May 1982

Mav 1082 Rfi 6 k I ' Q: Parsis celebrate their birthdays in a strange manner, particularly the children: they light can­ dles on a birthday cake and then blow them off to the chants of “Happy Birthday to You!” Should this be tolerated ? What was the custom in ancient Iran?I '7, ‘•S jBfe {Mm \ May 1982, Volume 4 No 11 Readers' Forum Events and Personalities Business Law and Lore The Parsi Punchayet Case - VIII "Happy Birthday to You!" Uttara Dances by Sunil Kothari History In the Baking by J. P. Dotiwala BPP: Facts and Figures by Arni Sethna A Corpus of Custom by N. J. Nanporia The Life of Dastur Dhalla - XXIV Bridging the Gap In Memoriam EDITOR Jehangir R. Patel EXECUTIVE EDITOR R. P. Thanavala ASSOCIATE EDITOR Abraham Mathai ASSISTANT EDITOR Usha Albuquerque DESIGNER Sean Mahoney DESIGN ASSISTANT Kranti Shilotri ADVERTISING Veera Patel Zarin Billimoria MANAGEMENT Hanita Irani Cheryl D'Penha CIRCULATION D. B. Chinoy 3 7 10 12 14 21 24 26 28 30 31 36 36 f-'l I1 Parsiana is published by Jehangir R. Patel at C/o. H. L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A.K. NayakMarg, Fort, Bombay, 400 001, printed by him at Jyoti Industries, 324 A to Z Industrial Estate, Bombay 400 013 and phototypeset at Decora Printers, Bombay 400 009. 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 for one year (12 issues); Rs 55 for two years (24 issues); Foreign subscription rates: Seamail Rs 60 for one year, Rs 110 for two years; Airmail Rs 120 for one year, Rs 215 for 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. 4 few [ffljSj ^VVv’I In Memoriam Mr. Fali Meherjl Variava, Director blaze advertising pvt. ltd . AND ASSOCIATE COMPANIES.)• ’i /¦" ¦*1 »• r i Readers 'Forum B Readers' views are welcome on any subject-of interest to the community and should be sent to the Editor, Readers' Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. person may prove to be a powerful influ­ ence in spreading the true and good reli­ gion of Zoroaster in a new country. The Parsis in Bombay are a lost race, thanks to our bigotry. ¦ We believe the sole reason for not " taking outsiders into the faith is the burden on the community funds. Peterson makes us realize how very narrow is the vision of the Parsi Zoroas- trians. We are deeply interested to know the result of his quest. Our good wishes and prayers go with him. FREANY G. GODIWALLA 1 '^1 *'^13 U. S. IMMIGRATION little frustration. But, in my view, it is a necessary endeavor if the religion is to have anybody left to be a witness to it. The initiative taken by the laity in the “new” Western Zoroastrian Associa­ tions is the basis of their vitality. In this connection, I am inclined to think that the Parsis in the Washington D.C. area should take a lesson from Iranian Zartoshties now qualify as minorities under threat by U.S. Immi­ gration Authorities and may apply for asylum to America. We urge them to consider this possibility to gain U.S. immigration rights. For further infor­ mation and help, they may contact: The' . Persian ZoroastriAns Organization, these instances of lay initiative and drop P.O. Box 50334, Pale Alto, CALIF. 94306, U.S.A. PARVIZ VARJAVAND San Carlos, California, U.S.A. the idea of establishing a consecrated fire-temple, complete with full-time pri­ ests, in this hemisphere. A facility inclu­ sive of a “house of prayer” and space for varied community activities would serve far better. Its success would depend upon the . The American Consul in Bombay, Nancy L. Pelletreau clarifies: Under current guidelines, members of members’ responsible participation, Iranian minorities inlcuding Zoroastri- ans may be eligible for parole to the whereas the building of a temple and the installation of full-time priests will United States. Parole, which is not the encourage the notion that the priests same as asylum, is granted by the Attor- will give real leadership to the commun- ney General and permits the applicant ity. Would that they could ! But where to enter the United States temporarily. When the emergent reasons for which . the person was paroled into the United States no longer exist, the person must depart the country unless he qualifies for immigration through normal chan­ nels. . ......... -____ ___________ ,,, Iranian minority applicants who are from Canada (“Zoroastrianism, seeking entry into the United States may apply at any American Embassy or Consulate. Cases are submitted through the Department of State to the Immi­ gration and Naturalization Service seem to have found it in our ancient which adjudicates each request on behalf of the Attorney General. Each request is handled individually and may ^vith perhaps a powerful, modern. are priests who could be found ? CYRUS PANGBORN New Jersey, U.S.A. “THE LOST VISION” It was enlightening to read Jehan Bagli’s The Lost Vision”, Parsiana. December 1981). To think, that in this age of scien­ tific progress there are individuals like Joseph H. Peterson in search of truth ________________________ ‘ t faith through some books on Zoroastri­ anism. This too after being born, in a or may not be granted. PRAYER POWER Jews and Northern Semitic peoples still pray in Hebrew, though 70 percent of them are educated. Brahmins and Hin­ doos still pray in Sanskrit and all over the world the Mohamedans pray in Arabic. For any Par si/Zoroastrian who wants to pray in Gujerati, we have all our prayers translated by eminent scho­ lars like K'anga, Chiniwala, Masani and Irani in Gujarati, and by D.S. Fram- roze and others ih English. NARIMAN S. BAXTER Poona k i propaganda machine. If Peterson, a sincere believer in NECESSARY ENDEAVOR Zoroastrianism, wants his navjotedone, I it seems criminal and most uncharitable The news of the institutional ferment of to deny him this privilege. If Zoroaster the last two years makes fascinating himself converted non-Zoroastrians reading. The effort to involve Parsis in into the true faith, who are we to stop a carving out their own destiny must believer from becoming a Zoroastrian involve a great deal of work and not a and joining our fold? Who knows such a M jS ff? 1 >? •'3 ' ii * "4 -i,' tA,. .... ..iA.''- 3MUM MIXED PRIORITIES Will the great exponents of the Zoroastrian faith, or the high priests of our scriptures, or our learned trustees, or the readers of Parsiana, come for­ ward to explain this drift and answer the question - “Where is it that the Zoroas­ trian faith has failed the Parsi com­ munity, for them to turn to a Baba cult ?’’ I am afraid unless we can answer this question, we will be wasting 1 am rather distressed to see in Parsiana, so much space being devoted to the old Parsi Punchavet Case which has very little relevance today, and to mutf sling­ ing articles on personalities under cap­ tions like ‘Of Trusts and Distrusts’ etc. Sontewhere down the line, I feel that ourpriorities, andifimaysaytheobjec- ims quesuon, we will be wasting our tives of Parsiana, appear to have got time in finding, may be, correct sdlu- mixed up. . . . As I see it, our number one priority today is, how to infuse enthusiasm in the young of the fold who can spearhead the much needed resurrection of the VITAL ISSUES Community, and stop its rapid downw­ ard decline. The need of the hour is not Instead of indulging in needless bicker- so much to educate the Community in ings on matters such as whether we Its past history and extol its glory, but to should have dokhmas or not, or how , 3 com­ munity should concentrate all its efforts on two vital issues — housing, aijd rous­ ing the youth of the community to vocation. The lament now is that the numbers tions, but to the wrong problems. BRIG. NOSHlR B. GRANT Poona. so much to educate the Community in j.----- . . . .. . lind out in what direction it is moving many wives Zoroaster had, the today. In this respect there are several things which have to be looked into, one of them being, the reason why the Par- Sis, are taking to the Baba cult in greater efforts, both in education and large numbers. Every Parsi proclaims from the roof _________ iiuiiiocrs , top that the Zoroastrian religion is the of the community are dwindling, even oldest, the best, and the highest form of while many couples put off getting mar- rehgion that the universe has ?* ¦ known. After 4,000 years, a revival is now taking place in all corners of the ___ _______ world, to inculcate in this strife striken for a place of tlicir own*’ At the world the teachings of Zoroaster. Con- t:..„,........ ...y ai u.c fyences and conventions abound a idea of marrying, simply because they ! plenty in foreign countries, and '---- • • - 5 sities abroad have even, instituted ever ried because they have no house of their own. Other couples move from sanato­ rium to sanatorium, endlessly hoping —................ same time, several young bachelors shy at the have no accommodation of their own' An all-out effort for more new houses for Parsis on a big scale is a must. A univer- _____ a chair to propagate the Prophet’s word. One would, therefore, naturally home for every Parsi, or at least for expect that the Parsis in India would every married and marriageable Parsi torm the spearhead and the driving should be its slogan. force behind such a religious revival. Vigorous efforts are also required to out alas, this is unfortunately not -* ' ' ’ taking to the Baba cult. It will come as a goal of most Parsi youths. There is no every married and marriageable Parsi force behind such a religious revival. But alas, this is unfortunately not so and instead we find more Zoroastrians degree and a bank job seem to be the shock to know that, i their numbers, the percentage of so- faith, is higher than in any (Tf the non- shake off the apathy of youngsters. A in proportion to enthusiasm for extracurricular activity, either social or physical, among the J are averse to hard work both in studies and other fields even though perseverance alone can help them to rise and elevate the community in the face of overwhelming competition from other communities. called Zoroastrians professing the Baba majority of them. They faifb w A-Uzk.* _____ xi. , Hindu religious communities like the Christians, Muslims, or the Buddhists. Why is it that, of all the other___ munities, the Parsis are gravitating i.. _____ vu...u,uniucs such large numbers to cults outside their There is no desire to take risks in life or Own religion ? Where is it that we elders have failed our youth, and this great IRO^L leiT A 0EAK I IS IT A ^HAL? ....J! GOOD •ITI^-:- .... J! GOOD WM'MEHER'. RMmoqe/ 0 4 1 THERE BEFO^?