Jun 1983

r ? i I June 1983, Volume 5 No. 1 J./Re. 1 I C.E.R. Scheme for Electoral Reform I U ' Committee to be elected by Register 11...” The entire area of Greater Bombay A shorter, six-year term of office for mented at an^early date are favourable. reducing the voting strength of donors scheme, then the process is a lengthy and and its suburbs shall be divided into to one-fifth are some of the reforms pro- tiresome one. fifteen (15) territorial constituencies, in posed for the Bombay Parsi Punchayet According to the C.E.R. scheme, the such manner that the ratio between the trustees election scheme by the Commit- present A, C, D, E and F registers would population of each constituency and the tee for Electoral Rights. be scrapped and replaced by Registers I, number of seats allotted to it is, so far as Other major changes include new II, and III. practicable, the same throughout the simplified registers, restricting trustees “The name of every Parsi appearing said entire area of Greater Bombay and to two consecutive terms of office, six- on the latest Electoral Roll, prepared for its suburbs.” monthly meetings with members of the the elections to the Municipal Corpora- C----------------- trustees, constituency-wise polling, and But if the BPP trustees oppose the be scrapped and replaced by Registers I, “The name of every Parsi appearing ..................... Candidates can contest from any one Anjuman Committee and Anjuman tion of Bombay should be entered in area only. • ~ '--------------- 1 Register II is subdivided into four his or her part. Provided his or her name sub-registers: (i) those donating Rs 5,000, (ii) those donating Rs 5,000 to Committee elections every five instead Register I without any further action on of seven years. I The modified scheme prepared by the will not be entered in Register I if it is C.E.R.’s Electoral Reforms cell headed found that he or she is a donor whose Rs 10,0(X),(iii) those donating Rs 10,000 Rs 15,001 and above. ‘No person shall be entitled to have New entrants to Register II will have his or her name on more than one of the above sub-registers.” “General Elections to Anjuman Com- The modified scheme prepared by the will not be entered in Register I if it is by noted lawyer Dadi Engineer, “is name appears in the‘F’Register under to Rs 15,000 and those donating based on the Kanga-Engineer dissenting the old scheme and in which event his or ” *«««« j note” states TTie Zoroastrian issue of her name will be entered in Register II.” November-December 1982. 1 — Engineer and Bombay Parsi Pun- to donate Rs 5,(X)0 or more to the BPP. chayet trustee Jamsheed Kanga had “All persons whose names appear on submitted a note of dissent several years Register I shall elect, from amongst mittee from each of the Registers I and ago, to the electoral reform committee themselves not more than 400 (four II shall be held every five years as far as formed by the BPP. hundred) candidates and all persons possible in the month of February. Elec- When no action was taken by the whose names appear on Register II shall tions for each Register shall be separ- BPP, Kanga, Engineer and others elect, from amount themselves and in ately held.” formed the C.E.R. and successfully con- the manner prescribed hereinafter, not Register land Register II will jointly tested the Anjuman Committee elec- more than 100 (one hundred) candi- be referred to as Register IIL tions in 1981. Both partiescontesting dates. _ ' 7^*" - the elections promised electoral reforms. ___ The 49-page cyclostyled scheme is called the ‘elected members of the Anju- for six years from the date he (or she) being distributed for consideration and man Committee’.” enters upon office but will ^eligiblefor the C.E.R. has to decide how to pro- “The number of members to the re-election only once, that is to say, that ceed with the changes. If the BPP trus- Anjuman Committee to be elected by no person shall be a trustee for acontin- tees agree to the reforms, the chances of Register 1 shall at all times be four times uous period of more than twelve years.” the scheme being accepted and imple- the number of members tothe Anjuman Conlinued'on page U. M* U The trustees’term will be of six years “All the said 500 (five hundred) candi- in place of the present lO-year term and dates elected by Register I and II shall be he or she “shall continue to hold officeTheWZO Tour a '' i I I ! g 1 The WZO delega­ tion with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Dadi Mistry (extreme left), Captain (second from left), Ms Contractor (second from right), and Sharokh (extreme right). A % Everywhere they asked us about conversion, about this navjote,” said our opinion.” “The Constitution of the WZO The three-member delegation of the I World Zoroastrian Organisation which , visited several Zoroastrian strongholds in India this summer, reportedly gener- - ated considerable enthusiasm for the I world Zoroastrian body with its head- I quarters in London. I “People thought it was the right thing, " they all felt it was the right set-up... Right through India and elsewhere indi- they think they will receive ‘y’ for ‘x’ Captain added, “Affinity is the word for viduals want to join,” said Shahpur money, they are