Jan 1984

I I January 1984 Price Rs. 6 1 >, 5*3iF r \< • J«f »/' .1 •, rP :•' ‘\i i>rf J Sv > ;zr ^*- ' , -, :- L. fi^' w ’» •• 5* .* 5*". ''f*"' ¦'“5W* ih-'' 1 , ..'?¦i'^:*''' 'L 4 h' 4^ i Z >»jl R.A io * ^OTg^wassw** 1^*^' 1 *1 I ‘1 r ** ¦J Biiir a * •r >! 'X« >' .4 iW' >: if ri*! ns IM* M't HI Ml FIS^O Bfl ¦'i J : f i^Ji’ .* iS- . «\ » a»'*'" ^'' ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦I ¦¦»'' ¦¦Bl»"“^_ ! ¦mW iB ' i ,* bp^s^ ’^ri Ki'W >*: ,^, '4^ ft- 9®?' 1 *aiF” *Wk -r- i;* ;«,> ->«Wr J- A?" ¦-tifflfr-'-i"*” J ? ¦ January 1984 Volume 6 Number 7 '¦^ -I ^^'Si EDITOR Jehangir R Patel MANAGING EDITOR Arnavaz Mama DESIGN CONSULTANT Mini Boatwala DESIGN ASSISTANTS Kranti Shilotri, Varghese W. Fernandaz MARKETING DIRECTOR Veera Patel ADVERTISING MANAGER Zarin Billimoria ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Cheryl D'Penha CHIEF EXECUTIVE R.P. Thanavala FINANCE B.L. Arora CIRCULATION B.P. Umrigar MANAGEMENT Minoo Patel, Jasmine Driver and Dinaz Felfeli 3 Readers' Forum 9 Events and Personalities 17 Poncha's Punchayat Plans by Arnavaz S Mama 20 Life at the 'Industrlar by Sooni Taraporevala 23 An Oasis of Peace by Lakshmi Mohan 26 Businessman of the Year: Russi Mody by Subrata Roy 33 Pilloo Pochkanawala: The Third Dimension by Rekha Sarin 37 Deboo: Contemporary and Innovative by Abhinav ¦ 1 38 Books ? Cover: The Bhikha Behram Kuva photo by Homyar J Mistry j Parsiana is published by Jehangir R Patel for Parsiana Publications at C/o H.L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A.K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Bombay 400001, printed by him at Kaiser-E-Hind, 300 Perin Nariman Street, Bombay 400 001 and phototypeset at Multi Media Aids, Bombay 400 051. All rights reserved. Address all editor!^ and business correspondence to Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Phone: 268730. Annual inland subscription: Rs 40 for one year (12 issues); Rs 75 for two years (24 issues); Foreign subscription rates: Seamatl Rs 80 for one year, Rs 150 for two years; Airmail Rs 160 for one year, Rs 290 for two years. For U.S. personal cheques add $ 4 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 and posted to GPO Box 892, Bombay 400 (X)1. 1 I J I J ,1J SBS^^EHS ¦ I 1 > L READERS’ FORUM I, «I I!l". in »» .j«r... {nS! liit bu! J **' F ¦’i -,s‘ -p Readers' views are welcome on any subject of interest to the community and should be sent to the Editor, Readers ’ Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and claritv- parent. The syllabus was designed to the ‘Religion in Life’ for Zoroastrians, promote thinking on and feeling for because it symbolizes the essence of Humata, Hukata, and Huvarshta. It God within each one of us. was drawn up by piecing together ques­ tions asked by our chilcken, such as: ‘Who is God?’ ‘What is He?’ ‘How do Scouts and Guides has been accepted we know He exists?’ ‘Why do we by the Scouting and Guiding move- pray?’ ‘How should we pray?’ ‘What are the meanings of the Prayers?’ ‘How do our beliefs differ to-day from will be made available for. Canadian those of ancient times?’ ‘Who was the boys and girls to wear on their first man?’‘What is our history in Per- guide/scout uniform. The first of sia?’ ‘Did we have wars?’ ‘Why are we seventeen official Scout/Guide cer- called Zoroastrians?’ ‘How do we tificates to be awarded was presented compare with other religions?’ ‘How on April 13, 1983. do we practise to be Zoroastrians in Canada?’ The interested adults then Religion in Life Emblem for Girl studied the formats of several different Guides or Boy Scouts, Canada, queries religious pamphlets issued by Scouts may be addressed to The Chairman, Canada in order that our standards of The Religious Sub-Committee, The requirement be at par with those for Zoroastrian Society of Ontario, children of other faiths. Mehraban Guiv Darbe Mehr, 3590 Our volunteer adults then worked Bayview Avenue, Willowdale, On- with the children on the first level of tario. M2M 3S6. the syllabus and on December 14, 1980 the first two students completed the requirements of Level One, soon to be followed by ten others. To date those OrthodoX Graduates’ Association The United Orthodox Graduates’ To date, the syllabus for the Zoro- astrian ‘Religion in Life’ emblem for ments of Ontario. We understand that an official badge depicting a Fravashi For further information on the MINOO TREASURYWALA Ontario, Canada. first few children have worked on Levels Two and Three and at present are still together tackling Level Four. We realized that not every girl and Association (UOGA) consists of a boy has joined the Guiding or Scouting small number of graduates of the com- movement in Ontario, and therefore munity who wish to lend a helping for those who have worked equally hand to deserving and needy Parsi diligently as the Scouts and Guides we Zoroastrians. This band of dedicated, in Ontario issued our Association’s certificates for all children who attain the various levels. The Canadian Zoroastrian Religion any reward or thanks in return. “All in Life Emblem is to be completed in four stages, with a compulsory progres­ sion from Level One to Four. The get the job. voluntary workers has since over two years been giving employment to a number of persons without expecting Zoroastrian Scout Badge We, the Religious Sub-Committee of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario, in Life Emblem is to be completed in we expect you to do is put sandalwood have read with interest the article {Par- four stages, with a compulsory progres- at any Agiari or Atashbehram if you siana, September 1983) titled “Zoro- sion from Level One to Four. The get the job,’’ says its president, Ms astrian Scout Badge.’’ We commend youngest age recommended to start Perviz F Dotivala. UOGA appeals to the gentlemen concerned for having Level One is age seven, and is designed all the members of the community to taken upon themselves the project of for Brownies and Cubs. Level Two is inform them at 33, M. Karve Road, the ‘Good Life’ Religious Emblem. We suitable for Guides and Scouts; Level Bombay 400 004 if they are aware of any job vacancy or to send to the above office on Tuesdays any Parsi needing employment. We give no guarantee but assure you that we shall leave no stone wish many youngsters in New York Three for Pathfinders and Venturers; and other parts of North America will and Level Four for Rangers, Cadets, avail themselves of the opportunity of­ fered to them by way of the three-fold purpose within the programme. We should further like to add and in­ form readers that in Toronto, Ontario, a team of interested adults has worked syllabus were recommended to the sonally to the inmates of the Parakh on the project of producing a ‘Religion Scouting and Guiding Movements of Dharamshala at Hughes Road. This in Life’ emblem for Zoroastrian Scouts Canada, having received the approval Dharamshala is under the Bombay and Girl Guides for the past six years, of all the Zoroastrian communities in Parsi Punchayet and the Dharamshala From the onset the syllabus did not try the various provinces of Canada after chairperson Dr Nellie Noble and her to teach the recital of prayers—which the Montreal Congress of 1982. The Ladies Wing. The inmates have hardly we feel is the responsibility of every emblem of the Fravashi was chosen for any complaints regarding food and Junior Leaders, and Rovers. This syllabus was circulated to the various provinces in Canada in early unturned to help. 1982 for their comments and/or ap­ proval. The requirements of the tributed some homemade cakes, per­ Last month the LfOGA members dis- sS' 3 Petr»S»r>A IQG^accommodation. What the UOGA felt We decid«i to take a third opinion, was that they could perhaps help the This specialist, also a Parsi, told us old and invalid inmates by providing that the infection was nothing to worry recreation once a month. There was a about and that the drug and dosage tremendous response from the inmates prescribed by the first doctor were when asked whether, they would like to correct. have a film or entertainment pro­ gramme organized for them. A New Year’s party was arranged for them by the UOGA. The hall was rienced, festive with buntings, balloons and It hurt us to see a Parsi doctor hav- tapers. The inmates all dressed in their ing such low scruples. Cashing in on a Sunday best were brought down perso- child’s illness fa surely not befitting the nally by the UOGA members. The film glorious Parsi traditions that we are all documentary Happiness Unto Others so proud of. ^was specially scregned for them. This was followed by a New Year cake, eats and drinks. Each and every inmate was personally wished Happy New Year *O-breC(llllg VS intercom- and a token gift was given. It was in- llllllldl lllflITiSgeS deed a small gesture but it gladdened As mgan^s. the matter of ^arsibCQfs mar­ their hearts. lying rton-Parsi girls, neither the long The UOGA hopes to continue with history of ^dr^astrians nor an- j.------------J---- . __ * the community by way of ^ying free contOTtion th^ Parsi boys sh^d'mai^^ out the year and looking after the wel­ fare of the old and infirm. We decid«i to take a third opinion. We ar6 convinced that the P^i lady doctor deliberately set about frighten­ ing us knowing that we were inexpe- It hurt us to see a Parsi doctor hav- KHURSHED PASTAKIA niiinal mairiages its many and varied activities in helping thropology, nor tradid^ ^ppOrt the clothes at Pateti, employment through- noiPParsi girh because die community is in danger of d^dMradng due to ex- cessive intamarriage o^er too long a period, and that by doing so it would become healthy. Mpdipitl Fthipc? Is it not a fact that the paiod of peak meaicai ILiniCSf gioty in the history of the Parsis in India We have perhaps more qualified pro- was attained in the last century after ova fessionals per thousand than any other a thousand yemg of not only in-hr^ing, community in India. Their widely but more pcedsely, cousin marriages? recognized eminence was* earned not And then is it not obvious that the present merely by their knowledge and exper- downfall of the community is apparently tise but also by their scrupulous obser- due to an increasing tendency of bringing vance of professional ethics both in let- non-Parsi blood into the community? ter and spirit. However.... Ifisto^ shows that the children bom out My wife and I had to rush our first- of wedlock of Iranian kings and heroes bora to a child specialist a few days and their non-Iranian spouses wwe the after birth for treatment of an infec- main culprits for the subsequent tion. He examined the child with a downfall of the Great Iranian Empire, minimum of fuss and prescribed a Besides, it is absolutely ridiculous to lengthy course of antibiotic injections, think of some sdected “diorOughbrcd” But, anxious as new parents are, we species of non-Parsi women for die pur­ thought it might be better if we took a pose of marrying Parsi boys. second opinion. We therefore went to a ‘ ’ Parsi lady child specialist. She took one look at the child and A is a Parsi male and B fa a non-Parsi burst into a tirade of retributes. Reel- female in wedlock. C is born nf tiwjm ing under guilt, we thanked the doctor Persummg that all such^ children in this profusely, paid her an exorbitant fee case are mates, C marries D (also ncm- and returned home in a state of shock. Parsi) and E fa born, l^se <^ldnm will As we sat together to recapitulate we be called Parsis at feast in legal terms, realized that when we had first men- Now an interesting point to ponder mjon tioned the course prescribed by the first is that upto which generation will they doctor, the lady had suggested that the carry on calling themselves Parsis, and drug was too powerful to be given to more precisely, what contribution will such a tiny baby. Then, she herself had they make to die religion and the com- recommended the same drug but with munity thoreby? We ^^d cmitenaq^te the dosage increased! this point very seriously, even frmn the ROSHEN P F DRIVER Now we diall look upon this aspect from the genetic point of view. Suppose 5 Parsiana January 1984 With Compliments of JEENA COMPANY IATA Approved Air Cargo, Clearing, Forwarding & Warehousing Agents 10, Veer Nariman Road, Fort, Bombap 400 023. Cable: “JUSTiriA” Telex: 2313 Phone: 312032 BRANCHES: E. 