Jul 1994

I f > k ^’’’14 £^’'? »'• V * X '** 3 .al^j <’ I I 5 fii Mi \ • 5/ ¦» "*« . > • '-i*^ « ' n si .lot of land near the Gateway of India that served as a saluting battery site for visiting potentates and viceroys, the Regal, as Framji appropriately named it, was to re- Above: The cofounders of Globe Theatres -F. Sidhwa (left) and K. Kooka Fight: An aerial view ofthe new Regal. Note the uncluttered road and tram car! 68 Parsiana July-August 1994 Cinema pioneer Framji Sidhwa created new records in the building of the Regal Theatre 60 years ago I- - W-c^x- J ‘L f I '« I •- 5., ? 0 E B B Joint managing director Maneck Sidhwa Left: The Regal marquee in the 1940s The underground car-park, pre World War II, with its uniformed attendants i OMOL FWNN^VIVCCnUNOfMft BiV'. H IH W-f i*j8>r.*Jqj|wyE tat?* ¦ define luxury in entertainment. It was the first to provide an under ­ groundcarpark, the first to introduce neon __________________ , signs, the first to employ smartly attired Framji, his nephew and son-in-law (it was ------- ----- c a cousin marriage between the offsprings ‘The Rangoon Agiary, ’pg 72),” narrates Maneck, a spry septuagenarian. Bhikaji, according to Maneck, called -r bi*^* -1 I ticket sellers and, later, the first in the a cousin marriage between the offsprings I country to instal Cinemascope (when it of Bhikaji and his sister) to Rangoon, then I screened The Robe). The Sidhwas treasure a very prosperous place. For Framji, son of I aletter from movie mogul Cecil B.deMille, poor and pious parents from Tarapore, a I producer of the super spectacular Biblical coastal town south of Udvada, this was the I movies, complimenting Framji on the opportunity he had long been waiting for. 1 screening of The Ten Commandments for Having abandoned his studies after a year J a record of 31 house full weeks. atStXavier ’sCollegeforlackofmeans,he I When the Regal opened, not even the was struggling to get a job in Bombay I majestic Taj Mahal Hotel, which stood just when Rangoon held out hopes for a new - f... £ 1 . , . ... . A 23-year-oldFramji sailed for Rangoon in 1903. After spending a decade working in S inger and Company and as canvasser at Oriental Life Insurance, he decided to plunge into the uncharted waters of a ‘bioscope company ’ with his neighbor, a Muslim gentleman from Surat. Framji . ; to the Mohammedan ’s capital, and the the ­ ater they set up provided Rangoon with a ¦jv.vvvooiui viiiuipiIdea, Hcw kiiiu uf enieriainmeni cum watering ‘ ? this venture too started from Udvada. “My place: films on two nights, a skating rink m DinyarjiUnwala, an athravan from Udvada, HR went to Rangoon to start an agiary (see I a few furlongs away, had air-conditioned I rooms. “It was not uncommon for hotel I guests to come to the theater to enjoy a I drink in the air-conditioned comfort of our I plush soda fountain and bar, ” he says. I The history of Globe Theatres encom- I passes that of the film industry itself, not I only in India but also abroad, and the Sidhwas can claim to be the first family of provided the entrepreneurial expertise ’ filmdom as well as the last of the early • - - - 5 pioneers yet in the business. Like many ’ other successful Zoroastrian enterprises. new kind of entertainment cum watering ^^^'^^V}(*^®^®*^’5^^^^®0’MobedBhikaji and attractions like dinner-dance, card games, etc. “Fortune, ” as Virgil has said, “favors the brave, ” and Framji earned his /• '¦ wGlobe Theatre, Rangoon (below), The Globe Grand Opera House, Calcutta (top right) and Capitol, Bombay “Capitol is older than the Bombay Municipal Corporation and Victoria Terminus * ¦ 1 I - F' ' B c L stripes as a showman. The young orphan from Tarapore, who had studied at the Petit Parsi Orphanage at Parel, parented an in ­ dustry that would grow immeasurably in the decades to come. Two years later, when the partnership went sour, Framji, who had found his metier, did not have to look far to continue in the same business. Kaikhushroo Kooka, son of Ardeshir, who had a rice shop in the same building, offered to put up the capital (Rs 10,000), and entered into a 50-50 partnership in Kooka, Sidhwa and Com ­ pany, opting to be a sleeping partner. The partnership has survived to date, and Kaikhushroo ’s son S. K. ‘Bobby ’ Kooka (the creator of the Air India Maharajah) continues to be on the Globe board. On April 3, 1915, the first Globe The- • atte opened in a bicycle shop converted by the Parsi partners into a regular cinema house. In the flickering forerunners of the movies, Framji found the flicker of hope that was soon to dazzle the country and make him a pioneering name in the history of world cinema, lauded and toasted at home and abroad. Soon Globe Theatres were to dot the Burmese countryside: in Moulmein, Mandalay, Myingyen, 70 Parsiana July-August 1994products of Pathc, Universal, First Na ­ tional and MctroGoldwyn Mayer,amongst other Hollywood and European cinema , , , . - . . . ‘ ------- 1—..... —-J'------- companies. The films were screened at the mariner who later adopted the designation after his son and grandson continued there Globe cinemas, established by now in Bangalore (1927), Bombay (1928) and Madra.s (1930). The Company i.s now 79 years in existence. Interestingly, their other Bombay prop ­ erty has many Parsi associations. Sited adjacent toFramji ’salma mater, the Bharda High School from where he matriculated, the Gaiety Theatre, rc-christcncd Capitol Cinema, wa.s obtained on lease from the Parsi firm Edulji Dinshaw & Company of Karachi (Edulji ’.s son, F. E. Dinshaw, was the founder of the Associated Cement Com ­ panies). The entertainment house had been built in 1879 by Kuverji Sohrabji Nazir. “The building, ” beams Maneck, “isoldcr than the Bombay Municipal Corporation and Victoria Terminus, ” which form part ol the square ol what is yet referred to as Bori Bunder, one of the city ’s busiest tral lie centers. He and Dhanji (who said he “did not want any publicity, least of all in Parsiana”') function from their first floor ol I ice in thi.s heritage structure. The S idh was have retained it a.s it was 114 years ago. “Even the auditorium of the theater, ” then The Rangoon Agiary Founded by Captain Cavasji, a merchant the Captain Agiary ’sfirstpanthaky. There a.s his surname, the Rangoon Agiary,which opened in 1904 came to be known as the Captain Agiary, informs Maneck Sidhwa joint managing director of Globe Theatres. When Cavasji died, his nephew Nanabhoy Cavasji, a barrister whose phenomenal prac ­ tice was then said to be worth R,s 20,000 per month, according to Sidhwa, became trus ­ tee. Nanabhoy ’s daughter Gool Cavasji was for many years the legal adviser to the Tatas, he adds. (The Agiary ha.s a special place in Parsi history as the site of the legal battle that resulted in a Privy Council judg ­ ment regarding the religious rights of the child of a Parsi mother and a non-Zoroas- trian father, known a.s the Bella Case.) “My mamavaji, Bhikaji Unwala, was as panthakies... When the Japanese invaded, it was the third generation panthaky who came away. “Now there arc hardly fouror five Ptirsis in Rangoon, generally married to Burmese women. They say the agiary still stands but the hall, where functions used to be held, has been taken over by the Burmese au ­ thorities and converted to other uses. The aramgah is still there. At one time there were about 500 Parsis in Rangoon, all very prosperous, all having their own business. (Noted legal counsel) Fall Nariman ’s fa ­ ther was also in Rangoon. I think Fall was born there...In those days (before 1930) Rangoon Parsis used to put guinea.s a.s boi nci paisa...” Maymyo. Within seven years, hi.s vision reached out to India. On November 23, 1922 Lord Lytton, the then Governor of Bengal, opened the Globe at Calcutta, a renovated avtar of the Grand Opera House Company into a private limited cntcqKisc, Kooka stayed on in CalcutUi to manage the theater, while Framji returned to Rangoon to look afterthe Burmacircuit. In 1923 the partners converted Globe Cinema constructed in 1867. and obtained exhibition rights for the best With all good wishes from NERGISH and SOLI J. ARCEIVALA 72 Pars’ann Ju‘y-Auc;i.L. designed for European and local perfor- Award Nite held here. President Rajendra mances (which included, for instance, the Gujarati play Savitri staged by Parsi ama ­ teurs as mentioned in a recent ‘One Hun ­ dred Years Ago ’ column of The Times of movies which never failed to draw long India) “is exactly the same, except for six queues) which came to the Regal. It was that it was probably taken by a photogra- Prasad, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, pher flown by J. R. D. Tata, “theonly plane etc) and the pictures (TAe Sound of Music, pilot in Bombay then, ” in his two-seater Three Coins in a Fountain, the James Bond Puss Moth. The Globe Rangoon, which had sus ­ tained a direct bomb hit during World War II, was rebuilt by the S idh was . B ut political conditions of the time did not permit the retrieval of their earnings in Rangoon and Framji prudently decided to pull out of Rangoon in 1952. Though the decision had been widely criticised at the time it en ­ abled the Sidhwas to salvage some of their assets before the onslaught of communism from which Rangoon has not yet recov ­ ered. Framji trained his sons to manage the cinema with the same love that he be- boxes and the band pit which have been removed to facilitate the viewing of films, ” Maneck informs us. Five years after the Capitol opened on January 20,1928, Framji Sidhwa, who had set himself the maxim of “nothing but the best, ” presented Bombay with the Regal cinema. The Regal was the first theater to be actually owned by the Company. The edi ­ fice is replete with memories for the Sidhwas, who stay in this magnificent art ­ deco building (it was the recipient of an Urban Heritage Award in 1991 from the Indian Heritage Society). Maneck, who his life: a wild Western titled Great Day in came to Bombay when he was 10, talks of the Morning. the time when his father stayed at the Majestic Hotel across the road (now con ­ verted into a MLA Hostel and Sahakari Bhandar) whenever he visited Bombay. Framji would gaze fondly at the plot, and Fredrick Sykes, Governor of Bombay. He he took over the complete management dream of putting up a theater there. And shows us a photograph printed therein, an Maneck recalls the people (President of aerial view. Considering that aviation was Egypt Col Nasser, who attended aFilmfare then (1933) in its infancy, Maneck hazards the technological developments in motion Framji had named his company Globe after Shakespeare's theater also the auditorium where His Holiness the stowed on his ventures. “He was more a Dalai Lama saw the first motion picture in friend than a father, ” recalls Maneck, who like his brother learnt the ropes from the bottom rung. “My father held virtue above wealth, ” declares Maneck. After joining the Com- Enthused, Maneck proceeds to forage through a cupboard and digs out an old souvenir published on the inauguration of pany in 1942 and a tour in 1960 of the the cinema on October 14, 1933 by Sir major studios of Europe and Hollywood, and administration of the distribution net ­ work. Dhanji was trained to keep pace with With Best Compliments From ASPI IRANI ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS Irani Building, 1st Floor, 80, Janmabhoomi Lane Fort, Bombay 400001 Tel Nos: 2040094, 2040267 74 Parsiana July-Augusr 19941 j r 0’ 4 •> o S' VWO 4 5 BILLY & ZAM 5 2 9 3 J DANNY ADVTG OLIAJIS’ Duke Hotel Devka Daman Pin:- 396210 Tel:- 02636-2251 Proprietors: Dosabhai N. Oliaji Shapoor D. Oliaji picture exhibition, and did a course in electronics, sound engineering and cinema design in the United States. The training was to stand him in good stead when the Regal was renovated in 1953. He con ­ verted the company ’s screens to Cinemascope and installed the gigantic Todd-AO projection first at the Regal and later at the Calcutta Globe for the screen ­ ing of the blockbuster Cleopatra (for long the costliest film ever made). When Framji died in 1962, on the eve of the golden jubilee year of the enterprise started by him, both Indian cinema and he had come a long way. But what had set him apart was not just his entrepreneurial skills but the courage of his convictions. Framji had named his company Globe after Shakespeare ’s theater of the same name. And he had lived his life according to the bard ’s philosophy in Hamlet: “To thine own self be true... thou canst not then be false to any man. ” The same principle still governs the Sidhwa family. Despite their progressive ­ ness, they continue to cling to old family traditions and values. Maneck and his wife Khorshed (n6e Adenwalla) have two (unmarried) daugh ­ ters — Daisy, who is into advertising and The Members of THE AGRA PARSI ANJUMAN wish the Zoroastrian Community A Very Happy New Year We welcome you to “RUSTOM BAGH” PARSI DHARAMSALA in the city of Taj Mahal. Agra is linked to Bharatpur, Jaipur and NainitaL The only Parsi Dharamsala in India with facilities of: 1. Generator for uninterrupted electric supply 2. Wire meshed windows 3. Reasonable meals and special dishes on order 4. 24 hours running water 5. Air cooled rooms Address: Pratap Pura, Ajmer Road Agra 282001 Booking agent in Bombay Mr Diniar D Mehta Diniar Tours & Travels (P) Ltd 9/A, Anand Nagar, Forjett Street Opp Bhatia Hospital, Tardeo, Bombay 400036 Tel No (Off) 3860798, 3889755 President Mr Hosang Debara (0562) 367519 Secretary Dr Rati Khambatta (0562) 361476 Treasurer Mr Dadi Sorabji (0562) 363066 76 Parsiana July-August 1994Flats on Udvada Beach Elegant flats on the sea-shore at Udvada with commanding sea view, located just 2 minutes away from theAtash Behram. Rs 2 to 4 lakhs. Please phone Marfatia on 3884296/3860354 (Bombay) for details. Jerestin,alawyerpract!singintheBombay i High Court. “Parsi girls are cleverer and tape, is disproportionate to the benefits better than our boys, ” he adds with a wry expected, they maintain. face. “Yes, we are orthodox in our think- T “ ' ' ____„____ . ....L ing, claims Maneck. “Our religion has Maneck is aware that were he to shut down survived for many years and will, I am his cinema halls the Sidhwas would still be confident, keep on going, ” he affirms, defying the prophets of doom. Call it optimism, or blame it on the strongUdvada stock blood coursing through him to ring down the curtain... ing such a change, swathed as it is in red But “the show must go on. ” And though able “to get by comfortably on the rent from them, ” his confidence in the Al­ mighty to sort things out will not permit their veins, but the Sidhwas are equally confident that their theaters will go on much longer, never mind the onslaught of cable and video. “Luckily business has improved lately because of good movies. People are slowly moving away from the small (television) screen. This trend is also evident in America and other countries, ” affirms Maneck. Theaters like the Rex and Radio that closed down and were replaced by shopping malls or offices, preceded the Maharashtra Government ’s ruling which requires a cinema to remain a cinema, note the Sidhwas. They expect that the Roxy cinema which has been demolished, will be incorporated into the new building be ­ ing constructed on the site. This regulation provides a formula according to which seating capacity may be reduced in a cin ­ ema house, but the expense of incorporat- Always remember TRTA yani BATA KHAMBATA Ketayun & Bomi 22/A, Wellington Terrace, Wellington Street, Bombay-4(JD002. Tel. No. 2069636. With Best Compliments J, from PENNZOIL INDIA LIMITED 76b Parsiana July-August 1994COMMENT The changing forest Shahriar Shahriari How appropriate is it to worry about community survival when the earth itself needs to be saved? Once upon a time, in a deep jungle there started to organize social gatherings and Gradually, there was a shift in the ac- was a community of bears. They lived get-togethers. Sometimes theircubswould tivities of the CC and many of the cubs, happily for a while, until the jungle began attend, other times they would just go off including Behram, lost interest. The CC to get hotter and hotter. The global warm- and do their own thing. declined drastically, and the cubs sepa- ing was having its effect. The members of the BS decided that to rated into their own small groups. The BS A group of bears got together and de- attract the interest of the cubs, they should members got very concerned that because cided to migrate to a cooler forest further organize special events just for them, and of the decline of the CC, they would never north. So they decided on a date, packed sincerely went about doing so. This was be able to gather the cubs together, and the their belongings and moved to the mew ---------- - ¦* • • forest. The forest was far from any human community, so there was no chance of any child wandering into their house and eating to form their own club which they called lions and tigers and other friends they had their porridge or sleeping in their beds. ‘r-,,!. r—. A few years later, when the cubs had grown and become teenagers, they started doing their own thing. They started mov- Started to organize social gatherings and get-togethers. Sometimes their cubs would and do their own thing. The members of the BS decided that to attract the interest of the cubs, they should members got very concerned that because organize special events just for them, and of the decline of the CC, they would never very good and many cubs attended. They bear community as they knew it would die. ------ 3 In the meantime, the cubs who had now met a lot of other bear cubs and made lots ____ ___________ 01 friends. After a while the cubs decided become young adult bears, went about with ‘Cub Club ’ (or CC for short). Behram, who was a young cub, became an active member of the CC and helped made in the forest. One day papa bear and mama bear were invited to a dinner party ata friend ’s house, a lot to get the cubs together and do things and they asked Behram to join them. Behram who had been away from the bear commu ­ nity for some lime, agreed. After dinner , ------- everyone began discussing the CC and cub snakes and bees. They did things that decided to use it to educate the cubs about problems. The discussions continued for worried their parents considerably. the bear way of life and bear beliefs, nearly an hour, and everybody was com- ing around in the forest and playing with they all enjoyed. But he noticed that after otheranimals. They made friends with lion a while, BS members who were very cubs and tigers and hyenas, and even with impressed with the success of the CC, Initially, the papa bears and mama bears kept quiet and accepted things, because they were worried that their teenage cubs would not lis ­ ten to them and reject them altogether. However, after a while, at some of the parties and gatherings, papa bears and mama bears started shar ­ ing some of their concerns with each other. Also by this time the population of the bear community had grown ’ substantially, because other bears from other jungles had migrated to this cooler forest and started to settle down with theoriginal immigrants. One day, some bears de ­ cided to form a society which they called the ‘Bear Soci ­ ety ’ (BS for short). They menting on the problems of the cubs, what the solutions were, and why these solutions had failed in the past. Behram very patiently listened to all the discussions until they fi ­ nally ended. He realized that although he was the youngest bear in that party, not one bear had asked him about what he thought his problems were, or if he had any solutions. On the way back home, Behram was thinking to him ­ self that this was exactly the problem with the BS: they never thought of asking the cubs to define their problems or come up with solutions. And if they were not willing to ask or listen, then how in the forest were they going to solve these problems? 78 Parsiana July-August J99JThis thought consumed Behram until he decided it was time to take action. He called some of his old CC friends and got a small group together. They decided that they would attend the next bear seminar organized by BS and voice their opinions. At the BS seminar all the elder bears were pleasantly surprised at this resur- genceof cub interest, and were excited that this was going to be a good seminar. After some formalities, somebody sug ­ gested that since so many cubs were present, thing we can learn from history, it is that they should discuss cub issues. In their history does not repeat itself, excitement, all the bears unanimously agreed, and one of the bears suggested that they should ask the cubs what they thought, tell you that I am not the only cub who Many of these problems are not any issue Behram said to himself, “At last they are thinksthis way. There are many other cubs for us. And many of the things that we see, asking questions, but are they also listen- who share the same understanding with you do not even understand. ing? And perhaps most importantly, can i they trust us to solve our own problems? ’’ < Behram got up and started to tell the Today we have learned how to live with the bear assembly about some of his experi ­ ences. He said: “As I understand, many of you are concerned that the cubs are not living the way you used to in the -old "Many of the problems we see, you do not even understand" along with the forest we live in. “The cubs of all animals today have realized that the forest is different, and they have become friends. They realize that we are interdependent and the only way to live happily and prosperously is by cooperating with each other — even if this cooperation means dramatic changes from us to go on picking berries, catching fish what we have historically been used to. and destroying beehives for their honey. But I want to tell you that if there is one youmamabearsandpapabearsdonothave the same perspective as we do. We are not asking you to change your ways or beliefs. All we ask is don ’t try to force-feed us with solutions to the problems that you see. “What was right and normal when you were cubs is no longer the case. I want to thinks this way. There are many other cubs who share the same understanding with me. There are also lion cubs and tiger cubs and other animals who think similarly. “The cubs also recognize that some of “All we ask is, please listen to the things we say, try to understand them, even if you don ’t agree with them, and then let us come up with our solutions and let us implement them. You see, you have no choice, because sooner or later we will be running the lions and the tigers. “One day I even walked up to a beehive and started talking to one of the bees. He told me how frustrated they were becaue community and we will implement our 'solutions anyway. “What we are asking you is to let us have a free hand and a head start, because every day that passes with us pa ­ tiently waiting for the right time, we lose one day of action, and the problems get one day worse. The forest will be di ­ minished by one more day, and another species will be ­ come extinct forever. “Finally, please understand that we are not blaming you for the problems. It is man who is causing this devastation. I plead with you to under ­ spite of all your good intentions you are not every time they made a hive, a bear came stand us and have faith in us that we will getting any where. Perhaps things are even along and destroyed it for its honey; that do a good job of solving our problems, getting worse day by day. they were spending most of their time Maybe in the process, we the cubs, will be so united and active that your problems will also disappear. ” One way, or another, to be continued in the years to come. jungleL You are con ­ cerned why we are all drift ­ ing away from our com ­ muni ty and making friends with our enemies the li­ ons, the tigers and the co ­ bras. You are concerned that we have become self ­ ish and only think of our ­ selves, that we are apa ­ thetic and don ’t care any more. We understand your desire to rectify this situa ­ tion. “We also understand that your efforts at helping us are frustrated, that in » / f, IIWM ffOMlOl. Kij performing 160 nirangdins and nearly every other high litiirgieal eeremony, Srvad ^ehangir Zurel has demonstrated an exemplary level ^f professional dedieation Arnavaz S. Mama 0 t was a rare occasion for the late 20th century. The hall of the H. B. Wadia Atas Bahram in Bombay thronged with the Zo ­ roastrians of India on June 4, 1994. The cynosure of the attention of the congre ­ gated athornans and behdins was a quiet with the sole exception of consecrating Turel, Guzder, Bhacca, mobedofmedium build with an uncommon a dokhma, according to an article in Jamsetji Jejeebhoy, JamaspAsa, Dastur attainment to his credit. Ervad Jehangir Atashna Ajwula, a souvenir in Gujarati Noshirwan Dastur andHomi Taleyarkhan Turel, the man who has set a high watermark released on the occasion by Bombay Parsi Left: JamaspAsa congratulating Turel by performing 160 nirangdin ceremonies, Punchayet (BPP) chairman Jamshed as Guzder looks on accepted an avalanche of praise with quiet Guzder. The nirangdin ceremonies Turel dignity. has performed, each of which takes two Sixty-nine-year-old Turel was honored mobeds 18 days, are computed by Rusi holy segregation from home and family, ‘'because he ’s the last of a dying breed, ” as Besania of Surat, the day ’s master of Apart from these nirangdins Turel, noted Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, High ceremonies, to have occupied 714 years of the seniormost mobed at Surat ’s Sheth Priest of the Wadia Atas Bahram. The Listening to KotwaTs invocation at the archetypal ritualist is credited with having start of the function (L to R): performed every high liturgical ceremony Dastur Hormazdiar Dastur, Homi Wadia, Turel ’s life, spent in the fire-temples inThe high priests made it a point to that Bhacca provides machis at the Modi Atash Behram for almost 100 days in the year and charges a professional fee to his (mobed) patients which is a fraction of the D N Modi Atash Behram, is said to have The high priests made it a point to consecratedmorethansevenvarasias(holy remind the community that the priests white bulls), performed innumerable need help: “Today when behdins require em;^;eefoomSum,suUo„u,B>,acea. atash bfhrams and refnthroned the holy Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa Another worthy of Surat whom Turel and demand more ceremonies, our athravan Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, High Priest of dispens^y^ Bombay ’s Anjuman Atash Behram. He ‘ “When behdins require and demand mere eeremauies, our athravan evmmunity is dwindling ¦ 1 ^11 be attracted to pursue their A view of the audience in the Wadia SSSSSS “=“=== ==£2.=.