Dec 1998

DECEMBER1998 Rs 27 1^' X. - I J J '^W'- « —TJ i¥> ¦«*T. 2 (J L Changing times f The Zoroastrian Cooperative Bankfew December 1998 Volume 21 Numbers 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 Krariti M. Shilotri, Nivedita S. Dhotrc MARKETING DIRECTOR Voora Patel ADVERTISING MANAGER Jasmine D. Driver ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Susan Hadvaid FINANCE B. L. Arora DTP Bakhtavar R. Batliwalla, K. P Ravi SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Khurshid Panthaki ASSISTANT SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Swarupa Kamal ACCOUNTANT Anagha Korde ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT Varsha Godbolc ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT Indu Pillai OFFICE ASSISTANTS Umesh Poojary, Selvan Mark, Sunil Sakharc, Govind Salgaonkar, Mahipal Jadhav 2 Readers’ Forum 7 Events and Personalities 14 Zoroastrians Abroad: FEZANA AGM by Arnavaz Mama 16 Leach and Weborny: A ‘clean’ business by Hilla Quzder 20 Lorrie and Rusi Gorimar:Come ‘wave’ with me by Qiuslasp Irani 24 Banking on its balance by Parinaz Gandhi 20 N. R, Kaiyaniwala Agiary centenary: Ablaze in Ajmer 32 19th century Gujarat Parsis: Near and yet apart - 7 38 Monaz Tantra; Striking her way to glory by Aspi Ustad 40 Dina Mehta: A playwright at work 50 Milestones Cover: Interior of Zoroasfrian Bank’s Bombay Main Branch Parsiana is edited, published and printed by • lehangir R. Patel for Parsiana Publications Pvt Ltd at Kaiset-E-Hind Pvt Ltd, 300 Perin Nariman Street, Bombay 400001. Processing Comart Lithographers. All rights reserved. ISSN: 0971-3786. Phone: 2078730. 2072024. Fax: 2074541. For editorial enquiries: 2078183. E-mail: parvoiagiasbmOI vsnl.nct.in Parsianaiftyahoo.com For subscription enquiries and payments: C/n Kaiser-E-Hind Pvt Ltd, 300 Penn Nariman St (Betiind Reserve Bank of India), Bombay 400001. Phone: 2658619, 2665661. Fax: 2654585. Eleven issues of Parsiana arc published in a year including a calendar supplement every December Annual inland subscription for one year (11 issues) Rs 275; for two years (22 issues) Rs 525; for three years (33 issues) Rs 775. Foreign subscription rates: Seamail for one year Rs 500/ US $ 14/UK £ 9; lor Iwo years Rs 950/US $ 25/UK E 15: for three years Rs 1,400/US $ 36/UK E 22 (please allow six months or more tor seamail delivery from the time of publication). Airmail for one year Rs 800/US S 23/UK £ 15 (for Pakistan, Indian Rs 575); for two years, Rs 1,500/US $ 43/UK £ 27 (for Pakistan, Indian Rs 1,075); for three years Rs 2,2S0flJS $ 60/UK £ 37 (for Pakistan, Indian Rs 1,600). For Indian upcountry ctieques add Rs 20 for bank charges; for US cheques add $ 5; for UK cheques add E 3. Cheques and drafts are to be drawn in favor of Parsiana. IREADERS’ FORUM 200 1¦ never see Take for instance my own great ­ grandfather Mr Manockjee Cursetjee who founded a cosmopolitan school for Indian girls. The Alexandra Girls ’ En ­ glish Institution began, way back in 1863, to give Indian girls of any community sa ,00 ¦8* “ '!¦ * ! . 100- •» * ! - originate ? Who created them ? What does he mean by “spiritual? ” Who is the cre ­ ator of things “spiritual? ” Mr Dadrawala and I will eye to eye where Mazdayasni-Zoroas- trianism is concerned, so I shall say no more about it — except to remind him of the opportunity to be educated in the the word.s of our Holy Prophet English medium so that they could take Zarathushlra: their rightful place in public society “Then did I realize Thee as the most alongside their Oxford, Cambridge or ' * ” ' ' ¦' ’ ’ London trained husbands of those far off days instead of being left at home as “ornamental chattel ” to cook and wash, produce and bring up children! The school was started with only 13 girls from respectable families, as that was the only criterion for admission. It is still going strong with over 1,000 girls. The school has never taken government grants to date though it has followed all the rules of the Government ’s educa ­ tional edicts. Mr Manockjee Cursetjee was the first our 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. G.P.O. bountiful one when the good mind en ­ circled me completely. When I first be ­ came enlightened through Thy Words, Thou didst teach me how hard it is to induce faith among mankind, yet will I practise what Thou declarest to me is the best (Ys 43:11).” “At the time when Thou didst com ­ mand me, ‘Go to Asha in fulness of knowledge ’ Thou hadst not revealed to me things unheard of; but Thou didst reveal them when, to dispel all darkness before me, Srosh, divine obedience, ac ­ companied by the blessing of divine Indian sheriff of Bombay in 1856 and light, arose within me (Ys 42.12).” again in 1863, as also the first Indian “Then did I realize Thee as the most chief judge of the Small Causes Court at ' bountiful one, O Mazda Ahura, when Bombay in front of whom the English the good mind encircled me completely, barristers of those days were irked to the good mind encircled me completely. 1 ‘ He declared to me that silent meditation plead their cases, yet all his judgements were upheld by the High Court at Bombay. Then there was my father, the late i.s best for attaining spiritual enlighten ­ ment (Ys 43-15).” “Now in truth I have beheld Him clearly in my mind ’s eye, knowing Captain Kavas Ookerjee, who having through Asha of the good spirit in word taken his entire nautical training on the and deed, I can now see Mazda Ahura training ship//. M. S. Conway anchored Himself (Ys45. 8).” perin divecha on the River Mersey at Liverpool in England received his Masters certificate from the board of trade in London on August 11, 1911, empowering him to captain any seagoing steamship any ­ where in the world. All through the First World War he was master of the S. S. PERIN DIVECHA Kent. UK “Reach the inner fire” I thank Mr Noshir Dadrawala for plaining why he is not ashamed to say “Meaningless titles” In Readers ’ Forum {Parsiana, April 1998) I read “Meaningless titles, ” a let ­ ter by Dr P. Sunavala. Granted, that the conferment of British titles in India Zaynee of the Persian Steam Ship Com- can no longer be used by Indians in pany plying between Bombay and Basra India! However, what Ms Dilnavaz Bhagwagar wrote about Maneck Dalal and Dr Jamshed J. Irani showed that the British still recognize the worth of those the Scindia Steam Navigation Company. His was the idea of opening a nautical training ship for Indian boys who could train to become master mariners without going to the UK, though their final ex ­ amination papers had to be sent to the UK. In or about 1929, the Dufferin was ex- that he worships fire (“Reach the inner fire, ” Readers ’ Forum, Parsiana, July- August 1998). The self-assessment of his “intellectual awareness, ethical un ­ derstanding and spiritual consciousness ” is most impressive. He further writes about the “fire energies ” within himself, the “spiritual energy ” of the consecrated fire, and the “divine energies ” within the universe all becoming one. Where or in what do they become one? He also writes of his spiritual ecstasy when he is pray ­ ing before the fire. First, let me say how fortunate he is to experience spiritual ecstasy — few hu ­ man beings can say this with so much confidence. Secondly, I find it a bit difficult to equate all these energies and spiritual ecstasy he experiences with his belong to our small but brilliant commu- comment about the fire being his object of worship. Where do all these energies in the Persian Gulf. From 1920 to the day he retired in 1948 he was marine superintendent of Indians who may no longer be their subjects, as well as highlighted the out ­ standing qualities of these two very clever and capable men and their achievements for the information of Parsiana readers. Surely, taking itforgranted that Dr P. opened for Indian cadets to betrained in Sunavala is a Parsi, he should have felt some sense of pride that these two men India. Though unfortunately the credit was not given to my father, yet right through the Second World War years nity which ha.s achieved so much for (1939-1945) my father used to go on India and has even shone abroad. this ship to take the final examination of r 2 Parsiana December 1998 Ithe cadets. The then British Govern ­ ment of India