPANDE Jt. Hon. Director, Bombay Civic Trust. -.u team has annexed the All-India with "----- par excellence, who at Bombay. Our ladies too, have^taken tQ hockey since 1947. Our team plays in the ‘A* Division of the Calcutta Women ’s Hockey League which they won on more than one occasion. Several of our girls have represented Bengal and one has represented India on three occasions. In football, the Club ’s team plays m the Bengal Soccer League. Although our standard is not very high, a num ­ ber of years ago we had annexed the coveted Lady HardiUge Shield. In order to encourage the younger generation to take to sports, the Club holds morning tournaments in hockey and football on Sundays and ho lida ys. •About 50 to 60 youngsters participate. The Club ’s senior basketball ladies team has been playing in the ‘A’ Divi- « . wvruikl en~ dorse my view that to see Hilla was •to like her and to know her was to .respect and love her; it made no dif- whether they be known names Hkc Verrier Elwin. Aubrey Menen Balraj Sahni, Mulk Raj Anand, P. L. Tandon, Gulahdas Broker or a college student who participated in the dis­ cussions at Nalanda. This gentle and flO/IIAn __ ... ./ icauing ror our school go- children so that they may become nA b'Mia^xK'M **«•<>>«• J __ __ . tt . t The Calcutta Parsee Club u* 1- J trian Athletic Championships hosted Karachi Mobeds by the Federation of Zoroastrian I have read with interest the article Associations for Welfare And Culture The Smouldering Embers oj the Kad- (P^^rsiana, December 1980. Events and mi Priesthood, {Parsiana March 1980). Personalities. FOZAWAC’s Amateur We in Karachi have been worried Athletics). Readers may be interested for sometime about the shortage of > • mobeds and thought it wise to form a trust for their welfare. This is a collective effort to make this profes ­ sion more attractive to the young. We have received tremendous support from the Parsis of Karachi, and work to ­ wards the betterment of the mobeds has already started. It is high time that the Indian Parsis thought of some collective effort for their mobeds. Anybody in­ terested in receiving further informa ­ tion regarding this trust may write to the undersigned at 206 Al-Saddar Bldg.. Bhickaji Street. Saddar Karachi 3. Pakistan. I have been a practising priest since o® the first Zoroas- by the Federation of Zoroastrian to- (Parsiana, December 1980, Events and POZAWACs Amateur ^1 Jf®®w about the Calcutta Parsee Club, which has as its principal ob ­ jects the provision of opportunities and facilities to Zoroastrians to play and participate in games, sports, and athletics. The club also holds events and social functions. The Calcutta Parsee Club founded in 1908 by five sporting en­ thusiasts and had for its premises a ^all tent on the maidan. Today the Club has about 700 members and a spacious tent which is one of the larg ­ est on the maidans. The membership strength will appear even more formi ­ dable when it is realised that there are currently about 1,600 permanent Parsee Zoroastrians in Calcutta. The sporting activities of the Club Warden is good For sandalwood Head Office ' 378 Grant Road Bombay 400 007 and Branches Tel. 371464 1 Quality sandalwood Aggarbattiea, gum benzoin " (loban) and other Perfumes sports was a •] •» lA V» \* I •• / 3Jion for many years toe League C _ ______ rf them have played tor Bbmgal and Hine still do. ^n table-tennis, our members have Ibown a fairly high standard and some taye represented Bengal in the Natio- Championships. labs on the maiSns°to have'aPmaX Cakut 18 three tennis courts At one time we dances, dinners, lunches, indoor |^^t^tion of v Wre the only Club to have four tennis fhe^tXo^ mS" ’ ______ loiirts. but we later converted one in- rhunX ’ a a basketball court. We hold annual ® P®*^’ including a fancy mnaments in five or six events and M contest and the annual Jamshedi rp. „ ny years am^ recently Chanipion^^. A nuj ' won 1 number larger number of rin table-tennis, our members have - ------------- some Our Club is one of the very few number of participants and an even spectators. A few ot those first participants were to be- athletes of the State. nu vuques or groups or haJpf Sf in athletics petty politics. Elections at the annual m/pt/h general meetings are conducted with- kliana affair Sy The Calcutta Parsee Club is an in­ stitution of which any Parsee can be JEHANBAX A. KAPADIA Calcutta. Another unique feature of our Club is the spirit of bonhomie and camara ­ derie which prevails among members. 1 here are no cliques or groups or sports general meetings are conducted^with- gym- , X z. ------- a fancy dress contest and the annual Jamshedi l\ln«t«An year on Christmas Day. ^higles^ Championships in the Championships. Another "Say! s^ie of our players'* has won the ^®^hi and Bengal Lawn had which participated in various ^pean tennis championships and Wimbledon. Athletic Sports . - --—I Uax Ulllluai ature since then, drawing a large Wimbledon. M in 1933 and have been were an annual cum-fl la carte dinner. Both these George Edalji functions attract a large number of community members. ^he unique features of Club IS the nominal bership fees. With . . * ^h —^^XXXXVIXXH participating in sports, athletics social events, the fees charged from Rs, 1 to 5 per month. On weekends and holidays, the Club runs a canteen where tea and snacks are sold at very low rates. our naonthly mem- a view to giving opportunity of and vary I refer to Virasp Mehta ’s rnation on the i----- ' .PaTSi3Converted by Dr. John Wilson other convert to Protestant Christianity according to Dr. J. H. Moulton in his The Treasure of the (^gi, Pg. 214. (Oxford University Snji7 Homazdji zn . vtrasp Mehta s request (Parwa/za, December 1980) for infor- _ -- -.3 name of the second convert to Protestant in his The Treasure of the ] i T«l>)nt«rcomlnentai HotaC — Bombay I 'Ml .-I 5P FARROKH K. KAVARANA Zug, Switzerland. 1 LETS B6ILD THEM TOGETHER! Whether It’s a five-star hotel, a Sultan's Palace, a ho^hal, 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 have not only pioneered the construction industry in I our country but spread our I wings to Muscat and the || Middle East—where against competition from the best construction companies, < we won the contract for putting u0 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. : ^!«8f x^Sf Otwro^SMiMon HSM —•onilMir •> 5 % if * I n. ------------- Ji .Alls 5HAPOORJI PALLOIMJI & c il'w ' J .............................................................. . a ¦. •^<,4 co iPVT ) IT I r b 5 *i L Events and Personalities Peerbhoy Polytechnic The Akbar Peerbhoy Women ’s Poly ­ technic, dedicated to assisting women “to stand on their own feet. ., to earn their livelihood and to be economi ­ cally independent ” was formally in­ augurated on April 24 by the Chief Minister of Antulay. Ms Homai Peerbhoy, noted social worker and chairperson of the Poly ­ technic established in her late hus­ band ’s name, speaking on the occasion noted, ‘ my husband was deeply inter ­ ested in education, especially the edu­ cation of girls, for he strongly believed that to educate a girl was to educate a whole family. ” A well-known lawyer, the late Peer­ bhoy was keen “to see the Muslim community stand shoulder to shoulder with other communities and take its rightful place in the progress and prosperity of the country ”, said Ms Peerbhoy. “He always felt that by working for his community he was working as much for the whole coun ­ try, because a chain is as strong as its weakest link. The Akbar Peer­ bhoy Girls Polytechnic is open to all, irrespective of community, caste or creed;” The late Peerbhoy had bequeathed Rs. 10 lakhs to his Parsi wife with _ the proviso that the money be used have a formal inauguration till today, after per lifetime towards the creation because the building was not com- Peerbhoy speaking at the inanguratiiHi of the Polytechnic Maharashtra A. R. ¦ L 'f A ¦ r^' 1 ‘. pleted, ” said Ms Peerbhoy. “Bj ready over a 100 girls have j through the portals of the Polyl and a 100 more will do so next i “We have started the depan of cooking, dress-making, embil beauty culture and hairstyling, ® printing, making of soft toys ing and shorthand. More depan will be started from next term. I “Already many of our girls ha jobs and have started earning have a programme of learn aia We have started a production! in a modest way and the articl displayed for sale. ”. 1 Among other donors are'tl Ness Wadia Foundation, an Dorab Tata and Ratan Tata 'B Magistrate, society hostess, | list, social worker, smiling, son en Ms Peerbhoy is a vice presia the Anjuman-I-Islam — a 13 old endowment trust that oversa maintains 51 charitable cultuiS educational organisations of thd lim community in Maharashtra! late Akbar had been its presidl 17 years and his wife span help him with his woj _ .u- Indeed, in the Muslim com technic within her own life time. which traditionally holds womq “Though the Polytechnic started discount, Homai. the Anjumain functioning since last June, we did not female Vice-president since its a were amemied three years ago.l prestigious niche. She is the 1 person of the new Polytechna vice^esidoM of the Anjum , charge of Ae Akbar Pee^hn lege of Commerce and.Econonu the Panchg^ High School, M ishing English m^ium ^blic | open to all communities. | Much of her time away fra activities of the Anjuman-I-Ia spent in the pursuits of the Fm Childrffli Society of which she! I founder n^Ment. The Socia built two ncmies destitito I a dormitory fpr the l^nchgiO School, a wing for Bombay^ Wadia Children ’s Hospital am ped the J. J. Hospital, a ehfldrm ’s ope»6(m a nutrition programme for 19 - Io Peerbhoy: “shoulder to shoulder”. Peerbhoy set about creating the Poly- tesWent. The 1 |M? „ #- F* I M 6x W - i a N P I I. j a 5 '•i ! E&xtmately 40 children and their *flie Memorial The Society also donated a LeetOffes rupees to die Polyteclmic. jjj memory of the late econo'mist, ll^lplatning the genesis of the So- Professor Jtunshed Kaikliusnoo Mehta, Hr , Ms Peerbhoy recalled the Allahabad University has decided Hld^wt Dam disaster and the - - of children roaming K ^teets. Y. B. Chavan was then HOeffe minister of Maharashtra and ^8b«Tknew him well. He agreed to a home for the children if we Collect Rs 50,000. We register- * ¦ ¦ society and collected the money h years. ” ¦' A r metropolitan magistrate sitting *" Juvenile Court, Ms Peerbhoy is ¦ president of the Maharashtra ca Women ’s 42ouncil and a mem- j Iff its executive and