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' Eiv It has a^'time-value of » why it is readily accepted^ ix»pfei(t the Arab Muslims mvaded 4^atr. bom ead. generations to 99 out of lOd whyttBreauy m tawur w-.jsAJiivwaifMw. ^ipssed over to tiie new faith as it During the rule of tftfe Sasaniapxi^nas- off^Sred them a better sUtus in society as ty, the priest \dass had become mo|re eQ*^ the eyes of iWh. , _ Vines themselves The priests intt^Sdaced literati and phaosophers also emceed kings themselves, me p greater freedom tin* of expression to voice their hetero^x >toM*Mii*», a»«w*w«vw vO ideas. The history of Istem shOjys ffiat wS the Galhas. manyof ^raltint^- . tt was W W^lttirsB seetkm which taafe, sci^tiste, philosophCTs Ml ROOYINTAN p. PWBfe suftcTed the Sslt under the tyranny of were Tnrnastn^ or bom masters. To add to tiiis, thete wtw Zoroastrian par^. ' imemecine feuds. As a result the social sets ±e clock of iMStoty backwards. question of conversion. 'Caaa ij lual in the eyes crf l ? „™u».,thateventheideaofexperiinei>-' oflhin&siinplye^l^toe^of ting with meh st«^ for a short perioa the cemunumW and that, t<», the very reasuns lor wiumu wi iyiwAaMa*,- '”:,:.u-tftiiiitiiiriit*,- bade toieweB to th* toothertand and¦ Thito'ha , amoog’thedrwntroddensection;of Ira- saSedforsttang^. “ .”±i7SS£«*2.. -- »™, f.itb as it We have also before us the giormtts ^?; ample of the Jewish oommunity, whose stateless and homeless over the centuries, kings themselv«, pn^s inOOcfeKed they fervently steadfastly preserved many religious their blood. It is not necessary to slate to hem^«orWfan.ousachie«..»»^ ® a non-Parsi warUiiig to join the fold. L-- . L- spread lus message, titete “Ot But when 2SijE£ldiushtrh was ready to rdigion. the Imds of the invaders. But it is a A c^inly in fia^^ifeonyet^, E)^en some Iranian intellectuals, literatti and I^ilosophers ’ ’ — ’ Islam' as U dftoed utem Conversion ••^ ¦ • - ¦ — <. i a ‘ x’ b*.' 4 ¦ ¥ T ** f- were ori^iSy Zoroastrians or bom of Thjere were, of course, many Ir^ians __________________ 1 ' BUemecme icuun. rw « !«>«** *7^ ’"rL ' . relimon AM holy «crw« are man-niadc. tuif nmoMt and tte atotomy «f tom who refused to ghif up Iherr reirgio I" 1 ' tin -'+ . ¦ ,J, ,< itlfHllo i a mt dnaw : Ow wICn ' lemanile 'K J t / ¦'* ¦ *. 7 M f' s St S ' .3 < S ' SlJ c o ^Petrsiant! January 1964 ^'S. ¦ V o (O •» I 1 \ 1 h 1 I <1 P' iil;ll 11.............. iei>*l|||ll<|fe»«iw^ fc. —Ill ¦' W-/ .w ............ ...... gUmpse of the do Ihey took refuge in the mountains. \ Others escaped by sea. Those who' sui^ vived the fury of the sea landed It is an irony that whenever it has suited the community, it has cmtveBi^t*^^ ^^^^| ly dhcarded its so^allcd iieligious prac- tices*-pracdcels vdiieh are in essence just sdealM cyst^s hidtfam behind the 1 munities the ^rsees also are obsessed vddii^^j^jnAginMve ahentkm to peripheral piacdces'in religion. the . When some courageous men tanj|^ ¦'' ’’m B ‘' 'S K K' f dew;{|^ v^eer of religiosity. Ute oOid* com* and dri^ widi paying nkn-e attentkm to peripheral piacdces in religion. . 1 women pioneered just W ran die risk of bdng ostrad^. But to adrs^ di^r tob browb ^teoa. when othors followed m|heir (ootetepa " ’ in course of thne, those ordiOdkiilti Parsis, who had previously protested v^emeidly siinphi slept over h alL ; ? _ ____________ ^€»i once you have set your^piind >|H|ay, thougii they har_ ..iltif tfi. isafutikindu|gaBoehifawB!^.AsUidy in k i w ' X\ '1 B M 'I f w t z' » I-’’ I! •'¦• Ij % 1^* *¦** k “s^ Ji S5, meixlu. ‘ 11 •w *¦! \ -al ¦« h' ’’-'¦¦fl ! Joaqjh Fetee i^ian f<^. 1 'S*. -Shalutoardaa I/«^{ t-'ihl to gWfW'tWt iWrian without^ si^o tohfeteiitioi^r^^* ' * I >'*’' dan^,. ' I sdso nohwc ftopi W -W^ rect^nize «iKdiy. '^er ; * gsr;'^\ ‘ it ’Sisi , 4- He »on ^tubm^ of vy^es ' It** IM! h« yoW 'thh '^•« fe tbhrilii from the »me sources in their favdor, U an4, raise their is fl fiitib> inHitlMlMW fnManiAA '? «*»/4ir t.'..-J^^ h^tlf^t’^LCe! spread oyw centuries—-objectfems of the history of other religions will show us that there have been umoteen siniilar lor M «s > «w , the,y.W! hii^:thea^ llhout < K <^rth0j>ast iShahdiar dan ............... ..... , . , ^to .fdrt^d the navjotc of ‘ 4; id O'lliWwld ohr foveM«| .,.,_^^ae9WBe ’thef,«!h«^ lack..fe^ d lM^bteafhed it ’sTasttr! fl was sense of history, and «» 4. I, us that there have been similar ha ‘^ases ! taken initially but later on irmiicaOy acr' StarVed cepted as religious practices. ^^.goi It may sound paradoxical but the only poogt' constant factor in human society is a revolt c/ftmger It is the only biological in> it i&'thek^ pf^ nature idhat di^ w^er cepted as religious practices. ai constant factor in human society is t w hut !0< perative that enables humanity to sur- j^e'i devoured by the? and iniro f'F mon v^FnnAn • ?A KJ- AaWtfiMn i ‘ ¦ i * ”. vive. If man refuses to chanB? hi< thoughts and habits in die context of his, timesi he stagnates and stagnation is *.£¦' dea±, biologically speaking. i JAHWATO J.B.a WADIA Memories of DoonSer*^ fiL L <^0n eaW!?^?' t ¦ ''e^wuj^R,a.^BE»Ho ’ £, ^Odew fcit W ' '< <» V- :' •' '* •' ’] 'X, * ' <¦;. .,x WWOks-^ P(Mh«^.£ni \ Z «ct njs; we do not need to p ?<* »Y ;.' ’ ’-x"* »wMfc -*5 '’'‘L^ ?¦ ^¦‘ W"' ¦*(' ",f^ ' ,1 I mn 64 years old {mdjuh very conver- , sant with the precincts Zyoongerwadi '' If away from the gase M from my earliest, youth, because my to taken by the com- dwarf him into a sectaitob saint ' ‘ . W grandfathei:, die I^te C.M. Cursetjee, pt^b^dh^ hunihlgtosuetlw.future L^t us put religion . ht .>e rational . ’ to take mr^or walks inside the of C<|ttttl«nity wSl Wig jaapggdy. . ,s J?1 grounds of tangled vegetathm WdS^iian . * .¦'> a cnalrAe n^f^ars -/•rzteeAzl raa««* £.4*1*^ n»^ <*?•< -y - - - • ¦¦ •5?^ sant with the precincts Doongerwadi ,¦.¦< Aj W a /Kv^ml^ woDtea, keep If >way fr^ tJi^i gaze ottets; £ji - ’ (xwn- r used where snakes ofl«i crossed our path that the Ood 7 Parsiana January 19B4 i '' US ^1 I'" -4*i - ' y.*^^ ^»»VW> A? 1 <3‘r 1 dwarf him hmo a sectaiSate saint Let us ] J « ‘4 J 1i^ /{ , t-l<'l “*S!^''*ir^ >*V M/ *5- >- 'm- iiX> ¦ ' 5< "'^'-'*:*Sk''>'.;^a^? Events and Personalities < Centenary Celebrations at Lady Jamse^i HiH Road j Exactly 101 years ago when the j Parsi community of Bombay was per- hjqps not so much larger than it is now (a lakh or thereabouts, I presume) a man called Nusserwanji Ratanji Tata j built a temple in what is now a pre- j dominantly Christian/Muslim loca- J lity—Bandra. 1 There were few Parsis than, but alt—Parsis, Muslims, Christians—liv­ ed, and still live in peaceful coex- I istence. That man Nussetwanji Ratan- ' j ji, was the father of the legendary j Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata and built his I temple on Hill Road. It wasn’t always I call^ by thfe abbreviation then. It’s full j name is the Lady Jamsetji HUI Road, a j name that somehow fell into disuse. But some time ago, there was a move by our city fathers to rename the road, an exercise that has understandably agitated longtime Bandra inhabitants Naval Tata with Zarire Tata aul Erv^ Pesfiotan Peer under the hentffl sbiof/^ gkm Tar. $ like Kekoo Gandhy. biort-^sh^, reverentbdstop figr'^esI Pwirts bi Bmebof^to; Rohinttm fhibchivida/ Last week, presiding over the ‘ agiary’s century celebrations Kekoo I swore to take up the issue with the suburb’s Ward Office. Naval Tata# 1 Chairman of the agiary’s Board oif Trustees for the past 50 years, who j graced the occasion promptly an­ nounced a donation of three lakhs for j the construction of a community-^ cum-pr'ayer hal. And Dr Firoze Kot- j . Wai, who also addressed the gathering, J had this story to tell: I It seems a storm broke Over the bay | in which several people lost their lives. J Thereafter, a bridge connecting Mahim I wi^ l^dra was biiilt by the Jamsetji | Jcjeebhoy family. A roi^ named after i Lady Jamsetji was alsp built—Hill I Road. Byramjee Jejeebhoy road, go- I ing towmds land’s End was also built j around the Same time. 1 Courtesy The Daily fehrua/y IS, 1984 9 Parsiana January 1984 • - r/#fx ¦ Tl^ Tata Agfary c^bntlng Its/^ centenary (Photo; J3a^ SMi pivecha) ¦¦;t* . ¦ thoa-^ short, reverential stt^/tyrihest i^msls bi Baatbo (Photo; Rohinttm PabchMa^ "tPSilltbsisatiiit^^ f*-; ¦w 9' I 3 i f i"-' < ^¦' -jj .II h.<. Doable Discrimination Ifor Indira ¦'it- shebait or manager... As regards the ‘‘Yet this is not the first time file pan- i property the manager is in the poatimi dits at Jaggannath iihvife ruled that so- 1 of a trustee.’ meoneis‘not a Hindu.’When asked to j “But even if the sebaks are well witihin decide whether or not those who pub- ’ their -legal rights in disallowing Mrs licly accept food cooked at the hands Gandhi from entering the devsthanam, er 2.r__2_____ __ ______L___ _ it is not clear that they have the moral temple they ruled d^ter alia: ‘if they ‘/Yet this is not the first time file pan- A non-Parsi who marries a Parsi faces discrimination from both sides as Prime Minister Indira Firoze Gandhi discovered. She was recently denied en- - ___ _ _ _____ try to the temple of Lord Jaggannath authority to do so. Let us examine their have been accqitifig cooked food for in Puri, Orissa. argument as reported in the papers, more than one year they have become According to the Bombay based “The headline of the Observer story Muslims and should be treated as Sunday Observer the main argument read “Mrs Gandhi ‘not a Hindu*, such...’ against Ms Gandhi’s admission is that denied entry into Puri Temple**. If the “When the Puranas were put together having married a Parsi she is no longer report is correct the Muktimandapa the only differences within Indian a Hindu and therefore has no business 1. . \ . entering a Hindu temple. < . Noted columnist Dhiren Bhagat usually consult in deciding such ques- The Sunday Observer, September 25, Mahodaya or the Samdeb Samhita, 1983: 1 “It is an interesting argument and I Hmduism. shall come to it in a minute but before I i do I would like to attend to two legal I questions that might be provoked by I such a stand. One, in what sense is Mrs I - Gandhi a Parsi? Though she married a I Parsi the law does not recognize her as I one. The classic legal definition of I Parsi comes to us from Justice Davar I in the Sir Jeejeebhoy judgement (BLR f lip 86) and it is clear on this point: ‘...the Pars! community consists of Parsi§ who are descended from the •! original Persian emigrants and who are born of both Zoroastrian parents, and who also profess the Zoroastrian ! religion, the Iranis from Persia pro- I fessing the Zoroastrian religion who ] came to India either temporarily or i permanently and the children of Parsi i fathers by alien mothers who have been j duly and properly admitted in the i religion.’ “Two, granted that the law recognizes her as a Hindu, do the sebaks have the legal right to stop Mrs Gandhi from entering the temple? It would appear so. The temple is owned by Lord Jag-c gannath himself (in India an idol is a legal entity which can sue and be sued, which can even sit n the Board of Directors of a company) and ultimate- ? ly, of course, it is for Lord J himself to word Hindu is a foreign word, as is the ‘S.'f- ¦ I-’*;' 'A 1^- R- 1 ii;. of Muslims are to h^ trowed into the argument as reported in file papers. i * _, ____ “The headline of the Observer story Muslims and should be treated as read “Mrs Gandhi 'not a Hindu*, denied entry into Puri Temple”. If the pandits have come to a very peculiar society were that of caste: as a result decision for none of the classics they the rules in those texts don’t deal with - the possibility of alien religions. By commented*on the above argument in tions, the Matsyo Parana, the Niladri blindly applying the tetter qf those ”¦ - • texts to modern problems the pandits make any reference to either Hindujbr at Jaggannath have come to absurd decisions like the one I have, quoted I above. Unlike English judges the pan­ dits don’t cite the rules they invoke in their judgements but it’s my guess that GC XXVII: 55 of the Matsya Parana is the source of this decision: ‘A Brah- mana who indulges with a Chandala woman or a woman of a different caste or or accepts a gift from I them unknowingly falls frqm his posi- 1 tion. If he does so knowingly he r becomes of that caste himself . 