mistaken. To air and it." Captain, vice president of the WZO discuss questions, that’s the purpose of Captain found a “very thriving, pro- which is chaired by Dr (Mrs) Shirinba- the cells,” said Captain, a chartered gressive, (Zoroastrian) community in noo S. Kutar. The delegation, which in- accountant, in his quiet, clipped tones, different parts of India, with differences eluded Sharokh Sharokh and Ms Ruby in reply to a question regarding the in different pockets. They are very bal- Contractor, joint honorary secretaries, benefits of membership. In an article in anced, and firm believers,” but still, he visited Poona, Surat, Delhi, Calcutta, the organisation’s first quarterly news- says, “1 think the community’s going Jamshedpur, Madras, Bangalore and letter, WZO member Dadi E. Mistry through very bad times. I was shocked. Hyderabad. With an existing world- writes that the organisation can help The institutions havegone down, people wide membership of approximately Zoroastrians abroad in “establishing are so disgruntled, the agiaries and 1000, according to Captain, the WZO greater contacts with those in India and chawls are not well maintained. Living succeeded in enrolling 150 to 200 ensuring that they continue to retain conditions have become terrible.” members in their recent trip, quite a few their identities as Zoroastrians; while ~ of them life members. for those in India it would be assistance “Many Anjumans have joined, like in more tangible form, chiefly eco- Captain pointing to a copy of Parsiana Madras, Hyderabad and Calcutta,” nomic.” which carried the report of Joseph while the “Bombay trustees even indi- The WZO proposes to work in the Peterson’s navjote on the cover, vidually have not joined; they thought housing, educational and medical Another question which was frequently (the idea) was incongruous, ... (and) spheres, and has also considered the asked was the WZO’s definition of a Delhi joined and then withdrew again... possibility of a youth exchange scheme. Zarthosti. On the conversion issue Cap- But Nargolwala, (chairman of the Delhi Towards the amelioration of the priestly tain said, “The question does not arise in Parsi Anjuman) is an individual class and the spread of religion “a most member and on the managing commit- welcome start has been made with a tee.” Likewise, the trustees of the Surat handsome donation by the WZO to the unequivocally states that only a person Parsi Punchayet are individual Athornan Madressa in Bombay,” writes born in the faith and confirmed in it can members. Mistry. The assistance rendered by the be called a Zoroastrian. This means (the The WZO, which was set up in 1980, WZO to Zoroastrian refugees who fled person) must belong to the Zoroastrian seeks to establish a working committee Iran after the Islamic Revolution has stock by birth, upbringing and convic- in India, consisting of approximately been lauded in a report on the WZO in tion,” notes a report in The Bombay eight people fromall over India, accord- the Gujarati daily The Bombay Sam- Saznac/iflr. “Further the navjote cerem- ing to Captain, “to give us an idea of achar which notes, “The WZO prevailed ony of the person ought to have been what is required in India, and help in upon the governments of U.K., United duly performed. If it was the object of setting up cells which will generate States, Canada and West Germany to the WZO to encourage conversions they enthusiasm and get back to the working give refuge and citizenship to these would not have kept this clause.” committee and then to the international unfortunate Zoroastrians.” Captain found two definite groups, body.” The list of those selected to work The WZO has already received a gift divided on the conversion question in on the committee will be available after of £ 1,50,000 “to set up a central secreta- the United States and Canada, when he a couple of months. “Everything we do riat to complete and prosecute the func- was there last year. “There is no such we’ll be directing through the working tions of a world body on a world scale,” group in India. Nobody’s come up and committee,” he added. “In Pakistan said Captain. said that’s what we should do — not a there is a committee already. Other pla­ ces we’ll be working through (local) visited India after 30 years, said he associations.” Every individual member found the “ways of thinking of Zoroas- appoint the local committee members in is entitled to vote for the office-bearers, trians here are different, the outlooks each country and through them achieve “What members can look forward to are different, but the beliefs are the the WZO goal of “Zoroastrian Unity is that ideas can be received, analysed. If same. There is greater unity there,” and Worldwide.” Sharokh, an architect in London who single soul.” The next step. Captain says, is to 3 Parsiana June 1983_ of the lofty library at the Sama Oriental Institute, with the iunlight streaming in the windows. Iln a corner ¦1= '^u tpi 'ama tpabriele Schildheuer, a German stu- f dent of anthropology and medicine atneasured the height of her 88th sub- ixject, the circumference of the skull, in- [cluding detailed measurements of each ---------------- -------------------- ---------- The community, though