Jul 1988

I t ?? I '*^1 t '^A ¦ V I I J •n 1 bar-e-Meher at Vyarai July 1988 Volume 11 Number 1 EDITOR Jehangir Patel MANAGING EDITOR Arnavaz Mama EXECUTIVE EDITOR Parinaz Toddywalla ASSISTANT EDITOR Roxana Kaka DESIGN Kranti Shilotri, Varghese Fernandez. Deborah Fernandes, Pauline Ferreira 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, Rohinton Daroga OFFICE Rajendra Nayak, Khurshid Panthaky, Patricia Lewis, Rajalakshmi Iyer, Bakhtavar Batliwalla 3 Readers' Forum I i 7 Events and Personalities 16 North American Congress by Dr Jehan Bagli i ! 27 Steering the North American Federation by Arnavaz Mama 35 The determination of the Doongajis by Homi Rogers 42 Vyara vignette by Niloofer Madon 45 The Parabias of Rani-Amba 47 Milestones Cover: Photo of Vyara Dar-e*Meher taken at twilight »- 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. Phototypesetting, Ace; color processing. Comart Lithographers; and black and white processing, Shilpart. All rights reserved. Phone: 2048730 Annual inland subscription: Rs 50 for 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 Rs 250 for one year, Rs 475 for two years. For US cheques add $5 to cover bank charges. For Indian upcountry cheques add Rs 4 for bank charges. Cheques and drafts to be drawn in favor of Parsiana and posted to GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 or CZo H.L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A.K. Nayak Marg, Fort Bombay 400001. ? ’SS,In Memoriam Mr Fall Meheiji Variava Director BLAZE ADVERTISING PVT LTD AND ASSOCIATE COMPANIES I ..*5 1 1 IREADERS’ FORUM is ...it SsBl Bate *» “A cohesive CRlendsr” scholar like Nariman can cite EjJ with reference that Dastur Kookadaru ?S' Dr (Ms) S.S. Sopariwala has made an had performed juddin navjotes over a admirable suggestion (“A cohesive century ago, on What grounds can one calendar, ” Parsiana, April 1988) that create a storm in connection with such “ , navjotes today? Many Parsis aver that Shehenshahi and Kadmi calendars will Kookadaru was a saint who could per- all observe Hormazd roj on March 21, form miracles. Then why penalize or it will be the most appropriate time for impeach ‘the compassionate priest ’ for all Parsis to switch over to the Fasli doing what Kookadaru did in 1882? calendar. Such an opportunity, to fall Will those involved in the character in line with the ancient Zoroastrian assassination of the departed high and Iranian calendar, will not come priest have the courage to answer this again for a long time. simple question squarely? It is commonly accepted by all that ' Ms rati d. marfatia the present Shehenshahi and Kadmi calendars are quite inaccurate as they In the last paragraph of “The compas- make no provision for the leap year sionate priest ” (Parsiana, April 1988) day which occurs every fourth year. As it was rightly pointed out that Dastur a result, since our arrival in India Navrooz Minochehr-Homji “made around 785 AD, we have fallen back Zoroastrianism a religion to reckon by about 300 days. Consequently, all with on the international platform. ” our ghambars and religious days are Next to Dastur Framroze Bode, it completely out of gear. Prophet was Dastur Navrooz Minochehr- Zarathushtra ’s birthday, which is truly Homji who had spent much of his life in March, we now celebrate in August, in enlightening the whole world and To achieve cohesiveness and oneness, especially England, Europe and this is the most opportune occasion. America about our prophet Our high priests should give a bold from the year 1992, when the Fasli, !»¦ America about our Readers' views are welcome on any Our high priests should give a bold Zarathushtra, his divine message and subject of interest to the community lead in this and support the suggestion; the great religion that he preached and should be sent to the Editor, Read- so also the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, ers' Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O.Box 892, jjj order to achieve maximum unanimi- Bombay 400 001. Letters are subject to jy printers of Parsi calendars whole world has now realized the im- editing for reasons of space and clarity. , ’ —*¦ almost 8,000 years ago. It is entirely due to his sincere efforts that the should also be persuaded to give the portance and greatness of Zarathush- Fasli calendar the pride of place from tra and his gospel of truth, light and 1992 and add the dates of the other happiness. Dr minocher k.contractor two calendars in a smaller type for those who wish to adhere to them. The extra day, every fourth year. “The Federation and... mose wno wish io aunerc lo uicm. TTnwnrfhv Rranc I refer to “The Federation and the far- The extra day, every fourth year, uiiwoiuiy isiaps mers ” (Parsiana, May 1988) wherein it can be given a suitable name and made I read with interest your interview with is stated that I suggested the use of the a day of special prayers. “Avardad Rignahej Letap and “Plans for surviv- term “din-yaar ” instead of the term Salgah ” has beeh one of the names al ” by Homi B. Minocher-Homji (Par- paramobed. I have not done so. I have suggested in the past. n.h. vajifdar siana, March 1988). The theme of both checked this with some of those pre- Ootacamund articles is the same — will the Parsis sent. I cannot make any suggestion un- mmna^cinnfltp nripst’ ’ go for- less it is discussed and approved by the * coiiipassioiidic pi icsi continue on the same road to ­ wards extinction. The time has come for all right- N.H. VAJIFDAR Ootacamund 99 >» “The compassionate priest paramobed committee. Nothing of I was moved by some of the statements in that sort has happened. Amavaz Mama ’s article “The compas ­ sionate priest ” {Parsiana, April 1988), thinking Zoroastrians to speak out particularly regarding the navjotes per- strongly in favor of reforms. Zoroas- Parinaz Toddy walla replies formed by the late Dastur saheb at Bang- trianism is a universal religion and can- I regret having attributed the word alore and the indignity heaped on him for not be shackled within our small com- “din-yaar ” to Peshotan Nargolwala as the same. Reading the article along with munity. It is our duty to spread the he states that he did not suggest it. It is a short but interesting clarification in the light of Ahura Mazda throughout the possible that during the discussion on same issue from an orthodox scholar like world. r .j. darukhanawala this subject, the term may have been Faribourz Nariman, I just fail to under- VHfi’iio” used by him though it may not have stand what some dharmarakshaks (pro- KlQQing originated from him. Mr Nargolwala, tectors of our religion) are trying to I am grateful that the activity book and however, did suggest the use of the achieve by creating needless con- reader published recently by the Delhi term “mobed-yaar. ” troversies. Parsi Anjuman was reviewed by some- PESHOTAN NARGOLWALA ‘‘No kidding 3 Parsiana July 1988The last known addresses of his rela- bit like today ’s taxi drivers who move Hills (Himachal Pradesh). I have been informed by the army used a real Parsi house for her setting - If any of your readers, particularly Pestonjee pushed around by crowds. All said and done, you even come Pestonjee to be a bit dreary and was out feeling a bit sad that such a nice, pleasantly surprised, although it was decent community may not be around to see the twenty-first century. ZEND M. ZEND Understand rituals Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher Mistry : died defending India 5 Parsiana July 1988 one who knows something about tions for which he was awarded the din Shah is following his friend in a work-books and children (“No kid- Mahavir Chakra. taxi and the driver is suspicious. Not a ding, ” Parsiana, March 1988). I am —- - - even more grateful to Mr Rogers for tions are Mr E.D. Mistry (brother), the wheel so nonchalantly and don ’t taking the trouble to interview my sis- 86/1, The Mall, Simla 171001 and Dr bother about what is happening in ter, Pareen Lalkaka, and then writing S.S. Master, K.E. Sanatorium, Simla their own backseat. such an excellent critical review. Hills (Himachal Pradesh). It goes to Ms Mehta ’s credit that she The reason why we did not intro ­ duce snakes and ladders in the activity authorities that a letter addressed to none of those typical halls with two book was because our religious texts Mr E.D. Mistry has been returned staircases , formica-covered stuff lump cockroaches, snakes, lizards, with the remark that the addressee had everywhere and elaborate, plaster-of- crocodiles, alligators, etc as krafs- the passed away. The date of demise has Paris molded ceilings. In Pestonjee, it destructive creations of Ahriman. It not been stated. There is no response is rosewood furniture, mosaic floors, would not have done to introduce from Dr Master. jade and china vases... snakes in the little book. If any of your readers, particularly And last but not the least, there is As for having a page where children senior retired service officers, have the movie location around the Cathed- could join dots and make a word or an any information, I shall be grateful if ral School, which takes you back 50 image, there was just no space for it. I they would cpntact me at the Tata Iron years in time, when Bombay was really wish we could have used more colors, and Steel Co Ltd, Jamshedpur 831001. sunder (beautiful) with nice broad plus that shiny art paper which takes Brig r .j. heerjee (Retd) roads, washed twice a day, along on vivid colors so well. But alas, we n • Jamshedpur which one walked without being had to do everything on a shoestring sCStOnjCe > j j j and keep the price low to cater for I must say I expected Vijaya Mehta ’s children in orphanages and those com ­ ing from poverty-stricken homes. My greatest reward was a postcard a depressing movie, written in pencil from a seven-year-old girl from the Petit orphanage stating, and Shabana Azmi are consummate “Aunty, my bed number is ... Please actors accurately projecting the Parsi be sure and come to see me when you personality. There was Naseeruddin, a The navjote ceremony, today, is tre- come to Bombay. I sleep with your fine, athletic type in real life, playing a ated more as an occasion for eating Zarathushtra under my pillow... ” staid, slow-moving, stolid Parsi, com- and merrymaking rather than as a reli- Ms PiLOO JUNGALWALLA plete With nervous afflictions like gious, holy ceremony. With great sor- M f f V 9 ¦¦¦ ¦¦ ¦¦“ twitching eyelids and always pulling at row and disappointment I observed at iNeXt 01 Kin. trousers. Let ’s hope none of the one navjote ceremony that the parents The army authorities have approached community vigilantes decide to make a of the child whose navjote was to be me to help in tracing the next of kin of noise about the fact that he is shown performed did not have a sudreh-kusti IC 1857 Late Capt D.D. Mistry, praying, wearing a sudreh and kusti. on them that very day! How then does MVC, who is known to have served And how well he mimics the disgrun- one expect children to grow up to re- with an artillery regiment. He was kil- tied nature of the members of the com- spect and wear the holy sudreh-kusti led in action on December 15, 1948 munity. (Remember, it was a Parsi - when they see their parents not follow- during the Jammu and Kashmir opera- Dadabhai Naoroji - who first com- ing the path shown by our religion? plained to the British, demanding Most children today do not even know swaraj!) what prayers to recite while perform- The Parsis got a chance to see their ing the kusti ritual, either before or beloved late Dastur Navrooz after the navjote. And the parents Minochehr-Homji performing the reli- don ’t think it essential to teach them, gious rites. The typical Parsi atmos- In such a case, the very meaning of the phere is created not only by vision but navjote is lost. by sound also. At one moment you can hear in the background the call of earth, and what our so-called orthodox '"khara mora paneer (a kind of cottage Parsis follow today are not just “false cheese, made in little baskets, once beliefs. ” If only one tried to seek the sold by street vendors). ” The modern hidden meaning in every custom generation hasn ’t even heard of this rather than dismiss it as a meaningless mouth-watering item. And what a relief to hear nice piano music in the background instead of is not more Parsis, but Parsis who that ever-present shehnai. The Ian- would understand and follow the basic guage is a bit of a hodgepodge though: principles of our religion. Parei Hindi, Bawaji Gujarati and the Ms sanaea antia King ’s English so pure that probably Punjab even the English have forgotten it. -- ------------------------------------------------ I also liked that bit where Naseerud- Edited by Arnavaz S. Mama New Delhi Dastur Ours is the greatest religion on ritual! Today, what our community needsEvents and Personalities To date, the Madressa has collected Annexe near completion around 250 people, will be used for activities such as music classes, drama nearly Rs 15 lakhs for the annexe. “Except for the plumbing and the elec- rehearsals, aerobics, yoga, etc “with- Those who have donated rupees one tricity work, everything else is com- out being a nuisance to the neigh- lakh and above are Fredoon and plete, ” says Ervad Rustom Panthaki, bors. ” The hall will also be available Meherban Zarthosti, Ms Roshan principal of the Dadar Athornan for the performance of family jashans, Punegar, Minocher Mistry, Seth Man- Boarding Madressa on the construe- navjotes and marriages, but “no eating cherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust tion of the Madressa annexe which is and drinking will be allowed. ” Fund, Jamshed Byramjee together expected to be finished by September Built in the backyard of the Madres- with friends, and Jerbanoo and Nari- 1988. The painting is scheduled to start sa where originally stood the kitchen, man Cursetji, notes a press release, after the monsoons. the ground floor of the annexe has a f d ?