1 “I Imve no doubt they have i this rule to Mrs Gandhi’s case I and d^lared that she is thus of her^> I husband’s caste, i.e. a Parsi. Being a [ I Parsi she is not a Hindu; And not being a Hindu how can she enter Lord Jag- I gannath’s abode? I “This absurd result is but the latest I manifestation of an unfortunate j tendency that gripped us Hindus when I we came in contact with the foreigner: I we became obsessed with petty rules of ' caste identity and forgot that the divine Tr .^ .1 applied, as welr^ Si’. A ' ’’a .^4 -i - .w is in all men. ‘Oyr religion is in the kit­ chen’ wailed Swami Vivekananda. ‘Our God is the cooking-pot, and our religion is “Don’t touch me, I am , .. h61y” Ifthisgoes onfor anothereen- Indtra Gandhi: Hindu or Parsi? ¦ ¦¦ i mi u • i *• tury, ev^yone of us will be in a lunatic “There is a good reason for this: the asylum. ’ .„e “If only in the interest of public notion itself. It is a Arsian word and sanity, Mrs Gandhi wwsf enter the Puri decide whether or not Mrs G enters the temple. But the law does not repose etymologically does not refer to any temple.’’ much faith in the ability of the Lord to religion but rather, is a geographical , intervene in worldly affairs; hence the word, meaning he who lives by the • Orissa Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1952, which puts the matter tact­ fully: ‘...it is only in an ideal sense that there is no scriptural rule for determin- property can be said to belong to an idol; and the possession and manage­ ment of it must in the nature of things be entrusted to some person as a together. Sir Jamsetji’s Bftirth Indus, or Indian. It was not used by Bicpntennigl Indians till Muslim rule began. So The Sir J. J. Parsec Benevolent Institu- ing whether or not someone is a Hindu tion celebrated the birth bi-centenary as both the term and the notion didn’t of Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy at the Stria exist when the scriptures were put Matushri Sabhaghar, Bombay on „ January 18, 1984. 10 Parsiana January 1984 * i*.V t. j; 3 r* J r - ¦ The first prize-giving ceremony held by Sir Jamsetji at Fort House re-enacted by children of the J J Schools i Soonawala receiving the Von Grafenberg award from Prof L Mittlerof the University L of Kiel J- >¦' '¦J*! 41 i i Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy, 7th baronet to the munificence of the late Sir of the Indian Council of Medical and great-great grandson of the first Jamsetji Jejeebhoy. The Seth Rustom- Research and is also on the advisory Indian knight and baronet presided jee J J School Fund, a sister trust of the boards of international agencies, over the celebrations. Addressing the J J Benevolent Institution, runs two packed house. Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy schools in Bulsar, and a school each in thanked the principals, teachers, students and administrative staff of the Sir J.J. Institutions in the city for “putting up the function with love in memory of, Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy.” Navsari and Bombay. Courtesy The Times of India, December 7, 1983. Ahmednagar’s Horizon New Horizon is the name of the newly launched newsletter of the Ahmed- nagar Parsi Anjurtian. The first issue of the three page cyelostyled periodical Dr R P Soonawala, a well-known city edited by Ms Meher Nagarwalla and obstetrician and gynaecologist, was Z.Z------- - - ---------— '- idea to com- Courtesy The Daily Janary 19. 1984. The Von Grafenberg Attending the function were Award for Soonawala members of the Jejeebhoy family in­ cluding senior-most trustee of the in­ stitution, Nanabhoy Jejeebhoy, pbsUtriaeht and gynaecologist, was Merwan Mehta notes ‘‘we start our Rustomji Jejeebhoy, and Lady given the Dr Von Grafenlwarg award newsletter with an Jejeebhoy. The guests were garlanded for outstanding work in the field of in- municate with our brothers and sisters, by little children dressed in traditional trauterine contraception, on November both outside and within our hometown Parsi jabla and topi. 29* during the fourth world congress (and) to break the communication gap Staff, with long years of service, on human reproduction, held in created due to our busy routine.” were felicitated and presented memen- Bombay. The objectives of the newsletter are toes by Lady Jejeebhoy. The J. J. The award, instituted by the Univer- to create a forum, circulate articles of / Group of Schools in Bombay also sity of Kiel last year, to commemorate community interest, elaborate and presented a play in English on the life the birth centenary of Dr Von chalk out schemes, advertise services of the philanthropist and educationist. C " ' ’ Barnji and ex-headmistress Ms Homai medal. Six other doctors around the Mehta, the play was dramatized, pro- world have received the award, duced and directed by Homi P Tavadia, director of the Hilla Nariman Theatre Group. The dances were choreographed by Ms Hira Desai, with Y-shaped and made of copper wire, music directed by Bharat Buch. This contraceptive, fording to Poona. Her-matriculation was com- < The late Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy was Soonawala is light, not uncomfortable pleted at the now known, Bhau Saheb born in a poor family and rose from and causes no pain and there is little Firodia High School with about 600 being a vendor of empty bottles to be- bleeding. The copper also acts as an boys and 3 girls as The streng^ of Ae f- ing acclaimed as the greatest Indian of anti-feftility device. ' ’ ' his time. It may be noted that several L-------_1_ .1-. ----------- - landmarks in the city such as the J J government on contraceptives and is “ * ’ ’ ’ ” Architecture, J J group of schools and Planning Association of India, the J J Dharamsala owe their existence I’ of the philanthropist and educationist. Grafenberg', the pioneer in the field of and job vacancies, givfe’news pertaining /rl Scripted by ex-principal Ms Nergesh inter-uterine devices (IUD), carries a to anjuman members and so On. ¦ ....................... ’ ! The issue also includes a sketch of the oldest woman of Ahmednagar, Dr , Soonawala designed two IUDs, in liambai J. Cama. The newsletter notes 1963 and 1972. The one designed in “Born on 15th August 1898, Miss 1972 is called the copper IUD, and is Cama did her earlier schooling at the Victoria High School &, St Hejcnas in music directed by Bharat Buch. This contraceptive, fording to Poona. Her-matriculation was _com- The late Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy was --------------------o—.--------- - ---------— •r- born in a poor family and rose from and causes no pain and there is little Firodia High School with about 600 * - - « 1 • .cl- _ - .L .etc - r x»_ „ school. Hambai and her sister Tehmina Soonawia is the advisor to the in were amongst the three girls. Hambai his time. It may be noted that several Soonawala is the advisor to the in were amongst the three girls. Hambat ___________ „ „ _____ „ - ’ went for a year to the Wilson College Hospital* the J J College of Art and also the medical director of the Family Bombay and later went for her MBBS " •_______ * - to the Grant Medical College. Tehmina He is a member of the advisory panel went on to become the first woman In- I a 1 11 Parsiana January 1984I spector of Factories for the Govern­ ment of India and later received the ‘Kaiser-E-Hind’ medal within ten years of service. “Hambai after serving for a year at the Motlibai Petit Hospital in Bombay as a Lady Fellow, returned to Ahmed­ nagar in the year 1924. She has been here ever since. She never did practice for money but always gave free medi­ cines to the villagers around her. They used to flock to her. In addition to this, she was looking after her family and attended to their affairs. She is still seen pecking at her typewriter on some letter or two. She is so fond of animals that many a roadside dog has found a home. In the year 1926, Tehmina presented Hambai with an Austin and since then she has ben a famous sight in Nagar. The last time she took out her car was when she was over seventy with three village boys sitting at the back to push and start the heavy car. With her starters in the back seat she has done of Dentists, Section VI and is known for his work in community dental ¦ J L'ji^"^^, I ‘K I 3. IDA President Keki Mistry; grand strategy Palkhivala: giving himself for dental health „ . „ .. , . , Palkhivala Offers to Help quite a jallopmg. for his work m community dental “Hambai’s life has been and still is health, specially in the rural areas of Nani Palkhivala, eminent jurist and one of dedication to all around her. May she live on to become a century batswoman.” Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. He senior advocate, r Supreme Court of is the author of the well known book India, has offered to assist in fighting the Dental Health in India and Guidelines to Healthy Living. New Horizon’s address is: Shirin Cottage, Satha Colony, Ahmednagar 414 001. Courtesy Jam-c-Jamshed Weekly, January I, 1984. Twin City news case of a professor at the Government Law College who is being denied promo­ tion because of his handicap. Palkhivala ' made his offer while speaking as chief guest at a function held at Prabhadevi organized by the National Association for the Blind (NAB) to celebrate their 32nd anniversary as also the 21st an­ niversary of the NAB workshop for the blind. Palkhivala also said that he and wife would make up the shortfall in NAB’s Neelum Khurshed Kanga Memorial Fund and added, “Giving money is nothing compared to giving of oneself for good causes like NAB.” Palkhivala presented’the Rustom Mer- wanji Alpaiwalla awards to Ms Neelum Kanga (posthumous), Ms Maki Bhag- wagar. Dr H Y Bakre and Dr A C Kapoor. Ms Nargesh Nani Palkhivala gave away the Neelum Kanga prizes to blind women and the Jerbai Gobhai prizes to the trainees of NAB’s workshop for the blind. Vijay Merchant, president, NAB, was also present on the occasion. IDA Chief Dr Keki Mistry Dr Keki Mistry, consultant orthodon­ tist from Bombay was unanimously and Secunderabad is to be published elected president of the Indian Dental soon, notes the Parsi Zoroastrian Association at the Association’s 38th Anjuman of Secunderabad and annual conference held on the campus Hyderabad newsletter of January. of the Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu on December 31, 1983. In his acceptance speech Dr Mistry quests from the public. “Mrs K B emphasized the need for dentistry to be Batliwala who is experienced in this oriented towards community dental field has volunteered to supervise the health as part of a grand strategy for proper functioning of the library in improving the health of our nation and future,” notes the two page, printed towards this end he called for a change newsletter edited by J D Italia, presi- in the present syllabus so that the con- dent of the anjuman and E J Tarapore, cept of community health can begin at honorary secretary, the grass roots. Dr. Mistry is Consultant to the World Health Organisation and to the National Boxing Tournament in the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services. He is attached to Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Bombay and to the President’s Police Medal for meri- Parsi General Hospital. He has torious service. represented India at many interna­ tional gatherings and has published derabad, played friendly matches of This may be a little belated, but ballet several scientific papers. He is Past cricket, badminton and table tennis dancer Pheroza Lally’s performances President of the Indian Orthodontic with the Nagpur Parsi Cricket team in always merit comment. She gave a solo Society and the International College October. performance at the Patkar Hall last week A directory of community members residing in the twin cities of Hyderabad The anjuman is also activating and renovating its library following re­ in other news: Boxer Zarir Vasai- gara won a silver medal in the 30th feather-weight class. Keki Dadabhai was awarded the And the Zoroastrian Club, Secun- ¦4 13 .Parsiana January 1984 Courtesy Mid-day January 20, I9S4. Pheroza’s Fairy World-f *» in aid of the Helen Keller Foundation was thoroughly irked at the complete and Perin Nicholson, writing about it, passiveness displayed by onlookers. Sud- says: denly from a white Mercedes, also driven “Pheroza is nothing but a wisp of a by a chauffeur, an elegantly-dressed girl with a thick cloud of golden brown gentleman getting along in years, emerg- hair and a highflying talent. She tip-toed ed.He helped the two ladies push their joyously as the spring fairy in car to the side of the road then returned Mendelsohn’s Spring Song; flew with quietly to his own car. breath-taking speed in the Chopin Etude; soared and leaped with skill and Tata, doyen of Indian Industry, 78-year- strength in Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto old head of the Tata empire, in D which was a demanding work. In this ballet, clad in a golden tutu, her lithe fluid grace flooded the audience—and thus was born the soaring skylark... “At the end she curtsied in a flood of flowers with a rapt and enchanted au­ dience reluctant to leave Pheroza’s fairy form of vocal music in Bombay which is , world of beauty.” more accustomed to choirs and operatic Bejail Daruwalla, And really, those who have seen her arias. Astrologer at Large, will say that not a single word is exag- mncip in. gerated. The man was none other than JRD ¦ IliB? ¦ ¦ MS Ml is B I Courte^ Midy-day, December 23, 19S3 A Talent for Lieder Lieder is unfortunately a rarely heard i Daruwalla: predictable and breezy con­ fidence i3 I -1 ¦J! Courtesy Mid-day, January 19, 1984 I ? 