on the decline, has I attracted the attention of [ anthropologists as “a very closed ethnic group,'' one of few groups to remain ethnically distinct. i I g 7^^’' "-4; 7* MT * I a facial feature, and then rolled black oil [ paint onto the palms of the subject’s r hands and imposed the prints onto crisp white sheets of paper. During her three weeks in Bombay this April, the slim, blue-eyed and blond Schildheuer (28) subjected 100 Parsis, 51 men and 49 women, to this simple experiment, which reportedly generated casual curiosity in the com­ munity and some good-natured speculation as to whether the lady were a palmist or a CIA agent. “These measurements of the mor­ phological (structural) features are the first anyone has ever done of the Par^ sis ’’ _____ is part of her doctoral studies in an­ thropology at the University of Vien­ na. In fact, she comments, “There were no«------- - ----- Parsis at all, until the study of J. at the University of Toronto, made an f formation on the Parsis was one reason why Schildheuer chose the Parsis in In- hand prmts is vep^ dia for her doctoral research. Another reason for her interestm the Parsis is f ' ‘ ' • attention of anthropologists as closed ethnic group,” groups to remain 1 _ . . few marriages c. --- community. , Sn Through her experiments subject in Schildheuer seeks to establish “the morphological features of the Parsis in --- . . , . theory, bay, ana aescnoeu u: nranr,:;: Leonis aba«. me -incredible, ^fec. Irani Zoroastrians.” She wiU then Iranis-one says L , .u k I Ethnic Investigations Hutokshi D. Doctor 1 anyuue uas . .........................- - - TfS '"‘¦me^flS-prin« and prints ot •says schildheuer, who^re^ch mTprnsiX" contact ^..->1 XX ""X fi'ngTprints and patterns wUl specW pemnssion from her “mvejsity tact, sne conuucuw, as*vsw, me f fnr nar- to studv the closely relatea neios anthropological records of the recur in_ on’tknow of anthropology and medicine at all, until the study of J. tinxlm ethme groupssYmidtaneously. The connection bet- Mavalwala, professor of anthropolo^ ai^XXr Xy h^^^ ween some physical disorders and cer- at the university of Toronto,’’ who in to tain genetic variations, which might be made an anthropologic^ study of own identity, accorai g manifest in the form of extraordin^ Zoroastrians in Iran. This lack of in- Sclu^euer. palms, is a vast field which - • ----------- “The mvestigation of the finger ana serological ..and prints is very difficult and will ___,___ Dn«>oic! urrtiilH silcn he in­ take a very long time,” but she hopes on lor iici uivvsv„v ... to have her data collated and premises that the community, established after approximately six . _ • . She has restneted herself to resist^ce to research on the Parsis would also be in­ teresting, she said, referring to the Ashkenazis who were found to have a ______ J to tuberculosis in the ghet­ tos of Warsaw during thell World War. thniich on the decline, has attracted the months. She has restrict^ nerseii lo ,tt«ntion of anthropologists as “a very o" ‘ ihildheuer, aloHg with Rainer cteM ethnic group,” one of few X nnSowS^ KrSt a GenU student of Indology, groups to remain ethnically distinct, volved tn aU fte WcM ,eseatching and writing an ex- tagelybecausethcrehavebeenrclatively measurmentt would be impossible to of Parsis without the un^rtake- nn the nonular German magazine. En- her 5 Par si ana June 1983 Srei ’s a lot of conjecture on the popular German magazine. ¦ in anthropological circles, said thusiastic about research on the P^sis, &hadhrae““Some Sentists say that Schildheuer f^d m' me Muslims in Iran are ethnically Bke thnsiasm m the that Schildheuer found a corresponding • theory* ba7,^d describ^ their cooperation as that they intermarried Photograph by Homyar MistryBOOKS host and hostess themselves were eag­ erly awaiting notification of permission to emigrate to America. They were more fortunate than most, enjoying the rear quarters of a spacious and fashionably genteel apartment shared with the in­ laws. With the keen eye of the social critic Pangborn observes how “many more live austerely in tasteless quarters, Zoroastrianism: A BeleagueredFaithby CyrusR. world, but a String looped around the making do With furnishing^ that were Pangborn, Vikas Publishing House, New Delhi, heart and mind Stretching back to the cheap when new and which, with age, 1982, Pages 150, Price Rs 75._______________ _ jawn of recorded history. Her outburst are woefully drab.” betrayed its tension. There are several other examples of The contradictions which torment the such inspired prose. H owever the reader Indian Parsi form an important part of looking for “an easy read^ may be disap- i to remove academese — with only a few exceptions e.g. “Its idea- Troubled Times Farok J. Contractor At a recent dinner party in Bombay a person was describing the research of a ---------------- r------- r— - / , xu hoc Western scholar. He was said to have the book which also su^eys the condi- pointed. _ discovered a plant in Iran which, if eaten tion of Iranian Zoroastrians and the few taken pains tc eve eee_e!V“'“ by cattle, has a mild hallucinogenic thousand in Europe and North Amer- effect on them and they totter around ica. Professor Pangborn is primarily