appointed him, because of his vast experience and as a successful old H. M. S. Conway cadet. I used to accompany him, staying on board over- Adopt a heritage book ' The Asiatic Society of Bombay has un ­ dertaken a project entitled “Heritage of the Parsi Community. ” The project is to prepare an annotated catalog of all books. head held high because I am of old Parsi stock and am proud of the fact. PERIN M. R. B. JEEJEEBHOY film those beyond repair, or doing both for the very rare and precious collec ­ tions. The Asiatic Society of Bombay now has two laboratories, the Conserva ­ tion Laboratory and Microfilming Labo ­ ratory, both dedicated to prolong the life of their valuable books. Donors may adopt a book or any number of books either for conservation or for microfilming for Rs 1,000 or for both conservation and microfilming for Rs 2,000. Donors have a right to adopt a night for two nights as guests of Captain Digbybest who was the master of the Dufferin. There was a special lunch for all the guests with Captain Digbybest at the journals, articles and manuscripts on head of the long dining table with Ms Digbybest at the other end and all of us arranged according to our standing. My Gujarat where Parsi settlements exist particular title or section or name a sub ­ father as the senior examiner was al- and existed, such as Surat, Navsari, ject or discipline. Show how much you ways on the Captain ’s right hand. Then Udvada, Khambhat, Bharuch and other care by adopting one or more books for we were given a ceremonial sendoff in such places. The idea behind this project the Parsi heritage project. the Dufferiii’s spacious launch back to i.s to make available to scholars and The Parsi heritage project would like Mazgaon pier from where we had been anyone interested ready reference on to take up the preservation and micro ­ picked up on Friday evening. More recently there was J. R. D. Tata, the most brilliant son India has pro ­ duced in this century, at whose death on November 29, 1993 the flag of the In ­ dian republic flew at half-mast on all government buildings in Bombay. He was a Parsi. Whether we were under the security of the British Raj or under the doubtful safety of the present regime, the Parsis have not only enriched but added luster to the Indian soil. I write this with my Parsis and Zoroastrianism available in the libraries of Bombay and the cities of and existed, such as Surat, Navsari, Udvada, Khambhat, Bharuch and other such places. The idea behind this project i.s to make available to scholars and anyone interested ready reference on material available anywhere in these filming of its collection on the same libraries on a subject-wise basis; thus facilitating research and study. The project has completed its first phase of concerned with preserving the Parsi heri- covering the Asiatic Society Library and some other libraries in Bombay. In the course of this work many books, jour ­ nals, manuscripts, some dating back to the 1600s have been found damaged and some beyond repair. The Asiatic Society has started an “Adopt a Book Scheme ” for this very purpose to conserve books and micro ­ basis. We appeal to book lovers and those tage for posterity to join the “Adopt a Book Scheme ” and contribute to this project. We can be contacted at Town Hall, Bombay 400023, E-mail; asbl@ giasbom2. vsnl.net. in.wTel; 2660956. Fax: 2665139. Dr mani KAMERKAR Vice-President, Asiatic Society of Bombay and Coordinator, Heritage of the Parsi Community Project With Best Compliments From VIH2QN TM r? i ¦4' Guniting, Civil & Painting Contractors Specialists in renovation of multi^storied buildings SINCE 1974 1st Floor, 7, Cassinath Building, Cassinath Street, Tardeo, Mumbai 400034 Phones: 4923560/4938949 Fax: 4925601 Gram; VELDCOATS 4 Parsiana December 1998 II I I y For the affluent aged The proposal for a senior citizens ’ home in south Bombay contemplated by Non- Resident Indians (NRIs) needs our full support. It ’s the need of the hour for all who are unable to bear the stress and OverseaS chaHtieS Such complaints from other homes should serve as an eye opener to improve the quality ol lives of our senior citizens. KUMI J. DAROOWALA a place for us in their hearts. Dr SAM S. BHACCA President, Surat Parsi Panchayat “The Top Ten” . --------------- We read with interest the announcement strain ol domestic and health problems Many Parsis, especially the young, have regarding nominations for The Top Ten alone. But please let us have a home with setlledingoodnumbersoutsidelndia.lt in Parsiana, December 1997 and the roomsand attached bathrooms (however seems this tendency is steadily increas- Editor ’s request for names of Parsi/Zoro- small), furniture enough for comfort, mg. There are variou.s reasons for the astrian ‘greats. ’ This information is of good, wholesome food with room ser- - ................. vice if and when necessary, lift, TV and telephone facilities. Ideally there should be an in-house retired doctor and nurse who can give his/her service in return for free board and lodge and a supervisor who is paid well and has a humanitarian approach. We do have many home.s here and in Gujarat but they all cater to the lower class and leave much to be desired. Let this home be for the upper middle class who may want to be close to their rela ­ tives and friends in Bombay, a.s also the atash behrams and doongerwadi, good MarylandandPhiladelphia,haveforlong hospitals, etc since theirown children are ' - settled abroad. Many of these NRIs are deeply worried and concerned about their dear ones staying alone and facing all the hardships of weak health, domestic prob ­ lems, etc in spite of being financially well-off. We are thinking of couples as also individuals who have lost their spouses. It should also have the warmth places and sending them as donations. settled in good numbers outside India. It seems this tendency is steadily increas ­ ing. There are variou.s reasons for the same. Some think that those who do so particular relevance to us in the light of a care very little about their coreligionists staying in India, their various institutions and especially places of worship, reli ­ gious teachings, ceremonies, history, culture, etc. However, experience proves that it is not so. In fact Parsi,s staying outside the coun ­ try are more sympathetic towards their graphic exhibitions, lectures, "seminars coreligionists in Surat, Navsari and Udvada. Noble-hearted Zoroastrians from the associations of Greater New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Greater Boston area, California, Arizona, Florida, project for which we are requesting sug ­ gestions and initiating discussions and which would take place in London in 1999. Parsiana is rightly attempting to com ­ pile a list of outstanding Parsis/Zoroas- trians. Our project aims, through photo- and other means, to highlight the im­ mense contributions made by the Parsis/ Zoroastrians in various fields, be it by freedom fighters to the independence movement in India, by industrialists to the wealth of that country or in social, continued to be helpful to the needy of cultural and other spheres. The project is at its verj^ early stages and stems from a desire to highlight some ol these tremendous achievements and, through this series of events, heighten the UK public ’s awareness of the legacy left ourmotherland, ourreligious institutions, athornans, village folk, ruvan-khata kamdars and others. Since 1984, Prof Eruch Munshi, Mehroo and Lovji Cama of New York have started collecting good amounts by those whom we can, even today, jus- Irom fellow Zoroastrians of the above tifiably be proud of. of a home and facilities for interaction Living miles away from their mother- with other residents through some activi ­ ties and a common meeting place (or garden). All this may sound like a tall order equal to hotel accommodation. Please remember we have more than enough senior citizens ’ homes coming up for the lower middle class but their service leaves much to be desired, with indifferent supervisors who are under ­ paid. In most of these places, barring a few like the Parukh Dharamshalla at Hughes Road, the trustees have left almost every ­ thing to the supervisor. In some cases the place may have airy rooms and dormito ­ ries