4^ ( \ ¦ more arias. Yet this exquisite form of music in­ vented by Schubert and known in English as the “Art Song’ ’ for solo voice with piano accompaniment is an in- I timate, lyric form of music that affords the most ineffable pleasure. I Max Muller Bhavan therefore provid- j ed a rare treat for music lovers when they I presented Zarine Ghadiali-Hodiwala I (trained in Germany) in a lieder recital. I Zarine’s voice has a mellow timbre I which is extremely pleasing and she has a I marked talent for lieder which requires a I special kind of phrasing, breathing and I presentation which must be markedly I different from the operatic style. I I also had the pleasure of hearing the I artist rehearse Schuman’s sensitively I beautiful song cycle Frauenliebe und Leben (A woman’s life and love). Zarine’s interpretation was impec­ cable, every phrase, every . nuance rendered in a manner that would have gladdened the composer’s heart, and which this critic found totally satisfying. What is more, the artiste presented for the first time in Bombay’s music history (as Dr Lechner, Max Muller Bhavan’s dedicated director rightly pointed out) Wagner’s song cycle, Der Wesendonck Lieder and Mahler’s song cycle Funf Gedichtenach Ruckert Texten. Both these late romantic works are swathed in the gentle melancholy of autumnal sunsets and the timbre of Zarine’s voice in the lower register had a particularly gratifying and at the same JRD; unobstrusive help A Helping Hand If there is one man in Bombay who seems to display peace and goodwill to all throughout the year, it is this man. But first the story, sent in very kindly be a regular reader, F S Choksey of Ban- dra: Caught in a really bad traffic jam at Babulnath Road last week, he looked out of his car to find a Fiat had stalled _____ ________ and was lying diagonaUy across the road. Sme^appro^Stely teagio qu^ty that Closer inspection revealed that the car was being pushed to the side with great difficulty by two old greying ladies, with their chauffeur at the wheel, guiding the vehicle. Choksey was alone in his car and he Mid-Day astrologer Bejan Daruwalla is perfectly well and having a whale of time in Karachi where he is the guest of Byram Awari, the Asian Games sailing champion. Recenly he was on the front page of the Pakistani daily, Hurriyat, being as controversial and cantankerous as ht normally is. In the first place, he pro­ mptly contradicted a Pakistani astrologer who said that the two coun­ tries (India and Pakistan) would be go­ ing to war this year. Nothing of the sort, says Daruwalla, in fact they will move closer together. Quoting from Hurriyat: Fifty-two- year old Daruwalla, who belongs to a Parsee family from Ahmedabad, said he could not say anything about Presi­ dent Ronald Reagan appearing as a candidate for the next election. With predictable and breezy con­ fidence, he told all and sundry that he had predicted Sanjay Gandhi’s death (in print) six months before it happened. For the cricket-mad he had these observations to make. 1985 was going to be a fabulous year for Imran Khar when he will prove himself to the world’s best bowler and batsman. Foi Wasim Raja, the following year will be equally good. Naturally there were lots of ques­ tions about the Third World War bul to these he answered cautiously thal there would be international “tension” between 1990 and 1991 and that this year things would be bad betweer January 21 to February 19, April 21 tc May 21, July 23 to August 23 and these works require. She was accompanied at the piano by the veteran pianist Zenobia Vakil Patel. Farrah Rustom October 23 to November 21. And he added that people can look forward tc Courier Mid-Day, January 12, 1984 Parsiana January 1984earthquakes and floods in several parts of the world. Courtesy Mid-Day January 17, 1984 1 - < 15 Parsiana January 1984 since made their name in many many all directions and the ordinary man who fields. You have had your Commander- wants to obey the law and live peaceful- in-Chief, Field Marshal Manekshaw, ly, finds it difficult to fit in this at- the Naval and Air Chiefs and Justices mosphere. There is so much trouble; law Hidayatullah’s advice Justice Madon of the Supreme and order has become the biggest pro­ Court. You should similarly be pro- blem of the day. Almost all areas are The text of India’s Vice-President gressive in your ideas and thinking, and I disturbed—none is safe. You are secure Hidayatullah’s speech delivered to the ^m sure your community will make as you are a small community; nobody members of the Federation of Parsi strides. When I see such persons of takes notice of you. All your votes.taken Zoroastrian Anjumans of India and the eminence like the ones I have mention- together do not count for very much. Delhi anjuman on October 8, in New ed, I feel absolutely confident that what I The Parsis, therefore, do not run the risk Delhi has been published in the Fed- am saying is quite true. I am rather sur- of being politically jeopardized. News newsletter of November 1983. Ex- Pnsed that persons like Justice Madon “The Parsis being a smaU community cerpts: were not brought to the Supreme Court have to be very cautious in their ap- “I am indeed very happy to be earlier. In any case, I am sure, he is going proach. Let them not be too orthodox amongst you all. I do not really know to leave a mark on the judiciary. These lest a few people are lost to you every what I should sSy and what words of ad- are the symbols of progress achieved by few years and you are further reduced in vice and guidance I can speak to a com- the Parsis who have supplied, and are numbers. You are an advanced com­ munity which is so affluent and so supplying and will continue to supply, munity in India, as I have already said, advanced in every sphere. Your pro- lawyers and businessmen in Bombay, and I would be very happy to see them blems are in the hands of experienced Delhi and elsewhere. In the field of ad- achieve this progress.’’ persons like Mr Nargolwala, Dr Golwala locates, the names of Fali Nariman, Soli “My advice to you is that you give a and your Anjumans are fully seized of Sorabji and J. Dadachanji are worthy of lead to other communities. You have the them. As you perhaps know, I have mar- mention} they have made their mark on means to do so; other communities like ried a Hindu lady; our cosmopolitan Indian life and your community should Muslims, Scheduled Castes and Schedul- tyix of family is quite happy. be rightly proud of them. ed Tribes are comparatively backward “So far as the Parsis are concerned, I “Unfortunately, however, in India communities; they are not the people to was asked to make a speech in Bombay you get submerged in other large com- give the lead whi^ the Parsis can. I am and there I quoted from the Bible ‘Go ye munities ^though you can make your sure you will rise to the occasion Xo help forth and multiply!’ The position is own mark. We find it very difficult to other communities in distress and -you that you are not progressing as fast as the make an impact on the population. At will show the way to them.’’ rest of India because you do not admit the present time, we have strife all over; anybody in your faith and you do not the different states of India are witness- allow any acceptable non-Zoroastrians ing rioting and carnage; communal riots to come into the Parsi faith. are taking the life out of us, everywhere “I am surprised to find that the World things are topsy-turvy. Hindus and Congress in Tehran which met in 1960 Muslims are fighting and the only per- could not make much headway and it sons not killed are the Parsis. took 11 years for the Federation to come 'T__ 1____ „ _____ ___ into existence. I would suggest that you the affairs of India and we find that they should make a better job of it and grap- are giving employment to a large number pie with the problems fast enough and of people. In Bombay, I was told that not lose time in needless controversies. Parsis have established their colonies. “The Parsis are forthright, very ad- You have vast resources and you have vanced and progressive people and you talented people who can guide the com- won’t find such people in the rest of In- munity in the right way. I still feel that dia. They are a very old people and have you have not exploited your vast Nergis Nargolwala garlanding. Vice Presi- resources fully and there is room for pro- dent Hidayatullah at the Federation P^r utilization and deployment of those meeting at Delhi resources. You have rich people, like Tatas. Parsis in Bombay are well- established in their colonies, entrenched in good business and by and large they are affluent, whereas you have Hindus, Muslims and the labour classes in good numbers, who are poor. “You are so progress-minded that you will easily and certainly raise money to put up your own colonies in other big cities of India and that will take care of your housing problem. India is in a state of flux at the moment; things are getting out of control. There are rival pulls from “Parsis have played a valuable role in are giving employment to a large numberifii?’ r r- ^9 ^0 t i H !¦ .1 i ii? . i '1 ¦ 4 1 ’ If B ^8 > i . ¦ . I B -.' ^r-:..t» -"' .f'’ g -> „ j.r'^ ¦ s' i.4-* - ¦A" O i^gfcl^ Mk' ' A rPonchai’s PUnchKrat f i •’ a’’ B -« t < '¦ . .-?' ¦^-. at ~..^iW.' AriwvSZ » lOltow.-, 4 ’ A r* “--A t J »’¦• r ffiSSaS^: attached which th«frust wotfid consf^^., . , J 'mfiEUisiilng an eiU^nTO$ng cc^t^ to«0~ t ^ou CTO reseiye seats for >agsas-^inj0 ‘^ M Wnd College 50 peeegs& sesfts , «sery0 for andhis ” shrt^ PoBs^ “It may take the itort 100 yB0 but jjrticre only 30 of 40 bt^- as 'their cont ’ctbution towaii^i;^ 5sfiEUish|ng an etU^nOh^ cc^t^ Iraie^ you can reseiye seats for l^s--in^ reserved for Sindhis ” shrt^ ^oa^ ' . . taove the economic ctmcUfiphs of t PlBtQ: Xyeaha Soni “Past BPP chairmen were so totally t«i»ous mal^. ibat deter us from ma^ a sttSt? ” the last 20 jhars they have left half-a «®ility cOBfil^aing ortttant rTOte^sa^l ^^ guiding body. They are trustees Of frusts astos Of halivMu^ trusts CTeated by donors. There is nothing fiiat management *i“ «»*» »’«*¦ Us am hm given them any jurisdictiTO over exaii^, Ws and readied tp ded^ od^ SleMtag J - V whose eddbce mu^ fiw Ba^s Mod rest^^M 1^ 1 sew housing. ' ««• ------- --------- One of file an^ wSch?3..T^aXS;~ZX Punchayat as the cantWe of ^'Gom- t^t Pa^^ iastaw^ hegim with as Us^ of Parsi Zor«to^8»^y^ mittee feiElectoraa Rights that swept the ' mvesamcnt of Rs S(XK The Somaya \Mny Guzder to wlaehiW^J trust ami hsSuruAi pickles offer healfiw Ifis eo^Qsgrdiw^ eiMnyfflcht to several hundred; and w«ge_indneM>c^ - ideating an overall pUm «r opog^g^^ “The Pw^^kt^ is supposed to be a from the ‘‘dtfferent <«fl?row*.lO ae^ should «9 't- 5\«^!^|,2ug£.