management 'I u^ittees, states her bio-data. A of the Governing body of the ? Women ’s Polytechnic, she is I Canceller ’s nominee on the sen- I , (M the SNDT University. I ^^Bii the young Homai Romer had 1 to be a barrister, the son my I did not have, to carry on his ] jijg ex-inter collegiate bad- _ jn champ recalls how on a visit ‘ to tlie U.K. after graduating from rBlpianstone College, Bombay, she j ...pleaded with her parents to permit 5 .nff to remain in I.o-ndon to become Mehta: pioneering the theory of ^ -8 batrister. “But they wouldn ’t budge, wantlessness. “Commeacing from 1981, once 8 Bit Ms RomM registered her to eminent men from the b’ {Measure by refusmg to practise. In ze-u- Lc A_ ’ \ those days you couldn ’t practise at IlbnF S‘'! lltf w &• pleasure by refusing to practise. sevoal foreign languages, Kfothur. Besides economics, Mehta “was a master of nearly all branches of aca ­ demics. He was at his best in the ', reli- ’ even adds 1 psychology, philosophy, Mogy,'Wth^atics Memonal Lee ure . medicine. ” states Mathur, who writ- ’ es; “He (Mehta) was an eminent homeopath .. Mehta ’s willingness to helj) those in need, his kindliness and punctuali ­ ty (“We could correct our watches by his arrival and departure, ” i noted Mathur). have won for h^ the \ respect and admiration of thc^e who I have come into contact with him. I “Professor Mehta always reiminded I us of the Rishis of Vedic times -— al- i ways calm, composed, radiating and I soothing. To meet him was i to feel J relieved of one ’s anxieties and worri- _ es. Hi's guidance and advice was ' available to everyone, ” recalls Mathur. Bdm in 1901 in Rajnandgaon, fifth I in a line of six children, Mehta obt- I ained him M.A. in economics, and ¦ joined Allahabad University as a lec- ¦ turer from where he retir^ in 1963, ¦ according to a life sketch in a book of commemorative essays in honour of Mehla entitled Essays in Contempo­ rary Economics, edited by P. C. Jain and D. N. Chaturvedi, to which eminent economists have contributed. The Enrtrepreneiirs of “As a people we tend to be s^' negat ­ ive — anybody will give you Six reas- “Commencing from to al- ii i fields of economics and ofeer social sciences would be invited to deliver lectures in the department of Econo ­ mics, Allahabad UnivCTsity, ” notes Vinod Anand, head of the economics department at Allahabad University, in a I donations to create an endowment to finance the lectures. Said to have been the pioneer pro- pogator of the economic theory of wantlessness, the need to minimize wants, on which most of his work is at the age of 79, Professor and head of the department of economics at . - • • • 1 economic thought fe;. the High Court unless you were a ^>arrfcter, ” she rationalist. Dosu Karaka, “a good friend,” in­ troduced her instead into journalism ”, aid she joined him on March, a Bom- bay Chronicle Publication; then fen- lowt him to The Current. The fea- i turedn the establishment of the Aarey i' Milk Colony and the article on a slum coloey near Parsi Gymkhana at Ma- . line Lines, Bombay, are two jouma- hsti : ber’s wives, Ms Murthy had embroid- i ered a design of the holiday resort, j The Lonavala Holiday Resort is the I second hotel venture undertaken by < I the Mistry ’s. “The management is i I confident of making this resort a sue- i I cess,” notes Ms Pamela MaUcani, mar- j j keting and sales manager. “Fariyas - I will provide great employment potens- I tial, the project will be a great boon I to the local economy as well as the I social community in and around Lona- , I vaJa. ” Holiday in the Hills The picturesque western ghat hill station of Lonavala has its first 5-star . - - holiday resort, thanks to the reputed based on the idea of a plua, sur- Bombay hoteliers and constructors, M/s. B. Jmniwji Mistry Pvt. LW. A sister Hotel in ] Resort was M/s. Dara B. Mistry and Partners who won a competition held by the promoters to select the best design. “Several sites near Bombay were considered, ” noted Pea M. Shaw The man behind the hotel and Technical Director of the Fariyas construction company is Hosi Mistry, designed by architects them and promoting visual continuity - - - _ . various public rooms and the landscaping so as to offer a totally new style of living ”, note the archi ­ tects. The Mr and Ms Mistry: classic entrepreneurs. 1 '***'***< -'4* I I I 12r'< i I i i 114 k i i I Filling a Cavity The Zoroastrian Dentists Organiza­ tion, (ZDO), based in Bombay, has plans to collect funds to sponsor de­ serving Zoroastrian students to under­ go training in dentistry, notes a re­ lease from the ZDO on the occasion of their first Scientific Session, held on 24 May at Bombay ’s Radio Club. A small committee has reportedly also been formed by ZDO to hold dental camps in the rural areas of Nargol and Udvada for poor and needy Zoroaslrians, for which a den­ tal chair and other equipment was donated by noted Bombay dental surgeon and president of the Dental Council of India, Dr. Fali Mehta, who chaired the day ’s proceedings, states the release. The Scientific Session featured an audio-visual, talks and a question ­ answer session followed by lunch, notes the release, these activities were preceeded by an Extraordinary Gene- rd B^y Meeting, “the basic purpose 30 years. A'casket? shawf and "purse of which was to spruce up the ' ¦ ' • organization ’s constitution and to re­ gister life membership. ” •O Dentists (L to R) S. Sahukar, Ratan Doctor, Mehta, Sorabjee and Porns Turner* que hill-station of Panchgani celebrat- its 50th anniversary with a jashan, contributory dinner, kirtan and other events. Hormuzdiar Dinshawji Chok- si, grandson of Nanabhoy Choksi, spoke on the origin and development of the Dar-e-meher whose birth date falls on Adar Mah Adar Roj (1 May). A manpatra was presented by Dr Navroze S. Kotwai, great grand ­ son of the founder, to Ervad Pavri who has served the Dar-e-meher for were also presented in recognition of his services. Among those participating in the nization at the conference. A former banker, Sidhwa is said to be the backbone of the FTP Nat ­ ional Centre, having founded two im ­ portant PTP chapters in Bombay and Madras, organized the Tenth Decen­ nial Anniversary Celebrations of the PTP National Centre in Bangalore and staged the fourth PTP World ­ wide Conference at Bangalore. The PTP was founded in 19.56 by the late President Eisenhower to pro ­ mote world peace and understanding. a » * SPOTLIGHT The first Indian woman to be awarded the Chevalier de I’Ordre des Palmes I Academiques by the French ’ govem- I ment is Kaity Nariman, vice-president I of the Alliance Francaise de Bombay. I The award is given to those who are I dedicated to the diffusion of the • I French language, literature and cul- I ture. {Times oj India 12 April 1981). • I The new director-general of the Mon* I treal Symphony orchestra is Zarin I Mehta, brother of Zubin Mehta, con- I ductor of the New V'ork Philharmonic I Orchestra. The Montreal Symphony " is scheduled to tour the Canadian and American west next fall. {Indian Express 6 June 1981). Dr. Kotwai reading the manpatra. Founded 27 years ago, the ZDO functions were Dastur Hormuzdyar has around 80 members, with Dr. D. Puxi^, L SkMabjee as president, and seeks to Hormazdyar Mirza of Udvada AM*!* T_ -1 . — — .. . abroad to enrol, according to Dr. Soli Mr. R. Hormazdiyar, secretary of Ahura Chemicals, Bombay, has been elated president of the Indian Che­ mical Auxiliaries Manufacturers Asso ­ ciation for the year 1981-82, accord ­ ing to The Economic Times. Norshirwan Dastoor of Pune, Dastur invite more members from India and and Lady Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy, Kir- abroad to enrol, according to Dr. Soli tankar Parvez Katrak, relatives of the Javeri, joint honorary secretary of the founder and others organization. Life membership is for Rs. 25 while Patron membership is PromotillS PcflCC abroad $^5 ^"and KW^l-es^^tiv^^ Heading the Indian delegation at the Room, the oldest library in Bombay^ A , y . 5®speclivety, Fourth Asian Reeional Council Meet- Pntt on mon notes the release. Jnquines may be addressed to Dr. S. M. Javeri, 9/31, Grants Building, Arthur Bunder Road, Colaba, Bombay 400 005. Panchgani Dar-e-Meher Gold The Seth Nanabhoy Bezonji Chtdcn Dar-e-meher, situat^ at the pictures- Jal H. A. Vakil, a retired magistrate and administrator of Seth Charities _ has been elected president ot the ... David Sassoon Library and Rea^ng Fourth Asian Regional Council Meet- {Free Press Journal 20 May 1981) ing of the People to People (PTP) International Meeting at Taipei, Re- Naval H. Tata, noted industrialist and public of China, was Behram S. Sidh- piesident of the Employers Federation wa, president of the Bangalore Parsi of India, has been re-elected for an- Zoroastrian Anjuman, notes a press other three-year term to the new Go ­ release. verning Body of the International Labour Office, Geneva. {Indian Ex- ing of the People to People (PTP) International Meeting at Taipei, Re- F’ " “ 7__ _ _______________ public of China, was Behram S. Sidb- piesident of the Employers Foi^tion Zoroastrian Anjuman, notes a press Sidhwa was chairman of the Work- ____ , ____ shop for Expansion of the PTP Orga- press 20 June 1981). * 13 J(. 'i ? ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD Navjots in Yazd The largest navjot ceremony ever to be conducted in Iran, was reportedly that of 33 boys and girls in Yazd. on 20 March this year, according to a re­ lease from the Zoroastrian Inter ­ national Cultural Association (ZICA). “Considerable efforts had to be put in by the Tehran-based ZICA Com ­ mittee for staging the Navjotes ”. not ­ ed Rossi Surti ZICA president, ad ­ ding. “In view of the various difficult ­ ies prevalent in Iran these days, speci­ al steps had to4>e taken to coordinate ------------- x-ui jauarev s with helpers in Yazd. Likewise, very Stot-Yasn, Gothic Text of the Aves- special efforts had to be made in view t~~ -* ¦ — - Yazd Atashbehram reciting the Do- ova Tandarosti... the function termi ­ nated wih traditional dried fruits, tea and Yazdi cakes being served to all present. ” The release notes that ZICA was “able to meet the * ‘ r ; _______ years mainly throu^ membership SILRA its various functions. The ( ¦ _ _____ ________ by well-wishers. The gifts*to'tlw'inlS- ates included Dr. Ali Akbar Jaffarev ’s tas with Persian Trmslation and has been added to the Singapore Lep- rosy Relief Association (SILRA), in recognition of more than 25 years service ” by the Medoras to SILRA, notes a release from the Association ’ The late Keki Medora was the “oil- r Onzl _!