Jan 1988

«* GO¦ !, 'J «Ck -S" ¥¦ 3 ¦'^1 January 1987 Volume 9 Number 7 EDITOR Jehangir Patel MANAGING EDITOR Arnavaz Mama EXECUTIVE EDITOR Parinaz Toddywaila ASSOCIATE EDITOR Niloofer Madon DESIGN CONSULTANT Mini Boatwala DESIGN ASSISTANTS Kranti Shilotri, Varghese Fernandez, Deborah Fernandes MARKETING DIRECTOR Veera Patel ADVERTISING MANAGER Zarin Mistry ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Cheryl D'Penha CHIEF EXECUTIVE Rustom Thanavala FINANCE B.L Arora CIRCULATION Behram Umrigar MANAGEMENT Minoo Patel, Jasmine Driver, Khurshid Daruwalla OFFICE Rajendra Nayak. Khurshid Blalsara, Patrici a Lewis. 3 Readers' Forum 12 Events and Personalities 17 Zoroastrians Abroad 20 The Bill for Divorce by Parinaz Toddywaila 22 Cons or icons of faith? by Homi Rogers 29 Promoting scholarship by Arnavaz Mama 33 Sports by Niloofer Madon 36Drama by Jeroo Irani 41 Books .1 J 44 In Memoriam Cover subject; The Nagkanya cult Transparency by Ash win Mehta Parsiana is published by Jehangir R. Patel for Parsiana Publications P^ Ltd at C/o H.L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A.K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Bombay 400001 and printed by him at Parsiana Publications, 300 \ Perin Nariman Street, Bombay 400001 and phototypeset at Ace, Bombay 400001. All rights reserved. Address all editorial and business correspondence to Parsiana, GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001. Phone:2048730. Annual inland subscription: Rs 50for one year (12 issues); Rs 90 for two years (24 issues). Foreign subscription rates: Seamail Rs 100 for one year, Rs 180 for two years;Air mail Rs210 for one year, Rs 400 for two years. For US cheques add $5 tocover bank charges. For Indian upcountry cheques add Rs 4 for bank charges. Cheques and drafts are to be drawn in favor of Parsiana and posted to GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 or C/o H.L Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A.K. Nayak Marg, Fort Bombay 400001. VIf' i ¦ B ¦ ¦I ¦ ¦ -JLi... - X*? In Memoriam Mr Pali Meherji Variava Director BLAZE ADVERTISING PVT LTD AND ASSOCIATE COMPANIES JREADERS’ FORUM - J, S < » ’ > ? # . »JKf - j- ¦ . H * r * « ‘ ? i « e ® ¦¦ J iiw »»•! VI* I . »»»»*>»?» I knowledge, no such survey has been ignation of Captain and Kutar. ” Mr conducted. The letter goes on to state D.N. Sethna does not state that the that the resolution was opposed by purpose of calling the meeting of myself which again is false. This so- September 14, 1986 by nearly 120 odd called religious resolution was passed requisitionists was to determine the , at the committee meeting on February reasons for the resignation of members 23, 1986 when I was not present. Ex- of the committee and to pass a resolu- ; ' amples of claims made by Mr D.N. tion of no confidence in the truncated . ! Sethna which are totally untrue are committeeconsistingof Mr D.N. Seth- given below: na, Mr Z.N. Sethna and four others • That the resolution tabled by Mr (six having resigned by then). ' • That “Their argument that the non- * I J i D.N. Sethna was “requisitioned by rf 200 signatories. ” In fact the letters to Zoroastrians should be protected was the committee were signed by about 70 totally opposed by the majority of the odd Zoroastrians including about 15 community. ” Firstly, this item was not odd children from 12 to 20. Two signa- on the agenda of the September 14, tures of adult members were forgeries 1986 meeting and therefore not discus- and subsequently acknowledged to be sed. Secondly, and more importantly, so. Strangely, Mr D.N. Sethna omits the statement, per se, is untrue. to mention as to how the signatories • That the figures quoted as attend- were induced to sign the letters and ances at-annual general meetings and also omits to mention that there were the membership strength of the asso- many letters opposing the resolution, ciation are quite untrue. The total • That “the structure of the commun- membership has been around 800 for ity in UK has changed ” and that “to ­ day the majority is ” from East Africa. The composition of the community has claimed. not changed since the 60s when • That “the tone of the (WZO) con- Zoroastrians from East Africa and ference was on intercaste marriages Readers' views are welcome on any Aden moved to London due to the in- and acceptance of half-breed children subject of interest to the community dependence of those territories, within our fold. ” This again is totally and should be sent to the Editor, Read ­ ers' Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O.Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. many years and has not gone up since my resignation from “400 to 1,000” as of those territories. Perhaps the Zoroastrians from East untrue as is evidenced by the souvenir Africa and Aden settled in UK num- issue of the conference distributed ber 500 odd compared to the total throughout the world. ZLoroastrian population of 5,000, ~ Zoroastrian population of 5,000, * That “At the jashan at the end of which can hardly be termed a “major- the (WZO) conference, barring Das- ity. ” tur (Sohrab) Kutar, Dastur Navrooz • That “a similar resolution was prop- Minochehr-Homji and Ervad Burjor osed by me in 1977.” Mr D.N. Sethna Magol seven of our priests (five of “The 11 days ’ controversy ” In a letter written by Darius N. Sethna did not propose any resolution prior to whom were the Sethnas) refused to under the heading “Exclusive muk- September 1985 as can be verified pray with Antia. ” This is an offensive tads, ” (Pamanfl, May 1986) and in an from the minutes of the association interview with him in “The 11 days ’ (Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe), controversy ” (Parsiana, November ~ 1986) numerous inaccurate statements as president but when he tried to over- have been made by him and by this rule the committee and insisted on his fore the date of the conference. letter I wish to correct the same. name being recommended as trustee In view of the above, one wonders The statement that the resolution (of the ZTFE) his resignation was im- why it is necessary for Mr D.N. Seth- excluding non-Zoroastrians from muk- mediately accepted by the committee na, a mobed, to make so many inaccu- ’ tad and Farvardian ceremonies was on June 1, 1986.” This false statement passed by an “overwhelming major- can be proved from the minutes, the statement on the part of Mr D.N. Sethna as our revered Dasturji Saheb • That “Shahpur Captain continued Sohrabji H. Kutar had passed away on April 20, 1984 — over two months be ­ rate and untrue statements. Allow me to point out some relevant ity ” is not true. Seven members out of unanimous recommendation of the facts to your readers: the committee of 12 voted for it. Once then three trustees of the association - - - again, the claim that this was done at and the statements made by many non-Zoroastrian spouses attending all the “demand of the majority in the members of the then committee. One the religious ceremonies including the UK” is totally untrue. To make the of the latter stated, “It is a pack of Farvardian jashan and the muktad has latter statement one should conduct a untruths, or in simple language, lies. ” survey of all the Zoroastrians of UK « That “one such meeting was held on and Europe (roughly 5,000) and to my September 14, 1986 to discuss the res- Firstly, in London the practice of been in existence since the very-incep ­ tion of these ceremonies. These cere ­ monies were started by our revered 3 Parsiana January 1987• } , -P'.. t I Dasturji, the late Sohrabji H. Kutar. jashans and other ceremonies but not I All the mobeds, including Darius N. the Farvardian at Brookwood Cemet- I Sethna and his brother Zal Sethna, ery which they would like to attend to I have performed religious ceremonies remember their dear departed ones I including muktad and Farvardian in buried there. Is that in line with our I the presence of non-Zoroastrian concept of Armaiti and charity, toler- I. spouses all these years (nearly 20 ance and humanity? I years) without any objections what- The situation becomes totally in- I soever. The same remark applies to all comprehensible when one realizes the Zoroastrians who attended these cere- fact that non-Zoroastrian spouses and monies. others attend our funeral ceremonies, If this practice was adhered to by the that the body is touched and handled Sethna brothers and the 2Loroastrians by non-Zoroastrians prior to and even of UK until last year, why did it sud- subsequent to the funeral. This situa- denly become a “problem? ” This tion is compounded when one realizes makes one wonder about the motives that: of Mr D.N. Sethna ’s letter of May 1986 to Parsiana. The seven committee members were so scared of taking a referendum of the gious utensils (afargan etc) and hand ­ community that they were not even les sandalwood etc. prepared to consider this aspect of ~ Dasturji, the late Sohrabji H. Kutar. The situation becomes totally in ­ V A’ » • the sagdi at Brookwood Cemetery is cleaned by a non-Zoroastrian and • a non-Zoroastrian polishes all reli- BOYS’ TOWN Public School Nasik 2 V * The association in UK is a socio ­ religious body and the main aim of the finding out what the comunity in Lon- , don wanted. Therefore Mr Darius N. committee has been, and should al- Sethna ’s boast, that the matter has ways be, to hold the community i been put in hand due to the majority ’s together despite divergence of views. wish, is nonsensical. This can only be done through toler- Exaggerated claims of the Zoroas- ance. Until recently, the community in trian House being an agiary are being UK was united, happy and prosper- made by some of these committee ous. By injecting the politics of reli- members. It is important for readers to gion into a peaceable community the realize that the Setayash Gah (place of peace, amity and harmony of the com- worship) contained in one room in the munity in London has been destroyed. . Zoroastrian House is not a sanctified Where is good thou^ts, good words r . . . - . ' it is like any other ordinary “homely ” unto Ahura Mazda by that erudite place, that there is no permanent fire and good deeds in this? burning in the Setayash Gah and that I I will end by quoting from Homage fire which is lit whenever it is neces- scholar Dasturji Maneckji N. Dhalla. sary. As we have dinners, dances and “All bigotry is blind and stupid and private parties in the Zoroastrian savage. Sectarian bigotry is as bad as House and the entire Zoroastrian inter-religious bigotry. Bigotry stifles House including the Setayash Gah is reason and the bigot, in his frenzy, is kept spotlessly clean by a non- out to force all to believe what he be- Zoroastrian, how can it ever be called lieves. ” And again, “All open their an agiary? hearts to the same God. All unbosom These seven members of the com- their hearts to the same God. All seek mittee appear to think that the rest of refuge in the same God. All concen- our ceremonies are not “sacred ” and trate their thoughts on the same God. I therefore non-Zoroastrian spouses can All seek fellowship with the same attend them. The mind boggles at their God. All yearn to be united unto the 1 i t „ , I religiosity and reasoning. On what same God. All commend their souls basis do they make this distinction? into the hands of the same God. ” The question has.been asked but re- shahpurf. captain mains unanswered. In Farvardian and muktad cere- The incident regarding the first WZO monies, we pray for all the departed conference in UK is unfortunately mis ­ souls and not only the departed quoted in “The 11 days ’controversy ” f. i S' I Zoroastrian souls. Considering local (Parsiana, November 1986). The circumstances and the established reason why the priests of UK refused practice in the UK, how strange that to pray with Mr Kersey Antia was not the non-Zoroastrian spouses and their because of his speech, but the fact that ! families are allowed to come to he had performed the navjote of a 6 Parsiana January 1967 Recognised as a Poblic School by the Department of Education for Indian Merit Scholars. Excel ­ lent Climate — All-round Education : Climate AU Acadonic Subjects —Tedi- nical Subjects: Workshop. Tech ­ nology, Mechanical & Electrical Maintenance. Carpentry & Farm ­ ing. Training in Sdf-Govenunent through Elected Boys ’ Office bearers. Games —Physical Train ­ ing — Dally Assembty wHh Congregati4 1 1 ’U .iX- 4 -z*n reicr- orthodox synagogue if he belongs to them as to whose ghosts stronclv the reformist group. Every religion, tertainmg m the subsequent multta®/ race or creed lives by a certain code of nrpemmentlv orea- conduct; what is so wrong in preserv- ches , worldly ing ours? I non-2k>roastrian called Joseph Peter- k ‘ son. In fact, the objection was «*'- ............ -- o- - r - - , raised by our very respected and elder- race or creed lives by a certain code of , ly priest Mr Burjor Magol (not Jam ­ shed Magol as printed) who totally re ­ fused to pray with this man. Only Das- turji Dr Sohfab Kutar and Dastur Navrooz Minochehr-Homji were in favor. I am in complete agreement with Mr Noshirwan Cowasjee when he cham ­ pions the cause for personal freedom - the example of the country (UK) of vicarious which has given i ...................... ' " entire Commonwealth gave their life unless it is voodoo? and blood to be free from this very • • •- - freedom-loving country. thing to do with rules, customs, tradi ­ tions and time honored religious prac ­ tices. In the holy city of Mecca no non ­ Muslim can enter - leave alone pray. L.------------ - ’ ' ... Hindus, not even a Hindu is allowed to their footsteps. : attend unless he is a pure Brahmin. In C _ , ’ «.u n.r certain Christian churches non- ceremony finally cuts off the dead Far- Christians are not allowed. The Jews si ’s earthly ties and therefore the Par- will not allow a 1----- — J' y 11 i J.,,,., L V 1% Zoroastrianism preeminently prea- ................... , this one uvo Jt.i.i-r. world and one God. It has to said Middlesex, UK ’that whichever religion retains its due place in morality is worthy of rever ­ ence and the God of such a religion alone is worthy of worship. Any jashan is an occasion of rejoic- DARIUS SETHNA Reference “The 11 days ’ controversy ” {Parsiana, November 1986), allow me to say that muktad is pure priestcraft. It is an i . other priestly after-death ceremonies. Llidl IIIUIVICIVA J15 MU1V - --------J J adoption of a Hindu rite like all ing. Why shun some on such occa- Specially when he advises us to follow There is no mention in. our scriptures ' 'the countrv (UK) of vicarious salvation at the hands ot wiuvi. its blood and life for the priests upon demise. And why kJJn® e^ceot freedom - forgetting the fact, that the should religion^be practiced in secret - And if muktad is a ‘religious must ’ , . why was it reduced from- 15 days to 10 man deeds. The fire that we are sup- xuuiu-iuviiig vuui.L.j. ? . . ,1 ____--4 k.irnmo ic niir nre OT However, personal freedom has no- days? Ritual is singularly absent in the - J- religion of our prophet. All that is there in the Avesta for the dead is sing) r.e. to sing the praise of our illust- sions? Fire is to be revered, not worship- a scriptural deity. worship anything or any being except Mazda. We have not to appease God except through offering Him our hu- posed to keep burning is our fire of humanity - Sarosh. Are we not being inhuman when we treat other human Zoroastrian priestcraft? Fire is fire. There is no fire that is pak (pure) and another which is not pak or one more I may tell my Parsi brethren abroad that in their undue zeal of living by aiiowea. ineiews ¦.as«auuByu»aiwi^.wv« «.