-Sg£r-'’'-^^ w»i ing/ ’ ffrops Foncta. Ana y« mere k a a rara nmaqr we d«md possibility o( oihitffik rents created by donors. There is nothing that hnmagement **•’•***•*** • • •^*’““w- • "’rf -^' 5 , *= «g^- ¦:s ts •^sv ¦ 4^ ' w-2. • •'SR I - .^Kibr-was ftwraedr wW •hMWkedxMRahin^xwtart^^^^ «..« w^.iiave refierred to in the past as COTvd^sdefi8ictKai«^ Ro^ Mood ctmc^ ” relates Pondia. ly tibc norms of wid iSi* ter ^’totfesattfll^c^BbtfTata , took'the ctmcqA ” relates Pondia. ly the norms ot mwowm wia cretot ' Trust land to Ancl^. ‘!^fecctoorati< “If I go to a very^ family and explain , rattog ^«tem. This ec& would have with the M. F. Cama Trustees we sn toe community ’s need for housto®, I’d no^ «> do with dlotment but ceeded to obtsi^ ideaamce from t \fclvaky to 10,000.^ if < ¦^7 good, wdl-designed flatswhich we cotod sdl to the rich... ” *—1.^- The concept was put to the test vtoen ' , , . —.¦ . ¦¦ai' * S F Enm^ advertised two-bedrodm EconOfflto Upfift Committee whose property where we have plans to flms for Parsis tm the uRJcr reatAm of Kharegat Colony. “There were no con- . • ____ . teaints upon this plot from the Urban n>®t of tbeG^ej Raug ten^ente. the Land Cdliiig Act. Ihc Pumbayat wotod Pundia^ toe swmmy.done by its have iiiade nnich more by sc^tog toe lafid to,the opeiFaiarket. toit at toe outset it X. evwytidng.to do with eVmuation of toe ULC m^unltis |to a pdee—35,000 1 “ / 40,000 sq ft ftoto tovdoited, to be sold 1 the Mfca was ace^p^ by the the government at a rate of Rs 13S per s< board as part of toe siitoBa^ns of toe ft) and my company is developing to ev^ p-oposal was ctomtoaously atrii^ ovor one-bedroom apsabi^ts f( at. Atos,whwitoe “forallot- ---------------------------- ¦ r"- Pundiayat had 1^ sreitftoy.done by its own sttm Pim a coimto of trustees who- .. vetomteered todr time.' We made a \ was decided that we amst not surrender repres^tion to Dr G^la aito toe any land assets, ” ex^atoed Pondha* ' ' Board of Trustees, .bdltoc Bomdib- iwi^, tlte Pund^ is Rs 300 mamed to to itedeg^ not to \ > cfldkd bfe six hddis M rupees from eachbSb^flatofimsqft.C(«. Higto Att^ IW /stroction carts to be bmn» by' to» theat tegally, cemsidreed boftder/promoter come to two half to three lakh rupees. As --- ,, - , gtand, **tlacirc are 130 Parsis wanting to, damouring to, conteibute sto lakhs of “ . ........ am^ land assets, ” ex^atoed Pomtoa. "invafiabix, VQy af^ refused admi^ion for lack of space when there is enough spac^ for a .. d^^ite hd^ital . '* H ' ' ' b te *•¦4 '-v I? 4 .K'- per square^ of toad or FSI as ft is any outsider but brtobl^ Mr Yggtok, L, a respected, retired from the v j, w - tonnot firalt «dc not Homits^ is toe.one trust io wiych ever^ . pm upl We suate^ that nmms be laid ii||memtTOafairnmttoi^ ’’emiABrtres toany otoer tru8t. “AlthOdgh the Par^l down wito a merit point rtotog system Ptitt^. “Wearenottiytogtosaytort it poputo^ h^te^dwihtoed'to to® tost 1® F- d^fiy On the basis of titet is delibexatdy unfair. ” - yreus,. thtot.is K'tegeFsgu^ ? every single (»« of the 34x10 plus ap- ¦ " {dicants should be ranked. We suggerted Andhert . Wil* -y th^t at leart ttoee Parsis who ate known Fairiy recenfly Pcmchh had the cp^pur- jpatftotoifo^ i^’^k the problem. The thorny probtom of pbvm to brmg it ab^ on the tooao land nwy one 1981 CXR got in mandate (^em l.,0(X) date it jAws to cpitelreict. J scrutiny cdl fm the altotment of new pai^ peo^ uitebaoen^ bF thb Afto-tosusi^ti^Oiadigo^teqtoRooia^ flats. How do ytw distinguteh between issue shy artoy eoissldest^ it a pdmcal munity prrmn idho is the reafly cottooversy rsulter toan an issue of prin- medicare. Tito S,. B. PotiL . tiom psmtmage would tte invsoial^ warn to prau^ todr careL We syce tty- Par^ fshaify owm stohs .- , ..4*7 , . . .- a ____ u-t-l.j . f • ««___1__ 1__ _ _____ ___ k__i *i down with a merit point rtdtog system Sodte/ ’Wearenot tiytogtosayflttf it poputoddn^h^M*>d<^ hi A® tost 1® ^fiy p»iW>ri7fid On the hanis of AM is deUber^y unfair. ”., , ;—'Lz:..L every sjngto one of the 3,000 plus ap- T hmrg to^ toTcdpe with it. ” j ' {dtorats should be ranked. We suggtoted Andhert . - hfot th^t at lea^ ttoee Parsis who ate known FatoLy recently Pcmchh had the Gua/YlS84 •44a* . fr* \ tom^ds ito^^l^lltoene need to be^ prrqpp^ PcMi^ia. It has “its own wOuB Mbe pemnteed by th|^1||toto^ ‘ ;Wf as manager add < college, its own coinmiriee of (^mporatiem. Why not create Undowrtttog, Ponritn says, ' M\“{Bays 0|e(h fey- niests at Cid f^m^ed. til: SJBW fr.is tK httffing oonmi^ of four ¦' 'iaries, wherefrom W^ as manager >, vtometooto;^ ..¦id».. to . awteagcinent (bitf) it cmmot cofitmue^^ < IjiGbsli^^oe for about K)& If didy, goes to Use {keteaa^ on spee^ ttor^nd primridre as it is doing today, camhtoed rtotdence is made eozdingmt Oocarions, pbts pk^ onphasfe dmi% ? bvariaUy, you are refused admisrion upohtfaeinsscncectf aptacti^^mobedr things tian mi saying thii^. ” Poncha . . .......... . ^mce for a duplicate h^ital. ” "riie Priesthood tor lack of ^lace whoi there is enoi^ it woitol popeturie crae monltec of t^ .enjpj^ itomograitoyi readtog, owning fandygohigii^ the prie^ood. Also, R ’^fl^ocnes and riding them al(^ with is Poncha ’s opiurimi that if tie “one too' two sons: Pali gobsyt thrmiah his first >> J many fhO'haeD^hes'tMtd ,be ycm^of saenmaip^ is Ponctoi ’s that if the “one too' two som: Fall gob^ thfCM^ h i^«iWBhd4n his first ihisse> , . ,v. > A'ihe priest etmo^ be sdf-res th^ n^t be better 4ei^^d;^o«^er, emid lot yearafediooK5S^Azarmieis > )m has the mmiey for h:-at least Rs loop, plans for 16 quarters for^mlbsts, it is thedwrfof adininistration M the ICICI. 1 a fflmith. Less thee mid Am emo- reported, have been subir^ted to tlm . “Even tf I ndt "do abylhing efee. ' A {*^4 ‘X ¦ ! te has toe mmwy tor h —ut least Rs 20()p plans for 16 quarters for priests, it is the cfe^ of admtoirirriton to toe OCL a month. Less than that mid Are cmn- reported, have been subntoted to tlte . “Even if I tod nto "do anything efei^ Fd be qnte ha®^ to Ito^ b^ ih' Created to give fott-rime praedsing priests CoU^ who honed his numagmial sk^ Itouring colmW;^ saysTohl^^ a subsidy and Insuring?^ asks Pmiriia. in tosinance for 20 years, the last six in refratring to Tnfet monity defaults on its obligation to the Bomtmy Muidci^ Corpora^imi priestly class. Cannot new trusts be , ' A doid>fe gtadui^ fr<»n Sydenham, stnun^al in hm^ tdxMt'^ • > Refarhig to the BIT’S own p«^ tacki- ihe Oenoral Insurance Corporation deal in AndliM.. i&W' ! j f r 1 f 1 I f d } case<.of ¦^1 '. 1' has -rtoisdzlg no pnva^Ub'iiaraiW,' Tvj^o categoric of applicants have been tad to cotoe to Or fOO^^ tot Baugi^j^laanfOlk dare n< go to fife 4oi jotted ijriorities of 30 percent without prior approval; Wehgve,alsof$> are “cesnmon to toe cm«i»v^ .;. ,, each —the hometoss and engaged againat the new toctohiients. ” a mate escort to keep ghtod, (xnml^- Bto wl» is ‘handess ’? ques- doing a step father, lepdh commto n^tt one toonbir of the fa^y has tep-^7 tknis PqQcha. “'IWe was the case oftoe . tees from toe various tomp have now maintain constaiU vh^* ’ ' lady who worked to the IDBI and whose begun to function under tols CER um- A working group ebnristiitt ofa 8fe|g> residen^ wm provided by toe bank. She brdfe. “There was no pdtoy to the BPP . tural enj^toeer, a construction Cxpc^taat ; had vnri^ to ^JPmidi^at 'f/sjf back for repairs. The Punchayat dpadjed that architects insped^ed Kopfea toriklng afls^ to toe sixties stating tom she wbuld be it would diechtmmities fm cs^^og oto came to the ccmdusimi ^t ffe ’*• repairs! Flspm toe C3BR, to B81 and &2: would be required for adeegmto" repairs. IS^nce die trust .had no meh mom^ toe^ tenatos were asked to barik vtoafever/^^ tov^dB to^ amo(^. TW 15 * “ “ -ntewtotototoaecq^ _ _______ _ ______ tiw aoBOr tnAfef^ went to the Housing Bo«ri and the Governmeitoof Maharoto^^..^ secretary of houstog vdto agreed, tp v)^ ' the butoling baric with tte trori agri * ^bried toiorities of 30 percent without prim ^proval; We bgve,also fi9P are “cmnmon to toe coiples. tod who fe toon^ ques- f “ ' ¦ " ¦' __ ____ ___ __________ _ „ lady who worked to toe pBI and whose begun to f^onimdwSc^Rw^^ \_______ -__________ rerid^ce w« provided by toe bank. She brdla. “There was no policy to the BPP . tural engineer, a constructioo bxpe^tnat t"’ - - — - - .................. ......... ¦ — - .. to toe sixties stodixi tom she wbuld be j due for retoohent to 1983 ntodn toe would have to surrender her presmit g^:- tqg^tom^ N coimnodaticto and would be homri^ imnwtf iUiA haH hpwi ; ____ _ __________ __ ___ untess some idace was allotted to mana^ng committee of Wadia they were ramble of ccml But toe Punchayat,did even consider trust. It was a significant actoy v^en t to _ .1.' her case when they aBotted toe Godrej co-mxration whengrbupsof bhxdts were . paid up Rs ^,000 '^Ia*** Ate ''vw.rMZi ' •* i . ix..a a. ' Ja>. lAa aka 'lanT. .¦¦".* tj. ' -u-j •' ‘horaetras. ’ If I’ve got shelter with a Sm Tstri^te on familv mATnhar I’m nnt ‘hnnrtAlMc * ----- ........---------------------------- doing a step fir^, leptth conunh* n^tt one memb^jr of the fs^y has Be Fvwwn uNMnAate 'Ka*m Hz^aar w^ttivaiwatM /^An«fo« wto^;^toam had been a stdonate on i — family member. I’m not ‘homeless. ’ grounds of prrsonal egos for years, ” j Unless I’m shunting between sanatoria declares Poncha. , secretary of housing u^ sgraedtento8 of years in a toaisit crmip until the building The Kodtebtili^ fe th^ batde ” says Pmicha. “We took up is rrix^ chased toe tenantsfeot foot to of toe woods yet, fb^to^ttrito tons ato;^ toe matter with the BPP and toe Watoa the Housing Cmnntotee. want the bu^h* back. “However, !^ Baug mana^ committee wfaidi is « “Do you know whto Wis like in a tenants would be ^aotoiari sqiarate bb^ on utoich three BPP tiansitctoQp? ’’ the lack of co^ifwcai^ leadsin demoliticm ordi» and the {no^iiect bf 15 shqpid s&u^on years in a mmsit cmnp until the biding A 19fi)/si6n».Janutfy WSt '* V *<*¦ ?4’’- •4^ •M ¦ '7 ':3e itf-tflddi-iftf^iir- —¦r b 5^ Ki t*' I -*4 yiL i- te p< I 1" ¦iSi ifi I'! ddsiflal Home For Pa^ to just one word ‘Industrial.’ Yow ,th^ someJ^brWF^d a fee^g of ¦¦ ypur Tfiirtipofr patia pairel mgnlty, I t^ed,|o some of meitt; Ijnw &€Stt totHstrial and received y^ Oy sone of than. Ih^ve a relative -Sg K «rvica. W^eB-todO P»^ and who fwls so r^ g oo^^sis have different and aaoefc cx^. m-, pfT” H B’pensiv^ fefaence poinU. RTI is^^wherd ¦)¦ E'- yofi ^can; buy the most scrumptious Of Tar^sorev^as strfg^ thocc^de cakes; RTI is wlme you; Ifiid ic^nde lovw and middle Ib thatTXgeOussareeembroidewallWte- .ttadttt^al enytrmtmentjn |fe’^*^tote h^ been many things to i^atiay JParsi culture ml RMfe0pte. 'FOr most of the wotheh who ^Wfcit^aWty fll « wi^k there, it has been then whole life, been an integrH paaft <>f weiWo^ P^ *" Begun exclusively for Pann wmnt^ by sis, v4iat also existed w^ a str^ ^^int Naoroji Patuck in 1899, -dte RTI . YorkUniversit^r HtotdgalW^^ptt^ | i^ila,. 26, and constitute a her to exhibit her work jh J ^^bes on the Parsi comn^ity,. to be— Reprinted with 'from impaMt, sepwseaef,' -u ^"^Wfehed ta a f0«he0feing“|p<&e B k 3DJ’af^iUi0Jafn»aiy^1Se4 <1 I® ,d^) today employs 350 women in its , ed, bmeaucr^ umeeUng. ineper- varioiis deoartments including cookery, son^ toiu:h is ’.. . ,.* In documenting^ capturmg the kie* & However, her fiajtfoiio hl? npt hoAl \« ii ’ r^ictog t© the cOihmurdl^mat ^he I [i herself bekmgs to hut iBcludrttfestyles of | nec^e in. rurad.Iiidia, Frario^Spainaftd | hCT hi^er^e^camoa. 9ie sl?umd oat by | ciii^ to “be<»u« ft*s miteh | makes it fes^ obhusive wl^ is idea^ I Educated ftidsieftrat&tudi^^Hafv^ ! 3r x>»* V i^ila,. 26, and constitute a j»rt trf hw' to exhibit her work ii^* Braafey. e 1983. X '-i^I '-: ' S;-®' ? t«*. ‘;<«S4- ^c.v ' ftoaw I'' WpB|ge^ .