a unsteadily. We were told how the hallu- scholar of religion, having studied ¦ 7oroastrianS cinogen is concentrated and excreted in Zoroastrianism and Hinduism over a jn^rangDOrn, z.oruabU laiii, the cow’s urine. The urine in itself is thus long career. But his talents apparently have flOt 3 CFltlC, DUt 3 sympathetic observer who presents several sides to issues but seldom betrays his own predilections. the cow’s urine. The urine in itself is thus long career. But his talents apparently a more powerful concentrated stimulant encompass those of the contemporary than can be derived by fermenting the sociologist and social critic. The book’s plant directly. Could this be the origin of contribution lies in the connection it the ritual of “nirang” practised by provides between ancient theology, today’s Parsis, linking it through three reviewed in the first two chapters, cur- millennia to the ancient cult of Haoma rent organization of the religion and its or Soma — a practice which, incidentally, practice, covered in the next two chap- Zoroaster condemned? The topic ters, and the morality, ethics and social formed an amusing counterpoint to the concerns of today which are the subject party’s salted peanuts and idle, danger- of the last two chapters. tional base was thought OUS chit-chat. Suddenly a woman burst “The typical Zoroastrian,”says Pang- which yielded polytheistic conception out: “It is this kind of research that is born (in one ofhis rare lapses into gener- generously laced with anthropomor- ruining our religion...there is too much alization), “is a person who honours phism.” The general tone is scholarly, investigation.” rectitude, charity, diligence and ste- without being dull, and invites the same As I considered the woman’s reaction, wardship.” This statement, by the way, care and deliberation in the reader that 1 thought of how many elements is also an almost solitary betrayal of the the author has expended in the writing, covered in Cyrus Pangborn’s book author’s underlying affection for Do not neglect the footnotes,Tor in Zoroastrianism: A Beleaguered Faith Zoroastrians, a bias he successfully them the author reveals himself. Partic- were present in the room. (The book is a overcomes everywhere else in the book ularly entertaining are examples where - V . . .. ™ —1.. Urtiv, he comments on the writings of Others. __________ J In them one senses Pangborn’s sorrow illustrates the difficulties they that among Parsis themselves there are create. At the dinner party a topic of few scholars of the subject, and of those As I considered the woman’s reaction, wardship.” This statement, by the way. scholarly review of Zoroastrian scrip- by his scholarly disinterestedness. How- tures and theology, but it also connects ever,the statement praising these virtues them with the present-day condition of also i"...................... .. ‘ economic status and current religious conversation was how it is not easy to be that chim scholarship fewer still have practices.) The woman’s sincerity and an honest entrepreneur in India today, the discipline to exclude conjecture piety were not in doubt. But this piety If this rectitude so recommended by from fact and jingoism from a proper was derived from an uncritical taith in the mantric qualities of the Avestan or , . - Pahlavi prayers to which she attributed in post-independence India then the irony the magical and curative powers of con- only option is to join the ranks “of the secrated nirang. By contrast nirang employed middle class” which “every- which had not been prayed over would where in th; rr not keep for more than a few days, we world voluntarily reduces its birth rate were told. Yet here she was, a Bombay in the interest of security.” A couple at businesswoman, having seen the world, the party had only recently been reu- her husband a marketing manager — a nited after the accountant husband’s _ foot firmly in the modern, technocratic long absence in the Middle East. The tion on the credulous respect for author­ Zoroastrian ethics produces a distaste appreciation of the religion. Yet he for the hurly-burly of entrepreneurship rarely says this outright, preferring ‘ t instead. Take the case of the respected Parsi atomic scientist who also dabbles in Zoroastrian study: After the modern industrialized quoting a particularly unfounded asser­ tion — that Mazdayasnism began sev­ eral thousands of years before Zarathustra — Pangborn heaps gentle scorn on such writings (and by implica- 7 ParsianaJune 1983< i 1 1 I itv on the part of lay Parsi readers) by of the dead are treated comprehensively, of topics and detail, that the book has the simple expedient of mentioning all and all opposing views are treated in but a hundred and fifty pages. 