« .~ uwi w. fellow Jew in the sis do not become ghosts. May I ask priestcraft and holding their atash salvation at the hands of ped. Fire is not inere in uic zivcotu lu. n.w ----------- . __„„ ‘afringan ’ a/rin (praise) and gon (to beings with contempt m honor of pn- sing)i.e. to sing the praise of our illust- t irp is ir . iVlUdiliii vail viifcwa xwMT*' J J- * r 11 • In the Mahayagna ceremonies of the rious jiead so that we may follow in Our priests claim that the cheharum pavitre (sacred) than the other. 1 J T *^11 Dorci krAfhrAn J churches MATCH YOUR AMBITION TO A CAREER To do SO we offer you: ? Diploma Course in Business Management (Postal) (IMC) ? Banking: C.A.I.I.B. Course (Postal) ? Executive Secretarial Course ? Private Secretarial Course * Steno Secretarial Course ? Personal Assistants ’ Programme (for working stenographers) ? Telex Operating ? Telephone Operating ? Telephone Operating-cum-Receptionist Techniques ? Shorthand and Typewriting ? Punch Operating and Data Entry PLUS Electronic Typewriting apd Word Processing Enquire at: Sir J. J. College of Commerce 14, Nanabhoy Lane, Hutatma Chowk Bombay 400 023 Tel. 2871185 ,Ai 6 Parsiana January 1987 1I f r f s. 1 i: f f The background to the episode was commercial, authentic and not sensa- more sacred than that of others, the natural link that binds us to the world a meeting during the Fourth North tional. We insisted that it should not (brotherhood) is being irreligiously American Congress, in which Cyrus represent Zoroastrians as dualists or snapped. ‘Touch me not, I am holier Bharucha agreed to the following: than thou ’is a sinful teaching to glorify • A five-man committee (Dasturji rituals. daracama 1 “A compromise film” I would not have come out with a pub- the contents of the script, to ensure its the script. There were other points to lie statement on the film On Wings of authenticity and suitability for public which we were opposed. We said the Fire, had it not been for misrepre- presentation. prophet should not be portrayed as a sentations by Mr Cyrus Bharucha that • The film producing organization be veterinary doctor but a prophet- appeared in “A compromise film ” a non-profit organization so that soli- philosopher, and Zoroastrianism (Parsiana, August 1986) and recently citations for donation can be made. It should not be depicted as an intolerant came to my notice. was also decided that ZAGNY religion, which if never was. I need not In that issue Cyrus Bharucha is (Zoroastrian Association of Greater go further into details. The first and quoted to have said “I got trapped New York) act as custodian of the second draft of the script are at hand, with the scholars for financial funds. In my letter of August 17, 1982 reasons. ” Further reference is made to to ZAGNY, these points were spelled ber 14,1982 he reneged on his promise the rich Iranis in the United States out. This letter was seen and approved to abide by the decision of the commit- who had promised “substantial con- by Cyrus before dispatch. tee. If he had any valid cause he tribution if he accepted the scholars ’ ~ suggestions and if he played up the was never raised or discussed in the (Fourth North American Congress) or glory of Iran...the rituals and even the scholars ’ committee. As an Irani I ZAGNY for revision of the previous sudreh and kusti were repugnant to have never parted with my sudreh and decision. He could not unilaterally the Iranis who reneged on the prom- kusti. cancel the arrangement and still expect ised finance. ” ~ I publicly announce that if anybody whose members were Parsis, however ever reneged on his promises, it was insisted that the film should, though document to prove that the film orga- Mr Cyrus Bharucha. dramatic, be documentary and not nization was a non-profit organization. ¦f fire-worshippers. It was on these issues - particularly on the dualism issue - Navrooz Minochehr-Homji, Professor that we (the committee members with Kaikhosrov D. Irani, Dr Ali Jafarey, the exception of Bagli, who was not Dr Jehan Bagli and myself) scrutinize present) dissociated ourselves from In Mr Bharucha's letter of Decem- The question of sudreh and kusti should have gone to the Conference The committee, the majority of support. Cyrus Bharucha never produced any Conference, Wedding or Party — Leave it in West End's experienced hands. Your Favourite! ‘The Gourmet ’ Restaurant/Coffee Shop offers EXECUTIVE BUFFET LUNCH e 16 delicious courses. • From 12.30 p.m. to 3 p.m. every day. Including Sundays. Restaurant open from 8 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. ANAVJOTE.ALAGAN, ASILVER OR GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, A FIRST-BIRTHDAY PARTY- OR ANY SUCH HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR LIFE Celebrate them at West End Hotel, in the beautiful setting of the Terrace Hall. Choose the day and leave all the other problems to us. AT THE WEST END HOTEL Hold a RECEPTION in the stately splendour of our Banquet Room OR in the delightful setting of our newly renovated Terrace Hall West End’s Conference Plan Rs. 70/- -I-15% Sales Tax per head Inclusive of: I Room Rent. Buffet Lunch. Morning and Evening Tea. * Ask for special concession offer for larger conferences. J * 9 Parsiana January 1987 ¦^|r’i > On this matter the following re- cember 14,1982, discharged the script ­ marks are in order: committee, with thanks. The script •Dr J. Bagli was not present at the thereafter was handled by some au- discussion of the script committee, not thorities in India and perhaps in Eng- tee. The general feeling of some of us on the original script-committee was Did he expect Irani Zoroastrians to make donations to a private company? Again Mr Bharucha reneged on his promise to make it a non-profit mak- - ----------- -------------r- -------------- ... , . - • • ine organization. How are they (the having received the invitation on time, land, but not by the original commit- ZAGNY officials) going to account to . , __ those who made donations on the port this view, I consider it an un ­ promise of its non-profitability? < Unfortunately Cyrus Bharucha on Zoroastrian conception of evil. (My ortunity. . his trip to Pakistan in 1983 had spread view on the subiect aooears in the The saddest circumstance of all was similar disinformation on the Iranis ’ promise for financial support of the film project. ------------ Please consider this my first and last was considered by Bagli and myself to public statement on this matter. I am sure ether “e“hrr: ef the 2?*''''''"'’ committee or ZAGNY can further information if need be. Dr FARHANG MEHR Newton, USA In an interview with Mr Cyrus Bhar- •Not only did I not suggest or sup- acceptable representation of the one of disappointment at a lost opp- view on the subject appears in the Journal of the K.R.Cama Oriental In- the words put in the mouth of the stitute, 1986 Volume 53, pp 23 to 25). prophet - barely interesting and lack- •Mr Bharucha declares that this view ing in significance. And this, when in fact the words of the prophet are with us which, even in English translation, other members of the scholars ’ not the case. Mr Bharucha probably are uplifting, moving, and profound, supply confused it with the discussion on the Thus the film lost the spirit of the one concept of the good mind. who was central to it — Zarathushtra. There would not have arisen a need Prof kaikhosrov d. iRani for correcting these recollections but _ ____ ____ _ for ’the reason that, left uncorrected, ucha in “A compromise film ” {Par- they lead to one ’s views be^ng misrep- siana. August 1986) reference is made resented on i— to Dr J.Bagli and me. It is stated by doctrine. Mr Bharucha that in the film On C..------------------- „-------- x . - - , Wings of Fire, the concept of evil ex- sibility of the original script committee my belief that the overhauling ot the pressed by analogy as a shadow, i.e. I can only refer to Dr Farhang Mehr ’s administration of the Punchayet is absence of light, was worked out “by letter (see above), where he indicates long overdue and that it should be run Irani and Bagli ” that Mr Bharucha, by letter dated De- on a professional basis. p.n. vaid be based upon Plato ’s thought. This is not the case. Mr Bharucha probably “The Godrej exit” matters of Zoroastrian It is sad that a man of Mr Naoroji . ....... Godrej ’s excellence could not survive On the matter of the general respon- the Punchayet politics. It reinforces I can only refer to Dr Farhang Mehr ’s administration of the Punchayet is that Mr Bharucha, by letter dated De- on a professional basis. With Best Compliments From: O.K.Wafers Suryodaya Mills Estate, Tardeo Main Road, Bombay-400 034 Tel. Factory: 4946473 Office: 234948/235269 Branches at: Colaba, Gowalia Tank, Dhobi Talao. I 10 Parsiana January 1987 IM 1Events and Personalities Whither J^tlu avech tetlukaryech...mara ing a downtrend which needed the hisabe joiye thi vadhare {fNe, put in community ’s understanding and sup- The Old Lady at Mangalore Street, for whatever we receive...more than port in order to reverse, Parsiana generations the arbiter of Parsipanu in enough in my opinion). ” the community,^now has all the air of a dowager queen - wan, willowy, a sha ­ dow of its former self. Like any fading socialite, the Jam-e- it emerged as a diminutive tabloid with of any reforms which have to be done dy, Adi Marzban and Jehangir Shroff promises of rejuvenated editorial con- for the sake of changing the old. We — Ms Dhondy suggested that the ques ­ tent. But apart from the weekly effort want to be sure, before we support any tionnaire be approved by chairman every Sunday, the daily fare was re- reform, that it will not break the Parsi Jeejeebhoy who, says Marzban, owns duced to eight short pages — six in Gu- community. ” 99 percent of the Jame stock. The Par- voice were familiar to generations of breakdown of its readership, the num- Parsis and non-Parsis in the city, now ber of people comprising its editorial than port in order to reverse, Parsiana undertook a major story on the news- Admitting to* Jame’s conservative paper last May and requested a meet ­ label, Marzban amplified the paper ’s ing with some of the members of its editorial policy: “We want to preserve board of directors. On behalf of the Parsi way of life and the Parsi com- Jame’s five directors - Nanabhoy Jee- Jamshed tried a face-lift. In April 1986 munity,and therefore we are a bit leery jeebhoy, Ms Jer Dhondy, Rusi Dhom i____ „______________ _______ promises of rejuvenated editorial con- for the sake of changing the old. We — Ms Dhondy suggested that the ques- every Sunday, the daily fare was re- reform, that it will not break the Parsi Jeejeebhoy who, says Marzban, owns duced to eight short pages - six in Gu- community. ” . jarati and two in English. Having completed 50 years as the siana questionnaire requested in- The Jame’s problem reflects the daily ’s Editor in July ’86, Marzban, a formation on the quantum of the dai- dwindling, rapidly aging population theater, personality whose face and ly’s losses, a rough community-wise that comprises its readership. Its Edi- voice were familiar to generations of breakdown of its readership, the^num- tor, Adi Marzban, sums it up as. “a Parsis and non-Parsis in the city, now ber of people comprising its editorial dearth of Parsi readers and has only a tenuous hold on a normally staff, its major shareholders and how writers...Sanskritized Gujarati is demanding job as he bravely battles the directors projected the newspap- beyond Parsi readership. ” However, with lung cancer that has largely er s future — would it, for example, Marzban felt there is no limit to the undermined his zest for life. have to provide more pages in En- community news which the paper pur- The Jame was founded in 1832 when glish? veys to its readers: “There ’s hardly Marzban ’s great great grandfather, , Jeejeebhoy, in a letter dated May any Parsi question that is, not touched Fardunji Marzban who had founded 28, 1986 replied, “Going through the The Bombay Samachar in 1822, quit appended list of questions, I am sur- the Samachar in a pique and set up A prised to find that you are interested in rival. matters which really concern only the Unaware of Marzban ’s deteriorating board of directors of Jame. I feel, health but conscious that a 155-year- old community institution was record- Sairus Patel presented a demonstration of yogasanas on September 5, 1986, to display z.z. » Z« .