Oct 1981

1 October 1981 Volume 4 No 4 READERS’ FORUM THE PARSl PUNCHAYET CASE ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD HISTORY OF A RACE Hoshang Merchant PIONEER SHIP BUILDERS Dr. M.D. David A HUNDRED YEARS AGO BUSINESS MUSIC SPORTS DASTUR DHALLA—XVIII LAW AND LORE BOOKS IN MEMORIAM Cover depicting Ms. R.D. Tata designed by Seun Mahoney 3 6 15 17 19 21 22 25 26 28 33 34 36 ¦1* EDITOR Jehangir R. Patfel EXECUTIVE EDITOR R. P. Thanavala ASSOCIATE EDITOR Abraham Mathai DESIGN CONSULTANTS Mini Boatwala Sean Mahoney ADVERTISING Veera Patel Zarin Billimoria MANAGEMENT Hanita Irani CIRCULATION M. R. Ambujakshan Nair Geeta Gupta Parsiana is published by Jehangir R. Patel at C/o H. L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, grdund floor, 39 A. Nayak Marg, Fort, Bombay 4t)0 001 and printed by him at Jyoti indus­ tries, 324 A to Z Industrial Estate, Bombay 400013. All rights reserved. Address all editorial and business correspondence to Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Phone: 268730. Annual inland subscription: Rs 30 foroneyear(12issues); Rs 55 for two years (24 issues); Foreign subscrip­ tion rates: Seapiail Rs 60 for one year, Rs 110 for 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 subject to change in postal rates.M- i-S READERS’ FORUM il'fMH tpur; •tei iuKiituiujr. « •«!»!: iwa ft ;'S.'-4i. 't:' ¦ •.-«-;--<.-4. Ji break through the citadel of Hinduism with respect, when they had taken was not a very difficult task for the (mis- Holy Orders and had become Chris- sionaries), but the staunch followers of tian priests. The Rev. Dharyibhoy died Zoroaster, who had abandoned their homes and sought refuge in India, for ifW** i»i< Readers ’ views are welcome on any subject of interest to the community The whole community was up in arms, and should be sent to The Editor, Readers ’ Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. in England in the year 1905. When the cables announced the death of ‘D. the preservation of their faith, could not Naoroji ’.people thought the Grand Old think of any calamity more appalling Man of India had passed away. ” than the renunciation of the ancient Ratan if. Marshall creed by even a single soul. Surat “They, therefore, took special care to guard Parsi youths from the snares of the missionary. No Christian evangelist could hope to enter their sanctuary. Nevertheless, a few of the more ardent missionaries, of whom Dr. John Wilson was the most prominent, ventured to cast covetous eyes on some of the schoolboys. The method of these zeal ­ ous followers of the cross was simple - for one hour given to Christianity a gift of four hours ’ English, History, Geo ­ graphy and Mathematics. “At last in the year 1839, they suc­ ceeded in inducing two lads. Dhanjib ­ hoy Naoroji and Hormusji Pestonji to embraceChristianity. Nothing ever con ­ vulsed the Parsis more, or caused them dunji. He was called the Tribune of the greater chagrin and humiliation, than .. People. Dadabhai and his associates these two solitary cases of conversion. Tribute to Dadabhai The item “Rich Indians who sided with British ” (Parsiana, July 1981) cites the obstacles that nationalists like Dadab ­ hai Naoroji faced during the last cen­ tury. I would like to add some, more infor ­ mation on this great man. Dadabhai founded the Rahanumai Mazdyasni Sabha in the year 1851. At that time, 130 years back, there were two parties as there are today, the Rahanumai Maz ­ dyasni Sabha and Rahe Rastnumai Zar- thustrian Sabha. Dadabhai had the support of another reformist and educationist Navroji Fur- The missionaries were anathematized as ‘devils in human shape ’; and brochures denouncing Christianity were written as tracts for the times. ” Masani continue^ : “So bitterly were the feelings of the community outraged that a disturbance of the peace was p . apprehended. It was alleged that the conversion Parsi leaders were inciting their follow- In regard to the letters published in Par- ers to violence and scheming to get forci- siana, about Parsis converted to Chris- ble possession of the two lads, with the tianity by Dr. John Wilson, I would like ulterior object of sending them to Nav- to quote from Sir Rustom Masani ’s bio ­ graphy of Dadabhai Naoroji. Sir Erskine Perry, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Bombay and Presi- est desire to prevent any disturbance, dent of the Board of Education, They had appealed to the tribunal of impressed by the intelligence and love justice and as law-abiding people were " _ willing to bow to its decision. The law, however, could not give them relief in as much as the boys had come of age. This sari and there terminating their existence. “Thereupon they sent a representation to the Government affirming their earn- for learning of Dadabhai made a sugges­ tion to send him to England fOr the study of law. Seeing there was no response from the kept the embers of controversy smoul- wealthy of the community to help dering for years, and it made the creed- Dadabhai of poor pecuniary circum- bound Zoroastrian fight shy of anything stances, the noble Englishman made an savouring Christianity. ” Masani ends the topic thus: “in course of time, however, the Parsis were offer to bear half the expense, if the other half came from the community. The community refused to do so in reconciled to the work of the missionar- light of the conversion of two Parsis. Sir ies, and they marked their appreciation Rustom narrates the thinking of the of it by liberal donations to the missions, community of that time as under: “To They even looked upon the two converts wanted to restore the Zoroastrian reli ­ gion to its pristine purity and simplicity. Sir Rustom Masani in his book on the life of Dadabhai states that Sir Jam ­ Warden is good For sandalwood Head Office 378 Grant Road Bombay 400007 and Branches Tel. 371464 Quality eaudaiwood Aggarbattios. gum benzoin (loban) and other Perfumes • ’ VO 1 i.' 5, A" e' t 3TOP I With Compliments From shedji Jeejibhoy and his colleagues stayed away from the reformists. How ­ ever, Dadabhai succeeded in bringing about reforms. The other organisations came to an end in three years while Dadabhai lived to see the silver, golden and diamond jubilees of his Society. Today the Raha- numai Sabha holds regular meetings every Wednesday at the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute in Bombay. Dr. S. R. Wadia Ci Agreement a t I ! GLOBE THEATRES PVT. LTD. Established April 3, 1915 Cover Caricatures I wish you would-not print on the cover n of Parsiana - caricatures of Parsis since \ the magazine passes into the hands of members of other communities. Why / should we project our brethren in an I absurd manner? Parsiana is not a frivo- I lous or comic magazine, it relates to the ¦ affairs of a community - once upon a Z time a nation. Please, therefore, do not * project the community ’s abnormalities or racial deformities. I V / A. B. Bhiwandiwala I I I ¦ I . Controlling : REGAL BOMBAY CAPITOL BOMBAY Prayer Power The July serial of Aek Atmakatha, the autobiography of Dr. Maneck Nusser- wanji Dhalla, illustrates the futility of reciting prayers in Avesta, an extinct language not understood by many Our prayers should be in an intelligi ­ ble tongue. Religion will not regain its power unless it changes with the times. Its principles remain eternal but the expression of those principles require continual development. It is therefore imperative that prayers are recited in a colloquial language which is understood by a vast majority of our community. Ms M. Balsara GLOBE CALCUTTA ROXY MADRAS Shops at Doongerwadi I would like to bring to the notice, espe­ cially of our Parsi Panchayat, that facili ­ ties for buying sandalwood, aggarbatis, loban, diva glasses and oil floats be made available at the Bombay doonger ­ wadi. It is difficult and expensive in the monsoon and during odd hours to go to Gowalia Tank, which is the nearest place for buying these items. Why can ’t a small shop be opened at doongerwadi for the sale of such items? Such a shop, when open day and night would give employment to three to four elderly Parsis who may work six to eight hours a day. I would even suggest having a flower shop opened day and night. Jehangir K. Panday I ; • When Jerbanoos' husband Bomsi died he left her a tidy sum. That started the trouble. Just how to invest it? Her lazy son Diniar had just the scheme in mind—Monthly Interest Deposit Scheme. "Just imagine — a regular income every month—and no work involved." But daughter Kerbanoo counted on the Money Multiplier. "Think of the family's future requiremehts—the money will more than double in 8 years." The air grew thick with schemes. Freddy, business like, opted for the Current Account. Putlibai sighed about the Fixed Deposit. But they all agreed on one thing. Central Bank. Bomsi after ail had made hi^ money there. Come drop in at your nearest Central Bank branch. W-6'll advise you. as we did Jerbanoo, how best to invest your money. Central Bonk of Mki (A OwtWMW or Indi. UndOTUking) Th* Bonk that moves out to people and places Interpub/CBI/t 0/80 5Justice Dever Justice Beaman f' 1 <» •‘ii ti ¦j- st TH WTB _ WSI Suit No. 689 of 19&6 Sir Dinsha Manockji Petit and others ^l.s Sir Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy and othersn Their judgement delivered on Friday, whether the then trustees of the Bombay > Parsi Punchayet were validly appointed issues as it attempted to solve. Both the and had the right to fill vacancies upon the death or resignation of a trustee. The portion dealing with the appoint­ ment of the trustees is omitted on account of the technical nature of the With the judgement, Parsiana, serializes, judgement and limitations of space. But starting with this issue, an abridged ver­ In order to acquaint the community readers will be interested to know that the court ruled the trustees were not validly appointed and a new election (baling with ’technical legalities have scheme was drawn which is in use till been omitted. today. The suit dealt with two issues, one pertaining to conversion, and the other. today. Seventy-five years ago in the judicature of the Bombay High Court, Sir Dinsha 27 November, 1908, raised as many Manockji Petit and others filed a suit i . against Sir Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy and orthodox and liberal factions in the others. That historic suit, which came community cite the landmark decision to be known as ‘The Parsi Punchayet to bolster their point of view. Case’, affected the course of the com­ munity for three quarters of a century and still haunts the Parsis. What the two judges of the High sion of the two judgements. In abridg- Court, Justice Beaman and Justice ing the judgements, those portions Dav er, had to determine was, whether a person born in another faith but con­ verted to Zoroastrianism was entitled to the benefits of certain trusts. ------------------------------ .J----------------------------------- In the year 1903, Mr. R.D. Tata, the 6th arrived. The question for decision Zoroastrian community. • - _______ '. ri l • — - ’ ; They say the Defendants have threa- is : “Whether a person born in another tened to exclude such converts from the ¦ ) benefits of the funds and institutions Zoroastrianism and admitted into that under their control and management, religion is entitled to the benefit of the and they have instituted this suit, as the Religious Institutions and Funds menti- and'Kusti —the sacred shirt and girdle oned in the Plaint and now in the pos- Plaintiff in the suit, married a French between the Plaintiffs and Defendants lady in Paris. He brought her to Bom- i bay and^ got one of the Shenshai High faith and subsequently converted to Priests, Dastur Kaikhooshroo Z------ -------------- -I „ Jamaspji, to perform the Navjotecerem- i-..