Apr 1983

Hormazdiyar followed by Peterson and Antia before the navjote. ¦! 1 ¦<1 1, ) The Navjote of Joseph Peterson Porus Cooper New Rochelle, New York: Quivering with about as much nervousness as any 10-year-old at his navjote, Joseph Peterson, 27, chemical engineer from Minneapolis, Minnesota, ran through ashem vohu, yatha ahu vairio, kemna mazda, ahura mazda and jasame avenghe mazda, put on a sudreh and kusti, and — in his eyes as well as of the about 100 guests present — became a Zoroastrian. If he and the four mobeds presiding over the ceremony, held Saturday, March 5, at the Darbe Mehr here, went past the manashni, gavashni, kunashni before realizing Peterson had failed to gather up the kusti simultaneously in its characteristic scales shape, they quickly recovered. As the rite ended with the dastoors Kersi Antia of Chicago, Illinois and Noshir Hormazdiyar of Danbury Connecticut, reciting tandarosti, Antia leaned over to hand Peterson a bou­ quet of red carnations and whisper in his ear, “Congratulations. You are now as much a Zoroastrian as you want to practice.’’ The whisper, magnified by micro­ phones, seemed to melt the tension that ceremony and did not speak after it — Antia. Avowing that in the same cir- had enveloped the gathering until that justified the navjote, which for weeks cumstances he would perform such a moment, a result of the intense opposi- was a matter of bitter contention navjote “any time, any place,” Antia tion the navjote had drawn from cer- among liberal and conservative remarked, “Not to do this navjote tain members of the Zoroastrian com- Zoroastrians. The former were nearly would be an act of rebellion against munity. Like airplane passengers who all from Iran, and the latter likewise Zoroaster’s teachings — if we know his had just come through a particularly from the Indian subcontinent. In fact, teachings.” Quoting from the Gathas, bumpy flight, the guests burst into ap- barring Hormazdiyar and Antia, there he asserted the prophet always intend- plause. were few others from the subcontinent ed to proselytize. In speeches afterward, both Antia among the guests. Later Antia, a psychologist by pro- and Horm^diyar — mobeds Bahman “I examined all the reasons for not fession, told Parsiana that his decision Shahzadi and Bahman Bahmky from doing (Peterson’s) navjote and didn’t to perform the Peterson navjote was Iran played supporting roles in the find one that was convincing,” said prompted by his analysis of American1 I I, glasses and getting the first glimpse of lb nocturnal phOTe calls begging him the trees outside his to change his mind. “They were well- meaning,” he said after his navjote. He said he came across a translation The anger of the critics, many of of the Avesta quite by accident in his whom were interviewed before the nav- school library when he was 15. Later jote, seemed uniformly to be directed wv^a « san.vivace dluncr of dhandar and at the sponsors of the event, the Arbab Iranian delicacies — all vegetarian, Guiv Trust of Califorma, not at Peter­ son. _____ _______ _____ “I am not against converting book part of “a divine plan” for him. anybody,” said Noshir Karanjia, a i society. It is not enough that a child be bom Zoroastrian in America, he will the leaves on not remain Zoroastrian unless his window, religion appeals intellectu^ly to him, Antia said. “We (in India) demand too little of our religion.” Anticipating more to marry outside over a navjote the community than not in the years to I™™. - come, Antia said a policy that put the which he religion off-limits to many, including spouses and children of mixed mar- mS i'n°A^ericr*“‘'’' “ himi^ sudreh md kuiti"^ prStfc- Jersey state “but you cannot do it by Ho^azdiyar sununoned tbe autho- ^Je ^igon in^avour of the Chris- uking people K^pa was XrR“tl'S",^troVT^ “TfaU hVd^nted, it wasn't until Zoroastrta conferee in Montreal several Zoroastrian 'communities in about two years ago that he met the te teopS";o th^v- North America in support of the nav- first Zoroastrians. Peterson became hke many others opposed to the na jote He said the event marked an over- soinething of a household name among jote, desenb^ him as a pawn m cXing o" “mo7M trepidation'' for the continent's Zoroastrians after he hands of ^lit^ly mohvated perrple^ many and “may be judged by future described his spiritual quest to the con- A retired oftoal of the ZoroastriM Ss’riansTa milestone.” ference of North American Association of Greater New York, who And in remarks clearly aimed at those who had stayed away in protest, C^ada, in April last yem. Hormazdiyar added: “Arbab believed Tl---- — . tiiai. wv niuji. ..