* z> tte' bn/siifu tltat’nnaiiti/' nimlitiac readers Gujarati Jame ’s broadsheet and tabloid formats yof>a's aesthetic value apart from its known therapeutic qualities. therefore, no purpose will be served by your meeting the board. ” s 12 Parsiana January 1987 Ir : i Pl h; ii 1.111 (Far left) CBl’s executive director D. K. Contractor, and Goiporia (Below) Pochkhanawala, founder of Central Bank Central Bank ’s platinum “The Bank owes its foundation to the vision and enterprise of Sir Sorabji Pochkhanawala who, while yet a very young man, conceived the idea of establishing a bank which would be en ­ tirely Indian in its composition and management, ” notes a press release issued by the Central Bank of India ladies department in 1924 in Bombay; tures undertaken by the Bank are the (CBI) - “the premier swadeshi bank in started Mandi Pay Offices throughout setting up of a commercial bank in the country ” - on completing 75 years Punjab whereby cultivators could Lusaka, Zambia under the name Indo- of existence on December 21, 1986. store the harvested produce and avail Zambia Bank Limited and a deposit “The unflinching faith of its over of advance till the prices were stabil- taking company, the Indo-Hongkong one and a half crore customers is the ized; and established a branch in Eng- International Finance Limited in Hon- mainstay of its phenomenal growth, ” land for transaction of foreign ex- gkong, adds the release. said the Bank ’s chairman and manag- change business - the Central Ex- ing director M.N. Goiporia at the change Bank of India in London in jubilee celebrations. L----- L ;'-' The CBI has many firsts to its credit; t -------------- r - - it assisted several industrial floatations in March 1926 and the first bank to women was 15-year-old Farnaz Yezdi through underwriting when this system issue rupee travellers cheques. In Au- Engineer who bagged 10 gold medals was still a novel feature; introduced a gust 1980, the Bank was the first to in July last. A month later, at the thir- Junior aquatic champ wi XAXVAAU AA* A_/VZAA^VZAA a** > *¦ J , 1936. It was also the first bank to con- The 1986 Gujarat State Swimming struct a safe deposit vault in Bombay Champion in the open events for Engineer: needs sponsors - rt 1 gust 1980, the Bank was the first to . start a credit card in India - the Cen- teenth National Junior Aquatic Cham- tralCard and fias recently launched the pionships at Bangalore, she netted International CentralCard in col- three gold and five silver medals, be- laboration with MasterCard, which coming the National Junior Cham ­ pion. Competing against such national approval of the Reserve Bank of In- swimming stalwarts as Anita Sood, dia, states the write-up. Bula Choudhary, Lorraine Verghese Today Central Bank has 2,500 bran- and Pallavi Shetty at the National ches throughout the country — the Open Women ’s Events held in Ahme- largest branch network of India ’s 20 dabad in November 1986, Farnaz nationalized banks, 69 percent of these finished an encouraging fourth, in the branches being located in rural and 200 and 400 meters free style events, semi-urban areas. notes a press release sent by retired Since its nationalization in 1969, the Brigadier A.R. Irani. In 1985 Farnaz bank “has achieved a 10-fold increase was selected to go to La Rochelle in in public deposits which stood at Rs France as India ’s ) first | goalkeeper in 5,882 crores in September 1986 and a Women ’s Waterpolo, notes the write- six-fold increase in its total credit up. _ which stood at Rs 3,500 crores, notes - the press release. modernization and |computerization! standard school girl could have a great the Bank ’s headquarters in Bombay is career ahead. She needs further train- connected to 14 state capitals, in the ing abroad but tlw constraining factor country. Two international joint ven- i will be issued to blanket foreign ex- change permit holders subject to the Noting that “Farn^ took to water like a duck, ” on her initial plunge only Through its phased program of five years ago, Irani says the tenth career ahead. She needs further train- is lack of funds. Cheque contributions 13 Parsiana January 1987r from sports-loving Zoroastrians in- for a 15-month period). The profits congratulations on behalf of the Presi- terested in sponsoring Engineer ’s over the same period have also corres- dent of India, and from the Governor coaching abroad would be welcome pondingjy increased from Rs 15 lakhs of West Bengal, the national and state "" '" “ ‘ commissioners of the Bharat Scouts and Guides and various community . organizations of Calcutta, and nostal- Steelage ’s expansion plans include gic articles by one-time members of setting up of another security division the institution. plant at Halol in Gujarat from where and should be in the name of Farnaz to Rs 87 lakhs. Fifty-five percent of the Engineer, C/o Brig. A.R. Irani, 45, Jai Company ’s sales come from the secur- Shefali Park, Satellite Road, Ahmeda- ity division; bad 380015. Steelage S security plant at Halol in Gujarat from where Apart from the lavish praise by ex- “To dilute the management ’s holdings they hope “to enter the field of steel students for the founder and his wife, to 60 percent, ” Steelage Industries de- furniture in a big way, ” and Minimax ’s Najoo, the souvenir also makes special cided to enter the capital market in second manufacturing unit at mention of two seniors - Erach November 1986 by offering to resident Ambathur near Madras which will en- Medhora who started the Wolf Cub and non resident Indians 3,33,000equi- able the fire fighting equipment busi- ty shares of Rs 10 each at a premium of ness to grow more rapidly. Rs 12 per share, and 249,750 converti ­ ble debentures of Rs 144 each, notes Suklut Institute ’s 50 Business India of November 17-30, L__ ______ ___ , ___ ___ I 1986. The share of Racal-Chubb Ltd, Physical Culture Institute (SPCI), a ¦ UK, who presently own 39.73 percent scout troop for Parsis in Calcutta, of the 54-year-old Company ’s equity, completed 50 years. The celebration at service and assists in gate duties, flag- and of the existing shareholders who the Olpadvala Hall, presided by the day collections, helps the aged and own 60.27 percent will be reduced to national.commissioner!of the Bharat the disabled in various projects and 60 percent and the balance 40 percent Scouts and Guides, Sardar Lakshman is taken on educational trips. will be offered to the public. Singh, was attended by about 350 per- “Scouting, which first started in The Company ’s physical security di- sons including the West Bengal Scout 1917 when Lord Baden-Powell started vision is engaged in the manufacture and Guide dignitaries, notes a letter with his initial band of 15 scouts, has , and sale of security equipment and written by the Institute ’s president and now spread to some 130 countries steel furniture. Steelage holds 35 per- founder, Ardeshir Kaikobad Batliva- cent of the market share for bank la, now fondly known as ‘skipper. ’ security equipment, coming next in line after Godrej. The Company ’s established scout troops in this city, second division. Minimax, manufac- mostly sponsored'by schools, but no games are not the things one learns at tures fire fighting equipment including separate troop for Parsi boys. In order school, ” notes a letter by past scout automatic fire alarm systems and fire to gather a group of trained, disci- engines. The performance of this divi- plined youngsters, to develop their sion, started in 1972, is believed to be character and inculcate in them the written to the founder by Adi Rabadi, equal to its major competitor Devshi idea of selfless service to fellow beings, president of the Calcutta Parsee Club: Cooverji and Company. In the orga- a .“start was made with only 15 enthu- “The scout movement of SPCI which nized sector they claiiti'60 percent of siastic boys (in 193&). During the five was started under your benign gui- the market share, in government long decades, about 300 boys have dance and leadership and which you offices, 15 percent, and in the unorga- passed through the scout training (in have nursed with such affection and nized sector, one percent, according to the SPCI which is also) running sec- loving care for the past 50 years, has the news report. tions of cubs, guides and bulbuls, ” turned many of our boys into better notes Batlivala in the souvenir brought citizens of India through the disci- out on the occasion. plined approach inculcated in them by The souvenir includes messages of the movement. ” . r k- t E f i' f ! r h- nized sector, one percent, according to The sales of the Company have in ­ creased from Rs 7.58 crores in 1980-81 to Rs 26.98 crores in 1984-85 (though 15 Parsiana January 1987 section in October 1956, and Noshir Wadia who, for the past 16 years, has been regularly editing and bringing out the monthly publication of the Insti- On October 5, 1986, The Saklat tute. Our Venture. The troop, which currently has 85 members of both sexes, renders social around the world. To my mind it is an ideal way of bringing up a youngster. Before 1936 there were many well Things like comradeship, camping, hikes and even the normal fun and master Marzban A. Batlivala. Reinforcing this view is the letter VIDEO SHOOTING The First Parsee Outstanding Lady Armaity R. Bamanbehram Free colourful scroll titles with beautiful effects. Latest equipment and many other facilities. Guarantees Video Shooting with professional touch. Audio-dubbing music of your choice. Demonstration tape at home service to judge our professional quality and superior work. No sub contracting. Colour photography at reasonable rates. Transferring of super 8 mm movies is also done. For Wedding, Navjote, Parties and other functions. Res : 822 6074 No. 6, Khareghat Colony, Hughes Road, Bombay 400007. r;3' > i i L ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD And now a fire-temple and A vesta taught, was to be chosen dent magazine - The Topical, ” notes upon certain criteria which were to be the promotion package for the new A plan to have a fire-temple at the new kept oh file. The Mobed Council of community magazine issued by part- Rustam and Morvarid Guiv Dar-e- Tehran, the Zoroastrian Association ners Jimmy Vapiwala and Vispi Mehr in San Jose is under way, “and of Tehran and the Fravahar Youth Jamooji. ~ eight-page (plus cover) quarter- hence we will now refer to the Dar-e- Organization were entrusted with Mehr as the Zoroastrian Temple, ” compiling texts and Gathas in Avestan ly will include regular features like re- notes the November Yatha, the news- with their Persian translations, in ligion, medicine, money, 2Loroastrian letter of the Zarthoshti Anjuman of accordance with these criteria. history, cooking, business planning Northern California (ZANC). Earlier, Ms Morvarid Guiv, wife of the late munication medium between teachers Arbab, donated about $120,000 to was mooted with some of the repre- A publication to act as a com- and light reading such as sports, read ­ ers ’ forum, a kiddies page, a fiction section and creative arts, and invites cover the deficit between the purchase sentatives voluntarily pledging to pay readers to contribute on a regular basis price of the new ZANC property at the expenses of the first four issues. San Jose and the amount donated by Coordination of the religious teachings the Rustam Guiv Trust. ' . _ - To manage the Zoroastrian Temple, Youth Organization. a committee has been formed which ~ includes two representatives from the already existing classes which are eight issues (two issues of the same Rustam Guiv Trust, Fereidoon under the supervision of the Mobed copy per quarter). Sioshansi and Parviz Varjavand; two Council of Tehran. In other cities. Though Vapiwala is a qualified de- from the ZANC, Shazad Contractor classes are to be established by the re- ntal surgeon and Jamooji a registered and Ervad Kobad Jamshed; and two spective Zoroastrian associations. The osteopath, neither will be giving up from the Persian Zoroastrian Orga- Yazd Religious Committee was re- their professions to edit the magazine, nization Ms Golcher Hakhamaneshi quested to circulate a report on the As notes Jamooji, “we have just and Jamshid Varza. The committee seminar and of the resolutions passed graduated and a practice takes some has appealed for donations which may therein to all Zoroastrian associations time to get established. ” Till then they be payable to ZANC Dar-e-Mehr, and and interested organizations, states would like to “see a magazine laun- mailed to ZANC, P.O. Box 968, the write-up. ched. ” Later they may subcontract the Newark, CA 94560. i. j magazine, but maintainjsupervision. , ZAGNY S new bosrd The partners, who Have been friends Iran teachers seminar The new board of directors of the for a long time, are both actively in- “To coordinate, review and revise the Zoroastrian Association of Greater volved in corhmunity affairs especially existing classic religious books and to New York (ZAGNY), for the years in the Zoroastrian youth organizations prepare a series of the appropriate 1986 to 1988 are: president Erach of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of (books for) religious teaching, as well Munshi, vice-president Lovji Hakim, Europe and its various committees, as Avestan texts for different classes, ” treasurer Homi Gajidhi, secretary a seminar for teachers of Zoroastrian- . Teshtar Irani, joint secretary Fred Darbc Mchr OH vicw ism in Iran was held in Yazd in late Morris and members-at-large Astad Ever since Zoroastrianism has been in- 1985, notes the December issue of Clubwala, Hutoxi Kandawalla, Vispi troduced as a topic in courses on reli^ Gavashni, the newsletter of the Kanga and Piroja Irani, according to giofl in various colleges in Illinois, ZLoroastrian Association of Quebec, ZAGNY’s September newsletter. groups of students regularly visit the. quoting from Tchissta, an Iran publica- . Darbe Mehr, notes the December tion. UK S Topical newsletter of the Zoroastrian Associa- Sponsored by the Yazd Religious “From March 21, 1987 the United tion of Metropolitan Chicago (ZAC). '' • • - - • After a tour of the place the stu- Vapiwala (far left) and Jamooji: editors of UK’s new community magazine. or send in a one-time article. The magazine, which hopes to sup- was undertaken Dy the Fravahar port Zoroastrian business, accepts advertisements and is expected to cost Teachers will participate in the £5 for four issues annually and £9 for Fereidoon under the supervision of the Mobed copy per quarter). , Though Vapiwala is a qualified de- Committee, the four-day seminar was Kingdom will have its own indepen- attended by 19 organizations: Zoroas ­ trian Associations of Esfahan, Ker ­ man, Karaj, Ahwaz, Yazd, Maryam- Abad, Khoramshah, Nursy-Abad, Ghasam-Abad, Koutche-Biyok, Taft and villages, Mehdi-Abad, Kasnaviye and Ahrestan; and the Mobed Council of Tehran, Fravahar Youth Organiza ­ tion of Tehran, Zoroastrian Youth Committee of Kerman, Zoroastrian Student Society, Tehran,and Naysha- bour Cultural Foundation. Four resolutions were passed by the representatives. The religious matter * 4 17 Parsiana January 1987 f 1 . t-*dents are shown various slides on and Persian on 2Loroastrian religion tion of Quebec. Zoroastrian ceremonies and pictorial and Iranian culture, paintings by three ~ ‘ representations of Zoroastrian doc- famous Iranian painters, trine as also views of Persepolis. “Our documentary films was held on the age of 16, joined the Carnegie In ­ grateful thanks to Professor James September 6, 1986,” by the California stitute of Technology (now Carnegie- Whitehurst, Professor Ryan Walker Zoroastrian Center (CZC) in coopera- Mellon University), US A, graduating and Dr H. Michael Simmons through tion with Ketab Corporation, Los in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science de ­ whose efforts students at universities Angeles, notes a report in the Septem- gree. In 1963 she acquired a law de- are beginning to be acquainted with ber issue of The Zoroastrian, the gree from the University of Pittsburgh, our faith, ” states the write-up. newsletter of the CZC. She then served as law clerk to a Un- ited States District Court judge and “Members in good standing will be Low OH lobdll worked for a couple of law firms and charged a lesser rate than unpaid or “We are very low on sandalwood and for the Urban Redevelopment Au- non-members. The latter will be loban, ” notes the November- thority. Dina and her husband charged 50 percent more than the December issue of Manashni, the Richard started their own law firm, members, in each