Jan 1995

f. January 1995 Volume 17 Number 6 5,, f J EDITOR Jehangir R. Patel MANAGING EDITOR Amavaz S. Mama EXECUTIVE EDITOR Parinaz M. Gandhi SENIOR EDITOR Dina K. Mehta ASSOCIATE EDITOR Roxana A. Driver DESIGN Kranti M. Shilotri, Varghese W. Fernandez, Jayshree Ghosh MARKETING DIRECTOR Veera Patel ADVERTISING MANAGER Zarin Mistry ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES Niloufer Panthaky, Susan Joseph FINANCE B. L. Arora EDP Rohinton E. Daroga MANAGEMENT Jasmine Driver DTP Bakhtavar R. Batliwalla, K. P. Ravi, Radha Nair SUBSCRIPTION/CIRCULATION Khurshid Panthaki, Bindu Pillai ACCOUNTS Anagha Korde, Vijay Patre OFFICE Smitha Nair, Swarupa Kamat OFFICE ASSISTANTS Umesh Poojary, Selvan Mark, Sunil Sakhare, Pramod Patil, Govind Salgaonkar, Mahipat Jadhav 2 Readers’ Forum 12 Events and Personalities 21 Latin in London by Parinaz Gandhi 22 Portrait of an artist by Meher Marfatia 24 Indian Youth Seminar: Jewels of India? by Homi Rogers 32 N. American Congress: An urge to gather by Popjs Cooper 34 Where do we go from here? by Arnavaz Mama 38 Books 40 Milestones 43 In Memoriam -> Cover: Pestonji Bomanjee’s painting Naughty Girl Parsiana extends its thanks to the house of Tatas for the loan of the cover traraparency and to the trustees of the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India for granting us the permission to reproduce the painting on the cover as well as the picture accompanying the article on Pestonji Bomanjee in this issue. Our thanks are extended to Zend M. Zend for guiding and assistina in the project. us Parsiana is published by Jehangir R. Patel for Parsiana Publications Pvt Ltd at C/o H. L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A. K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Bombay 400001 and printed by him at Kaiser-E-Hind Pvt Ltd, 300 Perin Nariman Street, Bombay 400001. Color processing, Comart Lithographers; black and white processing Samir Scantech. All rights reserved. ISSN: 0971-3786. Phone: 2048730 Fax; 2042922. For editorial enquiries 2048183. Tlx; 11-85710 RABO IN. For subscription enquiries and payments: C/0 Kaiser-E-Hind Pvt Ltd, 300 Perin Nariman St (Behind Reserve Bank of India), Bombay 400001; Phone; 2658619, 2665661. Annual inland subscription for one year (10 issues) Rs 150; for two years (20 issues) Rs 275. Foreign subscription rates: Seamail for one year Rs 375/US $ 14/UK E 9; for two years Rs 600/US $ 22/UK E 15 (please allow six months or more for delivery from the time of publication). Airmail for one year Rs 625/ US $ 23/UK E 15 (for Pakistan, Indian Rs 350); for two years, Rs 1,150AJS $ 40/ UK E 27 (for Pakistan, Indian Rs 650). For Indian upcountry cheques add Rs 10 for bank charges; for US cheques add $ 5; for UK cheques add E 3. Cheques and drafts are to be drawn in favor of Parsiana and posted to GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001.READERS' FORUM "B F • full details regarding number of children, the readers of Parsia^: Why didn t the family incoml details of the name and Achaemenians under Danus the Great con- address, etc of the day-care centre con- quer the Arabian Peninsula ^d spread cerned and fees being paid towards the Zoroastnanism inJhat region ( Unknown to Zoroastnans, Readers Forum, Parsi- for either Duraose may be ana, October 1994)? I am not a historic, Applications for either purpose may be ana, October 1994). 1 am not a nisionan, addressed to the undersigned at 209, Dr D. but I think the answer is simple. Except for N. Road, Bombay 400001. R. K. ANKLESARIA Chief Executive, Bombay Parsi Punchayet the thin coastline, almost the whole Peninsu ­ la is a desert, with a torrid climate. What is the point in conquering a sandy desert? It is like sending an army into the Sahara desert. Oil was unknown in those days, else there would have been some incentive in ____ _____ grabbing the Peninsula. I understand that of the outstanding today almost all the homes and cars in Saudi Arabia are air-conditioned, but this is possible more because of the wealth of Readers' views are welcome on any subject of interest to the community and should be sent to the Editor, Readers' Forum, Parsiana, Q.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. Unsigned letters or those without an address will not be published. BPP assistance The trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) have initiated a scheme to help those families with a third child bom on or after July 1, 1993. Applications are invited from eligible parents from all over India in whose family a third child has been bora on or after July 1, 1993, giving all information including full name and address, total number of family members staying with the appli ­ Ahd-nameh authentic? No sane, honest, intellectual and know ­ ledgeable person would ever dare to call Omar Khayyam, one 2.. ’ „ philosophers, scientists, mathematicians and astronomers Iran is proud to have . produced, a “drunkard lecher (‘ ’Ahd-nameh authentic? ’ Readers Forum, Parsiana, October 1994).” It will be a very cheap slander thrown at the very basis of Iranianism, dear to every Irani, be he/she an atheist, Bahai, Christian, Jew, Muslim or Zartoshti. His subtle poetry, a masterpiece of ex ­ pressing his doubts and disbelief in the then current religious theologies and be ­ liefs, cannot be comprehended by persons of surface know ­ ledge who may or may not have read the socalled trans- __ lation by Edward A relief of King Darius (on throne) t Fitzgerald. One had to be acquainted with some of his 16 trea ­ tises to understand army with the latest weaponry that the his poetry. It was his towering perso ­ nality that made Sultan Jalaluddin meant to protect the interests of the Ku- Saljuqi restore the waitis, or to protect their own oil interest!! true Fasli calendar in that area? The answer becomes obvious * s of Zartoshti origin d in place of the ! Muslim calendar in ¦ i 9 A M' S. 1 ¦ i I ¦ L A'- - i*. from the treasury at Persepolis. Photo: Persian Mythology Does Mr KadvaAink that the huge Americans sent to Saudi Arabia in the Gulf War of 1991, in which half a million Iraqi soldiers and civilians were massacred, was when one knows that USA imports 50 percent of its oil, of which 27 percent is from the OPEC (Organisation of Petro ­ leum Exporting Countries) countries. DrP. D. SUN AV AL A cants, date of birth of the third child, total Master poet Khayyam the Saljuq empire, family income, any special reason in sup- Photo: Iran Culture House or ali a. jafarey port of the need for assistance to the third California, usa child and the nature and extent of help expected. The Editor replies Monetary help is also being given, after Parsiana apologises to Dr Jafarey for al- Parsiana, October 1994). Tbe Arabian due investigation to those applicant fami- lowing Ms Pervin Mistry ’s statement to slip Peninsula has been under Iranian influence lies who have one or more children and of into print without proper verification. right from the Achaemenian to modem times and there are plenty of evidences to prove it. It requires a full research article which I intend to publish one day, but here. Photo: Iran Culture House ___ 2. The Editor replies Monetary help is also being given, after Parsiana apologises to Dr Jafarey for al- This refers to “Unknown to Zoroastrians ’ by Mr Dara Kadva (Readers ’ Forum, lies who have one or more children and of into print without proper verification, whom one or more is kept in a day-care . centre, irrespective of the family income UllKnOWn tO ZiOrOHStrianS limit. All those interested may apply with Mr Dara Kadva has posed a query before 2 Parsiana January 1995times of the Babylonians (in modern Iraq) at Persepolis. Darius was the first to dig a and the Elamites (in southwest Iran). Alexander did not begin his so-called ex ­ pedition to India from the upper Persian Persia ” (modern Arabian Sea with the Gulf Gulf but entered the Indian sub-continent of Oman and the Persian Gulf). He also sent from Peshawar after traversing the north ­ east part of the fallen Achaemenian em- I will summarize a few points in response to his request. May I first refer to certain points men ­ tioned by Mr Kadva? A sort of “inherent ” antagonism between Arabs and Iranians prevents the people of the Arabian coast of from Peshawar after traversing the north- a naval expedition to survey the water route the Persian Gulf to include Iranian domina- east part of the fallen Achaemenian em- from the upper Indus, east of Peshawar, to tion of Arabia in the “reconstruction ” of pire. His stay in Punjab and Sind was brief its delta and therefrom to Persian ports, their “history. ” Moreover, with the excep ­ tion of Bahrain and al-Ahsa, the Saudi coast opposite to Bahrain, Kuwait and the Emirates was too poor to be of any signifi­ cance before its recent sharp rise on ac ­ count of oil riches. The language of the Shahuh, original inhabitants of the cape of Musandam at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, is a dialect of archaic Persian, a proof delta through the Persian Gulf to Babylon, the west to the southern coast of the Persian of past presence of Persians in that region. The Kuwaiti story is purely a fabrication to Gulf from Kuwait, al-Ahsa and Bahrain. The cape was annexed by the British and lend a prominence to their otherwise pas- The Sassanians had a temporary foothold passed on to the Sultanate of Oman. Bandar sive past. along the Oman-Hadharmaut-Yemen lit- Abbas and Bandar Shahpur are compara- Regarding Iranian influence, Darius the toral region. They sent a few expeditions tively of recent prominence. There were, instead, other ports, now lying in ruins, along the Iranian coast of the Persian Gulf. Bushahr and Minab, both still inhabited, are two of the bygone. Evidences found on Falaika island in the Emirates) and Ethiopia. Dressed in their Kuwait and Dilmun (modern Manamah or the largest island in Bahrain) belong to pre-Christian, and not Christian times, the fortheKingofKingsontheNowruzfunction canal connecting the Nile and the Mediterranean to “the sea extending from because of the wearisome resistance put up Darius ’ son, Arames, was the commander by Indians. He had to call a retreat via Baluchistan to western Iran and then Babylon, where he died, some scholars say, because of a festered wound, received in a battle with the Indians. A part of his army is reported to have retreated on board quickly improvised ships from the Indus modern Iraq and their empire extended in of the Arabian and Ethiopian regiments. The present Arabian Sea was one of the busy maritime waterways of the Achaemenians. The Parthians and the Sassanians (224 B.C. to 630 A.D.) had their capital in The Kuwaiti story is purely a fabrication to lend a prominence to their otherwise pas ­ sive past. Regarding Iranian influence, Darius the Great (522-486 B.C.) is the first to provide inside the Peninsula to punish marauding us with the earliest picture of Arabs on his bedouins. The Arabian Sea was called bas-reliefs. His empire in the south-west Daryd-ye Pars, Persian Sea. Iranian war extended to the Arabaya (part of the Pen- and merchant ships dotted the Persian Gulf insula), Maka (present Oman and a part of and the high seas. The rest of the Peninsula was mostly desert with a few oases and long robes (dishddshah'), the Arabs are economically not worth holding it under a shown carrying giftsofa camel and textiles costly sway. Today ’s bustling Riyadh was a far-flung oasis. I The Gourmet’ Restaurant Buffet Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Buffet Lunch from 12.30pm. to 3 p.m. Tea Time Snacks OFFERS Continental Food including Sizzlers » ... ¦<» Tandoori Food Take away Fish Specialities Pure Vegetarian Food West End Hotel OPEN FROM 8 AM. TO 11. 30 PM. 45.New Marine, Lines,Bombay -20. Tel 2039121,2057484.Fax 91-22-2057506 i I 4 Parsiana January 1995 I! s I The the holy union between Zarathushtra s ¦n. Aehaetnentans called dte Arabs by heat ,all Zoroa«^ans *e_^ame^w^. Sassanians used Tdzik, later Tdzi in Pazend ’ and Persian. Tdzidn is plural. Some derive the name from tdz or rdz/i, tent, therefore _ tent-dwellers, nomads; others tdzik/ ‘leat^ . . of ^un'and the moon. ’’This MrRogers chooses tdzi, swift, fast, because they thought that p ^y a special not to mention. In any case I do not know Arabs rode fast horses and had fast running Zarthoshtis of the Persian if there is a different method for procreat- dogs; others from tdz, to run fast, to rai , miaht have heloed some of the ing “divine ” birth as compared to ordi- hence invaders, raiders; and still others say u modem Parsis in landing on nary ” birth. I belive that the Law of Asha ™X:Xe.ofse.le.me by early Turks to their ruling race who had good and pur (p p ) but all of them overcame this very power- their “crown-wearing ” kings and princes, of me Zoroastrians ” of the ful driving force to cross the threshold into It is derived from tdj, crown. Tajikistan is T Zoroas- spiritual awakening. Zarathushtra was no a recent name coined after the creabon of petty present was well-known o spmtM a the soviet Union to give a repubhc to mans of the proud past. o-auam^rev exce^n.^^_ ___ ^^^ge (to leave Tajiks among Turkish people. home and family to be closer to God) and When the eastern part of Arabia (al- a • tale‘s” attain divinity does require superhuman Ahsa and Bahram then collectively known 1 WlSl in me laic. s-.;r==== j-“ how to treat local Zoroastnans. He replied, (Pamana, October 1994). hn.,nd hv this law All this has not gone “Treat them as the People of the Book, ” a Mr Rogers ’ “crash of cymbals epithet bound by this law. All this nas not gone statement which made the Muslim for the “high drama ” is a matter of opinion, across to Mr Rogers —here I have to admit conquerors of the Sassanian empire To mv mind, the book ’s description of my effort is somewhat lacking. o"oT whilelo pare„.shasnod,i„ginit.ol«d^W^ PX-rds^rh^^t npatn * . ¦».» T-fc___________ their known name, Arabdya, but the 1 Sassanians used Tdzik, later Tdzi in Pazend i and Persian. Tdzidn is plural. Some derive the name from tdz or tdzfi, tent, therefore tent-dwellers, nomads; others from t&i*/ the ntrnns of sun Sarosh Yasht Vadi, Parsis pay a special net koshtidn, Zartoshti&n, nikdn o pdkdn-e ___ - ' ’ 7 __May Sarosh Yazad protect the koshti- girdled Arabs, (other) Zarthoshtis, and the good and pure (people) of the seven climes of the earth! ” The “Unknown to Zoroastrians ” of the petty present was well-known to Zoroas ­ trians of the proud past. haft keshvar zamin Sarosh Izadpandh bad Holy Mary — I do not). J - . . . al _ 1____ V-.; A e nthpT ‘ nilQi DtAUAShVAREY California, USA “Twist in the tale?” Please allow me to answer the criticism in aS ai-naiiraui t wa» wviiun urj *t*wl^*x*x*^, - ---------------- • xu * i the conquerors asked Prophet Muhammad Mr Rogers ’ book review l^wist in the tale Mr Rogers ’ “crash of cymbals ” epithet bound by th^ law. All this has not gone for the “high drama is a matter of opinion . To my mind, the book ’s description of With Best Wishes from Mr Rusy M. Shroflf, and 6 Parsiana January T995 M.B.E. Mrs Purviz R. Shrofifa B I N So people like us, who are ardent fol ­ lowers of Sai Baba, Satya Sai Baba and Mother Mary, may be, by this very reason, better practising disciples of Zarathushtra. Let this religious bickering stop and increasing our tribe. Ms RODA D. HAKIM Vadodara better practising disciples of Zarathushtra. As regards the name of the assasin who is said to have murdered Zarathushtra (or any other name), my question is, are names all important? I do not wish to comment on the fact that Zoroastrianism is silent on the subject of let ’s concentrate on reincarnation. Twenty-three scholars may have commented on the subject. While ad ­ mitting that I am a firm believer in reincar ­ nation I had no intention of starting another discussion. As regards my statement “Sufism is , Zoroastrianism in code, ” an explanation Group of Hospitals ( Past Ideals... Future may take several books (none of which I could write). Please, however, do read any book by Mr Jatindra Mohan Chatterji on the subject. Zarathushtra several Sufi poets who were hesitant to openly declare their fondness for Zarathushtra and had to veil their admira ­ tion. Let me, however, thank you Mr Editor and Mr Homi Rogers for having done a review on my humble effort. My future efforts (I would not call them “barbs in my quiver ”) will also be sent to you. CYRUS S. MEHERJl Calcutta was referred to by “Stand up and be counted I absolutely agree with the views of Ms G. R. Mehta (“Stand up and be counted, ” Readers ’ Forum, Parsiana, October 1994). ¦ ira I “Past Ideals...” I look forward to reading Parsiana and was particularly glad to find a feature on the J. J. 1 't ’b- '"'‘’’J Jejeebhoy, Baronet, Sir Dinshaw Petit, 1 Baronet, Mr N. Wadia, CIE, The Hon Mr Justice Chandavarkar, Mr Fazalbhai Visram, CIE and Mr Rustom P. Jehangir, Mr Sassoon J. David and Mr Vijuphakandas Almamoram, three IMS officers ofthe J. J. Hospital. In the early 1890s, three sisters of the All Saints Community and three English nurses started training Indian women for nursing. In 1891 the Sir Mancherjee Bhavnagri Home to provide accommoda ­ tion for nurses in training, was built from his donation. In 1901 Bai Jerbai Wadia gave a sum of Rs 14,000 to assist in the building of a home for trained and untrained staff. Sir Stanley Reed concludes by writing I that the J. J. could not have accomplished I a fraction of the work without the devoted I work of the All Saints Sisters. For many I years they kept the flag flying with trifling I financial assistance. Then, when funds " were larger, they maintained the high I character of their service by their moral K influence and skill. My association was I with Sister Caroline, Sister Eleanor Mary I and Sister Josephine than whom no finer I body of workers could be found. I * MsT.K. ADRANVaLa I * Lonavala Visram, CIE and Mr Rustom P. Jehangir, The Dins haw Maneckji Petit Gynaecological Hospital is now part of the College of Nursing (above) The Sai Baba temple at Shirdi “Lucrative lessoii^” “Lucrative lessons ” (Parsiana, July-Au- gust 1994), gives a detailed account of the efforts made by the Bombay Pars! Pun- chayet (BPP) trustees to raise the initial part-time commercial classes conducted in the premises of Sir J. J. Benevolent Institute to the present status of a full-time college of commerce at 14, Nanabhoy Road, the premises belonging to the BPP. This transformation became possible thanks to the surplus income available Hopes, ” Parsiana, September 1994) but, as an old nurse who had worked in the J. J. for many from Sir J. J. First Baronet Madressa Fund, years, I was disappointed to find The BPP trustees made a ‘cy pres ’ applica- no mention of nurses. tion in 1951 to the “Bombay High Court to The following is only for utilize the surplus annual income of Rs your information, most of it from notes 12,000 from the Madressa Fund for the written by Sir Stanley Reed, Editor of The purpose. The annual expenditure of the Times of India to Col Vajifdar and others. < " To a person like me and my kind, our Zoroastrian religion is the most easy to ----------, , . . understand, accept and practise. No, not Times of India to Col Vajifdar and others, college when it started in 1953 was Rs the one that our dogmatic pillars of religion It indicates, I think, the interest of lay 17,000. 