£) Bb^SM^AiNZ DONE IT ------ ------------------------------------ Antarctica after George III), Miss sailing down the Amazon, being photo­ Moos has done most things on her trips, graphed with penguins, including eating monkey brains, ants, reindeers, conversing with pygmies, courtesy, mid-day, February I7, 1982 With the Best Compliments of INGERSOLL-RAND (INDIA] LIMITED Manufacturers of Air & Gas Compressors * Rock Drill Equipment Vacuum Pumps * ’i *•< : J, J J J JBl SINESS On the Bridge From the days of the Arab dhows, Indian shipping has slowly evolved into a professional and highly competitive according to his bio-data, industry. The Indian National Shi­ powners’ Association (INSA), repres­ ents the diverse interests of the industry and has on its board many veterans of awarded the gallantry decoration of Vir ‘Noshir’, is a descendent of a shipwright ' Chakra. He has held command of both of the Wadia Shipbuilders of the 19th j Eastern and Western fleets and was century, and. his entire family is pres- ' awarded the Param Vishisht Seva ently engaged in shipping as sailing ves- Medal for distinguished service in 1977, sei owners, shipping agents and stevedores, notes Indian Shipping. F.G. Dastur, managing director of -4 ii ?I i Gluuldhi: master auulner Today Ghandhi is a director of the Indian Register of Shipping, a member South India Shipping Corporation, of the Indian Technical Committee of whose career has seen warfare in the the American Bureau of Shipping and Middle East and business in the travel the vice chairman of the Indian Com- trade, was also elected a director of I mittee of Lloyds Register of Shipping. INSA for 1982-83. Highly respected in He is also the vice chairman of the shipping circles for his in-depth knowl- Irano-Hind Shipping Company, a joint edge on almost every aspect of the venture between the Shipping Corpora- industry, Dastur has represented the tion of India and Islamic Republic of industry at numerous national and Iran Shipping Lines, Tehran. international meetings, conferences and From a family of shipping men, N.H. other forums. I Dhunjibhoy entered his father’s busi­ ness of ship chandling, stevedoring and Dastur joined the Indian Army in 1941 cargo booking as a schoolboy, spending as a commissioned officer, serving in the | much time outside school in docks or on Indian and British Cavalry during the I board ships, according to Indian Ship- war years in the Middle and Far East. I| I ping, a journal of the shipping industry. After leaving the Army, he entered busi- I Dhunjibhoy’s early training in auto- ness as managing partner of Indian Fac- fl mobile engineering and marine archi- tors, Asiatic Travel Service and Cine I tecture came in use when in 1948 he Indian Services. He later joined the ¦ founded his own shipping company, shipping business, first in Ratnakar I South East Asia Shipping, venturing Shipping Company and later in South I into the West Asia Gulf trade. He pres- India Shipping Corporation where he soon I ently holds agencies for some prominent rose to the position of managing direc- ¦ continental shipping companies at tor, notes his bio-data. I Indian ports. Since his entree into shipping he has I A member of INSA for many years, held several posts in INSA. As chairman I Dhunjibhoy elected a director of INSA, of the Negotiating'Committee he has fl A graduate of Bombay University, X R the sea. Elected as president of the asso­ ciation, is Vice-Admiral R.K.S. Ghandhi,vice-chairman and managing director. Shipping Corporation of India, who spent World War II at sea in various theatres of war. With him on the board are N. H. Dhunjibhoy, chairman of South East Asia Shipping Company, a descendant of generations of shipping­ men, and F.G. Dastur, managing direc­ tor South India Shipping Corporation, another war veteran, notes a press release. A graduate of the Royal Naval Col­ lege, Dartmouth, England, the Defence Services Staff College Wellington, the United States Naval War College, New­ port, and the National Defence College, Delhi, Ghandhi was aide-de-camp (A.D.C.) to Lord Mountbatten when he was Viceroy of India. sea wonnv He has held command of various * Dhunjibhoy: anchoring the shipping ships and as commanding officer of for 1982-83, has also held the office of tadustry I.N.S. Betwa, led the attack on the For- vice-president and president of the asso- expertly handled issues such as condi- tuguese destroyer ‘Alphonso de Albu- ciation, representing INSA at several tions of seamen and officers, keeping in querque’ in Goa harbour in 1961. During the 1971 war with Pakistan, as reports the press release, captain of I.N.S. Mysore he was 10 Dastur: sea worthy national and international forums, mind the economics of the shipping companies he represented, notes the Dhunjibhoy, affectionately known as press release.Theatre Luminaries Tax Talk ¦I “My present status is a dream come true”, comments Naval F. Damania, newly elected President of the Theatre Owners Association. (TOA). The 58- year old theatre personality whose career has spanned over 40 years started out by hiring movie halls for morning shows, as a schoolboy. Elected with him at the 22nd Annual General Meeting of the Association in Bombay, as Vice-president, is Hector H. Mehta, another veteran of the film industry. Damania who today is the partner in Mehta: pioneering film processes six years as Treasurer and Vice- President. He has also been included in deputations sent to Government and semi-Government bodies, for present­ ing for redressal, the grievances of thea­ tre owners. Commenting on the blackmarketeering of tickets, Damania feels that the police department is hand in glove with blackmarketeers. “I don’t say that the proprietors are all saints, but unless the police take action, we cannot do anything.” Damania a gradu­ ate of St. Xavier’s College and a director of Shree Vindhya Paper Mills is inter­ ested in the socio-economic upliftment of the community and is the convenor and organizer of the Committee for Electoral Rights (C.E.R.) Zonal com­ mittee, notes his bio-data. Also keenly engaged in social work on an extensive scale, the trustee of sev­ eral public charity trusts and an active Rotarian, is Hector H. Mehta, newly rS» ‘T:. =9^“ “We want to have a public meeting at which we want to invite two or three top income tax commissioners, to explain • in their point of view to the public... directly, face to face”, states Soli Das- tur, 46, a leading tax lawyer who has been elected president of the 700 strong chamber of Income-tax consultants. The chamber which essentially repres­ ents tax practitioners, suggests amend­ ments in tax laws and holds seminars and study circle meetings on tax matters of interest to the lay public as well as members of the association. Dastur, a graduate of Cathedral and John Connon High School, Sydenham College and Government Law College feels that the Indian tax laws are not oppressive and that tax rates of 55% and 60% are reasonable. “The income-tax department is one department that could do with entrusting the matter to efficient experts” he commentsC'there is a tremendous scope for improvement, not anything earth shaking... a few small things”. The chamber has taken up various issues with the tax authori­ ties and has organized two seminars on taxation open to’ the public, says Das­ tur. The chamber also has a monthly publication called ‘Income-tax Review’ which is very nn- Li , he adds. I ..i Ji "•¦I’ I Damania; championing cinema causes seven theatres in Maharashtra and the owner of Chitra Talkies in Pune, has many plans to champion the causes of theatre owners in the state. “The Government takes away at least 65% of elected Vice-President of the TOA, the theatre owners income by levying a variety of direct and indirect taxes.” he poTnted out in an interview with Business India, a Bombay based fort- hightly. He is therefore planning to sub­ mit a petition to the Government to reduce entertainment tax so that theatre owners are not forced to pass on their costs to movie goers. However, the lat­ ter may have to pay still more for their tickets if the association’s other request to the Government to grant a small ser- ; vice charge to cinemas to “meet soaring costs”, according to Damania, comes through. Theatre owners have also made a I representation to the Government to 1 permit air-conditioned theatres to con­ vert to non-airconditioned ones, says Damania who has been on the manag­ ing council of the association for the last I X notes a press release. Mehta, a com­ merce and economics graduate of Syd­ enham College is married to an advocate, also a commerce graduate, who is as deeplj^ involved in social ser­ vice activities, says the bio-data. On the managing council of the TOA for the past six years, Mehta is also vice-president of the Raw Film Steering Committee and an office bearer of the Film Federation of India. Mehta is chairman of Modern Six­ teen Cine Laboratory, a pioneer in Dastur: tackling taxing problems 16mm colour film and commercial film processing. He is also Chairman of Dharti Cine Enterprises which owns completing his Master of Laws, “I and operates the Dharti cinema at Parel want to do it by thesis”, he says, and is There are plans for a complete recon- keen on researching on ‘Assessment of struction of the existing theatre with firms and partners, and foreign collabo- air-conditioning and other modern ration’ as one of the topics he would amenities notes the hand-out. like to take up for his thesis. Dastur’s plans for the future include 11Lx f ri R *» •?“’» »f«r fF,* *>'^1 L 1 Cm 5 * < Jf'. Company Secretaries ’Head The first Parsi and Bombayite to be elected President of the 4,000 strong Institute of Company Secretaries, is Pervez P. Mistry, secretary of Mahin­ dra Ugine Steel, notes press reports. A graduate of law and commerce with a diploma in taxation. Mistry is a fellow of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India and has been on the governing council of the Institute since 1978. Well-known in steel circles and _ ___ actively associated with professional of the Supreme Court and a crusading social reformer, at the public meeting jointly organised by several social weL fare organisations under the joint auspi­ ces of the Women Graduates Union and various other organisations in Bombay. “The deprived child in our country constitutes a silent and helpless seg- the Adoption Bill, which aims at giving al been kept in abeyance for the past 26 ^m sYictorunr years, this meeting. In a soul-stirring address, Aiyer said, “Not our armies, but our babies are our defence in the long run. Patriotism sum­ mons us to bring up the child as an asset of the motherland.” We must provide a method of adop­ tion for orphans, added the Judge. The LAW AND LORE Judges Disappointed With Parsi Attitude And Opinions CHILD IS our trust. If we forfeit the that he felt majority of Parsis wanted total exclusion from the provi- a “THE trust, everything is lost,” said Justice - -------- Krishna Aiyer, the mercurial ex-judge sions of the Bill. If a poll is taken, said the speaker, a large majority of Parsis would voice their opposition to the Bill. However, said Engineer, a sizeable section would be satisfied, if there is a clarificatory amendment to Section 14(2) mentioning that adoption does not mean conversion and automatic entry VUllotivuuva V* oiix.a.v -------- r- i« • ment, needing a family and home. Yet into the religion. family life and status to this child, has special priests are keot in aocviiii^^ lui luv ^ciou ------------------------- ’ . ’j • ” laments the leaflet distributed at Parsi feelings on this point, said Engi- ’ ______ ________,,,oc Q thnrnv I«S11P anfl Even in certain Hindu temples, only ; allowed in the sanc- . One can understand the neer. Conversion was a thorny issue and the evidence of 1000 years against it, cannot be ignored lightly, he concluded. Ms. Tayabjee strongly objected to the exclusion of Muslims from the Bill and India must belong to Indians, not to cults and schismatic denominations. Mistry: in good company bodies and committees of Trade and Industry, Mistry is a member of the Company Law Advisory Committee, ------- the Law Sub-Committee, and honorary policy is secular, the benefits are secular, secretary of the Alloy Steel Producers the motivation is human even spiritual, Talking about the religious objections thought that perhaps the Parsis could be o ________ ciiitahlp amend- Association of India according to his bio- opmed Aiyer^ data. Mistry is also a research student for a :r Till 1903, the two expressions, Parsis and Zoroastrians, were used most promiscuously to mean one and the same thing. 