• .It * . A Navjotes fooS todsSu; oSr !he wVels"'iSrL2s'V''^S^^^^^^ in various capacities, includ- , since she first It was during her term as president, according to the release, that “the present SILRA Home for the desti- of the fuel rationing, to arrange for Con^raary, copies ^or^*whi^ M^re Jalan^'^WiKidbrid^ LorongBuan^ok Off two buses to transport 72 ZICA don^ by Sazmane-Farbuhar » W^bndge for tho^e unfortun- members and well-wishers 700 kilo- Tehran-based association fS^rtho^ ?hSir own meters away to Yazd. shti ym^s ” ^nno- meir^n kith and km and from soci- “The function opened with a de- ZICA was formed in Tehran five yotional song sung by nine of the 33 years ago by “a few enthusiS^ Zar- ” conditions not initiates, this being an auspicious nu- thostis mainly from India and Paki- in extremely squalid conditions fit for human habitation. “titiative and > that it was possible mber because of the 33 Amshaspands stan in order to rmider cultural and valuable^ i iiSS fMtheAasociaaon w^tak*^;^ .-.IaV a v*’ Uuvo. xvuaV, IW Zarthoshtis about 100 former lepers ^ing accom- wmeh ZICA was proud to ha™ -~h^hy'SwS!. *"' ?! ?«>•???”« fo? S^et-making, followed by a speech by the renown ­ ed Gothic scholar Dr. Ali Akbar Ja(- . —.......... , farey, who expounded on the virtues increasingly with local of each individual having the liberty and Iranian Anjumans, as to choose for himself whether he which ZICA — ’ wished to be initiated as a Zarthoshti. ____ _ i. . “Not surprisingly, therefore, the membership cmnprising of local Zar- cament^^ age of the new initiates was between thoshtis. ” ® ^re introdticed in the nine and 21 years. This speech was The ZICA managing committee consists of resident mrai S«ti. viS Sieh- income for Mobed Kerman Katrak first praying president Navroze hftmdaliar and the Havan-geh and Atosh-nyoish ac- members Homai Mistry, Rmtom ®* SOtRA, Med­ cording to the Iranian custom, while Zairaponsh, Kersi BheMmia, Arde- r-7®,® P^®sident of the Women ’s the initiates and Mobeds remained shir Zonji, Firdosh Shroff, Khodaram Home, president of the St. seated on the s‘age. Thereafter the Gavashni. Mehnodi Sivti and Nwi- oommif- Mobeds conducted the Naviotes in Mavdwala. I?® ™®mber of the Parole Board, on ------- -• -- _ \ - J *"® finance committee of the Y.W.C.A. This wa^follow" Service to SineaDore the Singapore ed by Dastur Meltorwan from the A Kdd mid iJsSm-i™. bi~v Ha" seated on the s‘age. Thereafter the Gavashai, MdmraA Su^' and Mobeds conducted the Navjotes in Mavdwala. groups of nine, so as to complete ed by Dastur Meherwan from the A K^ a^^Nu^'^edora members Homai Mistry, tee member of the Parole Board, and vice-president of the Singapore Block, a^ording to the release.**" Mobed Kennan Kafrak ZICA committee members Katrak with initi^es during the ceremony 15 1Adoption and the Parsis, 1981 Si! lit ll! lit ij I I The emotionally charged issue of who is a Parsi, is once again being raised by the Adoption of Children BiU, 1980, now before the Indian Parlia ­ ment. According to the bill, an adopted child will have^ the same rights, pri­ vileges and benefits as a natural born child. The question thus arises that if Parsi parents adopt non-Parsi child ­ ren will the children be considered Parsi and will they be entitled to all the Parsi religious and trust benefits. To safeguard against non-Parsis being consider^ Parsis, several anju- mans and individuals have written to the Prime Minister and minister of law, justice and company affairs, to the bill or to amend some of the clau- deration of Parsi Zoroastrian Anju- u., _ mans of India in a letter to the Prime Minister stated, “It is... very essential that the Adoption of Children Bill, 1980, should be made applicable to the Parsi community in the same way as to all other communities except the Muslims... ____ “Due to various socio-economic and a former law secretary to the reasons, and emigration from India, Government of India. ________________ the Parsi community in India is Gae ’s suggestion, and that of sever- dwindling in size. Due to housing al others, is that the adoption bill be shortages and economic difficulties, so amended as to prevent non-Parsis many Parsis are unable to or marry from receiving any of the benefits, very late. Consequently, the fertility rights, privileges, etc. reserved for rate has dropped and, as each succeed- Parsis. ing census shows, there is a sharp de- Gae ’s clause states, “Where the cline in the Parsi population of India... child adopted belongs to a race or “Inter-community marriages are on community or has a religion different the increase not only amongst Parsis from that of the adopter or adopters, but amongst other communities also, nothing in this section, shall effect the Spouses in such marriages should race, community or religion of the have the unfettered right to adopt a child, and the adoption shall not by child and to bring up the child in the itself confer on the child any rights religion of the adoptive mother, or in regard to matters relating to race, the adoptive father. This would be in community or religion of the adopter the interest of the welfare of the ado- or adopters, which the adopted child pted child. ” would not have had, if it were not A note on adoption prepared by adopted. ” Keki J. Gandhi, the Federation ’s In a letter to the Prime Minister, honorary secretary, states “Can the Ms Roda Mistry, a' member of the trustees of the existing funds... be Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh, compelled to grant the benefits to stated, “It has come to our knowledge non-Parsi children adopted by a Parsi that some Anjumans on their own parent? without consulting their general bodi- , es have written to your kind self requ­ esting that the Parsis may be exempt ­ ed from the purview of the Adoption Bill which is before the Parliament... “In this connection, the undersign­ ed has written letters to over a 100 Anjumans all over the world asking for their opinion after consulting their general bodies, especially the youth and eminent Parsi Zoroastrian Advo ­ cates of the Supreme Court. Their opinion will be compiled and for ­ warded for your information as soon as it is received. “It is hoped Madam, that you will give us time to do a proper study and inform you in due course before any action is considered to exclude Parsis from the purview of the Bill. ” Shiavax Nargolwala, the contro- , j , _ . . - -------- versial president of the Delhi Anju- exclude the Parsis from the scope of man and a vice-president of the Fe- ses as suggested by Rustom Gae, a “Can the trustees be com- , pelled to grant the benefits to non-Parsi children?” senior advocate of the ’ Supreme Court Government of India. “The answer to this legal issue would depend on the terms of the Trust Deeds. These generally provide that the beneficiaries would be Parsi Zoroastrians, and give unfettered powers and absolute discretion to the Trustees to decide without assigning any reasons, whether to deny or to grant the benefits under the Trust Deeds to a particular individual, and if so, to what extent. Hence even when the Adoption Bill, in its present form and without the proposed am ­ endments, becomes law, it would be left to the discretion of the Trustees of each Trust whether or not they should grant the benefits under the Trusts to non-Parsi children adopted by Parsi parents. “Even if the above contention is for any reason found to be incorrect, the Trustees, if they so desire, would be able to deny the benefits of the Trusts to non-Parsi children adopted by a Parsi parent on the ground that the settlor ’s express wish was to con ­ fer benefits, on Parsi Zoroastrians only. “It would therefore seem that there are enough safeguards built into the Trust Deeds and the Trustees of the individual Trusts will be fiee to de­ cide this issue on their own without any interference or compulsion. The most important criterion for determining the contents of the Bill, should be the sentiments of the adop ­ ted child and the parents-to-be. I li }: 3“ Would Parsi parents tell their adopted children to follow another reli^on or none at all? II If Parsis adopt a non-Parsi child, and this may be the only recourse for couples where Parsi children may not be available for adoption, is the child not to be brought up as a Parsi Zoroastrian? Would Parsi parents tell their adopted children to follow an ­ other religion or none at all? Or should childless Parsi couples who cannot find a Parsi child to ad ­ opt, never have adopted children? The community has to search for an answer based not only on customs and beliefs, but also compassion and understanding. 17 ii¦ THE i ’j ft I GAHAMBAR STYLE tkA npod frw the the largest Zoroastrian community Gahambars, which went out of vogue Pangborn, sp „ether and how get-togethers in the world, more than in the metropolitan cities, are making commuinty to getJ^gethw a^ h^.