—VW,----------------------- _ _ - , . join US. Note my word — accept, I did as evidence of Peterson s sincerity the not say convert. That refrain — “Peterson came to us. siana he considered encountering that He rwd more and eventually made mobed who lives in southern New first Zoroastrians. Peterson became like many others opposed to the nav- soihething of a household name among ,i' with this reporter by the way to putting a transliteration of • f 1 _ _ y* y^y^m m if At-* c t s j 1 (¦ Shahriar Merabi. The latter, as Darbe Mehr’s board of trustees and the others — to accelerate a study of the Rustam Guiv Trust of California, was archaic language of the Avesta.) i a prime mover of the Peterson navjote. Add to that his soft-spokenness, Their main concern, as of some of clean-cut looks and youthfulness, and ’j' i of the initiation of a non- detractors of his navjote, he presents a “good boy” image. He responds with an equal absence of rancour when ? 'i i described his spiritual quest to the con­ ference of 1------- -------------- Zoroastrians held in Montreal, refused to be quoted by name, com- -__ ,_________________ plained that the navjote’s advocates _ ___________ Those who were to take up the cause were forcing their views on the com- that*wTmust accept those who want to of his navjote and see jt to fraition ate amount of effort and ingenuity he has xvx...... . —____ _____ -- evidently put into his self-conversion. we didn’t go to him,” said one — (He claims to be about two-thirds of was taken up with this reporter by the way to putting a transliteration of several others both before and after the the Avesta on a computer’s magnetic ceremony. That must be emphasized, disks. Along the way he has con- counseled Kaikhosrov Irani and structed an index of most-used and Shahriar Merabi. The latter, as least-used words in the book, a device secretary of both the New Rochelle which enables him — and would eMble MX W W A » X - -- - Rustam Guiv Trust of California, was archaic language of the Avesta.) a prime mover of the Peterson navjote. Add to that his soft-spokenness, thos^who^wouldn’t attend, was that even to many of those who were news. -— ----------- Zoroastrian into the faith might become a provocation to Moslem fun- — - damentalists in Iran. They urged leav- ^referring to those who opposed his | ing the Iranian mobeds at the navjote, some of whom subjected him ceremony out of any photographs I took. Again and again they stressed that the man accepted at his request in­ to the Zoroastrian faith was a Chris­ tian, not a Moslem. Merabi candidly remarked he would have been “a little afraid” to accept Peterson had he belonged to the Islamic faith. Peterson himself tried to ease the strains his navjote had caused in the Zoroastrian community in the United States and Canada. “1 believe the spirit of brotherhood can transcend our dif­ ference,” he told the gathering, having changed from the all-white of his nav­ jote to a brown suit. As for his new faith, he likened his discovery of it to getting a first pair of 3 Parsiana April 1983 ¦• -J J- I must accept those who want to join.” Photographs by Porus Cooper. Vj A •4'’' T - •:'‘r > .1 r.-'5^.i'-.i I.'f With wife Candy and Dr Kaikhosrov Irani of ZAGNY (behind). I a non-Zoroastrian is a natural cor- we do not wish that Mr; Peterson be ollary to the evolution of this change, as a last step.” Erach Munshi, chairman of a recent- She proceeded to dissociate her ly established “religious advisory (1 munity. “It’s a pattern ... this thing follows that pattern,” he said. Underlying his dismay was a feeling shared by other Zoroastrians from In­ dia who spoke to Parsiana, that their Iranian co-religionists, many of whom control the money Arbab Guiv left to benefit the Zoroastrian community, have been using this wealth as a lever to influence community decisions. To them the Peterson affair was the most egregious example of this trend. Thus, as the Peterson controversy past 10 years in an exemplary fashion, smouldered, new claims and counter­ claims flared up on the subject of legal caught in the cross-fire of unpleasant title to the Darbe Mehr property in controversies.” New Rochelle. Dolly Dastoor, president of the organization from the navjote “at the council” of the Zoroastrian Associa­ tion of Greater New York, said he would rather see efforts made first to initiate the children of mixed marriages into the Zoroastrian religion. He accused the organizers of the Bagli, editor^f Gavashni, a journal of Peterson navjote of giving little notice of it to the community. He said the navjote plans were revealed only in late I' [ Zoroastrian Association of Quebec, present time.” summed up the feelings of the naysayers to the navjote in a letter ad- unspoken, appears to be attached to dressed to “All Zoroastrian Associa- nearly every criticism of, and quibble tions of North America” and “All with, the Peterson navjote. Jehan leaders of the