* n The Madressa,which faces the Five kitchen, the servants ’ quarters, a IHJMI!/ S lOUnGdllOll 1310 Gardens in Dadar, houses 55 youngs- storeroom, and a medicare room . With around 14 lakh rupees collected ters ranging in age from six to 23, and where doctors can examine the resi- for the housing of mobeds at the gives them religious and secular educa- dents of the Mancherji Joshi Parsi Col- Doongerwadi grounds in Bombay, a tion simultaneously. Realizing the ony. On the second floor will be foundation stone was laid by Bombay shortage of space for the boys ’physical lodged the library, with books mainly Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Dr and extracurricular activities, “there on religion and philosophy (to be Aspi Golwalla on May 28, 1988. A was no option but to erect an annexe ” obtained by way of donations), plus a jashan ceremony was also performed to the original two-storeyed structure, five-room dormitory for the Madressa at the site by Dastur Kaikhusroo notes an appeal brochure. The annexe students. Teachers, along with their JamaspAsa, High Priest of the Anju- facilities will be extended to children, families, will stay on the third floor man Atash Bahram. women and old people, and to non- where two big rooms will each provide Parsis too, informs Farrokh Sidbwa, for a large family while the three small were BPP trustees Eruch Desai and trustee-in-charge and honorary secret- rooms will each house a couple or a Minoo Shroff, chairman of the CER- ary of the Madressa. bachelor. All the rooms have a kitchen HOME (Committee for Economic The water-proofing of the terrace is and attached baths and toilets. Revival ’s House - Our-Mobeds- sound. “The monsoons will not affect “The Madressa has no corpus. It is Endeavour) Kersi Limathwalla, joint anything, ” says Sidhwa. run purely on donations. So we need honorary treasurer of CER-HOME The main attraction of this 12,731 more funds to build a corpus, ” ex- Ms Silloo Kavarana, architect Kersi square-foot building is the assembly plains Panthaki. In addition to the esti- Kapadia and contractor Rusi Del- hall on the first floor, to be named af- mated cost of construction of Rs 35 vadewala. ter Mancherji Joshi, the founder of the lakhs, approximately a corpus of Rs 15 Dadar Parsi Colony. The 1,800 lakhs is required to meet the institu- two rooms and a kitchen, each square-foot hall, designed to seat tion ’s outgoings and overheads. admeasuring around 550 square feet. Among those present at the function The building comprising 16 flats of Kapadia and die priests (L^) Newly built Madressa annexe. (Below) Laying the . foundation for mobeds’ quarters (from left in feta) Nariman Khursedji, Desai, Shroff, Limathwalla, GolwaUa, 7 Parsiana July 1988«2S ¦ '-3 t^" ¦« I (From left) Palkhivala, Wadia and Mistry: involved in the ACC issue ."t will be ready for occupancy in one and a half years, “at subsidized rents, ” notes Kersi Gazdar, joint honorary secretary of CER-HOME. “We forget that the people who tend to our spiritual needs have some simple basic physical needs that every human has - food, clothes and a need for a home. Our men of God (priests) cannot come forward to ask of the things they deserve. That is why we have, ” notes an appeal brochure for the project. An idea conceived by the BPP and tmstpp nf the where “gums, students and research spearheaded by the CER, the cost of s e a a, g scholars, besides connoisseurs...can the project which was estimated at Rs NC , master classes “the pursue their work in the field of dance 16 lakhi in 1984, has escalated to Rs 25 Th^ fo the mas er cksses, the P^ „ lakhs. The CER gave a commitment to teacher will be able to “intimate atmosphere of the Theatre raise at least 50 percent of the project stude Bharata Natyam and its perfect acoustics. ” cost, and has today raised Rs 14 waran the notedBh^ ^t^^ N^ty^^^ architect of the Theatre was lakhs, notes Gazdar. danger who i_ 8 Rustom Patel and the consultant and mo'ir.h" n fo laSbte Zt ,he"sman Theatte “is ideal en- acoustics expert was Burjor M.stn. project are Fredoon and Meherban couragement for^a young artisje.^ Nani VS Nusll Zarthosti (Rs 6,20,283), Cawasji P. Kavarana Tmst (Rs 1,00,000) and the X tmstees of the will of the late Jamshed- ji P. Cama (Rs 60,000). “Sanctuary for dance Il IVAOv •./V/ ^wxww*** V*. ---- J and has today raised Rs 14 waran, the ------- . Theatre dancer who inaugurated the lheatre ui uiia iaiaJcb ’.e that the small Theatre “is ideal en- and Meherban courageinent for a young artiste. kose who have donated with a Referring to his famti/s 1^ for described it as one of Nani Sman ”of the G^rej group of corn- Palkhivafo ’s ^At'andE- panies notes that “a city like Bombay an«s _The c“m- “'S^s:ri?:d ‘:: ^Vs^^X-htmsive ^e^wS^yi;.^ The Godrei Dance Academy Theatre, and serious place, the undergrourtd t -------------- .. . ftmdrf wSr a financial grant of Rs 20 200-seat Theatre reportedly h^ a large funded wrtn trnanc g facrlrties tn- < . - _____ fnrfcmc i nrftS- lakhs from the Palkhivala ’s toughest public appew- of the Associated Cement_Comj __ found himself at the center of a controversy surrounding the com- man pany ’s debenture issue. The all-star . eluding “luxurious green rooms (dres- cast i---------- .. Theatre building of the sing rooms) witn :— Theatre also possesses video equip- the performances of master artistes to Foundation and situated in the^ Ex­ perimental '----- National Centre Arts (NCPA), Bombay, was inaugu ­ rated on June 3, 1988, reports The In­ dian Post of June 1988. public performances as much as it is for dance rehearsals, workshops and included Bombay Dyeing s afSed bLThs and maverick presiderr. NusJi W^^^^^^^^ .IC villi'-*!**^ v/i •I’A.iaae ” for the Performing audio monitoring facilities. struction king Pallon Mistry of Sha- poorji Pallonji and the house of Tatas Theatre also possesses viucu rh-mirak ’ chair- ment which, Bhabha says, will enable L^y 'Tata Chemtcals charr the performances of master artistes to " me RsM^lakh Theatte “is not for be recorded “fot future generations to public performances as ; muchit^k see^ m”fli?Wadta ’ <=“"P> mast-e-r-^asses:- says The Posi. Jam" —rv for dance, ” asked Wadra, amongst others, to sub see. The X„ Theatre a “new sanctuary for dance, man Darbari Seth. Palkhivala alleged that Wadia was bidding to take over ACC. Accordinj I'l § s i 5 § 8 Parsiana July 1988 I scribe to the debenture issue as the re sponse from the public was poor. Among those applying for the de bentures were ACC vice-chairmai Pallon Mistry who had earlier no availed of his rights to subscribe Wadia, Tata Chemicals and Mahendr Swaroop of Paharpur Cooling of Ca cutta. The ACC board of directors j its meeting of May 6 turned down a the offers except that of Swamp. “The board ’s rather extreme dec sion is widely viewed among corporal circles as being rather arbitrary and s a desperate attempt to get Wadia oi at any cost, ” states the Bombay fot Rehearsal in progress at the Godrej ¦ Dance Academy Theatre’I niehtlv Business India (May 16-29, subscribe for the debentures. ” “Nush Wadia on the other hand, is r^ 1988)^“Whether the board succeeds in In the meanwhile. The Economic P°^,edly personally very close to JRD stopping a determined Wadia is still to Times of June 23 reported an a^ed - like a son to him, according to one he seen But there can be little doubt twist to the convoluted story; a Tata version. . - * m • that the battle for ACC has really just company - Sabras Investment Trading A Palkhivala argument that Nen Xn . Wad ”, legal pJiiion Co, a subsidiary of Tata Chemicals - cites is that Wad.a and Mistryh^e eWadia ’s company - Kachaldara Trad- has acquired Swarup ’s four lakh been sworn enemies ever since Mistry ing-has filed a petition in the Bombay debenture-converted shares resulting forced Wadia some years ago to pull SFgh Court) fpp^ be fairly in a profit of three crore rupees to out of a small trading company with strong, ” comments the magazine. Swarup. Though the case was posted for June The transfer was 7, it was not I ’ 7^’ Times of India on June 8. Wadia ’s camp has the option to press for allot- , „ ment of ACC debentures worth Rs 7.5 B.K. Banerjee and A.L.Kapur. crores or to seek damages from ACC subscribe for the debentures. ” In t _ _________, Times of June 23 reported an added Swarup which they were both associated, ise was posicu iui J uiic The ‘ transfer was reportedly According to this argument, Wadia heard reported The approved by the ACC’s five-member has never forgotten the slight and is ’ -- ... ¦¦¦ . now seeking revenge, ” writes Nen. Salaam Bombay gets award At the Cannes Film Festival in France for rejecting the application. The pos- of the ACC some five decades ago, on May 23, 1988, the prestigious sibility of the case b^ing settled out of had sold their holding over a period of Camera D’Ot award was won by court Is not ruled out either, according years. The present acquisition, Sn/aam Bombay, a senpted by S report. amounting to 7.13 percent of ACC’s Sooni Taraporevala, according to a re- inrVino c.icnicinn tisl that at eauitv. establishes them as the largest port in The Times of India of May 25, 1988. The award is given to the best first feature film by a young director. The film, whose Hindi title is Chai ___ _____ _______ _______ Bambai Chai, was directed by Mira is^the role^ supposedly la ’s closeness to J.R.D. Tata and his Nair and had Dinaz Stafford as co- committee of directors for share trans ­ fer - Palkhivala, H.T. Parekh, Shiavax Tatas, one of the major promoters of the ACC some five decades ago "‘The lurking suspicion (is) that at equity, establishes them as the largest port in least one of the principal actors in the non-institutional shareholder of the drama was a raider, ” as India Today of company, notes The Economic Times. June 15 expressed it. A sidelight of the ACC issue has A oarticularly unsavory part of the been speculation regarding Palkhiva- Taia ordina.or, i. a ;-,riumph for .he Sr did he not contact J.M. Financial in light of his resignation as vice- city s streetkids who have played the (the investment firm which managed chairman of TELCO. “As a high- mam roles in it the paper adds that the issue) with “an appeal to approach powered Supreme Court lawyer,^ au- 17 films from all over the world were potential big investors when, days be- t ’ : , ; **' ", — fore the closure of the issue of April ist and right wing ideologue who^ has 11, it was found that the public re- j ’ ' ’ ’ sponse 1 stoutly denies that he ever asked J.M. Financial ‘to scout for investors. ’ But most useM assets sources close to Kachaldara claim that Neri in 7’, he did make specific and repeated re ­ quests to J.M. Financial which in turn got in touch with, among others, Tatas, Wadia, Swarup and Vasant Seth (of Great Eastern Shipping). In his May 2 letter to Palkhivala in which he accuses the ACC chairman of un ­ ethical practices, Wadia has even claimed that the latter ‘welcomed ’ his plans to apply for ACC debentures. Darbari Seth, chairman of the three Tata investment companies, is also re ­ ported to have said that Palkhivala welcomed Tatas ”friendly and suppor ­ tive offer. ’ Palkhivala however said at the ACC press conference (on May 26), ‘I never knew, till many days after the closing date, that the Tatas and Wadia had applied, ’ ’’writes Sudheen- dra Kulkarni in The Sunday Observer of May 29. In a letter protesting the insinuation, among several other objections, published in The Sunday Observer of June 5, Palkhivala states, “I clearly said that I had never asked, directly or indirectly, Mr Wadia to __ _____ _____ ________ . 17 films from all over the world were thor, public speaker, political strategy competing for the award. ............... ’ ’ 3 In an interview with the Sunday articulated the cause of Indian busi- Mid-Day of June 12, 1988, Tara- • ¦ ’ ¦’ won _____________3 the Prix Public, the city of Cannes ’ iui aoov.s,” writes Michael award for the most popular film at the The Indian Post (June 3). Festival. The film, she says, is sche- __ . f______________ duled for commercial release in 24 theaters in France in August and in In- dia by October. A photographer by profession (she recently completed shooting pictures a scene from Salaam Bombay (Photo: Sooni Taraporevaia) Inset: Taraporevala (left) with Nair (Photo: i¦3 '1- 'a ’ I " I Zoroastrian renaissance Dr Jehan F. Bagli The Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America is launched at the Sixth Congress It was the moment of rebirth. Many that dragged with typical “Zoroastrian Zoroastrian community. The awards , ‘ iv ____ ______ -J were presented in three categories and the* acrimonious level oTthe last Con- the entire protocol was fashioned after the Oscar Awards of Hollywood, in- Young Zoroastrians between the eluding the trusting of the winners ....... v...