Feb 1997

GlJ.- Si? t *« *' ? 3*^^/' ' Mjtf At the Avabai F. Petit Girls' .High School1 ! EDITOR Jehangir R. Patel MANAGING EDITOR Arnavaz S. Mama EXECUTIVE EDITOR Parinaz M. Gandhi SENIOR EDITORS Dina K. Mehta, Hilla P. Guzder ASSOCIATE EDITOR Roxana A. Driver DESIGN KrantI M. Shilotrl MARKETING DIRECTOR Veera Patel ADVERTISING MANAGER Zarin Mistry ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES Niloufer Panthaky, Susan Hadvaid FINANCE B. L. Arora EDP Rohinton E. Daroga MANAGEMENT Jasmine Driver DTP Bakhtavar R. Batliwalla, K. P. Ravi SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Khurshid Panthaki ASSISTANT SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Swarupa Kamat ASSISTANT PURCHASE MANAGER Bindu Pillai ACCOUNTANT Anagha Korde ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT Varsha Godbole ACCOUNTS ASSISTANTS Indu Pillai, Satwant Kaur OFFICE ASSISTANTS Umesh Poojary, Selvan Mark, Sunil Sakhare, Govind Salgaonkar, Mahlpat Jadhav Parsiana is published by Jehangir R. Patel for Parslana Publications Pvt Ltd at C/o H. L. Rochat, K.K. (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: 2078730, 2072624. Fax: 2074541. For editorial enquiries: 2078183. E-mail; pan/o@glasbm01 .vsnl.net. in. For subscription enquiries and payments: C/o Kalser-E-Hind Pvt Ltd, 300 Perin Nariman St (Behind Resen/e Bank of India), Bombay 400001; Phone: 2658619, 2665661. Fax: 2654585. Annual Inland subscription for one year (10 issues) Rs 250; for two years (20 Issues) Rs 475; for three years (30 Issues) Rs 700. Foreign subscription rates: Seamail for one year Rs 450/US $ 14/UK £ 9; for two years Rs 850/US $ 25/UK £ 15; for three years Rs 1,250/ US $ 36/UK £ 22 (please allow six months or more for delivery from the time of publication). 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Cheques and drafts are to be drawn In favor of Parsiana and posted to GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001. 2 30 Readers ’ Forum Events and Personalities February-March 1997 Volume 19 Number 7 53 Zoroastrians Abroad: Dinshaw Joshi and Khorshed Jungalwala 61 74 A question of priorities by Arnavaz Mama A decade of discussions by Sarosh Palkhiwala 78 Which way to the 21st century? 84 We need an agenda for survival by Fredie Mehta 88b The sacred sojourn by Rustam Sidhwa 94 “Don ’t knock your brother ’’ by Shanoor Forbes 96 Avabai Petit School: Where two worlds meet 102 “This business of charity ” 106 Surfing surnames 114 Madras Milestones by Parinaz Gandhi 130 Burjor Mehta: a life on the edge by Mehroze Pochkhanwala 133 Rohinton Chinoy ’s pressing role 141 Fred Poonawalla: A Printer ’s Vision 145 Yazdi Karanjia: Family fun by Hilla Guzder 148 Magician Rutton Bharucha 154 Books 170 Milestones 190 In Memoriam Cover: Stained glass at the Bai Avabai F. Petit Giris ’ High School Photo: Homyar MistryREADERS' FORUM s i9rt Readers ’ views are welcome on any subject of interest to the community and should be sent to the Editor, Readers ’ Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. Unsigned letters or those without an address will not be published. “Blessed with the bat” My daughter Ayesha and I were touched by the obituary on my late husband, Rusi Modi, the former Indian test batsman (“Blessed with the bat, ” Parsiana, Octo ­ ber, 1996), by Ms Parinaz Gandhi and the sentiments expressed therein. However we were greatly pained to port. read in the article under review that the , , . . , , cardiac arrest which my husband suffered ParSl Grlljaratll tnC end... nalists and lyricists who were prolific writ ­ ers during their lifetime — are out of print, and we require many more works like Dr Marchflll ’s labor of love. For examole. can medical reports into my husband ’s death certify the cause of death as “cardio-respi- ratory failure due to myocardial infarction (natural). ” Dr Thawani of Kala Jyoti Hospital, where my husband was rushed in an un ­ conscious state, gave this statement to the Press: “There were no external injuries. If he had (had) a fall, there would have been some bleeding or bruises. Due to old age bones become fragile. Modi would have had multiple fractures if he had fallen. ” To clear all misapprehensions regard ­ ing my husband ’s demise, which may have unfortunately arisen from the hasty state ­ ment issued by the Cricket Club to the police wfthout verifying the cause of death from the appropriate authorities, a clarifi ­ cation was issued by the CCI to the media as well as to all members of the Club via their newsletter. As your esteemed magazine is widely read by our minuscule community in India as well as abroad, may I request you to publish a proper correction to the effect that my husband had collapsed on the first floor of the CCI pavilion and that he had Desai: popular Gujarati author not fallen from the third floor, or any other ( floor for that matter, as a result of the cardiac arrest he had suffered. Finally, may I add that my husband had epitome of Parsi culinary art — the Vividh been suffering from highly erratic and Vani'l Once, no Parsi home was without a fluctuating blood pressure over the past copy; it was considered a veritable family few years. This could in all probability heirloom to be passed on to generations of have led to the sudden cardiac arrest. Courtesy: Parsi Lustre on Indian Soil any one today lay their hands on that brides-to-be. RUTTY MODI Parinaz Gandhi replies The clarification issued in the Press sev ­ eral days later inadvertently escaped our attention. We regret the inclusion of this erroneous statement in our Parsiana re- at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) on May As usual, though it arrived very late, I 17,1996, “led to his fatal fall from the third floor balcony of the Cricket Club of In ­ dia. ” May I clarify that as a result of the cardiac arrest he had suffered, my husband had collapsed on the first floor balcony, outside the Club library, in the course of his morning walk. There was no injury whatsoever to his body at the time of death. This was verified by the late Deputy Com- enjoyed reading your October 1996 issue. I appreciated the article by Hormazdiar S. Dalal, “Parsi Gujarati: the end of an idiom ” critiquing Dr Ratan Marshall ’s book Gujarati Sahitya Kshetre Parsionun Pradan at such length. However, I do not agree with Mr Dalal ’s remark that most of our literature was a translation of Western authors ’ works — maybe some novels and plays, but most of missioner of Police Jog and the police the^erious prose was very original. officers who had examined my husband ’s — ¦ - body at the Towers of Silence. The official Likewise, another author Mr Sohrabji Muncherji Desai (known popularly as So. M. Desai) of Navsari wrote volumes of essays in Gujarati and published them in book form. A set of five to six volumes called Khuda Namu seemed to adorn the library shelves of many Parsi homes, as also his bookDikri Tu SasreKem Samase? Instead of filling up our valuable and hard-to-get newsprint with pages upon pages of controversial views, and airing of personal vendettas, could we not devote that space to retrieve our old academic heritage, however meager, and titillate the interest of our young coreligionists to re ­ search and revive the old; and even get inspired enough to add new works to con ­ tinue the trend? Dr ROSHEN S. MASTER Pune “Prayer made poetic” Thank you very much for reviewing my The works of so many of our Parsi literati — novelists, essayists, poets, jour- publication Jarthostni Jindagi Samjati 2 Parsiana February-March 1997I Ea-i ¦ J In Memoriam Mr Fali Meherji Variava Ex-Director BLAZE TOURS & TRAVELS PVT LTD Indian Merchants Chamber Bldg, Opp Churchgate Station, Bombay 400020 Tel Nos: 2044439, 2020233, 2840026, 2843901, 2843910, 2029406, 2835140 Fax; (022) 2048037 LJ£ ^alsaxc Shirinbai Davierwalla Marg Panchgani 412 805,Dist. Satara Tel: 02168-40226, 40266 A king amongst hotels, on the queen of the hUls Bandagi (“Prayers made poetic, ’’ Books, Parsiana, September 1996). I regret that it is outdated as it is published very late. I had already informed you that the publication is received by readers like a hot cake in Gujarat, at Mumbai and in other cities, and the stock was exhausted within no time. There is demand for it even today and I am compelled to print more copies to meet the demand. I have received many letters from read ­ ers appreciating the book ’s monajat style. The introduction of this book has not been well studied in which I have mentioned clearly not to use Samjati Bandagi as text. I have also mentioned that I am not a poet. I think we should not encourage young ­ sters in our community to neglect the studies of their mother tongue, Gujarati. This publication was not at all intended as a short cut but as a guide only. N. K. DABOO Ahmedabad HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM HOMI & Company Newly renovated rooms 24 hours hot & cold water 6 channel STAR & Cable TV Garden Restaurant Children's playground Delicious vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals Fully equipped Gymnasium and slimming centre Tennis court. Table Tennis, Badminton, Darts Carrom and Chess ¦5 Located a mere stone's throw from the market IL Pnbtzzo is one of Panchgani's oldest and finest hotels which combines old world charm with the most modern amenities and conveniences. “Whither, ParsianaT^ After reading the letters entitled, “Whither, Parsianal" in your September ’96 issue, I have been galvanized into writing that which I’ve been meaning to do for a long while. But like the delays in publication of the issues of Parsiana, I’ve been inad ­ vertently overdue in sending this to you for printing! I would like to state my personal opin ­ ion on how much I enjoy reading the issues since they give so much interesting and varied information about our community (always with photographs), both on a per ­ sonal level (i.e. the achievements and news of Zoroastrians both here and abroad), and very enlightening reading material ana ­ lyzing the philosophy and history of Zoro ­ astrianism (e.g. Ms K. Gould ’s articles), as well as the controversies arising from the varied views of those who interpret the religion either traditionally or tolerantly, dogmatically or philosophically. What I most appreciate is the profes ­ sionalism of the magazine and that Parsiana puts forward articles and thoughts of both fundamentalists as well as liberal minded humanists, without showing a bias either way. This I believe is the true spirit behind Zoroaster ’s line of thinking which permits and indeed encourages acceptance of everybody without judgment and discourages bigotry and dogma of thought. I’d say “Parsiana has arrived! ’’ SHANOORFORBES Opticians and Contact Lens Clinic Authorised dealers of Bausch and Lomb Raybans and soft contact lenses and solutions. Varieties of frames lenses — CR39 plastic multifocals, photochromatics tinted — high index and UV for ultra violet protection from computer glare. For complete eye-care, a trusted name for over 50 years. Only at Grant Rd ® 3823980 Peddar Rd® 3861073 Girgaum Rd ® 3879629 3823564 4 Parsiana February-March 1997 It is very difficult to keep a track of the number of issues you send out, as verySEVA SADAN SOCIETY Cooking Department supplies delicious Parsi tiffins, lunch and dinner, reasonable rates, party orders undertaken, also Indian style vegetarian tiffins, place your orders today. Pandita Ramabai Road, Gamdevi, Mumbai 400007 Telephone 3648005 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. often it is not on a monthly basis. It would be better if you stated that the number of issues are from this date to that. JALN. BHARUCHA The Editor replies On the contents page of every issue of Parsiana we carry a volume and issue number in addition to the month and year line. As we publish 10 issues a year, the volume changes after the 10th issue which is the June issue. I sometimes enquire on the phone why the Parsiana issues do not come out on time, and I get varied answers: Shortage of funds and advertisements and shortage of staff. In this connection I compared the one- year subscription charged by Parsiana with the rates of the Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research (JSIR, New Delhi). Inland (Parsiana) Rs 200 + 10 (for Indian upcountry cheques) Airmail (USA) $23 + $5 (for US cheques) Airmail (UK) £15 + £3 (for UK cheques) Inland (JSIR) Rs 510 Airmail (USA) $202 Airmail (UK) £126 It will be seen that JSIR charges more to USA and UK than Parsiana. There is therefore scope for charging more for air ­ mail subscriptions to USA and UK. P. D. SUNAVALA The Editor replies Journals published for professionals such as scientists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc charge high rates mainly for two rea ­ sons. Firstly the information is for the readers to Keep abreast of developments in their profession and they can afford to pay. Secondly the readership is restricted so the cost of production, collecting data, staff, etc has to be covered from the limited subscriptions. In Parsiana's case our readership base is small as the community numbers are not only limited but dwindling. But the infor ­ mation contained in the magazine is not of great commercial significance nor are all our readers professionals. Our objective may also be at variance with professional journals. We attempt to keep our subscrip ­ tion rates as low as possible so as not to create a bar to readership. A large portion of our income derives from advertising and a small sum from donations. Profes ­ sional journals would attract limited ad ­ vertising though their per page charge would be substantially higher than ours. But they are unlikely to receive donations. Professional journals compete with each Established 1972 In Service of the Suffering MAZDA MEDICAL ELECTRONICS BURJIS N. KHURSEDJI & CO 104 Amit Industrial Estate, 61 Dr S. S. Rao Road Parel, Bombay 400012 Tel: 4135468, Fax: 91-22-4130148 6 Parsiana February-March 1997 Navroze Mubarak other for subscribers and subscriber loy ­ alty may or may not be very high. Commu ­ nity based publications like Parsiana have a strong reader loyalty and the entry of other journals may not necessarily detract the readers who may prefer to support new journals in addition to the existing ones. To quote Shelley: “True love in this differs from gold and clay/that to divide is not to take away. ” For your investment in Fixed Deposits, Shares, Debentures, Unit Trust, National Savings, Tax free bonds, etc. For safe investments under one roof FRAMROZ &SONS (LANGRANAS) Hamam House Hamam Street Fort, Mumbai 400001 Tel: 2652621,2656327 Dadar Office: Tel: 4152237,4166635 (Above Central Bank, Khodadad Circle) No branches Your Readers ’ Forum page depicts the postage stamps issued by our government in honor of eminent Parsis. Stamps have also since been issued to honor Sir Pherozeshah Mehta and Shri J. R. D. Tata. It would be appropriate to depict these stamps also on this page. A. M. WADIA Readers are welcome to send us postal stamps of Parsis that they would like us to accommodate in our Readers ’ Forum logo — Editor “The rivayat of 1996” This has reference to the article “The rivayat of 1996” (Parsiana, July-August 1996). It has been mentioned therein that 50 Pahlavi manuscripts from the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute were loaned to the Tehran Anjuman “at the latter ’s request in 1964" and that this is “a source of friction. The folios were meant for the Iranians to re ­ print and return, as acknowledged by F. Mehr. So far nothing seems to have been done. ” It is further remarked that “it would be regrettable if we do not print them before it is too late and (the manuscripts) are completely destroyed. ” In this connection I have to mention that in 1974 (and not 1964) the then chan ­ cellor of the Pahlavi University, Shiraz, Dr Farhang Mehr, had specially invited me for a period of three months to work on the publication of 50 manuscripts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Pahlavi Dynasty. I had obtained the consent of the then trustees to take with me 40 (and not 50) manuscripts from the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute library for printing by the Pahlavi University of Shiraz. The other 10 books comprised of the Avesta Pahlavi Codices and some Pahlavi texts. The full set of 50 volumes were published and are today housed in all major university libraries throughout the world. The original manu ­ scripts were brought back to India by me and are safely preserved in the library of the Cama Oriental Institute. I am sure Dr Farhang Mehr, who had Witil I test cwiii|tliinciits«f Starlite Electrical Works ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS 104, Shree Hanuman Industrial Estate 42 B, G. D. Ambekar Marg Wadala Bombay 400031 8 Parsiana February-March 1997Navroze Mubarak GLOBE HOTEL Udwada Udwada ’s only hotel with equal emphasis on food, accommodation and cleanliness. Try our luxury rooms. For reservations dial STD 026387-2097 invited meTan behalf of the Shahbanou of may recall that it was my own several visits Iran and as the chancellor of the Pahlavi to Tajikistan and consequent articles that University, will testify to the above state ­ ments. This clarification is sent to rectify the light some years ago. misinformation and place the facts before the readers. Dastur (Dr) KAIKHUSROO M. JAMASPASA brought the issue of a possible presence of Zoroastrians in Central Asia into the limc- It is because I know the whole of the area well from my own firsthand visits that I was shocked to notice the inaccurate references^ made by Jungalwala to ‘the Badakhshan-Yaghnob area, ’ judging by your stunmary of her article. From the ascribing the referred manuscripts to the manner in which her contribution to the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute. According Journal is introduced one would assume to my notes Mr Farhang Mehr had said, “They sent more than 50 Pahlavi manu ­ scripts to Iran in 1964 — promised that the series would be returned to the Cama that Yaghnob lies to the western extremity Athoman — regrettable if we do not print of Tajikistan (where a language of Sogdian them before it ’s too late and are com- origin is still spoken), whereas Badakhshan pletely destroyed — seek BPP funds. ” Trobing for. kmavaz Mama replies I apologize for the error in the report, that she was contributing scholarly or origi ­ nal research based on her own findings. A glance at a good atlas would reveal lies in the south eastern comer of the republic and'the eight languages there are *T*robing for...” all of Eastern Iranian origin as is Avestan. This refers to the article “Probing for Zo- It is therefore very odd that the two quite roastrian roots (Parsiana, July-August distant regions should be associated by a 1996)” based on the new FEZANA (Fed- hyphen as if to imply that they were con ­ eration of Zoroastrian Associations of North tiguous. Her population statistics are also America) sponsored research publication, suspect. While I am familiar with Adi Davar and his articles, I have not come across Ms initial correspondence between myself and Khorshed Jungalwala in the course of my Rostam in Tashkent that the information own long association with Tajikistan. You about the contemporary Uzbek-Zoroas- Just for the record it was also through With Best Compliments From THE SWADESHI GRAIN CRUSHING MILL Established 1935 Reputed crushers and grinders of spices, masalas and Indian herbs on a large scale 105 Kcshavji Naik Road, Chinch Bunder, Bombay 400009 Phone: 376-4693 Fax: 283-2920 EMail: adi.damania@axcess.net.in 10 Parsiana Februafy-March 1997Investment in Property: Pune is the best city Booking of apartments, duplex flats, and bunoalows now opened In Palm Groves by gen-set, a and security Apartments, a luxury complex only two to three km from the Race Course and Camp, in green and quiet surroundings. Amenities include a club house, swimming pool, children ’s play ground, lifts with stand-f car-wash, arrangement, etc, all at very competitive rates. Take advantage of the initial concession booking rates, before further increases. No brokerage charged by us in this scheme, instead collect a gift from us on booking. Many attractive new schemes are coming up In and around Pune within about 15 km radius, at rates ranging from Rs 850 to over Rs 5,000 per sq ft (built-up area). Modern commercial complexes are also available with shops and offices. For particulars write to: Minoo Bhathena BySel Estate 302 Devika Apartment 2010 West Street Pune 411001 Tel: 650757 trian situation has come to light. And inci ­ dentally I shall yet again be visiting Uzbekistan and Tajikistan for Nowruz 1997 so I would be happy to clarify any misap ­ prehensions readers may have upon my return. Since we rely so much on our own internal publications for our self-educa ­ tion, it would be prudent (notwithstanding the illustrious editorial board) for some sort of critical checks to be exercised. SHAHIN BEKHRADNIA Oxford, UK Khorshed Jungalwala replies The Research and Historical Preservation Committee of FEZANA in North America asked me to write an article about my visit to the Central Asian republics of the former Soviet Union in April-May of 1985 and incorporate historical and relevant factual information on the area. The article was based on my own experiences, interviews, bibliographic references and notes. After my visit in 1985,1 have spoken on and written several articles on the visit. I have also submitted two articles to the FEZANA Journal in the past. Soon after my trip to Central Asia I was invited by Prof Kaikhosrov Irani to talk about the visit at one of the seminars he arranged for ZAGNY (Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York). When Parvonakhon Jamshedi of Tajikistan was in vited to speak at the 1992 North American Zoroastrian Conference in Vancouver, British Colum ­ bia, Canada, I was graciously invited to be the chairperson due to my familiarity with the area and my acquaintance with him. The following year, 1993,1 was invited to speak about the Central Asian republics at the FEZANA AGM in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I do not claim to have any exclusive prerogative in terms of knowledge or ex ­ perience of that region. However the ar ­ ticle referred to is based on experience and factual information as was available from references. In my article I have referred to the Badakhshan region where East Iranian lan ­ guages like Vakhun are still spoken. The Badakhshan-Yagnabi region (not area) is referred to in relation to the population of the changing boundaries of the Central Asian republics during the Arab rule. The write-up in Parsiana on the FEZANA Journal articles is a critically well-written piece. Ms Bekhradnia, with ­ out reading the original article, has taken the information from your article out of context. Best wishes from a regular reader 12 Parsiana February-March 1997With Best Compliments From M/s PATEL PLASTIC CORPORATION 4/5, Nandu Industrial Estate Mahakali Caves Road Andheri (East) Bombay 400093 Tel No. 8323754/8300986 Fax No. 6431851 “Promising priesthood” World Council I write this with reference to “Promising Congratulations to those Spentaic spirits priesthood ” (Events and Personalities, who, persevering over many years and six Parsiana, July-August 1996). While fully drafts, have at least produced a broadly agreeing with Mr Dinshaw Tamboly ’s and agreed proposed constitution and bylaws Mr Nadir Modi ’s statement regarding an for a World Council of Zoroastrian Fed- enlightened clergy, and congratulating erations (WCZF) following the meeting the World Zoroastrian Organisation and ~ Athornan Mandal for their scheme for the athornans, I would request the com ­ munity to seriously consider two sugges ­ tions; •The practice that only the son of an athoman can become a mobed should be done away with, and any behdin child who India, I had long hoped that the Indian has an inclination should be allowed to become a mobed. It is the interest with which the child takes to the profession that promoter. For whatever reasons, there is will bring out good mobeds. I know of regret that the World Zoroastrian practising priests who only recite the cer- “ emonies by rote. How do they help the community? •A natural corollary would be to induce a certain missionary zeal in those who teach the budding mobeds. This would percolate Rivetna referred to as “Neo-Zoroastrians ” to the students and generate in them a zeal to become good mobeds. Then only can we have mobeds of good caliber on the whole, who can in turn inspire religious zeal in the community. on December 15, 1996 with the Indian Federation. On the whole, it is a demo ­ cratic and liberal document. To give it sustainable and meaningful life will call for statesmanship and high competence on the part of the seven office-bearers, and the supporting zonal federations. As one from Federation would be neither a stone wall nor glass ceiling, but a major cooperative Organisation (WZO), London was not one of the founding members. One looks for ­ ward to more active and closer coopera ­ tion from Iran in future, .and beyond the horizon, that of those whom Rohinton H. F. BAGWALA in the erstwhile southern republics of the USSR. To turn to its primary purposes (objec ­ tives), I would like to suggest two addi ­ tions. One of the objectives states to “pro ­ mote understanding and seek consensus. ” With Best Compliments From G DESIGN INTERIORS Cyrus Ghaswala 708 Patel Mansion, Apt 3, 4th Road, Parsi Colony, Dadar, Bombay 400014 Tel: 4129858 Fax: 022 4126950 J 14 Parsiana February-March 1997Past practical experience, especially in unless one is asked to believe that social social, doctrinal, and ritual matters makes and religious development are secondary “consensus ” a dim hope. I would prefer the to representative governance activities positive, more realistic phrase, “to pro ­ mote the largest areas of agreement over time. ” This not only recognizes a more realistic objective, but also the words “over time ” imply no threat of dogmatic finality. When specifying the function of “coor ­ dinating the holding of a World Zoroas ­ trian Congress (WZC) at periodic inter ­ vals, ” the bridging function between WZCs, separate in time and space in the last seven congresses, should have been stressed to offer continuity of concerns and region makes subscriptions on the esti- recommendations. Coordination shouldn ’t mean a once-in-five-year coordination. I find it hard to believe that the Spentaic be about 50,000 families, and a subscrip ­ spirits who have produced this interim tion of only US $0.5 per family should draft, have regarded the following objec- annually yield US $25,000 from these tives as being secondary: traditional countries. A subscription of US •promotion, perpetuation, and teaching of $1 per annum per family from the other the message of Zarathushtra etc; •encouraging charity and benevolence among Zoroastrians; •nurturing the faith in various parts of the Past practical experience, especially in on the international stage. I request the powers that be to reconsider this classifi ­ cation. If the proposed WCZF is to be func ­ tional and objective, I cannot see how it can be so on the suggested minimum an ­ nual subscriptions of US $1,000 each from India, Iran, North America and Europe and U.S. $500 and $300 from other smaller communities. To raise more realistic re ­ sources, and to be fairer, I suggest that each mated basis of Zoroastrian families. Be ­ tween India, Pakistan and Iran, there may richer countries could yield an additional US $10,000 per annum, roughly. Is it real ­ istic and fair to expect seven office bearers to bear the administrative costs of the world, paying particular attention to youth; Council, or expect that US $8,100 per and •promoting the community ’ human deve ­ lopment. These are hardly secondary objectives annum will suffice? Are priests who may be called for consultations expected to bear their own travel costs? If the Council is to put its money where t4fe never take our guests and Matheran 410102 Matheran Telephone 021483-0228 Fax 021483-0595 Bombay telephone 3867776 16 Parsiana February-March 1997 o With best compliments from NARIMAN NALLASETH Private Limited PLUMBING ENGINEERS CONSULTANTS 27, Tamarind Lane 1st Floor, Block No 11 Rajabahadur Compound Opp Allahabad Bank Apollo Street, Fort Mumbai 400023 Phones: 2650066 & 2652986 Fax: 091-022-2655834 >VARIAVAS its mouth is, it will need to take a harder indicating their silent opposition to WCZF. look at its future budgets, and its resources. If office bearers are expected to meet the Council ’s costs from their own pockets, of the WCZF. they will need to be very rich, and these, as ------------- Therefore only 14.53 percent of all the anjumans of India voted for the formation Wholesale dealers of Godrej storwels, filing cabinets, coffers, cash-boxes Retailers of: Refrigerators, typewriters and office furniture Prop: Mr M A Variava 269 Nariman House, Dr Cawasji Hormusji Street, Marine Lines, Mumbai 400002 (0)2091974 (R) 2019119 i TheFederationofZoroastrianAssocia- a rule, are very busy managing their wealth; tions of North America (FEZANA) was or the Council may be omitting very meri- " " torious candidates who may not be able to afford travelling costs. If sufficient funds are not forthcoming, will grandiose consti ­ tutions and good intentions suffice? The GNP (gross national product) of global North America are not members of Not only individual Zoroastrians but also associations of North America are members of the World Zoroastrian It is a good idea for general meetings of Organisation (WZO) and are completely the Council to be planned with the WZO’s for larger participation. formed in 1987,. Only 21 Zoroastrian asso ­ ciations of USA and Canada have joined it (as of March 1, 1996). There are 50 States in USA and 10 Provinces in Canada. Zoro- astrians residing in all these 60 regions of Zoroastrians is far higher now than the FEZANA. wealth of the Jejeebhoys, Petits, et al in India (1850 to 1950) which produced the community ’s social infrastructure. satisfied with the achievements and man ­ agement of the WZO in the interest of the Zoroastrian community, globally. May we please ask the minority in Only 42.73 percent of the anjumans of India, North America and Europe who are India (a minority) are members of the supporting the formation of the new body Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans to answer the foUovwng basic questions: of India (FPZAI). I understand that out of the total 50 anjuman members of the FPZAI (as of January 10, 1994), only 17 were in favor of forming the World Coun ­ cil of Zoroastrian Federations (WCZF) Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian^Anjumans and one voted against. The other 32 anjuman members did not bother voting. ASPID. MODDIE •What will the WCZF do that the WZO has not done or cannot do? •Will the new body be financed by: the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), India, the of India, the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America, the Zoro- MATCH YOUR AMBITION TO A CAREER To do so we offer you: Diploma Course in Business Management (Postal) (IMC) Executive Secretarial Course Private Secretarial Course ? 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College of Commerce 14, Nanabhoy Lane, Hutatma Chowk Mumbai 400001 Tel; 2871058/2844329 Fax: 2871185 18 Parsiana February-March 19973 w TARACHAND & Company Suppliers of the meatiest of Venky's Chicken Products Mafco’s Pork, Dairy, Meat Cold Cuts, Sausages Al Kabeer ’s Mutton and Tender Meat Products this side of town We give free home delivery for bulk orders K & D Distributors Exclusive suppliers of Venky's Chicken Products for South and Central Bombay 80, Sleater Road Grant Road (West) Tel 3883691/3871277 20 Parsiana February-March 1997 astrian Trust Funds of Europe (Inc), Lon ­ don, UK? •How can the WCZF purport to represent Zoroastrians when it is obviously not sup ­ ported by the majority of anjumans/asso- ciations, and specially when many trust- ees/anjumans in India are known not to represent Zoroastrians living in their catchment area? Articles appearing continuously in the Bombay Press confirm that there is dis ­ unity among the BPP trustees. If they have failed to retain unity among seven trustees, how will they retain unity among Zoroas ­ trians worldwide? Furthermore, donors are completely dissatisfied with the BPP not using their donations properly and ac ­ counting for them. Is it not advisable that the BPP should concentrate fully on the affairs pertaining to Zoroastrians of Bombay, instead of wasting their time, energy and community funds towards a new body, which, if finally formed, would definitely create disunity in the commu ­ nity globally? The WZO was formed in January 1980 under the direction and guidance of Prof Farhang Mehr of Boston (USA), with head ­ quarters in London (UK). The WZO is the only established, proven and democratic world body, progressive, forward-looking, retaining complete peace and harmony, thereby fulfilling its motto — “Zoroastrian unity worldwide. ” It has performed the duties of a world body by safeguarding Zoroastrians globally, hold ­ ing international conferences on Zoroas ­ trian religion, culture, history, etc and also caring for the weaker sections of the com ­ munity neglected for generations by trusts/ anjumans of India. What comparable help has been given, since 1980, by the BPP or FPZAI or FEZANA to the needy Zoroas ­ trians of India? Many Zoroastrians from all parts of the world have donated generously to the WZO for its multifarious activities, convinced by the honesty, integrity, sincerity and openness of the WZO. The late Mehraban Farhangi and his wife Goli gave a mag ­ nanimous donation of £150,000 forming The World Zarathushtrian Trust Fund to promote the WZO’s selfless efforts in the interest of all Zoroastrians. During the fiscal year April 1, 1995 to March 31, 1996, WZO received Rs 5,85,54,093 for worthy and noble causes espoused by WZO. In the FEZANA Journal (Spring 1997) Mr Rohinton Ri vetna appreciates the “laud ­ able work ” of the WZO. He then suggests finding “a workable link ” with tlje London based WZO. Fully air-conditioned hall with 560 seats for Marriage Ceremonies, Annual General Meetings, Prayer Meetings, Prize Distribution Functions, Lions Club's Meetings, Dramas etc. etc. Our Groimd Floor Hall is available for Exhibitions and Sales Contact: Trustee Framjee Cawasjee Institute Anandilal Podar Marg 1st Marine Street Opp Metro Cinema Bombay 400002 Phone: 2013654 *My humble suggestion to the leaders of Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO), one the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian who live in small pockets and may or may _ _ ________ ___ _____Anjumans of India, and the Federation of not belong to any Zoroastrian association their* associations/federations/ Zoroastrian Associations of North America in their part of the world? The constitution of the WZO is unique I request all Zoroastrians wherever they as well as truly (democratic. Zoroas^an may reside to give serious consideration to bodies (large and small) as well as indi- My humble suggestion to the leaders of Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO), one ’How will it help and safeguard the wel- the BPP, the FPZAI and FEZANA is that wonders why the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, fare and rights of individual^^roastr^ns they should join the WZO in their indi ­ vidual capacities and also influence/per- suade t ---- ------------------------ anjumans to join the WZO. Any other desire to form a second world body, course of action is bound to divide the , community globally. may reside to give serious consideration to bodies (large and small) as well as indi- Providence is always on the side of the this matter and ponder on the following vidual Zofoastrians can become members strongest, honest, sincere battalions. NOSHIRWAN F. COWASJEE London, UK obvious questions: and play their part in maintaining the sur- •Is a second body really needed? vival ©f the Zoroastrian religion. •How will this body be financed? To argue that only the representatives •What kind of role will this new body play of various bodies can form a federated in the affairs of the global Zoroastrian As our community already has a world body in existence since 1980, i.e. the World community? POWER PUSHER FINANCIAL SERVICES Private Limited Hanoz P. Patei and Zubin P. Patei Dealing in: Bonds, issues, company fixed deposits, HDFC, UTI, LIC, mutual funds, post office savings, PPF, shares, primary issues, inter-corporate deposits, 10% tax free relief bonds. Office: 306, M B House, 3rd floor, 79 Janmabhoomi Marg, Fort, Mumbai 400001 Tel: 2846522, 2846521 Fax: 022-2846521 Res: 3866533, 3879979 body or council is to display a kind of civil service mentality which opposes any change that does.-not suit it. The commu ­ nity is primarily interested in knowing what useful service any organization ren ­ ders. This the WZO has been doing and none can deny that. If wiser pounsel does not prevail and another world body is formed, it will break up the dwindling community, divide the limited financial resources and destroy whatever unity and harmony currently ex ­ ists within the community. What can this second body do that the WZO has not done or cannot do? The community certart,iy does not need a body that may well turn out to be a ‘talk shop. ’ We should have the good sense of geese which always fly in a ‘V’ formation, thereby SHAW GARMENTS (P) LIMITED Manufacturer and Exporter of Quality Garments 8, West Mada Church Street, Royapuram, Chennai 600013, India Phone: 5954156 Fax: 5954156 22 Parsiana February-March 1997enabling the whole flock to move at least 11 percent farther than if each bird were to fly on its own... The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. When the lead goose gets tired, another goose takes over. It pays to take turns doing hard jobs for our group. Finally, when a goose weakens or is wounded and falls out of formation, two geese fall out to help and protect him uhtil he is dead, and then set out on their own or with another formation until they catch up with the group. CYRUS P. MEHTA Essex, UK FROM A LL WISHER WZO seminar So decorous was the conduct and manage ­ ment structure implemented by the presi ­ dent, Mr Shahpur Captain and his dedi ­ cated team of helpers at the World Zoroas ­ trian Organisation (WZO) seminar in Lon ­ don on November 16 and 17, 1996, that each visitor/participant felt he/she was al ­ located a “project manager ” to see the whole seminar through from start to finish. Before I proceed further, it behoves me to state quite unequivocally that I am not and have never been a member of the WZO, London, lest my testimony be con ­ sidered a eulogy. The sole purpose is only to give credit where due. At the interna ­ tional conference on “The Religious and Secular Literature of the 2^arathushtrian Tradition, ” Mr Shahpur Captain and his ever so courteous team demonstrated a clear recognition of punctilious catering to the needs of participants/visitors and re ­ vealed that service is paramount. Those Zoroastrians who have been in the habit of labelling the behavior of WZO (London) as totally dysfunctional, would have found much to emulate in the core values of honesty, openness, dignity, in ­ tegrity and commitment — to mention a few — in evidence at this seminar. It would be a truism to say that tremendous “behind the scene ” efforts had been clearly expended by this organization to arrange what has unquestionably been a unique event. Arranging an assemblage of such erudite speakers of international renown — Professors Kaikhosrov Irani, Farhang Mehr, Francois de Blois, Ilya Gershevitch, Stanley Insler and several others — on diverse aspects of Zoroastrian literature must have obviously been a mammoth task. It would be trite to claim that this unique experience immeasurably enhanced the knowledge and understanding of the pro ­ fundity of diverse aspects of Zoroastrian- With best wishes from Farah & Tanya 24 Parsiana February-March 1997Thanks for your most informative and interesting articles — we read every issue from cover to cover. An interested reader from the U.S.A. With Best Wishes 26 Parsiana February-March 1997 ism. The quantum of valuable information is offered only one seat every alternate made available on the tenets of Zoroastrian ­ ism could not have failed to infuse great pride in the many Zoroastrians present at this seminar, with an overwhelming feel ­ ing of the quintessential greatness of the Zoroastrian heritage. Perhaps here is irre ­ futable evidence of Zoroastrianism con ­ tinuing in perpetuity. Interspersed between this ‘food for thought ’ (engrossing lectures) was the de ­ lectable array of inviting ‘food for the stomach ’ (meals and drinks) served with disciplined order and amicability which considerably enhanced the enjoyment. In essence, order, courtesy and decorum per ­ meated these pauses. FURHOK K. TANGREE La Roche-sur-Foron, France year. Rustom Contractor hails from Nagpur where he schooled prior to joining the National Defence Academy at Khadakvasla. Hehas had a distinguished career in the Navy, specializing in navi ­ gation. He com ­ manded several ships including the Hit .1 I '1/ Contractor: distin- ships including the guished naval career Rajput axidRanvijay with distinction, earning high praise from his admirals. Amongst his notable shore appointments was his recent command as the naval officer-in-charge. Port Blair, where he did much for the locals and his interaction between the services and civil ­ ians was much appreciated. Captain Con ­ tractor is married to Thrity and has a bay Seat for naval officer Captain Rustom F. Contractor of the In ­ dian Navy is the first Parsi naval officer to be selected to attend the Royal College of aged 12 and a girl aged 10. Defence Studies course in London. This is vice Admiral r.k.s. ghandhi a prestigious course for top senior officers ui* a • of the services, both civil and military, and Help Chikhli Agiary attended by the most up and coming offic- From the donations received in response to ers from the Commonwealth and other our previous appeals we have been able to friendly countries. Vacancies on this course complete the construction of a conununity are so difficult to find that the Indian Navy hall, priests ’ quarters, dharamshala rooms. Nandiroyce International Limited Suite 1000,1235 Bay Street, Toronto M5R 3K4, Canada AND Boyce Associates Suite 1000,1235 Bay Street, Toronto M5R 3K4, Canadakitchen behind the Agiary (where at present beautiful creation. Like the popular say- PERCY AND KAIZAD ROADLINES Private Limited Transport Contractors & Fleet Owners Contractors to Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd Godrej-GE Appliances Ltd Krupp Industries (India) Ltd Daily and direct services to: Maharashtra, MP, UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and Punjab Regd Office: 111, Trapinex House, 1st Floor, Sholapur Street, Mumbai 400009 Resi: 2185674, 2182885 Office: 3718679, 3727831, 3760913, 3767531 the dadgah saheb is kept), and compound ing, “An apple a day keeps the doctor wall. Now, in the second phase, the repairs to the main Ga/der Agiary building is going on. But because of shortage of funds, the work is proceeding very slowly. We still They Stand lOF... need Rs 3,00,000 and therefore appeal to May I introduce you to the following dig- our community members and trusts to help nitaries with whom we are acquainted in us again with generous donations. one form or another? My own grandpa Sir Please send your cheque/draft in favor D. B. Cooper ’s initials stood for dignity, of “Renovation Fund, Chikhli Parsi boldness, courage. Anjuman ” to the Anjuman, Italia House, Bazar Street, Chikhli 396521. YAZDI ITALIA Joint Managing Trustee, Chikhli Parsi Anjuman Faith in the fire It is heartening to know that quite a few of our agiaries have completed 150 years. Those youths and elders from our commu ­ nity who run after other religions must know that in our own religion we have a rich legacy left by our forefathers. Per ­ haps, we can say that the Zarathosti reli- j^ion is the mother of all religions. Praying in solitude before the holy fire, be it the exalted Iranshah padshah or the fire in an atash behram or an agiary, should make us forget our worldly worries as we attune ourselves to the Maker and His away, ” we should advocate “A visit a day to the fire-temple keeps worries at bay. ” BHIKHAJIM ADENWALLA May I introduce you to the following dig- S. L. Kirloskar signified sound learning, knowledge; J.R.D. Tata: jubilant, resourceful, dynamic; N. A. Palkhivala: nobility, amiability, per ­ severance. S. N. COOPER Satar Edited by Parinaz M. Gandhi ADDENDUM Due to an oversight the photo credits, for the color pictures in the cover story: “We are here to defy extinc ­ tion ” (Parsiana, January 1997) were omitted. The picture of the illumi ­ nated Karani agiary was by Rusi Davar, the others by Nazneen Vajifdar, Spectravision Labs. The omission is regretted. HOTEL PRESIDENT The Businessmen's Home in Indore Located in the heart of the city ’s commercial and business centre. Hotel President is only 11 kms from the airport. All the 65 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites are air conditioned with direct dial telephone, colour television with 24 hours satellite entertainment. Our health club with a gym, steam, sauna and Jacuzzi is an ideal place to unwind. For the business traveller we have a large conference hall and a travel desk. HOTEL PRESIDENT 163, RNT Marg, Indore 452001 Phones: 527892-93, 524792-93-94 Fax: 0731-512230 Gram: ‘President ’ 28 Parsiana February-March 1997I’ ¦ ¦« ! ¦ ^9?? Bvents and nallttes -i*i VJ’ .. - ’'I V? A Bhavan / following the western model decade) — a ratio of one to 1.7 million. Jl^^up certain problems. “Is some- “How can you enforce accountability?.. . thing" that is practical, feasible, in smaller Reaching 1.7 million people with a mani- _____ 2 ¦ ¦ ‘ ¦ festo is an impossible task. (Hence the lia, NeiV Zeal^d... adaptable to a conti- problems of) money power and muscle “ ... Can we increase the number of l up certain problems. “Is some- Even as he laid the fuuodaUonstene di , Pherozeshah MeW W^^® to Hbi^e the _ . department of civK^^^poUtica at ’Bop^ay countries.