community.” “Though we fully sympathize with opinion on Zoroastrian life in North and appreciate the sincere intentions of America, published from Quebec, Mr. Joseph Peterson to become a wrote Merabi to point out that while January. There was no time to educate Zoroastrian, and we also know fully nobody could stop a mobed from per- that Mr. Peterson has extensive forming any ritual, “we feel there are knowledge of the religion, and has more demanding priorities in the been practicing its philosophy for the resolution of this problem. Navjote of bitterly. That qualification, spoken or the community as to its merits, “and now they (the organizers) are telling us that we are backward,” Munshi noted I TaVinMrconttnenial HoM —• Bombay /J i- gy:aMi r 1 k, .-..r J »• 'y 5F LETS BUILD THEM TOGETHER! Whether it’s a five-star hotel, a Sultan's Palace, a hospital, a chemical factory, a fertiliser plant or a housing project— we have the expertise and e for putting up the imposing Muscat Palace complex of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman—and completed it in time. tl 1 ObarobSharaton Hotel —Bombay B'M 3Q El ¦’¦’tfwp V X. » X .X ..... w w w w w “ 5s-. - *>. 11, SHAPOORJI PALLOIMJI & CO. (PVT.) LTD. 5 Parsiana April 1983I I Munshi’s memory may not serve him among some of those who otherwise right as to the date the community was backed the navjote. made aware of plans for the Peterson “We have several groups already,” navjote — Bagli’s letter of caution to Hormazdiyar is reported to have told Merabi is dated January 25 and the meeting, naming Shahenshahis, responds to one from Merabi dated Faslis and Kadmis, among others. “I December 15, 1982 — but he seems to do not believe that there should be a have gauged accurately the feeling of reformist group,” he said, hastening to those who felt the navjote was untime- add, however, that he did not advocate ly and the result of a monumental “disintegration” of the community, misunderstanding on the part of A reform group, he continued, Shahriar Merabi and others on the Ar- would have its own temples and bab Guiv Trust, including the chair- mobeds and, in fact, such a develop- man of the trust, Rustam Sarfeh. ment would prevent “hurt feelings” in Munshi insisted Merabi and the the future, others had misread the intent of those I Old post cards etc./wanted Advertiser wishes to buy OLD picture postcards, photographs, cigarettes, cards, playing cards, posters, prints, illustrated books, albums and other related material. Willing to pay top prices for single items or entire collections. Please send detailed list with expected prices to: The Advertiser, (OLD) C/o. Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. ’ ts I I I I others had misread the intent of those Sarfeh of the Guiv Trust of Califor- who had met in the Montreal con- nia, who insisted on a public navjote ference last year. The progressivism on for Peterson when some of the other display there — the host association in sponsors were anxious to conduct it Quebec and Bagli’s influential outside the glare of publicity, claiined Gavashni have fostered that reputation the hurt feelings are all on his side, by freely discussing controversial issues Over the phone from his home in La such as conversion — was relative, Jolla, California, the 75-year-old Munshi seemed to say. retired physician complained bitterly “Shari (Merabi) has the habit of that “a minority of orthodox Parsis” jumping the sun,” he remarked, ex- was causing problems. “I thought the pressing concern that the action would Parsis who have come here were more undo years of effort on his part as well intellectual,” he said, “but 1 am very as of others to forge the unity of Ira- much disappointed.” nian and Parsi Zoroastrians in North Of Peterson he said, “A man comes America. Bagli’s letter to Merabi en- and says, ‘I have read the Gathas and dorses that fear. Avesta and I have practiced the “Please allow us to clarify the situa- religion for six years.’ There is a tion,” Bagli wrote. “In your letter you qualified mobed who is ready to in­ said, (the Peterson navjote) will be a itiate him. Who are we to refuse him? great step towards what you and your Under what pretext do we stop him? group in Montreal were wishing to ac- Do we use force? Does religion belong complish in our latest congress. to any individual?” “Let us mention at the outset that But what about those who what transpired at the congress, ensu- counseled going slowly, creating an in- ing the paper of Mr, A. Davar, was an frastructure of Zoroastrian life in extemporaneous expression of opi- North America — a network of nions of various individuals. Some of agiaries, mobeds, funds and educa­ them had little or no background tional institutions — before addressing knowledge of what was being the