„ 15 -¦ names in a sealed envelope to a Price- Zoroastrian Congress (NAZC) - winning compositions on Zoroastrian- Waterhouse representative, only to be seemed positive. And the assembly ism. This included, among several su- delivered at the right moment a The first day of the Sixth North Associations of North America le Panthaki recited in the “Rap ” American Zoroastrian Congress was (FEZANA). Toronto, the city which rhythm (a mode of singing of Carib- devoted to the special interest group had hosted the First North American bean origin). It was an experience for workshops. At the top of that list was shades of opinion filtered through the detractions, ” it never degjnerate^ to North American spectrum. Nonethe- tl — —1----- L— less, the “Prospects of Zoroastrian re- gress. naissance in the New World ” - the theme of the Sixth North American ages of nine and 15 recited award- Zoroastrian Congress (NAZC) - SCCIllCU UUSIIIVC. z-kliu mv --------------------- ---------------o"- --------- , - , i witnessed the first general body meet- perb recitations, a most unusual and masterful execution indeea. . ’a.*___ 1_____ VT_____21 zioir fh#* ^1' ing of the Federation of Zoroastrian rather ingenious composition by Nevil- /____of North America le Panthaki recited in the “Rap ” (FEZANA). Toronto, the city which rhythm (a mode of singing of Carib- naa nosieu IIIC rilM nuim niuviivan Mvan AV v..* ----------- A , * , Congress 13 years ago, made an everyone present to hear the lyrics that the first general body meeting of appropriate and happy venue. i The overt and deliberate confronta- is alive and well. ” tion that had surfaced at the Fifth North American Zoroastrian Con- —----------- j -- — - , .,. gress, two and a half years ago, had to, the organizers of the Congress in- the concluding re my ks of his opeyng disappeared. Though one had the reel- ! ing that there were points of discussion ence within 16 Parsiana July 1988 unanimously echoed, “Zoroastrianism FEZANA. The FEZANA meeting comprised At the suggestion of Dr Jamshed the official delegates of the Zoroas- Mavalwala of the University of Toron- trian anjumans of North Amerka^ In stituted a system of recognizing excell- address, FEZANA founding president the North American Rohinton Rivetna, the man whose dili ­ gence and dedication between September 1985 and May 1988 were responsible for the birth of the Federa ­ tion, said, “Never before...in our liv ­ ing memory has there been a period when there has been so much interest in our affairs ... We are bursting with energy. Our greatest wealth is our people resources. It is like a dormant volcano. From time to time it rumbles, and you feel the vibrations...the ener ­ gy is waiting to be unleashed. ” We hope and pray, that the energy will be Yezdi Antia (standing) conducting the question session with the panel of speakers - Mistree, Hinnells, Bagli, Irani, JamaspAsa and Dastoor - and session moderator Treasurywala 1 i'I As the spotlight shifted towards con- fully utilized for the constructive pur- anjumans of North America. Furth- pose of building a strong organization, ermore, a provision should be made in tinuity, Ms Dhunmai Dalal, the chair- While the FEZANA general body that list to indicate those who would person of the Ad-hoc Committee of meeting was in progress, three ^other perform debatable rituals such as the the Fifth NAZC, read an account of meetings - the Youth Committee navjote of children of extra-communal the activities of that Congress, ^his (convener - Phil Sidhwa), the'Reli- marital unions and ashir^ ’ad (nuptial was followed by a welcome address l^y gious Education in the New World benediction) for interracial marriages. Kobad Zarolia, president of the host Committee (conveners - Ms Putli Mir- The meeting also discussed the need organization, the Zoroastrian Society za and Ms Jaloo Cooper), and the for a central registry of births, deaths, of Ontario (ZSO). Goodwill messages Council of North American Practicing marriages and navjotes. were read by Dr Dhun Noria. The Priests (convener - Ervad Yezdi The Congress opened on Saturday, striking polemics that had pervaded Antia) - were concomitantly in prog- April 2, 1988 with Ervad Gustad the messages at the last Congress were ress. The last seemed to suffer from Panthaki pronouncing the benediction conspicuously absent. Part of the cre- lack of previous preparation. It did, for its success. A resolution from Prof dit for this goes to Minoo Treasurywa- however, collect various suggestions Kaikhosrov Irani recorded with deep la, the able chairman of the Program on how and what North American sympathy the passing away of the High Committee. The panel of speakers Zoroastrian priests should do to per- Priest of the Fasli Atash Kadeh, Bom- projected different viewpoints on the petuate the religion of Zarathosht. bay, Dastur Navrooz Minochehr- religion of Zarathosht, as well as Among the suggestions was a proposal Homji, who had inaugurated the Fifth topics of sociological interest to that a list of all the practicing mobeds North American Zoroastrian Congress Zoroastrians. be prepared and distributed to all the in Los Angeles in 1985. ; I [ i Addressing the assembly on the sub ­ ject “Zoroastrian Studies in the New World, ” Dastur Dr Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, High Priest of the Anju- man Atash Bahram, Bombay, noted that the discoveries made by academi ­ cians had little effect on the laity. However, he felt that the momentum of religious studies was picking up in North America. The Zoroastrian way of life starts with Sunday School, he said, but elementary studies must be followed by thorough, technical stu ­ dies of the religion. Simple daily rituals will assume greater significance if a child sees parents at home saying their prayers daily, the Dastur added. ii 9 1 t Left: Mavalwala (center) watching McClure presenting award to Dastoor Below (from left): Treasurywala, Mehr, Zarolia, Phillips 17 Parsiana July 1988 I I 1Youth workshop in session _7d 1' * .i. Parsis who migrated to India must ¦ have felt a cultural shock of the same I severity as the community in this west- ¦ ern milieu. Attempts must be made to ¦ learn about the religion and pass it on ¦ to the children. He suggested the in- H stitution of a well-equipped library and ¦ the judicious use of books; rituals per- I formed and demonstrated to the chil- I dren; the organization of a study ¦ prayer circle and acquaintance with Zoroastrian history. He urged the assembly to organize pilgrimage tours > to India and other historical places of interest. dia or Iran, keep lesser contact with Prof John Hinnells who heads Man- fellow Zoroastrians, pray less, wear Chester University ’s Department of sudreh-kusti less and attend Zoroas- Comparative Religion, lectured on trian functions less frequently. Zoroas- “Contemporary Zoroastrian Life — trians from Iran have a distinctive pat- specifically in Great Britain, USA and tern of their own. Sudreh-kusti is not a Canada. ” His data was based on the prominent element of their religious postal survey he had conducted for the activities. They are, however, a more 1___r_______ - - vered at Oxford University two years marrying outside, ago. At the outset, he commented that m itv Zoroastrians embody within them lies across the board were fewer for US based community. The greatest a great diversity of people. Zoroas- ’ the younger group than for the older, potential of loss to the community lay trians born and educated in the West He was cautious however in the inter- among the young educated groups represent a group with distinctive pretation of these figures and ques- who live in rural areas away from the characteristic features: They marry tioned, “Would the older generation urban Zoroastrian centers. trians in general represented the grow- I ing community and the number here I would be expected to increase faster .1 than in Bombay. The community in | the United States has a higher rate of | education than the Canadian, and is | more successful professionally. In 1 ... .............. ...... ................ general, people with children, and I imdepth Katrak Lectures he had deli- tightly-knit community, with fewer those with some religious education in j ------ outside. their childhood, display greater parti- I In^ th^e age-groups under 25 and cipation in religious matters. A higher 1 above 65, more contrasts than similar- level of religious practice was indi- ? ities surfaced. The Zoroastrian activi- cated by the Canadian as against the I trian functions less frequently. Zoroas- represent a group with distinctive pretation of these figures and ques- outside the community, consider En- 1 . . glish as their mother tongue, do not ly when they were younger? communicate with Zoroastrians in In- G————- ----------- FEZANA’s profile Homi Homji (Canada); Zoroas ­ trian Unity and Welfare - Kaemarz Dotiwala (USA); Information Re- The first general body meeting of ceiving and Dissemination/Journal FEZANA elected an executive -Dr Jehan Bagli (USA); Funds and committee of five officers: presi- Finance - Ms Kamal Tengra dent Rohinton Rivetna of Chicago, (USA); Census and Survey - Far- vice-president Homi Homji of rokh Dastur (USA); Youth — Ontario, treasurer Freddy Patel of Darius Captain (USA); Education, New Jersey, secretary Dolly Das- Conference and Scholarship - Prof toor of Quebec and assistant secre- Kaikhosrov Irani (USA); North tary Sabar Balsara of Ontario. American Zoroastrian Congress - The decision-making power at Sam Vesuna (Canada); Service to Firdosh Mehta tary Sabar Balsara of Ontario. FEZANA rests, however, not with small groups of North American the governing body, but at the grass Zoroastrians - Firdosh Mehta roots with the anjumans. (Canada). The chairpersons will The major “working links ” of select dedicated people to make up FEZANA, which will be responsi- a working body from among the ble for the real action, are its com- anjumans across North America, mittees. These are nine in number. These committees will formulate with their corresponding chairper- their terms of reference within the sons: Coordination and Planning - framework of FEZANA. have ajiswered the questions different- From the survey he concluded that i __ ; _ _____ ___o--"*” in no other country is there such an 1 Canadian^ and American Zoroas- emphasis on religious education aS there is among the Zoroastrians on the « -------------------------- ------------------------ North American continent. However, he added that the Sunday School type / of education is not enough, and that, for a firm rooting of the religion, the great void of advanced religious education had to be filled. He sug ­ gested that the community should pro­ vide for more trained teqchers with advanced knowledge of religious stu ­ dies. Khojeste Mistree ’s address “Adopting Zoroastrian Tradition in the New World Environment ” - chas ­ tised those who seek to change the tradition and followed up with a dis ­ cussion of tradition, which, he indi ­ cated, should not be looked upon as dogmas; rather, tradition should be carefully examined before arriving at any decision for a change. The value of preserving the tradition lies in the con ­ tinuity of the legacy that we have in ­ herited. According to the speaker, a change of tradition constitutes the in ­ 5 1 18 Parsiana July 1988i I , India. Renaissance, he said, does not UUr greatest wealth imply any change in the fundamental, is our people resources. It is like a dormant volcano...the energy is waiting to be unleashed ! I basic, theological aspects of the reli ­ gion. Mehr concluded by saying, we should speak with the learned dasturs of India and Iran, and seek wisdom from the western scholars. However, when it comes to charting the course for the future, the decision must be made by the community. Addressing the issue of survival, Ms enlightenment, not reformation. It .Dolly Dastoor, assistant professor of ception of a new religious experience. Addressing the alleged mers," more purist than the orthodox. Back- The professor of International Rela- cial nature, and are therefore subject tracking into history, he pointed out tions at Boston University declared to change with time. He exemplified that this has happened before. In 1861, that renaissance is reawakening after his statement by the recent change in Rahnumai Mazdayasni Sabha - a body the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act in of reformers who wanted to do just “ that - declared the Gathas as the sole religious authority, and reduced the practice of rituals to a minimum. However, they were completely in ­ effective. Rituals reinforce the doctrines and can be supported by textual refer ­ ences, Mistree noted. They must be reinterpreted and carefully under ­ stood. A well-performed ritual, he said, can bring forth both physical and spiritual harmony. One way to overcome religious illi- does not involve a detraction of the psychiatry at McGill University and teracy, he concluded, was through tradition, but consists in the re- associate editor of Gavashni, in her proper scholarship, perhaps by having explanation and reinterpretation of “Psychological profile of North Amer- an endowed chair for religious studies the Zoroastrian religion. ican Zoroastrians ” provided several at a university. Addressing the North We are a people who are community pieces of evidence to prove that American community, he concluded, centered, not community bound. Any Zoroastrianism will survive on this “You should preserve the tradition tradition detrimental to our survival continent, that has come down to you for over should be modified, after appropriate 3,500 years. ” “Action to achieve Zoroastrian re- period of time become a source of law refor- naissance