'j . . preach but what Lord Zarathushtra said: people in an essential component of set- The then Madressa principal opposed “Good words, good thoughts and good vice in the J. J. the move but to no avail. Whilst the relative deeds. ” And indeed, that ’s all it takes to be a good Zoroastrian. If we take the above teachings in toto then it conveys respect and took the nursing in a few wards Jn th^ J. J^ love for all the religions of the world, be it ” ' ’ preached by Christ or Sai Baba. So I ask, what ’s wrong to be a follower of Sai Baba or to go and attend a novena at Mahim Church? After all, all these roads lead to the same destination whichever be the route you traverse. people in an essential component of ser ­ in the ’80s of the last century some preference for commercial over religious sisters ofthe All Saints Community under- education is a matter of opinion, the fact ¦¦¦’’. remains that the surplus income of a fund Hospital. In 1903 Ms Crowe, wife of Chief for religious education was used for a j Justice Crowe of the Bombay High Court, commercial one. | collectedasumofRs l,25,000whichformed sohrabnavalshawpatwa j the nucleus of the fund of the Nursing ___ , , , «... I Association. The first secretary was Sir SOHRAB NAVALSHAW PATWA “Does anybody know?” Stanley Reed with the following members: Mr Homi Ardeshir Kharas asks how his The Hon Mr Justice Crowe, Sir Jamsetjee name was derived (“Does anybody know? ’ 8 Parsiana January 1995 ¦ ¦i I I I J Readers ’ Forum, Parsiana, May 1994). There is a book in Gujarati Parsi Vishayo (subjects) written by Sorabji M. Desai. On page S — surnames, is derived from the profession of cane ­ weaving. It is also said that it ? comes from the profession of grain- grinding (flour mills). ’’ — Hence Mr Kharas seems to be on the right track, when he asks further in his letter, “Is it true that ¦ most of the flour-mills in Surat M ¦ were once owned by a Kharas? ’’ ¦ I suggest that he should write to IHI Mr Ratan Marshall, C/o the office of the Surat Parsi Charity Funds and Properties, R. M. K. Parsi Punchayet Bldgs, Dr Jamshedji Laskari Road, Shahpore, Surat, 395003. Mr Marshall is not only a scholar in Gujarati, but he also knows the history of the Parsis of Surat, so I am sure he will throw more light on the subject. HOMl F. BAGWALA There is a book in Gujarati Parsi Vishayo 50 under “Kharash ” in the chapter on he states, “the surname, it is said. harmed by the pandal organizers later on. I then approached the trustees of the Poona Parsi Panchayat (PPP), who are supposed well to be the guardians of the Parsi community in Pune and to look after their interests, but even they refused intervene in the intervene in the r The K. R. Catna Oriental Institute’s lib­ rary: a veritable diamond mine matter, again from fear of being abused or 1 countries, writing about our glorious past and present. Greek and Roman writers, as „J1 as French, English, American and specially German savants have informed us about our forefathers and our faith. Which Parsi can deny the debt of gratitude we owe to the ancient bard Firdausi or his recent co-patriot Poure Davoud? Recently, while strug ­ gling to read through Dr Martin Haugh ’s Essays on the Religion of the Parsis, Jackson ’s Persia Past and Present, and Kulke s The Parsees in India, it was a flabbergasting experience to read their footnotes referring to hundreds of ancient and modern writers, quoting from Greek, Latin, Avesta, Pahlavi, Pazend, Persian, Sanskrit, Arabic, German, French, Italian and English as well as Gujarati writers. How can we show our deep gratitude, except by making our future generations aware of these treasures? We are fortunate to have in Bombay a number of libraries. But probably the richest The Spineless Parsis or hamed by the majori.y community Since the past two years I have been taking followers of Ganesh.^ up, through the press, the case on behalf of “•*" ¦" the poor Parsi residents of Dastur Meher Road, Pune, who are harassed each year for a period of nearly a month during the Ganesh festival. The Ganesh pandal on ----- ,? *« • this road completely engulfs the houses of legal cost, our valiant Parsi residents, and these residents to such an extent that they still morejhe courageous bo^d of trustees can neither enter nor leave their houses through the front door, and thus, like mon ­ keys have to resort to jumping in and out of their houses through a rear window. Dur ­ ing this period, those who can afford to, lock up their houses and go away to stay somewhere else. Besides the above, the erection of this uiu wmc uu u.v pvuv. ----- -------------- Ayrton, Adille period. At my request, the Indian Express and some non-Zoroastrian social organizations had taken up the case very strongly, both through the press and also directly with the municipal and police commissioners. How ­ ever, to enable them to file a writ in the Bombay High Court for a stay order, the affected residents of this road were asked to file a writ complaint (they were asked to just sign on a draft already prepared by me), which they refused to C- 5_ Z The pity is that while the press and the non-Zoroastrian organizations were want ­ ing something concrete in their hands to move the High Court, for which some of them were even prepared to defray the of the PPP, were mortally afraid to do so. I also took up the matter with the Govern ­ ment of India ’s Minority Commission, but without a complaint from either the Parsi community or its Panchayat, they were unable to be really effective, although one of its members. Admiral Rusi Ghandhi, did write to the police commissioner and 10 Parsiana January 1995 is in the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute. May the young people of our'community, both young men and w^en, realize the worth of this veritable diamond mine and use it BEHRAM RUSTOMJl.^, A Whither, Parsiana? As a regular subscriber to Parsiana I have noticed that you publish very few articles on today ’s young generation. Most of the articles are on old people or on those who are no more. Why don ’t you publish ar ­ ticles on famous youngsters like Ms Jas ­ mine Bharucha and Zubin Balaporia? Also on young entrepreneurs like chocolate maker Ms Meher Gandevia and sports chayet also refuses to support or intervene on their behalf, where else can the members *. - —— ofthe community turn except perhaps to the because Parsi people love eating goo Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India. But then, that body is even more toothless and gutless than the anjumans it coordinates. food. I liked your article on Smokin ’ Joe ’s pizza parlor and their pizzas are delicious, r RUSTOMWADIA Brig NOSHIR B. GRANT (Retd) A heritage to conserve Know thyself, for self-knowledge, self ­ reverence, self-control lead men to sover ­ eign power. Our community has been fortu ­ nate in having ancient and modern authors. jy piCpdlvU UJ iiivy, iiMvw II* J J’ * 4- do for fear of being belonging to different creeds and distant The Editor replies We appreciate Mr Wadia ’s interest in sug ­ gesting story-ideas for Parsiana. We would like Mr Wadia to know, however, that we had a cover story on Ms Zenia Ayrton (March 1986) and feature articles on Zubin continued on page 39I Events and Personalities used to fondly call her, he was denied the chance of sitting in at the ceremonies or seeing her face towards the end. He has not have membership fees which could deter some prospective i informs us, she continued to frequent agiaries and atash behrams in Bombay and other parts of India. Sanjan Day Celebrations j Following Kumud’s death “No one knows when death (will) strike; but it is advisable to be ready for (it). So ----- o - ,eh«,,iH saying Babubhai Shah had approached also suggested to the AIMZ that they shou d the trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) in 1990 requesting them to extend their cooperation in the event of his wife Kumud ’s (nee Coomi Nanavati) demise. Four years 1«~----- --------- to liver failure at the age of 77, she was as per her wish permitted to have her last rites at the Doongerwadi. The husband had, in accordance with the BPP stipulation, lodged an affidavit to the effect that his wife continued to profess the Zoroastrian religion. While Kumud ’s case was not the first instt nee of a woman married outside the community being con ­ signed at the Doongerwadi, it had gained J wider publicity as Babubhai had publicly acknowledged the assistance he received from the BPP administration, the Doon ­ gerwadi staff and Ervad Jal Balsara who arranged for the ceremonies for the first 'four days and thereafter the muktad prayers at Bandra ’s Tata Agiary. Support for the Shahs ’ stand and the BPP’s attitude came from The Bombay Samachar and the World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO). This led to a spate of correspondence in the press with writers like Rusi Gae pushing for the removal of discrimination against women married out. Presently their next of kin have to attest that they had not forsaken their religion, their bodies are required to be consigned to a separate dokhma and the onus of arran- uuuuuuu. ...... ging for priests and prayers lie with their have enjoyed a happy and prosperous mar- families. Ms Homai Bode wanted the As­ sociation of Inter Married Zoroastrians (AIMZ) to pursue the cause of non-Parsis who are denied an opportunity to see the face of the Parsi dead after the sachkar has been performed. Similarly Babubhai too has in a letter to Som^Hl^Tn^piX^lnfelt^^ hi? flrm Charles Lambert and Company usual stellar glitter. Homi Taleyarkhan, when after spending nearly 50 years of that supplied books for professional who regularly attends the function tradi- married life with Kumud or Cooma as he courses. Even after her marriage, Babubhai tionally held on the second day {roj their cooperation in the event of his wife members and For 90-year-old Dr (Ms) GulamaiB. Kabraji, ¦ ¦ i a march down memory lane. Probably the oldest Zoroastrian present in the gathering of 600 who thronged this ancient port town where the community ’s ancestors had been shouMinslcadlocusonmusteringstrength; Sanjm Day 1994 (November 22) was he even offered to underwrite the cost of later when Kumud succumbed their administrative machinery. For other charitable causes, too, Babu ­ bhai has pledged handsome donations. The WZO’s I scheme to benefit the underprivileged re ­ ceived the first donation of Rs 1,11,111 iiaiiuovniv ---------- - rv.. Tz U newly conceived mediclaim given refuge over 12 centuries ago, Dr Kab- . .. ___________________ linV Mzith tn# raji represented a tenuous link with the place ’s historic past. She had been here on the first Sanj Jn Day held 73 years ago. “I was 17 then, ” reminisces Dr Kabraji in a frail voice, recalling that historic day in 1921 when in the company of greats like Vimadalal, Punegar, the Boyce brothers, , her own brother Jehangir, then secretary of^ the jashan committee, and her sister Motamai , she had marched down the streets of Sanjan singing the Sanjan March, and unfurled the flag. Over seven decades later, as the stambh (column) put up by public subscription is made ready for the Platinum Jubilee cele ­ brations, Dr Kabraji ’s presence provides the gathering with a sense of belonging — and stirrings of a glorious past. She re ­ ferred to the day as bhagyashali (auspi- e, recalling that histone aay in the company of greats like Babubhai and Kumud Shah from Babubhai, who donated the sum in memory of his wife. He further donated a , sum of Rs 2,00,000 to establish The Kumud cious), expressed- the hope that “our flag (nee Coomi) Babubhai Shah Memorial may ever keep flying high” and even ren- Fund within the WZO Trust for Women dered the Cassinath-composed Sanjan and Children. The couple had no issue of their own but Babubhai considers himself fortunate to March which generations of Parsis have marched to, hearts bursting with pride. Interestingly, also present at the function was Ms Roda Khodaiji, daughter of Jehangir Khodaiji, the conductor of the band that had played the march, in 1921. (A group photograph of the band can still be seen in the Boyce Dharamshala, sHpated in the ried life, so he now wishes to bequeath to charity during his lifetime. Coomi and Babubhai fell in love during World War II when both of them were working for the censorship department, censoring mail that stambh's courtyard, whose verandah formed went out from India. Thereafter for a while ' ’ — ’ ’ " Coomi worked as a teacher in Girton School the dais for the morning ’s proceedings). __________________ Barring the presence of these two la- and subsequently assisted her husband with dies, Sanjan Day 1994 was bereft of die that supplied books for professional courses. Even after her marriage, Babubhai 12 Parsiana Janaury 1995 Ifuture celebrations could continue to be held, was made by Davierwala. A modest target of three lakhs has been set for the corpus, which was started in 1993 by an instantly-rising-to-the-occasion Guzder who pledged an initial contribution of Rs Assisting Dandiwalla will be Dossu 25,000. Homi Palsetia expressed the view that APZA has a bright future, ” reminded Dandiwalla. Despite his three recent heart attacks Dandiwalla accepted the post as he believes that “there should be no self ­ consideration in community service. ” 10,00,000 could be raised as corpus if 1,000 Parsis donated Rs 1,000 each to ­ wards the fund. In the meanwhile the cor ­ pus, amounting to Rs 85,000, remains un ­ touched, and funds for the current celebra ­ tions were raised from donations, which included Rs 7,000 from a magnanimous Guzdar, an equal amount from the BPP, Ghandhi who was unanimously elected vice president early this year. The magnanimity of the APZA was reflected at its annual general meeting on July 19, 1994 when the members unani ­ mously agreed that Rs 501 would be gifted to anyone whose navjote was performed in Allahabad; Rs 200 per month would be oaid to a couple who gives birth to a third child in Allahabad; Rs 1,001 towards the ,* film Voice ofZara- ¦ thushtra produced ¦ by Homi Sethna P and Rs 301 to Dady Patel who executes goodwill missions on his moped, as per the report received from the anjuman'. The fire-temple Dandiwalla: fourth in Allahabad is ser- term as president Bahman) of the fourth month (mah Tir) in the Zoroastrian calendar, was absent, as he had to chair a conference in Bombay. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw who was invited had to “reluctantly forego the pleasure, ” he stated in a message to the organizers, “as he would be out of the country. ” Jamshed Guzdar, president of the Bombay that even a larger amount totalling Rs Parsi Punchayet (BPP), who had used the Sanjan Day platform in 1993 to announce the BPP’s policy of sponsoring the third child, was also out of the country, attend ­ ing a world convention of travel agents. And the high priest of Udvada, who normally heads the jashan which starts the proceedings and delivers a religious dis­ course, also could not attend because of and an unsolicited Rs 5,000 from Babubhai failing health. In his absence, the 15-mobed Shah, who with his wife, the late Kumudben jashan held in the adjacent Vimadalal (nee Coomi Nanavati), had visited Sanjan pavilion was presided over by Framroze - - - Kavasji Sidhwa, secretary of the Udwada Samast Anjuman. The jashan-bhashan-bhojan function feasting provide the community with a was not, however, without its golden mo ­ ments as speeches ranged from slogan ­ eering to philosophizing to poetics. Khurshed Bhada, who referred to the col ­ umn at Sanjan as our nishaani (symbol) say let ’s pull down the stambh and end the and vaarso (heirloom), wanted the gather- farce, ” he says vociferously. “We should ing to perceive the atash atop the column get instead, a band of Zoroastrians drawn as a mashaal (torch) which would “show our children the path when they are floun- holding hands round the column with a the cleanliness he maintained and his non- dering. ” Rustomji Mulla, a devotee of dastur in the centre, and pledge to lead a presence at the fire-temple during essential Ervad Nadirsha Aibara, prayed that the true Zoroastrian life. ” hours, convened a meeting where his plus community be blest with nek buddhi (good One need not dismiss this as polemics, and minus points were discussed. He was sense) and not be influenced by parkoni for when such a proposal is blended with asked to undertake his responsibilities with maanyata (beliefs of other faiths). “Place practicality, as Davierwala ’s suggestion greater dedication and commitment, your total faith and trust in our religion ’s of building homes for Zoroastrians “not on manthravani (prayers), ” he pleaded, liken- ownership, but on rent, ” the glorious Sanjan body also bid farewell to four members of ing our prayers (even when uttered without of our past could become the Sanjan of our Maj Adi Chinoy ’s family who were mi- knowing their meaning), to medicine future. grating to Dalhousie following his recent gulped down as per a doctor ’s prescription. A vegetarian lunch, consisting oiakuri- transfer. The history and relevance of Sanjan i was also briefly touched on by Bhada and patio (curried drumsticks) prepared by Rohinton Davierwala, president of the Sanjan Day Celebrations Committee. Bhada provided'a historic backdrop to the diaspora of the community from Iran, while Narimans of Parsi Dairy Farm, brought the Phulpur where she elaborated on the Zoro- Davierwala cited the twin purpose of hold- function to a close. Homi Rogers astrian religion, its reverence for nature ing these celebrations annually in Sanjan; . and its emphasis on right action. She par ­ ticipated in yet another meeting hosted by the Ramkrishna Mission which was ob ­ serving the centenary of Swami Vive- kananda ’s visit to Chicago to participate in twice. For him the essence of the place is that “all of us can live together with love. ” But will such annual festivities and true sense of identity and belonging? Kersasp, an Iranian from Quetta, begs to differ. “If the purpose of the corpus is to provide funds for food and festivities, I’d I viced by a para ­ mobed. But the from all walks of life to form a chain by community there, being dissatisfied with holding hands round the column with a true Zoroastrian life. ” One need not dismiss this as polemics, for when such a proposal is blended with of our past could become the Sanjan of our future. A vegetarian lunch, consisting of akuri- rotli and dhan-dar with sekta-ni-singh no During the year, the small but active In their individual capacity, too, mem ­ bers of the APZA try to keep the torch of Zoroastrianism aflame. In October last Ms volunteers from the Surat Parsi Panchayat, and supplemented with jalebis and glasses Meher Dinyar Dhondy, an educationist, of chhas (buttermilk) donated by the participated in an all religion meeting at function to a close. Homi Rogers it enabled the community to remember Alldhabdd’s futUFC their upkaar (gratitude) to Jadi Rana and “The Allahabad Parsee Zoroastrian thank the wise and kind king for giving us Anjuman (APZA) will continue to prosper refuge, as well as thank our forefathers for bringing the community to Sanjan ’s hospi ­ table shores from where “we progressed and prospered. ” The speakers expressed the need for the members, ” noted Capt Homi Dandiwalla community to keep alive the spirit of Sanjan who was re-elected president of the and all that the memorial column here Anjuman for the fourth consecutive three- embodies. A special plea to help in setting year term. “It is not only my responsibility up a corpus, from the