age-group categ- newsletter of the Australian Zoroas- McIntyre and McIntyre in 1969. ory, ” reads the first part of a new pOli- trian Association of New South Wales In 1982, in the process of doing legal cy adopted by the ZAC board of direc- (NSW). There is a request to bring work necessary to incorporate the tors which is applicable to all its activi- back “some of these necessities ” from Zoroastrian Association of Pennsylva- ties, in the Chicago newsletter. The Iran, India or Pakistan with an assur- nia and to get it tax exempt status, two other decisions state that senior ' ‘ ................................... - - - citizens would be charged the same amount as children between four and 12 years in the respective membership agreed to be the ‘general manager ’ of a “full-blown love affair, ” notes categories and that cash bar collections soon-to-be-established ‘Sudreh-Kusti Gavashni. She also helped draft the and donations for drinks will be col- Bank of NSW!’” notes Manashni. lected at a uniform rate at all func ­ tions. Dina was bom in India, schooled at and Loretto Convent, Darjeeling, and at ance that there will be “no hassles with Dina became a “born again ” Zoroas- customs. .. trian. What started as a hunger and “Meanwhile Vispy Mehta has thirst for the religion, has become a love constitution of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of Northern America. Dina is very positive about the fu- A bench just missed . ... One of the nine finalists for the three Zoroastrian exhibition vacancies on the bench of the United ture of Zoroastrians and Zoroastrian- “ An exhibition of books in English States District Court for the Western ism in North America: “There is much District of Pennsylvania was Dina that unites us, and a little that divides Ghandy McIntyre. She was not us and if we can concentrate on what appointed, but the White House is unites us and set aside what divides us, now aware of Zoroastrians, notes perhaps we can be a force for good in Gavash'ni (September, 1986), the the North American Zoroastrian com- newsletter of the Zoroastrian Associa- munity. ” 2 i- Uta Enterprise Gifts& —I wittgjg Manufacturers of Printed Packaging Materials Corrugated Boxes, Plastic Carrier Bags, Plastic Containers 10/4, Rustom Baug,Bycutla, Bombay - 400027 Tel.8722885 The Friendly Gift Shop for handicrafts, festive gifte, religious artefacts, executive desk sets, exclusive shell items, designer jewelry & specializing in wood & copper-enamel gifts. BOMBAY SWADESHI STORES LTD. (Mezzanine Floor) Sir P.M. Road, Bombay«400 001 STUDIO AKAR 6T/2660 19 Parsiana January 1987 J,I' LAW The Bill for Divorce J 0 pflRsee / KaaRRIAQE AMP DIVORCE LAWS /; 'i, The proposed amendments to The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, if approved by Parliament, will permit divorce on grounds of mutual consent and allow alimony for men. Parinaz Toddywalla Amendments to the outdated laws Bombay Farsi Punchayet proposed period of desertion was three y^ars. If Parsis are under way. The Parsi Mar- ter receiving the approval of the nance (when alimony is payable), the riage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill, Minorities.Commission, the proposed couple have refrained from marital 1986, introduced in the Rajya Sabha alterations were forwarded to the (sexual) intercourse for a year (not on November 14, 1986 by the Union Government. three years as previously stipulated),it Law Minister A.K. Sen, incorporates Divorce by mutual consent, not pro- could be cited as a ground for divorce. ¦ ¦ - ¦' ----- If in an earlier proceeding the judge governing the marriage and divorce of some changes in the existing Act. Af- during the period of separate mainte- Parsis are under way. The Parsi Mar- ter receiving the approval of the nance (when alimony is payable), the riage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill, Minorities.Commission, the proposed couple have refrained from marital November 14, 1986 by the Union Government. ____ ¦ ”< • ; r- - cruelty, mutual consent and unsound- vided for in the prevailing Act, may ness of mind after contracting mar- i._ 2 „ ; . riage as added grounds for divorce; the parties to the marriage have been rights ” or “resumption ot cohabita- permits men to claim alimony and living.separately for over a year and tion, ” and the couple had disregarded litigation costs from their spouses; jointly make a declaration that, being the order for over a year, this could lowers the marriageable age in the unable to live together, they have become a valid cause for divorce, case of women; provides for the di- mutually agreed.to terminate the mar- While formerly divorce was granted vorce proceedings to be conducted in riage. On the satisfaction of the court if one of the parties ceased to be a Par ­ privacy; and reduces the number of that the consent of neither party was si (Parsi being defined as Parsi Zoroas- Parsi delegates to the matrimonial obtained by fraud, the divorce may be trian), presently only conversion to granted. another faith becomes sufficient The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act of 1936 had been modified up to Janu- . ......... _ • r ary 1, 1977 but for the last 10 years it her impossible to live with, then either ing in or doubting the existence ot has not been altered in keeping with a divorce or a judicial separation may God) would not disqualify the partner, the Government ’s policy of not in- be granted, depending on the court ’s Regarding unsoundness of mind, terfering in the personal laws of a interpretation of the circumstances. If the prevailing Act considered it a di ­ minority community unless the initia- either partner has been deserted for vorceable ground only if the unsound- tive was shown by the community, over two years, divorce could be ness of mind was concealed from the * ¦ ” • ’ 1 other spouse at the time of marriage and the unsoundness continues till the filing of the suit. All Suits which fell in this category had previously to be filed within a period of three years from the . date of marriage. The new Bill pro- ’ vides for unsoundness of mind even if i it may have arisen subsequent to the I marriage, but continues to be incur- ' able for a period of two years prior to - the suit being instituted in the court. In addition to unsoundness of mind. Divorce by mutual consent, not pro ­ now be cited as a ground for divorce if had ordered “restitution of conjugal case of women; provides for the di- mutually agreed,to terminate the mar- vorce proceedings to be conducted in riage. On the satisfaction of the court privacy; and reduces the number of that the consent of neither party was granted. If either party to a marriage is cruel ground for divorce. It follows from this or whose behavior would make him/ that atheism or agnosticism (disbeliev- ary the Government ’s policy of not in- be granted, depending on the court ’s rnmority community unless the initia- either partner has been deserted for vorceable ground only if the unsound- I... _____ Taking the lead, the trustees of the granted. Formerly, the minimum 20 Parsiana January 1987 " 4NI>TOLITERflU'l’ FORCgMYCUENTTOCOOKNOTHlNe ¦» i'illCE AMY.MYAFTERPAY'.tXJESrr NOT AMOUNTTOPHYSlCAt CRUELTY?.. \ \ ! V-.' I/ ' a benevolent force that precedes and lin- handkerchiefs below on the matted spectfully with “Jai Gururani Mata. tl 1'' ' eluding Zoroastrianism - which twirls around over the thrones of Gururani Mata and Jimmy Yogiraj as they deliv ­ er their discourses, while small electric ‘ RELIGION ;; f n the crook of a hill at Parel, a lower middle-class area of Bom ­ bay, nestled amidst tiled-roofed slums, lies the Abhyudaya Nagar Maidan, watched over by the benign and benevolent eye of Gururani Mata, and her successor to the spiritual throne, Sri Jimmy Yogiraj, who re ­ side six storeys high in the A.H. Wadia Bang atop the hill. C)nce every month, and sometimes more, Gururani Nagkanya (Yogini) with her heir, comes down to grant darshana (audience) to her devotees, chauffeur-driven in a Fiat car, which was gifted to her by her shishyas (disci ­ ples), and escorted, like a head of state , by two riders on motorbikes who precede the royal vahana (vehicle) - a symbol of changing times when rats F' and peacocks give way to Rolls-Royce and Premiers to transport celestial bodies. All around the marsh-bogged maidan, lining the footpaths, and braving the light drizzles (and heavy downpours too at times, we are in ­ formed) stand the devotees, segre ­ gated by sex, with their heads reveren ­ tially covered, waiting for a glimpse of ------- their Mataji and the Yogiraj. The wait lights blink away m the foreground^ is long and arduous - the queues start I . . forming from two in the afternoon, the comfortably-padded practically six hours before the miracle shaped like Mataji makes her appearance. kcc"* In the Samaj Mandir Hall adjoining eye: the maidan, where the darshanas are held during the monsoons, the early I______ . the members of the recently estab- Below the platform, on which is placed the comfortably-padded throne cobra with its fanned hood, is a neon sign with the all seeing :a purple eyebrow atop a white ­ blue-purple-brown eye. The devotees insist that the air at neiu UUllllg Uic lliviwwnw, iiiw , birds and special devotees who form the hall is charged with shakti the the members of the recently estab- benevolent force that precedes and hn- lished Gururani Nagkanya (Yogini) gers in a place before and ^ter it is and Sri Jimmy (Yogiraj) Sarvajanik graced by the celestial duo' Devotees Samaj Trust, have assembled. Last mi- troop in quietly and take theK places nute, or to be more precise, last hour in a silent orderly manner placing their touches are being administered to tne i---------------- . umbrella - emblazoned with signs of ground, and greet their neighbors re- divinity from all major Indian faiths in- !. 1.:. I 22 Pars/ana January 1987\ p Cons or icons of faith? Two Parsi 'godheads' leading a newly established • religious cult believe that a living human form of God is more powerful than the idolized stones or fire. Homi J. Rogers 2 ” J 5 Ram-Laxman, who attributes much of of Zoroastrian followers? the injunction spelt out by the his success in the world of Hindi and fold. On one occasion, when the har- Jai Gurudev Sri Jimmy Yogiraj, ” as per the injunction spelt out by the his success in the world of Hindi and The number one saint in Mahar- Mataji in her zoobani (discourses) Marathi films, to his induction into the ashtra today, according to Xerxes where she instructs that the- utterance fold. On one occasion, when the har- Daruwala, a resident of the Wadia j. of their names while greeting others monium failed, and the music director- Baug in Parel, is, strangely enough, a f would add to a person ’s good deeds. cum-singer looked on helplessly, the Parsi lady by birth, and by discipline — I At the stroke of eight - the Yogiraj opened his sleek attache case, Nargis Minocher Bharucha. Little is appointed hour - the Mataji and which he always carries to the darsha- known about her antecedents, except Gurudev arrive, raising their hands to nas, and produced a cassette. A husky that she had been working in the West- bless the assembled devotees, and pos- voice sang to the music of trombones ern Railways. Her Parsi co-workers, ing quite graciously, in their shimmer- and castanets, “ Tujhe sub kehte hain aware of her visions, speak of her in - ing dresses, for Parsiana. The Mataji, jag ki janani (everyone calls you the hushed tones as a “possessed ” woman, h a lady of average height (or was it her universal mother), gururani nag- and generally established little contact stilettos that misled), is dressed in a kanya... ” The show as they say must with her, for it was never very clear to f black sequined kaftan, while the go on. them as to who is the exorcist and who Yogiraj , a handsome lanky man in his Who is this mystical Godhead, "sab the exorcised. Her first devotee, [ early thirties, sporting a luxurious ke taqdeer badalti mata^ (changing the however, was a colleague, Sumati Ra- r beard, wears a robe of glistening gold fate of one and all), ” who has captured jwade, now reverentially referred to as - right out of a costume drama. At the hearts and imagination of a grow- mata (mother), and allowed to sit on subsequent darshanas, the two ing populace in Maharashtra, mainly the stage beside the Gurudevas. Gurudevas continue to dress in equally among the local population and Sin- Gururaniji ’s brother, who stays just unascetic garbs, and seemingly revel in dhis (particularly of Ulhasnagar, three floors below her in the same studs (devotional songs) sung in their where a crossroad has been named af- Appealing for Gururani's benevolence praise in their presence by star acolyte ter her successor), and a growing band Photographs HomyarMistry I 1 I «1^> (iiiniriiiii Nti^kiuiyii seineduii de/' ilirone (Helms) !)esi)lee\ wnilini; her ii ylitnpse dI'the 's^odheiids.' (Riyhtt Jimitis }'<>);!rn/ : heir nppiirem.p - J'” r 1 .'1 1 ! her. Within two decades he rose from outside the colony buildings and all the being a dharamguruheta (holy disci- way up the flight of steps to the sixth pie) to heir, “his inborn divinity en- - - ¦ • — lightened to become one with the Almighty, equalling the Supreme and, as Sidhwa informs, Gururaniji Gururani Mata herself ” says Aspi has abided by the request of the Socie- Vania, a managing trustee, and neigh ­ bor of the Masters. Today, the two shaktis who share the flat at Wadia Baug are spoken of in the same breath, and though most miracles and faith-healings are attributed to Gurur ­ aniji, she chastises any devotee who fails to take the name of her successor when paying obeisance to her. Many of the residents at Wadia that the letter was written by Society residents, and informs tht the matter is structed by the Bombay Parsi Pun- sub judice, being looked into by the Kalachowki Police Station. The letter, —- . .... .leasc to rarsis - are not aware or tne according to him, is written by a one- The celestial duo coexistence of the two ‘divinities ’ time Sindhi devotee who had fallen building, and sister, maintain a stony amidst them. The flat (an ownership out with the Mataji, as she upbraided silence, about their ‘divine ’ sister:poss- apartment) remains shrouded in its him for his attempts at making money ibly, a case of a prophet not being rec- own mystery, and one resident even by using her name. Aspi Driver, yet ognized in his own country? Her successor, Sri Jimmy Yogiraj, slither about in it. The ‘divine ’ resi- who stays with her in the one-bedroom dents, however, are no **i A Is ’i f'M Baug - a group of buildings con- chayet and given out on ownership and lease to Parsis - are not aware of the coexistence of the two ‘divinities ’ floor for their guru-darshana. The practice has since been discontinued ty to avoid disturbances. A letter purported to be