in the New World ” was the and thus, a part of our tradition. Basi- he commented that they are theme of Dr Farhang Mehr ’s address, cally, however, these are laws of a so- r r ‘'y/e, in North America, are still a study, said Mehr. Customs over a very confused group of people. Collec- SERSON Electrolytic Capacitors For All Electronic Applications From 12 VDC To 350 VDC Manujacturen: Serson Industries Pvt. Ltd. Plmpri P.F.P.O^ Poona-lS. Cable: EtcfafoU Poona-18. Phone: 82379 21 Parsiana July 1988- It tively, we know we are apathetic about ^^oroast^ian myth that cannot be sup The our religion, and. . .argumentative ported by a shred ot e association with the Iranian nation enough not to be able to do anything trinal basis^ ashirvad vrayers he is not an easy task. If done cautiously, about it...Dynamic...and high achiev- Refer g it can bring an awareness of the impact ers individually, but not as a «^;^^th?tnd vSia^^o become that history has had on the religion, a team...We will go on living, perhaps in Jg their per- closer affirmation of what Zarathush- a form and shape not to the liking of Zoroastrians and heand enable the community some, but we will live rather than sur- fo^^nce for mixed face the reality on this continent Prof Kaikhosrov Irani, chairman gical pnnciples ^Vgufidren of an that appeared at the end of the Fifth and professor of the Department of The ^^^"Xnal ^ari^^^^^^^^ he NAZC had clearly widened (a bit)Jt Philosophy at City College, New extra-communal manta without reservation that York, in his talk entitled “Under- reiter^e d S" bond among Zoroastrians living standing the tradition of Zoroajrian- are aimingp p jiyg js to far apart on this huge continent is one ism, ” elaborated the idea of tradition ty. In contjas f the objective^^ J at the end He focussed on the ambiguities and of the Sixth NAZC and, thereby, it has confusions, caused by the ack of com- obligation toju^l^by ^^^“nts. served a meaningful purpose, plete comprehension, as reasons that often jeopardize the discussion on the subject of the Zoroastrian tradition. The basic doctrines are contained in the Gathas, which were later mytholo ­ gized and interpreted in terms of puri ­ fication laws. The rituals are in a state of dynamic flux, some stable, some practices are, inevitably, the most vari ­ able. . .. Irani recommended the widest possible range of discussions, agree ­ ment as far as possible on the fun ­ damentals of the religion and the treat- ment of all disagreement with open- gr«s Canadian govern- aky, an A-grade student ness and respect. Appreciating diversi- nrovincial government of elementary school, received the stu- ty, the professor urged the gathenng mentandt p 8 towards dent excellence award which recog- to be committed to the understanding, Coneress thereby offi- nizes brilliance at the high school preservation and advancement of reh- the^ cos^t of the Co g , h V list of honors and gion and to maintain a religious com- cially acknow eaging informed prizes in academic and extra curricular munity with respect for all preseon the comment intormeo p^^^^ After appreciating the diligence of the Tor Dhun Noria, to emerge from the North American the non-Zoroastrian scholars who arranged by ZSO^Dr Dhun r^oria, first have brought to light the various the Ontario g Gerrv Phillips year in electrical engineering at McGill aspects of the religion of Zarathosht, citizenship and S’ersity and is a'reserve officer in Dr Jehan Bagli - in his presentation andthe^UnUed the Canadian armed forces. , “Role of non-Zoroastrians in the erator Dr Robert M Congress was attended by a Zoroastrian community ” - turned his chief guests. .. .was the pre- nearly 600-strong audience (115 of attention towards non-Zoroastrians L® .ug® North AmerFcan them being aged between 13 and 25 who, through their freewill, accept a ^ntation or excellence Dr years) which comprised delegates from Zoroastrian as a spouse and, thus, be- ^~“tnan j>7'^’“X ?j “ d India the UK, Alberta, British Col ­ ome an integral part ot the common- Mmoo 0—^0 ^^^ pro- umbia, Boston, Penns^V^-^X '’’Discriminating between the racial ject received the life XXa nZ* Ontarto^Washington, Los Angeles, and religious aspects of the con- which re^gn^ the^career ^a North troversy, Bagli asked, “What are we American j his/her nia. The youth, divided into three age ­ attempting to perpetuate on this conti- reached the very pinnaclei of 17.20, 21-25) discussed nent - a race or a religion? ” and chosen Profession. Jamsheed^^Cho^shy |rrjrudes towards prayer, the necessity added, “The convention , thal. Zoroas- who thfKhotaexcell- of forming local youth groups North continued on page 4t) Zoroastrian myth that cannot be sup- formance for a mixed-marriage is in no way an infraction of the basic theolo- The navfote of the children of an extra-communal marital union, he reiterated, would be meaningless if we are aiming to perpetuate a racial enti ­ ty. ” In contrast, if the objective is to perpetuate a religion, then we have an obligation to fulfill by performing the navjote, if desired by both the parents. Congress sidelights “The message emanating from the two together with a clear demonstration of an all-round balanced life-style. Awarded the most prestigious scho- all-round balanced life-style. Rel;X in Th': New iaThi^ .ha, the UniversUies of rhr^-.San-:i:s^^ oTSSI « North American Zoroastrian Con- than the great scholars of the past, ” quotes the newsletter. Zubin Panth- \ an A-erade student since presence on At the banquet which recognizes the career of a North has attempting tcT perpetuate on this conti- reached the very npnt - a race or a religion? ” and chosen profession. Jamsheed ^okshy added “The convention that Zoroas- who is studying for his PhD at Harvard trianism is a religion exclusively of the University received the scholar exceU- • t2n f,nre«trv is a DOSt- ence award for academic brilliance people of Iranian ancestry is a post- ence 23 Parsiana July 1988ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD STEERING THE NORTH AMERICAN FEDERATION FEZANA aims to direct the course of Zoroastrian perpetuation in North America, says president Rohinton Rivetna Arnavaz S. Mama S®'^esome responsibility, organizational structure. ” The occa- ican Zoroastrian laity. The idea is to chni.idTc contrast to the Congress, was create spiritual leaders and guides bv shoulders the respmisibility for the marked by camaraderie, mutual re- taking navar-maratabs and molding . continuation of our faith Each living spect and trust, the president noted them^ “into what we perceive at S^S"S7us“;i w^^ priests. ” There are a handful of such a spirit of cooperation, not confronta ­ tion. Let us resolve to proceed with mutual trust and respect. Let us re- j based upon issues, not personalities. ’ In a few choice words, Rohinton Rivetna, elected uncontested v _______ .—j dent of the Federation of Zoroastrian their membership and Associations of North /____ (FEZANA) in March this year, had i caunvxatvd ihv buMv piubicms ihai vote is truly democratic...so that you mentistheonlywavtokeeothecommun- apd can get the feeling of the people. We ity together, ” says Rivetna^ direction m which the solutions he. want unanimity or a large majority on FEZANA’s Specific activities are rr* ®W='d Ve hesi- entrusted ,o AnriH J r ’">'"”"8 without a majority towards fulfiUing the Federation ’s pur- April 1, 1988, was another milestone m favor, ” says Rivetna adding, “We noses while the five eieetAd rn ”: -naior issues yet ^roMtnans m that TOntentious meet- “Strictly religious issues will not be developments) ir^nrout' ”that*the -triM^nme^a^t^SSAnn vtew'Td; "fSanization is functioning in the man- inan congress at Los Angeles (LA) m view of the traditionalists misgivings ner it should ” August-September 1985, remembered at the LA Congress) although “opin- The executive council will meet fionr The*t^ disruptive dehbera- mns have been expressed (at the Sixth once a year at the minimum and e^ry-* t ons. The trust reposed m him by the Congress in Toronto) that we should body will meet every two years at the fied when FEZANA’s cnn > week-long sojourn in Bombay in be effective that we can do a job, tated by his father ’s illness - Rivetna wants is change for the sake of change, prove our worth. . .At the (Sixth) Con- assessed the quality of health care pro- without due or deliberate thought In gress there was a lot of harmony, a lot vided by the B.D. Petit Parsee Gener- the new world we would of course like of togetherness. (People) recognize al Hospital: “For what we pay - one- to practise all of our traditions, that we ’ve l achieve our goals as a community in L....----------- a~- o--------- - * . . , North America. If we continue not to people were willing to pay more, it direct conflict with the custom of the coordinate our effort, we lose out on a tremendous resource at our disposal - we won ’t be effective at anything we do. ” A restraining factor is money. “The dues will not be sufficient for a lot of lot of money before we can do or 30,000 in one or two decades. His things, because the environment None of us has the knowledge, nor see a great future. . .We have religious the right, nor the power to change any- freedom that some other countries do thing. Rather, change is inevitable, i as a process of natural North America will be selection, ” Rivetna had noted at one ___ ..1________________ . of the earlier congresses. “Let us not We will be able to maintain the fight it. Rather, with an illumined mind, let us give a gentle direction to people, hope for contributions from America, however, is optimistic. individuals and associations. ” ‘ Rivetna paid tribute to “our vision ­ ary colleagues Dr Jehan Bagli, Homi not enjoy, a lot of opportunities. In and comes Minocher-Homji and Lovji Cama years to come *** * (coordinators of the erstwhile United to Zoroastrians what India is today... Zoroastrian Associations of North tn maintain the America - UZANA - who had) laid Zoroa'strian identity - the environ- Zoroastrian Associations of North /Mncriua — — WUW laiM ...... J ,,, . 1 . T _____ the groundwork for such an umbrella ment in such. We just have to mold the course we are taking. Let us adapt o . - . . , ... .1 -11 _____ 4.^ Konzi Q liffiA With thp wind and and bend a little with the wind and f mind strive to find ways to mold our tradi- the third fourth and fifth congresses that Zoroastrians in North America tions to new environs without com- were held under UZANA auspices, w... .......-------- ,, the organization was finally buried at adding, “I’d like more Zoroastrians to message of Zarathushtra. the Fifth Congress. “Nobody had writ- ------ ” -- ------------------------------- ten UZANA’s constitution and no- . body had spent time to get all these fers to steer clear of such classrfica- grOUP in California things together because the time tions as orthodox or liberal. Take & r wasn ’t ripe^ (for a federation) 10 years each issue on its own merits, ” he coun- About 150 traditionally attired ago. Now it fell into place because seis. As for the acceptance of non- Zoroastrians attended the there seems to be need for it, ” Rivetna Zoroastrians, Rivetna believes that a jashani ami explained. 1 The thoughtful, soft-spoken behdin a practising Zoroastrian - had presided over the Zoroastrian —---- ------------ Association of Metropolitan Chicago spect of the community , and complete (ZAC) during the emotional turbu- i " organization, ” in his speech at the things so that it all comes to pass Sixth Congress at Toronto. Although ... there is no question in my mird will survive and prosper, ” he states, promising the eternal and everlasting come to North America. ” Loath to be labelled, Rivetna pre ­ ago. Now it fell into place because seis. As for the acceptance of non- person such as Joseph Peterson, who is Traditional Mazadayasni Zoroastrian a - even more Anjuman (TMZA) notes the organiza- so than most others - deserves the re- tion ’s first newsletter of May 15. The • ; non-profit organization has been in- (Z,AL.I ouring me cinuuuuci. miuu- acceptance. These are rare instances corporated m California to practice, lence that followed the navjote of and unlikely to occur frequently, preserve and perpetuate our religion American engineer Joseph Peterson in There is no waiting list. But what de- m its pristine form in North America New York in 1983, held the commun ­ ity together and led the way to build ­ ing its own L-------------- -------------- There is no waiting list. But what de- ------. serves our immediate attention is the The association aims to draw together r ano lea me way lo uuuu- acceptance of children, one of whose traditional Zoroastrians across the Darbe Mehr. At the end of parents is a non-Zoroastrian, the accept- country and has the ultimate goal of 28 Parsiana July 1988 r ! 1 tMUIIUU.6 -XXV. vxpwx-vxxxg - —_______ _ Munshi, vice- till such time the formal registration agiary, as per an earlier press release president Ms Piroja Irani, treasurer exam is taken and passed, informs received by Parsiana on April 5,1988. Edal Bamji, secretary Ms Teshtar Ira- the newsletter. Employing institutions Located at 11 Crestwood Drive, ni, joint secretary Pesi Bavaadam; will help with education and exam pre* Newport Beach, CA 92660, the members-at-large Khurshed Birdie, paration and Dr (Ms) Mehroo Patel at ______r. - - ’ - .... 