at reasonable rates, but the manage ­ ment leaves much to be desired. In one home the newly constructed blocks, in spite of all the facilities, are isolated far from the road. A couple which went with high hopes returned heart ­ broken because of the manager ’,s indif ­ ferent attitude. Meals were to be cooked and supplied by his sister but were or ­ dered from a nearby hotel and sufficient only for one person. TV and other faci ­ lities were at the discretion of the man ­ ager. We would be happy and grateful to receive and discuss suggestions from Parsiana readers and others. The scope and extent of the events will, of course, land they deem it their duty to contribute on the occasion of the Parsi New Year for the last several years. As per this practice depend on the finances available. All this year too they sent a very liberal correspondence may be addressed to the amount ol Rs 1,85,948 to Surat. An equal undersigned at: 52 Peterborough Road, amount was sent to Udvada and Navsari. London SW6 3EB, UK. Tel: In 1984, Perin and Eruch Munshi started annual luncheon get-togethers. All luncheon expenses were borne by them. The first time, the amount col ­ lected was $ 2,084. Since Perin ’s demise in 1993, Mehroo and Lovji have joined the noble cause. This year they collected $ 13,200 from the various associations. We, who are connected with the Parsi Panchayat, Surat, various religious insti ­ tutions of this historic city and those who get the belief it of this generosity feel so himself refentlessly day in and day out to the market , persuading people to be self- sufficient and make their family units London SW6 3EB, 441717314153. E-mail: sargamasc® aol.com SHIREEN ISAL-BARIA, ZERBANOO GIFFORD tendon, UK I wish to nominate Mr ManeckBehramji Javat of Karachi, Paldstan for his out ­ standing contribution to humanity, dur ­ ing the current century, through the cause of life insurance savings and protection. Starting at the age of 23, he exposed very grateful to them and thank them very sincerely for their kind thoughts. When we are passing through hard times ready to face the storms of an uncertain economic future. There were initial set ­ backs, as is to be expected, yet he vigor- J soon suc ­ cess followed. Maneck joined the insur ­ ance industry in 1955 with the American Life Insurance Company and remained on contract up to its nationalization in these days, this help is very welcome and it will lessen our difficulties, to some extent, in maintaining the institutions ously doubled his efforts and and helping the deserving of the commu ­ nity. We salute ourdear coreligionists who, though staying away from us, have kept 5 Parsiana December 1998 II BOYS’ TOWN Public School Nasik 2 Recognised as a Public School by the Department of Educa ­ tion for Indian Merit Scholars. Excellent Climate -- All- round Education. A new two-storeyed dormitory with attached bathrooms, study and lounge rooms has just been completed to house 180 boys. All Academic Subjects -- Technical Subjects: Work ­ shop Technology, Mechanical & Electrical Maintenance, Carpentery & Farming. Train ­ ing in Self-Government through Elected Boys ’ Office bearers. Games — Physical Training. Daily Assembly with Congregational Prayers — Weekly intensive Zoroas- trian-Geeta-Koran classes. Excellent Modern Kitchen and Dining Room facilities. Moderate Fees. Concessions and even freeship to Deserving Students. Children of priests-freeship. Navar Martab facility. Also anangement to send such boys at Trust expense to their vari ­ ous destinations, so that they are in touch with performing religious rituals. Also further studies after SSC can be ar ­ ranged if desired. Apply to THE MANAGING TRUSTEE P. N. MEHTA EDUCATION TRUST Cooks Building, 3rd Floor 324, Dr D. N. Road Bombay 400001 1972. He attended the College of Insur ­ ance at Surbitent, England for the in ­ spectors course and practical training at London and Nottingham in 1962, and specialized in group life and group acci ­ dent and medical insurance. Thereafter he qualified for the American Life Middle East education trips in 1963 and 1965, being the only person to qualify twice from Pakistan. Later he won the international award from the National Association of Life Underwriters of USA in 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1970. There were other distinctions too: he qualified for American Life, Home Of­ fice Building dedication ceremony at Wilmington, Delaware, USA in 1967 as the only member from Pakistan; quali ­ fied for the National Quality Award of the Insurance Association of Pakistan in 1968 and 1969; double qualified for the American Life Agency Convention from 1965-70; won President Ayre ’s Field Workers Award Campaign in 1965 and stood first among the Pakistani field workers and sixth among the world Aliconians... Since 1985 he has been working as life insurance consultant for multina ­ tional companies, industries and indi ­ viduals. The most singular achievement for Maneck was when his herculean efforts crowned him with success in qualifying for a scat in the prestigious Million Dol ­ lar Round Table Conference of USA, consisting of the world ’s most outstand ­ ing life insurance salesmen. They have to sell over one million dollars worth of life insurance, or its equivalent, in a calendar year. Maneck had to secure proposals worth one crore of rupees. And, during 1971, 1973 and 1975 he qualified to attend the Conference at USA. Maneck was the sole Pakistani to attend and to him fell the honor of hoist ­ ing the Pakistan flag at the Seattle Con ­ ference. Himself a deeply religious man, Maneck Javat sang with Benedict of Norcia that “To labour is to pray ” and he was in total agreement with the dictum of Pope Pius XII who proclaimed: “Work is not only, for every man, a means of decent livelihood, but it is the means through which all those manifold pow ­ ers and faculties with which nature, train ­ ing and art have endowed the dignity of the human personality, find their neces ­ sary expression. ” dadi r. surti Karachi, Paki.stan With best wishes from Farah & Tanya 6 Parsiana December 1998 Edited by Parinaz M. Gandhi ¦4'k I 1 Events and Personalities PreserVing Parsi culture economic, religious and social develop- hence their work provides a gleam into ‘There ’snotasingleinstitutionthatlooks ments, says Dhalla. the Parsi mind as it unfolded in the after the cultural aspects ot the Parsi To add to the two major libraries course of a century. “We have just not community. It needs to be done, ” says which are repositories of Zoroastrian cared to preserve things. I have an an- Dr Homi Dhalla, Zoroastrian scholar history and religious scholarship — the thology of Malbari ’s poems culled from and founder president ol the recently KRCOI Library in Bombay and the established World Zarathushti Cultural Meherjirana Library in Navsari — the Foundation (WZCF). Co-tru stee of the WZCF j^in the process of opening a Foundation, which has been registered with the charity commissioner, Bombay, to ­ gether with legal counsel Nadir Modi and Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and World Zoroastrian Organi ­ sation (WZO) trustee Dinshaw Tamboly, Dhalla hopes to induct trustees from different parts of the world to make the Founda- Dhalla: "We have tion “truly international. ” not cared to The trustees of the Incorpo- preserve things ” rated Trust Funds of Hong- Photo: Arnavaz Mama kong, Shanghai and Macao together with the WZO and other trust.s are currently helping the Foundation to launch its five-part program to preserve and revive the community ’s cultural in ­ frastructure. The Foundation expecls to function Rustomji ’s Daily Prayers of the Zoro- froni its one-room office at Chikalwadi, Tardeo, Bombay, provided by the Liai ­ son Committee thanks to the interces ­ sion offormer BPP chairman and present chairman of the Zoroastrian Association Rustomji. The Religion of the Good Life Dr AspiGolwalla, acknowledgesDhalla. by Sir Rustam Masani is next on the list Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy and Bai A. F. Petit First on the Foundation ’s list of projects is the documentation of the community ’s history from 1947 to 2000 thology of Parsi Gujarati poets in the AC. This job has already been assigned to Hormazdyar