written by the residents of the Baug, however, appe&red in the Bombay-based news ­ paper, The Daily, over a year ago, in ­ sinuating, amongst other things, a mass swindle and indulgence in antiso ­ cial activities. Sidhwa, as secretary of the Society, disclaims the contention apartment) remains shrouded in its own mystery, and one resident even nursed the fantasy that live snakes another managing trustee, asserts that such mudslinging activities could be , are no trouble undertaken by some people who have humble flat at Wadia Baug, is also a whatsoever, and acccH-ding to Pali been possessed by a shaitani (evil) Parsi, Jimmy Pallonji Master, a resi- Sidhwa, the secretary of the A.H. dent of Dadar, who first came into Wadia Baug Society, cause no disturb- contact with Gururaniji, according to ance in the Baug. The view is strongly accounts for the first year of operation his mother, mata Tehmina - one of the supported by Phiroz Sahuna, the next four revered matajis in. the cult ’s door neighbor of the Gurudevas, who, pantheon - when, as a child of seven, like Sidhwa, professes no affinity to force, but cannot cast a slur on the Trust which is “registered, ” and whose were being audited at the time of writ ­ ing this article. Driver, a sales representative in he visited her, and she saw in him the her faith, but is ail praise for her as a Godrej, is as good a public relations same flame as within her. The two neighbor. man as they come. Dedicated to the jyotdharis (torchbearers) hence un ­ ited, set forth together in their mission times, have been with her. A B.M. Not all residents, though, at all cause of spreading the message of ¦ " 'Gururaniji, so that more people would of jagat kalyan (welfare of the world), Mehta had once complained in the be benefited by her program of help ­ while pursuing their professions inde- Society ’s meeting of disturbances ing people with mental and physical pendently: the Mataji continuing to caused in the Baug on certain days, difficulties. Driver has been in the serve in the railways till her premature especially Nagpanchami, when a grow- forefront of forming a Trust, enrolling retirement in 1985, and the Yogiraj, ing number of devotees queued up members for it, and organizing the his studies (he is a commerce gradu ­ ate) and job at the Bank of Baroda, which he gave up recently also. The circumstances in which the two kindred souls met were indeed rather unusual:the Mataji had only recently shifted into her Parel home, now al ­ ways referred to as the self sadhana (discipline) agiary-cum-mandir-cum- masjid, when the Yogiraj ’s parents approached her for assistance in pre ­ venting his (Yogiraj) fui ’s (father ’s sister) marriage going bust. The di ­ vorce was not stalled (“They did not have faith in Gururani, so how could she help them? ” says mata Tehmina), but young Jimmy, who “was always a very quiet and spiritual child and ex ­ isted peacefully by himself, ” according to his mother, came into contact with « 24 Parsiana January 1987 1c • - When atash padshahs and dargahs Xion" fail, you come to us for help. We are the last ev^ darshana starts with jimmy m- .11 vokmg the blessings of Shri Pak Iran- resort. Howwillyou repay our debt? shah, the Yazads Behram, Sarosh, --------------------------- Meher, besides Ava Ardvisur Banu, Lohrasp, the 33 Ferishtas, and the manager at Hindustan Petroleum, and nineteenth century mystic, Ustad Gool Vapiwala, a lady devotee who Behramshah Shroff. The ‘last resorts ’ -believe that a hu ­ man form of God, which they are, is the strongest avtaar - one that feeds / ri r I Annual Day function, at which no less a personage than the current ghazal- king Anup Jalota participated, and the owes her present good state of health Chief Minister of Maharashtra S.B. - - ¦ Chavan, amongst other luminaries, sent a message complimenting the Trust for the service rendered by it in “the betterment of mankind and for its expect results without doing your humans for their sustenance, and spiritual upliftment. ” The Trust. Driv- duty), ” and this action is the least that mobeds and priests for their pietous er informs, was formed against the can be expected from a devotee to maintenance. Unfortunately, the lat- wishes of the ‘venerated Godheads ' assist the Godheads in furthering their ter do not observe the necessary tari- who did not wish to get involved in case. “It is akin, ” Vania adds, “to tak- kats (rituals), are not as pure in body pecuniary matters, but consented on ing sandalwood to a fire-temple. ” For, and mind as they should be to serve the clamoring of their “children ” that “unless you offer something to God, the fire, and hence reduce the strength of atash padshahs, who then cannot grant humans their desire. “Mobeds to the Gurujans who rescued her from the doors of death, claim that this ex ­ hortation is necessary. “Bina karam and fends for itself, unlike the installed kM:h bhi prapt nahin hota (you cannot idols or the fire, which depend upon duty), ” and this action is the least that can be expected from a devotee to assist the Godheads in furthering their case. “It is akin, ” Vania adds, “to tak ­ ing sandalwood to a fire-temple. ” For, “unless you offer something to God, such a move would greatly help others you cannot expect Him to help you, ” in finding a direction to their life. According to Porus Eduljee, referred to by Driver as a highly evolved soul, “the Gurus have nothing to do be more powerful than the mandirs, with the sanstha (organization), ” masjids and atash bahrams that peo- gurus - but jyots (living flames), and though published literature mentions pie go to. “When atash padshahs and ' the Gurujans as the chief patrons of dargahs fail, you come to us for help. * the Trust. They are also, as attendance at their darshanas show, the main fund raisers for the Trust. In practically all her zoobanis, Gururaniji advocates mem ­ bership from the assembled congrega- not anti any of the established reli- tion - “Jisko chaval khane ka vadha gions, least of all Zoroastrianism. She tha, voh aaj hawai-jahaj mein udta hain regularly visits the agiaries and atash (He who had difficulty in having one square meal, today travels by aero ­ plane), ” and berates the one who shies to visit the Farvardegan (othei from paying his membership dues - appointments were similarly deferred the thanksgiving token for what has and eventually no interview was held), been done for him. Vania, a project She takes her Parsi devotees on trips he adds, echoing Gururani ’s words. The similarity with the fire-temple do not have power, ” claims Gururani does not end there. Gururani claims to emphatically. “They have not been bestowed with it. We have. We are not We are the last resort. How will you repay our debt? ” chides a visibly annoyed Gururani into her hand- mike. Paradoxically, though, Gururani is bahrams, and once postponed an in ­ terview with Parsiana because she had Z'A r m f. ¦¦V "s Above Gururani delivering her discourse Left and far left: Devotees in the prayer hall being blessed by Yogiraj mu we have repeated this for the past 25 M years, ” she continues with supreme confidence. The Parsi priests in Bombay are, however, generally unaware of Gurur- , ’ ani and her claims. Dastur Hormaz- dyar Mirza has vaguely heard about her, and offers little comment than that no fraud should be permeated on mankind under the guise of god ­ manship. Another high priest, who 25 Parsiana January 1&87I does not wish to be named, felt that the patient even requesting her for withstanding what the highly sceptical ~ ...................... '.! mind enveloped in a world of material- Her miracles, as narrated by her de- ism and deceit thinks? Does the Gururani blend dramatics with didac- ter in business and vocations. A lot of tics at her darshanas, because it is this mixture that is palatable and compre- as auto-crafting and sweetmeats hensible to the masses today? Do the looked up after the divinities blest volunteers attempt (and succeed) to them, and are now named after the invite big names like Bal Thackeray, ¦ Zoroastrianism did not permit worship help! of living avtaars, and the trend should be discouraged, as statements claiming votees, extend to changes for the bet- supreme power are against the faith. The sanstha’s two Parsi managing shops dealing with activities as diverse trustees and other Zoroastrian de- as auto-crafting and votees, however, are at labor to point out that the small community has in recent times been blest with not one jyotdharis. A journalist, Sadanand the Shiv Sena head, or Chhagan Bhu- but two divine powers, who should be Shinde of Warsha Publications, we are jbal, the city ’s former mayor, to attend recognized by the community, and told, got a promotion and started using a darshana because a guru is known by whose aura should help many more a car after he did a cover story on the celebrities (s)he keeps? And does Parsis in improving their life, which Gururaniji for Shree. Considerably the mind which laughs mockingly at smaller matters pertaining to day-to- the blind devotion of disciples who day interactions with family and > prostrate themselves at the Gurujans ’ friends have also improved for the de- feet, and walk backwards in their pre- votees (“Lakhs have come to me, sence, exhibit any more rationale than crores have benefited by their visits; ’ that of the conventionalist who bows says Gururani). Possible catastrophes before a murti (statue), or does not have been averted “with the injury show his back to the atash? To a being taken by them upon them- Gururani devotee, the atash resides 11 t r /r V, i S ¦iil' ii! Ip It: i You bow before stonewalls; I before two humans. In actual fact, we are ..... ...... ....... Hq+H hnwinn hpfnrp pi selves, ” states Driver citing an exam- within her, and hence the same respect UU LI UUyv ly UC l Ul a pie of a wound which manifested itself is shown to her, which as Eduljee sum- y/of. on Jimmyji at the same time as he. marizes: “You bow before stone walls; (Driver) narrowly escaped unscathed i before two humans. In actual fact, from a motorcycle accident. “Anhoni we are both bowing before a jyot. ” ko honi kar de, honi ko onhoni (they Cobwebs of one ’s mind cannot be make the impossible possible, and the swept off in a trice. The Gururani phe- possible impossible) ” chant the de- nomenon in a world of unhappiness votees while narrating the many mira- and misery is inevitable. But will the cles.- In the age of one-minute mana ­ gers, ty/o-darshana godheads would f has not been accomplished for them by their visits to fire-temples, or beliefs in Cobwebs of one ’s mind cannot be -i' ir .if !1 fi' 1'kI 'WiS life ( babas and dargahs. Like most shaktis, Gururani Mata L has a host of miracles attributed to her I; khoodai (divinity), many of them de- S fying scientific explanation. Dinaz naturally command awe - and respect. I Shroff, a receptionist in Glaxo, and a staunch acolyte, bristles with faith for the Mataji since the time Gururani cured her sister, Arnaz Sutafia (who along with her husband and two f But the scenario is fast changing. While the Gururani has on her own admission selflessly cured thousands over the past 40 years, the trend at darshanas today is to bind the disciples t daughters is also in the movement) of together, and continue the cult. f a thyroid, which vanished before can; I cer specialist Dr D.J. Jussawalla could E operate on it, by just attending a few I darshanas of Gururani. Radhakishan Tuniya, joint proprietor of a family i concern re-christened Gururani 1; Hosiery Works, was dumb since birth, ; but had his speech restored by the di- I re-christened f vine blessings of the Mataji and Yogir- •L A journalist got a promotion and started using a car after he did a cover story on Gururaniji. ’• K'l '¦¦¦Sil: '¦R' ::w/. ¦-! bl 1 I Wrought miracles can be undone if faith is lacking, or is not long-term, she cautions. The ranks must swell, the order grow. A devotee to benefit must regiment of bearded and long-haired recognize his anchor, his savior, and gentlemen sporting large badges on pay it the necessary respect - a regular brightly colored ties grow in the com ­ attendance at the darshanas mem- ing years? Or, will the bubble burst? bership of the Trust, which would ex- The answer, probably, lies in Yeats ’ pend its revenue in organizing more uncanny portrayal of The Second darshanas, with greater glitter and Coming: razzmatazz. Driver is attempting to I|! i'i'i >«: J aj. Porus Eduljee who drives a tempo owned by the Gurujans found relief from a backache, which plagued him spread the cult to Gujarat, and utilizes J every spare weekend towards this aim. — • It is too early to pass any judgment elan at her darshanas, "chaalis chaalis siphon large amounts from the Trust I saal ke rogisht” (those crippled by dis- to buttress their limited finances. It is eases for 40 years or more) have been cured within a few glimpses of her - a divinity that radiates through the con ­ gregation without anyone being granted a private audience, or without ’for long, within a short time of coming ? in their contact. The list is endless, and f as Gururani herself announces with on whether the Godheads would *'• also equally premature to guess what could possibly be the ambrosia of these gods - power, fame, wealth. Or, is it truly the wish to better the lot of the people, do shewa (service) not- Or, does it? “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; « The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. ” ih t 7^ Parsiana January 1987 ¦: 'i'tl.jO' INSTITUTIONS Promoting scholarship I ¦' 'i Furthermore, each page of the scholars and interested amateurs. KRCOI’s priceless manuscripts is to In the spirit of its founding fathers, be sealed in clear plastic to preserve it Oriental Institute (KRCOI) is the Institute is in the process of reorga- against further deterioration due to readying for increased patronage. nizing its seven separate collections — dust and pests. The lamination process Unhappy about the fact that indi- K. R. Cama ’s private library, the Mui- will ensure that the ancient Avesta, - la Firuz Kitabkhana, the Maneckji Pahlavi, Pazend and Persian manu- Limji Hateria Library, Sir Jivanji scripts can be read, leafed through or Modi Collection, the Matbar Collec- xeroxed without fear of damage, tion. Sir Dorab Tata Collection and The KRCOI is generally on the the M.N. Kuka Collection - so that lookout for lecturers, one of the man- more books are available for release to datory annual events being the holding tiomai jvioai says me ooaru oi irusiccs its members. Hitherto, each collection of the Government Fellowship .Le^ fcurreritly comprising Jehangir Shroff, had been separately preserved and tures based on the grant of Rs 30,0W -- '• • •’ ------- =«-«- which the Institute received m 1916 from the Government of Bombay. With reorganizing of its library and ing its popularity among research better preservation of its 1,800 manu- ¦ -¦ —* , scripts, the 70-year-old K. R. Cama s Oriental Institute (KRCOI) is t . vidual scholars abroad are not conver ­ sant with the fact of their enormous background information facilities - “schools and universities know of the I KRCOI, not the individual ” - the In ­ stitute ’s joint honorary secretary Ms Homai Modi says the board of tmstees ^VU**V**»^ -------- —--------------------- --------— J Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, Nanabhoy thus not easily accessible, notes Modi. Another annual feature is the publica ­ tion of the KRCOI Journal whose scholarly contributions form the bed- I rock of further research. First pub- |b lished in 1922, the Journal was en- dorsed by the orientalists of Europe, 1 Asia and America, notes the Insti- ! i tute ’s souvenir published in 1937. In- b I itially edited by such renowned scho- lars as Sir Jivanji Modi and Behram- ; J gore Anklesaria, the Journal's publica ­ tion had occasionally faltered thereaf ­ ter but has again been regular since t 1982 and is available to the Institute ’s 1 members at half rate, says Homai Modi. ( To acquaint, the student community with the Institute ’s facilities, the ~ KRCOI holds annual essay and elocu- ’^1 tion competitions for school and col- ““'I lege students, only some of which are I restricted to Zoroastrians. The re- I sponse however is limited. One of the awards, the A. S. Dalal Research Scholarship awarded to the Parsi stu ­ dent who aggregates the highest marks in the Bombay University ’s Master of Arts examination, presents its own hurdles. In secular India the Universi ­ ty does not maintain separate student lists based on religion. The KRCOI secretariat has to get the entire list of MA students from the University and painfully pick out all the Parsi names and their examination numbers before requesting the University for the re ­ levant marks sheets. “Tliose without I traditional Parsi first names could be I Jeejeebhoy, Nusserwan Cama, Dastur i Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, Capt Hor- mazdyar Desai, Adi Daruvala, Justice Jal Vimadalal (Retd), Justice Naren- I dra P. Nathwani (Retd) and Dr 4'.