1 X- __ ___1 ___________ 1 I'io 1 PorV TT building and operating a consecrated president Erach Munshi, VVXV..V. ^3 . V.... .jz... ____ Edal Bamji, secretary Ms Teshtar Ira- the newsletter. Employing institutions Located at 11 Crestwood Drive, ni, joint secretary Pesi Bav^dam; will help withjeducation^and exam^pre* Newport Beacn, ca yzoou, me mcmocrs-ai-jiiigc iwiuisuwx unvuv, jx«xxxxxvz..-t TMZA’s first board of directors is Ms Freny Dalal, Ms Kamal Davar and 138 Le Moyne, Oak Park, IL 60302, headed by Tahamtan Aresh as per the Ms Hutoxi Kandawalla. Later, they USA, is ready to provide details, newsletter. The other office-bearers also assumed charge of ZAGNY’s are vice-president Noshir Jesung, seven committees: Bamji, finance; “A collection of more than 40 books, a treasurer Dinshaw Irani, secretary Piroja Irani, library; Dalal, scho- set of liturgical items for general Burjor Santoke and program chairper- larship; Davar, housekeeping; Kanda- prayer ceremonies and accessories for son Ms Pervin Irani. walla, building/maintenance; Munshi, the performance of the baaj ceremony “We feel that it is lack of under- fund-raising; and Teshtar Irani, social plus some prayer books ” have been standing and appreciation of our prac- and public relations. gifted by Eryad Jehangir Turel, of the tices that cause people to discard what Additionally, Professor Kaikhosrov Shahenshahi Atash Bahram of SuraL they do not understand. After all, one Irani heads the committee on religion; to ZAC, notes the newsletter. Ervad cannot preserve something unless one Lovji Cama continues as dean of reli- Neriosang Karanjia undertook the knows what it is that we are trying to gious studies and Astad Clubwalla transportation of the precious cargo, preserve, ” notes the newsletter, heads the legal committee. Bamji, Accordingly, Avesta-Pahlavi scholar who is also chairperson of the newly The General Electric Company s air- Dastur Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, high instituted youth committee, is shortly craft engine business group managerial priest of the Anjuman Atash Bahram, expected to outline the objectives and award was conferred on Dr and Ms Bombay — the first speaker under projects to meet the needs of the Aspi Wadia of Cincinnati, Ohio, in TMZA auspices - detailed the import- young. March 1988, informs the ZAC news- ance of rituals in the life of a Zoroas- letter. Ihe Wadias have donated a Pennsylvania S board part of the cash award to ZAC char- On a second occasion. Dr Alan Wil- Farhad Cama continues as president of ities. hams, of the University of Manches- the Zoroastrian Association of Penn- ter ’s Department of Comparative Re- sylvania, informs the Association ’s ligion, reiterated the theme and de- May newsletter. The new board of Zoroastrianism in Armenia is a new scribed how members of a community directors, elected at' the Association ’s book authored by Dr James Russell lost the feeling of kinship with each Jamshedi Navroze get-together, in- who teaches comparative religion at other in religions where rituals had eludes vice-president Farokh Sinor, been swept away. The newsletter in- secretary Ms Zarin Balaporia, assis- forms that Williams met with the asso- tant secretary Ms Mahrukh Morris, ter ’s newsletter. The Zoroastrian ciation ’s youth again the following day treasurer Daraius Jagus and assistant (April and May 1988). Published by “to offer guidance in dealing with their treasurer Hutoxi Contractor. The six Harvard University ’s Department of curious and inquisitive non- directors at large are Dr Farhad Con- Near Eastern Languages and Civiliza- Zoroastrian friends. ” Thereafter, tractor. Dr Rusi Tarleyarkhan, Dr Adi tions in its Harvard Iranian Series and Bombay based Zoroastrian Studies ’ Tamboli, Jamshed Jagus, Poras Bal- the National Association for Arme- founder Khojeste Mistree held a two- sara and Jehangir Mistry. nian Studies and Research, the news- day seminar on various aspects of the ’ ‘ ’ ’ ” ' ' religion. 'Ae TMZA holds religious classes tions. cum pot luck every first Saturday of the month with the intention of cover ­ ing Zoroastrian theory as well as prac- An opportunity for a two-year stint in ticals in sudreh making and ethnic the US is knocking at the door of cookery, informs the newsletter. nurses, states the April and May news- _ . w i. letters of the Zoroastrian Association A 50-year retrospective of the photo- Otiice-bearers of Metropolitan Chicago (ZAC), graphic work of Sam Tata has been A recital from the Gathas by children Candidates are required to pass the sponsored by the Canadian Museum of the Zoroastrian Association of Certificate of Foreign Nursing Gradu- of Contemporary Photographs, in- Greater New York ’s (2^GNY) senior ates exam administered by US embas- forms Gavashni (June 1988), the news ­ religious class inaugurated Jamshedi sies and consulates twice a year. Sue- letter of the Zoroastrian Association Navroze festivities for 300 Zoroas- cessful candidates would be employed of Quebec. Starting at the Sadie trians at the New Rochelle Darbe by US hospitals under the H-I non- Bronfman Centre, Montreal, the ex ­ Mehr, New York, notes ZAGNY’s immigrant professional visa, valid for hibits will travel to several important April newsletter. The annual general two years. art centers across the country, includ- meeting which followed elected the “Temporary registration to practice ing the University of Toronto ’s Hart new board of directors for 1988-90: in the employing institution is granted House. vice-president Noshir jesung, seven vuuuiunccs. oaiuji, uuouvq , ---- -------------- - Dinshaw Irani, secretary Piroja Irani, library; Dalal, scho- set of liturgical items for general Pennsylvania’s board Armenian Zoroastrians Columbia University, New York, in ­ forms the California ZLoroastrian Cen ­ ter ’s newsletter. ..J non- directors at large are L>r harnao con- isear nasiern Languages anu veAhraSd “tr dissenting note, and a ^i^tadot^ ;, t^bS/tamed by the re- observed that while the capital city of stronger voice does tt command, is The Doongaji Agiary has, by the admission of its own panthaky, only five people visiting it daily though there were around 2,000 Parsis 1 from “Although the Agiary is totally fi ­ nanced by us, the Bharuch Panchayet manages it for us, ” says Doongaji, “so we put the proposal of shifting the Agiary before the anjuman (local com ­ munity). ” Recounts Kapadia: “The proposal to permit the shifting of the atash was then unanimously accepted by the 77 people present at the meet ­ ing, including all the seven mobeds of Bharuch ’s agiaries. ” Today, however, the only living mobed, of the seven who voted, says he never agreed to ¦ having the Agiary shifted. This reflects a solidarity with the panthaky who, while considering the decision a fait ____ ________ accompli, yet nurses doubts on how that while the the Panchayet can let a fire leave its limits on the basis of a consensus pas- Even if a fresh mandate were to be not call called upon now, the Parsi population in Bharuch would agree to the pad- be, ” states Doongaji. Land prices at spindle, expresses the feelings of a construction of the Agiary, and a uch Fort, where the Agiary is sited mother who is saddened by the mar ­ ine 3UVU, riage of her daughter into a distant iiavv low, though, informs family, yet happy that the daughter Feroze Lakdawala, as the area is would be settled in conditions much fraught with riots; even on a quiet superior to her mahiru s (mother s - • ¦ ----- same a evening, it is not ’uncommon to see place). Kapadia, articulating ±e have already collected Rs 8,10,000, security personnel patrolling the feeling, says that all Parsis should But we shall pull gladdened by the padshah ’s migration .exi noriiiusji uuvug», aoovtto a confident Rustom for, with the lodging of the fire in a kind of appeal Doongaji for whom the transfer of the bigger city, ‘ lambayarso sudhi pad- Godrei Agiary will be a fulfillment of a dream shah jalvayla rahse, pun parvansh J Yet another dissenting note, and a observed that while the capital city of stronger voice does it command, is 38 Parsiana July 1988I from the Agiary ’s third behdin : Sam notice, and matters could have desecrated, and the building stands in Sethna, the owner of an ice factory reached a flash point, but as Kapadia ruined surroundings. Lessons from the and a couple of cinema houses in put it, “samjhu varg ni samjhauti ne past, and portents for the future, have Bharuch. Sethna, one of the regular abhiriandan chhe (we praise the under- guided the Parsis in Bharuch into bid ­ devotees at the Agiary and reportedly standing displayed). ” Later, Sethna ding a fond farewell to one of their sympathetic to the plight of the panth- changed his opposition. Though not oldest fire-temples. aky, was not initially in favor of the responding to Parsiana, nor meeting shift. Matters were further compli- with the Doongajis in Bombay to ex- Agiary edifice stands fortress-like cated when Bejan Lakdawala, fearing press his dissent on any point, Sethna ’s upon a raised embankment close to that Sethna would move a stay order silence seems to express consent, the now gently flowing, yet sometimes to the shifting of the Agiary, and Doongaji argues that if it was a fire he ravagingly destructive Narmada river, throw a spanner in the works, filed a wished to protect, there are five others One enters the Agiary courtyard from caveat in court that if anything is done in Bharuch to care for. The mighty towards the same, he should be in- Wakharia family ’s Agiary, for exam- formed first. Sethna was served a pie, is in shambles : the fire has been ... ......... ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ Despite its 80-odd years, the present Gleanings on Godrej Bang On a scarp of a hill off Nepean Sea the suburbs, ” argues Nariman Sar- Road, overlooking the sea, is Bom- kari. There is also a taxi stand at bay ’s newest Punchayet-allotted Simla Estate, a few furlongs away, colony for Parsis, the Godrej Baug. Built over a vast plot of land that Though construction costs on virgin the Punchayet sethias had purch- land must have been high, and the ased with rare foresight years ago, locality commands sky-high prices, the Godrej Baug houses in its four most residents, many of whom are constructed buildings, 110 Parsi retired Godrej personnel, feel that families. The first allotments on the rent charged is very modest - Rs three buildings were made here 400 and Rs 550 for one and two- around 1984, on a 50:50 basis by the room flats respectively. Bombay Parsi Punchayet and the Godrej Foundation which built all managed Baug, ostensibly with the the blocks at its expense on Pun- intention of housing the less chayet land. Allotments in the affluent, Parsi residents here are fourth block were made by the Pun- not allowed to install air- chayet, on recommendations from conditioners. Recently, a proposal the Rayomand Committee which for cable television in the Baug was contributed to the construction of shot down by the trustees on the this 20-apartment block. same grounds. As one resident Approachable by a tarred motor- quipped: “Most people here are able road from behind the Hyder- poor; they can only afford to have abad Estate, the colony can also be reached by descending a pag-dandi (dust track) from a little below thriving Baug is the natural cul- Pherozeshah Gardens, under its Sunset View ­ point. This route is generally fa ­ vored by the younger residents who Baug athornan who had joined in at get an empty bus from Hanging the foundation stone-laying jashan Gardens to the city ’s business dis- ceremony, says, “We will get a tricts and back. chokhi jagah (pure place) to sit and Despite the inconvenience in pray - away from the gangas approach, most residents - even the (domestic help) and paowallas aged - find it a pleasure staying (bread-men). ” And, her daughter, amidst terraced gardens and well- Aban, chopping vegetables, adds: kept Parsi surroundings. “The “The youngsters here will find their climb is over within 10 minutes or spiritual bearings. If not daily, at so; it would take you longer to least during exam times they will reach home if you were staying in get religious solace. ” All flats are on rental basis. However, being a Punchayet- one car. ” An agiary, within an already Mehta (Hanging) mination for “all things good and Parsi, ” to twist a proverb. As Ms Dhun Chhore, wife of Nariman, a a street, running parallel to the river. The little boats bobbing on the waters can be seen clearly from the Agiary ’s pillared portico. Opened to public on a befitting hamkara: Ava mah, Ava roj in 1903, the Doongaji Agiary with its two wells, storerooms, a prayer room, may soon be converted into a dharam- shala (inn), or used for any other char ­ itable purpose, as the Doongajis are loath to sell it unless pecuniary res ­ traints force them to do so. The inten ­ tion to devote the place to community welfare has partially aided in softening Sethna ’s stand, though how many Parsis would take advantage of the inn (or, if it is made into a school, of the institution), is a matter of conjecture. The Jijibhai Dadabhai Zarthosti Nishal (school) lies closed and crumb ­ ling just a few furlongs away, in mute testimony to the passing away of the Parsi population, and the irregularly shaped octagonal watch-tower of the Agiary may soon provide it secluded company. While the Doongaji Agiary eluded the Delhi populace due to differences within the Doongaji family, despite the unanimous approval of the Bhar- uch Anjuman, its coming to Bombay is a certainty. “Burjorji, the eldest Doongaji amidst us today - at 91, a month older than Shirinbai - and his branch of the family were opposed to the shifting of the padshah to Delhi, ” states Rustom Doongaji. “But this time, we have obtained a 100 percent approval from our tribe, ” he smiles. All the Doongajis, even those in places as far-flung as Raigad in Madhya Pradesh, have welcomed the shifting to Bombay, and Rustom, who has written to each and every living Doongaji the world over, has received their approval in writing, accompanied in most cases by donations towards assuring the fructification of the pro­ ject. The magic word which has mater- 39 Parsiana July 1988I* iiiamaiv.i .jii.iii.eru. o V..WV....