Dalal. Capt Hormuzdiar Desai, trustee of the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute (KRCOI), is similarly working on the history of Navsari. Both disserta ­ tions are expected to be comprehensive with “a very wide horizon ” including probed into all aspects of life, he says. economic, religious and social develop ­ ments, says Dhalla. To add to the two major libraries which are repositories of Zoroastrian 7 Parsiana December 1998 four books. Even the KRCOI doesn ’t have them! ” Dhalla comments on the community ’s indifference, as people forced to fit into smaller residences in increasingly inflationary times shed items of no immediate uso^to them with ­ out pausing to ponder their intrinsic value. The last and most ambitious proje'et is to preserve Avesta-Pahlavi manu- WZCF is in the process of opening ¦ new center of learning at ¦ the Albert Edward Institute I and Cowasjee Dinshaw I Hall and Library at East ¦ Street, Poona. The large ¦ number of 1,500 titles in ¦ Zoroastrian and Iranian I studies from the collection scripts and put them on CD-ROM which I of Nagpur ’s Ervad Hor- l|| musji Pavri is currently be ­ ing cataloged before being University Grants Commission ’s 15- publicizcd to the PoonaZo- roastrians and the Poona University, says Dhalla. WZCF would like to estab ­ lish a similar facility in South India — in Madras or Bangalore, he adds. The WZCF’s third priority accord ­ ing to Dhalla is the reprinting of old books. First on the list is Framroz r astrians— now accomplished. The fi­ nance for the reprint was provided by the author ’s two daughters now settled in Australia: Dr Pilloo Rustomji and Jer of titles for revival. The works of Sir J. J. Modi and Sheriarji Bharucha, an an- has a lifespan of 350 years according to specialists, says Dhalla. He cites the crore-rupee project to put 170 libraries of the country on the Internet. “The 2,000 manuscripts of the KRCOI would get worldwide exposure on CD-ROM,” he notes, adding, “The 500-year-old manuscripts at Navsari are crumbling. If nothing is done, they ’re gone! ” The WZCF hopes to start the project with some manuscripts in private collections. Teaching Gujarati to Parsi students has already begun, with Saturday morn ­ ing classes at Girton High School cater ­ ing to their own students plus those from the Lady Engineer, Cowasjee Jehangir and Panday High Schools. Similar classes are being conducted at the Sir High Schools, and Dadar is the next location under consideration. Using the “play-way ” method of teaching lan ­ guages (which eliminates homework) followed by snacks, the Foundation last 100 years including Ardeshir Khabardar, Jehangir Desai, Jamshedji Petit and Behramji Malbari are other hopes to create enough interest to hold ventures. “Audience or no audience, these things have to be preserved, ” Dhalla is categorical. These poets had competitions by the end of the year. The revival of Parsi songs, Shah Nameh recitals and kirtans on regular basis are other ideas which the WZCF isto plant 1,400 saplings of neem, tama ­ rind, eucalyptus and casuarina and has urged farmers from the villages around him to look after them as future revenue earners. The project ha.s been partly funded by the New York based WCRP. Arnavaz S. Mama exploring. Dhalla seeks to preserve old agiaries and sites like the Bahrot Caves (where the Iranshah was lodged for nearly 12 years during intense political strife in Gujarat) to which there is cur ­ rently no easy access, no security and no cleanliness. Dhalla would like to create a motorable road to enable more Zoro- astrians to visit the Caves. There is also Intellectual interaction an ongoing project of setting Gathic stanzas to western classical music in ­ volving Meher Jansen. Well-known in interfaith circles, Dhalla was involved in organizing a Hindu-Christian dialog on conversion September 13, 1998. under the auspices of the World Confer ­ ence for Religion and Peace (WCRP). He is the only Parsi on the board of the Inter-religious Federation for World joint honorary secretary B. R. Gazdar in Peace, New York and on the board of advisors of the Oxford-based Interfaith Centre. He has also been involved with the activities of the San Francisco based United Religions Initiative. Acknowledging the guiding influ ­ ence of the late Dastur Nowrooz Minochehr-Homji, Dhalla ’s interests include human rights, ecology, peace and education beside,s interfaith dialog. Near his Lonavala farm he says he in ­ vited school children from the vicinity Neville Pawri and Pervez Daruwalla. In the first group (up to standard VII) the winners were Danesh Taraporewala from St Mary ’s ICSE, Pashyn Sethna from St Mary ’s SSC and Zarvan Mistry from Christ Church. In the third group comprising junior college students the winners were Sharzad Sethna from Jai Hind, and Arzan Bhagat and Hoshidar School children as also college students Mistry from the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy were given “a platform to intellectually Parsee Charitable Institution. The fourth ' " group which constituted senior college students from different colleges saw Porus Zainabadi from Lala Lajpatrai, Navroj Sanjana from Jai Hind and Rushad Kapadia from BVCOE emerge as victors. interact with one another ” at Brainstorm 1998, an all-Parsi quizcontest conducted by the Rustom Baug Association on Twenty-five teams participated in the elimination round from which 16 teams were selected for the finals, writes the his report. The competitors who were divided into four groups vied for cash prizes gifted by Jamshed and Shirin Guzder, the Rustom Baug Association and those received in memory of Banu and Ervad Mahiyar, Framroze Dastoor and Meherji Rana. Among the winning teams, the most notable performance was in the second group (standard VIII to X) where the victors were all from the Dadar Parsi Youths Assembly: Farzad Ghadiali, g Wanted a copy of Parsi Lustre on Indian Soil by H. D. Darukhanawala. Please write stating price expected to: The Advertiser (Lustre) Parsiana G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400001 ¦4' 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 Personal Assistants’ Programme (Working Stenographers) Shorthand/Typewriting/Electronic Typewriting Telephone Operating & Receptionist Techniques English Conversation & Writing Skills o Personality Development and Computer Packages Enquire at: Sir J. J. College of Commerce 14, Nanabhoy Lane, Hutatma Chowk Mumbai 400001 Tel: 2871058/2844329 Fax: 2871185 8 Parsiana December 1998 * II Fast on the net Zoroastrian.Net , the new website launched from Bombay on August 21. 1998, has been chosen for the Best of the Planet People ’s Choice Awards 1998. notes a press release issued by Hilbur Daruvala. Competing with sites from companies like Pepsi, Playboy maga ­ zine, Ferrari and Apple Computer. Zoroastrian.Net was j udged for the speed and ease of use of its site, design, quality of content, timeliness and the level of interactivity and use of technology. Their website h ttp.//www.Zoroastrian.Net which is entitled to carry the Best of the Planet Awards citation and icon will be put through two more stages of evalua ­ tion to decide the final winners, notes the release. ____ _ Conceptualized and designed by left) Khurshed Sanjana, Eriieli Billiinoria, Maneck Chena, chief guest Dhanmai Larry Grant, Zoroastrian.Net has two parts: The first part aims to be the defini ­ tive site for all material on the Zoroas ­ trian religion and the Parsi community, accommodating the views of famous authors and historical authorities. It also carrie.s a news section announcing births, deaths, etc which will be published free of cost. In addition there is a provision for books and publications, famous fami ­ lies, personal profiles, classified adver- ¦ 1 i i J "Simple hut sincere" Zarathoshtis selected to receive awards from the Parvez Katrak Foundation at the felicitation function atAslaji Agiary in March ’98 (from Madon, Parvez. Kutrak. Parvez. Mehta and Jal Sark an Photo; C. C. Gandevia The Parsi Personal Touch in the sec ­ ond part i.s what gives Zoroastrian.Net its unique character, notes the article. It offers personal services, presently avail ­ able only in Bombay and Poona, in the rated soon to make it “the single largest form of arranging