1 have of the writer’s long string of degrees in Iran and in the West. But Pangborn carefully put it on my shelf, awaiting the Physics. The irony is even more telling does not linger over these matters. He is day my son develops an adult invest in when one realizes that to an American more interested in the institutional the religion of his forefathers. There it audience, for whom this book is par- structure <— — ------ j . tiallv intended.quoting all one’s degrees created but cannot seem to resolve these ily, as the book with the rubber band IWII) iiiiviiuvu.H . ° •________ grnnnrl if Alae fhp nilhlishcrs haVC let is bad form, except in particularcircum- bon^urSg his many visits to Bombay, prehension that he is not a Parei or a reading the first chapter the binding because of his underlying affection for Zoroastrian, nor even an Indian. Yet, a the subject, suffering silently the slings Parsi could never have written so det- —____ ______ I hundred and fifty pages. 1 have Iran and *in the” West. But Pangborn carefully put it on my shelf, awaiting the and the history which has sits. I know 1 will always identify it eaj^,^ ,, . issues around it. Alas, the publishers have let So successful is the author in his com- this noble work down — even as I was ¦ ’ ***> began to come apart in my hands. It is suiicnii mv _ _________ ____ ________ great concern however. 1 try to and arrows oloutrfgeoLT ’iholarehi^, ached a treatise, nor perhaps been as reassure myself with the thought of the and in a quest for completeness, duti- tolerant and gentle with the chaff of his- endurance of good works through his- fully reading every tract and every asser- tory, or t tion such as the one that in olden days forgets, thinking back on the side range with “Magi priests...people could fly in the air...(and) fire could be summoned to our kitchen as and when desired, etc.” This quest for disinterestedness and completeness makes parts of the book quite dry for the non-specialist reader, especially the chapter on religious ceremonies entitled ‘The Cultus.’ Even here, there are some delicious titbits such as the statement that animal sacri­ fice continued among Parsis until the mid-19th century and still continues ,, . nrthndnv villages in Iran There are Parsis - Ancient and Modem by F.K. Dada- under review printed and published in m orthodox villages iri chanji, published in Karachi, 1980. Pages 184, Karachi, makes a most welcome addi- other similar passages, fascmanng to the reader not so much b^ause they are ------------------------------------------------- lengSs to whiS^hTauthor has gone to Parsis in India have frequent opportuni- purpose of bndging the lacuna for Par- Sm theh description as when Pang- tics - unlike their counterparts across sis tn Pakistan and informing co- born describes and^estimates the costs of the border — to revitalise their links religionists in India and over the world a Niranedin ceremony with or without with the past and go on an ego-boosting of the community s contribution o ?hXl Wnrs= betXn firn tem- trip down history. Sporadic reprints of modern-day Pakistan: facts which^^were pics Or take his quote from another what may be best considered the stu- probably hitherto unpublished andd source that in the “Rivayats” or replies dent’s Bible of Parsi history, P.P. Balsa- initely not read widely. from Iran in the 15th to 18th centuries to ra’s Highlights of Parsi History; an The book is divided’ as very Utk questions asked bv Indian Zoroastrians, occasional book by an authority like indicates into twoP^rts. _^he , questions asxeo ov Nanavutty which gets an excellent spread a little over 60 pages, deals with ------------------- - distribution through the government- the Parsis in Iran and ends with the controlled N.B.T. channels; or studies flight to India; the second, more volumi- into the religion and its growth by for- nous, details the Parsi contribution in eign experts like Kulke or Pangborn, t..u, c-v. . ..........------------------- y published and distributed by the fields ol commerce, industry, Vikas (whose contribution in t...„ respect must be gratefully acknowl- edged) keep Parsis at home informed and certainly succeeds,the books sub- about their cultural roots and their con- tribution to the mainstream. The Parsi in Pakistan, however, is not the whimsy of today. One also tory. Consider after all, the prophet’s own words in the Gathas. Bridging the Gap Homi J. Rogers Parsis --------- chanji, published in Karachi, 1980. Pages 184, price not stated. Animal sacrifice continued among Parsis until the mid-19th century which are and still continues in orthodox villages in Iran. controlled N.B.T. channels; or studies flight to India; the second, more volumi- . .. . the sub-continent in modern times in this finance, social service, science, art and literature. This section aims to justify. title ; “Never before has so much been achieved by so few.” The early history of Iran makes for many of the questions and answers dealt so ’fortunate. The new rash of book's on pleasant reading. Since much of Jhis is with issues such as the closest a men­ struating woman may approach a per­ son doing the kusti. The answer f---- Paneborn Zoroastrians years...” There is thus little scope to narrate these events is commendable, have not a critic,^but L sympathetic know about the community, especially The wisdom of Jamshed, the tyranny of observer who presents several sides to issues but seldom betrays his own predi­ lections. The present controversies on conversion, intermarriage and exposure Parsis available/ published in India are supposed to be mythological and is I pci- not permitted for export, and as the based only on Firdausis epic poem from author