—.....— —_____ 1__ -o-—./ r____ prcmiscs, atop the crest of a hill been ‘Bombay. ’ Her ancient family es are not ready by then, the fire will overlooking the blue waters of the fire, brought to the city most teeming be lodged in a Punchayet-managed Arabian Sea, instead of the rain-fed of Parsis, will have its future preserva- agiary in Bombay. torrents of the Narmada. And Peston- tion assured, even if it be at the altar of In the meanwhile, work at Godrej ji,along with his eight sons - Jamshed ­ orthodoxy, or at the expense of the Baug is on in full swing.Naoroji God- ji, Mancherji, Dhanjisha, Navroji, Doongajis having no further say in rej, the founding figure of the Baug, Khurshedji, Bomansha, Nusserwanji matters regarding the administration visits it - T^.n«haw _ rnniH well lav out the of the Agiary which would house their And construction work proceeds not patlas once again (this time over a vas- atash. (The Agiary will be solely man- only on the Agiary building, but on a t — th^..rT .n t e ialized matriarch Shirinbai ’s dream has adding that in case the Agiary premis- __ ___ _ _______________________ torrents of the Narmada. And Peston- In 4he meanwhile, work at Godrej ji,along with his eight sons - Jamshed- unfailingly every Saturday, and Dinshaw - could well lay out the ter expanse of water, though), and the aged by the Bombay Punchayet which complex of residential flats too which family transport their portly selves has turned down the Doongaiis ’ repre- are fast nearing completion. Strange over a steep hill face, puffing and pant- ing, to reach their ancestral fire ’s new residence. “Yes, the climb uphill is steep, ’’ sentation for a seat on the manage- are the ways of God, indeed. An Agi- ment of the Agiary.) ary which had been witness to the gra- The Doongajis now have to file dual dispersion of its behdins, will now their papers with the Charity Commis- witness a fresh influx of them. Within i • i i _i sioner at Baroda for moving the fire, a few years, the Godrej Baug, current- An Agiary which had though there is some debate on ly housing 110 families tn four build- l *L. whether this must be done, or can be ings, is expected to grow to be one of lJUUl I Wl 111000 LU LI lO dispensed with, as only the fire is being the largest Parsi colonies, with over 15 rprlI IaI HiQnPr^inn of shifted, not the Agiary. While the ap- buildings soaring over the Bombay y IdUUdl UlOpOl O Ul Ul .....- Its behdins, will now Doongaji calculates that the trek from anachronism, that Bombay s newest froch infli iv Bharuch as worked out by Sorab Kat- Agiary should house, second to Foun- Wl LI looo d 11 oOI 1 11111U A of them plication has not yet been made, skyline. It is equally strange. an I.- f I I I .|i f. i I pitia, the chief executive of the Surat tain ’s Banaji Limji Agiary, the city s Parsi Panchayet, with Ervad Turel and oldest flame. Dastur Kotwal, will begin in the winter This year, probably, will be the last nights, the caravan of mobeds and Doongaji family will be said at ®har- behdins from the villages will move, uch. “Thirteen tables are^laid out, ” in ­ dispelling the darkness of December f ------2_ " , ' ' * nights with the radiance of light from even advertised for a second priest to it the holy fire. “The Punchayet is keen assist during the Gatha days. Next daunt many a city Parsi from regularly we bring the fire here soon, lest we year, as per family requirements, the visiting the Agiary, particular^ since change our minds, ” jokes Doongaji, prayers will be intoned in the new Agi- there are two other agiaries (Thoothi ® Agiary at Walkeshwar and Saher Agi­ ary at Breach Candy) already in the vicinity, though at least one of them is equally inaccessible. So, is Bahar- kot ’s 110-population Agiary going to be a restricted affair for just 110 families and the Doongaji tribe? Or will it, with the envisaged growth at Godrej Baug, and the possible laying out of better roads, including a path ­ way from Doongerwadi, which lies just behind the Baug, become the new center for Zoroastrianism in Bombay, with its proposed community hall, lib ­ rary and religious instruction classes? The Doongaji Agiary stands at the crossroads of time, looking back on a glorious past, a stagnant present and a rosy future. Till such a time, there is an assurance in Sarkari ’s assertion backed by that of most other residents : “Hame Agiary ne nibhavshu (We will look after the Agiary). ” And the ring of confidence in their voices assures us^ in the words of Nasirabadwalla, that “every Parsi has yet a little of religion left in him. ” Masiur ivuiwai. Will ucgiii *** wiin.v* j*-<**9 -- —----- • i j n ‘j *. of 1988 Every night, for at least 20 time that the muktad prayers for the agrees Nasirabadwalla, a resident and J 6 ’ , . „ DU„_. one of the four pHCSts from the Baug ucn. iniriccii lituivaaiciaiuMui, to perform the jashan ceremony when forms Sidhwa, and the Doongajis had the Agiary ’s foundation stone was laid earlier this year. The approach could Gifts& Hie Friendly Gift Shop for handicrafts, festive ^fts, reli^ous artefacts, executive desk exdurive shell items, derigner sets, exclusive shell items, desto jewelry & spedalizing in wooa & copper-enamel ^fts. BOMBAY SWADESHI STORES LTD. (Mezzanine Floor) Sir PM Road, Bombay400 001 STUOtO AKAR 6T/2660 40 Parsiana July 1988I r A i I f I I INSTITUTIONS Vyara vignette * — ¦¦ A__ The Vya,. •gS. in the community that even 100 famines ran «Ke ».<=»»«- rebuilding an agiary and hosting a national meet It ’s a long journey from Bombay to Vvara, and a tiring one, if you happen to be driving under the relentless, scorching sun. Prior to the monsoons, everything is dry and fallow. Women walking with water pots and men hero- ing t. sights greens, itiat is, unui vuu vvra.aw -k—- Vyara village where a positive burst ot color greets you. People are every ­ where; both sides of the bazaar streets are lined with narrow shops, and haw ­ kers have no compunction in occupy ­ ing a substantial portion of the unbe ­ lievably narrow lanes, making it even more difficult for the incessantly hon ­ king cars to squeeze past. Make a cou ­ ple of turns here and there, until you reach the main bazaar road where you will find the newly rebuilt Nusserwanji tired, ill-fed cattle are familiar amidst the browns and listless That is, until you come upon color greefs you. People are every- lin ’ed with narrow shops, and haw- substantial portion difficult for the incessantly hon- Niloofer J. Madon the strength of our written appeals. The members of our Anjuman too eave their mite from their small sav ­ ings. Seeing the ease with which we collected the funds, we feel that we were helped by a heavenly hand, re ­ marks Jokhi who has been the presi ­ dent of the anjuman for the last y When approximately four and a half lakh rupees were collected, work on the agiary building and the adjoining ’------ 1 in 1987. To col- lect the remaining amount needed, tne trustees approached Hong Kong phi ­ lanthropist Shahpurji Fakirji Jokhi whose family has its roots in Vysra. Jokhi donated three lakh rupees which more than covered the deficit m the estimated construction cost of the a^- years. T-- lakh rupees were t ___ „ ,.......... mobed quarters began Iwi 1 Vli*********t3 —----- , . trustees approached Hong Kong phi ­ lanthropist Shahpurji Fakirji Jokhi whose family has its roots in Vysra. than covered the deficit in the th<* arv building. (Jokhi has also built the "^ya^^outhZTuUtionissub- AvaB^gan^b^ Vyara ’s youth population is suo collected, work on in 1987. To col- Anjuman 1--------- > iqq-? established on November 2, ISVX •me new admits Jokhi. Despite the penooic re- hall has ’not be- =S2sS“,;:7£ but the chief obstacle ning middle-class people - there the rich industrialists. So we agiary, spacious and gleaming. was lunu , The 92-year-old agiary had been re ­ paired four times in the past 10 years, reoorts Dr Bahadur P. Jokhi, presi ­ dent of the Vyara Songadh Parsi Jarth- try osti Anjuman in the souvenir in Gu- Im jarati released at the inauguralionjif tniffi the rebuilt agiary on I-------- Nearly 100 fiS^e other gious cause. Donations were rcve.vv» ) floors housing some members of the ’Anjuman. “We have done this work very eco- man are :;%a ”led io ioroastrians in this »un- ‘Xr? “XrXiiuman'pie ’si. -°”and abroad to eome to our help, “micall^ Xusie^s and other % TnoE'^ver^enTaS; Sioasttians provided tractor troUey, is who had not even seen vya > . vehicles-to transport mate MarcHl, i ‘988. or heard the name< came fo^ard w h of the their donations because it was a re building. We have als( ¦ ES::XlnUtS„gcfmentatalowe dent; “My co-trustees and othei 42 Parsiana July 1388rate and the government forest depart- compliment brings a nod and a smile has not had a single holiday in three ment has provided us wood at an eco- to his tired face. Panthaky says that years - not even to Surat which is his nomical rate. Jehanbux T. Billimoria, the agiary serves Vyara and its sur- hometown. The 57-year-old Panthaky who made frequent trips from Bombay rounding villages. TTie attendance at who had formerly worked at agiaries to Vyara, designed the agiary free the agiary itself is not high with a max- in Surat, Bombay, Poona and Secun- of cost. The expenditure on the elec- imum of two persons a day, unless it is derabad acknowledges that the Dar-e- trical fittings of the agiary building and an auspicious day or a festive occasion. Meher is a “24 hours nu bandhan the mobed quarters were borne by His job involves regular travel to the (bondage). ” Though the fire is only a Shiavaxsha Dotiwalla who donated neighboring villages to perform cere- dadgah he is loathe to leave if un- almost 50,000 rupees. ” monies for families residing there. His attended because it has been kept On March 21, 1988 a crowd of religious duties are shared by his wife burning for 93 years and if he does not around 2,000 persons had gathered to Dina who prepares the daran (un- look after it, who will? When he ten- witness the inauguration of the rebuilt leavened bread) and malido (a trad- dered his resignation some years ago, Dar-e-Meher at the hands of Bombay itional sweet), and in the absence of the it was not accepted. Panthaky ’s two Parsi Punchayet trustee Jamshed Guz- chasniwalla, personally delivers the navar-maratab sons, studying outside der. The High Priest of the Navsari chasni (consecrated food) to the fami- Vyara, assist their father in the agiary Atash Bahram, Dastur Meherji lies concerned. She says that the peo- when they are home on holiday. Their Meherjirana, presided over the func- pie here are very orthodox and will not sister is employed in Vyara. The fami ­ ly is nonetheless happy with the new Dar-e-Meher and the mobed quarters, and grateful that at the inauguration celebrations each member was pre ­ sented Rs 1,100 as a token of the Anjuman ’s appreciation. Anjuman of agriculturists Three hundred Zoroastrians from 100 families scattered in Vyara, Songadh, Bajipura, Kapura, Chapawadi and Rani-Amba are affiliated to the Vyara Songadh Parsee Jarthosti Anjuman. Almost all the members are agricultur ­ ists, 40 percent of whom own irrigated lands, a very important consideration in drought afflicted Gujarat. Since fAhn 1985, when the government formed BMi^Jokhi cooperatives in the area, most (Right] grow sugarcane which is cut by FimzLhah government workers and even proces- Panthakv government factories. The other (Far right] crops cultivated are paddy, groundnut, ^The abode of vegetables and fruits. While some per- ^fiyg sons are the nearby w^Ltheagiarv <^ustrial areas, inany are engaged was being businesses which include poul- reconstr^d farming, petrol pumps, transport, ice factory, etc. The only Parsi doctor tion. Many speeches were read and carry home their chasni after the in the area is the Anjuman ’s president shawls, gifts and other tokens of prayers, as happens in Bombay from Dr Bahadur Jokhi. Women and girls, , appreciation presented, all carefully where she comes. if not looking after the home, are recorded on a more than two-hour ­ long video cassette. The person who is naturally proud the work single-handedly. His respon- Though there are numerous schools in and happy about the whole event is the sibilities include the cleaning of the en- the vicinity as also the R. P. Chauhan panthaky of the Dar-e-Meher, Ervad tire Dar-e-Meher. During the muktads Arts and Commerce College, a stu- Firozeshah Dadabhoy Panthaky, who he is the only priest officiating as out- dent keen to learn science must go to a has been with the agiary for 20 years, side help from Surat would prove cost- college either in Bardoli or Surat, Pointing to the agiary complex he ly - Rs 50 per day with food and trans- while those Wishing to study agricul- asks, ''Sachhu bolo, kevi lagech (Tell port to be paid by Panthaky to the ture need to go to Navsari. Social func- me truthfully, how does it look)? ” A assisting mobed. Rumi says his father tions and youth get-togethers are not Rumi, one of Panthaky ’s sons, is either typists or teach in the various angry that his father has to perform all schools in the towns and villages. 