all the logistics .for source of information and communica ­ tion within the community, ” as per the detailed write-up. tisemcnls, an extensive guide to agiaries, trusts, dharainshalas and Zoroastrian organizations and sites around the world. The complete Gathas and guides to all ceremonies and prayers will be incorpo- navjotes and weddings, the saying of prayers at an agiary or at the doonger- wadi, or arranging to visit the old or With Best Wishes From Mr Rusy M. Shroff, M.B.E. and Mrs Purviz R. Shroff 10 Parsiana December 1998Piloo Jungalwalla with husband Nowshir (inset) ailing on behalf of those not able to do so personally. Simply significant “Every seven days there is a break in our calendar...To remind us of our loving creator, Dadar Hormazd. The entire cal ­ endar is centered on Him and Hi.s beau ­ tiful creation, ” explains Piloo Nanavutty (Jungalwalla) in her 16-page booklet Our Sacred Calendar-A Quizfor Young and Old to help the readers comprehend the significance of Dae-pa-Adar, Dae- pa-Meher, Dae-pa-Din among the 30 rozs. every month. The logic behind the 30 days is effec ­ tively conveyed in a question-answer format so that even those who may know My friend, their roz days by heart without under ­ standing the attributes they denote can henceforth grasp the basics. “Now that the 11th day is named Khorshed, the sun, will the 12th day be named Mohor, the moon? ” This query posed in the book will remain with the reader for a long time. So too will the message for the cluster of Meher, Srosh and Rashna: “On the fourth day (after death) at dawn, Srosh (the guardian of all human souls, specially after death), with Rashna (who khanawala ’s 84 holds the scales of justice) and Mcher (the just judge) leads the soul to Chinvat Bridge, the bridge of judgment. ” Those interested in obtaining a free copy of this booklet, which serves as educational material for the Young Farohars of Delhi, should write to Brig A. S. Sahukar (Retd), joint secretary, Delhi Parsi Anjuman, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, Delhi Gate, New Delhi 110002. While Piloo Jungalwalla continues to be committed to her religious pur- z V* suits, her late husband Nowshir who was a medical practitioner of renown having to his credit “humanitarian and professional accomplishments ” was of­ fered the 2000 Millennium Medal of Honor by the American Biographical Institute. In their letter of June 1998, nearly three years after his demise, the Institute announced “you are one of the godfather, the good and evil effects of few selected for nomination... for the century ’s most notable medal com ­ memorating extraordinary achievement during the last 100 years. ” poison, pursuing one ’s convictions, showing concern for the present rather than the future. As reads a blurb on the back cover, “Remember that in life fan ­ tasy can turn to fiction and fiction into “Then why must we live?” reality. ” “There is no greater joy than this. To separate from here ¦A All wish yet unfulfilled Will finally Come to an end. Wish no more to love or hale. Not to have, not to wait, And sorrow can ... ..i.-. Never take. ” This was the last of Noshir Sorabji Poch- over- 5 vcrse.s carried in My Poems which he pub ­ lished in 1998, Pochkhanawala: a few months from reality to before the de- fantasy misc of this in ­ dustrial consultant in October 1998. Written during the period 1937 to 1998, there is a certain pining, an element of unrequited love which permeates the poems and keeps the reader engrossed. The illustrations are catchy and his phi ­ losophy on life absorbing. As he says in Inhibitions: “What the eyes do not see The heart doe.s not grieve; What the ears do not hear There can be no fear; What the tongue does not speak There is nothing to retrieve, and What the finger does not write There need be no reprieve. If thus we believe. Then why must we live?... ” The last 10 pages of this book are devoted to “Quotes by N. S. Pochkha ­ nawala ” wherein he states, “The best thoughts are those which come without thinking. ” Also in 1998 we had received an ­ other work from this author, 6 Short Tales. The stories are of varying tastes: two fantasies, one reality, three fictions, each with a moral, be it the need for peace of m ind over prosperity, the bonds of close ties, the Ilealing presence of a Besides fiction and poetry which pre ­ occupied him in his later life, Pochkha ­ nawala had applied his mind to finan ­ cial, economic, industrial, political and other subjects as borne out by the differ ­ ent articles he has authored. Prior to his consultancy work he was involved with the erstwhile D&P Products (Private) Limited, manufacturers of the Dipy brand of processed food which he had co-founded. A graduate from the Lon ­ don School of Economics and Political Science, this son of Sir Sorabji Poch ­ khanawala (the founder of the Central Bank of India) and Lady Sakerbai had also studied banking and law. His books, published under the ban ­ ner of Enespee Publications, always listed his many titles and promised of “more to come. ” The mark of the mariner “Based on his outstanding accomplish ­ ments to date and the noble example he has set for his peers and entire commu ­ nity, ” Capt Sam B. Aga was selected Man of the Year 1997 by the American Biographical Institute. He was conferred 12 Parsiana December 1998( k a was birfs, mammals, fish. Liilo mm ", " '’Utterflies, insects, repliles.amphibians which hs,«l J "" " c P"J“"''“"“ pre-historic animals with each topic lol I k ,1, ‘lour hours was sometimes running into more than 100 lelecast by the local TV channel for two oan.s consecutive days, we are informed. The Yazdi Karanjia Group is cred- ited with being the only drama troupe regularly performing Parsi Gujarati plays in all parts of the country. Recently they performed at Singapore and will soon be marking the 200th anniversary of their popular play Behram ni sasoo, written by the late Phirozc Antia, notes the re- jdlHj port. A commerce teacher by profession pages, notes a write-up Cyrus D. Sidhva of the Athornan Boarding Mad- ressa. Although he was attracted to ­ wards philately since his school days at the By- ramjee Jeejee- bhoy Parsee Charitable Institution, it was only dur ­ ing his years of service \vith Volkart Brothers that he could collect a good number of Swiss stamps from discarded correspondence covers, mentions Sidhva. As noted The Times of India of December 25, 1966, “To this modest old man, philately is hardly a hobby — it is a labor of love, a way of life, chosen and cultivated with tender clrc through the was awarded the S war long hard years of manhood and middle - by 1 this distinction at a function on July 31, note.s a press release. He was also named Man of the Year 1997 by the shipping fraternity of India and enjoys the honor of being listed in the sixth edition of 5,000 Personalities of the World which is an international recognition for ser ­ vice to the marine profession, adds the write-up from the Exim News Service. He i.s a senior partner in Ericson and Richards, ship and marine surveying com ­ pany to almost all Indian and most foreign ownctl shipping compa ­ nies, underwriters, salvage associa- Aga: at the helm tions and protec ­ tion and indemnity clubs. “Due to his strict no-nonsense and friendly work attitude, Ericson and Richards with Capt i Aga at the helm has been appointed as non exclusive surveyor to variou.s well known and respected ship classification societies like the American Bureau of Shipping, Germanischer Lloyd, Nippon g popular play Behram ni sasoo, written Karanjia i.s the principal of The Cambay Institute of Commerce and founded the Yazdi Karanjia Group in 1959 under the guidance of his lather. With the coop ­ eration of his wife, siblings, children and friends, Karanjia produces light and innocent comedies, their main aim be ­ ing to keep alive Gujarati theater and perform mainly for charitable causes. A recipient of the Gujarat Gaurav Award by the government of Gujarat in 1994, Karanjia Sadhna Ratna for outstanding contribu- Mistry: philately more than a hobby Kaiji Kyokai...