^ g^^ World a comeback. For the last three years, the gahamb Zoroastrian Congress held in Bombay in 1974. At the CCI gahambar, a jashan, the once traditional, seasonal commu- function, rftty feast has been held on Jamshedi Navroze on the Cricket Club of India (CCI) lawns in Bombay. And more — „rn.5ner when Kboies recently the Mancherji Joshi Parsi and culture ^ow ai^ Jeesar Colonl Dadar, hosted a gahambar to the community congregates toother J markets 60th anniversary. . ^"<1 L The idea for reviving gahambars in A. Modi, /eld wala was enacted by Parvana Irani, I Bombay was mooted by Katie Mehta, speaking^a^. the^Dad S a grounds Farokh Dotiwalla and Dinyar Tiran- 1 partner in the noted Bombay law firm at the Dadar Par y g audio-visual, Tavarikh, I of Mulla and Mulla and Cragie Blunt on 21 Marc^ wh founder of the based on the enterprising spirit of the | and Caroe and her husband Dr. Fre- honouithe oMhe basw J f die Mehta, a noted economist m Young CoUegians Zoroastr^an ra Tata ’s. The Mehtas who are active in ^^CZA) and gahambar. besides the j community affairs and who gave the twk on I in&rmal customary jashan, three navjotes were noted scholar preacher Khojeste Mi- CCI gahambars ^formal cus_ y n I stree his initial boost in the Bombay committee of the first community, thought of the gahamters SX; ba;7x/e"er2:o6o, mking it amongst “Just being together is important — episode from the Shah’ | Homi Tavadia and Tehmi Daman- | and lives together ”, emphasised Nadir when Khojeste Mistree, a play — Zarathosti an episode from the Shah’ Nanzeh, compiled and directed by Young Collegian ’s Zoroastrian Asso ­ ciation (YCZA), and his wife, Homai - the several visiting scholars, amongst them Professor Will Zoroastrian gahambar three years ago. ----- The number of guests at the gaham- and performed by Ervad Rattansha C. Panthaki. priest at the colony ’s Rust- omframna Agiary. and Ervad Rust- omji Panthaki, principal of the Dadar Athornan Boarding Madressa, assist- The CCI Gahambar: “Chaiye hame Zarlhosti 4^ H'^'' (Top ri^t)Hambandagi with Khojeste Mistree (ri^t) the Gahambar Jashan 18 “i'A ’'7 rJi ’ 1’ s li ¦ .0. ijA.NuHER- i Q 5 HI COLONY I f * » J The Dadar Gahambar: (clockwise) the song-skit, ‘Darling tari mail sathe peheli moolakat chhe’; a token of appreciation from the colony residents to Mithoo Jesia, presented by Soli Morris; the navjot ceremony; mid Vare-Jam- Kard — a costume drama on the Jamshedi Navroze tradition. i 1 ed by some of the Madressa students. Other programmes performed by colony residents included an Iranian dance, choreographed by Pearly Bat- tiwalla, song and dance items and a costume drama on the Jamshedi Navroze tradition — Vare-Jam-Kard, written and directed by Mithoo Jesia, the dynamic rallying force behind the colony ’s activities, in consultation with Ervad Rustomji Panthaki, with sound effects and recording by Sam Poonawalla. Ms. Jesia ’s tableau pre­ sentation, Amar Jyoti Zarathustra, was recently performed at the Nation ­ al Centre of Performing Arts ’ Tata Theatre, and has run to several pack ­ ed houses since it was first performed last year. An innovative touch to the proceed ­ ings was the colony youngsters dress­ ed in Iranian costumes greeting guests with a sprinkling of rose water as they entered, popping a sugared con ­ fection into their mouth, and a glass of falooda on the house. The gahambars have attracted cri­ ticism from several quarters in the community, who state that the gaha ­ mbars were traditionally free and open to the entire anjuman of the place. The Bombay gahambars charge between Rs. 20 and 25 which barely covers the costs. Whatever amount is left over is used for charitable pur­ poses. The criticism led some of the orga ­ nizers to term the C.C.I. evening a ‘gahambar style ’ function. But as peo ­ ple realize that it is not possible to feed all the Parsis in Bombay free of “The Gahambars are six holidays or of a Zoroastrian to celebrate the Ga- periods of holidays, each of the dur­ ation of five days, that occur at stated times of the year, ” according to Jiv- anji Jamshedji Modi ’s book The Reli­ gious Ceremonies And Customs Of The Par sees. Modi notes, “the first object of the celebration of the Gahambars was to offer thanksgiving to God for the in­ stitution of the different seasons, on the regularity of which depended the prosperity of the world. To this pri­ mary object was latterly added the object of offering thanks for the cre­ ation of the six l>est and grand objects of Nature — The Heavens, Water, Earth, Vegetable Creation, Animal Creation, and Man... “The Gahambars are generally ac ­ companied with solemn feasts, where ­ in members of the family, or resi­ dents of a street, or a town particip ­ ate. Gahambar-ni-chasni, i.e. the cere­ monial and communal eating of the things offered in the Gahambar cere­ monies, forms an important part in the Gahambar celebration. “It was considered to be the duty cost on any given day at any given time, the affixed ‘style ’ will gradually be dropped as the community comes to accept the modified 20th century version of the age-old feast. hambars. Then how were the poor to celebrate these? The Afringan of the Gahambar suggests a way for that. It says that all may participate in the public Gahambars, and pay their mite, however poor, according to their means. “Every Zoroastrian need not cele ­ brate a Gahambar separately. There may be public Gahambars, celebrat ­ ed by the members of a family or by the inhabitants of a particular street in a town or by those of a particular village or town. All may participate in these public Gahambars... “Of all ceremonial occasions, the Gahambars were considered to be the principal occasions for ceremonial gatherings. Universal Brotherhood, which we often hear spoken of, was one of the principal objects aimed at in the public Gahambars. The rich and the poor — rich and poor not only in wealth but in intellectual knowledge — of the town were ex­ pected to meet together and to learn from each other. ” i! li t i H ! ! k 19i News from the Media Parsis’ Housing Right Upheld Judge S. F. Rego at the Bombay City Civil Court gave a ruling affecting the rights of minority communities, and upheld the right of the Parsis to maintain the Dadar Parsi Colony area as an exclusive Parsi residential preserve. IBlII Bust of Mancherji Joshi: Foimder- faflier of the Dadar Parsi Colony. original plot holders and the Zoroas- i ** The 103 plots comprised in the Rich Indians who sided scheme were agreed to be leased to with British the Zoroastrian Building Society for 999 years in 1926. In turn, the Zoro- wu^vuuu lunuw astrian Building Society allowed the light on the obstacles that nationalists leases to be taken in the names of its ' - — nominees, or substituted tenants in consideration of such nominee execut ­ ing the deed of covenant, whereby he agreed that the buildings would be given for use and occupation or resi­ dence only to members of the Parsi Zoroastrian community. The defendants, who were owners of the plots in question, the builders and the non-Parsi purchasers of flats, contended that such a covenant did not run with the land so as to be bind­ ing on the successors in title of the original contracting parties, and that in any event, after the coming into force of the Constitution of India, such a covenant was void as being opposed to public policy and also violative of the defendants ’ fundamental rights not to be discriminated against on grounds Naoroji: ‘purely selfish’ of religion, and to reside and settle in any part of India. , ,- - . , , , The judge negatived the contentions minated the commercial and political of the defendants and held that funda ­ mental rights did not apply to the field of private contracts and were available only against the State and against State action. The judge upheld the plaintiffs ’ contention that living to ­ gether was essential for and helped minority communities like the Parsis to preserve and protect their culture and language and their essential cul ­ tural identity, which protection was afforded to all minority communities by Article 29 of the Constitution. The judge found in favour of the The Jeejeebhoy papers in the Bombay University library collection throw like Dadabhai Naoroji faced during the last century from affluent Indians who were outright pro-British. The decision was delivered in suits plaintiffs on the issue of the building filed by the Parsee Central Associa- ; —.2 __pichuhTo tion Co-operative Housing Society, the an injunction restraining the defend- Zoroastrian Building Society and two ants by themselves, or by their ser- other Parsi plot holders in area i ’ cnased properties m the area and were parting with possession of or letting threatening to sell , the additional flats —"----- • • - - constructed in the buildings to persons Zoroastrian community, in breach of members of the Parsi Zoroastrian The Jeejeebhoys and Sasoons do- ... . . . .. . life in Bombay before the advent of the Tatas. Sir Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy, who carried on a profitable China trade in opium, cotton, tea and gold with Jarding^ Methesor at the Canton end, in a letter now at the archives, wrote to Gover ­ nor-general Northbrook: “My opinion is that the government with the very best of intentions is making a mistake in giving the masses very high-class education at too cheap a rate. As a rule, the natives do not seek or appre ­ ciate this high education for its own essential value but simply in the hope scheme and granted to the plaintiffs Jeejeebhoy: making a mistake Zoroastrian Building Society and two against builders who had pur- through or under them from, inter alia, out or otherwise dealing with the flats .. ------- in the suit buildings, for being used who were not members of the Parsi and occupied by persons who were not Zoroastrian community, in breach of members of the Parsi Zoroastrian a covenant entered into between the co mmuni ty original plot holders and the Zoroas- Mr. N. A Mody Mr B R Zai tnan Building Society. walla, Mr. F. E. DeVitre and ’Mr. J. P. I he plaintiffs contended that the Avasia appeared for the Plaintiffs. Mr Deed of Covenant restricted the use Y. H. Muchhala, Mr. A. Rajabali and and occupation of the buildings built Mr. K. H. Modi appeared for the de- on about 103 plots in the Dadar- fendants in the main suit. Matunga estate only to Parsi Zoroas- M. trians. This was under a building Parikh appeared for the Parsi scheme formulated in *-¦ ’ Zoroastrian Building Society, _ junction with ±e then City of Bombay appeared for the Municipal Commis- Improvement Trust, to meet the hous- •---- ing needs of the Parsis. 20 ants by themselves, or by their the vants and agents or persons claiming 5. fendants in the main suit. Mr. K.