1 seemed to me, was to place all available whose use the Dokhma was built, materials in their possession and at their nation. As far back as 1836, Framji Cowasji Banaji uses the expression materials in their possession and at their The next Tower, known as Maneckji “Parsi Zoroastrian” in his letter to his disposal before the Court and to assist Sett’s Tower, was built and consecrated colleagues of the Punchayet. Many wit- the Court to come to a correct decision, nesses were questioned on the subject and they were all unanimous that Parsis and Zoroastrians were used as syn­ onymous terms and conveyed the same meaning. Plaintiffs’ witness, Mr. Sheri- arji Bharucha, says: “1 would use the two terms Parsis and entitled to do so, and that the Court was Zoroastrians as synonymous terms, i . . . . . . This is the way in which these terms have the Defendants were advised to adopt secrated. There are no documents also always been used and are still used. As soon as the word Parsi is used the only large public charities to adopt, idea suggested is that he is a Zoroas­ trian.” These arguments appeared, both to real Trusts are, in order to .find out my learned brother and myself, to be whether Juddin converts were intended Dokhma, merely says: absolutely sound; but what was the atti- to be included amongst the beneficiar- “T:„ ... tude adopted by the Defendants? Their ies, are the five Towers of Silence at caused the Dokhma to be built. Counsel contended that Section 7 of the Malabar Hill and the three Sagdis, the Statute of Frauds, XXIX of Charles II, Chapter III, was in force in British India, and that under the provisions of Agiary. that section, copies of documents evi­ dencing Trusts of immoveable proper­ ties were neither proveable nor admissible in evidence. This position, adopted by the Defend­ ants, appeared to me to be most extraor­ dinary. They admitted that they were Trustees holding a large number of immoveable properties on certain Char­ itable Trusts for the benefit of their com­ munity. They were in possession of copies of documents evidencing those Trusts. They were not in a position even to suggest that those copies were not Prakash,” Tablei genuine and authentic. In fact, they Patras, Advertisements in Newspapers, knew that they were authentic and Addresses, Punchayet Resolutions, etc. Of the five Towers of Silence, the first or address to the Community, read by ____________ , __ __________ > auFMaaM a 0*1 in their possession which contained the Tower^ It was built and consecrated in the occasion of the consecration cerem­ ony. He says therein: “Now from to-day They knew that a question of the grea- only reference we find to it is in an used in accordance with the tends of the in 1756. The only Exhibit relating to this Instead of that they made a determined Tower is an extract from the “Parsi Pra- effort to keep back important docu- kash.” It merely says the Tower was ments by pleading a Section of an Eng- built in consequence of a “great rise in lish Statute of 1677! We felt, however, the Zoroastrian population of Bom- that if the Defendants had a legal right bay.” There is no document in existence to withhold these documents, they were in connection with this Tower. In 1778, a third Tower, known as not concerned as to whether the attitude Anjuman’s Tower, was erected and con- was a correct attitude for Trustees of in connection with this Tower. There is a tablet on it: a copy of the inscription says The immoveable properties in respect nothing as to for whose use this of which we have to ascertain what the Dokhma was built. An extract from the “Parsi Prakash,” with reference to this “The entire Zoroastrian Anjuman The fourth Tower was built in 1832, Sagdiwala’s house, the Fort and Bahar- and is known as Banaji’s Tower. There kote Nasakhanas and the Godavra are a good many documents, mostly informal, put in in connection with this Tower. They consist of letters, a tablet, rhe word Parsi denotes his an Anjuman Patra, and Advertisements in connection with its consecration ceremony. The expressions used therein are “the entire Zoroastrian Anjuman,” “people of the Zoroastrian community,” “people of the Mazdiasnan religion,” “persons of the Mazdiasnan religion,” “the whole Anjuman,” “the people of the Holy Zoroastrian Community of Bombay,” “Dastoors, Mobeds, Her- The documents relating to these prop- buds, and Behedins of the Mazdiasnan erties consist of e: nationality or community, and has no religious significance whatever attached to it. acts from the “Parsi religion of the Holy Zoroastrian Letters, Anjuman Community.” The only document of any impor­ tance or formality is the Anjuman Patra genuine copies. They were subsequently Of the five Towers of Silence, the first or address to the Community, read by proved to be such before us. The records that was built is known as Mody’s the founder. Framji Cowasji Banaji, on in their possession which contained the Tower. It was built and consecrated in the occasion of the consecration cerem- copies were not their property but were 1670. There is no document whatever in ony. He says therein; “Now from to-day the property of the Parsi Community, existence relating to this Tower, and the the Dokhma has been opened for being test importance to their Community was extract from the “Parsi Prakash”, and Mazdiasni religion by the people of the being dealt with by the Court. that extract contains no expressions giv- Anjuman (community) of the Mazdi- Their obvious duty as Trustees, it ing any indication whatever as to for asnifaith." 17 ‘Ji ¦- , ’5 1The word Parsi takes its derivation from Pars or Fars, a province in Persia, from which the originaTPersian emigrants came to India. i-' 4 The fifth and the last Tower was built the Zoroastrian Anjuman.” On the Zoro^strian CowAMun/tj of Bombay,’’ by Cowasji Edalji Bisni in the year 1844. ------- - - ----------- The documents relating to this Tower the Zoroastrian Anjuman.” are letters, advertisements, a tablet, a Resolution of the Punchayet, and an ' address. The expressions used are : “Entire Zoroastrian Anjuman of Bom- --------------------- . - ru- bav’’“all Zoroastrians,” “persons of the that originally it was given “in charity “the Zoroastrian Community of Hin- Firka of the pure and the best Mazdiasni religion,” “people of the whole Zoroas­ trian Anjuman,” and “the Holy Zoroas­ trian Community of Hindustan.” This is the Tower referred to in the trian Anjuman.” ,Defendants’ Written Statement, and in respect c, _____ that it should not be used for bodies of to the Godavra Agiary, there are two Parsis on whom inquests had been held, or whose bodies had been subjected to post-mortem examination or brought 1825, the Atash Adran Saheb premises Gujerat. ' from out-stations and brought into con- “were opened for the entire Zoroastrian / ; tact with non-Zoroastrians. We. next come to the three Sagdis. f The first Sagdi, known as M uki Shroff’s Sagdi, was built in 1795, and there are Community.” Tablet the words are :— “For the use of “the Dustoors, Mobeds, Herbuds, and 7 J •’ Behedins of the Mazdiasnian religion of In connection with the Fort Nasak- the Holy Zoroastrian Community," hana there are no documents. “the entire Zoroastrian Anjuman of There is only one document relating Bombay,” “persons of the Firka of the to the Baharkote Nasakhana. It recites pure and best Mazdiasnian religion,” for being used for the purposes relating dustan,” and “the Khas-va-Aam of the The utmost stretch of imagination cannot convey to my mind the impres­ sion that the Founders, when they used ______ ___ _____ ____ ____ the expression set forth, meant or of which the founder stipulated the Sagdiwala’s house. With reference intended to include amongst the objects 7 ' ¦ ) of their benefaction, the Lalias of Bom- Exhibits before us, an Anjuman Patra bay, the Dubras from Surat, and the of April, 1860, which recites that, in Bhangis, Mahars, and Kahars of to the Zoroastrian Community,” and it Zoroastrian Anjuman. says there is a Tablet in it on which the words are “for being used by the Zoroas- There are no documents relating to 1 A Juddin may become a Zojoastrian, Community.” On the Tablet the words but how he ever could possibly become a are “for the performance of divine wor­ ship for the entire Zoroastrian i H 1: H L- i' g '1 1 no documents in existence relating to this building. The only exhibit in con­ nection with it is an extract from the “Parsi Prakash,” which says that it was ^3 1 member of “the Holy Zoroastrian ylnyM- man members of the Zoroastrian Commun­ ity of Bombay," or become one of “the Anjuman of the Mazdiasni faith,” passes my comprehension. A Juddin converted to Zoroastrianism had never come into existence. Such a person could not possibly have been within the contemplation of the.donorsand found­ ers : the possibility of suc'h a being com­ ing into existence would be so new and novel that if the donor ever conceived such an idea and intended to include him in his benefaction, he would cer- The language used in all these docu- tainly designate him separately and spe- entire of Bombay, ’’ or be one of “the i »i A Juddin may become a Zoroastrian, but how could he ever possibly become, a member of “the Holy Zoroastrian Anjuman of Bombay.” "¦ I h for the use of Zoroastrians. The next is Saber’s Sagdi, built in 1830. The only Exhibits in connection with this building are a tablet and an k Anjuman Patra. The tablet says that this Sagdi was built for “the use of the Anju- man of the Zoroastrian people” and was given in charge of “the Anjuman of the r Zoroastrian Community.” The Anju- . ..v ... ....... — ——o—---------- ----------------- - »' man Patra says that it was for “the use of ments is, to my mind, most clear and daily, and not include him in the general the people of the Mazdiasni religion.” ’ ”” ..... r.. ...- The third Sagdi was built by the late i Sir Dinshaw Petit in 1873. The Exhibits consist of letters, a tablet, and Anjuman ... ' Patras. In Sir Dinshaw’s own letter were the members of the Zoroastrian utterly unjustified by the circumstances there are no expressions or words of any Community of Bombay. The expres- existing at the time when these institu- it :----- .----- i_ .1---------sions most frequently used are “Zoroas- tions were founded—that the possibility trian population of Bombay,” “the of a Juddin convert to Zoroastrianism the people of was ever present to the minds of these ¦ ,”“thepeo- founders and that they intended to I’ guage used is : “I have built the said pie of the Anjuman of the Mazdiasni include him. ¦>! unambiguous. The people for whose description of the community of his then benefit these Institutions were estab- existing co-religionists and their des- lished, the persons for whose use these cendants. It would be a most violent religious establishments were founded, presumption to make—a presumption were the members of the Zoroastrian utterly unjustified by the circumstances L importance. In the reply by the Trustees the words used are for the “use of the Zoroastrians.” In the Anjuman Patra Zoroastrian Anjuman, / dated the 7th October, 1873, the Ian- the Zoroastrian CowwMMz/y, j, U.JVU T I* J 1 Sagdi for the use of the Khas-va-Aam of faith, ’’“the whole Anjuman, ’’“the Holy * To be continued 19 I ¦-> t ’ ? *> - - ‘ y' 'i. ) \ “Happy Birthday to You! ' J Everything You Wanted to know... Questions and answers published in the issues of Dini Avaz, the orthodox, Ilmekhshnum, (mystical) English-Gujarati, bi-monthly. > I 1 Q: Parsis celebrate their birthdays in a Q: It was reported some time back that and attendants are also avid onlookers, strange manner, particularly the child­ ren: they light candles on a birthday cake and then blow them off to the chants of ‘‘Happy Birthday to you!" Should this be tolerated ? What was the custom in ancient Iran? the Zoroastrian Association of Pennsyl- How- many Zoroastrians have raised vania and New Jersey performed a their voices in protest against the very Gahambar-cum-Jashan, when all idea of simulating holy rituals which Zoroastrian members, non-members can be performed only by qualified and families were invited. Obviously, Athornans? here the word ‘Zoroastrian’ is used in the broadest sense available, to