^ Engird, Switzerland, Austra- University ’s KalinaCan^juh ott Match 1, 1 -¦ 1997 recalling the/R»BBWa:ytJfoi»-jaf the nenjal (soyntry like ours? ” Tracing the power. Maharashtra gov<&m©<.a^ a* '-’Wfei University ’s Kalina Caxi^niit ott Match 1, ci<^mocracy , Alexander noted. MIJ(memba'sofp^to^t)to^pace Maharashtra gov^et^ tpie ^^ue in the city state of Athens with the populaUon? (But) even 545 mem- cellor of Bombgy i0]^9fsity ’''1^ ‘'Phe presenUttons candiStes are selected by party headquar- thelioiiroaied..?Par.!Mrw. October 1996) ters far aw ay from the constituency. “Where and Mody credited Taleyarkhan with be- is the accountability? The trouble starts with that... How do you ensure participa ­ tory democracy where the transport sys ­ tem is so primitive?... You may see a man once in five years.:. x “We alone can conduct research... We the Pherozeshah Mehta Bhavan. Theedi- may end up feeling the need to devolve power to the state level and thence to the punchayet level. If so, ’ these institutions with much more power. ... , , Otherwise we have empowerment without that when the building is comjnete people responsibility. ” The function had begun with mistress of ceremony Homai Modi reading mes- sages from the then Prime Minister Deve NPA honOFS DastUF MlFZa Gowda and Gandhian Usha Mehta con- cincf.,r ’c r,rct d.uv i« m i^rn and gratulating Bombay University for keep ­ ing the memory of Sir Pherozeshah Mehta teacher, ” Dastur (Dr) Hormazdyar Mirza alive. University vice chancellor Dr Snehalata Deshmukh recalled Mehta ’s 45 years ’ service on the University Senate. “Work and worship is the only motto for success. Even the lion gets no food unless he works hard, ” she noted, obliquely pun ­ ning on the indefatigable Mehta ’s sobri ­ quets, Lion of Bombay and Ferocious Mehta. Homi Taleyarkhan, chairman of Sir Pherozeshah Mehta 150th Birth Anniver ­ sary Celebrations Committee informed the gathering that the civil engineering firm Larsen and Toubro had agreed to construct the Bhavan designed by prominent archi ­ tect I. M. Kadri and had donated Rs 10 wife Manijeh lakhs towards its cost. One crore rupees Above (from left): had been collected towards a total cost Jal Tata, Mode estimate of two crore rupees, he said. A Mirza, B. Antia, fiirther Rs 10 laklis were promised by Duhash and Farrokh noted businessman and Bombay Parsi Antia Punchayet chairman Jamshed Guzder that evening. For Dr Nawaz Mody, the Committee ’s secretary and head of the University s de ­ partment of civics and politics, it was “a dream fulfilled ” as she promised to give full attention to Alexander ’s guidelines. Recalling the Committee ’s “minor aims and objectives, ” Mody spoke to the assem ­ bled gathering (which included a busload Allbless Baug had been preceded by a hum OUUUl uuiiivaj vuulivoj WV7XX..XXVXX.XVJ j------- -------------- activist and noted solicitor Burjor Antia lifelong work in propagating religious country and all mankind who had chartered an airconditioned ve- knowledge among Zoroastrians in India, Initially there were only five mobeds o hide for the occasion) of the encourage- North America. UK and Africa was fol- the NPA s honor list, Antia had noted, ment from the chancellor and vice chan ­ cellor which propelled the members to think in larger terms, and eventually of establishing the Bhavan. The Committee ’s , year-long program of commemoration had NPA trustee.*! and other professionals had included a two-day seminar on Mehta ’s contributions to national life (see “When yozdathregar mobeds received Rs 50,(X)0 _ ___ _____ ________ each and the remaining five Rs 35,000 ^Kadri himself recoimted how he had each along with the customary shawl) was charge of public duties, adding, “In regard, andtheDubashSanjanaEndowmentwhich, . «• , a_J XTT^ A T3 A 1a sponsored the event. Their intention, said Antia was “to send the message to (the _ ____________ ______________ members of) the athravan community that we must provide ties for any scholar from anywhere in the their lives ’ labor is appreciated and recog ­ world to come and research. I only hope nized. ” uiav wiivi* uiv uu....... _______r —r'- ’ Dubash, an automobile engineer from will find inspiration from Pherozeshah the Chrysler Motor'Corporation and the Mehta for their own work. ” Arnavaz S. Mama ’ ’ ing the Committee ’s “rock of support.' been'inspi'redby Mehta ’s relentless dis- thanks to thegenerosity of Nariman Dubash charge of public duties, adding, “In regard, andtheDubashSanjanaEndowmentwhich, respect and remembrance I have designed as noted NPA president Burjor Antia, had fice has an external garden as well as an internal one and, said the architect, “facili- “A dastur ’s first duty is to learn and to teach. I have remained a learner and t ** ” i'S (a ii I, 1 . ...... and objectives, ” Mody spoke to the assem- Felicitations for Mirza (right) with ¥ it - s responded to the cita ­ tion, purse and shawl presented to him by the Navsari Parsi As ­ sociation (NPA) hon ­ oring his 52 years of dedication to the community as high priest at the Iranshah. The felicitation on March 18, 1997 at from South Bombay courtesy community jashan. The acknowledgement of Mirza s knowledge among Zoroastrians in India, 32 Parsiana February-March 19^7 evening ’s chief guest, hoped that the be ­ lated but heartening community apprecia ­ tion of their services will prompt the priests to “encourage their sons to enter the profes ­ sion so that they can tend the holy fires. ” Mirza elucidated the many duties of a dastur: “to memorize the text, un- H| derstand it, to decide (on) holy prayers and to perform ceremonies reciting the sacred texts so that life may be renovated, refreshed. ” The ¦ frail nonagenarian who had recently 1 recovered from a bout of illness and H surgery, spoke with his usual au- thority. “How far I have succeeded w ww and where I’ve failed (in these duties) my community will decide. I’ve triedmy best. ” Concluding his remarks, Zoroastrianism ’s seniormost scholai ’ priest invoked God ’s blessing on the NPA, the community, the North America, UK and Africa was fol ­ priests ranging in age from 65 to 79 years, more potential beneficiaries, including the youngest of them having clocked over ’ " ’ 50 years of service. In fellowship most lowed by the appreciation of 15 other Now as they had become aware of many chasniwalas and widows of mobeds, Antia stated that this function was but the first in a series to come. In her vote of thanks NPAvice president Homai Modi referred to The substantial turnout (including Bombay men t committee and chairman of toe BEST Dubash ’s “spontaneous generosity (which) Parsi J^nchayet trustees,^senior poHUci^ co grew as we \------------------------- invited him to be an NPA patron. She also gave intimation of NPA plans to hold an ------ ------ , ¦ • • ' j entertainment program on ±e fifth Gatha proceeding to a fish curry, chicken farcha successful this time despite the support he (Pateti) to collect funds for its various programs. 'me yowauiicgai iiiuuvuj ivuvnaivu , that day were: Ervad Peston Rabadi, 79, Lone r arsi OH iSiylV- J ! Fellow corporator Rustom Tirandaz, ____ ___ _______ who had been representing Dadar and presented by Universal 'Theatres before Matunga for nearly two decades, was not andTm botti dinner by Tanaz and Neville had harnessed from leading members of Godiwala. ______________________ a.s.m. the community like Dinshaw Tamboly, Ervad Rustom Panthaky, Dr Jamshed Sunawala, Firoze Sholapurwalla and Mithoo Jesia. According to their appeal ____ _____ _________ carried in the Jam-e-Jamshed of February the Bombay Municipal Corporation 16,1997, “The need of the hour is experi- ¦ ¦ enced, conipetent, transparent and com ­ mitted representation. Who better than this honest, clean and dedicated man...who worked for this function ” and Homi Taleyarkhan and industrialist Sohrab Godrej) witnessed a revue, Parsi Dhamka, A.S.M. The yozdathregar rnobeds^felicitated __ nivyfr* ^d Ervad Rustom Sidhwa, 68, of Boyce Congress candidate Noshir Rusi Mehta is Agiary, Ervad Navel Antia, 78, Ervad Jal reportedly the only Parsi to have won a seat Unwalla, 75, and Ervad Bahadur Balsara, to th; 72, of Sethna Agiary, Ervad Minocher during the recently Bhada, 77, of Batliwala Agiary, Ervad Noshir Behram-Kamdin, 70, of Dadyseth Atash Behram, Ervad Darab Masani, 70, of Anjuman Atash Bahram, Ervad Bahadur Panthaky, 69, of Banaji Agiary, Ervad Aspi Nalladaru, 67, of Banaji Atash Behram. Other priests with.over 50 years ’ service wereErvad Bomansha Balsara, 79, of Vachaghandhy Agiary, Ervad Homi Bhada, 76, and Ervad Behram Vajifdar, 65, of Sethna Agiary, Ervad Minoo Bharucha, 71, of Dadyseth Agiary and Mehta: third term Ervad Erachshaw Kotwal, 70, of Cama as corporator Baug Agiary. contested elections in _ February 1997. In ¦ this his third term ¦ as corporator from is easily approachable and accessible to I Ward No 20, anybody and everybody 24 hours a day' ’” Candles, the symbol chosen by inde- Ward No 20, Mehta secured about 64 percent pendent candidate Cyrus Behram Irani, of the votes pol- '' ’ - led, according to could not pave the way to his success in ward No 8 covering Dhobitalao, Chira a write-up in the Bazar, Mumbadevi, Abdul Rehman Street Jam-e-Jamshed and Kalbadevi. Yet another “upright, in- of March 2,1997. dependent and public-spirited person ” fil- Representing this Muslim domina ­ nt rvfexnxj locality since Other institutions which had aided the his father ’s assassination in 1987, Mehta^s NPA were the WZO (World Zoroastrian Organisation) Trust Fun ds andUnion Press. involvement with the Corporation has in ­ cluded a stint as member of the improve- ing his nomination from Ward No 1, in Colaba was Dara Contractor who despite his long-standing affiliation with the Li­ ons and Freemasonic movements was not given a chance “to serve the people of his constituency and address their various America’s it 1 J e ans Wrangler The Western Original* AVAILABLE AT: COLABA: GRAND BAZAAR, KALA GHODA: VINOD APPARELS, D.N. ROAD: MUNNU'S, D.N. ROAD (VASHI): RICHY RICH. C.S.T.: CAMERA 'N' JEANS, GOWALIA TANK: FASHION ORBIT, HEERA PANNA: VISHAL BOUTIQUE, DADAR T.T.: CLASSIC, LINKING RD. (BANDRA): DENIM WORLD, BLUES BIZAAR, ANDHERI: SHOPPER'S STOP, LOKHANDWALLA COMPLEX: ROCK 'N* ROLL. MULUND: WOODPECKER. L. ;„g marked the 129thbirth anniversary of Arde- briefless shir — inventor, innovator and “entrepre ­ neur par excellence, ” in the words of S ohrab Godrej, his nephew and head of the House Of of Godrej. Like his friend Mohandas Gandhi, Ardeshir believed that “self-respect came from self-reliance ” and donated towards Gandhi ’s work “at a time when hardly anyone supported Gandhi, ” noted Sohrab. Describing Ardeshir as an apostle of “plain living and high thinking ” Sohrab recalled that his uncle “never detached himself from libraries and books. He worked half the day and in the other half pursued other interests. ” Amon'g these was the develop ­ ment of agriculture along scientific lines, indicated Sohrab. Eminent jurist Nani Palkhivala who chaired the proceedings described Danda- vate as the “humblest and simplest finance minister ” India has had and referred to the bond of ideas between Gandhi and the Godrejs: “the family has created enormous wealth for the nation and has* ’maintained such a low profile and lifestyle. ” Dandavate ’s talk featured a senes of anecdotes about the Father of the Nation as tive means of livelihood, he was returning (from Zanzibar in 1894) to a L.------- future. Nevertheless, Ardeshir didn ’t re ­ turn empty-handed. He brought back a .” Of Ardeshir ’s brother Pirojsha, the author mentions, “He bought a tract of land in needs in a planned and efficient manner, ” as conveyed in the Jame. A steely centenary .. . “The Godrej story is not limited to Indus- parrot, the unique African Grey... trial excellence and enlightened concerns. i--------- -- - It is also a very human chronicle of strong, i- .....-----------------V,- determined men and women, gifted with Vikhroli village at a public auction. 'Hiere vision and uncommon talents, who built a powerful and unique business t ------------ by setbacks and difficulties, . .Drawing upon extensive interviews...and exhaustive re ­ search, ” the author Burjor Karanjia has put together in f— ------ - Nani Palkhivala, “a most fascinating and shares and almost everything he had to wishers who sincerely believed he was Lvl ’.v a were several pockets of settlers in the undeterred neighboring areas whom he bought off one after the other, paying more in the process than he had done for the original piece of —J.-, land. Considering today ’s prices what he the word.s of eminent jurist paid was a pittance, yet he had to sell his iNani raiKinvaia, a .«v.v ...d shares and alinost everything he had to inspiring account of one of the great Indian defray the cost besides taking loans. He did families who have done the country proud, ” this against the advice of friends and wt - as notes a press release. -------- - . . , The book, Godrej - A Hundred Years, throwing money away and being unmind- was released by the Vice-President of In- - ’ - ‘ dia K. R. Narayanan at the Pirojsha Godrej National Conservation Centre in New Delhi on March 3, 1997 when present on f occasion were t senior industrialists and members of the Godrej family, including the chairman ot the Godrej group, Sohrab Godrej. The first ful of his children... ” Tlie book i.s just one of the centenary projects planned by the company. A TB the hospital in Delhi, a management institute the city ’s glitterati, several in Bombay, memorial lectures on the birth anniversaries of its stalwarts, co-sponsor ­ ship of program!* by Zubin Mehta and the -luu ouiiiau vjuvx.v, _ _________ - Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, and vari- volume of the hook concentrates on the century. first two generations of this close-knit family who have created a business con ­ glomerate that is today a household name i______ , India Private Limited, the hard cover is “None of the three railway budgets and in the ignoble public life of today. ” One story recalled the dark days of communal glomerate mat is looay a iR,useuyiu « SarDesai as a “mine of information on the Hughe^Road) invoking the ble'ssings of community ” was befittingly released by a the Lord, and praying for the health and Frenchman, M. Marc Beraud-Chaulet, welfare of Danai. Vimal Shah, honorary consul general of France in Bombay, who proceeded to pay tribute to his compatriot ancestor for her seminal work on the Zoro ­ astrian community, undertaken with eru ­ dition and careful research, even before visiting India. Mango; who had stumbled on a rare and out-of-print 1917 translation of Menant ’s Bombay ’s Vachaghandhy Agiary on the Lord, and praying for the health and secretary of the ASB welcomed the gath ­ ering, and commented on the overwhelm ­ ing response from the community and its admirers who were present in large num ­ bers for the function. ASB’s president Dr Damodar SarDesai spoke glowingly of the community ’s con- their “honesty, charity, enterprise ” and, tongue-in-cheek, “their love for the Brit- niuuii ¦ u.vov _ __________ ___________ ish. ” Yet, as he remarked, the Parsis were wer^Ervar RamiyarKaranjia, Vispi the most patriotic lot of Indians, not just Dastur, Jamshed Dalal, Minoo Titina, because they produced a field marshal Farokh Tarapore, ShernazEngineer, Benaf (Sam Maneckshaw), or an atomic scienhst Dflrtachanii Dilnavaz Bhamgara and J. C. (Dr Homi Bhabha), or a man with mdus- »»»*¦»< u trial vision (J. N. Tata), amongst othw annotated by M. M. Marzban. greats, but because in all their actions. However as per a clarification issued by members of the community strive to trans- J al Hormusji Ardesir V^l in ±e Jam-e- late into practice what their forefathers Jamshed of March 9,1997, The English promised to do for the country. In his translation of the first three chaptersjas address SarDesai laid stress on the need done by my late paternal aunt. Miss Ratanbai Ardesir Vakil who was bom in 1869... (and) graduated in 1890 with hon ­ ors in BA. Her French teacher was Signor Pedraza and Ratanbai developed a great love for the French language. Immedi- Dadachanji, Dilnavaz Bhamgara and J. C. Chain a. More of The Parsis “I hope the book, written with a warm heart and a searching mind, will help us to teach our history and these simple prin ­ ciples of Zoroaster to our children and others so that this great religion which has ------ . survived for 3,5(X) years shall not die. ” So adaptation and adjustments should not lead stated Jeroo Mango, managing partner ot t ------------------ - - . s-GSSxEE K.s.-ma: the definitive work on the community writ ­ ten at the turn of the last century by a ftench woman, Mlle Delphine Menant. . ”= “ distinguishedperson^ities whichinclud^ of re . containing five Nevertheless, as Mango revealed, a large promised to do for the country. In his for ethnic pluralism, cautioning the com ­ munity that assimilation which involves to loss of ethnic fdentity. Mango echoed a similar sentiment (when she spoke of the 42 Parsiana February-March 1997 However as per a clarification issued by Jal Hormusji Ardesir Vakil in the Jam-e- translation of the first three chapters was cated faith whether we are in America, (which) was printed and published as far Europe or India. ” Mango hoped that the back as 1902... She died at the young age community would rid itself of customs and of 26... There is no reference to the pio- oreiudices which seek to exclude others, neering work done by Ratanbai (but credit __ KA KAiirvhan uzhn dirt not and revert to preserving the moral values The 364-t-xii page tome containing five chapters dealing with the domestic life ofparticipate in indoor stadia, never out- and Sri Lan ­ ka in a bid to doors, she clarifies, find out what articles her from Esfahan University, Jamshidian 15,000 sub- claims that her hejab (a soft black sheet scribers need which she deftly winds around herself) is a to read. The source of safety and self-confidence. The monthly, En- respect for the attire in the country to- glish langu- gether with the ban on alcohol enables age publica- even lOne-women to travel freely through tion “intro- the country, she maintains. Except for duces Islam Azahra University in Tehran and Fatemieh to the world and informs women of their Medical University in Qom which are only Islamic rights ... most women don ’tknow for women, all of Iran s uni versifies are co ­ their rights ... helps them to have access (to educational with 40 percent of the profes ­ their rights), trains women to raise chil- ’ “ ’ -.........- dren in tlie Islamic way, ” notes the youth ­ ful grandmother who also teaches English available to all communities, says Jam- at the University of Tehran. •' ... The Islamic Republic “encourages and motivates women to be educated, ” says Jamshidian to enable them to understand riage is essentially contract, in- “cleanness — a sign of the faith. ” Deter- Women in Islam mined to exemplify itself as a modern Turan Jamshidian was on the last lap of her Islamic country, Iran is encouraging its travels when Paryjana met her on Febru ­ ary 5,1997 at the Iran Culture House. The editor-in-chief of Mahjubah, an Iranian magazine devoted to women ’s affairs, **¦ —----- j ----------------- - -- - Jamshidian had travelled through West though men and women play and practise society, she say^Isl^c women^Mwcw» Africa, Sierra Leone, Kenya, South Africa L. —-------—'*------- ” breaking work on the community than the three chapters brought out by Mango as a reprint of the 1917 work, was disclosed to her byBoyce in London, when she (Mango) called on her. Mango then proceeded to “corner ” her husband, Anthony, the hon ­ orary Greek consul general in Bombay, as recounted humorously in the book ’s pref ­ ace, into translating the five remaining chapters — provided by Boyce — from French to English. “My husband spent his Jamshidian: women ’s rights days and nights for the past two years with Delphine, ” laughs Jeroo. The “accidental translator ” complied with this request (“The wish of the woman is the wish of God, ” Anthony recalls a French proverb) armed with his knowledge of French (his first language, as Jeroo informs), his love for history, and his association with the com ­ munity for many years, which was further bonded by his marriage with Jeroo in 1977. Hoini J. Rogers women to take an active part in athletics as well as politics, she says. There are six to seven physical education faculties. Co ­ education prevails in the theory classes A master in business administration sors being femal6 and highly qualified. Education is free up to PhD level and is shidian though the competition is severe and entrance exams are tough. A girl chooses her husband and mar- forms Jamshidian; “The ceremonies are only for those who want them. Some dis ­ pense with them altogether and prefer to give money in charity. ” Thanks to the late Ayatollah Khomeini and the present Aya ­ tollah Khameni, men are encouraging their wives to study, work and be active in in different stadia. Women athletes only are not free to marry men of other faiths Your Sote g^year-oW DAVAR’S COLLEGE OF COMMERCE BANKING & LANGUAGE STUDIES Foundedin 1900 by Prof Sohrab R. Davar FREE PLACEMENTS Only at Davar ’s * FIRST COUNTER at Fountain * Phone Fountain: 2042007/2824678 Vashi: 7685046/7686567 Goa; Panjim: 221140 Ribundar; 234155/234257/234256 Join Job-Oriented Courses Special Personal Secretaries ’ Diploma (with Audio-Visual Aids and Computers, Jobs Guaranteed) t Executive Office Assistants ’ Diploma 4. Computers/Income Tax * Accounts — Basic, Advanced Personality Development for men and women ? Elegance — Davar ’s Finishing School ? Shorthand/Typing/Fax/Telephone Operating * Investment Analysis and Portfolio Planning ? Special Ladies Course in Money Matters * Diploma in Commerce (D.Com.) CAI IB (for Bank Employees) ? GCD (Government Commercial Diploma) * English/Arabic/French/Spanish/ltalian/German, etc ? Translation in all languages ? Free Placement Service * 44 Parsiana February-March 1997BalsaraGarden Club. It is meant to impress Dental Health Foundation, the principal on the Bdmbayites the importance of though Muslim men may have non-Mus- lim wives who are permitted to maintain their own religion. “The children (of such growing more plants and trees. Further to intermarriages) are allowed to choose (their adopting avenues like Carter Road or religion) but mostly (prefer to be) Mus- Meadows Street, they have a sapling bank lim, ” she adds, dismissing the subject as a where they nurture plants, notes a write-up “personal, individual matter. ” in the Bombay Times, February 25, 1997. The state provides a month ’s premarital “The B ombay Municipal Corporation has in-house research and development center which is personally supervised by the group ’s chairman and managing director, security to protect the trees from being Aspi R.'Balsara, notes a press communi ­ cut, ” advocates Balsara whose expertise que. Their research effort is concentrated on the development of natural and herbal consumer products like toothpastes, sham ­ poos, creams and soaps, and ingredients source of reference for information and assistance on dental health matters in the UK. Earlier, the Government of India, min ­ istry of science and technology awarded recognition to Balsara Hygiene Products ’ counselling. A certificate of attendance as already started involving the corporates, also a health certificate are compulsory but more than tree-plantation they need before marriage can be legalized, Jamshi- dian informs us. Divorce is rare and coun ­ selling is again enforced. In case of di- has also been sought by the Bombay Parsi vorce the property is divided between hus ­ band and wife and the children ’s custody is decided by the court which is “constituted of religious participants and lawyers, some only of lawyers, ” says Jamshidian. About 85 women ’s NGO (non govern ­ mental organizations) function in Iran, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian and Islamic issued by the company. The group ’,s flag- ones among them, maintains Jamshidian. ship, B^sara Hygiene Products Limited which manufactures personal and house ­ hold care products for distribution in 40 countries around the world, boasts a do ­ mestic annual sales turnover of one billion Moved by music Currently a soloist at the First Church of Christ Scientist, Hongkong, soprano Their Promise toothpaste claims to be DilshadKhambattarenderedaperformance Punchayet in its attempts to grow bawal and other trees on the doongerwadi estate. Information on the Balsara group of derived from plant Sources and recognized companies, its domestic and international product ranges, its market activities in India and overseas can now be accessed on the website, according to a press release in ayurveda and other holistic systems of Indian medicine. A sister company, B alsara Herbal Products Private Limited special ­ izes in the production and supply of herbal extracts to leading international manufac ­ turers of natural cosmetics such as Boots and Body Shop, mentions a write-up from the company. A.S.M. Promise information Working in close proximity with nature, harnessing the assets of greenery and rupees, and an international sales turnover vegetation to launch products of inter- of 300 million rupees. national repute, Aspi Balsara, chairman and managing director of Balsara Hygiene the first product to have been granted under the aegis of The Poona Music Soci- Products Limited, has now started The international accreditation by the British ety on January 3, 1997 with piano ac- Does he really love me? Will it last? Will he marry me? Is he the right one? Before you find out the answers to the above queries, it is better you get yourself attended to by our hairdressers, barbers and beauticians from top to toe and make yourself look presentable for all occasions. To find perfect love and happiness you must be well groomed. ENNIS 3, Russel St, Calcutta Ph: 29-8088 NU ENNIS 6A, Corporation Place, Calcutta Ph: 244-2272 AUGUST MOON 27 A/B, Royd St, Calcutta Ph: 29-8873 Kids will receive a toy, sweet and balloon after a haircut. We are open everyday. 46 Parsiana February-March 1997T.F’ I Seventh sdldar made her miserable. She doubted the exist- I Yet another student ence of God, she questioned the meaning I to qualify as a J. N. of existence. Afta six tortuous years she I Tata Scholar for the says she was able to establish contact with I year 1996-97 was Karl who by then had made substantial I Firdosh Kavarana ^iritual progress. The story of her tra- I who was not listed vails, her renewihg of ties wiA her son, her I with the “Six schol- dqjendence on Karl'to solve dilemmas for I ars, ” (Events and herself, faioily and associates make her Personalities, Par- Posonalities, Par- book Sounds of Silence - a true experi- siana, October 1996) as details of his ence, absorbing and vay readable, achievements reached us much later. Through automatic writing (defined as Kavarana will be pursuing a master ’s de- writing performed without conscious in- gree in matoials science and engineering tention and sometimes without awaroiess at the University of Utah. as if of telepathic or spiritualistic origin) With abackgroundinmetallurgy. Kava- she has been able to share ha innomost rana who had completed his graduation in engineering with ^stinction from the M. S. University, Baroda, has been commen- pen in hand and finds that with practice, conqjaniment by Tehmie Gazdar. Compo- ded by his professors for being “intellec- ha hand automatically starts moving on sitions by W. A. Mozart, Ranz Schubat, tual and creative in his work with an ana- ’ ' ' ’ ‘ Richard Strauss and Giacomo Puccini wae lytical ability, ” as notes the press release. rendoed during the evening at Gulati Hall. He gained work expaience as research Umrigar may have been prompted to take Known to have participated in work- ~ -- -- ............................................ shops, oratorios, concats in Salzburg, In^ dia and Hongkong, Kbambatta had ini- tiallyreceivedvoicetrainingiuidaVaoni- ball, basketball, cricka (even during his ca Krishnayya at Poona before she quali- TISCO days), and enjoys swimming too. fied for a scholarship from the Goethe , , Institute to study music at the Mozarteum Son S gUlduig spint in Salzburg. As memba of the Salzburga The death of ha young son Karl in 1979, Dorn Chor she toured USA, Canada and a promising jockey, left Nan Umrigar dev- jockey son Europe and sang with them during the asteted. The pangs of physical separation Karl Salzburga Festspiel, notes an introduc ­ tion to the soprano. As soloist of the Paran- joti Academy Chorus she had accompa ­ nied them on their tour of Japan, USA, Gomany, Austria and the Nethalands. Peta Doss, Prof Paul Schilhawsky and Prof Walta Reiniga, as also Margarete Elkins are the otha professionals whose tutelage has benefitted Khambatta, adds the write-up. Gazdarhas not only been a familiar face with the Bombay Philharmonic but she has | also been invited to perform with the Sym- | phony Orchestra of Colombo and mem- J has of the Balin Philharmonic Orchestra in a chamba concert in Spain, mentions HH ||||||| ||^ the introduction. Innumerable celebrity artistes must she have accompanied on the piano. Afta receiving her early lessons in ' piano from ha eldest sista Amy Bhabha, Gazdar hadstudied with Dr ManeckBhagat and earned diplomas from the Trinity Col ­ lege of London and the Royal School of f Music. She then earned a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, London and won several prizes at competi ­ tive festivals in England, as pa a press release. Vocalist Khofribatta (l^) and Kavarana: pursuing engineering thoughts and anxieties with Karl. Concen ­ trating on Karl, each morning she sits with the paper before her, giving legible re ­ sponses to qu^e^ she poses to ha son. engineer with the Tate Iron and Steel Com- to automatic writing by Khorshed Bhav- pany (TISCO), Jamshedpur. Kavarana is nagiri who found consolation by conunu- also an avid sportsman who played foot- nicating with ho' deceased sons Vispi and 48 Parsiana February-March 1997 5 Mi »-.i u Nan Umrigar (right) in contact with ;4;i, B V. ¦Ji' r' n ¦’¦¦¦ X^sP*’’ 1“GLOBE THEATRES Pvt Ltd Established April 3, 1915 Pioneers of Show Business in India for the last 81 '' ¦ ¦ Am, Op ATRUBEXPE^lfVii hhzABiiiiii For Gara Sarees and Borders Contact Hilla Mazda c/o Perfit No 53, 4th Main Road Gandhinagar, Adyar Chennai 600020 Tel (Off): (044) 412020 (Res): (044) 8272645/8259195 Ratu who had perished in an accident. However it is not recommended for all those bereaved. “Two of the easiest dan ­ gers known to automatic writing, ” cau ­ tions Umrigar, are “that of allowing the mind to control the channelling and that of , depending entirely on answers from the spirit world. ” Recalling her experiences, Umrigar re ­ alizes, “Realists will dismiss it altogether as being imaginative and far-fetched. There will be some whose hearts will be touched enough to believe in its authenticity and there will be others who will question its propriety from the spiritual point of view. ” An uncanny occurrence of events cease to appear as coincidental after a while. ' nsr»ssKsK ‘»K:/a ' When taking a break A ; from the reading of the book, an acciden ­ tal glance at the TV screen shows a jockey being thrown off a horse and instantly images of Karl race past. The first thou ­ ght that flashes through one ’s mind is whether we too have become vulnerable to ominous develop ­ ments! “God is kindness, love and understand ­ ing, ” is the message impressed upon his mother by Karl who shows her the path ­ way to Meher Baba, the redeemer of many who have sought his grace. The haven that is Meherabad, where is Baba ’s samadhi and the meeting ground for his disciples, the message of this savior, the story of his roots in a simple Zoroastrian household, the travails of his life and his all-encom ­ passing love seep through the pages. Innumerable are the occasions when Meher Baba was able to help souls in distress, including Umrigar. At other times he seems to keep his distance. Just as we learn in depth of the many ways when he had an occasion to reach out, in all fairness we should have been provided an insight into those days when Umrigar felt she had been deserted and was treading the path ­ way alone. The rationale for Meher Baba ’s stand is conveyed by Karl: “We can only make a few helpful changes for you but cannot alter the course of your life ’s path ­ way. That is ordained and you have to follow that pathway... All I can do is to clear the pathway of sticks and stones and little pieces of glass that may cut your feet and stop the bleeding, but I cannot send you along another road...you will get stron ­ ger and better and be able to see to your life years We rededicate ourselves to the ideals we have cherished and practised all along - namely to show NOTHING BUT THE BEST to our ever increasing number of Patrons Controlling: REGAL BOMBAY CAPITOL BOMBAY * GLOBE CALCUTTA The above three cinemas are installed with ______ nn iPOLBYSTlRBOl 50 Parsiana February-March 1997Bombayites have perfected at least five ways of killing this puppy. I L Car hits. Beating. Stoning. Starvation. Poisoning. Just a few examples of the senseless cruelty puppies like this are exposed to every day. We at The Welfare of Stray Dogs have prevented the birth of thousands of such unwanted, Ill- treated pups, through mass sterilisation. Sofarover 6,000 dogs have been sterilised, vaccinated against rabies and tatooed for iden ­ tification in Bombay and New Bombay. Help us. Call 2152903 or 2874275 (Bombay). Or mark your cheques/demand drafts to: “The Welfare of Stray Dogs" and send them to Regal Theatre Building, 2nd floor, 41/F Apollo Pier Road, Bombay 400039. You are entitled to tax exemption u/s 80-G of the Income Tax Act. The wdfara ol stray dogs IwSjd. 51 Parsiana February-March 1997 and do your own things and surprise yourself that you are able to do so, for these things come to make you a better person. ” That there is life after death, that there are benevolent spirits guiding one ’s progress, that loving relationships endure beyond one. lifetime, that the answer to life ’s puzzle lies in the collective incarna ­ tions of the soul is time and again reiter ­ ated in this 247-page book. Priced at Rs 275 it is published by Huma Enterprises, 12 Jaldarshan Apartments, 1st floor. Block 1,51 Nepean Sea Road, Bombay 400006. And there was light! When Bombay was plunged in darkness on the night of February 28,1997, for varying durations depending on the locality in which one found himself/herself, those considerably inconvenienced were the hosts of social functions. Hotels usually have the facility of a generator but for those partying at Parsi bangs, the scenario was quite different. At the Jeejeebhoy Dadabhoy Agiary at Colaba as also at Allbless Bang, the Godi- wallas were in charge of the catering. According to a report in The Afternoon Despatch and Courier of March 2,1997, at ±e Colaba Agiary function Tanaz Godi- walla, the young caterer, improvised a firelight dinner. She got firewood from the kitchen, drove the wooden stakes in the ground, wrapped their tops with kerosene soaked gunny bags and served dinner! For added light, three cars were rolled into the dining ^ea and their headlights switched on so that guests could enjoy their meal. At Allbless Baug too the headlights of select cars created an unusual ambience. SPOTLIGHT Veteran politician Homi J. H. Taleyar- khan has been nominated for the Man of the Year award by the American Biogra ­ phical Institute, according to apress release. Former governor of Sikkim and ambas ­ sador to Libya, Taleyarkhan was conferred this distinction for his “overall accom ­ plishment and contribution to society. ” Successfully clearing the online exams conducted by Novell Inc, USA, Mhow ’s Rohintan F. Karanjia was conferred the Novell Authorised CNE certification, states Dhunjishaw Marker, president of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman, Mhow. Novell Edu ­ cation is reportedly geared to train profes ­ sionals in network design, installation and management skills. Compiled by Parinaz M. Gandhi from a Well-WisherZOROASTRIANS ABROAD “Come to a decision ” The community requires a unitary mandate from scholars and priests, says the Washington Zoroastrian ^association former president Dinshaw Joshi Arnavaz S. Mama “How many translations of the Gathas are are being performed when children grow Farsi at home, kfeep the language alive, there? Which translation (would be the up and ask for them, he adds. unlike the Parsis who have not consciously best) to follow? ” The Washington community has com- maintained their Gujarati links. But that Dinshaw Joshi, telecommunications prised several Zoroastrian members of the apart, there is no infighting at 21AMWI, its consultant with the World B ank and found ­ ing vice president of the Zoroastrian Asso ­ ciation of Metropolitan Washington In- Bank under Robert McNamara, Chandi corporated (ZAMWI), is disappointed that Batlivala who has since returned to the the Gatha seminars being held in the US and UK do not provide a guideline for the community through the various interpreta ­ tions. Whether other people follow such a guideline or not, he is convinced a con ­ certed opinion could emerge on topics like conversion that would prevent trouble ­ makers from deliberately confusing the layman as is happening on the Internet. Moreover, he feels that these “E-mail con ­ troversies are giving Parsis a bad name. ” Amid the plethora of religious inter ­ pretations (“Seven dasturs gave individual opinions to Neville Wadia. Why couldn ’t they get together and decide? ”), Joshi says he has “told the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) to bring together a council of elders and lock them up until they come to a deci ­ sion. ” A note of dissent could be permit ­ ted, he adds! Despite recent attempts by some people to enforce a doctrinal orthodoxy on FEZANA and prevent certain opinions youth, don ’t patronize them" and voices being heard — which Joshi thinks is “very wrong ” — Joshi believes resented in Washington, Farida Khambatta the area, notes Joshi, that the North American (NA) community of the International Finance Corporation Two sets of religious classes are cur- as a whole is tending to be more liberal. “I don ’t think it will ever be ultra orthodox. Intermarriages will lead to tolerance. ” Joshi ’s observation is that the children Everyone comes in and sits... at the i ‘ “ of Zoroastrians married to members of jashans, ” says Joshi, noting how current heritage discussions among the less than other faiths are generally being brought up president Kersi Shroff ’s American wife as Zoroastrians. He cites the case of a Parsi lady in Washington married to an Ameri ­ can. She wanted a navjote for their child. “A mobed from New York came and per ­ formed the navjote. ” Even late navjotes The Washington community has com- World Bank group, among them Parvez former president is both proud and content Damri who was vice president of the World Reserve Bank of India which she had rep- I /fl Dinshaw and Goal Joshi: "Guide the to note. Through the Guiv Foundation ZAMWI has acquired seven acres of land and a broken down house referred to as ZAMWI Center, informs Joshi. The Association lacks the funds to construct and maintain a new structure though a local architect has been appointed, he says. Since the prop ­ erty is located in a residential zone the first step is to get the zoning provisions re ­ moved for which they expect to enlist the aid of the Korean Christian Church which has been accorded the permission to ex ­ tend its structure. The ZAMWI Center ’s hall, as it stands, is large enough for jashans lH ijut too small for Pateti and Navroze func- H tions. ¦ Previously, the Washington commu- H nity depended on Ervads Adi Unwalla and ¦ Noshir Karanjia, professional engineers H located in Philadelphia, for all their ritual H requirements. But now they have an in- fl house mobed! When World Bank em- H ployee Zenobia Panthaky was transferred ¦ from Delhi to its Washington headquar- fl| ters, husband Brigadier Behram Panthaky, a trained mobed, left the Indian army to join his family in the US capital. Panthaky now works with an export-import firm in of the International Finance Corporation and Armin Choksy, also a World Bank rently being offered by ZAMWI with vice president. ZAMWI remains a wel ­ coming body. “We have no restrictions. Panthaky teaching the children and found ­ ing president and retired World Bank di ­ rector Adi Davar coordinating culture and 53 Parsiana February-March 1997 works hard to help the Association. An ­ other member is Gatha scholar James Lovelace who is married to Rubyna Patel. There are a number of Iranian Zoroastrian members who make it a point to speak 10 adults who attend. One feature of the ZAMWI constitution is that no one can hold an executive office for more than two two-year terms. The rule was incorporated because “we don ’t want anyone to capture one post and not move. ”Gold and silver Lord Zoroaster and Asho Farohar medals available Gold, silver and diamond exclusive showroom We also undertake polishing of ses 594, Chira Bazar, Girgaum Road, Mumbai 400002. Tel: 2065137 We accept Diners, BOB card, American Express, Taj Premium, Visa & Master Cards. Trustees of the Parsee Vegetarian and Temperance Society intend to bring out a directory of Vegetarian Parsee and Irani Zoroastrians residing in India and abroad. All Vegetarian Parsee and Irani Zoroastrians are requested to write with bio data at the following address to: The Trustees, M/s Parsee Vegetarian and Temperance Society, Vatsa House (Noble Chambers), 4th Floor, Parsee Bazar Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001 (India) 22 Carat Guaranteed Gold KUMAR JEWELLERS House of Gold, Silver & Diamond Jewellery Specialist for: Asho Farohar & Lord Zarathushtra Medals in Gold and Silver 596, Chira Bazar, Near Wadia Fire Temple, Bombay 400002 Tel: 2017707/201 (1894 We buy old Gold, Silver and Diamond Jewellery We accept Master, Visa, Diners, BOB & Inter cards MATRIMONIAL Matrimonial alliance invited by Parsi Zoroastrian parents of an educated, fair, good-looking daughter, 26 years. Computer Engineer (B.E.), working for a reputed company, earning decent salary, from a boy, educated, handsome, enterprising, preferably in the same field, 27 to 30 years, from Parsi Zoroastrian family. Please apply with bio data, a recent photograph (returnable) and family details to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (Feb-Mar/9-97)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 *Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here. 54 Parsiana February-March 1997 Always remember TATA BATA KHAMBATA Ketayun & Bomi 22/A, Wellington Terrace Wellington Street, Bombay 400002 Tel No: 2069636, 2057242 Pager No: 9602-104007 And the same rule has been incorporated in the FEZANA constitution. This results in new blood coming into the executive boards and, in ZAMWI, has explicitly helped the youths to share in the decision making. Joshi ’s daughter Shehernaz has already completed her stint-as president. “Guide the youth without patronizing them. Then they do very well, ” advises Joshi. In his estimate “FEZANA is doing very well. If nothing (else), it brings various associations together. People meet and discuss. ” He is all praise for the FEZANA Journal and notes that Rohinton and Roshan Rivetna “work very hard. ” Joshi was drafted by Rohinton to collect funds from his area for the various appeals re ­ ceived by FEZANA. This year ’s collec ­ tion amounted to $6,500 but he is convin ­ ced that a “more systematic approach to charity ” is necessary to eliminate the cur ­ rent administrative lacunae. As it is, “the amounts that come are nowhere near the requirements... half the money from small amounts goes into (bank) commissions. We need to organize on a larger basis. ” Though he refers to the World Zoroas ­ trian Organisation (WZO) as an “excellent organization... doing excellent work (es ­ pecially Dinshaw Tamboly — I have the highest regard for him), ” Joshi is not a member “because you can ’t equate an individual to an association. ” Convinced that such a body “should be a council of federations, ” Joshi says he has “told Shahpur Captain many times that you must remove that anomaly. ” An ex-student of Boys ’ Town, Nasik, Elphinstone College and the Royal Insti ­ tute of Science, Bombay and the Poona Engineering College, Joshi was additional and general manager of Bombay Tele ­ phones in the course of his long innings (1945-73) with Indian Posts and Tele ­ graphs. After he joined the World Bank ’s telecom department in July ’73, develop ­ mental work took him to Nepal,-Thailand, Tanzania, Egypt, Kenya, Zanzibar and Indonesia. On some of these stints his wife Goolcher (n6e Kotwal from Indore) could accompany him. Shehernaz, their only child, was born in Delhi. With a masters degree in international relations, she is occupied as executive coordinator of the international legal studies program at the National Law Center, Washington Uni ­ versity. Her Iranian Zoroastrian husband Farhad Verahrami is an electronics engi ­ neer at Hughes Aircraft. Cuddling their 14-month-old granddaughter Anahita, Gool and Dinshaw state happily: “We do the baby sitting! ”ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD it We question everything 11 Ritual practices as well as Gathic philosophy comprise the Zoroastrian faith, believes Khorshed Jungalwala, former president of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater Boston Arnavaz S. Mama “Tradition plays an important part in reli- There is substantial input from non- now ” who believe that the continental gion. You cannot discard rituals. If they Zoroastrians, avers Jungalwala, citing body “should hold a traditional view rather are not practical, don ’t practise them. But Allan Bailey of the computer engineering than give in to the ‘so called pseudo schol- you can ’t say they are irrelevant. ” department of Massachusetts Institute of ars. ’” FEZANA’s 1,000 points of light In line with her credo finance manage- concept (Moving away