-S. Cooper and Mr. D. S. ------ -J-* MAui Pan- 1926 by the chayat, who were allowed to inter- ~ in con- vene in the matter. Mr. P. K. Pandit sioner. n (Indian Express 30 April 1981)1 f it I » ? of obtaining thereby advancement in the government service. ” Some of the Jeejeebhoy papers run­ ning into 11,000-odd sheets in 48 copy ­ books, are now here for repair and preservation. The most interesting of them is the correspondence of Sir Jam- setji with British officials, friends, bankers and business houses during 1826-1876. In another letter, the big business baron wrote: “I have no sympathy with men like Nowrojee Ferdoonjee and Dadabhai Naoroji who I look upon as mere political agitators who pretend to have at heart the interest of their countryjpien but whose aims and purposes ar^ purely selfish ”. (The Times of India 8 June 1981) Dilip Desai, Shantilal Patel, Bikku driver, surrounded him and battered Chittu, Kalidas Dhamji, Jayanti Surji him with sticks, rods and other wea- and Channu Chinda were acquitted of pons. They left him bleeding about 50 feet from the car. He succumed to his injuries in the civil hospital in Surat. The sessions judge held that the prosecution had firmly established that six or seven people delivered blows and caused injuries and also that one external injury and six internal injuries were sufficient to cause death. The judge held that the prosecution had proved beyond doubt that the main accused, Raman Gomla, was among the assailants who caused the murder. The judge also held that the prose ­ cution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the others accused had committed the alleged offence. Mukund Joshi appeared for the pro ­ secution and Bipin Hazari for the having charges under section 302 read with accused. sections 34, 148 and 149. Nariman Pithawala, president of the ¦ Lifer for One in Pithawala Murder Case One person was sentenced today to Ferdoonji: political agitator life imprisonment by the Surat sessions judge, Babubhai Patel, for caused the murder of Narfanan Pitha~ wala, former vice-president of the Surat district panchayat, on September Surat jilla poultry farmers co-opera- 3 last. Six others charged with the ’ same crime were acquitted. Raman Chittu Patel, alias Gomla, was convicted under section 302 read with section 34. He was, however, acquitted of charges under section 302 read with section 148 and 149. (The Times of India, 9 June 1981) Life for Accused in Parsi live society, Chalthan, was driving to Fire Temple Case his office on September 3 when a truck A servant of the Parsi fire temple at dashed against his car on the outskirts Fort, Bombay, who had murdered of Chalthan. another employee of the temple last year, was sentenced to life imprison ­ ment by Justice B. J. Rele. The trial for what came to be When Pithawala got out of the car and tried to run away, six or seven people from the truck, including the With the Best Compliments of 1 li 1;^ I I 1 Hi Ingerson-RowMl (bMlla) Llmlte«l Manufacturers of Air & Gas Compressors Rock Drill Equipment * Vacuum Pumps * 21 J iiknown as the Parsi agyari murder case had started on May 8. The killer, Homi Minocher Karanjia was sentenc ­ ed to rigorous life imprisonment under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code xx up uy icaue and to a further rigorous imprisonment thoroughly and intelligently for tw years and to pay a fine of but which will, of ' Rs. 500 under section 457. C ’ ------ Homi had been charged with the vx murder of Darabshaw Cawasji Elavia, chiefly who had ^en working at the Vatcha i:„:vitnuusiv described as a movement in favour of wk:i , religious education, or as one for re- ® ligious reform, but as it calls also for temple valuables, Homi had been ¦ September 3 last year. In the scuffle has sprung up within the last few weeks among the Parsee co mmuni ty here, a movement which may have the most important results for that com- ..........iviumer munity if taken up by leaders who are Williams, in the March number of the ing Zoroastrians. The circumstance which gave rise to the present discus­ sion on the subject was an article on the Parsees, by Professor Monier --------------------- „.e Nineteenth Century, but the readiness and zeal with which the Parsees them- seem to be taking the matter that there exists a widespread Z ~ —2 —1 room for such a revival. There is another and more recent circumstance popularly assigned as the occasion of the present movement, but although Mr. K. R. surmise in his recent lecture, the m earnest, "***''** xTxxi, V.2 course, end in no- ano zi thing if left in the hands of Parsees selves who^care for an agitation of the kind l, Z.. . .. . ... ’ ''j as an occaaon for displaymg feeling of both" nwT and their verbosity. It has been variously religious education, or as one for re- K=«= =>£“11 among profess- Homi, who fled from the spot, was subsequently nabbed by the men and oflficers of the Palton Road police station. Darabshaw ’s body was re­ covered from the well after the culprit had confessed and was taken out by the fire brigade. The blood-stained clothes of both Homi and Darabshaw were al^ recovered by the police. The judge dismissed the defence of the accused that some outsiders had committed the murder. The accused was defended by Mr. Singh and pro ­ secuted by Mr, Golwalla. The case was investigated by sub­ inspectors Yengde and Gaonkar under the supervision of inspector M. F. Irani. (The Times of India, 29 May 1981) Dadi Bulsara’s Superb Show A sleek blue Ambassador slowly rolled on to the stage and stopped and Shiban Dadi Btdsara slipped under its rear wheel. A karate cry from Bulsara and the car passed over his groin as the 8,000 crowd watched in disbelief at the sprawling St. Thomas school pre­ mises in Calcutta. Bulsara claims it to be a unique achievement as according to him no ­ body in the world has ever attempted to pass a car over the groin. But this was not the only spectacular feat Bulsara, branch chief, director and controller of the All-India Kyoku- shin Karatedo, achieved. He had earlier I broken eight slabs of ice, each weigh ­ ing 70 lbs., to create another world re­ cord, surpassing the record created by M. Nakamura of Japan, who broke I six slabs of ice at the karate Olympics at Tokyo in 1979. (The Times of India 12 May 1981) A Hundred Years Ago A movement of considerable interest j 1981) li 8 !! iii no- KAVJOTE BWW An affair to remember with faro to remember at the West End Hotel. navjote. a lagan, a silver or golden wedding anniversary, a first-birthday party— these are highlights of your life. If you are looking for a beautiful setting to hold your celebration and at the same time want to treat your guests to the choicest food, come to us. The West End Hotel offers you the starlit splendour of its Terrace Garden. Choose the day and leave it to Its. We give you our impeccable service. It's an occasion for rejoicing, so make it an unforgettable one at the West End Hotel. Wvst End Hotel fCvnnaliy Uedi 45, !\ie-vv Maniw tines. Bombnv 400 0.?0. Tet: 299121, Telf.’v .O'! ! 2892 madtson WEff llU « 23 I i I N| Ji lii j 'I ilTHE TOWERS OF SILENCE With Compliments of i The. people sit, all dressed in white Their eyes well up with tears. They’re paying homage to their dead They know their time too nears. T/ze incense burns with sandalwood The smoke clouds up the place. The people sit. Staring, Staring, At the corpse’s bloodless face. The incense burns with sandalwood The priests’ voices intone Prayers to Ahura Mazda "A sinner’s sins condone.” The prayers end, the priests are through The men in white file past They pay their respects to their dead, It’s all over at last. JEENA & COMPANY ESTD. 1900 1 IATA AIR CARGO Clearing Forwarding Warehousing and Insurance Agents 10, Veer Nariman Road, Fort BOMBAY 400 023. Cable: “JUSTmA ” Telex: 2313 PHONE: 312032 The pall bearers shoulder the corpse, Men hardened and dour. Followed by grieving men in white. They proceed to the Tower. Beside the path, the peacocks dance. Softly sway the trees. For fust a while the sorrow’s forgot In the whispering, wafting breeze. Branches: il. Merc House, 19/B, Shakespeare Sarani Formerly Theatre Road), CALCUTTA 700071. PHONE: 444711 Upon the pleasant winding path Sudd’nly a shadow falls. High up above the swaying trees, A vulture hoarsely calls. In grim and silent majesty The Tower of Silence stands To greet the corpse that once did live Greet it with outstretched hands. “Jeena House,” 50, Hanuman Road, Connaught Circus NEW DELHI 110001. PHONE: 310821 24 At last the trail comes to a halt Before the Tower’s doors The shouldered corpse is carried in, The birds unfurl their claws. The hunger stricken beady eyes. Glare balefully in flight Sharp beaks open on seeing the corpse, And swoop down out of sight. The mourners’ eyes well 'up once more. The vulture — death on wings. Rears its ugly head and feasts. Afar, a peacock sings. Rohintoti B. Mody No. 6, Jaffer Syrang Street, MADRAS 600001. PHONE: 26215 Devatha Plaza C. 14 — Residency Road, BANGALORE 560025. PHONE: 564474’ll tTS 'fr- * ’*• s'* '^'1^ . -Sfs* ' 1 Hl I h I Neville: Strongest man in India. ¦;i Vis|H: doing a squat match. !i j The Daroga Brothers ii !S Vispi, who represented India at the Weight lifting is very good for the 8th Asian Games held in Bangkok health, if it ’s done in the right man- ...U--- 1------.---J £_---rt. ---- 11. The peak years of weight lifters lie J The Darogas are one family that be- I lieve in carrying their own weight — and a lot more. Rusi, Vispy and where he stood fourth, recalls the en- Neville have all made a name for couragement given to the brothers by _____ .......... themselves in the muscle tensing sport various persons and institutions. At between 30 "and 33 years according le, in their early 20’s, and Rusi. still S' I » of weight lifting. the Sir Cowasjee Jehangir High Scho- to the brothers; with Vispi and Nevil- Vispy, the second brother has con- ol and Behramji Jeejeebhoy School, le, in their early 20’s, and Rusi. still sistently broken national record after the ^chool ^aff helped out, with to approach the mid 30’s, the Daro- Lifting Championships which were the Jeejeebhoy school ensuring he ture before them. ’ held in New Delhi this March, he received a glass of milk during the claimed the middle-heavyweight title short recess. by creating a new national record. Later on Dinshaw Merchant, an Earlier this year, he captured the active -community member who has bronze medal at the Commonwealth assisted numerous Parsi sportsmen. Weight Lifting Championships held gave him a “diet allowance. ” In order in Auckland, New Zealand. for a weight lifter to indulge in the Not to be outdone by his older sport, a protein rich diet is crucial but brother, Neville won the super heavy expensive. The brothers down six eg- weight title at the National Weight gs around the time of competitions. Lifting Championships, and earned . At the Burhani College, Vispi was the title of the strongest man in the given “full facilities ” and a scholar ­ country. ship. Rusi, who first took up body Rusi, the eldest brother, who won building and then switched to weight the Maharashtra State Championship lifting, notes that a person cannot do in the light heavyweight class in 1978, both things. “You have to decide and the Greater Bombay Champion- which muscles to develop. ” ship in March 1980, is still an active He bemoans, “the lack of scientific contestant, and was the first of the training ” for the sport in India. Most young men in the old Parsi Bombay of what he learnt was gleaned from bastion of Balaram Street to take up Russian and German weight lifting the sport. magazines. Their father, Keki, a gymnast who Neville, started out ‘hating ’ weight taught at the Marwadi Vidyalaya lifting. “My brothers forced me to go J High School, gave the boys the impe- with them. I used, to sit and watch ' tus to take up the sport. and then I became enthusiastic. record, and at the National Weight Ms Roshen Driver, the principal of ga ’s have a healthy and a ‘heavy ’ fu- Lifting Championships which were the Jeejeebhoy school ensuring he ture before them. held in New Delhi this March, he received a glass of milk during the Lifting Championships, and earned in the light heavyweight class in 1978, ship in March 1980, is still an active Their father, Keki, a gymnast who r Later on Dinshaw Merchant, an f Rashid D. Bamanbehram Professional Photographer for Photos of Weddings, Navjotes and Birthday parties. Contact: Flat No. 3, First Floor, No. 6, Wadia Block, Khareghat Colony, 30A Hughes Road, Bombay 400 007. Phone ; 826074 25 n 1 *AEK ATMAKATHA REFORM AND REBUKE The life of Dastur Dhalla XV Aek Atmakatfaa is the autobio­ graphy ot the late Dr. Manek Nusserwanji Dhalla, high priest of the Pakistan Parsis and a religious scholar of world repute. This is the fifteenth edited and condensed extract from the English translatio.