^¦w^ that w^ 0dded i^r/hraddsh ^^^ ‘)iiuch was not - - ' -icft loose days extendoi side of the Parsi Welli_____________ Bhikaiji Etehramji Panday sank tuOB^t fmrdi sweat, crystal clear walar. Another feahire was that its levd ^remainedThore (XT less statiCieveil during Tucked away in a o'owded intersectimi yet no provision for mri^:^pal water and die hot summer months; jt is so evm to- on one of Bombay’s busiest rc^, is die lakes of Powgu and contimioos iseMisind. what is, in common parlance, caMed the contemi^ted^as supply W.Tfie^S^i - -- - ----- Parsi Well, an oasis of peace in die midst tmd, so peq^ dug for water, _____ L.., of a tumultuous, wind-swept desert— According to one / wizened old ed ^ supply __ supply to. 1116 w for water. is fed, parenafel ParsiWell, an oasis of peace in die midst tmd, so peq^ dug ____— __________________ of a tumultuous, wind-swept desert— According to one/wizened old ed once every ySr, it tepleniidiey jtiwtf like the quiet c^tre of a storm. The din gentleman, every Parsi home had a well with miraculous haite. ~ fades into incoherent murmurs here and those days. Magnanimoihsdtizens of It is.superflui^ to add diat die well the froity subside into cool, uiAiirried Bombay sunk wells here dnd1SRi»«iMjk;diWl^^thainetfaf^Bhil^ placidity. The tenoie of the city,slackens their vestiges are. still to be found in the Panday who caused U to be sunk. For widnn its uninmi^ boundaries. The Azed Maidan and elsewhere in the Fort. lc»igyears,itremainedaprivate |xrQper- stone seats are sftewn with a few pet^le.^^ \ f — ** ^'",“^''.2^ Gnarled old trees send down drooping euound the same time, is still voty mudi fy. Bhikhaiji Bdir^ji Pahda^s dtfwt braikdies fike a baievC^ait benediction, in use, thou^ it is nnt rnnfli 5*J 1» ' ’ ^f^iana January 19Bts f n. '¦1 5: ¦V Z<-' ^5- ; - f A*’'" 4® 1 ' /, ~i * ^'' «• S.. s. * < Ki ->fi^n 1 ; S '-r £5-- r )t 1 « '4*'* I 't- With CrxiMdiment Froan Bl F JLhJI' O-CTP Eo IA l it. fee , iW ’ s"^ '^SB^ ! f Uberty Budltotf BonUmy 400(S» "B 15' ¦; -'Of’ I '* F •^2. < ( 3 I > aJ- ’'^ j-i ^defotthela« The western^ SJyfl^drawil^ put w^ to fergej metal containei^. df weB is i evidenced ^>»;ji Y 'He loves people because he loves life’. shedpur. There are many who want to cast a „--- ¦ —-—... slur upon ±e Tata Workers’ Union and tunately very mudi.a reality at Jamshed- pur—J.J. Ifam (vic^presid^t, opera- call it a ?management-sponsored’ outfit, pur), or entry of other trade unions of a tions), K.C. Mehra (vice-^esident; c^ However Tisco workers do not reaUy different ideological persuasion. Though mercial) and R.N. Sharma (vice- seem to think it matters, because splinter or rival groups have very little authority. Tisco workers have obtained better con- a leciuuvai sensea“w*® *«?? »«««. «w «.», j .v — Lionsofworkandpaycomparedtosay ficial strike, but many^incidei^, workers in the Bombay-Thane beh who Russi has managed this very dl^ sp^ ™nk i,v belong to trade unions with a more com ficutt task ©leeedingly weU. delegahon of responsibility, frontationist attitude. the claim by ±e Tatas that there have president, administration and col- been ’50 strike-free years’ is only true in Beries)—all speak of his ability to gd to - a technical sense (thde hj^ hdi® no o^ the heart of any matter, t^imical or ficuit ta^ ©KJOedingly well. While he hj^ eoncedM-*^in factHsual- well as outside observers speak of the ly pre-empted—reasonable demands, he complete fr^om the vice-presidents - has occaSonally been tou^ widi labour, have in running umu ai nsw. sometimes fired people, or shunted them and terms it industrial vandalism. In his And the organization is really spreading aside, and promoted relatively junior view, there is no Indian ‘public’ or itswings.Themajor developmentactivi- people to positions of high responsibili- 1___ ty. Which means he has trod on some merely the efficient and inefficient people’s toes. But on the other hand, he is reputed to be scrupulously fair. ____ _ ____ Ultimately his charm and sense of eveiyonJ^indu^ KIim poitiS^ phase. How" fM thr‘Mmdy facto? h^ humour, combined with candour and a legendary. An illustration is the Bihar i^yed a part in the long overdue moder­ certain driving honesty, earn him univer- government’s decision to hand back the nization is a riddle. But observers are sal respect. administration of the Steel city to Tisco, unanimous that while external circum- • an ill-considered attempt to take stances helped, Mody played no mean '' over the company’s‘zamindari’in 1970. role in giving a vital push to plans which , . V , of the dispute go back many had remained merely on the drawing “what vmi nan cow fnaf 1 om o ____ _ « .« —- - - - its wings. The major develr^ment activi- ^^!'^?te industry—there is ty of course, is the mod^zation pro- . . . . gramme, on which over Rs 200 crores has already been spent, and some Rs 350 Mody’s ability to get along with crores are earmarked for the-^second r IB that his style of management is ‘pater­ nalistic.’ “That’s rubbish!” he says. What you can say is that I am a faAer- years to 1956, when the Bihar Land board over 20 long years. , figure to a lot of petyle. A paternalistic’ Reforms Bill was passed, and the With an eye to the future, Russi Mody style me^ thm the father is ^ways Singhbhum zamindaris were vested in has spearheaded Tisco’s attempts to right--and I certainly am not always the Bihar government. v L . .. . ThedislHctconmussi. ------------ in saving the jobs of 5000 workers in over, the average age of supenntendants matter rested, till in 1970, the Com- Tinplate Company (turnover in1^1; Rs in Tisco was 54. Currently, it is 35. munist Party of India and the socialists 61 crores, net worth: Rs 7.31 cror^) a pressurized the government to repeal the matter referred to earlier. The Indian No constraint too big amending clause. On the intervention of Tube Company (ITC) (turnover in 1981: An associate describes Mody’s style of V.V. Giri, the matter was dropped, but Rs 98 crores, net wordi: Rs 20.28 crores) operation as ‘rolling back the ton- again taken up two years later. another unit employing 3,500 people in straints.’ ‘‘Often, organizations meti- This time, the Bihar government ac- the township, is proposed to be merged culously i^ntify toiistraints, and then tu^y look possession of the towhship with Tisco, a move which would mean decide to live with them. Russi Mody will despite Tisco’s appeal to the Supreme considerable savings on raw materials act, and overcome these limitations.” 2_____ _______ ; Most industrialists and top level nued to bear responsibility—and pay managers in our country have rather for—schools, health services, markets, predictable views on economic affairs. 1 ‘ ‘ ‘ ., ______ ,____ _______ But Mody is refreshingly original. For township of which it was arbitrarily ed management to nurse them back to < ........................................... ¦ ¦ the nationalization of the coal industry, stressing that it should have been dustrial estate,’ while Jamshedpur was nationalized 20 years ago. His reasons: that the coal industry was vital to our _ _________________________ _____ requirements; that it had not given a fair Jamshedpur remained uncertain, with a M a cost of Rs ^ arores"whMe half of the ded to the consumer, the labour and the marked deterioration in civic conditions. 90,000 tonnes i»r annum output will be nation; that illicit and unscientific mining Squatting and encroachments became bought by Tisco, and used for its own had been the order of the day; and that common in the hitherto efficiently-run, steelmaking processes. natural resources of the nation were clean township^ AU development work The other major investment pr(^?osed planned by the company had to be by Tisco is the takeover of Metal Box’s suspended until the issue of ownership bearings plant at Kharagpur ^'Purdiase . of the Kharagpur plant is lo^xdftvward That the Bihar government finally integration,” says Mody.“Tisco manu- again taken up two years later. This time, the Bihar government ac- Court. Ironically, the company conti- costs for ITC. Of course. Tinplate Company and ITC are really Tata companies in Jam­ parks, and other civic amenities in the shedpur of which Mody has only assum- - ' - ................ -. - — ------------------------ example, he wholeheartedly welcomed deprived of ownership. Bokaro, a mere health. A major investment in the next , 90 miles away, was considered an‘in- few years will however be in a completely neW cmnpany, a joint sector project with called a‘zamindari.’ Orissa’s IPICOL called IPITATA, Fot eleven long years, the fate of which is setting up a sponge iron pliat deal to the consumer, the labour and the marked deterioration in civic conditions. had been the order of the day; and that common in the hitherto efficiently-run, steelmaking processes. The other major investment pr(^?osed being frittered away. Fifteen years after'nationalization, while mining has become more scientific and labour is better paid, the consumer ___ __ __ ______________ ______ ___ _ still gets a raw deal in being forced to buy decided to return possession of Jamshed- factures the rings used for hearings, and ’ lores the fact that many thousand crores entirely to Russi Mody’s indefatigable contmued on/Mge 55 ”” was decided one way or the other. expensive poor quality coal. Mody dep- pur to the company is credited almost abmit three or four ^Ms ago we had iV 31 Parsiana January 1984 tK few?"? [ » '¦ > ART i Pilloo Pochkhanawala: The Third Dimension Rekha Sarin Althfiwgh previously she iiad dabbled in drawing and portraiture she now felt intensely drawn to this new medium. The works of Henry Moore in Britain made a When one thinks of sculpture, Pilloo Pochkhanawala’s name < __ _____ _ to mind. This kind of instant association is worth more to an artist perhaps than any accolade. Over the years, Pochkhan- wala has come to be regarded — - r" ' ¦“ India. “To me, sculpture represents a third dimension. It speaks a volume of strength and substance and therefore leaves me more moved than painting”, she declares. found each medium equally creative. It’s just that a particular medium should not be a limiting force to the inner creative * . . , :-------- energies of tile artBt, It is the concent tremendtms impart on her. “Th^ reflect that should surest the nwiHim/* she n vitahty of life,” says asserts. yearning to discover Homage to the sea her own fwm of self-expre^ion. Meanwhile, she moved over to MCM as coiBultant director, looldrig after ex- hibitimis and three-dimensional presen- ii;in;~BS>r;i:my^e,7 scuipiure m her newly discovered artistic urge with disturbed by the vandalism that the routineness of a ’full-time job. Ultimately, she was to abandon her career in advertising altogether. Her first attempt ait sculpture was the figure of a head worked in clay. These fcred initial, fumbling forays into the realm of Uxi w^xv 5k^py r^iBarev; porme,ne sculpture,” she elaborates. “I seek to niOTtor. He encouraged emphasise movement and texture which T J • : ""7----- ¦;—evocative of the mood rather than "^.^“¦eto gob^ondmere geometric fontns?’ In other subjects such as “Masks- Death” she has used terracotta jiixtapos- -T, ed against steel in ordrt tp capture tiie r " •* T**w*v^ wi iiAV| 3ay» Pochkanawala. When she returned home One of her more satisfyiiig achievements in ^umimum alloy castings is a series of sea-scapes which were created as a homage to nature and the sea. “Having ‘ " was . mas­ queraded in the name of iM*ogress and prosperity. I felt that the city was bring choked and the only pioht of contact wth nature was the sea. This alone of- r_,-J a sense of space.” .Li _ ¦ -- “Texture plays a major role in mv art wcregui^by Pqnsare, “F<»-me, he sculpture,” she elaborates? " me to emeimcnt witii whateva* material I fancied”Her desire to go beyond mere carving caused her to discard wood and stone as working mediums and experi­ ment instead with welded metal. since then she has worked with a frozen moment prior to^thc cassation of v^ety of materials, cast ^minium, mild steel, terracotta arid her current medium, aluminium allov. her Bfe-breath7“I did”tak7Tn7thT cha^ ofXe’ to be put to work. I have TOUreuon of paintu^ when I visit^ the whereas with this material, I can totally useums there. But everyjmie I looked impose my own ideas and concepts ExplaininB her experiment with difSit Career in advertUdng For Pochkanawala, this was a medium she stumbled upon quite by Chance. Having graduated with a degree in com­ merce from the Sydenham College, Bombay, she embarked on a career in advertising with Asia Art as general manager. A commercial assignment took her to Europe in 1951 and brought her in touch with the art that was to become almost collection of paintings when I visited the museums there. But every time I looked I felt struck as if by a visual bolt.” ¦ ¦ FK‘ M 33 Parsiana January 1984 ex- ttiiterials she goes on to say, “I have ¦ ????