from the fear of ment consultant Khorshed Jungalwala, who extinction, community leaders in North recently retired as the president of the America are now more enthusiastic and Zoroastrian Association of Greater Bos- interested in unifying Zoroastrians. The ton, is busy organizing the first North thousand points of light indicated that each American International Avesta Confer- individual would be free to follow his ence. In contrast to earlier conferences on k- dream without acrimony, without knock- the Gathas, Yashts, etc this two-and- ing anyone down — see “FEZANA annual a-half-day meet in Framingham, Massa- meet, ” Zoroastrians Abroad, Parsiana, chusetts (November 15-17, 1997) will in- September 1996) came about because elude the whole literature, even the Shah 9 \ ' r *“we felt that FEZANA was not strong Nameh, and rituals, she told Parsiana in p V -¦ '-H enough, or forceful enough to make asso- the course of an interview at the K. R. / Sf ‘ B ciations take certain directions. ” Jungal- Cama Oriental Institute library on Febru- V / /A wala noted that when some associations ary 24, 1997. Being held under the aus- ¦! fp, had sought guidance from FEZANA they pices of the Zoroastrian Education and f ^4 f. i I had been “told to take whatever direction Research Society, a distinct body [not to L Zj/- I youwant. ”Thisintumhadledtheassocia- be confused with FEZANA’s (Federation l tions to question their membership of of Zoroastrian Associations of North FEZANA. America) Historical Research Commit- Jungalwala: “any path is the right path" Jungalwala credits Prof Farrokh Mistree tee] co-founded by Sarosh Manekshaw of of Atlanta for his outstanding ability “to Houston, scholar Pallan Ichaporia of Penn- Technology and philologist Prof Prods get people together to talk... make people Sylvania and Jungalwala, this conference Skjaervo whom Jungalwala considers “an understand each other ’s point of view. ” aims to generate lay interest. “We have to authority on the Sogdian language ” and Delegates at the FEZANA annual general dabble a little bit... try different ways to get who is currently occupied in writing a meting were divided into groups to sug- the interest of Zoroastrians in North guide to the study of the Avestan language, gest what is important for the community America, ” says Jungalwala. among others. The Gatha Group holds a “in the light of our own experience, ” notes A notable intellectual feature in Boston is the Gatha Group established by manage ­ ment consultant Nusswan Dossabhoy in 1994. The group takes up individual verses from the Gathas, dissecting word and phrase, referring to all translations and coming up with its own interpretation. “(We are) more or less pretty accurate in what we interpret, ” says Jungalwala. How ­ ever, it is not the community that is in ­ volved, only people who are interested because “the Gathas are so philosophical; you can ’t expect lay people to take an interest, one has to make the commitment to participate. ” There is substantial input from non ­ department of Massachusetts Institute of ¦i 56 Parsiana February-March 1997 I ars. 8 I ! Bi Jungalwala: “any path is the right path" among others. The Gatha Group holds a full-day seminar once a year when seven or Jungalwala. One suggestion was that lead- eightspeakerslikeDinaMcIntyre,DrJehan ers of the various settlements all over Bagli, Prof Kaikhosrov Irani, etc present North America should invite three, four or papers, answer questions. Three such events five families at a time, with their children, have been held so far, informs Jungalwala. big and small, for pot luck and in the course Unhappy that “in North America (people of the evening surreptitiously introduce are) constantly trying to change the other the topic of the jashan or other ritual and person ’s point of view, ” Jungalwala be ­ lieves “there should be parallel paths as in every other religion. One should under- what it is all about. “We must each try to teach and learn; practise what we learned as children; because if we don ’t, our chil- stand that any path (that a person chooses) dren will never know. Different groups is the right path... the only way to face have focussed on different issues, ” outside forces. ” According to Jungalwala there are “a Jungalwala explains the rationale behind the operation. The reaction and results are lot of traditionalists in FEZANA right to be incorporated at the next AGMdiscus-sions. Thereafter the delegates will “decide zS Eventful ycars^ of service to the Traveller Looking forward to the next 50 years will be on these separate issues ” and disseminate the decision to the local associations. The lady has recently become a member of the World Zoroas ­ trian Organisation because she feels “it is serving ite pur ­ pose wonderfully... It was founded in London to provide help to needy Iranis and Parsis. ” But she believes that we need toe World Zoroastrian Council...Some criticism has been levelled against Rohinton Rivetna (former and founding president of FEZANA who has been promoting toe WZC) toatjie wants to be a president with da. I disagree toe WZO take cial issues and with other se- survive, we ganizations, she A graduate political scie- wala also ac- degree in Poona background in and piano — Trinity College ing two years where she deals with company law, insurance and legal contracts, Jungalwala is a Justice of Peace (JP) - one of seven nominated by the State of Massachusetts — and notary public. She has been director of the Third World Scholars Consortium and president of the Framingham Community Concerts Association which is “In North America (people are) constantly trying to change the other person ’s point of view ” his own agen- with that... Let care of the so- the WZC deal mantics. ” To need both or- adds. in history and nee, Jungal- quired her law along with a music — voice from London ’s before spend- ------ at Cambridge lllU IWU .. University, UK. During her long innings in Boston of seven nominated ASIATIC TRAVEL SERVICE The House of Travel 12 MURZBAN ROAD, MUMBAI 400 001 TEL: 207 8151 2071162 RES: 415 0821 FAX: 287 5355 TELEX: AIRA IN 011-3151. CRAMS: AIRASIA C-3 KONARK APTS. 175 DHOLE PATIL ROAD PUNE 411001 TEL: 626 431/621493/621746. TLX: 145-472 AIRA IN FAX: 0212-627 934 ATS tdhcs plddSdK' in tdkilKJ CdTC Of lIlC tld\ Clli I JUllKCuwaia lo » vwuvxww - - -------x- , by the State of Massachusetts — and notary public. She has been director of the Third World Scholars Consortium and president of the Framingham Community Concerts Association which is affiliated to the Columbia Artistes Organization, she informs. Married to Prof Phiroze Jungalwala, a neurologist, toe couple helped start toe Boston Association in 1983 — a very close-knit, helpful community of 70-80 Zoroastrians today. Khorshed cred ­ its Phiroze with greater knowledge of toe Gathas and PaWavi, I learn from him, but I’m toe one who goes out front... He likes to pJofes^onal workand scholastic interest have taken Jungalwala to the Central Asian republics where she has found Mazdayasn^ traces in toe people ’s background, but they are not necessarily interested in becoming Zoroastrians, she says. Among her men ­ tors in this field of study are professors Skjaervo, James Russell and Farhang Mehr. Convinced about the applicability of Zaratoushtra s hymns to present day life, the lady refers to herself as a great believer in toe Gathas ’ teachings. She qualifies however that “toe Gathas Me not the be all and end all. ” Despite her “tremendous respect for Prof Kaikhosrov Irani and Adi Davar, ” she will not categorize herself as a liberal. , Jungalwala ’s prognosis for the community 20 years hence is that “we will survive and flourish if we let different parts follow their own thinking (rather) than if we try to influence wch thoughts... The Internet will play a major role. ITie 16,000 Zoroastrians in North America (Iranians included) will take on a tremendous role in helping each other. . , , *• There is a conditional clause attached to Jungalwala s opti- social finesser(we are) not willing to take things at Prof Phiroze Jungalwala, a neurologist, the couple in the people ’s background, but they are not necessarily * * __ • 1 __ _____ A tkA«* mon. mism. need to respect each other. (We have) so much education, social finesse, (we are) not willing to take thingsi at face value. We question everything. That ’s where our downfall will come. A certain amount of faith is necessary. A certain amount'of respect for the other person is necessary... ” 58 Parsiana February-March 1997SEMINAR A question of priorities A resurgence of joy rather than of thought characterized the Tenth All-lndia Zoroastrian Youth Seminar Arnavaz S. Mama and the World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) Trust Funds (of which he is man ­ aging trustee), and advertisers in the spe- Could this be Bombay? A seminar under a ment and entertainment level was appar- shamiana amid flowering shrubs and twit- ently high. The level of intellectual as- tering trees? Unlimited, space to roam, similation, gauging from the turnout and lunching on traditional Parsi fare while participation under the shamiana seemed ci al brochure distributed at the venue which playing peekaboo with the afternoon sun? to be restricted to about 10 percent of the was printed free ofcost by Rohinton Chinoy Romancing the highs and lows of Pali Hill, participants [32 out of 300 as per the of the Union Press. Vhe flowers that be- freaking out to the sound swell of Gary comments of Holiday Programme for decked the venue as also the bouquets Lawyer under the stars? Such indeed was a part of the menu that the Tenth All India Zoroastrian Youth Seminar (TAIZYS) offered 300 Zoroas- Associations (FOZYA)]. Indeed, the popu- ordinator and HPY stalwart Diana Marfatia. trian participants who congregated in the ' ' ' ~ ~ idyllic surroundings of the Bai Avabm F. Petit Girls ’ High School in Bancfra — a coup of sorts in Bombay ’s cement jungle. Their first sight of the campus was a rev ­ elation to many Zoroastrian achievers who physical resources of the organizers who had come to speak to the youths when they tried to round up a respectable number in were conducted through the School ’s the audience tojustify the long haul through sprawling grounds. Of the four days of the meet (November professionals invited to speak or judge the riages over the decade since the first an- 8-11, 1996) the first was devoted to set- various debates and presentations. nual meet in Delhi in 1987, as noted tling the upcountry guests in the School ’s dormitories, registration and general cost over six lakh rupees — between Rs icebreaking activities, including a jashan, courtesy the Tata Agiary mobeds. The youth paid Rs 200, just a fraction of the formal inauguration was billed for the cost to register. The enormous subsidy was jamboree. “Call it a subsidized holiday second morning followed by two plenary provided by donors, notably Bombay Parsi package, ” suggested participant Meher- sessions, and plenty of opportunity for the Punchayet (BPP) trustee Dinshaw Tamboly nosh Mehta in the course of a debate youths (among whom^^ “Youth seminars —an from exercise Pa- (The proposition was UK) defeated by to a points.) plethora of debates Community elders and paper presenta- continued to encour- tions, display their age the assembled wizardry at talent and youth. “Remember, •personality contests we would like to help and in-house enter- y you... We ’ll guide you tainment. The enjoy- nnd provide you with the necessary finance to get started (as an entrepreneur), ” noted BPP chairman Jam ­ shed Guzder whose well-established Air ­ freight belongs to the Youth (HPY) Club members who orga- .presented to winners and guests came free nized and coordinated the event on behalf from gold medal horticulturist, Bandra of the Federation of Zoroastrian Youth Florist, as informed the event ’s chief co- lar night attractions were said to be so The Gary Lawyer might however cost gustily patronized diat morning starts we the organizers nearly Rs 1,50,000, said delayed. Though this cannot be claimed as a novel occurrence (see following story), the very size of the campus strained the Karanjawalla at the inaugural, the Semi ­ nar had initially received “very poor re- sponse ” and registered a “point of debate: is it worth having these annual meets? ” On the traffic for most south Bombay based the credit side of the ledger are six mar- Marfatia. As noted FOZYA president Porus various debates and presentations. The four-day meet is estimated to have Karanjawalla, ami a small core of young activists with ever increasing awareness of 1,000-2,000 per participant though the community needs and problems. For the rest it continues to be an annual subsidized utOAsmnNYOiatLStMi SI 9' I Karanjawalla ’s bouquet of thanks to TAIZYS organizers Marfatia and members of the HPY Club 61 Parsiana February-March 1997legend of Parsi enterprise. Guzder was within. ” [Mehta had referred to Parsiana's referring to the venture capital project that Milestones data in the course of his analy- has been on the Federation of Parsi Zoro ­ astrian Anjumans of India ’s anvil for some years. “What is the distinctive thing you will go to Jamshed Guzder with? ” asked the chief guest, economist Dr Fredie Mehta. “It ’s no use rushing in where 2,000 people emigration into account. “(They) put are already there... Parsis, to survive in numbers together and then create a India, must be distinctive, ” advised the fear psychosis. (It is) really not true, chairman of Forbes, Rallis and other Tata concerns. Referring to the Sindhi owned Indus Bank which has amassed deposits of remonstrated that “eminent speakers Rs 600 crore in three years, F. Mehta say this... ’’Dastur snapped, “Ourspeak- noted, “We can collect Rs 300 crore. Non- ers make uninformed statements. Urge . Parsis are willing to trust Parsis, ” he added them to provide census data... ” she ’ referring to one Hindu friend who sends advised.] J his car only to a Parsi garage, another who trusts his precious watches only to a Parsi repairer. He predicted “a bright future for knowledged, “I had 2,700 competitors Parsis in India... wait for the good times. ” Mehta ’s overriding concern was “the iden ­ tity crisis in the Parsi community which we have to recognize since we are fading out, ” resulting from the growing incidence of tian woman knows where to go when outmarriage, the choice of many educated women to remain unmarried, and the phe ­ nomenon of Parsis who “have refused to recognize they ’re Parsis to the census (enu ­ merators)... We are collapsing from problems of life and death...? ” None- Clockwise from top: Enjoying im ­ promptu entertainment; empty chairs at the work sessions; (Left to right) Havov sis. This data was later criticized by solici ­ tor and Zoroastrian Studies representative Karanjia, Sarosh and Nawaz Bapsy Dastur during the plenary session Palkhiwala, Pervez Irani and Ramyar on the religion. “It is a fallacy that the Karanjia; refuelling provided by the community is declining, ” she declared, Balsara family caterers; lunch in the adding that the magazine does not take shade of the trees (in Inter Arts). You are in a different world. The competition you face is multifold. ” He also put his finger on a major community lacuna. “The Chris- she ’s in trouble. We are rudderless. " We have great people in their own I rights... but where is the body you can I go to for your emotional problems, I There is far greater awareness today. ” When Adil Tantra from the audience With outstanding academic achievements behind him, Mehta ac- 62 Parsiana February-March 1997V THE TENTH ^lLlNDl^ZORO^StW^^^'^OmHSmStt 8 th- 11 th NOV. 1996 /WUMBAl .th": ad ion for a better tomorr^ ¦r'' i I A i J Left to right (top) Tamboly with F. Mehta and with S. Dastur, Modi and Chiniwala; (Below)Udwadia, Karanjia, B. Dastur, Rati Wadia and Dadrawala I I I HKlBNTHALLlNDlui i ‘ .............. Ail _•-_. the annual all-India youth seminars initi ­ ated by Lt Gen Adi Sethna, president of the theless Mehta pleaded with the young au- Delhi Parsi Anjuman and the HPY. With dience, “Don ’t go away from here (with- his penchant for low-key realism, Karanjia out pledging), ‘I am a Zoroastrian and will noted, “You can ’t expect Star Plus quality die a Zoroastrian. ’ Accept that your life and MTV gloss in our religious functions will be blood, sweat and tears, ” he added, and education ” and urged the youths to holding out the example of American Jews “put in something from within... (create) who he said have won over 60 percent of role models. ” the Nobel Prizes won by Americans gener ­ ally “I am very sure that we Zoroastrians are on the threshold of a golden age. The next millennium promises to be the very best What we are opposed to (are) inauthentic for our community, ” predicted Tamboly, navjotes because (they) dilute our ethnic who shared the inaugural dais with Mehta, identity ,” averred Deen Parast editor-pub- “No generation has been as intelligent and Usher Noshir Dadrawala. Khursheed as warm as the present generation, ” added Khurody, who has been studying in North Tamboly, even as he acknowledged the America, informed the house “the queues support of Mehta, his “boss in Tata Tex- (at the dare mehrs on special occasions)... tiles ” and of Guzder “who gave me my first are for the fire and not for the Pepsi !” break in life ” and praised the projected Seminar ’s “commendable... effort to dis ­ cuss and debate diverse issues. Only good man and management expert Sarosh Dastur. can emerge (from it). ” advised the tittering youths, “You can ’t The first plenary session dealt with have fun without money... (so) for the next religion when the youthful principal of the hour tone down your other skills — like Dadar Athornan Madressa Ervad (Dr) you may be very witty with your repartee Ramiyar Karanjia stated thoughtfully, “The — and tone up your listening skills. ” Dastur, community is better than what it was five who had started life with Larsen and or 10 years back, ” attributing the change to Tourbo, done a 10-year stint with Philips 64 Parsiana February-March 1997 H before venturing out into marketing encyclopaedias on his own, told the gath ­ ering, “Success comes in ‘cans. ’ It doesn ’t come in ‘cannots, ”’ and urged upon them the courage of conviction; “Think you are worth something but don ’t be arrogant... Life is a selling game. (You sell yourself) to your spouse, to your parents. ” It has its ups and downs: “There are days when there ’s plenty of honey and days when there ’s only rotli (bread) and pani (wa ­ ter). ” In sum, Dastur declared that an amal- As always there were queries regarding coliyersion. “(There is) nothing to stop non-Zoroastrians from understanding our scriptures, our moral and ethical principles. ¦ gam of self-esteem, self-motivation, dedi ­ cation and honesty were required to suc ­ ceed as a self-employed person in the marketing field. There was a time, according'to Dastur when Tamboly (an independent export management consultant recently catapulted to BPP trusteeship in the wake of his dedicated social service in conjunction with the WZO) had been the Dadar Parsi Colony ’s star cricketer: “Some bats he broke with sixers, some by standing on them! ” While reiterating his earlier rosy prognosis Tamboly emphasized, “Noth ­ ing short of achieving excellence will suf ­ fice. It cannot be inherited. It can only be achieved by one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. ” He noted that de ­ spite the high literacy, the plethora of trust The second plenary session was de ­ voted to self-employment. Session chair-I i I ENTHALLINDJ '4 '1 1 Jf •Z'’ It *» > Im jt Giving a different slant to the concept of self-employment. Modi described it as “some practical knowledge is required, part of human destiny for six months or a year, to learn on the BhabhaandFieldMarshalSamManekshaw job; ” that service, after-sales service and were also self-employed individuals “be- quality are the tripod of entrepreneurial cause their whole self was employed in success. Claiming to have entered the build- whatever they were doing. How much of ing industry by accident, Chiniwala, who your self is employed in what you do? ” he now employs 750 people, says that for challenged. Quoting the Persian poet Rumi, ‘“Seek the force within... ’ Why don ’t people do it? ” He attributed the lack of self-reliance in today ’s Parsi youth to the over solicitousness of parents which pushed “self-growth under a bushel. ” UsingPolonius ’ advice to his sen Laertes Slow his example?.^ (There needs to be) “doesn ’t tell of the sweat he has put into in Hamlet, “This above all to thine own . ’ • self be true,/And it must follow, as the Jones fellowship. ...............................................night the day,/Thou canst not then be false The panellist who most captivated his to any man, ” Modi asked, “Do you have a audience however was the Bombay High driving desire to do something in spite of ____ ____ _ _______ " ¦¦ - others saying not to do it? ” To the young less quotations, tongue-in-cheek humor on people looking for big money in in ­ practised leash, a lifetime of courtroom ’ *" Left to right (top) The prize distribution: Kersasp Daruvala from Katie Mehta; Veera Udwadia to Burzin Mehta and Zelda Mistry (below) Marfatia, Khurody, Behram Laskari, Silloo Kavarana, Dinshaw Mehta and Sheroo Master count on breezy evenings off; that only academic qualifications do not suffice; . _ “some practical knowledge is required, part of human destiny we are self- You need to be employed even if it be only employed since birth ” adding that Dr Homi were also self-employed individuals “be- funds and the prestige of many an indi ­ vidual achiever, the community ’s “eco- . , . . , nomic health is in dismal decline... (Do those who wish to specialize there is ample Modi advised, we) take our rights for granted and forget scope for bagging sub-contracts. ^He ad- you ’ve made your choice, always aim at the top. You ’ll be successful; the bottom ’s crowded! ” According to Dastur, Chiniwala ( our duties? Has complacency blunted our • vised “a focussed approach (and) once edge? Jamsetji Tata looked to the future and a strong infrastructure for an indepen ­ dent India. How many (of us) have tri^ to a quantum jump in academic performance, social service, ” earning the Lions ’ Melvin advanced studies and specialization. ” ’ « <— Viraf Chiniwala, proprietor of Veldon Coats, a firm specializing in the renova ­ tion of multi-storied buildings, described Court ’s senior counsel Nadir Modi. Effort- himself as one who repeatedly failed the 1 . _ Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam, practised leash, a lifetime of courtroom learned to repair radios and tape recorders, advocacy behind him. Modi asked his au- and wanted to go to Dubai. While readying dience if the high noon of Parsi achieve- for the trip he learnt of the demand for ments had been “just an accident. ” An- certain spare parts and started an import swering his own question, he added, “It ’s experience taught him not to expect a fixed one who searches for excellence — Ashoi income as a self-employed person, nor to — in whatever you think, say and do. ” creasingly competitive world Modi sug ­ gested, “Be muscular in your work. ” Cit ­ ing the horse race principle (“he wins by a nose or a length ”) to edge ahead only by quality, “you will have to slog, ” said Modi, business. That was a long time ago but the due to our qualities, our Parsipanu, (of) substantiating with H. W. Longfellow s pvnpripnpp taiipht him not to exoect a fixed one who searches for excellence — Ashoi words, “The heights of great men reached and kept/were not attained by sudden — in whatever you think, say and do. ” 66 Parsiana February-March 1997I flight,/But they, while their slept,/were toiling upward in the night." Focussing on his own field. Modi - dous scope in law, ” for though there are husband or wife ” than a good lawyer, pinning after lawyers... Lawyers earn from and for those who are afraid of speaking Library. Briefly addressing t » f» jjjg question of corruption ’s hydra head. Modi suggested one fights it “by not being corrupt yourself. We are known to be eccentric. Part of our eccentricity is our ---------------- society hse If IS corrupt with its “chalt a hai, hota ' “imuuc, occasionally one might “have to be corrupt, ” he added Sik debates had been planned to be held Wishing you aii a Happy New Year from Oiiaji Duke-Hotei Duke Hotel Estd 1936 Doshabhai Nariman OllaJI President Daman Pars! Jarthost! Anjuman Devka via Daman 396210 Tel: 02636 34251 i vvuaaiiig Uli Ills own 11610, Mooi as- sured the listeners that there is “tremen ­ dous scope in law, ” for though there are ran oi our eccentncitv is < wife ”'T «T , good lawyer, uacn is corrupt wiui its ”cZi Law IS a hungry field. There are clients hai (laissez-fSre) ” attitude mnning after lawyers... Lawyers earn from one huguv ua, Rs 1,000 a month to Rs 10 lakhs a month ” a little lamely. there is “fabulous income ” doing what solicitors do without ever speaking in court. He moreover reassured those who may be lured by the subject yet be uncer- simultaneously in various parts of the School. All the ca ­ joling of the organiz ­ ers however could not produce partici ­ pants for more than three. The panel of “Success comes in ‘cans. ’ It doesn ’t come in ‘cannots ”’ haltin^ even a nine judges assembled for the^aEoon halting speaker could make a good lawyer were therefore divided into two grouns wUS ’' aZmi. r l Their task was to select the best speak'ers in -------- 1 each subject and, in the process, the de- that a lawyer does not bates were not decided by a floor vote but Another aspect of the profession Modi highlighted was f necessarily need an office of his own. y When (former Bombay High Court) chief justice, the late Ramanlal Rantawala was appointed judge, he didn ’t have one, ” said Modi, noting how lawyers often work from each subject and, in the process, the de ­ according to the aggregate points of each team. Arguments favoring the proposition “Youth seminars — an exercise in futil ­ ity? ” ranged from a distracted, uncaring Wishing All Our Patrons Navroze Mubarak M/s Framji Rustamji Choksey Estd: 1850 (Partner Sorabji Eduiji Cooper) Goldsmith & Art Jewellers (Approved Valuers by Govt of India for Jewellery) Shop: 253, Sheikh Memon Street, Bombay 400002 Phone: 3425422, 3442639 •Residence: 585, Khan House, Chira Bazar, Bombay 400002 Phone: 2051118 68 Parsiana February-March 1997Dorrabji ’s JERROZ HOTEL Under Cliff Ring Road Panchgani 412805 Phone: (91) (02168) 40238 cause of lack of preparation, ’’ she ob ­ served, as the arguments had boiled down dance to their tune, you ’re dancing. So what does it show? ” “Boys have the sense of humor and presence of mind to reply to ribbing from non-Parsis. ” The proposition ---- 557 points against 372. * - * - « It!.. iL hall it was the opposition that scored the winningT66 points, against 154, laying to rest the proposition “The seniors of our rk tor common imci- ------- ;--¦> . _ .. •, enabled individuals lack of religious fervor in the youth to ­ audience and lack of follow-up action, to costing six to eight lakh rupees could be put to better use. Conversely, it was argued that the platform for youth interaction, intermingling and exchange of ideas lead to increased awareness jnd time ” for the participants; provided an opportunity to find Zoroastrian marriage partners; showcased Zoroastrian talent; bred a macro spirit and a national voice; established a network for common inter ­ ests and aspirations; * * " to develop socially, helped strengthen in ­ dividual personalities... The second topic — _ more educated and enterprising compared to Parsi boys; fact or fiction? ” — was even more vehemently argued. Though largely debated along sexist lines, there were a few boys who spoke for the proposition. While enthusiasm was high and good- natured slanging the order of the day, “to be successful in a debate you have to prepare. It is not good enough to refute extempore, ” Ms Dolly Edulbehram, direc ­ tor of the Lilavati Podar High School, noted on behalf of the judges. “Something that ’s not relevant goes at a tangent be ­ cause hence the seminars proved an “enriching won . 551 pomts^ag-nsr time ” for the participants; provided an In the third debate, neio opportunity to find Zoroastrian marriage partners; showcased Zoroastrian talent; bred a macro spirit and a national voice; winningT66 points, against 154, laying to community are solely responsible for the day. ” The last day took the tardiest start. our Parsi youths for us, ” noted the dedi ­ cated Marfatia in an anguished aside, un ­ happy to keep waiting the panel of distin ­ guished professionals who ha,d honored her invitation and arrived on time. There were five different subjects on offer. Three had to be scrapped for lack of participants. The two that did find speakers: “The image of a Parsi through the eyes of a non-Parsi and “Purposeful action for a better tomor ­ row. ” According to the speakers, other com ­ munities tend to see us as foreign looking “Parsi girls are “This is what we have to live with. That ’s ® . _____ r _ „„ » nrttpd thp. nerti- Cusfomeris, always Light When he entrusts his Household Packing, Shipping, Removal, Storage.... all his problems to B.C. Buhariwala & Sons. tAake the right Move, Call: 'Buhanwata & Sens 5 J. N. Heredia Marg, BalJ^^Estate, - , branch OFFICE: Door to door Service Tei 2615451/^6^^^^^^ 011-75139BCB IN. Fax: 22-2620785 BRANCH OFFICE; 1310, Pragati Towers, Rajendra Place, Hew Delhi-llO 008. ----------- Tlx.; 031-61928 BCB IN ^Represented throughout the World by more than 600 offices Tel. Wos,: 5711876, 5713540. 70b Parsiana February-March 1997 1.^INTERESTING WAYS^TO MULTIPLY YOUR MONEY DEPOSIT PEINVESTMEHT SUEAJ JAMA YOJANA CEniFICATE SCHEME UNIQUE DEPOSIT SCHEME CUMUIATIVE DEPOSIT SCHEME V V ANUKUL JAMA YOJANA 1 RETIREMENT UNEPn SCHEME STOCKINVEST UNKED DEEOSrr SCHEME MONTHLY INCOME SCHEME o 5 cc. MANCHAHI JAMA CASH CERTIFICATE YOJANA SCHEME Contact your nearest branch for further details : UNION BANK OF INDIA » j* 72 Parsiana February-March 1997 upwardly mobile, pretty eccentric, honest, good-natured, fun loving, reliable. The community was also perceived as localized and insular, frail and sickly, basking in past greatness, loud, foul-mouthed, cantankerous and ultramod. According to Kainaz Pooniwala, some non-Parsis wondered “how the past stalwarts could belong to the community they knew. ” In an oblique reference to Parsi ignorance of the rationale behind their practices, one speaker noted, “Other communities are cunous and (as) we don ’t have logical answers, they feel we have something to hide. ” The ban on non-Zoroastrians ’ entry into fire-temples, three calendars and the feeding of chasni (conse- animals rather mans were as- difficult to ex ­ majority of the ted their findings a pinch of salt, set, particularly the commmunity Bollywood, judges were two young doctors, had a reassuring community RushadUdwadia versations he had nent jurist Nani Field Marshal crated food) to than starving hu- pects they found plain. While the speakers repor- with humor and others were up- by the image of as purveyed by Among the outstanding both of whom word for the youth. Surgeon referred to con- had with emi- Palkhivala and “Where is the body you can go to for your emotional problems, problems of life and death...? J5 50 Manekshaw. “When did they reach eminence? They don ’t really know, ” reported Udwadia, adding, "Don ’t belittle yourselves. You will, you will achieve. ” GynecologistNozer Sheriar recounted how he had been stopped for a PUC (pollution under control) check by the cops on the road. Though he was unable to produce the certificate every motorist must display on demand, he said he was waved off when he responded “yes ” to the officer ’s query, “Are you a bawaji? ” “We still have three calendars. So what? Why are we worried about Bollywood? We laughed at (ourselves) when Adi Marzban and Jimmy Poncha (depicted the same mannerisms) on stage, ” he reminded his coreligionists. “Remaining well integrated (with) our national identity and having the highest indices of socioeconomic development... I am sure that the shining example of Parsis for the transformation of our country to a secular and modern entity will be worthy of emulation by other communities, ” Vice President of India K. R. Narayanan had stated in his message to FOZYA as published in the brochure. “This small community has made great contribu ­ tions to the economic and social progress of the nation and specifically to the building up of the cosmopolitan character of the city of Mumbai, ” Maharashtra governor Dr P. C. Alexander had further attested. At the end of the four-day seminar politician Homi Taleyarkhan, who had been the conduit for these congratu ­ latory messages, noted, “We are nationally and internationally integrated... (We) believe in spreading happiness among odiers also. You have a great responsibility for tomorrow. No man is an island. Each man is my brother... ” Recalling how Jamshedpur had been an “arid rock ” and the Institute of Science at Bangalore, whose alumni have spread all over the world, had been founded by the visionary Jamsetji Tata in the face of persistent advice that “it would be a losing venture, ” Dr Farokh Udwadia counselled the departing youth, “Make a road for youfself wherever you see it... ” 1SEMINAR A decade of discussions The Pune-based author and FOZYA vice president recapitulates the high points of the10 all-lndia youth meets Sarosh Palkhiwala ---- lhe first All India Zoroastrian Youth continued. The delegates were taken to preferred to stay with their own folks. The ^Seminar (AIZYS) was held in Delhi in visit the National Defence Academy. As same trend of late nights followed with 1987 and attended by about 60 to 70 del- friendship among the youth delegates grew depleted attendance at the lecture sessions, egates This conference itself met its aim they started going out for late night walks Here the Federation of Zoroastrian Youth ¦ - --------------------------------- ------------ -----ix-__ j_. Associations (FOZYA) was formed with Jehangir Bisney from Secunderabad as At°the fourth AIZYS in Hyderabad/ president,PorusKaranjawallaof Ahmeda- bad as vice-president, Mehemavaz Parekh of Secunderabad as the honorary secretary, and Sarosh Palkhiwala of Pune, Porus Debara of Agra, Rukshad Bhagwagar of Nagpur and Homi Gandhi of Delhi as committee members. In 1992, the delegates were kept in the St Xavier ’s College hostel in Ahmedabad which was the venue of the sixth AIZYS, the lectures being held in a shamiana on the grounds. The 300 delegates in- eluded representatives from the smaller towns and cities of Guj arat but there was no participation of delegates from Hyderabad and Calcutta. There was increased stress on religion, the delegates were required to be children of both Zoro ­ astrian-parents, and wearing the sudreh and kusti was made compulsory. Conver ­ sion and intermarriage were subjects of each other. Strict instructions were given heated arguments. The discussion on reli- to delegates not to wander out late at night Secunderabad in 1990 the delegates were gion went on very long and Ervad (Dr) as it was very dangerous. Apart from the housed city-wise in the Secunderabad Rooymtan Peer was again called m the lectures there were sports tournaments like “ * * ' “ t » basketball, volleyball and table tennis bet ­ ween teams consisting of delegates from various cities. Crazy games (pagal Olym ­ pics) were also organized. A sight-seeing tour by bus (without getting down any ­ where) was provided. At this conference the youth of Pune and Hyderabad came very close to each other. At the third AIZYS in Pune in 1989 the delegates were accommodated in the J. N. Petit Institute hostel in two big domitories (one for the girls and the other for the boys). The seminar was held in the same venue in the hall below and the trend of egates from different cities in each room, sports tournaments, pagal Olympics, etc L—------------------------- T continued. The delegates were taken to visit the National Defence Academy. As _ _ ____ ;____ ¦" ¦ I they started going out for late night walks of youth interaction because it united a girl and on shopping sprees, resulting in de- from Agra and a boy from Pune. The second AIZYS in Calcutta in 1988 drew about 200 delegates. It was really very well organized and though they didn ’t receive any correspondence from Pune they arranged for accommodation and food at short notice. More than 50 percent of the delegates were housed at the Calcutta Parsee Dharamshalla. Being the first con ­ ference for many delegates, the attendance at lectures was very good indeed. The delegates were transported from the Dharamshalla to the Olpadwala Hall and back by a private bus. Therefore the ques ­ tion of not attending the working sessions did not arise. One problem discussed here dining attendance at the lectures. f9 [ BMDia ZOW&STitti lUTliWIKMl 3 4, At the Fozya AGM at Ahmedabad in __________ 1992 were (L to R) Palkhiwala (Pune), was the disposal of Zoroastrian remains, Porus Karanjawalla (Ahmedabad), there being few birds and no khandhias Jehangir Bisney (Secunderabad), available. _____________________________ Mehernavaz Parekh (Hyderabad), Porus At the after-dinner get-togethers del- Debara (Agra) egates cracked jokes, sang and entertained and Homi Gandhi (Delhi) ____________ __ 1 1 to delegates not to wander out late at night Secunderabad in 1990 the delegates were dharamshala and sight-seeing provided, evening to answer queries raised by the The lectures were held in the same venue, delegates. However, the trend of late nights With increasing interaction at night, atten- and shopping continued. The profits earned dance at the lectures suffered. Moreover at this conference were passed on to the venue being in a central locality, the FOZYA. delegates were also tempted to go shop- thaUhe concept of an all-lndia youth body to the delegates to behave and maintain was conceived. The fifth AIZYS was in Nagpur in ¦ ¦ - Theorganizersoftheseventh AIZYS at ping° It was at this conference however Dahanu in 1993 issued strict instructions discipline. Religion was further stressed, ____ wearing sudreh and kusti was compulsory 1991. At this conference the delegates and smoking was banned on the campus, were housed in the MLA Hostel. The lec ­ ture venue was at a different place. Ini ­ tially the organizers tried to mix the del- The delegates were quartered at the Sea- Breeze Hotel. The venue for the lectures was nearby. Lights out was enforced by 10.30 p.m. or 11.00 p.m. Even the gates of but the Pune and Secunderabad delegates the Hotel were closed, with a watchman 74 Parsiana February-March 1997were trans- havefate nights and Dahanu not being ported to the venue of the seminar by a big city, the problem of dwindling private bus. Besides the lectures there were trips to the Tanks Museum and a fort and, on the last day, a wonderful display of fireworks. Ahmednagar not being a big city the idea of going for shopping did not arise though walks late at night continued. At the FOZYA annual general meeting restricting the entry. As the delegates could attached bath and toilet. They notl ' J -- f - a very attendance at the Seminar was to a very large extent reduced. Apart from lectures there were pagal Olympics and a picnic was organized to see the Bahrot caves. Here the delegates had the unique experi ­ ence of travelling to the foothills by truck zxi mv ± x x x ... --o followed by a three to four-hour trek to in Ahmednagar, Baroda agreed to host the reach the Bahrot caves through rough ter- i.-... ------------ _ ___ __ i I t * i s dharamshala. Then, in the late evening they were taken to the Dumas sanatorium which is approximately 25 to 35 km from Surat. Due to lack of volunteers the del ­ egates had to help themselves, make their own beds and fetch water from the well for bath and toilet. Bath water was heated in an enormous container and the delegates had to avail of it as required. Even the enter ­ tainment and crazy games were planned by the delegates themselves and, the number being limited, there was more interaction this was the most interactive and practical conference ever. A part of the profits of this conference was again given to FOZYA. The 10th AIZYS was the first confer ­ ence to be held under the FOZYA banner xJL.._______ -___ - J • next conference but withdrew the offer raFn. They were lead by the local adivasis after six months. In May 1995 Nauzer and those who were not in the habit ot I trekking had a really tough time. A group League of Surat (ZYLS) took up the chal- of 22 delegates even lost the trail but lenge of holding the ninth All India Zoro- eventually managed to come down. The astrian Youth Conference at Dumas and delegates who reached the top had the the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) agreed to fire safe during a turbulent period of history, the SPP refused to help and due to lack of for Youth) Qu^ Bombay , and the involve- Though initially the organizers had a support from the other youth members of ment of FOZYA committee members. tough time collecting funds they ended up ZYLS the question of holding the annual Being the 10th conference it ^ really with profits, some of which were given to conference was in doubt. With 15 days done on a grand scale. In Bombay FOZYA notice Kasad convened the conference in continued on page oZ Entrepreneur Parvez Damania under- Dumas in January 1996. This was a unique took the responsibility of holding the eighth event. There were only 70 to 80 delegates AIZYS. The most luxurious conference as most youths were very busy with either ever held was mainly organized with the college or work. The last minute decision help of the Zoroastrian staff of Damania left many delegates without enough time Airways, many of whom had come from to plan. Many could not get leave. Del- Bombav for the purpose. The delegates egates were received at Surat station as and those who were not in the habit of Kasad, president of the Zoroastrian Youth among youths from different cities. In short, * _ _ _______—• ______iL _ nnzl rM*or'tir*al of 22 delegates even lost the trail but lenge of holding the ninth All India Zoro- dZeates^ who ’rSFhed the top had the the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) agreed to took the responsibility of holding the eighth event. There were only 70jo 80^^delegates ever held was mainly organized with the college or work. The last minute decision help of the Zoroastrian staff of Damania left many delegates without enough time Airways, many of whom had come from to plan. Many could not get leave. Del- Bombay for the purpose. The delegates egates were received at Surat station as were accommodated in good hotelsjyith they arrived and assembled at the Surat Left to right (top): The organizers at the inaugural in Calcutta (1988) and Pune (1989). Below: FPZAI honorary secretary Keki Gandhi addressing the youths at Ahmednagar (1994) and young Dahanuites who entertained delegates at the seventh seminar (1993) ¦ ' CALCUTTA-1388 - hSEMINAR Which way to the 21 st century? A recap of what the youths have been saying and doing in India and North America for the past decade Arnavaz S. Mama w: opportunity to voice their concerns. The packed agenda of the panel sessions where there was time for only a few questions to be asked and a few views to be expressed resulted in prolonged after-dinner discus ­ sions where community stalwarts like Rustom Anklesaria, then chief executive of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet I (BPP), Keki Gandhi, honor- I ary secretary of the FPZAI, I and the late Prof Noshir I Kaikobad, sociologist and the I BPP’s social services coordi ­ nator, sat with the youth on the carpeted floor of the shamiana, listening, enlightening and en- ’ couraging the outpouring of interest and concern from the youth until the early morning hours. Subsequent meets have largely rehashed the subjects and information provided in Delhi. There has been a retreat towards an orthodoxy of com ­ pulsory sudreh-kusti (at Dahanu), a mindset of “Parsi first, Zoroastrian second and Indian last ” (at Poona) replacing the na- comfortsofmegapolitanBombay,andcited tional thrust of the Delhi meet at some of as the main cause of the community ’s Federation of Zoroastrian Association of dechning financial and social status. North America ’s (FEZANA) standing com ­ mittee on youth and social service affairs. India witnessed the establishment of the Federation of Zoroastrian Youth Associa ­ tions (FOZYA), the youth affiliate of the cial and legal parameters of their existence Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans “ of India (FPZAI), at the fifth seminar meet in Nagpur in 1991. In both fora the community ’s ailments have been dissected portunities in these fields were reveal^, and efforts are being made to identify the path to future development. And in both geographical areas, youth and adult per ­ ceptions differ. The 1996 seminar in Bombay attended by more than 300 youths (see “A question explained and questions of intermarriage, of priorities, ” page 61) is a vantage point conversion, the status of an “adopted ” from which to review the achievements of child, et al, were touched upon. the past decade in India: The birth of FOZYA, about a dozen marriages, a little camaraderie and exposure to contempo- W as 1987 the year of the youth? Or of rary Zoroastrian achievers are some promi- the resurgence of Zoroastrian fer ­ vor? Or of both? The mayor of Los Angeles declared September 5-7 “Zoroastrian youth con ­ gress days ” in deference to the first such nent achievements. The youths have also been made aware of the community ’s cur ­ rent flaws. The yearning for security as against the entrepreneurial guts of earlier generations is revealed in the attachment event in North America (NA). On October to community housing, safe jobs and the 23, then President of India R. j i i fiAst worko Venkataraman received the Xc»r ’o if 11 HIM At the First World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in California in 1993 !( ‘3 I ¦ 11J iiiii ? 