-i I ;l i ¦ ¦ i. Jal Vimadalal (Retd), Justice Naren- Mahdav S. Gore] is keen on promot ­ ing the Institute ’s facilities and increas- Below: K.R. Cama library and ii I * 8 reading room. ns j s' I (.J « E,. *- ¦ 29 Parsiana January 1987 X o g 2 ¦ u I o ’3 The K.R. Cama Oriental InstitHte^ facilities are being reorganized to serve smolars better. Arnavaz S. Mama i i id r' 1 ¦-i 1 Lr getting over looked, ” fears Modi. rated on December 18, 1916 by Lord Dr Sir Temulji Nariman, the noted Willingdon, the Governor of Bombay, gynecologist who founded the Parsee at Sukhadvala Building on Ravelin Lying-In Hospital, on November 11, . 1936, the one hundred and sixth r 3^ Enshrining a dream i The suggestion of setting up an institu- Street, off Hornby Road (now D.N. tion for oriental studies was made by Road) when Cama ’s friend and admir- anniversary of Cama's birth. Apart the memorial committee set up at a er Damodar Gordhandas Sukhadvala from Cama's reputation as a scholar, public meeting convened under the donated one lakh rupees. The Insti- Nariman described him as “a re ­ chairmanship of Lord Sydenham, tute, however, had already com- nowned freemason of high repute. Governor of Bombay, on December 8, menced work the previous November sterling character... a great social and 1909 to mourn the death of Khurshedji when Cama ’s children donated their religious reformer (who) by his words Rustomji Cama, a renowned linguist father ’s private library and the old and deeds tried to raise our commun- and leading intellectual of his day Mulla Firuz Kitabkhana -a treasure of ity from the slough of superstitions and whose philanthropy and social work ancient Avesta, Pahlavi, Persian and insanitary habits and customs ing- embraced all his fellow men. other unique manuscripts - with which rained from ages past, through ignor- “It had been Cama ’s ardent wish, in Cama. had been connected all his life ance of the true sanitary laws of our the last few years of his life, to con- as treasurer and president, notes the prophet Zoroaster. His teaching was a struct a hall on top of the Dadiseth KRCOI souvenir. source of inspiration to me and I car- Fire-temple in the Fort and to lodge in Chief among those who helped to ried on the crusade against the obno- it the Mulla Firuz Kitabkhana, the establish the credibility of the new In- xious custom of segregating our Mulla Firuz Madressa, the Zoroastrian stitute was Sir Jivanji Modi who re- women on the ground floors of their Research Society, the Gnyan Prasark mained its life and soul until the very houses, in the most insanitary sur- Mandal, the Rahnumay-i Mazdayas- last day of his life. Hence, when the roundings, at the most critical periods nan Sabha, the Gatha Society, Parsi new building was constructed at the of their lives, that is, during childbed. ” Lehal Mandal, the Parsi Fasli Sal Man- 1,019 square yard site of the Old Ice In 1937, the Institute had 182 life dal and other associations with which House (obtained at a very moderate members and 43 ordinary members, he was closely connected. His wish cost from the trustees of the late Jam- Today, the total membership numbers could not be fulfilled owing to monet ­ ary, technical and other difficulties. Let it be said to the credit of the laying ceremony in 1936), the lower and with qualified librarian Ms Veena citizens of Bombay that they fulfilled hall was named in Modi ’s memory by Mani revamping the material, the In- ¦ his friends and admirers. stitute ’s fiftieth year, in its own pre- Interestingly, the ceremony was per- mises, may yet be a milestone of de- new building was constructed at the of their lives, that is, during childbed. ” 1,019 square yard site of the Old Ice I - setii Tata, as noted Cama ’s son Rustom 191. Yet, as Modi says, books and in the course of the foundation stone donations are constantly coming in his long cherished desire after his pas- g: sing'away, ” notes the 1937 souvenir. The Institute was officially inaugu- formed according to masonic rites by velopment. I f ! 5. I i With the Best Compliments of |i! 4 ¦ -i I • J - c > • .it- •il- lit 31 Parsiana January 1987 INGERSOLLHAND (INDIA] LIMITED Manufacturers of Air & Gas Compressors * Rock Drill Equipment * Vacuum Pumps U I I, I!: SPORTS IR With a gold at the ’82 Asiads and a silver at the ’86 Games, yachtsman Farokh Tarapore is setting his sails for the Olympics. ¦1' 'C. ¦I fc ¦Bj|S ¦I 1 I I » SSI Os > ft 11 ^'^'1 fc1 w - O « ¦' 'J I hi •s^ Si 9 * I ¦J.%' I 5 s z I I k J, ¦i" I Ih o -< JO S w5 a Weathering the storm Niloofer J. Madon Not too happy with winning the sil- event, one has to be conversant with ver, Tarapore asked rhetorically, “It ’s the wind conditions in that particular lousy isn ’t it? We wanted to win, and place. A statistical study on the winds - coming second was just not good prevalent in South Korea did not re ­ enough, especially after having won at veal the periodic typhonic conditions, the previous Asian Games. (Tarapore It was only a year before the event had won a gold at the Asian Games (when Tarapore visited Korea) that held in Bombay in November 1982.) the duo, realising • the discrepancy in For four years I kept thinking I was the study, had to decide whether to never sure of winning the gold. But change the entire mode of their sail when we won three out of the first five designs - which they did not. Hence, races, only a freak of a chance could when the typhoon hit them in the sixth snatch the gold from us. I saw the and last race, they were not fully pre ­ typhoon coming before the sixth race pared for it. and I knew we had lost it. As an Indian Very happy with the way the Regat- The tall blue sail swayed gently in the I was very displeased, especially since ta was organized, Tarapore ’s only breeze, reflecting its color in the still, the country was starved of a gold med- grouse was the intense security mea- evening waters of the Arabian Sea - al. ’’ 'Winning the silver, instead of the sures undertaken at the venue. “I have f the waters lapping softly onto the gold, has been according to Farokh, attended quite a few Regattas, Asian if shore as the sailors went about quietly one of the worst moments of his 15- Games and Olympics and the situation bringing their boats in to anchor. The year yachting experience. is getting more and more sickening hum of activity slowly died down as Dressed in white boxer shorts and day-by-day. They (the security person- the evening wore on, and Farokh Tar- dark blue T-shirt, five foot ten and a nel) can ’t prevent the terrorists, so apore, who, along with his crew Dhruv half inch Tarapore was relaxed as he they lock you up! You feel so stuffed- Bhandari, won a silver medal in yach- reclined on a lounge chair, his goggles up, not free to do what you want, ’’ ting at the Seoul Asiads in October dangling loosely from his fingers, his noted a visibly irritated Tarapore. last, settled down to an interview with thin face breaking into laugh lines More comfortable when talking ab- : Parsiana on December 6, 1986. when he smiled. out yachting than himself, the young Top: Tarapore (left) and Karanjia at the ‘ ’82 Asiads in Bombay. Above: Back on land after a practice session, water bottle jacket in hand ! Dressed in white boxer shorts and day-by-day. They (the security person- last, settled down to an interview with thin face breaking into laugh lines " ' ' when he smiled. Explaining the reason for his mis- sailor listed precisely and clearly sing the gold, the 25-year-old lieute- what he considered were the four tech- nant in the Indian Navy informed, that nical aspects of his favorite sport and to prepare oneself for a forthcoming proceeded to give a laborious explana- 33 Parsiana January 1987 I ¦ I '’I 1 b ''^1 ¦W S' itc i tion of the yachting jargon which laced his entire speech, surprisingly ending in an Albert Einstein quote meant to act as a balm: “The whole science is nothing but a refinement to everyday thinking! ” The four technical aspects, whether : pertaining to tuning the boat or de- . signing the sails, the strategy and tac- ' tics or teamwork of the participants, ¦ are all geared towards increasing ¦ speed because finally “you want to be t the fastest person on the water. ” ‘ Very interested in research and de ­ velopment, as it pertains to yachting, Tarapore, a BSc from the National Defence Academy (specializing in maths and physics), designs his own i sails in a special room at the Naval ! Sailing Club, piquantly called the ‘Sail Loft. ’ f - Because, the wind and water can be ' bitingTy cold, clothes form an impor ­ tant aspect for a yachtsman. Over the undergarments a full fur coat is worn, ! over which a dry suit to seal the com ­ petitor from the water. A protection ; for the dry suit comes next followed by ' the life jacket and the trapeze harness. ! Whatever excess weight is needed is added on by wearing a jacket consist- matter-of-factly, “the maximum thm [ ing of water bottles. h Extra weight is needed because ‘in heavier winds you need to be heavier 11 as a sea cadet, Tarapore has had no than a sport, there is so much to do. and in lighter winds you need to be formal training, his skills having been There is a lot of homework. The boat lighter ” explained Tarapore though acquired “99.99 percent by self and is never ready. As science develops so practice sessions are always geared to the .01 percent by whatever I have does research. ” And so, his father, the heavier ’winds. picked up from here and there ... Yac- Ffamroze, and mother, Coomi, and A race which can last from anything hting is a self analysis sport. A bad eldest sister, Siloo, and brother, ! between an hour to three hours can be coach would be more harmful than no Porus (Farokh is the youngest and by r gruelling especially when one person is coach at all and if 1 can reach this level his own admission spoilt) were coji- i positioned parallel to the water, his without a coach, I don ’t see why I can ’t fined to the sidelines. f foot on the edge of the boat, while the reach the Olympics without a coach. ” Involved, as he is, in yachting, ? other is constantly sitting with his However, Farokh has himself it takes Farokh many minutes to list f knees bent and raised, deftly manag- f ing the sail with one hand and the rud ­ der with the other. Perforce the sailors crew decided to quit yachting after the must be very fit and strong, and . . - i Farokh himself works out at the gym r for an hour and includes jogging and the lookout for another and finally r cycling in his daily exercise. zeroed in onto Druv who is also, like i Completely disagreeing that yach- Tarapore, a lieutenant in the Navy, p ting is a dangerous sport, Tarapore But Dhruv was new to the sport and H notes, “Nothing has happened to me notes Farokh, “It was quite a chal- in the last 15 years, ” and cited the ex- lenge to train him from the word go. In ample of those yachtsmen who don ’t my entire 15 years of yachting, Dhruv stop at that. ” \/e ry interested in research and developnnent, as it pertains to yachting. has been the only crew with whom I have had four years. So now I enjoy the fruits of my labor, ” he adds.with satisfaction. In all the years that Farokh has been sailing he has won many a medal. The first gold medal came his way at the age of 15 at the Fourth Cadet National Championships in 1975 during which year he also won a gold at the First Asian Cadet Championships. His admittedly happiest moment came when he won a bronze at the Tenth g World Cadet Championships when he > was merely 16 years old, becoming the I first Indian to have won a medal at a ¦ s world yachting championship. And he intends to be the first Indian to win a gold at the Olympics.Notes Tarapore, “I’m going all out for it and I won ’t be surprised if I win. We have a very good chance but of course I’d be satisfied if I merely win a medal at the Games. The next two years I’m dedicating myself -T- I ¦ I . ' completely to winning this medal and I arapore designs his win take time off from everything own sails. else. ” For all this awesome ambition, sac ­ rifices have to be made, especially even know how to swim, adding where his family is concerned. Notes t Farokh, “Initially it was painful for can happen is that you can die! ” them because I would never join in so- Having started yachting at the age of cial activities. Yachting is rather more 11 as a sea cadet, Tarapore has had no reach the Olympics without a coach. ” Involved, as he is, in yachting. However, Farokh has himself it takes Farokh many minutes to list trained his crew Dhruv Bhandari. his hobbies — he likes listening to music When Zarir Karanjia, his previous and plays chess “to balance physical ’ . . : exhaustion with mental exercise. I’m a 1982 