*! of the book— ‘Dastur Dhalla—l he Saga of a Soul', by Gool and Behrani Rustomji, published by the Dastur Dhalla Memorial Institute, Karachi. THE STORY SO FAR Born to a poor dastur family in Surat on 27 August 1875, Dhalla moved with his family to Karachi three years later. He was married to five-year-old Cooverbai when he was eight years old. After failing his matriculation, Dhalla sought employment while educating himself in religious matters. The Parsis of Karachi made arrangements for him to study for his masters degree in Iranian languages at Bombay University. While in Bombay Dhalla came into contact with several prominent Parsis of the times, with whose assistance he went to New York’s Columbia University. There under the guidance of Professor A.V.W. Jackson, the well-known Zoroastrian scholar of the west, Dhalla was awarded his Ph.D. in 1908. Four years in the west had altered Dhalla’s outlook to life and religion. He was now the propagator of new concepts, examining Parsi customs and traditions in a scientific light. On his return to India, Dhalla was nominated the Dastur of Karachi, on 19 September 1909, his 35th birthday. Dhalla wished to elevate the status of the priestly class by encouraging priests to educate themselves in religious matters and to voice their opinions irrespective of the wrath of the orthodox in the community. Dhalla advocated reforms in the established religion and felt that the priests were best suited to do this. scribbled during the 12 hours between dawn and dusk, completely; confused the community. The more conserva ­ tive members resigned from the com ­ mittee and the Zoroastrian Conference that had its birth and its existence without any sect or party or opinion, suddenly came to be regarded as a separate, extreme, reformist party and henceforth took the semblance of what it was not. Accusations of two kinds were levelled against the Conference. Un- circumscribed, fiery, accusations alleg- who by birth was a behdin but a true ed. that the organizers of the Confer- dastUr in conduct and in wisdom — Ulema Khurshedji Cama. But fate had ordained otherwise and, within a week of publishing my circular, all of a sudden his heart failed and he passed away to meet his Maker. The suggestion to hold a Zoroas ­ trian Conference was welcomed with enthusiasm by a large majority, but in order to make it more effective many people from Bombay advised that the Conference be thrown open to the entire community so that any commu ­ nal question regarding its improvement could be discussed. It was decided to hold the Confer ­ ence at Bombay on 16th, 17th and 18th April 1910. I personally met many leading men of the community and won their sympathy for the move ­ ment. I persuaded the learned Dastur Darab Sanjana of the Wadiaji Atashbehram to accept the chairman ­ ship Of the adhoc committee and re­ quested the deputy Dastur Rustom Sanjana to work as the secretary. The first three meetings of the committee were held under the chairmanship of Dastur Darab and the work went on smoothly. Upto this time the community had welcomed the preliminary Conference with one accord. Daily and weekly newspapers spared no pains in giving it their whole-hearted support. Yet within a short span of time, it was whispered that the Conference was not in reality all that it appeared to be in public- Our adventurous, forceful, daily communal newspapers, through eight editorials a week and 12 articles One cf the first questions that de­ manded my complete attention was to establish a kind of association that could organize a Zoroastrian Confer ­ ence to ponder upon and discuss pro ­ blems pertaining to the progress and betterment of the community. It was my desire and hope that all the das- turs, mobeds and ervads of all the varied sects could meet on a common platform and ponder upon their own condition. It was my idea to offer the chair ­ manship of the first conference to one cultivate communal ence were endeavouring to coat with a veneer of the west, the customs of the community. Others were definite and pointed out that the Conference was trying to seize the Gahambar funds; that it was determined to limit the burning of sandalwood, that it desired to throw open the gateways of the community to non-Zoroastrians, and that it was advocating cremation. The complaint regarding the Gahambar fund was not entirely un­ founded. Instead of conserving lakhs of rupees for communal dinners on certain days of the year in Bombay and other places, they could be utiliz ­ ed in more beneficial ways to the com ­ munity. The most that the Conference could have done about it would have been to try to opinion about it. The question of sandalwood arose because there is a vast difference bet ­ ween the fragrant fuel that was used in Iran ages ago, and is still being used there, and that which we are using since we came to India. We use ex­ tremely expensive items like sandal ­ wood and frankincense most lavishly. This was not done in Iran. Afiura Mazda does not estimate a man ’s faith according to the weight and value of sandalwood and frankincense. If it could be proved that the Con ­ ference was being invited only to re­ vive the joodin question that had just recently abated, then it would become so unpopular in the community that it would be suicidal. And the opposi ­ tion spared no pains to do so. Just as the opjwsition towards the Conference had driven away the ortho- . 27I I • dox group froffl us. it had at the same time, bought into our fold many in­ different individuals of more reformist x_____ ______ j views who had not bothered to concern graduate, well-known for his impe- t ’------ •’ ’ • . ... . . r or to take part in any of its movements. from Bombay. At this meeting I was attacked in unrestrained language. , _______ , A very highly qualified university me from the"^ seat of the high priest. themselves with communal questions Fuosity, with the prurpose of playing or to take part in any of its movements. ' ................. Gradually the Conference became a reformist body, although serious, bal- />uura ivioxua uucs nui t^ed to impress upon European anced moderates like Jeevanji Mody, estimate a man’s faith according officers not to consider me as the high Meherwanji Cama and others continu- to the weight and value of priest of the Parsis any longer. Since ed to take an enthusiastic interest in sandalwood and frankincense the Conference had been held in Bom- it In such an inflammatory ajmos- —............ ........ .............................. bay, these men did not forget to apprise the Governor of Bombay also. I did not scorn the sentiments that had been growing against me in the „__ community. My views were not in Such incitement would not always conformity with those of my critics, fall on deaf ears. Some weak-minded men would surely try to act upon it. To write anonymous letters is an un- an impassioned appeal to the com- munity through handbills, to dethrone The leaflets that were prin^d in Guje- . . . . „ rati were freely distributed amongst upon the sentiments of his audience, Hindus, Vohras, Memons and Khojas, Ahiira Ma/dn dope nnf----------- ^’^*“**“ . . . tried to impress upon European ed to take an enthusiastic interest in sandalwood and frankincense, it. In such an inflammatory ajmos- ¦ I^ere the work of the Conference was even crossed the limits of common inaugurated. courtesy to say that only a wretched As I crossed the threshold of dastur- community like the Parsis would tole- hood, the majority of the community rate such an insult to their Prophet, froivned on me. The violent opposi- - > • • tion leaders ^cceeded in branding me guilty in the eyes of the masses. Mak ­ ing capital out of my not being a maratab, messages started pouring in fortunate wealaiess of our community: from Bombay . not to recognize or ac- 1 ’ ’ , . - . knowledge^ me as a head priest. From receiving threatening yet I respected them. I listened to all that was said against me, read everything that was written . to run me down. If anyone wished to hence it was but natural that I started seek an explanation, I did not grudge all sides I was accused of having letters. presented Zarathushtra as an ‘oidin- aiy ’ man. I^was charged with harbour ­ ing vain presumptions of reforming the ference with success. The opposition 1 - - . — « . - . , • ' .. _ was labelled a dangerous dastur and the meetings from being held. As I was not wont to writing or speaking in public to explain the in- and profane him the time or the opportunity. Those My co-religionists of Karachi had sent me to Bombay to crown the Con- who met me personally, usually left as friends. Most of the things that were spoken _ _ _____ or written about me were not true — religion of Prophet Zarathushtra. I party left no stone unturned to stop they did me injustice. Yet I refrained --- 1 .1-- . --- -- < from replying to anyone. My suppor- an irresponsible reformist. Rumours had already reached the ters were displeased with this attitude, realm of my dasturship even before my return to Karachi that I had been dis- justices done to me, I had to endure graced in Bombay and that the Parsi them patiently. A mammoth meeting of the opposi ­ tion party was called at the Faramjee Conference Hall by the backdoor. Cowasjee