3 the later events. The fourth meet at Secunderabad was the only one that began with a rendering of the national anthem. The proclivity of the host city was re ­ flected in the choice of speakers and sub ­ jects so that in Calcutta K. Kiash. a volun ­ teer pallbearer, could frankly discuss the in India. In the context of the diminishing state of the dokhmas and the problems of community presence in politics, in the disposal of the dead — a topic not found civil and armed forces, the manifold op- The number of delegates has risen sub ­ stantially since the first meet in Delhi when Zoroastrian youths were formally, officially, introduced to the religious, so- on later agendas. The conservative panel on religious issues was unable to satisfy The delegates became conscious of the the questing youths at Ahmedabad in 1992, virtues of comparative religious study. The leading to near pandemonium, problems of intense competition and drug addiction were discussed. The Parsi laws delegates sticking with their home groups of marriage, divorce and succession were The trend in India has been towards conversion, the status of an “adopted' or, in the case of regular attendees, those with whom rapport was established ear ­ lier. Also, on each occasion after the first, the delegates concentrated on the social and entertainment aspects of the event An outstanding feature of the Delhi meet was the effervescence of the youth with flagging interest and depleting atten- who had been given their first official dance at the plenary sessions, workshopsIn NA where the youths do the talking — the adults generally enjoy “observer ” status at the youth congresses — the issues they have identified include the Parsi-Irani divide, the confusion of differing religious interpretations, the need for a central glo ­ bal leadership... Of great concern is the understand what a particular yasht/nyaish/ community s stand on conversion and in- _ ___- - politan arena) any programs designed to ment oZthrorganizers*^ FOZYA founding promote attitudinal change among the president Jehangir Bisney has recorded that it was a “daunting task ” to wake the sleeping delegates (“Seminar strains: ac- _ cord and discord, ” Parsiana, November the head, etc. Can the youth not get to the ’ ¦¦ — The organizers of the seventh seminar in Dahanu in 1993 made a herculean effort to break up delegations from each city into competing teams, each of ? which had to synchronize I the ideas of its members I on various subjects and I be represented by a single ’ speaker on each topic on the agenda. This was the only occasion when the ’ blending of delegates from various areas was rigorously enforced. Only 93 of the 600 i delegates who had at ­ tended thus far responded to a FOZYA question- ] naire in 1993, aimed at eliciting the views of the participants. Some of their comments, as published (“Signals for seminars, Parsiana, Janu ­ ary 1994), noted; “The first festival for me was very nice ... Everything was new and refreshing. The second one ... was an eye-opener. It made me realize I was never going to another one again! ” “Once a topic started, there was no end! ” “Top ­ ics are often boring and involve a one-sided conversation. ” To date nothing has been done to break the . . intellectual monotony of the seminars. The Above: Youths engaged in informal and religion are staple fare, largely ad- demographer Ava Khullar (extreme right) dressed by senior members of the commu ­ nity. The liberal intellectuals are concerned at the community ’s declining numbers in India. The orthodox diehards refuse to accept the evidence. No individual or group sible for 19-40-year olds to concentrate on y.____ _____________________ 4-Ua Dorci XJciiTiaoA 5inn Til- and debates, to the despair and disappoint ­ community. Lectures on religion continue to be the same vague, off-the-cuff gener ­ alizations on e.g. sudreh-kusti, covering nitty-gritty of learning and seeking to verse of the Gatha says, how it can be interpreted and how it can apply to today ’s topics of demography, entrepreneurship discussion in Delhi, in 1987, seen here with Below: A section of the audience at the WZO Seminar, also in 1987 circumstances? Would it be utterly impos- understanding the Parsi Marriage and Di- termamage. September 4-6, 1993 NA hosted the First World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in Los Angeles. The heavily packed three-day schedule was successfully pursued and the organizers held a post-Congress meet with some of the delegates to ensure that the issues dis ­ cussed find their way out into the community. With ­ in a few weeks of the Congress the first world Zoroastrian youth direc ­ tory with 800 entries had been published. By about six months, an emergency blood data bank of world Zarthushtis was being run from Los Angeles and the Zoroastrian Youth Reli ­ gious Education Program had begun to be devel ­ oped by the executive board of the Congress. A detailed audit was con ­ ducted at the end of the Congress to evaluate what they had set out to do and where and how their per ­ formance could be bet ­ tered in future, including the location and sponsor ­ ing of speakers, the qual ­ ity of papers submitted, advertisements, souvenirs, hospitality, food, transportation, etc. At an “interactive seminar ” designed to help young adults and community seniors to understand each other, seven represen ­ tative young voices were selected from 40 individuals across the continent because they had something worthwhile to say on the designated areas of developing mean ­ ingful doctrinal, physical, social and com- has been appointed to chalk out a strategy for survival. Exhortations not to marry outside the community and to procreate neurs°soeak'of dreJining entreprSeursUp involve Parsi youths'' in the betterment of ing identity, cufture, rituals, etc. Thnsemi- ? riskSinn atftude^ftotheir locality so that their presence is nar was the bratnchtld of adults who had but after a decade have not yet created (or regarded as an asset by the neighborhood guided and goaded the youths into con adlpfJtoX^^^^^^ thecosnao- and not merely condoned or tolerated? ceiving and projecting ideas that resulted vorce Act vis-i-vis the Special Marriage munity infrastructures; the bridging of the Act and how each would impact their lives? Could no project be conceived to Parsi-Irani, orthodox-liberal divides; and guidance through the confusion surround ­ 80 Parsiana February-March 1997 and not merely condoned or tolerated?Do you have a G6PD enzyme deficiency? The G6PD enzyme deficient^, common among the Parsis, makes them highly susceptible to certain drugs.* The deficiency may cause jaundice in the newborn and severe hemolytic crisis (destruction of red blood cells) in adults. Ask your family doctor to arrange for a blood test to detect whether you have G6PD enzyme deficiency. If you happen to be a Ask your family doctor to arrange for a blood test to detect whether you have G6PD enzyme deficiency. If you happen to be a G6PD-D patient, it is essential that you carry your card at all times so that in Sfffy emergency you would receive appropriate treatment. 'Analgesics: Acetanilid, Acetylsalicylic acid, Aspirin, Acetophenetldln (PhenacetIn), Antipyrine, Pyramidone. Sulfonamides and Sulfones: Sulfanilamide, Sulfapyrldine, N2 Acetylsulfanllamide, Sulfacetamide, Sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin), Thlazolsulfone, Salicylazosulfapyridine (Azulfadine), Sulfoxone, Sulfamethoxypyridine (Kynex). Antimalarials: Primaquine, Pamaquine, Pentaquine, Oulnacrine (Atabrine). Nonsulfonamide antibacterial agents: Furazolidone, Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin), Chloramphenicol, Para-aminosalicyllc acid. Miscellaneous: Napthalene, Vitamin K (Water soluble analogues), Prodenecid,Trlnitrotoluene, Methylene blue, Dimercaprol (BAL), Phenylhydrazine, Quinine and QulniGllne;Sulpha containing compounds Including Septran, DOS and Daraprim; Nitrofurantoin, Nalidixic acid including all derivatives ot this group, AntistIne, Dlphenylhydramine, Pronestyl, Nitrites: Largo dososof Chloroquine, Chloromycetin, Vit. C and Vit. K. Published in the public interest by Parsiana A DECADE OF.... continued from page 76 in seven mature, original presentations (“Mix­ ed messages, ” Parsiana, November 1996). In Delhi, authoress Piloo Jungalwalla delegates were kept at the Bai Avabai F. had defined a Zoroastrian as “one who has studied the practices and precepts of Zoro ­ astrianism. ” At the WZO seminar in Bombay the late Dastur Navrooz Mino- chehr-Homji had commented, “It is easy to sing 'Chhaiyye hame Zarthosti,' it is difficult to sing ‘Thaiyye hame Zarthosti. ”’ Petit Girls ’ School and lectures were con ­ ducted in a shamiana on the School cam ­ pus. On the very first day there was a jashan in the evening after which there were icebreakers. For the first time there were delegates from Pakistan, United States and London. Due to reasons known only to The venerable priest had earlier noted (in the youth of the cities of Secunderabad, Delhi) in the context of good and evil, “My Ratlam and Jamshedpur, there was no rep ­ mind is my liberator or the agent of my doom. ” So far, in India, the youths con ­ tinue to sing “Chhaiyye hame Zarthosti. ” Is there a way to change the Indian-Zoro- astrian mindset? MATRIMONIAL Matrimonial alliance invited from qualified, good-natured, cultured and well-settled boys up to 37 years from India and abroad for a qualified, extensively travelled, caring and sensitive girl of 28 years. Reply with returnable photograph to: .The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (Feb-Mar/13-97)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 .'Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here. resentation from their end. The highest attendance was from Ahmedabad and Pune. Initially there was a restriction on the number of delegates from different areas which was later withdrawn. At the mega city the delegates had a gala time shop ­ ping. Though there were restraints on late nights (entry and exit were restricted), some of the delegates managed to break through. Hence the attendance during lec ­ tures was very low. Here, besides the lec ­ tures, pagal Olympics and crazy gaWies were organized. There was a sight-seeing program and on the last day they organized the Gary Lawyer show. In sum, every conference had its merits and demerits. But the lure of meeting our fellow Zoroastrians draws delegates like us to the AIZYS every year. Jals 5 Detective and Protection Services Security Consultants Conducted and Operated By Jal B. Contractor Proprietor Dy. Commissioner of Police, Bombay (Retd.) No Branch Office We provide all your requirements for: Confidential investigations, security-guards,body guards (armed and unarmed) in plain clothes. Armed guards in uniform for property protection. Cash and valuables escorts, dog squads with handlers for land-patrolling, etc. Well trained, disciplined and experienced staff. Reasonable rates, round the clock services. Contact: Office: Jer Baug, 293, Dr Ambedkar Road, Byculla, Bombay 400027(Under the Fly Over) Tel: 3760707/3728549 Residence: G-1, Fariyas, Cumballa Hill, Kemps Comer, (Next to Shalimar Hotel), Bombay 400036 Tel: 3634161/3641581 82 Parsiana February-March 1997COMMENT We need an agenda for survival Parsis are modernizing, globalizing and secularising themselves to extinction, says the author Fredie A. Mehta Nearly 50 years ago, the great demogra ­ pher Prof A. D. Glass of the London School of Economics used to say that there is one infallible index to determine whether or not a society genuinely treats its women on a footing of equality. If it does, then for every 1,000 males there will be a higher number of females. Right now, in India as a whole, for every 1,000 males, we have 932 females, a statistic too devastating to call for further comment. Happily, the pre- 1991 census figures tell a different story for our community. If a society genuinely treats its women on a footing of equality, not merely for the purpose of poetry or rhetoric or religious incantations, but in actual practice, then women will almost invariably outnumber men. Is it not significant that Kerala is the only state in the whole of India in which women outnumber men (1,042 females to 1,000 males)? And perhaps there is no religious community in the whole world in which females outnumber men as they do in the Parsi community (1,082 females to 1,000 males). It proclaims that women are as much prized in our community as men, and for this credit must go as much to our great religion as to our great 19th century reformers. So much has already been said of our past achievements that it is necessary to italicize what (respected jurist) Nani Palkhivalahas said on previous occasions: Of the four great emblems of our Indian nation, as many as three have been given by the Parsi community. •Our slogan for independence, summed up in the magic word “swaraj, ” was coined by none other than Dadabhai Naoroji, and when the great Tilak proclaimed that “Swaraj is my birthright and I will have it, ” he went out of his way to express his gratitude to Dadabhai for giving him this one-word slogan. •Likewise, when it comes to our national flag, with the exception of Ashoka ’s chakra the flag was the handiwork of the great revolutionary. Madam Bhikaiji Cama. •Again when it came to the industrial renaissance of India, it was of course the immortal Jamsetji Tata who made steel, power and science the three symbols and spearheads of the resurgent Indian economy he envisaged. •The fourth symbol of our nation, namely, our national song, was of course written and set to music by the immortal Gurudev Tagore. It is therefore conspicuous that three out of the four national emblems of India have been contributed by a commu ­ nity of which Gandhiji truly said that “in numbers, it is beneath contempt, but in contribution, beyond compare. ” The past can incite, illuminate, inspire, but it must not lure us away from the tasks of the future. When by 2040 India will have the largest population in the world of around 1.6 billion, we the Parsis of India will, at the present rate of growth (or extinction!), be no more than 20,000 to 25,000. Maybe, there will be far more Parsis living outside India than in India. But the fact is that in India the environ ­ mentalists will at least have protected wild life — the tigers, the lions, the elephants etc — but there will be nobody to protect us from virtual extinction. The forces of modernization, globali ­ zation and secularism (MGS) are all conspiring to wipe out our community, but our reactions to these phenomena must not be hysterical at one end nor defeatist at the other. It is necessary to get the right perspective in these areas. Every society in the world, once it has achieved high incomes, high levels of lit ­ eracy, and high levels of aspiration inevi- tabaly witnesses a sharp decline in the growth of its population. We Parsis may be only an intensified example of this pheno ­ menon. Barely 50 years ago, the fertility rate per married woman in Spain was 5.4 children; it has come down drastically to 1.25 today — and this in a largely Catholic country. Likewise, the fertility rate per married woman in Singapore 30 years ago was 4.5 children; it is now barely one child. Lee Kuan Yew, who used to preach the gospel of birth control, is now opening matrimonial clubs to persuade young edu ­ cated women to marry! And so it is in our Parsi community that out of every 100 women between the ages of 19 and 45, roughly 30 percent do not marry at all, 20 percent marry outside our religion, and out of 50 percent who marry (within the community), the total number of children they breed do not exceed their own numbers. More graphically, six women who even in the normal process should have given birth to at least 12 children, give birth to only three children (100 years ago, they would have given birth to at least 30 children)! The second factor which is actively at work is the scattering of our community in various parts of the world — wrongly described in colloquial literature as the “Parsi diaspora. ” Roughly, 15,000 to 20,000 Parsis today live outside India and Pakistan. The first generation may still recollect (and perhaps even reveie) the Lord Zarathushtra; the second generation, less so, and perhaps the third generation, not at all. In several advanced countries of the world where we have migrated, we are witnessing the phenomenon of what (presi ­ dent of the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Washington) Keki Shroff so aptly terms, the “24-hour Zoroastrians ” — children whose navjote is performed, but who the very next day put aside their sudreh and kusti, a phenomenon so com ­ mon in Canada, America and Great Brit ­ ain, and now, alas, beginning to be com ­ mon in India itself! The third factor that is decimating, dis ­ integrating and destroying the Parsi com ­ munity are the forces of secularism. Here one has to note that with very honorable exceptions, the great majority of our Parsis who opt for secularism, opt for what may be called the Western pattern of secular- 84 Parsiana February-March 1997ism under which religion plays little or no influence, as distinguished from our In ­ dian pattern of secularism in which one ’s own religion is extremely important but combined with respect for other religions Thus, it has been said in Germany that “we Germans practise Christianity-on-wheels; at birth we are taken in a pram to the church to be baptised; at marriage we go in a limousine to the church to get married; and at death we again go to the church for the third time in a hearse. ” It is clear that much of our Parsi secular ­ ism is patterned after this Western model While the forces of MGS are making religion, their inroads in all societies of the world (Islamic fundamentalism notwithstand- Why do we mention only the great Parsis of Bombay? Let me tell you of two remarkable coincidences in the lives of our great Parsi heroes: •Who was and is the Father of modem Bombay: Sir Pherozeshah Mehta. Who was and is the Father of modem Karachi: Mr Jamshed Nusserwanji Mehta. What a remarkable coincidence of Mehtas! •But an even more remarkable coinci ­ dence emerges when I recall the two great saints that we Parsis have produced in this 20th century. We Parsis have produced and with the retreat of religion as an active ing!), in our very small community they many saintly souls — there are six names dynamic force, uniting and inspiring our coirununity, we have either a total indiffer ­ ence to religion or an outward “Zoroastri- anism-on-wheels ” approach to religion. Almost all the great leaders of the Parsi community in the past were fiercely patri ­ otic but even more fiercely dedicated to our religion. Can we today name a single me like the Himalayas, Lokmanya like leader of our community, if at all we have him or her, to whom religion is so precious as to be assigned the highest priority for our survival and growth? Our leaders and our sethias, to whom our community and our religion meant so much, have virtually bard, whose poems are sung even today in disappeared, leaving a very great vacuum in the field of our religious education and our philanthropic activities. We have either a total indifference or an outward “Zoroastrianism-on- wheels ” approach to religion threaten its very survival. Anecdotes from the life of Mahatma Gandhi indicate his great respect for Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, in whose honor we have held this Seminar. In his autobiogra ­ phy, My Experiments With Truth, he had stated, “Sir Pherozeshah had seemed to the ocean. But Gokhale was as the Ganges. ” I recall too the reverence in which Gandhi held our beloved Ardeshir Framji Khabardar whom he described as “the Kalidasa of the 20th century. ” This the remotest parts of Gujarat, devoted no less than four years of his ailing life to write a 800-page opus on the Zoroastrian which would come unbidden to our lips, but saints in almost the true sense of the word, I can think of only two. One, obvi ­ ously, is Jamshed N. Mehta of Karachi and the other Jamshed K. Mehta of Allahabad. Jamshed Mehta of Karachi was a veritable jewel — a brilliant administrator and yet a virtual saint, a multi-millionaire who gladly parted with all his wealth to lead the life of the poor; a man before whoiri hundreds of families put forward their disputes and abided by his judgement, for he was greater than any law court that one could think of. The other. Jamshed K. Mehta of Alla ­ habad, was also a divinely inspired per ­ sonality. A great economist who in the company of Joan Robinson invented a With Compliments From Victory Theatre 2429 Gen Thimayya Road Camp, Pune 411001> I I major concept in modern economics, but of whom Gandhi said that if you under ­ stood the economics of Jamshed Mehta, you would have understood his Gandhian economics. Here again, was an eminent economist leading a life of virtual poverty, practising ayurvedic medicine to help the poor so that on his death the whole of Allahabad stood still. Even today, there must be at least 50 economists who revere his memory but who is totally ignored in the current literature about our Parsi com ­ munity. The past is glorious for the Parsis but we must now seriously debate about our fu ­ ture. We are not to think only of “quick fixes; ” the community and its leaders must now debate how best to gain from modern ­ ization, globalization and secularism with ­ out embracing their kisses of death. An eminent Jewish rabbi of America has said that the Jews of the world have faced two holocausts during their life ­ time: the holocaust perpetrated by Hitler on the Jewish people, and the holocaust perpetrated by the modern Jews them ­ selves due to the loss of their faith and subsequent loss of their identity. In their case, at least there is the mighty little state of Israel. But we Parsis have no such state to preserve our identity. Are we prepared to resurrect our faith and fire? Else be pre ­ pared to die out in the coming decades, unwept, unhonored, unsung. The evolving tragedy is compounded by singing our praises for the past, but having no compre ­ hension of the perils of the future, leave aside solutions for them. Future genera ­ tions will not condemn u.s for perpetrating this holocaust because there will be no future generations in the first place. Even today, it may not be too late for the Parsi community to give itself a “wake-up call; ” too much of what we are doing today resembles the discussion of a lunch menu on a sinking Titanic. Edited text of a speech delivered at the valedictory session of a two-day national seminar on ‘The contribution of the Parsi community to western India between 1818-1920” hosted by the Bombay University under the auspices of the Gulestan Rustom Billimoria Trust, February 15 and 16,1997. and I Dr Fredie Mehta, is chairman of the Forbes group, direc ­ tor of Tata Sons and an economist of repute. 88a Parsiana February-March 1997 Our World of Vacations - 97 Destinations Far East No of Days Rs + US$ Thailand Thailand & Singapore Thailand & Hong Kong Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore Thailand, Singapore & Hong Kong Singapore & Malaysia Cruise Thailand, Singapore & Malaysia Cruise Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia Cr & Hong Kong Thailand, Tokyo & Hong Kong Thailand, Japan & Hong Kong Australian Trail New Zealand Discovery Australia & New Zealand Mauritius Seychelles Kenya South Africa Egypt & Nile Cruise Glimpse of Europe European Experience Europe at Leisure Grand Europe Scandinavia Greece & the Aegean Cruise < South Pacific Africa Europe North America Eastern Triangle Eastern Wonders California Adventure Western Wonders Western USA & Canada Canadian Rockies Alaska Hawaii South America South American Odyssey South America 7 8 8 11 10 6 11 13 11 13 15,950 + 19,950 + 24,950 + 21,950 + 25,950 + 19,950 + 19,950 + 25,950 + 1,030 33,950 + 1,250 33,950 + 1,950 250 500 500 800 700 600 850 12 14 16 45,950 + 1,500 55,950 + 1,600 65,950 + 2,000 8 7 8 7 9 17,950 + 15,950 + 19,950 + 45,950 + 525 795 750 1,050 29,950 + 1,200 10 15 21 26 12 11 42,950 + 42,950 + 1,200 1,470 1,820 1,140 42,950 + 1,130 42,950 + 42,950 + 42,950 + 840 8 12 11 13 19 13 12 14 47,950 + 670 47,950 + 1,095 59,950 + 780 59,950 + 1,050 61,950 + 1,485 59,950 + 1,020 ' 64,950 + 1,750 59,950 + 1,440 14 19 1,07,950 + 1,630 93,950 + 1,050 Also tours within India & Nepal For details contact: Lala tours H. K. Lala & Co. Capitol Cinema Bldg., Opp. New Empire Cinema Murzban Road, Fort, Mumbai-400001 Tel: 207 5094/5744/3006. Fax: +91-22-207 6925COMMENT The sacred sojourn Many Zoroastrians proceeding to Udvada are more mindful of their physical comforts than spiritual salvation Rustam S. Sidhwa time I leave my hometown to the time I the prayers not only a hundredfold, but are return, and particularly during the period compounded to rise steeply to of my sojourns at the places of pilgrimage, multidimensional levels. After these farzi I shall shave my head and wear my ehram did not want to leave without being rid of (white cloth which they wear on haj pil- this burden, which would oppress him if he grimage) when I start from my house as a did not square his account with me. He also mark of humility, to remind me that lam said that he would pray for my welfare and now on a mission of spiritual purification, preceptor and spiritual guide. Finally, af- that if I had any special wish he would And I will try to keep away from all ter each prayer session, I shall send sa- beseech Allah and his holy Prophet to unclean and worldly desires that may beset loams (greetings) and darood (peace) to grant me that grace. As he was such a pure soul whom I thought had never hurt or vazoo (ablution) and keep myself physi- annoyed a fly, I assured him that he had not " ' ‘ sinned against me at all, that he should consider himself forgiven for all apparent and latent trespasses and that I hoped his jected. pilgrimage would bring him all the bless ­ ings he desired. I also asked him to pray for (congregational) prayers, as far as pos- certain favors which he promised to do. As he was leaving, I asked him to tell me something of his intended trip, his ideal, his tariqat (manner), the method of spiritually one we must offer prayers to- A good Samaritan — a dear old friend — called on me on the eve of his Haj pilgrim ­ age. He wanted me to forgive him for any trespasses he may have committed, as he (obligatory) prayers, I shall recite other prayers depending upon time and circumstance, according to the guidance received from my parents, my religious me on the way. I shall be constantly under Allah, then to Prophet Muhammad, there ­ after to his immediate family members and noble companions, and finally to the spiri ­ tually advanced souls who gave their lives in selfless service to Islam. ” “But what about Allah ’s grace — be- “Well, I shall attend all five ba-jamaat seeching His favors for yourself, family and friends? ” I just wanted to remind him of the main reason for the pilgrimage. He looked at me steadily. “Dear friend, yers that we find real unity, for to be that is last attended. After the above salu- _____________ . . . . • tations, I shall first pray for the unity and his prayers and salutations to Allah and his gether. For don ’t forget that the purity of solidarity of the Muslim ummah (commu- holy Prophet, and how he would seek thoughts and emotions of a hundred souls nity), for world peace and for the progress forgiveness and blessings for himself and strengthens the spiritual aura and grace of of my country. Then I shall place the his friends. “Well, ” he said, “I am first seeking forgiveness from all friends and foes for any trespasses com ­ mitted by me against them because I do not want to face Allah and the holy Prophet without being rid of burdens which make my presence unclean and impure. “I won ’t trouble you with a recital of my differ ­ ent visits to different places and my formal practices there. About my ideal, ” he mused aloud, “I want to be animated with the spiritual grace of Allah and His Pro ­ phet Muhammad throu ­ ghout the trip, from the cally clean so that I can constantly recite my tasbih (rosary) while taking His name. ” “What about your prayers? ” I inter- sible. If I miss any, I shall make it up later. Do you know, it ’s only in ba-jamaat pra- HOW WA$ '/OUR plt>6RlAiFAWW)U>! we HAP MllX PUFFS/TARei-t BOl AAACHHts , CKAR-em-NO-PORO ANP At'ETl'PAUeri FOR BREAKFAST. ¦ .THeW WWSAk FOR 50ME LIdHT l-UNCH FOUFOWeP BN... favors and wishes placed in my custody by my friends before Allah for His special dispensation and implore Him to grant all their requests. Then finally ' >! I shall place my wishes and desires and those of my family members for similar grace. In sijdah (obei ­ sance), I shall cry out and beseech Him to help all nations and people in dis ­ tress, those in the throes of war, genocide, terrorism, \ polarized discrimination ) and sectarianism ; and those in poverty, hunger and I misery. For it is not till we I have compassion in our ' own souls, and desire that those in distress be freed 88b Parsiana February-March 1997 Lsouls who desire His blessings! At last one is in the precincts of Iranshah. Poor Parsis waiting to sell sandalwood. from their miseries, that the true blessings the following admonitions: “Be sure to of Allah can crystallize in our hearts. ” 1---- ---- -------- ¦ ¦ For days I kept thinking of my friend, ‘ i->uii v -------------- —— c- —- - - - - , . , . , . , , , comparing his attitudes and ideals with early morning on Hormazd, Ardibehest agarbattis, garlands and omer knick-knacks * ® u/ifkfkoirnrocAnpp QnmA take that train. ” “No, no, take a taxi. ” “Don ’t worry, air-conditioned buses go infest the visitors with their presence. Some trade having been accomplished, one pro ­ ceeds to the ablution chamber, where after paJya/j/kusti one enters the holy of holies. If you are a new entrant, a number of old mobeds — patriarchal remnants of a once thriving lot — will accost you for any prayers you may want to be performed for a small fee. Those already acquainted with mobeds during earlier visits, may find the same aging souls ready to take up their duties, if not already engaged with a heavy load on behalf of others. However much one may desire to establish a direct rapport with his Maker and his Prophet, he must find a din dastur to be his medium for that those adopted by me on a pilgrimage to Udvada. Had I been on a pilgrimage, or to a ‘Euro-Disney ’ or ‘Indian Disney ’ show? Had it been undertaken for spiritual purifi ­ cation, or as a prayer-cum-pleasure tour? What had been my ideal? What had been my tariqat ‘1 What physical purification had I maintained during my pilgrimage? What greetings and salutations had I of ­ fered Ahura Mazda, my holy Prophet Spitama Zarathushtra, and to the spiritu ­ al , had I paid to the din dasturs who were souls among them who had retired under parathas with omlettes or kebabs and good- i.*. — —- J — - taking your car. ” So, a good spiritual jour- grace, otherwise he may miss this benefit. For their service, alittlenazarana (ashodad) is a mark of civility. Having offered sandalwood at the atash good starter for dadgah, atash adaran and the holy of ho ­ lies, the Iranshah atash padshah saheb, one bows in sijdah at each of these places at the feet of Ahura Mazda, there to beseech Had I been on a pilgrimage, or to a ‘Euro-Disney ’ or ‘Indian Disney ’ show? illy advancedZarathosti souls? Whathonor and Behram roj to Udvada and bring you ___; " • ¦ ; back late at night the same day. ” “And looking after Shri Iranshah? Or to those don ’t forget to take a hamper ajong —nice ies from the Parsi Dairy Farm if you ’re the pressure of disease and old age and were without help or succor? „. _ One thinks of Udvada in order to place ney must be preceded by a good tuck-in, oneself at the feet of Ahura Mazda, in custody of His Prophet Spitama Zara- lest listlessness and hunger destroy the mood for communication with the gods! thushtra and the spiritually advanced Perhaps pet ni pooja is a t Zarathosti souls. A visit after navjote and dharmic pooja? A happy breakfast is a happy start. Woe to those parsimonious hoteliers who miss out on all the goodies — fried bois, milk Him, His holy Prophet and/or holy souls, must include gourmand feasts for those received by the supplicant, for His and marriage are considered to be of cardinal importance. Other visits on holy days, festival days, etc are considered benefi- — -...... - o -------- --------- . .. - l ¦ i . cial No spiritual preparation is deemed puffs, niroo. A once-in-many years ’ trip depending upon the spiritual education necessary, but some souls do take to heart With Best Compliments From PENOSH 94-A, M. G. Road, Pune 411001 Tel: 645162-65 Fax: 645166 Telex: 145-7418Get good value for your money Visit RAILWAY HOTEL Railway Hotel Building Charni Road Junction Bombay 400004 Telephone: 3851028 Beer Parlour/ Permit Room/ Homely Comforts y/ith Best Wishes From THE PLACE TOUCHE the SIZZLER Clover Centre 7, Moledina Road Pune 411001 Tel; 634632 92 Parsiana February-March 199? the canopy of His grace. Should we not pray for world peace, for the unity and solidarity of the Zarathosti ummahl Then place the wishes of friends and relatives their grace and blessings. After giving instructions to his allotted mobed for recitation of special prayers — whether in honor of a spiritual hierarchy or a living soul or one who has passed over — the pilgrim settles down to his compulsory prayers and some others. These accom ­ plished, he again bows in sijdah and be ­ seeches Ahura Mazda and other members of the spiritual hierarchy to grant special favors and kindnesses. In the meantime, his allotted priest, having finished the con ­ tracted jashan or prayers, recites the Doa Tandarosti in a loud voice, as a farewell blessing to his patron. But everything said and done, I still feel we are missing out on many things. Before poverty, we settingouton api^magc shouWwe ^t mcaase feet of Ahura Mazda for His acceptance.' Before setting out, should we not un ­ dertake to remain constantly under pa Jy ab,^ to remain ] prayers in I the names ----------- , time and circumstances may permitHere the/arzi prayers may be reduced to kusti, I 101 names < ~ and Din-no-Kalmo. 1 On our trip, should we not forget the which we ’ve promised to convey to Him at | His feet for acceptance? And finally place one ’s own there, for similar grace. Should we not show compassion respect to our din dasturs who maintain our various atash padshah sahebs, by not crib ­ bing about their faulty practices, or their desire for lavish remuneration, but by rais ­ ing our own spiritual levels bring about the necessary changes to establish higher sun- dards? We must not forget that when they strove for high standards in the throes of did not support them. The trustees were too stingy, the community ¦ - •----- ---- to increase and bing about their faulty practices, or their desire for lavish remuneration, but by rais ­ ing our own spiritual levels bring about the I anna! The ____ had lakhs of rupees to support bricks and mortar, but nothing to support our SI munii ipiritual guardians! Thus, whilst the coin- itv prospered, the din dasturs suffered. Today we pay for our sins. i^S of the fwe guAs and ricite Spiritual levels are not rats^ed by of Ahura Mazda constantly, as I finan- ciaf benefits, though these may remove some of the irritants. But grace comple ­ ments grace. Our own spiritual evolution of Ahura Mazda, Sarosh Baj cau j^^^^^SrituTlXvX of our din • . dasturs. Other methods cannot change desire for lavish food and treat the journey as one tntended for spintual Prophet ’s ummah. Apart rather than for touristic pleasure. fmm such an exception, the spiritual fibre When in Udvada - within the radius of have to be raised by the holy of holies - should we not gon- of out dm dasturs tviun tinue under padyab, recite the prayers^and our the names c. ------- Should not our din dasturs establish our farzi prayers at fixed timesi in each of ^e _ spiniuai piav- five gahs in rotation, so that a P | j jjppiore all pious souls to residing within the vicinity of our temp • .j. should con- and those visiting them can attend sue , something higher, something group prayers and^tablish the unity of the s^dy levels. By Zarathosti ummah. spiritually-stronger atash padshah saheb, should we not first tender greetings to Ahura Mazda, then to our holy Prophet, then to his family bers, the spiritually £ souls and lastly to the departed members ot our family? . Should we not beseech forgiveness tor our sins, express remorse for our evil acts and offer tohah (repentance)? Should wp not surrender ourselves, body, mind, soul and spirit, with humility, with offerings of flowers and good thoughts, good words and good deeds, to the safe custody ot Ahura Mazda, to be guided by Him within be reduced to kusti, the holy of holies - should we nor5_o_n- « „ ,|,e SAhura Mazda consuntly? graceofAhuraMazdaandourhdyftophet ¦ - As I pen these personal thoughts, i sees no circle of friends to found a new reli- ---- — to start new spiritual prac- and bring about a general revival to (tllU UUUg — o -- the challenges of the new millennium, lhe n to his lamiiy nie.n- spiritual hierarchy responsible for us is advanced Zarathosti looking after us. It only wants amenable .----- 1------ f souls prepared to act as good channels, so that it can work through them. I The author Rustam Sidhwa, a retired judge of the Su­ preme Court of Pakistan, passed away on March 31, 1997. He had also served I as a judge on the United I Nations International Crimi- ’ nal Tribunal for the former L Yugoslavia ¦» JCOMMENT knockyouT hrothcn^^ Respect for other viewpoints and tolerance are the marks of a worthwhile existence Shanoor Forbes In this busy, competitive life of ours, with its perennial lack of control over one s own time, I choose to sit back and put Zarathushtra the man (not the deified thought to paper (or rather on my personal nal regulations and observances, Zoroas- computer which I affectionately, .call .ter ’s pioneering wi^om shewed the path ‘Haroun ’). When I contemplate the world to moral choice which is freedom from from a calm vantage point, it seems to be blind obedience to meaningless injunc- - r 1* ? 4.1 n mi 11 If* 1 tv of .Qiinnes. like to follow. And from my readings I ---------- , . . , learned that while many religions of the God that men have made hiin into) loved • 4*/* _______ y* A A tTI QTIZin /^T primitive type tried to bind men to exter- life. His was an immense affirmation of life. So is mine. I have faith in the human spirit which is unquencfaaWe. The God that is spoken of is the good in each one of us (in our hearts), ever ready to come forth and help others. I have no other dogmas or rituals, believe in no fasts or penance. Ours tions and from a multiplicity of shrines. This philosophy of freedom of choice, ------- , . - . , that I imbibed from my parents and other is a religion of happiness and laughter close family members, encouraged the policy of ‘live and let live. ’ Just because my parents did not give much importance to ceremonies prayers, it did not mean other members of the family from believ ­ ing in such things. They encouraged us always to take full responsibility for our freedom of actions and to follow the maxim, It is better to (unconditionally) love and serve the living than the dead. ” Life is meaning ­ ful, I learnt, when lived charitably and well here on this very earth without nur- in great turmoil. In the name of religion, terrible atrocities are perpetuated in Bos ­ nia, Rwanda, Israel and Palestine, India and Pakistan, Ireland and Iran — in fact all over the globe. In pursuit of power and greed men seem to lose all sense of ethics, humanity and compassion. So I wonder, what constitutes a worth ­ while human being? What are the mark ­ ings of a good person? And I come up with the word ‘tolerance. ’ Among other things, tolerance means 1---------- -- thought; it does away with bigotry. It means: “Don ’t knock your brother — your neighbor — don ’t knock anyone because he looks, thinks, eats, loves, worships or hates differently from the way you do all sing expectations about a future nirvana those things yourself. al background, then later by our educa- ity. J / tion and our own individualistic think- I do not personally believe in a conven ­ ing Each individual differs from another tional God with bushy eyebrows and beard, mg. i-avii 11 _________ in thp eUv whn determines in which expects its followers to eat, drink, create wealth honestly and be joyful. Its foundation rests on the three pillars of UlU IlUV 5IVV lllUVll -------------------------- J J J ies and organized ritualistic good thoughts, good words and good deeds, the heavens above. We live in our never they prevented bound together by the stipulation that happiness comes only to those who give happiness to others. I believe that religion was made to serve man and man was not created to serve religion. So long as he serves his fellow men, there is no need for him to follow the rituals and sacrifices of so- called godmen. We must take our cues from the universe which buzzes with life. Sing with the trees! Dance with the stars! Love without jealousy and live without god. Or for paradise. . In short, let us all follow the doctrine of Zarathushtra. He is quoted as having ic suoerstitious or one ’s fate or grants one ’s wishes when said: “The mind is the most important part J must respect his indi- prayed to. However, I do believe in God of the body. Develop it. Sort out ±e go^ 7’- --' with a double ‘o ’ as in ‘good ’: the good- from the evil and follow the path of good- SSjss I3; iZ .“X 31, ”».» .. most basic tenets of human coexistence. I try to follow the path. Like all frail humans, I often fail and try again! I do not personally believe in a conven- holding court in the sky, who determines and as long as he ’s not harming anyone (by fundamentalistic, superstitious or bigoted actions), one 1 ' ’ ¦** him live in peace. Similarly, one expects ness in people, in animals, in birds and plants and trees. I believe one must be in tune with nature and not get out of synch asreea wiui ui uui. a vumvuu uhl, ----- - thinking alone can bring harmony to this with it. Ifrn dn2.^h^- world. As for me, as an individual partici ­ pant of the human race (and an interested ing . reader of Parsiana), I have been brought thought I believe one should be non-judg- up to be an atheist-humanist by example, mental, kind to others and compassionate having been born in a Zoroastrian family towards people and ideas differing from which encouraged freedom of choice. No one ’s own,^ and my faith (Zoroas nan vipws were ever forced on me, but I in origin and beliefs) is a religion only of is a fight for existence. Enjoy it! Relish it! mentalism, superstition and dogmatic be ­ liefs, rituals and doctrines. From my learn- and interpretation of Zoroastrian views were ever forced on me, but I was encouraged to 1—. — - decide for myself the spiritual path I’d JlWw Vli xxiv'5 wv**- --- Q If* T read and think and the living, by the living, for the living. Lite Shanoor Forbes, is a lit ­ erature graduate who enjoys writing, theater, music and animals. . 94 Parsiana February-March 1997J?; I i.' w s •A-^SHisy i^ ' I.;,' 1 i / V-/ '•'"t' MIWWWMWWUWJJW > .4 t 1 ' • s ............ ¦J- I I. ^,,- ’V 4^ 4 Bai Avabai F. Petit Girls ’ High School has changed over the years from an orphanage to one of Bombay ’s elite schools Text by Arnavaz S. Mama • Photographs by Homyar Mistry The sprawling grounds, the driveway, the well, the pillared and porticoed main structure with its gracious stairways, stained glass and beautiful Gre ­ cian statue neath Avabai Petit ’s thoughtful sonal name Nusli) gropes for memories of visage strategically facing the entrance — few Zoroastrians are aware of the magnifi ­ cence of the heritage Hamabai Mehta cre ­ ated. Separate structures house different junction to found an orphanage for Parsi classes or groups of classes. During the girls. “She sold everything and started the monsoon, class changes require umbrellas and raincoats. An endemic complaint is that the school bell could not be heard! Sir Dinshaw Petit (fourth baronet, per- Hamabai Mehta, his father ’s paternal aunt (fi/i), the formidable lady who inherited her mother ’s jewels together with an in ­ school in the name of her mother (Avabai) ,’’ attests Petit who recalls her as an animal lover maintaining 30 to 40 dogs. “A won ­ derful woman, extremely kindhearted (though) overbearing for a five or six-year- old boy, ” Petit is unable to account why he knew her as Batloobai. Fortunately for the community, the edi ­ fice has been enriched by the principals 96 Parsiana February-March 1997b. INSTITUTIONS COVER STORY MawNMWsSii Of • Clockwise from top left: The principal ’s residence; side view of main building accommodating the principal ’s office, computer room, etc; independent structures housing class rooms with pre­ primary playground; and Avahai 97 Parsiana February-March 1997 f in Bombay; by dint of its trust deed, its management that must steer its course between the demands of state educational them from among the poorest rural sector of the community. Bridging the two worlds has tried the mettle of the ladies who have i who have presided over the institution in Bombay; by dint of its trust deed, its through its 84-year existence, zealously boarding section (totalling 175 in March maintaining traditions like chawk (rangoli) 1997) is restricted to Parsis, the majority of on the floor, flowers and diva gracefully ’ held aloft in the statue ’s marble bowl on festive occasions. The ritual is especially poignant for the resident Zoroastrian girls presided over the institution — and of the who step out to answer their secondary school certificate (SSC) examinations bol ­ stered by a breakfast of ravo and dahi and policy and loyalty to the objects of the "nllina sagan (auspicious adornment of a founder. red mark on the forehead). ” Lodged on a promontory of Bandra ’s Pali Hill, abutting the Arabian Sea, Bai Avabai F. Petit Girls ’ High School has a unique combination of functions. By vir ­ tue of its location its 955 day-scholars (in March 1997) are among the most affluent coaching in Marathi, Hindi and Maths, a founder. Their combined objective, as enunci ­ ated by its principal Rhoda Doctor is to “try to see that the difference between day- scholars and residentials is not that marked. ” To that end, she says that the boarders receive uniforms and shoes, extrabeen a college professor before she - ¦ 'i is rational, tolerant. During school hours ta problem, but for the residentials school is also home. “A little ^-vegeurian die, that includes a nud ifcas priuSpi, Deeior ’s appwach • ® . ITS-___X___ jg tzaloront Diinnff schnol hours proach. For those who have seen only discipline is not poverty, “money can be a source of temp- residential^ scho' totion or bitterness, ” especially when they indiscipline can t be helped. A finger on see so much of it among day-scholars. the lips (kind of) discipline even the con- , Having grown up in a family of limited vents don ’t have If you don t pcrmi to morning fruit and evening snack. There was a time v----- ------------ were required to do a lot of work on the campus like cleaning doors and windows, weeding the grounds, etc. A more compas ­ sionate policy has now reduced their work see so ‘e 5±£:Kj^-= .'