Asian Games, when he joined very good chess player and normally I find it very difficult to find a partner! ” Yet Tarapore “can ’t imagine life without yachting. Many people tell me you need a break, but as long as you are doing something you enjoy doing, where is the question of a break? The minute I feel I need a break I’d rather Farokh the merchant navy, Tarapore was on •-IK 4 aJ ' it I 0 } i .1 11 Si 1 Si 4 S' s ¦L-i- s 'I I 36 Parsiana January 1987 »•DRAMA Playtime for the serious Playwright Erna Vatchagandhy's recent work is set against the backdrop of the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre. produced by the J.B. Petit School for elaborates on the various theories, their Festival of Plays in October 1986. One of the most prevalent was that the The production, together with a cash General was suffering from a circula ­ tory ailment which impeded the flow of blood to the brain which is what Someone once said that creative writ ­ ing is easy if you follow three rules: have something to say, say it, shut up. Ms Erna Vatchagandhy seems to prize of Rs 2,000, formed the award, follow the three rules when she writes _ as well as when she converses. Winner Sikh family whose lives are torn asun- probably happened at the Bagh. Yet Dyer was not just a brawny sol ­ dier. “He was a kind, chivalrous and Playtime focuses on the fortunes of a p ¦¦ of the first prize in the J.B. Petit High der by the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre. School for Girls ’ first play writing com- The genocide was the result of Gener- petition, 1985, it is impossible not to al Dyer ’s brutal decision to fire on in- diligent man, who looked after his be hopelessly drawn into the web of nocent men, women and children who men. He was also a clever mathemati- gathered in the Bagh to celebrate cian and had tremendous willpower. ” ’ Baisakhi or New Year because they So much so that he recovered from the were supposedly defying curfew res- crippling effects of two very serious in ­ i’ g trictions. juries. Vatchagandhy relates one tell- Vatchagandhy, who is a master of ing anecdote which highlights the con- i the quiet as well as the sonorous tradictions in the man. Dyer once met words, unfolds the dreadful course of a Persian gentleman in the bazar of a events in a most moving way in Play- town where he had been stationed. time. This led many a spectator at the Down to his last penny, the man re ­ festival to shed copious tears. In fact, quested Dyer to give him money to I the playwright herself was moved at a pay for his passage home. Dyer I ii — - school rehearsal. “The costumes were housed and fed the man and gave him not ready at the time, there were no lights or music. Yet I wept, ” she con ­ fesses. “I did not get this overwhelm- Persian! ing sensation in a packed hall with sets, lights and costumes. ” We watch a play to be taken into the secrets - sorrowful or humorous - of lesson. ” Contradictorily, at the time of other people ’s lives, into which we are led by the actors. The young actresses translated the words into characters and described events into visible hap- her narration, her occasional pauses penings with skilful use of gestures and making one prod her for more. “General Dyer was a fascinating, con ­ tradictory character, ” muses Vatch ­ agandhy when we meet her in her agreeing that some of the young book-lined home, pulsing with rock actresses seemed to almost stroll and western classical music. Vatch- through their parts with professional agandhy in fact has a lot to say about ease. _ the man who was responsible for the Tliuugn i luyunu; uwa nui pivuvi , Jallianwalla Bagh massacre in Amrit- any reasons for Dyer ’s irrational be- « sar in 1919. Dyer ’s brutal action forms havior, Vatchagandhy, who has done a the backdrop of her prize winning dra- great deal of research for her second ma. Playtime at the Bagh which was play, tentatively titled Rex Dyer, Vatchagandhy: “A difficult subject to tackle in India ” expression - making the J.B. Petit pro ­ duction a vivid one. “The acting was astounding, ” concurs Vatchagandhy, Though Playtime does not proffer any reasons for Dyer ’s irrational be- 36 Parsiana January 1987 f the money to go home on condition that his newfound friend teach him Yet at the time of the massacre, Dyer is said to have exulted that he “had taught the Punjab a jolly good I 0 I iRi ly indined Jeroo Irani his death in England by stroke, the understand the problems that the En- j General is said to have read aloud a glish stage in Bombay faces, resulting I letter congratulating him on his action in the production of frothy comedies and mused: “I want to ask my Maker and musicals from the West. “We have ¦ whether I did right or wrong, ” relates a foreign goods mentality and would Vat^agandhy. rather put up a play that has been a Once I start talking about Dyer, it success abroad than something written is diffictdt for rne to stop, ” says the by an Indian playwright. Production of interview already written 80 pages of 1' ’ • his development from childhood to j deal fictionalized. It is a difficuirsub- ' ject to tackle in India when the man evokes such strong reactions. One has f playwright who had at the time of the a play demands tremendous invest ­ ment - hiring the hall, lights, adveftis- the second play on Dyer which traces ing. If you are lucky you may get a . c J sponsor to ease the financial burden, adulthood. “Dyer in my play is a great The only people who make money are the set designers. Yet how can Indian playwrights evolve if they are not given the opportunity to see their plays so r#, I ¦i •S' r g 'I b I 9%3 1 It i V'\l 15® W/l I \Ne watch a play to I be taken into the I secrets - sorrowful 1 or humorous-of J other people's lives. 5ceng5/row Playtime at the Bagh: produced? In fact an Indian play- ing has been produced by Spotlight astounding acting ’’ wright ’s work has one chance in a mil- and directed by Adi Marzban. Double , . . , . , hon to be produced. Perhaps the solu- Image 'uns to be staged bv Marzban to be so careful about what one says tion is to have more schools like the but was shelved when the lead actor and what one cannot say. Because J.B. Petit, ” she laughs. suddenly had to go the US. House of here IS a person and a historical event The 54-vear-old Vatchaeandhv who Cards a radin ninv u-jc tn h.. u,-.,.,,). cast by All India Radio. Vatchagandhy ’s solution to irksome and what one cannot say. Because J.B. Petit, ” she laughs. here is a person and a historical event Tl., f ; ____f ’______ _ which can affect so many people and has been writing since her early twen- countries. ” xz X 1_ JI , --------------- « Iivz-UVF V auviiauauuiiy jiViULlUIl lU irKSOme laytime ^ns Vatchagandhy s first proposition. ” The financial returns are domestic responsibilites is “to ignore historical playj the others have been ------ ------ , include be made speculating on the stock ex­ Double Image and House of Cards, in The 54-year-old Vatchagandhy who Cards, a radio play, was to be broad ­ ties, describes play writing as a “no-no ra kJ it' 1; y 8 , r ---------------- - agiiwxv meager and there is more money to them. ” Unmarried, she puts a lot of her energies into writing which she says “is a form of self-flagellation. For - a fy,, ¦ * -J — -------- - a year. Re- Iheatre Group and directed by Aly- search itself can take as much as six que Padamsee. Build me a Cage, Dari- continued on page 44 change under the right conditions, ..y.- x. a xvim ur seu-nageiianon. r( , . , ' . - . she jokes. However, Vatchagandhy ’s I am terribly lazy. ” Some plays take addition to a host of short stones and Asylum 'fins produced by the month to write and others poetry. She has also produced, ... - - directed and acted in plays, and can poetry. She has also produced E 31 Parsiana January 1987 (4 E3 ‘M fa & ¦Si 3 ;r 4 iJ j i ii Identifying with Friday Father Writer Dina Mehta focuses on the traumatic effects of divorce in her latest play. Jeroo Irani It ’s the same with pianists, ballet dan- fact that a host of spectators could cers and chess players. The best ones identify themselves with one or more can make their performance look like of the characters, says the soft-spoken, a piece of cake. They seem to do unassuming playwright as she relaxes things in sequence, with apparently no in her Mount pleasant home in Bom- wasted motion and no wasted thought, bay. “Friday Father evoked a good re ­ So also, it would seem, with play- sponse. Many divorced parents came wright, authoress, journalist Dina up to me and said how true to life the 1 Mehta whose one-act play Friday play was and how they could identify •' Father won the second prize at the J.B. with the theme, though at first sight Petit High School for Girls* first play the theme may seem too adult for a writing competition in 1985. girls ’ school. ” The production of the prize winning If Friday Father is a family drama play by the students at the school ’s which spoke directly to many in the I Festival of Plays in October 1986 and a audience, affording them the pleasure j cash prize of Rs 1,000 formed the of self-identification, Mehta ’s other | award. plays like Tiger Tiger (which won an I If the business of a stage production award in the Second All India Sultan I is to highlight the value of the dialogue Padamsee Play Writing Competition in j and not squander it, Friday Father 1978) as also her play 77ie Afok- | same competition in 1968) are on a throughout his fantastic fight against more epical scale. " ’ ” Tiger Tiger is about Tipu Sultan. is to highlight the value of the dialogue Padamsee Play Writing Conipetiti^ in j does it with seeming facility. Dealing ers (which won the second prize in the with the traumatic effect divorce can have on children and the plight of a woman who has lived her life as an extension of her husband, Friday “Tipu Sultan ’s confrontation with the Father attacks and involves the audi- British brought his splendid warrior ence with its simple hammer strokes of qualities to the fore, but his childhood words, outstripping the powers of the had been very different. ” Born, to his 1______ \ , ....................... Equally unforced and displaying a Tipu was dedicated by them in grati- Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is lightness of touch was the level of tude to Saint Tipu of Arcot, to lead a about a dowry death. Labelled as an acting in the play directed by Pearl life of contemplation. He was brought accident by the coroner, the victim ’s Padamsee. up in the service of God but when a sister and brother are sceptical about “Friday Father took three months to retarded second sori was born, an en- the verdict and set out to investigate write, ” says Mehta who works part- raged Hyder Ali (the father) dragged whether it was indeed an accident, time as managing editor of the month- Tipu from his world of books and suicide or murder. iy Kaiser-e-Hind. The play ’s success pitchforked him into the battlefield. The choice of Mehta ’s themes are could perhaps also be ascribed to the “This dichotomy pursued Tipu perhaps rooted in the deeply held be- the British. But with every battle he felt he grew further and further away from the world he most valued, ” she relates. Brides are Not for Burning, which won the first prize in a worldwide com- most cogent descriptive writing, parents after years of childlessness, petition sponsored by the British about a dowry death. Labelled as an 38 Parsiana January 1987• ; S ’Z KP r lief that “If we are to have meaningful than writing short stories or novels, ” ored by the emotional affinity she feels theater, the theme must be relevant. It feels Mehta whose short stories have for the community and the period, must be rooted in the ethos in which been published in India and abroad, Mehta was in college at the height of the author lives and have its own sun- three of which were selected to appear the. Freedom Movement and “I felt it light and soil. Relevance gives a play in Alan Rose ’s annual anthology of on my skin and in- my blood as it strength and significance. We should London Magazine Stories in 1974. were, ” she says. have an indigenous English stage, re- Vikas Publishing House, Delhi, What demands does creative writing fleeting Indian problems. The Marathi brought out in 1981 a collection of her make on the writer? “Writing de ­ theater is doing well because it is stories entitled. The Other Woman and mands savage discipline, ” says Mehta, rooted in the soil, ” she says. other stories. Mehta, who worked for “Nobody wields a whip, but without This is not true of commercial En- seven years as fiction editor of The discipline you are not likely to produce ^ish theater where the belief that man Illustrated Weekly of India, adds, “The anything, particularly if you just wait is bom to pain and wants to escape dialogue form in a play is easier, tran- on your moods. Some mornings are \ bleak birthright by the ob- sitions are smoother. However, short better; at other times I feel I can ’t vious way of escapist entertainment, stories and plays have to make an im- write a line. ” Such times Mehta uses to seems to prevail. With the result, the mediate impact in a limited amount of make notes, figure and flesh out her stage is replete with sex comedies and time; The short story is distilled and characters, and read and research her „ hits from London ’s West End and New would make a novel seem lazy by com- subjects. I York ’s Broadway. “English commer- parison. But generally the best works I cial theater in Bombay is content to in literature are those that you can borrow, imitate and plagiarize. The take home with you. ” plays are virtually xeroxed, videotaped Drawing inspiration from her Parsi and reproduced here, ” says Mehta background, Mehta has just com- i who feels English theater in Bombay is r ¦1 !'i< V 1 (Below) Scenes from the play Friday Father. - - . which explores the trauma of a broken says Mehta background, Mehta has just com- home and the rift between the wayward _ K. • pietetj a full-length novel which deals parent and the children. i i IB » directionless. “It is so easy to borrow' fe" plays that are doing well abroad, where all the imaginative homework I score are readymade. This is not theater. “How can. an Indian writer writing ••w -sa ¦=? Balancing domestic responsibilities with a part-time job and her writing, requires the skill of a trapeze artist. How does she cope? “Just ask niy daughters, ” pat comes the reply. “They feel I am impossible to live with...I am accused of not caring for them or for the house..,and not being bothered about what I eat, ” she laughs. Mehta ’s younger daughter Rashna is studying dress designing and the older one, Huzan is married and e*'"- xvrjcBxij X.VXV, Mjo wiui viiv wuiiiviuig luyuiues oi two leacnes. tier late nusband, Keki was Mehta whose works have been staged generations of a Parsi family against very supportive of her writing. “I like in Bombay, Delhi, Madras and Banga- t**- *— . . lore. I “Writing plays is perhaps easier oyer a period of two years and is col- »*X* fcAAV/ UX>U^AA>C4kl VV IIWIII^ has been done and the script and I' in English evolve if his plays sit on the The theme must be relevant...rooted in the ethos in which the author lives and ’¦;r *s’ I shelf and he never sees them on Stage? ko\ /z-\ i+o I lb the En^ish stage in Bombay the itS OWH SUnlight I playwright is a nonentity. And so he and SOll " playwright is a nonentity. And so he does not even earn a pittance. No one bothers about royalty. One has to fight and soil. I ( 1- I l?