conversion issue? “We are not go- discussed. ing to create Udwada here; I hope “We in Quebec (Montreal) accepted not,” Sarfeh retorted, the responsibility to put some order in­ to that random discussion. We agreed to collate opinions and arguments of learned people on both sides of the question. While we are in the process of doing that, any haphazard action in • this matter can actually jeopardize our efforts and endanger the unity of North American Zoroastrians.” The spectre of a split in the com­ munity does not appear to concern those who advocated the navjote. In fact Hormazdiyar is on record at one of the meetings of the New York religious advisory council of actually advocating one, a position that has earned him some opprobrium even 1 Parsiana April 1983 With compliments of LORD’S CENTRAL HOTEL MATHERAN 410102. 7 hl i' 1 i 1 I I Gifts& |Wttgi8| The Friendly Gift Shop for handicrafts, festive gifts and Zoroastrian artefacts Bombay Swadeshi Stores Ltd Sir P.M. Road, Bombay 400 001 Tel: 253443 <& 252730 I i i !COMMENT Among Zoroastrians, for the first time in my life, I felt a stranger. h I h- What K Do You Think? i • f Porus Cooper than distant relatives, they are complete strangers to me, as they seem to be to many Parsis. Their names are often “But wnat do you think?” Both those Nameh. Nearly all are unread, for and against the Peterson navjote My sloth is understandable, asked me that question without an . —------------------- .. . , jl exception. I parried their inquiry in the the one place on earth where each Parsi unpronounceable We eat dhansak and onlvwavlknow — by claiming a repor- ------------—j-------------- « • torial privilege to hide my feelings in the ers of his ilk in the world. What more lapse into Gujarati; they into Persian interest of “objectivity,” that nebulous spiritual sustenance does a Bombay fz.r i ran nniv sneciilat and superficial standard by which jour- Parsi need ? What more proof that all’s nalists are judged by non-journalists, well with the religion, barring minor and often judge themselves. heartaches such as whether non-Parsis L... , ' ¦ . failed me, it was this time. While my Parsi dead. report alongside was contrived in a Why change something that works ? spirit of inquiry that 1 tried my profes- L,.------------ ---------------------- . . sional hardest not to colour with my instead of sparking inquisitiveness in me many Iranian Zoroastrians seem to tind feelings. I’ll be the first to admit that that about my religion, curiously enough virtue in assimilation abroad . Or per- wasn’t entirely possible. t—-------------------------- ,_ For I am a Zoroastrian, a Parsi from probing. My unwritten rule of behav- Hormazdiyar, one of the priests who Bombay brought up in a family that iour in public has always been: Don’t performed Peterson’s ceremony sug- - - ............ gested — that Iranian Zoroastnans, It’s a safe rule, and very convenient. I suppressed at home, are more eager refuse to get caught up in controversies than Parsis to spread their religion that have nothing to do with my daily abroad. Then again it may just be that life. And, conveniently, I am spared the the Iranians leading the fight to throw trouble of answering questions about open the doors of Zoroastrianism to all my religion such as, “What do you just happen to* be individuals of that that with much intellectual hubris. But of course the hangups are not Only small minds are occupied by the unique to me. relative merits of exposing the dead in I remember the irritation an elderly the dokhmas and burying them in the Iranian friend once confided in me when she found herself the only Iranian at the Besides, I know the people I know. Navroz dinner of the local Zoroastrian My sloth is Remember I am a Parsi from Bombay, is reassured every day that there are oth- pattio; they eat dolme and ku-ku. We Then, for reasons I can only speculate about, they seem to be more “liberal” than most Parsis. I have theorized to la oucn uu c iiicuiativva _______________ myself that it is because Iran’s proselyt- But if ever objectivity was a god that ought to be allowed to see the faces of izing Moslem society does not ----- • • aloofness as willingly as India s Hindu society, which rather encourages sepa­ rateness. Forced to assimilate at home. Why change something that works? So the benefit of a liberal education. __________ _____ _____ assimilation abroad. Or per­ caused me to rationalize, abandoning all haps it is what the mobed Noshirwan visits the agiary more often than most talk religion. Parsis I know. Would they countenance the navjote of a Joseph Peterson? I haven’t asked them lately, but I doubt they would. So far their word on matters of reli­ gion has been good enough for me. If the ----- . . . -- . . evidence has often suggested