-sx-issi:;- her doing so - just been sanctioned), skates and bi- H cycles are provided for the girls rec- reation. ¦ Only 15 percent of the boarders ¦ pay full fees (Rs 1,200 per month), ¦ says Dolly Chacha, long-standing sec- ¦ retary and accountant of Petit Chari- H ties. The majority pay less than Rs 100, she adds. The profile of the residential girls has changed over the years. Earlier, those granted admission were generally navjote age children. Now they are accepted from * the nursery (approximately, three-year- ’ olds). And when school counsellors have | recommended cases, neither trustees nor | principal has flinched from “turning the « ; she related a toddler who was not | when the residentials and their problems need a different ap- poverty, “money can be a source of temp- much of it among day-scholars. the lips (kind of) discipline even the con- means, Doctor has been at pains to teach the boarders not to resent wealth (“you times more than I had from my family, ¦ School into a creche, ” as notes Doctor. In .ISh one case she related a toddler who was not Wi even potty-trained was accepted by the Clockwise from top left: Doctor, trustees L---------------- she might be sold off by her drug addicted parents. In another, a blind child was re ­ ferred by the principal of the blind school. The matrons were upset and the older girls used to carry the very young from one part of the grounds to the other, related Doctor adding, “There are not too many such cases, but we have risen to the occasion... ” This change in the resident scholar ’s profile largely reflects the changes in the community. About 18 years ago there were 290 boarders, says Chacha. Long-time physical culture coach Moti Irani remem ­ bers that “only three out of five sisters used to be admitted. Two had to go elsewhere. Now there ’s a maximum of three sisters in one case. Otherwise, it ’s only two, ” she says. Today no Parsi girl seeking admis ­ sion to the School is denied, and yet the numbers are diminishing. Nor are they all poor orph^s as the old name of the institute implied. While many are indigents from remote areas of rural Gujarat, there are now several whose par ­ ents reside in cramped accommodation in even when I was in Inter Arts). ’ She re- Ig members the resentment she felt and is chary of inflicting such indignity on any child. She believes that “the great ­ est discipline comes from within, as Gandhi said. ” If an erring student is aware that the principal has noticed the ' misdemeanor. Doctor rarely feels the need to confront the culprit. “If (the act) not repeated. I’ve achieved my - purpose, ” she maintains. The practical impact of Doctor ’s accommodating ways is that students of standards VIII, IX and X are allowed to study late in the night for their exams whereas previously it used to be dinner, prayers and sleep by 10 p.m. The matrons protested, but Doctor says she convinced them that there are people who study better at night than in the morn ­ ing and they should be allowed to do so. Doctor ’s only reservation about Sir Dinshaw Petit ’s grant of a cable connec ­ tion is that she is afraid that the girls will tune in to Hindi music programs rather than enriching ones like diose on the Dis ­ covery Channel. Principal and trustees alike would be happy if the boarders shed their attitude of taking things for granted and use the op ­ portunity they have to prepare for the ral race that awaits them. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet ’s school counselling program, to aid academically weak students per ­ form better, has helped them improve, though its effectiveness is limited because of frequent changes of personnel, the maxi ­ mum duration of a counsellor with the because the counsellor feared that Madan, M. Irani and Ferreira she notes matter-of-factly. To illustrate the trustees ’ approach to the residential children Doctor recalls the time when she took over as principal. The former incumbent Shobha Dean, who had met with a fatal accident, “had failed 19 children (all boarders) in standard nine so as not to bring down the standard of the School ” at the Secondary School Certifi ­ cate (SSC) exam the following year. This had upset the trustees who said they were not interested in cent percent results, re ­ called Doctor. Their concern was that “the School should not contribute more prob ­ lems (to those young lives) ” and requested School being two years, they note. Never- Doctor to promote them. The trustees ’ th? ’"*''’ t-'’'’’ thp nnncmal that faith was fully justified when the 19 girls the children r.lp.ared the SSC exam the next year, said more in Ur. meht. The majority of residential students opt for a commerce college when they finish school, says Doctor. Many have become air hostesses. One even became a char ­ tered accountant. Several get married early . Doctor to promote them. The trustees ’ cleared the SSC exam the next year, said Doctor. Even in 1996 the trustees were more delighted by the residentials who scored 80 percent results than the day- scholars who scored in the 90s, she adds. Another facet of school life that has changed under Doctor is discipfine. Hav- theless Irani agrees with the principal that I are “more forward today, ” tune with their social environ- 98 Parsiana February-March 1997An annual feature of the School was a sionals. Even Doctor admits that the higher than (that of) other SSC schools. ” J While most senior school teachers have i a been around for more than 10 years [Some like Moti Irani and Khorshed Elavia have completed 19 and 18 years respectively and Fay Ferreira, wife of the redoubtable tor (in 1985). I hope the new incumbent billiards champion cum-lawyer Michael, will continue with the way the School runs into her 35th year as music teacher savs jashan and navjote on Founder ’s Day grounds are no longer as colorful as they r\g u XT J.,.. Bharucha ’s time. Petit takes a more on the agenda for two reasons. “(The different perspective: “The School ’s am- ... _ .. , ... .. (located in Bandra) now flatly refuse to do the navjote of children of non-Parsi moth ­ ers, ” says Doctor. Also, a lot of other ______ _____________ organizations have started arranging the and has been a success. ’^ (Doctor ’s acute navjote of indigent children, pro ­ viding clothes not only for the child but also for the parents. As “we only (only) provide for the child, ” parents prefer to go elsewhere. (March 13). Nowadays the navjote is no mobeds of the) Panthaky and Tata Agiaries bience started wi± Bharucha. It fell after she left (in 1979). It came back with Doc- ..w /'I The transformation It was Mani Bharucha the school ’s longest serving principal, who per ­ suaded the trustees to change the institution from an orphanage into a public school in 1962. By open ­ ing its gates to day-scholars of all communities the institution pro ­ vided its young wards contact with the world around them. Septuage ­ narian Shirin Irani who now looks after the kitchen, had entered the orphanage as a child of seven when the total strength of the institution was 300. She remembers Ms Pathak who was the headmistress ind matron Ms PestonJamasp. Fhey could only study on the cam- )us up to standard eight. After that hey had to go to St Joseph ’s Con- rent. Their daily diet was a break ­ fast of bread and a banana, dal, ice and potatoes being staple fare or the other meals. With the com- ngof Ms Vivarhurst and Ms Banaji hey started getting eggs and better food, ecalls Shirin Irani. In those days the baths and toilets were a a separate block outside. Where the rimary school stands today, there were ields and cattle sheds. “All the buildings rere built by Mani Bharucha. She worked _____ v,tivii wviau u me er) , hard. She had a lot of power in her problem disappears! ’’says Doctor. “Even ands, recalls Shirin Irani of the 5’2” ---- j ¦ • undle of authority before whom the par- ats quailed! A master of arts in French, (ways well coiffed and accoutred. I * • - I i ?'< a; i/$. M into her 35th year as music teacher, says. “Hun bhi ardhi Parsi chheun (I’m half a Parsi)! ”] There are a lot of changes among the primary staff, admits Doctor, attribut ­ ing the difference to their being “basically young, coming im ­ mediately after their BEd. ” In the primary section par ­ ents tend to interfere with the working of the school while the secondary school children try to keep their parents out, ob ­ serves the principal. She is deeply appreciative of the par; ents ’ involvement with shows (including an anand mela) that the school organizes and the sale of raffle tickets, which are SB annual fund gathering events. ¦H In the earlier years there used to be a seven-day fete open to the public but the practice has been discontinued since Bombay ’s communal riots in Bl 1992. All amounts collected, pB nearly 8 lakh rupees, go to the {rust annually, informs Doc- ka tor. Though the annual sports on Founder ’s Day are held on their own hockey field, the shows are held at the new Rangsharda auditorium at Bandra Reclamation. An aptitude for marching and calisthenics has distinguished the institutionn over the years. School trips to various parts of India and Asia are an ongoing activity and par ­ ents in the travel trade get the business. Doctor records the social commitment of non-Parsi students who donate their entire wardrobe when they finish school for the use of residential students. The trustees decide on nursery admis ­ sions each year. There is tremendous de ­ mand for the 70 seats in two division.s I f ¦ 'y f > M Particoed main entrance and hockey field arthritis has impelled her to seek retire ­ ment from June ’97. Dr Hutoxi Driver, principal of Surat ’s J. J. School is expected to take over.) “We laugh a lot and when we laugh, the the education department inspector noted that the children are so happy, so cheer ­ ful, ” notes junior school headmistress Ratan . , . ------ ’ Madan who says she had helped set up the Lxvxxxx'x;- .chi,dpsychology.hygie„e.etcb?orga- ,hafs what we wtt ” ’XXT ting docimentaries and talks by profes- school ’s standard in languages as “slinhtiv ' the Petit campus. According to Madan, “Today ’s children are very bold. We ’ve not tried to curb them. They blossom — that s what we want. ’’ She assesses the school ’s standard in languages as “slightly I Parsiana February-March 1997 LINSTITUTIONS “This business of charity The Petit family ’s many charities respond to the needs of a changing world Arnavaz S. Mama community in his early years. He remem- tally impaired and a home for old people of bers his grandmother Dinbai, the dowager means. Petit had “never seen a more de ­ Lady Petit, who used to tell him sto- grading place ” than the mental asylum in ‘ ries. His grandfather Jijibhai (Sir Yerwada, Poona. He said he was mentally Dinshaw Petit, second baronet), affected for two to three days by the “filth said to be a very strict individual, and deprivation ” in which the inmates had died before Nusli was bom. Petit believes that “not many can do this business of charity non-violent Parsi patients could live with unless you start very young. ” He animals and grow vegetables. Here they was inducted on the board of are getting madder because there are only 1 Petit charities at the age of 18 where he listened to his father and other trustees, like “grand old man ” Nusserwanji Sethna and Naval Tata but affected for two to three days by the “filth languish, and “decided that if I have the money I will buy land in a rural area where “One thing my family has done brilliantly. On all our campuses, we have given space for the children to breathe, ” says Sir Dinshaw Petit (fourth baronet, per ­ sonal name Nusli). The great great grandson of the legendary Sir i Dinshaw Manockji Petit (first baronet) describes himself as a ® “pseudoeducationist. ” He be- lieves that “children don ’t need only academic studies. They need to know how to battle as a team, know how to lose and how to win, with due respect to the loser. ” Petit heads the board of trustees of two educational establishments — Bai A. F. Petit Girls ’ School in Bombay which be ­ gan as an orphanage for girls and the J. N. Petit Institution in Pune which had been established as an orphanage for boys in Lalbaug, Bombay. When that locality de ­ teriorated into a mill area, Petit ’s father, Fram, bought over the enormous grounds when banks were giving 13 at Pune ’s elite Bund Garden Road from or 14 percent, he opted to Victor Sasoon. While the day-scholars at withdraw the capital, los- Avabai “have no time for sports, like to run ing some but making up for away home, ” Petit is happy that the Pune it by higher interest. “I have boys — boarders as well as day-scholars to run my charities as anon- who largely come from worldng class profit business, ” he adds, homes — make good use of the grounds. Petit has a number of He is “very sad (however) that Parsi boys projects on the anvil, with a are few and far between at the prize givings, corresponding need for have a lackadaisical attitude to education. The prizes go to other community students (because) ours don ’t come up to scratch. We are willing to do everything for them but they must show the willingness to learn it needs new roofing and wiring. To meet and to fight. ” the increasing demands on it from Zoroas- When a “poor child... lacking a lot of trians seeking accommodation. Petit is • things ” is first interviewed for the board- ’ ” ' ' ' ing section, he/she is “dead scared in front of us trustees... You see the same child six months later and there ’s a total change — that is my reward, ” says Petit. Another reward for Petit is when ex-students who have made good, come back to donate to the school funds. Having been educated abroad. Petit says Two other pet projects which he is keen to he didn ’t have much interaction with the see fructify concern a home for the men- mad people around them. ” Of about six Parsi inmates at Yervada, Petit was par ­ ticularly saddened by the fate of an 80- year-old man who, he says, was signed in felt he “would do things differently when by his family which had then taken his called upon to do so. ” He recalls how most property, though “he was epileptic, not of the trusts, initially well endowed, had insane... I spoke to him. He was absolutely seen their money value eroded by infla ­ tion. When he found most of the money tied up in two and three percent Zamindari bonds normal — epilepsy is containable. ” Petit is angry that “we have people in the commu- ' nity who do this! ” . The old peoples ’ ^me _ he envisages would target well-to-do Parsi males and females living in large flats which they can no longer maintain. Based on the Eu ­ ropean concept. Petit would like to provide them indi ­ vidual rooms with attached toilet and bath, a common sitting room where they can meet, read, converse, play cards, a common kitchen and gymnasium. These and other conveniences that old people need would be available on payment. The Dinshaw Petit Building at the Sakarbai Petit Veterinary Hospital also needs to be restored. It ’s a heritage struc ­ ture that is in danger of collapse and the self-contained units with toilet, shower Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to and kitchenette. On the Bandra grounds, adjacent to the Petit has a number of V 102 Parsiana February-March 1997 iMI funds. The Petit Sanatorium at Kemp ’s Corner has a Petit: "Space to breathe ” very low income. “One of the most beautiful buildings in Bombay, ” planning to add another wing and remodel the existing structure internally to create Animals (SPCA) is trying to gather funds. Petit says he doesn ’t believe in doing A. F. Petit School? is the prime project of things on the cheap. “I am not going to put a hostel for girls to supplement the facili ­ ties of the Gamadia and Mody Hostels. see fructify concern a home for the men- up something that needs maintenance in a year ’s time: (it is) something my family name would be part of... ” To generate funds Petit had proposed the constructionMATRIMONIAL Handsome, tall, Parsi boy, 34 years, working as a Finance Analyst in ESPN. Very good income, ACWA, very clever, conscientious, industrious and of excellent character. Girl should be highly-educated, cultured and home-loving. Please reply soon with recent photograph (returnable) to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (Feb-MarZ1 1 -97)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 *Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here. MATRIMONIAL Matrimonial correspondence invited from Zoroastrian boys prepared to settle in USA for a 27-year-old professionally qualified girl, green card holder. Write with photograph to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (Feb-Mar/7-97)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 •Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here. MATRIMONIAL Alliance invited for Parsi boy, 35 years, 5’4”, BSc degree educated, lives and works in UK. Seeking good natured Parsi girl between 25-32 years also living in UK. Please send detailed information with photograph (returnable) to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (Feb-Mar/8-97)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 •Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here. MATRIMONIAL Parents of educated daughter, 29 years, well domesticated, residing in UK, invite matrimonial correspondence from educated, Zoroastrian men with outgoing and friendly personality with a view to settling permanently in UK. Apply with photograph (returnable) to: The Advertiser C/o 16, Haydon Park Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 8JY, England Lalkaka: "Too many living in one small place" of cosmopolitan ownership flats in a part of the Sanatorium property. The project was stalled when Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Dinshaw Mehta appealed to the charity commissioner to prevent the flats being sold to non-Parsis. In a subsequent agreement to prevent “things getting bogged down in com- I munity controversy, ” I the Petit Charities gave I up the idea of selling I the flats to non-Parsis. I Nonetheless Petit is up ­ set. “My duty as a trustee is to get as much (mo- I ney) for my trust as pos ­ sible. Why should I subsidize rich Parsis? What ’s the harm in sell ­ ing flats outside and tak ­ ing in money to benefit the community? ” he asks. He is angry that “do-gooders... in ­ sinuate that we were trying to get our hands on the money! My hands are clean. I will never touch money for the poor. ” Jobs which the Petit Charities have recently completed include the replastering and painting of their two widows ’ homes at Fort and Thakurdwar, informs the Petit Charities ’ chief executive Ratan Lalkaka. Their sanatorium at Bordi — a sea resort close to Gholvad — has been restored and renovated and is now well patronized. And 13 buildings on Bombay ’s Balaram Street house 110 families in 750 square-foot flats, pay ing a rent of Rs 30 [the original rent was eight annas (50 paise)] ! Most of them are kept comparatively clean, says Lalkaka who is distressed however at all the trash that the families throw into the rear gullies which get blocked with filth despite the trust repeatedly spending large amounts to keep them clean. Lalkaka, whose 35 years with Burmah Shell had required him to travel to various parts of the country, recalls that the liquor shop, petrol pump, cinema and hotel in small towns often had Parsi owners, the sons of Bombay based families. He compares them with the case of a Parsi youth of his acquaintance who recently refused a transfer from his company to Madhya Pradesh “because it ’s too hot there. ” The youths today “prefer to live in a dingy house and fight with the family. Because there are so many living in one small place (in Bombay), it is a breeding ground for quarrels and fights... leading sons to throw their parents, brothers and sisters out, ” he says, tracing the genesis of the housing problem in Bombay to the E. A. Chindhy INDUSTRIAL S DECORATIVE PAINTERS 4, East Street, Camp Pure <41 1 001 Phone; 662974 Res: 636027 Fax: 66001 2 pF-fiToSeirr KrjTlL. WRl,' Iz UP TO 2000 KVA • TH-€ R^ST 4nD mSTxILL TH-^ POWERED BY CSTERPILLAR CUMMINS engines G. D. ANKLESARIA & CO. HEAD ofl ; Post Box No 1, Nsw Rosd RATLAM 457001 (MP) PHONES : (07412) 35109,36809, 33209 FAX : (07412) 33909 Gram: -anklesaria* BRANCH ; 1 Ambar, 13/2 M.G. Road INDORE Ph 524981 WORKS : 12 Danudyog Industrial Estate SILVASSA-396230 (D.N.H) 104 Parsiana February-March 1997London accommodation The accommodation is on the first floor of a Victoria house, situated in a quiet residential street in the centre of LONDON. It comprises of a self-contained ‘TWIN BEDROOM’ with an attached bathroom and toilet. It has all the facilities of a hotel but surrounded by the informality of a home from home. We are very close to several means of public transport. The nearest underground tube station, called ROYAL OAK, is only two-three minutes walking distance and the nearest buses just five minutes away. There is a choice of supermarkets mostly open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Our area also boasts a beautiful shopping mall called “WHITELEYS” which has a variety of shops all under one roof, including the well-known store, MARKS AND SPENCERS selling food and clothing. There are several exchange bureaus, including THOMAS COOK and AMERICAN EXPRESS. Within the shopping mall there are many excellent restaurants, which are in addition to a large variety on two nearby streets, QUEENSWAY and WESTBOURNE GROVE. They offer food from all over the world, the most popular being INDIAN and CHINESE. AH restaurants offer a take away service and some even offer home delivery service. boys ’ refusal to seek fresh pastures else ­ where. Another offshoot of the housing problem produced by this concentration in Bombay that Lalkaka identifies is the ten ­ dency to break into flats where a single aged person has just died. Arguing that the community basically needs employment and residences to produce larger families, Lal ­ kaka believes that Parsis should leave Bom ­ bay for small towns in India because Bombay is “too expensive a place for poor people. ” Petit ’s analysis of the problem is that Parsis “rely too much on charity, think it is their bloodright. ” In the concern for job security Parsis are “losing that great thing: entrepreneurship... A person with money may think twice but a person who has nothing, can ’t lose very much, ” he rea ­ sons. That is why he is even more con- Our accommodation includes the use of a colour television, electric kettle with complimentary tea, coffee and milk, a refrigerator and a microwave oven for the purpose of warming food only. No cooking is allowed in the room and no meals are served, except continental breakfast, if ordered in advance. There is a Telephone in the room. Calls can be made STD and ISD and will be charged at relevant rates. There is also available the facility of a FAX, to receive and transmit at relevant charges. Rates; £50 per day for TWO persons. Supplement of £15 per day for one extra person. SINGLE occupancy rate is £40 per day. Up to TWO CHILDREN from two to 12 years can be accommodated at £5 per day for one child and £15 per day for two children. There is NO CHARGE for children under two years. CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST: £5 per person per day extra. (Half price for children). At least 50 percent deposit required on arrival. Cancellations of less than 48 hours notice will incur a charge of £50 to be payable in London. DISCOUNTS: 20 percent off between October 1 — February 28. Weekly rates Available, on application, for bookings of three or more continuous weeks. >Ne promise to give you warm hospitality and hope you will have a very enjoyable and comfortable stay with us, be it for business or pleasure. THE ABOVE RATES ARE APPLICABLE FOR 1997. Mrs Khorshed D. Bhote “Sorab Lodge”, 24 Westbourne Park Villas, London W2 SEA, England, U.K. Tel/Fax: +44 171 229 9445 “Why subsidize rich Parsis? What ’s the harm in selling flats outside to benefit the community? ” cerned that they receive all-round educa ­ tion (which would) teach them to go out and fight the competition. Petit ’s two sons, Jehangir and Framji are already involved in charity work. Like his father Petit lives half the year in Eu ­ rope, half in India. The family ’s annual migration was a source of considerable anguish for their Bombay-based Labrador. “I used to feel so bad the way he looked at us when we left. ” So when the old dog died. Petit got eight pariah pups, five of them from the animal hospitd. In two mutually antagonistic groups the now grown dogs police the front and rear of the Petit bungalow, a new continental style structure that has been their home since the magnificent old Petit Hall was demol ­ ished. “They love us while we ’re here and don ’t mind when we go,** says the animal lover who claims he gets violent when he sees children stoning dogs and is appalled by all the cruel things humans have done to the animals. On the other hand the touch ­ ing sight of a poor woman whom he sees coming regularly with food for the neigh ­ borhood strays and a cameo of two kids and a dog sharing a meal on a city street have made a lasting impression. Another memory he shares is of a wild bison he had encountered, barely 15m away. “He looked at us like little twirps. 'Then walked majes ­ tically away... ” 104b Parsiana February-March 1997TRADITIONS Suifing surnames Zoroastrian surnames provide an invaluable insight into the community ’s roots Depending on our forefathers ’ place of origin, vocation, charac ­ teristics, leanings and description we derive our surname, whether we like it or not. Very few take the trouble to amend unsuitable surnames. For most, it is a tag that will probably remain with them for the rest of their lives and even with the coming generations. Females though can always hope that their husbands will have better sounding surnames. made a more comprehensive list, his “labor of love, ” which he furnished to Parsiana. Of the total number of 1,173 sur ­ names available, maximum entries, 132, are found under the alphabet M, and the minimum, only one, for the letter Q. There appear to be no Zoroastrian surnames starting with the letters X and Y. Dedicating this work to the community, Daboo writes, “If Read through the list to see the range of surnames adopted by there is some mistake in the spellings, please bear with me as most Zoroastrians. Inspired by the list of 750 surnames compiled by of these are taken from the obituary columns of the Jam-e- Goolcher D. Coyaji and carried in the Jam-e-Jamshed of March Jamshed. I hope my untiring efforts...will be appreciated and used 21, 1984, Burjor M. Daboo of Ahmedabad, has painstakingly constructively. ” A Aacharya Aadariyan Aakolawala Aamin Aarasiwala Aaraswala Aasha Abuvala Achadwala Acidwala Adagra Adajania Adajanwala Adarianwala Adenwala Aderbaden Aderbahman Aga Aibara Ajmerwala Akhuna Akolawala Alamsha Allbless Alloo Alloona Alpaiwala Aluwalli Amalsadi Amalsadiwala Amalsadwala Amaria Ambapardiwala Amin Amra Amrolia Amroliwala Anchor Andaz Andhyarujina Anjeerbaug Anjeerbaugwala Anklesaria Antalia Antia Appu Arethna Arjani Arya Asana Ashburner Asli Aspandiar Aspar Asundaria Atalia Athooger Austin Avari Avasia Ayerton B Baalpurwala Baam Baapaasola Baaziz Babayoon Bacha Badhni Badhniwala Badshah Bagla Bagli Bag wadia Bagwala Bahadurji Bahrasa Bailiff Bajan Bajina Bakshi Bala Balaji Balaporia Baldawala Baliwala Balsara Bamanbehram Bamboat Bamji Bana Banaji Banatwala Bandorawala Bangali Banker Bankwala Bapuna Bardoliwala Baria Barsiwala Barton Basag Basla Bas tawala Batki Batliboi Batliwala Battiwala Batty Baugwala Baumdawala Bava-Adam Baxter Behramfaram Behramkamdin Behrana Be-Keri Belgaumwala Benti Bhabha Bhada Bhagal Bhagalia Bhagat Bhagawagar Bhaijina Bhaimunshi Bhaisa Bhajiwala Bhakka Bhamgara Bhandara Bhandari Bhanja Bhapla Bhapoo Bharda Bharucha Bhathela Bhathena Bhathna Bhatporia Bhavnagari Bhaya Bhedwar Bhesadia Bhesania Bhikhaji Bhiladwala Bhiwandiwala Bhojai Bhola Bhomisa Bhoot Bhopti Bhot Bhujwala Bhura Bhurekhan Billia Billiardmaker Billimoria Bilpodiwala Birdie Bisni Boatwala Boda Bode Bodhanwala Boga Bokdawala Bokra Bolton Bonesetter Boocha Boochia Bookbinder Boomla Boomlakhaoo Boosa Borka Bottlewala Botu Boyce Boywala Bucham Buhariwala c Cabinetmaker Cakewala Cama Chinoy Chinwala Chitalwala Chivalwala Chor Chothia Chowkidar Chowksy Chowna Chunawala Camakaka Camakhan Canteenwala Captain Cardmaster Carpenter Chacha Chaina Chaiwala Challa Chamarbaugwala Clubwala Chanda Chandabhai Chandana Chandaru Chanduwadia Chargeman Chariwala Charna Chasniwala Chavda Checker Chesan Chhapgar Chhapkhanawala Chhayel Chhayla Chhibber Chhindiawala Chhipa Chhoga Chhoi Chhor Chhubb Chichgar Chikhliwala Chindhy Chinimini Chiniwala Coachbuilder Coachman Colabewala Collector Colombowala Commissariat Confectioner Constable Contractor Cooper Cowjina Coyaji Crawford D Daamkewala Dabdi Dabhoiwala Daboo (Dabu) Dabri Dadabhoy Dadachanji Dadiburjor Dadimaster Dadina Dadinath Dadinanatha Dadiseth 106 Parsiana February-March 1997Dadisethna Dadrawala Dadrewala Daftary Dahiwala Dahna Daji Dalal Dallas Damania Damri Dandiwala Dangor Dantra Dapoliwala Dapotawala Darbari Dariyasha Darji Daroga Darukhanawala Daruwala Dastoor Davar Davierwala Debara Debu Dehgamwala Dehnugara Delwadewala Demeri Deputy Desai Devadhwala Devgadhwala Devlaliwala Dhaamniwala Dhabhar Dhabliwala Dhala Dhaloo Dhamodiwala Dhanapatel Dhanbhura Dhandadina Dhandy Dhanidaduna Dhanjibhoy Dhapla Dhatigara Dholu Dhondy Digara Digaria Dik Disawala Ditya Divecha Diventri Divitre Divwala Doctor Dodhi Dokawala Dolaasa Dollykuka Doloo Doodha Doodhmal Doodhwala Dordi Doriawala Dotiwala Driver Dubash Duggan Dukandar Dukanwala Dumasia Dumlavwala Dundass Dungaji Dupattawala Dutia E Edibam Edulbehram Eduiji Edulkaka Elchidana Electricwala Ellis Engineer Entee Eski y F Fanibanda Faramna Farzandi Fatakia Feniwala Fitter Forbes Fozdar Francis Frazer Frenchman Fulpandewala Fulwadiwala G Gaamwala Gaarda Gaariwala Gabba Gabbar Gabla Gachcha Gadiwala Gagrat Gai Gaiwala Gaji Gamadia Gamir Ganaa Gandabhai Gandevia Gandhi Ganjima Gatta Gazder General Ghaaswala Ghadiali Ghadoiwala Ghadoliwala Ghamat Ghambhir Gharda Ghati Ghazi Gheewala Ghobhai Ghodawala Ghogha Ghoghawala Gyara H Haathi Haathidaru Haathikhanawala Haathiram Haayvaay Hadalia Hadvaid Hakim Halvadwala Hamawala o* HEE,nee,rt®-jc fvNKV ¦ WHM A FUMNN a Ghorkhodoo Gilder Gimi Ginwala Gista Goawala Godha Godiwala Godrej Goiporia Gokul Golakheri Goldworthy Golwala Gonda Gondalwala Gookhaoo Gora Gorana Gordon Gorimar Gorkhaoo Gospi Goti Gotla Gotlaseth Govekar Governor Govewala Govadia Gowal Grant Green Guard Gulestan Hansotia Haradhwala Harda Harsolwala Hasantampal Hataaria Havaiwala Havaldar Haveliwala Havewala Heera Hillu Hilluwaala Hilluwalia Hiram anek Hirjibehdin Hirjikaka Hojerwala Homavazir Homyar Hongkongwala Hotelwala Hozdar Hyderabadwala I Ichhaporia Ijner Ilavia Illaowala Indorewala Inspector Irani Italia Izadyar J Jaagirdar Jaagos Jaaina Jaalnawala Jaamaspasana Jaamboodiwala Jaamina Jaamshetwala Jaavat Jaavra Jabbar Jadashapur II Jafrabadwala Jailor Jamadar Jamboosaria Jamoji Jamoola Jangbari Jaorewala Jariwala Jasapatel Jasumani Javanmard Jeejibhoy Jesia Jesporewala Jesung Jhaabwala Jhabuli Jijicowna Jijina Jilla Jithra Jivasa Jogi Jogina Jokhi Jo saf sethna Joshi Jungaawala Junglewala Jussaawala Juvanwala K Kaalaabhai Kaalaagopi Kaandawala Kaanjaanwala Kaaraapatel Kaathawala Kabir Kabraji Kabuli Kachholiwala Kadiyanxyala Kadodwala Kadva Kajanwala Kaka Kakai Kakalia Kalantary Kalapesi Kaliyariwala Kalliwala Kalvachwala Kalyaniwala Kaindin Kamod Kanga Kapadia Kappawala Karaawala Karadia Karai Karaka Karani Karanjawala Karanjia Karbhari Karkhanawala Karkaria Karmaa Karmau Karnaark Karsho Karwa Kasad Kashinath Kateli Katgara Kathan Kathok Katila Katki Katpitia Katrak Kavarana Kavasmanek Kavina Kekobad Kekuna Kelawala Keni Kermani Ke w ala Khaadiwala Khaandeshwala Khaari Khaariwala Khabardar Khajotia Khajurina Khalifa Khambatta Khan Khanbata Khandalawala Khandhadia Khansaheb Kharaadi Kharaas Khareghat Kharikhaoo Khasimai Khasusa Khatau Khergamwala Kheshwala Khodaiji Khodana Khodiyari Khokhri Khori Khot Khursigara Khusara Kika Kirolwala Kodia Kodoma Kohinoor Kohiya Kohiyar Kohla Kolsawala Korkhaoo Kothawala Kotkriwala Kotwal Koyna Kuchbhiyogi Kudianewala Kuka Kumana Kunthan Kurlawala Kutar Kyas L Laher Lahewala Lakdawala Lakka Lal Lala Lali Lalinwala Lalkaka Lalsodagar Lam Langrana Lashkari Latiwala Latth Lavangia Lawyer Lehwala Leninwala Lentin 108 Parsiana February-March 1997Librarian Lichmore Lilaowala Limathwala Limboowala Limdina Limjarwala Limji Limki Lodhawala Lord Major Majra Maju Makati Makhania Makoojina Makoona Maktawala Malaowala Malati Malbari Malbarwala Malbatt Malcolm Malegam Malegamwala Malesaria Maloo Malwa Malya Mama Mamlatdar Mana Manager Manderoina Mandroi Mandvewala Mandviwala M Maakihatana Maakihatu Maanegar Maapla Machhi Machhiwala Machhliwala Macknight Madhiwala Madon Madonwala Madraswala Madreswala Magol Magra Mahableshwarwala Maneckshaw Mahalaxmiwala Mahimwala Mahudawala Mahwa Majaina Mani Maoo Marawala Marazban Marfatia Mariwala Marker Marodia Marolia Marshall < S.'TRAINEP TONSUe. tJUQQES-T, IN FUTURE TO 'ion INTROWE VOURSEtF i-fS. 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Two hundred in strength by almost 45 times, assembled has extended considerably beyond. As ac- in the same locality to celebrate the ....................... ' bicentenary of their existence in the city. After all, it is in this very locality wherein are situated all the fixed assets of The Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman (MPZA): have worked very much for the social, Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar-e-Meher, Phiroj cultural and economic development of the Clubwala Memorial Hall, dharamshala. State... The Parsis in Tamil Nadu have round 1795, the first seven Parsis known - • '1 The nucleus of their activities may be years later, the community, now increased Royapuram but their sphere of influence knowledged the then Governor of Tamil Nadu, the late M. Chenna Reddy, in his message carried in the Celebrations Sou ­ venir: “Some of the Parsis in Tamil Nadu retained their cultural identity and at the same time integrated themselves with the sociocultural mainstream... ” At the two-day celebrations on Decem ­ ber 23 and 24, 1995, the Souvenir as also the special commemorative coin in silver were released at the hands of the former President of India, R. Venkatararaan. Re ­ ferring to the Parsis as the “most law abiding citizens ” for whom he has “always had the highest regard and admiration, ” Venkataraman stressed, “The most impor- 114 Parsiana February-March 1997tant thing that India needs today is toler ­ ance and a friendly attitude for people of all denominations. ” I- - * • - referred to the r had that “all the members of the community are Tatas - . jj, enterprising, ” a misconception that had'^to be set right by Lt Gen Adi Sethna of Delhi who informed him that there are a large number of young people in the community who are struggling for existence and for whom the community feels responsible to give them a good start in life. In a lighter vein he wrong impression that he -- Parsi — very rich, very who informed him that there are a large community feels responsible to We are shrinking in numbers, our youth are losing interest in our religion, there is a growing dearth of priests... ” the presi ­ dent of the Madras Anjuman, Nariman Mogrelia, put the problems in another perspective. His welcome speech was ad ­ dressed to the Zoroastrians of Madras as also those who had gathered from different comers of India to participate in the execu- hve council meeting of the Federation of k k Anjumans of India hosted a by the Madras Anjuman. There was yet another event — the 85th anniversary of the Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar-e-Meher to make the Anjuman herald the occasion as r __ „ miw-wm uci alsrhappeXdTo be the 65 th -------- Association (MPA) that f' ' ¦ ¦ started with agroupphotograph and jashan, and ended with the Dance of Creation and anniversary of the Jal Phiroj Clubwala the occasion as cause for a three-fold cel- anniversary of the Madras Parsi . , - -t caters to the “so ­ cial and cultural interests ” of the members The two-day celebrations started with a groupphotograph and jashan, and ended with the Dance of Creation and a community dinner. I^^stur Hormaz- Poona, Deccan, since the ClubwalVlSr' Meher comes within the nominal ecclesiastic diocese. The first day Jso saw the opening of The Exhibition on Parsi Entrepreneurs (see “They made it heir business, ” page 118) at the hands of jMmshed Guzder, chairman of the Bombay P^si Punchayet, who seemed to take an infinitdy long time to cut the ribbon, im ­ mersed as he was in silent prayer. The Exhibition offered an insight into the dif- _____________ ______ - ----------- program depicted the 2oro- on the first day came in the creation, conceived and i Revue k,. by Perviz Dara Bhote. The 20 s rong cast of players portrayed the cosmic Jar Noshirwan Dastur, the High Priest' Meher comes within the of •-e- purview of his ------ on made it to take an was in silent prayer. The _ — iiiLu me Uli- rerent products, lesswomen of Madras. Recreation i ’ ~ p >^“7 vtuiic in me orm of a Mini Revue produced by Noshir latnagar in a span of less than Tie fare that included r irces to amuse the spectators set the two weeks. r I . *1. idti if ! I K>- i Bhote. The 20 truggle between Ahura Mazda and play of the Amesha songs, dances and Ahriman, the divine ------ uic spectators set the mpp 1 , ^-imcsiia )rtherttoo„p<,„, andcfa,y.,™,Xthe te "Xr ‘“'™‘ ^^hushtra, Dnil ------------------------J. - . , UIC SdVlOr. Dpular terminology for drinks and , . - ---------- -V., ui.J eats, as sed in the Souvenir} that followed. As compared to the fun As Among the members of the celebra- Community enthusiasts December 23, 1995yollo,Jing^^^^^^ India Federation meet Top: Venkataraman releasing the commemorative coin with (from left) Mogrelia, Guzder, Jehangir Clubwala Second row: Celebrations committee members (from left) Parakh, Madan, outside the Clubwala Dar-e-Meher on December 23, 1995 following the all India Federation meet commemorative coin with (from left) rtrtvrtli _____ 1 r J '' ' Second row: Celebrations ) Bahadurji and Mani Clubwala tions committee who had been sinalnH f i Clubwala and for "significan, comribu.ion" ^5 Parsiana February-March 1997Left: Mahbanu Mogrelia presenting memento to Dastur Right: Anahita Irani receiving award from Venkataraman Below: Jashan on the occasion of the bicentenary celebrations F. B. Taraporewala Award for his dedication to the fire-temple during World War II. That was the time when Madras was bom ­ bed, and Royapuram clas- man had engaged the services of a priest sified a danger zone with people evacuat- relia, Jehangir Clubwala, Dorab Madan, __ Keku Parakh, Darius Bahadurji, and of thanks to the impetus provided by Phiroj ing the area; yet young Peshotan stayed on course Mani Clubwala, “the motivating Muncherji Clubwala who donated a sum all alone to tend the fire, as reported in the force behind these celebrations, ” each of of Rs 2,000 following the death of his Souvenir. whom was presented with the commemo- young son Jal in 1906. For nearly 10 years The latest recipient of the F. B. rative coin encased in acrylic frame that prior to this gift the Panchayat (as the Taraporewala Award is Katy Engineer for was specially designed for the occasion by MPZA was then known) had been striving her significant achievements in the field of Kali Billimoria. to augment its mobed fund through monthly beauty care, as mentioned at the bicentenary The coin bore a portrait of Zarathushtra subscriptions. A donation of Rs 3,600 from celebrations. Outstanding gallantry, ex ­ on one side and the MPZA celebrations Sir D. M. Petit, and of Rs 1,000 from logo on the other —the same that appeared Sorabji Framji enabled the purchase of a on the cover of their Souvenir, their letter- piece of land whereon to consecrate an heads and banners. A take-off on the Asho atash dadgah. The plot being located at a Farohar, the lower portion of the logo distance ofonly 50 yards from the aramgah, Razi Scholarship to Anahita Irani who denotes the constitution of man and the I . constitution of spirit with the years 1795 sumed for an alternate site, and 1995 written on either side of the outstretched arms. Substituting the bust that originally appears in the farohar is tha inscription “200 years of Parsis in Madras. ” young son Jal in 1906. For nearly 10 years cellence in education, sports and other activities qualifies a Zoroastrian for this Award. The second award presented dur ­ ing the celebrations was the Khodabux K. Sacred mission Religion has always been accorded prior ­ ity by the community which boasts of the only atash adarian in south India. Ever since the Dar-e- Meher was built in 1910 under the su ­ pervision of Hor ­ musji Nowroji, the then president of the Anjuman, periodic repairs and renova ­ tion have helped re ­ tain the fire-temple structure although the priests ’ quarters had to be demoli ­ shed and built afresh when funds permit ­ ted in 1992. Even before the consecration of their adarian the Anju- the plans were abandoned and search re- secured the highest aggregate marks among Parsi students in Madras at the 1995 school Once again an incentive was provided leaving examinations. Yet another award by Phiroj Clubwala. For the constru- instituted in Madras was the Hormusji ction of an atash adarian he offered a Naoroji Scholarship to assist poor Zoroas- building in Royapuram, fully equipped, on trian boys under 20 years of age wishing to condition that the Anjuman collect Rs pursue technical and industrial education. 