„----------------- . ony, thereby investing her with Sudra Religious Institutions and Funds menti- champions of such converts, to obtain and'Kusti —the sacred shirt and girdle oned in the Plaint and now in the pos- from the Court a declaration that such which are the outward symbols worn by session and under the management of converts are^ entitle!^ as of r^ght to par ­ those who profess the Zoroastrian reli- the Defendants. ” * x. _ x gion. He then went through with her the marriage ceremony according to the institutions under the management and rites and forms observed by Parsis. He claimed that his wife had become numerous other institutions in Bombay, a Parsi professing the Zoroastrian reli ­ gion and that as such she was entitled to participate in all the charitable and reli ­ gious funds and institutions of the Par- „. "is. He claimed that she was, amongst concerned, as they are under the control customary amongst Parsis to admit - • ’ --------- V---- successors or Other Trustees. another faith into their religion. In fact, the Court is not concerned They say that such Juddins, on being with a//the institutions and funds in the admitted into the Zoroastrian faith. Besides the religious and charitable control of the Defendants, there are ticipate in the benefits of the religious and charitable institutions and funds established for the use of all Zoroastri- ans. The Plaintiffs are not content to base such as Atash Behrams Agiaries, Dare their case merely on the ground that the Mehers, Sanitariums, etc., dedicated to Zoroastrian religion not only permits the use and for the benefit of the Parsi but enjoins conversion : they go further, community, with which the Court is not and contend that it has been usual and SIS. He claimed that she was, amongst concemea, as Lneyareunacnnevoniioi uu&vuiuaiy laioio uv »w***av other things entitled to enter all Fire and management of the donors —their Juddins that is, persons born in Temples and on her death she was entitled to have her body taken to>the -------- , „„ ----------------------------- . . • • u Towers of Silence. with a//the institutions and funds in the admitted into the Zoroastrian faith. This created a great uproar amongst possession and management of the became not only Zoroastrians but Par- 2_- J___ , "___; rU.- iri' C____ ', sis; and that such converted Parsis have at the hearing, has narrowed down his been always allowed to be carried to the ) Towers of Silence on their death, and Zoroastrianism, whose cause the Plain- that during their lifetinae they have the bulk of the Parsi community. Com- Defendants; for the Plaintiffs ’ Counsel, mittees were appointed, public meetings < were held, and it was eventually demands on behalf of the converts to resolved by the Parsi community in a Z----- ----------- ------------------------------ _ _ . general meeting that the lady was not tiffs have so warmly espoused in this entered all places of religious worship, entitled to the privileges or rights that suit, and confined his contention to the such as Atash Behrams, Agiaries and were claimed on her behalf. Dockmas, Sagdis, Nasakhanas, and the Dare Mehers as a matter of right. After the investiture and marriage Of Godavra Agiary, and to only one The Plaintiffs contentions shortly Mrs. Tata, a Rajput lady, in a much fund —the one for carrying the dead put are : It is both usual and customary humbler sphere of life, who had child- bodies of a//Zoroastrians to the Towers for Parsis to admit Juddins into their ren by a Parsi, got herself similarly of Silence. religion and give them all the benefits of invested with Sudra and Kusti. The ----------- ---------- ---- ,— whole fight is in connection with these Zoroastrian religion not only permits s The Plaintiffs contend that the all religious funds and institutions _ __ J endowed or dedicated for the benefit of two ladies. Really speaking, the fight but enjoins the conversion of aliens t heir o wn people. was on behalf of the French wife of the bom in another faith, and that the They further ¦ contend that by the 6th Plaintiff : the other lady we heard moment an alien is invested with a Sudra mere performance of the Navjot cerem- very little of and was merely mentioned and Kusti, after undergoing the Navjote ony by a Parsi priest, thereby putting on incidentally. ceremony at the hands of a Parsi priest, a Sudra and Kusti on the person of a he or she is invested with all the rights Juddin, he makes him or her a full- Conversion to Zoroastrianism and privileges of a born Zoroastrian fledged Zoroastrian without any other My learned brother, (Justice Beaman) and is entitled to the benefits of all religious ceremony. may possibly not be in accord with some religious and charitable institutions and The Defendants dispute the cprrect- of the conclusions to which I have 3 J religious and charitable institutions and The Defendants dispute the correct- funds that exist for the benefit of the ness of these contentions: they s&y that, 7 5r R although the Zoroastrian religion per- the end, it turned out that he knew very mits of conversion into the faith, the little personally of what he was talking. Parsis, ever since their advent into India, have not admitted a Juddin into their fold; that no entire alien, that is, a person born of non-Zoroastrian par ­ mistress of one of the male members of his family, and whether this progeny — Rustom and Jina —were not the child ­ ren of such relationship. He deliberately introduced the saving clause “but not in their houses ” to guard against any pre­ sumption of paternity against his ances ­ tors. It was only when he was cornered that he admitted abaut Sorabji; and then again he tried to belittle the impor ­ tance of his admission by suggesting — I think, purely out of imagination —that Sorabji was himself a convert. Unless these persons were the pro ­ geny of either the withess ’ own grand ­ father or some other male member of the Bhownagree family, the story told by this witness is preposterous. A man may buy a low-caste Hindu girl from famine-stricken people for domestic service, but he does not go buying a lect. ” husband also for her, as this witness He was asked about the namgahran wished us to believe at first. Then, tom was. ” In cross-examination, referring to these two persons, Jina and Rustom, he born. ” In answer to the Court, he said : The children of Jivi were born in my He lived in my grandfather ’s house, but I had not seen that man ... I don ’t recol- on during the holidays. When at Surat, for he said —almost at the beginning of his cross-examination —“I personally know nothing about any conversion. ” When first examined, he said : “I don ’t ents, has ever been admitted into the know who the father of Jina and Rus- faith. They admit, however, that child ­ ren born of a Zoroastrian father by an alien mother have been allowed to come into their fold by the performance of the said : “I have no idea as to who their Navjot ceremony, by investing such father was or when or where they were children with the Sudra and Kusti. In order to controvert the conten ­ tions of the Defendants that it is not grandfather ’s house... Jivi’s husband customary to admit Juddins or entire was also purchased by my grandfather, aliens into the ZSroastrian faith, and that even if the religion enjoined conver ­ sion, such tenet of the religion had fallen lect what the name of Jivi’s husband into utter disuse, and that long- was. Perhaps my grandfather or father continued usage prevailing amongst the did tell me the name, but 1 don ’t recol- Parsis prevented the admission of Jud­ dins to Zoroastrianism, the Plaintiffs called certain witnesses who professed of his family. A namgahran literally again, he does not allow these puchased to give some concrete instances of con- means a record of names. Amongst waifs to breed in his house and submit versions of Juddins into Zoroastrian- Zoroastrians, it is customary when a himself and his family to the nuisance of ism, priest recites prayers in a Parsi house to having Dubra infants brought up in the The very first witness called on behalf invoke blessings on the souls of the dead house. . * - What can be the object of investing Dubra children with Sudra and Kusti, getting them married, and taking them rupees a month as his salary. He is 52 ily are recorded. It is usual to couple the to the Towers at the expense of the fam- years of age, and came to Bombay from names —with the name of the father or ily. Surely this witness was much too Surat when he was 23 years old. He has husband —and use the word “Behedin” intelligent to believe that his ancestors since visited his home at Surat off and or “Ervadin ” between the two names. would do all these things for the child ­ ren of a Dubri woman, brought as a sort of domestic slave and fed in the house in return for work done ! It is to my mind quite clear that Sorabji was either an ancestor of this witness —some elderly male member of the Bhownagree family, or that Sorabji means a record of names. Amongst waifs to breed in his house and submit Zoroastrians, it is customary when a priest recites prayers in a Parsi house to invoke blessings on the souls of the dead of the Plaintiffs is Mr. Pestonji Framji members of the family; and most fami- Bhownagree, a Government employee lies have a sort of book in which the in the Secretariat, getting a hundred names of the dead members of the fam- names —with the name of the father or husband —and use the word “Behedin or “Ervadin ” between the two names. The family priest would know the he lived with his father and grandfather namgahran of his employer by heart, in their family house. Most, if not the and the witness probably knew that whole, of this witness* evidence is based although the namgahran of his family on what the elder members of his family told him, and in my opinion this evi­ dence is worthless. When the statements made by this witness were subjected to cross- examination, without exception, every one of his statements which were in any way material to the questions before the Court were a “mere repetition.of hear ­ say. ” Let us for one moment look into that dence.” evidence and see what it amounts to. He said, in his family there were four indi­ viduals who were converted Juddins. They were Jivi and Rupli, Rustom and band and deliberately pretended ignor- Jina. Rustom and Jina were the sons of ance. He knew the object of the Jivi. Rustom married first Rupli, then a women called Dhunbai, and then a third wife named Awabai. He had a son named Temulji, who was a stationmas ­ ter at Bhynder. The witness talked very glibly about these peoples conversions, their death, their funeral ceremonies, and their dis­ posal in the Towers of Silence; but, in s 1 3 was not then forthcoming, it did exist and there would be people who would be able to recite it, so he had to admit that Rustom ’s father in the namgahran was a fictitious name given to the was mentioned as Sorabji. This witness then said : “I did not know Sorabji. I heard that he had been converted about 100 or 125 years ago. Sorabji was the husband of Jivi ... I did not remember about Jivi’s husband when I gave evi- The statement in the last sentence quoted by me, I refuse to believe. He was pressed on the point of Jivi’s hus- younger