•'< !¦ ¦ SKd struggle. “Once an idea comes to the mind, one’s whtrie experience, planning and to be both practical and creative at the same time in order to put an abstract idea into a three^m^ional medium,” says Pockhanawafla. According to her she creates for the ..; [ an afterthought” She recalls vritii ' pleasure, the unexpected reprise that V.. j ; her work has evoked in people. At the Mukimd Iron and Stedf^iwyf, she had ¦ ‘sculpted* a large welded f^ure out of re- I jert castings wh^ tite workers at tiie fartwy wished to borrow for a fw ? hours. Somewljat bemused i3ie a^eedp Only to find that it had been used as a , foc^ point fin* their I^ssrta /u^, duty bedecked and garlandfflt For an artist, Pockhanawsda is sur­ prisingly practical. She fhi^ tiiat in Wder to experiment and have more sccme for cjutmg^ she has to take on commissions, although she concedes that in a commissioned piece the excitement sheer Joy of self-expression. “The artist . • «f presents his work as a/<3Str fl»^p/f a^^ 4 die response and reacdM of the pubHc is [ an afterthought.” She recalls with »¦ ’'-J plrasure, the unexpected response that ¦ as a , ^•*- Pochkhantnv^- pni^ and cngfOve J * -.'5 ‘‘J M <•>L*** I ¥ b r I ‘•J. \ Ji ''V •'. •9 to a certain extent. ' condnuedfrompaf^ 31 manitlDg> J.J. Iraniadimts di^jdiecom- _ _ __ ___________ ________ ’ js^be dng up a new bearings unit. When about 10,000 less than ^'cms^t level 4^ mvestment in a piece of sculpture is Metal Box offer came up, therefore, we of 65i000. A10 per cent increase in die ; often very high and the process of crea- considered it very seriously and ultimate- wage bill annually means a large addi- . don can prove to be wpemive; however ly dinched a deal.” donalexpendituredf Rs 12 to 14 crores, she estimates^ the ratio ctf the cost of jn fact, Tlsco has availed c< an ex«- U wid be a measure lltebay Mody ’s vM natfnal to the find sdl^ prise to be cement nwe^tment oi^;x>Ftanity, and has dtfitto ]^usdial reldtiQ0 If Tisco can thirty per cait. But toe balance is c^t^ obtained die MB plant vary diimp. After .«lieeeK^|u^ii^^^ ly not pure^profit, she pwints out. Quite a four to five ooire expenditure for balanc- very adracd*e votuntery fetbemi^ Imge nmgin of expenditure goes in other jug equbnnMmt, tite n^dbeement vidue of schrnie. V.O. Gepali^Raikiaj^ the .0 factors such as procurement of space for theidantisejtoeetedtobeofdieorderof trade union, s«^ he is assured toattoere «toibidon, and transportadon. The lat- Rs 40 to45 crores. Ryssi Mody may ac- would be no iwtnnrfang y and that labour ter requires insurance —“like when tually oe thinldng of an al|ffimative udl not be fiirown out into toe dieets. transporting merchandise ”, as engineering manufacturing coh^qitex at But to smuotofy impdment swto a Pochkhanawala puts it practically . ‘ ‘So Khara^nir , be^^ause Tisco togetoor with ' dzatHe reduction in die workforce will be onehastobehdf a businessman in Oder three other Tata companies have also a major test for Tbco in toe years ahetul. - to be a sculpdw, Bnahy, thoe ’s dwa}^ bought a 20 percent equity stake in Rmd Mo^ often aesaibes his success toe waiting game; fcr not every mece is Davy Ashmme India limited, which fo a large measure Mhidr aM to idehty guaranteed to sell.” 1;^ - —H ------- — 1—, «— j- i-------- Although contemporary sculpture is nwufactureofengixwihgdms^cnL Mody ’scandOttr;.fortotighftw*aiidtoe growing in pcgmlarity Poenuumwda .......................... fe^ >tod toe ‘is besetted' with pro- blems, particularly in Bombay. “In an industrid town like Bombay, very few me preapred fin* art castmg as ptoahy^is t given toindustrid castoig, ” shehune^.^ For this reason, many artists have chosen to settle instead in Ddhi. i. , She believes that sculpture holds great Tisco ’^s en^getic^forays scope for devdr^moit in toe fi^e. “TWe is so muto building activity in the dtiesard toe goverhmmt has provid- ed a clause that a certain perccudage of “®tii April to a expenditure be devoted to art iri toe wasamere Rs tolddSfeb buildiog. This itself helps in toe promo tkm of sculpture. ” She hmdf has been commbitoi^lto. undertake s^ptde fee {ai^ewmer^^ dd (nganisatiom. Ame^ dime iytoe 3d foot open air sculpture m the city square - executto for toe B(»nbay Electric Supply SeptetimBt. was gonejm to rs ing~y«»f iw- maaayc ifyfa *e to ^ TraiBi^UrdertakingoftheBom- «faai^«»4«taBte^ih>*Aytoat Wto^y>Pi««dcv0^ou..Hb«tyleba ¦'}; has also been sucqessfUl in desigo reserves of mrfque M;>nd th yt ing stMC detor and has orated ejas *>«• Alhd •h’?» « ratddi«moiioli!lis f^tllerniacc^ duminium castings for plays such as gramme wnl b^^ to bermlected in . iv Cyrus the Great and ThgMag. financid terms fdrly sotto- jBqa -r«----------------a--.----------------------- , 4^ . A*.' of ( as continued frontpage 31 i .,. cociid^tet^ Js^miese cxiUaboralghMbi se^r PW*s total worldonxrj^idttl^^^ ting up a new bearings unit. Wltien die about 10,000 less than dte'Cifiw Rmd Mo^ often ascribes his success 1 w ¦'^ a ^8 w Vj haa a smafi unit at ftodWKb for the of instinct. Peers in huhnby sp^.of ^Mijbment. Mody ’scandottr;.forthiightoe8s, mid toe Mnjmt nt/ i^txeasth of hu (xmvictions —“toe sheer naan.** As A.L. Mudaliar im«R?e™^Wn|feW^ha^''JW^' ‘*Th«em«rbcaWera»t^^ sb^ Whhtohdve been didnvested by mSttote “ a manager —paternalistic, -1 . .ti^^MBet^ hidibtridl^ watoi^tic, Owmnsltoto-' ' - - “ ¦ I 1.^- ¦..¦'¦;¦¦'- ¦ '. . .'I . ¦, •¦ Not so bleak 'T^ :, or benevolent — but udud- ’ i*taA.A«w4 j%F flaja 4i4a«» 2a la^hMf ~ fAjg matl^ at the^end of the day is how die conuntudly of woi^ers views ^m.” Hb management style has not been learnt 1 I ,ji ''1 a ’KFIWr- V , n . --.M- >L > > -*¦ »»¦>abigh^ making seemTo show ine«d«w iwult. making seem to show unenaA«nsidt< was a mere Rs 16 Rsis.s^wm '5 I w^texa^nMil^^^li^'toBi i j^'de^in praflta iM|> S ‘tj'' K '-‘Ilj *. ft«' 1983—a who many consider iodustiy t9^. He presides ovier « set »p 0jU.htt Mody ’s eae^^'v wew^vi^a wsawi* ' aecav^ ‘ wm ivceviwwe ' ' * i ¦ * cat^iing nUXKdidis from thermocdc and C^rus the Great fttid lanrds K^ctved Her work has gained her acclaim and awards from several art organisations, including die National Award from the Lalit Kala Acadony (hfetional Acadany Of Art, New DO). Yet Pockhanawaia has no intehdrm of resting on all the laurels she has earned. “I would like to continue experimenting with metals —as wdl as terracotta. The best has yet to come, ” she declares tjuite emphatically. Reprinted from Sustnesr India, Aaigasl 1-14, 1983. Parsiana January 1904 cA pro- ’J" .M '<¦ ’Hsco suffbrs ayAisbuctiaily from over- S^yXiW i O’ iMSaAtoMiftc^' fMeadly Shopfor mmm * MMicraits, lesnvt gnu ma Zofoastrian artefacts Bombay Swadeshi Stores iJd Sir P.M. Road, Bombay 400 001 .T^1S3443 & 252730 -4- f V'ti'* ¦' L I Him i> I iHiil^in >.1 4 K'S .. • ^S tJli. k ¦ IF- Mb '‘>1 ‘ ii J2- ¦ 1£*‘ T P'S Deboo: Contemporary QU fl TnnnVllfi'VP Festival in 1985 and to Philippines to «1IU lUiiUTailvv conduct workshops, apart Abhinav from stopovers at Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. And in Tokyo he will spend time with the renowned Modem Dance • a Jakarta Arts Council. He will spend time That took him to the Hall of Mirrors and with the teachers and students at the Big Apple, New York and all over center. In the pipeline are visits to Europe. The Theatre Bevaegelse invited Hongkong for the Hongkong Arts him to conduct a workshop in modem dance at Copenhagen. From there to Oslo and Stockholm and when in the States, he took training with the ‘Pilobolus Dance Company. Later on in London, at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, he - ----- r—J — —1—. —•— - gave Kathakali dance demonstrations headlines on the international scene, week. and his repertoire included his own Uttara Asha Coorlawala trained by Naturally he was breathless giving creative pieces. He has landed with a Martha Graham and several other details of all these festivals and I indeed repeat invitation for March 1984. modern dancers divides her time between marvelled at his grit and perseverance India and the States, packing in a lot of Having known him for more than ten performances in Europe. Astad Deboo is years and also being witness to his strug- another dancer, self-taught and later on gle in India and abroad, I have always From India, two dancers, both from the _______________ _______ ____ Parsee community, have been hitting the Company of Japan, Sankd Ju^ for headlines on the international scene, week. Naturally he was breathless giving Astad referred to the strain and the uncertainties. “I never know if at all I will be able to make it to the intema- —,—------- , -------------— ................. tional festivals where I am booked, for trained in the Jose Limon technique and admired his determination and hard the air passage are prohibitive and every time one does not get passages from the ICCR. Nor can one depend upon them as they have to sponsor many artistes. But they have been very helpful as once you go to one country, somehow things 1000 chores singlehanded so that nothing develop and you meet other kindred is left to chance. “The trouble is that I other modern dances, is equally busy work. Whether it is a specially commis- performing in India and abroad, giving sioned show by the Max Mueller Bhavan workshops and finalizing his itinerary or a show sponsored by himself with the well in advance. help of his well wishers and friends. He was in town to see the authorities Astad puts in a lot of work, attending to at the Indian Council for Cultural Rela­ tions to finalize his tour programme to Korea where he was due to participate at cannot repeat my shows, as I have other Seoul in the ten-day Pan Music Festival engagements line up’’, he said, with a which began November 15. Besides a note of despair, solo appearance, Astad presented two sets of workshops. Taking advantage of this participation a dancer and his international beat is Therefore he can train with the Pilobolus in the festival Astad has explored other equally fascinating. In February he con- Dance Company and also give lessons in avenues to appear in nearby countries. He is invited to dance in Jakarta at the International Dance Festival at the Taman Ismail Marzuki in December graphing sequences for the film Quest citing. For instance, to Ravel’s music and at the invitation of Sal Murgiyanto, for Zarathustra directed by Cyrus Bolero, his creative responses were very successful and have left an indelible im­ pression. His work is also contemporary and innovative. As in Jazzamattazz, there was a lot of humour and fun and period dancing. The quick changes and slick presenta­ tions were well received by both the masses and the cognoscenti. However Astad is looking forward to the East and West Dance Encounter arranged by the Max Mueller Bhavan and the NCPA in Bombay in January next year where, along with other participants, he will be explaining his work with demonstrations and creative pieces. From his travels and exposure he has gained a lot and, being a gifted and a restless soul, it is always interesting to watch his work. He has over the years consolidated sufficient experience and made a mark on the international scene as a modern dancer from India. souls who extend help. It is indeed amaz­ ing how things work out in the end.’’ Astad’s is not the story of a dancer who has a steady following in India, He He has been busy the whole year doing has chosen the medium which has, in the a variety of jobs to support his career as Western context, total acceptance. ducted a workshop for ten days at Pune jazz and other workshops. His own per- for Mohan Agashe’s theatre group. The formances with music by different com- most exciting project was of choreo- posers has been quite varied and ex- head of the dance department of the Bharucha and starring Zubin Mehta. Deboo: creative responses to different composers 37 Parsiana January 1984 Reprinted from 77ie Economic Times, November 13, 1983. ¦i, -a ’¦'X iS ¦i IBOOKS I •1 By Law (D)! Parsis and Conversion—An objective study by S.R. Vakil 32 pp. S. R. Vakil, erstwhile trustee of the Bombay Parsi Panchayet and an emi­ nent jurist has published this 32-page booklet, probably, to give wider circula- ticfn to hisg article which was earlier published in The Bombay Samachar. Law is Vakil’s home ground and he strokes confidently and knowledgeably on this pitch. Wielding his pen with the virtuosity of a buccaneering pamphleteer and a belligerent prosecutor rolled in one. Vakil advances a simple argument in his objective study on conversion, on the rights to proselytize. He states that under Article 25 of the Indian constitu­ tion, all citizens are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right free­ ly to profess, practice and propagate religion. Vakil hence concludes that this right cannot be taken away on grounds of any alleged negative custom, namely, the promise believed to have been given by the first settlers in India that they would not convert the Hindu population of the Raja who gave them refuge. The booklet is a welcome addition to the available literature on this subject. While both orthodox and reformist- inclined Parsi scholars have laid thread­ bare this argument by quoting passages from the scriptures to meet their ends. Vakil looks at the problem from a fresh angle. And in hitting out at the priests and the panchayets whose theocracy could deny the community members their constitutional rights. Vakil exhibits could save the community from floun- a realism so far amiss is solving a ' religious problem that continues to divide the community. The booklet has been published at a time when its need is being- greatly felt. (JaJaxy of Parsi Saillts: And coming events (which have already cast their shadows) will make the booklet a veritable guide for all rational Parsis. Zubin Mehta’s film may attract converts publisher Jayantilal Amratlal Shah, Ahmedabad 8. to the religion. And Peterson’s navjote, Bombay'^arsi plSyet^ may^st be Galaxy of Parsi Saints is a collec^on of like Cama Honw the first in what could prove to be a articles on holy Parsis, mterspersed with bve in Broach. And while Daboo men- series of nightmares for those who wish to essays on Zoroastrianism. Published by tions that Behdin Homa wm a weaver in appoint themselves as conscience-keepers a to the community. 4"- * *'¦¦7 > k*’ 38 Parsiana January 1984 - "-ryV U' aCg fl /c? '^.r Xi:. Dastoorji Khurshed Daboo: erudition, broad-mindedness, seijlessness, sincerity. At a time not much in the distant to perpetualise the lecture(s) delivered by future, when only uncluttered thinking Ervad Daboo in Surat on this subject. ____ ;____ _ ____________ "¦ The book narrates thumb-nail bio- dering on rocks in a choppy sea. Vakil’s graphics of 17 “saints”. These have not booklet could serve as a beacon light. Homi Rogers The Milky Whey Galaxy of Parsi Saints by Ervad Erach D. Daboo. 80 pp. Price Rs.6 been arranged either in chronological or alphabetical order, and the text there­ fore, for no explanable reason, jumps from mythical and legendary heroes from the Shahnameh to historically- known figures. Unfortunately, even the years of mortal life of the latter are not mentioned. For example, we do not glean from the book as to when during our 1,200 years stay in India did saints articles on holy Parsis, interspersed with live in Broach. And while Daboo men- - __ ¦________________. . ------------------ Staunch admirer of Zoroastrianism and Broach at a time when the “kabiseh’ a friend of the author, the booklet aims controversy was raging, he does notr - '/¦ mention anywhere in this write-up the sincerity. We do not know whether the Second Edition years during which the community was Dastoorji performed any miracles; the wracked with this controversy. Readers, ' ’ especially the target audience, cannot be any. Yet, due to the reverence and regard expected to know the period in reference, the community held for him, wherein his The book thus does not lend an over-all word was regarded as the law, Dastoorji preciation of persons who have done the keeping the community united despite life and teachings of the Prophet and ... .1 I J 1. innumerable splits in the interpretation plains the concepts and practices of the Zoroastrian religion. The book has been written for young “reformist.” (Remember the opposition readers and the chapters include “Why from the orthodox when Daboo reduced do we need any religion?,” “Zoroastrian I i write-up too does not credit him with The second edition of the book. Teachings, writ­ ten by the late Dastur Khurshed S. Dabu -has been published by the P. N. Mehta perspective, so necessary for a total ap- Daboo achieved the major miracle of Education Trust. The book details the preciation of persons who have done the keeping the community united despite life and teachings of the Prophet and ex­ religion proud by their glorious deeds. i Similarly, the analytical mind of the of scriptures by sections of the com- young cannot find satisfaction in a munity, who were not necessarily sentence like “Dastoor Kookadaroo prayed in the fire temple the whole night, ______________ _____ _____________ „„ . vubiwi.; , performed various religious ceremonies the gatha prayer period from 18 to 10 ethics” and “The Purpose of religious and through his power and expertise in days?) rites and ceremonies.” Alchemy, he produced the requisite Incidentally, the back cover of the The book is available without charge quantity of golcfc..” Did the reverend book has a picture of poet Firdousi Tusi, from Keki P. Mehta, managing trustee, Dastoor produce this amount required the immortal bard of Iran (also counted P. N. Mehta Education Trust, Cook’s for the shortfall in funds through the in the book as a “saint”) “Contem- Building, 3rd floor, 324, Dr D. N. Road, power of his prayers or was it through plating future events...” Surely, Jayan- Fort, Bombay 4<X) 001. the scientific knowledge of alchemy? tilal (the publisher) who like Firdousi’s The only write-up that holds interest is patron, Mahmud of Ghazni, has a poem Khordeh AvCSta in Hindi on Dastoorji Khurshed Daboo. K.N. extolling his virtues written and publish- Panthaky sketches this respected priest ed in the introductory pages of the book, with verve, and portrays him as a true knows that Firdousi was not a seer. Or, spiritual leader who won the admiration did the absence of dates befuddle him of the community by his erudition, too? broad-mindedness, selflessness and Incidentally, the back cover of the quantity of golcfc..” Did the reverend book has a picture of poet Firdousi Tusi, Khordeh Avesta, published by A.F. Taraporewala, Madras, 1982. Pages 237, Price Rs 3. “This book will be useful for Parsi children who cannot read Gujarati,” Homi Rogers states A.F. Taraporewala in his preface SERSON Electrolytic Capacitors For All Electronic Applications From 12 VDC to 350 VDC “Both Radial & Axial Constructions Now Available.” Manufacturers: Serson Industries Pvt. Ltd. Pimpri P.F.P.O., Poona—18. Cable: Etchfoil Poona—18. Phone: 82379. 39 Parsiana January 1984f L BOYS’ TOWN Public School Nasik 2 Recognised as a Public Sdiool by the Department of Education for Indian Merit Scholars. Excel ­ lent Climate — AU-ronud Education : All Academic Subjects —^TedK nlcal Subjects: Workshop. Tech­ nology, Mechanical & Electrical Maintenance. Carpentry & Farm­ ing. Training in Self-Gov«nuneot through Elected Boys’ OflSce betuers. Games —^Physical Train­ ing — Daily Assembly with Congregational Prayers — Week­ ly intensive Zoroastrian — Geeta- Koran classes — Excellent Modem Kitchen and Dinfaig Room facilities — Airy Dormi ­ tories. Moderate Fees, Frecships and Concessions to Deserving Students. Apply to—’ THE MANAGING TRUSTEE P. N. MEHTA EDUCATION TRUST Cooks Building. 324 Dr. D. N. Road, Bombay 400 001. ¦1 to the book entitled mJ^nfehAverta service between Botnb^ and Bto I in the Devnagri script. Since Gujarati is undertaken by the British India Steam I not taught in schools outside Gujarat Navigation Company...Tte regular mail I while Hindi is, the book stould have a I wide readership. I brief English expiations of the prayers, open^ in various towns, the first being I (Ashem Vohu: ‘‘I realise that the pear- “ - ----------- -- ’ ” I son who is righteous (good) for the sake I of being righteous is the happy person”). War (1878-81) “postal volunteers were I called from various parts of India... One I Sfamnino nrniiiitflu Abroad of the postal officials whO' saw active I stamping orounos Aoroaa devotion to duty was I India Used Abroad by Vispi S. Dastur (333 pp in- I eluding 70 art jdates. Price Rs. 30}. I “The Indian Post Office is an establish- service in the Afghan Campaigns.” I edpioneer...from it radiated postal com- Dastur traces the considerations in­ munication to West Asia on the one volved in fixing postal rates at the tune hand and the Far East on the other. Thus of the Boxer Rebellion (1900-1904) in Indian stamps are found Used Abroad in North China. “As per normal practice varied circumstances in various countries Indian stamps and postal stationery of the world,” notes eminent philatelist were taken by the postal authorities, but, and postal historian, Vispi Shapur it was found inadvisable to use them Dastur in the preface of his latest book owing to the fact that it would be im- India Used Abroad. possible to sell them at a price exactly The term India Used Abroad refers to equivalent to the face value of the stamps the use of Indian stamps in foreign coun- etc. in view of the local rate of exchange tries. Indian stamps were supplied to (Re 1 as 7 = k dollar or 1 anna = 4.35 either “provide a new stamp issuing cents.) If the anna was considered equal country with its initial supply, others to four cents the PO would lose and the were lent to a neighbouring country to customer would gain 0.35 cents and if it tide over a temporary shortage of its own was fixed as equal to five cents the P.O. stamps; yet Others were overprinted to would gain and the customer’s loss 4^ signify military occupation,” notes would be 0.65 cents. The second alter- Dastur. native was ruled out as it would cause The book covers “the whole hardship to the soldiers. However, in panorama of the use abroad of Indian order to avoid someone taking advan- stamps in diverse places such'as Aden, tage by buying the Indian stamps Abyssinia, Zanzibar, Malaya etc” notes wholesale for remittance to India, it was the cover blurb. Moreover “there are decided to overprint the Indian stamps KXX) different postal markings, 200 with the letters ‘C.E.F.’ i.e. ‘China Ex­ diagrams, 1(X) covers, maps etc. to il- peditionary Force.’ This localised the use lustrate the text.” of the stamps; orders were given that The Foreign Post Office was bom in such stamps should be sold only to the Anglo-Persian War of 1856-57. soldiers and officers in uniform.” Notes Dastur, “The Government of In- Vispi Shapur tfestur, a chartered ^- dia proclaimed war on November 1, countant by profession and a Special 1856... .The bulk of the fleet left Bombay Executive Magistrate, is a philatelist and on November 13....A field post office postal historian holding positions of accompanied the force and is the first rank in various philatelic organizations, recorded case of regular Indian postal His bio-data notes that he is the first personnel accompanying a military force Indian to win a vermeil Gold at an Inter- on active service; it is proudly celebrated national Philatelic Exhibiton for an ex- as the birth of the Indian FPO.” elusive India Used Abroad collection and In the early years ships carried mail was awarded the India Study Circle for from Bombay to Basra which was the Philately’s Roake Trophy for original starting point of a regular camel post to research in Indian philately in 1978. Aleppo which was linked by a horse post The book is dedicated to the late Jal to Constantinople.“Lord Nelson sent Cooper, the eminent Indian philateUst news of his victory of the Nile to the with whom the author was joint Bombay Government by this route in honorary secretary of the Empire of 1798...In 1862 a regular six-weekly mail India Philatelic Society. service now required regidar post offices i to ensure proper postal services. Accor- The last 30 pages of the book contain dingly... reg^ar Indian P.O.s jvw at Muscat and Bushire on May 1, 1864.” In the course of die Second Afghan 40 Parsiana January 1984 called from various parts of India... One commended was an Indian (Parsee) Official, D. M. Lalcaca (Lalkaka), who Was awarded a medal for meritorious 1 J 1