include deliberate performance of the Jashan non-Parsi spouses and other American ceremony before non-Zoroastrians. students of Zoroastrianism. The ques- According to the late Dr. Sir Jivanji J. tion that arises is. can a Jashan be per- Modi, “the word Jashan is another form formed before those who are not of Yazashna or Ijashna meaning an Zoroastrians by birth? homage of praise, to worship. Some derive the word from Chash to taste, to A: Why .go West ? What is happening eat.” today in Bombay itself? Any Parsi soi­ ree with a priced meal thrown in is dubbed Gahambar, and Jashans are Afringan, the Baaj, the Yasna, the performed at sea-side clubs in the open. But all this does not at all justify the A: A Zoroastrian is supposed to pre­ serve and protect fire in any form, any­ where. By blowing lighted candles on the cake, ignorant parents encourage their offspring from a very young age to flout one of the most fundamental tenets of the Zoroastrian Religion. It is not surprising in modern times to find the parents themselves cocking a snook at the teachings of our Prophet. We have seen in some Parsi house- performed at sea-side clubs in the open, Farokhshi and the Saturn. The last holds even westernised doddering with microphones and speakers, to three may not be performed. An abso- dowagers indulge in such irreligious boot! That’s ultra-modern, sophisti- lute must in any Jashan ceremony, is the > acts on their own birthdays ! Your ques­ tion, therefore, if this should be “toler- Don’t be surprised if in the next decade, ony, the implements used are purified, ated’’ only provokes a couple of you have taped versions of the rituals, and care is to be taken that they are not counter-questions: What is the remedy? Who has the authority to prevent them from committing such sacrilegious acts ? All we can say is, to each his own. Everyone of us will see truth in the face at the dawn of the fourth day after death. The late Dr. Sir Jivanji Modi, in his The liturgical ceremonies which are generally performed in a Jashan are, the boot! That’s ultra-modern, sophisti­ cated, off-beat Zoroastrianism for you ! Afringan. Also in any Jashan cerem- The Religious Ceremonies and Cus- toms of the Par sis, states that, “No reli­ gious rites orceremonies are enjoined as necessary on the birthday of a Parsi child... After a bath and a new suit of clothes, the child is generally sent with some sandalwood to an adjoining Fire­ temple... Some of those who can afford, get a religious ceremony known as Fareshta performed... According to Herodotus, ‘of all the days in the year, the one which the ancient Persians observed most was their birthday.’ Press a button, flick a switch, and defiled. All those who attend the Jashan pronto! You will have Shapurdaru’s ceremony are supposed to attune them- sonorous voice in the comfort of your selves to the Mobeds nerforming the home, reciting the Afringan or Farokh- Afringan. shi! A Jashan is performed by either one Again, Bombay Parsis flock to wit- or more pairs of Mobeds. The two ness “demonstrations’’ of certain cerem- Mobeds are called Raathwi and Zaota. onies in public halls, where the ushers It is the Zaota, who initiates the Afrin­ gan proper. Among other things, the Zaota has to have his eyes rivetted on two flowers (of the eight that are there) which have been placed vertically, while reciting the Pazend introduction to the Afringan. At this time, the Mobed ik supposed to create powerful thought­ forces (Mithra) and cast constantly from his eyes, the Vohufryan, fire­ energy, that he possesses, on the two flowers. When he does that, that is, when his eyes radiate his personal mag­ netic force containing Atash-e- 21 Any Parsi soiree with a priced meal thrown in is dubbed Gahambar, and Jashans are performed at sea-side clubs in the open, with microphones and speakers. ¦’3 i '< J (¦ i 1 ¦J ¦ -I f •'<1 \ r. I )i It ¦1k fc 'iff: w Vohufryan, the flowers, which have the A tash-e- Urvazisht (urvazi'sht-fire- energy) 'm them, attract and absorb the Vohufryan, fire-energy, on the principle of the Afringan, the Chuck Farvaani just as an electric battery is first charged and stored with the electric current, so that it can be used whenever needed, so also the two flowers become highly charged with the Mobed’s thought­ force and his Vohufryan, fire-energy. Moreover, whenever a Jashan is per­ formed on behalf of an Anjuman, i.e. those who have contributed the amount of money for the Jashan ceremony and who are present there, the words used in the introduction of the Afringan By blowing lighted candlesk on the cake, ignorant With Compliments Prom ti it i f ¦S ¦i ! f E j JI 1 parents encourage their offspring to flout fundamental tenets of Zoroastrianism. Framayashney Mazdayasni clearly state that: Hamaa Anjuman Berasad! — May all this reach accord­ ing to the request of the Anjuman which is Mazdayasni! The priests, while reciting the Afrin­ gan, recite both Avesta and Pazend Manthra, which create powerful vibra- tionary colours in the atmosphere. These Manthra are recited before the Atash, around which, towards the end of the Afringan, the Chuck Farvaani Kriya (the rite of circumambulation and drawing the circuit) is also performed ! It is an axiomatic fact that except Yathaa, Ashem and Yengahe Haatanm, no other Avesta or Pazend Manthra can be recited before non-Mazdayasnis ! Parsis including the Athornans, ' who have settled abroad, have appointed these non-Zoroastrian spouses—mostly women—as the chief office-bearers of the various Zoroas­ trian (sic) Associations. So, is there any wonder that these European or Ameri­ can spouses bring along their children and other family members? They only end up making a cruel mockery of the tenets, canons and rituals of the Zoroas­ trian religion. If Athornans themselves aid and abet such sacrilege, why blame the laity alone? EMPIRE ESTATE Liberty Building 41/42 Marine Lines Bombay 400020 [h^ri ^^M^rchl 98 2 critic and writer " ,25 i 1 E- ¦ '1 ! » ...i JI Now I feel very confident and can tell you that I find J_____ J_____ __________ J I i i modern dance and Bharata Natayatn compatible. I I JII' I I I if. I When 1 met Uttara Asha Coorlawala at the Max Mueller Bhavan, she was about to begin her workshop.' But to her utter dismay she realised that she had forgotten to bring her handbag from the airport containing her notes and music. So we left for the airport and recovered the bag which was safe in the custody of Mandala Dance Theatre, the airport personnel. On the way we talked and talked since we 1___ three years except that we had met briefly in Bombay two years ago. She was then planning to go over to teaching-tours in France. A real jet-set celebrity, she has been, roaming all over Europe performing, conducting classes, to blend the two forms. But l am well Martha Graham and was greatly arrived at a stage where 1 can explain to impressed by her technique. Martha the dancers several secrets of these two Graham was very fond of her and one dance traditions of the East and West. I could see that, whenever one had ah ' " ' ' opportunity to see them together, ’seventies when she toured with the am making time, and will as soon as 1 am' through with my thesis and other pro- Asha’s work in India was seen in the jects launch on teaching it in India and .f It a ’ ._.1 L . n n the airport personnel. “Now I feel very confident and can ...... ....... _ ¦ ¦¦ ’ ' : tell you that 1 find modern dance and were meeting after an interval of Bharata Natyam compatible. I am not contaminating Bharata Natyam. But since 1 have studied it 1 am in a position to understand the structure better than many other dancers who do not know modern dance. T o-day 1 do not attempt workshops and assimilating several dis­ ciplines. She is a gypsy though she returns to New York and Bombay. Since I have known her for over a decade and have been watching her phenomenal pro­ gress, 1 was curious to know what new works she had choreographed. ‘Drau- padi and the Saree’ she said with enthu­ siasm. ‘You remember the work chair ? 1 used the saree as a prop and then things began to happen. I use modern dance technique and now the piece has worked out beautifully.’ A student of Martha Graham, Asha has been active on the dance scene for more than fifteen years. Today she has arrived on the international scene with a bang and 1 know of no other Indian dancer who has been so busy in an alien idiom. Asha has been performing, creating and growing in her artistic pur­ suit. Currently in India for a series of per­ formances in Bombay, Madras, Cal­ cutta and Delhi, Asha is hoping to complete her New York University Master’s degree course^^^^^BBH in dance and then work towards a Ph.D programme. And this course is perfor­ mance-oriented which makes her a per­ former, a choreographer and a teacher. Yet she is free to travel and perform. She has been given the name Uttara equipped to evolve a form which has a fine fusion and my work shows it. 1 have She has been given the name Uttara by Baba Muktananda of Ganeshpuri and though we call her Asha, she is known in the professional dance world as Uttara. < : i • by Baba Muktananda of Ganeshpuri and though we call her Asha, she is known in the professional dance world as Uttara. She graduated from the St. Xavier’s College, Bombay and then weht over to the States and studied under the guidance of the great Martha Graham and other leading lights of the modern dance. When in New York in 1971 she took me to Merce Cunning- ham’s and Pearl Lang’s studios, I , watched her working assiduously with i ¦ The Economic Times 7th March 1982 Sunil Kothari is a noted dance critic and writer .25 would certainly contribute a lot,” she said with genuine humility. She is not in a hurry and knowing her tenacity, I can well foresee that in a couple of years she would certainly blaze a trail. “I choreographed Lakme ballet for the Royal Opera House of tours in France last year and it was a big success. They have invited me again to teach there. 1 think they feel sure about my approach, and of course Sunil, 1 have inherited not only our dance techniques but traditions of the west as well.” Asha spoke without any trace of arrogance. And 1 know what she means. Her present repertoire includes Dun­ can Dances recreated for her by Diana Pruet, consisting of Botticelli’s paint­ ings, La Primavera, the Russian Revo­ lution of World War I and the tragic death of her two children. The readings are selected by Asha. The actual themes AV and the music that inspired Isadora Vihave been the sources in Asha’s work, f ’ Then there is ‘The Americanization of k Uttara’ by Major Burchfield, a choreo- ’ grapher and Asha’s former partner. Draqpadi’s Saree is a fantasy by her and in Suite India she has excerpts from Lakme, Yakshi and Rangilo with music by Leon Delibes, Ananda Shankar and Shoba Gurtu respectively. After her current Indian tour she is off to Japan from where she would go to perform and teach in France, Germany and Spain and then back to New York. The workshop for the Dance Theatre of Calcutta at Max Mueller Bhavan was quite exciting for her. She felt that this was the best group in India which had done very commendable work in mod­ ern dance under the Brazilian dancer Carmen. Asha hopes to return next year and plans to repeat the workshop she had at the Bhulabhai Memorial Insti­ tute in Bombay with dancers proficient in classical styles. ‘It helps us all and who knows we might soon be working on projects of great significance in an exciting dance vocabulary?’ she exclaimed with joy and genuine con­ cern. That would certainly augur well for the Indian dance scene. Sunil Kothari .?