otherwise, think?” I have nothing to say and I say particulaj" bent oi I have always considered my religion so minor a factor in my daily life that 1 never bothered to marshal a contradic­ tory case. If everybody at home and the neighbours in the Parsi colony were earth, happy, for what purpose to break the E-------- --------- —- . peace? So to those who asked, “But They are for the most part Parsis from association, dominated by Parsis. lhey what do you think ?” here’s the answer: places like Bombay and Karachi. Their all seemed to speak in Gujarati. Now she Truth to say, I have seldom given a names, like mine, are quaint but reassur- much prefers to travel 100 miles to New straight hour of thought to my religion, ing conglomerations of English, Persian Rochelle, where the Iranians muster on Oh, I always mean to. I have plenty of and Hindu - Cooper, Mehta, Patel, such occasions m respectable numbers books on the religion of Zarathustra, on Toddywalla, Engineer, Mehli, Lovji, and she can launch into Persian. ® - — • ” • — • '-- In fact Shahriar Merabi, chairman of the board of trustees of the Arbab Rus- Continued on page 10 relative merits of exposing the dead in names, like mine, are quaint but reassur- much prefers to travel 100 miles to New ing conglomerations of English, Persian Rochelle, where the Iranians muster on the Parsis in India, on the various rituals Pesi, Soli, Erach, Shahnaz, Dolly, Jas- of my religion, and even an English mine and Freny. translation of the celebrated Shah .1- Z------ :------------------ Toddywalla, Engineer,’ Mehli, Lovji, and she can launch into Persian. The Zoroastrians from Iran are less 8 Parsiana April 1983The BPP’s ' 15-Point Programme Hutokshi D. Doctor Honsing Allotment Norms The Punchayet continues its campaign for increased housing facilities describ­ ed in the press release as “the most burning problem of the community.” But the criteria for eligibility have been revised. The applicant must not possess any residential accommodation/flat in his own name or in the name of any member of the family who is going to reside with him; for a one room + kit­ chen flat with a carpet area below 400 square feet, the total income of the family should not exceed Rs 2,500 per month; for flats of two rooms 4- kit- * How to prevent inter-community chen, with a carpet area of 450 square marriages and keep Parsis in the faith feet and above, the total family income ? Reviving zest for sports and should not exceed Rs 3,500 per month; * Preventing the large number of and the applicant and the persons to Fifteen problems which affect the community have been identified by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet for a thorough analysis and study, noted the _ BPP trustees at a press conference held divorces, late marriages and non- reside with him/her should be Parsi- on March 11, the third such conference marriages. called to break down barriers in com­ munication between the Punchayat and the community. “Such detailed studies will enable mentioned problems which is “affec- marking,” notes the write-up, “with a the Bombay Parsi Punchayet in chalk- ting the quality of life of the com- view to do justice to all.” Those in­ ingout definite Schemes and Projects munity” the Punchayet proposes to terested may contact the Punchayet of- i for the uplift of the Parsi Community start or sponsor a matrimonial bureau fice for details. in various fields like education, which will provide “an opportunity for Practising mobeds have been allow- employment, social welfare, etc. and timely identification of and meeting ed a five percent reservation in allot- thereby to put the funds available for with suitable partners,” according to ment of housing “as a concrete charitable objects to maximum effec- the press release. Trustee Jamsheed measure of making a beginning...(in tive utilization,” notes the press release. Kanga hoped that the matrimonial the) amelioration of the conditions of The project studies to be undertaken bureau would provide channels for the practising priestly class. ” Eighteen by “bodies such as the Zoroastrian communication between “a large staff quarters will initially be built for Community Development Institute, as number of Parsi boys (who) are abroad mobeds of the Doongerwadi staff. “I well as any other Parsi or non-Parsi in- (with) no means of communication " stitutions/bodies working in the field with families of eligible girls... In fact of research” will involve: * Reviving the spirit of enterprise * Migration from rural to urban areas and from India abroad ?Amelioration of the priestly class, im- What Golwalla describes as a “wind­ parting more religious scholarship to fall” has been received by the BPP in priests and training them for mis- the form of the Seth Pestonji F. Davar