states in his preface,“We in Kara- Shahnamah, the style — storybookish chi have been totally cut off in recent and brief—employed by Dadachanji to its culture and achievement, and to Zohak and his overthrow by Faridun, share, armed with knowledge, in the the wars between Iran and Turan, the pride of being a Zoroastrian. chivalry of Rustam and the ultimate It is in this context then that the book tragedy of killing his son Sohrab with ZParsianaJune 1983his own hands, are splendidly unfolded, amongst Parsis, for example, is Yet, it is both surprising and sad that accorded just one page, and the author little attention here is paid to the coming does not mention the name of Naoroji of the Prophet and the author does not Dorabji Chandaru, popularly known as narrate the life of Zarathustra nor focus Halaku, who started The Bombay Var­ an his teachings, but dispenses these taman (later known as The Bombay > 1 % IOTA kafrtrA much-maligned story of how Zarathus- Jam-e-Jamshed) and following an inde- tra convinced King Vishtasp of his true pendent policy freely attacked the Parsi and noble self by curing his favourite Panchayet. Yet another indomitable horse, does not appear, though the fighter missed out is A.D. Gorwala, the chapters in this section trace out impor- founder-editor of Opinion, the free- tant events in the life of Iranian kings, thinking magazine which withstood the The historical part of the “Parsi” rule Emergency despite all possible clamps in Iran reads more stodgily, largely due on its printing and circulation Sim- to the frequent recourse the author takes ilarly, in sports, one would have liked to to quotations from encyclopaedias and read about Farokh Engineer, Rusi stresses on the years of ascensions Mody as well as other cricketing greats /deaths. Yet the valour and magnanim- who participated in the Quadrangulars/ ity of Cyrus the Great and his successors Pentagulars, before these games were i;va riariiie whn introduced the stopped. And in medicine, while events within a page. Even the now Chabook) in 1830 (two years before vii'*xxxaxigi>vM oi-vzMj T. —--------------------- ----------- - - , J i_ Ti • convinced King Vishtasp of his true pendent policy freely attacked the Parsi .... « 1 r . a. .... A 1a m « wa a Wk IA £111^ IIML/XV OVIX J ***** ’ — —-------- _ horse, does not appear, though the fighter missed out is A.D. Gorwala, the chapters in this section trace out impor- 1---------------- . _ j u tant events in the life of Iranian kings, thinking magazine whjch withstoodjthe in Iran reads more stodgily, largely due on its printing and circulation. Sim- tliV llVCjUCll. — -------------- ---------------- a' . I. , , T- • D ¦ quotations from encyclopaedias and read about Farokh Engineer, Rusi ____ , aa.All rtf nrinVAtmo CTrPatSJ VXX XXIV JVMXkJ V* J 1 J a • 1 J 1 I /deaths. Yet the valour and magnanim- who participated in the Quadrangulars/ like Darius, who introduced the stopped. And world’s first postal system and con- acknowledging the contribution of lead- ceived of the Suez Canal, are well high- ing surgeons and top ranking doctors, lighted in brief, clearly sub-titled Dadachanji omits mentioning Man­ paragraphs which make interesting and chershaw Faramji Suraliwala (Madhi- informative reading. walla), whose simple remedy of a kick The second part of the book, but for for slip-disc, administered without some glaring sins of omission, leaves ... _ ,, j • • little cause for complaint: capsule biog- aids, has won overall^admiration. raphies of many great Parsis, embel- ’ ' ~ lished with quotations f...... 11.-- contemporaries / biographers / encyclo­ paedias, trace their contribution to as the mainstream in many fields. Th? of . _ book does not stop at the “usual” names bution of all property (including like Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshaw women’0. Dadachanji denounces him as Mehta, Jamsetji Tata, the Wadias and walla), whose simple remedy of a “kick” ¦ I X-ray photographs and other medical I Incidentally, one pioneer who does I from their not find favour with the author is Maz- dak: the Parsi Karl Marx, who as early ® ; 500 A.D. advocated socialistic ideas I fields. The of equality for all men and equal distri- I Athornans Abroad Awaken L’ I ¦ ¦ Ervad Khusbnoom Jal Panthaki after the Navor ceremony a heretic and hails his death sentence as one which saved Iran and the honour of its womanhood. ------ . - . - These are but some minor flaws and nans abroad, especially in the UK, Us A tllVJ MW UVl, XlW TTW » , •** — — J J-------- ---- , fc A r* from the total value of the book. But troubled by £he question Auer certain inane statements do. To cite an v— . ------ _ example: ‘ --------- - - increased by the natural process, i.e. ing Madressa, Bombay, biologically. Today there are world- i*.—------ - serve witdlife. In order to save the tiger thousands of dollars to make their sons or L.v. ..— ------ -...... ........ , Reserved Parks or sanctuaries are kept becoming an Athornanzao, for them where these wild animals can Panthaki. live their natural lives in natural sur- ’ the Godrejs, but it brings to the reader’s roundings and increase attention numerous famous Parsis from biologically.” There is an awakening amongst Athor- Mazdak: the Parsi Karl Marx, as early as 500 A.D. advocated socialistic ideas of equality for all men and equal distribution of all property ("including women"). 