Jan 1983

anuary 1983 Price Rs.5 PaW ¦<*?« ' "life '^1 :•» ¦ fOI ''V M ¦¦'«W 4.' * I* January *1983 Volume 5 Number 7 EDITOR Jehangir R. Patel ASSOCIATE EDITOR Abraham Mathai ASSISTANT EDITORS Hutokshi D. Doctor, Gouri Wagadarikar DESIGN CONSULTANT Mini Boatwala DESIGN ASSISTANTS Kranti Shilotri, Yasmin Irani MARKETING DIRECTOR Veera Patel ADVERTISING Zarin Billimoria, Hanita Irani and Meher Parakh. CHIEF EXECUTIVE R.P. Thanavala CIRCULATION D.B. Chinoy, Yezdi Gandevia MANAGEMENT Cheryl D'Penha, Minoo Patel and Jasmine Driver 3 Readers' Forum 6 Events and Personalities 8 Business 16 Music: Zubin Mehta's Quest 22 At the helm by Hutokshi D. Doctor 24 Engineer's wicket, wicket life 29 The Pars! Punchayet Case — XV 34 Tata's Photos I 36 Khandalavalas' Collection k 38 The Empire Builders 44 In Memoriam I Cover; ASIAD '82 Yatching Medal. Parsiana is published by Jehangir R. Patel at c/o H.L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A.K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Bombay 400 001, printed by him at Jyoti Industries, 324 A to Z Industrial Estate, G. Kadam Marg, 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. Iif ! ¥7* t.. .¦* .. - 5 4 READERS* FORUM !»¦ Itna ¦ rtfi! '**1 '»« 5 "--(Ml Stand behind the chairs, thus reserving their seats for the next turn. Sometimes you feel that somebody behind you (may be counting your mor- “ seis), has grown impatient and is kicking your chair. You turn and give him or her a look askance; you feel angry and awk­ ward, but soon you hear an apology “Mai dheeray khajo, koi jaldi nathi. You feel relieved but soon you tind that you are one of those unfortunates who are not served properly. The dish is empty when it reaches you and the waiter forgets to come back to you, and the host is too busy to notice this. If you are modest, you just keep quiet, but God save us from the loud, rowdy ones. They bring the roof down to get their due. It is but opportune to mention one unforgettable incident. On one occa­ sion, the dinner tables were spread over a vast area enclosed by walls and a gate. But our diners somehow found out the place (most probably smelt the biryani. certain extent, except of course it should be considered a religious duty to marry within the community to preserve our identity and*culture. Some of the professions that are cur­ rently in demand are: accountant, air- traffic controller, chef-cook, chemical engineer, computer programmer- systems analyst, draftsmen (mechanical, waterwell, oil and natural gas), electrical fitter, electrical engineer, electric power linesman, electronic engineering techni­ cian, skilled electroplater, engraver, machinery fitter, geologist, geoscience technician, metallurgist, motor vehicle bodybuilder, motor vehicle mechanic, I patternmaker, multi-colour offset prin­ ters, prosthetic and orthotic technician, experienced EDP sales-person, sewing machine mechanic, skilled sheetmetal worker, experienced stenographer­ secretary, word process operator, skilled upholsterer, skilled waiter, skilled welder. I Keep in regular touch with the Aus- . tralian High Commission in Delhi or its fish, roast etc.), stood for a while with centre in Bombay for all details on immigration. And before 1 close, may I request the Zoroastrian community of Bombay to crowd rushed in and succeeded in secur- make an all-out effort to restore the Shi- great impatience and then the gate came crashing. While the waiters were still busy laying the tables, an impatient ing their seats. The hostess was a picture of despondency and helplessness. But soon the guests began doing full justice to a hurriedly served dinner. To make it worse, the confounded band plays loudly or some amateur artist with extra strong lungs is asked to sing with a loud accompaniment of four or five musical instruments. No one can hear what the other is saying. Thus the most talkative and scandalous remain of the major factors that are having a ity of good taste and refinement. In their quiet. This sort of behaviour results in disastrous effect on the community. dress and mode of living, they ha<'e caustic remarks from the non-Parsees who are quite baffled to see theip cul­ tured and westernised friends behave in a manner not befitting the reputation they have gained. Can’t we take up this aspect seriously and act in a more comely manner? This is not one person’s job; everyone has to etc. belies the high opinion the other join hands to improve matters. MUNEEZA BANG KAVOSJI Hyderabad 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 rinbai Cama Convalescent Home for and clarity. Men in Bombay (Bandra), which is in a shocking state at present due to ‘lack of funds’, before it crumbles and the price­ less land sold off. Head for Australia The majority of the Zoroastrians resid­ ing in India today are concentrated in and around Bombay. Inflation, corruption, adulteration, JaiUVa Chalo ! pollution and black marketing are some The Parsees are considered a commun- KURUSH N. BILIMORIA Australia dress and mode of living, they ha<'e May 1 suggest that all enterprising given ample proof of this. But one social boys and girls of our community take up aspect speaks volumes against them and professions thatare currently in demand is a slur upon their well-earned reputa- in Australia thus making it easier to tion. make an entry inspite of strict immigra- The attitude of the Parsees when they , tion laws, though you don’t need to have participate in dinner parties, in connec- a family relation to sponsor'you as is tion with weddings, navjotes, gambhars necessary to enter Canada. Australia does not have a fire temple communities have of them, as we are too few in number to make it possible, and if a large number succeed regardless of the fact that the dinner in making an entry 1 suppose we may arrangements are not yet complete, the Gflthic Scholar have one in the near future. Greeks, I tai- old and the young, the healthy and the An original scholar of Zoroastrianism, ians and the Vietnamese are surprisingly feeble, make a. mad rush to the place Jotin Babu had a rare breadth of vision, in a very large number and make their where dinner is served and race to (Parsiana, May 1982). His contribution presence felt as a community, and 1 see secure their place. The winners take to an all-embracing interpretation of the no reason why we cannot succeed to a their seats and the losers are content to Gathas vis-a-vis the Vedas deserves to PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 No sooner the function, is over. 3 .. y , -i >r - -1 .. C < ¦5 ’¦i? «c V* of printing pages from the Parsi Pun- be widely known in our community. We Rayomand Appeal of printing pag^ from the Parsi Pun- owe the great Hindu scholar a debt o( The Accounts of the Rayomand Com- chayet Case of the past. To my mind this gratitude for throwing fresh light on the mittee for the year ending December might encourage our youth in an indi- ® __ , , . z.. .. 1______ fnfcii rent luav tn vppr awav fmm intcrmar- enlightened exposition of the Prophet’s collection up-to-date is Rs. 11,94,281.22. message is very timely and, relevant .ix—Kzvi« today as a beacon for promoting assigned one building consisting of ten national integration. flats of two rooms plus kitchen in the No one who is just conversant with Godrej Bang area and work is in pro- Avesta Pahlavi can be said to be fully gress. A part of the Rayomand Commit- equipped to make pronouncements ex­ cathedra on Zoroastrianism. It is also _ incumbent on him to be equally profi- building is ready for occupation the cient in contemporaneous Sanskrit -------- —...... . .... ¦ tt- - i-i. • d ? i scriptures as well as the history and the right to recommend allotment of five by Seth Dhanjibhai Hirjibhai Patel, on way of life of early Aryan settlers in flats according to certain norms ** North India. Of course, this criterion down by the Parsi Punchayet. applies with equal force to Hindu scho- ------------------- ------ . _ lars who know only the Vedas and other of having the opportunity to serve the the donor), three or four clean water allied scriptures in Sanskrit. community. It is dedicated to the cause wells and long large outhouses with a In this respect Mr. Chatterjee was like of alleviatittg.TiousingJshortage in the kitchen and servant quarters, an eagle soaring skyhigh in the firma- community. Depending on the availa- , ment of religious study. He had a unn --------- ir versa! outlook which enabled him to , approach a given subject objectively, be may consider construction of one room it Hinduism, Zoroastrianism or Islam, plus kitchen flats at Mahim and Aud­ it was by dint of circumstances that heri. the two Aryan groups had separated . geographically on grounds of religious in renewed efforts and its members once incompatibility. But despite that so- ts the p"’''’'' f'"- _ called “schism” among the early Aryans their financial support and to one and sold out by interested parties to villagers in Central Asia there was an almost all to give generously towards its hous- unbroken contact between the Iranians ing fund, and the Indians. This historical reality 1— . u suffered an eclipse in the succeeding cen- Rayomand Committee will be accepted would suggest at least one or two acres tunes. It goes to the credit of Mr. Chat- a.------------------- terjee that he attempted to bridge the official receipts issued due course gap between the two groups of Aryans chairman, Rayomand Committee. who have been deviously treated as belonging to two irreconcilable camps. It is an irony of history that all reli­ gions have subordinated their respective ethics by paying an over-importance to rites, rituals and ceremonies. Suffice it for me to say here that in my oninion the best way to glorify Zoroas­ trianism lies in a dispassionate evalua- May 1982). -- ---------------------------------------- tion of the ethical teachings of Our religion is not taught to the Zarathushtra Spitama as enunciated by young in its easy and beautiful form. vHO pow caros evc./WHlHBa should be, “Tell me the story simply as wirfuM to boy OLD to a little child.” picture posteudi, ^Botograpltt, dgerotte It is not that our youth does not want cards, playing curds, poslen, prints. to learn the religion but rather that, not iUuftrated borio, albuns and being able to quench his thirst on his oU^er related matoiaL own, he turns elsewhere. Very often the willing to pay top prices for sinjde result is ‘Babaism’ which is an insult to items or eatiro collections. our Prophet .Zarathushtra, the World Please send, detailed list »itt» Teacherwho gave us the message of Love eqmctad prices to Hie Adrertisflr, and Truth. (OLD) CZo. Parsiana. 6JP.0. Agreeing with Brig. Grant I wish that Box 89S, Bonib^ 400001. Parsiana would give more space to spir- _________________ _______________ itual matters from our scriptures instead ' precepts of Zarathushtra Spitama. His «*1. J ___— — message is very timely and, relevant 1981 have been audited and the total rect way to veer away from intermar- --- riage, another serious menace to our The Rayomand Committee has been community. ’ • . FRENY A.F. DALAL t S’ F i 1 i J, '4^1 Ki ?i *vT 'i •s .1! J- Jt 5 Events and Personalities ^ttdhiwala^sMedicine Muncherstew Ma^iwala, who practises MteopaAy in his nativs Madhi, 35 mfles from ourat, has been known to Nanavaty's Value author and an expert m educational Taleyarkhan’s pursuit of publicity is , , —^“*''** * *** vuuvanunai tne lias oeen Known to get some nnp h j**** Nanavaty has held ¦urnal visi.ors-o.her doeSJs X « X “f •• — his residence late at night to take hk value-oriented education ------------------- • * o.wa„.,o :'“""y“=‘"P'’y‘l’eMi„is.ryofEdoca- XIX X' Nanava.y vTiicopauiy IS .he science of ireauni. tL r freelance journalls. physical disabilities by the manipulation In the first phase the work- of bones. And perhaps it’s because the e?h-‘'‘V ‘o inculcate moral, Indian MedicaV AsXiaiX hXX. XX • - he meetings in a day. »• pline, that some medical practitioners take it as a forbidden art. Madhiwala has been practising osteo­ pathy since the last 53 years and once every two months he comes to Bombay to treat thousands of patients here Vijay Merchant cites one particular duction case treated by Madhiwala, where the patient had an almost miraculous recov- prcDaraiion *0*1,'^ football captain of opinion i of the Mafatlal Sports Club while play- £??:,"S.S"E''7: .TSS%-“"=™ ESSSES Merchant, who is presided ''f vuumry. the nioht _________ ***'e up Bhatia General Hospital, said ii Madhiwala has been practising osteo­ pathy since the last 53 years and once every two months he comes to Bombay Vijay Merchant cites patient had an almost miraculous ing in the South a few years ago was hit group will strive to introduce these values in educational institutions at the school and higher secondary level. There is a growing realization of the need for a reassessment of the aims of to ‘Educational Thought’ in "America and even else- he continues versities in the country. ^ Merchant, who is president of the Bhatia General Hospital, said in a nrecc *** nciu statement today that this hospital is the Pnet I^navaty, a holder of the first in India to introduce osteopathv as Diploma (Lon- .R K Madhiwala comes to ’ treating patients at the a patients came for pean and Gulf countries. In recognition of his work in the field increasing thereafter. ~ the night reporters in the different batf- ers and dictate his reports to them f--------nr- . Taleyarkhan maintained excellent _ In all fairness, it must be stated, Mr. laleyarkhan maintained excellent rela­ tions with individual pressmen and they did^ not mind being bothered in- the night And it must also be admitted that he did justice to all his portfolios DU“ •i; . ¦ «vaung patients at the a Bhatia Hospital. At his last camp from '‘“k “ dia„ence =7i; tfii: <='<»"»' »’^«reHead .:-==S;;,- y - -.“SS Courtesy/>«./VMr7o«rw/ters all the way from Legislative Council was -------..... i-itTirs; 6 PARSIANA ; JANUARY 1983I if government organisation, in September 1982. A former member of the Maharashtra legislature, Ms Chibber is on the panel on minorities, scheduled castes, sche­ duled tribes and weaker sections, amongst other organisations. A history and economics graduate from Bombay University with a law degree from the Government Law Col­ lege, Ms Chibber entered politics in 1972. Patrawala^s Politics Rising in the ruling Congress party hie­ rarchy in Maharashtra is Marazban J.A. Patrawala, secretary of the ruling party’s apex body, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (1). Patrawala has been recently a . * 'W ^41 Jk Chibber: Social welfare 1 .... s -j> Sherdiwalla: Representing Bombay report in the 7flzn-e-7flnwZiefZ newspaper. A student of the Alexandra Girls’ and trophies in elocution, debating and Oratorial competitions in India, Eng­ land and The Netherlands, Patrawala is, English Institution, arid later the Jai according to the write-up, the only Hind College and the Seth G.S. Medical Indian to win the first prize in the College, Sherdiwalla has won several Annual Grand Debate of the Four Inns prizes in the course of her career, of Court of the U.K. Philatelic A ward Philatelist Vispi S. Dastur was awarded a gold medal and a special prize for his exhibit, “India Used Abroad - Aden Victorian Era’’, at the recently held Phi­ latelic Exhibition in Armenia, U.S.S.R., according to press reports. Patrawala: Coordinating policies Medical Award appointed secretary of the MPCC (l)’s Gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Fer- 20 Point Programme Committee and uza M. Sherdiwalla was awarded the senior vice-chairman of the MPCC (I) Lovejoy-Jubilee Scholarship. She legal cell. represented the Bombay branch of the The programme committee has been Association of Medical Women and constituted ¦ with the purpose of co- presented a paper at the 18th Congress ordinating the policies of the Govern- of the Medical Women’s International ment of Maharashtra with those of the Association in Manila in November, ruling party in the state. Sherdiwalla’s trip to Manila was Advocate of the High Court of Bom- partly financed by the A.H. Wadia bay and the Supreme Court of India, Trust and the Sir Cowasjee Sherdiwalla completed her M.D. in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from the With compliments of Patrawala is a board member of the Jehangir Trust. International Chamber of Commerce at Paris. . A student of the Bharda New High Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital School, Bombay, Patrawala was in Bombay last October. In June she awarded postgraduate degrees from the won a gold medal and the B.N. Puran- Universities of London Sussex, The dare Prize for topping the diploma Hague, Paris and the Honourable examination in Gynaecology and Society of Lincoln’s Inn, notes his bip- Obstetrics held by the College of Physi- data. Having won 55 first prizes, medals cians and Surgeons, Bombay, notes a PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 LORD’S CENTRAL HOTEL MATHERAN 410102. 