=' refemd to Turel as a diamond in Surafs age the,r young men to opt for theprtestly crown. Sandalwood caskets, etched with the Naqsh-e-Rustom monument on one side such a function and the outline of the BPP and SPP build- years ago a m. ings respectively on the other, were pre- i sented to Turel by his cohosts, the presi- ] holds, urging athornan families to encour age their young men to opt for the priestly lems... , .. .. ^^'congratulating the trustees on holding rupees to the Modi Atash Behram by way 5z\/\ •vtoint^knQnr'AfnndQarintnnsve 1 Ltwal recalled that 100 ofkathi and maintenance funds and to have mobed earned Rs 18 for a personally donated over a lakh of rupees. in contrast to the On the occasion of this felicitauoiy the family, Shirin and Jamshed Guzder and other concerned individuals had contrib ­ uted to the maintenance funds of the eight extant atash behrams of India so that each atash behram was gifted a cheque of Rs Turel ’s birthday according to the Shehenshahi calendar coincides with that of the Modi Atash Behram (roj Sarosh, mah Ardibehest) where his father, grand ­ father and great grandfather had served, making him the fourth generation to do so. continued on page 104 personally donated over a lakh of rupees. nirangdin ceremony in contrast to the un me occasion , present rate of Rs 5,000. “Mobeds worked Bombay and Surat Punch^ayeK, the Turel wereaccompaniedbygarlandsofflowers, appreciation of their toil. shawls to Turel and his wife Tehmina and Ervad Hiraji Kanga had performed 175 oarikas (monetary gift) from the respec- „ . • Sve punchayel boarts as well as Guzder unsung, he said. Delhi P™ Anjuman v.ce and Bhacca personally. Their lead was ----- rs-a, u.crv niertued ihe suonort followed up by other organizations and individuals so that Turel estimated he had received nearly 100 shawls that day . From the pile of garlands to be seen, the florists must have made a tidy profit from the community ’s gratitude for Turel s exem ­ plary sense of priestly duty! For example Ervad Hiraji Kanga had performed 175 nirangdins but his achievement had gone president Dadi Mistry pledged the support 40,000. of the Delhi community: “We are always willing to do whatever we can for our ‘dasturjis. ’’’’ It was obvious that Turel and Bhacca had a special bond. Bhacca recalled how Turel had performed his wedding, made his son Sarosh a navar-markab. Turel noted 86 Parsiana July-August 7 994RELIGION Beseeching the Lady What is it that leads Zoroastrians to join the throngs at Mahim’s St Michael’s Church every Wednesday? Homi Rogers most tip of an island city? And what is it I *....?__Id _____ ™ that makes them come for a minimum of placed on head, observes: “When*you are nas. As a Parsi devotee, his skull-cap tightly nineconsecutive Wednesdays tojoin in the drowning, you cling to every straw. ” ‘novena ’ — a word that has by now as- At the Mahim Church tales abound of sumed a generic connotation for any prayer the miracles wrought by petitioning the recited regularly over nine consecutive Lady. Mascarenhas himself recounts how periods? The answers, curiously, are to be found in a framed picture in an alcove high above the aluir, though its many reproductions line the walls of the church and are im ­ printed on the booklets and keychains freely sold at the stalls lining the entrance. The picture is that of the Lady of Perpetual Succour: a representation of Mother Mary with child Jesus in her arms, flanked by archangel.s Michael (after whom the Church is named) holding a spear and a sponge, and Gabriel holding the cross. This copy is said to have touched the original which lies in Rome. Brought to India by Father Ed ­ ward Placidu.s Fernandes, the then vicar of the Church on his return from Europe in 1948, the reproduction was installed after a recitation of the novena on September 8, the birthday of the Lady, which that year fell on a Wednesday. Thus it came about that the mid-week day was earmarked for W supplications, and word was spread by the fl ‘novena ’ — a word that has by now as- the Lady ’s grace saved his life after he was * H i ‘Ml For over 40 years it has been Bombay ’s mecca for miracles: a panacea shop for anyone who approaches it with a failh- ______,_______ _ laden heart. So come Wednesdays, and Church fathers about the Byzantine-style well over 60,000 people through rain or icon ’s prowess at grantine favors. riots, shine or slush, converge on Mahim ’s St Michael ’s Church from early dawn to .. ... ________ laie night, seeking lavors. They are all began thronging the Church. The two ini . there: the priests, the prostitutes and the pick-pockets; the wealthy and the indi ­ gent; the governesses and even the gover ­ nor! People are drawn here from all com ­ munities as well: Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and a fairly large sprinkling of Zo ­ ic? sfrians. What attracts people across all barriers of caste, creed and vocation to this four- century-old church sited at the northern ­ ¦ 88 Parsiana July-Augusi 1994 icon ’s prowess at granting favors. What started as a trickle soon grew into a flood as people of all ages and ailments ____ ini ­ tial Wednesday services of 1948 have grown to 14, starling from 7 a.m. and going on to 9.30 p.m., including two services in Marathi and one each in Konkani and Tamil. “Everyone needs succor, ’’ smiles Reverend Monseigneur Nelson Mascarenhas, the vicar and parish priest of the Church for the past six years, thus defining the reason why people of all faiths, including Zoroastrians, flock to the nove ­ Monseigneursuddenly closed down on the Wednesday after she did bear a child. ” Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, has an E------.„EZ------ involved in a road mishap. We are shown a woman whose son was weaned from drugs after she started attending novenas (a prayer which actually indicates, accord ­ ing to Mascarenhas, “a nine-day prepara ­ tory period prior to a fast ” but is now interpreted as a prayer said for nine con ­ secutive weeks). She prayed to the Mother ------r — —>----- - . - and her boy was weaned from his vice. A loose end when he returned to India from when he has the time even though he has talc is also told of a Maharashtrian couple Iran when trouble started there in 1978. “I been going for a very long time- An editor of a travel monthly did visit it for some time too, and the problem she was faced with then did iron itself out. But, as Ms my first, on August 22,1979. By Firozi Khan, an accountant with the mer- ____ " ; ¦ j ¦ ‘ I Holdings Limited (Hong Kong) reasons. Pan Tours, the general sales agency for the “If a miracle occurs when one is doing the US-based Panam airlines. ” Dr Adi Dastur, obstetrician and f ¦ ¦ 1 But not all Zoroastrian worshippers of interesting tale to narrate of how the Lady the Lady are as forthcoming. Ms Roxanne was responsible for setting him up in his present enterprise. Dubash, who runs the eminently successful Himalayan Holidays, childhoood, “wouldn ’t really like to talk an agency specializing in adventure tours about it. ” Dara Masani speaks equally to Nepal was, by his own admission, at a casuallyabouthistrips,statingthathegoes loose end when he returned to India from " " *’ E Billimoria, who has been visiting the Church for around 30 years, since her about it. ” Dara Masani speaks equally h dH| eight months failed to get any job in a related activity. Then I attended the no ­ vena — i-^ ___,___ . the time I finished my third or fourth chant banking firm of Jardine Fleming novena, Homji Colah offered me a job in I „ ’ ' novena, one automatically relates it to the efficacy of the novena. ” Herself a regular novena-goer, Khan does find that the service offers her extreme peace of mind, a view shared by most devotees and female patients could not conceive, ” he seconded even by the sceptics and the way from town to Mahim when Bombay she do the novena, and miraculously there- and her boy was weaned from his vice. A t ____________ .. who lost their child outside the Matunga wanted to be in the travel line, and for over railway station. After scouring the streets and filing a police case, they came to seek the Lady ’s divine intercession. Novena complete, they found their child waiting for them outside the Church beneath the statue of the Mother. Other devotees tell with hushed reverence of the time when a sick relation for whom the novena was offered recovered miraculously, or how gynaecologist, and another Wednesday domestic bliss was restored on beseeching regular, narrates a miracle which he guard- the Lady. edly attributes to the Lady. “One of my Kersi Dubash, who has not missed al ------ - single novena in 15 years, even walking all says. “It was a difficult case. I suggested newsreporter types like Ms Shernaz the way from town to Mahim when Bombay she do the novena, and miraculously there- Engineer, now the editor of the Woman ’s Extraordinary Supplement of T/ie MMHiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH S Afternoon Despatch and Courier. “You ’ I can ’thelpbeingmovedwhenattendlngthe service, ” she says. “It does make an impact on you. ” One more reason why so many people from different faiths, and especially Zoro ­ astrians, flock to the Church is the general air of piety and equanimity that a novena service radiates. “I can relate to the prayers being said, as against our Zoroastrian mumbo-jumbo, ” affirms Khan. Dubash, too, similarly rues the fact that “I say my kusti regularly, wear a sudreh, but don ’t understand the meaning of my prayers. ” But as they go through the hymns and witness the ceremony, a streak of religios ­ ity seemingly courses through their veins: ¦ ¦> ¦ ISH Jc « t, » •J «• ’ R a spark that is fanned by understanding, B J ' comprehension. It translates into faith and L' works its own miracles. Yet in these days when most devotees, particularly the Zoroastrians, flock to supplementary succor centres, it is diffi ­ cult to say which miracle may be ascribed to which source. Minoo Vakil, who pays a flying visit to the Lady every Wednesday morning on his way to work, visits with equal regularity the Banaji Atash Behram on Monday nights, the neighboring Sai Baba temple on Thursdays, and Aslaji Facing page: The bust of Mother Mary carrying baby Jesus Alongside: Crowds thronging the St Michael's Church for novena on Wednesdays Photos: Varghese W. FernandezAgiary on Fridays. Masani similarly claims to visit agiaries and atash behrams with just as much faith and frequency as the Church. And Dubash, whose cabin sports a pan ­ theon of idols and icons of all faiths includ ­ ing Sai Baba, Ganesha and our own Prophet, states vehemently: “Why just novenas and agiaries? We can go elsewhere too, where People who pray the novena only for themselves, could become bitter CC i 19 • ! k not to have distinct classes on its planes was lauded, while drawing a parallel to the original classless society given to mankind by God. The cosmopolitan nature of attendance at the Church has turned it into a sanctuary for destitutes of all faiths. “During the 1993 Bombay riots, ”recalls Mascarenhas, “all families irrespective of their religion stayed in harmony and without fear behind the Church walls. ” The Lady provided succor to the helpless, and when the with a normal lifespan after she had lost Wednesday sermons requested help for many children in infancy. [“Preposter ­ ous! ” thunders Ervad (Dr) Peshotan Peer, the erstwhile panthaky at Bandra ’s Tata Agiary, dispelling the tale as a canard.] In Mary In My Life, a booklet by Ramon Nubiola, SJ, the author recounts how “in December 1980, a Parsi young man, Mr Darayus... suffering from leukemia, ” re ­ covered when the family “appealed to the Mother of the Forsaken with great faith. ” While the worship of the Mother in her the riot-afflicted, the coffers overflowed with human kindness. St Michael ’s Church, Mascarenhas informs us, made a donation of rupees one lakh to the chief minister ’s relief fund, besides expending an equal amount on asbestos sheeting of hutment roofs on the neighboring Mori Road. “We now run a day-care center for children, and have started a Balwadi in the _____ __________________________ slums. ” Such are the expressions of the various forms attracts Zoroastrians because Church ’s social concerns. “Today we do • • not stress the miracles so much, ” Mascarenhas adds. “People who pray the novena only to get something for them ­ selves, could become bitter. ” Yet hope lies eternal in man ’s breast mentioned that the universality of and there is another service on, and another (Above) A statue of Jesus outside the hall of St Michael’s Church in Mahim (Below) St Michael’s Church: a sanctuary for destitutes of all faiths Photos: Varghese W. Fernadez when Zoroastrian fire-temples are barred and luminous, and in these flickering mo- to members of other communities. “The ‘ “ church is a cosmopolitan place, ” asserts Mascarenhas, who informs us that over 75 it gives results, or because it inspires greater faith than even thechanting of our ‘nirangs, ’ there ’s another reason that makes a visit to the Mahim Church obligatory for some members of the community. A few devo ­ tees 1________ ___ _ _ , religion as preached —andpractised —by group of people is enveloped in the the Church appeals to them, particularly Mother ’s warmth. The candles burn bright ments when despair and devotion merge and the congregation cries, “Mary, help we have faith, ” with a sweep of his hand Mascarenhas, who informs us that over 75 us! ”aversefrom Blake miraculously comes indicating his collection of idols. Perhaps percentofthe devotees who attend novena to mind: • • - J are non-Christians. “We believe all people are equal in the eyes of God, ” he says, quoting from a recently-delivered sermon wherein the Damania Airways ’ decision And the wind blows it back again. “Mock on, mock on, Voltaire, Rousseau, Mock on, mock on; ’tis all in vain; You throw the sand against the wind their multi-religious approach activates their defence mechanism, the we-worship- at-all-shrines-but-are-nevertheless-true- Zoroastrians attitude. “If only people had faith in their own religions, ” smirks Cyrus Merchant, Engineer ’s colleague at The Afternoon and a staunch Zoroastrian (he broke the story of the community ’s differ ­ ence over J. R. D. Tata ’s uthamnaprayers). Merchant suggests that in this story we show our disapproval of those members of our community who also worship at other | shrines. Strangely enough, the worship of the Mother in her various forms (Mount Mary of Bandra; Lady of Health, Valankini; Lady of the Forsaken, Vadodara; the Blessed Virgin at Lourdes) has always attractedZoroastrians. And the Church has publicized, among the miracles wrought by the Lady, at least one tale involving a Zoroastrian. On beseeching the Lady of the Mount, Lady Jamsetji Jejeebhoy was said to have been blessed with a daughter mjilij fra 111 ill >1 IIS 1 I s i 4 91 Parsiana July-August 1994their bugbear. Their struggle may be against moneyed people in a corrupt environment but the trustees are determined to see jus ­ tice meted out to them, and would wel- ership and possession is under dispute. “We have to struggle for our survival on ________RELIGION________ T ' he wide open gates with specially at the proceedings, lurking behind is the income for the^ Trust, has now *>ecome hired security guarding the property 28-storeyedOmVikasTowerswhoseown- on Walkeshwar Road draws the attention ’’ ' > j - of a passerby who may wonder what lies yonder. Actually the “estate is the property our own land, ” laments managing trustee of The Sorabji Thoothi Agiary Trust ” pro- t, claims a notice warning trespassers of pros ­ ecution. There are other notices too, promi ­ nently displayed, that indicate that the Trust is involved in legal proceedings. Vachha speaks on behalf of his co-trustees. While the sedate, unobtrusive building of the 178-year-old Agiary looks on benignly had originally envisaged would yield an of the Thoothi Agiary Trust, Capt Burjor come guidance from experienced people. Vachha. Embroiled as the Trust is in four To clarify the mistaken impression in costly legal suits pertaining to this prop ­ erty, “we are in dire financial straits, ” To clarify the mistaken impression the minds of the Parsi community that the trustees have sold or leased the property, Vachha notes, “The land belongs to us. In 55 The development of their land which they fact, not even has a lease been executed. ” A power of attorney had however been The legality of the 28-storeyed Ont Vikas Towers on the premises of the Thoothi Agiary Trust is being contested by the trustees and the authorities 'M f, f'-ax; "“‘’J. A i^; I Parinaz Gandhi B MiaiMt' ,« "OiMmii MM.- » •* I r fa 1uujvuiv.u cu.x... ______ — their occupation, the trustees countered with for several years it remained unoccupied. By two other suits: Seeing the society members basement parking) had been ready since ’82, desperation and their'allempts to complete Piemises —as the sub-developer. Thereafter, the construction of the building, the trustees a housing society was formed by the flat discontinued thcu-water supply and shut the purchasers who were getting impatient to main gates. This provoked four society move into their premises. members to file the first suit that they are As per the agreement EneTjuither was 'oeing prevertieb hnmi permitted to transfer his power of attorney to egressing. The Trust demanded in their hisagent.SothebringinginofVikasPremises counter suit that these four members should was valid. But the society ’s claims that the be evicted and other members should be agent has transferred his rights to them, the prevented from taking possession of their Trust refuses to recognize, dismissing them respective flats. Ad interim relief in connection with the first two suits was sought from the High .................... ................. ,__________ purchasers who after investing considerable Court during vacation time when the judge and make profit In return he was supposed amounts are placed in such a predicament, ruled that those who are already in posses- to give a lumpsum consideration to the Trust. Buthepleadshelplessness.Further,sincethe sion of the flats may continue, but that no Over the years only a part of the principal agreement with the builder has already been new member could move in pending the amount was paid and consequently a large terminated,and since the building has yetnot final judgement. A notice at the entrance, interest payment was in arrears too, alleges received its completion/occupation prominently displayed, sums up the posi- Vachha. By then, all the trustees who had certificate, the trustees believe it is illegal tion: “By order dated 24/5/94 in High Court entered into the original agreement had died, occupation on the part of those who have AO 688/94 Messrs Vardhan Estates Pvt Ltd, Those trustees were, according to the will of moved into their new premises. What was the founder Ms Koombaimai Thoothi, lineal even more surprising was the builder ’s dec- . . descendants of the Thoothi family. Being laration, even prior to the Trust terminating pation are restrained from entering into use/ gentlemen themselves, they carried out the the agreement with the builder, that he and occupation in Om Vikas Towers until use/ transaction in good faith, placing implicit the sub-developer had dissociated occupation permission is issued by the trust in the builder and his verbal assurances, themselves. Builder Navani was earlier Bombay Municipal Corporation in accor- and never suspecting foul play, says Vachha. implicated in the Om Chambers FSI scandal dance with law. Illegal occupation will be CertainFSI(floorspaceindex)irregulari- where the Bombay High Court and the prevented/detiltwithinaccordancewithlaw. ” ¦ To ensure that the court ’s orders were not flouted, the main gates were kept shut and a special security agency hired to guard the place. Trouble broke out on the premises on the morning of June 7,1994 when one of the their flats, the members of the society filed building residents reportedly tried to obstruct made in favor of Om Prakash Navani, a builder who had been entrusted the respon ­ sibility of developing the land subject to certain conditions laid down in the agree ­ ment signed with the then trustees in the late ’70s, briefs Vachha. But since Navani was not able to comply with the terms of the agreement, the present trustees f nal ly decid ­ ed to terminate the agreement in 1991. Navani, reportedly, has not contested the revocation of the power of attorney. Monetary and moral reasons made the trustees sever their connections with the builder. The original understanding was that as trespassers. Vachha underskinds that this the builder or his agent could construct a building in keeping with law, sell the flats i____________r ______ to give a lumpsum consideration to the Trust. But he pleads helplessness. Further, since the ’ VI W iw J X'l.W --- - X'" “I —- - - - , amount was paid and consequently a large terminated,and since the building has yetnot final judgement. A notice at the entrance, certificate, the trustees believe it is illegal tion: “By order dated 24/5/94 in High Court must be a harrowing experience for the gentlemen themselves, they carried out the the agreement with the builder, that he and the construction of the building, the trustees Ashok Babulal Vardhan and other flats purchasers who have not entered into occu- themselves. Builder Navani was earlier Bombay Municipal Corporation in accor- where the Bombay High Court and the prevented/dettlt with in accordance with law. ’ " -................................¦¦¦¦•¦¦’—• ....................................... two top storeys of the prestigious building at Kemps Comer, and passed grave strictures ties undertaken by the builder and his agent Supreme Court upheld the demolition of the are said to have earned them a stop work “ * notice in the early ’80s. Subsequently the Anti Corruption Bureau initiated enquiries against the builders, and later filed a case against the builders in I 1990. Though the outer structure of the 28- t ----------,-------- , „ . storey building (this building has all duplex iwosuitsagainsiiheTrustwhicharepending the closure of the gates by halting his car in flats barring one penthouse and three-level in the city civil court. Seeking to prevent the middleofthegate. The provoked security guards retaliated and in the commotion that Thp vjnnrtitv nf thp well 1 lie adlivillj UI lllv Well property damaged. In the volley of stick and cades until it fell into disuse. stoncthrowing,oneoftheworshippersatthe For nearly a century the well was ne- Agiary found her car damaged while another glected until a German scholar. Prof devotee who tried to get his vehicle away Siegfried Hermerding conveyed to them from the scene of action was hurt, we are around five years ago, through Dr (Ms) informed. In their attempts to expedite entry into in the city civil court. Seeking to prevent the middleofthegate. The provoked security One of the legends that is faithfully nar ­ rated to each successive generation of the Thoothi family, and which is narrated to us by Capt Burjor Vachha, managing trustee of the Thoothi Agiary Trust, concerns the _ well when it was first dug up. Close to the Meher Master-Moos that the spirits guard ­ seafront, it initially spewed salty water ing the well were unhappy with the decrep- which the people then considered “ dalindar it condition of the well. In Bombay to study explaining that it was impossible to enforce (inauspicious). ” Zoroastrian institutions, Hermerding had the court order. Thereafter, perforce, the gate Undeterred, Ms Koombaimai Thoothi, not had an occasion to visit the Thoothi has been left open. But shortly, the trustees " ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ willexercisetheoptionofshuttingthcirgate. This was permissible if the second gate (that ing the well were unhappy with the decrep Since Vachha was held accountable for this turmoil, he approached the court again, • the founder asked to be lowered into the _ . well on a wooden platform. After praying reported that he was receiving vibrations there for three hours she was li fted out. As per her instructions no one could touch the ............"