¦ .’J J ¦A ( ¦’t, ¦1 J: J '.1 .1 '¦ -'i '1. ¦ J ; ? - ¦ J i' . .... KI i I; Is » History in the Baking J. P. Dotiwala great grandfather Faramji Kaka. Our were no big flour mills which are there biscuits being light and tasty became today in plenty, and there were no stores popular with doctors, as a controlled at flour mills too. We used to store diet for patients. As the patient regained wheat in wooden store rooms and then his health, doctors advised him to eat seal these store rooms with cow dung so ;_____; ’ i that no germs got into the stored wheat, substantial "in caloric This wheat was ground by ladies in hand chakis and then sieved through a _ ____ _ thin cloth in order to separate the finer popularity and they started making ground product to be used as maida ¦ ¦ ¦ ~____________ from the coarser one to be used as rava. ___ ; 2 'ij i In those days shortening was also not Farmasu 'surti , Batasa”, the available in tins as it is now. Pure ghee came in leather containers from the vil­ lages to our bakery. Our forefathers IN THE HISTORICAL city of Surat a flourishing port in the olden times, there is a road named Dutch Road and a garden named Dutch Garden. Near this Dutch Garden there was a Dutch ware­ house in which the Dutch had con- biscuits with fat (shortening) and thus structed an oven to make bread for their biscuits more ------------ — -------- own people, and had employed five value were introduced. Parsi gentlemen to knead the dough and ’ ’ ‘ ' to bake bread for them. When the Dutch left India and Surat, they handed over their oven to one of ficient quantity of pure deshi ghee was the Parsis serving there. This Parsi gen- the tieman was none other than our ances­ tor (great grandfather), Faramji Pestonji Dotiwala. In the beginning Faramji continued which was called “Plain (Sada) Batasa.” to prepare bread and supplied it to the few remaining Dutch, and Britishers who too had come to India. As time passed the population of the Dutch and English decreased, business went slack, and stocks of bread were left unsold. These breads were made from toddy, one of the best fermenting agents being a natural juice extracted from trees. They contained no water, and so remained good and fresh in taste and ---------------------. did not get contaminated or spoil: they a sweet called Dal. This dal they made toddy disappeared. In the States where only became dry due to loss of moisture. Our ancestors used to sell bread at a very cheap rate so they started becom- In this way the biscuits increased in three varieties of biscuits. One with suf- called second kind with less shortening was called “Surti Batasa”, and the third was -o- -- --- ------ . the original one without any shortening used to buy this pure ghee and make a variety of biscuits and nankhatai etc. When India got independence prohi­ bition was introduced in Gujarat, and so we stopped getting toddy for our bis­ cuits and bread. Toddy being a natural juice of a tree, gave good taste and tex­ ture to all the products. There is no other natural fermenting agent as good __________ ______________________as toddy. We then had to use fermenting This is how our great grandfather agents made out of hops and potato Faramji invented Surti Batasa Biscuits, which served our purpose but the taste Even in those times the Indians made and texture which we used to get from In those days most of the doctors were Parsis and they advised their patients to eat dry biscuits. outside on stoves. Our ancestors baked there is no prohibition, bakers today no the same mixture in the oven and made longer use toddy as it is very expensive _____ ____ _______ sweet biscuit nankhatai. In this way ing popular amongst the poor people. Batasa & Nankhatai came into being as They wanted to run the bakery econom­ ically and so started making small dried . . breads in round small sizes much like bakeries in Surat owned by three Parsis. our p-------—J ---------------- being cheap appealed to the people and industry. Other people used to there was a gredt demand for them. So our t------- instead of letting these small breads dry gifts and more pay and start new baker- and not very pure. We claimed our right from Govern- sweet biscuits. ment to exempt sada biscuits from sales In the early days there were only three tax and the Government obliged by luuuu ___ _ ______________ y, ~ ¦ exempting sada biscuits for the poor presem'daTbiscuits" These biscuits We were the pioneers in the bakery from sales tax. The above benefit was • • _ Cl’.--- r /' "0 entice given to the then Bombay State so Guja- trained workers by offering them rat and Maharashtra also benefitted by insn.au ui iviiiiig ...v..,,..,..; c__________ ’ ¦ the above exemption. After that our by themselves they were put in the open ies with their help. In this way the bak- bakers association appealed to the oven to dry out. This was the first ery business was adopted by people of Government and got sales tax exemp- instance when the biscuits were made all castes and creeds and with the rise in tion for all salted bakery products. We dry in an open oven. In those days most of the doctors were l .._ . . patients to eat dry biscuits made by our population the number of bakeries are still paying sales tax on all the sweet increased and the monopoly of the Par- products manufactured by us. Parsis and they advised their sis in this business was lost. This is the history of our bakery and When the business was started there of Surti batasa and nankhatai. This is how our great grandfather Faramji invented Surti Batasa Biscuits. ii 21 r. - h I 6 i; I I; I iS I g •¦i5 4- t BPP: Facts and Figures Arni Sethna The 839, Class III khatas, with funds THERE HAS BEEN a sudden ressur- gence amongst the Parsis of Bom- of Rs 3,12,59,000 “comprise of funds of bay...to know more about themselves, Rs 5,000 and above donated by various to question their way of life, to look at donors for objects specified in their let- their actions more critically. In fact to be less complacent. The ‘Statistical Outline’ brought out 31st December 1980 shows the value of Library’ on to ‘Fort Nursery and Infant by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) securities and shares to be Rs 71,42,500, thus falls into this new line of thinking, fixed deposits Rs 7,63,60,000 and deb- The president of the Punchayet, Dr entures Rs 19,13,400. Aspi F. Golwalla writes in the preface “The Trutees sincerely hope that it will be of some use and interest.” For the first time the community and Parsi ‘watchers’ have a birds-eye-view of the Punchayet functions: its net worth, income and expenditure; the Statistical Outline (I97l-1980) Bombay various housing, educational, occupa- Parsi Punchayet. pages 60. tion and welfare schemes the Punchayet The Punchayet manages 15 institutions runs, and the loans it disburses on this whose annual expenditure comes to Rs account. And lastly a brief on popula- 33,44,793. In 1980 the Punchayet tion, births, deaths and marriages. received donations totaling Rs 12,95,074. The Khatas Between 1971 and 1980, 10,383 The funds of the BPP are divided into corpses were consigned to the Towers of three khatas or accounts. The Class I Silence of which 5,430 were males and khatas are those which'the BPP trustees 4,953 were females. In 1980, out of a “administer for various purposes such total of 1074 deaths, the largest number, as maintenance of different Institu- 418, was attributed to cardiac failure, tions,” doles, medical relief, scholar- next came senile debility (96), third, ships, housing and other activities, pneumonia (93) and fourth diabetes (71) community,” says Ms Arni Sethna, a “Generally the corpus of these (219) funds (Rs 2,07,56,000 as on 31st of deaths, 332, were between the ages of ‘Pathfinders’, the market research div- Dec&mber 1978) is kept intact and the 71 and 80 years, the next, 263, between 81 and 90 years, and the third, 251, between 61 and 70 years. The table of births and deaths since 1971 shows an increase of deaths over conducted by the International Institute births every year. In 1971 there were 692 births and 1035 deaths, leaving an excess of 343 deaths over births, while in 1980 there were 655 births and 1074 deaths, an excess of 419 deaths. ters of donation.” The breakdown of the funds as on lation, and under each, the details listed. Also the sequence of activities could have been worked out more logically. Just to illustrate the point, from details on ‘Doongerwadi/deaths’, the informa­ tion moves on to ‘Parsi Punchayet The BPP administers approximately 160 buildings in roughly 10 colonies. School’, and then on to the ‘Sale of Kusti Wool/Kustis’. The most critical factor in any statis­ tical booklet is the source, which is not stated. I inquired from the Punchayet and was told that the sources were four­ fold, predominantly the Punchayet’s own records and annual reports, the register maintained by Doongerwadi on deaths, the Marriage Register of the Court, and finally, the Census. The Trustees of the BPP need to be congratulated for their ‘maiden’ ven­ ture. They have come out of their isola­ tion and desire to share their information .with others. May they con­ tinue to do so. Path of Enquiry “EVERY FEW YEARS we like to know what is happening to the Parsi According to age, the largest number veteran researcher and new head of j J 1 The largest number of deaths, 332, were between the ages of 71 and 80 years. ision of Lintas India, a leading, Bombay based, advertising agency. Sethna has assisted in preparing the background material for a survey of Bombay Parsis, Sources In 1980, out of a total of 1074 deaths, the largest number, 418, was attributed to cardiac failure. 3 1 pi of Population Studies, which is income is used for different purposes ... except in the case of housing dona­ tions v^here the income as well as the corpus can be used.” The 157, Class II khatas, with a cor- There are three suggestions that might pus of Rs 2,79,10,000 “are the funds of make these statistics more meaningful, different Anjumans of India and other The activities could have been subtitled, expected to be completed by May this Institutions for which the BPP acts as like Finance, Housing, Education, year. mere Custodian.” Employment, other Welfare and Popu- “The 1961 census showed a declining 28 I ¦3 3s. il fl / 4 population, smaller family size, high . __ ; The survey is based on a random sam- longevity and late marriages”, in the |||||||||||||||^^ pie of 2,000 householdsand covers eight Parsi community, observed Sethna in to ten areas in Bombay where 80 percent an interview with Parsiana. “The Goin- of the Parsi population lives. The Parsi mittee for Electoral Rights (CER) felt population of Bombay is estimated to that in 1981, we should be doing a socio- ’ be about 67,000 according to the 1971 economic survey." The International Institute of Population Studies decided “I'm naturally inclined towards to take up the survey, and the Bombay research, and when it involves a social Parsi Punchayet financed the project. cause and people...more so,” Sethna The survey will touch on aspects like elaborates. She has been research man­ demographic trends over the last ten Hindustan Lever, research years : age/sex ratios, educational and consultant with the former Mass Com- occupational factors, income levels, munications and Marketing (MCM), trends in births and deaths, data on the and senior research executive with the health of the community and medical Indian Market Research Bureau facilities. (IMRB). She undertakes social research With the help of three different ques- and is involved in welfare work for the tionnaires covering the three groups of physically handicapped. This survey households, married men and women has specially aroused her interest since it and unmarried men and women, the involved the Parsi community, survey will enquire into the standard of With a comprehensive background of living, income levels, life styles, atti- the