interest of which but the responsibility of all members to see as long as there is discipline... and prin ­ ciples of cooperation, mutual thinking and an interfaith meet. respect, kindness and hard work remain dominant in the hearts and minds of its Parsi ficsta “We Parsis, despite the goodwill we enjoy, have remained too low profile in recent times. So I thought, if we can have a Goan food festival and a Baisakhi festival, why not a Parsi food festival? After all, I had the 14 Parsiana January 1995 * I *£ Thums ¦lUIMIIIIiVI Garas galore Championships held in Jakarta this year, Calcutta ’s Ms Prochy Mehta won three k Fiesta gold and three silver medals, reports The Statesman of October 12, 1994. In the 400m run where she won a gold medal, Mehta even set a new meet record ¦w y.' Mistry and Ms Jaloo Bhe- sania enthra- clocking 1:04.67 seconds as against the old mark of 1:05.3 seconds. In her gold in the 200 m she recorded a timing of 28.9 seconds. Her third gold was in the 4x 100 m relay where she anchored the quartet, ac ­ cording to the news item in The Statesman. Mehta ’s performance in the 100 m sprint where she clocked 13.76 seconds earned her a silver. Another silver came in the 80 m hurdles where her timing was 15.52 seconds. Her participation in the 4x400 m relay qualified her for yet another silver, mentions the write-up. jare gava Iago, tahre bairao potana stalls Gold shoOt chorine ane samajva dorya (W’hen Soli The lone Zoroastrian entry at the 38th started singing, all the ladies left their stalls National Shooting Championships at and ran to hear him), ” says Mehta. Some of Kanpur in November last was Darius them didn’t take a single penny to perform for us, adds a grateful Mehta. Doing his bit of charity, Mehta gave four stalls gratis to various organizations. Passes for the program each night lied the audi ­ ence as also a costume exhi ­ bition show ­ casing the tra ­ ditional Parsi dress right from the old days to modern times. There were competitions too: bonny baby, rangoli, best grandma ­ grandpa, garas and kor ni saris. According to Mehta, about 55-60,000 4 required resources to organize it. ” Diniar D. Mehta, of Dini Travels fame and the brain behind the Parsi Food and Trade Fair, was quoted thus in theJam-e-Jamshed of November 13, 1994. Popularly called the Parsi Fiesta and people attended the gala event. On the se- promising to be a fun, food and trade festival, the three-day fair was held at the Wilson College Gymkhana Grounds at Marine Drive between November 18 to 20. Realizing that justafood festival would not be very feasible, Mehta expanded his scope to include trade as well. He hoped that big Parsi houses would see this as an opportunity to come forward and “put up a consolidated show that showcased the best of the community from food to customs to trade, ” reads the rasses ror me program each night were Jame write-up. But community business priced at Rs 50 but due to the largesse of a Parsi gentleman (who does not wish to be named), the entrance to these programs was free. Though he knew that a function of this kind will not be a profitable venture for him, the enterprising 42-year-old busi ­ nessman ’s spirit has not dampened. He _______ ___ m x/r r- nevertheless wants to organize such fiestas light of the colorful inaugural ber of the Minorities Commission, 33 annually for a longer period - “maybe sav v - — ¦ jnaugurai houses turned Mehta down. “They were not at an keen... Except for the Damanias, all the interest shown for the stalls and spon ­ sorship Carrie from the non-Parsis, ” rued Mehta. Other major sponsors included Thums Up and Ritz. Inaugurated on the morning of Novem ­ ber 18 by Homi Taleyarkhan, former mem ­ cond day the crowd puller was Kapadia who sang a mix of Gujarati and filmi songs. “Soli samajva^ dorya (When Soli The lone Zoroastrian entry at the 38th - ---------------- ------3 National Shooting Championships at Marshall, who won a gold in the veterans event. Representing the Calicut Rifle Club, Marshall scor^ 236 out of 300 points in the .22 free rifle 50 m event, according to a write-up in the Malayala Mdnorama of November 18, 1994. In th&^ears 1988 and 1989 Marshall had also won a gold, while t in 1990 and 1993 he had to content himself with silver medals at the national compe- I titions. The Ordnance Factories Sports Control Board did a remarkable job in organizing the event, according to Marshall. The high- 1 ceremony was the mass PT display by children from five army schools. In the awards presenta- observed at the Olympic Games. The only : team to participate from Kerala was the ! Calicut Rifle Club since the other clubs i had not received intimation from the Na- ! tional Rifle Association of India. The state body , the Kerala Rifle Association, is nearly -J’ c priests reportedly performed a jashan on the gymkhana grounds. Apart from the Parsi Dairy Farm and RTI savories, there were stalls selling homemade papads and masalas as well. Also on display were artifacts, kitchen appliances and clothe.s right from children ’s dresses to T-shirts to ______ sal war khameezes. But the crowd puller at alongwith its significance, Mehta explains'^ thp Iflir uznc f u/skJ^lrt /xf 'T’-X___ XlZllI r **’ ki^k^vviuuvii, i Well-known for his Dim Travels ’ trips defunct, mentions a press release. to Udvada and conducted tours all over the country and Nepal, the entrepreneur is In the Submarine arm now considering the organization of tours to Iran and Tajikistan, according to the .. ___ , . ..,p. ._ «rvaaji At the moment Mehta is negotiating recently assumed . command of INS the purchase of a new luxury air-condi ­ tioned bus for corporate clients. But on _ ________ _______ each Behram roj, the coach will travel to Shishumar is considered one of the most : Udvada for “those wanting a more com- sophisticated conventional submarines in the world with state of the art technology, weapon systems and wire guided torpedoes, according to a press release. Cawasji is the “onlj^Parsi in the Indian for a week. ” On the cards for the future will be Navroze Extravaganza. On the eve of tions they tried to emulate the protocol Navroze next year, Mehta hopes to put up ' . . - - a one day event which will feature the Parsi cuisine along with light entertainment. It will have a Nowroze table all laid out with an explanation for each item on the table the fair was the latest vehicle of the Tatas — the Tata Sumo. On the entertainment side the festival had a variety ol activities: classical music performances by tabla maestro Dr (Ms) Aban Mistry, vocalist Farokh Bardoliwala and upcoming singer Soli Kapadia, classi ­ cal dances by Ms Jeroo Chavda Khambata, and a modern jazz rendition by Zubin Soorty. Yezdi Karanjia and his troupe spe- uovaoa ror • tnose wanting a more com- - ----------- amuse the fortable journey, ” the Jame reports. . ---- -...... —.d gags, Roxana A. Driver Associated with Indian Naval Submarines for nearly 11 years, Lt Cmdr Aspi Cawayi Shishumar. A part ofthe frontline squadron forming the teeth of the Indian Navy today, daily came in from Surat to < audiences with their skits and g-'g- mentions Mehta. A gala fireworks display, courtesy Damania Airways, was slated for Three golds fOF Mehta the second day. A garba nite by Kersi At the eighth Asian Veteran Athletics Naval Submarine arm, ” mentions a family 16 Parsiana January 1995 ?source Ever since he was conrnrrss.oned in for an MA in urban de^gn. Hrs gradualion Tehernurn SiXvy in 1981 he had wanted to be topic was ¦ Centre for Zoroastnan Cu ture me ............. ___ frar evhirh hp. conducted a Ever since he was commissioned in for an MA in eral of Maharashtra and his mother Silloo did her masters in law from Harvard. Well read in history, physics, literature and cur ­ rent affairs, Zal also writes on some of these subjects. A keen sportsman, he plays badminton,- squash, rugby and also holds yellow belts in judo and karate. An MRCOG degree is what Bharucha hopes to add to her name, having joined the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology, London. She enjoys the dis­ tinction of securing the first rank at the Bombay University ’s MD examination as also at the diploma in obstetrics and gynaecology and the FCPS examination from the College of Physicians and Sur ­ geons. Bharucha has also worked as a lecturer at the Topiwalla and Nair Hospi- in Ahmedabad ” for which he conducted a feasibility study and extensive research in ancient Zoroastrian architecture. Besides being a good orator he is also good at writing and painting. Dalal too will be specializing in urban design in the course of his master s study in architecture at the University of Califor ­ nia in Los Angeles (UCLA). Ranking first in the final semester of the B Arch program at the Sir J. J. College of Architecture, Bombay, he has represented his college in inter-collegiate festivals/conventions win ­ ning prizes in painting, sketching, collage, cartooning and quizzing, and has also com ­ peted at the regional and national levels. Palsptia will be ioining the State Uni- Best M,«p™a„ ¦„ B.a. and a «ns. veX “ New Yo4 a. B*uffa,„ to do Hs ..tt.ndbas had rank in the sub lieutenant ’s professional masters - courses. His curriculum vitae also refers to his specialization in anti-submarine war ­ fare for two years in Kiel, West Germany and subsequent postgraduation from the neering one Defence Services Staff College, Welling- I ton. His elder brother Parvez is a brigadier Techniques. who was recently conferred the Vishist Seva Medal. “Cream of the community” Of the 135 students selected as J. N. Tata Scholars for the year 1994-95, 11 were Parsis, three of whom were females. The youngsters representing “the cream of the community ” will, according to Dinshah Malegamvala, director of the J. N. Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians, “soon learn to run their lives and plan their studies independently. They opportune time when multinationals have complete their studies in a couple of years. included in the “Silent Service ” which has for its motto, “Run Silent Run Deep. ” An outstanding alumnus of the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, among the distinctions Cawasji has received are. the Best All Round Cadet in INS Mysore, ¦ -5 Marshall (left^ and Aspi Cawasji _ ' national and interna- be ”"specializing in communications and tional conferences. She has also partici ­ signal processing. While he was a student pated in intercollegiate athletic meets^ ® - - - • " ¦' Battiwalla has been admitted for a PhD course in medical and molecular genetics at the Indiana University Medical Centre. While he has been offered a tuition waiver of $ 8,500? he has to raise funds for his maintenance at the rate of $ 10,500 per at Bombay ’s Sardar Patel College of Engi- _________ of his areas of research was Image Enhancement and Classification A graduate from the Manipal Institute of Technology, Chinoy will be special!- ----- . zing in telecommunications, optical fibres year, which he hopes to manage from ajob and other communication systems as part of his masters studies at the State Univer ­ sity, Rutgers, New Jersey. His interests include debates, dramatics, athletics, scout ­ ing and the National Cadets Corps of which he was an active member. After his graduation in commerce from Bombay University, Suntoke earned an MMS degree in financial management dur ­ ing which he took a rigorous course of mathematical and statistical studies. He has joined the Case Western Reserve Uni- ! are coming out in the world at a particularly sKlToining to India. By the time they versity to do his MBA in finance, and complete their studies in a couple of years, hopefully they (will) have opportunities for direct recruitment on i-------------------- of remuneration with the multinationals... The disciplines in which this year ’s lot as a research assistant.'Karlier he had quali ­ fied for a summer course in genetics at the all-Indian Institute of Science, Bangalc^ after a rigorous all-India competition. Also interested in molecular science and genetics is Mistry who hopes to gain admission for her masters study in one of the universities in the US. After obtaining a first class in BSc in microbiology, she is currently doing her masters in science. Sidhva is hoping to join the University of Edinburgh for a PhD in social work After graduating from Nirmala Niketan ir 1987 she joined the one semester post thereafter his doctorate. A keen sportsman, l^u, j ------ -— --- . Suntoke has been a member of his school certificate MAj ’i’ogram in research meth odology at the Tata Institute of Socia Sciences. She is particularly interested ii working with the physically handicappei as also the terminally ill patients and thei families. In addition to these scholarships, th< auuiuuii vv x _____________ Tata Trusts have also introduced trave tWe'in^oc^l servke pVoj^ecteof the National fellowships beginning this year in collabo Scheme dealing with anti-drug ration with the J. William Fulbright (Foi international standards and college football, volleyball and basket ball teams. Patel, who did his MCom from Bombay of Parsi scholars will pursue studies abroad with banking and finance, has gmned ad- are: architecture (Vistasp Bhagwagar and mission tr Pvns tr Kershasp Dalal); engineering (Marzban study for Palsetia and Fredy Chinoy); finance (Kaiomarz Suntoke and Firdosh Patel); Minocher Baniwalla and Ms Tanaz 1. economics lions, Indian academics and professional Mmry) and socal work (Ms Dmaz P. f^_,f°j;Xmbaygnivers,Iy,Andhyarujina will be provided opportunities “to can AeraduatefromtheSchoolofPlanning has chosen to graduate in law from Uni- out research, teaching a^ other profei andcteemrrMhi Bhagwagar has versity College, London, He will be a third sional activ.nes m American educationi joined the Oxforl Brooks University on a generation la;^r - his pandMe^was ¦-hmtions,^^^^^^^^^4h7Xmem wi full scholarship from the British Council : architecture (Vistasp Bhagwagar and to the Rice University, Texas to • an MBA degree in finance. In addition to academics Patel was also ac- versity College, London. He will be a third sional activities in generation lawyer — his grandfather was i------ a very respected senior lawyer, his father by Malegamvala. The agreement 18 Parsiana January 1995 9? ii I A ¦ Is (Above) The signing of the agreement between the Tata trust and the J. William Fulbright Board (from left): Dr Joseph Brenning, Dr Christopher Benninger, Bhabha, Lavakare and Malegamvala. The ’94-’95 Tata scholars: Top row (from left): Bhagwagar, Dalal and Palsetia Second row (from left): Chinoy, Suntoke, Patel and Andhyarnjina Bottom row (from left): Bharucha, Battiwalla, Mistry and Sidhwa was in cahoots with a local constable, as reported in The Times of India of November 7, 1994. Nagpur based Patel was on a visit to Delhi to chasdse her publishers for allegedly depriving her of her royalty against the sale of her book. She was : route the rickshaw driver claimed the vehicle had stalled and started pushing it. He then against the sale of her book. She educational advisory committee. These returning to her base when alo^g the i chosen 16 were then subjected to an interview t ........................... : ;___ ; and the final selection was made by a panel 1 ' " ' . .......... . ......................... of judges comprising Vispi Engineer, Prof asked her how much she would pay him. V7. iiiv laid iiuMb, J. J. (Ms) Katy Antia and Farokh Khodaiji. Bhabha, referred to the key role played by Accordingly Ms Tarana Billimoria and Ms signed by Malegamvala on behalf of the Tata Trusts and Dr P. J. Lavakare, execu ­ tive director of the United States Educa ­ tion Foundation in India. On the occasion, the chairman of the Tata Trusts, J. J. the distinguished American social scientist Dr Clifford Manshardt in the establishment _________ ___________ of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Tina Pithawalla and Shah veer Aga, pursuing in serving as the first director of the Sir ' ' Dorabji Tata Trust between 1936 and 1941. * She offered him the fare as per the meter reading plus a substantial tip. But the un- j more. The rickshaw driver then approached a constable who tried to prevail upon Patel to oblige the lad. She refused to yield where upon they agreed to go to the police station. As she was walking along the youth caused her to fSll on some stones. She was wounded and bleeding, and the driver tried to push her under some passing vehi ­ cles. However, de ­ spite a fractured elbow and skull injury, Patel proceeded on her way. When asked why she did not file complaint with the police, Patel is was in the news for reported to have said that there are times I in life when it is better to be humane and Liberty Under The Constitution of let a culprit go scot free rather than book India. Recently she was in the news when on a trip to Delhi she wa.s physically assaulted by a rickshaw driver who DilnavazBamboat, both from the arts stream, satisfied youth kept demanding were named Parsi Punchayet scholars. Ms “ science, were chosen as the Bhumgara Charitable Trust scholars. Engineer, who sponsored two scholar ­ ships himself, was also instrumental for bringing in two scholarships from Sidhwa and one from the Bomanjis. Thus Arzan — r -------------- -science two Zoroastrian students, commitments faculty were selected as the Vispi Engineer from other individuals and trusts have ’ ' ----- assured a similar grant of Rs 2,000 per annum to seven ( ' not over 16 years of age who have secured a minimum of 75 percent mark.s at the school leaving examination with a record of excellence in academics, sports and so ­ cial service, can qualify for this scholar ­ ship as per the BPP norms. Funding for the additional scholarships was promised by the Bhumgara Charitable bringing out a significant work. Personal Trust, Vispi Engineer, Fall Bomanji and his wife, and C. K. Sidhwa. Of the 48 applications received this year, 16 were shortlisted by three principals on the D. Naoroji scholarships Within a year of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) announcing the institu- ________ __ _ tion of Dadabhai Naoroji scholarships for Bagli and Rushad Kapadia from the sci' scholars; Ms Mehernaz Damania from the commerce faculty as the Mr and Ms Fall other scholars. Students Bomanji scholar; and Homiyar Buhariwalla and Marzi Patel from the science stream as the Mr C. K. Sidhwa scholars. The law for... She knew how the law reads; she also knew how the law operates. In early 1994 Dr (Ms) Thrity Patel 19 Parsiana January 1995 Patel: “better to be humane" a him and ruin his life forever! Compiled by Parin'Sz Gandhi IDANCE Ijotin in London London-based Freny and Noshir Umrigar are the only Indian couple participating at international Latin American dance competitions Parinaz Gandhi “Dance keeps us young. It keeps us to ­ gether. It is like a therapy for us. ” Respon ­ ding to our queries, Freny Umrigar ex ­ plains on behalf of her husband Noshir and only a joyous activity, but also a pursuit of herself the driving force that propels the perfection. The music system at the prac- London-based pair — the only Indian and tice session is testing their patience Stand- . .................................................. cipate in international dance competitions. Between rehearsals at the Framjee Cawas- ___________ _______ jee Institute in Bombay we are informed they have missed the vital cue. The same that they are looking forward to performing continued on page 31 in the city the next day, December 10, 1994, after a lapse of some decades. Watching them rehearse their lithe Latin American dance movements around the floor it is evident that dance to them is not herself the driving force that propels the perfection. The music system at the prac- ___ ____1___ T - 1* «.