¦ • . . morning she is supposed to have prayed Th'oothi premises where he indicated that Soon thereafter the trustees decided to get the well renovated at considerable effort. Zoroastrian institutions, Hermerding had the court order. Thereafter, perforce, the gate not had an occasion to visit the Thoothi Agiary. On the eve of his departure, he from across the sea (he had put up at the Sea also opens on to the main Walkeshwar Road) Green Hotel on Marine Drive). This well until she gave the clearance. The next prompted Master-Moos to bring him to the there again beforc' sunrise and thereafter the source of the vibrations was the well. the water is believed to have turned sweet, " ’ " ' ' serving the Agiary needs for several de- was left open and an access pathway (levelled though not tarred) was provided to the residents already in possession, the court ruled. Made helpless observers while the soci ­ ety sought to give the finishing touches to the building, the Agiary trustees brought 97 Parsiana July-August 1994 LMATRIMONIAL A 34-year-old Zoroastrian graduate in Business Computer Information System, height 5’5”, weight 130 lbs invites matrimonial alliance from pleasant-tempered Zoroastrian girl,willing to settle in USA. Please respond with latest photograph (returnable) to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (July-Aug/45-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 "Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here up Another case (the third) in court seeking behind their present tenements, at a little to restrain them . This led the society to file distance to the front of the Agiary. Besides, the fourth suit praying that they should be the builders are reportedly attempting to allowed to complete the building. The deprive the trustees of other vacant land court ’s ruling on all four suits, heard to ­ gether, is due in end August. The Bombay Municipal Corporation erstwhile trustees, the builders in 1982 had refuses the trustees an inspection “of the development plans on our own property, ” laments Vachha. The BEST (Bombay Elec ­ tric Supply and Transport Undertaking) the deception, insisted on the demolished has granted the society members electric- ‘ ‘ ity connections despite there being “no consent from the owners, ” he adds. The trustees have to fight “moneyed ” people, awning covering the pathway that con- they realize. They also feel that the ESI nects the rearside ofthe Agiary to the well, scam on this property may be larger than While the builders maintain that this aw- ihe much publicized Pratibha building ning was not as per the original land layout, episode (the skyscraper at Breach Candy the trustees insist that it has always existed where the Supreme Court decreed the and in any case could in no way prevent the demolition of the top eight storeys). The builders from adhering to the permissible excess ESI which the builders had utilized ESI as the well has been standing there for on the Thoothi land they are now allegedly nearly two centuries, trying to set off. Presently there are a couple of tenants who run small shops on the periphery of the property that falls on the main road. To induce them to shift their location by a few feet, the builders have constructed another structure for them just when the well was in such a sad state of around the Agiary. Taking advantage of the largesse of the allegedly cut off a comer portion of the Agiary building on the pretext of building a car park. The trustees however, seeing section being rebuilt. This section now accommodates their office, informs Vachha. Another bone of contention is the Connected with this well are certain unusual stories (see ‘The sanctity of the well ,” page 97) that make the current trustees feel obliged to preserve the sanctity of the place. There was a time, admits Vachha, R. K. NEWSPRINT Corporation NEWSPRINT IMPORTERS/INDENTORS 228, Perin Nariman Street (Bazargate Street) Fort, Bombay 400001 Phones: 2620157, 2620158 * Fax; 022-2622875 Telex: 011 -76771 *RKNC-IN * Cable: RAJPAPER 98 Parsiana July-August T994Makers of exclusive carved, period & colonial wooden & lacquered brass furniture of your choice & design as per your order & specifications. We at Ozart believe that furniture is not just an object of use but a total reflection of your choice, taste & a lot more. For information, please contact: Sameer Oza, Ozart, Oza House, B-3, D N Nagar, Versova Road, Andheri (W), Bombay 400058. Tel: 6232796, 6234729 disrepair that the Municipality issued them a notice to get the well filled up. B y then the trustees had decided to restore the well. The first two contractors who were sum ­ moned expressed their inability to under ­ take the job. The next contractor had fin ­ ished replastering the 85-foot deep well when suddenly a foul smell was emitted from sewage water that had seeped into the well from damaged drains nearby. After that fault was rectified the water is now supposed to be potable though it has not been chemically tested. Vachha sees all this as an act of provi ­ dence. He also sees the same hand of God in the affairs of the second well on the premises. Ever since the society started to draw on it when the owners discontinued their water supply the well remains dry through the major part of the year. The society members now depend on tankers for their supply. Many devotees have considerable faith in the sacred Agiary well while worship ­ pers new to the place may not even realize its existence. In fact, those not familiar with this Agiary ’s workingshave to be told that when the Agiary seems deserted, a bell may be rung to summon the priest on the premises who will then guide the Zoroas- With Compliments From JEENA & COMPANY IATA approved Air Cargo, Clearing, Forwarding & Warehousing Agents 10, Veer Nariman Road, Fort, Bombay 400001 Cable: “JUSTITIA” Phone: 2042032 Telex: 82313, 83495 Fax: (22) 2026853 Airport Office Unit 132, Adarsh Industrial Estate Sahar Road, Andheri (East), Bombay 400099 Cable: AIRJENA Phone: 8324279 Telex: 79234, 79456 Fax: (22) 8363253 Branches New Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore Pune, Tirupur, Cochin & Hyderabad 100 Parsiana July-August 1994N Davar & Co Painting Contractors Interior Decorators 2, Commerce Centre Tardeo, Bombay 400034 Tel: 4944856, 4943210 trian to the sanctum sanctorum. The atten ­ dance at this Agiary swells during the muktad days and on its anniversary (roj Ardibehsth mah Ava). While on an aver ­ age 20-30 muktad tables are laid out each year with 80-100 vases, according to the estimate of the panthaky of the Agiary Ervad Kersasp Gonda, this year will see a decline, for the Agiary is being renovated and the columns in the front portico are being restructured. The area set aside for the muktad prayers and other ceremonies is the hall adjoining the sanctum where through the portraits hung on the wall one can get an introduction to the founder who had named the Agiary after her late hus ­ band Sorabji, and her descendants. Since Koombaimai had no children sur ­ viving her, she had bequeathed her assets to her sister ’s daughters Avanbai and Kookiai. The latter, married to Pestonji Kanga, had no issue. Avanbai had married Eduiji Vachha and so the line of descent comes via the Vachhas, we get a glimpse into the family tree. The property that the present trustees are left to handle is but a fraction of the original Thoothi land holding which ex ­ tended over a sizable expanse of Wit/1 Best Commitments From When in Bombay Contact LEACH & WEBORNY For attending to your laundry. They are Launderers & Dyers of repute. They w^ill also attend to your carpets for cleaning or dyeing. 66, Off E. Moses Road, Worli, Bombay 400018 Phone: Head Office 2654294 Factory: 4924384, 4925644 100b Parsiana July-August 1994Sale of Bungalow at Sanjan • Built up area of 10,000 sq ft (approximately) • With 4V2 acres of land • One storeyed structure with terrace • Six bedrooms with attached toilets • Chikoo and date trees around the bungalow • A well on the plot, exclusively for the occupants • Situated on the main road • Next to the famous Parsi Pillar • 3V2 hours drive from Bombay For further details contact: PRARON , 25. Unique House, 1 st floor, S. A. Brelvi Road, Fort, Bombay 400001 Tel no: (022) - 2661196, 2662449 Walkeshwar Road and included the estate which is presently the Raj Bhavan prop ­ erty, the official residence of the Governor of Maharashtra. These lands were sold in the 1800s at a very nominal rate of Vi paise per yard to the British in appreciation of which Queen Victoria sent the Thoothi family a letter of thanks, a document pre ­ served by the family to this day. Gradually other portions of the surrounding land over ­ looking the sea were also sold. Devotees of yore may remember the picturesque setting of the Thoothi Agiary in earlier times, directly overlooking the sea. Today one has to strain to catch a glimpse of the sea through the swaying branches of a tree. The rest of the sea view is blocked by Om Vikas Towers. As if that is not bad enough , the builders are now said to be coveting the vacant land around the Agiary too. Vachha however hopes that the land could be used for festivities and cel ­ ebrations by community members. Deter ­ mined to see this unfortunate episode “car ­ ried to its logical conclusion, ” Vachha is even willing to go up to the Supreme Court if necessary. He is convinced: “Eventually truth will dawn and the builders ’ illegali ­ ties surface... The Agiary will continue to stand. What can come down is only the building. ” J. M. SHROFF TRANSPORT PRIVATE LIMITED TRANSPORT CONTRACTORS For Bulk Liquids, Petrochemicals, Petroleum Products, Acetic Acid and other Chemicals all over India. Special Fleet of Stainless Steel “MINI-TANKERS” for loads up to 6 KL or 6 M.T. Sita Estate, “A” Wing, No 1, 1st Floor R. C. Marg, Chembur, Bombay 400074 Tel: 5555425, 5519359 BRANCHES BARODA: Tel No 329924, 329818 HYDERABAD: Tel No 812515 102 Parsiana July-August 1994compliments from NARIMAN NALLASETH Pvt Ltd PLUMBING ENGINEERS CONSULTANTS 27, Tamarind Lane Rajabahadur Compound Apollo Street Bombay 400023 Phone Nos: 2650066 & 2652986 104 Parsiana July-August 1994 RITUAL HONOR continued from page 86 Bom in Secunderabad where his father had been appointed panthaky of the Vicaji tered accountant Sam and garments ex- Meherji Daremeher, Turel lost his father at porter Aspi.) the age of two and his mother when he was eight. His education at the M. F. Cama rally to Turel who say she ’s been very fond Madressa in Andheri equipped him for a of prayers since his youth. This fondness lifetime of service as a mobed that began he is now trying to inculcate in the younger when he was but 16. Married to his cousin mobeds of today and says he has inducted Tehmina Turel (of the Turel branch that seven boys into the intricacies of the has served Surat ’s Goti Adarian for gen ­ erations — see “A midnight tryst with divinity, ” Parsiana, August 1985), they nirangdin ceremony was performed re- have three daughters: Farida Tehemton centlyafter 10 years, according to Turel. In Mistry in Washington DC, Dhun Noshir Navsari it has not been performed since the Anklesaria in Ahmedabad and Yasmin past 12 years, he notes during an interview Kerfegar Cooper in Surat. (Unlike Jehangir, his brother Edul , chairman of the Bombay Mercantile Co-operative Bank, chose a secular calling, as did Edul ’s four sons: neurosurgeon Keki, engineer Viraf, char- The higher liturgy has thus come natu- nirangdin ceremony (see “The nirangdin ceremony, ” page 106). In Udvada a with Parsiana on June 16, 1994. Despite the preoccupation with cer- Appreciative drapery The shawl combined with chanchia joras received nearly 100 when he was felici- (peaked slippers) was a sign of the upper tated for performing 160 nirangdin cer- gentry in the old days, informs Dastur (Dr) emonies and had received a fair number on Firoze Kotwal, High Priest of the H. B. Wadia Atas Bahram. Hence, to bestow a shawl was a signal honor. The Hindu pandits other hand needs about seven to eight and musicians were generally presented a shaal (or shaala) as a measure of the community ’s respect. Hence it was one of chooses to inaugurate a new one each the customs that the Zoroastrians probably Navroze though he too gifts away some, adopted from the Hindus. especially when he needs to honor any of How far back the custom dates cannot his hosts overseas. exactly be placed but it is known that shawls were presented at the time of the installation of the Navsari Atash Bahram Kotwal. The price range may extend from nearly 230 years ago and, as Kotwal re ­ minds us, the worthies whose portraits adorn its walls are depicted with shawls draped around them. The earliest known style of wearing the is in the market for six or more, advises shawl seemed to have been over one shoul- Kotwal. And, of course, there is the Kash- der only, says Kotwal . Thereafter the Poona mir Arts Emporium for finer pieces, dasturs and the forebears of Dastur _ . Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, High Priest of the off-white shawls with borders and end Anjuman Atash Bahram, were known to motifs though Turel was presented an wear it on one shoulder with the ends occasional red shawl. Turel ’s wife Tehmina gathered diagonally across under the other was also presented shawls by the Bombay arm —a style perhaps later emulated in the and Surat punchayets and some others, uniform of the colonial court staff. Cur- but the presentation of shawls to women rently all the High Priests drape it over both is uncommon —perhaps a bow to women ’s shoulders, the ends flowing down their full lib. skirted white jamo (robe) — like the Christian bishops — after the shawl has been cut to measure and tailored to sit Dastur on the latter ’s uthamna, informs snugly on the individual shoulder. Kotwal. On the dawn of the next day, he is What becomes of the innumerable presented a pichory (sash). These signify shawls presented on special occasions? the continuity of the Dastur ’s lineage and Ervad JehangirTurel,apanthaky atSurat ’s are presented on behalf of the community Sheth D. N. Modi Atash Behram, who by the head of the Desai family. earlier occasions, says he gifts most of them away. Kotwal as a High Priest on the shawls a year to wear whenever he is dressed for ceremonial occasions and Thebestshawlsare hand woven , woollen and Kashmiri in origin, according to Rs 200 to 2,000 or more. D. N. Mulla and Sons, near the Wadia fire-temple, stock shawls as do the Kalbadevi traders where shopping for shawls is preferable if one The high priests generally wear the In Navsari, it is still the custom to present a shawl to the son of the deceasedemonies and rituals, Turel espouses stopped due to community pressure. Re- life was a trip to Iran when he was able to the “need to be broadminded. ” Many cently there was a “big tofan (storm) in perform a jashan at the foot of Mount a dadgah fire has been transported to Surat Surat ” over SPP trustee and president of Demavand. from the mofussil areas where the dwin ­ dling or defunct community was unable to maintain it. It is best that old fires find new homes where the community has resettled, he believes, ruing the “jarbuddhi (thick headedness) ” of certain people who have sought to stall plans which would have benefitted the community at large. All arrangements had been made to shift the fire from the Pestonji Aslaji Doongaji Agiary at Bharuch to the new agiary being constructed at Godrej Bang in Bombay when certain members of the Bharuch community obtained a stay the Modi Atash Behram Davar Kavasji Modi ’s daughter coming to the Atash 7/ is best that old fires find new homes where the community has resettled Life, according to him, has its ups and downs for the community no less than the individual. His faith decrees thaiarainidar (savior) will comeand the community will reverse its current decline in India. He is also “100 percent confident ” that Zoroas ­ trianism will continue to grow in the West... The nirangdin ceremony The nirangdin ceremony, extending to 18 days of prayer and ritual purity, is a con ­ glomerate of several shorter ceremonies. The elaborate ritual consecrates the taro or bulls ’ urine whose use is mandatory in other Zoroastrian ceremonies. The nirangdin is normally commissioned in honor of a deceased family member. It is said that a living Zoroastrian has it and it is believed that Turel played a quiet performed on his own behalf only if he is role in getting them to withdraw their doubtful ofhis successors doing so after his support, though Turel himself declined to be quoted on the subject. Turel, who had been honored by the performing an ijashne [or yasna, a long order from the charity commissioner Behram after her marriage to a non-Zoro- of Gujarat. It had been stated that astrian. Some of the Modi Atash Behram hardly four or five devotees frequent the mobeds were said to have initially joined Bharuch agiary. There are four agiaries the signature campaign against her coming in Bharuch where the population was “ estimated at barely 250 individuals six years ago. Essentially a conservative who is pained at intercommunity marriages, Turel notes thata Zoroastrian man whose wife belongs SPP when he completed 100 nirangdins in ceremony which involves the recitation of to another faith does frequent the Modi Atash Behram while a Parsi lady married toanon-Zoroastrianusedtocomewith the local anjumans as well as those abroad, permission of the trustees but has since notably in Chicago. A high pointofTurel ’s death. The ceremony begins with two mobeds 1988, has performed ceremonies in most 72 has (chapters) of the Yasna accompa- towns of India and been honored by the nied by rituals involving much symboliza ­ tion] and giving two other mobeds the bareshnum (the most elaborate of the r We're Geared-up to serve you. 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Unlike ordinary bareshnums, these mobeds must pass the entire nine nights in “vigil, watch and prayer (because) ifthey have any nocturnal pollution during any of these nights, they have to repeal the bareshnum, ” writes J. J. Modi in The Religious Ceremonies and Customs of the Parsees. “On the 11 th day one of the two priests takes an early bath and puts on a new set of clothes, ” continues Modi. “Then, perform ­ ing his padyab-kusli (short prayer, wash ­ ing of exposed parts of the body followed by kusti proper), he says his morning prayers. Then he performs the khub cer ­ emony (the recital of the whole Yasna accompanied by its ritual). On the second day, i.e. on the 12th day from the begin ­ ning, the second priest performs the khub ceremony. His colleague, who has per ­ formed the khub ceremony on the first day, gels him through that ceremony. Then, both the priests perform the gewra cer ­ emony (the reciting of the Yasna with its ritual for six consecutive days). During * * * ? 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Please write with photograph (returnable) to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (July-Aug/43-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ‘Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here MATRIMONIAL Parsi boy, 28 years, Design Engineer (Manager), well-settled in California, USA invites correspondence from well-groomed, intelligent Parsi girls. Write with recent photograph to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (July-Aug/38-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ‘Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here CHOCOPHILE For the chocolate addict in you. Fine liqueur chocolates Tempting truffles with foreign liqueurs rum or nuts. Great for gifts Call 3637981, 3646120 these six days, the priest whose turn it is to keep the gewra, has to pass the night in vigil, as said above. Again, he is to take his meals after reciting the great baj and not the ordinary baj , or prayer of grace. On the completion of the sixth gewra, both the priests perform the baj ceremony and each partakes of the darun (flat, unleavened round bread made of wheat flour and clarified butter) consecrated by his colleague. This intercommunion, or partaking of the sacred bread consecrated by one another, is spoken of as ‘being hamkalam' i.e. ‘being one or united {ham) in their words {kalam) of prayer. ’ Then they purify the utensils to collect the urine of the bulls for consecration. They make pav, i.e. ceremonially pure, two large water pots — one larger than the other — two small water pots, and a cup that would cover the large water pot. All these pots are metallic. “By this time, a white bull known as the varasio is brought into the temple where the ceremony is to be performed. The Vendidad refers to an uncastrated bull but does not speak of its being a white one... “The two priests after being hamkalam as said above, and after making the utensils pav or religiously pure, go with one of the small metallic pots before the sacred bull With Best Compliments From NAOZER B. BALDAWALA BUILDTECH INDIA Structural and Civil Repairs, Restoration, Renovation, Rehabilitation, Waterproofing, Guniting, Plastering and Painting Engineers and Contractors Phone:242684,3642073,3622631, 3612224 110 Parsiana July-August 1994MATRIMONIAL Matrimonial alliance invited for a Parsi solicitor, aged 37. working in a reputed solicitor ’s firm, having own accommodation, drawing handsome remuneration from a well-educated and domesticated Parsi girl. Please respond with latest photograph (returnable) to; The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (July-Aug/48-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ’Please make sure the reply envelope bearsthe reference number cited here SITUATIONS VACANT Sales and servicing executives/trainees required for printing press in Fort area. Write to: The Advertiser (Sales) GPO Box 892 Bombay 400001 MATRIMONIAL Well-established, well-to-do Parsi parents of only daughter, 23 years, 5'6" tall, slim, fair, good ­ looking, intelligent, intellectual, well-educated, sophisticated, loving, hardworking, with a good sense of humour, invite correspondence from boys up to 30 years, from a similar background and with similar qualities. Apply with photograph (returnable) to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimoniai (July-Aug/44-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ‘Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here and collect his urine in the pot. Even a few drops ofhis urine are necessary to begin the collection. Having collected his urine, they collect the urine from a number of other ordinary uncastrated bulls. The work of collecting the urine must be finished some ­ time before sunset. When it is so finished, one of the priests performs the paragna ceremony (which consecrates items to be offered in the yasna and other higher litur ­ gical ceremonies) in the Uziran gah i.e. in the afternoon period of the day. Then the vendidad ceremony is performed at mid ­ night, commencing at a little after 12 o ’clock. ” During the ceremony the priests keep opening and watching the contents ofthe two vessels of water and nirang and 100 Ashems and 200 Yathas are recited, in ­ forms Turel. During the last nine yathas nine flintstones are thrown in. Along with the liquids, the bottles, cloth to cover their mouths, sutur (string) to tie the cloth — everything that is necessary for the preser ­ vation of the nirang is consecrated at the same time, says Turel. The ceremony today costs Rs 30,000 to perform, according to a 28-page booklet titled The Nirangdin recently published by Marzban Giara (available from him at Dhunmai Building, 667 Lady Jehangir FIRDOS & S. CAMBATTA CO. 'Cambatta Central', Bharat Bobins Ltd Premises Rakhial Road, Ahmedabad 380023 Agents in Gujarat for: M/s ION EXCHANGE (INDIA) LTD For INDION Water Softening Plants, Demineralisers, Cation & Anion Resins, Filters, Chemical Dosers etc /— ~| Sole concessionaires in Gujarat for: [ Fy M/s INGERSOLL-RAND (INDIA) LTD For Air Compressors and Vacuum Pumps 110b Parsiana July-August 1994Jumble Quiz This Jumble quiz has been reprinted from the April 1993 newsletter of theBori- vli and Suburban Zoroastrian Association. Hidden in the maze are the names of 15 Parsi girls. One name has been indi ­ cated. Can you find the rest? You may look hori ­ zontally or diagonally, up ­ ward or downward, forward or backward. Locate the names of Benaifer, Dhun, Dilnaaz, Dilshad, Farida, Firuzee, Havovi, Jasmine, Khush- nam, Lily, Monaz, Navaz, Rashna and Shireen. 7. T A E H R O Z E T A H E T O Z A N A L I D O A I N N J U R U I T A E V L Y P A o A H A L R S U L F I T O S D Y O H E V R I F T H A M E D I E I R A E P N O I I R K T U R F I A L E N E R C A P S L A L E O A U D E R H Z A V N A N N u R E M A N H S H K N O P A D I R A F S O N Y M i Road, Dadar, Bombay 400014). The late Dastur Khurshed Dabu considered the bull ’s urine as but the conductor of the energy that the priests endow it with through their manthravani or prayer recitation. “If electricity passes through a wire, the wire is not called electricity. Just as the wire is a conductor or medium, so also the taro- abe-zar (bull ’s urine) is only a medium. The strength or force put in it by the Zoroastrian religious ceremony is called nirang, ” noted Dabu in “The meaning of nirang, ’’ a lecture he gave m 1944 that has been reproduced in The Nirangdin. “Why use taro in nirangdin and why not use milk or oil? One can pose another question to the question: Why use only a copper wire to conduct electricity and why not gold? ” further notes Dabu. Giara, who has reprinted excerpts from J. J. Modi as well as Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal and James Boyd ’s A Guide to the Zoroas­ trian Religion, has also included a report from Dastur (Dr) Sohrab Kutar of London originally published in Parsiana (May 1969). Kutar had had two samples of nirang exam ­ ined by a British pathologist in London. It was stated that the samples — six months and six years old respectively — bred no microorganismsof any kind in contrast to the control sample of ordinary urine. With Best Compliments From Mrs Dina Dara Sukhia and family And Victory Theatre 2429 Gen Thimayya Road Camp, Pune 411001 llOd Parsiana July-August 1994BUSINESS Pizza Parlays Sherree Desai Pizza outlets introduced by cousins Rashid and Navroze Bilimoria have proved a favorite with Bombayites Machinery, equipment and power, chefs 5 ' ’ ' ' and kitchen staff, scooters and delivery get the marketing angle right as well. There people, telephones and people to answer was press advertising, banners, FM radio were also very clear that they were going to people who ordered that first time, continue „ „ ; to order on a regular basis. ” people, telephones and people to answer was press advertising, banners, FM radio And so do very many other people, not them, flour and dough, tomatoes, cheese.s spots and of course the well-remembered only on the phone at that. Eager pizza and of course licences... These were just trial run. The miirkciing strategy also neces- ... - someoftheelementsjuggledaround through sitated the selection of an unusual name for the summer in Bombay last year, one facet their enterprise - Smokin ’ Joe ’s - which coming under control only to have another they decided was the best among the op ­ getting out of hand, then some taking better tions offered by their advertising agency shape and form and finally all falling into Clarion Advertising Private Limited. place, having come slowly but surely to- — gether as S mokin ’ Joe ’s Dial-a- Pizza. Things havegone well since, " and within just one year of op ­ eration, the second Smokin ’ Joe ’s outlet has opened in Bombay (the first is at Carmichael Road, the second in Colaba) with a third, this £• time in Bandra, slated to open later this year. Soon, Smokin ’ Joe ’s will make its advent in Pune, setting up shop not far from the Blue Diamond. And taking this success very much in their stride are the two young men who started it all, second cousins Rashid and Navroze Bilimoria. Just sitting back quite Bilimoria cousins: Navroze (left) relaxed and being able to talk fairly dispas ­ sionately about the tartness of tomatoes and the price of mushrooms must be quite a . luxury for the Bilimorias, given that just invited to order on a particular day, and that area few regularofficeordersatCarmichael about a year ago, it was “crisis, chaos and was the day that everything seemed to go Road as well, plus a standing order from the panic ” that seemed to rule their lives. In the wrong at Smokin ’ Joe ’s. The phone rang American School every Thursday,- the ma- last stages before the trial run in July 1993, itself off the hook, orders poured in, pizzas jority of the demand coming from individu- “we worked at least 18 hours every day: ” —.u ---------r„„. --------u -i—j the memories are joint and vivid. While fine-tuning their product, setting and main ­ taining their quality standards, plus putting worked out well, for as Rashid points out, the logistics in place (never the easiest “We did a survey somewhere along the line proposition in India), Navroze and Rashid and found that as many as 70 percent of the consumers soon arrived at the Carmichael Road outlet to pick up their 8- and 12- inchers. They could be living in the area, but also may well reside in the surburbs, as Rashid and Navroze have both found outin the course of conversation with their cus ­ tomers. This meant that seating at Smokin ’ Joe ’s would make business sense, and the Bilimorias were quick to recognize and respond to this fact the best they could. The Colaba out ­ let has seating for 12, and “we have a queue on week ­ ends. ’’ In Pune, where space is not at the premium it is in Bombay, the Smokin ’ Joe ’s outlet will seat 30 people, and offer “related items, such as garlic bread, salads and desserts, ’’ says Rashid. The demand for vegetar- 2 ian pizzas at Carmichael I Road is “about two-thirds, ” * reckons Navroze, whereas at Colaba, “it ’s more like 50-50.” Colaba also has far more lunch orders from offices, with some companies like Citibank and Linkas offer of a free pizza to people who were featuringregularlyonthedeliverylist.There invited to order on a particular day, and that " ' “ was the day that everything seemed to go wrong at Smokin ’ Joe ’s. The phone rang The trial run was by way of an opening ilM V with Rashid at their Colaba outlet sfc did not emerge from the ovens fast enough, the delivery people all seemed to have vanished... Yet even .that stressful day als and families. Asked aboot the most popular item in the Smokin ’ Joe ’s'pizza selection, Rashid is unequivocal. “For the non-vegetarians, it ’s the Barbecued Chicken (priced at Rs 120 for a 12-inchcr), for vegetarians, the kfinalized, and necessary finance bor ­ rowed from their respective families, the and the beginnings of an idea took root, work really began. making the most of an available business