1 i’ k'r -Mg K S’; s5/ I , i- r 'g; II !f I. I' . BUSINESS .? • r r* Godrej: Environmental Sheriff ib 5i ; e' Well-known indiistrialist, conservationist and social worker Sohrab P. Godrej was sworn in as the Sheriff of Bombay on 18 December 1982 by Govemer I.H. Latif at the Raj Bhavan. He will hold this post for a year. Chairman of the Godrej group of companies, manufacturers of items ranging from office furniture to chemicals, Godrej intends to play a more significant role than that of a mere ceremonial head. He is reportedly keen on tackling city problems, particularly those of pollution and population. A Friend of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and a founder trustee of the World Wildlife Fund, India, Godrej has a wide range of interests which include ecology, mass media, international affairs, scientific management, social welfare and the arts. We reprint here an interview conducted by the well-known Bombay journalist Behram Contractor which appeared in the Bombay evening paper MID-DAY of 12 December 1982. 8 As a rule I do not take cognisance of sher­ iffs. They are like Padma Shris and Padma Bhushans, titles bestowed for services to the ruling party. The post also is totally ceremonial and very misleading. The sheriff carries no guns and rides no horses. At the most, when the chief min­ ister, governor or mayor are not availa­ ble, he presides over some functions to distribute prizes. There are, of course, notable excep­ tions, one of them being the late Frank Moraes, the other, the sheriff just appointed, Mr. Soli P. Godrej, chair­ man of the vast complex of Godrej enterprises, one of the two most pro­ gressive managements in the country. PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 . 1't '3. r Bombay, the apex club of the rotaries in Baug, one of Bombay’s most congested India). I. wish to concentrate on the areas. Says Soli Godrej: “It was good So this interview is about the man, not the sheriff. • , I met him the day his appointment as problem as a whole, not take up individ- that from the beginning we were living sheriff was announced. He was as unconventional as always, not at all cast ual cases, picking up a hawker here and in a slum area, so we knew how bad there. That would be frittering away thirigs were. It was my father’s idea to in the mould of the successful Indian energies and one year can go so shift from Lal Baug. How can workers industrialist, one of the top five. Cotton quickly.’’ ' work effectively iftheydo not have good trousers, a little baggy, a tie loosely- Mr. Godrej is an old Bombayite. His surroundings to work in. And it is not industrialist, one of the top five. Cotton quickly.’’ ' work effectively iftheydo not have good trousers, a little baggy, a tie loosely- Mr. Godrej is an old Bombayite. His surroundings to work in. And it is not knotted, Pathani chappals, no socks, he forefathers are among the pioneer only the factory, but housing, school- was using a phone in the typist pool industrialists who built the city and ing.” outside his executive office. Everybody brought it to its present eminence. I From these sentiments has grown the could hear him, something about the quote from a brochure brought out by industrial garden township of Vikhroli. appointment of a piano teacher. --- -- Telephone over, he took me to his office, a large executive desk, not a horses pulled trams through steamy ant bougainvillaea, fountains gurgling streets and Gothic gargoyles looked out over frenzied bazars and serene maidans to the sea. It was in this commercial, cosmopolitan city that the eldest son of npogreSS of I ndia WithOUt a Parsi family decided to switch from law to lock-making. “His name was Ardeshir Burjorji Godrej. His dream — economic and political self-reliance for India. With his little lock shop grew Ardeshir Godrej’s contentedly. At Vikhroli, the garden visions of large scale industry. From grows up to every factory plant. Trees locks he went to safes and soaps, selling and flowers blossom a few yards from his products in open competition with clamouring machines. Almost every similar items which were imported. And block is surrounded by lawns — acres to every product Ardeshir Godrej that show that the grass is really "No environment in the world is as bad as that around the Bombay airport." *'? ». Hindustan Thompson Associates: “Avenues of Ashoka trees standing to “Bombay 1897. Where sunhatted attention, the bower power of flamboy- ”5 r' "You can't think of the thinking of a healthy Bombay." paper on it, as the desks of successful executives, with efficient secretaries, should be. And he agreed with my views on she­ riffs. “I can only reflect what people say. My friends have been wondering why I should take up such an office as the brought something special — an iden- greener.’’ It has schools, houses and a sheriff’s. In the public eye, it is so much a ceremonial thing. I have been active, busy in so many ways, and I have been wondering if being a sheriff would come has been carried down the family line, bay Natural History Society, Interna- in the way of my work. However, I was ....... ...................... " told I could carry on with my normal activities. So 1 accepted.’’ ] Mr. Godrej pointed out: “There have been some very worthy sheriffs, I do not wish to mention names. And I believe once you accept office, you should do justice to it. By that I do not mean running to the airport all the time, socialising, having dinners, giving dinners. I do not mean to be unsocial or unfriendly, you under­ stand. But I would like to tell my well- wishers that they would do me service if they keep me off the dining and wining circuit.’’ In fact, Mr. Godrej has been told whom to meet at the airport in his new role as sheriff. It boils down to only heads of state (he has been given a list of people he can leave out). Soli Godrej’s plank during his year as sheriff will be environment. And he believes that environment and popula­ tion control go together, the one compli­ menting the other. “I want to go about it systematically. Make a list of people who can help out, get involved nice organisations like the Rotary (he is a past president of the Rotary Club of PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 - • tity ... a refinement... a dependability ... rose garden with 358 fairytale blooms, a pioneering difference.’’ Soli Godrej, who is associated with The work started by the first Godrej the World Wildlife Fund — India, Bom- The original Godrej factory is in Lal tional Union for the Conservation of From left: Ex-Chief Minister Bhosale, Governer Latif and Godrej at swearing-in V. A J 3’ 5-'» - • ; Y n.7 ¦“7 1 ' h 1 Selling a Name Nature and Natural Resources, Friends reasons, she wants that India should of the Trees, says: “Na environment in the world is as bad as that around the _ __ Bombay airport. It is the introduction of Bombay may change.” Bombay to foreigners. And the condi­ tions are not because of poverty but has been voicing his own proposals. “If a talk-show recently introduced Dadi Bal- acute shortage of housing. “There is no reason why we should not be able to improve things. We have a good team, a very good team, the gover- it. Unfortunately, the greed for land has pilot,” she added, nor, the police commissioner, even the led to what I can describe only as a “What else do you do?” she asked jok- chief minister, at least he is honest. If Mafia in the city. The development is ingly, not quite expecting an answer, with all these people we cannot make the secretaries work, what does it mean !” Mr. Godrej blames the shortcomings roads so that children may play on on a feudal society. He says: “We are just them. Mr. Pasricha has good ideas, at nessmen by doing well in the perfume that, I am sorry to say. If you break rules least he thinks of the city. He needs bet- business long monopolized by the pres­ and get away, you are somebody, if you ter help from the citizens.” tigious French houses and the giant comply with rules, you are a nobody. The suggestions can only come from American conglomerates. His com- Very often those who complain the most are the most indisciplined, it is the upper class, owning motorcars, who break the traffic rules.” The new sheriff is upset about certain things and his sincerity is quite clear. “Comparing Bombay with Calcutta. 1 find it very offensive. But it i.s a danger signal. Pity if Bangalore also goes the same way. it seems to be. 1 do not want a day to come when 1 will feel ashamed to ual. He dresses simply, almost slovenly be a Bombayite and an Indian. The PM (“1 have no time to dress”), eats frugally entirely in the ingredients in the Dadi is aware of what is happening. You can’t (“you can spend a lot of money on food, line of perfumes. He doesn’t merely sell think of the progress of India without but it is all gone, you have nothing to perfumes, he said. He sells a name - his thinking of a healthy Bombay. Some 35 show for it”), travels in an Indian car (all to 40 per cent of the nation’s revenue the Godrejs do), comes from Bombay and it is still a dynamic city, in spite of the present labour situation.” Mr Godrej talked of the recent trans- fopmation of New Delhi, because of the Asiad. “The French foreign minister was telling so'me people that Monsieur interested in music, dance, both West- perfumes because they have heard of Mitterrand pulled up his officials, point- ern and Indian, architecture, has visited more churches and monasteries than ' anybody else, speaks a dozen languages "There is no reason why (“Russian, a lovely language to hear”), is we should not be able to improve things. We have a oniyjo”). He Started travelling in 1937, on a good team, a very smaii budget. “Then I had more time good team." and less money, now 1 have more money and less time.” And he has been almost everywhere, including Antarctica (“that ing out how fast India had built up its was on a gracious invitation in return himself in oile of his company’s televi- facilities while they wanted so much for what the Godrejs do for environ- sion commercials as a “shrewd” busi­ nessman - not just a mystic. A 1980 survey sponsored by Mr. Bal­ sara showed that his company’s per­ fumes outsold all the 140 or so imported brands in the Singapore market. PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 have a good image. If the prime minister can come here and stay for a month, By James Leung And for years now Mr. Soli Godrej" The hostess of a Hong Kong television buildi-ng falls, immediately declare the sara to her audience as an astrologer, area as an open space, do not allow palmist and numerologist. “He is also a. another bigger building to be put up on yoga master, a karate expert and a jet ominous. And, at weekends, all traffic Mr. Balsara sprang the surprise: “1 should be stopped on the wide major make perfumes.” He already has surprised many busi- ter help from the citizens.” The suggestions can only come from American conglomerates. His an unusual man and Soli Godrej is unus- pany. Perfumes of Singapore (Pvt.) Ltd., employs 400 people and has an annual turnover of $25 million in the "If you break rules and get year ended last June 30, down 25% from away, you are somebody, if you comply with rules, you are a nobody." a year earlier, Mr. Balsara says. When he took over the company from his wife, Christina, its sales totaled only $4 mil­ lion, he says. Well Known Mystic The secret of his success doesn’t lie own - and Mr. Balsara is apparently a good salesman. “He is one of the most well-known mystics in this region,” says a longtime It is not that he objects to comforts. He sleeps in an air-conditioned room, because in dry air you may sleep fewer friend, Pritam Mahtani, chairman of a hours and be refreshed and thus have long-established Singapore-based more hours to pursue your activities. And he has several activities. He is lot of perfumes. “Many people buy my Indian trading house. That helps sell a me,” says Mr. Balsara, who describes a great traveller (“Africa is my weak continent, it has 50 countries and I know "I always remind my salesgirls that they'aren't just selling a product, they are selling the creator's name, Dadi." facilities while they wanted so much for what the Godrejs do for environ- time to do these things in France.” And about Mrs. Gandhi, he says: “She knows what is best for India. She Soli Godrej as the sheriff of Bombay. He has feeling, guts, she goes abroad, sees may not be able to do much for the city, what is happening there. Whatever the but he will not at least harm it. ment”). I am looking forward to one year of 10 1During the time in ftonoTulii, Mr. Balsara also says he hosted a TV show ance. Warm Water In Singapore, Mr. Balsara “moves paper about “the science” of prognosis. “It’s a science,” he emphasizes. “I learn Exports have also increiased, Mr. Bal­ sara says. “Now we’re selling in 27 coun­ tries, including the U.S., West Germany and wrote a column for a local news- and Japan.” ¦ paper about “the science” of prognosis. But not France. “I don’t think I’m “It’s a science,” he emphasizes. “I learn , ready to take on the established giants it from my master.’’The way he describes around in the business and diplomatic on their own ground yet,” Mr. Balsara it, his “master” is a recluse living in the circles.” says his friend Mr. Mahtani. says. As for now, he has his eyes on the jungle somewhere in the middle of Mr. Balsara says he goes to cocktail par- Soviet Union, which he describes as the India. “My grandfather and my father ties quite often, but “I always ask for biggest untapped market for perfume, were the master’s followers,” Mr. Bal- wmm water, he adds. Thats the only Mr, Balsara also is teaming up with a sara says. “So am 1.” He says he spends a thing I drink. At those parties, the tall, Belgian partner to make cosmetics in few weeks every year in the jungle with slim Mr. Balsara, who has deep-set eyes says. As for now, he has his eyes on the jungle somewhere in were the master’s followers,” Mr. Bal- warm water,”he adds. “That’s the only ^VCl C LI IC 11 Ido Lv 1 o 1 V/11VJ wv 1O9 1t1i» 1 Sara says. “So am 1.” He says he spends a thing I drink.” At those parties, the tall, and a hooked nose, sometimes is asked When he isn’t makings that pilgrim- by other guests to read their palms or don’t sell on just the name. “1 reckon I age, Mr. Balsara travels frequently to horoscopes.don t mind giving some Singapore. Cosmetics have a much his master “for spiritual renewal.” bigger market than perfumes, and they L..’: , '3 - - - - _ . . . ' ¦ t horoscopes. “I don’t mind giving some can undercut the world major cosmetics his markets, always flying first class. He free advice, he says. producers by at least 25%,” Mr. Balsara usually spends about half of his time As a well-known mystic, Mr. Balsara says. with his agents on those trips. “Tve got i . . many spiritual friends in many coun- the numerous Singapore social clubs, tries,” Mr. Balsara says. When they Recently, he gave a speech at the break­ meet, they talk about the cosmos — not business. Such friendships can be useful for his risen at least since his TV appear- ¦ ' .................. As a well-known mystic, Mr. Balsara t is a popular guest