• •• ... possibly the only Asian couple — to parti- ing poised and ready to make a scintillating entry, by the time the almost inaudible strains of music reach their ears they realise The Umrigars: winning together 4^ I I ¦I 1 I i® - rt H I •i b 21 Parsiana January 1995ART COVER STORY t’- 4' ’I ."b ¦ ’•n ':j' I Portrait of an artist H: While the richly mounted works won a profusion of awards and widespread ac ­ claim, Bomanjec ’s fame rests as much on the romance of the interesting era whose product he was. “We were one happy family, ” he was to modelling class, later say. referring to the healthy, convivial limes that groomed him in art education. Having joined the J. J. School of Art at 13. the aspiring young artist trained under no H e was the doyen of Indian artists a century ago. “Ah, the Indian Rembrandt! ” had been die verdict of the director of the National Portrait Gallery, London, on firsiseeing the workofPestonji Bomanjee who excelled at scenes of Parsi daily and religious lite, as well as alporiraits painted for several public institutions in his native Bombay. In alonglifethatspanned from 1851 to . . 1938 the artist celebrated the ethos of the less a personage than principal Jo in community he was so proud to belong to, Griffiths himself. It was a wonderful rela- with such memorable pictures as Parsi tionship^tweenmaslerandpupiUuongty “fj* Priest at Prayer. Naughty Girl. The Lei­ sure Hour, Feeding the Parrot and Pray­ ing for the Sick. His oils were executed in die style of the old masters of Europe. Griffiths himself. It was a wonderful rela marked by mutual trust and cooperation. Nor did the student ’s zeal and ability go unnoticed by John Lockwood Kipling, il ­ lustrator and sketcher father of the famous writer Rudyard. He soon became mentor to Bomanjee who often played with little Rudyard in the sprawling school court ­ yard. The painter could also remember Rudyard occasionally visiting his father in Art at the lime enjoyed such promi ­ nence that schools imparting instruction in it were considered veritable temples of worship. To quote Ms Doris Gerrard from her obituary piece in The Times of India on the painter; “With the passing of the years I who have won fame, die place of their youth gains dignity and Above: Romanjee’s oil painting, Praying for the Sick 22 Parsranj Jsnua'y ’995A famed artist of the 19th century Pestonji Bomanjee specialized in depicting scenes of Parsi daily and religious life Meher Marfatia and clothes adorning The Naughty Girl of 1887. Personal anecdotes about the artist are duly supplied by surviving members of his ¦¦ ¦ ¦ ; on ladders copying for 12 years, ” he po- looking up at the school one imagines that litely explained, the charm of the building grows with every passing year... The spirit of the artists who have loved its envitoriment still clings- to their old surroundings. ” The drawings of a host of prominent have provided ample scope for situations academic artists of Bombay who were v " contemporaries of Bomanjee — Mancher- some of his best work. Jiloobai features in Bomanjee loved children tremendously, shaw Pithawala, Abalal Rahiman and quite a few frames. An outstanding insta- His own turned out artistically inclined — Mahadev Govind Dhurandhar —bear while son Eruchshaw ’ s forte was por- the unmistakable imprint of British traits, Ardeshir taught drawing and art teaching. They signalled the rise painting. Eruchshaw ’s children Dady of a new class of Western-educated and Tehmi, in turn, also wielded a “gentlemen artists, ” yet by no means deft brush, did that prevent their being actively Ardeshir ’s daughter Aloo displays encouraged to help restore ancient a commemorative volume produced Indian art. The Ajanta project initi- by Bennett Coleman and Company ated by Griffiths offers clear evidence to mark the royal tour of the Prince of this trend. and Princess of Wales to India in As the principal ’s most promising 1905-06. She points proudly to the Indian student, Bomanjee led this color drawings of nawabs and expedition to the caves. Aimed at maharajas etched by Bomanjee. being a consciousness-raising exer- “Look at them! ” she exclaims, her cise and an object lesson in Indian fingers circling the pearl and^merald- ornamental art, the trip proved a bejewelled neck of a Mysore ruler, pioneering effort. Heading the skilled “After being used to such realism I band of painters who had to work at simply cannot accept the abstract copying the magnificent frescoes on modern art of today. ” Ajanta ’s ceilings and walls, A now aged Vachha nostalgically Bomanjee had to wrestle with inn- recalls how her grandfather would umerable problems including obtain- sit her down beside him and counsel ing proper light in the caves ’ interior her, sharing with her what he con- and the absence, then, of simple sidered were important tenets to live tracing paper (he decided to impro- by. “Never forget two things. Always vise, using oiled tissue paper to trace remember favors done to you but not a range of murals). those you do. And know that death is It was while with the group at inevitable, so be prepared to wel- Ajanta that Bomanjee painted his wife Pestonji Bomanjee's self-portrait come it when it comes. ”>- Jiloobai — she would join him there during His tryst with it occurred peacefully the cooler months — in a celebrated picture nee is the manner in which she is portrayed enough, in his sleep, at the ripe age of 89. which now rests in the reserve collection inThe Leisure Hour, This 1883-dated paint- In the wake of Bomanjee ’s death glowing of The Prince of Wales Museum of Western ing shows her sewing (that was her favorite tributes were heaped on him in the premier India in Bombay, alongside some of his hobby) in traditional attire, right from the publications of the day. other beautiful oils. mathubanu (white cotton scarf) crowning One, particularly, succeeded admira- The crucial Ajanta project absorbed her head to the velvet sapaats worn on feet bly in capturing the essence of the man. Beneath a picture showing the silken- bearded artist dressed in his usual black coat and white trousers contemplating his easel and palette, was printed: “The old veteran Parsi artist, Mr Pestonji Bomanjee, commanded awe and respect from artists in Bombay by his simple and unostentatious atmosphere, and standing under the trees Bomanjee ’s family formed the subject of much of his output. Brothers, sisters, four daughters and three sons besides an large family. So, granddaughters Aloo assortment of aunts and uncles, appear to Polson and Gool Vachha provide some insights into the private man behind the woven around them all, to finally result in public persona of the popular painter, some of his best work. Jiloobai features in quite a few frames. An outstanding insta- inThe Leisure Hour, This 1883-dated paint ­ ing shows her sewing (that was her favorite mathubanu (white cotton scarf) crowning Bomanjee for years, from 1872 to 1884. placed on a wooden paatla (low wooden Unfortunately, little remains of the work stool). She looks out of her window on to which had been undertaken with such en- the street scene below as she stitches, her ergy and perseverance. Most of it was lost face registering an expression of utmost when a major fire at South Kensington repose and contentment at the pleasure destroyed the records. Following the di- afforded by her activity. saster Griffiths tried to engage Bomanjee once more for a series of copies on a smaller scale, but the painter quickly de ­ clined. “I was quite satisfied with standing ticeable than in the intricacies of the cap The artist ’s almost fastidious attention to authenticity of detail emerges in every personality... He kept working till the last, picture; perhaps nowhere is this more no- and in that he was a shining example to younger artists. ” 23 Parsiana January 1995 * IJ SEMINAR Jewels of India? Fun and frolic rather than hard headed debate, characterized the Eighth All India Zoroastrian Youth Seminar in Ahmednagar Homi Rogers neurship among themselves. Repeatedly Ahmednagar ’s first Zoroastrian, Cursetjee By some fortuitous circumstance the me- i ' ' " dieval town of Ahmednagar, at the heart of they stated — not necessarily as flattery (as Kaikhushro was better known to his the Maharashtra dust bowl, has been the to the sponsors and hosts of this three- British patrons), had vended seemed to crucible of many Parsi enterprises. Nearly day meet —that they would like to emulate have lost its fizz on socio-religious mat- two centuries ago, Kaikhushro Nusser- the spirit and success of the Damanias. ters. Delegate after delegate voiced pub- wanjee came here vending ‘soda-water ’to ’'•••’¦• ...... the British army led by General Wellesley (later to become the Duke of Wellington) and settled I down to form yet another | successful and multi- " ventured business firm, Cursetjee Nusserwanjee and Sons. And just a little less than a decade ago, the Damanias started breed ­ ing high quality chickens here, before branching out into more visible avenues of business like aviation, shipping and financial leas ­ ing. It hence seems natural that Ahmednagar should provide a catalyst once again to entrepreneurship in the community by hosting 300 youths from 16 far- flung places in India at the Eighth All India Zoroas ­ trian Youth Fiesta cum Seminar, from November 25 to 27, 1994. At sessions and socials, the message was clear: Zoroastrian youths were ready to revive entrepre- Top: Keki Gandhi addressing the audience Below: Yasmin Charna leading Cama to light the inaugural lamp and Parvez Damania with Shroff the spirit and success of the Damanias. ters. Delegate after delegate voiced pub- But while the spirit of striking out on licly such time worn cliches as “the sub- one ’s own prevailed, the soda that stance of our legacy has made us survive _ so long, ” and reiterated the I credo of resisting change, a I strategy that is driving the I community t^racial suicide. I Definitely the mood at I the three-day seminar was I religiously upbeat. And I staunchly traditional. It I could be so witnessed right I from the time the delegates " trooped in suitably attired for the three mobed inaugu ­ ral jashan at the 147-year- old Plantin (an Anglicized form of the Parsi surname Kerawala, we guess) Agiary, freshly whitewashed and painted for the occasion. It was td" so continue during the inaugural function when, as if to symbolize the me ­ ssage that age must impart enlightenment to youth, the lamp was lit by 96-year- old Ms Hamabai Cama, one of Ahmednagar ’s oldest citizens. And religiosity permeated the meet from the opening plenary session to the debate and question- and-answer time on the second day. The chord that our road back to Eden was paved with sacrosanct teachings was struck in the very first hour. Delegates speaking on J! i 24 Parsiana January J9951 I* I' jr Thus for the majority of speakers our legacy lies in our past, “in what we the subject, “Our legacy should be that we make it better than it was when we got it, ” _ . reaffirmed with hardly a dissenting inherit ” as Ms Shiraz Khambata of Bom- voice that our prayers should be recited with their original manthravanis (“never mind if we don ’t understand their meanings ”); that they be “learnt through oral transmission, and not printed texts; ” and that “the sudreh-kusti must be or Jamsetji Tata doing charity that would be of use to the entire country. But will the youth, foreseen by Profes ­ sor Sheriar as tomorrow ’s leaders, rise to the challenge? While to Mogrelia the Parsi legacy of non-interference in affairs of others is laudable, and Cyrus Joginq of Agra and Nauzer Khan of Surat find the silver screen ’s portrayal of Parsis “deplorable ” and “very embar ­ rassing, ” the elders ’ perception of our behavior towards other communities is bay put it, and our efforts to cherish and preserve it. “Move with the times, but not so fast as to forget our religion and our customs, ” -cautioned Kaizad Farhadi, a delegate from Dahanu. These sentiments of youth were most worn at all times, and with pride. ” (That appreciated by co-chairman ^of this ses- we spotted many delegates, especially in the seminar ’s after-hours, not wear ­ ing one, is another matter, presumably.) Percy Dordi of Borivili, a Bombay which has its own Zoroastrian association — Borivli and Suburban Zoro ­ astrian Association — referred to the dele ­ gates assembled as “pillars of a new generation ” and gave a clarion call to “keep aside our rebel ego, follow our Zoroas ­ trian tenets, and. have a central leader ­ ship that would inculcate the lost sense of identity. ” Ms Prochi Bhesania of Gu ­ jarat, to whom the jury awarded the first of it is part of our legacy too, reminded prize for this session, felt that the Parsis did not have a legacy when they came to India, “but created one. ” “Our legacy spoke in Gujarati. concept of entrepreneurship. Ms Havovi could be our distinctive noses, ” she stated, A fine discretionary note was, how- Bhanja from Pune described the need adding a physical attribute, to everyone ’s ever, sounded by co-chairman Minoo for entrepreneurship to increase indus- delight, to the intangible heritage of Shroff, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet tries and, consequently, the standard of “being sincere, loyal, dedicated, hard- ' ' " working, truthful and fun-loving. ” “Everlasting is our pride in being a Parsi, ” she claimed before a cheering two sessions over two days. Shroff dwelt house assembled under a shamiana on the grounds of the Ahmednagar Club. “And, that ’s what we must hold on to. ” Of the 25 delegates who spoke on this respectful to people, ” he advised, regret ­ subject, few mentioned how we could better our legacy, though all felt the need to. Ms Anahita Powwalla, repre ­ senting Bombay ’s Young Collegians ’ Zoroastrian Association (YCZA) felt that the contribution of our forefathers would take “a superhuman effort ” to im ­ prove on, and that even to survive “in the backlash of deterioration... we should return to coservativeness at breakneck decrying the “community ’s contempt for speed. ” A code of conduct should be evolved, Powwalla felt, on subjects like from our days of the Raj, when “we rose conversion and mixed marriages, and “all Parsis must accept it, and follow it...even in blind faith, as faith alone is valid in matters of religion, and human intellect is flawed. ” sion. Professor Khurshed C. Sheriar, edu ­ cationist and co-founder of the 43-year- u.i.cKMv.y old YCZA. Sheriar, who all through four different. Vispi Bhadha of YCZA may suburb of decades of association with the youth feel that “we don ’t deserve to be called has felt that “youth Zoroastrians anymore ” (to boo! boo! from power is to be wat ­ ched, not guided, ” noted in his summing up that the session had given new con ­ fidence to him and members of the com ­ munity, as “young ­ sters are like us (the older gen ­ eration), dreaming suitable to our times. ” of their legacy, ” and investing their “faith speak on the second day (November 26) *1 was, “Entrepreflfeurs are the people who as in the Gujarati language. The learning get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they c^n ’t find them, they make them. ” A score Of Zoroastrian rued the fact that none of the delegates youth from different cities defined the “There are no black-and-white answers to everything in religion ” all present) because “today we believe more in taking than in giving, ” but Ms Ava Vaid, YCZA fellow-member, feels that “taking is an equally appreciative virtue, which we should make a part of our legacy while striving to improve it. ” Ms Scheherzade Irani from the host city clinched the matter with, “our legacy is thinking like a log of wood: like carpenters, we have to carve the best furniture from it. in our religion and its customs, ” as well Shahzad Mogrelia of Madras, who even A fine discretionary note was, how ­ ever, sounded by co-chairman Minoo 25 Parsiana January 1995 The topic the delegates were asked to * (BPP) trustee and chairman of the Dama- living. The young Zoroastrians apparently nia board, who had kindly consented to be present for the seminar and chair its understood the need to innovate and de ­ termine their own future, much in the way many of their illustrious forefathers the Parsi tendency of considering had done. But, according to Mahiyar Dastoor from Bombay, “what is lacking is not opportunity, but motivated people. ” The community at present can count on ting that humility is now sadly absent its fingertips the number of entrepreneurs in the community. “Don ’t kick the ladder by which you ascended, ” remarked Shroff, and asked the young to strive for excellence and work with a role model in mind to improve their legacy. Keki Gandhi, secretary of the Federa ­ tion of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of In- Damania (35), the motivating force behind dia (FPZAI) echoed Shroffs feelings in on themselves greatly superior to others, a privileged class. “Be more tolerant. who have stuck it out in the past few decades and, lamenting this fact, more than one speaker cited only the Damanias as an example of the new and successful breed. By a happy coincidence young Parvez funding this three-day meet in his home town, entered the seminar grounds with a sister communities, ” a possible hangover second consecutive award from Hotels and Food Service for his airlines, at the very moment that Ms Ferine Kavina of to prominence as a result of British pat ­ ronage. ” Gandhi felt that the community Ahmedabad was citing the Damania quote, could improve its legacy by not restric ­ ting its philanthropy to within the com ­ munity, but like Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy “If we could do it, everyone here can do it. ” Damania himself spoke — extempore — at the end of the session, briefly and II I 1 i (Homi Gandhi, Delhi), that “jewels are hard and strong, but we run away when there is a fight on the streets ” fortunately, the delegates at Ahmednagar (Jehangir Bhadha, HPY), and that a race were divided into groups that did not that never assimilated itself into the mainstream of the country where its members resided, was unlike the Parsis. “Forget the jewels, where are the Parsis? ” queried Bombay ’s Jimmy Balsara, to a house that lapped up his rhetoric; and it equally applauded Roco Mistry ’s chauvinistic argument: “India may not have heard of us, but we are all jewels, nar attended in the past. This insularity for as Parsis we are a cut above the was most manifest at the campfire rest. ” Mistry (adjudged the best speaker) buttressed his remarks by quoting how Parsi charity doesn ’t die, and how each that cut across the divide, and the judges community member by rejecting ‘minority (we guess) perforce had to award a team One of the qualities of a good leader/ entrepreneur is surely the capacity to inspire team spirit within his group. Un- from the heart. In his gut-wrenching speech (one could see his mother seated on the dais holding back her tears), Damania told the gathering how with the assistance of scholarships from Parsi were divided into groups that did not trusts he, who was not born in riches, jell