Institute to read out the pro ­ tests against the Zoroastrian Confer ­ ence that had been collected frmn vari- ____ _______ _____ __ __ OUS citieS trf Guj^at by string-pulling Saddar Daremeher, 25 people made stalwarts of that land had made it in­ cumbent upon me to flee from the but I persuaded them that my work was my answer. During this period I commenced publishing a monthly magazine en­ titled Asha, containing valuable arti- At Karachi, a very strong party was philosophy, etc. in the opposition. Under the leader- - - - - ship of the managing trustee of the des on Zoroastrian ethics, history. Due to insufficient circulation it faced a deficit and had to be abandoned. Strange as it may seem, the number of orthodox sub- 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 ,A. f Enquireat: Sir J. J. College of Commerce 14# Nanabhoy Lane, Hutatma Chowk# BOMBAY 400 001. Tel: 251185 29 5-* > r i i Avesta gives no evidence of the completeness and correctness to be expected of a language that may be conceived as celestial. Other on Sundays. At that time 1 had made up my mind that on returning to Karachi I would arrange to orga ­ nize regular prayer meetings at the Daremeher on the four Hamkaras of each month. This hope of mine was fulfilled on my attaining the head ­ priestship. With the eager co-operation of some enthusiastic youths and the sympathy of our leaders, an organization, based on the principles of the world-famous Y.M.G.A. came into existence the Parsis of Karachi and it was called the Y.M.Z.A. (Yoimg Men’s Zoroas- . inan Association). From the inception of the community of the association we gave prime im- portance to congregational pr: and sermons on every Hamkara. But as the initial excitement abated, ^e congregation gradually thinned. /i.v6sia was me languas For seven years we continued these Zarathushtra began to Hamkara prayer-meetings, despite very t . poor participation. But when it be- attract people, we hence it i-„j .. . movement meant to foster a feeling of devotion. A question which is as old as the tions. One of these questions was this topic of prayer in an intelligible tongue. “This question of praying :n a lan ­ guage that can be understood was born of the group of youths who had attained this new type of education, fhey fell that to pray in a tongue which was beyond its ken was mere Despite the . . . _ decades its demand has not been met. Its appeal continues amongst and the opposition too, is as strong AQ as when it started. This question is of g^ave importance to the religious life “The foremost and strongest oppo- prayers sition against the request to pray in "" an intelligible language was that Avesta was a celestial language . . language of Iran when „ J compose his verses. He had studied in that langu- in common use, was natural that he should scribers was greater than that of formists. Till the beginning of the last tury the system of the priests of __ community^ giving religious instruc ­ tion to their flock through sermons was unknown; nor did the literate laity spread any such knowledge to the masses through lectures and talks. After Surat came under the jurisdic ­ tion of Bombay in 1600, its Governor, Sir Jonathan Duncan, sanctioned a monthly salary of Rs 50 to Dastur Cowasjee Rustomji, the high priest of the Shanshais of Surat, instructing him that in order to remain loyal to the panicipation. But when it be- age and it was also government it was incumbent upon him came impossible to attract people, we hence it i to give religious teaching to the Parsis had to end this religious movement write in Avesta from tune to time, and whenever the nieant to foster a feeling of devotion. “Should it nr«„mpri ?u-* a government required any explanations A question which is Is old as the is com^si by Ah^S Mazda S' regarding the customs and practices of hills, yet always seems fresh, is the self. aS Sat its source^S snirhSf During that period the community In one of our issues of the Rahnuma fallible Avesta cives no eviden^^* had commenced being educated to of 1926,1 had penned an article about the completeness aS correctness to be some degree and a new group of young this. Some passages from which are expected of a laneuaae h men who had studied English had quoted below: SSSd as ce S been created. “From the beginning of the last cen- “The t ¦ , Navroji Darabji Chandaru, the ae- W. the youth of the^ community be- 1-------spiritual merely a portrayal of the local . ments, traditions, superstitions. re- cen- our meaningless babbling .., lapse of seven decades its comprehensible tongue. of our issues of the Rahnuma of 1926,1 had penned an article about this, ^me passages from which are “From the beginning of the last cen­ tury, the youth of the community be- luatuaec suuu gan to study English literature. Many vears nf the -__ _ i-Naviuji izaraDji cnanaaru, the ac ­ tive and alert editor of the Halkaru C’ ” J" _________ _ Whip) of Bombay, gave a talk in Guja- - . -______ rati at the Town HaU on The Customs that Zoroastrian youths were o/ttf Practices of the Parsis. Later, availing of such high and wide educa- when Reverend Wilson waged a jihad ^’^n and spending 15 or years of against Zoroastrianism, he gave talks t** — - • — refuting the same. ’ From ancient times the pulpit has ' been an integral part of the Christian ‘ Church. Under the direction of Re­ verend Wilson the youth of our com- [ _ —uio munity who had acquired English ‘“fluence of this new age. There was education, were attracted to Christian “ ‘^^“sh of new and old ideologies and churches to listen to their sermons heated debates ensued on certain ques- and were deeply influenced by them. -------------- It was their earnest desire that our re­ ligious leaders should give them similar service. ’ The Rahnumai Mazdayasnan So ­ ciety, which; had been established in 1851, later organized sermons and lec ­ tures from time to time. But we did not conduct regular Sunday services or sermons as in Christian churches. The reformist press and the educated youths of the community were con ­ stantly calling for them but no practi ­ cal steps were taken to cater to their needs. During my stay at New York, I frequently attended one church or an- and the fc"..—- language should be such as would " ’ to mankind at every major written is I movc- cus- hek lives £°f the people r5 ill — i. pUKiut. The new age of those times. It is imnossible to and ?a4?n^omh«^ “ conditions and circumstances. ‘Vdie mSSu «®ver perfect. Even so n, century ±e Avesta, written by man. is not Olu community too came under the perfect infl11^nr>A __ ITM ~ . a clash of new and old ideologies and the Avesta, written by riian, is “Whatever Avestan writings existing with us are utilized as pray ­ ers. These prayers can be divided into Gift shopping at its best at f^fts&! t not are the friendly Gift Shop at U4U|g$l Bombay Swadeshi Stores Ltd. Sir P.M. Road, Bombay 400 001. Tel: 253443/252730 ZOROASTRIAN ARTEFACTS & SILVER PENDANTS AVAILABLE 31I of lines that can be gleaned on close Yasht is not to be found, but all sorts examination can be termed prayer. All of stories about its miraculous powers else is only a composite collection of have been prevalent amongst the the various aspects affecting the life superstitious section since ancient of the Iranian nation of those days. “We are told that all the Avestan ______________ writings are allegorical, ambiguous cal power of the Boman Yasht was "so -- - - j symbolic. What can be read on the by merely reciting it. But people began ¦¦ ‘ ’ to misuse it and to utilize it to destroy enemies and to derive selfish benefits through it, so the Almighty retrieved that Yasht. When this text was first printed and published for Faith is not concerned with the prayer of the supplicant — it is sufficient that he prays. two parts. The first class is comprised of the Gehs, Nyashes, Yashts and cer­ tain portions of the Khordeh Avesta, which make up our daily prayers. The second contains the Yajashnes, Vis- parad, Vendidad, Afringan, Afrin and other liturgical prayers recited by priests in ceremonials. “It is thought that all this religious literature from beginning to end is prayer. The truth is completely con ­ trary to this belief. A very small part of all that is recited is actual prayer. A variety of'^subjects like theology, ethics, religious sayings, i ' legends, psychology, history, ^aphy, sociology, political economy, jurisprudence, genetics, physiology, pathology, hygiene, science of the imi- verse, astronomy, geology, botany, zoology, biology, etc. are included. Even those who have not studied present generation. Avesta can easily find this out by read- j i ' '____2 ~___1 2____ 1 Kanga ’s Gujerati translation of the the past was as replete with vices and end of existence, entire Avesta. virtues as it is today. It is not as if “In sheer i “The Avesta is an invaluable docu- > ment of the development, thinking, angels inhabitated the earth in by­ customs, and conduct of our fore- gone days...... fathers who lived more than 3,000 years ago. But history, geography, pathology, and biology are not prayer. Only some verses of the Gathas, a few the study of Persian languages. In our it is not at all surprising that they passages of later Avesta, and a couple existing Avestan literature the Boman derive a mental relaxation and a sense since times. “It is said that formerly the magi- mystical, ^cohceal^, figurative and great that anything could be achieved surface is not the truth —^the under- i lying purport is completely different, their “These translations are not the out ­ come of the linguistics of the so-called, modern, materialistic age. On reading any of the translations it will be readily college students, some" enthusiastic seen that the subjects enumerated publishers of the Khordeh Avesta be- above as contained in the Avesta gan to include this Pahlavi Boman scriptures are correct, and the same Yasht also in their Gujerati version ’ . 