speaker at meetings of many spiritual friends in many coun- the numerous Singapore social clubs. Like poetry, perfumes appeal to individual tastes... people buy a particular perfume for its fragrance as well as for its Image. friends’friends, Mr. Balsara sometimes gets some free publicity by being invited to look into the future on local TV pro­ grams. When he was in Hong Kong last August, a local TV station asked Mr. Balsara to predict the future of the col­ ony. After introducing himself as a per­ fume maker, Mr. Balsara got down to the serious business of “calculating,” fast meeting of the English Women’s numerology. His prognosis; Hong Kong your destiny through you and your will do fine in the immediate and the palm.” He says he has talked about sim- Not Alchemy The 49-year-old Mr. Balsara learned pricing as well as other business skills in the past decade. Born a Parsi in Bom­ bay, Mr. Balsara studied chemistry business too. Through his friends or his (“not alchemy,” he insists) at an Indian university. After a stint in the Indian civil service, Mr. Balsara went to the U.S. “to pursue my study of the human nature,” he says. In academic terms, he studied psychol­ ogy at the University of California in Los Angeles. His keen interest in “the human nature” brought him to Honolulu, _ _ Hawaii, where “numerous races of peo- based on his knowledge of astrology and Association. The subject: You and pie live harmoniously together,” Mr. Balsara says. He says he gave counsel- _ ling for personal problems in Honolulu distant future. Mr. Balsara claims the ilar occult subjects at several other for several years. sale of his perfumes in Hong Kong has women s associations. I want to tell them it is a science not to be laughed at," Mr. Balsara says. He doesn’t keep count of his converts. But “1 know when they see my perfumes on the counters, their minds will click,” Mr. Balsara says. “This is human psy­ chology,” he says and adds that he finds knowledge of psychology useful to his business. He might have continued his counsel­ ing practice in Honolulu if he hadn’t met his wife, the widow of a Singapore film magnate, Loke Wan The. They got mar­ ried in 1973. Instead of going back to Honolulu, he stayed in Singapore and took over the management of his wife’s floundering perfume company. Christina and Dadi: Fortune from fragrance I ¦ I S' » PARStANA - JANUARY 1983 M i Unique Perfume “I wanted to create a perfume unique to Singapore,” Mr. Balsara recalls, helped by his knowledge of chemistry. 11. -e ’> t I'' r ¦ r %•- Iht^ead of one, he “created** four per- guarantee to buy a fumes and named them “Singapore each year. Mr. Balsara shares the adver- Girl,” “First Lady,” “Bali” and “Chris­ tina.” He also produces a cologne for men called “Dadi 7.” Feeling inspired, Mr. Balsara com­ posed a few lines to commemorate the market launching of his perfumes: “An exciting waft of new different fragrances, arising from the East is sailing steadily westward for a re-awakening. ” Like poetry, perfumes appeal to indi­ vidual tastes. And, as Mr. Balsara says, people buy a particular perfume for its fragrance as well as for its image. “I always remind my salesgirls that they aren’t just selling a product, they are selling the creator’s name, Dadi,” Mr. Balsara says. In Singapore, his perfumes are selling guarantee to buy a s CiTie quantity An Afnbmt Life ¦ t hr, \r I; - K i ¦ ... •' lx I: A*’" M- "v. •4f~ 4-- !¦ J am making money,” Mr. Balsara tising expenses with his agents. says casually. That money has bought Like many other perfume manufac- him a huge house in a plush residential turers, Mr. Balsara buys most of the district, two cars and a vast array of ingredients from a few specialized firms, . Asianantiques.His wifeisa keencollec- mostly Swiss. He then mixes these ingre- tor of Buddha heads in marble, stone dients with other chemicals in Singa- and bronze. Dozens of them sit in their pore according to secret formulas that living room on plant stands, table tops or window sills. Mr. Balsara says he lives a simple life with his wife who is now “assisting” him in the perfume business. (The Balsaras have no children.) He goes to work at 10 o’clock in the morning. After dinner, Mr. Balsara practices karate for one hour, yoga for one hour and meditates in front of a framed photograph of his master until he goes to sleep at four in the morning. . He says he can communicate with his from the he says, which master who imparts new knowledge to “We can’t save money on this item even when sales aren’t doing well,” says Mr. Balsara. Mr. Balsara revenue fell 25% in the year ended June 30 because of the world-wide recession. But “sales are now picking up. More and more people have heard about Dadi,” he says. He spends a few weeks every year in the jungle with his master "for spiritual renewal. ” he says have been insured at Lloyd’s of London for more than $70 million. He buys the bottles for his perfumes f • ¦¦ '¦ ......... .............. through more than 300 outlets including accounts for 50% of his {Troductfon costs, airport duty free shops and major department stores. The typical arrange­ ment with his retailers is that he employs and pays the salaries of the sales-girls and sells merchandise to the retailers, which provide counters in their shops free of rent. In the export markets, all Mr. Balsa- ra’s sales are handled by agents who The Bigger Better Lemonade M 11. A him bit by bit during those meditations. “1 know it’s difficult for an ordinary person to understand,” Mr. Balsara says. He may not be an ordinary person says his company’s but his business thinking isn’t all that esoteric. The more people know about Dadi the mystic, the more perfumes he sells. Courtesy The Asian Wall Street Journal (Singapore Mystic Dadi Talks His Way to Success hy James Leung.) 'i & 0) z o o JBusiness Image Award i Noted jurist Nani Palkhivala has been sg nominated for the Jayaramdas P^tel ’• Foundation Endowment Award insti­ tuted by the Indian Merchants’ Chamber in recognition of his outstand­ ing contribution in enhancing the image of the business community, according to the Indian Express of 22 December 1982. The award, which will be presented at the Chamber’s 75th annual general meeting in February is one of seven Indian Merchants’ Chamber Diamond Jubilee Endowment Awards for out­ standing achievement in 1981, notes the report. ¦ I Il Mistry: Proved his mettle '-¦.•¦•¦.J- Parsi Charity Charity nowadays is a. term often synonymous with the “degeneration of the poor through pecuniary help,” but two local organisations have given it a different character by making people stand on their legs. The Women’s Zoroastrian Associa­ tion (WZA) and the Ratan Tata Insti­ tute (RTl) are two pioneering institutions engaged in providing suc­ cour to the needy. Founded in August 1903, the Mandal offers a variety of services including cat- Ratan Tata Trust (RTT) to the Mandal ering, laundry and sewing. The income to house the institute, is undergoing ren- from these provides a decent living to about 350 Parsee women. Ms. Aloo F. Desai, secretary of the RTl, said the institute also offers gui- enoughwomenstafftoexpanditsactivi- dance to its workersand their families to ties. “It is difficult to get Parsee girls tackle problems which make them con- ‘because of the craze for white collar tary to the Board in 1974 and then got sider the RTl as their home. .............. ~ The employees of the RTl, besides salaries and other allowances, get free institute has some handicaps. “Many of bay main office, the biggest banking lunch and gifts, Ms. Desai said. the women working here have domestic office of the Central Bank. RTFs catering department provides problems — children for instance.” “We In March 1980 he was made Deputy the luncheon needs of Bombay House, have no creche, so, the women are General Manager in charge of the entire the head office of Tatas, besides market- encouraged to take work home—in fact, credit department. ing a variety of confectionery through a lot of sewing and embroidery work is Courtesy The Daily, /1 November I982. various stalls and restaurants in the city, done at home.” Its reputation is such that it had the Counes >• The Daily, is Dei ember I982. privilege of providing food at a recep- , tion for Prince Charles in 1980, she said Central Bank Head proudly. With its annual turnover of about Rs. seven lakhs, RTl provides scholar- Veteran banker Noshir Maneckshaw ships under the Bai Dinabai Patuck Mistry took over as the General Man- Memorial Fund to deserving students, ager of the Central Bank of India in mid-day meals to 30 children of Girton November 1982. School, and runs an employment Palkhivala: Boosting business image at the institute are also in demand as respondence offices from 1959 to 1962. they have been able to maintain a high Being a chartered accountant. Mistry standard, Ms. Desai added. was put in charge of the balance sheet The first building donated by the department from 1965. He showed his mettle in the famous Sami Patel fraud case. He investigated the case and also appeared in the court as a witness in the case involving a fraud ovation to provide a hostel for women from outside Bombay. Strangely, the institute does not get of Rs. 2.5 crores with international ramifications. Mistry became manager and secre- jobs,” Ms. Desai said. promoted as Assistant General Man- Apart from this, running such an ager. He was put in charge of the Bom- vv €4 Sethna's Car From the outside, Larkson College Associate Professor Beheruz N. Seth- na’s new car looks like any other 1982 Ford Escort. But under the hood and beneath the dashboard it’s quite different. The reason ? It’s an electric car rented bureau whose services can be availed of August 1956, has held senior positions as part of a 10,000 dollars Federal by non-Parsees also. in India as well as abroad. He served in Department of Energy (DOE) Electric Clothing and lingerie manufactured the London office and other foreign cor- Mistry, who joined the bank in Vehicle Demonstration grant. PARSIANA : JANUARY ,983 13p- The grant is to teach people about Bhatsai scheme, stage-1. Which is hardly electric vehicles and determine why peo- surprising, because he has been respon- ple might buy them. sible for its full implementation, from “Electric prices are rising less than gas- the time it reached the World Bank oline, so the future car could conceiv- appraisal stage in 1973, through plan- ably result in cost saving," explained ning and design, construction, commis- Brian Maxwell, one of four School of sion of the augmentation stage and Management students working on the finally the commissioning of water in project under Professor Sethna. The electric car costs about 15,000 dollars compared to about 9,000 dollars for the execution of 54 contracts involv- for a gasoline powered version. ing Rs. 145 crores with a staff of 300 But with an operating cost of 1.5cents engineers working in the water supply per mile / for gasoline — the savings would pay for the car after l00,0(M) miles, he said. Batteries fill the space under the hood that the project is inextricably entwined and much of the rear trunk space, with his life, taking priority over every- Unlike a gasoline engine there is only thing else, one moving part resulting in reduced maintenance expenses. When Professor Sethna starts the car, it hums. He shifts it like a traditional biggest water treatment plant (at Bhan- vehicle. When the car stops, it is silent because no electric power is being used, leading 350 million gallons, per day from six the first time rider to believe it has sources: Vihar, Tansa, Tulsi, Ulhas . stalled. river, Modak Sagar and Upper Vai- tarna. In fact, when he became chief 1981. In short, he was directly responsible compared with about 5 cents project division. Small wonder, then, that he has been living, eating and breathing Bhatsai so “It is not every day that one gets the opportunity to handle the biggest water augmentation scheme in Asia and the dup) in the world." he says. The city supply before Bhatsai was Inside, under the dash, a digital rea­ dout and special gauge tell the driver engineer, it was in time to complete the how much power is left. lipper Vaitama project which wascom- After being plugged into a 220 volt missioned in 1973. outlet overnight, the car can travel 30 to 70 miles, depending on the speed, before bring the city an additional 100 million it runs out of power. gallons per day. Water from this source Noting the United States imports 45 has been coming into the city from 1980, per cent of its oil. Professor Sethna says but by the end of January, the 450 mil- one million barrels of oil would be saved lion gallons pouring in to meet the needs if 15 per cent of all vehicles were electric, of citizens will be filtered water. Filtered Under the grant, the students will be mind you, not fully treated, for while the testing the vehicle to ensure it meets the treatment plant at Bhandup is ready, operating specifications claimed by its there are a few snags that are still to be , manufacturer. Electric Vehicle Asso- smoothed out. ciates, Cleveland, Ohio. Courtesy The Daily.26-Xt9vemhnr 1981. Bhatsai has three stages and each will But hy the end of the monsoon, Bom- bayites should be getting their 450 mil­ lion gallons fully treated and it will be goodbye to the nightmare of turgid water streaming from taps, almost vis- Building Bhatsai It is not every day that one comes across ibiy teeming with germs that should not employees of the Bombay municipal be there. What better farewell present corporation who describe their jobs as could Mr. Kandawalla give the city he “exciting, exhilarating, often full of has served well and faithfully for so frustrations but one that I would opt for long! all over again? It is also not often that one comes across men like Mr. TemopI Maneck- shaw Kandawalla. chief engineer (water 2,00,(XX) people coming in each year. The ' supply projects) a post he has held since second phase is in full swing, the designs February 1, 1972, and which he will are over, tenders are out, construction relinquish on his retirement after 34 should start in a couple of months and years of service, tomorrow. by June 1986. it should be completed, he And interviewing Mr. Kandawalla says. about himself can be pretty frustrating as the man keeps coming back to the btaO Outsn *« cami Yet Mr. Kandawalla is the first to say this is not enough. Between 550-600 mil­ lion gallons per day is more like it. with CounnT MID-DAY. 30 iJnrmlheT I9SI. fEi^ginKn- «tuii PARSIANA. . JANUARY 1983 JEENA & COMPANY ESTD. 1900 IATA AIR CARGO Clearing, Forwarding Warehousing and Insurance Agents 10, Veer Nariman Road Fort. Bombay-1. Cable: 'JUSTITIA' Telex: 2313 Phone: 312032 BRANCHES : E. Merc House 19/B, Shakespeare Sarani (Formerfy Theatre Road) CALCUTTA-16. Phone: 444711 'Jeena House' 50, Hanuman Road Connaught Circus NEW DELHI Phone: 310821 C.14, Dewtha Plaza, 1st floor Residency Road Bangalore-25 Phone: 564474 No. 26-26-24, 2nd floor VIZAGAPATN AM-35 Phone: 62018 15 ui s •J? F IMUSIC Two little boys recited their prayers against a magnificent backdrop of white-robed priests. It could have been a scene from ‘The Magic Flute’ but was a real Navjot ceremony being filmed for ‘A quest for Zarathustra ’ at a Parsi agiary in Bombay last week. Zubin Mehta in white trousers and dagli explained the initiation rites to the camera. Later he recalled how his own Navjot had had to be cancelled when he lost his voice the previous evening having spent all day at the Oval Maidan playing cricket. Zubin Mehta talked to Amrita Abraham about the film, music and politics. Zubin Mehta: “A Quest for Zarathushtra” it from two or three people in the last What sort of music do you imagine it from two or three people in the last Could the present refusal to allow you would be right for “A quest for Zara- couple of days. ‘After the success of in have anything to do with the religion thustra?” Gandhi Zoroaster’s film has to be as of the film? They have, for instance. You know what? We have not even good.’ But, for god’s sake, we’re not persecuted the Baha’is. discussed that. More absolute music making an epic here. We’re making an would be preferable to me. Not pro­ gramme music, not music with a name. There’s a suggestion that we end with the end of Stravinsky’s Firebird. Just off the cuff, I would say Bach. Some of the non-choral music of Bach. In other Israeli connection. Cyrus Bharucha (the hold no civil service job. Zoroastrians words, 1 don’t want to put Christian, " Latin words on to this film. No it is me, and the Baha’is because they have no books. The Iranians accept all religions that have books; Christians, It’sa pity, of course,thatyouwon’tbe Jews. Zoroastrians are tolerated. A able to do any location shooting in Iran. Zoroastrian is discriminated against Iran won’t let me in. Because of my today in Iran in that he is allowed to educational film. director of the film) asked them. They were slightly discriminated against in ' said they wouldn’t allow me in. 1 wanted the Shah’s time—they could never be to go to Cyrus’tomb. Zoroaster’s birth prime minister, they could never really People are going to have special place is near the Sea of Aral. Russia get to the top positions. A couple of expectations about the music seeing that might allow me in. Russia has nothing rnonths before the fall of the Shah, a you are concerned with the film. against me. In the time of the Shah they friend of mine who belongs to the I’ll tell you what scares me. Tve heard would have allowed me in to Iran. Zoroastrian community of Iran, Far- 16 PARSIANA ; JANUARY 1983Indian (and I know I’ll get it on the head for saying that). The distinction is in the religion but not in my nationalistic feel­ ings. hang Mehr, was going to be made And I am very cynical in the film in the ambassador to India and, of course, beginning about the whole thing. since he was nominated as ambassador by the Shah, he was blacklisted, he was on the shooting list, and he escaped on foot through Turkey. You talked earlier about the link son for your interest in this film ? Is it a gton, when you played there... between Judaism and Zoroastrianism, quest for your identity, so to speak? I didn’t really meet her. 1 asked for an Are you going to emphasise this in the film? There’s a lot of mention in it. You know there’s the Book of Esther. Esther Delhi to Bombay, 1 said, my god, I m was married to a Zoroastrian. The man i who led the Jews out of Babylon was a so surrounded, so protected. It’s just my I didn’t want to meet her only because Zoroastrian king. We’re just taking the imagination. But that’s the way I felt, of this project. 1 asked to meet Mrs. facts. Our trinity of good thoughts and Because, anywhere I am ... I’m a very Gandhi in London, New York, good words and good deeds goes right assimilated person. When I’m in Washington and Los Angeles. And ten ; through all religions. We believe that Vienna, I’m very Viennese. In Israel I’m minutes were not found for me. You ours was the first religion to point out very Israeli. In America, because of my know, I didn’t bring up this subject. You the difference between right and wrong family and everything.I’m American, in brought it up. in a world of paganism and idolatory. that sense. But culturally I think I’ve There will be a great amount of argu- always remained an Indian. Why do you think a meeting was not Is the conflict of identities, or Zoroas­ trian living in America and the paranoia or schizophrenia connected with it that you spoke about earlier today one rea- White House duringher visit to Washin- When you met Mrs Gandhi at the Identity—or non-identity—with me, appointment which never really materi- living outside, is a way of life. I’m afraid. But yesterday when I sat on a plane from alised. I would have thought that this project really one of them. 1 felt wonderful. I felt would interest her personally. so surrounded, so protected. It’s just my I didn’t want to meet her only because in a world of paganism and idolatory. that sense. But culturally I think I’ve I 3 .*¦ A. ¦ . 'f 5- - ,1 What was it about ? About South Africa. 1 wanted to ask my prime minister her advice. That’s all. In the end I never went. There are two ways of looking at it. I feel as strongly against the South African ethic as any Indian does. I don’t have to go into that. In 1971 the Israeli Philharmonic was invited there and I refused because they refused to have any mixed audiences there. So 1 said, fine, 1 don’t have to come. 1 asked them ‘why not’ and they said because Johannesburgdoesn’t have any toilets for Indians in the hall. So, I didn’t go. The Israelis went with another conductor and 1 was very conspicuous by my absence—everyone spoke about it. Last year they came and asked us again. These are the Jews of South Africa who pay for the trip and every­ thing. They are a very rich community there. Now, tours mean a lot of money for orchestral musicians. So if you refuse a tour they don’t take it so easily because they lose all that money, indi­ vidually. And although 1 read and know level. Except for emotion I have no rea- relations which have not been so good? that things have slightly improved in son. It’s like the people in Israel who Not too much. I do the best I can that country, very slightly, in that kind don’t want to hear Wagner. They can’t when the opportunity arises. But Mrs of ultra society, slightly is not enough give me a solid reason. They just don’t Gandhi was terrific in America. Oh yes. for me. want to hear it. 1 did play Wagner in Listen. I was there for most of the 1 said not only do I want mixed Israel. But I’m not programming it any speeches, for most of the talking back- t tj i 4b»- .*• '-J s*: {BH^^^^***** ’.^ r ifv . SI Mehta with Bharucha: Refused entry into Iran So, you decided not to go . prominent Indians in America you I just couldn't do it on an emotional could do something for Indo-American that things have slightly improved in son. It’s like the people in Israel who audiences I also want 200 tickets per more because I’m hurting too many people, stage. They admired her. She spoke concert that I will give to the Indians. I .. . . . don’t want you to tell me that they didn’t come to the box office. And I said I want in Israel and the attempt to bring the this, a letter from the prime minister’s office Israeli Philharmonic during the Janata confirming this, thinking, of course, regime that music is above politics? that all these conditions aren’t going to 1 ' ‘ ................. ' ' be accepted. But they called my bluff and very important for politics. In Argen- accepted all the conditions this year, tina, two months ago with the New York friend called Henry Kissinger and he That put me in a spot. And Mrs Gandhi Philharmonic, through our concerts in openly tells me how much he hated ever- came to London in April. 1 wanted to Buenos Aires, which is a very culture- ything. He’s a very astute politician but talk to her about that. Now the point is, conscious city, we made a complete he’s a man who sometimes lets his own emotionally, 1 still didn’t want to go. But breakthrough in relations between the feelings conduct his policies. And irrthe case of Indira he didn’t like her. 1 don’t We had four completely packed know why. It was a personal thing. He >—not at the didn’t like her. She used to go out of her honestly. I thought she did a terrific job. Were you trying to show with Wagner Is hope both sides follow through with Do you think relations are getting 1 don’t even say that. 1 think music is better? Yes. Nixon hated India and 1 have a there’s the argument put forward by a United States and Argentina, lot of people who sympathise with me ’.................. ’ ‘ who say, ‘but, look they’ve accepted houses, standing ovations—i your conditions, you will be the first end of the concert, after the first piece ! way at the Vietnam time to lambast the Indian that would go there and make It’s literally the best music public in the U.S. Carter was very friendly towards that breakthrough. You will be the first world in Buenos Aires. It’s completely India. And now ever since her visit it’s Indian that maybe they would give a indescribable. The love. The enthusi- gotten better. standing ovation to, and that would asm. The numbers. And what we did, break a lot ofthings. You would, sort of, that really put an end to all frustrations, show them up for their ignorance all was that we gave a free concert in an stein? these years’. That’s a valid point. I tried indoor arena for 12,000 people, at I was with him fifteen days ago. I to discuss it with her. I never got to her. Lunar Park. This time it wasn’t a musi- knew when 1 left him it was the last time __ _____ • ____________________ cal success. It was a success of the spirit. I was seeing him. He was so shrunken. I People standing up and saying, ‘gracias ’. played more with Rubenstein than any other soloist in the last ten years. Do you think that as one of the most Because of our Israeli connection. There to discuss it with her. I never got to her. Reprinted with permission from The Sunday Observer. 26 December 1982. Photogre^hs courtesy The Sunday Observeranr/Society. PARSIANA . JANUARY 1933 When did you last see Arthur Rubin- 19was almost a father-son relationship. Besides bcanga “Sangeet Visharad ” in familiar to the city’s music lovers. Presently die is one of the promoteis tabla planing, Aban also holds a “San- Do you know some Sp" ’ '^t-.- w!' J' SPORTS •F si^' f \. In the waters off Pi lot Bianidter. not far nobtxly can better the record.” says smacLs in the village of Satpaty in from the Gateway of India,.39yatchs- Zarir. Tfuina district where he was born.his men from 13 countries sailed for the The Fireball pair were undoubtedly father being employed in the Fisheries top honours at the IX Asian Games the favourites of the cheering, enthusias- Department. A student of the St. Sebas- Yatching in November. Among them tje spectators, with Faroukh Tarapore tbin High School and later Don Bosco were six Parsis—Farookh Tarapore/ generally referred to as the Indian sail- and Khalsii College. Faroukh joined the Zarir Karanjia, Byrami anc^ Goshpi ing wizard, his dextrous handling of National Defence Academy in Poona, Avari — the husband and wife team every'boat, and especially the Fireball, winning several awards including the from Karachi a nd the Uhwalla brothers intnxluced in Indian waters only a yettr sailing trophy. In the Asian Cadet — Jeejee and Fali. ago, widely acclaimed. Championships in 1975 he took the Faroukh Tarapore arxlZarir Karan­ jia, with the former at the helm, won strives not for the medal but to perfect Chaminonships in Bombay in 1976 he won India's first gold medal in the Asian his skill. A sub-lieutenant in the Indian Games Yatching in the 'Fireball' navy. Faroukh was not altogether class, the fastest boat in the Asiad fleet. The Avaris successfully retained the gold medal won at the 1978 Bangkok Games in the 'Enter­ prise' class, a boat that is not as fast or as physically demanding as the Fireball, while the Unwallas took the silver in the Enterprise class. says The F irehali pair were undoubtedh { ago, widely acclaimed. Faroukh, alter ten years of sailing, gold medal, in the lOth World Cadet navy. a bronze, and in 1977 he won the national championships in the cadet *sr AT THE HELM Hutokshi D. Doctor ,‘i »p.l Tarapore and Kaianpa: Dextrons hai^liiig Tarapore and Karanjia “For two years y ou’ve been keying your­ self up for something and when you’ve actually done it you can’t believe it’s happened. Suddenly you find it’s over... Il’s over and you’\e won,” smiles Zarir and 1 no longer get (,a> childish thrill ¦ happy with his performance and i.s class. With Zarir as crew. Faroukh won reported to have siiid. “We made a lot of the bronze in the 1981 Asian Regatta. -- mistakes we shouldn’t have.” Another " ’ “ - - - press report quotes him as saying. have been sailing for the last ten years When Faroukh and Zarir^won their 1 fourth successive race in the Asrads, a member of the press who watched them win reported. “Tarapore is head and Karanjia {20), the slim and boyish after winning another medal. What 1 shoulders above the others. He sails marine engineering apprerrtice at Bom­ bay’s Mazagon Docks, highlighting in his simple fashion, both the eventual triumph and the months of tense train­ ing that preceded it. I he success of the Fireball pair is underlined by the fact that, besides win­ ning India’s first gold in this discipline, races with zero Fireball, they won all seven penalty points. ‘Chanceless Spirits’ forging ahettd time after time. “ f he best part about it is that their aim for is perfection. I get a personal with the audacity of a champion, almost making a mockery of the rest of the fleet.”and when they won the fifth race, ible fascination of the blue sea all claiming the gold he wrote, “The around isn’t all that makes these sailors manner in which Tarapore helms the lake their sport so seriously. As Zarir boat is a lesson in yatching... larapore puts it, “Racing dinghies and theiroper- ation isn’t just physical but also mental wind.” An emphatic “Naturally v.e are all was Faroukh’.s father, F.R. 'larapore’s reac- satisfaction if I’ve sailed correctly.” The wind in their hair and the irresist- raced ahead as though challenging the activity... It requires intelligence.” so the that the mental challenge is far greater proud of it. no doubt about it,” than the physical. f..................... ........... Faroukh grew up watching the fishing tion when asked how he felt about his 22 PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983»: ,t ¦ I Ct'* r k •It '-ACn: 7 T a> * ' i. if?? son winning the gold medal. He proudly continuing inxolvement with sailing, stressed the fact that the Bombay Parsi from those childhood days when they’d Punchayet.the Mancherji Edalji Memor­ ial Trust Fund and the Borivli and Sub­ urban Zoroastrian Association have sent Faroukh and his family felicitating make to the Olympics,” ^ays his letters. “ l odav he has won the gold because J 7 7 ¦ " _ ¦’ asforhimself. “It had to be something to said the senior Tarapore. Faroukh being do with the sea.” Frying to put into presently at sea. The navy has promised words the feel ol the sea and the waves to send Faroukh on an European circuit ’ . in preparation for the Olympics where. spend their Sundays sailing together. “Faroukh has joined the navy for sail­ ing. and I’m pretty sure he’s going to of the navy and the Sea Cadet Corps.” friend Zarir. a student of Campion School and later the K.C. College, and a.s for himself. “It had to be something to Medal last year in recognition of his impressive sailing record. “Sailing is a rough and strenuous sport but we do it for relaxation... I don’t take tranquilisers for frayed nerves, 1 go yatching,” Avari is reported to have said. “According to Avari, his finest moment came when, in apprecia­ tion of his sailing prowess, the Pakistani government nominated him member of the federal council (Majlis-e- Shuria). a post he still holds.” notes a press report. The Pakistani government has recently announced a grant ol Rs. II lakhsTor an institution to promote sail­ ing, but the story goes that at the Bang- as a ¦s * "05 and the sails. Zarir says with a shrug of his shoulders. “It’s got a lure of it’s should he qualify, he will, sail the 470 own”. .E Byram and Goshpi Avari The Avaris’ victory followed a furious . battle with the llnwalla brothers and the kok Games in 1978 Avari and his crew Japanese team and as the veteran yatchs- did not even possess adequate sailing man sailed through his fourth successive ' ¦ - •*-...... win in the Enterprise, he kissed wile and crew Goshpi, (reportedly the only Pakis­ tani woman participating in the Games), in jubilant triumph. “Our entire lifestyle had to change after we’d decided to compete at the IX Asiad,” Goshpi is reported to have said. “We had rigorous practice hours and nothing except the prospect ot clinching teamed up the gold medal kept us going. We were ' obsessed with winning.” ‘Beat the Jock’ was what their boat was called and determined to win, Avari has been training systematically lor the Games. In the Wills Asian Regatta in 1981 Avari failed to secure a medal, but this lime he arrived ten days earlier and spent his time studying the tides and the w'aywa^rd light winds with Goshpi and his coach, Lin Pinnelli, the lourth renowned English coach to sail with Avari in 1982 alone. Strangely enough, Pinnel 1 i’s employer, the noted sailmaker the international circuit, and Avari will 7........ ;.... :___-Le i- ’ ¦ ¦ > • .... ..... I I ____ Unwallas’ coach. Both teams sailed the next Asiad and Olympics in the 470 -'.¦'-P-'r’'?"?'. “Our drill had improved identical Oventon boats at the Games class. with the experience,” said Zarir, “but both being models designed by Jimmy .............. home waters, to sail in the place wiiere you learnt sailing helps considerably, because you have prior knowledge of tidal waters and wind shifts.” The ‘Chanccless Spirits’ belonged to the navy and has now been preserved lor championships. Both Faroukh and Zarir started sail­ ing at the Sea Cadet Corps, ti voluntary organisation managed by Commodore G.S. Ahuja, which trains youngsters pionships in Canada in between the ages of 10 to 16 in various aspects of seafaring. Theirs has been a PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 gear, and when they won the gold, they had to delay the medal presentation ceremony while they shopped for track­ suits. But Avari is today the president of the Enterprise class association of Paki­ stan, and plans to stage the world cham­ pionships in this class in November this year. This is the lust time the Avaris have ) for an international event, though Goshpi (36) has twice accom- ' panied Avari at the national level. It is Karachi in B" R: W? *we The Avaris : Victory kiss class yatch. "Ulis time the government bought all the equipment abroad.” said Zarir. and even sent the competitors for the world championships to gain added experience. and sailor Robert Storrar has been the "Our entire lifestyle had to j change after we'd decided to compete at the IX Asiad." also reportedly their last appearance on now be coaching his son Xerxes (14) lor Unwalla, eider brother of Jeejeeand Fall. Jeejee and Fali Cnwalla Avari(41), a millionaire whose family “Sailing involves theory, physics, haid owns the Beach Luxury Hotel in Kara­ chi. the Lahore Hilton and the Karachi Hilton is a man of varied interests, as work - all the time you’ve got to be thinking,” says Jeejee, a tall and good­ looking second year B.Sc student at Wil- proficient on the violin a.s he is at the son College. ‘Its more thinking that helm, according to press reports. Hav- 1 ' . ' ' -....« '* . . ........... ing won the President’s gold in 1979, the ous thought process - you go I romone Canadian gold in 1981, and positioning ' ' ' ¦ *•............ ..i,.... runners-up in the World Sailing Cham- helm, according to press reports. Hav- U.S. Open National Sailing Champion­ ships, he was awarded the President’s gets you ahead, not speed. It's acontinu- thought to the next. It’s a game of chess played physically - getting ahead your- IQSlaiidinthe self plus stopping the other person. Anticipating the wind - the tide - innu­ merable variables.” 23 /Engineer \ wicket, wicket life OB' ' ’f Shirish Nadkami s _ ___ -I - n I** h This is one sport that affords no dull moment; rather it's one big learning pro­ cess, says Jeejee who’s also been sailing for the last ten years, his father and three elder brothers including Fali, who was his crew for the Asiads, all being yatch­ ing champions. “Experience always teaches you how to do things the correct. He whacks the white rubber ball with way... Upto now I’ve never come across the same explosive power that he used in the same situation twice. At the spur of |ji his salad days to despatch the shiny red the moment you've got to make the final S sphere to the ropes. The same aggressive adaptation and that's half the fun.” mien that characterised his showing on But competitive sailing can be a strain I the cricketing field, either in front of, or too, demanding concentration for two behind the wickets, is apparent these and a half hours at a stretch, according B tennis courts. And although to Jeejee. There is no room for error B / k there is ample evidence of prosperity in since each error gets magnified through- the central vital statistic, the same flashy out the race, and the sailor must keep athleticism of old is very much present covering and recovering his losses. when he moves like quicksilver at the net The organisation of the Games was S to demolish a loose ball. good, the light wind suitable, but the The Unwalbs : Physical chess “I firmly believe that the ball is meant sailing was mediocre, said Jeejee. Of the to be hit, and hit hard,” grins Farokh nine boats in the Enterprise class, the enjoy the sport,'^ says Zarir, describing Engineer, one of India's greatest first three were always far ahead, while its popularity in the West where families Test stumpers, who is currently in India the rest struggled for the minor placings. fasten their boats on the tops of their on holiday. The wicket-keeper- The world championships, where the vehicles and drive to the sea-shore, batsman, who dominated India's efforts first 20 or 30 participants are equally “They’re a lot more seafaring than we in international cricket during the late good, he finds more challenging and are.” sixties and early seventies, has been in educative. England for almost 17 years but still visits his home shores when he can. On the present occasion, he is here to spend Christmas and the New Year with his family. “1 haven’t been here for nearly four years now,” he says. “1 was here very briefly last year for the Ram- Sailing for pleasure is neither an chand benefit match, but that can nor an expensive sport, hardly count as a visit. I want to spend Besides winning several medals at the national level, Jeejee, who started sail­ ing in 1972, has participated in several ,, world championships. In Canada in gets you ahead, not speed. 1980, Jeejee and Fali (the elder of the ¦" . ........ —....... two and an architect) won the last two races coming seventh in a fleet of 45 and winning the junior world championship, exclusive nor an < In the Enterprise World Championships according to Jeejee. Besides the Sea time on this visit with my brother and at Tynemouth, England, they positi- Cadet Corps which provides excellent my wife’s mother.” Accompanying oned I5th out of 150 starters, bagging training to young sailors, Jeejee recom- Farokh (or ‘Rooky’, as he is affection- the “Conch Trophy” and a prize in the mends membership of the Royal Bom- ately known to one and all) is his wife junior category. At the Wills Asian bay Yatch Club and the Colaba Sailing Shernavaz (Sherry), and the younger of Regatta they took the gold. Club in Bombay, junior membership of his two daughters, Tina (Teenaz). “We’d been given quite an intensive which, according to him, is fairly reaso- The three landed in Bombay on Mon­ training which could have led to some nable. But to be a good sailor it isn’t day, and two of them promptly made a staleness,” said Jeejee. “There’s the psy- sufficient to like the sport, emphasises beeline for the Bombay Gymkhana ten- chological aspect to any race. You Jeejee. “You’ve got to really go for it.” nis courts. Farokh, who took up the psyche yourself before, during and after “Besides, you’ve got to have dedication game 18 months ago when his busy sche- the race.” What constitutes success in a and the ambition to make it good in dule as the Marketing and Sales'Direc- race is, according to Jeejee, 90 per cent sailing,” advises Zarir. tor of Textiles in the Jules Simon group practice, the rest “psyching.” A little bit .................. " . . - of luck can.go a long way too, and some­ times, though not too often, you happen to be in the right place at the right time Zarir, and once the sport is popularised that could only be expected of and the wind shifts in your favour. 7 ' ' • ••¦ ¦ ¦ • __ - Talking about himself Jeejee is as dif- sors. Air-India for one, he says, always made him the scourge of even the quick­ diffidence in trying to explain the sailing international championships, experience to the layman and in speak- ........................ ....... ing of their desjre to popularise sailing up competitive sailing as it is time- the rosy-cheeked youngster was radiant as a sport in India. “Sailing isn’t given consuming, requiring hours of daily “1 beat Daddy at tennis today,” she the right sort of publicity,” says Jeejee. practice, but they will continue to sail bubbled excitedly, while her father "It's more thinking that Competitive sailing is, however, of companies left him with time only for expensive. “The only thing that enables us weekend cricket, has got rather goofl at to sail is the support of sponsers,” says the game in a very short while. But then, a man Zarir hopes it will be easier to find spon- whose phenomenally good eyesight fident as Zarir, but they both lose that provide free tickets to participants at est bowlers in the world. Farokh is eleven-year-old Tina’s And Jeejee, like Zarir, plans to give coach at tennis. On Wednesday evening, sport in India. “Sailing isn’t given consuming, requiring hours of daily “1 beat Daddy at tennis today,” she “What we want to do is get yatching for pleasure because, as Jeejee says, looked on with an indulgent smile. “This started in India, get more people to “Once the bug bites, you can't leave it.” was the first time 1 beat him ! Oh, Tm so 24 PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 'Once the bug bites, you can't leave it.B some school, or judging beauty contests, or doing some sort of charity work.” He “We have lots of riding, hockey and excited !” It is perhaps the first of a long series of defeats on the courts for tennis at school,” says Tina, “and next Daddy, though he is not likely to be so term, we will be starting on cricket as agreed with alacrity that he enjoyed the generous when he takes on any other well. Tina is the one in the family who opposition. takes after her sporting father, the elder The Engineers have prospered in girl being more studious and inclined Blighty. Farokh, who began with the more towards the gentler pursuits as Jules Simon group eight years ago, was playing the piano. The girls however, upgraded to his current position two share a love of horses, and Farokh takes years ago. Obviously, with the number them riding whenever he can. of calls on his time, he has had to give up 1 . .. _ county cricket, but still manages to keep day in the Engineer household (they live stronger! “And then, I cook him his in touch with the game by playing Lan- close to the industrial town of Manches- cashire League cricket on Saturday ter), with the uninhibited help of Tina, afternoons and Sundays. Wife Sherry “Daddy’s a late riser,” she volunteered, owns a boutique (‘Sherry’s Fabrics’), the drawing a heavy frown of mock­ dress materials for which are contrib­ uted by Farokh—he buys the stuff at discounted rates from the warehouses of the firm for which he works. In fact, the boutique business has proved so lucra­ tive that the Engineers have just acquired an additional shop, which will be run as a branch. The girls, Meenaz(‘Minnie’) and Tina are also doing well at school. While the 16 year old Minnie had to be left behind as she faces an examination in a few days’ time, Tina has been able to accom­ pany her parents to India because the visit has been made to coincide with her end-of-term holidays. The tousle-haired disapproval from the maligned individ- youngster was enrolled this year at an i , _ exclusive boarding-school, mainly for late, you see; I invariably have dinner the excellent all-round facilities it pro­ vides. 1- beauty shows the most! “Daddy always has tea in bed,”butted in the irrepressible Tina. “Whenever 1 am home, I bring it to him.” Engineer enjoys three to four cups of tea in the morning—which forms his total daily quota of the beverage. Obviously, later It was easy to reconstruct a typical in the evenings, he goes in for something •4; a 4’“ S engagements, and at least twice or thrice a week I am busy distributing prizes at 4 The Engineers: Prospering at Blighty favourite breakfast—bacon and eggs. But before he comes down to breakfast, he takes at least an hour.” And Tina rolled her eyes suggestively at her father. “Okay, okay, you might as well say it, you little horror,” commented Farokh. “I read all my newspapers in the toilet; in fact, I have a biggish library there. I catch up on all my reading on the pot in the mornings!” “He is at work the whole day,” went on Tina, “but he phones a couple of times during the day. He almost never has dinner at home, because he comes back only in the middle of the night! On the days he is not going to some func­ tion, he takes us out to dinner. He loves hot curry with lots of chillies in it; none of us can eat it!” “And, oh yes,” added Tina, before ual, who hastened to add, “I go to sleep Farokh could come in, “Daddy loves westerns. He can watch Clint Eastwood on the video for hours !” “Well, there isn’t much that you have left for me to say, is there ?” asked her father, ruefully. It was amusing to see the belligerent scourge of the bowlers so firmly under someone’s thumb ! But it is fj Illlllij UllUVi ovrAiivvriiv o i vuinu ’ ji; ‘ " quite clear that Farokh dotes on his J_____ i-x__________ I :_________ 11.. ¦ PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 ¦II ¦I' f «- I I 11 1 I ¦ ’^J 4 V daughter; and it is equally clear that the sentiment is heartily reciprocated. The Engineers will be in Bombay until around 12th January, when they will have to leave because Tina’s school J opens after the vacation on the 17th. * While in India, Farokh hopes to solicit I support for the benefit match he has 1 been awarded for the forthcoming year. I The match is likely to be held sometime " in November 1983. “I promise you really top-class i cricket,” he asserted. “1 hope to bring I over a genuine world-class International I XI, with players whose names are I household words already. They will be I the players the people want to see. ” And I of course. Rooky will be behind the I wickets—he is not all that short of pra- I ctice, for he keeps regularly on wee- I kends. I The 1000 runs that he has piled up this I season show that he is still stroking the 25 ¦t' 1 ¦I I I J ' I ij Cl 2 II 'ri 'll IIi ball well. And while his big hitting with the bat will also be a big draw, what may well come as a bonus for spectators is to see the famed stumper having a bowl: “I bowl leg-breaks in league games some­ times,” he said, “and I have a few wickets to my name.” Despite the fact that they are doing extremely well in England, Rooky is quite willing to leave it all and come back to India—“if the right opening presents itself.” It is going to be a hard depision, for he is unlikely to get the facilities here that he enjoys in England. 1 am a well-respected citizen there,” he says, with pride. “But I have always been proud of being an Indian. And 1 would love to come back for good—especially for the sake of the girls. I may be broad­ minded for myself, but I would like my daughters to grow up with Indian mor­ als, and imbibing our culture.” Govadia : Wheeling around the world Courtesy The Sunday Observer, 26 December I9S2, (Engineer wants to come home, by Shirish Nadkarni). project report, he will proceed to Japan and South-East Asia. Govadia proposes to travel 120 kilo­ meters a day, weather permitting, and will stay at youth hostels, earning his way as far as possible. His tour is being sponsored by the Rotary Club of Nag­ pur, several Parsi organisations and Air India, he says. Among Govadia’s aims and objec­ tives is the desire to “promote a spirit of goodwill” and to raise funds for health­ care programmes. Govadia hopes to learn more about the lifestyles of people in the countries he visits, to talk and write about his experiences, and with the help of lectures on India and pictorial photography, pay part of the expenses of the trip. The world tour is estimated to cost Rs 1,45,000 or U.S. $18,000. Recently he traversed a distance of 6,672 kilometers from Nagpur to Nepal (via the Himalayan route) on a motor­ bike in 22 days, even travelling through 1983 by twenty-seven-year-old Adil the dacoit-infested Banda district, Govadia of Nagpur. Govadia has accompanied by his friend Gurubachan ’¦ ]\^OtOr-BikinS the chalked out a tentative itinerary which Singh Renu. ® will take him through West Asia, World Europe, Canada and the U.S.A, in time A round-the-world “goodwill trip” on a to attend the 1984 Olympics at Los motor-bike has been planned for early Angeles, from where, according to his for travelling and collecting road maps.” 11 p -1 * 1 .. 