(and as) nautical safety j ------ - Liberia, Bahamas, Panama, Honduras... ” state.s the release. Lucknow born Aga joined the train ­ ing ship Dufferin in 1931, then gained expertise with different establishment.s like Scindia, Bombay Port Trust, P&O Lines, and is now respected for his var ­ ied practical experience of pilotage, ship and cargo surveys, cargo adjustment of ships, tire and quality surveys, pre-ship- ment surveys, etc. As chairman, presi ­ dent, master and member of numerous nautical institutions his versatility both on-shore and off-shore have been put to optimal use. Dramatic felicitation Several charges were levelled at him. The acting judge sentenced him to per ­ form dramas regularly till the end of his life. This was the fate decreed for thes ­ pian Yazdi Karanjiaof Surat at the mock trial arranged to felicitate him on the occasion of his completing 60 years in Mai ch 1998. As conveyed by Gujarati litterateur Dr Ratan Marshall, “This wa.s a unique function where people gath- Karanjia (left) being honored by Chandrakant Purohit as wife Veera looks on inspectors for the governments of lion in the field ofarl and drama in 1996- 97. 'ain- and cargo surveys, cargo adjustment of Chandrakant Purohit as wife Veera 13 Parsiana December 1998 age. ” Former president and governing council member of the Empire of India Philatelic Society, Mistry is known to have participated in many national and international exhibitions and had won 48 awards, as per Sidhva ’.s count. As managing trustee of his Left his stamp Hailed a.s the doyen of philately, Darabshaw Rustomji Mistry who died ........... i. uon..v vn ms attheageot9l on Augusts, 1998 was grandfather ’s Jivanji Jamaspji Mistri best known for his collection of wildlife • • • • - stamps. “He has more than 20,000 wild ­ life stamps carefully pasted onto 1,200 Adarian in Sayedpura, Surat, during the centenary celebrations of the Agiary in ¦----- --—J v.av . 1997 he was felicitated for his 52 years tubum pages. Some ol the rare stamp.s of selfless and dedicated service to the date back to the 19th century, ” read the Agiary, recollects his daughter Aileen. entry which first appeared in the Linica Book of Records J992. His “zoo on Compiled by Parinaz M, Gandhi . J /'ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD The changing guard The 11th AGM of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America welcomed its third president f f Amavaz S. Mama “The willingness to accept challenges to convention is revitalizing to the religion and it helps the religion to regain the moral strength which it must wield, ” noted outgoing FEZANA (Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America) president Dolly Dastoor in her Pages now includes over 9,000 names valedictory address at the Federation ’s 11th annual general meet ­ ing (AGM) at Rye Brook, New York on July I, 1998. “Let us live and let live. If to keep harmony, we can all march to many drum ­ mers, we will create a com ­ fortable Zarathushti space to accommodate all of ‘us ’ of all different persua ­ sions, ” she added. New York ’s Framroze Patel, who succeeds Das ­ toor as president, was elected in a postal ballot by Patel: in the vanguard the member associations. Photo: Porus Cooper Coming in as vice presi ­ dent is Ardeshir Anoushiravani of Los Angeles. Rustom Kevala who had been chairman of FEZANA’s publications committee since 1991 resigned to join the board as treasurer, a post vacated by Sarosh Collector. Mehran Sepehri and Mahrukh Motafram continue as secre ­ tary and assistant secretary respectively. A direct result of the strategic plan adopted by FEZANA a year ago is the production of The Zarathushti Reli­ gion, A basic textbook compiled by Mobed Faribourz Shahzadi in collabo ­ ration with Khojeste Mistree of Zoroas ­ trian Studies (ZS), Bombay. Prepared _ _________ under the CIMNA (Council of Iranian public relation.s committee chaired by Mobeds ofNorth America) banner it has " J 7 Z ,___ been cosponsored by FEZANA and the member associations. Providincr ing the “knowledge base of the reli- T"” Z____ gion.”Paradise, adocudramaon the life acknowledges the input of Bombay ’s and thought of Zarathushtra, produced FirozaPunthakey-MistreeandKhojeste Mistree of ZS in the compilation. To Montreal ’s Vahista Canteenwalla is as ­ cribed the layout and presentation of the well-organized kit. Summarizing their 1994-96 activi ­ ties that resulted in the publication of the o I first edition of the NA Directory, project chairman Dr Noshir Langranarecounted that the visual basic program was devel- earlier, i.s part of the same effort. The second edition of the Zarathushtis in North America: Directory and Yellow North American Mobeds Council. A basic curriculum for religious education has been prepared and printed by the religious education committee to com ­ plement this text book aimed at expand- 14 Parsiana December 1998 FEZANA. In her covering letter Dastoor as against the first edition covering 4,000 names, testifying to the in ­ creasing FEZANA’s member asso ­ ciations to community members and thereby pro- oped by Viraf Commissariat who worked viding a “better handle on long and hard together with other North American (NA) Zo­ roastrian demography. ” FEZANA itself counted anew associate at the 11th directory census project had generated AGM as the Zoroastrian approximately $ 7,000, said Langrana. Association of Florida joined to increase its mem ­ bership to 23 associations across the continent. The bound agenda and reports of the office bearers and viding postal and e-mail addresses and committee chairpersons was a welcome phone and fax numbers. innovation at this AGM. Other information included in the Another achievement has been the Directory are listings of FEZANA’s of- rccognition of FEZANA as a religiou.s non-governmental organization in con ­ sultative status with the United Nations ’ Economic and Social Council, as noted Dastoor. The creation of a FEZANA web page, averaging 300 visits a day from inter ­ ested people and a prototype Press kit have been aimed at providing greater exposure and awareness of the religion to other communities. The Press kit prepared by FEZANA’s reach ZAGNY (Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York) members to'^gener- ate a consistent format for this data. The “The second time around the data collection was a lot less painful, ” he added. The 432-page second edition of the Directory includes over 3,900 fam ­ ily entries with about 9,000 names, pro ­ ficers and committee chairpersons, NA associations, small groups, and dar-e- mehers, overseas Zarathu'shti organiza ­ tions, the Council of Iranian Mobeds of North America and the North American Mobeds Council. An index of Zara- thushti web pages and the Zoroastrian Business Network Directory are also included. The printing and shipping costs of $ 7,980 have been defrayed from an ad ­ vertisementincome of $ 9,500. Priced at US $ lO, postal copies of the Directory may be ordered from Langrana, 19 Brookfield Way, Robbinsville, NJ08691 on a cheque payment of $ 13 payable to FEZANA which includes a three dollar Jim Engineer was distributed to the J t;ap- suled inlormation on the religion and the community, its history and scrip ­ tures, languages and literature, the kit is postal charge. Co-organizer of the directory census project was Anahita Sidhwa. Census aimed atNorth American mcdiarequire- ments and gives substantial coverage to ¦14, » Is information sought included country of origin and year of birth, sex and reli- ------------------ gion. Can teen walla and Dastoor worked gether nearly equaling the revenue from increasing the number of subscribers. With donations and sponsorship to- to ensure that entries from all associa ­ tions were made available and the 16- strong “volunteer Directory users group _________ ____ , did an excellent (job of the) collabora- debating whether we should solicit more ads or should we just accept the low ad are also considering the purchase of a high-quality photo and text scanner to streamline production. A draft proposal for a FEZANA Trust Fund for Zarathushtis was submitted by Patel with the objective of providing financial assistance to Zarathushti stu ­ dents who have obtained admission to NA universities. The corpus of the Fund “We could have all of is expected to be generated through do- our scriptures and rare manuscripts recorded In an electronic format ” subscription, {he Journal registers a