perhaps because the youth were ac- raised the money to go abroad to study commodated not in one place but in agriculture; and how on his return, with four hotels. None of the two sessions brother Vispi, he set up a farm at Karjat and the debate were organized or conduc- for breeding chickens with a loan of Rs 2.81 lakhs. “If you dream, you can succeed, ” sta ­ ted Damania, expressing the hope that at the next conference he would get to hear more Parsi youths telling him, “I’ve started my own business, ” rather than organized on the final night when no just indulging in talk, in seminar after seminar. ------------------ - - . . Before the session broke for the usual (we guess) perforce had to award a team status has affirmed his Indianness, and is hearty (thanks to the hospitality of the prize to young residents of a Bombay therefore a jewel. ....... ... ¦ ’ * ' The organizers of the religious ses- putting forth a well-rehearsed, previously sion held on the second afternoon (No- there to help you, he indicated, And set up (judging by the costumes, audio. ted on team lines. As a result, social interaction — most visible during meal ­ times — was restricted among members of the same hotel room or city, or a semi- team came forward with a group event sponsors) lunch, Damania had gauged baug, who displayed their clannishness by the mood of the youth. The Parsi trusts i ' _ " " ' ' are the goodwill a Zoroastrian enjoys with other communities who trust a Parsi etc) ‘drag ’ show, and respect his inherent honesty, is there to help in getting loans from banks. What probably holds the community members back from becoming entrepreneurs is the fear of failure. To speaking on behalf of the question raised by Khushru Sarkari the Ahmednagar of Rustom Baug, Bombay, “whether Anjuman at the the community will back us when we fail, ” Damania ’s reply was brief and tell ­ ing: “Even if you fail, at least you have would spark. This trieij. ” After all, the keynote sentence for could partially be the three-day meet was: “Success is a journey, not a destination. vember 26) once again made a pru ­ dent choice by se ­ lecting young Ervad Ramiyar Karanjia, vice principal of Bombay ’s A^ornan Madressa at Dadar, to field questions on religious matters asked by the gather ­ ing. Karanjia (whom anchor-woman Ms Zarine Commissariat continued to wrongly address as ‘dasturji ’) answered with rare poise and equanimity Interestingly the seminar, tailored to dence in restricting subjects of discussion a host of questions ranging from the promote this spirit, dedicated the first to those of a non-controversial nature. The banal to the esoteric, without ever getting afternoon to screening films on leader- ‘interactions ’ hence came only in such into polemics or philosophy. His appro- ship (so essential to entrepreneurship) doses as the organizers felt the gathering ach was marked by its non-controversial culled from various sources. The equip ­ ment, however, let us down and after a few false starts we could only watch jected in the debate by Dr Nozer Sheriar, a Damania corporate philosophy short, and a film version of a speech deliver ­ ed by Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. The speech, though bristling with wit and wisdom, was no new stuff, at least to delegates who had attended the Nagpur thundered that the clubbing of modern times instead of upholding anti- BPP-organized Holiday Programme for the two communities was unfair “and qualed values and practices (“the electric Youth (HPY) in 1993, or read it in extremely demoralizing to Parsi youth, ” Parsiana, (“Our hopes lie in you, ” Par­ siana, May 1993). Nevertheless, it was an interesting revision as Manekshaw the two communities. What carried the outlined the qualities of a leader such day was the fact that though Parsis may as professional knowledge, the ability not consider themselves — despite the to take a decision and stand by it, justice and equality, loyalty, moral courage, dis­ cipline, tact, great sex drive (ahem!) and long noses (ahem! ahem!). Equally absent were the “interesting interactions ” that Mehernosh Mehta, at the inaugural function, hoped the seminar “We should share our thoughts at such seminars ' with young people of other faiths ” the result of the sponsors ’ (Damanias) and organizers ’ (Ahmednagar Anjuman) pru ­ dence in restricting subjects of discussion to those of a non-controversial nature. The ‘interactions ’ hence came only in such would be able to ‘sustain. ’ A fair amount of excitement was in- nature (“there are no black-and-white answers to everything in religion ”), practical approach (“women do not go to the top of the doongerwadi because in olden times when corpses were removed from houses, not bunglis, it was essential that someone remained back in the 32, the Professor ’s son, when he sugges ­ ted an alteration in the subject which read ‘Parsis: Jews of India or Jewels of India? ’ to ‘Parsis are the Jews and Jewels of India. ’ While Dale Bhagwagar of homes ”). He provided consessions to crematorium is the best option when doon- the proposition brought out the religious gerwadi is not available ”) and (“there is no and socio-economic similarities between religious compulsion to perform muktad on a separate table during the first year of demise ”). That he was greatly assisted in his task by Commissariat, mistress-of-cere- monies turned question-master is another matter. Commissariat, who was swamped few common traits and historic resem ­ blances — Jews, the jewels bit warmed many hearts. The opposition stated that the sparkle of the jewels is fading with question slips being constantly fed 26 Parsiana January 1995 4’ *to her by volunteers kept on their toes by an eager audience, seemed to exercise a fair amount of censorship, as experi ­ enced by us when a few pointed queries raised on matters such as Neville Wadia ’s navjote never made it to dasturji ’ for Meherwan Ghai, Parvez Damania ’s lieu- reply. The number of questions seemed to far outnumber the replies at the end of the two-hour marathon session, prom ­ pting Dr Viraf Kapadia, a BPP delegate be replaced by the Damanias ’ savoire- and unsuccessful candidate for trustee ­ ship in 1993, to'remark in the open ­ house session that more time should inception of these annual seminars, the For the immediate present, though, judg- have been provided for this activity. Keki word Fiesta was incorporated in the ing by the sentiments expressed, it seems Gandhi volunteered to deal with the proceedings, and there was thus ample that Ahmednagar had lived up to its his- unanswered queries himself through fun-n-fest: dances to a live band every torical import. In the city that Chandbibi his Fed Newsletter (“if I send them to the night that spilled into the wee hours of the had stoutly defended over half a millenium high priests, we will get all different morning; games of skill/intellect which ago, and in whose fort Nehru had written answers ”), and requested the organizers to hand over the lot to him. The offer, to the best our knowledge, was not taken up. The brief open-house session that preceded an equally brief valedictory session provided a glimpse into how del- me /vnmeanagar sky was lit with a egates viewed the seminar. Hormus Irani magnificent fireworks show executed debates should be made more interactive, somewhat like group discussions with audience participation. No report on the meet can be complete without a few words on the social part of it. ing place) of Ahmednagar ’s famous war ­ rior queen, Chandbibi. Here, in the sha ­ dow of history, “the nicest hatch of young Zoroastrians I have evei come across, ’’ to quote Commissariat, effected last minute exchanges of names and addresses. Protestations were made to tenant for the tbree-day do, tells us his brief was to see that “a jolly good time ” was had stay in touch, possibly to fulfil Keki Gandhi ’s remark in his valedictory notes that a “life-long association of man ­ wife (could be) a positive fallout of the seminar. ” by all. So, out went the “lecture-baaji, ” to faire, to ensure an enjoyable, comfortable time. Hence, for the first time since the inception of these annual seminars, the word ‘Fiesta ’ was incorporated in the morning; games of skill/intellect which _ _________ _____ drew more on the delegates ’ wordly rather Discovery of India during his incarcera- than spiritual knowledge. Even a variety tion, the Parsi youths assembled had given revue of Parsi gags and skits was enacted by Cyrus Dastoor and his troupe, specially called in from Bombay. On the last night (November 26) coward reformists ” as YCZA’s Powwalla called them, and practices like “late and inter-religious marriages that are leading the message that like the indefatigable queen they would strongly defend their faith against the ravages of “self-centered the Ahmednagar sky was lit with of the Zoroastrian Youth Association of for over 15 minutes by the Moranis. Thane (ZYAT) was of the opinion that / ’ we should share our thoughts at such (November 27) morning picnic at r — ’----- ¦ faiths. Ms Diana Irani of Pune opined that to disaster, ” as per Ms Arnaz Mehta of . . c. I------------------ That was the distillation of the Ah- young people of other mg monument on the outskirts of the mednagar soda. That was the (rejdiscovery faiths. Ms Diana Tran, nf Pnnp ,h.,t ^ity, said to have been the hamam (bath- for the community. > And this was topped by a Sunday Delhi, t a soar- for the community. 4’ CONTRAC-T.IR.152.94. ILATIN IN LONDON continued from page 21 novice category (altogether there are four completed 25 years with Finnair (Finland ’s groups — novice, intermediate, prechamp international carrier) — they find their and champ). Again, there are groupings savings just evaporate. “Your saving is experience repeated thrice over, a frown agewise — juveniles (under 11), juniors your dancing, ” remarks Freny. settles on Freny ’s face. When they start on (under 16), youth (under 21), amateurs their jive, Freny and Noshir can ’t seem to (under 35) and seniors (over 35). Enquire synchronize their pace. They immediately about their age and a diplomatic Freny to pay £ 10 an hour for a practice session, break off and start all over again. When responds, “Just say we are not amateurs. they finally dance to their satisfaction they are so thrilled with themselves that they competitions made the Umrigars aim end their number with a spontaneous kiss, higher. They are regulars now at three though one of their mentors is based in Freny however, isn’t satisfied with just events held every year. When they first London and the other in Birmingham they one flawless practice. She wants to repeat participated in the International Champi- the act but an exhausted Noshir opts out, onships which are held at the Royal Albert saying: “I always get it right on the final dayThis earns a prompt rebuttal from the wife who reminds him, “You can only get deter them. They kept trying. This year, it right on the final day if you ’ve got it right though, Freny ’s bad back made them opt ners can get together. the day before... Besides, you are the one out. But earlier in the year when they who wanted to dance all five numbers at a competed for the British Open Champion ­ stretch tomorrow. ” Yes he did, confirms ships at Blackpool, considered the most the outfit ready. Her dress this year cost £ Noshir, not realizing that Bombay ’s winter prestigious in the world, they were rated can be enervating. Ultimately the audio cassette recorder appears to favor Noshir, for it refuses to rewind or fast forward! A dance, to be visually appealing, re ­ quires the coordination of all body move ­ ments. “The foundation is your feet. The heel, the toe, the weight, the pressure, the couples residing in Britain, they ranked alignment must show a perfect balance, ninth among the 60 odd couples who par- That constitutes the technique. The dance ticipated. comes as the icing on the cake, ” Freny sums up the criteria of a good performance. This insistence on perfection inevitably creates tension and ‘nerves ’ before any show — whether it is a world competition or a performance like the one they are pre ­ paring for in memory of Luciano D ’ Cunha who had trained countless individuals over (there are 11) and we know aaje kai kari the last several decades at the dance aca- sakvana nathi (we don ’t stand a chance). ” demy run by him and his wife Martha in Bias against the skin color plus several recent years by the office bearers of the Bombay. Freny and Noshir ’s participation subjective factors influence decisions, a in this event is their tribute to the man who 40 years ago “put us on the floor, ” guiding them through the pivots and twists of other partner is not at his or her best? “Sure ballroom and Latin American dancing. Freny (nee Billimoria) and Noshir had Freny. “You either win or you lose — met through the Youths ’ Own Union, re- together, members one of their fiiends. “But you can say that dancing brought us together, Freny observes. Soon after their marriage 35 years ago, the Umrigars settled in Lon ­ don. Much as they would have liked to this activity. Besides, they are not permit- attempts to improve their ranking in the pursue dancing then, they realized they ted to exhibit their dancing prowess or strenuous Latin American dances —rumba, couldn ’t afford it, and barely took a lesson make profits, affiliated as they are to the once in six months. After the birth of their Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. daughter Sharon, Freny stopped dancing Despite Noshir and Freny both working — Freny cheerfully (they were the all-India for a while. Noshir continued, even ap- Noshir who was employed with the Central ballroom champions in 1957). Irrespec- pearing occasionally for medal tests. Then Bank of India before he migrated, works as five of form or style, lasting joy comes to 15 years ago they decided to participate in operations officer with the Credit Swiss the Umrigars from dance — “the thrill of the Seniors Amateur Latin Competition. The first time they appeared was in the Not only do they have to spend £ 20-30 an hour for a dance lesson, they also need They are very happy with the coaching The confidence they gained at local they receive from their teachers Ms Lynn Harman and Ms Joan Knight. And even don ’t mind commuting the five hour dis­ tance for a two hour lesson. They find that Hall, they were eliminated in the first they are better off than other couples who, round, remembers Freny. But that did not separated by distance, have perforce to travel hundreds of miles before the part- And the costs of preparing for a compe ­ tition are phenomenal, especially getting 1,000. Then of course, there are the shoes among the top 24. “Around 80 couples to match and Noshir ’s attire which must participate. We are the only Indian couple, complement her costume. The entry fee In fact we are the only colored couple on the floor. We take great pride in that, ” says Freny. At the British Closed Competitions the commuting expenses. Noting all the this year where entry is permitted only to for each participant is £ 10, plus there are the hotel and food bills to be cleared and “khitpit (hassl^) ” involved, their daugh ­ ter Sharon never showed an inclination to follow her parents on the dance floor. Their ti ght budget notwithstanding, they If you don ’t make it to the final round of are always willing to consider appeals for six it is considered losing. “Every time you financial help from the World Zoroastrian lose it makes you determined to do even Organisation, and only recently, on the . better. Others get disheartened. But we occasion of Sharon ’s wedding, they fi- enjoy a loser ’s breakfast the next morning nanced the cost of eight navjotes. They and head home, the picnic over. Some- were one-time regulars at the Zoroastrian times we just check the panel of judges House in London but of late their atten ­ dance has fallen off. This is due to the orthodox stand adopted in the course of Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, with which they are not in agreement. Freny 99 fact they have learnt to accept. Since it is a joint effort, do they feel frustrated if the chooses not to elaborate on the ideologic^ differences between the reformists and conservatives in the ’lJK, stating matter-of- factly, “We believe in the policy of live and let live. ” Besides, with dance sapping all their time and energy, they genuinely find it difficult to socialize. For the present the you do, but you keep it to yourself, ” admits 99 In their case it is the commitment that makes them enjoy this “healthy hobby. ” Since they don ’t classify as professionals, there are no financial returns for them in Umrigars are content to make concerted this activity. Besides, they are not permit- samba, cha-cha, jive, paso doble. “When we grow old we ’ll do ballroom, ” says First Boston (one ofthe largest investment two different persons trying to move as institutions in the world) and Freny has one. 99 30 Parsiana January T995ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD An urge to gather The North American Zoroastrians prepare for the retirement of their founding fathers Porus Cooper k Are there ways — and means — to ensure a dignified fadeout for the founding gen ­ eration in North America, or must we brace for a decline into desperation? During another break, a delegate from Connecticut somberly discussed how he was laid off from his job but fortunately had found new employment. Other such examples abound within the community, and not all have been as fortunate as the delegate from Connecticut. A Pennsylva ­ nia engineer drives to a temporary job hundreds of miles away to another state. munity ’s passage from adolescence. Many of those who attended remarked on the generally businesslike atmosphere at the Ninth Congress, the emphasis on the We Zarthostis living in North America have been meeting in a congress every two years for nearly 20 years. common urge to gather. The urge has been practical. They noticed that while sparks and returns on weekends He cannot move to hold a permanent job in their home town and they cannot afford for her to lose it. Yet others cannot find work in their chosen fields. We immigrants, so many of us who came here as students with nothing From the very beginning we have felt a irresistible even though, over the years, flew, they were far fewer at Valley Forge his family there because his wife continues our disagreements have been many and sometimes loud. Through it all, we continue to need each other. If you count the growing number of other occasions that now brings us together — the youth working and just do it, many participants congresses, the meetings of the Federation said. Kaemarz Dotivala, a leader ^f the of Zoroastrian Associations of North <-----------zzz^ ~ , r, l r- America, the deliberations of the Mobed never been shy to speak his mind, offered Munshi and Dotivala Deboo, Engineer, Council, and so on —it seems we just can ’t a simple explanation for all this: The Shahnari and Khurody; (center) have enough of each other ’s company. community has matured, he said. Bagli, Shahzadi, Mistree and audience Nearly 500 of us met at the Sheraton- Valley Forge convention center, in the suburbs of Philadelphia, over July 1-4, 1994 for the Ninth North American Zoro ­ astrian Congress. That ’s an impressive number considering that here, as else ­ where in the world, the Zarthosti com ­ munity ’s numbers are small (even gener ­ ous estimates don ’t exceed 10,000) and its members are far-flung. And this kind of thing happens every two years. It ’s a remarkable feat, even more so, I can attest, because as a member of the host group, the Zoroastrian Asso ­ ciation of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, I that virtually none of the youthful inquiries was privileged to have an inside view of had to do with that issue. how such an event is put together. “The youth were more keen on finding It takes months of labor and sacrifice out about getting educated in (the basic the part of dedicated volunteers to tenets of) Zoroastrianism than dwelling . on old controversies, ” said one participant afterwards. There were other examples. Out in the lobby during one tea and coffee break, a delegate from Chicago was heard discussing the prospects of building homes for the Zarthosti aged. And in the next two decades, quite a few of us will be aged and a potential burden to our children. Our children will be the first generation of Zarthostis native to than on some occasions before. Typical was the sentiment at large dur ­ ing the workshop on promoting Zarthosti business: Let ’s stop talking about net- community in Houston and one who has Left to right (top) Desai, Choksy, Erach, never been shy to speak his mind, offered Munshi and Dotivala, Deboo, Engineer, a simple explanation for all this: The Shahriari and Khurody; (center) community has matured, he said. Bagli, Shahzadi, Mistree and audience The passage of years apparently has including Pervin Mistry, Tahamtan taken the edge off seemingly intractable Aresh and Silloo Kavarana; (bottom) problems of doctrine and dogma — off Ichaporia and exhibits highlighting issues such as conversion and acceptance Zoroastrian achievers (Pho^s from and dualism and calendars. Porus Cooper) Oh we can ’t and won ’t let go of them, as the proceedings at Valley Forge showed. And perhaps we shouldn ’t. But these days more pressing issues seem to occupy our minds. A good example of that was the youth workshop, where some of the featured speakers came prepared to field questions about conversion, and were astounded r on I . bring so ambitious an enterprise to life. There are endless meetings, countless tele ­ phone calls, reams of correspondence, numerous disappointents and several scares. Pet ideas are shot down and egos are bruised. Mercifully, the worries and disappoint ­ ments wash away at the sight of the hun ­ dreds of intent faces in the audience. But it isn’t only the hard work of the host groups that connects every congress „ to every other. Each appears to have North America. Their attitudes towards become a living link like one year to another in our lives. By that analogy, the gathering in Valley Forge perhaps marked Asian joint families but rather by the cold the North American Zarthosti com- exigencies of their economic situation. their retired parents are likely to be in­ formed not by memories of cosy South exigencies of their economic situation. 32 Parsiana April 1996to lose and everything to gain, are being each year, ” McIntyre said, urging her lis- teased by fate as we cross middle age. Now we struggle along with everything to lose. Our master ’s and PhD degrees, the • • - “Without really realizing how or why, teners to back up good thoughts and words we were aware that we had evolved very with action. differently although apparently being told And, she added, “don ’t limit yourself to we had everything in common, ” she said vessels that carried us to middle-class projects that benefit only the Zoroastrian prosperity, are ancient and leaky now. For community. ” some of us they are barely adequate as life rafts. The growing economic concerns of youthful members of the community than members of the community will have to be addressed, along with the spiritual and social concerns, if future congresses are to be meaningful. k of her discomfiture as a child of Iranian Zarthosti origin amid gatherings of Parsis The congress organizers made a special in London. As she grew older and probed effort to involve a greater number of the deeper, she said she realized to her surprise that the two groups diverged even in their practice of the faith. She is not alone in recommending a return to the Gat has, “which impart our basic values, ” nor is she staking out an If American Zarthostis become uncer- Shahin Bekhradnia, Jams Heed cnoKsy, exclusively Iranian-Zarthosti position in - • “ doing so. The Iranian-Parsi divide, while hardly be of assistance to their brethren Jamshed Engineer, Ms Ferzin Jungalwalla, persistent, is complex because it also co- - " *' ' • • incides in many respects with the ideo ­ logical fault line in the Zarthosti commu ­ nity at large and thus cuts across national origins. Many Parsis, at least in the West, are of like mind and willing, as Bekhradnia is, to scrutinize the centuries-old encrus ­ tations of tradition and ritual with some before. After all, if old-age homes are ever built, the next generation may have to help pay for them. So on the stage were an array of new voices — Ms Shernaz Bamji, Ms Shahin Bekhradnia, Jamsheed Choksy, certain of their economic well-being, they Farobag Cooper, Ms Shanaya Deboo, can 1___ J - ¦ ¦ — in places like Surat and Kerman. If we MsKhursheedKhurody,ShervinShahriari, struggle, what use can we be to priests Ratansha Vakil, Ms Natalie Vania, Ms back home whose plight was eloquently Shehernaz Joshi Verahrami and several outlined by Cawas Desai, a founder of the Zoroastrian Association of Pennsylvania and New Jersey? And how would we ever address the dire shortage of priests in the US and Canada? The prosperity and happiness of the much thoughtful commentary, it seems community here depend on putting our the future of the Zarthosti community in spiritual tenets to practical use, suggested North America is in safe hands. Ms Dina McIntyre, a Pittsburgh lawyer — • - who has edited a hugely popular 12-lesson introduction to the Gathas. “Pick up some project of good work hardly a duplicate of Zarthosti life and mores in Iran, as Bekhradnia, who lives in England, pointed out in her remarks. The new circumstances of a new conti ­ nent inevitably will bring change. Zarthosti life in India and Pakistan, after all, is •I 4' 'i I l*W i3e t others. Not surprisingly, they did not all march to the same drummer. Not surprisingly, they drew mixed reactions from the listen ­ ers. All in all, however, after hearing so skepticism. The debate was swiftly joined by Ms Pervin Mistry, a Canadian student of Ilm- e-Khshnoom, and others. How this debate concludes, if it ever will, cannot be foretold. What can safely be predicted is this; No one can stop the passage of time on this continent from putting its own unique stamp on how the religion is practiced, as it dia in India. In this regard, a sobering reminder was forthcoming from Ervad Yezdi P. Antia, who at present heads the North American Mobed Council. “In North America, ” he told the discus ­ sion on religious education, “contacts bet ­ ween many families are few and far bet ­ ween. Even in the same city, it is difficult to meet for educational and religious pur ­ poses due to the distances involved. The transmission of the religion and values is not automatic through the community as before. It is mainly done by special effort made in individual bames. ” Here there are no Parsi colonies to foster community solidarity; there are no agiaries and atash behrams where to kindle religious fellowship; and once you get past that old mainstay, Zubin Mehta, there are no indigenous community heroes and role models — no Tatas, no Wadias, no Godrejs, no Dadabhai Naorojis, no Farrokh Engineers, no Homi Bhabhas, no Nani Palkhivalas and their Iranian counterparts — to aspire to emulate. Some groups and some individuals have made Herculean efforts to foster substitute traditions. Periodic religious classes are organized for the children in many places. continued to page 36 AifjiiiZOROASTRIANS ABROAD-_______________-____ Where do we go from here? The Ninth North American Zoroastrian Congress examines the issues that confront the preservation of Zoroastrian cuiture at the turn of a generation Once the formalities of invocation, thrown religion... (Though) exposed to the ins^red^such humbandagi and lighting the diva were i completed, Jimmy Bharucha, president of disappear. Liberty of worship the Zoroastnan Association of Pennsylva ­ nia and New Jersey (ZAPANJ) welcomed the gathering to the Ninth North American Zoroastrian Congress and Ms Freny Ranji, Muslim _ priests and theologians were Congress chairperson delivered the inau- f The first of the four sessions dealt with fire altars were to be found in his day (ninth tants of cosmopolitan communities and a the history and evolution of Zoroastrian- century) in Irak, Fars, Kerman, Seistan, busy city life with less time for functions ism from^ancient times to the Sassanian Khorassan, Tabaristan, Azarbaijan, etc. ” and rituals, had led to changes in Iran. Empire and the period after migration Providing “a youth perspective on our Long rituals are rarely performed, cer- from Iran. Speaking on doctrinal variations history ,” within Zoroastrianism in ancient and me- p -¦ j’- dieval Iran, Dr Jamsheed Choksy of noted, “It is important for peopleand Princeton, New Jersey, traced the deve- 1 ’ ‘ lopment of dualistic ideas from the ethical treated as being different in the environ- concept of Zarathushtra to the “bifurca- r - tion of the world along dualistic lines ” by understand the source of their differences. . rP. Oral history has been particularly poignant migration to Tehran and abroa^ has in the Iranian Zoroastrian setting, noted ’ ’ ’ t —j-„ Bekhradnia, referring to the collective memory of past persecutions. It was this racial memory that rang alarm bells when , , „ Islamic fundamentalism reechoed in the hension of the prophetic message, said country on the downfall of the Shah, she The day ’s second session found four papers. Discussing aspects under the head ..c, ___________________________ ‘Doctrines and rituals in Zoroastrianism ’ faith. .. Even as late as the mid-ninth century were KhojesteMistree of Zoroas^ian Stud- — 200 years after Islam ’s incursion — risk of perishing, Zoroastrianism did not ¦ ¦ ) was not at first denied to the followers of the ancient flogged because they had destroyed the Sughd fire temples. Mas ’udi writes that ies, Bombay, Dr Jehan Bagli of Princeton, Bahram Shahzadi of California and Ratansha Vakil of New Jersey. Shahzadi noted how urbanization, with its concomi- century) in Irak, Fars, Kerman, Seistan, Khorassan, Tabaristan, Azarbaijan, etc. ” Providing “a youth perspective on our liiovw.j, ” Ms Shahin Bekhradnia of emonial articles are placed on a table and Oxford ’s department of anthropology the mobeds as well as the laity sit on chairs instead of on the ground. Education has changed tSe perception of the religion with people becoming “introduced to the ¦’ It has also opened employment opportunities so that duced the number of mobeds in Yazd ai^ Kerman. “An understanding of the rituals plays an important catalytic role in the compre- _¦ • •• 1 Bagli, who chose their significance as his theme. In the Gathas the prophet pleads with Ahura Mazda to reveal to him and his followers the path to ideal existence, a strength of character so that humanity can think, speak and act in consonance with Ahura Mazda ’s attributes. Coming to the younger Avestciy Bagli said that in the first karda of the Hom Yasht we read the de ­ mand for a “long list of blessings from the particularly children who either feel or are ment where they are being brought up, to principles of the holy (^athas. « 1,1 ________fiL.’ AmrtlnvtriAnt nnnnrtiinil concept of Zarathushtra to the “bifurca- medieval Zoroastrians who framed a whole litany of customs and rituals to guard against demonic pollution “from sex, childbirth and menstruation to eating, bathing and grooming. ” “It is man who shapes his gods and his religion: he needs a spiritual milieu at ­ tuned to his times, ” noted Farrokh Vajifdar added, of the World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO), London, who chose the theme ‘Zoroastrianism in exile: renaissance and approaching glory. ’Recapitulating the so- in fifth century Iran and the rigidities of the priestly and royal hierarchies that _ preceded the arrival of Islam, Vajifdar had little interest in or knowledge of their noted “An invading Islam found the con- backgrounds, because they were secure and took their security for granted (and divinity, sharply contrasting with the gathic even) began to challenge the older genera- i---------- . _ tions ’ high regard for... the Pahlavi re- < „ - . gime... However, experience has changed prayers for confession, devotion, benedic- all this (and) reawaked in Iranian Zoroas- " ‘ w/ith ar. trians both at home and outside Iran, a real awareness that they are different... I be ­ lieve that a process is underway of search ­ “Some anthropologists have argued that it is normal for the younger generation to reject and challenge the perspective of the nreceeding generation and their relation- cial economic and religious disturbances ship with those wielding power... In tact, ................ " in the comfortable days of the Pahlavi regime, many young Zoroastrians in Iran quered land ripe for conversion to the new faith ” and quoted Prof Ms Mary Boyce in substantiation: “‘By accepting Islam, a Zoroastrian freed himself at a stroke from the many rites and obligations which bound him to his own priests from cradle to grave. ’” ternal exile ” Vajifdar notes that “Pahlavi ing for information about the culture and literature continued to flourish tor some four centuries after Yazdegard and it is from such writings that we can today glean information as to the position of the over ­ mantras. ” With the younger Avestc emerges various groups of prayers such as Though “Zoroastrianism went into in- the ideas that have led to such a deter ­ mined and tenacious stand against Islam in the face of renewed persecution... We become curious about the ideas that have tion, proscription and exorcism with ac companying rituals, said Bagli. Con ­ comitant with this development there grev an acute need for the performers of thesi rituals which led to an elaborate hierarch; of priesthood. ” Bagli proceeded to trace this develop ment until the time “the purity rules be came a dominating force in (themselves 34 Parsiana April 1995 *£ I ;< rather than the doctrinal principles they symbolized... The notion that the laity can gain spiritual advantage through the prayers we can learn anything from what ails pub- of the priest rather than understanding the principles for themselves, became perva ­ sive among the community... With the passage of time, the lofty concept of Asha children to outer influences and a lifetime was overshadowed by the... performance of disenchantment and unfulfilled aspira- of the ritual for its own sake. The bareshnum was administered to priests and laity alike to confer ritualistic purity. It was deemed important for the yaodathregars who ad ­ ministered this ritual to undergo the same as a means of revival of their ritualistic volvement Gandhi noted, “The question purity. As pointed out by Prof Boyce and (for the community) is not of survival Sir Jivanji Modi, the ritual was adminis ­ tered to an individual in proxy by a priest undergoing the ritual, for the person to ownership; the practice of a religion and attain religo-ritual purity. ” Bagli quoted Boyce on the prevailing beliefs of the knowledge and inherent ethical and philo- time: “Tf a man has not been thus purified sophical understanding, does. ” during his lifetime, the divine beings cannot / bring themselves to approach his departed experience fills our needs, people will spirit and he must wait to go to the judge ­ ment seat until his son or heir undergoes the cleansing for him or pays a priest to do so. ’” The session on effective religious edu ­ cation had Ms Villy Gandhi, Ms Dina McIntyre, Ms Natalie Vania, Cawas Desai and Ms Khursheed Khurody. “An empha ­ sis on content alone, without creative ap ­ plication, provides academic learning in today ’s world. “When the world looked isolation of relevance or practical con ­ text... Children learn by what they live... If cities and efficient fuel consumption, Gen ­ eral Motors failed to address the problem and to confront the truth. Similarly IBM went through years of corporate blind ­ ness which caused them not to see the revolution taking place in mini and per ­ sonal computers which were becoming as powerful as IBM’s mainframes... It is lie education today, it is the all-important lesson that children of parents who remain inactive in their education relegate their toward smaller cars for convenience in tions, ” declared Gandhi whose involve ­ ment with the Zoroastrian Association of tempting to explain these crises purely in Greater New York as educator and former president is well known. Putting issues into perspective and urging parental in- economic terms; however, I submit that the problem does not lie with the system but with the souls and individual moralities of the leaders and followers that make up the systepi... Do we really need to pay thousands of dollars to institutions such as the Harvard Business School, to take courses in business ethics, only to learn about truth and righteousness, basic hu ­ man decency, honesty and integrity — perhaps the most fundamental of Gathic According to McIntyre “If a religious principles? ” asked Khurody. Quoting from . . 1 an article by Dame Mary Warnock, come for it no matter how far away they Khurody added, “ ‘The question for educa- live, or how busy they are. ” Noting that “our religion has become something of a spectator sport, ” McIntyre advocated the how to engage their feelings and make analysis of real contemporary problems them love the one and hate the other, which within the framework of the teachings of Zarathushtra. Taking the cue from McIntyre, Khurody discussed the future of the priesthood in discussed the relevance of the Gathas in 1 alone as much as it is of qualitative endur ­ ance. Birthright does not create credible a way of life that it creates, based on learned tionists is not how to teach people the difference (between) right and wrong, but is a far more difftcult thing to do. ’ ” Desai, a past president of ZAPANJ, discussed the future of the priesthood in North America (NA) against me backdrop of the community ’s depletion and the im- i V ii For Pure Diamonds JEWELLERS 324, Grant Road, Bombay 400007. Telephone 3099648 Fax 3073483 APPOINTED VALUERS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Inoverishment of mobeds in India. He noted cooperation. A second edition of the Busi- that North America has two sources — the ness and Professional Directory is said to Eduction of its own youth into the priest- be on its way. Additionally, business coor- hood and the import of initiates from India dinators from each state are I«mg hsted^ The governors of the states of New Jersev, Delaware and Pennsylvania sent .... 