1 R 1 “I like to be in the open air,” says Govadia who has led an active outdoor life. “Since school 1 have had a passion 1 'J'l With the Best Compliments of lit INGERSOLL-RAND (INDIA] LIMITED •'H 'I PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 Manufacturers of Air & Gas Compressors « Rock Drill Equipment Vacuum Pumps * Tt 'I I - 5 i-l ’7lffF«rsi Petit vs Jeejeebhoy XVI I Iff No Converts THE JUDGEMENT so FAR Let us now briefly examine the contem­ porary documents relating to the In 1903 R.D. Tata married according to immoveable properties. They are 28 in Parsi rites, a French lady, after having her navjote performed. Tata claimed hi.s wife "had become a Parsi professing the Zoroastrian faith and consequently she was entitled to participate in all the charitable and religious Funds and Institutions of the Zoroastrian Alum (world).” It is evident that several of these are couched in the most general terms, and i "I’ 1 number. 1 will just quote the material it is principally on these that the Plain­ words of each: (1) “Need of another Dockma in consequence of the great rise of the Zoroastrian population of Bom­ bay.” (2) “The entire Zoroastrian Anju­ man.” (3) “For the people of the ________ Zoroastrian Community.” (4) “For the ? Parsis including the right to enter fire use of the people of the Mazdiasni reli- tiffs rely. Others, and a larger number, contain expressions indicating that the caste spirit was active, such as the Zoroastrian Community, and the con­ stant references to the Anjuman. But in not one do we find the word Parsi. In their own solemn religious utterances, the Indian Zoroastrians had not, even so late as this, thought of designating I ut a * f * V t ifyi B* J — ST r temples and have her body consigned to gion.” (5) “For the people of the Mazdi- • the Towers of Silence. asni religion.” (6) “In accordance with Thus the scene was set for the historic the tenets of the Mazdiasni religion,” by themselves, or their religious commun- court case of Petit vs Jeejeehhoy, also the “people of the Anjuman of the Maz- ion, by the popular caste appellation of ¦ .............. ... " ¦' Parsi. Such a term in such a connection ¦............... ” would probably have had no meaning (9) “People of the Holy Zoroastrian for them. Community of Bombay.” (10) “People ______________ _ of the Zoroastrian Community.” (Il) “Dasturs and Mobeds and Hurbeds and ThS ZorOSStriSA AnjuiTiaA Behedins of the Mazdiasni religion of the Holy Zoroastrian Community.”(12) “Dastursand Mobedsand Hurbedsand • the Towers of Silence. asni religion.” (6) “In accordance with court case of Petit vs Jeejeehhoy, also the “people of the Anjuman of the Maz- known as " The Parsi Punchayet Case. ’’ diasni faith.” (7) “Persons of the Mazdi- The question before the two judges of asni religion.” (8) “Whole Anjuman.” the Bombay High Court, Justice — Frank C. d. Beaman and Justice Dinshaw Dhanjibhoy Daver, was whether a person born in another faith hut converted to Zoroastrianism Behedins ot the Mazdiasni religion ol /hac\ nivpn hirth tO the wa.s entitled to the benefits of the Holy Zoroastrian Community.” (12) a'™' certain communitv trusts. “Dastursand Mobedsand Hurbedsand ParSI rUnCriayet, The Plaintiffs (Sir Dinshaw Maneckji Behedins of the Mazdiasni religion of latter Of COUTSG being - • ~ ... ' ' the Holy Zoroastrian Community.”(13) “In the service of the entire Zoroastrian Anjuman of Bombay.” (14) “To the ft I I B Petit, Tata and others) contended Zoroastrianism enjoins and practises conversion and that converts are entitled to all the benefits provided. The Anjuman for the use of all Zoroastri- defendants (Sir Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy and others) while admitting that Zoroastrianism permits conversion state that "ever since their (Parsis) advent into India (they) have not admitted a Juddin (person belonging to the use of the Zoroastrians.” (19) “For another religion) into their fold. They admit, however, that children • horn of a Zoroastrian father by an alien mother have been admitted into their fold by the performance of the Navjote ceremony. Daver, in his part of the judgement discredited the evidence, past and present, of conversion tn India. In the last instalment, Daver stated that the defendants took a stand against being used by the Zoroas^ian Anju- conversion not on religious grounds hut on caste. ans.” (15) “People of the firka of the pure and the best Mazdiasni religion.” (16) “By the people of the whole Zoroas- trian Anjuman.”(17) “Holy Zoroastrian Community of Hindustan.” (18) “For essentially a caste ’ institution and working (for) the development of the caste sentiment. On these expressions the Plaintiffs have argued that the various religious endowments were clearly intended by the Founders for all genuine professors of the Zoroastrian people.” (21) of the Holy Zoroastrian or Mazdiasni faith. And there are among these extracts some that certainly support the use of the people of the Mazdiasni religion.” (20) “For the use of the Anju­ man c . “Anjuman of the Zoroastrian Commun­ ity.” (22) “For the use of the Zoroastri­ ans on the land of the Anjuman.” (23) that contention. Here it is said: “We “Khas-o-Am of the Zoroastrian Anju- man.” (24) “For the use of the Zoroas­ trian Anjuman.” (25) “Relating to the Zoroastrian Community.” (26) “For man.” (27) “For the entire Zoroastrian Community.” (28) “By the entire know that the Holy Mazdiasni religion recommended the making of Converts: we have before us contemporaneous proof of what the Founders of these Trusts really meant. They say that the Trusts are created, not for born “Parsi”—a word with which they were PARSIANA JANUARY 1983 29 t J I I I i I ¦ •a 10VM •2' It seems to be reserved for the Christian Missionary alone, in this country, to invite into his communion the lowliest, the most despised, the very scum of Eastern humanity. 4^ 44 not familiar—but for all members of the dealing with an antiquity so remote that Holy Zoroastrian Church. And since that Church enjoined Conversion, they must have contemplated the extension of those benefactions to Converts, who, properly admitted would, of course, profess the Holy Mazdiasni religion.” The cumulative effect of all these expressions is rather in favour of the view, that the prevalent idea at that time day. If anything, we should ordinarily was to provide the Community with sui­ table places of public worship and burial and to place those Institutions under the control of the communal Anjuman. This term Anjuman, with its allied notion of “panchayet,” deserves atten­ tion. In the first part of his fine Judge­ ment, my learned brother has traced long before the foundation of these these Institutions from their birth in India to the period where one of them, at any rate, vanished. Both, however, sug­ gest an assimilation of the prevalent Indian sentiments relating to caste and the management of caste and communal affairs. The Anjuman is the tribal or caste body politic. Amongst Mussul­ mans, whence the term must come, there is, of course, strictly speaking, no caste in the Hindu sense, and the Anjuman came to be identified with representative committees of responsible elders and so forth. But it implies control by the whole body, when used as it is used in these inscriptions and documents. And in Western India, even Mussulman ideas that atmosphere do not change rapidly, have been deeply tinged by infusion from the customs and sentiments of the • Hindu population. It is not therefore in the least surprising that the Zoroastrian Anjuman should have given birth to the Parsi Punchayet, the latter of course in culture and wealth and status gener- of the Founders of these Trusts? Would being essentially a caste institution and ally as they are to-day, were still a people they have been blind to such a vital con- working the development of the caste who might well be proud of themselves, sideration? Would they, proud of their sentiment. They still retained, in all its purity, the people, religious community, caste, call it what you w ill, have left it at the mercy of any unprincipled priest? at any rate, purity of their morals and the uniform thrift of their people. It has all events and personages in it are obs­ cured by the haze of vast lapses of time, often been said that in no other Eastern The community of 1750 could not have been so very different from the com­ munity of to-day. The sentiments which animated it are probably very much the same—substantially as the sentiments jealous of themselves as a caste, and to which animate the Parsi community to- Community are so few beggars and prostitutes to be found. In a word, they had by that time very good reason to respect themselves as a Community, to be dislike intensely the idea of contamina­ tion by too close social intercourse with the inferior classes of the Hindu popula­ tion. Such 1 take to be an indisputably true expect the latter to be more, not less, liberal. Of course, it is not safe to gener­ alize too rashly on such points. All sorts of conflicting interests may have come picture of the Indian Zoroastrian Com- to the surface: changed conditions may munity about 150 years ago. And the have given birth to changed notions of question is, whether leading men of that policy. But if I am right in believing that. Community, men of conspicuous piety, would have intended to open the doors of their churches and burial towers to any and every one who might choose, for whatever motives, to profess the Holy Zoroastrian faith, and had money enough to get some venal priest to for­ mally admit him into the fold. It is not as though the admission of Converts could have been effectively regulated by the sense of the Community. It has become abundantly plain in the course of this enquiry that the priesthood have practi­ cally a free hand. And while, as a body, they probably do not compare unfavour­ ably with the priesthood of any other a caste, saturated with caste prejudices, great religion, it cannot be denied that then it is certain that natures reared in there are many among them who w ould . not hesitate to sell their priestly func- It takes long periods, and the continu- tions to any good bidder. OUS pressure of an altered environment, to eradicate the bigotry of caste. Two hundred years ago, the Indian Zoroas­ trians, though by no means as advanced central question, what was in the minds in culture and wealth and status gener- Trusts, the Parsis had virtually become It cannot be denied that there are many among them who would not hesitate to sell their priestly functions to any good bidder. M y learned brother has dwelt forcibly on this aspect of the case. And no one can deny it has a direct bearing upon the sentiment, ............................... The question is how far-at the date religion of their fathers ; they com- of those foundations, say, 150 years manded universal respect as honest, of any unprincipled priest? How' ago—the caste had superseded the early law-abiding citizens; above all they strongly the caste sentiment has entered religious sentiment? We are not now prided themselves on the “theoretical.” into,—how completely it has c o m p I e t e 1 y PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 31 -'3i 4 4’ 1' ‘jf' j - r -I ’i I I 1 1 •1* y. 1 » - S -ri?* Unscrupulous European women would pretend to be Converts, in order to marry eligible Parsi young men, and so there would not be enough husbands to go round. .-I? ¦'.‘K ¦{) obliterated—the original religious senti- such a one of the inherited taint of his direction of social precaution. ment in this important matter, has been foul caste, or make him an acceptable made plain to me over and over again in fellow worshipper in their Temples. Of that one reason why the conversion of the course of this suit. that, no one who has heard the evidence aliens to the Holy Zqroastrian faith was We learn with what fierce jealousy the in this case, who is acquainted with the no longer permissible in Bombay, if it Indian Zoroastrians observe the compli- sentiments of even the most liberal and ever had been, was that unscrupulous cated rights ofburial, or rather exposure advanced sections of Oriental society, of the dead on their Towers. We hear of could entertain the smallest doubt, priestly, and for that matter family, res­ trictions, which are virtually universal in tian Missionary alone, in this country, many of the smaller details of life, as to invite into his communion the lowli- We were told, amongst other things. European women would pretend to be Converts, in order to marry eligible Parsi young men, and so there would not be enough husbands to go round. The Parsi maidens, we were told, would g. well as at the celebration of its great est, the most despised, the very scum of be deserted; and one high priest even events. And all these are clearly the Eastern humanity. But, then, the Chris- assured us that, owing to this lamenta- . growth of a highly developed caste tian Church has never come under the ble tendency, he knew of a Parsi virgin spirit. Looked at from this and not from dominance of caste. It developed in the of forty still looking out in vain for a the purely religious point of view, it West, among free peoples, and it has husband. This is the merest absurdity, would be sacrilege—the worst kind of remained—in its proselytizing enter- No doubt, the point of view shifts with profanation—to allow any Juddin— prises, at any rate—truly Catholic. The circumstances. What might have been that is, a person of another religion, same cannot, of course, be said for thought desirable in a struggling and not Zoroastrianism. And the Bombay too influential Community, might be • .......... ............ Zoroastrians are the last people in the It takes long per iods, a nd world, it would appear, to put forward , . any such claim. The furthest that the the continuous pressure , ........... of an altered environment, that, if undesirable converts of that to eradicate the bigotry of caste. It seems to be reserved for the Chris- 1 ’¦-I % r' The Trusts are created. any such claim. The furthest that the most liberal ofthernseemdisposed to go for bom 'Parsis' but for all members of the Holy Zoroastrian Church. ______________________ \ kind must be made, they must be segre­ gated, for purposes of worship and bur­ ial, from those who are born into the faith. In other words, while conversion, as a religious dogma, is not denied, it, as ... thought very undesirable after that literally but really born outside the every other social and religious obser- Community had progressed and caste—to participate in the most preli- vance, must fall under the rigid regula- stepped info the first rank. minary of the death ceremonies. It tion of caste. And I am quite sure that the good would undoubtedly horrify the orthodox Indian Zoroastrian to allow such a one in his Fire Terhples. It would be idle to tell him that he had been for­ mally admitted to the Holy Religion. . _ . That might appeal to his reason, but his wealthy, and politically influential, unsubstantial reasons in support of their caste instincts would at one rebel. To test this we have only to suppose that, instead of a well-bred cultured European lady, the proposed convert had been a Bhungi. No amount of reli­ gious conviction, no sincerity of belief, however profound, could, in the eyes of The learned gentlemen who gave evi- as well as members of the Holy Zoroas- the Indian Zoroastrians—brought up as dence for the Plaintiffs afforded some trian Community?” What would their they have been for generations under the examples of the lengths to which par- answer have been? We have abundant influence of caste prohibition—purge tially informed opinion will go in the Continued on page 37. It may, of course, be said that these men who founded these Trusts, even if are the sentiments of to-day, while we are they had, when the matter was fully laid to ascertain the sentiments of 150 years before them, declared that they did not ago. In the interval, the Commmunity wish them to be available to Converts, has expanded, has flourished, grown would never have had recourse to such There are many reasons to-day, which decision. Let us now suppose that these did not exist a century and a half ago, men, when they were founding the why the Zoroastrians of Bombay should Trusts, had had the questio'hfairly and wish to keep themselves to themselves squarely put to them: “Do ^u intend and sternly repel any external invasion, that these Towers of Silence and these To some extent, that is of course, true. Fire Temples shall be used by Converts PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 33 '4 V . -IV' ART A, ' ft - ’•VO t-1 H 1 to happen next.” A small man with an almost courtly wander and record the unfolding *» i; Shanghai in 1949 was a city of fear. The graphy, “Nobody knew what was going final curtain fell on Chiang Kaishek’s Red Army was sweeping across China to happen next.” Nationalist government, Tata was free to and the city stood by itself awaiting the A small man with an almost courtly wander and record the unfolding onslaught. Peking had already fallen manner, Tata instinctively dislikes being drama. and the residents of Shanghai were pre- called anything as dramatic as “an eye- The eldest son of a well-to-do Parsee pared for another Battle of Stalingrad, witness to history.” Nevertheless, that’s family, Tata was himself born in In the midst of it all, camera in hand, exactly what he was. The closer Mao Shanghai in 1911. His father managed a wandered Sam Tata. He was a man who Tse Tung’s massive Red Army drew, the couple of large cotton factories and Tata happened to be in the right place at the greater the terror of the Shanghai masses, grew up accustomed to the kind of lifes- right time. With his friend and compan- For several months before and after the tyle most of us can only dream about ion, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Tata roamed the streets documenting all he a saw around him. “There was fear and panic everywhere,” recalls Tata, in town for the opening of his photographic exhibition, End Of An Era, Shanghai, 1949, at the Canadian Centre of Photo- Tata’s Photos Christopher Hume I k- ’T’ 3e S'' A* Sam Tata, photo by Johanna Brown. Child evacuee at quayside ready to leave Shanghai. 34 PARSIANA JANUARY 1983 -i&s4 A*-?!" Every floor of the family mansion had ora historian. Instead, h? went looking Although there are as yet no plans its share of coolies cleaning and cook- for the kind of human activity that publish Tata’s body of work in book ing. Young Sam was allowed to do more makes for great photography. “Instant lorm, they cannot be’ far off. In the 7 ¦ • •• ••• ¦ ¦ 1 so meantime, his exhibition remains on of 25, he took up photography, quickly you don’t have time to deliber- display until August 9 at the Canadian Centre of Photography (596 Markham The time to reflect comes after the St.). Every floor of the family mansion had or a historian. Instead, h? went looking or less as he pleased. So, in, 1936, at the compositions like these happen age ( . . _ ......................... Strictly an amateur, Tata travelled to his ate,” he says, ancestral homeland, India, to take pic­ tures. While there he ran into the then- event. Tata’s self-imposed dilemma was unknown French photographer, Henri to record what he saw as honestly and as Cartier-Bresson. The two became close accurately as possible, friends and to this day, Tata is quick to point out the enormous influence Cartier-Bresson had upon his work. “He was my guide and 1 was his,” says Tata. Going through the large rambling exhibition with Tata, one is regaled with the stories behind the story. “It is Mr. Everyman who attracts me most,” announces Tata, and the truth of his observation is not hard to see. The 80- odd photographs that comprise the ' show form an encyclopedic record of the impact of the events of 1949. Tata’s ’ camera captured it all — the line-ups of people desperate to get exit visas, beg­ gars writing their sorry tales on the pave­ ment, and Nationalist soldiers trying to escape before the imminent collapse of their master’s regime. On one particu­ larly gruesome occasion, Tata recalls seeing two men shot to death. “1 went back to the Shanghai YMCA and ate a three-course meal. 1 was rather annoyed at myself for being so callous.” By his own admission, Tata was “a dilettante before coming to Canada in 1956.” At that time, he became a photojournalist whose pictures appeared in everything from Life Magazine to National Geo­ graphic. Despite his supposed lack of professionalism, Tata’s Shanghai work is never anything less than absorbing. Often the subject has been framed less than perfectly, but somehow this lack of perfection serves — even enhances — the drama. People rush in and out of the frame oblivious of its existence. So caught up are they in the struggle to • survive, they cannot disguise their emo­ tions or their desperation. “The thing 1 respond to,”claimsTata, “is the single image.” His intentions were not those of either a propagandist ? t Courtesy the Toronto Star, 10 July 1982. (Career horn in the ashe.s of old Shanghai, by Christopher Hunte.) / Top: Women of the Peoples Liberation Army on parade. Below: Propaganda cartoons used by Communists showing a soldier of the PL A routing Chiang Kai-shek. I y 1 PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 i' SWASH 35 I -fffr? I t-' Hi ' Uw- h: t ¦ ' V' 8, r - »' * ¦ £»^ 3 i t ’ 1^* > b a d i n 3 Khandalavalas * Collection t ‘V. Painting from Pahari Hills in Punjab 18th century bronze of Nepali godess '“'A Magnificent Obsession”, an exhibP tion of paintings, sculptures, woodwork and ivories from ancient and medieval India, part of the art collection of emi­ nent lawyer and chairman of the Prince Khandalavala referred to “a beautiful Committees of the National Museum, of Wales Museum in Bombay, Karl fifth century Naga Head from the Gupta the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, Khandalavala and his wife Meherbai, period. \ cry important.” which he found the Simla Museum and the Prince of was held in December/January at the lying unrecognised in Madhya Pradesh. Wales Museum. Coomaraswamy Hall in the museum “This is perhaps the finest exhibition Better known as a famous criminal premises. Khandalavala describes the exhibi- ____ ... _______ ___...____ ................... collection” of himself Act,” notes the press release issued by Khandalavala (79) reviewed art exhibi- between 1937 and 1950, one that he him- Prince of Wales Museum. The Act made 1930’s. Khandalavala has an “interna- “This is perhaps the finest exhibition of a private collection after the introduc- lawyer, currently defending Maharash- tion of the Antiquities Registration tra’s ex-chief minister A.R. Antulay, Az,* ” _____—___I_______:__________1 1... izi______ 1-1____ i_ 1 . 1 • and his wife, a collection acquired Sadashiv Gorakshkar, director of the tions for The Bombay Chronicle in the between 1937 and 1950, one that he him- Prince of Wales Museum. The Act made 1930’s. Khandalavala hasan“interna- self reportedly rates as “a good but not a private collectors hesitant to display tional reputation as an Indologist par- great one.” their collections. “We hope this will ticularly in the area of Art History,” Of the IM paintings on show, the serve to inspire other private collectors notes Gorakshkar.Winner of the Padma “Basohlijiaintipgs (from the Pahari hill to hold exhibitions of their collections,” Shree and member of the Lalit Kala ----- --------------- Akademi since its inception in 1954, and Having graduated in history from the its chairman from 1973 to 1975, accord- Bombay University, Khandalavala was ing to his bio-data, Khandalavala is the Of the IM paintings on show, the serve to inspire other private collectors notes Gorakshkar.Winner of the Padma 1V,** M 4-z. O— I 1_ l i — I- _ I J . _ _ 1. * I. * ’ /‘.I • 11 . • •• Z-, • .. . . __ State of Basohli, Punjab), are the most adds Gorakshkar. valuable, among the finest that exist,” says Khandalavala. ____ _________ ______________ ______ ___________ _ _______ The collection is “strong in Gujarat interested in historical monuments and author of several books on Indian Art wood sculptures and in Nepali bronzes, later found an added interest in sculp- and the honorary general editor of the he says. Of the bronzes, two stand out - ture and painting. Khandalavala was Lalit Kala Publications including its the 18th century gilt bronze of the a friend and distant relative of the journal. He has been the chairman of the Nepali goddess ‘Prajnaparamita’, and famous collector Burjor Treasurywala, Prince of Wales Museum for the last 25 the 16th century bronze of Siva. One art whose collection, after his death, was years. critic describes the latter as “probably purchased by the National Museum in AccordingtoGorakshkar,Khandala- the finest statue on display. Delhi and formed the nucleus of the vala is the “only scholar who can speak Though most of the collection has Museum. Having access to this collec- authoritatively on any aspect of Indian . been acquired from dealers, purchased tion, “1 learnt a lot from it,” said Khan- art — any era — any province — and at the time at remarkably low prices, dalavala who is on the Expert Purchase that is no exaggeration.” 36 PARSIAHA : JAHUABY 19B3 »»?>.¦ Continued from page 33. evidence to show with what disapproval the better class—the class from whom these Founders come— regarded thelax morals of the Mofussil Parsi. It was not only because that conduct was irreligious—though that, too, doubtless weighed with them—but because it was lowering to the status of the Commun­ ity. Keeping Dubri mistresses and hav­ ing Dubri children, was not only shocking to the correct Zoroastrian, as a marital offence—an offence, too, against his religion—but because the Dubri woman belonged to a very low caste. It may be very well doubted whether at that time the same disapproval would have been extended to intermarriages— DHARMA PRAKASH RADIANT LIGHT OF RELIGION A Religious Digest For Happy Living. We desire to vigorously spread Religious Awareness. Please support the endeavor. 5 - "'4. ¦I The caste sentiment has obliterated the original religious sentiment. ASK FOR “FREE GIFT” Copy Now. , real marriages—with meh of equal or superior rank. The early history of the Parsis, or rather the Zoroastrians, shows conclusively that such marriages often did occur, and that no one dreamed of stigmatizing them as reli­ gious sins, But that was before the com- • munity had become a caste, while still the Zoroastrians were a^ation; and the alliances were with people of their own or higher rank. At the time, however, that these Trusts were founded, it was hardly likely that any Parsi would inter­ marry with superior races, while there was a constant and growing danger that he might intermarry with inferior castes. Probably the Founders of these Trusts would at first have replied as all the priests and doctors have consistently replied: “By all means let Converts use our Endowments, if they are Converts who will be a credit to us.” But that would not have done. It would have had to be explained to them that they must admit all or none. And they . would instantly have realized that for one Akbar who was ever likely to become a Convert, there were a hundred Dubras or Bhungis. And with that terri­ ble possibility before their eyes, no one can doubt—I am sure that I do not doubt—that they would unhesitatingly have replied: “No Converts, then, on any terms.” 7b concluded JMniMn 1983 Edited and Published by Mr. P.A. SIGANPORIA Govind-Bhuvan, Bazon Baug, Nagpur - 440(X)4, Mazda szasn ie Mona ster ie BOOKS AND CASSETTES available ON ZOROASTRIAN RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS IN ENGLISH. RARE BOOKS ON 'MEHER YAZAD': KHOREH • AURA': UFE OF USTAD SAHEB BEHRAMSHAH NOWROJI SHROFF PLUS OUTUNE OF FOURTEEN THOUSAND YEARS HISTORY OF IRAN PLUS SHAH BEHRAM VARZAVAND : — FOR PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN : WHAT MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME — ANSWERS YOUR CHILDREN'S QUESTIONS ON MANY SUBJECTS • KUS'n PRAYERS. rEHMURAS SETHNA'S ROMAN SCRIPT PLUS ENGUSH MEANINGS BOOKS ON KHOROEH AVESTA, YASHTA. GATHAS ETC. CASSETTES ON TEACHING PRAYERS RECITATIONS WITH CORRECT PRONUNCIATIONS KUSTI • GAHS • SAROSH BAJ • KHORSHED • MEHER NYASHES • VISPE HUMATA • MAH BOKHTAR • AVAN • ATASH NYESHES. PLUS LECTURE CASSETTES ON VARIETY OF SUBJECTS. ENQUIRE AT OUR ABOVE OFFICE ABE YOU INTERESTED IN OUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER CARRYING INFORMATIVE ARTICLES ON ZARATHUSHTRIAN SUBJECTS? DONATION OF fiS 20 FOR 4 ISSUES THESE MAKE USEFUL BIRTHDAY OR NAVJOTE GIFTS Ms. MeherMaster-Moos, Mustafa Building, 2nd floor, (above Bombay Stationery Mart) Sir Pherozesha Mehta Road, Fort, Bombay 400 001. (INDIA). Tel: Res: 824737: Off: 250214 Poona Res; 23815. 37 . 5^ J "J » Si -4 J* 3^ & J ? J 45 3 J' «¦‘ ST 1*’ f,- a /r BOOKS The Empire Builders Rusi J. Daruwala The Creation of IVealth — ^4 Tata Story by R.M. Lala. IBH Publishing Co., Bombay. Pages 211, Price Rs.45. B'iiiilih ug ''What advances a nation or community is not so much to prop up its weakest and most helpless members as to lift up the best and most gifted." India has not lacked sons who created 1 wealth for others, who pioneered advan­ ces in economic and industrial develop­ ment and transformed her landscape into opportunities for growth. But the ' Tatas and the enterprises begun by them have been unusual in that they intro­ duced for the first time into this country a global view of and approach to life, be it in industry, medical research, energy or the arts. Lala’s book is a well-documented and extremely readable survey of the Tata empire from its modest beginnings in 1868 when Jamsetji Tata started a trading firm with a capital of Rs.21,000 to 1980 when the enterprises promoted by the Tatas recorded a turnover of Rs. 1,880 crores. Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata was born in a family of Parsi priests in Navsari, Gujarat in 1839, the year that Lord Macaulay returned to England. He graduated from Elphinstone College, Bombay and at 29, in 1868, he started a private trading firm with a capital of Rs. 21,000. He and his associates obtained a contract to furnish supplies required by the Expeditionary Force of General Napier in Abyssinia. His share of the profits helped to launch him on his career in textiles. Jamsetji bought an old mill in Bom­ bay in partnership with friends and con­ verted it into a textile mill, selling it at a profit two years later. In 1874 he floated the Central India Spinning, Weaving and Manufacturing Company later called the Empress Mills. His intuitive mind quickly grasped that there were three basic ingredients to the industrial development of the country — steel, hydro-electric power and technical edu­ cation and research. Sir Stanley Reed, later editor of 77?e Times of India described Jamshetji as “a sturdy figure whose-voice was sonorous and rather harsh; he conveyed to my mind the impression of the energy and force of a man of action rather than that of an industrial seer.” Possessed of a voracious appetite for knowledge, Tata’s mind spanned almost every area of huma’n endeavour. His extensive travels all over the world gave him the opportunity to study steel plants, coal mines and factories at first hand. Jamsetji installed the first humidi­ fiers and fire sprinklers in India. In 1886 he instituted a Pension Fund and in 1895 began to pay accident compensa­ tion. “He was,” writes Lala, “decades ahead of his time and miles ahead of his u 3 'I ¦ II k: 38 PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 ' 1 . kr sSt-Sf*- . A'*; M - > .JA- competitors. The Empress Mills experi­ ment showed that not only profits but people mattered to him.” Lala goes on to describe the sage of Jamshedpur — how Jamsetji mustered together the men and the resources to realise this dream of his. The chairman today. J.R.D. Tata has eminently of the Railway Board, Sir Frederick Upcott had said “Do you mean to say that Tatas propose to make steel rails to effacing person leaves us his own clear factures British specifications? Why, 1 will undertake to eat every pound of steel rail they succeed in making.” By 1916, production at the Tata Iron and Steel _____ ________ ____ _ ___ Company, Jamshedpur was up to the characteristics. In fifty years I have dealt accomplish.” mark and during World War I Tatas with a hundred top directors and 1 have It proved to be the trumpet of a pro­ exported 1,500 miles of steel rails to got on with all of them. At times it phecy. ified in the establishment of the Tata involves suppressing yourself. It is pain­ trusts which have aimed to build the ful but necessary ... To be a leader you educational,, social and scientific infras- have got to lead human beings with tructufe of this nation. Lala devotes two affection.” very interesting chapters to the Tata T ’ ' L assets and how the Tatas function with affection, the Tatas are today a ' / car- force to reckon with. It was in the 1920’s ried on the traditions of the House of that the eminent economist Alfred Mar- Tata and one hopes that this shy, self- shall wrote, “I do not think that manu- ______ J are more conducive to- record of a colourful life. The spirit of prosperity than agriculture is unless the man is typified in his remark to Lala, they evoke initiative. A score of Tatas If I have any merit, it is getting on with might do more for India than any individuals according to their ways and Government, British or indigenous, can Because he has exercised authority ’ ¦ ; Zi 1 J *3 mark and during World War I Tatas with a hundred top directors and I have f ; ¦ ' * ___ ; Mesopotamia. Dorab Tata commented dryly that if Sir Frederick had carried out his undertaking, he would have had “some slight indigestion.” The stories of the establishment of the Institute of Science at Bangalore, the Tata Hydro-Electric Companies near ¦ ¦ ¦f; ''To be a leader you have ' got to lead human beings with affection." Bombay and the building of the Taj Mahal Hotel all make fascinating read- • ing. Lala goes on to describe the found­ ing of Telco, the Tata Oil Mills, the New India Assurance Company, Tata Air­ lines and Tata Chemicals. In an interview in the West Coast Spectator of 9th February 1899, Jam­ setji Tata spelt out his views on philan­ thropy. “There is one kind of charity common enough among us, and which is certainly a good thing, though I do not think it the best thing that we can have. It is that patchwork philanthropy which clothes the ragged, feeds the poor, and heals the sick and halts (sic). 1 am far from decrying the noble spirit which seeks to help a poor or suffering fellow­ being. But charities of the hospital and poor asylum kind are comparatively .more common and fashionable among us Parsis. What advances a nation or community is not so much to prop up its weakest and most helpless members as to lift up the best and most gifted so as to make them of the greatest service to the country. I prefer this constructive phi­ lanthropy which seeks to educate and develop the faculties of the best of our young men.” This constructive philanthropy is typ- PARSIANA : JANUARY 1983 i J A ¦r I '¦i' ¦f #1 p' '0 'Miw «» V tf . I ifit 39 . . .‘ *“? r 'J -A k «'¦ I I I > f I I i- Bharucha's Saga book. He wore only khadi and travelled by third class. “A man who had nourished the life Late Barjorji Framji Bharucha: A Saga Of Ser- and spirit of many WaS himself a victim vice. This Was A Man by Minoo B. Desai trans- of malnutrition,” writes Desai. Barjorji’s lated from Gujarati to English by Berjis M. Desai, published by the Late Barjorji Framji Bharucha Centenary Memorial Trust; 28 pages, for free dis­ tribution. Poker-faced” instance, Adil's poem was in a sense, modelled upon Dorn's Card Game.” The poet who really influenced him— one could hardly escape a poet like death on 24 June 1963 was mourned by him” — was Eliot. “Eliot confirmed our many including former prime minister, adolescent cynicism about the world. Jawaharlal Nehru. “Barjorji's death has We didn't know poetry could be about saddened me,” Nehru said in a message. “His enthusiasm and patriotism were A biography of Barjorji Bharucha, noteworthy. Truly, he was worthy of about the city. Many of us were urba- social worker and reformer, joint secre- our respect and honour.” ¦ ¦ . tary of the Indian National Congress, The printing cost of the booklet was and a staunch Gandhian, has been borne by The Lotus Trust of which Nani translated into English “as a first step to Palkhivala is chairman. The booklet is acquaint the younger generation of Par- available from the Late Barjorji Framji sis who are not able to read Gujarati,” E' ~ ~ notes Dr. Sarosh Wadia, managing premises at Alipore Building,-Colaba, trustee of the Bharucha Memorial Bombay 400 005. Trust. The book has been translated by Berjis M. Desai whose father Minoo, a former editor of The Bombay Samachar authored the biography. A ‘close associate' of Mahatma Gandhi, Bharucha was well-acquainted Courtesy MlD-DAY, 20 December 1982, . , i»« int] __ zi hit rtf n ** hficettin Darcrtfi" With other national leaders of that time — Jawaharlal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Maulana Azad, Pandit Malaviya, Sardar Patel and Vithalbhai Patel. Barjorji was a religious crusader Bombay to study architecture in Lon- whose progressive views on the‘Vansda don. England then was fantasy land, a Navjotes' created a furore among the mirage made visible by filmsand books, orthodox Parsis. According to the boo- But the boy’s experience didn’t coincide klet, several Parsi farmers were living with the fantasy and four years later, he work. It doesn’t matter if the critic with or married to non-Parsi women in was back. He’d given up architecture Vansda, a small village in southern Guj- long ago, taken to writing poetry arat. Barjorji wanted the children of instead. these Parsi fathers to be admitted into ' - - - the Parsi community. In spite of strong appeared and the book was the begin- opposition, he had the navjotes per- ning of the poetic career of Adil Jussa- formed. walla. He was 22 then, very eager to see Bharucha made Udwada his focal his work in print. point, and travelled from village to vil­ lage in Gujarat, establishing sewing and lishing houses apart from Writers knitting classes to enable poor Parsi Workshop that accepted poetry, so Wri- women to learn some trade and make ters Workshop it was. themselves economically independent and self-reliant. Barjorji’s entry into the political poets on the scene. Dom Moraes. Nis- arena was when the non-cooperation sim Ezekiel, a few others. “In fact,” says movement was at its peak. He estab- Adil, “just to discover that someone else lished the ‘Parsi Rajakiya Sabha’ in wrote poetry meant we would become . Bombay and organised several meetings friends. There was no sense of competi- which were addressed by Gandhiji and tion then, because we felt ourselves so other national leaders. It is believed that rare.” he “galvanised the Nagpur Parsis for the M - a ¦> ‘real life.’ We’d been exposed to roman­ tic poets and here was this one talking nised, we could recognise it. I real­ ised that D.N. Road — it was then called Hornby Road—was a fit subject for poetry.” There is this impression that poetry is Bharucha Centenary Memorial Trust only for intellectuals.” Adil disagrees. “1 wouldn't call a person who reads poetry intellectual any more than I’d call someone whollstens to music intellectual.” “I think,” he says, “people still read poetry in secret, 1 don’t know why, maybe it’s because they feel uncomfor­ table ... 1 don’t think they like to admit that a few lines can have the power to make their hair stand on end.” But many poeple think that poetry is too complex to be enjoyed. In fact it’s In the late 1950s, a 17-year-old boy left kind of fashionable to say “Poetry goes above my head.” Adil’s poems have certainly been con­ sidered complex, but then, he’s found that most critics have understood the Missing Person (Adil — a bit of a “Missing Person by Menka Shivdasani) It wasn't long before "’Land's "End” Those days there weren’t many pub- Come to think of it, in those days there weren’t very many Indo-English doesn’t praise you. I don'’t think the III 1 .1 I ¦f i i f ” 1 .J ^-¦1 t; he “galvanised the Nagpur Parsis for the “1 think perhaps, the situation has national cause” and “influenced Gand- changed,” he says with a laugh. “1 don’t hyi to call off the Disobedience Move- think the younger writers are so friendly ment after the violence at Chaura with each other today.” Chauri (Uttar Pradesh).” Adil freely admits that his work has A simple man, Barjorji gave up his been influenced by other poets. Not “luxurious flat in Natvarlal Mansion at imitated, just influenced. Which holds Peddar Road and shifted to a one-room true for most poets, for one can’t deny tenement at Fort (Bombay),” notes the the import of what one ha.s read. For ? PARSIANA JANUARY 1983 tSs 41«f*r ’¦T < - ¦- - —.W,,. now. artist wants only praise. He wants a response from the other person, to be understood. The critic can-say “1 hate what you’re saying, but this is what you're saying.” Anyway, after his second book, “Missing Person” published by Clearing House, Adil’s been working towards a simpler style. “I’m relying less on a cul­ tural pre-knowledge, on the readers making fewer literary allusions. Maybe it’s because the subjects I’m working on — family, domesticity and so on — require a more direct approach. Adil isn’t writing much poetry He chucked up his job teaching at Xavi­ er’s College, to write a novel, got stuck and gave it up. He’.s now working on some “fictional narratives,” writing a few articles ... he’d earlier tried his hand at writing plays too. He’s been involved in publishing as well. Clearing House, to be precise. Adil and his poet friends discovered there were a lot of worthwhile manuscripts waiting to be published which no big publisher wa.s willing to touch. So they decided to publish their own work and with the number of manuscripts wait­ ing, Clearing House seemed an apt name. Then he says, big publishers like Oxford University Press started bring­ ing some out and “took some of the load off us.” He's edited two books too, one, “New Writing in India.” a prose anthology and “Statements” for college students along with Eunice de Souza, But he’s best known a,s a poet, a bit of a “Missing Person” himself. Anyone trying to get him to agree to an interview will know what I mean ! 0 With Compliments From EMPIRE ESTATE Liberty Building 41/ 42 Msuine Lines Bombay 400020 Rashid D. Bam^anbehram Professional Photographs for Photos of Weddings, Navjotes and Birfliday parties. Contact: Flat No. 3, First Floor, No. 6, Wadia Block, Khareghat Colony, 30A Hughes Road, Bombay 400007. Phone: 8226074 .1 J J ¦ PARSIANA JANUARY 1983 / 43 A.i ¦'Wif t ¦¦ IN MEMORIAM Unique Tenure Died: Maneckji Dhunjibhoy Petit (82), philanthropist and president of the Bomanjee Dinshaw Petit Parsee Gen­ eral Hospital in Bombay on November 5, 1982, following a heart attack. His 25-year tenure as president of the hospital was described as “almost uni­ que” and “a record” by Dr H.S. Mehta, honorary medical superintendent of the hospital. The grandson of Seth Bomanjee Din­ shaw Petit, founder of the Parsee Gen­ eral. Petit became a member of the Executive Committee in 1947, and fol­ lowing the death of his father, Seth Dhtinjibhoy Petit, he was elected presi- dent. He donated several lakhs of rupees *>*¦ # - » X “tv Petit: Benefiting the poor Jejeebhoy: Serving all communities for the establishment of a physiotherapy department and the Dhunjibhoy Petit operation theatre at the 283-bed hospi­ tal, according to N.M. Akolawala, honorary secretary of the hospital. As a member of the House of Petits, he used his wealth to benefit the poor, the Uorab I ata Trust. Turel, a neurologist, said notes Mehta. He was the vice-president Serving “not only members of her Meher is reported to have entered the of several Petit panties, chairman of own community but all communities,” building with a Salvage Corps officer, the Avabai Petit Girls High School and Lady Jejeebhoy was a founder-member Kuthe. He was lucky to have escaped the Petit gymiwsiums. _ of the Aruna Chaudhari Trust, an with injuries which are reportedly A student of St Xavier s School and organisation which provides scholar- serious. The salvage officer was College’ after graduation Petit assisted ships to the children of defence person- reported to have been removed to his father in managing the Maneckjee nel. Breach Candy Hospital. Petit Textile Mill at Tardeo. Lady Jejeebhoy was born on March Kuthe reportedly overruled Interested in sports as a youth. Petit P ¦ . ... participated in the annual all-lndia ten- Cathedral and John Connon School, competitions and, according to Bombay. She is survived by her daughters Shi- reen, Deanna and Geetaand sons Ratan _____ ____ _____ and Jimmy Tata from her first marriage The girl’s mother and sister, with tears to Naval Tata. streaming down their faces refused to • speak to anyone. Fire Denth Turel said that the reason for Meher’s actions was to retrieve pass- Meher Postwala, the 22-year-old sales ports for which she was responsible, executive who had joined the Everett ~ ' 7. Z _ _____ Travels (India) Pvt. Ltd. only six gregarious, well-mannered girl, Meher months ago, had braved the inferno had earlier worked at MackinnonA which engulfed the Handloom House Mackenzie and later at the Kenyan Air- M------------::--------- J ;----------... .. bid to retrieve the cash-box for her communities, notes a spokesman from 2.00 p.m., her brother-in-law. Dr. Keki poor, the Dorab Tata Trust. ~ Serving “not only members of her of the Aruna Chaudhari Trust, an organisation which provides scholar- nis ( Mehta, would never miss a cricket or billiards match in the city. Petit’s wife Perinbanu, expired ten years ago. nel. Lady Jejeebhoy was born on March ivuine reporteaiy overruled warn- 10, 1915 in Bombay and studied at the ings by security men who tried to pre- vent him and the girl from entering the premises. Meher’s family had gathered at Kata- ria Opticians near the gutted building. Cathedral and John Connon School, to Naval Tata. Gracious Lady Died: Lady Soonoo Jamsetjee Jejeeb­ hoy, 67, philanthropist and social worker, of cancer in New York, on October 7, 1982. Lady Jejeebhoy, wife of the late Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, Sixth Baronet, was involved in the activities of several charitable and welfare organisations, employers. She was the chairperson of the N.M. Wadia Charities, one of the city’s oldest and largest charitable trusts, the Rus- tom J. Vakil institute of Cardiology, Bombay, the Masina Hospital in Byculla and the J.J. Dharamshala, a home for the aged and destitute of all 44 Rashid D. Bamanbehram adds: A months ago, had braved the inferno had earlier worked at MackinnonA on Dadabhoy Naoroji road, in a vain ways for a short spell. An ex-student of the Sydenham Col­ lege from where she graduated in Com- Speaking to her broken relatives, merce, Meher was to have attended a The Daily learnt that Meher’s earlier party with her friends to-night. attempts to enter the Fort House were . .. - thwartei^ by the police. Howe^ir, “her dedication to duty” prompted Meher to defy warnings and .1 LI • L 'ij' . '•""'•"A • lie L»auy, 1/ cniooer lyaj;. enter the blazing building around (She dared the fire and died by Richard Vailaderes.t Her father Adi Postwala is cur­ rently in Germany for an eye-operation. Couriesy The Daily, 17 October 1982. : JANUARY 1983 ¦5|fi