43 Parsiana July 1988* frequently convened by the Anjuman had to be taken over a long distance 70 by 30 feet with a rear compound though the families do meet each other where a dokhma was available. This admeasuring 88 by 48 feet. In the com- informally on many occasions. Many caused double sorrow to the bereaved pound are the mobed quarters and a are active members of the Lions Club family. By building this dokhma you, well. Besides the priests (who per- and the Rotary Club of Vyara and and the others who have helped you in formed the inauguration ceremonies) Songadh. Apart from that, there is al- this good cause, have alleviated much there were 300 Parsis present at the ways the television for entertainment, of their sorrow. ” inaugural. The agiary was named the The Anjuman ’s cash assets are Furthermore a letter dated February Seth Nusserwanji Manekji Petit Vyara worth two lakh rupees. The immov- 8, 1863 written by Surat resident Dos- Dar-e-Meher. One person pointed out able properties comprise the agiary sabhai Pallonji Joshi and reprinted in to the Anjuman that there was a con- and the mobed quarters, the dokhma the Jam-e-Jamshed of February 16, dition laid down by Bai Dinbai that with its six acres of surrounding land, a 1863 states: “On our way to the inau- only mobeds and those bringing dead bodies from neighboring villages could use the agiary rooms. He suggested that there should be a correction, and all Zoroastrians coming from other places should be allowed to use them... It was later decided that all except women could make use of the dharamshala. ” I f I i' 1 ! nassakhana and eight residential houses. Looking after these properties is the main aim of the 11 trustees of the Anjuman, three of whom must com ­ pulsorily resign every three years when fresh elections take place. Trustees are eligible for reelection and usually the elections are uncontested. The present trustees of the Anjuman are: president Dr Bahadur P. Jokhi, vice-president Rusi H. Parabia, secretary Faramroze M. Jokhi, and committee members Dadabhai B. Dordi, Pirojshaw S. Dor- di, Farokh B. Kasad, Percy B. Buhar- guration ceremony of the Vyara- Meher. In April this year they also iwalla, Khushroo J. Jokhi, Jal S. Songadh dokhma we passed through a undertook to host about 100 delegates Kasad, Dinyar H. Jokhi and Parvez B. village called Bajipura where there is a and guests attending the executive Amaria. (It must be mentioned here 35-year-old Parsi pithu (liquor den). It council meeting of the Federation of that Jokhi and Dordi seem to be the is run by 20-year-old Meherwanji Nav- Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India, standard surnames for people in Vyara roji Bajipura who lives in Mallesar, The decision to accept this responsibil- - a result of the numerous intermar- near Navsari. Meherwanji, like his ity, says president Jokhi, was taken at riages between these families.) father, welcomes any Zoroastrian pas- the Federation meeting in Devka (in Though most of the Anjuman ’s his- sing through Bajipura. The travellers March 1987) when member anjumans tory is unfortunately lost to the com- may not only rest in his house but are were requested to come forth to host munity, it can be gleaned from old re- also offered meals, and if the traveller the Federation meetings of 1988. ports in the Jam-e-Jamshed and the is a mobed he also gets ashodad. Such Almost all the trustees insisted that Rast Goftar that the Vyara Songadh is the largeheartedness of Meherwanji. they did not have to undertake much Anjuman has been in existence for ab- Some 800 or more Zoroastrians passed work for the meeting. Rusi Parabia, out 125 years, notes Rusi Bhesania in through this village on the day of the well-known businessman of the area his editorial in the Dar-e-Meher dokhma inauguration and this gener- and the vice-president of the Anju- souvenir. In a report in Gujarati in the ous Parsi welcomed each one of them, man, made sure his Kell ’s Hotel at Rflst Go/Zflr dated February 15,1863 it This made a great impression on Ukai (25 kms from Vyara) was avail- is stated: “We are pleased to announce everyone. ” able for the members and invitees of that the Vyara Songadh ughrat (com- Thirtytwo years later, the inaugura- the Federation. The Federation meet- munity financed) dokhma has been tion of the Petit Dar-e-Meher was ing was held under a shamiana on the built in Vyara under the leadership of given coverage in the Jam-e-Jamshed lawns of the Hotel itself. While the Seth Khurshedji Noshirwan Cama. It of November 23, 1895: “This agiary food arrangements were entrusted to a was inaugurated according to Zoroas- was built by the philanthropic Bai Din- Navsari caterer, the Anjuman trustees trian rites on February 5, 1863 and bai Nusserwanji Petit in memory of and helpers looked after the comfort 2,000 Parsis from the surrounding vil- her late husband Nusserwanji Manekji of their guests. The result was a very lages gathered to witness the occa- Petit. On November 17, the religious well organized meeting, enjoyed by sion... ” ceremonies to mark the inauguration one and all despite the oppressive The members of the Anjuman pre- of the agiary were completed and it April heat, sented a znanpatra (citation) to Cama was declared open. The rest of the agi- Some Zoroastrians who had not even seen Vyara, or heard the name, came forward with donations towards this religious cause f / II Hosting Federation meet The story of this small but enterprising Vyara Songadh Anjuman does not end with the rebuilding of their Dar-e- ( sented a manpatra (citation) to Cama was declared open. The rest of the agi- Having inaugurated a new Dar-e- which was reprinted in the Rast Gof- ary building is divided into two parts. Meher and held a Federation meeting, tar: “Although there is a substantial One part is exclusively for the use of the Vyara Songadh Anjuman is not Zoroastrian population in Vyara- the yozdathregars. Two rooms on the content to rest on its laurels. Come Songadh and the surrounding villages, first floor comprise a dharmashala for November 17,1995, it will be celebrat- there was no provision for a dokhma. Parsis coming from other villages and ing, with renewed vigor, the centenary Whenever there was a death, the body cities. The building is approximately of the Petit Dar-e-Meher... 44 Parsiana July 1988BUSINESS The Parabias of Rani-Amba Starting out as a transporter,Rusi Parabia diversified intochemicals, ' and now he and his family run Ukai's largest hotel Niloofer J. Madon Mt Ukai town in Gujarat, there karjo (forgive the inconvenience), ” he As for the Hotel, Parabia was merely /W stands a two-storeyed crescent- saysj, an important telephone call the financier of the project, but when shaped structure known as the from Surat, a tired guest wanting to the original owner could not complete Kell ’s Hotel. The Hotel boasts 18 order a special vegetarian meal for the it, Parabia took it over. Today, the rooms, a dormitory-cum-conference night (Parabia takes it upon himself to Hotel is run by his son Kerman after room and a restaurant. Yet, for its order the dishes), his little grandson whom the Kell ’s Hotel is named (Kellu owner Rusi Hiraji Parabia, the run- Arzan wanting his undivided attention is Kerman ’s pet name). Kerman ’s ning of the Hotel - the latest addition (which he gets for a few loving mo- pretty wife Jasmine also helps. ' to a string of 11 companies he already ments). The list of his companies is impress- owns - is merely a “hobby. ” A former salesman for Noble ive: Rusi Hiraji, the forest contractors, “This business is due to practical Paints, Parabia ’s vast readings and in- cut trees on government land and auc- knowledge; anybody can do it. No terest in the manufacture of chemicals tion the wood; Ahura Chemicals and . training is required. I am only a mat- took him to the Wiscose Paper Mills in the Dadar Lime Manufacturing Com- riculate! ” says the well-built, bespecta- Dandeli, in North Karnataka, where pany make chemicals, especially cal- cled proprietor seated in the lobby of he learnt about lime manufacture. La- cium oxide for paper mills; Ahura his Hotel, which was the venue of the ter, after accumulating the necessary Traders, supply writing and printing executive council meeting of the Fed- finance from relatives, friends and paper to wholesalers and traders; eration of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans banks, Parabia started the Dadar Lime Rani-Amba Enterprises, the labor of India in April this year. Parabia is Manufacturing Company in 1976 and contractors, get the coal unloaded soft-spoken and calm despite the the Ahura Chemical Industries in numerous interruptions that come his 1980. Before venturing into chemicals. On the lawns of Hotel Kell’s (from way - guests wanting to wish him Parabia already had a business in left) Jasmine, Rusi, Aban and i'iXQwe]\[""Koi takleef thai hoi tau maaf transportation and materials handling. Kerman Parabia 45 Parsiana July 1988* f ‘ N i f. '! 1 from the railway wagons, stacked and he has to be very careful in order to CONGRESS SIDELIGHTS crushed; Coal Handling Associates, increase the one lakh into five; but continued from page 23 transport the coal to the mill sites; how his five become 50 and the 50,70, American cultural stresses, coping N.K. Mogul, a softwood business, pro- he himself doesn ’t know)! ” with the religion and traditions, the vides the raw material for the paper Nonetheless, steering companies is issue of conversion, factors influencing industry and as an alternative to coal hard work and Parabia has carved out the priesthood, values and ethics, the for industrial boilers; and Kelly Enter- a daily routine which he follows rigor- identity crisis, etc. They had Manches- prises, hires out its two loaders and ously: “Everyday I get up at 5 o’clock ter University ’s Dr Alan Williams and operators for raw materials like coal, and start for my walk at 5.30. I come Zoroastrian Studies ’ Khojeste Mistree sand and grit. back at 6.20 and by 7.301 am ready to as resource scholars and at the end of Apart from these businesses and the go to the farm. At 9.30 I go to the the workshop a representative of each Hotel, Parabia also continues the tra- office. At noon I break for lunch and group summarized the group ’s discus- ditional business of the area - farming rest till 3 o’clock. ” Then, it is back to sions to the whole gathering. New - and has cultivated 2,000 mango the office till six, to the Hotel from 7 to friendships sparked and old ones re- j trees, 1,200 coconut trees and 38 9, dinner at 9 and to bed at 10. Never kindled as the young savored the varieties of fruits and vegetables on his mind this 17-hour day, says Parabia Jasavala-catered dinner and danced farm at Rani-Amba where he resides, simply, “If there is no work, I will go away the night at the Mehraban Guiv Parabia ’s wife Aban is mainly in- mad! ” Darbe Mehr, adds the newsletter, terested in the farming business, but In this tight schedule, Parabia Instructors of religious education she also takes care of the customers nevertheless makes time for his from Alberta, California, Ontario, and salesmen who frequent their resi- numerous social activities. Apart from Houston, Pittsburgh, New York, dence. All the companies are housed being the vice-president of the Vyara- Montreal and Vancouver discussed in a single office building in Rani- Songadh Jarthosti Anjuman, Parabia teaching methods. Lesson plans were Amba with branch offices in Surat and has been the sarpanch of the Rani- exchanged and suggestions recorded. Bombay. With a total work force of Amba village for the past 15 years, is It was generally felt that the teachers 237, the companies together record a the Lions Club deputy district gov- needed to update their own religious turnover of Rs 1.5 crores. The Hotel, ernor for district 323-F, the vice- knowledge and , even more strongly , by itself has a turnover of Rs 30 to 35 president of the Nutan Vidya Mandir, that parental involvement and educa- lakhs. the English-medium school in Songadh, tion was necessary for the successful Musing over the growth of his com- and a delegate to the Parsi Zoroastrian religious education of the children, panics, Parabia notes philosophically: Matrimonial Court in Surat. Dr Keki Bhote of Chicago provided ''''Manas ne ek lakh rupiyo kamava gha- Unhappy that youngsters do not a summation based upon question- ni mehnat karvi parech; ^k na paanch start their own businesses, Parabia naires distributed to the audience at banava ghanu careful rehvu parech; thinks that maybe it is due to their not the end of each session. In this he was pante paanch na pachaas, ne pachaas wanting to take risks in an unstable assisted by Parvez Payri who had na sitter lakh kare thaich potane and fluctuating market, but adds that drawn up the questionnaires and coor- nathi maalam partu (A man needs to “Man can do anything, anywhere, if dinated the responses. work very hard to earn his first lakh; he is interested. ” The newsletter distributed the cre ­ dits for the success of the Congress: Minoo Treasurywala who headed the programs^committee; Dr Dhun Noria who had liaised with the Constellation Hotel - the site of the conference where many of the out-of-town dele ­ gates were housed; Jamshed Mavalwa- la, whose brain-child was the institu ­ tion of