1 liVOV CUV U/V4U JVIHV ’ • ------------ ------------ --- ' * ’ , . . they do not, however, in any way detract and Canada, who are increasingly Z. a a , A . _ U.. 4.1---------------------------------------‘ATtor x . ......1... -1- —» who?’ notes Ervad Rustom N. Pan- “Population must be thaki, principal of the Athornan Board- ------------ “Athornans from' abroad have wide organisations and funds to pre- recently beencoming to India, spending « .• .« A Iz A * r 'V WUUXAXV. XII •.vz w—w ---------------------------- the lion from extinction, special undergo the Navar ceremony, thus . __ A.i----- ” writes .. __ • Panthaki cites the recent example of their numbers Ervad Khushnoom Jal Panthaki of Montreal, grandson of Mobed Nasser- “'HSiTy/’the book wen do with vanji F. Pa*„,haki (NatgolwaUa) wh^e a, rkbafs co„it,,oN;niPalkhi™^ the addition of an index. Since the Navar ceremony Zubin Mehta. second half is conceived as a veritable Rustom Framna Agiary in Dadar a Though few books on such a vast who’s-who, an index would greatly December. theme in be said to be complete, in assist in making the book a handy refer- “May we have many such priests view of the extensive collation of facts ence guide. A few additional pages of abroad for the future generation, undertaken by the author, it is disturb- photographs too could be considered, if concludes. ing to note that many a leading luminary the publishers intend to bring out a _________________________________ has been overlooked. Journalism second edition in the future. i™-——ii^———— overlooked. Journalism second edition in the future. 9 Parsiana June 198'3 wNEWS FROM THE MEDIA Calcutta Parsis: A Rich Heritage Gautam Ghose I The city of Calcutta, apart from its his- i ' _ __ _____ _____ toric importance, seems to have a charm quently, two streets in the city were eagerly looked forward to. “Time of its own which has always drawn to its ....... fold various types of people who owe their origin to numerous ethnic com­ munities. Many an unknown tribe came and settled here and looked upon the city as theirs. They were witness to the his histrionic talents. He first came to now,”saysahandsomeladyofthiscom- birth pangs of a nascent urban civilisa- C ’ ’ ' ’ ; ___ ; __ ____ _ tion and despite the obvious hazards of troupe. He owned a hundred cinema Byro/ Company would give out soft living in an unknown territory, the lure houses all over India. Like Dinshaw _____________ ___________________ of the place soon caught up on them. Mehta and Sorabjee he too started cat- But the Parsis, who like othercommun- ering contracts with the railways. A man The ParSIS, WhO like Other ities made Calcutta their home, seem to of enterprising zeal, he brought across a rnmmi initioc made be fast dying out. number of young Parsis from Gujarat _ LOrnmunilies maoe In fact, a Parsi spokesman who has and fixed them up with jobs in Calcutta Calcutta theif home. Seem been a resident of Calcutta for the last and thus increased the community pop- 40 years says, “I know all the Parsis in ulation in the city, thecity, at least by face. After all — there ... - . are only 1,400 of us left here.” The first Parsi to come to the city is said to be Dadabhoy Behramji Banaji in adopted during the days of the British theme was based on some fabricated 1767. An old Parsi businessman says : Raj. In this context, mention may be story of murder, hatred or love. Yet the “Our men came by ships following the made of Calcutta’s only Anglo-Gujarati plays would evoke thunderous cheers coast. Some of them even came over periodical Navroz which was launched and a capacity-packed auditorium was in 1917 by Eduljee N. Kanga, and even delighted and thrilled. In those days in these hard days when shortage of women did not appear on stage, newsprint and other related problems The Calcutta Parsi Club, initially have already eaten into the vitals of the started as a Cricket Club in 1908 and the referred to as Parsi Bagan. Subse- letter day on the Parsi calendar and is _ , - ___ 3 was named after him and the street adjacent when after the morning services we to the old fire temple is still called Parsi would visit each other’s homes to Church Street. exchange greetings and the Parsi Ama- Another eminent Parsi was J.F. teur Dramatic Club would put on a play Madan who was quite well known for or two in the end. Those days are gone his histrionic talents. He first came to now,” says a handsome lady of this com- Calcutta as a member of a theatrical munity. She fondly recalls that the to be fast dying out. The professional versatility of the Parsis is indicated by their surnames drinks and sweets. The plays were such as Doctor, Lawyer, Contractor— always melodramas or farces. The The street adjacent to the old fire temple is still called Parsi Church Street. P‘^‘’li®hing business, the old press on Calcutta Parsee Youth League, Ezra Street is still ticking along. It still founded in 1939—are two institutions meets the weekly deadline of the maga- busy trying to keep up the gregarious zine. spirit of the eommunity. According to a Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy, the first member, the club now organises a var- Parsi baronet was also a Calcuttan. iety of activities. The garba folk dance . - . --------------------------------- ------------ : back m 1839 founded the first fire tem- man who built his own business empire, both the young and the old generations, pie in the city, built a shipping empire The second fire temple on Metcalfe An organiser of the Club’s programmes for himself and bought the Kidderpore Street was built in his memory in 1912. said that it was very difficult to establish ; ;k, ----- :----- 1— - - ------- —J ¦ Mehta Atash Adaran with its immacu- the Club “because the idea of boys and ing with the far east easier. A pioneering late marble flooring speaks volumes for girls getting together caused to raise a entrepreneur, he was one of those rare the austere simplicity of Zoroastrian- few eyebrows.” But not now; “today it is men who blazed the trail of modern ism. The custodians of the ancient tradi- the stepping stone to a more fertile and steam navigation and insurance in tion are the hereditary priests. Five passionate world,” asserted another India. He was also an intimate friend of priests who work under a high priest elderly Parsi. At any rate, as the com- The Calcutta Parsi Club, initially land by bullock carts.” The Banaji fam­ ily was cut out for the wider world of trade and commerce. Rustomji Cowasjee Banaji, who way D.B. Mehta was another prominent provides a convenient meeting place for back in 1839 founded the first fire tem- man who built his own business empire, both the young and the old generations, pie in the city, built a shipping empire The second fire temple on Metcalfe An organiser of the Club’s programmes f"“ J • ’ ¦ ¦’ ................ . ----- .... dock. He thus strove hard to make trad- 1 Prince Dwarkanath Tagore. The inau- 1 * ’ „ ' ' ~ gural grand ball for this great philanthro- temple for over three decades, pist’s palatial house on Upper Circular T ” ” ..... Road was attended by the then gover- usually in August is preceded by five have been looking after the Calcutta munity is shrinking it has no alternative but to throw its children so close Navroz — New Year’s day which comes ogether. . , ! Gujarati, the adopted language of the nor. Lord Auckland, and the area is still holy days. The day is the biggest red- Parsi is gradually falling into disuse. 10 ParsianaJune 1983I- J L' r rt ¦( > t: I Time was when every Parsi had to be Continued from page 1. able to read Gujarati as the scriptures in * I. I—; I “It shall be incumbent on the Trustees Avesta were printed in the Gujarati to convene, once in every six months, a Old post cards etc./wanted alphabet, "when asked to comment on General Meeting of the Members of the Advertiser wishes to buy OLD it, an ------------ J --------- ¦ J , • J moaned, “It looks as though the old meeting, the Trustees shall present a cards, playing cards, posters, prints, values and the dedication on which our state of affairs address to the Anjuman illustrated books, albums and tradition was based'are fast losing out to Committee and answer the queries other related material. those of the western world. Some of us raised thereon by the members of the Willing to pay top prices for single have already taken to studying the Anjuman Committee.” items or entire collections, scriptures in English or Hindi. Decreas- While the scheme falls short of any Please send detailed list with ing numbers are also a source of anx- radical changes and denies direct voting expected prices to; ;a»,- If vnii iiict oarp tn look un the for trustees, it is a slow but Steady Step The Advertiser, (OLD) C/o. Parsiana, G.P.O. educated community member Anjuman Committee...At every such picture postcards, photographs, cigarettes, I “It QC thrill oh thp nld meetine. the Tru.stees shall nresent a cards, playing cards, posters, prints, 1 While the scheme falls short of any Please send detailed list with iety. If you just care to look up the for trustees, it is a slow but steady step directory of community residents in the towards democratizing Bombay’s pre- eastem zone published in 1974, you will mier Parsi institution. The next step is to Box 892, Bombay 400 001. come across a number of inked-in corri- make even these limited changes into law. genda which prove our shockingly high mortality rate.” An elected trustee of the community says : “The younger members no longer value our system. A lot of them have already migrated to foreign countries such as Canada and Australia. But we have stayed back because we have learnt to live with our surroundings. Our his­ tory shows that we were always loyal, beginning from the Mughal age down to the British days.” Extracts reproduced from the Telegraph— Colour Maga­ zine (Calcutta), March 6, 1983. Gifts& The Friendly Gift Shop for handicrafts, festive gifts and Zoroastrian artefacts Bombay Swadeshi Stores Ltd Sir P.M. 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We proudly offer this expertise for any construction project and proposals for joint ventures would be welcome. i> PiUct of Hit Mijyty tht i Obtrol-SheMtoA HoW *• Bombay ’S'?* I t SHAPOORJI PALLOIMJI & CO. (PVT.) LTD. 5 7 ? 11 Parsiana June 1983