30,000 for its maintenance. He further gifted a block in the agiary compound to serve as the priests ’ residence. Managing their affairs The activities of the MPZA are adminis- The Dar-e-Meher was consecrated tered by a seven-member executive com ­ mittee elected every three years. Presently serving on the committee are: Mogrelia as I on August 7, 1910 with Ervad Hormasj i Adarji Gai being ap- president, Minoo Siganporia as vice presi- pointed its first pan ­ thaky. Later, three generations of the Patel and Noshir Choksi as members at Daji family, Rusto- ------ mji, his son Tehmu- rasp and grandson honorary patron. Peshotan served the Dar-e-Meher for 70 erty , the MPZA also manages the Clubwala years after which there have been a succession of priests their long-standing benefactor Phiroj who have come and Clubwala. Since the old Memorial Build- gone. At the golden ing had become dilapidated the new Phiroj 3 jubilee celebrations Clubwala Memorial Hall with a seating H of the Dar-e-Meher .............. “ S in 1960 Peshotan Daji was named the ¦ first recipient of the facilities for indoor badminton. The year dent, Mahiar Shroff as honorary secretary, Pesi Munshi as honorary treasurer. Jamshed large, and Zarin Mistry, the honorary sec­ retary of the MPA. Dorab Madari is the In addition to the Anjuman Bagh prop- Bagh at Royapuram which it had pur ­ chased and dedicated as a memorial to capacity of 300, was rebuilt in 1980. The mezzanine floor accommodates a billiard and table tennis room and there are also 116 Parsiana February-March 1997when the old Memorial Building took came to be used as according to custom the shape, 1930, was also the year when the first body to be placed in a dokhma has to MPA was formed to promote greater inter ­ action among the Parsis through social and sports activities. Some of the members would fi ’equent the “club ” as it came to be known almost every evening until the out ­ break of World War II compelled them to close down the Hall. It took several years for the Association to resume its activities — monthly dinner programs, annual ghambars and picnics, social service activities, religious education programs. | The MPA, with Zenobia Choksey as presi- j dent, continues to function as an indepen- ! mitted to furthering the cause of the Anjuman, the Association and the Ddf-e- Meher, those currently at the helm ex- be that of a child or an elderly person. Subsequently other Parsis who died were pressed their optimism, “We hope that... also buried and so the dokhma was dis- the up and coming generation will follow the footsteps of our forefathers and steer F the affairs of the three institution? with harmony, care and responsibility. ” ?M- ¦' 4» >4^ i I w They made it their business isX- imagine what Madras must have been 200 years ago. But we do know IbIB that under the patronage of the first fami- HU lies who arrived here, the Parsis in Madras tEai have flourished and prospered, ” mentions mi —'' an article in the bicentenary Celebrations Souvenir tracing the history of their settle ­ ment. “We are proud to say that in spite of our small numbers (approximated at 310), j we have about 30 Parsi entrepreneurs, both men and women, in almost every field. Our community can also boast of profes ­ sionals and executives. ” The Exhibition on Parsi Entrepreneurs ¦ in Madras, conceived and coordinated by ’ Mani Clubwala, joint honorary secretary of the celebrations committee, was inau ­ gurated on December 23,1995 by Jamshed Guzder, president of the Federation of g; Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India. The g various displays provided an insight into r the wide range of business activities I launched and managed by different indi- ¦ viduals. The A to Z of the spectrum ranged I from Aspy Litho Works to Zoro Garments g Private Limited, offering different prod ­ ucts, and from Aspi Beauty Parlour to Zen Global Finance Limited, providing varied services. The information presented by Parsiana was furnished by die different entrepre ­ neurs and procured at our behest by Club- Top right: Memorial pillar erected in honor of the Anjuman ’s founders Dharamshala (alongside) and cemetery (above) dent body and orga- nizes monthly func- tions and entertainment _ .J programs. .. The MPZA came to acquire its name only BHHHgl&lMnll in 1900. Prior to that, when the Parsi resi- dents of Madras formed themselves into an association in 1876 it was known as the Madras Parsi Panchayat with Edulji Dinshaw Panday as the first president. Eighty years before the constitution of the Panchayat the first Parsis are known to have arrived in Madras, according to the historical account related in the bicentenary India Company for a term of 99 years were Souvenir. When Heerjibhai M. Kharas came on a mission from the Rajah of Coorg, he was accompanied by Framji E. Rudibaina, Mobed Ruttondaroo, Mobed Mogrelia. Jamshedji F. Aderbaden, Sohrab M. Mehta, Bhiccaji Botu and Jamasji. They bought a --------------- plot in Royapuram opposite the present shores of Madras, ” Sardar Hormazdiar all Russian vessels. Again in 1990, he Mada Church and resided there. ~ On Jamasji ’s death the following year, he was buried near their residence and the grave enclosed by a wall. Soon after this Kharas bought the adjoining plot of land and built a dokhma thereon which never J’ k ’ 118 Parsiana February-March 1997 ¦ mantled. With the community increasing in strength, its leaders sought to acquire wala and Mistry. The enterprises have property by obtaining lands on lease from been listed in chronological order depend- the United Company of Merchants of En ­ gland. Within the next 100 years the own ­ ership of these lands came to be vested in the community as lands leased by the East Companies whose dates of establishment are not known to us have been listed to ­ wards the end. One of the oldest businesses which is ing on the year of establishment of the business (the first business, if the family has diversified commercial concerns). deemed to be the property of the lessees. “And so, on these modest beginnings did the Parsis thrive and prosper, ” remarked still flourishing today is Dorab B. Madan ’s shipping agency. A year after he started D. Extending his “heartfelt salutations to B. Madan and Company in 1946, they the first Parsi families who landed on the were appointed direct shipping agents for Dastur mentions in his message, “Since floated another company, Madan Ship- then the Parsi community has added to the ping Private Limited, which entered into a commercial and industrial prosperity of joint venture enterprise with shipping com- the state of Tamil Nadu...I am sure that for panics in Russia and Singapore. His son centuries to come the Parsis will be an integral part of the city of Madras. ” Com- Khushru is ±e proprietor of Overseas Ship ­ ping Agencies, established in 1971, and ofI was opened in the late 1940s by Behram Irani who was later joined by his son Marzban. This was followed by the first Cafe Irani in 1953 and today the chain consists of 12 tea and snack outlets. Prod ­ ucts are supplied to all outlets from their different projects of Tarapore and Com ­ pany, Parakh subsequently became part- tionally serves as chairman of Tarapore headquarters, Bazile Bakers. Now the ner in 1972 and owner in 1988. He addi- younger generation — Boman, Behram _ _ _______ _____ and Noshir Irani — run the popular cafes. Private Limited, besides being trustee of Boman Irani recently opened Sweet Cor- the J. H. Tarapore Foundation and on the Constructions Private Limited and man ­ aging director of Narbod Constructions K. D. Madan and Company. He is also H. Tarapore and now owned by Keku honal partner in D. B. Madan and Company and Parakh and his family. Originally the mam a director of Madan Shipping. While Dorab sub-contractor handling transport Jot the Madan topped the highest income tax pay- -• j ers ’ list for the assessment years 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83 in the category of indi ­ vidual businessmen, Khushru Madan won the best income tax payers ’ award for 1994-95 in the same category. Among the major civil engineering -------- --------—,--------- . contractors in India are M/s Tarapore and the J. H. Tarapore Foundation and on the ner, a house of speciality milk sweets. Company founded by the late Jehanbux board of several reputed companies. Sigcillnja Limited is the largest manu- The family business of Aspy Litho facturer and supplier of carbon dioxide in Works (established in 1948 by the late ^e country todayStarted by Lovji Arjasp F. Taraporewala), which special- ..................— - izes in printing cinema publicities in various languages throughout the coun- The family business of Aspy Litho Commemorative silver coin. Top row (L to R): Members of the celebrations committee - (sitting) Rutty Rajamannar, Keku Parakh, Katy Madan, Dorab Madan, Nariman Mogrelia, Mahbanu Mogrelia, Meherji Cooper, Mehru Belgamvala, Rusi Dastur, Dilla Nalladaroo; (standing) Pesi Muns hi, Jehangir Clubwala, Mani Clubwala, Jamshed Madan, Perviz Bhote, Minoo Siganporia, Tehnaz Bahadurji, Darius Bahadurji, Zarin Mistry, Byramshaw Byramshaw, Freny Byramshaw, Jamshed Patel Bottom row (left): Madras Association executive committee members — (sitting) Zarin Mistry, Zenobia Choksey, Freny Byramshaw; (standing) Mahiar Shroff, Dhun Dalal Bottom row (right): Madras Anjuman executive committee members (sitting) Zarin Mistry, Minoo Siganporia, Nariman Mogrelia, Mahiar Shroff; (standing) Jamshed Patel, Noshir Choksi, Pesi Munshi Dadabhoy in 1952, the five-factory strong company is now headed by his son Farooque. Besides producing high purity, try, is now managed by Byramshaw Pervez oil-free liquid carbon dioxide^ the^ com- * «.<¦< .¦.J*-.- —------- --------- -----------~ • 1 ‘ Perina Printers. Additionally Byramshaw consultancy and operational services is director of Shaw Exports and Imports, exporting spices to various countries, and managing director of M/s Shaw Garments Private Limited in which his wife too is director and an active participant in Byramshaw. He is also in charge of M/s pany also offers prompt and efficient throughout the ‘year. It has been nomi ­ nated a member of the Indi Gas Sectional Committee of the Bureau of Indian Stan ­ dards. _ __ ____________The 44-year old Jal Phiroj Company, their business of exporting high fashion launched by the late Phil Nogi Clubwala, is garments. currently being managed by 22 year-old Another verv old and successful busi- Maneckshaw Dastur. The Company is a Bharat Petroleum gas station cum automo- Another very old and successful busi ­ ness is run by the Irani family. Cafe Na- 120 Parsiana February-March 1997Madras entrepreneurs (Top row, from left): Farouk Irani, Darius Bahadurji The first Zoroastrian family in Madras to make a foray into the garment industry, in the manufacture and export of readymade garments, make-ups and fabrics, are the (Second row, from left): Mogrelias,NarimanandhiswifeMahbanu, Darius Belgamvala, ................ Jamsheed Billimoria, Feroza and Jersheen Madan (Bottom row, from left): ulture with their new company, Zoro Aqua Khushru Madan, Maneckshaw Dastur, Hormaz Belgamvala who established Zoro Garments Private Limited in 1972 and now have four Zoro Group companies dealing in garments. They have recently diversified into aquac- Marine, a shrimp hatchery. It is equipped with the most modern technology and has a trained and experienced work force. Dealing in building material and corro ­ sion resistant coating chemicals, is the firm of M. K. Belgamvala and Company, started in 1973 by Minoo Belgam ­ vala and after his demise in 1995, managed by his son Hormaz. Their main line of business is Kringlas, a translucent, shatterproof decorative material that they mar ­ ket for industrial and domestic applica ­ tions. The pioneer and managing director of First Leasing Company of India, Farok Irani is credited with having introduced corporate leasing to India in 1973. He was also instrumental in founding the Associa ­ tion of Leasing and Financial Services where he is currently chairman, and has been invited to address leading interna ­ tional seminars dealing with leasing. Katy Engineer is the proprietrix of Aspi Beauty Parlour which, in 1974, when she took over the business, was one of just two beauty parlors in the city and has over the years continued to retain her celebrity customers. Besides training many beauti ­ cians, Engineer has conducted innumer ­ able demonstrations and was in charge of the hair-styling and make-up for the Co ­ optex and Leather fashion shows in Ma- industry) unit doing wholesale and retail dras. In 1995 she was conferred the Udyog business, and exporting all kinds of leather Excellence Award for her contribution to beauty care. Adi and Darius Kabrajee are also in the garment business. Since its inception in Belgamvala, the firm has been marketing 1978, Kabrajee Garments, an apparel manu ­ facturing company has acquired more than 2(X) state-of-the-art machines and employs over 350 people to export brands to Eu- concem, BEL Music Salon, are marketers rope, USA and Australia. In 1978,Rohinton J. Mehta started Dyna Technologies Private Limited, with two friends. The company ’s area of activity is bile repair garage. To Dastur, automobiles management is their daughter Sarala and are not only a business but hobby too. her husband Biswajit Banerjee. Sarala s, the leather boutique, was established in 1965 by Fersos Daruwala, who is not only a business but hobby too. Recently he won the -R. DeSouza Memo ­ rial Trophy for the most promising rider at 1965 by Fersos Daruwala, who is now the 39th All India Motor Race Meet and assisted in_the business^ by his wife McDowell Grand Prix organized by the ‘ Madras Motor Sports Club. Great Western Steels Private Limited, a proprietary concern established by Perin and leather goods. ............... - Under the banner of BEL Refrigeration Company, established in 1969 by Darius Kashmira. Theirs is a SSI (small scale and Ness Pesikaka in 1962, manufactures alloy steel pipes for engineering. With a work force of more than 90, Pesikakas _ core industry has the leading automobile and manufacturing refrigerators, air con- manufacturers on its customer list. ditioners, deep freezers, bottle coolers. In 1965, Moti and Soli Daruwala began automatic^ voltage stabilizers. The sister one of the first art galleries in the city t -------- . which is today the oldest gallery in South and distributors of amplifiers, loudspeak- India. They also introduced specialized ers, record players, reel and cassette tapes, picture-framing.to the city. Sarala Art Cen- gramophone records, etc. They have also tre has held numerous shows of leading been manufacturing and exporting motor in the heavy earthmoving industry. It de ­ Indian artists. Helping them now with the cycle crash helmets, PVC pipes, etc. velops import-substitution products, manu- 122 Parsiana February-March 1997I Matra .an %&..I BAMADANSeO tUSMi House' enMMBnisManM W «|R» its Mtt *•»<«,w te; I I Si-r* f ; I sortis i?t. * ilTtii kW«fr6aMmU.^ HMPlf-IMM l»« «¦< A N u r • A c 1 u « r n s I 1 K'-'h E k ‘I i 1 1 'i junior college, studying arts at the Sophia Chinoy with daughters Kainaz (left) and College, join the business. '¦ ' Calendar printing constitutes a major share oftheir work. With the steady flow of chines running. work from the Bombay Stock Exchange, I _ the Tata Share Registry, printing of annual and English is an expression of Chinoy ’s reports and publicity materials for compa ­ nies like Binani Metals, Bharat Bank, Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank, Chinoy is currently satisfied: “I don ’t have any com ­ petitors. So long as my machines are run ­ ning, I am happy with the work on hand. ” But with the additional machinery installed copies of the Khordeh A vesta to all the fire- he anticipates that he will need new cus ­ tomers. In the case of English (Gregorian) cal ­ endars, 95 percent of his clients are non ­ Meher. Inset: wife Dinaz Ever willing to share his own experi ­ ences with family, friends and outsider^, 47-year-old Chinoy remembers, “In our case, hadhu maar khaine sikhe la, we had to learn everything the hard way, before coming to this chair. ” His swivelling chair in his tiny cubicle faces a desk which looks temples in India during Pateti time. The condition is that the old tattered copies . have to be surrendered to him in exchange cluttered but where Chinoy was obviously _ _ for the new copies. This is to ensure that Parsis; for Parsi calendars, there is a good the new copies don ’t lie locked in cup- able to access all the papers and peripher ­ als he needed, whether an eye glass to 134 Parsiana February-March 1997check on the color proofs, a ruler to mea ­ sure the length of the envelopes they were printing, or a calculator to ascertain the costing. After some years of study at the point to refer to the assistance of one of his Antonio D’Silva High School Chinoy went staff members Hoofrish Daruwalla, stat- totheDadarParsee Youths Assembly High ing that her involvement and concern has School from where he completed his matriculation before joining the Govern ­ ment Institute of Printing Technology near VT in Bombay, he says. On technical aspects he has learnt most things from the hands-on experience, and for managerial functions, he gives credit to BPP trustee Dinshaw Tamboly for goading him to go easy with his workaholic ways and for guiding him to be more accountable in business. He refers to the printing institute at Panvel which is being built by the MMS and is now nearing completion. They will be offering courses for small printers, for offset printing... “It would be an ideal Press. Most other Parsis seeking employ ­ opening for small businessmen. ” The ste ­ reotypes associated with technical jobs, “the thought of wearing short pants and of holidays on Saturdays and Sundays, getting their hands soiled is possibly a deterrent factor for many Parsis, ” he ob ­ serves. Not expecting graduates or under ­ graduates to show any interest, he offers, “Even if there is a school dropout, I am willing to train him. ” But so far there have problems, Pressna (labor) problems. He has given me more than what I wanted, ” says Chinoy who has been going there been no takers. His workforce of around 21 includes three Zoroastrians who are all doing white-collar work. He makes it a every month ever since the first strike at his Press 19 years ago. He leaves the previous evening by train, catches a public transport bus from the station to the town instead of paying the exorbitant rates charged by the rickshaw drivers at night. There are many like him who feel the need of a limited hours ’ stay lodging house in Udvada, he has realized. Considering that there are several Parsi-owned houses in Udvada, lying unoccupied, or which after the demise of the occupant are left for the foolwala (florist) or goswala (butcher), as has been brought to Chinoy ’s notice, he hopes that one such will be made available at reasonable cost for the project that he has in mind: a lodging house to accommo ­ date passengers “absolute free of cost ” for a maximum duration of 24 hours. If they want to stay for a longer period then they can avail of the services of any of the hotels been instrumental in the expansion of the Printing the Khordeh Avesta is something that Union Press has to do because nobody else is doing it ment are generally concerned about leav ­ ing at the stipulated hour and being assured or dharamshalas in the area. If the manager is inclined, he can offer meals at reason ­ able rates. This is not meant to serve as competition for the hoteliers in the vicin- states Chinoy who is usually available at the Press until 9 p.m. Every Behram roj. Chinoy is found ity, but just making a trip to Udvada af- visiting the Iranshah at Udvada. “God has fordable for poor Parsis who would like to helped me at all times. Gherna (domestic) visit the atash padshah. Just as this undertaking would create “an opportunity Makers i faitrrxluciTig of fine I ? exquisite jewellery handcrafted since readjinade 1936 jewellery 136 Parsiana February-March 1997 Ta, Co. Raja Rammohan Roy Rd. Bornbay 400004 Tel: 3611121 / 3677844 FAX: 91 22 8366384There’s something so real in the taste of life for industry, ” a transport service to and from the town to the station by a mini bus run by a Parsi who should charge not more than five rupees per passenger is another venture that Chinoy feels is worthy of support. Substantially involved in charity work in Udyada, Chinoy says there are about 30 Parsi households surviving in miserable conditions. When he goes to distribute foodgrains, he has realized that they don ’t even have any surplus vessels in which to receive the grains. “The more you travel, the more you get to know people, their difficulties, ” states Chinoy who ensures Aat his children too accompany because “they what poverty of foodgrains at ows ’ chawl is they have been years now. Suchphilan- being under- much prior to with the WZO where he pres- committee ponds to our is “doing excel- Chinoy ’s opin- be in support body ’s decision bership to non- but according of 10 they are things, what is porting that? ” have non-Parsi “Parsis need to know that the print industry is developing, and there is scope for entrants ” him on such trips should know is. ” Distribution Lalbaug ’s wid- another activity undertaking for body D AIRY MILK The real taste of life thropic work was taken by Chinoy his association India ently serves as member, he res- query . The WZO lent work, ” in ion. He may not of the London to permit mem- Parsi spouses, to him when “out doing nine good wrong in sup- In London, many spouses and in fact marriages between Parsis can end in divorce, has been Chinoy ’s observation who is personally against intercommunity marriages saying, “Kaum maathi ketla sara bachaa chali jaich. Dharam tori ne javanu su jaroor che (So many outstanding children are getting lost to the community. What is the need to forsake one ’s religion when getting married)?... “Anything good I can do for the community. I’m available, ” asserts Chinoy. Very often he prints invitation cards free of charge for customers who cannot afford his rates. Sometimes he volun ­ teers to print even major assignments at his cost like in the case of the souvenir brought out on the occasion of the Tenth All India Zoroastrian Youth Seminar which meant that Chinoy had to expend Rs 80,000-90,000 from his own pocket. To any cause that he feels is worthy of support, Chinoy willingly extends his cooperation. As a practice, he does not take any advance payment from Zoroastrians. Barring one or two customers at the most (per season) who may not pay up after the job is completed. Chinoy says, “I have faith in my community. I am proud that the community is so honest. ” This year there were no defaulters, he clarifies. Not surprisingly, even the community feels free to approach him for all kinds of printing favors. For the Avan mah parabh at the Radio Club (the day following the interview) when Dastur Kekobad Dastur of Udvada was to be felicitated. Chinoy ’s assistance was sought — to print five copies of the day s program for the dignitaries! Yes, he promised, he would deliver the job on time. 1 138 Parsiana February-March 1997BUSINESS ¦ ¦ i' z 33 The Printers ’ Vision The Bombay Master Printers ’ Association, under president Fred Poonawala, succeeded in organizing a unique exhibition of print suppliers Parinaz M. Gandhi j ager; unfortunately, our attempts coin- I cided with his preoccupation in organizing Print Vision. Just when we were about to I give up hope for an interview appointment after almost a fortnight, we were surprised I to hear Poonawala ’s relaxed and disarm ­ ing voice on the line extending to us his utmost cooperation for the meeting sched ­ uled for April 12. Probably the youngest president in the 41-year history of the Association, 36- year-old Poonawala contacts his BMPA I office to get details of other Parsis who have headed this body. On learning that there have been six others, R. N. Cama, P. S. Jhabvala, Brig J. S. N. Vakil, H. A. Guzder and G. D. Karkaria, Poonawala g asked his assistant with his characteristic p subtle humor, “Are you sure this is the m BMPA office and not the Parsi Punchayet? ” . However, it is to the credit of Poonawala that the BMPA was able to computerize the functioning of their office during his term. Now that they have access to Internet, members seeking information on the Web can come to the office for directions and obtain guidance from people with exper ­ tise. The Association ’s magazine, BMPA News which was recently published on the Web, is jprobably one of the first Indian print magazines to be so featured, states Poonawala. “Computers are changing the world, ” declares Poonawala. “Now publishing is not only restricted to printing on paper but has become a reality on your computer screen. Publishing on the Web is one of the fastest gvowwvg, bwsvaesses the 'Nottd. it is bound to have its impact on us. With the introduction of digital scanning and digital “In the marketplace you will find competi- cvAAfeioat business. Yet on matters concerning the trade there is cohesiveness and cooperation from like-minded people. ” President of the Bombay Master Printers ’ _______ ______ Association (BMPA), Fred Poonawala keting for printing today is done on a is done to ready the image and text for describes the scenario wherein their orga- .. • . nization serves as a common platform to bring together over 300 members to fur ­ ther the interests of the print industry. The BMPA is “one of the premier institutions in the country consisting of some of Bombay ’s leading printing houses, ” he mentions. Seminars on computerization, on the crisis in the print industry, on proofing specifications...have been an ongoing fea ­ ture during Poonawala ’s tenure as presi ­ dent which ends in September 1997. The highlight of the year s activities though scribing his duties as “quite time consum- would be Print Vision, “a unique exhibi ­ tion held for the first time in India (in March 1997) where not the usual printing machinery was on display but where print- ers and print suppliers and processors and ancittanes were sKow'itvg fhevr services," says the president. “We were not sure whether it would succeed there being re ­ sistance from printers to participate. Mar- printing the role of prepress (the work°that were sKow'itvg (hevr personal basis (where customers approach printing) is changing radically, dramati- printers known to them), ” explains cally. The traditional concept of prepress Poonawala. Even then, with around 40 has shrunk considerably and new possi- participants and “an overwhelming re ­ sponse, ” he is confident that “the follow ­ ing years should see double the partici ­ pation now that we have laid the founda ­ tion for something very new. ” One year as president is the unwritten machines. The postpress procedures bilities have come into the world, ” stresses Poonawala. Process houses such as Comart prepare the film which is later transposed onto plates at the printing press and the plates are then mounted on the printing J___J-________ J are time frame prescribed for this post by the cutting, binding, stapling, etc. ‘ y ’ ’ - - ---- ---------- 1 Further, personalized printing can cater BMPA. “We like to circulate and have F ’ ................. new presidents, ” says Poonawala. “Let the to the customer ’s limited needs. Earlier, even if a client required just one or 10 copies he was bound to bear the cost of a minimal print run of 1,000, reveals burden fall on everybody, ” he adds, de- ing. ” We assume that must be so as great i ' ’ ' _ ’ persistence was required of us to reach him Poonawala. With personalized printing you on the phone at his office at Comart Litho ­ graphers Limited where he is general man- can get brochures with your name in ­ scribed on it, shopping catalogs geared to 141 Parsibna February-March 1997 La customer ’s interests and demands... the work, their specialization is “high quality the management was functioning with just possibilities are endless. reproduction for advertising agencies — a handful of employees. “Every member India too has kept pace with global techno- which are usually the most demanding of of the family had to pool in his energies ’ logical developments, asserts Poonawala. At exhibitions like Drupa in Dusseldorf, Germany, where print machinery is on display, one of the largest contingents is from India. “Manufacturers (of print ma ­ chinery) take Indians quite seriously. They the National Museum, see a lot of potential in India, ” he points out. Handicapped by govern ­ ment policies that did not allow free import of capital goods. Comart ’s expansion was initially restricted. “But with liberalization in the ’ 80s we were able to keep abreast of technological develop ­ ments in the world. We have > the same equipment as any I good reproduction house j would have anywhere in the I world, ” claims Poonawala. a Their latest investment is in I a wide format printer which I makes possible the printing I of huge posters (4’x infin- I ity). The walls at Comart are I covered with posters that be- | speak the organization ’s j ability to lure customers to products bearing a near perfect finish; all blemishes and distractions removed, all plus points made more attractive. In the case of models, every pimple and wart is painstakingly covered up; for monuments, all unseemly projections or broken win ­ dow panes are touched up. Armed with four scanners, two computers reserved for specialized magazines likeA/arg, “our stan retouching and giving finishing touches, two dedicated as page makers where the , _ artist decides on the layout for the mix of be concentrating more on exports but our Looking after any single aspect of business ¦ ¦ ’ would probably bore me to hell, ” he con ­ fesses. It is apparent that even his cousins turn to him to resolve complex issues and difficult customers. While the interview was yet not over, there were already others vying for Poonawala ’s attention; not that he had begun to dismiss our queries but it made us wary of encroaching further on his time. The community ’s ability to laugh at itself and the disproportionately large im ­ pact it has created on the country despite being small in numbers are the assets Poonawala feels are worth commenting on. “Today housing is one of the main issues for survival in Bombay, ” he be ­ lieves. Unless you have housing you won ’t have a community. Our folks have vision continued on page 152 I all customers — for publications, art insti- including Fred who had no technical quali , tutions and museums. Whether it ’s artpulls fications and had to learn the ropes on the 1 for agencies like Hindustan Thompson job itself. Fred ’s academic background Associates, Ogilvy and Mather, Mudra, or was laid at the Campion School after which brochures for the Lalit Kala Akademi or he completed his commerce graduation or proofs for from Lala Lajpatrai College and studied law at the Government Law I College. “Hard work, atten- I tion to details, timely deliv- I eries, right choice of hard- I ware, well motivated staff I and good quality control, ” I are the facets Fred Poonawala I has learnt to value. “It ’s ei- I ther right or wrong; there is J; no chalta hai (acceptance of Bi mediocrity) attitude here, ” reminds Neville Poonawala. “One full stop missing and a job can get cancelled. ” . Parsis should be encour- I aged to venture on their own I and start a business, advo- I cates Fred Poonawala. The I print industry though is “a I very specialized line ” which I may not be suitable for new- I comers “unless you know what you are doing. The present scenario is much more competi ­ tive. ” News of successful Parsi entrepreneurs makes Poonawala happy although “I don ’t think there are enough of them. (Most Parsis) seem to be happier with 9 (a.m.) to 5 (p.m.) jobs. ” In his case, he has to put in at least 12 hours of work each day, “looking after everything in the d'ards are as good as anywhere in the business, including production, clients ’ world, ” maintains Poonawala. “We should servicing, purchases, human relations. The Poonawala clan from left: (top row) Arnavaz, Bichoo, Dadi, Arja, Cyrus, Roxanne and Dinaz; (middle row) Carsten, Shernaz, Neville, Ava and Burjor; (bottom row) Fred, Meher, Rehan and Khurshed text and graphics, one digital printer which government ’s customs rules and regula- gives an indication with 98 percent accu- ---------------- ” racy of what the final printed copy would tions are not conducive. ” With about 130 people presently in look like without the cost of separation employment. Comart is all set to open a films. Comart reserves one half of the third new division in Bangalore. From the floor that it occupies on its premises at Poonawalafamilyitselftherearesixmem- Prabhadevi for its computerized work; the ................................. ' remaining ’floor space continues to be oc ­ cupied for its traditional functions of mak ­ ing positives and proofs for clients. Com ­ bers involved in the business. There is Fred ’s father Dadi and his paternal uncles Burjor and Cyrus who are the three direc ­ tors. The next generation includes Burjor ’s mercial Art Engravers (Comart ’s parent son Khurshed and Cyrus ’ son Neville, company) which was started in 1934 by Initially Fred ’s brother Eddie and cousin Fred ’s paternal grandfather Faramroze . tt- Poonawala as a block making concern, a laborious job that required considerable able source of “inspiration and encourage- art skills, has since seen substantial meta- ............ ' ’ ’ morphosis. Shernaz too were involved. His mother Arja (from Finland) has been a consider- ment ” for him, acknowledges Fred. “I had no choice but to join, ” says Fred l^ough color reproduction, touching Poonawalarecalling the time in 1982 when and distortion is all in the nature of their f" ‘ 90 percent of the staff were on strike and 142 Parsiana February-March 1997 li lI-DRAMA Family fun Yazdi Karanjia and his theater group from Surat help to keep alive Parsi Gujarati comedies Hilla P. Guzder A framed, garlanded portrait of Lord Zarathushtra stood on the entrance wall, a thick tor an of lilies and roses v- - across the bedroom door, the sagan-ni-ses with coconut, rice andkunkun (vermillion) lay ready on the table to provide a tradi ­ claries of their charity shows, declares Karanjia. On the rare occasion they do not give the show totally free, they return the amount by way of donations to a worthy cause. In March ’97, they performed Chhoopo Rustom as part of Surat ’s Baag- e-parsa Adarian ’s centenary celebrations and also donated over Rs 12,000 from the Yazdi Karanjia Group. In earlier years they have contributed to the funds of the two atash bahrams in Surat. For Karanjia, acting is very much a family affair. His life partner Veera (they „ - were married in 1961) is also his partner on cate, says Karanjia who founded the Yazdi stage, his two daughters Binaifer Navroz was strung Karanjia Group way back in 1959 under Dabu (a computer consultant now living in ivnn.n,.,r>. the guidance and inspiration of his late the US) and Mahrukh Zubin Chichgar father, Naoshirwan. Another cause which (who studied law and is married in Surat) inspires Karanjia is charity. His troupe has have won state level prizes in acting and have been apart of his troupe. Son Shehzad is studying for his final CA and is an enthusiastic participant in the plays, tak ­ ing a sabbatical only at the time of exams. Yazdi ’s brother Mehernosh, whom he de ­ scribes as his right hand man, acts and co ­ directs the plays with him. “Mehernosh is part of my heart, ” asserts Yazdi with obvi ­ ous affection. “He takes 70 percent of the load away from me. It is very rare to have so many members of the same family acting in the same group. ” Mehernosh ’s wife Parin has also participated in then- comedies. Another brother Rohinton was posted in Ahmedabad and was able to work only briefly with ±e Group. All three brothers now live with their families in the same ancestral home in Surat. Karanjia acknowledges with gratitude the support of close friends who have my laboratory and lhe audience my certifi- 5 « '1: ¦¦ ¦1/ 1* tional welcome to the expected visitors — J’ , ’; it was the perfect setting for a Parsi house- brother Mehernosh hold. But this was a Parsi home created in minute detail -on stage at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Bombay where Yazdi Karanjia and his troupe from Surat were performing their play Chhoopo Rustom in .______ _ ______ _ ___ _____ aid of the Youths Own Union (YOU) derabad, Hyderabad, Nagpur and Poona scholarship fund on February 1, 1997. L __ _ ^oivuita (u of laugh ter rippled through Parsi Association put it during their Cish to artistes carried the audience through two class (rail), suffer personafinconvenie?ces Karanjia (right) with wife Veera and guided his footsteps through the years. Dr y^eherncsh Photos: Hiiia p. Quzder Ratan Marshall of Surat is the president of .................... - lhe Yazdi Karanjia Group and has written travelled all over India, performing their plays for them.' The late Phiroze Antia Parsi comedies and variety revues at the gave him the script for his first three-act- invitation of Zoroastrian associations in play, Vah re Behram, states Karanjia as also the script for Behram ni sasoo which , .. _ „ . has now seen 150 performances! The late besides Bombay and Surat. As the Calcutta Eruch Pavri, the late Adi and Sylla Parc, Marzbau, Dinshaw Daji, Bomi and Dolly ater, playwrights Paramsukh Pandya, and hardships and charge no fees. ” States Dhansukhlal Mehta and Chandravadan Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore, Secun- the auditorium, Karaujia and his band of that city in 1990 — “they travel by second Dotivala, and the doyen ’s of Gujarati die- HTtistCS carried the aiidienrp. thrnnoh tu/n aIocc ;________________•___________ , . . _ hours of fun for the family. They acted ________ ____ ____ _____ iviuina auu ynmmnl ’d ease of experience, Karanjia, “We charge only ont-of-pocket Mehta have encouraged him immenselvln combined with a shck sense of timing and expenses. ” In Surat itself, the Leprosy his endeavors declares Karanjia Aver^ae co-ordination as innocent eae.s followed Hnsnitai Crhnni di;.,,, .o .. ^-aranjia. Averag ­ co-ordination as innocent gags followed Hospital, School for the Blind, Remand each o±er in quick succession. ” * “ “Experience is my teacher, the stage is Home for Women and the Cancer Detec ­ tion Centre have been some of the benefi- ing 40 shows a year, the troupe ’s more popular presentations dx&Behram ni sasoo, Bicharo Burjor (written by Dhansukhlal 145 Parsiana February-March 1997 L_ „ _ _ , _ studying in the Sir K. P. 8rtime7)7Din5ftflW7'i nadabba gool (script College of Commerce at Surat, he repre- by Adi Marzban, 80 performances), Ghar sented Gujarat University at the inter-state ghoongro ne ghotalo (writer Dorab Mehta, university drama festival in 1958, he says, over 50 shows) and the variety revue Be winning the best actor award from among Mehta and Ratan Marshall and performed While he was Cambay Institute of Commerce in Surat, founded by his father in 1931 with “one writing table and one typewriter. ” All Zoroastrian students study free at his _____________________ Institute. “Not one rupee is taken from 40colleges for his role inMoongi them, ” he states. There are r,800 students ’’ Stree. _________________________on the rolls this ye^ and they come in Today, Gujarati theater is batches from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. to study flourishing, asserts Karanjia. He shorthand, typewriting, accountancy and believes his is the only Group other commercial subjects. “There are which performs Parsi Gujarati many non-Parsi students who also study plays on a regular basis in his " " ’’..... home state. “Performing com ­ edy is very difficult, ” explains that he served as the Chief Conductor _ ;____ ’ ; of Typewriting and Shorthand at the thrills, but comedy Baroda SSC (Secondary School Certi ­ ficate) Board from ’75-’78 and has been a member of the Textbooks and Sylla- Even when an actor is himself bus Committee of the Gujarat govern- unwell or unhappy, he has to over 50 shows) and the variety revue Be ghadi mauje I written and I directed by I Yazdi and | Mehernosh N Karanjia. “We retain the Parsi fla ­ vor in our plays as we do not want peo ­ ple to think that Parsi the ­ ater is no more, ” notes Karanjia. Comedies by the group are not con ­ fined to the stage alone. Ahmedabad TV has relayed his serial Jara hasai to hasiye, Bombay Doordarshan has presented his one act plays, and the Baroda, Ahmedabad and Bombay stations of All India Radio have broadcast almost 200 radio plays written by him and the man he describes as an “international authority on drama, ” the late C. C. Mehta. Their series Tapi tate Tapidas (Tapidas on the banks of the river Tapi), with over 150 episodes proved very popular, declares Karanjia. His commitmen t to Guj arati theater won Karanjia the coveted Guj arat Gaurav Award from the government of Gujarat for best contribution in the field of art and drama for 1994-95. He has recently been ap ­ pointed a member of the prestigious Gujarat Sangeet Natak Academy, which entails make people laugh. ” He narrates how he Yazdi Karanjia savors his moment as trips to Ahmedabad to participate in its - - • - ........................................— sessions. “It ’s physically very tiring, but mentally satisfying, ” he asserts. Karanjia was seriously ill. “Your heart may be had earlier served as a member of the Film Board of Gujarat and was felicitated as a worthy son of Surat by the Surat Municipal he was losing his voice in the midst of a I ¦ Today, Gujarati theater is ment from ’ 88-’ 90. In f989, he was invited free if they are from an economically weak background, ” notes Karanjia. Hementions ' Karanjia. “A drama may have suspense or L_ , ‘ requires on-the-spot response, a feel of the pulse of the audience. and his wife went through with a scheduled Tipu Sultan; the troupe with veteran performance even when his mother-in-law actor Dinshaw Daji to the first International Conference of the London Chamber of Commerce where he read a paper on accountancy, he Corporation on the occasion of its silver show at Bombay ’s Tata Theatre (where the relates. jubilee celebrations in 1991. The Rotary audience sits in close proximity in a half- Club of Surat Round Town and Rotary circle around the stage), but completed his Club of Udhna presented him the Best Vocational Service Award in ’94 and ’95, he states. Karanjia ’s first exposure to acting was at the age of six when he played the role of Krishna, his gopis (Krishna ’s playmates) life (besides theater and his family) and being other little Parsi boys! The action song ended in his dissolving into tears, in spite of which he received lusty applause, narrates Karanjia with a twinkle in his eye. crying, but you have to give laughter. ” On another occasion, he relates, he found Now a spry 59, Karanjia ’s zest for the ­ ater still takes him from city to city per ­ forming his comedies. His motto in life — to create laughter, he says. “Laughter is good for health. We give you laughter and therefore we give you health. Maare loko ne etla hasavanch ke loko kahe ke hasiye Yazdi banine aa duniya ma janam hdho che (I want to make people laugh so much that they will say that laughter has come He has been principal since 1966 (brother into this world in the form of Yazdi), ” Mehernosh is joint principal) of the act nonetheless without the audience realizing that much was amiss. “We love to perform at Tata Theatre, ” he opines. “It is a wonderful theater. ” There i.s yet another love in Karanjia's that is teaching. “Drama is my hobby, teaching is my profession, ” he maintains. maintains the teacher/comedian. 146 Parsiana February-March 1997HOBBIES What ’s up his sleeve? Joining the ranks of reputed magieicms, Rutton Bharucha was recently conferred the J^erlin Bxcalihur .Award Parinaz M. Gandhi gloves come to serve sumptuous eats. ” Were he to quote a rate of less than Rs 1,000 for his magic show in such social tering varied Parsi clients like one hostess who, not realizing the importance of the apparatus to the magician, requested him to bring scarves of a different variety from the one she had seen at an earlier de- ¦;/ monstration! At almost every program Bharucha displays scarves that change hue and pattern when passed through a golden or silver colored tube or record jacket. The opening item for Bharucha ’s per- ' formances invariably displays his prowess with the pompoms dangling from both i ends of a rod that appear to be connected ¦ and yet are not. Speddng slowly and force- fully in his childlike voice that reaches out ’• to all audiences, Bharucha informs us that his “present apparatus (constitute) collec- I tor ’s items, quite costly and not available ’ easily. ” Among his other popular tricks are the Chinese chow chow where he consumes fragments of paper which later come out through the mouth as one con ­ tinuous strip as he pretends to wind his I ears. In another, he only has to fan the I conical cup as he pours milk into it, and I promptly the milk disappears leaving I small balls therein which he removes I patiently. The first trick that he learnt and I which he performs to this day concerns an egg that vanishes from a bag and may be located in the cap of an interested onlooker. Not surprisingly, Bharucha is very particular about handling his tools. Even his family “is not allowed to touch this A rabbit hopping out of a black cap beck ­ ons us to meet the gentleman. That s our first acquaintance with Rutton Bharucha — on the visiting card. We then get to see him on the TV screen, dressed in spectacu ­ lar costumes to amuse the audience with the tricks of his trade. And finally, we get to meet the 77-year-old rotund magician who is reportedly the first Indian to have been conferred the Merlin Excalibur Award by The International Brotherhood of Magicians (USA). This honor “is in recognition of 50 years of his steadfast adherence to the highest standards of magic, ” writes Minoo Polson, president of the Eddie Joseph Ring No 67 of The International Brother ­ hood of Magicians. Across the globe “there could be not more than 10 recipients of this Award, in Bharucha ’s estimate, despite there being over 1,4(X) active mem ­ bers and 319 rings (magic clubs) affiliated to this world body. Since Bharucha was unable to visit the USA to receive the Award in person, the certificate along with a 14 carat gold badge was posted to him by registefed airmail. Not only overseas travel but commuting within the busy metropolis of Bombay too is proving difficult for Bharucha. The • frequency of his magic shows therefore has substantially declined as he now has to refuse offers to perform in the suburbs where reside the majority of his Gujarati, bmto^\rthdav pSies.