1 - 'T'U ..J entire Congress was videotaped with tapes of entire sessions or i, being available at $ 25 apiece from Porus Cooper, as notes the FETANA Journal. have raised brows at Philadelphia, accor ­ ding to reports reaching Parsiana in Bombay. Three of the NA Zoroastrian lecture circuit ’s most prestigious names were bypassed, it is said, on the express condition of an affluent orthodox sponsor of the Congress. “It is sad that two of our finest speakers in NA — Kaikhosrov Irani speakers at this Congress, ” McIntyre had noted in the course of her speech. The third was Dr Ali A. Jafarey. It The former need to learn their prayers and the rudiments of Gujarati. The problem is one of finding those who are ( . teaching these in the NA milieu now and in the next generation. In this context Desai said, “It should be noted here that a few priests in India, particularly those who fancy themselves as the champions of orthodoxy, and therefore the self appointed protectors of the faith, have proven to be most unhelpful in this regard. ” Recounting the case of a 17-year-old athornan of North America who sought to undergo his initiation as a navar in India, Desai said, “all kinds of made^ the presentation excuses were put forth ” against the project that he was overage, did not read/was not fluent in Gujarati and “what will he do if he becomes a navar? ” Acknowledging that “we do not have an infrastructure to teach the religion and without an infrastructure we will get no ­ where, ” Desai recalled the suggestion of memoeis uclkcu mat ° ¦ . frnm these motes the Congress Prof Richard Frye of Harvard to Zoroastn- Zoroaslrian Awar p^esidenl^Ms was a succ^s, as notes Jim Engineer in Whatever funds we did come by on what I It is inscribed with the narnes oi me g L£XManatohe,p„ndanswers darbe mehers which I believe are monu- Ontario for his work m molding that body for themselves. mlms TX vandy and folly, some of relimons classes for youth and c.n,p,w b, s. Mama which cannot even be maintained in a reasonable state of repair without the trust ­ ees having constantly to go to the commu ­ nity with hat in hand. ” The papers of Dr Pallan Ichaporia, Mistree, Vakil and Vania were not avail ­ able to Parsiana to highlight in this report. Notable among the workshops which also included ones on religious education, youth and women ’s networking, was the one on business and the professions, meant to develop a strong network among Zoro ­ astrian I---------- viewed as essential for the economic growth of the community. < Farshid Salamati, principal at Environ ­ mental Innovations which now has over 20 Outstandjng branches, as per the FETANA Journal, the gathering enabled participants to share experience and develop plans for future sionally organized congress UlVL/lVIlt lU , — - - ’T'V capable of messages of goodwill to the Congress. The lUCUtauvu w nil VWJ.7WM ------------ - r- individual speakers and Farhand Mehr — are not among the The tenth Congress, jointly hosted by the excluded person Zoroastrian Organization (PZO) was noted, on behalf of the organizers ^that Persian -------- and the Zoroastrian Association of North ­ ern California (ZANC) will be held in San Francisco in 1---------------- PZO president Manoucher Mobedshahi. Mehraban Zartoshty, guest of honor, ¦ 1 of the biennial awards for excellence in various fields on July 2. A standing ovation greeted Rohin- ton Rivetna, founder president of the Fed ­ eration of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) and his wife Roshan who, having shared the travail, shared the plaque of recognition. FEZANA members decreed that the Outstanding picked. ” Zoroastrian Award presented on this occa ­ sion to incoming FEZANA president Ms Dolly Dastoor, henceforth be known as the Rohinton Rivetna Outstanding Zoro ­ astrian Award in recognition ol Rivetna s contribution to the community as the architect of FEZANA. A newly instituted rotating trophy was these three speakers had been heard so often, there was nothing new that they 1996 under the leadership of could contribute! The other contretemps was the presen ­ tation of two awards to the Bagli family when Bagli himself chaired the Awards Committee. On the latter issue Cooper has clarified in a letter to Parsiana that it was a personal embarrassment for Bagli whose “work on the committee was of a clerical nature and (who) had nothing whatever to do with the process by which he and the various other winning nominees were was presented to ------- president of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario for his work in molding that body, organizing religious classes for youth and adults. His services to the chronically ill and to misguided youth was recognized by the Canandian government with a Com ­ memorative Medal in 1992, notes t..~ FE7ANA Journal. Bagli, a research chemist with 60 plus publications, founder president of the Zoroastrian Association of Quebec, editor of Gavashni and, initially, of the FEZANA newsletter, received the award for profes ­ sional excellence. His son Dr Darius Bagli OD a siru.m who graduated as chief resident from the businessmen and professionals. Harvard Medical School m 1993 and performs as a pianist with the Longwood bit by fragile bit, m . • 1 xi < •*«/-11XZ1/4i I al i AN URGE TO GATHER the continued front-page 33 There is a growing body of basic religious and historical instruction available locally in the English language for the children. But all said and done, it still comes down to special efforts in individual homes. After so many congresses and so much collective passion expended on so many contentious issues, the community ’s pros- ¦ in North America still remain, fragile ................1 the hands of each individual Zarthosti family. Zoroastrian Achievement Award. The This is an expanded version of the piece tha appeared in FEZANA Journal, Fall 1994. An editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Porus Coo per was chairman of the Publications Committei forthe Ninth North American Zoroastrian Congress Chaired by Symphony Orchestra received the Young ___ J Student Award went to Stanford University's Cyrus Hirjibehdin. Two aspects of an otherwise profes- are said to 36 Parsiana April 1995BOOKS HEROES FAMED FOR ZEROS Homi Rogers Out fora Duckby Kersi Meher-Homji. Published in 1994 by Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd, 3 Whitehall Road, Kenthurst NSW 2156 Australia. Pp: 112. Price: Not mentioned. or the other, have | faced the ignominy ’ of a ‘duck, ’ a word that Meher-Homji informs us origi ­ nated in the 1860s aU resembles a ‘duck ’s egg. ’ W Meher-Homj i H draws upon the sta- n tistics of 1,260 tests ¦ played up to June 1994 1 in which, we are told, 1 4,592 ducks have been ' recorded, with quite a few zero-heros hailing from India. B. S. Chandra- shekhar, our spin sultan, fj An apocryphal story we narrated as school- boy.s reflected our unconcealed angst at the fortunes of the Nawab of Pataudi, Jr, because the figure ‘O’ who had ‘hooked ’ our heartthrob Ms Sharmila Tagore. In the tale actress Tagore phones the stadium, asks for Pataudi, and is told that the Nawab had just gone in to bat. “No problem. I’ll hold on, ” coos back the actress. But despite Pataudi ’s penchant, as we liked to believe, for quickly getting back to the pavilion, Kersi Meher-Homji tells us in his new book Out for a Duck that the Nawab did not feature in the consistently- out-for-a-duck list. For that matter, where Pataudi ’s name does occur in the book (as holds several test records as the helpful and well-compiled index in- a batsman: 23 ducks, four forms us), it is for making a prophetic pairs (zero runs in both innings of a statement to a ‘duck-on-debut ’ player, G. R. Vishwanath. “You ’ll hit a ton in the second innings,” Pataudi is reported to have said. Vishwanath did, scoring 137, and earns inclusion in the work under (*indicates not out), review for being a batsman on those not so rare occasions (34 such, as per the count here) when a player scored a zero and a century in the same test. (The inverse pattern of a century in the first innings and a zero in the next, too, has been docu ­ mented, and stands at the figure of 45.) Out for a Duck is a compilation of oddities ‘revolving ’ around the bugbear of cricketers: the ugly duck(ling). Within the book ’s 112 fact-filled pages, you find an entire range of quirks and tidbits of infor ­ mation on, for example, the batsman who for a Duck is a Wisden-like compilation of has registered the most zeroes, to the bowler who has dismissed the maximum number of players for this score. In short, the book — a veritable sixer from Bombay-born Meher-Homji — chronicles the lives and times of cricketers who, at some time more, felicitous with his pen in recreating the events behind the ducks. The book includes all 1 the drama, the trauma, I the pathos and the ¦ philosophy of the zero, ¦ presenting many ¦ interesting, little- B known and bizarre snippets on ducks made at test, first- class and minor matq^ levels. Sample the pun Meher-Homji in- * dulges in when 4 recording the rare case of a batsman, Percy Fender, who “hit a six and a duck off the same ball. ” The feat was ; accomplished, as “his huge six...landed in 1 a fowlyard and killed a duck. ” There ’s i more pun-fun when Meher-Homji records j - M4 SP*”" !>»»» test) including a king pair (out first ball in both innings); and during the ’77-’78 tour to Australia, “scores resembling a Gwydir G. Duck being bowled by T. j a pearl necklace: ’’ 0,0; 0*,0*; 0,0. Gander; or a John Duck and son Stephen \ bowling to Colin Swan and brother Ken. \ Meher-Homji has stumped with facts j all those who lov^ their cricket for its i wicked wicket ways... or has he bowled L them over? He informs us how at a match j 0,0; 0*,0*; 0,0. Mohinder Amarnath, who in the first six months of ’82-’83 plundered 1,182 runs from Pakistan and the West Indies, scored just one run in the three-test series against the Windies later that year, bagging in Sydney in 1974, five wickets fell to a I five ducks, including two pairs. And India ’s ball in a rare cumulation of events: a j bespectacled opener, Pankty Roy had failed batsman did not turn up because he took a j to score four times in a row against En- bus to Kennington instead of Kensington; gland in 1952. On the positive side is Kapil another was run out on a no-ball; two were) Dev ’s record of 68 dismissals for zero: the highest for any bowler in test cricket. If all this gives an impression that Gwr zero scorers, perish the thought! For Meher- Homji, who acclaims his own felicity at ‘making ducks ’ (his most memorable one being in the 1968 Kanga League match at Bombay against the Wadekar-Gavaskar- Vengsarkar combine) is equally, if not declared out as the ball struck the batting: partner on his head cracking his skull, then? rebounded to be caught by a fielder, thus? leaving the last man in with no partner toi run with. Yet another outlandish tale is of openei Ivan Hutchings who carried his bat througlj a complete innings. His score: zero. Hi} other partners made the team ’s score of 2o runs. That is surely one record apro Zubii 38 Parsiana January 7995 L ^4ili I Bharucha, who only recently became the READERS’ FORUM first Bombay player to carry his bat through continued from page 10 an Irani trophy innings, would not like to Balaporia (January ’94) and Adille emulate! While such details about minor matches give the book a frothy (though not zero ­ value) buoyancy, it is not without mo ­ ments of pulsating drama that would thrill Meher Gandevia of Chocophile features in a true-blue cricket aficionado. Sir Donald Sumariwalla (June ’87). We have tried to interview Mickey Mehta who has, on two occasions, been unable to meet our re ­ porter despite previous appointments. Ms our December ’94 issue with other Zoroas ­ trian ladies who have proved their mettle in this competitive trade. A I I ’’Si ¦ « > Of late I find the reading is rather dull and sterotyped. The policy of your magazine should be impartial although at times you can give your magazine ’s views i.e. the Editor ’s. Itdoesnotmatterwhatthe Editor ’s views are provided the reader forms his own conclusions. Yes, there are legal implications. Your magazine may be exposed to prosecution, but if the Editor has guts he can overcome the legal aspect of it. Every newspaper and magazine has its own policy in judging i controversial subjects. I can quote the In­ dian Express for it has faced many pro- cecutions but in the end it has succeeded. Your get-up of the magazine is good and I find of late the number of advertisers has increased. Yes, the magazine pays Bradman ’s last appearance where he was only on the number of advertisements and dismissed for a duck is dramatically re ­ corded. (Does anyone remember the bowler, Eric Hollies, who in so doing denied Don a three-figure batting aver ­ age?) Greg Ghappel ’s 1981-82 ‘duck fe ­ ver ’ is retold with chilling facts and fig­ ures. And Arthur Moore ’s first duck, after a century of innings played without the However since Parsiana caters only to zilch, seems to hold a moral for the young Zoroastrians, the readership may not be cricketers of today, as it did for Pataudi: “Stay away from beautiful women before a test match. ” Yet for all its ‘duck-u-menting ’ facts. Out for a Duck does not poke fun at ducksters. Nor does it glorify their (non-^ achievements. Written in a racy, witty style, the book only sets out to prove that ducks are a part of the game. Like measles or acne, cricketers have to go through them. “There has not been one test match in which all 40 wickets fell with no ducks recorded. ” So, as Meher-Homji sees it, “There is life after ducks. ” Does this mean that after such an unusual compilation, there will be an equally entertaining and thought-provoking sequel? May we sug ­ gest, as part of our resurfacing adolescent ardor, an almanac in the same vein on ‘bowling maiden overs? ’ After all, it ’s the bowler who is responsible for the duck. not subscribers i.e. circulation. I may be wrong. So the salesmen who are in charge t of securing advertisements ought to be = very efficient and if your circulation is high there is every possibility of securing more advertisers. So much so that even on TV we find advertisements for magazines. ! that high. If some of the articles are of current news then there is every chance that any layman can go for it. F. K. TARAPORE Madras Edited by Arnavaz S. Maroa Always remember TAT A BAT A KHA MBA TTA Ketayun & Bomi 22/A, WellingtonTerrace VVellington Street Bombay400002 Tel No. 2069636. 39 Parsiana January 1995 £! ? 5 OJ g .S a hi' ; c S s SI •§ na § 1 5 S ..£ 0)00 2 .2 •V g .2 III S 11 111 E g « bS? o - S 3 ™ 01 Vi II ifftS i SL' - r' * c - ? Idl 031^1 I ¦" UJ ft) _ Q. o .1 I f I = 'f a; M VI S S 01 IV tg£ & « u <U ¦D ** OS III .1 ,‘J’i S illll <{ 1 s I is 45^ 4» .» Sr? s. ¦j -TMILESTONES The age of Zoroastrian brides (as listed in this issue) ranged between 19 and 44 years, the arithmetic mean — the total number of individual ages divided by the total number of brides — being 27 years. The corresponding figures for the grooms were 24 and 53 years, averaging at 31 years. There were 24 births in Bombay in November 1994. Of the 79 Zoroastrians who died in Bombay in November, the major killer —heart disease — claimed 28 patients. Of these, 12 were above 80 years of age. The other killers were cancer (seven), pneumonia and lung disease and old age and general debility (six each) . Four deaths were attributed to brain disease and three to asthma. Two victims each fell prey to liver disease, septicemia, Parkinson ’s disease, gastro ­ enteritis, kidney failure and hypertension. The 10 isolated cases registered in November were: enteric fever (typhoid and paratyphoid fever), peritonitis (inflammation of the delicate serous membrane which lines the abdominal and pelvic cavities), anemia, haematemesis (vomitting of blood) with haematuria (blood in the urine), cerebral atheros ­ clerosis, nervous disorder, dia ­ betes, hypoproteinemia, malaria and malnutrition. The coroner ’s report was still pending in the case of three deaths. Two youths. BOMBAY BOR N A girl to Benaaz and Phiroze Mistry on November 1, 1994 A girl to Anahita and Behram Ardeshir-, November 3 A boy to Geeta and Aspi Shapoorjee; November 8 A boy to Sharmila and Rustom Pavri-, November 9 A boy to Tinaz and Xerxes Panthaky-, November 10 A boy to Behroze and Kurush Billimoria-, November 11 A girl to Naaz and Shahzad Doneshwar, November 11 A girl to Shernaz and Kerman Mistry-, November 12 A girl to Shahnoor and Mehernosh Mehta-, November 14 A girl to Aban and Jamshed aged 16 and 22 years, were lost to the community. The highest age at death was 99 years as compared to the lowest; a one-day-old baby. The Zoroastrian life expectancy at birth in November , in B ombay , was 73 years. The data on births, marriages and deaths has been compiled from information supplied by various newsletters and anjumans in India and abroad, courts and hospitals. We are unable to carry data from areas where the anjumans do not furnish the par ­ ticulars. This information is not always complete or consistent. For example, the birth figures for Bombay are supplied by four hospitals; births in suburban hospitals and private nursing homes are not included unless individuals send us information together with a copy of the birth certificate. There may be an inadvertent repetition of names in the marriage list when a civil marriage precedes a religious ceremony. In the breakup of deaths according to illnesses, especially of the elderly, death is often due to a combination of several diseases. If readers have any births/ marriages/deaths they would like published, some proof to ensure Adil Jehangir Gagrat-, .1. November 6 Meherangiz Piroz Mirza and Kairus Minoo Balsara-, November 7 Zenobia Tehmtan Karanjia and Neville Faramroze Velati-, November 7 Zenobia Maneck Talavia and Percy Baji Avari-, November 10 Zenobia Pesi Dadiburjor and Percy Dhunjishah Fitter, November 10 Ruby Jimmy Karbhary and Viraz Darab Fouzdar, November 10 Daanish Minocher Irani of Poona and Zyros Zend Zend-, November 10 Soonoo Sam Cooper and Pervez Berjor Sinor, November 11 Soonnu Noshir Dalal and Farokh Tehmurasp Balsara-, November 12 Sooni Rumi Taraporevala and Firdaus Phiroze Bativala-, November 13 Jasmine Yazdi Patel and Darius Minoo Chothia-, November 14 Feroza Dhunjishaw Ichhaporia the veracity of the report would be required. We are sure our readers would appreciate this requirement and cooperate with us. Bapasola; November 15 A girl to Rashna and Rustom Doctor, November 17 A boy to Maharukh and A Sadri', November 18 A girl to Diana and Mehernosh Kotwal-, November 20 A boy, Karl, to Binaifer and Zarir Amaria; November 21 A. boy to Vera and Farhad Choksey, November 21 A girl to Shehnaz and Rohinton Shroff-, November 21 A girl to Jasmine and Nozer Sadri-, November 22 A girl to Nilufer and Farokh Mistry-, November 26 A boy to Smita and Cawas Affinwala-, November 27 A boy to Roshan and Khurshed Bacha-, November 27 A boy to Dilshad and Kerman Marfatia-, November 27 A boy to Tehmina and Percy Patrawala; November 29 A girl to Firuza and Ardeshir Batliwalla-, November 30 A girl to Vabiz and Darayas Dastoor, November 30 MARRI ED Firozee Shapur Irani (Khushrovi) and Jimmy Ratan Hansotia', October 15 Natasha Vistasp Irani of Poona and Yezad Minocher Dumasia-, October 17 Yasmin Minoo Irani and Sarosh Kaikobad Tafti-, October 21 Kamal Dhanjishaw Cooper and Rohinton Eruch Bhathena-, October 22 Hooafareesh Sorab Irani and Ardeshir Faramroze Irani-, October 22 Shiraz Nariman Merchant and Mehernosh Rusi Pardiwala; October 23 Pervin Sohrab Modi and Rohinton Dara Patel-, October 23 Yasmin Jal Irani and Feroz Rustom Ebtedai-, October 25 Armin Aspi Hataria and Rohinton Erach Fatakia-, October 27 Shiraz Behram Vazifdar and and Rishad Hoshang Pithawalla of Jamshedpur; November 14 Maharukh Bhikaji Avari of Valsad and Darius Bomi Pithawala-, November 15 Nazneen Phiroze Baria and Feroze Behram Limboowalla of Poona; November 17 Zarine Rustomji Daiuwala and Dinsha Rustomji Singpoorwala-, November 17 Maharukh Faredoon Motafram and Sohrab Kekobad Vazifdar, November 17 Farahnaz Adi Daruwala and Daraius Phiroz Wadia-, November 17 Persis Dinyar Mohta and Meh^mosh Rusi Choksy-, November 18 Zarfshan Fili Dhalla and Hosheder Sapal Amaria-, November 19 Avan Dara Olpadwala and Homyar Dara Kasad-, November 19 Parizad Sam Fitter and Hoshang Sherry Irani-, November 20 Veera Bomi Ppnthaki and Yazdi Noshir Medh^a-, November 20 J Roshni Rusi Carnac and Cyrus / Noshir Daruwala; November 21 J Tannaz Erachshaw Mistry and 1 Kaiomarz Godrej Dotivala; November 21 Prochi Homi Shroff and Dara Dhunjishaw Elavia-, November 21 Meher Rusi Nallaseth and j Farhad Kavasji Engineer, November 21 Meher Mehernosh Ichhaporia and Dady Minoo Daruwalla; j November 22 Parivc^ Marzban Kasad and Noshir Sherry Irani-, j November 22 Bakhtavar Hoshang Sarkari and j Darayus Rattanshaw j Khambatta-, November 22 j Homai Bejanji Kanga and Dara { Savakshaw Mahuvawalla-, November 22 Hutoxi Behram Bilimoria and Porus Eruch Kateli-, November 23 j Behroze Boman Bacha and j Novzer Tehmurasp Colah-, j November 24 i Meher Rustom Talavia of i Ahmedabad and Dinyar Noshir] Gamir, November 24 Jasmin Nariman Tavaria and Paurus Sam Kohina-, !