|p' . Tx 1 riz\ 1 V 9^ • iiiv viwvl VIXVj jnuZiCUI lb Uldfrlvvl I to get Rs 100 as royalty here, says with the conflicting loyalties of two teaches. Her late husband, Keki ’‘tS the backdrop of Gandhi ’s Quit India a pretty house, but the maintenance • Movement. The novel was researched irks me, ” she says with disarming _ J _r X -J- , frankness. “I prefer to write. ” '' 1 f 9 9 4 / r 4' , 'J 1 54 '^1 r > t 39 Parsiana January 1987r BOOKS i. Leader reader Quoting anecdotes from the lives and decisions of statesmen and business magnates, Russi Lala analyses the qualities which make a good leader. Homi J. Rogers 1 In Search of Leadership by Russi M. Lala. Pub ­ lished by Vision Books, 36C Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001 in 1986. Price Rs 90 (hard ­ back), Rs 50 (soft-cover). Pp 172. “We seem to live at a time of first class problems and second class lead ­ ership, ” writes R.M. Lala in the pre ­ face to his book. In Search of Lead- _____ ___ ______ __....mviuhu- ’ ership, th^ fourth book (if one dis- ings offered maTnly by'theTivesTnd callv an coual niimnf^r nf vparc virfiiac AvnaniaJ __ -t*!____ 1.1 .. vl choice of blending a business manual the quality to work to their advantage, rnntpntc +1,^ u 1 T-u • • visiou is obvious for but also of those who have failed to contents of this book. There is a uni- Lala: he was an active M.R.A. (Moral utilize it the right way, and hence suf- leadership^and m the Re-Armament) man and the Editor fered and caused those under them to ' "" “ co-founder of Himmat, a political suffer as well. The case of Bismarck 117A A H1T Az-I r« 4-1* 1^ « J L. ___ -l w ' terrorists harbored there) witnessed a turned to publication, spate of books on what was wrong with the leadership, which led to the Hindu-Sikh schism. Combining the thought processes of good leader ” '^includine ! However, the blend does not detract in focussing on the quintessence of leadership: 13 qualities that “govern a , , • o - - — ------- —communica- the West with the political bias of the tion, compassion, competence, cour- Indian mind. In Search of Leadership age (the four C’s), decision making man-management, purpose, stamina, teamwork, training and vision. Each virtue is analysed in good leader. The only those leaders who have converted vision is obvious for but also of those who have failed to blends rich insights and understand- humility, integrity. i counts J.R.D. Tata ’s Keynote, which decisions of statesmen, political and cally an equal number of years. Lala ’s analysis of our times and our [ leaders is as precise and true as the with ‘political ; past few years, this search has man- i____________ ____ ; ifested itself through the outpourings weekly started with Rajmohan Gan- 1 of successful corporate men in tk ” * ' •• f West, and political pundits and resear- r Chers closer to home. Mark the proliL (Top) Socrates . eration of books in America, where a (below) Akbar at his court senior company director writes about r how he turned a dying organization ' around, or narrates his years in a com ­ pany with a sound managerial policy ? that led to his and the company ’s ¦ growth down the decades. Or, there ! are the management quickies - hand- books, dictionaries, ‘one-minute ’ guides, etc. j In India, management books indige ­ nously authored are comparatively i fewer and far between. What ’s good ' for the USA and Japan is good for us, seems to be the dictum. Our intellec- r tuals thrive on local political analysis ( by out-of- favor politicians, retired , generals, or special correspondents f and self-styled analysts. Operation Bluestar (which spearheaded the inva ­ sion of the Golden Temple of Amrit- ( sar by the Indian Army , to ferret out dictionaries. *1- JU- - -the Iron Man of Prussia, is however a the dhi, Mahatmaji s grandson, before he paradox. He unified Germany as none before him had, but simultaneously sowed the seeds of militancy in the German mind. As Gladstone marked, “He made Germany great, but Germans small. ” A contrast to Gandhiji, who, to quote the late Edi ­ tor of Current D.F. Karaka (if I am not mistaken), “out of dust made us (Indi ­ ans) into men. ” Gandhi, incidentally, is Lala ’s epi- tome of a leader - he appears in eight ¦* of the 13 chapters (and could have appeared in the other five too), fol ­ lowed by Abraham Lincoln. The Ger ­ mans are at the receiving end .Kaiser, Bismarck, Hitler are all oft-cited as ex ­ amples of failed leaders. Three Zoroastrians figure in Lala ’s it' list of exemplary leaders:the prophet, as a communicator (he summed up his teaching in: “good thoughts, good I words, good deeds ”); Cyrus the Great for his compassion, as shown to the K Jews whom he liberated when he con- hw % 41 Parsiana January 1987 £ S®' 1 J J 'I re- ir I 1' V »' 'i' ! J /{ 1 £ r,. h I - Ti i 1A quered Babylon; and Jamsetji Tata --------------:----------------------------- —---- for his vision ih producing steel, gener- Th 6 tOO k 09 H bO rOaCl ating hydro-electric power, and estab ­ lishing a university of science at Bang ­ alore. In Search of Leadership can be read on two planes : as a business primer, and as an almanac of events that changed the course of world history. Professional managers and those seek ­ ing to lead not only in the corporate sector, but also in spheres of public probably be aware that Nehru suffered the world of business - a la Lee lacoc- service or education, would be pro- from uraemia (the failure of kidneys to ca or Buck Rodgers - and sports, John fited by imbibing the values identified excrete waste products) since July Hunt and Pataudi apart, which would by Lala. For example, a good com- 1962, that is three months before the have lent the book a greater practical- municator is in essence a good leader Chinese invasion, and was thus lacking ity. Or, has Lala purposely avoided as he is the one who can convey to his in stamina, which, according to Lala, ’ ‘ subordinates his thoughts with clarity possibly accounted for India ’s debacle. and lucidity. Similarly, a man with in- Similarly, few would be aware of the ership, and to an lacocca, an end may journey to Jerusalem, a decision as courageous as harboring the banished Shah of Iran in Egypt. Lala has collected other men ’s flow- , as a business primer and as an almanac of “<> woveman extremely present , , , able garland. The book is further en- events that changed hanced by some excellent illustrations \A/nrlrl hic+nr\/ Cameron Johnson, who lends WUI Id 111o LU I y. the art of still photography to portrai- ture. One ’s only complaint is that Lala could have given more examples from 1962, that is three months before the have lent the book a greater practical- k the corporate leaders as he has aimed , , ----------------- to explore the ethical aspects of lead- and lucidity. Similarly, a man with in- f ' \ __ I____ Z______,_________ tegrity inspires confidence, as every rationale, and the manner in which the justify the means? The quality of pap- leader should; and a compassionate major decision of dropping the atom er and proofreading could also have leader, and one with humility, gets the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was been much improved. Nevertheless, In Search of Lead- n:an event which altered the course of ership is recommended for every man- .ui * 1 ... , . ager ’s toolbox, and the library of any individual interested to learn about exciting reader. Few readers would dent of Egypt Anwar Sadat ’s historic events that shaped world history. major decision of dropping the atom respect due to him, without comman- taken by US President Harry Truma- ding it. 1 As an almanac, however, the book the war. And makes an even more interesting and age, Lala feelingly describes the Presi- in the chapter on cour- i I 1 I INDIA’S FIRST PELLETRON PLANT The “Pelletron"—India's first charged particle accelerator- enclosed in a steel tank, 24 metres long, 6 metres in diameter and weighing 120 tonnes will be housed in a specially constructed building in the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research complex. The total Civil Engineering work has been entrusted to Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., —pioneers in the construction industry —and we are proud to be associated with this "historic event" for the country. In 1964 at the inauguration of the massive project, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the late Dr. Homi Bhabha one of the world ’s leading nuclear physicists said : "A building of this complexily and quality is due to the combined efforts of many people.... I must, however, mention particularly the principal contractors, Messrs. Shapoorji PaUonji & Co. Pvt. Ltd., who have done a magnificent Job" Now when this new sophisticated research facility is being commissioned for the first time in India, Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Pvt. Ltd., have once ' again been selected! 43 Parsiana January 1987 o SHAPOORJ PAliONJ & CO. (PVT.) LTD. Engineers & Construction Contractors ' ' New India Centre, 17 Cooperage Road, BoiT)bay-400 039 India. Telex: 011-2124; Tel.: 2026614, 2020228,2020762 f r h tv I Jr IN MEMORIAM A useful body i 13 search purposes, “there were those in ject of heated controversy within the ?vaivil prUiyMOVO, UlViV VVV'XV- wiwuw Xi* J'*^***' **»K**»wr»- -- --- -- --------------------J --------------- the community who condemned his community in the late ’70s, was taken denial of the proper Zoroastrian before Vachha ’s appointment as man- funeral rites and ceremonies, more so aging trustee, according to Burjor. Yet because of his position as a respected the latter attributes the Agiary ’s pre- I ervad and managing trustee of the sent well-being to his father ’s “careful Thoothi Agiary, ” recalls his son Bur- planning and selfless hard work. ” jor, a commander in Air-India. Karachi-born Vachha completed his The donation of his eyes was ex- graduation in arts and law from Bom- pected to help restore the vision of two bay University. Later he joined Payne I blind persons within 48 hours. Though and Co and did his articleship under I Vachha would also have liked his skin the late F.E. Dinshaw. He served in ’ to be donated to the Skin Bank at the legal and secretariat branch ' Parel, it was decided that donating his throughout his 23-year career in the VU UC UUliClLVU LU Lliv UA.ni ------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------------- ‘ Parel, it was decided that donating his throughout his 23-year career in the t h body to the Faculty of Anatomy, Indian Navy. Joining as a volunteer re- ‘ ; J Grant Medical College,would serve a servist in 1944, he was awarded a ii more useful purpose in training 50 permanent commission in 1955 and re- prospective doctors, since a body tired as lieutenant commander. ................ In his Last Will and Testament, Vachha had specified, “Give my eyes - - - . I The four-day after-death cere- to the sightless man who has never September 16, 1986 following cardiac monies were performed at his resi- seen a sunrise, a baby ’s face or love in arrest, in Bombay. dence and thereafter at the Thoothi the eyes of a wornan... Give my Actively associated with the Hellen Agiary. 1 Keller Institute and the Lions move- A Persian scholar, Vachha had every muscle, every ment, these organizations passed spe- made a deep study of the Zoroastrian nerve^..brain..cells... cial resolutions in his memory. Vachha i was also involved with various other progressiveness of ideas. civic organizations of Bombay like the years he was 1 „ „ Friends of Trees and the Colaba-Cuffe the Thoothi Agiary, founded by his faults, my weaknesses and all pre ­ Parade Residents Association. great great grandmother, 128 years judice against my fellowmen... ” When his family members carried ago. The decision to sell the Thoothi Vachha is survived by his wife out his dearly held wish of donating his Agiary ’s surrounding open land to Freny, son Burjor and daughter Pur ­ mortal remains for transplant and re- non-Parsis, which had become a sub- veen. Died:Dinshaw Burjor Vachha, 77, a which is intact is rarely obtained for social worker and managing trustee of anatomical purposes, informs Burjor. the Seth Sorabji Thoothi Agiary on The four-day after-death cere- resi- ‘ • heart... blood... kidneys... bones... A Persian scholar, Vachha had every muscle, every fiber and ¦ ¦ - ¦ • • • " Burn what is religion and “brought to it a refreshing left of me and scatter the ashes to the " ¦ ¦ .” For many winds to help the flowers grow. If you the managing trustee of must bury something, let it be my PLAYTIME FORTHE SERIOUSLY INCLINED . .. continued from page 37 months, she reveals. the entire night and the morning after, f “The thing about play writing is that clocking up to 36 hours of work, living another, the better for the country, ’J it is like a tape recorder going on con- "* ' . i... >•_........ stantly in my mind. I am now used to it. Because I switched off the tape re ­ corder for Rex Dyer, 1 found the script developing visually - as in a film script. There are a lot of visual images that hit edy oriented, the retina. ” Once Vatchagandhy starts, she _____ „ . . . writes continuously,almost round-the- myself as a Parsi with a capital ‘P.’ The and has also dabbled in journalism and clock as she did recently when she ¦ • - ¦ .... j i. ... x x escaped to a retreat in Alibagh to write. On several occasions she was up groups - but in India the sooner we live, ’’she says. the entire night and the morning after. forget that we are one community or on tea, coffee, almost ignoring food, she feels. In fact her play Asylum had “I would only get up to stretch, ” she a host of characters from various com- reminisces. munities. “Not that I am not proud of Most of Vatchagandhy ’s plays are my own community, ” she hastens t«Z^ serious ones as she is not terribly com- add. ¦. What about Parsi Aside from writing, Vatchagandh^ ^ themes? “1 would not know what a has another passion - photography. Parsi theme is. I have never thought of She is a portrait and scenic specialist ./ v Aside from writing, Vatchagandhy^'' point is that maybe a country like the advertising. Is there anything that can US can afford to encourage ethnic guarantee inspiration? “Go out and 44 Parsiana January 1987 1