opportunity. Serious thought and some pre ­ liminary research over the next couple of Bombay. Then came college and a parting of ways. Rashid went to the US, where he took a degree in philosophy, moving to the Pizza obviously topped the discussion Mixed Veg (costing Rs 95 for a 12-incher), ” he states, adding that his personal favorite listafterall those years of living in the West, in case we want to know is All American (Rs 160 fora 12-incher), which comes with pepperoni, capsicum and extra cheese. Pizzas at Smokin ’ Joe ’s come in several varieties. Among the 12-inchers, the eight months developed into a feasibility study, vegetarian options include California (sun- dried tomatoes, walnuts, capers and spring onions) for Rs 120 and Woodcutter ’s Pizza with spinach, onions, mushrooms and basil for Rs 100. In the non-vegetarian selection (nine choices) are Meat Feast (sausage, salami and ham) for Rs 100, Mixed S eafood (prawn, squid and tuna, with basil) for Rs 140 and Hot ‘n ’ Spicy Bolognese (mutton mince, onion, capsicum, green chillies and sesame seeds) for Rs 120, to name a few. The research done on this front too has been good for, besides the standard pizza options available, there is also infinite scope for the creation of custom-made combina ­ tions and permutations, thanks to a separate list of toppings available. The basic Margherita, for example, that comes in its original vegetarian form with basil and tomatoes (and cheese of course) can be developed along with more vegetarian top ­ pings, say capsicums, mushrooms and ol ­ ives, or transformed into a non-vegetarian pizza with the addition of bacon or Thai- style beef, for example. I “Everything, the dough, the sauce, the 1 toppings, are put together in-house, ” stresses I Rashid, sitting back in his chair, “all from I scratch, and with fresh ingredients that I come in every day ...” Quality is obviously | all-important to him. Among their most valued ingredients is cheese which was sourced with determina ­ tion, melted and mixed, and tasted and examined till a mozarella manufactured in the north was settled on. “Now there are new cheese suppliers coming to us every day, ” says Navroze with a laugh, “and the vegetable man rings every night for the order, though actually he knows what our requirements are. ” The “requirements ” at Smokin ’Joe ’s run to 50-75 kgs of tomatoes outtobejustthat, for on April 1 C’Andthis per day per outlet (more on Fridays and Saturdays, since larger quantities of sauce need to bubble away on the weekends), 20 kgs of capsicums and about 10 kgs of search was on for an appropriate base from onions. Like so many good ideas. Smokin ’ Joe ’s was bom around a dining table. “I was back in Bombay (in December 1992),” Rashid the conventional route “ads and brokers ” in recalls, “wondering whether it was time to ’ start something of my own... ” Then one afternoon, sitting around at home with friends, with nothing particularly interest ­ ing available for lunch, talk turned to food, take-outs and home deliveries. Both 29 years old, Rashid and Navroze were at the same school, St Mary ’s in and Rashid was soon thinking in terms of “a partner and a place. ” Navroze, cousin and UK for training in accountancy. Navroze stayed closer home, going to college in Bombay, and getting familiar with the fam ­ ily business, first in “production and sales at Bharat Tiles ” and then in “marketing at Grindwell Norton. ” On the family front, Rashid and Navroze ’s paternal grandfathers (who were brothers) were in the army and police re ­ spectively. Things were rather different where their maternal grandfathers were concerned. In Rashid ’s case, this grandfa ­ ther started Dorabjee ’s, the well-known Pune store as well as set up Racold, the home appliances ’ manufacturer. Navroze remembers his mother ’s father as “a true entrepreneur, ” establishing and expanding Bharat Tiles and Grindwell Norton. Looking back, the Bilimorias reflect on what it means to be Zoroastrians when * MiCS 113 Parsiana July-Augusr 1994 ¦ ¦ setting up a business. “One has the initial advantage, ” Rashid points out, “of Parsis having a reputation for being straight in gm their dealings... Of course one has to live up to this. ” He goes on to illustrate how young, W would-be entrepreneurs in the community • can build effectively on this basic plus, and also underlines the fact that networking among Parsi professionals, for legal advice for example, is simply done. “Parsis do help Parsis, ” the Bilimorias maintain, acknowl ­ edging among other things the advice and finance they have received from the Zoro ­ astrian Bank, for instance. However, when Popular pizzas from Smokin' Joe's awaiting it comes to the purchase of raw material or delivery to customer Photos: Varghese Fernandez hiring of Staff in their own case, the Bilimorias are professional rather than pa ­ rochial, adopting a strictly “all things being old friend, and also “wanting to do some ­ thing on my own ” was sounded out. His equal ” approach, simple response, “Give me a week, ” turned “ ’ Today Rashid and Navroze ’s pizza busi ­ ness is geared to meet the demand bf 250- 300 pizzas per day per outlet, aver the was no joke, ” interjects Rashid) Navroze was in, Bilimoria Foods and Beverages Bilimorias. Increased demand (400 pizzas) Private Limited started to take form and the which to operate a home-delivery pizza business. Here the Bilimoria cousins gave up on just two days. “We just took the car and drove around looking for likely locations... walked in and asked... made our offer. ” This roll-up-thc-sleeves approach to the space hunt worked (and worked once again with the Colaba outlet) and with a place at Smokin ’ Joe ’s. over the weekend is also taken well in stride. A team of about 20 people per outlet: a chef and 10 kitchen staff come together to fashion pizza bases, stir sauces, chop ingre ­ dients for toppings and of course grate cheese; six delivery staff (and scooters) whizz around balancing boxes and locat ­ ing addresses; and four “order takers ” an ­ swer calls, remember customer favorites, note addresses complete with landmarks... And so the pizzas keep coming and going.r sM Parsi^^H boarding houses are an integral part . of the town's ethos and / ^^^ambiencez ? » I B I ja3S8Ka»->wss< g^H •ifUlMUfJir-T*:-****’ «<«e» W * * t. in 1987, so that it would still be of service to Above: Dastur Baug (left) and Wadia the community. Dharamshala Indeed, dharamshalas have been serv- Below: Majestic Hotel (left) and ing the community long before the first SodawaterwalaDharamshala hotel came to Udvada. The oldest is the N. M. Wadia Dharamshala, near the station. WHERE PILGRIMS PROGRESS continued from page 66f the old order of common toilets still pre ­ vails. The meals here are substantial enough, but do not expect to be served fried boi fish every day, if at all. “You ’ve got to realize .... ---------------- . our charges are almost half the regular which wasbuiliby the Wadiafamily —they before their post cards did and foughfwith hotel charges, so you cannot expect the also built the building that now houses the the managers if there was no room for them. “The post was a real headache. The telephones are a blessing, ” says one much Photos: Gustasp Irani hotel charges, so you cannot expect the also built the building that now houses the same kind of facilities, ” says Jehangirirani, Iranshah — about 100 years ago. About 25 manager of the Sodawaterwala Dha- years later the Sir J. J. Dharamshala was ramshala. Pervez Unwalla, manager of built. TheSodawaterwalaDharamshalagoes harried hotel manager. • Dastur Baug, adds that the dharamshalas back only about 30 years. Within the last 10 Yes, the old order gives way to the new. are frequented by budget conscious Parsis tp 12 years all the three dharamshalas have With it a few of the services that the hotels who can be as demanding as the Parsis who had major face-lifts. offered, like booking maachi ceremonies stay in the ‘fancy ’ hotels, if not more. Today one ofthe big boons for Udvada for their regular clients, are nudged into ¦ -. ’ ’ - oblivion. But there is one thing that re- 1 mains constant: as long as the holy fire bookings. The earlier system through the burns in Udvada, there will be Zoroastrian post needed at least seven days lead time, pilgrims who will keep visiting it. And as Of course, there were those who wrote one long as they keep coming, they will need back only about 30 years. Within the last 10 IP 12 years all the three dharamshalas have stay in the ‘fancy ’ hotels, if not more. Today one ol the big boons for Udvada Dastur Baug, l(x;ated at the far end of the hotels and dharamshalas is the STD tele ­ road that leads to the Iranshah, is housed in abuilding that was earliera school. When the u-ustees realized that there were no more Parsi children in Udvada to fill its classrooms, . _ , _ they decidedto convert it into a dharamshala day before their planned visit, reached hotels and dharamshalas to stay in. phone facilky by which guests can confirm 114 Parsiana July-August 1994MEDICINE // Life is u so precious Obstetrician, gynecologist, surgeon. Dr Nargesh Motashaw ’s international standing was highlighted as the first woman to host the World Congress of Gynecological Endoscopy Arnavaz S. Mama A large, old, plant-crowned vat in the ' crook ofthe passage indicates the direction gynecology alone. ” to Dr (Ms) Nargesh Motashaw ’s consult ­ ing rooms at Delstar on Bombay ’s Hughes Road. The normally over- crowded waiting room is an |H extension of the doctor ’s per- SUS' sonality: the muted lighting, tartan and teak decor, carved US tables, porcelain and cut glass echo the lady ’s elegant, confident presence. ^||| “Surgery is not like going to your hairdresser. There is morbidity and mortality to contend with. Our aim is to reduce these, ” notes the founder president of the International Federation of Gynecological Endoscopists who has been at its apex for the past nine years. In that capacity the obstetrician, who has presided over innumer- hMIHI able births in Bombay and introduced laparoscopy to India, hosted the World Con- gress of Gynecological • Endoscopy in Bombay last December, the first woman to do so. Nargesh (left) and Goal Motashav^: “In the last 20 years, in all disciplines of complementary activities medicine and surgery (dealing with) joints, stomach, intestines, etc there have been i ' ' _ attempts to perform procedures through presenting a paper on the subjectat the XIV minimally invasive surgery. It began with ............ - - - - laparoscopic sterilization... and it revolu- stetrics being convened in Montreal in doctors to learn select skills from the ex- tionized the diagnosis and treatment of all September 1994 by theFedcration of Inter- perts attending the Congress. reproductive organ pathology. It started national Gynecologists and Obstetricians A frequent speaker at international con ­ withgynecologybutitwasnotrestrictedto (FIGO) where she is to be presented a ’’ special certificate by the host organiza- The lady who has been in charge of tion. A fellow Indian who will receive a organizing training in endoscopic tech- similar honor is Dr Roy Chowdhury of Calcutta, she informs us. Motashaw ’s contri ­ butions to the propagation of endoscopic techniques in gynecology chapters on endoscopy, gy ­ necology, female steriliza ­ tion, etc in well over a dozen books plus articles in national and international journals. Until she retired as professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, she conducted week-long courses in laparoscopy twice a year when physicians from India, West Asia and Australia participated, as notes her paper “Organizing of training in developing coun ­ tries, ” published by Parthenon (UK). At the Bombay Congress last December nearly 700 surgeons from around the world congregated at the Taj Mahal Hotel to discuss the techniques, niques in developing countries will be applications and ethics of laparoscopic surgery. The Congress included pre and World Congress of Gyftecology and Ob- post plenary workshops to enable local stetrics being convened in Montreal in i' ¦i 118 Parsiana July-August 1994 includes national Gynecologists and Obstetriciansgresses, Motashaw has been sponsored by international agencies to attend meetings in Tunis, Seoul, Berlin, Mexico, Chicago, Florence, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, etc. She has lectured at the University of Leiden on female sterilization and been invited by China to operate, lecture and teach in five cities. Her video films on endoscopy are a part of the teaching material used in Paris and the Netherlands. Conzema, a distribu ­ tor of hi-tech video films in Germany, distributes some of her films. Her years of experience as consulting obstetrician and gynecologist at Bombay ’ s most prestigious hospitals including the A layman ’s guide to modern surgery “The word ‘endoscopy ’ means visual ­ ization of the internal organs and struc ­ tures, ” Dr Nargesh Motashaw explains the esoteric terms of modern medicine. “Visualization can be done per abdomen when the procedure is known as laparoscopy, coelioscopy, perito ­ neoscopy, pelviscopy , etc. If the proce ­ dure is done by the vaginal route, the term used is euldoscopy. When the cavity of the uterus is visualized, the term hysteroscopy is used. When the amniotic sac and the foetus are visual- ____________ ______ ized, the terms amnioscopy and hospital stay, often as a day patient, and foetOscopy are used. ” consequent savings. Additionally, the Laparoscopy entails the introduction quicker turn around, and therefore better - - -7------- ----------------utilization of facilities, proves more the surgeon ’s entourage. This concept of “minimally invasive surgery ” is less painful and enables the patient to recover faster, informs Motashaw. The level of pain can be judged by the phenomenon of the patients being more conscious of the pain in their arm due to the administra ­ tion of intravenous fluids and the dis ­ comfort in the throat due to the placing of the endotracheal tube than the sensations at the site of the surgery, as notes Motashaw. This results in a shorter J Motashaw with a local surgeon and (below, center) with international colleagues in China 120 Parsiana July-August 1994 of a slim, rod-like instrument — the i _ ___ _ endoscope —into the abdomen through economical forthepublic health system a small hole. The endoscope is made of ' ' special glassprisms which transmit light. ____ Light is conveyed through a sheath of mortality from endoscopic procedures glass fibres called the cable. There is no is low, there are still reported and bulb, so that the abdominal contents anecdotal complications, ” concedes the don ’tget heated. This cold light permits surgeon, noting apologetically for the the surgeon to view the cavities of the profession that there are “few surgeons body. This was the first phase or diag- honest enough to report on these nostic endoscopy. By the drilling of one complications in scientific journals. ” or two additional holes and the use of She further notes that the operator needs special instruments, many surgical procedures such as sterilizations, the removal of ovarian cysts and other tu ­ mors, diseased appendix, gall bladder, . ____________________ etc are effected. The state of the art be competent to deal with them. ” Ideal ­ surgery includes a TV camera and lylearningisbestdoneinthelaboratory monitor so that the goings-on are ' reflected, enabling all members of the surgical team including the assistant. as a whole. “Though we say that morbidity and to be a good surgeon in traditional terms before he or she can be proficient in endoscopic surgery because “the complications are the same. He/she must and not the operation theater. Among the outstanding endoscopic surgeons practising in Bombay the anesthesiologist and the nursing.staff Motashaw names Dr Tehemton to participate. The procedure is video ­ taped for the benefit of students. And to ensure that the equipment functions as it should, a biotcchnologist is a part of Udwadia, Dr Adi Nazirand Dr Kayomal Balsara (general surgery). Dr Fardoon Soonavala (urology) and Dr Rusy Soonavala (gynecology). Breach Candy and Hinduja hospitals apart they (the parents) say it is impossible! ” from the B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospi- '* tai, has given Motashaw an insight into community characteristics and problems. She ascribes the depleting numbers of the Parsi community to late marriages, pov ­ erty and the housing shortage. The doctor well-informed,clean; the other irexTremely is impatient with the Bombay Parsi 1 - ¦ • Punchayet ’s new policy seeking to provide ( sustenance for the third child: “Let the large number belong to the “grey zone Parsis have a first child! ” she notes with where motivation, education, environment some asperity, adding, “Each time I de ­ liver a Parsi baby I plead for a second. But Motashaw says that over the course of the past 20 years she ’s been noticing two types of Parsis and the differentiation is not economic. Though both types may belong to the middle class, one is “intelligent. lazy, totally laissez-faire regarding family, children, surroundings... ” And of course, a make a difference... “Our educational standards must beCROL|KRfiM|OLO5 TWO^TAGE VACCUM PUMPS 100 r IRVES ARE BASED ON l°C SEALANT WATER ; STWO STAGE! iVACUUM PUMP iM.OTOR-5 HP 1450 RPM, oe X Z [SINGLE STAGE! VACUUM PUMPi ImOTOR-7.5 HP 2850 RPM S80 600 20 710 720 740 VACUUM-MM HG HIGHER VACUUM & CAPACITY AT REDUCED POWER CONSUMPTION & RPM Over 75 years of depth and Experience Technically the most advanced of its type on the market ¦ EFFICIENCIES THAT PAY OFF IN SAVINGS OF THOUSANDS OF RUPEES PER PUMP PER YEAR- CR Pumps offer the first real improvements in Vacuum Pump technology in nearly 75 years. They have dramatically improved operating efficiencies and offer long-term savings of tens of thousands of Rupees in power costs. You not only save elecricity to run the Pump, you can often downsize the motor to gain additional savings. mazda CONTROLS LTD. Patel Chambers, Near H.K. House, Ashram Road, Ahmedabad-380 009, India. Tele. No.; 408967, 406014,408654 Fax: 0272-427394 Telex: 0121-6620 improved. Doctors ’ children and lawyers ’ children do well because of the opportunities available to them. T uitions cost an unbelievable amount. ” Hence Motashaw suggests that the community institutions try and pick out bright kids at the sixth or seventh standard level, inculcate in them the advantages of knowledge. “We should subsidize tuition fees. In this world/country/city the competition is just ferocious. Let us hope that the opening up of the economy will generate more employment, ” she adds, fearful of what a rising unemployment rate in the country means in terms of antisocial activities. Though the doctor describes herself as “conservative in mind, heart, and soul ” she is in favor of accepting the children of Zoroastrian women married outside the community. “We should get out of our old, strangling practices. If the father has no objection to his children being (Zoroastrians, acceptance) will help; it will keep our community alive. But I am not sure how many will accept (the Zoroastrian faith). ” According to Motashaw, “Adoption is great, ” but Parsis want to adopt Parsi babies when there are no Parsi babies! “If the Germans can adopt Indian babies and the Swedes can adopt Indian babies, why can ’t the Parsis adopt them? ” she asks. Though she admits that “as with many things in life,a couple may be unlucky, ” it is Motashaw ’s contention that the adoption of a child takes the pressure to conceive off the woman and may lead to conception. After all, in the old days, prior to the modern aids to fertility, adoption had been known to work that way, she notes. However, Motashaw advises adopting parents to have the infant put through basic tests including blood tests and a checkup by a pediatrician before finalizing the adoption. With modern medicine being able to cure more diseases and even stop cancer if detected earlier, longevity is increasing, notes Motashaw. But “the younger generation is (by and large) a very selfish generation... They do not show the love and affection for parents as we did... Today families often stay together only because the eldest is holding the pursestrings. As soon as he dies, the family disintegrates. ” She recalls cases where the only child has been educated and nurtured to reach high career goals but has no room for the lonely parent in his own life. She believes that more and more old age homes will be needed where single old people can find physical nourishment and companionship because the old person left alone is loath to cook and look after himself or herself and deteriorates physically and mentally. Motashaw and her sister Gool live together, with Gool keeping house for the busy doctor, doubling as secretary and, later in the evening, as receptionist. They had lost their mother to cancer while they were schooling at St Teresa ’s Convent in Santa Cruz where they lived. When they matriculated, their father Darashaw, an employee of the BB&CI Railway and “a very well-read man, ” took the girls to the principal of St Xavier ’s College, Bombay, for vocational guidance. The educationist merely suggested that one go into the arts stream and the other into science. Accordingly, Nergish completed her inter science and decided to follow her two elder brothers into medicine, while Gool graduated in arts. Russi, a general practioner who settled in the UK, has now retired but works as a locum (substitute) for vacationing doctors in his area. Their brother Murzban a cardiologist, had succumbed to kidney failure al the age of 52, plunging the family in grief.Sam, settled in Germany, does consultancy work in pharmaceutical management. Gool ’s flair for interior designing, had ensured her a long tenure as a retainer of Goodlass Nerolac: large buyers of theirpaintreceived the benefitof her advice in color schemes, etc. “We all owe a great deal to the untiring efforts of our father, ” 122 Parsiana July-August 1994 LWith Best Compliments From PENOSH 94-A, M. G. Road Pune 411001 Tel: 645162-65 Fax: 645166 Telex: 145-7418 124 Parsiana July-August 1994 Nargesh Motashaw recalls with honest af ­ fection and a hint of nostalgia. “He was both mother and father to us. He educated us and set us on our way... “Life is so precious... You can never replace life in terms of money, ” says Motashaw who is anti euthanasia, anti performed by illtrined people (leading to) abortion and anti capital punishment. Would she honor a “living will ” made by ______ _____ a patient to decline medical treatment? “If of conception, i*s authorized. After that it there is brain death, yes. Not otherwise, ” must be justified on medical grounds, she she states flatly, citing a case she has read informs. The act helped many unmarried of apatient diagnosed with terminal malig- mothers and those with low economic con- nancy of the ovary who outlived the doc- ditions but “I was very reluctant to do tor. She says she had personally witnessed abortions, ” confesses Motashaw. She says a similar case when she was a very young she shied away from the job until her senior gi'necologist: operating on a poor Goan doctor convinced her of the overall neces- woman she had found an advanced malig ­ nancy. Her senior. Dr Kaikhasru Masani, _ _____ opined that the woman would barely sur- while to get used to it, ” she notes unhappily vivea few days. The incision was closed up and seeks God ’s forgiveness each time she and she was sent home but she survived and performs one. “The method of mid trimes- gradually recovered: immune bodies in the human system can fight the disease, notes Motashaw. Neither does Motashaw advocate abor ­ tion as a family planning measure even though Japan and China have taken this months. ” route to successfully curtail their runaway The physical normalcy ofthe foetus Can populations. US presidents Ronald Reagan be established by ultrasound at a good 1 center. “A good sonologist can detectmany and George Bush were also anti abortion and had cut off the US federal grants to the International Planned Parenthood Federa ­ tion which permitted abortion, she recalls. When abortion became legal in India in 1972 “it was a very good act because there were lots of surreptitious abortions being complications and death, ” she concedes. Now abortion, if performed within 20 weeks sity to do so in the combined interest of the patient and the country. “You take quite a ter abortion followed in the early 1970s was to remove a volume of the amniotic fluid and replace it with a chemical agent (even normal saline). Now we use injec ­ tions to induce miniature labor upto five The physical normalcy of the foetus Can cleaning machined t 1923-1994 Seventy-one years of clean service! DIANA-ECLIPSE For all your carpet and upholstery cleaning ? “Parag” 27, Peddar Road, Bombay Tel: 4941987, 4945302MATRIMONIAL Bombay-based parents of a pretty, fair, good-natured, cheerful and educated girl, 25 years, at present studying in USA, invite correspondence from an educated, good-natured Parsi boy, around 28 years, well-settled preferably in USA. Please write in detail with photograph to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (July-Aug/51-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 'Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here Training Camp in Athietics The first ever Training Camp in Athletics is to be held in Khandala from October 23 to November 6, 1994. Planned by the organizing committee of the All Parsis Annual Athletic and Cycling Meet, the emphasis during the Camp will be on physical fitness and the basics of athletics. Application forms will be available between September 4 to 30 from: The Manager Cusrow Baug Pavilion, Cusrow Baug S. B. Road, Bombay 400005 Aspi P. Ustad 273, Agiary Chawl, Dr S. S. Rao Road Lalbaug, Bombay 400012 physical defects in the spine, abdomen, kidney, bladder and heart, ” says Motashaw, the emphasis being on good as opposed to the run-of-the-mill. Amniocentesis — the tapping and testing of the amniotic fluid which sunounds the embryo (baby) in the womb which has been largely misused for determining the sex of the foetus — on the other hand was formulated to deter ­ mine mental abnormalities like the Down ’s syndrome. If the mother is expecting her first child at the age of 35 or more then there is a one in 60 chance of a mongol child, says Motashaw, adding, “even the elderly male may be responsible for mongolism. ” “Indian patients want their pound of flesh, ” insisting on the gynecologist ’s pres ­ ence even for small discomforts, notes the gynec wryly. “Thereare times when weare much worse off than our patients, but we cannot cancel an operation because we have a bad backache! ” she exclaims, though she is quick to exonerate her Parsi patients. “Whatever little you do for the Parsi pa ­ tient she is very happy and always says, ‘Thank you for coming. ’” Community members are also prompt in payment, in ­ evitably coming over to ask, “Doctor, tamaru bill hajun nathi aayun (we have not yet received your bill). ’ Many others have Wishing You A Happy New Year PROTECTION & INTELLIGENCE SERVICES Security/Manpower Consultants Armed/Personal Body Guards * Cash/Cargo Escorts (with