< 1 j 40 Parsiana January 1995 ¦I I !» November 24 Farzana Dara Irani and Abadan Aspi Irani of Dahanu Rd; November 25 Mehrangiz Adi Tantra and Mehernosh Rusi Kharadv, November 25 Dilshad Kersi Sahiar and Ruzbeh Rohinton Gandhi; November 26 Ferozie Hosie Barjorji and Muncher Kali Wadia; November 26 Anahita Darabshah Bavaadam and Farzad Sohrab Ghista; November 27 Khurshid Fall Dubash and Dinshaw Burjor Sahukar; November 21 Khurshid Sarosh Master and Khurshed Minoo Bharucha; November 28 Shiraz Dinshaw Irani of Palghar and Jahanbux Eruch Irani of Dahanu; November 2^ Farida Burjor Sutaria and Adil Phiroze Mehta; November 29 Ruby Homi Sepai of Lucknow and Kerman Rusi Pithawala; November 29 Meher Jimmy Bilimoria and Khurshed Burjor Poonawala; November 30 I'll I DIED Maneck Eruch Daruwalla (22), residing at 5/5, Om Sai Krupa Chawl, Vithalwadi, Dist Thane, 421300; November 1 Meherbai Framroz Doctor (97), Maskati Comer, 37 Altamount Rd, 400026; November 1 Naval Dhunjishah Hansotia (70), 9 Hill View-1, Hill Rd, Bandra 400050; November 1 Jeroo Adi Sanjana (59), Sandhurst Hse, 33 Mereweather Rd, 400039; November 1 Khorshed Kershasp Dubash (80), Minocher Block, Mehla Patel Agiary Lane, Grant Rd, 400007; November 2 Burjor Hormusji Goiporia (67), Piroja Mans, Opp Grant Rd Stn, 400007; November 2 Pirozshah Dhcnji Mistry (94), B, Old Adenwalla Bldg, Tulsi Pipe Rd, Mahim, 400016; November 2 Meherbai Byramji Umrigar (98), Patel Bldg, 782, M. Joshi Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; November 2 Jerbanoo Khurshed Cursetji (88), Wadia Bldg, Princess St, 40(3002; November 3 Banoobai Darabsha Patel (83), Lentin Bldg, 12/14, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; November 3 Goolbanoo (Dolly) Pirojsha Pavri (93), Shiv Shanti Bhuvan, M. Karve Rd, 400020; November 3 Daddy Shiavax Vatcha (76), M/54, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; November 3 Goverbai Khushrao Irani (78), 3, Niamat Manzil, N. P. St, Grant Rd, 400007; November 4 Phiroze Dadabhoy Madon (74), 2, Ganga Vihar, TPS-III, 20th Rd, Bandra (W), 400050; November 4 Minoo Shavakshaw Mehta (78), Old Khan Bldg, 275/F, Zoroastrian Clny, Grant Rd, 400007; November 4 Hilla Shahpur Ratnagar (48), P. O. 3668, Abu Dhabi, UAE; November 4 Dhun Framroze Dordi (72), H/26, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 40(K)39; November 5 Mamai Dorabji Cooper (82), 34, Piroja Mans, Sir Ratan Tata Rd, Tardeo, 400034; November 7 Homai Hoshang Mistry (80), 2/1, Versova View, Sadguru Ngr, Four Bglws, Andheri (W), 4(M)058; November 7 Najoo Framroze Nazir (85), 170/D, Amtoobai Blocks, S. V. Rd, Bandra, 400050; November 7 Naval Framji Davar (11), The View, Hornby Vellard, Worli, 400018; November 8 Pesi Ratanshaw Nakra (72), 394, Mancharam Bldg, Grant Rd, 400007; November 8 Soli Edulji Pavwala (72), I-D/2, Blue Arch Coop Hsg Soc, Four Bglws, Andheri (W), 400058; November 8 Allamai Rustomji Turner (91), 5/15, Tata Clny, Sir Ratan Tata Rd, Tardeo, 400034; November 8 Homi Kharsetji Guard (97), 16, Sethna Bldg, 216, Princess St, 400002; November 11 Meheran Rustomji Mistry (80), Tardeo Chmbs, Kashinath St, Tardeo, 400034; November 11 Jamshedji Hormusji Bilimoria (82), C/o Curush F. Bilimoria, 22, Essup Bldg, Mehla Patel Agiary Lane, Grant Rd, 400007; November 12 Shirinbai Ardeshir Davierwalla (90), 5/6, Ratan Tata Clny, Tardeo Rd, 400034; November 12 Baby of Nilofer Jamasp Irani (1 day), 7, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; November 12 Kaikhushru Jamshedji Kharas (92), B/3, Gowalia Tank Bldg, A. K. Marg, 400036; November 13 Rodabe Rutton Mithaiwala (86), 672, Rd no 14, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; November 14 Hoshi (Hoshang) Lovji Sethna (53), Pardiwala Bldg, 168, Bora Bazar, Fort, 400001; November 14 Tehmina Kaikhoshroo Bhesania (86), F/6, Mody Bldg, Captain Clny, Haji Ali, Tardeo Rd, 400034; November 15 Najamai Dossabhai Gandhi (91), 671, Boyce Bldg, Rd no 13, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; November 15 Pirojshaw Jehangirji Baria (89), SeetaMhl, B.P. Rd, 400036; November 16 Ratti Palonji Kapadia (79), 6, Marine Mans, Byramji Jijibhoy Rd, Bandra (W), 400050; November 16 Roshan Rustomji Bagwadia (86), Mistry Bldg, Balaram St, Grant Rd, 400007; November 17 Adi Jehangirji Jehangir (64), 29/D, Venus Apts, 45, Worli Seaface, 400018; November 17 JerNadirshawDaji(iK), 15, Heera Meher, Wodehouse Rd, Colaba, 400005; November 18 Khorshed Hosang Desai (64), C/o H. B. Desai, Jyoti Mhl, 13, Sleater Rd, 400007; November 18 Goolchar Rustom Irani (60), 82, Acharaya Hse, 1st Marine St, 400002; November 18 Firoze Jehangir Mistry (49), 11-2/B, Sonawalla Bldg, Tardeo, 400007; November 18 J emi Kaikhushroo Bhomisha (76), Roda Bldg, South Frere Bridge, Grant Rd, 400007; November 19 Faredoon Jamshed Irani (88), Mistry Bldg, 10, Padamji Rd, Pavwalla St, 400004; November 19 Perin Noshirwan Jamsetjee (67), Marine Mans, 1st Marine St, 400002; November. 19 Sharukh Homi Korkhao (41), Percy Manor, 791, Jame Jamshed Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; November 19 A di Bhikaji Patel (79), 12/E, Harbour Heights, B/1, N. A. Sawant Marg, Colaba, 400005; November 19 Shavaksha Sorabji Amaria (90), 8-7/C, Sir Ratan Tata Clny, Tardeo, 400034; November 20 Hilla Rusi Divecha (78), 2394, Sholapur Rd, Poona, 411001; November 20 Dina Piloo Kaka (54), Gadiwalla Hse, Gilder Lane, Off Lamington Rd, 400008; November 20 Adi Khurshed Meherhomji (56), Lily Court, Opp Ritz Hotel, Churchgate Reel, 400020; November 20 Sehra Savak Pardiwalla (90), 281, Sidhwa Bldg, Princess St, 400002; November 20 Perin Jal Vajifddr (11), 12, Lentin Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; November 20 Khurshed Maneckshaw Cooper (99), 759, Gulab-Simmo Vihar, Rd no 7, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; November 21 Banoo Framroze Lord (62), M-14, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; November 21 Jerbanoo Dossabhoy Sachinwalla (91), 32, Station Ter, Sleater Rd, 400007; November 21 Banoo Manekji Bhathenaj43), 654, Firdoshi Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; Novbnber 22 Phiroze Pestonji Deboo (63), 13/12, Lentin Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; November 23 Roshan Abadan Irani (58), C, Tapia Bldg, Charni Rd Jn, 400004; November 23 Porus Dali Ustad (16), 10, Agiary Chawl, 273, Dr S. S. Rao Rd, Lalbaug, 400012; November 23 Homai Ratanshaw Menty (78), 16, Agiary Bldg No 2, Lalbaug, 400012; November 24 Erach Jamshedji Mirza (74), 13, Sant Savta-Cross Rd No 3, Byculla, 400027; November 24 Dolly Noshir Shrojf (61), 13, Ahura Apts, Gunpowder Rd, Mazgaon, 400010; November 24 Aloo Minoo Bharucha (75), C, Gowalia Tank Bldg, August Kranti Marg-, 400036; November 26 Minoo Hormusji Billimoria (80), Aziz Bldg, Tardeo Rd, 400034; November 25 Aloo Minocher Kavarana (88), Pallonji Mans, 43, Cuffe Parade, 400005; November 26 Fall Dhunjishah Khambatta (59), C/o G. B. Irani, 59/C, Bazar Rd, Bandra, 400050; 4’ 41 Parsiana January 1995 INovember 26 Nargesh Dossabhai Patel (33), Jehangir Mans No 3, Next to Metro Cinema, 400020; November 26 Behramji Dinshawji Thanawala (73), A, Bhiwandiwalla Ter, 618, Dhobitalao, 400002; November 26 Rustom Hormasji Variava (61), 14/G, S. B. Bharucha Baug, Andheri (W), 4(X)058; November 26 Aloo Homi Contractor (14), 738, Dr Ghanti Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; November 27 Noshir Rustomji Shroff (48), MI/41, Cama Park, Cama Rd, 400058; November 27 Nergish Phirozshaw Talati (89), 10, Albless Bldg, Thakurdwar, 400002; November 27 Najabai Fardunji Talavia (79), B/10, Jer Baug, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Byculla, 400027; November 27 Tehmi Nadirshaw Colabewalla (68), Nargis Villa, Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; November 28 Jamshed Nusserwanji Engineer (71), 9/10, Bldg no 1, Dhunbaiwadi, Dadabhai Rd, Vile Parle (W), 400056; November 28 Vicaji Sorabji Mewawala {ao). Society Bldg, 729, J. Vimadalal Vicaji Sorabji Mewawala (86), Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; November 28 Dhun Boman Billimoria Soida Hse, Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari, 400102; November 30 Homi Phirozshah Dubash (Io), JOJfkLS FOR 1994 Bombay A B A B 6/8, Old Khareghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; November 30 Compiled by Roxana A. Dnver World A______ B BORN Boys Giris married Parsi Intercommunal 11 13 54 114 96 248 52A 6 5 9 3 23 21 9 4 DIED CONSIGNED Males Females CREMATED Males Females A; Total numbers in this issue B: Running totals for 1994 (February Males married out -- 28 • OverXTaths are listed in the consigned column as Parsiana does not ha^p a breakup of those 1 36 43 453 454 56 73 34* 29* 11 7 r-March 1994-January 1995 issues) nCXr of births, marriages and deaths in 1 With Best Compliments From & WEBORNY When in Bombay Contact For attending to your laundry. They are Launderers & Dyers of repute. They will also attend to your carpets for cleaning or dyeing. 42 Parsiana January 1995 66, Phone:. 6 Off E. Moses Road, Worli, Bombay 400018 •. Head Office 2654294 Factory: 4924384,4925644 «IN MEMORIAM MICKEY'S mastery of the line Parinaz Gandhi I i “I hate seeing my work in front of me. high-brow and cerebral for Makes me static. I’d prefer to forget, prefer the average reader, but he to go on. ” So Mickey Patel, 53-year-old painter, illustrator, cartoonist and, to the fore, a dedicated and unpretentious artist, had written to Parsiana four months before Alyque Padamsee, president a massive heart attack claimed his life on August 17, 1994. Progressively his art had evolved and fortune in Delhi but he had a marvellous his versatility gained fame. Yet Mickey stubbornness which I admired, ” Padamsee agency. Advertising and Sales Promotion, himself preferred to sum up the character added. “He joined the agency with no of his works simply as “Dots, spots, dashes, ... lines, smudges, smears, stains; groping, searching, floundering to arrive at some foim of truth or the other... Attempting to i litter a statement: sometimes not. And the utterance could stretch to a cry, a wail, a moan. ” Thus Ms Ajanta Sen Poovaiah recalls his words in her write-up in Debonair^ September 1994. Last October, the Vadehra Art Gallery in New Delhi had scheduled an exhibition of his paintings which Mickey was looking forward to. Following his sudden demise, however, and as a mark of tribute, the organizers decided to prepone the show to September when 17 of his most recent drawings were also on view, his wife Sunila informs us. Mickey was best acclaimed for being a “master of the line ” in the words of cartoonist Mario Miranda. Corroborated filmmaker Saeed Mirza in The Sunday Times of India of August 28, 1994 which carried tributes from Mickey ’s peers: “I don ’t think there was anybody in India who could hold a line as con ­ fidently as he could. Yet he never got the recognition he deserved. ” According to filmmaker Shyam Benegal, “The trouble was that Mic ­ key was so original. ” Miranda remembers pointing out to Mickey that his pocket cartoons “were too 43 Parsiana January 1995 never did agree with me. ” “He did what he wanted to do in his own way, ” stated L of AP Associates. “I warned Mickey not to leave Lintas and seek his formal training, ” noted Gerson Da Cunha, “and was soon a much sought after illustrator and art director. He left because he felt —who knows, with justice —that his skills and spirit were being unduly cabinned. ” After wor ­ king with Lin­ tas for some years in Bombay, Mickey returned to Delhi and soon became art director of the ad For a while he worked with F. D. Stewart ’s ad agency in Madras, mentions an article in The Sunday Times. Mickey had served as creative consultant to various advertis ­ ing agencies as also to UNICEF* and the 1111 overseas vhii World Bank. 0th. organizations with which Mickey was associated are UNESCO (To ­ kyo and Kuala Lumpur), BBC (Lon- don) and the Government of Bhutan ’s DepartmentofEducation. Publications and periodicals that have featured Mickey ’s works include the The Indian Post, the Patriot, India Today, The Statesman, Business Standard, The Times of India, Debonair and Reader’s Digest. Mickey shared his talent and experience with others by con ­ ducting an illustration workshop for the National Book Trust; and by serving on the panel of NCERT and UNICEF, the ministry of infor ­ mation and broadcasting, the de ­ partment of environment, the de ­ partment of culture and the Trade Fair Authority of India. A popular lecturer and examiner at the Jamia Millia Islamia and the Delhi College of Art, several of Mickey ’s students had come to pay their last respects at the Parsi cemetery in Delhi where Mickey was interred. (i. “Talking about his ‘success ’ as an artist, I must mention that he had _ I 11 prize winning international ex- * I¦ f L K3- hibitions (1975-1987), 15 solo and national him as a shy, introverted and sensitive man exhibitions (1960-87), and he won 10 whofeltdeeplyabouthiscountry ’stroubled national and international awards, ” writes political and artistic future. Santo Datta inTTie Hindu of September 16, ’94. Individuals and organizations in dif­ ferent corners ofthe world value Mickey ’s work in their collections. His works also find a place at the Buckminster Fuller Associate, New Y ork/Tokyo; The Y omivri Shimbun, Tokyo; the Grand Museum for played no part in his scheme of things. ” He Cartoons, San Antonio De Los Banos, added lamenting, “India has lost a cartoon- Havana... Karachi born Mickey is said to have published his first cartoon when he was just 14 and preparing to support himself through college. (He graduated in eco ­ nomics from St Stephen ’s College, Delhi.) him speaking ill of anyone either in anger His work was then substantially influenced by the British magazine. Punch. A mentor who molded him considerably was Shankar Pillai of Shankar’s Weekly fame. Encour ­ aging him to transgress all norms was Khusro Rustomji of the Indian Police Ser ­ vice who was then the president of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman. Khushwant Singh is also credited with giving him encourage ­ ment and support while he was still a fledgling artist. The contribution of these three remarkable men Mickey had acknow ­ ledged in an interview with Parsiana, March 1989, when he wryly observed, “There is nothing like a polite drawing. ” The style that Mickey developed was _____ ___________ ____ _ distinctly his own, enabling even a lay Even though we were not able to afford the payment rates he deserved, he would al ­ ways accede to our request for an assign ­ ment and accommodate us in his busy ill health and heavy medication. It “Mickey was a man of few words but one who, once engaged on a one-to-one basis, was an able conversationalist. Barbed and humorous though they often were, his comments were always generous ” contin ­ ued Sabavala. “Ambition and politicking ist of quality who combined the electric crackle of a trenchant pen with the underflow of a fine artist. ” “The unfailing summertime for his friends, ” is how Datta chose to describe Mickey. “I never heard or with envy. ” An obituary by artist Ms Arpana Caur in the First City (September 1994) reads, “For him work meant exclusion of all petty thoughts. This led him to an utter simplic ­ ity of living, an unusual honesty and ab ­ sence of any self importance. No other artist would have...not known how to price his drawings... He loved to draw and drew very fast... It seemed as if forms — whether human, animal or object — sat on his fingertips, forever ready to explode on paper. Behind his quickness and ease were years of discipline. ” That he could be depended on to adhere to his deadlines, Parsiana can vouch for. *££<1 * ¦» schedule. Observes Suniia, “He used to enjoy working for your magazine a great j deal. ” And it seems that in their new home which they had moved into barely 17 days ' I ...... ¦¦ ¦ 're- J a person to identify his work in a group show. “Mickey ’s was the truly creative talent, ” commented Da Cunha, “the ability to associate with purpose previously unre ­ lated elements, the insight, the sense for essence, and all of it in exceptional mea ­ sure. ” Marvels Kersy Katrak, executive prior to his death, the first mail they ceived was a cheque from Parsiana — source of immei.'se pleasure, Mickey had written to us in his last letter. In fact, that was the first time he had ever referred to his _t was from Sunila we later learnt that Mickey creative director of Lintas India, referring to Mickey ’s touch, “The pen and ink strokes /; became scalpels that incised and curetted the social vanities and political shams of the period. ” Katrak further recalls, “We spoke a common language: He knew Hem ­ mingway and Joyce and Keats whom I loved and I was familiar with the gods in his first pantheon: Picasso, Braque, Lautrec... ” “Mickey stood unshakeably for certain causes, ” remarked Mirza. “He was a greatj friend of the African National Congress much before they came to power. ” In the mid- ’80s he had exhibited a series of seri- graphs on Nelson Mandela. In the previous decade, one of his exhibitions had Ma ­ hatma Gandhi for its theme. Remembers senior artist Jehangir Sabavala, “I knew 44 Parsiana January ISPS was suffering from cardiac problems since 1981 and that since 1990 his heart wa.s functioning at barely 20 percent of its capacity, making hhn susceptible to infec ­ tion. All the while that his laboring heart was sapping him of his energy, he continued to show his large-heartedness. Among the last letters we received from him was a i suggestion to Parsiana to hold a show of those of his drawings and photographs » that had featured in the magazine. “If any of my work is sold, the money goes to your office, ” he had offered. And believing that Parsiana “has a wider potential market outside the community, ” he was invariably gifting subscriptions to Parsis and urging us to change keting approach. The noble and magnanimous artist is non- our mar- survived by his wife Sunila, son Rishad I and daughter Ria.