small surplus. Their advertisement revenue is so small that Kevala reported, “We are live data entry and editing, ” reported Lan grana. Apart from ZAGNY’s Ro- hinton Cama and Sheroo Kanga, Langrana acknowledged Firoza Fitch ’,s cover page graphics, Katy Driver ’s ad ­ vertisement collection, Shahriyar Shahriyari ’s Zoroastrian business net information, Feraydoon Demehri ’s web page listings and Kaika Clubwala ’s as ­ sistance for printing and shipping. The Zarathushti Religion Education Curriculum developed by the FEZANA education committee in collaboration with the two mobed councils of NA i.s enhanced with a list of available books and materials, submitted its chairperson Kayomarsh Mehta. It has been divided into six levels, each level to be covered in two years to coincide with 12 years of reported Kevala. Interpreting this to mean that Zarathushti and non-Za- rathushti students “are interested in our religion and want to learn about FEZANA,” Kevala underscored the need to keep the site up-to-date and relevant. He also hoped it would provide a link between FEZANA and all those Zara ­ thushtis who have chosen not to join any formal association. The web contents currently include an index of all articles in the Journal as well as selected articles plus informa ­ tion on latest happenings in NA. The nations from FEZANA member asso ­ ciations, charitable trusts, institutions and individuals. Financial assistance could take the form of loans, credits or outright grants. The proposal was approved at the AGM and an initial amount of $ 15,000 was transferred from FEZANA coffers, of which $ 10,000 was to be reinvested and $5,000 to be used for scholarship once the process was established. Con ­ tributions of over $1,000 were made from the floor in honor of Dastoor who had passionately espoused the project during her term as president, as notes a precis of the proceedings received by Parsiana. FEZANA, which has been offered 35 acres of land near Crestone, Colorado for use as a religious heritage site by the Manitou Foundation, has decided to make an application for the property without any major commitment at this point. The pristine area comes with water and sewer connections. All development must con ­ form to the covenants and restrictions of the Foundation ’s Environment and Ar ­ chitectural (E & A) Committee: Only 15 percent of the land is permitted to be - _ — disturbed for grading, construction of institution on the lines of Bombay s K. also have a web page to keep people roads; total area under roof to be one R. Cama Oriental Institute. Noting that informed of the progress. percent of the total with building height the cost of starting it at an existing center The domain name www. limited to 35 feet which is the height of the would be approximately $2,000, Mehta zarathushti.org acquired by FEZANA tree canopy in the region. added that the Zoroastrian Association includes pages for the two mobed coun- According to Kevala ’s submission ot Metropolitan Chicago had offered cils, links to other sites of Zarathushti the total area under roof will be limited the use of its library facility for the interest together with a bibliography of to 15,246 square feet. “Construction puipose. book.s and relevant material on the reli- costs and costs of heating and cooling Accoiding to the leport submitted by gion available in college libraries in NA will limit the building size anyway. The Kevala on behalf of the publications provided by professional librarian Aban building height restriction will permit a two-storey structure above ground, plus underground space if desired. Hence the conservation requirements do not seem to be overly restrictive. ” The rugged and mountainous terrain, uncluttered by human settlements, re ­ minded many in the FEZANA visiting group of Iran ’s Pir-e-Sabz and Pir-e- Banu in the deserts of Yazd where Ira ­ nian Zoroastrians congregate for a few revenue.s and not clutter up the Journal with more ads. ” The two-year-old FEZANA web site (www.fczana.org maintained by Rita Kapadia of AltaVisions) receives “250- 350 hits per day, ” about 200 being from educational sites, universities, libraries, schooling, Mehta noted. Interested adults could use the curriculum at an acceler ­ ated pace, he added. Mehta also presented a project to the AGM to start imaging and indexing Zaralhushti scriptures, seeking an initial funding approval of $ 3,000. “Over period of several years, we could have all of our scriptures and rare manu ­ scripts recorded in an electronic format for access, retrieval and archiving, ” he noted. Also under investigation is the feasi ­ bility of establishing a higher learning World Zoroastrian Congress 2000 will also have a web page to keep people informed of the progress. The domain name www. zarathushti.org acquired by FEZANA includes pages for the two mobed coun ­ cils, links to other site.s of Zarathushti interest together with a bibliography of book.s and relevant material on the reli ­ gion available in college libraries in NA a domain * committee, the FEZANA Journal now goe.s to 28 countries including Belarus, Greece, Russia, China and Hongkon;^ There is however only one subscription from Iran. Kevala also noted that despite the rise in subscribers in the US and Canada many people still have not heard and mailing theJournalafter it is printed etc. “The job would be ideal for a high ­ school student as the experience will count towards community service work which i.s required to gain admission at days each year to renew their spiritual many universities, ” note.s Kevala. They continued on page 48 'g- ot FEZANA or the Journal" and quested Zarathushtis in the know to send gift subscriptions to such individuals. He acknowledged the effort of subscrip ­ tion manager Mehrdad Khosraviani in re- 15 Parsiana December 1998 Rustom ji of Houston. The publications committee is bud ­ geting for a production assistant to help editor-in-chief Roshan Rivetna in her myriad duties including the entire type ­ setting and layout, collecting, sortingBUSINESS A ‘clean ’ business y With large institutional clients and thriving retail outlets, Leach and Weborny is one of Bombay’s oldest and biggest laundries Text and photographs by Hilla P. Guzder ness, Debu states that Leach and "When a passenger liner sailed into Bombay, Leach and Weborny would Weborny handles about 18,000 pieces a pick up 20,000 pieces of laundry, large and small, from the ship. The collection of clothes would itself take half a day and the entire consignment had to he washed and delivered within 36 hours. Charging a flat rate of less than one rupee per piece, only one bag would be actually counted, the rest would be packed by 100s and delivered on trust, ” recalls Aderbad Debu, partner of Leach and Weborny, one of the city ’s oldest laundries, reminiscing about the firm ’s early years. “In the 1940s it cost four anna.s for a customer to get his shirt laundered, eight annas for pant dry-cleaning and the princely sum of Rs 2.50 for a suit! Today, laundering a three-piece suit would cost Rs 125,” chuckles the short, spry and loquacious 85-year-old laun ­ dryman, his razor-sharp intellect recall ­ ing with clarity finer details of times long past. Interspersing the interview with receiving visitors, briskly signing cheques and issuing instruction.s to hi.s staff, Debu states in gentle tones: “My form a part of their regular clientele, word is law here, but I never say any ­ thing to hurt anybody. ” The God-fear ­ ing octogenarian keeps his head rever ­ entially covered at all times with hi.s Parsi topi. The laundry, housed since 1956 in the present large premises at Mahalaxm i (Worli), is in the heart of an industrial area, surrounded by a proliferation of workshops, auto repair garages and other by calenders (machines where cloth is small and medium sized industrial units in amaze of narrow and crowded streets. “We bought these premises from the South Indian Insurance Company, Ma ­ dras, ” informs Debu. “There used to be an aluminium-stamping concern here and we had to spend a good amount of money to make the place functional. ” Describing his laundry as the largest in Bombay in terms of volume and busi- day, large and small, which include washing, dry-cleaning, dyeing and car ­ pel