sionary roles * Better maintenance of fire temples ? A medico-socio genetic survey of the new cosmopolitan trust will be ad- community ministered by the trustees of the BPP. Zoroastrians only. Changes have also been made in the Matrimonial Bureau “categorisation description and its To help solve the last of the above- percentages and Merit Scheme Points which will provide “an opportunity for am going to approach a Parsi ( the ideal thing would be to computerize it. This would be a very scientific way.” Davar Trust Practising mobeds have been allowed a five percent reservation In allotment of housing. Charitable Trust which was set up and registered in January this year. This philanthropist, himself a builder,” said ................ ¦ Golwalla in this connection. Already under construction are 72 * Determining whether Parsis have “All told an amount of Rs 63,32,000 flats in Contractor Bang, Mahim and moved away from the mainstream of has been received by the Bombay Parsi ’ ~ ’ life in India Punchayet from a Mr. Pestonji F. * Whether trust funds shall be given as Davar of U.S.A... to be used for the while 40 one room and kitchen flats doles or used to create further wealth poor, needy and blind of Greater Bom- are likely to be constructed by June for the community bay,” notes the press release. Already 1983, and 70 two rooms and kitchen * Incentives for increasing dwindling the trustees are considering loan flats will be completed by early or mid- Parsi population and also achieving assistance to persons for “setting up die 1984 at the Pirojsha Godrej Bang, qualitative excellence kiosks, investigation programmes to " " " "" * Luring Parsi children to Parsi trust assess the extent of blindness in the schools and bringing these schools on Parsi community, starting of a Low Vi- par with the best schools sion Clinic, (and) carrying out of a ?More efficient utilization of the com- survey of low vision and squint-eyed munity’s trust resources children at some selected schools.” 12 Transit Camp Rooms at the Dadar Parsi Colony notes the press release, Napean Sea Road. Forty-eight owner­ ship flats are also scheduled for con­ struction at Khareghat Colony on Gibbs Road. “The time may come when we have to look out for more laud to satisfy 9 Parsiana April 1983the housing needs of the community,** Continued from page S labours to imbibe the teachings of Zara- said GolwaUa. tom Guiv Darbe Mehr volunteered thustra. I prefer to take the Peterson “By constructing buildings at when asked about a “split” in the com- affair as a warning to the many of us Godrej Baug and Mahim we will not be munity that it was already split by Ian- who are still smug about our birth into able to cater to the weaker section of guage and culture. I wouldn’t argue, the religion. If it doesn't stay alive in our the community which has been our Zoroastrians in Los Angeles and Chi- heads as well as hearts, it will notsur- aim. The trustees have agreed that the cago seem to have come to the same persons in the welfare colonies who are conclusion. More than one organization paying low rents of approximately represents them in those cities. All this is Rs 30 per month and who can afford sad, and the two nationalities must try to shift to the new flats should do so, ' * _ ~ ' so that the old two-room flats can be the division exists, given to the homeless,” said trustee Dr. Nellie Noble. Those who can af­ ford it will thus be “in a new construe- trepidation. Among Zoroastrians, for tion in a good locality,” noted the first time in my life, I felt a stranger. Goiwalla. Even rents which are sub- For they did not speak my language and sidised to around 50 percent of the for the most part did not even look like standard rent in places like Godrej me. Some of them who knew I was com- Baug will be beyond the means of ing, I knew, would have preferred not to several needy persons in the have me there at all. community. vive. at least not in America. That the navjote was held in public is not upsetting to me. On the contrary. I’m glad it was. Secretiveness, for one harder to get to know each other. Still, thing, would have been the best way to arouse the suspicions of malefactors in Iran or elsewhere. That the navjote was held at all doesn’t bother me either. Not even Peterson’s most ardent well- wishers expect a repeat performance very soon,or very often. And, all said and done, who could have asked for a more worthy recruit? If what Peterson says is true — and I use the ‘if only because, not knowing For a strange dichotomy governed him well, my professionalism compels the Peterson navjote: On the one hand Wortd Body its organizers did not hesitate to make it The scheduled visit of a delegation of a public affair. The sponsorship of the the World Zoroastrian Organisation Guiv