1-1- — ------ J of the Khordeh Avesta. Sanskrit, Persian and “No prayer, that is written in Pah- . lavi, which has a mixture of the Semi- “Mankind has always painted the tic tongue, is ever recited, nor is this past as perfect and has glorified it as a prayer. It is an essay wherein its ‘the golden age ’ and held it up as an authors write about the rise and fall example wortiiy of emulation by the of the Persian Empire, of the evil days _ But merely be- that are to befall it at the hands of the _____________ ___ cause this has always been done, it Romans, Turks and Arabs and they ing the late learned Ervad Cowasji is not necessarily right. Man ’s life in write as though they are foretelling the entire Avesta. virtues as it is today. It is not as if “In sheer ignorance many recite men exist in the present age whereas this Pahlavi document as a prayer and believe that they are reaping a harvest of virtue. Without the slightest doubt “Three decades ago a Pahlavi book and with complete conviction many entitled Boman Yasht was prescribed innocent co-religionists recite this by the University in the syllabus for narrative as a miraculous prayer, hence' rituals, . geo- has been declared with one accord by Pahlavi, Sanskrit. Persian and Gujerati translations in different ages. entitled Boman Yasht was prescribed I 1 For Pure Diamonds JEWELLERS 'A 324, GRANT ROAD, BOMBAY 400#07. TELEPHONE; 371483 APPOINTED VALUERS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 33L-' 1 fiH rli I h' I R I ¦ 5 ! li' of physical well-being from it. Blind faith can move mountains. “When other nations have spiritual literature sufficient to submerge a seeker, ours is suffering from a drought. Due to unfounded and ima ­ ginary fears that the Avesta would be forgotten and forsaken, any attempt made in the direction of supplying such necessary prayers, is nipped in the bud. “The jihad that was waged against Ervad Bharucha, a true and noble Athornan scholar of the last century, for taking the initiative about 50 years ago, to recite prayers in Gujerati to ­ gether with each verse of the Avesta and to sing Gujerati devotional songs during the sermons delivered by him. under the auspices of the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Society, is still fresh m people ’s mind. “Such perversity is responsible for stemming the creation of devotional literature in understandable language in our community. Fanatical reli ­ giosity keeps the devout and thirsty soul starving and unsatisfied —our im ­ poverished devotional literature is gasping for breath. “Fantastic legends that Avesta is mystical and supernatural, that strange vibrations are wafted heaven wards by the mere utterance of its words, exerting miraculous influences, do not enhance its worth. Such a con ­ cept of prayer pulls it down from its spiritual heights to the lowest rungs and instead of inspiring, turns it into sorcery. . , , .. “To him who has absolute faitn and undoubting belief, prayer whether in a language that is understood or not, is just the same. Faith is not con ­ cerned with the prayer of the suppli ­ cant —it is sufficient that he prays. With uplifted hands and a humble heart he reads and recites the narra ­ tive of the conflict that is carried on between the angel of rain and the * demon of drought (i.e. between Tishtar Yazad and Apaosh) or, in a melodious voice he prayerfully chants the des­ cription of the length and breadth of the River Aniivisur. “The man in whom faith has in­ fused serenity, contentment and joy, questions not the need for compre ­ hensible prayer. But the awakened soul and the que^ioning mind are not at peace. Our excessively orthodox peo ­ ple prohibit any questions concerning incomprehensible prayer. As a result a section of the community is being reared today that does not pray at all because it believes not in unintelligi ­ ble mumbling and is faced with a barrier against its urge for intelligi ­ ble prayer. ” .34 With Compliments From EMPIRE ESTATE Liberty Building 41/42 Marine Lines Bombay 400020 J j I ^‘3!i:' ( 1- 4 I if IN MEMORIAM '¦>.1^! —iniiBimiii, .11 II-* ¦«... Died: Hilla Vakeel, 77, author, and cultural catalyst, who co-founded Nalanda, a group dedicated to pro ­ mote Indian studies; on 6 May 1981, after a months illness in Bombay. “Her writing was read and won her admirers, among them Aubrey Men­ en, an old friend who repeatedly urg­ ed her to write more, ” wrote Adil Jussawalla, the noted poet, in an in­ terview with Vakeel published in the Sunday Standard of 31 August 1980 entitled Two Sisters. “But she argued then that English was a foreign lan ­ guage and that she’d never be able to write in it as an English person. ” A former editor of the first Indian journal for women, Indian Home, Vakeel was a regular columnist for the Kaiser-E-Hind weekly and also wrote for The Bombay Chronicle, The Asiatic Digest and several other publications, and authored the book. The Good Citizen, a compilation of advice for children. Over the 25 years of Nalanda ’s exi­ stence, small groups of people would gather in the sisters ’ rustic home in the Bombay suburb of Bandra to talk about and discuss subjects rela ­ ting to India. “I always want it said of me that I plucked out a thorn and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow ”. Vakeel had said in the interview with Jussawalla. “Hilla had a wide circle of friends from whom she collected donations for many a needy individual, charita ­ ble cause, and institution. For noted anthropologist, Verrier El win ’s work among the tribals, Hilla organised the Neptune Ball I, and Neptune Ball II for the Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for children at Parel, ” notes her sister, Dossan, in a letter. Hilla had strong views on her com ­ munity and in the columns of the Kaiser-E-Hind she “berated the average Parsi boy for being a ‘hopeless prig’ and the community as a whole for being ‘artistically bankrupt ’ eternally gripped by gluttony. ” Jussawalla not ­ es that Hilla held her father ’s view that “the servants in Hyderabad are more polite than the Bombay Parsi. ” Hilla was educated at St. Joseph ’s Convent, Bandra and later completed an Oxford correspondence course. “Inspired by her brother, she took to journalism, and at the age of 17 pub­ lished her first article in The Illustrat­ ed Weekly of India, writes Dossan. While Hilla was editor of Indian Home, and in her thirties, she report ­ edly had a nervous breakdown which resulted in her being cofifined to her home for the rest of her life. Her sister too, stopped going out. In the Sunday Standard interview, Hilla not ­ ed, “I have such a fright of distanc ­ es... Aubrey Menen used to tell me that meant I did’nt want to go to heaven. ” Hilla is survived by her sister Dos- san, elder to her by five years. Died: Ardeshir F. Cama, 61, one of the founder members and honorary secretary of the Borivili and Suburb­ an ZoToastrian Association (BSZA), on 29 March 1981, following a sud­ den heart attack. “By his fervour, enthusiasm, inte ­ grity, prudence and his approach to ­ wards work, the Association has reached its pinacle within a short span of five years. The void created by his death is difficult to fill and the loss irrepairable, ” noted a resolution passed at a condolence meeting of the BSZA on 17th April. In the five years that Cama helped guide the BSZA, various activiti- Vakeel: “plucked out a thorn and plained a flower” Cama: ‘cared enormously’ es, programmes, a business service and library, sale of low priced exer­ cise and text books to students, were inaugurated. Cama edited the most regular newsletter of any Zoroastrian association in India. .H» »xSS notes her sister. fie'* A < 35m ' >1 I r- A. Bfldwsl<» of Engineering fro^^^ ftme University, Oama started his career with the noted construction .firm of Shapoorji Pallonji and later a plumtsHg business which in- him in the construction of the bej V^5j I !«'l^^kBtve Bwok of India ’s new build- | fc'. ii^ at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay, I . US. he retired in 1979. ' moved to the Life Insurance V- Cospeaation (LIC) township in Bori- 1 I - in 1974 and with the help otf other | P enthusiastic community naembers Or- I Seized a successful month jash- ; ’ ah and Navroze function attended by '' Sh^toastrian residents of Borivili and _ 1 by the res­ ponse. the BsZA was formed and fM^ly inaugurated on 25 January “In the passing away of Mr. Cama V v/a have lost a gentleman who lived F^ Ms environs, l^couraged i^oase. the BSZA was formed and » ; jtei X >. J deeply, thought profoundly and cared L,. enormously for the welfare of the . Dastoor: lens pioneer . lenses in India. He is also said to and Fifth gress. in Tokyo V^s in 1976, Qptes a A Charter Member Club of Bombay %sd on its board* of ^ directors for two years, 1fe j said to have received the first ^cWeVe- 1 ment award for the first pro^i, I Lionism in India establishing W' J Lions Eye Glass Bank. ’*1 Dastoor obtained his doctorate in Optometry from Pamsylvania Surffld University, and underwent a spec^^ m i2ed course in contact "leas fitti the U.K. He was admitted as a t ___ of the Association of iy ivr urc wciiare oi ine e/ ctunmunity and of human beings at , I , toge. ” noted an obituary in the May conducted a project for fitting BS&A newsletter. contact lenses for the poor suffering ..*** \.vxi.v,4.± wvzxxAvc*, xx-vk.. UL vxxaxgC. — r,------- Dastoor was presented the Service Advertiser wishes to buy OLD C^ma is survived by his wife. Sillo, Old post cards etc./waiited » 1 and sons. Soli and Dinshaw. (1 I- ®fl® J^*®**^ Eye Research Foundation, Chicago, noted cxmt^t lens spe<ualist; of in March this year, Iot his contribu- from conical cornea, free of charge. .._„ ,,____ Recognition Award of the National Picture postcards, photographs, ci^rette; I fl cards, playing cards, posters, prints, illustrated books; ailbunls and * other relah^'a^awial. WUlihg to pfletfi tar ^ifie items OT entire coHeefites. ’ —¦****.^ xv^ax^ opvvflAilOl., Ul ,/ Iddney failure, on 5 May “1981, in Bombay. A pioneer in the field of soft con ­ tact lenses in India, Dastoor founded ___ _ ___ xx*uio Contact Lens Laboratory Contact Lens Practitioners Associa- I symposiums, won him honors wear soft contact and he also presented papers at the b y., (b k I- tion to the eye care activities of the Foundation, according to his bio-data. His papers on contact lens read at Foundatiem, a,ccoiding to his bio-data. V in 1965, and was reportedly the firet tion ’to" fit continuous M various meetings of the All India send, detailed list With - expected prides to The Advertiser, (OLD) C/o. Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bondiay 400 001. » '' V SERSON 'V J ) r»S ffl k- •ifcr U - hj I Electrolytic Capaeitors 7“ AU Klectrolifc ^AppUcatfiDns : WotP 12 VDC 350 vim: »;i»A r; fl bi. • 5?’ ,s fl ¦Jk -I r_ I t 1 J Manufaeturers: 1 bakt..u; J*:: w. Sersen Industry Pvt. Ltd. P.F*P.a, FoeMi48. 'Meat t ^3^ ¦ s ' r. I * ,/ ) kt * ’S‘ ' V i* «<H1 1 L 4<1 'Ui JW9I •W „ •*. iS " *¦« .f. t i i