members of the family to screen the delinquencies of some male member of the witness* family. Before I proceed to discuss any further the evidence of other witnesses who gave somewhat similar evidence, 1 would like here to explain how, as I understand it from the evidence, the Parsis came to make an exception in the case of children born of Parsi fathers by alien mothers. In the olden times, the Parsis were a poor community. A great many of those questions, as may be gathered from the following answer he gave to the Court, that settled in Bombay and the larger “I know that Parsis in the Surat district kept Dubris as mistresSE^ . In Surat itself Parsis did keep Dubris but livelihood by some sort of trade or ser- not in their houses. ” The witness knew perfectly well that he was being cross-examined with a view to find out whether Jivi was not the cities of Gujarat had to go out into the interior for the purpose of earning their vice. Some of those that went out had no wives, and others who had wives found it most inconvenient to take them with them to the remote parts.where J 9IK- 5^ were so powerful, that instances of noise was made about the matter. keeping mistresses and having children When the fathers returned to their by them became very very rare, till, in native places and to their families, they the more modem times, they have they served, so they left them in their aware of this, shut their eyes and no native places where their families were settled, either with their own families or the families of the wives. While in these remote villages^ —far brought these children with them; and become almost extinct, from their homes and their families, although they were allowed to pass as ~ some of these Parsis took to having Parsis, their birth was always regarded unlawful intercourse with women whom they took into their quarters as their mistresses. The women whom they them to be invested with Sudra and known by the name of “Parvara could pursuade to live with them were Kusti, was that they were taken to be houses, ” as appears from the evidence necessarily from the poorer and the children born in the faith of their fathers of Surat witnesses examined in the case, lower classes. In the districts of Gujarat, and therefore they were not regarded as Another witness, Mr. Khushrubhai a low caste of Hindus, known as Dubras, abound, and most of the Parsis settled in remote villages took to them ­ selves mistresses irom this caste. It was not unusual in those days for Parsis, in some of the cities of Gujarat, to intro ­ duce Dubra women in their houses ostensibly as servants and subsequently sufficient to let them in. treating them as their mistresses. , _ Alliances such as these sometimes begot families. These original half- pie and were brought up in his family, resulted in the birth of children. The breeds and their families were always He said he knew these two and attended father naturally did not wish to desert them, but usually got some friendly pri- approbation by the commonit)^ The est to perform the Navjot ceremony on tZ \ them during their young age and thus mothers is extremely limited. They are the easy morality of some of the Surat smuggled them into the community. Though this course of conduct no ­ where received the sanction of the com ­ munity openly, the people who became The evidence in this case', however, shows that Surat was the stronghold of as tainted. The reason for regarding these Dubri-bred Parsis, and there are such children with favour and allowing still some families of this kind who are and therefore they were not regarded as Juddins. They were the children of Parsi Nusserwanji Khan Saheb, also hails boon (i.e., seed); they were children of i from Surat, and he gave somewhat sim- Parsi olad (i.e., origin) and therefore in ilar evidence to that given by the wit- some cases the mere performance of the ness, Mr. Bhownagree. His evidence is Navjot ceremony and the investiture of also more or less a repetition of hearsay, Sudra and Kusti by a priest, without but he spoke of two Dubra converts in any other ceremonies, was considered his family^ named Jivaji and Hiri, who were supposed to have been bought byhis These children in time grew up and grandfather from famine stricken peo- re^rded with a certain amount of dis- th^ripnerals. _ : This is the witness from whom a class of people descended from Dubra good deal of evidence is extracted as to getting extinct. As the Parsis progressed Parsis. He told US of the instonce of in education, wealth, and civilization, Parvara families in Surat : he told us thejnoral influences brought to bear on that Parsis in villages kept Dubris as delinquencies such aS\I\Jiave described mistresses, but not in Surat itself; but he Parvara families in Surat : he told us ? « Match your AMBITION to a CAREER To do so wo offer you: • Diploma Course in Business Management (Oral/Postal) • Banking: CAI.I.B. Course (Postal 8 Oral) • Commerce :6.C.D. Course e Executive Secretarial Course • Private Secretarial Course • Telephone Operating • Telephone Operating-cum Receptionist Techniques • Shorthand 8 Typewriting e Punch Operating • Telex Operating t ¦" "• 5 A. I EnquWeat: Sir J. J. College Of Commerce 14,NanabtK>y Lane, Hutatma Chowk, BOMBAY 400 001. Tel: 251185 II i, i t V ' I,-" lions of Mr. Khushrubhai, against such an assumption, that the two Dubras he what was to come by telling the Court that in his family it was customary to recite the names of good and faithful 'spoke of, Jivaji and Hiri, were the child ­ servants of the family in prayers. This ren of the family. His own evidence was to account for the names of the Reaves no doubt about this In my mind. Dubra converts in the family namgah- 'By putting Darasha ’s name after his ran. The attempt to explain away the own, Jivaji claimed Darasha as his presence of their names in the namgah- father, and neither Darasha nor any ran was weak in the extreme, in the face i members of his family seem to have of the fact —which, under stress of done anything to stop Jiva froxp using cross-examination, he had to admit — ~ that this man, Jivaji, used the name of the witness ’* grandfather, Darasha, as up in the family, that Hiri was married that of his father and that he was gener- and brought up her children in the ally known as Jiva Daras^a house, that all their expenses were paid This is“Bow he tried to explain this by the family, that they were allowed to be taken to the Towers of Silence on their death, all these circumstances lead one to the conclusion that is irresistible. Daras ha ’s nam e as that of his father. The fact that he and Jivi were brought had to admit that Framji Sorabji Ghandy, of Surat, did keep a low-caste Hindu woman (a Mo chan ) as his mis ­ tress He qualified his statement by saying that respectable Parsis did not keep mis­ tresses, and gave it as his opinion that the man who kept the Mochee woman was not a respectable man because he kept a mistr^s in his house. Of the conversion of these two Dubras, Jivaji and Hiri, whom he knew and who were brought up in his house, he knew nothing. He said they were con ­ verted before his time —before his birth. He does not know for certain whether these two were brought or merely taken very significant fact :—“Jivaji had no into the house. They both died in the father, and therefore when he had to house, and on behalf of his father, who give his name as the owner of the gym- had been bedridden, he defrayed their nasium at the time of the City Survey he that they were children of the family, funeral expenses. gave the name Jivaji Darasha."The wit- Hiri had been married to another n^s cannot mean that Jivaji had no Dubra convert, named Hiraji, and father. What he means is that there was brought up her children in the house of no father who acknowledged him as his the kind old gentleman who had taken son. He admits that he knows of no her in out of charity. This witness other family that include servants ’ appeared to me to be perfectly well names in the namgahrans, and I refuse to ... ......................................... _ I the namgahrans, are merely there as the names of faj t hful servants. I am afraid I must here record my acquainted with the real position of Jivaji believe him when he says their names in and Hiri in his family, and he was pre­ pared to conceal that from the Court He evidently knew what to expect in cross-examination. He anticipated belief, in spite of the violent protesta - 'bom of a Parsi father. This witness evidence is useful in. one other respect, which, I think, had better be noted here before I pass on. It shows tl\^t even in Surat, the stronghold of Dubri-bom Parsi converts, there is an objection to taking such people to the ordinary Towers where Parsi corpses are disposed of and their bodies used to be placed in an old and dilapi ­ dated Tower that had fallen into disuse for ordinary Parsi purposes. i For Pure Diamonds JEWELLERS 324. GRANT ROAD, BOMBAY 4MB07. TELEPHONB: 371413 appointed valuers by the government of INDIAZOROASTRIANS ABROAD T Fourth North American Zoroastrian community center in Chi- SympOSlUm Addressing .the gathering of about authentic Zoroastrian costumes ’and a The nouveau Zoroastrian will be the 400guests Rivetnacontinued ; “Tonight 'disco-style dance, notes Jahn, “‘One had the feeling, as one swung ones hips, that the Zoroastrians would be rock-and- rolling info the future with the rest of us”, he adds. A ZAC center progress report pub­ lished in the associations newsletter notes that ZAC members have pledged amounts ranging from $ 1,000 to $ 10,000 to form a partnership to pur­ chase a five acre lot in Lake Forest Illi ­ nois for $ 62,000. This is an addition to the $ 55,000 generated earlier to pur­ chase the Hinsdale property. According to the report the Arbab Guiv foundation has pledged $ 150,000 for the center of which $ 20,000 have The programme ended with dinner, followed by a fashion show of ‘beautiful theme of the Fourth North American Symposium to be hosted by the Zoroas ­ trian Association of Quebec on April 10 and 11 in Montreal, note the newsletters of the Zoroastrian Associations of Chi­ cago, Ontario and British Columbia. A highlight of the meet is a special session for young adults who will debate of the capacity crowd of Zoroastrians on ‘The Zoroastrian youth in the 21st century will be a fSceless creature of the environment ’. To coincide with the Symposium an essay competition on ‘Why should I remain a Zoroastrian ’ has been organized for those between the ages of 9 and 16. The first symposium was held in 1975 in Ontario, Canada. A second sympo ­ sium entitled ‘The survival and Perpe­ tuation of Zoroastrians in North America ’ was hosted by the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago in May 1977. “The Historical Perspectives of Zoroastrianism ” was the topic for the third symposium which was held in New York in October 1979. our one dream has come true, let us pray that when this distinguished gathering meets again, it will be at the opening ceremony of the Chicago Zoroastrian center. ” The Zoroastrian gala was a beautiful affair, a huge success, if the enthusiasm U' A Dream Fulfilled “Every Zoroastrian community in North America has two dreams: The first to establish a temple and commun ­ ity center and the second, to organize a function with Maestro Zubin Mehta ”, said Rohinton Rivetna,President of the Zoroastrian Association of Metropoli ­ tan Chicago, at the Zubin Mehta ban ­ quet, held at the Naperville Sheraton, on August 23, 1981, to raise funds fora and guests was any indication, ” writes the Naperville Sun correspondent Horace Jahn. The programme began with an invo ­ cation ceremony, performed by Dastur Minocherhomji and three other priests, followed by an address on Darbe Mehrs in America by Dr Rostam Sarfeh, a close associate of the late millionaire already been received by the associa- philanthropist Arbab Rustam Guiv after which Robert Stuart, Chairman of the American-Can Corporation, spoke on “An ancient cultures contribution to a modern nation, ” notes Jahn. “There were several short speeches, introductions and acknowledgements, and a proper tribute was paid to Mrs Morvarid Guiv, whose late husband had bequeathed S 150,000 to the Zoroastrian Association, ” continues Jahn. Awards were presented to the guest of honour, Zubin Mehta, whose short Jaferey, author and former Iranian address was amusing and self-effacing. “The fact that no one knows about our religion is not our faylt, because we don ’t know very much about it our ­ selves, ” mused Mehta, notes a report by Bruce Buursma in the Chicago Tribune. tion. The ZAC board of directors have resolved to call the center Darbe Mehr and name it after Guiv. Even after these generous contribu ­ tions, the budget will be very tight, and every effort is being made to solicit extra funds. Zoroastrians in Iran “The Zarthustis in Iran are enjoying their religious freedom and the Islamic Revolution has brought them wisely closer to their own faith ”, notes Dr. Ali Tandarosti ceremony y.?