Trust ensured that. On the other, “to meet the Trustees of the Bombay they were palpably scared oftheunplea- So when I entered the Darbe Mehr for Peterson’s navjote it was with some noted the first time in my life, I felt a stranger. me to — he has a remarkable accomp­ lishment to his name. His quest has been far more arduous than that of the garden variety American “seeker” who buys painless nirvana from the first itin- Parsi Punchayet” was announced at sant consequences, real or imagined, of erant guru who comes along. What upset a lot of Parsis and some \ Iranian Zoroastrians — as it would upset me if religion were a more impor­ tant part of my daily life than it is — was the high-handed manner in which the affair was conducted. The navjote’s __ ______ __ _ _ _. advocates, well-meaning as they were, terms it, “the opposite has hap- Many of ZAGNY’s officials opposed accomplished the incredible: They pened...First we must have a Federa- the navjote or counseled a delay in hold- *¦"* ’ tion for India, then a Federation in ing it until their religious advisory coun- other countries with sizeable pockets of cil came up with guidelines. Their Zoroastrians, and then we can have a entreaties were brushed aside and, with- World Federation representative of out exception, they stayed away, all.” In pursuance of the trustees’ deci­ sion to invest its existing assets in ‘‘higher-interest-yielding’’ avenues, over one crore has already been in­ vested in the Unit Trust scheme, notes the write-up, and investments in public sector companies which yield a higher percentage of returns will be made on receiving the Charity Commissioner’s permission. The Punchayet’s tercentenary celebrations which were inaugurated in November 1981 by M. Hidayatullah, vice president of India, drew to a close with the felicitation of 15 eminent Par­ sis in Bombay last December. The Pun­ chayet has published booklets contain­ ing the citations and replies to them “in order,” the write-up notes, “to spread the message and to fulfil the object of that...unique and historical function.” the conference. “Let us see what they news of the ceremony getting around. have to say,” said Golwalla. “In any federal set-up there has to be a duct a quiet ceremony at his home, the pyramidical structure,” said Kanga, Guiv Trust insisted on holding it as a “and the World Federation should be matter of principle at the Darbe Mehr, the apex.” But with this “self- which is the headquarters of the Zoroas- proclaimed' When Hormazdiyar wanted to con- Federation, as Kanga trian Association of Greater New York. 10 Parsiana April 1963 j s weighed Peterson’s 12-year spiritual j odyssey against 1,400 years of Zoroas- 1 trian experience in another foreign land — India — and found the centuries-old strategy of communal self-preservation wanting in sense. Perhaps it is possible that 100,000 Parsis in India are living a lie. Frankly, I don’t know. I am willing to be con­ vinced, as are many I spoke to, but the ; supporters of the navjote will have to do > better than they have. Some of them may not have made up their own minds. Having boldly invited the controv- for they remain members of the New We eat dhansak and pattio; they eat do!me and ku-ku. ersy, the navjote’s organizers began York advisory council, which is still worrying about Ayatollah Khomeini’s working on finding “guidelines” for the sensitivities. Alas, their solicitousness community. What if the “guidelines” did not extend to their co-religionists reject future “acceptance into the reli- who balked at the navjote. g»on ? Then the navjote would have been Now with the deed done and over disservice to Joseph Peterson more with, one thing is clear: Blissful nonchal- ^^an anybody else. j ance is no longer possible. About the author: Porus Cooper is on the “Joe Peterson is the best reason why editorial staff of ne Courier-Post in New Jersey. our children should remain Zoroas- A former editorial staff member of The Times of trian,” remarked Kersi Antia, the other ! mobed who conducted the navjote. Antia surely was referring to the inspirational aspect of Peterson’s great worrying about Ayatollah Khomeini’s Abroad after receiving a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. Cooper covered Peterson’s navjote at Parsiana’s request on an honorary basis.s Bharucha’s Reply to the If we want to show that our religion has strength then we have to confront it with the most challenging of ques­ tions and think the answers through to prove its worth. I am sure that what I have explained should satisfy everyone. I did not immediately con­ tradict the misrepresentations which appeared in the Society journal in the belief that they did not require such at­ tention. If by this act I have hurt the feelings of the learned scholars whose