Parsis, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet tudes to marriage, number of times. Sethna: surveying the community would be in a position to decide the married, reasons for not having married areas in which to effectively utilize the and other such variables, according to may be asked in one household, while at funds available, she clarifies, and adds its relevancy to the particular group, others, only one or two may be rele- “the main aim ofthe survey is to plan for “Sometimes all three questionnaires vant,” explains Sethna. a better life.” others, only one or two may be rele- Match your AMBITIOK to a CAREER To do SO we offer you : • Diploma Course in Business Management (Oral/Postal) • Banking: C.A.I.I.B. Course (Postal & Oral) e Commerce :G.C.D. Course • Executive Secretariat Course • Private Secretarial Course • Telephone Operating • Telephone Operating-cum Receptionist Techniques • Shorthand & Typewriting • Punch Operating • Telex Operating Enquire at : Sir J. J. CoHege of Commerce 14,N8nabhoy Lane, Hutatma Chowk, BOMBAY 400 001. Tel : 251185 '¦f '3 ¦A Corpus of Custom N. J. Nanporia I I al I ¦J ¦ I I taken shape, but it was also a confirma- ficulties over interpretation of the cus- tion that the Parsis had become a settled toms and regulations relating to Perhaps it can be categorically said that since the 18th century there has been no book on western India and Bombay community and accepted as such, by marriage, and as the pressures of an which has not remarked on the singular­ ity of the Parsis — this singularity con­ sisting of the clearest demonstration nor of Bombay (1669-1677) who was, fered. Prosperity and the lure of author- anywhere of the permanence of survi- no doubt moved by his own administra- ity sometimes combined to obstruct val. The community’s ability to last is its greatest virtue to which all else has been subordinated in the 1,200 years of its presence in India. When the small band of fugitives landed at Sanjan the entire logic of their circumstance pointed to their absorption in the vast anonymity of India or at least to an irreversible erosion of their identity. This did not happen and the reasons why it didn’t can be found in the instincts of self- preservation that were later formalised and embodied in the Parsi Punchayet. There is here a continuity for over a 1,000 years, and it is probably this sense of a running theme which has persuaded Sapur F Desai published by The Trustees of the Parsi the author of this book to cover the entire grounu despite an emphasis on the 100 years before 1960. Here then is the raw material of the Parsi story, for ily resolved, and there was a general shoot of the survival syndrome; and Sapur F. Desai’s work is very approp- falling in line for fear of ostracism, a success in turn generated the confidence riately a compilation rather than an penalty particularly effective among a that fueled indiscipline and contention, interpretative study, concentrating on people jealously anxious about protect- the facts and events which reflect the ing their identity. These were the begin- evolution of the community. India at nings of the Bandobusts or Regulations shaken by internal dissension these were the time was a community of communi- founded on usage and the Zoroastrian together a testimonial to the achieve- ties and another one from across the faith, and from them there developed ment of the Punchayet in holding the seas did little to threaten such loose the discipline, the cohesion and the dis- community together in the early period equilibrium as there was. The Parsis were prepared for compromise in the interests of their own preservation, and ity’s leaders. Later, trusteeship and wel- this was matched on the Hindu side, by fare dominated Punchayet policies and ers for the Punchayet alternated with a tolerance and hospitality that were later still British legislation, in a logical quarrels among the trustees, conducted surely unique in the annals of any coun- extension of the Aungier initiative, leg- with all the high drama and intensity of try. This enabled the immigrants both islated for the codification of the Parsi a day when feelings tended to be to consolidate and to acquire the kind of personal law. extreme and uncompromising. Some coherence which a long-term settlement requires. During the period before the Pun- in the earliest chayet was formed in approximately docility of a following held Affairs of India: “The difficulties arose 1698, the community was presumably together by mutual dependence in an out of the increase of the tribe, the guided by an inherited corpus of custom atmosphere which, though not hostile, numbers now possessed of wealth, their and religious observances, supple- called for intelligent adjustment. Yet it is independent turn of mind, and from the mented by the secular needs of a band of worth noting that Parsi individualism want of a good understanding among fugitives on an alien shore. The Pun- and intransigence, often the outcome of the leading families.” However, it chayet was a formal recognition of a untamed vitality, were never far below should not be overlooked that, though self-governing system that had already the surface. Also there were genuine dif- the British helped by way of gentle local authority. Curiously, the initiative initially alien atmosphere eased, came from Gerald Aungier, the Cover- schisms emerged and discipline suf- no doubt moved by his own administra­ tive calculations. A body of elders and justice, and soon the Punchayet was influential members of the community petitioning the British Governor for the qualified to speak on behalf of the Par- legal authority to inflict such punish- sis had obvious advantages not only for ments as beating transgressors with the Parsis themselves but for the general their own shoes or placing a halter peace and everyone dealing with them, round their necks. This situation con- The majority of Parsis were poor and tained the ingredients which collectively ill-informed and willingly accepted the can be seen as the perennial Parsi decisions of their co-religionists and dilemma which has survived, with mod- elders. Though it initially lacked legal ifications, to the present day. sanction the force of custom gave the History of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet 1860-1960 by Punchayet Funds and Properties, Bombay; pp 434; Rs 60. Punchayet a quasi-judicial status. Dis­ sensions or irregularities were summar- A community perpetually conscious of the demands of survival, is also chal­ lenged by the need to adapt to changing times. How far such adaptation was possible without endangering the com­ munity’s essential character was one of those subjective considerations which invited heated debates. Moreover, a dedicated pursuit of success was an off- Thus if conflicting voices began to be heard and the Punchayet itself was tinctiveness the cultivation of which and launching it on the road to develop- became the special care of the commun­ ment. Appeals to the British for more pow- It cannot be doubted that the Pun- inkling of all this can be gathered from chayet leaders were greatly aided the comment of an official writing on in the earliest period, by the behalf of the Commissioners for the a following 301 i < I. ? > 6 Aek Almakatha /7 Despair and the Dasturs r/zr Life of Dastiir Dhalla XXIV book ‘‘Dastur Dhalla - The Saga of a soul ” - an English translation by Gool and Behram Rustomji of the original Gujarati, published by the ¦ fl 1 ’ 1 '¦I I •4 IK admonition and advice, it was within the community that the Parsis invaria­ bly found or created the necessary cor­ rectives. No controversy, however wild, was witijout, somewhere in the confu­ sion, a persistent voice of sanity and enlightenment, as often among the ranks of the community as from a part of the leadership. Desai has many anec­ dotes to tell to illustrate this, and they are much the most readable part of this gripping work. There is also an abundance of mate­ rial to show that, a^ another offshoot of the survival syndrome, the Parsis wher- Atmakatha is the autobiography of the late Dr. Maneck Nusser- ever possible associated themselves with .. j u ui the interests of the Hindus to whose wanji Dhalla, high pnest of the Pakistan Parsis and a scholar of hospitality and tolerance they owed so world repute. This is the 24th edited and condensed extract from the much. When the Sultan of Ahmedabad invaded Sanjan they fought alongside with their Hindu allies, and it was not long before the distinction between the Dastur Dhalla Memorial Institute, Karachr. larger interests of the community and those of the country they had adopted THE STORY SO FAR as their home became progressively less valid. The story of the Parsis in this role Born to a poor Dasturfamily in Surat on is too well-known for repetition, but in 27 August 1985, Dhalla moved with passing it is interesting to learn, as a his family to Karachi three years later. modest item on this side of the Parsi He was married to five-year-old ledger, of a grant of land to the trustees Cooverbai when he was eight years old. of the Babulnath Temple. After failing his matriculation. The merits or otherwise of rival views Dhalla sought employment while on such intractable issues as conversion educating himself in religious matters. into or out of the community, the main- With the assistance of the Karachi tenance of Doongerwadi and the preset- Parsis, Dhalla studied Iranian languages Nirangdin, Zindehravan, Gatikherdd, vation of its integrity are irrelevant to in Bombay and then proceeded to what is basically a saga of endurance Columbia University in New York, and adaptability. In short it might be where he was awarded a Ph.D. in 1908. said that as a people the Parsis avoided On his return to India he was politics, worked hard, venerated sue- nominated head priest of Karachi in cess, and concentrated on getting things which capacity he tried to critically done because by doing these things they evaluate old religious beliefs and could reconcile what they were with customs in the light of his broadened acceptability by other fellow communi- outlook. ties. The trappings of westernisation they adopted only superficially concealed with the more orthodox section of the fact of their Parsiness one feature of the community and he became involved establishing these institutions, acquir- which is the persistent orthodoxy that in several religious and social identifies the community as unmistaka- controversies. bly Oriental. Westernisation was solely a formula for getting on which in turn proceeded with his efforts to was the preservative that helped to keep educate the community and resolve the community’s identity in recognisa- old conflicts. ble shape. One is left with the impres- One of Dhalla’s prime concerns was sion that there is yet more to be said on the intellectual, spiritual and financial the Parsi theme and Desai’s reference to condition of the priesthood. In the Portuguese records suggests that a last three issues of Parsiana scrutiny of the Goa archives would be Dhalla spoke of '"the accident of birth most rewarding. The history of a people creating our dastoors and our mobeds, ” whose formula for survival is one of the and of the steps taken to create a most fascinating chapters in human his- more enlightened priesthood. tory is something about which the final word can never be said. “We have introduced the punthaky as an integral part of a behdin family. The rise and fall of a family directly influen­ ces the punthaky. When a behdin fares well in business and he becomes well-to- do, the gratuity given to the punthaky on auspicious and inauspicious occa­ sions increases accordingly. Besides, the punthaky gets orders at generous rates to perform expensive ceremonies run­ ning into thousands—ceremonies like ' I 1 This approach caused him to clash But despite the opposition, Dhalla One of Dhalla’s prime concerns was In the current extract, Dhalla quotes from an article he had written on the priesthood. Hamayasht, Devazdeh Hamayasht, etc. Under his personal supervision, the punthaky gets these ceremonies per­ formed by his meagerly paid mobeds and thereby earns a sizeable profit. “With the passing of time, if some layman becomes wealthy he has a Fire Temple erected or he becomes a millio­ naire and has an Atashbehram con­ structed. At such times the family punthaky earns the prerogative of ing the proceeds thereof and eventually becoming the Head Priest. Thus those who hitherto had various families as their clients, now become the leading priests of the Fire Temples. They gain in status and in income. And once they are established as heads of such institu­ tions, the position is permanent. It does not end at that. The headship automati­ cally becomes hereditary. “Our Fire Temples in various towns , are of private ownership. On auspicious and inauspicious occasions members of the anjurhan contribute towards its funds, but they have no voice in its man­ agement. Hence, if the anjuman of a certain city is eager to appoint an edu- 31 ¦3 -I I a 9 i 4 1 I /J .’