** *•”* government official in a letter from Iran that was published in ‘The News from British Columbia ’. “The Islamic Government of Iran has been kind enough to give religious minority communities the permission to Mehta with Cyrus and Roshan Rivetna and award <5 f I 15 -31 i .1 i 4 a 1 i i 1 •i-a ¦“I 1 1*5- il"! 'ii 1' 'v 5' t’ r 5 Btr BOYS’ TOWN Public School Nasik 2 Recognised as a Public School by the Department of Education for Indian Merit Scholars, Excel ­ lent Climate — All-round Education : Climate AU Academic Subjects —Tech ­ nical Subjects: Workshop Tech­ nology, Mechanical & Electrical Maintenance, Carpentry & Farm ­ ing. Training in SeU-Govemment through Elected Boys ’ Office bearers. Games —Physical Train ­ ing — DaUy Assembly with Congregationid Prayers — Week ­ ly intensive Zoroastrian - Geeta- Roran classes — Excellent Modem Kitchen and Binh^ Room facilities Airy Dormi ­ tories. Moderate Fees. Freeships and Concessions to Deserving Students. Apply to — THE MANAGING TRUSTEE P. N. MEBTA EDUCATION TRUST Cooks Building, 324 Dr. D. N. Road, Bombay 400 001. conduct their own religious classes for primary and secondary schools. They have classes with hundreds of students, have their own publication department and text books ”, he writes. In addition to this, Jaferey conducted gatha classes for adults on a weekly basis which were well attended and also held a one and a half year A vesta course with 15 students some of whom have become his assistants, according to the letter. Among his activities is the populari ­ zation of the navjote ceremony,, which were not very common among the Irani Zarthustis, notes Jaferey. “A way was found and we started with the navjote of three adult girls. The invitees were from both the orthodox and moderate groups, among them two top mobeds. “First 1 explained at length that the initiation into the religion as proved by the Gathas and other scriptures, was for adults — fresh adult at the ripe age of 15, if the candidate was born of Zar- thusti parents. “This was because the Religion of Good Conscience i,s not an inheritance or imposition but a choice by an indi­ vidual with good understanding of dis­ crimination between good and evil, even good and best. “The missionaries of the ancient days, from the Gathic era down to the Sassan- ian period, did not go after children. Maidhyomah, Asho Zarathustra ’s cou ­ sin and the first person to embrace the Good Religion was a fully grown per­ son. King Gushtasp was initiated at the age of 72 or more. Lohrasp must have been a well-advanced centurian. And this was the case with every daevayas- niahldrvant who chose the Good Reli ­ gion. “Then we had a collective navjote of seven adults — three males and four females. Thereafter, we had eleven with one of the ladies being a deaf and mute ”. Encouraged by the events, the Zoroastrian International Cultural Associatfbn (ZICA) mainly manned by Rashid D. Bamanbehram Professional Photographer for Photos of Weddings, Navjotes and Birfliday parties. Contact: Flat No. 3, First Floor, No. 6 Wadia Block, Khareghat Colony, 30A Hughes Road, Bombay 400 007. JEENA & COMPANY ESTD. IATA AIR CARGO Clearing, Forwartfng WareliOQsmg and Insurance Agents 10, Veer Nariman Road, Fort, Bombay-1. Cable : JUSTITIA’ Telex : 2313 Phone : 312032 Branches: E. Mm HdiM» 19/B, Shake^ewe Sarani (Formady Theatre Road) CALCUTTA-16 Phone : 444711 ‘Jeena Hoose ’ 50, Hanumui Road Connaught Circus NEW DELHI PHONE : 310821 ¦ .r i r - k f' Phone: 826074 k50 ___________ History dT k Race " 1, anang^ a mass navjote of 33 in I ^^g for a similar ceremony with 40 I candidates, notes Jaferey. I The letter ends ; “Do feel optimistic and pray for us all. ” I Indo-PtUtiatani Pawi residents of O-' ran, arranged a mass navjote of 33 in Yazd. Now the city of Kennan isi pre­ candidates, notes Jaferey. xioshang Merchant I ! German Contributions I Funds are being solicited for the publi- I cation of Zarthustra and World Reli- I gions. 3. compilation of literature on the I subject, by German scholars translated I into English, notes the Zoroastrian I Association of Metropolitan Chicago I newsletter. I “Eminent non-Parsi scholars on the I Continent (Europe) have devoted their I lives to unearth and unravel the secrets I of Zarathustra and his achievements, ” I notes Dr. P.J. Saher of West Germany I in a synopsis of the book. I Shall we leave all this buried in a I language few Parsis understand ? If we I wait longer, these works of German I scholars will become redundant and I unavailable even in Germany, and an I opportunity to see our precious heritage I confirmed by. all humanity will be lost I by Zoroastrians ”. I Saher, who is keen to see the book I published, estimates the cost of publica- I tion to be around one and a half lakh I rupees. I Sports Day I Contestants from the age of three years I to over 50 participated in the first I Zoroastrian Sports Day in British I Columbia, notes the Zoroastrian I Society of British Columbia board of I '¦ directors minutes. I Amaz Mehta and Turaj Kaboly were jointly awarded the society ’s revolving trophy for the best athelete of the year and Human Alghabi bagged a special prize for his remarkable performance in the open age one mile race, note the minutes. The success of the programme was largely due to the ability of the organiz- gfs, “our community is lucky to have one of Canada ’s top-most professional coach ”, the directors noted. Even greater* participation is I - expected in future sports activities and the directors are confident that people will donate trophies for the events. Jalb- - hai Dastur, an active member of the co mmuni ty has donated a trophy in the (name of his late wife Threaty. t .. This is time’s story , Of kings hand-supported by forty tribes At Susa, Hagmatana and Persepolis Possessed of good horses and good men Protected from famine, falsehood, foe In an unbroken happiness father to son Saviours of Jerusalem and Babylon In the name of a god who made And who preserved what was made Unless rebellion rose Ahriman winged, lion-footed, bird bf prey Scorpion-tailed, eagle-clawed or a wild bull Was crushed by Mazda cruelly Be he Mazdak or Nineveh , j- Fire shalTfight fire: Athens answer for Sardis And waters connect The empire shall have three tongues And the bull without pastor, pasturage Each man boy girl paid according to deed So came a young boy weeping to conquer the world And a drop abolished it Three thousand camels carried away The glory of a king of kings Killed in the desert, brought back, buried Conquerors’ love a pitiful thing And the praying mobeds fed Bread to the dead sons of Xerxes.... Mithra’s bull was slain across Europe , hie Kemen erain/Set for a second flowering In a mountain-fastness chaste stayed the daughter of Yezdegi. Salman gave secrets and a lead What sword or eunuchs couldn’t, pen accomplished Taxes’ tyranny took the rest Why bleed when sweet words do as much. So a sun-king became a lord of light He burns: an olive in glass, veil on y^il Once again bull and lion in mortal fight Once again the earth abolished For a paradise in sight Till kill father forty years Then on to heaven in as many days And when a prophet sonless died His grandsons’prefumed deatE^survived So lights’ lord was given a body Arms legs limbs fragmented or compacted As the land that took to him So beauty became a st4ffering thing In the memory of slaves _ And tyranny a name for kings of kings Such is time’s story That mingled forty tribes sea-dnven Mingled more with forty ‘div’-worshipping Keeping purity’s fire Who steps in the same river twice? Of Hagmatana seven-terraced, each the color of stars 1 M .« t_____.A^faAaMaa^i// M/Vf/ to conquer the world Mingled more with forty ‘div*-worshipping Keeping purity's fire Who steps in the same river twice.'^ ijj ---- - Of Parsa, of the hundred columned hall Of Naqshe-Rustam of the fire altars Even a worshipper falling into fire bums. So each new king by forty tribes hand-supported nre shall fight fire. By vMter, connect^.rj PIONEER snip BUILDERS Dr. M.D. David t- The Status Ehjoyed by Bombay as the country ’s premier ship-building centre is due to the efforts of one man and his descendants. Lowjee Nusserwanjee Wadia, born in ParsHamily at Siganpore eight miles Among them was Asia built in 1824. She took part in the Greek war of inde­ pendance as the flag ship Navarino in 1827. As a token gesture the Govern ­ ment of Greece issued a centenary commemorations stamp of the vessel. build defence vessels for them. From Lowjee Nusserwanjee to Jam- setji Dhunjibhoy, the last and ninth Master guilder who retired in 1881, the Wadia family constructed 417 vessels. ¦a J from Surat was the pioneer in ship building in India. His descendants dom ­ inated the ship building industry for 111 [ years. ,, For nearly eight years the East India Company had been attempting to set up a ship building centre at Bombay but Flourishing industry Seven vessels were also built for the Imam of Muscat. Under Nowroji Jam ­ setjee, the sixth Master Builder, the first efforts were only fruitful when a chance meeting took place between Dudley, Master Attendant of the Bombay _____________ ______ Dockyard and Lowjee, the 35-year-old steam vessel Hogh Lindsay 'w&s built in The stern of Asia built by the Wadias. 