knowledge of religion I respect, then I wish to offer my regrets to them. A film is a work of art and should not be judged from the piecemeal examina­ tion of the script. I would therefore re­ quest the learned scholars who have made comments to please see the Him and pronounce their verdict thereafter. At this point I would mention that Dr. Kotwal who is one of our scholars b Inquest I The other cause of worry seems to be I- I rass our religion. Cyrus H. Bharucha Executive Producer h 1 I have read the letters published in the how he is being portrayed. In fact, we Jam-e-Jamshed and Bombay have a scene in the film where he is Sflznac/iar by our learned Dastoorjis on clearly being “enlightened” by the has contributed enormously to the sen- ‘A Quest for Zarathustra’. At the river. In no way do I demean his sitive points in the script and I would outset I would state firmly that the stature or position as one of the great look forward to his further valuable thoughts put forward by the Dastoorjis prophets of the world, are totally correct and I wish to assure them that the film which is being pro- wound up in the conversion question, duced is absolutely on the same lines In no way does the film deal with and thoughts which they have express- conversion but it talks only about the let us all work together instead of quar- ed in their letters. In order to clarify “freedom of choice.” This I am sure relling over press interviews and gossip the Dastoorjis’ anxieties which they everyone will agree, is one of the great magazines. I am proud to be a Parsi have expressed stating that they wrote concepts of our religion and in no way and a Zoroastrian and therefore would the above-mentioned letters based on does that constitute the acceptance of never do anything to harm or embar- press reports of various interviews conversion. If I were not to deal with given by me, I would mention that I this concept of freedom of choice have been misquoted at many places by which Zarathustra gave to his people I the Indian press. would have failed in my duty to project I have undertaken this film because I the fundamental concept of our have a strong belief about the greatness religion. This film has so much to say of the Zoroastrian religion and por- about the doctrine and history of our traying of Zarathustra as a prophet of religion that at no time does it pro- Addendum the religion is one of the major themes pagate controversial sentiments. Subsequent to the interview given by of my film which also examines the The curing of King Vishtasp’s horse Bharucha to Parsiana in January history of our people. The scholars and is a legend which nearly all (‘Bharucha’s Quest for Zarathustra’ the community may rest assured that I Zoroastrians grow up with. It appears published in the March 1983 issue), have no desire to portray Zarathustra allusively in the Denkart (DK VII 4.70) Bharucha informed us that the subject in any other light. All prophets, apart but is fully developed in the Zardusht of conversion would not be touched I from having a divine inspiration were Nama. In the film we are using this upon in the movie. He therefore re- i also great thinkers and philosophers story to dramatize a point. In no way quested we drop the concerned and reference to this fact is only in- are we suggesting that this single act paragraph pertaining to conversion in dicated to bring out this aspect and not (curing the king’s horse) is the only the interview. However due to a to detract from the fact that reason why Vishtasp accepted technical oversight, the paragraph was Zarathustra was divinely inspired and Zoroaster’s religion, no more than a struck off from the photostat copy of received the concept of the religion single scene in ‘Gandhi’ showing the the bromide but not the bromide itself, during his lonely sojourn in the use of “non-violence” outside a mill in The error is regretted, wilderness. Gujarat was the breaking point of the Bharucha also informs us that he is I have always been very proud of the British in India. In no way would we working closely with the priests and the I fact that our prophet was the first man like to portray Zarathustra as a Bombay Parsi Punchayet and is taking to make mankind aware of a single veterinary doctor. The whole scene us- the utmost care while filming to avoid God and it is on the strength of that, ed in the film to dramatize this point offending the community’s sen- that this film is being made for the shows the spiritual power of sibilities—Editor, world. Zarathustra was the world’s Zarathustra when he cures the horse of first great prophet and that is exactly Vishtasp. 11 Parsiana April 1983 suggestions. This is the first time our religion is being put on film in a major way and it is a once in a century chance. So please