vehicle) * Kennel squad Spot payment offered for Indian/Imported cars Enquire for booking of flats under construction at Udvada (Near Iranshah) Main Street,Pune 411001, Tel No: 61996 250, 1/1 Pehn Nariman Street, Fort, Bombay 400001, Tel No: 2611926, 2621281,2617331 126 Parsiana July-August 1994Wanted Surgeon Wanted for a large mission hospital in Trichur, Kerala, a versatile general surgeon to fill a vacancy in the very busy general surgical department. The candidate should be capable of handling either Paediatric, Transurethral, Thoracic or Microvascular Surgery besides General Surgery. Apply to: The Head Department of General Surgery Jubilee Mission Hospital Trichur 680005, Kerala MATRIMONIAL Correspondence invited for Parsi lady, 33 years, 5’6” tall, well-built, of Mediterranean complexion and wearing spectacles, from tall, well-built, qualified, well-placed business- men/professionals, from cultured family background, up to around 39 years of age, from India and abroad. Please reply with detailed bio data, phone number and photograph to; The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (July-Aug/46-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 'Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here to receive multiple reminders before they payup, ”notes Motashaw though she quali ­ fies “the Gujarati patient (as) a good pay ­ master. ” “The surgeon is the chief of the team and therefore responsible for all activities in the operation theater. If the nurse leaves a swab behind, we ’re responsible. ” So Molashaw says she punctiliously goes through the litany of all instruments and swabs being counted before and after sur ­ gery. “Nonetheless, tragedies occur, most without your fault, ” she notes, relating a recent incident when the anesthetist real ­ ized that the patient was undergoing a heart attack on the table (and was whisked off for treatment in the hospital ’s intensive care unit) while Motashaw was washing up before starting the operation. “I was lucky, ” she notes fervently. Characterizing the surgeon ’s vocation as “high tension work, ” Motashaw notes, “When any complication occurs, most sur ­ geons and obstetricians are the greatest sufferers next to the patient ’s family. If you have a conscience, you can never get used to it. There is tremendous psychological suffering. ., Though wedo compartmental ­ ize our work, it does not mean that we do not feel. Patients think we have lost all feelings, hut that is not true... ” Get good value for your money Visit RAILWAY HOTEL Charni Road, Grant Road Junction, Bombay 400004 Telephone: 3821028 Home comforts, Moderate rates A/C s Non-A/C rooms. Deluxe A'C rooms ' Beer parlour Centrally situated ~ T 128 Parsiana July-August 1994FOOD,, temporary of Dumas) commented knowl- a-tete with M d ’Avray, the king exhausted edgeably: “Assuredly it is a great accom- the mysteries of the most recherche luxury, plishment to be a novelist, but it is no Chops were not merely grilled. They were mediocre glory to be a cook. Novelist or grilled between two other chops. The cook, Dumas is a master, and the two vocations appear to go hand in hand or, rather, to be joined in one. ’’ In the chapter on ‘A Few Words to the Reader ’ Dumas says, “From birth man is instructed by his stomach to eat at least three times a day, to renew the strength he spends in labor or, as happens more often, in idleness. Eating is the great preoccupa ­ tion of both primitive and civilized man. But the savage eats from need, the civi ­ lized man from desire. ’’ Dumas goes on describing different types of appetites and gluttony. Then he the most beautiful variety of peaches, describes the manner of eating by the Romans and Greeks (most of it borrowed from the Persians, I think!): “St Peter jury. He presented himself, therefore, at Damian relates with horror that the sister of the library of the institute, bearing a plate Romain Archile, who had married one of with four magnificent peaches, and asked the sons of Pietro Orseolo, Doge of Venice (Venice was definitely influenced by Per ­ sia), instead of eating with fingers used golden forks and spoons to lift food to her mouth — which he regards as an effect of that he may be permitted to pass the plate, insensate luxury that must call down di- V ine wrath upon her head and her husband ’ s head. Both in fact died of the plague. ’’ In the chapter, ‘A Letter to Jules Janin, ’ Dumas talks about the outstanding French beatifically over a Gothic manuscript. At statesman Charlcs-MauriceTalleyrand and the sight of the peaches, which seemed to his great cuisinier, M Bouche-seche. On I am the proud possessor of a copy of the use of leftovers he quotes the great chef Alexandre Dumas ’ Dictionary of Cuisine, Careme: “Leftovers must be employed edited, abridged and translated by Louis only with caution, ability and above all, Colman. The editor ’s introduction starts silence! ’’ But his best story is about Louis with these words, “Under the portrait of XVIII’s dinners. “It was said that at Louis Alexandre Dumas in Katherine Biiting ’s XVIII’s dinners, even when he dined tele- great Gastronomic Bibliography, the cap ­ tion reads: ‘A noted author and gourmand who wrote novels and stories because he needed the revenue but produced his mas ­ terpiece, Le Grand Dictionnaire de Cui­ sine, because he loved the work. ’ “Elizabeth Robins Pennell, herself nei ­ ther hermit nor ascetic, said of the Grand Dictionnaire that it was ‘more exciting and thrilling than The Count of Monte Cristo or The Three Musketeers. The anchorite in the desert could not dip into it without hailing the first camel, abandoning his dates and dry bread, and making straight for the nearest town in search of the mate ­ rials for the master ’s dishes. ”’ Bibliophile Jacob Paul Lacroix (a con- Exotic Eggs The Parsis' fondnessfor eggs will make them better appreciate the egg recipes suggested by the 19th cen tury French novelist Alexandre Dumas Bhicoo Manekshaw diner himself opened this marvellous censer, which poured forth its juices and most delicate perfumes. Ortolans stuffed with truffles were cooked in the stomachs of partridges, so that His Majesty some ­ times hesitated for moments between the delicate bird and the perfumed veg ­ etable. “There was a tasting jury for the fruits that were to be served at the royal table, and M Petit-Radel, librarian of the institute, was peach taster. One day a gardener from MonU ‘euil,havingby artful grafts obtained wished to offer them in homage to Louis XVIII. But first he had to pass the tasting for M Petit-Radel. “He had some difficulty getting in. The libriu'ian was engaged in some pressing work. The gardener insisted, asking only the peaches and his forearm through the door. “At the sound of this operation, M Petit- Radel reopened his eyes which had closed 130 Parsiana July-August 1994 advance on him of their own volition, he uttered a cry of joy, and cried out twice: ‘Come in! Come in! ’ “The gardener announced the purpose of his visit, and the jubilation of a gastro ­ nome spread itself over the savant ’s face. Lounging in his armchair with legs crossed andhandsjoined, he prepared himself with a gentle adjustment, a sensual movement of the shoulders, for the important judge ­ ment required of him. “The gardener asked for a silver knife. He picked up one of the peaches and cut it in quarters, put one on the point of the knife and gaily presented it to M Petit-Radel, saying, ‘Taste the juice. ’ “Eyes closed, forehead impassive, full of the importance of his function, M Petit- Radel silently tasted thejuice. Anxiety was already appearing in the gardener ’s eyes when, after two to three minutes, the judge ’s halfopened. ‘Good! Very good,my friend, ’ were the only words he could say. Imme ­ diately the second slice was offered, butthegardenersaid, with slightly more assur ­ ance: ‘Taste the flesh! ’ “Same silence, same serious mien of the learned gourmand. But this time the move ­ ments of his mouth were more evident, for Cream (1-2 tbsp) he was chewing. Finally he nodded. ‘Ah! Very good! Very good! ’he said. “Perhaps you think the superiority of Salt (to taste) the peach was established and everything Pepper was said? No. ‘Taste the aroma! ’ said the gardener. The aroma was found worthy of the flesh and juice. Then the gar- ___ ______________ Black peppercorns (4-5) Bay leaf (tej putta - 1) Onion Q/z — peeled and sliced) Mace (javantri — a blade) Butter (30 g) Flour (25 g) Capers (4-6) Anchovies (2) Scallions (spring onions) Parsley Butter Pepper (coarse) Nutmeg Salt (to taste) Take four eggs. Separate and set whites aside. Chop capers, anchovies, parsley and scallions and mix with yolks. Brush your dener, who had progressed little by little from a supplicant to a triumphant attitude, presented the last piece and with pride and satis ­ faction that he did not seek to hide, said: ‘Now taste the whole! ’ “It is superfluous to say that this last slice had the same success as its predecessors. M Petit-Radel, his eyes moist with emotion, a smile on his lips, took the gardener ’s hands in his own as effusively as he would an artist ’s. ‘Ah, my friend, ’ he said, ‘it is perfect. Allow me to express my sincere compliments. Beginning tomorrow, your peaches will be served at the king ’s table. ”’ V/V.tu V ftau this story for the first time, I rushed to my husband and repeated it to him with moist serving platter well with melted butter. Break six other eggs on it. Beat four egg whites. Add egg yolk mixture mixed with capers and anchovies and beat again, add ­ ing salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour this over the eggs in the platter. Put in a very hot oven. The eggs should not harden. It takes only a few minutes to cook them. Note: Use sardines instead of an ­ chovies in India and chopped gher ­ kins or pickled nastasium seeds for capers. EGGS A LA PAYSANNE Heavy cream (310 ml) Eggs (8) Pepper (coarse) Salt (to taste) Bring cream to a boil in a platter. eyes. When I finished he asked, “What is Put peppercorns, bay leaf, onion andmace in a pan with milk and put on a slow fire and infuse for about 7-8 minutes. Cover, and keep aside. Melt butter in a pan, draw away from heat and add flour. Mix well, reheatandcook fora minute. Remove from heat and add 1/3 of milk. Mix well with a wooden spoon and add rest pasteurized, add a pinch of bicarbonate of of milk. Put back on fire and bring to a boil, stirring all the while. Lower heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning EGGS WITH LIVER and use. Eggs (12) Note: This is a cordon bleu recipe taught in Cream (1 tbsp) the days of Ms Rosemary Hume. I add a Chicken liver (6-8 or duck liver 3-4) break eggs into it, and season with salt and pepper. As they begin to cook, put under the broiler. Take care the yolks do not harden and serve immediately. Note: I think it would be difficult to heat cream in a platter, so heat it in a pan and than pour it in a platter. If the cream is not the point of the story?! ” Will the editor of Parsiana forgive me for not writing on bhakras and chapais (common Parsi snacks)? Although an ex ­ cellent light bhakro made with tari (toddy) can stand up to any good brioche — and a chapat, a crepe? Perhaps not, but it has its own particular merit. But, after rereading this book, after many years, I am not in the mood to write on Parsi snacks. However, as we Parsis are fond of eggs in any form, here are some of Alexandre Dumas ’recipes for cooking eggs with my _____ _______ ______ _____ ___ w. uuvn. n.vi j-t suggestion for the quantities of some of the few slices (about 3-4) of carrots and a stalk Butter^bO gV "" " ingredients. ofchopped celery to the milk, to give extra Scallions (spring onions, chopped — 1 flavor. And a few mushroom stems when- tbsp) ever available. Parsley (chopped — 1 tbsp) I don ’t think that any Parsi is shocked Mushrooms Q/z kg — sliced) Fine spices (a combination of 10 parts white pepper, 6 parts pimento, 2 parts mace, 1 part each of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, sage, rosemary and soda to prevent curdling. EGGS BECHAMEL Bechamel sauce (4-5 tbsp or more) Eggs (15 — hard boiled) Butter Nutmeg Salt (to taste) Croutons Heat the bechamel sauce. Slice eggs into it. Do not boil but heat thoroughly. Finish with butter and nutmeg. Arrange on a platter and surround with croutons. Bechamel Sauce Milk (310 ml) with 15 eggs in the recipe. I was visiting my daughter Sherna and her husband Keki Wadia in Dar es Salaam. One evening I was told that we would be having a ‘light ’ __ , ______ ___ meal of soup and akoori. The akoori was marjoram)" made of nine eggs for the three of us! And Salt (to taste) that was not all — we had sausages and Wash and chop liver. Saute lightly in butter . ..111 parsley, scallions and mushrooms, through it without blinking an eyelid. Mix with eggs seasoned with salt, fine spices and cream and make an omelet from the mixture. potatoes as well! What ’s more, we went 132 Parsiana July-August 1994 EGGS OVER EGGS Eggs (10) continued on page 176MEDIA An instrument of change As editor of The Bombay Samachai> J ehan Daruvala propagates religious liberalism and social accountability Arnavaz S. Mama “Anyonewhowantstobeagoodjournalist Bombay Samachar. must be ready to grasp the nettle, no matter Retiring after 30 how difficult it is or what criticism it years in the LIC (attracts to oneself), ” says The Bombay (Life Insurance Cor- j Samachar editor Jehan Daruvala. “The Parsis are a magnificent stock. They excel in so many things. But there is double-think on certain subjects. A good journalist should have the courage to point it out and tear it to shreds, though he may be unpopular in his own lifetime. ” Daruvala has not only spelt out his credo in terms of Samachar’s editor Minoo Desai was criti- the community, he has practised his pro ­ fessional philosophy with enough vehe ­ mence to have earned himself an anath ­ ematized niche from the zealously ortho- « «*** * in vie w of it being the only paper with news of community affairs on a daily basis. And because of its English columns there is foreign readership also, resulting, he says, in a regular feedback. Daruvala believes that the English section needs to be further developed so that “Zoroastrians in India and outside it can have some contact, some understanding. ” Soft-spoken to a fault, Daruvala says, “What I’ve done and said can be written on a revenue stamp. ” It is the achieve- ments of The Samachar of I which he is proud. “I can I modestly claim that if the |K| World H|jM Organisation (WZO) has come to India, The Bombay jw Samachar has played a con- siderable role in it. We ’ve been supporting WZO ac ­ tivities. When there are counter movements, we express our views. ” Expressing his vision of f the Zoroastrian diaspora, 1 Daruvala says, “Zoroastrian society in the West may be drifting away. ” What is Zoroastrian poration), Daruvala says he had been on the lookout for a way “to remain mentally occupied. ” During his required is a harmonious understanding of LIC tenure he had also freelanced for the the situation, the ability to learn anew and Jame-e-Jamshed. Ms Jerbai Dhondy of accept change. This is the view that The Jame informed him (“call it fate? ”) thatT/ie Samachar propagates and, “because of it we may not be popular with the orthodox section, ” notes Daruvala resignedly. It was this very perception that led to The Samachar’s vociferous year-long cru- Daruvala says he told Cama that they would to men of other communities. The contro- Photo: Gustasp Irani cally ill. Mancherji Cama, who interviewed Daruvala, asked him what he thought of their Parsi columns — Parsi Prakash and Parsi fari Arsi, then published in Gujarati, sade for the rights ofParsi women married dox lobby , Daruvala says he told Cama that they would to men of other communities. The contro- To the Gujarati speaking world at large, be more effective ifthey were more strongly versy began when the Punchayet refused to however, Daruvala is editor extraordinary, worded. Daruvala sought “the freedom to ' Gujarat ’s Patrakar Foundation organized a write against weaknesses in the community euphoric felicitation function at the Taj set up ” and declared that one of the two Mahal Hotel in June 1993 to honor Parsi columns should be in English to cater Daruvala ’s “32 years of service to the to the Parsis ’ increasing interest in the „«u..uimvu nvi ^..uiuaouiau miw Gujarati community. Among those who language. Cama readily agreed to those despite her marriage under the Special gathered to honor the octogenarian editor conditions, ” recalls Daruvala, and thus be- Marriage Act. “We maintained that the wereGujaratcabinetministerArunGujarati, j— -j Nana Chudasama, Bombay Sheriff F. T. Khorakiwala and legal doyen Nani Palkhivala. Speakers praised his forthright ­ ness, honesty and fearlessness. When he received an award from the World Zoroas ­ lrian Organization in 1991 thecilalion noted “Be it social reforms, fund raising or just creating awareness. The Bombay Samachar Daruvala says that the most important has been an instrument of social change. ” “I was pitchforked as a retired insurance man into this thing, ” smiles Daruvala, refer ­ ring to his winning innings as editor of The consign the body of Ms Roxan Shah (n6e Nazir) to the dokhma because of her mar ­ riage to a Hindu businessman. Roxan, 25, who died in a highway accident, was said to have maintained her Zoroastrian faith conditions, ” recalls Daruvala, and thus be- Marriage Act. “We maintained that the gan^ ‘a free hand with diree generations of laws of man and God demand that she should not be deprived of the religion of her birth, ” says Daruvala. All that forced tlie Camas. ” He rationalizes the lucky streak: “Perhaps because we ’re on the same wave- ____ __________ length. Regarding major problems of the the Bombay Parei Puncijayat (BPP) topass Parsi community their views and my views coincide. ” Describing The Samachar as an old Unfortunately, the Mnction*irhemm^in a resolution enabling such cases to be accepted at the doongerwadi in future. ---------------------------------------J,-----------------—-. ..I monolith combined with new technology, by certain provisions: It is operative only if tin t*! n » a1 r\ n d' A T * L* ^4- 4 ¦¦ ¦ 4. 1 _ « » . . the next of kin of the deceased files an affidavit to the effect that the dead lady thing about the oldest newspaper in Asia is _______ ___________ ____ not its age, but its resilience and readiness remained a Zoroastrian to /he endfit places to accept new ideas and techniques. He the onus of arranging for the prayers on the estimates a considerable Parsi readership contiinued on page 140 134 Parsiana July-August '994in ivory towers and not out in the field. ” She also developed interestinthe city ’s requestofthe editor. “I don ’t see myself as metro railway. “It got to the point, ” laughs a great rabble-rousing or cheering or flag- Karkaria, “where I was a sort of resident waving reformist. Or even a liberal for that expert on the metro! ” The Statesman was matter. I was only doing my job, ” observes also the place where she started writing Karkaria about being needlessly dragged open her first piece which made an impact editorials and found that she had a knack into the controversy. intheWeekly with; “There are two types of for the humorous third edit. It was here that Karkaria ’s now-famous “puns ” were born. Today,morethaneverbefore,sheisknown “because I knew I was writing for The for her wit and humor, with some even TOI." Admits Karkaria, “I have a great nity are as familiar as every Sunday calling her the ‘resident wit of TOI, deal of respect for Dasturji Kotwal but I afternoon ’s dhansak. Bombay. ’ Not quite happy with her humor being ments and remarks. I have always admired branded as “punning, ” she quotes Sunanda him as an extremely erudite person, as a Datta-Ray, former Statesman editor with scholar, and was quite astonished to see whom she worked, who had this to say about her style: “It ’s not a play on words. It ’s an intelligent association of ideas. ” Humor comes naturally to Karkaria. Sometimes, too naturally. As she writes in the introduction to Tour Flip Is Showing, the recent collection of her articles pub ­ lished by UBS Publishers ’ Distributors Gujarati paper way back in 1917, and her Limited, “...once you ’ve developed that parents Jaloo and Naval Kanga “put it to kinky bent of mind, you might find the bed with greater regularity than they did take-offs rising unbidden even as you plod their three daughters. ” Karkaria writes in through the backgrounders. Too often, YourFlipIsShowing: “Our rambling house unintended puns sneakinto sentences meant doubled as newsroom, editor ’s office and to be absolutely straight. It ’s unnerving. ” printing press; as children we ran up and Her sense of humor directed at her own down the wooden staircase with the galley- Parsi community has brought her a virtual proofs. ” fan club, especially in Dadar ’s Mancherji Joshi Parsi Colony where she now resides. For a time when she regularly wrote middles Mother of two boys, Urvaksh (20) and in The Times of India, the goings-on in the Rishad (16), she admits that she is not too lives of Pesu Paowala and the Panchgani happy with Urvaksh ’s freelance forays Panzer assumed real-life proportions. into journalism. No, it is not a case of Unfortunately, a change in the column familiarity breeding contempt, just that configurations changed all that and “poor there are so many options in creative ca- Pesu Paowala became extinct. ” As did the ‘JustParsis ’ column which she introduced when she became the consulting editor of shows a striking lack of originality. ” For The Metropolis on Saturday. “It was a column meant for Parsis because the paper ’s management felt, that the community was had any real choice, she may have opted for being pushed into the background. This teaching, was free networking space for a people who had made this metropolis, ” explains Karkaria. She laments that “Parsis, who close to her heart: the Parsis, and the bend over backwards to show themselves Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome as cosmopolitan, didn ’t respond to some- (AIDS) — about which she has already thing they perceived as communal. ” “ Late last year she received brickbats fromherowncommunity inthewakeof J. ready the author of Dare To Dream, a R. D. Tata ’s funeral. Her interview with biography of the legendary hotelier M. S. Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, High Priest of Oberoi, besides Your Flip Is Showing, a the H. B. Wadia Atas Bahram, etc on sprinkling of pieces that she has published JRD's status as a Zoroastrian led her to being bashed by the orthodox, a reaction which “quite amazed ” her, especially since book on Mother Teresa and scripted a it was just one more assignment at the musical revue. Tribute to Busybee. For a long time Karkaria had to recon ­ cile herself to people coming up to her and saying, “I am a Parsi and I don ’t work in Central Bank, ” because she happened to Actually, few know that she toned down Parsis in Bombay. Those who work in her whole copy, including Kotwal ’s quotes Central Bank. And those who don ’t. ” Since then, Karkaria ’s potshots at the commu- was amazed by the virulence of his state- the extent of his prejudice. ” After all this, who is Bachi Karkaria? If you thought she writes to live and lives to write, you ’ve got it right. She has seen it all, literally from the cradle onwards. She is a third-generation journalist. Her grand ­ father Edulji Kanga started Navroz, a In these hi-tech times, Karkaria need not worry about her son having to do this. reers. In Karkaria ’s words, “Three genera ­ tions in journalism is enough; a fourth the moment, at least, Urvaksh is not listen ­ ing. For herself, Karkaria says that if she ’d She has been approached by “more than one publisher ” to write books on two topics written extensively. The demands of jour ­ nalism notwithstanding, Karkaria is al- over the years in several newspapers and magazines. She has also co-authored a 138 Parsiana July-August 1994 MATRIMONIAL Alliance invited for a Manglik, 39-year-old Parsi boy. He is an automobile technician working in a well-known company and has his own accommodation.Overall income Rs 8,000.Horoscope required. Please write to; The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimoniai (July-Aug/33-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ‘Please make, sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here MATRIMONIAL Zoroastrian parents invite matrimonial correspondence for daughter born in Iran in 1965, now settled in USA, from qualified boys willing to settle abroad. Apply giving personal details, family background and recent photographs to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (Juty-Aug/34-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ‘Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here MATRIMONIAL Alliance invited for 1967 born, 175 cms tall Parsi boy, a Captain in the Army. Kindly write giving full particulars and photograph (returnable) to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (July-Aug/35-94)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ‘Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited hereAN INSTRUMENT OF CHANGE Samachar, Daruvala says, “People either treatment meted out to people by the func- continued from page 134 didn ’t care about the BPP or accepted it. ’’ tionaries of the Punchayet. The latest in the bereaved family; and it demarcates a spe- The awakening came thereafter when the series is that (BPP president Jamshed) cial dokhma for such use. The resolution community began to feel that they had a Guzder had to admit in his white paper that was thus nullifed to a large extent, “but the right to know what was happening. He Samachar, Daruvala says, “People either didn ’t care about the BPP or accepted it. ’’ The awakening came thereafter when the very fact that the resolution was passed shows that people, even the orthodox apex body, realised its necessity. The obnoxious provisions were brought in as they did not have the courage to face the orthodox... “Every Parsi sheds crocodile tears at the prospect of the depleting community ’’ but avoids what needs to be done, says Daruvala. “Our leaders lack the courage to spell out the real thing. The doors of our universal religion can never be closed on any human being. A great religion, a uni ­ versal religion, must be universally ac ­ cepted and open out. .. Historic reasons had come in the way of accepting people. We refers to the letters and articles of noted can be selective about it. First begin by accepting the children of Parsi girls mar ­ ried to non-Parsis. ’’ Another problem which the community had yearly audits. “We also went on ham ­ faces is that “matters which are not reli ­ gious are made to look religious, ’’ says things have improved. ’’ Similarly, about Daruvala, citing as an example the dis ­ posal of the dead. Recalling thecommunity scene in 1975 people to realize that the fourth estate is when he took over the editorship of The the courtof appeal. We began to expose the there is room for improvement. It is a sad commentary that an institution which has been working for 300 years now realizes the need for public relations... ’’ Sanatoria, old peoples ’ homes, the edu ­ cational system, maternity homes have all come under The Samachar’s scrutiny. Daruvala refers to a time when the Punchayet under president B. K. Boman- behram was all set to dispose of the last “at a throwaway price. A timely exposure by us led to uproar and awakening and pre ­ vented it. ” The religious awakening in the commu ­ nity, that has been particularly obvious in the past few years, Daruvala places in the solicitor Rustom Gagrat pointing out that context of the global phenomenon. In its BPP accounts were in arrears by 10 years positive aspects it leads to enlightenment whereas the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) and more people taking an interest in the religion. On the obverse, it leads to an mering. (Eventually it) was accepted and increase in fanaticism as can be seen world ­ wide. Daruvala ’s value system places man ’s own volition at the apex: “You do good The Federation "should coordinate, improve upon the working ofpunchayets ana anjumans'' the allotment of flats. “Economic compul ­ sions, shortage of housing, have driven because it is your nature to do good; not for reward or punishment. ” Daruvala considers the Federation of WOMEN’S EDUCATION AND UPLIFTMENT India ’s population - 860 million and still growing.... Education is the key to family planning - particularly female education which results in fewer children. Fewer children means a better life for the coming generation. Tatas ’ dedication to the cause of women ’s upliftment, development and self-fulfilment has found yet another expression in the establishment of The J.R.D. and Thelma J. Tata Trust - a Trust with the primary objectives of promoting the health, B education, rehabilitation and upliftment of women in |L India and of children under their care. 140 Parsiana July-August 1994 1 ENTERPRISESFully air conditioned hall with 560 seats for Marriage Ceremonies, Annual General Meetings, Prayer Meetings, Prize Distribution Functions, Lions Club's Meetings, and Ground Floor Exhibition Hall, etc. an academic career in Persian, but no suitable vacancies were forthcoming and Daruvala applied to the New India Assur ­ ance for a job. In 1943 he got an opportu- the orthodox believed that if the fire was shifted, there would be a calamity. After all, the first victims of all political crises in Iran are the Zoroastrians, ” Daruvala ex ­ plains their misgivings. Married to the daughter of an athornan Contact: J. F. Shroff Hon Managing Trustee Framjee Cawasjee Institute Anandilal Podar Marg 1st Marine Street Opp Metro Cinema Bombay 400002 Phone: 2013654 Parsi Zoroastrian Ahjumans of India “more decorative than functional. ” He feels it “should coordinate, improve upon the working of punchayets and anjumans and guide them. But they have crippled them- nity to go to Persia and during the three selves with the-clause that they will not years there he joined the Kaikhosrovi interfere in the internal affairs of members. College in Yazd, being present there for If you don ’t put your legal, moral pressure, the inauguration of the new Atash Bahram whatgoodisit?...TherealmanwasShiavax byArbabGuivin 1944. “The Atash Bahram Nargolwala — bold, forthright, honest. He had been built three to four years ago but didn ’t mince words. If we had five or six such persons, the community would have seen better days! ” One of a family of three sons and three daughters, Daruvala remembers his par ­ ents as simple people plying the liquor trade in Ahmedabad. He had witnessed family, Daruvala complimented his wife Mahatma Gandhi ’s campaign against li­ quor, had seen with his own eyes what liquor did to families, and abjured drinking illness, and was cremated some time after — and the trade — from the age of 33. After his matriculation in Ahmedabad, Daruvala joined the St Xavier ’s College in Bombay, acquiring first class honors de ­ grees in Persian and English at the gradu ­ ation and master ’s levels. He had com ­ pleted one term of law when his father nalism, Daruvala refers to Furdoonji died. It marked the end of his student Marzban, the founder of The Samachar, years. His ambition had been to carve out the Hirjibehdins of Kaiser-e-Hind and the Hilla on being “more progressive than myself. ” Sadly, Hilla succumbed to her this interview with Parsiana. Their only son, Rusi, is on the editorial board on an investors ’ magazine and their daughter, Dinaz, is an officer in the Gujarat Invest ­ ment Corporation. Recalling the high noon of Parsi jour- With best coiiipliiiiciits of Starlite Electrical Works ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS 104, Shree Hanuman Industrial Estate 42 B, G. D. Ambekar Marg, Wadala, Bombay 400031 Tel: 4140887, 4146424 142 Parsiana July-August 1994* * Be at home when you are out of home With luxury and modern facilities A/c and Non-A/c rooms Wall to wall carpet Attached balcony and bathrooms TV in lounge Serving: ABE-ROOZ Restaurant A la carte * * M* HOTEL KELL'S Near Left Bank Canal Ukai-Dam 394680 Dist Surat, Gujarat STD Code: 02624 Phone: 3447 Your satisfaction is our motto B. Jamshedji Jivanji Goldsmiths & Manufacturing Jewellers Estd 1901 Opp Mumbadevi Zaveri Bazar Bombay 400002 Phone; 3427464 Murzans oiJam-e-Jamshed—editors who were also proprietors. Earlier on there had been Behram Malbari. Sir Pherozeshaw Mehta used to write articles as did Sir Rustam Masani, Dinshaw Vatcha and, closer to our own time, Rustom Gagrat. Is there anyone in the wings being groomed to take over The Samachar's editorship from the doughty but aging Daruvaia? “The mantle must descend on some Parsi editor... It is a very good, challenging job. I impress upon the youth to take to (journalism) but there are no new candi ­ dates ... It is absolutely necessary that there ’s a second line everywhere but Parsi editors are difficult to find because it is a Gujarati paper; whoever comes must be conversant with Gujarati, be able to write and edit Gujarati articles. We have not been able to get that. However, we believe that time will throw up the right man for the job... this newspaper has a tryst with destiny, though that doesn ’t mean we have to leave- everything to fate. “The other difficulty is that Parsis by and large belong to the orthodox camp. Fatality overtakes the Parsi paper that doesn ’t keep up with changing times. You can ’t move ahead while looking back... ” With Best Compliments Of HOSHANG J. BI CHIA & CO ENGINEERS & CONSTRUCTORS 4/24, Tata Mills Co-op Housing Society Ltd Elphinstone Road, Bombay 400012 Tel: 4112539 144 Parsiana July-August 1994BOOKS Cinematic compilation Burjor K. Karanjia Towards an Ideal Parsi Film Library 1933-1993 (Dedicated to James Darmesteter) Compiled by Eric Phalippou. Published in 1993 under the aegis of the Office of the Counsellor for Cultural, Scien ­ tific and Technical Co-operation. Embassy of France in India. Pp:100. Price: not mentioned. pictures. In the process was formulated a law of equivalence between scientific in ­ tuition and creative imagination. As Phalippou puts it, “This law is that just like a camera, man is endowed with a sponta ­ neous memory, called ‘memory-habitus ’ His passion for original research led which, going back to the light of conscienceness (sic) is projected in differ ­ ent languages, science as well as fiction. The distinction between styles was not there in the beginning. James Darmesteter, Darmesteter to investigations in compara ­ tive religion. This, in turn, has inspired another French scholar, Eric Phalippou to pursue, through the medium of cinema, an original and thought-provoking investiga- he who combined poetry and rigor, sensed tion, dedicated to his mentor, and titled it. ” Parsis have been fortunate in that the reli ­ gion they practise has roused the enlight- TowardsanIdealParsiFilmLihrary,1933- ened interest of several foreign scholars “ quite apart from several Parsis themselves. One of the most noteworthy was the late any pretension of being exhaustive. James Darmesteterof France. Agreatlover of India and its people, Darmesteter (1850- 1895) has won just renown for several early film pioneers like J. B. H. Wadia (Lal-e Yaman, 1933), Sohrab Modi QniitlQii Arrival of Train at the Station of it. ” Phalippou was inspired by the historic 1993. The period covered is from early coincidence of the earliest experimenta- cinema to present-day talkies, “without tion in motion picture making in Paris and tJnu Clr\T hflinrr ovkoncliTfa «•>« D zvmkn,* 1 — _ ____ Actually, Phalippou ’s survey is as ex ­ haustive as it could possibly be, including in Bombay. On July 7, 1896, but a year after Darmesteter ’s death, Maurice Sestier, an assistant of the famous Lumiere broth ­ ers of Paris, showed in Bombay a film books on Zoroastrianism and related sub- (' ’ ' f ~ _ ________________ ___________________________ jects. His major contribution, recognized (Sikandar, 1941), Aspi Irani (Return of Ciotat, winning the applause of the cid- ................. , .. — . zens. In the same year a well-known Parsi makers like Vishram Bedekar (Rustom theater company, Elphinstone Company, ".....................'..........." „ • exhibited a film called A Grant/A/asonic scholar,Darmestetertravelledtotheplaces cal Discoveries at Susa (In T/jeC/ironic/ei Procession, a procession of Parsis who where Zoroastrianism flourished and con- of France Series, 1970), Hossayn Torabi tinned to be practised. He looked beyond a (Ferdowsi, 1977), Ms Vijaya Mehta scholarly interpretation of the sacred texts (Pestonjee, 1988), Pervez Merwanji (Percy, for a primeval meaning, “a genuine folk 1989),Homi Se.thna(HappinessUnto0th- tradition, in its origin and character. ” His ers, 1983 and The Voice ofZarathushtra, equally significant contribution, as a result 1992), Cyrus Bharucha and Sam Ormstein of his comparative method, was to have (On Wings of Fire, 1986). shown the importance of India in the gen ­ esis of Mazdaism, the ancient Iranian reli ­ gion. as such, was the translation of the Avesta Toofan Mail, 1942) as well as recent film- into both English and French. i ......................... - - - Not content to be just a desk-bound Sohrab, 1963), Jean Perrot ’s Archeologi- I Cinema provided the ideal medium to translate the endearing mythology sur ­ rounding Zoroastrianism into enchanting K Sohrab Modi in Sikandar Photo: Firoze Rangoonwalla (Left) A scene from On Wings of Fire Photo: Noshir Desai were Freemasons. Thus, concludes Phalippou, “from the beginning of the cinematograph the looks crossed each other. Parsis (were) attracted by Paris and Paris attracted by Parsis. ” No doubt the medium posed problems for early filmmakers, particularly Wadia and Modi. A clause in the then prevailing 10 the insignia of Fravashi in filigree fash ­ ion, referring to the conqueror as J code of the Bombay board of film censors (From left) Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin laid down that reference to controversial Shah and Shabana Azmi in Pestonji politics should be avoided. But Wadia shooting Manthan at a time when commu ­ nal riots were taking place in Bombay, believed that it was the high purpose of Alexander rather than Sikandar which cinema to provide a soothing balm to com- would have disturbed the Muslims, and munal passions. The film he was working through the personality of the beaute- on depicted an episode in thelifeof Vikram, ous Roxana with whom Alexander falls which was also topical because the Vikram in love) in a film which by definition is era was then being celebrated. But the Hindu Sabha took a contrary view that the release of the film at this particular time was sheer provocation. They argued that Wadia Movietone, for example, were all the presentation in the film of the king ’s “flighty side ” would cause riots. Actually, a group from Lahore, the Empire Talkies they were wrong. Manthan and other Wadia films which touched upon communal and social problems (though in the nature of inces. The themes were aimed primarily at stunts), were welcomed ''............................. by both Hindus and Mus ­ lims. Modi who followed with Sikandar had to be doubly careful. If to Parsis, Sikandar was the hated conqueror who con ­ signed the Avestan sacred texts to the flames at Persepolis, to Muslims he was the one crowned with the tiara of the God of Amman (331 BC), and who had retained the title of glory, dhul-qarnayn (bearer of the two horns), power and wisdom. Modi met the chal ­ lenge by compromising his own vision with the beliefs of his adopts a modern way of life, and the con- 7995 is meant for private circulation only, viewers, the Muslims, who largely out- servative bourgeoisie seen through the This is a pity because the illuminating numbered his own community. Phalippou personage of his alter-ego, Pirojsha findings of Phalippou ’s research revive traces in considerable detail how in spite of Pithawala. Percy, on the other hand, un- nostalgic memories of the early film pio- this constraint Modi provides “a subtle derlines through the personality of its hero neers, suggest new avenues of research, dose of Zoroastrian message ” (presenting certain characteristics of theParsi commu- and should be of considerable interest to a nity that inspire praise or provoke criti ­ cism. Regretting on one occasion that the songs of pagan Persia are lost to us. Parsis, but the company had a contract with Darmesteter said, “There remains for us only the debris without any great charm, distributors, who were responsible for the famous Gathas of Zend Avesta, rhyth- showing their films in the northern prov- a Muslim social. The Muslim influence on Parsi cinema was obvious enough. The shareholders of mic sermons that are filled with irreproach ­ able models and which offer all the poetic charm of a catechism. ” Phalippou shows how the images in the Gathas were trans- 148 Parsiana July-August 1994 a Muslim clientele. The very first subject selected was the love story of Perviz lated into cinematographic language by and Parizad from the Ara- Sethna in his The Voice of Zarathushtra. bian Tales. The hymns of The two key characters of the Gathas are virtue sung by Nadir and arthavan and drugvant, the one who as- Fakir for the irascible king sures justice and the one who is evil, dominate the sound-track. The audience could not possibly have missed the posite Hitler. While over-simplistic, this implied master-disciple does lead us directly to Zoroastrian ethics bond that united the young or, to put it more correctly, to the practical Firoze Dastur and Master metaphysics of Zoroastrianism. Karim Khan in playback. Pestonjee presents the Phalippou throws a brilliant new light on two extreme tendencies of the films mentioned, which have become the old dominant Parsi part of the legend of the cinema in India, class: the liberal bourgeoi- From the pamphlet format and the fact that sie portrayed by the ste- no price is indicated, one deduces that reotype Pestonjee, who TowardsanIdealParsiFilmLibrary,1933- adopts a modern way of life, and the con ­ servative bourgeoisie seen through the Sethna drives home the point by a sugges ­ tive photo montage of Mother Teresa op- f i Kurush Deboo plays the title role in Percy In pursuing Darmesteter ’s researches, \wider audience, students of Zoroastrian ­ ism as well as of cinema. Deftly spinning tales piece of fiction apart from many stories similar in theme, is the treatment which gives the reader the feeling of treading on Take the way this story ends. The son enters a dilapidated building he had seen his father visiting again and again. He - - . . mounts the creaking stairs, he opens the Sion ranging from the cold “her face closed door that is not locked —and there sits the neatly, like the door of a vault ” to the long coveted object of his secret desire on outlandish, as when a socialite is described as appearing at functions “with so many slightest provocation, fulfilling the sexual fantasies of their chauvinistic male cre ­ ators. They are women of flesh and blood, even with their clothes on. Normal women, sacred ground, though often caught up in abnormal situa ­ tions. Crafted with elegance and understand ­ ing, the stories display a felicity of expres- Burjor Karsniifl neatly, like the door of a vault ” to the long coveted object of his secret desire ¦ J outlandish, as when a socialite is described a cot; No longer young, but still volup- Miss Menon Did Not Believe in Magic And Other appearing at functions “with so many tuous. Only the eyes have changed and Stories by Dina Mehta. Published in 1994 by Rupa Jewels aglitter on her vast, untidy circum- become terribly knowledgeable. They nar- and Company, 7/16 Ansari Rd. Daryaganj, New ference that she looked like an airplane row in recognition, there is tacit assent in Delhi 11000g. Pp; 185. Price; Rs 60. -view of a city them as she cries: “‘So, the third gen era ­ tion of the fam ­ ily, come! “She had kept the score and was facing me with my own effron- marriage, is Mehta: gives the secret of good short story writing tery.Shecould nonetheless notknowthatl , . - - ---------------------------7 “—J was full of unmastered intimations, of sne gives away less. man who does not take her at her word. In judgements I had made in an enchanted In an encounter that takes pjace in the The Fastidious Housewife Shanti does not boyhood world as I stared at her. Her skin . ----------------’ —- r--------------and breasts were still marvellous despite the sprightly Shanti who writes in her spare t*' ~ >--------------------- • - - Fortunately, Ms Dina Mehta, unlike Miss Menon, does believe in magic. As her appeal to latest book proves, she is a competent i ’ " practitioner of modern short story writing, and moods.//i whose magic often lies in that while a lot Marriages Are ............... ........... .................... ............ ference that she looked like an airplane at night. ” The stories a va- S riety of tastes -t • Jd Wei- takes place below the surface, little actu ­ ally happens, l^o more than a slice is offered, tantalizing the reader ’s appetite . ______ , for the whole cake. And when, occasion- dead set against ally, Mehta surrenders to the writer ’s temp ­ tation to offer more, as she does in the story Eye Witness in the present collection, sadly swept off her feet by a most unusual young Made in Hea­ ven, the reluc ­ tant Malini, ¦•i story The Fastidious Housewife between allow the kitchen, her place of sufferance, the sprightly Shanti who writes in her spare i ''_______ :____.. L... time,andherratherobtusepublisher,Mehta Birds Sing silence epitomizes the heart- herself gives away the secret of good short break of ‘the other woman, ’ with no bound ­ story writing; i 1__ "_____ _ _y,',. He was regarding her curiously. ‘You fails to sweep the women ’s hostel clean, its haven ’t exploited all the dramatic possi- ' bilities latent in the story, have you? Why subdue her creative urge. In And No thedistortionsofage,ofindigence,andthe bruises of her profession. “I was not proud of myself, I was al ­ ary to her loneliness. And The New Broom ready crucified in spirit, butl knew exactly twigs having gone awry. Initiation Rites, coming closest to being , a story about sex, is about a modern, edu- Because, said Shanti stiffly, ‘in life they cated and intelligent girl who, taking cour- prA Ovnlnhazl -------- 1_______ .1- t_ _ 1 _ embedded in it. ’ “‘Come again? ’ “‘What I mean is, it ’s a dramatic possibil ­ ity that a young married man has a love affair with his pretty secretary, yes. But more likely than not, in most of the cases, it just does not happen . ’” Unlike the women who throng Miss Menon Did Not Believe in Magic, repre ­ senting an intere. ‘;ting cross-section of type and class, the men tend to be somewhat heavy-footed and ham-handed, mouthing asides that are often irreverent and, worse, irrelevant. The women come alive, how ­ ever, with their desires and aspirations, ___ _______ .... their concerns and cares which, happily, pling the%0ok, his favorite what I wanted as I took my first untutored steps towards her. ” are not always exploited, they are only Divine directives Hormazdyar S. Dalal age in both hands, surmounts “the dreadful infirmity ” of being a prude. On the other hand. The C/irwrway Parry is about Myrtle, jilted by a man for another woman, who goes to the couple ’s party to find that the marriage has not been a success. By a strange irony it is the couple ’s daughter who is in the position to redeem, not the marriage, but the friend who had been betrayed years ago. That is the book ’s c|iarm. You read one story and you. are tempted to read the next plus postage, one. In spite of this reviewer ’s earlier state- Noshir Dabu is known to Gujarati readers ment regarding the pronounced pallor of chiefly through his articles in the Jam-e- rneri compared to the vital women peo- Jamshed Weekly. As the title suggests, the have little to do with fashionable feminism Three Generations. A sad, bitter-sweet and even less, thank God, with sex. Unlike in much hard-selling modern __________ , ... ___ , fiction, Mehta ’s women do not display a grandfather, father and son of the same Guru Prasad by Noshir Dabu. Published in 1994 by Band-e-Khuda, Secunderabad (Author's ad­ dress; Parsi Sanatorium, Ashram Road. Ahmedabad 380009). Pp: 6 + 117. Price; Rs 20 •1 Men of presentpublication is dedicated to the great ;; master, Zarathushtra Spitman. The pub ­ story, feelingly penned, about a comely lisher wishes to remain behind the curtain, rustic^girl who is used, in turn, by the His identity has been kept secret under the . , . . . - - - ’-------; -------- J assumed name of Band-e-Khuda, setvant propensity to shed their clothes at the family that had adopted her. What sets this of God. 150 Parsiana July-August 1994N I III § 41 ip ^52.1 I 111 i til pi J hi 2 0)00 ® o j5 ? gl 111 *0)00 P g 22 -g ra s S. S' ? lU o. * O a S 1 i f I *c ’«d u Eg'’ ill ; 5 o VI VI S S! ** VI £ s « ¦o ** OS i 2 I b •Si? The book is divided into three sections: Dharma-Dhara deals with religious trends in 10 articles: Parsi-ni-Arsi (mirror of the Parsis) consists of seven articles reflecting present trends in the community; and in Filsufina Fuvara (fountains of philoso ­ phy) we are treated to his philosophy in the last five articles. The book opens with a dissertation on the Gathas, the message of Zarathushtra and a description of the Prophet ’s era.' Gujarati readers who wish to know the hidden meaning of the Gathas will surely be rewarded. Dabu has attempted to explain the con ­ cept of Spenta Mainyu, leader of the good mind, and his lieutenants — the ameshaspentas and yazatas — and their place in God ’ s creation . They are the brave soldiers who work unitedly round theclock to protect the devotees from Angre Mainyu, whose sole aim is to create chaos in the universe. Dabu has also explained the sig ­ nificance and importance of each of the 30 days of the Zoroastrian calendar. The author deals with present day con ­ troversies between the reformist and the orthodox groups. He has explained the place of adar (fire)and avan (water) in a Zarthosti ’slife, the importanceof the sudreh and kusti, the athravans, the noble custom of dokhmenashini, the scientific construc ­ tion of dokhmas and the dignity of the religious ceremonies performed at the time Zoroastrian worship of the five ele ­ ments of nature, the significance of the fire-temples, and the prayers and ceremo ­ nies for the dead, have been discussed. Ahunavar, Ashem Vohu and Yenghehatam are the three most potent prayers recommended to be said daily. They bring peace and ashoi in life, they provide strength to the devotees to face the daily stress and strain. The thinker Dabu has aired his views on some Parsi habits, especially their love of laughter. But when to laugh? And at whose cost? The present trend of disrespectful behavior towards elders occupies his mind, along with questions of unemployment in the community, lack of unity, etc. Refer ­ ring to the Zarthostis who were once indus ­ trious, adventurous, honest and bold, he regrets the absence of that spirit today. Dabu gives tips for a happy married life and then expresses his views on mixed marriages and conversion, but in the end he desires his readers to think over them and act wisely. His method is to ask questions, then leave the readers to ponder over them dispassionately. Self-reliance and self-help are essential With Compliments From GLOBE THEATRES Pvt Ltd Established April 3, 1915 Pioneers of Show Business in India for the last 79 years We rededicate ourselves to the ideals we ’have c'befis'bed and practised all along -- namely to show NOTHING BUT THE BEST to our ever increasing number of Patrons Controlling: REGAL BOMBAY CAPITOL BOMBAY GLOBE CALCUTTA 152 Parsiana July-August 1994THE 4^ PARSIANA BOOK OF IRANIAN NAMES rr The Iranian names of boys and girls along with their meanings which originally appeared in Parsiana have now been reprinted in an attractive 24-page booklet. The book, which is priced at Rs 25, is available on sale at : Kaiser-E-Hind, 300 Perin Nariman Street, Behind Reserve Bank of India, Fort, Bombay 400001. Faredoon and Burjor Sandalwood Shop, Princess Street. Union Press, 13, Homji Street, Bombay 400001 virtues, especially when the values of life are eroding. Those who doubt the holy scriptures lose their own confidence. In support of his statements, Dabu quotes the poet saint Kabir, and concludes that on this thorny journey of life, man has to walk alone with full confidence in the creator, despite the evil forces surrounding him. Dabu firmly believes in the voice of one ’s conscience: it correctly indicates the right direction. He regrets that in the present circumstances of life, men have to suppress that voice. They act against it. Therefore, they cannot find the right direc ­ tion and work against the interests of their fellow beings. In the same philosophical vein, Dabu thinks of Bhagwan Ram, Ram Rajya, Ayodhya and Ram Mandir, and laments over the meaningless bloodshed in the name of religion. To avoid this in the future, Dabu suggests the construction of a Sarva Dharma Smarak, a common reli ­ gious center where all men, irrespective of caste and creed, could pray. Dabu believes that one day, science and religion will unite to fulfil his dream. We may or may not agree with Dabu ’s humane concept of such a center of univer ­ sal brotherhood in the country. But we wish him well in his ideal. SERSON Electrolytic Capacitors For All Electronic Applications From 12 VDC To 350 VDC Manufacturers: Serson Industries Pvt. Ltd. Pimpri P.F.P.O., Poona-18. Cable: Etchfoil Poona-18. Phone: 772379 & 774296 154 Parsiana July-August 1994Fine anthology Homi Rogers The Raymond Gentleman Collection of Short Sto­ ries 199^. Published in 1994 by Maneck Daver for Sterling Newspapers Ltd, 920 Tulsiani Chambers. Nariman Point, Bombay 400021. Pp 179. Price Rs 100. hasnotyetgotovertheParsihangoverofhis Gottschalk’s Legacy is a rumbustious nar- Firozsha Baag days. rative about being “stung by a tarantula, and If Mistry tells his tale with wry humor, thenbyawoman with whom I was smitten. ’’ Desai, an architecture student turned ere- Mistry exhibits his mastery over the Oxford ative writer, constructs a delightful tale English Dictionary, and forces us to read his laced with wit and guile. The story is woven tale with one beside us. Kanga scornfully around the hilarious episodes of Gottschalk derides his