't ;1 it 3 it I Nowrojee Jamsetjee (1774—1860) Builder of the first iron steamer. I Jamsetjee Bomaiqee : The Fifth Master Builder and the most distinguished, Master Carpenter of the Surat yard. So impressed was Dudley by the genius of this young Indian that he invited him to Bombay to develop the ship building industry. It was the beginning of an illustrious career. Under the Wadias, orders for ships poured in from Madras, Calcutta as well as from several private merchants both Indians and foreigners. They reached the zenith of their glory when the Royal Navy asked the Wadias to 1 I ¦ '4 I 'is J J I I Despite the praise lavished -by the English, Jamsetjee was sensitive to 1829 and the first iron river steamer family. But they had to wait for nearly Snake in 1838. twenty eight years before the Inam The ship building industry flourished lands of the villages of Juhu and Ville because of the availability of Malabar Parle were given to them —the first ever teak which was far superior to oak and Inam land granted by the English on the the avid interest taken by the Wadia island, family in training the younger genera ­ tions. Curiously enough, the ship building racial prejudice and had a fierce pride in industry, while bringing the Wadia fam- his worth. He registered his protest ily several accolades never really gener- against the English prejudices by carv- ated much wealth for them. ing on the keel of Cornwallis, the first In fact Jamsetjee Bomanjee, the fifth frigate built at Bombay for the Royal generations on the ship building indus- Master Builder and the most distin- Navy, the words, “This ship was built by try. guished of them all, had to send a frantic a Black fellow, AD 1800“ appeal to the government in 1821 to make the grant bf land promised to the industry attracted the ire of British capi- talists who viewed "it threat to their own industry. Under their mounting pressure, the British Parliament decreed that only English captains and English crew should be employed on Indian built ships. They further hampered growth by imposing a 15 per cent tax in 1811 on all goods imported into India, on Indian built ships. This measure coupled with the lack of interest of suc­ ceeding generations of the Wadia family saw the end of their monopoly of nine by Dr. M.D. David.Professor of history at Wilson Col ­ lege and author of the History of Bombay. The Daily October 3, 1981. The fast expanding ship building S’ r I i I A Hundred ^ars Ago s> i?* ’ AS? '5 ¦> ' ¦ £ « 'T % I Srefe * L 4*8-” *«" t t luiti * ^4? iwr % A correspondent writesThe friends of Khan Saheb Furdoonjee Pestonjee at Poona will be glad to hear that at last Government have thought fit to deco ­ rate this deserving servant of Govern- ment w ith the Mutiny medal for his ser­ vices in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The uninitiated perhaps do not know that the grant of a medal to a non-combatant means really hard service, one* of the chief conditions of which being actual exposure to the enemy ’s fire requiring to be certified to by an officer present at ’ the action. Under similar conditions - , Khan Saheb Furdoonjee has earned the Abyssinian medal. He is the only Zoroastrian since the ancient Parsees sought refuge in India, 1251 years ago, who has seen so much active service, for - he numbers in addition to the Mutiny .4 and Abyssinia, the Crimean War and the Persian Expedition. I hear that on Monday, the 26th inst., H.E. the Commander-in-Chief intends to bold a Durbar, when I believe the medal will be presented to him. Khan Saheb Fur­ doonjee has done good service to Government, and his numerous friends and admirers, when they hear this news through the medium of your widely cir­ culated paper, will be glad to find that at last it has pleased Government to reward his war services in the commis ­ sariat Department. In peace, too, he has lieen equally useful, and for his various works and impiovements he has received the commendations of Govern ­ ment He is now in charge of the field column can-iage at Poona. • The Times of India, September 26, 1981. 1*4^ aijE Khan Saheb Furdoonjee 215 t S BUSINESS q A Victim of Sea Fever A career in the merchant navy was tra ­ ditionally the unfortunate lot of dis­ graced younger soVis of patrician families or reckless adventurers with wanderlust in their veins, due to the appalling conditions of service. Not sur­ prisingly, until very recently a career in the merchant marine was generally frowned upon by the middle classes. Richards, supported by a staff of quali ­ fied officers, Aga is responsible for the completion of different types of surveys will inevitably result in an increase in including the enforcement of the Union shipping traffic to these countries after government ’s statutory requirements on behalf of the ministry of shipping and transport. war, Aga believes that the outbreak of hostilities between the two countries the war is over. “These countries will require extensive ri the war ends and tl replenish] ;hat will t iments when be profitable Apart from being a firm of reputable for the shipping industry as well as manufacturers and exporters in India. ” Aga, who is now firmly anchored to his apartment at Kemps Comer, Bom- shipping surveyors, Ericson and Richards also operates a training and examining wing in which seamen are trained and tested in the use of modern bay still has ‘sea fever ’ in his blood, and nautical equipment. “These days ship­ ping companies install expensive equip­ ment on their ships, but very often the seamen on board lack the expertise to use it properly. Our training pro ­ gramme is designed to ensure that men of my involvement with numerous mar ­ aud machines become complementary itime associations, I still find time to to each other, ’’ says Aga. When Aga joined the merchant marine in 1933 service conditions were radically different. Families accompan ­ ying officers on board were unheard of and leave was given to merchant marine officers for only 14 days per year. The winds of liberalism have since wafted through the merchant shipping com ­ munity. Comments Aga : “Today the fortunate marine officer can travel in luxury with his family on board and he gets between 120 and 203 days paid leave per year. Among the few Indians to join the merchant marine as officers, Aga began his career in merchant shipping with a three year “rigorous ” apprenticeship on even now would like to return to the sea if the opportunity arises. Very active in his youth on the sports field, Aga played cricket, hockey, tennis and he jokes “anything but golf. And today, in spite play billiards and bridge. Abridged from Business World, April 13 to 26, 1981 *9 Aga : Firmly anchored However, in these inflationary times, attitudes seem to have undergone a sea change as it were, and an increasingly large number of perfectly respectable, board a ship owned by the British sober young men from ‘good families ’ Indian Navigation Company (BI). On attracted more by the mind-boggling completion of his apprenticeship in salaries rather than the glamour of 1936, Aga qualified and continued to ¦ j travel to distant and exotic climes, are serve as an officer with BI. In 1939 he 3 queuing to join merchant shipping com- joined the Scindia Steamship Company panics. and remained with them until 1944 salaries rather than the glamour of 1936, Aga qualified and continued to serve as an officer with BI. In 1939 he 5 •1 I ¦I and remained with them until 1944 Comments Capt. Sam Aga (66), the when he joined Bombay Port Trust Lucknow born son of a civil engineer (BPT) as -a pilot, guiding visiting ships who opted for a life on the ocean wave way back in 193 ! at the age of 15, when he joined the T.S. Dufferin : “In those days only the fool of the family went to sea. ” Currently the Bombay based manag ­ ing director Ericson and Richards (Sur­ veyors) Pvt. Ltd., ship and marine surveyors to “practically every Indian I I into BPT’s docks. In 1953 Aga joined Ericson and Richards, a British com ­ pany (then a partnership concern), as chief surveyor and was made a partner the following year. A highly respected figure in merchant shipping circles, Aga feels that merch ­ ant shipping has extricated itself from the trough of depression into which it and foreign shipping company, ” Aga had sailed in 1977-79. says that if he had to choose a career all over again his choice would be the same. As chief executive of Ericson & Though freight traffic to the oil rich West Asian countries has slowed down due to the apparently endless Iran-Iraq 22 Iron Irani The new deputy managing director of the Tata Iron & Steel Company Limited (TISCO), the largest private sector company in India, is 44 year old Dr. Jamshed Jiji Irani. Irani who has been with TISCO for over 13 years is to be stationed in Jam ­ shedpur to supervise the operations of the steel plant as well as town matters. A recipient of the National Metallur- 'i?'. ;'f.‘ ii-i .)f*. .. Irani : ‘Morale is high ’ ' gist Award in 1974, Irani is on the board of directors of Guest Keen Williams and Bisra Stone and Lime.7 T" [> '^ontractdr “We misset “The two major strengths of TISCO lamented Contract^/ “We missed the are the quality of the company ’s resour- in foreign business he said, ces and its very good raw material Countering the myth that the Central base, ” said Irani in a Business World Bank was staffed mainly by Parsis, article on TISCO published in the April Contractor noted, that “Parsis only 13 to 26, 1981 issue. “Industrial rela- accounted for a little over five percent of tions in the company are excellent and the staff in the old days, now it is one morale is high,” he had noted. percent ...in those days Pysis domi- Irani, who obtained a doctorate in nated the cash department. metallurgy frem the University of Shef- A commerce graduate from the Syd- field, UK, worked with the British Iron enham college. Contractor started his and Steel Research Association for career in the Central Bankin 1946 at the about five years and was general man- age of 19 as a trainee officer. His last ager, operations, of TISCO prior to his assignment was deputy general man- new appointment on July 11, 1981. ager of the industrial finance division. C ? 1 TTparl “Most of the managers have worked central tieatl their way to the top. Nowadays we Some of the best things in life have hap- have people filling top positions from pened to Dady K. Contractor at the outside. We accept them and inake Central Bank of India. The most recent them feel at home. The employees have is his appointment as the general man- a sense of loyalty which you don t find ager of the bank the second largest in contOKtor : sense of loyalt, ’ suff'call India. Another happy occasion as he iniormai. i ne memoers oi inc svaii can noted in a brief interview, was meeting tor. me by my first name, says the 53-year- Gool Kudianiwalla, who he married “Our Bank has expanded in the prior- old; tall, affable banker. while they were working in the Bank. ity sectors; sm^ll scale industry and Contractor, who has an architect Contractor ’s appointment coincides agriculture...we have done better than daughter settled in Chicago and a son with the centenary year of the Central any other bank...fifty-one new branches studying in the Indian Institute of Tech- Bank ’s founder, Sorabji Pochkhana- are to be opened. ” nology at Powai, escapes from the walla the father of modern Indian The Central Bank was the first to rigors of his Nariman Point office by banking. The Central Bank was the first open a branch in London, “but had to playing bridge, watching movies and completely Indian bank, notes Contrac- close down much before its time, gardening. Contractor : ‘sense of loyalty ’ tor. “Our Bank has expanded in the prior ­ ity sectors; sm^ll scale industry and any other bank...fifty-one new branches studying in the Indian Institute of Tech- are to be opened. ” The Central Bank was the first to open a branch in London, “but had to close down much before its time, ” With the Best Compliments of lng««*soll-Ran let bye-gones be bye-gones and formu- traits in their Masjids. Christians usu- tion, the responsibility of creating a fac- of different types of fires that this not done in the past. The Muslims do not place any por- mixed marriages, have become the vic- let bye-gones be bye-gones and