^estth7 suburban Very seldom do Parsis invite him to his family “is not allowed to toucn tms functions be dismissed as insignificant perform as the spending capacity of the apparatus, ’’ he confesses, and there ore events Bharucha details the expenditure community is limited, states Bharucha. insists on doing his own packing and_un- incuXd a^such Xti^ns where “the There was a time however when his magic packing^each time. tune ^d effort chairs invariably have^velvet upholstery show was a regular event at navjote func- involved is considerable. Almost half m and fashionable Gujarati girls wearing tions. And the magician recalls encoun- hour goes into systematically assemb g e I I A *4 * * * • i ¦ill } 48 Parsiana February-March 1997 j ¦;.W Bharucha: “Learning is a life long process ” circles, the value of his art would be considered worthless, he has learnt. tions. And the magician recalls encoun-I lOa ¦ I I 4'3^ ? ? - I *?3J I • ?to - - ¦ ¦¦‘Ji, ¦H come through exchange with isn ’t able to demonstrate with ease now ® others pursuing the same hobby, ever since he injured his wrist following a ’ he has also purchased some like his latest acquisition from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where the box of two packs ones to learn. Referring to himself as an costing $55 depicted the Egyp- amateur, Bharucha says, “Learning is a tian mummy on one side, and lifelong process. ” He still recalls the first gods and goddesses on the other, magic show thdt he saw by the visiting 3 * Dependent as he is on postal magician Mighty Chang at the Excelsior s services to send and receive Theatre and learning his first tricks from f packs there is always the risk of Minoo Cooper who was the first president cards arriving in a soiled con- of The Society of Indian Magicians which •' dition or with one pack missing, Bharucha joined in 1942. Another tutor Bharucha relates the perils of his of his was Eddie Joseph after whom has pursuit. In need of money, there been named one of the magic rings in were some packs that he sold a Bombay of which Bharucha is a charter couple of years ago to a collector member. Thereafter Bharucha also served whom he doubts has even looked as president of The'Society of Indian Magicians. His asso-ciation with the Eddie Joseph Ring requires him to attend monthly I ¦ fall from a bus. Certain tricks he may have discontin ­ ued performing but there are always new ! ll—i- ! m meetings where members dis- With his prized playing cards. cuss magic and demonstrate might have learnt. Earlier they even taught magic to enthusi ­ astic amateurs who wished to pursue magic as a hobby or , profession. I To Bharucha, magic has I remained a hobby while he continued with his salaried job at the Imperial Tobacco I Company of India (since re- * named India Tobacco Com ­ pany) where he worked in the purchase department. He declines to furnish further details regarding his job just as he declines to divulge information concerning his edu ­ cation, maintaining he has obtained “know- .111 the contents in the bag, an additional half an hour each on setting up the apparatus on stage and dismantling the gadgets after the show, and yet another half hour in emptying the bag. He vividly recalls the day when he was invited to perform a cha ­ rity show for an organization when after laying out his equipment on the table, the organizers told him to keep it down on the floor as they required the table for the chief guest. This scant respect for his time and tools made him determined not to per ­ form for free thereafter. “What is free, no Daughter Pervin Sarkari used to help one values, ” he emphasizes. As compared her dad in the shows to that when hosts have paid for a magic show, they come umpteen times and en ­ quire, “Aayjoiech ke? Pelujoiech ke? (Do neither is he interested in ascertaining ledge without college. ” you want this? Do you want that?) And their value, nor is he interested in selling Family support for Bharucha has (also) check on your convenience, ” has them. He would be content to share his come from his wife Sheroo who formerly been Bharucha ’s observation. His most prized possession though are his playing cards, more than 500 varieties of which he has collected since he started this hobby in 1951. Bharucha claims to ing before display, he explains, own the world ’s smallest playing cards (3/ 8” X 7/16”), the world ’s largest playing also enjoys the distinction of being the when he had to perform before large audi- cards (14” x 9”), unusual shaped cards, only card stylist in India, evidence of which ences. convex, concave, barrel, zulu shield; his- can be had at his magic shows when he He would not describe himself as being torical and souvenir cards; tarot and for ­ tune-telling cards; Indian round playing two-tiered fans, giant two-tiered fans are cards {ganhifa}', cards displayed with pin ­ up girls. Ask for the variety of your choice his fingers. His shuffling of cards — Chi- — birds, boats, flowers, monuments, mu ­ seums, paintings — and chance on collec ­ tions of great entertainment and educative value. While most of his acquisitions have at them after the purchase. For the rest, their value, nor is he interested in selling them. He would be content to share his wealth by permitting those interested to worked at the government secretariat and glimpse his collection were he to find a had also served as personal assistant suitable sponsor and avenue to exhibit his possessions which would require mount ­ to Vijaylaxmi Pandit (sister of Jawaharlal Nehru). Their two daughters Kashmira Kolah and Pervin Sarkari assisted Bha- Besides owning rare cards, Bharucha rucha on stage in their younger days only card stylist in India, evidence of which can be had at his magic shows when he expertly handles them. Single-handed fans, “particularly religious minded, ” confesses the magician, and is in fact “very averse to but an indicator of the deft movement of old Parsi dhakharas (notions). ” He is sur ­ prised that many Parsis have faith in ‘Babas ’ and Christian Science because of their nese shuffling, Russian shuffling, water ­ fall shuffling, atomic shuffling — that had purported miracles. As far as he is con- earned him invitations to perform overseas in countries like Ethiopia, is a skill that he cerned, “There is nothing like miracles. It is all magic. And magic is entertainment. ” ISO Parsiana February-March 1997Engineers of repute for construction works of good quality WHERE TWO WORLDS MEET continued from page 101 ween home science and computers. More RATAN SURVEYOR &Co Engineers,Contractors & R.C.C. specialists Arbitrator (Member -- The Indian Council of Arbitration) Piramal Mansion Dr Dadabhoy Naoroji Road Fort, Bombay 400001 Phone: 2619670 THE PRINTER’S VISION continued from page 142 and a lot of sense. They have sense not to . „ propagate unless they can be assured of students are opting for ^computers, he some place for their children... “Since religion was never forced on me, and that ’s probably the right thing to do, — ---------p----------- ----- I am not at all religious, ” says Poonawala. level. Hence preprima^ teachers ^e be- Besides work and the family that includes ‘ ' wife Dinaz who gave up her career as a chartered accountant to look after their two young sons Rehan, four and a half School has hired a coach for athletics, says years old, and Armand who is two, Poonawala has little energy to pursue other interests although he enjoys travelling, swimming and watching televi ­ sion. “As soon as the rush is over I’m going notes. To meet the rapid changes occurring around us, one priority is to improve the system of teaching at the kindergarten ing sent for courses, informs Lalkaka. Ef­ forts arp oh to introduce girl guiding and hockey and to revive basketball and the Lalkaka. Before she died settlor Hamabai had “asked father [Framji, Sir Dinshaw Petit (third baronet)] if he would take the or ­ phanage under the wing of Petit Charities _____ _________________ „ informed Petit. Fram to have a nervous breakdown. I worked for accepted the responsibility, chairing the it; I owe it to myself; and nobody is going to deprive me of it, ’’ reads a wall plate at Poonawala ’s office. Whether the rush will buying up adjacent plots, ever be over seems doubtful especially since the ambitious team is planning to offer more services in the chain — “for ­ ward and backward integration, ” in Poonawala ’s words — so as to live up to the company ’s catchwords: “prepress and to me, ‘I went to your school and it was beyond. ” lousy. ’” School ’s board of trustees, visiting it of ­ ten, increasing the area of the grounds by Proud as he is of the family ’s many institutions, Nusli Petit is aware that there is much work yet to be done to improve the gymnasium, the laboratories, etc and de ­ termined: “I don ’t want any student to say With Compliments From JEENA & COMPANY I IATA approved Air Cargo, Clearing, Forwarding & Warehousing Agents 10, Veer Nariman Road, Fort, Bombay 400001 Cable: “JUSTITIA” Phone: 2042032 Telex: 82313, 83495 Fax: (22) 2026853 Airport Office Jeena House, Plot No 170, Om Nagar, Off Pipe Line Road, Andheri (East), Bombay 400099 Cable: AIRJENA Phone: 8218360, 8214093, 8213718, 8341023 Telex: 79234, 79456 Fax: (22) 8363253 1 Branches New Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore, Pune, Cochin and Hyderabad 152 Parsiana February-March 199/What the Magi Knew “Light attracts light, fleeing from the dark, that is why you come to me, ” said the Parsi priest as a bright sun set over Bombay, distinguishing benighted millions in its rays. India Gate caught the evening light, and the sky caught fire as we discussed what may be the oldest faith held anywhere on earth, Zoroastrianism, what the magi knew. The two of us took tea together: an old man pale as parchment, wearing white linen and dressed in the cloth of his belief; and his foreign visitor, dressed in ignorance and the clothes of another climate, bearing a consular note of introduction. “The closest thing we find in nature to divinity is light, and its form is fire, ” continued my aged host, a man learned in prophetic texts and commentaries, “yet mere flames are not what we revere; they are an image of God, a divine idea. ” Beyond the roof where we were sitting, past Victoria Station and across Back Bay, the lights in the British Residence on top of Malabar Hill came on one by one and shone on a windowless stone shape that stood in stark silhouette on the ridge below. The curiosity that brought me made me ask, “Tell me, ” I said, “about the tower. ” “The light must not be mixed with darkness, ” replied my tutor, shifting in his seat, shifting Tiis regard to gaze out at the sea, out towards the ships that make the city what it is. “For this reason, we do not mix with Hindu; for this reason we do not bum our dead. And it is not right to put sickness in the soil, so we do not put our dead in earth. 153 Parsiana February-March 1997 Instead, when the light has left the eyes, and the soul has flown out of the body, we take our dead to the tower of silence. ” The old Parsi sipped his tea, returning his eyes to me. “But always there are fewer, ” he said. “We are less each day, and those most in need of an introduction to our faith are our own people, our young. Each day we are less, and we do not practice as before. Our ceremonies require an eternal flame, but these days the scented woods are rare, and many cannot afford sandalwood and teak; so it is that we must worship God with whatever can be found, refuse from Bombay. ” Palladian dilapidations seemed to comprehend his words, architectural reminders of a state in decay, the state of empire dissolved in monsoons and gin. Beyond Back Bay, the stone shape grew dim, dissolving with the daylight. The shape lacked a roof, strange in a city with so much rain. “Tell me, ” I said, “what happens inside the tower. ” Jamshid Cawaji Katrak, a man who knew what the magi might have known, weighed his words. “Purely a sanitary measure, ” he said after a pause. “Why must you know these things? When I am dead, those who love me best will bear me to the tower and place my body on a slab of marble to await the birds of death, offering my corpse to the sky. When die elements and the scavengers have done their work, when ravens have picked my bones clean, what remains, and it will be little, becomes part of the tower, put into its walls. Afterwards, the ones I love will bum incense in the temple fire, giving my soul life. ” Around the rooftop where we conversed, the night advanced. The sun lay hull-down in the sea, and twilight introduced its shadows into each face and window. “Will you have more tea? ” asked Jamshid Cawaji. “Then go, please. It grows late, and nowadays I tire easily. Tonight, I compose an article concerning the marriage rites of ancient Persia. Arabic scholars have accused us of practicing bigamy, as they do themselves, but I shall demonstrate otherwise; their own lies will refute them. Dark gathers damkess, which is why we fled Arabia. Go now. What more would you know? Take my thoughts with you: our days are as a fire before God, and though the image dwindles, the idea remains. ” Go, he said, and I did, descending through the black streets of Bombay, pursuing my way into other cities, carrying those bright words and walking with darkness all my days. George Bradley from Terms To Be Met (Yale: ’86)BOOKS “Caught between two natures ” Zoroastrians in Britain by John R. Hinnells. Pub- she has not begun to understand the com- Excerpts from dianes of certain well- lished in 1996 by Oxford University Press, Walton munity ! The menu associated with a func- known names are carried in Early Zoroas- Street, Oxford, 0X2 6DP.Pp:xv+336. Price: £40. tion always figures prominently in the trian Arrivals in Britain. ” One such com ­ ments on the British lifestyle and hobbies she has not begun to understand the com ­ munity ! The menu associated with a func ­ tion always figures prominently in the newsletter publicity...In the survey respon ­ dents were asked which features of the and the inability to comprehend why heritage they thought it most important to ‘“gentlemen should dig the ground with “Anyone who has lived within a Parsi setting is inevitably and forcefully im- -------„----- .. . . „ pressed by the tenacity and courage with preserve —religion, music, language, dress their own hands, and in fact go through all which Parsis consistently fight for what and so on. The majority of all ages listed the duties of a gardener merely to pass away they believe to be right, as warriors for food as a priority (overall 96 percent identi- their time. ’ Nor could they see why people what they perceive to be fied food as important, 94 enjoyed ballet, commenting after a visit to the truth...This dogged de- percent religion). ” the theater that the famous ballerina termination has caused un- In the same chapter (Taglioni) was paid highly to stand for a told troubles within the “Approaching the Third internal history of the Millennium ” where Hin- London Zoroastrian com- nells touches upon Does munity, past and present. being Zoroastrian Conflict thought them very foolish indeed thus to pay It has equally charac- with being British? ” he a dancing puppet. ’They also questioned the terized the political cam- quotes some responses: A paignsofall four Parsi poll- JK Karachi-born Zoroastrian ticians (Dadabhoy Nao- > tSk (k commented: ‘I am not to- roji, Muncherji Bhownag- I, V '^^B tally British in attitude and gree, Shapurji Saklatvala, j thinking. But when I go to inflammatory language. Zerbanoo Gifford). ” So /f M 1 Pakistan I don ’t understand writes John R. Hinnells in 7^"- JmIB their everyday life, then I Zoroastrians in Britain. In am stuck in limbo. I ask the course of the Ratanbai JHBBBHBBBBn myself “where do I be- Qr Huzan KharaS-Daver Katrak Lectures delivered Hinnells: insights and long? ”’A34-year-oldlady „ . , , , ,• by Hinnells in 1985, one knowledge said: ‘My mind says I Prof John Hinnells has had a close relation- of the subjects dwelt on should behave like a Zo- ship with the Zoroastrian community in his research on the British Zoroastrians roastrian... but I have western attitudes. ’ various diaspora around the world for over which he felt justified compilation into a One lady in her late twenties with a Parsi 20 years. His insights and knowledge on ................................. • . . - ...... ... the social, political and religious nuances in the community are therefore accurate, probably second to none in the world of nitely the English and the Parsi side of my Western academia. ¦ - Hinnells records that his research on “how Zoroastrians have been faring in the modern diaspora, far from either of their homelands of Iran and India, ” involved long time like a goose upon one leg...Had we not seen instances that convinced us the English were clever people, we should have 11' 4 should behave like a Zo ­ roastrian... but I have western attitudes. ’ _ _____ _____ , One lady in her late twenties with a Parsi book, a compendium that he has dedicated father and an Anglo-Saxon mother re- to Dastur (Dr) Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, plied: ‘Not caught between two cultures. Caught between two natures. There is defi- Dastur (Dr) Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, plied: ‘Not caught between two cultures. High Priest of Bombay ’s Anjuman Atash - - - . Bahram and Dastur (Dr) Sohrab Kutar, the late High Priest of the Zoroastrians of nature. I do have more of a Parsi temper — Europe. The contents of this book reflect on the historical and contemporary issues that concern British Zoroastrians as indicated by our two reviewers. Dr Huzan Kharas- Daver and Farrokh Vajifdar, both of whom have personally been exposed to the com- integrity of the Press noting how a newspa ­ per would change its position on an issue, and they regretted that ‘the public mind should be excited daily with strong and The modern diaspora fiery, argumentative. I have a very enquir ­ ing mind. All these Parsi attributes I sup ­ press in Britain. ’” The political philosophies and personal him in almost 100,000 iniles ofj^r^vel with credos as narrated in “Zoroastrians in Brit ­ ish Politics ” convey what goes into the ______ . making and unmaking of people in posi- munity settled in Britain. Further insights tion and power. Reproduced are Naoroji s into the book can be gained from certain passages that we are reproducing from different sections of the book. Under the head, “Transmitting the Tra- -------— ------o r-- ..... . • . mu u i u dition: The Social Context, ” Hinnells have shown. A spirit of discontent and and the Indian subcontinent. Thebook has writes “One of the most common topics of dissatisfaction is at present widely spread fascinating information on the history of Zoroastrian humor is food and rarely does a successful occasion pass without a meal. If a researcher on the Zoroastrian commu ­ nity thinks that food is an unimportant that of India cannot be governed by little subject, it shows beyond doubt that he or minds... ” over 1,700 responses yielding 80,000pages of computer printout. His current book Zoroastrians in Britain, deals with infor ­ mation on the British community and the data he found in the attic in Zoroastrian House in London. According to Hinnells, British Zoroastrians are probably the larg- prophetic words: “What I want to point out is that the rising generation of Indians may not be able to exercise that patience which we of the passing and past generations est Zoroastrian community outside Iran have shown. A spirit of discontent and a..-J —LJ------ —-- ----- 7' . among Indians in India, and I wish our rulers to take note of that fact and to consider what it means. An Empire like minds... ” Zoroastrians in Britain and facts related to their present lifestyle, and discusses con ­ temporary issues affecting them. A world renowned scholar on Zoroas ­ trianism, Hinnells taught for several years 154 Parsiana February-March 1997at the Department of Comparative Reli ­ gion at the Victoria University of Manches- the East India Company to acquaint him- ter. At present he heads the Department for self with the latest developments in marine ited Britain in 1840 under the auspices of tion of itself as having an international and not simply a local role. He accurately states that “one aim which has not been the Study of Religions at the reputed School engineering. The first Indian firm to be consistently realized is to live in harmony of Oriental and African Studies, Univer- established in England was started by the with one another. ” He makes a reference to ¦ ~. I die tensions between British Zoroastrian 1855. Most ofthe early settlers were single groups from different countries such as ________ .___________________________ Iran, East Africa, Pakistan and India. “Power struggles and structures are crucial features in the evolution of any ethnic minority community. ” Kinnells also reviews the life of emi ­ nent Zoroastrian personalities of the past in Britain such as Dadabhoy Naoroji, Muncherji Bhownaggree, Shapurji Saklat- vala and more recently, Zerbanoo Gifford. Finally, Kinnells examines demographic men, but many came with their wives and data and comtemporary subjects such as families. From 1858 to 1868 there were several instances of Parsi women who travelled not just to Britain, but widely society and the “old country. ” In his opin- around the world. The history of various Zoroastrian as sociations in Britain is considered in the established in England was started by the sity of London. Under his direction the Cama brothers and Dadabhoy Naoroji in study ofZoroastrianism continues to grow *' .................... and for this, among other things, the com ­ munity owes him much. Kinnells utilizes various research tools such as questionnaires and structured in ­ terviews to gather material directly from Zoroastrians. Secondary sources, based on an extensive study of archival material, have also been used. In the first chapter of his book Kinnells gives a brief overview of Zoroastrian history and then continues to examine immigration policies and trends, particularly of South Asians to F tain, post 1945. In the next chapter he recounts the perspectives of Zoroastrian communi- „ , ties on their history and on Anglo-Zoroas- around the world. ion, Zoroastrians have a different demo- trian contacts. The history of various Zoroastrian as graphic profile from other South Asiahs. The chapter on “Early Zoroastrian Ar- sociations in Britain is considered in the Religion plays an important role in the rivals in Britain ” is engrossing. According next chapter. Kinnells provides interesting lives of Zoroastrians in Britain although toHinnells, the history of Zoroastrian trav- information on the establishment of the Kinnells confesses that how religion is els to Britain dates back to the early 18th century. Thereafter, the main reason for them coming to Britain was education, initially informal education, to see how British industry worked. The first recorded the association in London. He finds the Zoroastrian was Ardashir Wadia who vis- London community unique in its percep- ‘My mind says I should behave like a Zoroastrian... but I have western attitudes ’ racial prejudice, gender issues, genera ­ tional differences and attitudes to British information on the establishment of the first association in London in 1861. The perceived varies, there being a complex size and number of associations increased through the years. Kinnells goes on to elaborate on the workings and activities of preserve their traditions. These are some of the factors: where they came from (Bombay, Karachi or East Africa, rural or range of factors which affects the extent and ways in which people assimilate or ? Sawn Timber * Doors & Windows * Kiln Seasoning * With With Best Compliments From SEALOL HINDUST AN LIMITED 156 Parsiana February-March 1997 Chemical Preservative Treatment Packing Cases & Pallets Best Wishes * Furniture Components B. F. Wadia & Sons 142, Reay Road Bombay 400010 Tel: 3721934, 3720235 Fax: 3739373 Tlx: 11-74571 BFW IN From An Anonymous Well-WisherTHE ZOROASTRIAN CO-OPERATIVE BANK LIMITED (Established 1927) We welcome you to - Fully Computerised Operations - Extended Business Hours - Prompt Personal Payments on Teller - Courteous and Efficient Service - Higher Interest Rate on Deposits - Competitive Interest Rates on Advances - Banking Facilities for all Communities We invite you to give us an opportunity to offer you our modem and efficient services and facilities So come Bank with us “A Bank that is Big on Tradition and Trust ” For opening new accounts please contact us at: Head Office Zoroastrian Association Building, 16, Horniman Circle, Fort, Bombay 400023 Tel 2665617/2665937 Tardeo Branch Gamadia Colony, Tardeo, Bombay 4(XX)34 Tel 4927173 Bandra Branch 9-Pluto Coop Housing Society Ltd, Master Vinayak Road, Bandra, Bombay 400050 Tel 6456244/6456992 Andheri Branch Shop No 2, Parisian Coop Housing Society, V. P. Road, (Off S. V. Road), Opp Fidai Baug, Andheri (W), Bombay 400058 Tel 6238237 Shortly opening branches at Dadar (East) and Pune urban areas); the date of migration (1960s or 1990s); the reason for migration (for perceived self-benefit or under the threat of persecution); who they came with (as part of extended family or as individuals); at what stage of their lives they came (before or after schooling); (to a center or to Zoroastrians); ter settling (edu- marriage and the preservation old country), etc. Hinnells shared value legiance to the his interviewees. Power struggles are crucial in the evolution of any ethnic minority community ” where they came live as isolated what they did af- cation, career, having children, of links with the f found a strong structure and al- Prophet among He sums up by saying: “The religion not merely survives but is actually an increasingly important part of the process of communal preserva ­ tion... continues to be a binding force in the community and for many is an important part in the quest for self-understanding... To describe British Zoroastrianism as syncretistic is to recognize it as a dynamic process. ” In the 21st century the Zoroastrian community faces new challenges particularly as it continues to spread to different parts of the western world. From the Indian subcontinent and even Iran, new immigration continues in countries such as Canada and Australia. It is important for our community leaders to examine the data Hinnells has collected on Zoroastrians globally. For any progress to take place, “leaders ” need updated data. Information used with foresight could be the key to facilitate our community ’s survival, and for this reason alone Hinnells ’ work has significance and lasting value. Identity in jeopardy Farrokh Vajifdar John Hinnells ’ book is a reliable base for the exploration of the history, socioreligious organization, community concerns and demographic analyses of Parsi Jarthostis and Irani Zartushtis. The handling of the enormous range of written source material by the good Professor is hugely impressive and frighteningly accurate. Documentary precision usually suffices for most academic pro ­ ductions; Hinnells, though, has gone further and provided us a thought-provoking series of set pieces based on his personal encounters with both British Zoroastrians and the home-grown varieties. Close encounters are not always conducive to objectivity, and parts of the volume occasionally betray a too heart-on-sleeve attitude. Once among Parsis, closeness to some entails distancing from others; in this book it has occasionally resulted in a lack of balance in its argumentation. Reservations must be expressed on Prof Hinnells ’ resume of our religious beliefs. The Amesha Spentas were never “always seven in number. ” This number was not fixed in the Gathas, where that collective term never occurs, nor in the Haptanghaiti where it does. Do we not pray to even 33 of them? It is also most unpleasant to read in various places that we worship a deity who is less than all ­ powerful, does not possess full control, and worst of all that He, Ahura Mazda, is not all-good! Why, then, did Zarathushtra trouble to emphatically assure us that Ahura Mazda was his only deity, all- seeing, greatest among all, most bounteous, mightiest, strongest, most powerful. Best One, Creator of everything? 158 Parsiana February-March 1997Seven well-planned chapters, includ- trian Arrivals in Britain ” and “Zoroastri- times couched as asides. On harmony: ing Introduction and Conclusion, provide ans in British Politics, ” we have but one “One aim which has not been consistently a very readable spread. The comprehen- word: excellent. The protagonists, move realized is ‘to live in harmony with one sive Index proves indispensable. Finely with purpose, if a little stiffly, over the another. ’” On religion, we find “Religions, produced as is this volume, we must cavil reference-studded pages, at the typographical errors which mostly affect personal names. Prof Hinnells has a disci ­ plined tendency towards sta ­ tistics, ratios and percenta ­ ges: at best these can only highlight contemporary trends. On occasion we meet a slew of percentages that deal with the larger question of the achievements of eth ­ nic Indians in the UK vis-a- vis the host community. However, prolonged stay, changing ibly typecast amidst diaspora patterns, lifestyles and new generations quickly tend to upset these carefully worked ratios in whichever direction they are applied. The World Zoroastrian Organisation the anguished 17-year-old who lamented, has, through its own failure to promote its solid achievements and balanced perspec ­ tives, allowed its mention in this book solely through mouthpieces of the Zoroas ­ trian Trust Funds of Europe, and at best emerges in an indifferent light. It is seen as “self-appointed. ” For chapters 3 and 5, on “Early Zoroas- trian Arrivals in Britain ” and “Zoroastri- ¦ ¦ ¦ . like chameleons, change color as they Chapter 6, portentously entitled “Ap- move from one color of environment to proaching the Third Millennium ” — not another to harmonize with it. ” Once among Parsis, closeness to some entails distancing from others the fourth for us Zoroastri ­ ans? — follows the line and direction of a recent work by his research assistant and remains similarly anecdotal and speculative. It is never ­ theless worth careful study. Chapter 7, “Conclusion, ” is in fact inconclusive. Parsis Delivery Centre, NSW 2158, Australia. Pp: 160. have ever been non-con ­ formists and cannot be cred- We are no nearer knowing whether we are meant to cringe under an identity crisis or smile through an identity conflict. To Scintillating sixer Homi J. Rogers Six Appeal: On Scoring Sixes and Lusty Six- Hittersby Kersi Meher-Homji. Published in 1996 by Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd, PO Box 6125 Dural Price: Australian $ 16.95. Matched Winners by Sujit Mukherjee. Published in 1996 by Disha Books, an imprint of Orient Longman Ltd, 3-6-272 Himayatnagar, Hyderabad 500029. Pp: 195. Price: Rs 115. More thunder from Down Under! For his “We feel foreign wherever we are... Where seventh book, Kersi Meher-Homji goes do I belong? ” should not we say: “We Parsis are true cosmopolitans: we are un ­ happy everywhere? ” It is Hinnells who explains: “their sense of self-identity is often expressed in negatives. ” This rich book finds gems embedded in some unexpected places. They are some- down on his back foot — literally ! — and skies a sixer. After bagging a hat trick with his triology over the past three years by documenting the stumbling blocks of the game — the batsmen out for a duck, or in their nervous nineties, or as victims to that rare bowling phenomenon of a hat trick. ZORO GARMENTS PVT LTD (An OgHe Export House Recogrtsed by the Govt, ol Indte) Manufacturers and Exporters of Readymade Garments, Made-Ups & Fabrics Address: C-3, Industrial Estate, Ambattur, Madras 600058 Phone: 652416/652497 Telex: 4122059 ZORO IN Fax: (91) 44-6257789 160 Parsiana February-March 1997Meher-Homji cuts away stylishly. He Zealand and Australia^vhich sweeps the reader with that ‘ultimate in " '' n excitement ’ in cricket: he writes a book on Prime Ministers of both the countries chas ­ tising Australia ’s captain Greg Chappell, sixers, recording those brief moments of who for fear of New Zcalandscoring^a six structed his brother Trevor to bowl an even had the hitting a century before lunch, grafted his runs by smacking fours (18 in this case in a score of 109) in front of the wicket, and no sixes. The reason is that a sixer being a skier is liable to get the batsman out if it lands into the hands of a fielder, whereas a ball smacked to the boundary but along the ground ensures the batsman of his stay at the crease minus just the two additional runs. Indeed, Meher-Homji informs us of a with a mighty six. Meher-Homji lists in the proposal pending with the Australian to 10 runs (“after all, when an umpire signals a six, he raises 10 outstretched triumph and portray- off the last ball and tying the match, in- ing the dazzling gal- structed his brother Trevor to bowl an lery of those who star underarm grubber to the New Zealand tail ­ in it. ender. We are also treated to the feats of those brave bats who completed their century appendix some 38 occasions when this feat Cricket Board to increase the value of six was achieved, starting coincidentally with ' » Joe Darling who exactly a hundred years ago brought up his century with a hit right fingers above his head, not six ”) to inspire ' : the four-stroking batsman to strive for a SIX the ground, which happened rarely, was credited with a six. Only two players to and “get 150 percent higher yield than just awarded six runs. ” The book cannot and date — Ken (nicknamed Colonel) the 50 percent currently received to bal- does not claim to give a complete record of Barrington and P. A. (Aravinda) de Silva ance out the nsk of getting caught, all the sixes hit, simply because record- — have achieved this feat thrice, though Yet,asMeher-Homji s buccaneers from keeping on sixes has not been very accu ­ rate in first class cricket, let alone in minor encounters. —----------------------- research Meher-Homji manages to cover almost all the lusty hitters, and especially those hits which have in some way become part of cricketing lore. Thus we have ac ­ counts of those fine innings where the winning run was scored by a batsman hooking the ball for a six, and the instances when it was not. The latter in fact was the cause of a mega-furore between New SIX APPEAL 1 1 Six Appeal is a panoramic look at cricket ’s big hitters in the past century, more precisely in the past 85 years, as “be ­ fore 1910...only a . huge hit right out of out of the ground, as necessary then to be credited with a six. Only two players to Barrington and P. A. (Aravinda) de Silva — have achieved this feat thrice, though _ the current Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar Arthur Wellard to Steve Waugh (including _ _________ _______ stands a fair chance of joining their ranks, . But with his usual meticulous having already achieved it twice over in the past three years. In the midst of his profiles of batsmen with ‘six appeal, ’ Meher-Homji takes time off to explain to the reader why many big names in cricket are not lusty six-hitters. The legendary willow-wielder Sir Donald Bradman hit only six sixes in his entire test career. Even aapro Farokh Engineer, who in 1966 almost made history by nearly brought the batsman a century in a session Doug Walters — do the Ws have natural ‘six appeal ’?) have shown, there is an aura around hitting a six. “It is like a goal in soccer or a try in rugby — only taller, rarer and often close. ” Walters ’ six scored when on 97 during the 1974-75 Ashes series at Perth had Meher-Homji go through two red lights and made “tens of thousands in Sydney homes go berserk with excitement ” as it With Compliments Of Manize Estd: 1959 Ladies Department Store JEUNESSE: Total beauty care and hair dressing Cumballa Hill Flyover, Bombay 400036 Telephones: Shop: 3877833, 3869855. ResI: 2151900 and Spin Weave Textiles Philco Industries HO: Piramal Mansion, 235, D. N. Road, Bombay 400001 Telephone; 2616781 Fax: 2611744 162 Parsiana February-March 1997Jamshedi Navroze Mubarak Interested in buying old garas, borders, zari sarees, shawl, kerba beads, old coins and notes, picture postcards, clocks, watches, carpets, Chinese vases, marble and bronze statues, silver items, lamps, carved furniture and all other antique items. Maximum price paid. Please contact: Rayomand F. Workingboxwalla 6, P. C. Shroff Bldg Gamadia CIny (Ground Floor) Tardeo, Mumbai 400007 Telephone: 4966679 a chapter, “Sixes in Court, ” Meher-Homji writes about some memorable sixes that percent of his runs (12,575) in first class resulted in injuries and property damages, cricket between 1929 and 1949 with the including an ironic story about Charles help of sixes (561 sixes). In four of the six Lyttelton (later Lord Cobham) who drove seasons from 1933 to 1938 he exceeded 50 a ball right over a huge concrete stand to sixes every season: a feat shatter the windscreen of his without parallel. Waugh, fea- own car parked outside, tured so befittingly on the Members of the Zoroas- book ’s cover hit a six with trian community too have what Ray Robinson (cricket hitlers of the ball, writer) had almost propheti- Meher-Homji describes the cally described some 13 years feats of Dady Havewala, a before the event as “such pin- hurricane hitter who in 1933 point accuracy that not even slammed 515 runs for BB&CI a cricketing gun-layer from I^HIR Railway against St Xavier s the garrison artillery could Meher-Homji: panoramic look —a record score higher than achieve. ” Waugh unleashed even Briara Lara ’s current a thundering straight drive that hit the record-holding ton if the match had been Mercantile Mutual Corporation (MMC) given first class status. Eighty percent of sign, and as per the contest introduced by Havewala ’s score came from boundaries: MMC, made him and his New South Wales 32 sixes and 55 fours . Meher-Homji also teammates richer by $ 140,000: the richest recounts the huge six hit by Faram Pavri in, six in history. 1917 off a ball from Dossu Bulsara, who Not all big hits though have left the the following day brought along several player or their teams rich. On the contrary, peons from the Bombay Municipality to as Meher-Homji recounts, there have been have the hit measured. “Would Pavri have many instances where a six has left the hit that shot if I was not bowling? he player/team poorer by having to pay the asked. cost of a broken window or, worse still, an Other Parsis who make it to Meher- injured head and even lawsuit expenses. In Homji ’s work are Polly Umngar, nick- off the last ball. Wellard, ranked as the Daddy of Sixers, scored an amazing 25 hit that shot if I was not bowling? ” he Other Parsis who make it to Meher- With compliments from B. B. GARDA & SONS 10 B. J. Road Poona 411001 164 Parsiana February-March 1997Sardar Dastur Schools' Trust runs three renowned schools right from pre-nursery to SSC, imparting high level of education through English medium, with separate hostels for boys and girls, and best mess facilities (veg and non-veg). The school has an excellent record in the field of academics including computers, as well as extra-curricular activities like karate, Indian and western music. Students are sent up for Hindi, Marathi and Drawing government exams. Special concession to deserving Zoroastrian students may be considered. Parents desiring to enrol their wards in the schools ’ hostels are requested promptly to write to or contact The President Sardar Dastur Schools' Trust 2 Lt Col Tarapore Road Poona 411001 for the hostel prospectus. named ‘Palm Tree Hitter ’ in the West Indies after his tall scores in 1953 and 1962; and Diana Edulji, who with the probable exception of S. Rangaswamy, is the only Indian woman to hit a six in women ’s test matches. Amongst Meher-Homji ’s recent works. Six Appeal is the only one that is not encyclopaedic — its very theme deters it from being so. The avid cricket buff may hence find some of his favorite cricketers, or some of the sixes he considers memo ­ rable, missing from the book. One Indian batsman overlooked by Meher-Homji is Yashpal Sharma, a desi alter ego of Ken B arrington, who is more known for stodgily keeping his end going than for slogging those big ones. Yet, in 1980-81 in the company of the acknowledged six-smiter Sandeep Patil (the only other cricketer in the world beside Sir Garfield Sobers to hit six sixes in an over in first class cricket), it was Sharma who hit 201 not out against Victoria at Geeling (Australia) with three sixes to enable India to post a 10-wicket win. Also, it was Sharma who drove fast bowler Willis for an astonishing six in a whirlwind 61 that had India defeat En ­ gland in the semi-final match for the 1983 Prudential Cup. In contrast to Meher-Homji ’s free flow of strokes which include several delightful turns of phrase, is Sujit Mukherjee ’s rather plodding flourish of facts, Matched Win­ ners. Yet for the true-blue cricket buff, who can take in a fine dosage of statistics blended felicitously with facts. Matched Winners is an informative book on Indian cricketers of yesteryears. Mukherjee, a cricketer himself like Meher-Homji (though, unlike Meher-Homji, he has played first class cricket) has focussed on pairs of batsmen, bowlers, fielders and wicket-keepers in this book, to set off one ’s career against another, though never passing a verdict on who was the better player of the two. The book compares and contrasts the styles of Sunil Gavaskar and GundappaViswanath, the father-son duos of Lala and Surendra Amamath and Vinoo and Ashok Mankad, Venkatraghivan and Chandrasekhar, amongst others. Of interest to the Zoroastrian reader would be the chapter on the twin careers of India ’s two star wicket-keeper batsmen, Farokh Engineer and Budhi Kunderan, reviving memories of the days when cricket matches meant six days (five days plus a rest day) of excitement and entertainment. For most Parsi youths to whom Engineer was an icon, and literally a role model (for years together he was associated with Brylcreem), Matched Winners could have some surprises in store, as Engineer enig- For Pure Diamonds JEWELLERS 324, Grant Road, Bombay 400007. Telephone 3099648 Fax 3073483 APPOINTED VALUERS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 166 Parsiana February-March 1997matically flip-flopped on the Indian team. The next time rain plays the spoilsport and denies one the pleasure of watching/ televiewing a match, cuddle up with these two cricket books. Together, they are match(ed) winners, even if it is Meher- Homji who, like the sixer, makes for greater excitement. A celebration of love Between Two Worldsby Maia Katrak. Published in 1996 by Writers Workshop, 162/92, Lake Gar­ dens, Calcutta 700045. Pp: 42. Price: Rs 60 (hardback, limited edition) and Rs 50 (flexiback, popular edition). Katrak: freshness rather rare in a book of collected verse. So, while in Freedom (the third poem in the book), “between two worlds/I scam ­ pered, out of breath/...accepting both my fates, ” in Mirtola, April 1995 (the third poem from the end) “mind gone quiet/ heart in place/ in the temple/your face/ three times a day/dark drum beat/this love offered/at your feet. ” The rhythmic effect and tugging emo ­ tions of Mirtola, so evocative of the place and her love for the man in her life, are created by Katrak with as much facility as she crafts blank verse; “my soul/growing in his care./My heart/fertile in his hands. ” The book hence offers a treat to those who still like their poetry as written by the classicists; as well as to a more contempo ­ rary readership that would find the sparse style of, say. The Tao of Love appealing. Sometimes though, Katrak ’s blank verse seems too close to prose (“Within the close boundary/of your arms/this girl finds her home ”), but is compensated for by the imagery she conjures up un ­ fettered by the restrictions of meter or rhyme. Katrak ’s verbal imagery borrows heavily (and some ­ times repetitiously) from the natural world; “flower in the seed planted,/here grow seeds of redemption, red earth/wet green stalk/here one day/you will walk; my heart fertile in his hands. ” But she truly pleases as she innovates with unusual juxtapositioning of different sensory perceptions: “the steady whisper of her smell; ” “the sound of broken images; ” “the stench of isolation; ” “benign heat, ” etc. The major strength of Between Two Worlds is in its content. Katrak ’s is a welcome voice that finds happiness in love and radiates this feeling to her readers, in contrast to the angst-and-anguish formula adopted by most women writers of the day. The poems are iconoclastic, but once again not in the accepted sense of the word. On the contrary, with tongue firmly in cheek she derides feminism as understood today: “It is true/I am guilty of ignoring comple- tely/that much explored literary universe;/ A Woman ’s Lof ’ thus taking a snide dig at women ’s writing as currently practised. Thank you, Katrak, for the freshness and joie de vivre of your verse. Our only complaint is that with just a little over 25 poems, the book is too slender. Here ’s hoping that Maia, who we are informed in this book was named after the Greek god ­ dess of fertility, will write again. With best compliments from DINSHAW DINSHAW ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS 390/286, Bootee Street Poona 411001 “Screw the sages/and the lovers of life/and the answers wise men have known./! ’11 make my own rules/alone. ” This is exactly what Maia Katrak does in her first volume of verse, and emerges an absolute winner. Daughter of Usha and Kersy Katrak, Maia seems to have fol ­ lowed in the footsteps of her famous father, an advertising wunderkind and a poet to boot, judging by her Between Two Worlds and a slew of award ­ winning yet product/service- selling advertisements writ ­ ten by her over the past few years. And though treading on familiar filial ground, she brings an abounding freshness to the content and style of this slender but moving collection of verse. Between Two Worlds is a veritable tour de force, which should ap ­ peal both to the poetry lover and the lay ­ man, who might otherwise shy away from such expressions of creativity. Katrak, who herself strides the two worlds of creativity and commerce, has not written a simple ‘love-poems ’ kind of book. The collected verses here are her experiments with meter and metaphor, style and syntax, though the theme is constant: that of seeking love and finding happiness in its quest and receipt. Between Two Worlds is hence not an an ­ thology of sad songs of forsaken or unre ­ quited love, but a celebration of amour that 'leads her to discover herself in a variety of ways, from “surrendered my identity/and won in return myself ’ to an even more unabashed “the more I try to be you/the clc- to myself I come. ” Interestingly, Katrak who begins her journey ‘between two worlds, ’ gently evolves a blissful satisfied world within the covers of the book. It is an interesting progression, and achieved very smoothly. H.J.R. 169 Parsiana February-March 1997 B. Jamshedji Jivanji Goldsmith & Manufacturing Jewellers Estd 1901 Opp Mumbadevi Zaveri Bazar Bombay 400002 Phone: 3427464 LMILESTONES This issue of Parsiana presents data for the months of Febmary and March 1997. The age of Zoroastrian brides (as listed in this issue) ranged between 18 and 51 years, the arithmetic mean (the total number of individual ages divided by the total number of brides) being 26 years. The corresponding figures for the grooms were 24 and 71 years, averaging at 31 years. There were 29 births as against 168 deaths in Bombay during the two month period. Heart disease was the major killer claiming 57 lives, of which 23 were 80 years and above. The other major killers were cancer (16), brain disease and old age/general debility (14 each) and pneumonia/lung disease (13). Eight victims each fell prey to hypertension and kidney failure, six to diabetes and four each to asthma and septicemia. Urinary tract infection, anemia, hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body), hypertrophy (increase in the size AHMEDABAD DIED Hoshang Ghamat (48), son of Perinbanoo and Framroze on February 4, 1997 BANGALORE DIED Silla Bomi Sidhwa, mother of Homai Faredoon Anklesaria; February 14 BARODA BORN A boy. Manneck, to Huttoxi and Pawrus Vesuna, brother to Ashtaad; January 25 BILIMORA DIED Hormusji Burjorji Keeka (Kalyaniwala) (86), Roop Manzil, Navapura Street, 396321; February 11 BOMBAY BORN A boy, Jamsheed, to Tanaze and Rashid Khusrowshahi; December 25, 1996 A boy, Jehan, to Diana and Yezdi Bhagwagar, January 11, 1997 A boy to Khushnuma and Gilan Ferzandi; February 1 A boy to Zenobia and Edmund Gomes', February 4 of tissues or structures) and liver disease took a toll of two lives each. The 11 isolated cases regis ­ tered