the excellence awards; Meher and Jal Panthaky who collected data for the North American directory; Dinshaw Kanga who designed the ban ­ ner and the cover pages of the prog­ ram, the directory and the Congress announcements; Merwan Dubash who monitored the finance; Dinaz Dotiwa- I la who did all the art work and Yas- I mine Bhaya who “created a most un- I usual banner ” with the Ashofarohar I decked with silk flowers, felt and I beads; Patricia Mavalwala who hand- I led the registration procedures; and I Putli Mirza who billetted out-of-town I delegates with local Zoroastrians. businesses, Parabia naires distributed to the audience at DadarUrm at Rani-Amba 46. Parsiana July 1988 i'- ¦ - - - 9 ¦ a B5, i t S SOO ¦ -S!S? MILESTONES The data on births, marriages A girl to Shireen and Rustom and deaths has been compiled Joshi', June 16 from information supplied by A boy to Amy and Homi anjumans in India and abroad, Bogha', June 17 courts and hospitals. A boy to Shirin and Normaz Of the 99 Parsis who died in Mehta', June 18 Bombay, 33 were victims of A boy to Shenaz and Dara heart disease while lung dis- — - ease claimed 15. The other kil ­ lers were old age (14), brain lVadia;June 23 disease and septicemia (five A\)oy, Rushad, to Nancy and each), cancer (four) and di- Faredoon Kuka', June 25 abetes (three). Accidents, A boy to Farida and Manek asthma, kidney failure, blood Modi', June 25 disease and liver failure A boy to Yasmine and Yezdi claimed two each. Isolated Katgara; June 27 cases of bums, bronchitis, hypertension, typhoid and ulcers were re ­ corded. Three infants (one Irani', June 28 stillborn) were lost to the com- A girl to Navaz and Vistasp munity. In the breakup of Irani; June 29 deaths according to illnesses, it A girl to Silloo and Darius must be noted that in some Patel', June 29 cases, especially in those of the very old, death is often due to Married a combination of several dis ­ eases. If readers have any informa- Zaq', February 19 tion they would like published, Niloofer Godrej Karkaria and some proof to ensure the Bomi Dinshaw Vazifdar; veracity of the report would be April 28 required. We are sure our Farida Fall Udwadia and readers would appreciate this Jimmy Fall Pardiwala', requirement and cooperate April 29 with us. Behroze Tehmurasp Mistry and Rohinton Homi Sanga; May 5 Kripa Framroze Jalnawalla of Jalna and Prixhusp Jamshed Contractor of Madhya Pradesh; May 19 Bakhtawar Dhunjishaw Dinshaw and Nozer Minoo Bhamgara; May 20 Khurshid Dinshaw Bhada and Percy Rusi Katila; May 21 Jasmine Burjor Randelia and Farhad Eruch Kolah', May 22 Maharuck Tamuras Marfatia of Indore and Bejoo Rattanshaw Jilla of Nanded; May 23 Farida Nariman Kotwal and Jehangir Pervez Gilder, May 28 Rukshana Nariman Panthaky and Jimmy Noshir Colabewalla; May 29 Dilber Cawas Gara and Hoshi Homi Daruwalla', May 31 Kesmira Bomi Khambatta of Bulsar and Jehangir Soli Doctor; June 6 (68), Parsee Anjuman Bldg, £Zavza;June 23 A boy to Veera and Piloo A boy to Yasmine and Viraf tuberculosis, Panthakey, June 27 A girl to Pervin and Khurshed Khushnum Dadiba Panthaki and Shahbehram Kaikhusroo Pooran Merwan Ebtedai and Parviz JehangirNiroo',}\me 6 Parsee Gaily, I^lyan; June 5 Ferzana Khudamurad ' . ................. Namiryan and Goodarz Jamshid Bastani-,S}xne 9 Sama Morad Rahmani and Kamran Allahyar Kavianpour, Lady Navajbai Tata Bldg, June 18 - - - Diana Pirojshaw Gandhi and Aspi Darabsha Patel', June 18 Kami Dali Sanjana and Rusi Bahadur Mistry-June 21 Jaiji Hormusji Ghadiali 4/1 Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; June 6 Shiavax M. Kandawalla (59), S.V. Rd, Bandra, 400050; June 6 Nadir Hiraji Kapadia (71), 31- B Sarita Apts, Bandra, 400050;June 6 Jerbanoo Erachshaw Aria (78), Block 1, Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari, 400102; June 1 Darabsha Shavaksha Baxter (89),604-D Lady Jehangir J BOMBAY Bom A boy to Rashna and Cyrus Patel', June 1,1988 A boy to Delna and Rusi Shroff, June 3 A boy to Jasmine and Aspi Mistry, June 4 A boy to Perin and Kelly Mehta', June 5 A boy to Shehnaz and Bomi Shroff; June 5 A girl to Pervin and Behram Irani; June 1 A girl to Zarine and Caivar Irani; June 11 A girl to Zenobia and Hormazd Jehangir; June 11 A girl to Kashmira and Rumy Hansotia', June 13 A girl to Mahanaz and Khurshed Irani; June 13 A boy to Farida and Sharookh Raghina; June 13 A girl to Roshni and Mehernosh Sidwa', June 15 Died Tehmurasp Ratanshaw Patel (55) residing at 501 Shangrila, Seven Bungalows, J.P. Rd, Andheri (W), 400061; May 31, Rd, Dadar, 400014; June 7 1988 • ¦ ¦ " ¦ Rustom Ardeshir Irani (76), Borgaonkar Wadi, Stn Rd, Kalyan;June 1 Barjor Manchersha Master (77), 7-D Dadisheth Bldg, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034; June 1 Cooverbai Bomanshaw Ichhaporia (84), Kassinath Bldg, Cadell Rd, Mahim, 400016; June 2 Ratanbai Pirojsha Kheshwala (87), 628 Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 2 Darabsha Bomanji Dalal (88), Sunabai Lam (95), Empire Motibai Bhuvan, Proctor St, Grant Rd, 400007; June 3 Jerbai Rustomji Kolah (89), Bldg No 28, Hughes Rd, 400007; June 3 Coomi Khurshed Pakka (52), E8/12 Godrej Hill Qrs, Vikhroli, 400079; June 3 Cawas Jehangir Bamboat (74), Jeroo Rusi Bejwalla (56), Hill 54 Jam-e-Jamshed Bldg, Dadar, 400014; June 4 Jerbai B. Bhathena (77), Nowroze Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; June 4 Homai Phiroze Kotwal {J2), Mulla Manzil, Balaram St, GrantRd, 400007; June 4 Kaikhushru Sorabji Chinoy (90), Rustom-Villa, Dr Ghanti Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 5 Dhun Bejanji Dalal (70), 66 Worli Estate, 400018; June 5 Darabshaw Cawasji Farasman , Framji M. Mehta (19), 239, (84), Ketty Ter, No 14, Sleater Botawalla Bldg, Tardeo, Rd, 400007; June 5 400007; June 11 Khodayar Tirandas Irani (58), Dolly Burjor Vania (53), 16/A, B.J. Mistry Bldg, Khetwadi, 12th Lane, 400004; June 5 Beheram Khodaram Pollard Aemai Jehangirji Sethna (80), 20-E Shapur Baug, V.P. Rd, 400004; June 1 Khorshedbanoo Pirojshaw Shroff (SS), 9 Apna Ghar, Colaba, 400005;June 1 Savak Byramji Tachakra (Wl), 1 Jehangir Mans, 71 Patkar Rd, 400007; June 7 Dossibai Maneksha Driver (80), 296, Palkhiwala Bldg, Fort, 400001; June 8 N.B.Lalkaka (71), fdA Readymoney Blocks, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 9 Ter, C, Grant Rd, 400007; June 9 Minu K. Lawyer fll), 505, Vindhyachal Bldg, Bandra, 400050; June 9 Piroja Darabshaw Medhora {lb}, G-8 Cusrow Baug, Colaba, 400039; June 9 View, J.P. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058;June 10 Dina Bejonji Hodiwala (75), Kwality Hse, 5 Patkar Marg, 400036; June 10 Percy Rustomji Toot (36), Boman Hse No 2, Homji St, Fort, 400001; June 10 Manek Feroz Bhathena (50), Manek Apts, S.V. Rd, Santa ­ cruz (W), 400054; June 11 Hormusji Jamshedji Kapadia (78), 20-D Sagar Sangeet, Colaba, 400005;June 11 Sagar Sangeet, Colaba, 400005;June 11 Manekbai Bhikaji Bhathena 47 Parsiana July 1988Jaffrabadwala (89),1104 Bridge Stardust, 23 Rajan, Off Carter View, Byculla, 400027; Rd, 400050; June 25 June 19 DhunjishaN.Daroga{J9},^ . Jehangir Kaikushroo Daroga Hse, Mazagaon, — ------ -- ¦ 400010; June 25 Bachoobai Sorabji Engineer (80), ‘P’ Dalal Estate, Bombay Central, 400008; June 25 Rosi Jamshed Gandevia (70), 3/11 Tata Hsg Clny, Elphinstone Rd, Parel, 400012; June 25 Najoo Jamshed Mistry (74), Villa Tehmina, 49 Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari, 400102; June 25 Dhunmai Bomansha Nargolia (83), F.S. Parakh Dharamshalla, 34 Hughes Rd, 400007; June 25 Jer Sam Siganporia (80), 648 Kaka Bldg, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 25 Baby of Shenaz and Dara Engineer (6 days). Contractor Bldg, Kasinath Rd, Tardeo, 400034;June 26 Gaimai Rustomji Mistry (85), 4/10 Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; June 26 Homi Nadirshah Vesuvala (62), Diaman Court, 40 Nepean Sea Rd; June 26 Kersasp Fakirji Dastur (79), Orient Hse, 666 Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 27 Dadiba Manchersha Desai (79), Bhagat Manor, Jam-e- Jamshed Rd, Dadar, 400014; June 27 Noshir J. Dumasia (59), 39 Tata Clny, Parel Tank Rd, 400012; June 28 Bachan Burjor Gandevia (61), 12 Modi Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; June 28 Keki Jal Godiwalla (70), B/2 (93), G Block, Bhivandiwalla Ter, 400002; June 12 Gool Dossabhai Deboa {65}, Ginwalla Bldg, B Block, Captain Clny, Tardeo, 400034; Jasoomoney (78), 7^ Krishna June 12 Behram J. Doneshwar (Irani) (62), 2J5 Zubeda Mans, Prabhat Clny, Santacruz, 400055; June 12 Perinbanoo Rustomji Jamasji (82), F.S. Parakh Dharamshalla, 34, Hughes Rd, 400007;June 12 Farrok Noshirwan Kaka (57), Avabai Mans, 15 Henry Rd, Colaba, 400039; June 12 Rustom H. Katrak (70), G-27 Captain Clny, Tardeo, 400034; 2J^ Rustom Baug, Byculla, June 14 400027; June 20 Allamai Sorabji Shroff (80), C- Ratanbai Hormasji Bharda 12 Jer Baug, Byculla, 400027; June 14 NajarpaiJehangirshawBhagat 400007; June 21 (80), Wadia Bldg, 764-D Parsi . ....................... Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 15 Nadirshaw Nassarwanji Dumasia (80), 681B, Firdoshi Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 15 Persis Shapur Irani {45 days), 24 Momin Manzil, Agripada Chawl St, 400011; June 15 Dinshaji Jamshedji Kabha (91), 296 Enterprise Apt, Forjett Hill, 400036; June 15 Nivas, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 19 Aloo Firoji Mistry (60), 40 Pipewalla Bldg, 4th Pasta Lane, Colaba,' 400005; June 19 Dhunmai Jehangirji Patel (87), Gustad Mans, 224, Tardeo Rd, 400007; June 19 Putlibai Dara Gotla (84), E-4 Corinthian, Colaba, 400005; June 20 Pirojshaw Manekji Khan (89), (70), F.S. Parakh Dharamshalla, Hughes Rd, 1 400026;June 23 Shirinbai Sorabji Kapadia (75), C/2 Nowroze Baug, Lalbaug, 400012;June 23 Male baby of Dhun and Rohinton Kotwal (stillborn), R/B/7/6 Railway Qrs, J.J. Rd, Byculla;June 23 Minoo Rustomji Mistry (72), Daruwalla Bldg, 145 Tehmina ManekAmeria (81), Servai Bldg, 20 Sleater Rd, 400007; June 22 ManekbaiJ. Daruvala (75), 44-E Sleater Rd, 400007; June 22 Nari Nanabhoy Patel (71), c/o K.E. Khambata, Jamshed Mans, Tardeo, 400007; June 22 Meharbai Godrej Cooper (76), 4/26 Tata Mills Coop Hsg Soc, Ratan Manchersha Menty (73), Parel 400012; June 23 6/5 Amy Villa, Rd 4, Parsi Shirinbai D. Icewalla (86), A/5 Clny, Wadala Market, 400014; Sterling Apts, Pedder Rd, June 15 Cawasji Ratanji Daruwala (89), E-40 Cusrow Baug, Colaba, 400039; June 16 Rutty Jal Dubash (64), 38 Sai Asish, Bandra, 400050; June 16 Rustomji Hiraji Patel (68), Burjor Bldg, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034; June 16 Nazamai Darabshaw Adajania Lamington Cross Rd , 400007; (90), 30 Kashinath Bldg, Khetwadi, 400004; June 17 Allamai N. Cooper (92), Flat 604, Raj Tilak Yari Rd, Versova, 400061; June 17 Putlibai Cawasji Pavri (94), 690 Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 17 Khurshed Noshirwan Tata (64), Press Bldg, 36 Adi Marzban Path, 400038; June 17 Phiroze Bhicaji Wadia (75), Abdealy Chmbs, Lamington Rd;June 17 Fakirji Ardeshir Gandhi (87), Crown Bldg, Uranwalla St, Grant Rd, 400007; June 19 Rustomji Pestanji June 23 Baimai Dadiba Amroliwala (80), 759 Parsi Clny, Rd 7, Dadar, 400014; June 24 Shirinbai Eruchshaw Antia (94), Bachan Manor, 600 Jam- e-Jamshed Rd, Matunga, 400019; June 24 Khurshed Burjorji Khasimai (67), Khush Villa, Khareghat Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 24 Shirin Hormasji Madon (75), Nariyalwalla Agiary Comp, Dadar, 400014; June 24 Jehangir Jamshedji Camd {76}, Sea-shells, 13 Darabsha Rd, 400036;June 25 Homai Navroji Daboo (78), Scindia Coop Hsg Soc, Andheri (E), 400069; June 28 Jer Behram Popat (84), GIVI Cusrow Baug, Colaba, 400039; June 28 Bamanshayv Shapurji Rupa (72), E/5 Shapur Baug, V.P. Rd, 400004;June 28 Freny Gustad Dastur (53), Gool Rukh Soc, TPS IV, Bandra, 400050; June 29 Nasserwanji Manekji Ghadiali (86), B-6-A, United Chmbs, Grant Rd, 400007; June 29 Aimai Savaksha Mehta {92}, 219 Amroliwalla Hse, Lower Parel, 400013; June 29 Putlamai Jahangirji Pajnigar (85) 731 Polson Bldg, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 29 Freny Keki Arsiwalla (76), CJfi Cusrow Baug, Colaba, 400039; June 30 1 I J 1 POONA Died Sarvar Khodaram Irani (65), 30 Sholapur Rd, 411001; April 20 Jerbai Cawasji Havevala (84), 358 Bhavani Peth, 411002; April 23 Armin Sorab Marolia (20), Central Apts, Convent St, 411001; May 11 Jal Aspandiar Irani (42), 486 Rasta Peth, 411017; May 12 Dinshaw Tirandaz Irani (67), 1978 Convent St, 411001; May 28 J I TORONTO Died Jamshed Byramjee, father of Marzban; February 28 Compiled by Roxana H. Kaka f i MORE ZOROASTRIANS IN IRAN THAN INDIA There are 90,891 Zoroastrians in Iran according to the cen ­ sus department of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 'Ihe find ­ ings of the 1986 Iranian census were conveyed to'Parsiana by the Anjuman Zartoshtian Tehran vide a letter addressed to the Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman of India dated June 30, 1988 and received by Parsiana at the time of this issue going to press. The comparable statistic for Zoroastrians in India, as established by ±e Government of India census of 1981, is 71,630. Though the largest minority community in Iran, Zoroas ­ trians account for only 0.18 percent of the 49,445,010 total population of Iran. The male-female ratio (total male population 43,479 and female 47,412) is tilted in favor of women from the age of 25 years onwards. Only 8.43 percent of the Zoroastrians, however, are over the age of years, in contrast to more than 20 percent in India. 48 Parsiana July 1988