formu- traits in their Masjids. Christians usu- tims and Navjotes which were once per- late fresh resolutions to preserve the ally etch pictures of Christ, his revered formed publicly or privately have now future solidarity of the community, then Mother, the Virgin Mary, and their been opposed and steps taken to apply at least for the time being this dilemma saints in stained glass windows. Hindus sanctions against priests who perform could be brought to an end. such Navjotes. “Indeed such a decision would not “Our community should have the right bring a lasting solution to the problem, to ban entry into the fold the offspring No one can foretell the effect on future of mixed marriages or illegitimate child- generations, of resolutions that will seal ren. the gateways of the community ’s pro- It would be truly regrettable if a new gress. schism be created in our small commun ­ ity but rather than remain within the atmosphere of the community under- ‘circle in a state of constant bickering goes a change, it is understandable that, and ill-will and expend all energy on the due to the high death-rate consequent self-same problem, it would be prefera- upon living in a congested centre like ble that a small group of believers be Bombay, the high cost of living, the res- formed who would conduct their lives triction in the number of marriages according to their own convictions and because of the dowry system, the fall in members of the old and new folds while birth-rate due to family planning and going their own way learn to work in ' • ... unison. “Those of the community who pro ­ fess to join the reformist group appear 30 U' u “At the moment, until, the social place the images of their gods and god ­ desses in their temples. In this respect we do something quite different. In this sub-continent there are about two hundred Atashkadehs. Oh the establishment of these religious cen­ tres, along with the picture of Prophet Zarathushtra, as if by virtue of right the photographs of the donor or his fore- feathers also find a place of prominence. With the passage of time photographs of leaders and benefactors of the com ­ munity are added. In'many such reli ­ gious centres in various cities, it some ­ times happens that along with the pictures of the deserving, those of peo ­ ple of dubious or questionable charac ­ ter also find a place. When the other reasons, the strength of the com ­ munity shows a downward trend. It is just possible that after decades collection of pictures becomes cumber- _ ¦ some and there is no wall-space left, if “] the community may create an enlight-- question the right Of temples, after the recitation of the above f there is no one to t _ enquire, the care-takers quietly remove some person or no heir remains to the picture and store it away in some unknown corner or niche. In our ceremonial prayers we recite the names c. —------ names, the priest includes the names of the deceased of the family. We consider it a great honour to include in public Jashans or at the Uthamna ceremonies and the Dhupni- remoniai piayvio vvv ----------------- of ancient Iranian kings, rang prayers, the names of people who heroes, religious teachers, famous :n and others. The earliest refer- to this is found in the Fravadin have worked for the welfare of the com ­ munity or have led an exemplary and noble life. After our arrival in India, the names of three famous religious teachers were mentioned in our prayers —viz. Mobed Shapur Mobed Sheriar, Mobed Hormuzdiar Ervad Ramyar and Mobed Neriosang Dhaval. Centur ­ ies later, no name of any religious leader ¦ historic personage resid- at Surat, Navsari, or Broach was ent times started including the names of famous people oy their individual pan- thaks in their pr/yers. As the custom of placing photo ­ graphs of charitable men and woinen who are instrumental in establishing places of worship continues, even so are their names remembered in the prayers together with those of other well-known personalities. Hence, in the approxi ­ mately fifty-two Agyaris and Atashbeh- rams of Bombay, each recites the names of its own particular group of people. Together with that the names of their chosen followers or helpers are con ­ stantly being added. The result is that the names recited in one Atashbehram or Agyari may not be heard in another. Thus, the names recited in different punthaks, different Atashkadehs or dif ­ ferent cities vary in nomenclature and in number. According to custom, the right of the declaration of an additional name to the Namgrahan rests with the Dastur or Punthaki of a religious centre and it is done before the assembly at the Uthamna ceremony of the deceased. At the Uthamna cerepaony the high priest i women ence V- Yasht. written in the Avestan language. Today we are quite ignorant about some of the personalities mentioned therein. After Alexander ’s invasion we lost our Empire and the Avestan lan ­ guage was discontinued in daily usage. After a period of .nearly five hundred Qr layman or the names of great men and women of the Sassanian dynasty are not referred to in this Avestan prayer, the Fravadin --------- - , _ - ,, , rasH,. In .he meanwhile, during .his "diS^ talwLXSe ro«d;n7n ”:n';"0,eT,^ngu7g;^^^^^^^ -md . -r Sanian and later at Navsan, Surat, Bai X^m:ta';:m ‘:r:i.i;:sa7s;n£; sa.indo.he.pueeswasrirs.h.ongh.in .he ias. Kills Viidagard 1742 to Udvada by two mobe^, Bhi- mentioned. In our Afrigan. kaji Rustomji and Rust^ji Sher^rji. ofcs/n; Dhupnirang ccrcmo- A ^resh ^gmnmg proposes that the name of the deceased iite and remember all these tiomg the Je recited in all future religious cefemo- jnrrpd memorv of our dear the Puntha y nies, and in complete silence and solem- guage vraR when the Persian Empire revived, ing at Surat Navsan or uroaen was oreat men and womcn ot included tn the Namgharim recital. This period, many new prayers were com- those days. In the latter part of these new _ J__ kings upto the last King Yazdagard Sheriar are i---------------- , _ Saturn. Farokshi, Dhupnirang esremo- nies we recite names. In sacred memory of our dear departed ones, in our own homes or in custom has been revived only since the last three hundred years, beginning with . _ ’ • ’ i Rana who died in 1592 at Navsari. The Tjl-InMtcoirtlntnW HoW .» Bombay Mobeds of different punthaks at differ- iSmDnFrffisnw™i! 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 AVD6ri6nc6~~*to hjandle any for putting up the imposing Muscat Palace complex uie MfliActv the Sultan of The multiplicity of p a Obtiol-Slwraion HoW ow'^ 50 .r fiSVX' 'X -S5SS w w w ...-.......... ¦‘1 4 • e I 4 $ fes^ SHAPOORJI PALLONJI & CO. (PVT.) UP > W v. V. 4^1^ !¦« ^'5'3 '¦i ¦ ^4 I IJ I r 1,1___ _ __ 2 71___ / • effect that should either of the two Das- times when,^among the assembly ces secured the right to vote and began tur Sahebs of Udvada or their heirs “ happen to die, then the sole right of' including their names in public prayers will rest entirely with the Mobeds. On the strength of this resolution the Mobeds have included the name of the recently demised learned Dastur Kaiy- 5 nity it is und^sipod as passed. There ans of Bombay, Karachi and other pla- are 1 there are some who opine that the to elect their trustees. To-day all over deceased is not worthy of the honour of the world, social and political adminis- having his name included in the honour- tration is conducted according to these roll of the Namgrahan, and are not in rights secured by society and nations, agreement of having that particular From the beginning it has been my name remembered in public prayers, yet opinion that at such a time, it is out of sheer respect for the solemnity of improper for the dastur or punthaky oji Mirza, the occasion they are unable to voice alone to have the sole right of deciding their opinion, and return home discon- whose name is to be included in or certed. excluded from the Namgrahan. From In the Bombay press, among the com- rime I accepted the role of High munal questions that were being dis­ cussed with great bitterness about six or seven decades ago, one was the custom it 4 ( H J1 J t i t t I •1 ’ 4 J i: ii It is twenty-two years since this reso ­ lution has been passed and practised. At times it happens that due to the custom ­ ary carelessness of the Parsis, not even one-fourth of the signatories of the Priest in 1909, whenever an occasion arose at an Uthamna ceremony of requisition bothers to attend the meet ­ admitting the name of some deserving of the Namgrahan. The main objections personage into public prayers, I would of the press and of the educated class of sing praises of that person ’s fine quali- the community were that on such a sad ties and end at that. Then panthaky and solemn occasion as an Uthamna, would propose the inclusion of that there should not be the undue haste of name in public prayers. His proposal raising this question nor should the das- was virtually a command, hence it was tur or panthaky have the sole right of accepted. In 1924 under unpredicted executing such a task. < Most of our Atashbehrams and practice. What had not been achieved Agyaris are of private proprietorship. Bombay after years^of stryiggle was The y4«/«znan has no jurisdiction over their administration. The trustees of the Atashkedeh or of the Anjuman have no right to interfere with the ceremonial taken regarding the announcement at prayers and performances of the dasturs the Uthamna of the inclusion in public and the punthakies. The decision of a request to include the name of a ing. When such an emergency arises, members of the community residing in the vicinity of the Daremeher have had to be sent for and requested to come in order to carry on the business of the meeting. At present (1946) such a delicate situation has arisen amongst the Parsi circumstances a storm arose against this community of Karachi. As a requisition had been received requesting the inclu ­ sion of a certain name, the Trustees of the Panchayat called a general meeting. But, as the proposition did not get the prayers of his name, a diversity of opin ­ ion had arisen in the community. The has the authority to question panthaky proposed his name before the deserving member of the community. In the heat of controversy it seems to say “If you accept our nominee we are wil­ ling to accept yours ”. Among all the Zoroastrians of the sub-continent, only the community in Karachi has been able to secure this necessary and welcome reform of conducting the question in consonance with the times. But at pres­ ent there is a dead-lock confronting us, and some, losing courage, are even pre- voice of the majority was suppressed respectful silence and it was adopted and a necessary reform was shelved. ’ question gained impetus. The opposi ­ tion party sent a requisition to the Trus­ tees of the Anjuman requesting them to attained over-night in Karachi. On the death of a prominent member of the community, prior to steps being necessary support of , SO^ of the members present, the requisition could not be passed. The party that was not successful in its purpose has been sorely < offended and is threatening to obstruct departed one rests entirely with the das- rival parties brought conflicting pres- all future requisitions of the kind by turs or punthakies and it appears that sure upon the panthaky. Eventually, the vetoing the inclusion of the name of any no one 1 their traditional privilege. Despite the assembly at his Uthamna, and, as was sound backing of the Bombay press the customary the Mobeds observed ' When the