for February-March were: bronchitis, toxemia (a generalized poisoning of the body by the products of bacteria or damaged tissue), tuberculosis, peritonitis (inflammation of the serous mem ­ brane which lines the abdominal and pelvic cavities), Alzheimer ’s disease, dehydration, accident, fracture of the neck and femur, uremia, Parkinson’s disease and bums. “Dissection of the aorta ” was mentioned as the cause of one death. A pair of twin girls were lost to the community. TJie young­ est to die was a 45-year-old male as compared to the oldest: a 101- year-old lady. The Zoroastrian life expectancy at birth, in Bombay for the two month period was 76 years. The data on births, marriage.s and deaths has been compiled from information supplied by various newsletters and anjumans in India A boy to Naznin and Shapoor Shokrekhoda', February 6 A boy to Farzana and Adil Cooper, February 11 A boy to Percis and Neville Mehta', February 12 A boy to Ghaver and Gave Palkhiwala', February 15 A girl to Ainee and William Rego', February 17 A boy to Pervin and Vistasp Sopariwalla', February 18 A boy to Anahita and Noshir Colah', February 19 A girl to Armin and Cyrus Wadia', February 27 A girl to Binifer and Sunil Kaushal', February 28 A girl to Shenaz and Kersi Bhesania', March 1 A girl to Navaz and Porus Dis aw alia', March 4 A girl to Tanaz and Freddy Karbhari', March 4 A girl to Coomi and Cyrus Pardiwalla', March 4 A girl, Jezreen, to Naazneen and Mehernosh Deboo', March 7 A girl to Rozbeh and Adil Patrawala', March 8 A boy, Stivant, to Farzeen and Xerxes Coma', March 9 A girl to Navaz and Darayus Bacha', March 15 Twins, boy and girl, to Khurshed and Darayus Mistry, March 15 and abroad, courts and hospitals. Thi.s information is not always complete or consistent: we are unable to carry data from areas where the anjumans do not furnish the particulars; 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 name.s 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 the veracity of the report would be required. We are sure our readers would appreciate thi.s requirement and cooperate with us. A girl to Nilufer and Neville Patel', March 18 A boy to Mehrangiz and Kaiwan Bhamgara', March 20 A girl to Farina and Mehli Mistry, March 21 A girl to Shirin and Cyrus Gazder, March 21 A boy to Hutoxi and Porus Kateli', March 22 A boy, Yohan, to Kamal and Hosang Pavri', March 25 A boy to Shiraz and Kerman Rana, brother to Vanaaz; March 26 A boy to Khurshid and Kurush Vazifdar, March 29 A boy, Zreh, to Sheetal and Cyrus Sahidcar, March 30 MARRIED Tushna Sohrab Divecha and Rustom Kersi Kapadia-, January 10 Shernaz Nariman Kapadia and Kurush Hoshang Daruwala-, January 20 Kamal Pervez Pithawala and Firdosh Nawroze Bhada\ January 24 Farzana Dinyar Tirandaz and Sorab Homi Madan., January 24 Jasmine Paurusasp Dabdi and Yezdi Minoo Vakharia', January 24^ Farzana Vispi Lavangia and Zubin Nariman Patel', January 25 Poruchisti Hormazed Bharda and Yazdi Burjor Randeria', January 26. Keshmira Homi Messman and Hormaz Pesi Aria-, January 27 Shiraz Maneck Bhathena and Sarosh Sam Cooper, January 27 Nergish Homi Khergamwalla and Hormazd Sorab Irani', January 28 Benafsha Rohinton Zxmdbaf and Saharukh Jal Irani', January 28 Farida Dinyar Bhathena and Neville Faramroz Patrawala', January 28 Farah Kaikaus Mistry and Percy Faredoon Amrolia', January 30 Lily Cyrus Rabadi and Behram Fall Antia', January 30 Naheed Phiroze Kharas and Rushad Dinshaw Divecha', January 30 Pinky Rusi Khambatta and Yezdi Dara Bamji', January 31 Khushnuma Khurshed Karkaria and Rohinton Rusi Dastoor, January 31 Bapsy Hormazed Khandhadia of Thana and Minoo Kaikhushroo Gadiwalla', February 2 Farzjana Nadar Dastoor and Nevil Pesi Mistry, February 2 Armin Ronny Master and Percy Phiroze Mehta', February 3 Arnavaz Burjor Billimoria and Minoo Keki Udwadia', February 3 Yasmin Rusi Rao and Cyrus Edul Karkaria', February 4 Tanaz Jehanbux Mistry and Cyrus Dinsha Sidhva-, February 6 Meher Behram Sorabji and Anosh Kersi Munshi', February 8 Pervin Pervez Mistry and Eric Ratan Dabdi', February 10 Aaban Nariman Attaie and Noshirwan Dinshaw Irani', February 10 Khorshed Rutton Tata and Khushro Aspy Bulsara', February 11 Keshmira Kersi Bodhanwala and Rumi Tehmuras Patel', February 11 Roshni Behram Dastur and Gaeve Phiroze Wankadia', February 11 Havovi Rustom Kohina and Sharukh Rustom Mistry, February 13 Kaiser Behram Irani and Marzaban Aflatoon Khairabadi', February 14 170 Parsiana February-March 1997N A V R O Z E Avan Soft Drink Concentrate M U B A R A K I FlavorBoy I For exquisite Food Flavouring flZ Essences Avan: For Quality Soft brink Concentrates, Giving you refreshing Soft Drinks in 11 different flavours for Aerated Waters, Syrup Manufacturers, Caterers & Hoteliers. Also Manufacturers of Instant China Grass & Jelly Crystals For Further Details & Requirements for exports & Dealers: Contact: Feroze Foods & Flavours 403, Central Tin Estate, D. Kondeo Marg, (Sussex Road), Byculla. Bombay 400027. Tel: 3729724/3640341 • Fax: 3640341 Armin Kersi Shroff and Neville Minoo Mistry, February 15 Khurshid Ardeshir Umrigar of Thana and Godrej Phiroze Wankadia-, February 16 Meher Shahrookh Pestonjamasp and Ratan Rustomji Bharucha-, February 17 Niloufer Pali Arestani and Adil Jamshed Tamboly, February 17 Meherengiz Adi Bharucha and Boorzin Parvez Vankadia-, February 20 Homai Sam Patel and Zubin Sheheriar Mistry of Jalgaon; February 22 Nina Kersi Bhagalia and Kayomurz Pervez Taraporewala-, February 22 Yasmine Noshir Toddywalla and Burzin Parvez Dubash-, February 23 Meher Jimmy Dandi-walla of Valsad and Farrokh Minoo Mirza-, February 23 Sima Jehangir Ajkham and Fardin Merwan Tirandaz of Poona; February 23 Amaz Jamshed Kothawala and Percy Dara Vesuna', February 23 Hoofriz Homi Todiwala of Surat and Roozbeh Rustom Balsara-, February 24 Hootokshi Nadir Mehta and Zxtrir Adi Confectioner, February 24 Gulshan Virqf Mistry and Roomie Russi Karai of Jamshedpur; February 25 Khurshid Firoze Jilla and Rohinton Homi Daruwala-, February 27 Khushman Khushroo Irani of Golvad and Ruzbeh Sheriar Irani of Devlali; February 27 Afrouz Dinyar Khosraviani of Tehran, Iran and Lohrasb Jamshid Izdian of Ontario, Canada; February 27 Simeen Jimmy Motewalla and Burgess Pesi Colabawalla-, February 28 Pearl Rustom Palsetia and Jimmy Soli Driver, February 28 Naazneen Fali Anklesaria and Burzin Jal Katrak-, March 1 Vinifer Minoo Mistry and Cyres Kail^usru Mehta-, March 1 Monaz Pervez Daruwalla and Rohinton Aspi Khambata-, March 2 Monaz Khodi Driver and Mehernosh Kersi Mistry-, March 3 Meher Pirojshaw Motiwalla and Adil Sorab Mogrelia-, March 4 Pearly Phiroz Mugaseth and Fardun Burjor Dastur-, March 5 With Best Compliments From DINSHAW SHAPOORJI & COMPANY 414/3, Kasarwadi, Bombay-Poona Road Pimpri, Pune 411034 Pimpri Phones Fax Telex Poona Phone Poona Grams Branch Office Phone Telex Bombay Grams “Motor Truck ” 778373,778055 (212)779656 0146 204 DIN IN 662052 “Truck ” 92C Mohamedali Road, Bombay 400003 3432497,3423977, 3435392 on 76597 DSAIN TRANSPORT CONTRACTORS LUXURY COACH & STAFF BUS OPERATORS 172 Parsiana February-March 1997The Gourmet' Restaurant BiiHet Breakfast from 8 a.m to 10 a m. Buffet Lunch from 12.30 p.m to 3 p.m. Tea Time Snacks Continental Food including Sizzlers Tandoori Food Take away Fish Specialities Pure Vegetarian Food West Bud Hotel OPEN FROM 8 AM. TO 11.30 PM. 45, New Marine Lines, Bombay ¦ 20. lek 2039121,2057484. Fax 91 •22*2057506 Armin Bomi Irani and Hormuz Adi Kermani; March 5 Zazine Jivanji Tadwalla and Rohinton Nanabhoy Elavia-, March 6 Persis Pervez Mehta of Thana and Vispi Dhanjishaw Fanibanda-, March 6 5Wreen Jehengir Kharas and ydzotfi Adi Irani-, March 7 Anahita Marazban Toddywalla and Kairus Hosi Hansotia of Thana; March 9 Havovi Dara Vasania and Kaivan Pesi Antia; March 10 Ashish Jamshed Irani and Zal Homi Irani of Australia; March 14 Amy Darayus Bhagwagar and Berzis Vispy Meher-Homji; March 14 Hutoxi Piroze Khan and Kayomarz Pesi Sidhva; March 14 Monaz Maneck Shroff and Neville Rustomji Daruwalla-, March 16 Binaifer Hosi Hansotia of Thana and Neville Tehmurasp Kapadia; March 16 Kaiummy Rohinton Khadiwala and Freddie (Francis) Kersi Mistry of Poona; March 17 Farida Sam Choksey and Jimmy Minocher Tata-, March 17 Khushnuma Minoo Damania and Hoshedar Pesi Bamboat; March 20 Gulshan From Sunavala and Neville Rohinton Dossabhoy-, March '20 Aztioz Kersi Bilimoria of Biliinora and Sarosh Dhunjishaw Vatcha of Jamshedpur; March 21 Diana Rohinton Daruwalla and Kaizad Burjis Vesuna; March 22 Kashmira Firoze Mistry of Poona and Kurush Jahangir Aga-, March 23 Kamal Sovak Merchant of Thana and Farokh Fcdi Danovala-, March 23 Azioita Behram Falahati and Hormazd Aspi Irani of Thana; March 30 Jasmine Marazban Dastur of Valsad and Hormaz Jal Kasad of Navsari; March 30 Dinaz Dhunji Jeejeebhoy and Gev Framroze Engineer, March 31 DIED Goal Naval Saher (74) residing at, 7, Sethna Bldg, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034; February 1 Burjor Framji & Company Licensed Plumbers Sanitary & Drainage Contractors Marine Mansion, 1st Marine Street, Bombay 400002 Tel: 2083207 174 Parsiana February-March 1997Sfce’t'P cleanin? 1923-1997 Seventy-four years of clean service! DIANA-ECLIPSE For all your carpet and upholstery cleaning ? “Parag ” 27, Peddar Road, Bombay Tel: 4941987,4945302 Dhunmai Minocher Wankadia (90}, 4, Sanjukte Cross Lane, Off S. V. Rd, Bandra, 400050; February 1 Gool Jal Lala (15), Karim Manor, 8, Owen Dunn Rd, Gamdevi, 400007; February 2 Homi Naoroji Surty (80), 4/58, A. H. Wadia Baug, Parel Tank Rd, 400033; February 2 Mani Fredoon Bavaitdam (15), Nazveen, 74, Dhondy Rd, Devlali, Dist Nasik, 422401; February 3 Homi Faramroz Manecksha (19), Banaji Hse, Contractor Baug, Mahim, 40(X)12; February 3 Banoo Jimmy Printer (19), Jehangir Mans, 77, Hughes Rd, Opp Sukh Sagar, 400007; February 3 Hirabai Minocher Sethna (93), 816, Mistry Bldg, Jame-Jamshed Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; February 3 Jerbanoo Jehanbux Vatcha (9(>), 3, Tafti Bldg, South Frere Bridge, 400007; February 3 Cooma Manchershaw Dastoor (84), C/o J. A. Parelwalla, Khurshed Hse, l-ady Jehangir Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; February 4 Perin Bomi Dubash (68), Sagar Villa, 38 B. Desai Rd, 400026; February 4 Phiroze Nusserwcmji Mehta (62), 184/2, Rose Co-op Hsg Soc, Village Ward, Old Kurla, 400070; February 4 Ratansha Hormusji Taraporewalla (J2), D, Bhiwandiwalla Ter, Trinity St, Dhobitalao, 400002; February 4 Sheroo Eruch Gotla (62), Ratan Bldg, Wadia St, Tardeo, 40{X)34; February 5 Khusroo Godrej Irani (61), Old Chinoy 61dg, 275/E, Tardeo Rd, 400007; February 5 Motlan Framroze Bapasola (80), 9/(2, Dalal Est Apts, Opp Bombay Central Stn, 4(X)OO8; February 6 Dina Fdulji Taraporewalla (61), 4, Dr Daji Bldg, Stn Rd, Mahim, 400016; February 6 Rustomji Jamshedji Adajania (93), 5/6, Cavas Turner Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400(X)7; February 7 Dolly Eruch Kapadia (12), Dubasb Mans, Walton Rd, Colaba, 400005; February 7 Firoze Framji Mtdaiti (88), C/o With Best Wishes from Mr Rusy M. Shroflf, M.B.E. and Mrs Purviz R. Shrofif 176 Parsiana February-March 1997Viraf Bhandari, 22/23, Purshotam Bldg, 230/4, Pathe Bapurao Marg, 400004; February 7 Khorshed Adi Tantra (,5S), 645, Najoo Villa, Khareghat Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; February 7 Perin Hormaz Aresh (83), Queen ’s Chmbs, 89, Queen ’s Rd, 400020; February 8 Fali Nusserwanji Chinoy Goolestan, Cuffe Parade Ext, 400005; February 8 Jaloo Dinshaw Deboo 1’16'), B/20, Shapur Baug, V. P. Rd, 400004; February 8 Nargis Ardeshar Ichhaporia (64), 71, Kashinath Bldg, Balamiya Lane, Mahim, 400016; February 8 Jal Feroze Laskary (85), SIHC, Madhu Villa, Adenwalla Rd, Matunga, 400019; February 8 Irach Fardoonji Patel (82), Soban Bhavan, Vimadalal Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; February 8 Hilla Navroji Writer (85), 623, Marker Mans, Lady Jehangir Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; February 8 Hormusji Maneckji Cooper (89), B/4, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; February 9 Nariman Eduiji Daruvala (84), 22, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034; February 9 Fali Fardoonji VaJcharia (83), 503, Green Gates, 693, Perry Rd, Bandra, 400050; February 9 Miruio Eruchshaw Kapadia (84), C, New Doctor Bldg, Chikalwadi, 400007; February 10 Marzban Manekshaw Morena (58), G/1, Godrej Baug, Off Nepean Sea Rd, 400026; February 10 Homi Nanabhoy Sethna. (79), 275/C, Chothia Bldg, Chikalwadi, Tardeo, 400007; February 10 Kavas Ranaji Vazifdar (84), 790, Krishna Nivas, fame Jamshed Rd, Parsi Clny, 400014; February 10 Nariman Jamshed Irani (68), Fairy Manor, 13, Rustom Sidhwa Marg, Fort, 400001; February 11 Roda Minoo Netarwala (73), 112, Mehrdad, 64, Cuffe Parade, 400005; February 11 Banu Jamshedji Patel/Driver (60), 26/46, Maryland, Dr Thadani Rd, Worli, 400018; February 11 Jamshed Kaikhushroo Vakil (83), 280-C/9, New Sitaram Sadan, Princess St, 400002; February 11 Dina Keki Malaowala (86), L/9, S. B. Bharucha Baug. S. V. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; February 12 Pesi Cawasji Mevawala (86), 7, Sumangal, 13, Ridge Rd, 400006; February 12 Minoo Eruchshaw Chinoy (60), 3, Prem Milan, 87/B, Nepean Sea Rd, 400006; February 13 Sheran Jehangirshaw Kasad (82), R/9, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; February 13 Minoo Dhanjishaw Patel (75), 1/11, Sir Ratan Tata Clny, Tardeo, 400034; February 13 Peshotan Faramarz Peer (IT), 23, Police Court Lane, Fort, 400001; February 13 Nergish Faredoon Postwalla (79), 2/6, Panthaky Baug, Andheri-Kurla Rd, 400069; February 13 Khorshed Ardesher Buzorg (78), H/1, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; February 14 Rustom Dadabhoy Madon (81), 44, Rehem Mans No 2, Colaba Causeway, 400039; February 14 Dinamai Noshir Vajifdar (82), 15, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; February 14 Hilla Minocher Pardiwalla (85), C/o Behram B. Gandhi, B/2, Ginwalla Bldg, Captain Clny, Tardeo, 400034; February 15 Banu Kaikhushru Antia (87), 28, Hughes Rd, 400007; February 16 Homai Raj Mallu (70), Queens Chmbs, Queens Rd, 400020; February 16 Bachan Darabsha Mullan (74), 170/D, Amtoobai Blocks, S. V. Rd, Bandra, 400050; February 16 Rustomji Dossabhai Pithawalla (81), 3/33, Patell Apt, Jambli Naka, Thane (W), 400601; February 16 Parvez Cavasji Sui (70), F. S. Parukh Dharamshalla, Hughes Rd, 40(X)07; February 16 Minoo Hormusji Guard (86), 659, Keki Hse, Rd no 12, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; February 17 Goolbai Fardoon Irani (87), C/o Sorab F. Irani, 8/A, C. M. Banaji Bldg, Foijett Cross Lane, 400036; February 17 11 Si 177 Parsiana February-March 1997 Every flower is pretty but the arrangement is beautiful There is a moral to be learnt from a simple flower arrangement. Every rose, chrysanthemum and orchid is an identifiable and beautiful flower. And yet they blend harmoniously with each other to form a gorgeous arrangement or bouquet. To live together is really not so difficult. You don ’t have to give up your individuality and neither do you have to impose your will on another. When the blue print of an industrial India was being drawn, a great man, J.N. Tata, wrote to his sons. “Be sure to lay wide streets planted with shady trees, every other of a quick growing variety. Be sure that there is plenty of space for lawns and gardens. Reserve large areas for football, hockey and parks. Earmark areas for Hindu temples, Mohammedan mosques and Christian churches. ” This was his dream in 1902. We can live it and our India will be as beautiful as any flower arrangement. ENTERPRISES uJal Faredoon Irani (Khoramshai) (75), D/11, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; February 17 Khurshed Darabshaw Katrak (73), Rati Hse, 17, Gola Lane, Fort, 400001; February 17 Najamai Pestonji Chinoy (93), Room no 77, 189, Petit Bldg, Opp Grant Rd Stn, 400007; February 18 Daulat Slwpur Irani (86), 27, Cooper Bldg, Marzban Clny, Dr A. Nair Rd, 400011; February 18 Behram Rustomji Khumbatta (78), 784/B, Readymoney Bldg, M. Joshi Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar. 400014; February 18 Framroze Rustomjee Meherjee (84), Contractor Bldg, Kashinath Rd, Tardeo, 400034; February 18 Freny Hormusji Khergamwalla (74), G/5, S. B. Bharucha Baug, S. V. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; February 19 Homi Dinshawji Kotwal (67), Mary Villa, Manjrekar Wadi, Kurla Rd, Andheri (E), 400069; February 19 Hiraji Dosabhai Patel (84), Bhesania Bldg, 327. S. B. S. Rd, Fort Market. 400001; February 19 Homi Kaikhushroo Talyarkhan (JrV), TELCO Bglw, Lulla Ngr, Poona, 411001; February 19 Ratanmai Minocher Amrolia (91), M/24, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; February, 20 Vicriji Edulji Kanga (90), 28, Nirtnal Nivas no 2, Tejpal Rd, Gowalia Tank, 400036; February 21 Najamai Darabsha 'Wadiwalla (75), C, 511/512, Rajshivam Apts, Shiv Vallabh Rd, Dahisar (E), 400068; February 21 Faramroze Behramji Dastur 13?,, Shirin Villa, Dr Ghanti Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; February 22 Jainshed Shapurji Elavia 604/E, Wadia Bldg, 285, S. Gandhi Mar g, 400002; February 22 Banoobai Hormasji Patva (.16'), 9, Parsi Punchayet Qrts, Doongerwadi, A. K. Marg, 400036; February 22 Darabshaw Bomanji Sidhwa (91), 347/C, United Chmbs, Near Shalimar Cinema, 400007; February 22 Cooma Bo mans hah Billimoria (85), Tarachand Bldg, Zoroastrian Clny, Tardeo Rd, 400007; February 23 Minoo Eruchshaw Malu (71), 2/9, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; February 23 Sherbanoo Sorabji Spencer (97), 9, Jaiji Ter, Sleater Rd, 400007; February 23 Framroze Naoroji Bharucha (81), 306, Balsara Hse, Thakurdwar, 400002; February 24 Roshan Sam Bilimoria (49), 5, Savannah, Irvine, California, 92620, USA; February 24 Keki Nadarsha Sanjana (JT), 7, Contractor Chawl, Sussex Rd, Byculla, 400027; February 24 Banoo Khurshed Khasimai (15), 621, Khush Villa, Khareghat Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; February 25 Dolly Nariman Mistry (83), G/5 C, Raliul Dream, Bhayandar (E), 401105; February 25 Tehmina Jamshedji Modawala (87), 6/A, Maqbool Bldg, Hill Rd, Bandra (W), 400050; February 25 Doliba Rustomji Pithawalla (JI}, Patanwalla Mhl, E. S. Patanwalla Marg, 400027; February 25 Aloo Adi Todiwala (82), 11/16, Mody Block. Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; February 25 Dhumnai J alejar Cooper (83), 8, Ropa Lane, Chandanwadi, 400002; February 26 Roshan Behram Irani (70), Savta, Dahanu Rd, Dist Thane, 401602; February 27 Tehemina Lovji Jasumani (JJ}, 5/2, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; February 27 Manie Eruchshaw Kasad (71), P/15, S. B. Bharucha Baug, S. V Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; February 27 Putla Khershedji Sarkari (JJ}, 103, Manorama Sadan, M. M. Chotani Rd, Mahim, 400016; February 27 Erac.h Cawasji Kasad (81), 17, Khaieghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; February 28 Fall Jehangir Kavarana (69), 4/B, PaUonji Mans, 43, Cuffe Parade, 400005; February 28 Ratamai Faramroz Patel (75), 6. Patel Hse, L. T. Rd, Mulund (E), 400081; February 28 Tehmina Fakirji Daruwala (76), 10, Old Khareghat Clny, Hughe.s Rd, 400007; March 1 Mithan Minoo Gagrat (85), Sleater Hse no 2, Sleater Rd, 400007; March 1 Eruch Ardeshir Tampal (58). With Best Compliments From LEACH 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. WWW 66, Off E. Moses Road, Worli, Bombay 400018 Phone: Head Office 2654294 Factory: 4924384,4925644 180 Parsiana February-March 199740/9, Navjivan Soc, Bombay Central, 400008; March 2 Rustomji Bhikhaji Andhyarujina (93), 2, Panchsheel, 53, C Rd, Churchgate, 400020; March 3 Rati Jamshed Hakim (70), IV49, Jer Baug, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Byculla, 400027; March 3 Najamai Ratanshaw Patel (90'), B/46, Meenakshi Apts, Dockyard Rd, 400010; March 3 Nargish Homi Daruwalla (73), Yusufi Bldg, Balaram St, Grant Rd, 400007; March 4 Homi Burjor Mehta (80), Ali Bldg, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034; March 4 Pesi Jehangir Shrojf (81), Mahomedbhai Mans, 7, N. S. Patkar Marg, 400036; March 4 Dinyar Jalejar Kerawalla (68), E/4, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; March 5 Shera Darabshaw Golwalla (J4,), 17/A, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; March 6 Eruch Cawasji HavewaHa (79), L-1/33, Cama Park, M. Cama Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; March 6 Bachan Navroji Kanga (74), Jemi Lodge, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 6 Bapuji Manekji Pastakia (81), 6, Pushpa Niwas, Uranwalla St, Grant Rd, 400007; March 6 Yezdi Jehangir Irani (58), Shirin Mans, Grant Rd, 400007; March 7 Shapoor Khodadad Kasmabadi (Irani) (55), 530, Sanghvi Sadan, Chira Bazar, J. S. S. Rd, 400002; March 7 Dhunmai Burjorji Mirza (95), 643, Gulshan Ter, Khareghat Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 7 Phiroz Burjorjee Aibara (i((>), Elysium Mans, Walton Rd, 400001; March 9 Soona Dara Ghadially (84), 257, Botawalla Bldg, Thakurdwar Rd, 400002; March 9 Dadiba Fakirji Patrawalla (67), 23, Nana Bldg, Below Tardeo Bridge, 400008; March 9 Jimmy Sorabji Pooniwalla (69), B, B. Merwan Bldg, Opp Grant Rd Stn, 400007; March 9 Jaiji Darabshaw Katrak (92), Rati Hse, Gola Lane, Fort, 400001; March 10 Framroz Rustomji Porbundeiwalla (83), G/6, S. B. Bharucha Baug, S. V. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; March 10 Banoo Nariman Seervai (89), 625, Nariman Bldg, Dhobitalao, 400002; March 10 Adi Dinshaw Davierwalla (54), C/o Coomi D. Dhaber, Dhun Bldg, Opp Ranjeet Studio, Dadar, 400014; March 11 Shirin Khudabux Raisi (70), 4, Rajsi Mans, 4th Pasta Lane, Colaba, 400005; March 11 Twins (girls) of Meherzin Cyrus Turel (stillborns), P/42, Cama Park, Andheri (W), 400058; March 11 Byramji Dosabhai Laher (jl9), 20h, Fly-over Apt, Andheri (E), 400069; March 12 Tehmi Darab Wadia (80), C/o Sorab Gandhi, 804/A, Ghamat Lodge, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Dadar, 400014; March 12 Dara Dinshaw Desai (77), 12, Tarachand Bldg, Khareghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; March 13 Rusi Cawasji Baria (68), 10/6, Tata Blocks, Tardeo, 400034; March 14 Khorshedbanu Rashid Irani (90), Parsi Fire-temple, Panchgani, 412805; March 14 Manijeh Manekshaw Wadia (87), A-1/8, New Khareghat Clny, Babulnath Rd, 400007; March 14 Dolly Jehangir Ranji (77), 24, Ali Bldg, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034; March 16 Nadir Fakirji Udwadia (66), 764/E, Umrigar Bldg, Parsi Clny, Tilak Rd, Dadar, 400014; March 16 Hoshi Burjor Karanjia (66), 2, Laxmi Bldg, D. P. Ngr, North Avenue, Santacruz (W), 400054; March 17 Khorshed Pirojshaw Driver (72), United Chmbs, Grant Rd, 400007; March 18 Dorabji Hormusji Variava (82), 5/1, Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; March 18 Soonamai Mcmeckshaw Dover (101), B/13, Qinwalla Bldg, Captain Clny, 27/A, Tardeo Rd, 400034; March 19 Nariman Edulji Gariwala (88), 275/M, Damania Bldg, Chikalwadi, Tardeo Rd, 400007; March 19 Daulat Mehervanji Korkhao (72), Niamat Bldg, 23, Prof Almeida Rd, TPS 4, Bandra (W), 400050; March 19 Cooverbai Dadabhai Mehta From a Well' Wisher 182 Parsiana February-March 199/(96), 23/10, Sir Ratan Tata Bldg, Sir Ratan Tata Rd, Tardeo, 400007; March 19 Katayun Hormusji Cama (89), G/54, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; March 22 Dina Rustom Khambata (83), 39, Sister Bglw, Khurshed Bhabha Rd, Bandstand, Bandra, 400050; March 22 Jimmy Merwanji Surty (76), 106, Mehta Court Annexe, Gilder Lane, Lamington Rd, 400008; March 22 Shirin (Shirinbai) Behramshaw Chothia (80), 729, Jehangir Vimadalal Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 23 Putla Navroji Mehta (80), Navroze Mans, Tardeo Rd, 400007; March 23 Pervez Jahangirji Engineer (70), Dadachanji Bldg, Murzban Clny, Lalchimni, Agripada, 400011; March 24 Lovji Sorabji Kapadia (82), 33, Sagar Tarang, Bhulabhai Desai Rd, 400026; March 25 Eruch Nadirsha Kavarana (77), 129/B, Bakhtawar Bldg, Nagar Rd, Poona, 411001; March 25 Coomi Keki Mulla (81), 10, Gulab Hsg Soc, Carter Rd. Bandra, 400050; March 25 Khorshed Burjorji Contractor (84), Yasmin Lodge, Lallubhai Park, Andheri (W), 400058; March 26 Jamshed Pestonji Mistry (59), 8, Bora Masjid St, 400001; March 26 Coomi Rusi Mothwala (74), 764/F, Sarosh Court, Tilak Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 26 Soonamai Burjorji Bachana IIMC, Tata Blocks, S. V. Rd, Bandra (W), 400050; March 27 Jer Kdikhushroo Choksy (89), 12, Florencia, 299, off Turner Rd, Bandra (W), 400050; March 27 Dali Ardesher Fitter (60), 676/D, Faredoon Ter, Katrak Rd, Wadala, 400031; March 27 Farokh Hormusji Irani (SS), 12, Star Bldg, Uranwal-a St, Grant Rd, 400007; March 27 Rusi Ardesher Devitre (64), Railway View, Uranwalla St, Lamington Cross Rd, 400007; March 28 Mehra Navroji Kotwal (92}, 663, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 28 Rohinton Mahiar Mandviwala (45), 7/D, Safna, Vrundavan Park, Sama Rd, Baroda, 390008; March 28 Mehra Ardeshir Mistry (88), B/1, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; March 28 Noshir Framroze Avari (67), Alpaiwalla Bldg, M. M. C. Rd, Mahim, 400016; March 29 Dadiba Manchersha Satarawalla (80), 727, P. A. Hormarjee Bldg, Vimadalal Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 29 Roshan Minoo Shroff (69), F/16, Shapur Baug, V. P. Rd, 400004; March 29 Dhunjishaw Sorabji Doctor (74), 431, Parijat, Vishnu Baug, S. V. Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; March 30 Noshir Pestonji Ghiara (53), 12/A, Alka Soc, Caesar Rd, Amboli, Andheri (W), 400058; March 30 Farokh Darabshaw Kapadia (58), 691, Albles.s Bldg, Dinshaw Master Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 30 Sorabsha Hormusji Karanjia (91), B, Yusuf Mans, 204, Khetwadi Back Rd, 400004; March 30 Mani Pesi Mehta (76), C-9/4, Godrej Staff Qrts, Lalbahadur Shastri Marg, Vikhroli (W), 400079; March 30 Khorshed Khurshedjee Mistry (86), Shanti Niketan, 11, Padamjee Rd, 400004; March 30 Pesi Maneck Shaw (62), 640/B, Khorshed Villa, Khareghat Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 30 Banoo Kekhusroo Choksi (74), B, Ness Baug, Nana Chowk, 400007; March 31 Kawas Hormusjee Karanjia (87), 153/A, Cozymore Bldg, A. K. Marg, Cumballa Hill, 400036; March 31 CALCUTTA DIED Sarosh Kaikobad, husband of Jeroo and father of Pervez and Gaver Partha; February 9 Homai Rustom Saklath, mother of Aban Fredoon Hormasji, Freny Russi Bilimoria and Katayun; February 13 Homi Hiraji Hiramanek, husband of Khorshed and father of Shahrukh, Armaity, Minoo, Khushrav and Meher; March 3 Progressives _ Distance _ - ¦‘^'stonce Th0 lens for uninterupted vision at different ranges distance, mid-distance & reading. Progressives are multifocal lenses without the tell-tale lines of bifocals. Progressives need professional care . For the best results come to Ballwalla & Homi. One of the finest optometrists & contact-lens practitioners in the country. ® Baliwalla & Homi Private Limited Flora Fountain: 365, Dr. D.N.Road, Bombay 400 001 Tel: 287 4916, 287 1762 • DhobiTalao:614,J.S. Seth Marg, Bombay 400 002. Tel: 201 4906 Parel: J.Merwanji Street, Parel, Bombay 400 012 Tel: 412 6051 184 Parsiana February-March 1997HUBLI DIED Hormusji J. Belgamvalla (64), husband of Zarine and father of Tanaz and Sherie; February 24 HYDERABAD BORN A son, Shayan, to Hoofrish and Jehangir Bisney, brother to Arnaz; March 15 KANPUR DIED Noshir Nanabhoy Byramji (Mehta), husband of late Coomi and father of Aadil, Feroza Gidwani and Rashna Sorab Patel; March 17 NAGPUR BORN A girl to Perveen and Shahrukh Cassad', March 5 DIED Gool Keki Unwala (80), sister of Firozeshah, Shirin Russy Aibai'a and Adi; February 8 NAVSARI DIED Tehmina Hotmusji Mehta (75), Parsi Infirmary, Rustomwadi, 396445; February 3 Shirinbai Pestonji Bhoot (86), Mullavad, Mohta Falya, 396445; February 7 Cooverbai Maneckshah Mistry (84), mother of Noshir and Dorab; February 28 POONA BORN A girl, Rhea, to Ruehingize and Rayomand Palkhiwala', January 30 DIED Banu Khodabaksh Irani (90), 6, Ardeshir Baug, Nanapeth, 411002; January 16 Dhun Dhanjishah Bharucha (80), 5/5, Elphinstone Rd, 411001; February 1 Nariman Nusserwanji Lakhdawalla (82), 1988, Convent St, 411001; February 8 Kiki Nusserwanji Mistry (82), 241, M. H. Rd, 411001; February 17 Soli Dhanjishah Patel (76), 404, Mir Apts, Bhairobanala, Sholapur Rd, 411001; February 18 Jaal Jamshedji Bokhdawalla (81), 2414, Hiorshid Lodge, 411001; February 23 Dogdo Rusi Mehta (72), A/10, Green Park Apts, Salisbury Park, 411037; February 28 SURAT DIED Jehangirji Hirjeebhai Pithawalla (Haladkroowalla) (85), father of Burjor, Dolat and Zarine; February 1 Marzban Behramshaw Bharucha (95), Parsiwad, Rander; February 14 Shaputji Palanji Karkaria (86), Nariman Home and Infirmary, Shahpore, 395003; February 20 Shapuiji Fakirji Vahan Valia (70), Nariman Wad, Navsari, 396445; February 23 Tehmina Darabshaw Kapadia (78), Nariman Home and Infirmary, Shahpore, 395003; February 25 Hosang Darabshaw Patel (32), Village Vesu, Taluka Choriasi, Dist Surat, 395003; February 13 VALSAD DIED Nariman Nowroji Adagra (72), C/o Makkamai Adagra, Mohta Parsi Wad, Dastur Mohalla, 396001; February 7 *** AUSTRALIA Sydney MARRIED Meaghan Harris, daughter of Maureen and Malcolm, and Cyrus Katrak, son of Gool and Dinshaw; January 5 CANADA Ontario BORN A girl, Darya, to Mehmaz and Feraidoon Khosravi- March 9 A boy, Jake Ryan, to Meher and Ronnie Langdana, brother to Ashton, March 24 Toronto DIED Mehroo Sam Puls el ia (62), mother of Jimmy and Jesi; March 29 Vancouver MARRIED Azita Darabian, daughter of Pouran and late Esfandiar and Thomaz Fry, son of Hazel and Adf»ctor»-Quanturn Direct/IR/ 94-929 186 Parsiana February-March 1997Tom; February 8 FIGURES AT A GLANCE * DIED Sarv Alghabi (84), mother of Khodadad and Rustom; February 20 This issue Bombay 1996 1997 This issue India 1996 1997 This issue World 1996 1997 HOLLAND Amsterdam DIED Coomi Rustom Dantra (91), mother of Shirin and Yanrustom; March 4 PAKISTAN Karachi BORN A girl, Friya, to Dilnawaz and Eruch Malbari', December 12, 1996 DIED Rustom E. Kalapesi (74), January 9, 1997 Keki Tehmulji Unvala (78); January 11 Jamshed Eruchshaw Shroff (83); January 30 Mehru Homi Rustomjee (67); February 11 Humayun Aspendiar Irani (68); February 12 Shirin Rointon Mirza (48); February 15 Hilla Eruch Pavri (72); February 26 Perin D. Bhagaria (85); February 28 UK Blackburn BORN A boy, Kaybmaz, to Bapsy and Cyias Bharucha', September 6 Coventry DIED Cawas Sorab Lala (72), 580, Kenilworth Rd, Balsall Common; July 16 Edinburg DIED Aloo Jehangir Fitter (70), Flat IB, Silverknowes Newk, EH4 5QA; January 5, 1997 Essex DIED Jemie Minoo Dinshaw (45), 184, Gants Hill Crescent, Gants HiU, IG2 6TR; September 30, 1996 Fife DIED Jehangir Rustomji Fitter (79), husband of Aloo and father of Dinaz Manekshaw and Freida 188 Parsiana February-March 1997 BORN Boys Girls 18 14 98 118 27 19 2 2 8 4 3 2 7 8 34 38 3 6 MARRIED Parsi INTERCOMMUNAL Males married out Females married out DIED CONSIGNED Males Females CRENIKTED Males Females 78 81 86 193 107 6 1 3 19 25 20 3 2 1 1 2 7 1 1 457. 502 119 139 16 10 98 89 25 23 12 15 68 48 9 11 1 Overseas deaths are listed in the consigned column as Parsiana does not have a breakup of those cremated. ‘These figures pertain to information provided to or collected by Parsiana. They do not represent the total number of births, marriages and deaths in the Zoroastrian community in India and abroad. Udwadia; September 29, 1996 London BORN A girl, Shiraz, to Jasmine and Neville Vapiwala, October 25 A’boy, Royintan, to Natasha and Peeran Dhatigara-, October 29 A boy, Xarius, to Xenobia and Rumi Jasavala-, November 20 MARRIED Shirin Modarai of Ealing, London and Farrokh Dinyarian of Germany; August 31 Kermin Sethna of Kent, daughter of Banoo and Noshir, and Heroiyce Patel of Bombay, son of Dhan and Navroz; December 7 DIED Kaikushroo Boman Irani (62), 62, Macfarlane Rd, W12 7JZ; September 14 Rusi Ardeshir Pocha (67), 4A, Lingfield Rd, Wimbledon, SW19 4QA; November 3 Perin Rustom Kumana (83), 7, Broad Walk, El 8 2DJ; December 7 Deena Dinshaw Adenwalia (92), 6, Drummond Hse, N2; December 11 Tehmina Ardeshir Dinshaw .(90), 52, Mersham Drive, Kingsbury, NW9 9PN; January 18, 1997 CR4 IDE; September 21, 1996 Manchester MARRED Arta Rustom Keyanian of Iran and Kurosh Rustom Mehrabani', May 11, 1996 Wiltshire DIED Pesi R. Karanjia (56), 165, Queens Crescent, Chippenham, SN14 ONW; January 11, 1997 DIED Noshir Bahadur Kavina (59), Atwood Rd, Didsbury; September 12 Middlesex BORN Twins (boys), Rustom and Sohrab, to Veera and Rohinton Kaka\ October 28 DIED Curshed Naoroje Wadia (11), 108, Watford Rd, Wembley, HAO 3HF; December 15 Nottinghamshire DIED Freany Cawas Bam (75), 20, Chatsworth Avenue, Radcliff on Trent, NG 12 IDE; October 14 Surrey BORN A girl to Mahzaver and Minoo Mistry, January 16, 1997 DIED Parin Rustam Talati (64), 190, Tamworth Lane, Mitcham, USA Kansas BORN A girl, Nooshin, to Mina and Koorosh ShaJdari', August 17, 1996 Triplets (girls), Shiva, Mojan and Manijeh, to Behin and Siroush Felfeli, sisters to Shirin; February 5, 1997 Los Angeles DIED Naval Bomanshah Sidhwa (67), husband of Parviz and father of Farokh and . Rashni; February 11 Michigan BORN A boy, Xerses, to Roxane and Coover Chinoy, February 20 Oklahoma DIED Mani Edalji Anklesaria (79), mother of Maneck and Dhun; February 8 Compiled by Roxana A. DriverIN MEMORIAM Missionary Modi Parinaz M. Gandhi Died: Davar Kavasji Tehmuras Modi, 74, seniormost trustee of the Surat Parsi Panchayat, and president and managing trustee of 39 community trusts or funds attain in our own lives. ” His cousin. Justice Dorab Patel, former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, who died within three months of Modi ’s demise, had written in his condolence letter, “He was such a good man, but the leaves of autumn must fall to make way for the buds of spring. ” The hereditary title of Davar, devolved colleague Dr Ratan Marshall. “He was a great son of our Parsi com ­ munity and his... meritorious and yeomen services to the community will be long on the family by the British who granted including Surat ’s Sheth D. N. Modi remembered, ” wrote Jamshed Guzder, Shenshai Atash Behram and Goti Adarian ” ’7"*’ - Trust Fund, on December 19, 1996 following cardiac L failure. I When the history of Surat • is written, and the contribu ­ tion of Parsis acknowl ­ edged, Modi ’s name will surely feature prominently, mentioned Dr Sam Bhacca, president of the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP), of his co ­ trustee at a condolence meeting convened by the Panchayat on February 23, 1997. Modi ’s eagerness to be of help to society, his per- Davar: representative of sistence, determination, a gentler era punctuality, his preference for cooperation rather than confrontation, were some of his many virtues recalled at the meeting. His contribution was acknowl ­ edged by the representatives of different which he was a member for over 50 years, of the World Zoroastrian Organisation, Leprosy Society in Gujarat. As mentions . * ’ I Marshall, “The scenario of the Bombay interest in its project for rehabilitating the state completely changed during the ; " ¦ J . Davarship of Kavasji. A separate state of “A propounder and practitioner of trust- Gujaratcameinthepicture.Theconsider- andmanaging trustee. The ParvatibaiLeper eeship in management of many benevo- Infirmary and The Lady Wilson Leprosy lent and charitable institutions and trusts. Clinic where he had been serving as hon- he was a noble human and visionary who orary secretary, treasurer and trustee for cared for society and humanity, providing way of the Modis. ” — - - . • ... „ J _ “Davar saheb was one of the last few Sudarshan, December 25,1996, the weekly representatives of an era that was kinder and gentler and, for me, a window to that nobler past. His passing away has robbed many of the opportunity to associate with class, grace, culture and erudition... I re ­ main deeply beholden to him for a better them authority to adjudicate on certain chairman of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet issues concerning the Parsis, was appended to Kavasji ’s name following the demise of his father Tehmuras who was a barrister, an MLA, and principal of the local law college. Kavasji, the 15th Davar, was also a qualified advocate, while his brother in his condolence letter to the family. Besides his in ­ volvement with the SPP, Modi was active in the working of almost all the religious institutions of Darius who now inherits the title holds a Surat and the neighboring doctorate in pharmaceuticals from the ^«*A**rt TJa ivr/MilzI A 11A V F T Tm 1 X visit the villages around ¦ S > areas. He would frequently University of London. Kavasji ’s schooling was at Bombay ’s Cathedral and John Connon. His college days were spent in Surat, graduating in arts and law. After passing his bar council examination from Bombay, he took to business. He was an agriculturist, a partner in a tube well drilling business, and also ran a stone quarry. Besides serving as ecutive council meetings of chairman and director of several public the Federation of Parsi Zo- limited companies including the Gujarat roastrian Anjumans of In ­ dia where he represented five anjumans. Modi would advocate the need to shift youth encouragement, travelling and sports fires languishing in villages to more popu ­ lous areas where they could be better main- t Surat, rendering relief mea ­ sures as per their needs and requirements, said Mar ­ shall, referring to Modi as “the accepted head of the Godavara Parsi Anjuman. ” Many a times at the ex ­ Safe Deposit Company Limited, he made time for his social work, labor welfare. activities, according to his life sketch. He enjoyed the distinction of being the only y uiv B vui vMu — — — - - s' organizations: Rotary Club of Surat of tained. As managing committee member non-official member of the Surat Distnct The Anti Tuberculosis Hospital and London as also India, Modi took a keen Perinbanu Anti Tuberculosis Clinic where i . . " • • • ¦ he was treasurer since 1973, the Athornan poor farmers of south Gujarat. Behtari Mandal where he was president . . ate Kavasji adapted very well to the changed circumstances and continued the good work in the interest of society in the ft'aditional almost four decades. The Countess of loving and tender care, ” noted a tribute in Dufferin Dispensaries Society S. M. V. -------------,------ Hospital of which he was vice president for bulletin of the Rotary Club of Surat. He nearly two decades, the Surat Officers Club of which he was founder member, the Remand Home and Nanavat Urban Coop ­ erative Credit Society Limited where he was associated as managing committee member. “His absence will be felt in pub ­ lic life as he was a reliable guide as far as trust, . income-tax laws, land regulations, acts relating to villages, Bombay Public Trusts Act, etc were concerned, ” stated his was kind, soft-spoken, courteous and help ­ ful. He won the hearts of the people he came in contact with and enjoyed the confidence of one and all, ” stated the _ . condolence resolution from The Parvatibai understanding of my responsibility to God, Leper Infirmary. As noted one of his rela- society, organization and self, ” noted a tives Cyrus Kapadia, “I have never known condolence letter from Mir Maqbool Alam anyone in the family regard him as any- ’ thing but a true and sincere friend... He has left a high benchmark for the rest of us to Khan from the Nawab ’s Palace, Surat. Modi is survived by his wife Roshan and daughter Pervin Sohel Jariwala. 190 Parsiana February-March 1997Honored hotelier Hilla P. Guzder (which operates or franchises 2,200 hotels in more than 60 countries). Expressing his appreciation of Shaw ’s commitment to this project, Dr L. R. Bhojwani, chairman and managing director of Ram Laxman Hotels Limited (owners of the Poona Holi- Died: Pesi Maneck Shaw, 62, past presi ­ dent of the Federation of Hotel and Res ­ taurant Associations of Indi a and technical HRA(WI) over the last three decades... ” J. speech at the condolence meeting that director of Fariyas Hotels Private Limited, D. F. Lam, honorary secretary of the Asso- Shaw had expertise in every aspect of the on March 30, 1997 in Bombay following ciation and director, facilities, planning industry — land policy, site location, FSI, cardio-respiratory arrest. and coordination, Indian Hotels Company, agreements, drawings, etc and “presented “This is a black letter day in the history read out the condolence resolution. views that were acceptable to owners, col- of the Hotel and Restaurant Association (Westemlndia) [HRA(WI)]. We are orphaned in the industry, ” I said Santosh Shetty, president I of the Association at the condo- I lence meeting held on April 10, I 1997 in the Ballroom of the Taj I Mahal Hotel. “During Shaw ’s stewardship as president of HRA(WI) dur ­ ing 1982-89 and of the Federa ­ tion of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) Shaw: “managing in 1983-84, the industry reached people ” greater heights and his contri ­ bution to the development of the entire industry was widely acclaimed, ” stated the write-up distributed at the meet. Ajit Kerkar, president of honor, HRA(WI), and chairman and managing director of the Indian Hotels Company Limited, who chaired the meet, announced the proposal to name the new auditorium at the Indian Institute of Hotel Management tor. Mistry recalls that it was Pesi ’s father he had a wonderful collection of books at (IIHM) of the Taj group at Aurangabad the Maneck, also a past president of the home on every aspect of the hotel trade, Pesi Shaw Auditorium in honor of the man HRA(Wl) who encouraged him (Mistry) in often donating books to deserving institu- who had been so actively involved, as the 1960s to venture from civil construction tions, mentions his son. He had presented consultant, with the setting up of the IIHM. into hoteliering and offered the expertise papers at seminars organized by the Pa- He also announced that the HRA(WI) pro- ”” "" posed to rename its Scholarship Trust for Catering Education as the Pesi Shaw Schol ­ arship Trust Fund as a tribute to Shaw ’s constant encouragement to students of ca ­ tering. _„____,,____,_________ ______________ , _ tute of Hotel Management, Catering Tech- him as a brother, ” says Mistry. Shaw was rector of Tourism Advisory and Financial nology and Applied Nutrition at Dadar, j_____________________ _ _ “_______ " ' '' recalled his days as a student in the 1960s Limited, Mistry ’s construction company, when Shaw was his professor. Shaw served as vice-principal from 1965-69 and conti ­ nued as honorary lecturer through the years. Hotels and" Consultancy Services Private sudreh-kusti, informs Jamshed. He regu- At the time of his demise he was on the Limited, taking up turnkey projects. Promi- larly donated money to needy Parsis and board of governors. “He was the Institute ’s nent among these were the Royal Palms assisted community members in finding godfather and its Advanced Training Cen- Golf and Country Club at Powai in Bombay, employment. tre was his brainchild, ”conveyed Dhar- and the Holiday Inn at Poona which won He is survived by his wife Silloo, son galkar. K. V. Simon, ex vice-principal the “1996 Newcomer of the Year Award ” Jamshed and daughters Pervin Ghani, eulogised Shaw ’s dedication, “On the ho- . _ - rizon of the hospitality fraternity he was a divine star which shone till the last day. ” “He was a pillar of strength to the day Inn) stated in a long and eloquent w" views that were acceptable to owners, col- After his schooling at Antonio D’Silva laborators and architects. He would be ¦I High School and BCom from ready for work even at 7.30 in the morning ¦ Sydenham College, Shaw if a friend so desired. ” ¦ qualified as acharteredaccoun- “Papa was a disciplinarian, strong on ¦ tant, becoming a Fellow of the rules and regulations. He was also very ¦ Institute of Chartered Accoun- much of an arbitrator. He could put across ¦ tants of India. He specialized his views forcefully, yet minus aggression. ™ in hotel accounting and front It was he who taught me all about ‘manag- office management from the ing people, ”’asserts his son Jamshed, also American Hotel and Motel a director in Shaw Consultancy Services, * Association ’s Educational In- who specializes in information technology « stitute in Michigan, USA. He for the hotel industry. “When I was a ' was also a fellow of the Hotel boarder at Billimoria school in Panchgani, and Catering Institute Manage- Papa had once written to me ‘a winner ment Association of the UK, states his bio data. In 1970, he joined the Fariyas group of Sydenham College, Shaw if a friend so desired, qualified as acharteredaccoun- • never quits and a quitter never wins. ’ I have never forgotten that advice. ” Jamshed has a vivid recollection of his hotels and was"actively involved with*the father ’s “magic tricks ” and how he would setting up of the four-star Bombay Fariyas bemuse his four children with his sleight of and the five-star deluxe Fariyas Holiday hand! A violinist as well, he would Resort in Lonavla. “He was a founder- sportingly fiddle away at Christmas par ­ member of Fariyas, ” conveys Hosi Mistry, ties at the Catering College, remembers the group ’s chairman and managing direc- Jamshed. An avid gleaner of knowledge. of his son who had specialized in the field, cific Asia Travel Association at Hongkong, “I will always remember Pesi for his World Tourism Organisation-at Phuket in honesty and integrity. As technical direc- Thailand and at meets of the International tor, he looked after accounts as well as Labour Organisation at Geneva and Paris, management and tackled labor with firm- At the time of his demise, Shaw was also ness, as well as kindness. We had a close on the managing committee of the Intema- ShyamDhargalkar, principal of the Insti- association for 30 years and I looked upon tional Tourism Council, Bombay and di- also a director in B.JamasjiMistry Private Services Corporation of India Limited, New Delhi. Though not very “bhannaar-ghannaaF ’ In 1991, Shaw started his own consultancy firm under the name of Shaw (prone to prayers), Shaw always wore his and the Holiday Inn at Poona which won for the best new hotel from the Asia Pacific Hutokhshi Kurush Elavia and Veera Joy region in the worldwide Holiday Inn chain Patel. 192 Parsiana February-March 1997