*'1 Ll’i A J 'fi I ^>1 I/ ’’ ’-j ‘‘?: ‘T- (\ ¦ - •» f * » I * enlightened souls could not honestly accept such venues of earning an income. To avoid such conditions these “The doors of a theological career are ) self-respecting and independent-minded Athornans. Dadabhai Naoroji and Pherozeshah great priestly youths and others like Mehta were precious gems of our small cated mobed as head of the Fire Temple there, it is unable to do so. The Trustees closed to of the building will not allow it. In case i they display a broad-minded attitude, the punthaky raises a hue and cry and fights tooth and nail for his parental community in the last century. Both rights and makes a plea of endangering were highly intellectual Athornans. their livelihood by suggesting to place Had these great men decided in their an alien in the family seat and thus wins youth to follow their parental profes- the sympathy of the proprietors of the sion and, together with the general edu- premises. cation they had acquired they had “Our system is such that the Head attained religious knowledge and Priest of the Fire Temple of a certain city is answerable only to its Trustees, leaders of the community, what oppor- years ago still prevail. The world has He works for. the Anjuman and derives tunities could the community have progressed, the country has progressed, an income from groups of Zoroastrians offered them? In capacity and brilliance The community has progressed in all or from the Anjuman, yet he is inde- they could surely compare with Dastur other branches, but it is static where its pendent of the Anjuman. Similarly, the Tanser or Dastur Adarbad. Mobeds working in that place, work for the Anjuman and earn their living, but tus of a High Priest so as to guide the they are like independent businessmen, community, they would have realized “At present we are maintaining that they had no claim to the seat of almost the same principles the exem- approximately 185 Agyaris and Atash- - - ¦ - behrams in the subcontinent.All these of Dasturs. If they had thought that a are reserved by their respective proprie- major punthaky is the possessor of a tors for their hereditary present and future Dasturs or Punthakies. This is a kind of Trust to safe-guard the interests deducting living expenses, from the sur- of a line of Punthakies or Dastur- plus they would be able to develop liter- Punthakies, and by virtue of it the son of a Punthaky or a Dastur is born into spreading the good faith, become cherished purpose of providing the the world with a sealed and signed gua- members of religious societies, converse community with highly qualified reli- rantee of a ready-made income on with learned scholars and enhance their gious leaders. Merely to send out into reaching adulthood. His position is scholarship, attend religious seminars the world a young Naver of a Maratab safe—his income secure. of the world and read papers there, “Hence, it is a matter of choice establish contacts with pundits of var- whether he strives to reach his Punthak- ious lands and carry the greatness of the yship or his Punthaky-Dasturship Zoroastrian faith to the four corners of them, in the middle of the last century, turned their backs upon the profession of their forefathers and sought fresh fields of adventure. “In the religious life of the commun­ ity, there was no room for them—no career whatsoever—no demand for them, no provision for such men. And shown an inclination to be the spiritual the conditions that existed 75 to 85 leaders of the community, what oppor- “If they had aspired to reach the sta- priestly fold is concerned. “In countries of the West there are seminaries to give higher education to Christian priestsand Jewish Rabbis. On Dasturship as they were not born sons plary institution established in 1912 ..... .......... with a munificent donation of twenty- five lacs by Seth Meherwanji Muncherji Cama, an ardent admirer of the priestly fold, has already witnessed two decades. Within a very short time the wise man­ agers of the institution realized that its ature, travel from place to place establishment was not fulfilling the large income, so that if they succeeded in acquiring a large clientele, then. with a superfluous general education up to an English fourth or fifth standard level, entailed a tremendous expendi­ ture. through the light of knowledge or not. If the globe. “The endeavour to graduate bright, he has an inherent love of learning he “Upon scant examination they would promising students and to get them to attains higher education and wins for have found they were not eligible even perform the highest ceremonies was not himself the laurels of becoming the spir- to get permission to become puntha- itual leader ofthe community. The com- kies, as the stamp of hereditary pun- munity cannot acquire a learned thakyship has been set on the respective qualified youths. As a result the organ- Punthaky or Dastur for the asking. In flocks.Eventually, out of sheer despera- izers appealed to the High Court to alter case it gets one, it is by sheer chance. tion, they would have sought shelter of the original conditions of the funds of “The income of Dasturs who have no some well-to-do punthaky and taken up the institution in such a manner that punthak is meagre. If there happens to the job of paid priests. Thus, with great only half of it should be reserved for be an Atashbehram under the Dastur’s difficulty, they would have been able to jurisdiction, the Trustees of that place secure a morsel to feed their families. allow him to collect the proceeds of the But then fresh trials would commence. ‘Boy’ of an important month like Ardi- They would find that after the round of education. behst or Adar, or even a little more, but professional duties of Yajashni in the it is difficult for a Dastur to live on such morning and Baaj in the afternoon and complained that bright students capa- precarious income. Due to this he Satoom in the evening and Kardo at strives to earn a livelihood by perform- night and Vendidad at midnight, no ing marriage, Navjote or Jashan cerem- time could be spared for their studies, onies plus Fareshtas, Afringans, Baaj, Besides, due to financial difficulties, the etc. Despite a great deal of hardship he high hopes they had built to render reli- earns comparatively much less than his gious service to the community would brother Punthaky-Dastur. Apart from be smothered and stifled. They would that his income is even less than that of also see that the elevated role of a reli- the Punthakies who are considered his gious leader has been dragged down to aids at his own Fire Temple. so business-like a footing that their “Upon scant examination they would successful. The hereditary Zoroastrian Church had no place for such well­ creating ceremonial priests while the proceeds from the other half could be utilized in furthering general academic “The organizers of the institutions ble of coping with higher studies do not take advantage of this institution. This is but an echo of the complaint regis­ tered by Khurshedji Cama and other well-wishers of the priestly class 50 to 75 years ago. They used to bemoan the fact that priestly families gave higher educa­ tion to their talented sons and sent them out into various professions, whereas those of lesser intelligence, who could 33 ¦1 I-¦*5 >* ¦ !S 'i 4’SSi.*'' 't “ssa Ml, established two large Madressahs to teach Iranian languages according to 1 M not fit into any other field of occupati­ on, were trained as practising priests. Stopped adhaitting youths of such a poor mental calibre. Only those capable of passing the Matriculation examina- tion and studying further are admitted, at a tremendous expense The orthodox group is protesting ^ars * “ against this action. In simple language it is stated that the idea of teaching Eng­ lish and giving higher education to was--------------- „ those wishing to practise the priestly just found profession should be l-------------- - the institution should concentrate on training Athornan students to become proficient in performing the most “Our system is such that thl ¦TZoS'Xrhave, forthVpresen,, we estab-- its provincial colleges. “Twenty-five years ago lished two large residential Madressahs ------ For a 100 > the community stinged on neither money nor effort to create religious- minded athornans. When this'question first tackled, higher education had abandoned, and and only a handful of educated gentle­ men were found in the community. “The move for female education in the community commenced a 100 years ago. There was quite a tirade against it. I BOYS’ TOWN Public School Nasik 2 I «< Head Priest of the Fire Temple of a certain city is answerable only to its Trustees.” 1 ' Ik "s 1) 5' ? ¦ i r.3 1 H’' > 4 ' it ' 1'3 f. 1 ' S if- i I 1 It ¦ I I ••h : !' * J 4 I f I i'> f ’.'.’cmcn to do with education? Being educated, would they be going to offices to work ? Their place is in the home and household chores their sole responsibil- held by members of our commun- is said that the reformists plained to the orthodox gentlemen of __________ • • ¦ ------- Brahmin. All day he is out of the home, when the washerman brings the clothes or the tinker brings the uten­ sils, if the woman can read or write a little she can at least take an account of the clothes and the utensils. This expla­ nation seemed valid to the orthodox the community ouring inc spaicu.uv..^ nanon decreasing The attention of the whole and women began to learn the ruoi * drawn ,o the necessity of nten.s of reading and arithmetic a the Mehtaji’s school. Soon it was disco- . , , . vered that ‘vou yield an inch and they ^-•Kywhe^^fcii-ndentsaregoing iaTe^n eirr anne^in^he in for literature and are attracted consequence.^Women indly forged engineering. By degrees the number of our young men and women s' for the B.A. and M.A. is steadily falling. As a result, since some time fewer stu­ dents-are entering our two large madres­ sahs at Bombay to study Iranian languages. Hence the community will lose the leadership of the learned Ervads and behdin students who had been rendering honorary service during the last 50 years. “In the 40's of the last century Rev. Wilson led a jehad against our religion, with the result that our community becarrie aware of the need of educating our priests according to the demands of the age and of giving to the commun­ ity enlightened religious leaders. A 100 years have gone by since that awareness. In the middle of the last century we women to work ? Their place is in the home and household chores their sole responsibil­ ity.’ It is not surprising that such views _ ____ were 1 sacred ceremonies. The original idea of ity. supplying the community with highly educated, scholarly, religious leaders is thus abandoned. “A new danger is facing us. The number of college-going i------- ------ behdin students, who during the last 50 that time years opted for Avesta and Pahlavi as their second language and, because of their love of service and of literature, rendered voluntary religious service to the community during the spare time, is country is drawn to the necessity of “It is the community that man is a wandering UK U3. Brahmin. All day he is out of the home, mobed and at'his business or in his office. During Recognised as a Public School by the Department of Education for Indian Merit Scholars. Excel ­ lent aimate — AU-roond Education : All Academic Subjecta —Tech ­ nical Subjects: Workshop. Tech ­ nology. Mechanical & Electrical Maintenance, Carpentry & Farm ­ ing. Training in Sdf-Govmnment through Elected Boys’ Office bearers. Games —^Physical Train ­ ing — Dafly Assembly with ¦- vocational and technical training in keeping with the times. “Everywhere fewer students are going towards science, industry, crafts and ahead in the field of lear - - ----- jmbcr of “Today thousands ot graduate ano studying post-grad uate men are framing the bril­ liant career of the community and hundreds of graduate and post­ graduate women are lending lustre to priests according to the demands of Old post cards etc./wantcd Advertiser wishes to buy OLD^ picture postcards, photographs, cig­ cards, playing cards, posters, prints, illustrated boohs, albums and other related material. Willing to pay top prices for single items or entire collections. Please send, detailed list with expected prices to The Advertiser, (OLD) C/0. Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. 14 Cougregatioiial Prayera Week ­ ly intensive Zoroastrian - Geeta- Koran classes — Excellent Modem Kitchen and Dining Room facilities Airy Dormi ­ tories. Moderate Fees, Freeships and Concessions to Deserving Students. Apply I THE MANAGING trustee p. N. MEHTA EDUCATION TRUST Cooks Building. 324 Dr. D. N. Road, Bpmbay 400 001.& ‘•-f - V’ r the enlightened t . — . numbers are ever on the______ ____ branches of knowledge and science and will continue to grow. In the communi­ ty’s onward march in education the pri­ estly class has fallen far behind the laity and will remain so. “If we compare the statistics of educa­ tion of the behdin flock and its pun- thaky, we will find graduate and post-graduate sons and daughters in lay families, while at the other end are ceremony-performing punthakies who have studied upto English Class IV or V. Without being carried away by senti- r‘ ¦ becoming needlessly alarmed, with at Karachi. They have ' common sense and impartiality it can be stated that in years to come we shall have to content with m I'SrSis. to S side' " *1^ “"’OU, very major alterations “A4 ,• constitution of the communitv J e " «'O“W become incumbent ance, some people believe that the pri­ estly problem is not as insoluble as it seems and that a solution can easily be cu.u.ccc me found Twice various gentlemen have salaried mobeds on rnern „ mat can be sent their suggestions for solving the achieved, then and only then, will the various problems relating to the priestly 1 he hereditary, Zoroastrian fo^Tie automatically resolved. Church had no place for well-qualified youths. to put an end to the 4,000 year old tradi­ tion of hereditary priesthood and to commence the system of appointing > on merit. If that can be t I ment and exaggerating, and without Question to the Trustees of the Fire becoming needlessly alarmed, with T^emple at Karachi. They have sug- calm calculation, common sense and gusted that paid priests should be employed in proportion to the Zoroas- ............. ............ trian population of Karachi. Whatever the following number of practising pri- ceremonies any Zoroastrian family ests:................................................................wishes to have performed, it should Approximately 50 to 75 graduated write to the Secretary of the Anjuman. Dasturs and Ervads; culled from the Secretary should have them per- descendents of various Dasturs and farmed by the Mobeds employed by the Punthakies. A few priestly-aids, edu- Anjuman, send the bills for the prayers, cated upto a level of English IV or V, "* " Punthakies. A few priestly-aids, ed and all other mobeds who have studied amount and credit the the account of the Anjuman. “This project seems simple on paper, but to put it into practice is not only only four or five books of Gujerati. It is impossible for a hereditary, Zoroas­ trian, business-minded, practising pri- Anjuman, send the bills for the etc. direct to the party concerned, col- same to esthood and a sound, highly-qualified • iniprac.bal bu. .mpossihle U cannot various problems relating to the priestly “Moreover, with the severing of the direct link between .mobeds and the laity, within a very short while the,per­ formance of ceremonies would be on a decline and there would be a sizeable decrease in the excessive amounts expended on ceremonials every year. But this can come to pass only if we have a newly constituted community minus a hereditary priesthood. This can be achieved only when we can do what the arrogant warrior Ataturk Kamalpasha did in Turkey by scorning the voice of the entire Muslim world and putting an end to the Khilafat by almost a miracle that bewiWered one and all. How is this possible in a community that is like sheep without a shepherd? “Without exaggeration it can be said that the priestly problem is truly insolu­ ble.” To be continued s T«VtnMreomtn«RW MoM —Bombay fl LET’S BUILD THEM TOGETHER! Whether it’s a five-star hotel, a Sultan's Palace, a hospital, a chemical factory, a fertiliser plant or a housing project — we have the expertise and experience —to handle any for putting up the imposing Muscat Palace complex of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman—and completed i**; Sgggs I Hi S I i; i; > 5F Hj '¦*?K Obarol-SharatOA HoM — Bombay k k 3 b W ¦" ’^¦2' w w ‘^1' SHAPOORJI PALLOIMJI &¦ CO. (PVT.) LTD. iJ. —-------------- ER f(S’ I Ij I ',1 J 1 •I Bridging the Gap | The Bombay Parsi Punchayet Quarterly Review; July - September 1981 Volume I, Number 1, Pgs 40. T With the dual purpose of bridging the Gathic scholar and author of several communication gap between the Bom- I ' ~ 2 bay Parsi Punchayet and the commun- tember 10. at his residence in Calcuttk ity and of clearing the “misunderstand­ ing and misconception about the perfor- piance of th^Punchayet”, the BPP has when he was posted at Behrampur in Atharvan Zarathushtra-1967, Atharvan Sapur Desai, a former secretary of the Byramji Patel a former secretary ofthe IN MEMORIAM Died: Jatindra Mohan Chatterjee, 93 3 'it I F id j Chatterjee hgs written on Zoroastri­ anism in English and Bengali. Among books on Zoroastrianism, on Sep- the English books are ; Ethical Concep­ tions of the Gathas-1931, Gathas-1932, Prisni Gatha-1934, Ramchandra and Zarathushtra-1935, The hymns of launched a gwarzer/j'/?evz?w edited by Mursidabad District, notes Mahyar Zarathushtra? th7 Foremost Proph^t- Sapur Desai, a former secretary of the Byramji Patel a former secretary of the ----- ’ BPP and author of The Bombay Parsi Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman who Punchayet 1860-1960. The Review a by Bombay catalogue the the the facts makes for can glean some fasci- nating bits of information. For instance, it tells us that the first vocational gui­ dance bureau in India was started by the BPP in 1947. The statistics of births and deaths and marriages and divorces tell the tragic story of our declining popula­ tion and the high rate of marital failure. The centrepiece of the Review is an article by former BPP Chairman B.K. IP’" " Boman-Behram on the subject of hous- ‘ ing. Boman-Behram relates how various countries have dealt with housing prob­ lems and notes the BPP, the Wadia and other private trusts have managed to provide 54 per cent of Parsis with homes. The BPP, according to Boman- Behram, has enough land to build 1,000 flats but lack funds. He dismisses the Gathas “he began interpreting them and option of building ownership flats comparing them with the Vedas,” notes Died: Ardeshir Burjorji Bilfimoria, 58 because “it is difficult to exercise control ' ” ' ' over these (co-operative) societies.” Although he does not cite any reasons Angra Mainyu of the Gathas with the Jaslok Hospital, after a brief illness. A financial adviser to the Tata organi­ zation for many years, Billimoria was a universal prophet and asserted that director of Tata Sons and Tata Indus- Zoroastrianism enjoins some of the tries, and chairman of the Investment ' . -------- -------- Corporation of India, Tata-Finlay In recognition of his contribution to Limited, Forbes Forbes Campbell, . , ----------- ¦ Gokak Patel Volkart Limited, Ewart received. These lists which take up tated twice, once in 1967 by the Calcutta Investments, A retired deputy collector, Chatterjee was attracted to Zoroastrianism in 1924, 1971, Message of the Gatha as reflected in the Masnavi of Maulana Jalal-ud-din 1 >ja Chatterjee: Gathic scholar assisted in promoting Chatterjee’s works. Chatterjee taught himself Gujarati, Persian and Avestan and not satisfied with the existing translations of the Billimoria: financial adviser Rumi-1971, The Gospel of Zarathush- tra in the words of Jalal-ud-din Rumi- 1972, Visnu and Mazda-1975. Chatterjee is survived by his wife and son Barunkumar. I a press release. “He was the first to point chairman and director of several Tata out the similarity between Spenta and and other concerns, on November 3, at the for the necessity of such control, it is Satwa and Tama.s Gunas ofthe Vedas, perhaps the fear that such flats may pass He upheld Zarathushtra to be the first out of the community’s possession that concerns him. The Review contains several lengthy highest spiritual and human values, lists of members of various Parsi associ- 1 " ; ; __ _ ations and lists of donations given and Gathic literature. Ch'atterjee was felici- receivea. i nese lists wnicn take up tated twice, once in 1967 by the Calcutta Investments, Lakme Limited and almost a quarter of the space of the Parsis when he was presented with a Investa Industrial Corporation. Review, do not improve its readability, shawl of honour and a silver salver, and Besides the language is peculiar with again in 1972, when he was presented phrases like “affluent classes made it point to look after their lame ducks. The Review in its present form would be of interest only to those who are con­ nected with or deeply interested in the lished a temple called the 'Rudra BPP If the Quarterly desires to com­ municate with the community at large, the publishers will have to present news where he recited daily from the Gathas, about the BPP’s activities in a “newsy” manner. shawl of honour and a silver salver, and “A lover of sports and music, Billimo­ ria will be particularly remembered for a with an address on behalf of the entire his keen sense of humour, and the justice ” Parsi community. . , . . . ....................... In Barasat, 15 miles north of Cal­ cutta, at his residence, Chatterjee estab- and objectivity with which he handled many difficult situations”, notes a press release. A bachelor, Billimoria made time for Mandir’{RuAra. is the God common to philanthrophic activities and was the both the Daeva and Ahura worshipers) chairman of the Volkart foundation and , a trustee of many other charitable insti- the Prisni and the Gita, notes a press tutions, notes the release. release. 36