college mate Smita for her fright- (his namesake uncle), an American of Brit- ful pronunciation of Shakespeare ’s/Zaw/er ish descen t, who sets out to woo his beloved as ‘omlette, ’ while the deus ex machina is in the foothills of the Himalayas with the that he learns notjust to speak in Marathi but help of a tarantula (spider) and tarantella (a also to translate it. And Mehta surprises us with the reticence with which she uses words in our growingly prurient world, by her reluctance (or is it in the interests of dance composition in rapid 6/8 time). It ’s a tale well told with a lot of word-play... and horse-play, as well. Kanga ’s piece, a short six-page story, is style?) even to call a homosexual relation- a trifle disappointing, because of the pre- With four of the 12 Indian authors in the first annual collection of short stories brought out by Gentleman being Parsis, the a trifle disappointing, because of the pre- ship by its name; or to describe sexual community ’s significant contribution to dictability of its plot. What 1 Found is a activity explicitly, with thenow mandatory modem Indian fiction is there for all to see. thinly-disguised slice of Dickens ’ Great Short Stories 1994 is an anthology of Expectations, with Kanga ’s aunt Dina (a English fiction written by a dozen Indian i ’ _ ¦ ¦ ¦ - writers, all published by prestigious houses herself the love of her Persian teacher and particular interest to Parsi readers. The seaminess. Of the eight other tales in the volume, Ms mirror-image of Miss Havisham) denying Nisha da Cunha ’s Mama’s Boy could be of in the past two years. The authors were leaving behind in a locked room all the central figure is a Goan lad, whose relation- shortlisted by Gentleman and invited to vestiges of the cultural life she would have ship with a Portuguese girl is doomed even send their original non-published works for led had she divorced herself from her Auden after his mother ’s death, as her image con- the book. Much to the credit of the commu- and Wedgewood cups. tinues to haunt him. (Do some of our com- nity, a third of the book presents some It is obvious that all four writers have a munity girls find the tale ringing an espe- interestingworkbyFirdausKanga,Rohinton fascination for words. Desai ’s Uncle daily familar bell?) Mistry, Boman Desai and Ms Dina Mehta, a Interestingly, barring the last, who is a I senior editor at Parsiana and Voyage, the | other three are expatriate males (with Kanga enjoying the best of two worlds as he flits between Bombay and London). A truly representative collection of In ­ dian writing. Short Stories 1994 has a well- argued introduction by the book ’s editor, Ms Anuradha Mahindra. She puts forth the case that writing by Indians need not ex ­ plain the history and culture of India, but “should offer readers an opportunity to enlarge their possibilities by watching hu ­ man experience distilled in words. ’’ To this end, all the four works by Zoroastrian au ­ thors provide the reader with a new vision, and dazzle by the different approach and varied treatment of a range of experiences. There is, for instance, an Indianness in Mehta ’s work. She writes feelingly of the anguish suffered by a woman who strays from her marriage and orthodox mores, to come to grips with reality in a chilling denouement set against the backdrop of our current history. On the other hand Mistry ’s . The Scream is set in no historical period, or even place. The paranoia of old age as tackled by Mistry is universal, and his technique of giving the protagonist no name or national ­ ity is hence appropriate. The tale could be set anywhere, though the syntax and sing ­ song style in which the old man fulminates “in that caliginous room, verging on the hypogean ” betray the fact that the author and Wedgewood cups. It is obvious that all four writers have a munity girls find the tale ringing an espe- 1 Authors Mistry (left), Desai and Kanga (below) a 156 Parsiana July-August 1994 ¦ * I Other tales include works by Anurag Mathur (a touch of sci-fi), Ms Sunetra Gupta (great style), Ms Subhadra Sen Gupta (anyone for a Hindi movie script?), Shashi Tharoor and Amit Chaudhari. But the anthology definitely belongs to Rukun I ¦ Advani, a young copy editor at Oxford 'fl University Press, who captures the effer- vescence of a small town in Murder in May, and to Mehta. Her story. The Woman Taken in Adultery along with Shashi Deshpande ’s Travel Plans, take one right into the realm I / of a woman ’ s heart and mind without undue 7: A sentimentality. Short Stories 1994, possibly the forerun ­ ner of an annual collection, is published by Sterling Newspapers Limited. Its editor has ' credited publisher-editor Maneck Davar not only with the idea for the anthology, but also for the opportunity to implement it.MILESTONES This issue of Parsiana presents fell prey to fracture, cerebral and deaths has been compiled Karai, June 27 Milestones data for the months of malaria, gastro-intestinal blee- from information supplied by A boy to Dilnaz and Homi May and June 1994. ding and Parkinson ’s disease, various newsletters and anjumans Billimoria-, June 28 The age of Zoroastrian brides There were 18 isolated cases in India and abroad, courts and (as listed in this issue) ranged registered for the two-month hospitals. We are unable to carry between 19 and 35 years, the period. They were: hiatus hernia data from areas where the arithmetic mean — the total numberof individual ages divided by the total number of brides — being 25 years. The corresponding figures for the grooms were 24 and40years, averaging at29years. As per the data available to Parsiana there were 42 births as compared to 180Zoroastrians who malaria, neonatal seizures, he- were consigned to the Towers of patitis B, bronchial congestion. Silence in Bombay for the two hypotension (low blood pressure), month period of May and June. Forty-seven deaths were ascribed to the major killer — heart disease — 20 of the victims being 80 years and above. Theothermajor killers high blood pressure and astluna. werepneumonia and lung disease In the case of one death, the (31),cancer(22)andbraindisease coroner ’s reportwasstill pending, to a combination of several Susan ParvezNalladaru and (10). Old age and general debility Three youths, aged 23,25 and 28, diseases. Percy Eruch Poonegar, May 2 took a toll of eight lives, hyper- succumbed to various diseases. A If readers have any births/ Jasmine Noshir Batliwalla of tension, seven and kidney failure, six. Septicemia claimed five patients, bronchitis, four whereas three each succtunbed todiabetes, liver disease, anemia and tuberculosis. Two victims each ALLAHABAD Born A boy, Farzan, to Pallavi and Rohinton Deshmukh on May 1, 1994 Died Piroja Burjorji Framjee (75); June 1 BOMBAY Born A girl, Farishte, to Meher and Tehmasp Parekh\ March 6 A girl, Jean, to Behroze and Mehernosh Billimoria, sister to Yohan; May 2 A girl to Ar/t and Bahram Vakil-, May 4 A girl to Zta and Nosher Cama-, May 5 A girl to Shirin and Tehmtan Patel', May 9 A boy to Gulzar and Rohinton Dastur, brother to Amy; May 10 A girl to Farida and Rustom Hiramaneck-, May 10 A girl to Promi and Farokh fell prey to fracture, cerebral and deaths has been compiled malaria, gastro-intestinal blee- from information supplied by ding and Parkinson ’s disease. There were 18 isolated cases period. They were: hiatus hernia (an abnormal protrusion through anjumans do not furnish the the diaphram), haemorrhage, particulars. This information is circulatory failure, arterioscle- notalwayscompleteorconsistent. rosis (degenerative arterial change For example, the birth figures for Zeena Noshir Sanjana and associated with advancing age), Bombay are supplied by four Mehernoz Keki Pervez-, gastro-enteritis, hypoglycemia, hospitals; births in suburban February 5 haematemesis (vomitting of hospitals and private nursing Shirin Jimmy Totty and Sohrab blood), head injury, dehydration, homes are not included unless Khodabux Elabadi (Irani); homes are not included unless individuals send us information April 25 together with a copy of the birth certificate. There may be an urinary tract infection, peritonitis inadvertentrepetition of names in (inflammation of the delicate serous membrane which lines the abdominal and pelvic cavities). succumbed to various diseases. A stillborn baby boy as well as a marriages/deaths they would like Jabalpur and Jal Nader nine-day-old baby were also lost published, some proof to ensure Engineer of Lonavala; May 3 to the community. The oldest to the veracity of the report would Persis Darab Contractor and breathe her last was a 102-year- be required. We are sure our rea- Kersi Homi Karadia-, May 3 old lady. The data on births, marriages Timberwalla-, May 10 A girl to Thrity and Jehangir Bacha-, May 12 A girl to Havovi and Kurus Presswalla-, May 12 A girl to Anahita and Neville Mody-, May 13 A boy to Armin and Cyrus Wadia; May 14 A boy to Katayun and Kyamas Palia-, May 15 A boy to Yasmin and Hoshedar Carnac-, May 16 A girl to Yasmin and Adil Patel-, May 19 A girl to Binaifer and Burzin Edibam-, May 23 Twins (boys) to Huafrish and Farokh Irani; May 23 A boy to Tayuzaz and Saleem Merchant-, May 28 A boy to Kamal and Rustom Titina-, June 1 A boy to Phiroze and Anosh Irani-, June 2 A.boy to Daisy and Hazir Kermani-, June 6 A boy, Urzaan, to Carmeille and Malcolm Patel-, June 7 the marriage list when a civil maniage precedes a religious ceremony. In the breakup of deaths Noshir Todiwalla; May 1 according to illnesses, especially Armaiti Adi Lacka and Adil of the elderly, death is often due Darabshaw Adajania-, May 2 to a combination of several the veracity of the report would be required. We are sure our rea ­ ders would appreciate this re- Tanaj Goody Patel and quirement and cooperate with us. A boy to Niloufer and Viraf Aga-, June 14 A girl to Hufriz and Pharoah Basta-, June 14 A boy to Pervin and Daraius Dadachanji-, June 14 A boy to Rashna and Reuben Alphonso; June 15 A girl to Jasmine and Pervaz Daruwalla-, June 15 A girl to Persis and Danesh Irani-, June 15 A boy to Ruby and Iqbal Kapasi-, June 16 A boy to Meherzin and Dady Kerawalla-, June 18 A boy to llutoxi and Phiroze Vandrewala-, June 18 A boy to Hufrish and Sheriar Raisi-, June 19 A girl to Farida and Pankaj Udhas-, June 20 A boy to Farida and Dadabhoy Unwala-, June 20 A girl to Prochie and Adil Dorabjee-, June 22 A boy, Jeraz, to Jennifer and Hirji Gorimar, June 25 Twins (girls) to Lily and Rustom A boy to Kerbanoo and Cyrus Solaina-, June 28 A boy to Shehernaz and Adil Patuck-, June 30 Married Jasmine Minoo Mehershahi and Rumi Jamshed Wadia-, April 28 Havovi Dinshaw Sanjana and Shahzad Phiroze Madon-, May 1 Shernaz Keki Italia and Jimmy Rohinton Darra Contractor, May 5 Kernaaz Jal Vakil and Adi Dara Shroff-, May 12 Tanaz Tehmurasp Tampal and Minocher Sorab Siganporia-, May 13 Roshni Bahadur Kavina and Mehernosh Ady Amroliwala-, May 15 Shirin Jehangir Bulsara of Nasik and Nozar Minoo Bamboat-, May 15 Khursid Boman Bastani and Kersi Homi Taraporewala of Dahanu; May 15 Monaz Phirozshaw Kodia of Dahanu Rd and Erick Eruch 2laiwalla of Dahanu Rd; May 15 Anahita Kersasp Rabadi and Farrokh Peshotan Taraporewalla-, May 17 Homai Rustom Irani and Cyrus Rashid Irani-, May 19 Pinky Keki Irani and Minocher Dinshaw Irani; May 20 Behnaaz Khurshed Broacha and Rustom Keki Khavarian of Texas, USA; May 20 Zenobia Keki Italia and Dinyar Noshir Nadirshaw-, May 20 Shehnaz Murzban Dantra and 158 Parsiana July-August 1994Daraius Behram Sanjana-, May 20 Perin Ratan Cooper of Poona and Homiyar Tehumarasp Sukhia-, May 20 Khorshed Soli Doctor and Mehernosh Homi Dastur, May 21 Armin Dara Panthaki and Kaizad Soli Pithawalla-, May 22 Armin Farokh Doctor and Maneck Naval Toddywala-, May 22 Dilnavaz Dinshaw Asha and Yadgar Maneksha Daruwalla of Secunderabad; May 24 Ferzana Feroze Gundevia and Eric Hoshang Rana-, May 26 Binaifer Adi KharoUwala and Phiroz Sapal Amaria-, May 27 Tanaz Noshir Irani of Kalyan and Rustom Gew Irani of Warangal, Andhra Pradesh; May 27 Minnie Rusi Rustomji of Mira Rd, Thane and Zarir Tehmurasp Rao-, May 27 Behroze Burjor Medhora and Hoshang Homi Engineer, May 30 Jesmin Ratan Daruwalla of Pune and Jehangir Ardeshir Karanjia-, May 31 Jasmine Shavak Italia and Yazdi Bhikhaji Mistry, June 3 Rashna Jehangir MaroUa of Jalna and Shahrukh Dara Sholapurwala-, June 3 Maharukh Jehangir Irani of Poona and Jamsheed. Marazhan Edibam\ June 4 Percis Perviz Antia and /Id/Z Minoo Ghiarw, June 4 Arnavaz Rustom Doctor and Naoshad Yazdi Eduljee of New Delhi; June 6 Khursheed Adi Sethna and Farsak Faredoon Raja-, June 10 Mahin Ardeshir Afshari (Aliabad) of Ahwaaz, Iran and Gashtasb Rashid Rostami of North Hollywood, California; June 26 Farzana Keki Elavia and Kayomarz Yezdi Sidhwa of Florida, USA; June 27 Died Hoshi Sorabji Behrarnfaram {51), residing at Indra Bhuwan, Gamdevi, 400007; May 1 Pesi Hormasji Bhamgara {15), Shroff Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; May 2 Manekbai Manchersha Daruwalla (86), F/49, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; May 2 Roda Phiroze Mistry (66), 6/8, Colaba Land Co-op Hsg Soc, Solirab Bharucha Rd, Colaba, 400005; May 2 Kaikhosroo Eruchsha Patel (82), F. S. Parukh Dharamshalla, Hughes Rd, 400007; May 2 Kashmira Behram Amroliwalla (25), 12/92, Govind Ngr, Sodawala Lane, Borivli (W), 400092; May 3 Shiavax (Shiavaksha) Sorabji Chaina (84), 14/6, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; May 4 Sheheriar Naoroji Jadashapurna (80), Lentin Hse, 147, Alibhai Premji Marg, 400007; May 4 Dhunbai Rustcmji Kerawalla (87), 5/7, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; May 4 Jal Limjibhai Pagdiwalla (90), C/21, Wodehouse Rd, Colaba, 400005; May 4 Gulastan Namdar Irani (76), Purshottam Bldg, Near New Roshan Talkies, Playhouse, 400004; May 5 Eruch Sorabji Kanga (93), C/o Silloo Katrak, 123, Aderbad, 34, Hughes Rd, 400007; May 5 Navroji Pirojsha Kasad (88), 3/12, A. H. Wadia Baug, Parel Tank Rd, 400033; May 5 Hilla Khurshed Machliwalla (80), 613, Jame Jamshed Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; May 5 Gool Hom Avasia (74), 16, Papa Bldg, Mori Rd, Mahim, 400016; May 6 Nariman Sorabji Thanawala (70), 285/17, Mogal Bldg, S. Bhagat Singh Rd, Fort, 400001.; May 6 Jaloo Homi Cooper (JI), 22/14, Gilder Lane, Lamington Rd, 400008; May 7 Goolan Meherji Behramkamdin (78), F. S. Parukh Dharamshalla, Hughes Rd, 400007; May 8 Minocher Ratansha Bilimoria (82), 3/2, A. H. Wadia Baug, Parel Tank Rd, 400033; May 8 Kekushru Munchersha Fitter (80), C/o N. M. Petit Agiary, 44, New Marine Lines, 400020; Manize Estd: 1959 Ladies Department Store JEUNESSE: Total beauty care and hair dressing Cumballa Hill - Flyover, Bombay 400036 Telephones: Shop: 3877833, 3869855. Resi: 2151900 Spin Weave Textiles Philco Industries 7 H.O: Piramal Mansion, 235, D. N. Road, Bombay 400001 Telephone: 2616781. Fax: 2611744 160 Parsiana July-August 1994May 8 Keki Jamshed Irani (Namver) AHDr Ambedkar Rd, Byculla, 400027; May 8 Rustam Dinshaw Irani (85), 25, Anand Niwas, A Rd, Churchgate, 400020; May 8 Erach Dinsha Sutaria (87), 176, Suleman Manzil, Near Dadar Post Office, Dadar, 400014; May 8 Rusi Dhanjisha Wadia (64), 268, Contractor Bldg, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Parel, 400012; May 8 Bhikhamai Sorabji Awari (84), Q/11, S. Bharucha Baug, S. V. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; May 9 Jamshed Bejanji Daver (69), L, Dalal Est, Lamington Rd, Bombay Central, 400008; May 9 Nergish Rustomji Digaria (46), 666, Orient Hse, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; May 9 Hoshang Kaikashroo Nariman (81), 6-C,Silver Oak, 60-B, Chimbai Rd, Bandra, 400050; May 9 Firoze Rustomji Cooper (59), Railway Hotel, Grant Rd, 400007; May 10 Bamanshah Ratanshaw Davar (60), 84, Sarang Tower, 3rd Cross Rd, Samarth Ngr, Andheri (W), 400058; May 10 Nergish Darabshaw Tarapourwala (56), Durlabh Bhavan, Jalbhai St, Chami Rd, 400004; May 10 Sohli Framroze Vakil (84), 122- B, Sai Rd, Pali Hill, Bandra, 400050; May 10 Goolbai Ardeshar Mithaiwalla (90), Mohanlal Mehta Market, Off Novelty Cinema, Grant Rd, 400007; May 11 Rustomji Dadabhoy Motiwala (87), B/8, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; May 11 Sherbanoo Earuchshaw Shroff (92), Kavarana Bldg, Kittridge Rd, Colaba, 400005; May 11 Jehangir Jalejar Daver (79), Batliwalla Bldg, Chikalwadi, Zoroastrian Clny, Tardeo Rd, 400007; May 12 Mehroo Phiroz Malegamwala (57), Sar Avsar, Marazban Clny, Gilder Lane, 400008; Cross Lane, Sleater Rd, May 12 400007; May 15 Jerbai Framji Bharucha (86), 9, Manek Pirojsha Mistry (84), F. Old Khareghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; May 13 Rustomji Kaikhushru Pavri (93), 631, Dinoo Villa, M. Joshi Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; May 13 Dina Jamshedji Poonawalla (97), 14/B/31, Takshila, . Mahakali Rd, Andheri (E), 400093; May 13 Homai Rustom Shelangi (75), B-57/A, 003, Goregaon (E), 400063; May 13 Coomy Dossabhoy Kalyaniwala 400006; May 16 (56), 9, Kashinath Bldg, Kashinath St, Tardeo, 400034; May 14 Mehroo Jal Mistry (59), 13/10, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; May 14 Dawlat Pheroze Sadri (68), 153/A, Sealord, Cuffe Parade, 400005; May 14 Jal Manchersha Bharucha (73), 6/9, Khan Est, Chottani Rd, Mahim, 400016; May 15 Khodaram Behram Golabi (87), Pundole Bldg, Jehangir Daji S. Parukh Dharamshalla, Hughes Rd, 400007; May 15 Rustom Minocher Sethna (23), 358, BMC Kinara, 20, K, A. G. Khan Rd, Worli, 400018; May 15 Rustomji Ardeshir Engineer (86), A, The Reward, 220, Javji Dadaji Rd, Tardeo, 400007; May 16 Tehmina Jal Paymaster (83), 121, Brij Kutir, 68/A, Rungta Lane, Jagmohandas Marg, Arnavaz Hoshang Lafa (79), Shaaref (Zakaria Hse), 97, Prof Almeida Rd, Bandra, 400050; May 17 Rusi Jalejar Canteenwalla (56), Manish Ngr, Versova Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; May 18 Mani Cooverji Lam (80), B, Rustom Palace, 222/E, Tardeo Rd, 400007; May 18 Adi Jamshedji Vachha (J2}, C, Banoo Mans, Cumballa Hill Rd, 400036; May 18 STERLING AND WILSON ELECTRICALS PVT LTD Leading Electrical Engineers & Contractors Bombay Office Esplanade House, 2nd Floor Hazarimal Somani Marg, Fort, Bombay 400001 Telephone; 2041882, 2044177 Telex: 011-85153 SWIL IN New Delhi Office Flat No 205, Ansal Chamber II 6, Bhikaji Cama Place New Delhi 110066 Telephone: 608250, 6882454 Telex: 031-82025 SWIL IN Registered Office 70, Medows Street, Fort, Bombay 400023 Telephone: 273287 162 Parsiana July-August 1994» Under the auspices of the MAZDAYASNIE MONASTERIE and the ALL INDIA SHAH BEHRAM BAUG SOCIETY (for Scientific and Educational Research) The one and only in the world Zoroastrian College Correspondence address: Mustafa Building, (2nd floor), Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Road, Bombay 400001, India. Tel: 2660214 2662950 after hours: 3644737 Fax: Bombay India 022-2662735-A/c 121 MAZDAYASNIE RESEARCH CENTRE LIBRARY AT SANJAN r; Construction work of PHASE A of the Zoroa$trian College Building/Library Research Residential Centre which historical tour. Those interested should register and join the Course commencing August/September 1994. For further information about Diploma Courses please contact Prof Sam Doctor Tel; 6283154 Cama Institute Andheri or Mustafa Bldg office; for general information. TAJIKISTAN GOVT, has invited DELEGATION in SEPT. 1994 for FIRDAUST SHAHNAMAH 1000 YEARS CONFERENCE. Those interested may contact Office. HOLISTIC HEALTH ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE DEPT Are you interested in maintaining YOUR & YOUR Family members GOOD HEALTH using Natural Methods and cutting the costs of medical bills? If so, JOIN THE NATURAL HEALTH COURSES arranged by ZOROASTRIAN COLLEGE on a variety of subjects including Acupuncture; Three Years Diploma Course in Avesta language; Grammar Acupressure: Massage: Homoeopathy: Bio-chemics: Dr. & Zoroastrian Religion Scriptural Studies of Texts & Significance of Ceremonies was started in 1987 with Ervad RAMIYAR KARANJIA in charge of teaching Avesta Grammar. Since 1991/92 PROF SAM DOCTOR is in charge of triis DIPLOMA COURSE. Certificates are issued to allsuc- cessful Course participants at the end of each year's study. Fresh batch of students may entroll in July/August 1994 for commencing their first year of Diploma Studies. The Course is held once a week in Churchgate/Fort area on weekdays; and also in Andheri for Suburbs residents on Sundays. It is open to any person seriously wanting to learn to read/write/ Photography/JapaneseReiki;andothermahodsolpreventive translate Avesta/Zoroastrian religious prayersAexts. This College Building Construction Then and Now 1988-1994 commenced in October 1997 is now nearing completion. By AVESTA & SCRIPTURAL STUDIES DEPT March 1989 the R.C. framework from foundation plinth to terrace slab construction was completed at a cost of over Rs 3 lacks; thanks to genrous YADGARI Donations from ZOROASTRIAN COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL PATRONS MEHRABAN & FARIDOON ZARTHOSTY BROS; late Mr JAMSHED PAVRI of Canada; DR BEHRAMSHAH D PITHAVALA late Mrs SHEHNAVAZ CONTRACTOR; and Zoroastrians of India; Hong Kong; Singapore; USA; U.K. & Canada. Between April 1989 and June 1991 the walls, windows; floor tiles; stonework; staircase tiling was done at a cost of over Rs 5 lacs; thanks to the generous support of Masdasnansof Germany; Dr. SIEGFRIED HERMERDING; Herr. KOLB; the ZOROASTRIANS OF U.K.; Pakistan; W.Z.O.; India. Between July 1991 to December 1993 the graded course also includes lectures on Iranian History , , _ ____ _____________ finishing work of doors; carpentery work of library Significance of Zoroastrian Religious Ceremonies of Baj/ Also facility of doing research Degrees by Thesis upto Ph.D bookshelves; electrical supply; window glasses; chhajjas; ¦ • ......................... - ¦¦ - ----------------------------------- - ------- waterproofing was completed at acostofover5lacs;thanks to further generous donations from ZARTHOSTY BROS: MASDASNANS OF GERMANY: TATA TRUSTS; Dr. JEHANGIR MEDORA OF Canada; and Donors from India GATHAS series of lectures with scholarly reference to works .& abroad; and Bank loans. Since January 1994 the interior - - finishing of library bookshelves: construction of outside kitchen; painting; floorpolishing is being done. For completion of this construction work a TARGET of Rs 2.5 lacs is needed. YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT IS REQUESTED All Dona- • tions are Tax exempt under Sec.80 G.of I.T. Act. YA DG ARI DONATIONS of Rs 10,001/- to Rs one lac entitle the DONOR to have/his/her name and also of any dear departed persons whose memory is to be honoured to have the names inscribed on the ROLL OF HONOUR in the main College Building. The Form below may be used; SEMINAR Courses have already commenced to be held at the College building; thanks Io the good local support of Mr & Mrs Rohintan & Bapsy Davierwalla; & Mr. Rusi Mulla. PERSONS WANTING TO DO SERIOUS RESEARCH AND Georgia; Tajikistan; etc is being arranged for MAY 1995. STAY AT THE COLLEGE BUILDING MAY ENQUIRE AT “ THE MUSTAFA BLDG. OFFICE ADDRESS ABOVE. Bachs Flower Remerdies; Magnet Therapy: Dr. Dinshaw Chadia'sCOLOURTHERAPYSPECTROCHROMEMETRY as of Dr Dara R Hakim' Gems and Crystals therapy. Dr. FRED FOX'S Method: Raj Yoga: Breathing Exercises: Mind Control: Dr A.K. BHATTACHARAYA's Radiesthesia and other Methods. Dr. Mrs Shyamala Chandran's Nari Vaid 6 tastes System: Food & Nutrition Dr. Leo Rebello's Yoga & Nature Cure; Swedish Flyborg Therapy; Sound/Music Therapy; Basic principles of Ayurveda and Herbal medicines Avesta Manthras Divine/Spiritual Healing/Kirlian Aura hea/th care artd Natural Methods of Treatment are taught by specialists in each subject. DIPLOMA COURSES offered. Yasna/(Eejashine) Vendidad; After Death Ceremonies etc by level COURSES Commencing September 1994 Fresh batch, prof. Dr. Meher Master - Moos with Km e Khshnoom content. MONTHLY LECTURES are also open to any interested persons. MR RUSTOM CHOTHIA is Professor in charge of of over 12 scholars. The pioneering work of Dr. PURVIZ KOLSAWALA is also used in this Course. PROF SAM DOCTOR is in charge of PAZEND & PAHLAVI TEXTS series; including DI NKARD and other post 9th Century texts. ERVAD NOSHIRWAN KANGA Panthaky Saheb of Maneckji Seth Agiary is in charge of Series of Lectures of practical use to persons attending Agiaries PROF MEHER MASTER MOOS President Z.C. is in charge of the Lectures Series of Yashts & Religious Texts in honour of Ameshaspends and Yazads. TOUR OF IRAN TO VISIT PLACES OF HISTORICAL My address. INTERESTincludingPerseploisTakhteRustom;Pasargrade; the Pir Sahebs; Demavand Kuh Elburz Mountains; Yazd; Kerman; Isfahan; Shiraz; Behistun; Tehran; and Southern USSR Republics of Azerbaijan; the firetemple of Baku; Persons interested may contact Mustafa Bldg office. BOOKS ON HEALTH & ZOROASTRIAN RELIGION AND LECTURE COURSES, AUDIO CASSETTES ALSO AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH. I wish to give a YADGARI DONATION FOR COLLEGE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, in pious memory of .............................................................. Please find enclosed cash/cheque/bankdraft infavour ofSHAH BEHRAM BAUG SOCIETY of Rs/$/£/ ..................... I am interested to join Avesla Courses; Holistic Health Courses. Please send me information. My name ........................................................... Persons attending the Avesta Diploma Course/Monthly lectures will have first priority to join this Special Educational/ .................................. Tel No ............................ I wish to do research at Zoroastrian College Building. I wish to contribute a Scholarship to help those students who wish to stay at Zoroastrian College for their studies. I wish to join Ihe TOUR TO IRAN/DELEGATION to TAJIKISTAN. ADVERTISEMENTManek Bomanshaw Vatchha Maki Kaikhushroo Bhogwagar (80), 22, Wadia Bldg, Marazban (82), A/203, Kailash, J. Boman Clny, Lamington Rd, 400008; May 18 Homai Cawasji Kanga (82), 12, Patel Bldg, Cama Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; May 19 Azzat Khodabux Kohinoori (52), 14, School Bldg, Cusrow Baug, S. B.Rd, 400039; May 19 Rati Dorabji Master (75), 811/65, Jame Jamshed Bldg, Jame Jamshed Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; May 19 Goolbai Navroji Patel (75), Emjjress Bldg, N. Petit St, Grant Rd, 400007; May 19 Sovak Sorabji Pavri (66), T/2, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; May 19 Kersi Hormusji Wadia (81), C/3, Crystal Clny, Soonawala Agiary Rd, Mahim, 400016; May 19 Framroze Pestonji Panthaki (89), 2B/30, Tata Mills Co-op Hsg Soc, Elphinstone Rd, Parel, 400012; May 20 Firoze Behramsha Sukhadwalla (78), 607, J.S.S. Rd, 400002; May 20 Behram Marg, 400008; May 21 Noshir Jehangirji Damania (44), B-10, Mistry Bldg, Dr Shirodkar Rd, Parel, 400012; May 21 Dara Rustom Pavri (69), 4, Firpos, 47/A, B. Desai Rd, 400026; May 21 Minoo Ratanji Bhesadia (76), Dossibai and J.R.D. Charity Trust Home, Behind Masina Hospital, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; May 22 Freny Ratanshaw Engineer (84), 13, Jer Mans, 70/B, Gowalia Tank Rd, 400036; May 22 Yasna Tehmu Marolia (28), 16, Kanga Bldg, 224, Dr Baba Sahib Ambedkar Rd, Dadar, 400014; May 22 Dina Nariman Panthaky (64), Old F. Cama Bldg, Zoroastrian Clny, Chikalwadi, 400007; May 22 Dolly Nadirshaw Bamboat (63), 2, Banaji Chawl, Forjett St, Gowalia Tank, 400036; May 23 Nadirshaw Hormusji Malegamwala (75), Golwala Wadi, Pali Khadi, Post Dehri, Via Umbergaon, Dist Bulsar, 396001 and C/o H/2, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; May 23 Motamai Mum: her show Mehta Raju Ter, Lamington Rd, 400007; May 23 Shera Nariman Jahina (83), 678, Noor-Mhl, Katrak Rd, Wadala, 400031; May 24 Dinshaw Hormusji Mahuvewalla (73), Old Chinoy Bldg, Chikalwadi, Tardeo Rd, 400007; May 24 Freny Bomi Madon (65), 102, Mani Bhuvan, Kader Pada, Dahisar, 400068; May 25 Godrej Meherji Bhathena (54), 23/4, A. H. Wadia Baug, Parel Tank Rd, 400033; May 26 Jehangir Rustomji Lashkari (63), 1, Shirin Manzil, Dinbai Petit St, Balaram St, 400007; May 26 Veera Dhanjisha Mohta (64), B-4/604, Greenlands Apts, J. B. Rd, Andheri (E), 400059; May 26 Pirojbai Nusservanji Panthaki (98), 651/52, Athoman Boar ­ ding Madressa, Firdosi Rd, Dadar, 400014; May 26 Ratanbai Merwanji Doongaji (96), Tardeo Chmbs, Kashinath St, 400034; May 27 Nergish Rustomji Marfatia (81), 2/88, Panday Hse, Thakurdwar, 400002; May 27 Rustom Nowrozjee Nekoo (86), H/11, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; May 27 Faramroz Hormasji Variava (78), 10/4, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; May 28 Dhanmai Rattanshaw Bagwadia (93), Chandrabala Est, T.P.S. in, 30th Rd, Bandra, 400050; May 29 Gool Kersasp Bamji (88), 9, Batliwala Bldg, Khareghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; May 29 Sorab Navrojee Tavaria (80), Sheri Hse, Gunbow St, Fort, 400001; May 29 Kaikhshru Eduljee Damkevala (82), Engineer Bldg, 259, Princess St, 400002; May 30 Russ Pirojsha Ghadialy (72), 2, Tata Clny, Tardeo, 400034; Customer is ~ always Light When he entrusts his Household Packing, Shipping, Removal, Storage..,, all his problems to B.C. Buhariwala & Sons. PAake the right Move, Call: Rtfiarwa/a Sens Door to door Service 5 J. N. Heredia Marg, Ballard Estate, Bombay-400 038. TeL: 2615451/3, 2613137 Tlx.: 011-75139 BCB IN. Fax: 22-2620785 BRANCH OFFICE: 1310, Pragati Towers, Rajendra Place, New DelhhllO 006. Tel. Nos.: 5711876, 5713540. Tlx.: 031^61928 BCB IN Represented throughout the World by more than 600 offices 164 Parsiana July-August 1994May 30 Jamshedji Tehmurasp Kutar (89), 1, Steel Hse, 92/A, Marine Drive, 400002; May 30 Jamshed Ardeshir Mistry (78), F/22, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; May 30 Nargish Boman Irani (79), F. S. Parukh Dharamshalla, Hughes Rd, 400007; May 31 Tehmina Sorabji Mukadam (87), 647, Gai Bldg, Khareghat Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; May 31 Bhi'ka Jehangirji Shroff (76), B/7, Tata Blocks, Tardeo, 400034, May 31 Burjor Jamshedji Dastur (85), 503, Silver Cascade, Mount Mary Rd, Bandra, 400050; June 1 Jer Pirojshah Dordi (82), Banu Mans, Forjett St, 400036; June 1 Baby boy of Huafrish Farokh Irani (9 days), 15/B, Palm Lands, Pali Naka, Bandra, 400050;June 1 Sorabji Rustomji Pavri (78), A-2/11, Mazdalease, Bhilad Rd, Sanjan, Gujarat, 396150; June 2 Pilloo Jamshedji Bulsara (80), D/403, Guru-Darshan, Swami Samarth Ngr, Off Four Bglws, Andheri (W), 400058; June 3 Gool Ardeshir Ghadiali (89), E/20, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; June 3 Dinshaw Maneckji Khan (86), 1/2, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; June 3 Tehmina Ardeshir Panthaky (83), 133/11, Old Mody St, Fort, 400001; June 3 Kaikhushroo Aderji Buhariwalla (94), West View, Uranwalla St, Grant Rd, 400007;June 4 Dolly Sohrabji Mukadam (66), 647, Gai Bldg, Khareghat Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 4 Jal Jehangir Ollia (81), Cumballa Climbs, Subhadra Nivas, Cumballa Hill Rd, 400036;June 5 Gool Tehmuras Sethna (82), C/o M. T. Sethna, L2/53, Merwanjee Cama Park, Cama Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; June 5 Meherbai Kaikobad Cooper (80), 2/13, Sir C. J. Clny, Sir Ratan Tata Rd, Tardeo, 400034; June 6 Aspi Manecksha Damania (57), 13/11, Mody Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; June 6 Minocher (Minoo) Dinshawji MinocherHomjee (85), Aimai Manzil, 808, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 6 Jehangir Bomanji Wadia (83), Nepean Hse, Nepean Sea Rd, 400006;June 6 Baby of Binaifcr Darayas Dadachanji (stillborn), A/301, Manish Mhl, Veera Desai Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; June 7 Piroza Sheriar Irani (92), New Mistry Bldg, Balaram St, Grant Rd, 400007;June 7 Rusi Iliraji Mahuvewalla (50), 302/C-46, Star Co-op Soc, Yogi Ngr, Borivli (W), 400092; June 7 Bahadur)i Naoroji Mehta (90), Albless Widows ’ Chawl, Marazban Clny, Gilder Lane, Lamington Rd, 400008; June 7 Jer Parviz Mehta (81), CPi, Fariyas, Cumballa Hill Rd, 400036;June 7 Pervez Faramroze Siganporia (lA), Gool Mans, Dinbai Petit Lane, Balaram St, 400007; June 7 Dinshawji Sorabji Suraliwalla (81), 9, Engineer Bldg, Sleater Rd, 400007;June 7 Dhunmai Kaikhushru Taila (82), A, Aidun Bldg, Dhobi Talao, 400002; June 7 Merwan Jamshed Aref (86), 21, Tulips, Nepean Sea Rd, 400006; June 8 Jamshed Hormusji Makhania (83), U-4/3, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039;June 8 Erach Dinshaw Mehta (85), A, Rustom Palace, 222, Tardeo Rd, 400007;June 8 Amy Farokh Mistry (61), W. Z. 28, Harishan Park, New Multan Ngr, New Delhi, 110056; June 8 Piloo Minoo Seth (84), 62, Rajat Apts, Mount Pleasant Rd, Malabar Hill, 400006; June 8 Ililla Pheroze Dordi (79), 16/7, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; June 9 Ernie Homi Pesina (74), 62, The West Minister, Duncan Causeway, Sion, 400022; June 9 Sohrab Jahangir Bhote (72), Adi Ratan Villa, 88, J. P. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; June 10 WITH BEST COMPLIMENTS FROM SOFTHEART ED 'WIBS'BREAD WESTERN INDIA BAKERS' PRIVATE LIMITED KHODADAD BUILDING, 100 D'LIMA STREET DOCKYARD ROAD, BOMBAY 400010 166 Parsiana July-August 1994Sheroo Hormusji Irani (66), 8, Shanker Sheth Rd, Pune, 411042;June 10 Freny Eruch Mistry (68), 13, Shivnery Bldg, Old Bombay- Agra Rd, Thane, 400602, June 10 Goolbai Pirojshaw Mistry (88), C/1, Guru Nanak Market, Opp Novelty Cinema, Grant Rd, 400007; June 10 Dady Burjorji Morena (58), 28, Raghunath Dadaji St, Fort, 400(X)l; June 10 Tehmina Merwanji Virjee (78), C/o Shirinbai Dinsha Mody Hostel, 83-A, Annie Besant Rd, Worli, 400018; June 10 Manekshaw Ratanji Bhesania (53), D-28/6, Hill Side, Pirojsha Ngr, Vikhroli (W), 400079; June 11 Fali Phirojshaw Kanga (69), 21, Mansaff Bldg, Captain Clny, Haji Ali, 400034; June 11 Hiraji Behramji Wadia (72), Shiraz Ter, 127, Tardeo Rd, 400034; June 11 Sovak Phirozeshaw Daruwalla (78), 670, Zaverbanu Ter, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 12 Mondegar Namdar Irani (74), 23, Mishra Bhuvan, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034;June 12 Rustom Jehangir Desai (85), Kismet Bldg, 3rd Pasta Lane, Colaba, 400005; June 13 Nergish (Nancy) Eruch Karva (79), 801, Coover Villa, Jame Jamshed Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014;June 14 Jer Keki Katrak (80), 104, Galactica, Samarth Ngr, 3rd Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; June 14 Daisy Pesi Shroff (61), Villa Manijeh, 85, Tardeo Rd, 400034; June 14 Faredoon Munchershah Madon (78), Pushpa Nivas, Uranwalla St, Grant Rd, 400007; June 15 Goolamai Darabshaw Singpurwalla (83), 10, Florencia, 299, Off Turner Rd, Bandra, 400050; June 15 Bhikhoo Phiroze Chacha (71), 5, Yog Milan, Forjett Hill Rd, 400036;June 16 Silla Adi Marzban (87), 6, Chapsy Ter, Altamount Rd, 400026;June 16 Zarbanoo Jamshed Jamshedian (79), 14, Churchill Chmbs, Mereweather Rd, Colaba, 400039;June 17 Dina Aspi Wadia (81), Mistry Bldg, Widows ’ Chawl, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 17 Sohrab Rustom Irani (72), Petit Sanatorium, Cumballa Hill, 400036;June 19 Khuresed Shapoorji Jamshedji (71), 5, Methodist Church, Centenary Bldg, 368, Grant Rd, 400007;June 19 Bapaimai Kaikhushro Kapadia (91), G/14, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; June 19 Khorshed Darab Dover (87), 52, Forjett St, 400036; June 20 Dinoo Kali Governor (79), 635, Muncherji Joshi Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 20 Alamai Pestonji Randeria (84), A-31/32, Meherzin, Wodehouse Rd, Colaba, 400005; June 20 Alamai Ardeser Engineer (78), 705, Shangrila, Sat Bangla, Andheri (W), 400061; June 21 Rustomji Bomanji Ghandhi (79), B/1, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039;June 22 Khorshed Jal Master (78), 14, Nishith, Ushma Ngr, Mith Chowk, Malad (W), 400064; June 22 Minocher Kaekobad Tata (63), Sea Side, Bhulabhai Desai Rd, 400036;June 22 Jaloo Dali Battiwalla (71), Jeevanji Mistry Hse, 162, Khetwadi Back Rd, 400004; June 23 Rusi Hoshang Dastur (Tl), C-1, Breach Candy Apts, B. Desai Rd, 400026; June 23 Banoo Marzban Gorimar (61), Marine Mans, 114, Marine St, Marine Lines, 400002; June 23 Tehmina Dossabhoy Kapadia (90), Soona Est, Hill Rd, Bandra, 400050; June 23 Rustom Jehangir Patel (JI), 704, Cumballa Crest, 42, Peddar Rd, 400026; June 23 Sarosh Hormusji Solai (62), K Villa, Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; June 23 Eruch Fredun Devitre (78), 20, St Martins Rd, Bandra, 400050; ¦ Best Wishes From RUSY & PURVIZ SHROFF 168 Parsiana My-August 1994June 24 Dinshah Pirosha Madon (73), 21, Goolestan, 34, Bhulabhai Desai Rd, 400026; June 24 Dhunmai Jamshedji Malesaria (93), 9/3, Tata Clny, Tardeo, 40()034; June 24 Eruch Beramshaw Medhora (7L), Soonaji Mans, K-66, A. K. Marg, 400036; June 24 Dhunmdi Hormusji Saher (79), R/29, S. B. Bharucha Baug, S. V. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; June 24 Noshir Framroze Kaikobad (76), 54, Acharya Ngr, W. T. Patil Marg, Govandi, 400088; June 25 Noshir Jamshedji Tata (78), G/16, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012;June 25 Katy Erach Choksi (51), 18, Dalal Est, Lamington Rd, 400008;June 26 Jivanji Rustomji Elavia (76), 691, Albless Bldg, Dr Dinsha Master Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014;June 26 Dina Ardeshir Engineer (88), 3, Jehangir Mans, 1st Marine St, 400020;June 26 Dhanmai Hormusji Rabadi (76), ll/D/4, S. B. Bharucha Baug, S. V. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; June 26 Najamai Pirojsha Bhathena (102), Todywalla Bldg, 28, Sunmill Rd, Lower Parel, 400012;June 27 Pallonji Meherwanji Bhagalia (9C»),'Yade\, %2>, MaAcoAmBaug, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; June 28 Baji Bomi Mistry (40), 17A/10, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; June 28 Naval Cowasji Mistry (86), Ketty Ter, Sleater Rd, 400007; June 28 Bachoo Ruttonshaw Nanabhoy (70), Jer Mans, Gowalia Tank, 400036;June 28 Jamshedji Rustomji Mistry (83), Villa Tehmina, 49, Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; June 29 Vispi Meherwanji Daruwalla (49), 613, Dinshaw Bldg, Jame Jamshed Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; June 30 CALCUTTA Born A boy, Jahan, to Bakhtawar and Boman Parakh', May 27 Married Shernaz Jamshed Bilimoria and Yazdi Khambalta\ May 29 Died Roda Navroz Patel, mother of Burjor and Zenobia Maneck Deboo; May 22 Banoo Minoo Avari, mother of Roshan and Aspi; May 25 JABALPUR Born A boy, Arshan, to Farahnaz and Cyrus Soonawalla-, June 16 KATNI Died Maneck Nusserwanji Dubash, husband of Khorshed and father of Faroukh and Khushroo; June 4 MADRAS Born A girl, Delshad, to Zavera and Mahiar Shroff-, May 7 A girl, Natasha, to Kashmira and Per SOS Daruwala-, June 22 Died Boman Nadirshaw Antia (64), husband of Gool and father of Sharon Dilip Joshi; May 29 Shera Gustaad Ghai (78), June 3 POONA Married Ferhiz Cooper and Darius Phil Lawyer of Madras; January 21 Perin N. Nanavatti and Jehangir Postwalla, son of Nina and Noshir; June 10 SECUNDERABAD Born A boy, Mehershad, to Parika and Pervez Rahnamoon; December 16, 1993 A boy, Daanesh, to Mehernavaz and Kerfegar Aria- December 21 Married Gulmohar B. Illoo and Cersi J. Elavia-, November 5 Jasmine Rustom Dover and Pervez Rustom Irani-, November 21 * 5! WILL SHE WEAR A COLLAR ORAN ELECTRIC NOOSE ? I bl!' Every year thousands of stray dogs are killed by the authorities. Yet the stray dog population is actually growing. We at The Welfare of Stray Dogs believe that there is a more humane;, effective way to control the dog population: sterilisation. So far over 2,300 dogs have been sterilised, vaccinated against rabies and tattooed for identification in Bombay and New Bombay. Help us. Call 3085116 (Bombay) between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Or mark your cheques/ demand drafts to: “The Welfare of Stray Dogs ” and send them to Regal Theatre Building, 2nd floor, 41/F Apollo Pier Road, Bombay 400039. The welfare of stray dogs Iwsxi, 170 Parsiana July-August 1994Lainaz Peshotan Mehta and Nazar Naval Eduljee', January 24,1994 Died Tehmina D. Mody (84); November 7, 1993 Ratanshaw R. Motiwalla (85); January 3, 1994 MinuB. Patell (83); February 3 Keki J. Tarapore (69); February 23 GoclbanuD. Khambatta (91); February 28 Hoshang N. Munshi (73), March 15 Bomanshaw J. Pochkhanawalla (82); April 20 KhorshedB. Vakil (63); May 4 Katy S. Engineer (71); May 14 Bhikoo Dhunjishaw Moos (84); May 20 Seherbanoo S. Bhathena (84); May 29 Hoshung Behramji Daruwala (56), Nariman Home and Infirmary, Shahpore, 395003; June 11 (Dinky) Hoshedar Rohinton Bhoojwala (26), Dhatigara St, Nanpura, 395001; June 14 Khorshedbanoo Dadiba Pardi- wala (72), Killa Pardi; June 19 Ketymai Bahadursha Wadia (68), Malesar St, Rustompura, 395002;June 23 Dolat K. Driver (64), Muglisara, 395003; June 26 Jamshedji Dhanjisha Patel (85), Village Mora, Via Bhaiha, Dist Surat, 389110; June 27 Maharwanji Faramji Digaria (84), Maachlipith, Shahpore, 395003;June 28 Sanober and Rohinton and Cyrus Choksi, son of Gulu and Fall; May 21 Vancouver Born A boy, Arash, to Mahdokht and Shahriar Shahriari; March 20 A boy, Sam, to Mahyar and Minoo Sharvini; April 29 Died Jal Kaikobad (63), husband of Banoo and father of Akhtar and Farida; March 25 April 7 Peruza Dara Dalal (61); April 24 Homi Fakirji Behrana (64); April 28 Eruch Kaikobad Pavri (78); April 28 UK London Born A boy, Darius, to Vera and Farroakh Parekh; May 24 SURAT Died Jarbanoo Hormasji Dustur (85), Popat St, Nanpura, 395001; May 3 Maneckbai Mancherji Bhathena (90), Bibinivadi, Saiyedpura, 395003; May 9 Ami Firoz Katpitia (58), Singapuri Mans, Station Rd, 395003; May 9 Homi Jamshedji Dotiwala (83), Dangor St, Nanpura, 395001; May 20 Khorshad Shapurji Beharamji (80), Nariman Home and Infinnary, Shahpore, 395003; May 22 Dhanmai Palanji Patel (85), Parsiwad, Village Olpad, Dist Surat, 394540; May 22 Meherbai Pirojshaw Ghadiyali (76), Nariman Home and Infirmary, Shahpore, 395003; May 29 Banoo Firoz Patel (77), Cooper Mans, Muglisara, 395003; May 29 Ratiimai Maneckshaw Patel (77), Serdiwala Block, Shahpore, 395003; May 30 Nariman Eruchsha Sumariwala (80), Adagra St, Nanpura, 395001;June 4 Khurshad Navroji Kavarana (73), Unwala Bldg, Nanpura, 395001;June 6 Ardeshir Hormusji Variava (58), Sodgam, Walia Dist, Bharuch, 392001; June 7 Dhanjisha Pirojsha Elavia (59), Wadia St, Maachlipilh, 395003; June 10 AUSTRALIA New South Wales Died Jal Sidhwa, husband of Piloo; May 8 CANADA Burnaby Born A boy, Amon David, to Armin and Michael Kale; February 26 Richmond Married Dilnaz Shroff , daughter of BORN Boys Girls A 23 19 172 Parsiana July-August 1994 MARRIED Parsi Intercommunal DIED CONSIGNED Males Females CREMATED Males Females 41 95 85 GERMANY Hamburg Married Mojgan Kajee, daughter of Manijeh and Khodabakhsh, and Ramin Zohrabi, son of Pari and Jamshid; March 21 IRAN Tehran Died Kharman Guiv (97), mother of Keikhosrow, Homayoon Farin and Jamshid; May 18 PAKISTAN Karachi Died Dinshaw Charna (71); April 1 Aloo Jamshedji Kapadi (84); TOTALS FOR 1993 AND 1994 Bombay India B C A B C 137 135 324 79 563 524 2 6 56 57 176 24* 241 229 5 1 5 2 9 4 5 3 6 14 4 7 2 16 21 99 11 30 31 1 USA California Died Parvin Kadidioda (54), wife of Rostam and mother of Mehrbanoo and Kikhosrow; March 15 Firouz Kermani (77), husband of Parvin and father of Guity, Farideh and Roxana; April 10 Concord Died Rusi Vasania, husband of Dolly and father of Adil and Anita; December 27,1993 Compiled by Roxana A. Driver World A B C 4 2 1 4 39 43 11 6 19 6 53 39 2 2 25* 14* A: Total ntrnbers in this issue B: Running totals for 1993 (February 1993-July-August 1994 issues) C Running totals for 1994 (February-March 1994-July-August 1994 issues) '' Males married out -13 Females married out - 11 ‘ Overseas deaths are listed in the consigned column as Parsiana does not have any breakup of those cremated. These figures pertain to information provided or collected by Parsiana. They do not represent the total number of births, marriages and deaths in the Zoroastrian community in India or abroad.IN MEMORIAM BLAZING BUSINESSWOMAN scribes her as a “crack saleswoman in the sense that she was mainly responsible for bringing in all the clientele as well as obtaining sole agency rights of prestigious cinemas throughout India. ” According to Commissariat she “has left an indelible imprint on the annals of cinema advertis ­ ing. A versatile woman, she came up from a humble start and became a dynamic, moving force behind a gigantic business empire. ” Since its beginning in 1947, Blaze has experimented with different enterprises: a magazine, film publicity, screening of ad ­ vertisement films in cinema houses, pro ­ ducing feature films. Blaze Travels and Tours, Blaze Enterprises, Fulcrum adver ­ tising agency. Blaze Publishers and Dis ­ tributors, Blaze Flash Couriers. .. The found ­ ing partners, Variava and Mohan Bijlani, had first come together with a capital of Rs 1,500 each to launch Blaze magazine. Neither was this venture successful nor their subsequent effort as publicists for Sohrab Modi ’s Jhansi Ki Rani. A major breakthrough for them came when Sohrab ’ s brother Keki Modi, who owned 42 theaters in India, permitted the duo to screen adver ­ tisement slides in his cinema houses. Gradu- rector of Sista ’s Private Limited, who had ally gaining a hold on many more theaters known her since he was a junior executive Blaze enjoyed a near monopoly, frequently ¦ Bl IIH' 11^- Died: Ms Freni Meherji Variava, 77, founder partner of Blaze Advertising Pri ­ vate Limited which had helped pioneer the in the mid ’ 50s. He particularly remembers buying out small competitors, screening of advertisement films in Indian her disappointment when he had passed on cinema houses, on February 16, 1994 in Bombay following kidney failure. For the last several years an inoperable heart condition had hampered Variava ’.s movements considerably, yet she contin ­ ued to retain her interest in the business she had nurtured and whose di versi fication she had witnessed through the battery of tele- admired her “qualities of leadership to had a couple of hours of sleep to accom mo ­ phones that were kept within reach. Her secretaries would frequently be operating from her residence and when she was in hospital alternately camping there too with ployed on humanitarian grounds were san- her. Her intimidating front notwithstand- goodwill, while many of her managers ing inroads into cinema advertising, she ing, her peers and juniors continued to often feared to approach her unless con- developed a heart problem in 1982 which regard her with utmost respect. Mentions vinced by her secretary that she was in a required open heart surgery in 1984 and a Ravi Gupta, managing director of Trikaya good mood. Her secretary L. M. Dias who pacemaker to be fitted for her in 1988. Grey Advertising India Limited, “When I had worked with her for 38 years remem- Ankur, which was the first feature film ' was wearing short pants in advertising she bers her for being “very methodical and directed by Shyam Benegal, was also the was one of the seniormost members. And systematic, not tolerating anything slip- first film produced by Blaze. Nishant, yet, in spite of this difference in our profes- shod.Shewasaperfectionistwhobelieved Bhumika, Mandi, Trikaal were the other sional standing ifl had any problem I could in punctuality. ” There is no limit to the films financedby Blaze. In his condolence always go up to her. Many people thought number of times she must have impressed letter to the family Benegal writes: “Ms she was a very tough person ..To me she was her associates with “To be successful you Variava was a brave and extraordinary the epitome of understanding and kind- must be punctual. ” lady with a strong will and generous tem- ness. ” Also lauding Variava ’s maturity was Bobby Sista, chairman and managing di- Thrice a month she would be out of Bombay in connection with her business some business to one of Blaze ’s competi ­ tors then and her graciousness to accord responsibilities. Unmarried, she would put him affection and courtesy despite that, in long hours of work on a regular basis, “She kept her dignity and our relationship remembers her sister-in-law Ms Silloo was never affected by that. Anyway Blaze was too much of a giant to be afraid of competition, ’’acknowlcdgcdSistawhoalso up in the middle of the night after she had Variava. There would be days when she would come home so tired, she would get win the loyalty of her employees over date her daily prayer ritual. This excessive the years. ” Many subordinates whom she had em- exertion had taken its toll on her health. Following the death of her partner in 1976, the death of her younger brother a year guine that they could always depend on her later, and mounting anxiety with TV mak- goodwill, while many of her managers often feared to approach her unless con- had worked with her for 38 years remem- her associates with “To be successful you must be punctual. ” Another senior executive to admire perament. I was always impressed by her Variava was Sorab Commissariat, man- straightforwardness in her dealings and the agcr of Blaze Preview Theatre, who de- warmth of her spirit... She had very caring 174 Parsiana July-August 1994ways about her and a delightful sense of humor. ” Also admiring her personality, particu ­ larly her determination “to persevere in general with her goals, ” was Sylvester daCunha, chairman of daCunha Associ ­ ates Private Limited. He further com ­ mented, “Her generosity was well known as was her ability to m^e friends. ” She had a gift of livening up a conver ­ sation and could strike an instant rapport with children. After the death of her brother, she substituted as the head of the family and was particularly devoted to her niece Felicia and nephew Jamshed to whom she has bequeathed her wealth, recalls Silloo. The tall and elegant Freni would often be asked where she had acquired her social graces, remembers Silloo. And, to the sur ­ prise of the interrogator expecting to hear the name of a finishing school in Switzer ­ land she would give a forthright response: “Doing jhadu-katka (sweeping and swab ­ bing). ” With the death of her father when she was yet a teenager, it fell to Freni ’s lot to divide her time between college educa ­ tion, helping her younger brother Fali with studies, looking after an ailing mother, and doing the household chores. The house was then supposedly run on a daily budget of four annas. After completing her MA, during the World War II days she took up a job. Freni reportedly never forgot the obligation she owed to Sir Dinshaw Petit for his timely assistance of Rs 1,500 and years later returned it, with interest amount- ingu,^,yRsU,000,»asun,risedPe,i.. Anothenmpression she had carried With ............... ° her over time was the sight of people gathered in Keki Modi ’s office to receive donations from him. She too had then vowed that if she did well financially she would undertake social work. Thus was bom Seth Fali Meherji Variava Charitable Trust which is a cosmopolitan trust helping EXOTIC EGGS continued from page 132 OMELET WITH FINE HERBS Eggs (4-6) Tarragon Chives Parsely Chervil (all or any — chopped) Do you have a G6PD enzyme deficiency? Cream (60 g) Butter (45 g) Salt (to taste) Beat your eggs thoroughly with chopped parsley, tarragon, chives and chervil. Add "Leftovers must be employed only with caution, ability and above all, silence The G6PD enzyme deficiency, common among the Parsis, makes them highly susceptible to certain drugs.* The deficiency may cause jaundice in the newborn and severe hemolytic crisis (destruction of red blood cells) in adults. Ask your family doctor to arrange for a blood test to detect whether you have G6PD enzyme deficiency. If you happen to be a G6PD-D patient, it is essential that you carry your card at all times so that in any emergency you would receive appropriate treatment. cream and beat again. Pour into hot butter in a skillet. Constantly bring the egg to the centre allowing the liquid to flow to sides to cook, but take care the omelet is of even thickness and on the semi liquid side. Remove to a buttered platter sprinkled with fresh fine herbs. Serve drooling. (Excuse the expression. Each art has its own language, which is essential for com ­ munication amongst practitioners.) ‘Analgesics: Acetan ilid. Acetylsalicylic acid, Aspirin, Acetophenetidin (Phenacelin), Anlipyrine, Pyramidone. Sulfonamides and Sulfones; Sulfanilamide, Sulfapyridine, N2 Acetylsulfanilamide, Sulfacetamide, Sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin), Thiazolsulfone, Salicylazosulfapyridine (Azulfadine), Sulfoxone, Sulfamethoxypyridine (Kynex). and leeks belong to the onion (family. Chives are thin long leaves resembling the green leaves of spring onions. Scallions are an ­ other word for spring onions. Leeks look like very large spring onions. They are coarser than spring onions and are usually cooked and not eaten raw. widows, orphans and sick people. The KIRSCH OMELET inmates of different widows ’ chawls and dharamshalas are treated to free meals and rations regularly; on birthdays and other S7h'o plu's ’/a tbsp) anniversaries 1,000 poor beggars on the road are fed; many others receive monthly doles. “Her philanthropic attitude helped . several souls to survive and gave support to many to maintain their houses, ” acknow ­ ledges Subhash Sampat, deputy secretary of the Indian Merchants ’ Chamber. Variava ’s multi-faceted personality can be apiiy suiiinieQ up in the words ol Commis ­ sariat: “She was a giant of a woman with the heart of a lamb. ” Parinaz Gandhi Eggs (6) Sugar (3 tbsp) Apricot jam (3 tbsp) Salt (to taste) Beat eggs in a bowl with salt, sugar and 1 tbsp of kirsch. Make an omelet of this. Roll. Set on aJong platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Make whatever pattern your fancy dictates on the omelet with a hot poker. Heat rest of kirsch. mix with apricot jam and pour into the plotter around the omelet. Bon appetit! Antimalarials: Primaquine, Pamaquine, Pentaquine, Quinacrine (Atabrine). Nonsulfonamide antibacterial agents: Furazolidone, Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin), Chloramphenicol, Para-aminosalicylic acid. Miscellaneous: Napthalene, Vitamin K (Water soluble analogues), Prodenecid, Trinitrotoluene, Methylene blue, Dimercaprol (BAL), Phenylhydrazine, Quinine and Quinidine: Sulpha containing compounds including Septran, DDS and Daraprim; Nitrofurantoin, Nalidixic acid including all derivatives of this group, Antistine, Diphenylhydramine, Pronestyl, Nitrites; Large doses of Chloroquine, Chloromycetin, Vit.'C and Vit. K. Published in the public interest by Parsiana 176 Parsiana July-August 1994