Uthamna ceremony ended. Mankind ’s progress commenced with everyone departe^peacefully', but the the rule of sole authority of tribal kings, " emperors and chiefs ; today, after ages of constant and continued struggle, . - . nations and societies have wrenched call a meeting of the ylzy'MWfln to regu.a- that sovereign right from their hands and have created a democracy for them ­ selves. At our own doorstep we have witnessed that formerly the trustees of our punchayats everywhere exercised supreme authority and were answerable to none. A hundred and twenty-five years ago, the Punchayat of Bombay had the authority to excommunicate a Zoroastrian, to fine him, or, with the sanction of the government, even to mete out the punishment of spanking rise this question. At the meeting of the Anjuman it was resolved by a majority pared to forego this privilege won by the that when the community wishes to community and to retreat into the include a certain name in the Namgra- ancient dogmatic system of selection, so han, after the expiry of a month from contrary to the fast-advancing and pro- the time of the person ’s death, the com ­ munity should send a requisition to the _______________ ____________ Trustees of the Anjuman. The Trustees Old pOSt CSrds €itc./wailted would then call a meeting at which any member of the community over the age of 21 has the right to vote. No discus- _ sions would be allowed at that meeting, him with slippers. Upto the beginning of this century the community had no voice in their administration. When one of the five trustees died the remaining four filled the vacancy at will. In our own times we have witnessed the change come mostly from Udvada. So the (OLD) C/o. Parsiana, G.P.O. of this age-old custom. The Zoroastri- Anjuman passed a resolution to the Box 892, Bombay 400 001. 32 gressive principles of the modern age. Advertiser wishes to buy OLD picture postcards, photographs, cigarette cards, playing cards, posters, prints, illustrated books, albums and other related material. ballot, and if 80% of those present voted ^villing to pay top prices for single items or entire coUections. Please send, detailed list with for the inclusion of the name, then it should find a place in public prayers. The Mobeds who work in Karachi expected prices to The Advertiser, Anjuman passed a resolution to the Box 892, Bombay 400 001.F r 4 if? A t LAW AND LORE K5 , A Curious Case Of A Much Married Parsi Does he retain his religion ? Dasturjisaheb Firoz M. Kotwal, Respected Dastuiji Saheb We write to you under instructions of our clients whose relative (hereinafter referred to as Mr. X)'had married a Parsi lady but she was subsequently divorced. After his divorce Mr. X has openly lived with three different ladies at different peripds as man and wife X having lived with the three ladies openly as stated above he has forsaken the Parsi Zoroastrian religion. Thanking you. A SOLICITOR Willing Estates Have the parents a right to debar under the Parsi Law two sons out of their four sons from their property after their demise. Have the parents a right to give equal shares to the sons as well as the married daughters ? Has a mother a right to give her jewellery to her married daughters only and not at all to her sons. If the parents die without a Will Dastuiji ’s Reply how is the property to be distributed amongst the children ? Dear Sir ¦ ° . .. T , ... A : The parents have every right to without being married to them. Each of In reply to your query contained in your debar any of their sons from their prop- these ladies were non-Parsi Zoroas- letter of 31st ultimo (No. KIM/1479) I g^ty by their Will The parents have a trian. The first lady as far as our clients have to state as under : further right to give their property are aware was a European lady with *----- --------------------- • whom Mr. X lived for a period of about a year. The second lady was a Christian lady converted to Islam with whom Mr. X lived for a period of more than a year. Mr. X underwent a ceremony of your aforesaid letter) has flouted openly engagement with this lady and was engaged to be married to her. However some time thereafter Mr. X and the different periods of his life, he ceases to second lady separated. The third lady be a Parsi Zoroastrian and has thereby was a European lady with whom Mr. X forsaken the Zoroastrian faith, lived for some months. We are seeking your opinion as an f.m. kotwal expert in'the Parsi Zoroastrian religion and customs whether by reason of Mr. letter of 31st ultimo (No. KIM/1479) I have to state as under : According to Zoroastrian doctrine equally to their sons as well as married and usage a Parsi Zoroastrian has to daughters if they so desire. A mother maintain the continuity of Zoroastrian has a right to give her jewellery solely to tradidons^throughout his whole life. If her married daughters and not at all to her sons. If a Parsi male dies without making a Will his property would be divided so that the share of the widow and that of the son shall be double the share of each daughter. When a Parsi female dies without making a Will then her property would be divided equally amongst the widower and children whether male or female. Law at your service : K.C. Vajifdar Jam-e-Jamshed 14/9/81 Mr. X (a Pars! Zoroastrian termed so in the Zoroastrian doctrine by consorting himself with three non-Parsi ladies at The Bombay Samachar 30/8/81 SERSON Electrolytic Capacitors For has a right to give her jewellery solely to All Electronic Applications From 12 VDC To 350 VDC Manufacturers: Serson Industries Pvt. Ltd. Piuipri P.F.P.O., Poona-18. Cable : Etchfoil Poona-18. Phone : 82379 33 ,.*S 1 Jfl BOOKS 1' i ! 1 iii 11 I ¦I .i fs 1 t Hinnells ’ sharp perceptions arid deep as old fashioned, even primitive. A number turned to Islamic mysticism sensitivity mark his considerable and more turned to Bahaism. Yet others involvement with a foreign people and kept their own religion ”, note? Hinnells. their religion which he has grown to The Parsis in India have not been admire. His concern over the threat of exempt from the onslaught of the larger extinction facing the Zoroastrians socio-economic changes taking place in the country. However Hinnells points out that “it would be wrong to think that the great social and economic changes have affected the religion of everybody in the. community. Though Parsis in the villages feel left far behind in more senses than one, their commit ­ ment to their religion remains strong. “Fire temples are still kept in the vil ­ lages where there are only as few as fiv** Parsi families. Many choose to sell what few possessions they have left in order to pay for the religious ceremonies asso ­ ciated with birth, marriage, or death. In the poverty and isolation of village life, the Zoroastrians once again keep deter ­ minedly to their religious beliefs and practices ”, writes Hinnells. In the cities, particularly Bombay, the author finds that, “a high proportion of the community have been affected by some of the ideals expressed in English literature, notably Christianity. The educated, liberal Parsi youth looked A Living Fj»ith Zoroastrianism and the Parsis by John R. Hinnells, Ward Lock Educational, London, 80 pages. In answer to a need for readable intro ­ ductory literature on Zoroastrianism, John R. Hinnells, a noted scholar, winner of the Trench prize for New Tes­ tament Studies, and an authority on Iranian religion, has written Zoroastri­ anism and the Parsis, for the young the world over. This bool is part of the Living Reli­ gions Series whose objectives are “pro ­ viding a clear and factual account of the beliefs and practices of the chief reli ­ gions of the world, that will help to remove much of the ignorance from which racial prejudice stems, and through discussion and further enquiry help to develop tolerance and under­ standing vital to any multiracial society ”, notes a write-up in the book. In the preface, Hinnells notes that ‘although Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the great prophetic religions this book is concerned with its living form, especially the Parsis in India ”. The ancient religion is dealt with in an ear ­ lier work by the author entitled Persian Mythology published by the Hamlyn for, and emphasized, those parts of their Publishing Group. The 80-page review book which is illustrated with about 20 photographs is a well researched, socio-historic, reli ­ gious account of the Parsis. Its scope stretches from the sacred to the mun ­ dane. The important topics covered are sophy ”. Zoroastrian myths, ethics, prayers, ritu ­ als, priesthood, festivals, customs and traditions, moving on to women, poverty in Hinnells ’ own words : “Zoroastrian- and intermarriage between the Parsis and other socio-religious groups. Hinnells rounds up with a chapter on “an ancient religion in a modern world ”. today makes his message contained in this book to the young generation even more poignant. Hinnells : Clear and factual accounts “It would be a sad loss if these ideals did not once again inspire Zoroaster ’s followers to overcome the latest threat in order that Zoroastrianism may remain a living religion ”, Hinnells laments, but not without expressing the hope that “a The significance of Zoroastrianism in religion which has overcome so many the modern world can best be described religion which seem in keeping with the times, and dropped part of their religion which seemed unreasonable in the mod ­ em age. As some Zoroastrians in Iran have often turned to Bahaism, so some Parsis in Bombay have turned to theo- dangers and difficulties in the past may well triumph once again ” ism is the oldest of the prophetic reli ­ gions. Its history is almost twice as long as that of Christianity. It therefore raises Treatise On Trial some of the basic questions in the study ______ J - ’ " ” Treatise on Zoroastrian tradition, cus- how the religion has How does or should, a religion change toms and ceremonies of the Parsis, writ­ ten and published by Rusi B. Pastakia, 7/ B - Parsi Colony, Pipe line Road, Shiraz Bulsara ¦some of the basic questions in the study The author'^ provides interesting of religion in a very clear and full way. insights on 1 „ _ changed with time. He feels that moder- with the passage of time? What effect nization has produced more changes in does it have when a religion is trans- the practice of Zoroastrianism than per- ferred from one culture to another (Iran Jamshedpur - 831001, 68 pages. secution. to India). From village to city (villa- ’ - - • —' - ---- i In Iran, the oil boom led to a drastic ges in Gujarat to Bombay)? What is the change in the lifestyle of the Zoroastri- link between faith and practice, between ans, long isolated in the desert cities and doctrine and ritual? Is religion largely a nearby villages of Yazd and Kerman. “Many migrated to Tehran attracted by In an effort to impart religious knowl ­ edge to the community, Rusi B. Pasta ­ kia an active member of the Jamshedpur Parsi community has pub­ lished a 68-page booklet entitled Trea­ tise on Zoroastrian Tradition, Customs the wealth and comfort of the capital, style, successfully stimulates thinking and Ceremonies of the Parsis. There, many have turned their backs on on these various issues even if it does not Pastakia, a retired Tata Iron and the traditions of the village, seeing them fully answer these questions. Steel Company employee, had initially nearby villages of Yazd and Kerman. matter of race?' ’ The book, written in an easy, lucid on these various issues even if it does not 34 *cyclostyled his literaiy efforts but due to done through their own free will and whether any reforms should take' “public deniand ”decided to expand and preference. oi print his work. _ Any work of this nature, entered into that all those who voluntarily practice gested by me or cautious and timid as by a lay individual, is bound to suffer the Zoroastrian faith and subscribe to suggested by some others. In my opin- ion, these sweeping reforms are neces- sary to bring about a renaissance ”. M, but whether the reform should “I would go further and recommend be as brutal and far-reaching as sug- from inadvertant errors. However as a the Zoroastrian ethic should be taken personal document it should be wel ­ come. The first part of the book deals with ___ ___ ____ __ _ rehgious beliefs, practices, traditions today operating the rich trusts of the With the advent and progress of the Par- benefits and do not wish to share these sis in India and the problems facing the with others. I community today. The book in the introductory pages ____ ___ carries a write up by Piloo Mody noted , great many malpractices and seduce the politician and Mdmber of Parliament which Parsiana publishes below : “The efforts of our religion to pro ­ duce a work ethic in our people have been mummified as a result of the lush trusts that have been created by our ” . " ¦ ..t it is their birth-right to be on dole from the Parsi Panchayat. This is against the exhortations of our religion which expects every Zoroastrian to work hard, to < . - - earning for philanthropic purposes . “This obviously presupposes that phasise the need to vitalise the there should be more contributors than beneficiaries. The rich trusts of the Par ­ sis must devote their attention to train ­ ing and making the members of the community self-reliant. It does not validity in the original scriptures even if mean putting a large part of the com- ‘ munity on dole. The purpose of the trust should be to create further wealth for the community through its members and not to dissipate itself, on outright into the fold. “Obviously, the arguments against my suggestions stem from those who are and ceremonies; the latter part deals Parsis and those who are enioying their Healing : An Alternative Heal Your Mind, Heal Your Body by J M. Jussawalla, published by IBH Pub- can see their argument lishing Company, 166 pages, -Authored by the eminent naturopath Dr. J. M. Jussawalla Heal Your Mind, . - Heal Your Body is not only a treatise on destitute mtct the community to reap the existing methods of healing, ancient largess of the Parsi Trusts. “This objection can be easily come by the simple process of declaring that these trusts made in the past were not meant for those who wish currently to convert. They cah be restricted for publication catalogues and explains the use of those who are members of the —’ ’ community under the present dispensa ­ tion. However,' any new trusts created hereafter can specify for what purpose earn a lot and endow a part of that they should be used and who should be _.... ... their beneficiaries. I would like to reem- commun- and readily concede their point, that such an arrangement would lead to a over- nMxi. iiavv vicaicu oy our ? forefathers. Too many Parsis think that it IC tkair •** Ia wi 1- -1.1-2' I r and modern, but also a practical guide to positive health and preventive medi ­ cine. One of the six books written by the author on the subject of nature cure, the various healing systems like auto-urine therapy, chromo-therapy, excercise and yoga. Taking off from the premise that what ails humanity today is gloating materialism and an absence of spiritual ­ ity, Jussawalla dwells on aspects of rein- . MWWM »» MAIM W TT VliJ VFl* UOpVVlJ VI 1 V411 Ity genetically and economically by carnation, astrology, and the other reforms and by using its wealth to pro ­ duce self-reliance and self-employment Any effort at reforms must find of these matters, however he does It IS through some loaded interpretation of healing the mind and The body of certain passages. I have no doubt in ~ my mind that Zoroastrianism was, and is, a sufficiently enlightened religion to belief, best accounted for in his own ) words “do not scoff at statements u mysteries of life. He does not claim to have answers or special insights in any , -________J recog ­ nise them to have a bearing in his system The explanation for treading such unsure ground can be found in his firm and not to dissipate itself on outright cope with its problems. I have also no words “do not scoff at statements charity which IS constantly depreciating doubt that the Prophet, who was the offered to you today, the truth of which embodiment of enlightenment, would you probably cannot comprehend, for We have been watching for the last -- •• - ¦ century the disastrous genetic conse ­ quences of inbreeding in the name of preserving the purity of blood. The very concept today runs against current modern thinking. This concept of ‘pur­ ity of blood ’ should certainly not trans ­ cend the inner core of our belief which is Manashni, Gavashni, Kunashni (pure thoughts, pure words, pure deeds). “In fact, I am of the opinion that the present controversy on whether the children of Parsi women married to non-Parsis can take on the faith or not is too timid and insipid. I am for more robust reforms. “I believe all those who are even remotely connected by blood to the Par ­ sis should be ordained into the com ­ munity through a Navjote ceremony at any time in their life, but by choice. And I would like to repeat that it should be embodiment of enlightenment, would 1 have had no difficulty in finding the time may brfng you better understand ­ remedies and suggesting the actions ing, and you may tomorrow hail qs necessary to stop his flock from facing truth that which today you ridicule ” extinction. “Therefore the question is not Scholar-Preacher The Anjumans of foreign countries like the U.S.A., Canada, Austrialia wishing to engage the services of an eminent Athornan educationist to work as a Scholar - Preacher on Zoroastrian and Iranian History as well as a Priest for performing Navjote, Marriage and/or Funeral ceremonies should contact The Advertiser (Foreign), Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay ^400001, giving details of salary, allowances together with ameni ­ ties offered. 35 % 1 1Ha IN MEMORIAM I 1 vince in India as well as children from Africa, Middle East, Far East and other parts of the world ”, notes a write-up prepared by the teachers of the school. The school whose history is insepara- founder built its own premises on its two acres of land on Sewri hill with a of several Parsi children at the same with two children at Ms Vakeel ’s time. The functions, held at community Warden Road residence in Bombay, baugs would be followed by dinner and today has students “from every pro- all the fanfair associated with the cerem ­ ony. In a Youths ’ Own Union felicitation function held on 20th May to honour Ms Nariman, the citation noted, “Ever since you were appointed in-charge of bly entwined with the history of its the Jashans and Navjotes you have col ­ lected donations with such zeal and assi ­ duity that every year the number of beautiful garden, lawns, play-fields, poor Parsee Children brought into the Zoroastrian Fold has increased and... is a proof of your untiring devotion to equipped rehabilitation center forthose selfless service of the Community." A telephone operator and typist at the Bombay Parsi Panchayat for over 25 years, Nariman, a matriculate of the therapy, psycho-therapy, physio- ,1 ’ I?! t I I It il; i i w iV Died : Hilla Nader Nariman, 61, noted social worker who helped organise the annual mass navjote ceremonies of Par ­ sis under the auspicies of the Youths Own Union; on 27th September at the B.D. Petit Tarsi General Hospital of a massive coronary attack. A noted actress on the Gujarati stage “she lived every character she played, ” Young Ladies High School, joined the therapy, and occupational therapy and noted Homi Tavadia, producer and Youths . Own Union in 1947. “She the school now admits not only the edu- director of numerous plays. Tavadia noted that henceforth his drama group would be named the “Hilla Nariman Theatre Group ” and “from every pro ­ duction we shall set aside a suitable sum and give it to some charity in her name obituary write-up that her death was “a and memory so that in a small way we shall continue to alleviate the sufferings of the poor the way she would have wished and done had she been alive. ” Adi Marzban, the noted director, playwright and Editor of the Jam-e- Jamshed, in an article paid tribute to Nariman stating “I will not be able to fill the void that she has left in my stage gymnasium, 2 boarding cottages, a teachers ’ training center and a fully students who have reached school leav ­ ing age, notes the write-up. There are also facilities for speech Youths. Own Union in 1947. “She initiated the Navar and Kathy Fund & cationally backward children, but also Children ’s Milk Fund in the Youths Own Union, ” amongst other activities, noted Tavadia. The Daily newspaper noted in its blow to the poor of the Parsi commun ­ ity. ” Ms Nariman is survived by her hus­ band, Nader, daughter, Hootoxi Billi ­ moria, sister. Dhan, and brother, Eruch Dastoor. Jai Vakeel Anniversary With a prayer, over 400 students. School for Children in Need of Special Care remembered the institution ’s founder Ms Jai H. Vakeel on her first death anniversary. The school which started 37 years ago those who are mentally retarded and physically handicapped, notes the write-up. Run by the Society for the Care, Treatment and Training of Children in Need of Special Care, which was founded in 1949, the institution has a research center to investigate the causjes of mental retardation, and a center for training teachers in the special tech ­ niques of teaching mentally retarded' children, notes the write-up. In recognition of her outstanding ser­ vices to the mentally retarded a host of work. ” With a prayer, over 400 students, awards were bestowed upon Ms Vakeel At a time when the cost of a navjote teachers and staff members of The including the Padma Shree by the ceremony deterred some Parsi families School for Children in Need of Special Government of India and the Dalit from holding the ceremony, Nariman Care remembered the institution ’s Mitra by the Government of Maharash- and the Youths ’ Own Union, a com- founder Ms Jai H. Vakeel on her first tra. munity recreational and social welfare death anniversary. Ms Vakeel ’s publications on mental organisation began organising navjotes The school which started 37 years ago health include a paper on “The Men­ tally Deficient Child ” read at the World Conference on Mental Retardation in Geneva and a book The Role of the m Mentally Handicapped Child, notes her ¦ biodata. B Born Jai Rutnagar, she was one of the B 15 Indian girls to pass their Senior Cam- B bridge examination from Cathedral B High School in 1916. Her father Sohrab B Rutnagar, the editor of the Indian Tex- K tile Journal, was keen his daughter S receive a formal education and encour- P aged her to write articles. I At the age of 29, she married a lawyer, I Homi Vakeel of Surat, notes the write- I up. When one of their four children was I mentally afflicted, Ms Vakeel sought medical advice and from slowly alleviat ­ ing her child ’s predicament, she began to help other similarly handicapped Child ­ s' ren. Y.O.U.’s mass navjotes : proof of devotion.