cleaning. Hotels, restaurants, export * - A r 1 lAt-'- IK 1- ¦ Dehii: attending office regularly at 85 houses and pharmaceutical companies outside ferry the laundered linen to and from the various branches. Leach and Weborny came into the hands of the Deboo (“I am the only one who spells my surname Debu, ” enlight ­ ens Aderbad) family on October 1,1940 when Aderbad ’s brother Rusi bought the shop he was working in from its owner Kaikhushroo Limjibhai Panday. At that time the shop consisted of a small room in Hamam Street with a dry ­ cleaning section. Unaware of Leach and Weborny ’s history prior to that time, Debu displays two advertisemertts from The Times of India. One shows that the firm existed as far back as 1909 as “the leading tailors, ” with a dry ­ cleaning department and a boot and shoe department accompanying the tai ­ loring section! The second advertise ­ ment dated 1924 publicizes Leach and Weborny ’s “business and office suits... smart and dressy... ” with one suit cost ­ ing Rs 45 and three suits Rs 125! By that time the firm had a branch in Poona as well. Twelve years after he took over the business, Rusi bought a ready-made laundry at Jacob Circle, finally moving into the present premises,_3t Mahalaxmi on Khordad Sal in 1956. Rusi remained the sole proprietor till 1985 when a partnership was formed just before his death . “Rusi was a member of the Ameri ­ can and British institutes of laundering. while retail busines.s is carried out through eight branches situated at Hamam Street, Fort (which is also their head office), Nana Chowk, Gowalia Tank, Mohammcdali Road (Chakala), Byculla, King ’s Circle and Shivaji Park. Practically all washing is done by ma ­ chine, with not even five percent being He was abroad for two years around done by hand. All flat pieces are ironed 1949 and that experience stood him in good stead, ” narrates Aderbad who him ­ self started his working life not with Leach and Weborny but with the Tatas. “I was with Tata Aircraft during the World War II years. We used to repair damaged Spitfires at Dum Dum and pressed through rollers). “All our ma ­ chines arc imported and have given ster ­ ling service over years and years, ” de ­ clares Debu. The factory shed is a laby ­ rinth of thick pipes, machine presses, tumble dryers, vacuum and shampoo Barrackpore and we had a complete cleaners, dry-cleaning machines and salvage unit in Lucknow, ” he remem ­ dyeing vats, with workmen trundling bers. “We could repair one engine a day trolleys piled with clothe.s from one sec- and after the War we disbanded 11,000 tion to another. A lleet of vans parked workers spread over four to five units. ” 16 Parsiana December 1998 »Mi I i 'ii ! ii ' 'j j* I i ¦ ¦'? J; '¦S' ’i 17 Parsiana December 1998 The family: 1. Aderbad 2. Darius 3. Dolly 4. Shapur 5. Surti 6. Soli 1. Astad 8. Late Rusi 9. rickrack hanging out io dry 10. carpet cleaning 11. laundry departmentAt the factory; retail outlet (rif’ht) I f i An accounts/administration/personncl man, his services were transferred to the Tata Iron and Steel Company at Jam ­ shedpur in 1952, then to Tata Robin,s Bombay,mainlyhandlingitaliangroups. Fraser in ’73. A posting brought him to Bombay two years later and he finally joined Leach and Weborny in 1978. His younger brother Soli, who is also a partner, has been with the laundry since 1944 and is in charge of outdoor work, site visits to hotels, ships, etc. “He is a good PRO and has fine contacts," observes Debu. Brother Eruch ’s son Shapur, another partner, has also been with Leach and Weborny for over half a century and is the manager of the head office at Fort. Partner Darius, who i.s also Eruch ’s son, looks after purchas ­ ing, repairs, etc, “ageneral major-domo, ” notes Aderbad, eyes twinkling. Eruch ’.s son-in-law Soli Surti, another working partner, is also at the factory in charge of general work, certain hotels, pharma ­ ceutical companies, etc. In charge of the running of the whole factory is partner Dolly Dinshaw Deboo, acousin ’s daugh ­ ter who joined in the early ’50s. “It ’s a difficult and often thankless task, ” com ­ ments Dolly. Garment quality i.s infe ­ rior to what it was earlier, clothes do not pick up the prayers faster than the oth- have fast colors, prints wash off, button.s melt and “we have to deal with com ­ plaints from irate customers !” Problems Sydenham College, where he sharpened over the years have ranged from excess staff to hugely excess billing by the electricity department! Of Aderbad ’s three children, (“the greatest event of my life was when I got married in 1945 to RodaGustad Karai, ” beams Debu), daughter Kamal Jamshed education is not given to children today, Antia has been working with the Bank of Baroda in Jamshedpur since the age of 21, son Astad is an internationally acclaimed dancer (and a ‘sleeping part ­ ner ’ in Leach and Weborny, state.s Debu), whilst the youngest Gulshan works as power of prayer, Debu ’sprayers include an Italian speaking tourist guide in nity has become so Anglicized that con ­ versation within the family is in English, not Gujarati. ” A firm believer in the the Atash, Khorshed, Meher and Mahhokhtar Nyaish recited from memory, while his wife, he says proudly, prays seven yashts for two hours every “My whole family, parents, wife, chil ­ dren, were all born in Navsari, ” commu ­ nicates Aderbad. Father Shapoorji was day. an “abkari ” contractor, with shops sell ­ ing country liquor in Mhow and Indore. Aderbad ’.s brothers Bejonji and Eruch ran the shops till their own demise a few years ago, while sister Freny met with a quantity, the quality remains. Oh, yes, tragic end at the age of 15, when she fell into a well while on a picnic with young friends. Rusi and Aderbad ’s early education was at the Zoroastrian Boarding School in Dcolali, where the groundwork of munity will improve, the religion will their religious as well as secular educa ­ tion was laid. “In school, a prayer before lunch and dinner and thanksgiving be ­ fore tea was mandatory. By turns every eluding Saturdays for half a day. After ­ day, a boy had to stand up and pray aloud so he had to know his prayers ! We also learnt our prayers on the knee of our inai-iuaiiiai (mothers and grandmoth ­ ers), ” explains Aderbad, with sibling solving newspaper crosswords, keeping rivalry among a brood of young chil ­ dren ensuring that each child tried to Terming mixed marriages “difficult to stop, ” Debu believes howeyer that the size of the community is not of paramount importance. “Whatever the I see a good future for our community as there is still honesty of purpose. People will think five times before telling a lie, and it is circumstances around them that often force them to lie. Our com- sustain itself. ” In the evening of his life, Debu still attends office religiously every day in- noons are spent on an easy chair in front of the television, with a* brief snooze often induced by the ennui of the film on the screen! Relaxation is in the form of 18 Parsiana December 1998 * ers! Graduation was from Bombay ’s up with current sports events, etc. “I used to do gymnastics in school, Roman rings were my speciality. I played table ­ tennis and cricket. That is why I am fit even today, ” discloses the octogenarian whose stock reply to concerned ques ­ tions about his health is, “I am better today than yesterday! ” Neither does the question of who will succeed him in the business unduly per ­ turb him. Placing his faith in the younger his accounting skills in aclass of 90boys and one girl! “I also learnt Avesta- Pahlavi a.s a second language in col ­ lege, ” asserts Aderbad, “and I can still read the language. ” Bemoaning the fact that religious generation, he calmly enunciates, “Clod is great. If you are honest and sincere. He will look after you and your estab ­ lishment. ” Debu stresses the value of religious classes and humbandagi. “Ourcommu- IBUSI NESS Come ‘wave ’ with me Lorrie and Rusi Gorimar’s ‘Flagship ’ business sells national, corporate and custom-made flags to clients all over the world Gustasp Irani Rusi Gorimar ’s feelings towards Saddam chips in during the evenings and over places where US bases are located. Sales Hussein of Iraq are ambivalent. Like weekends, assisting with the financial, through the Internet account for the ma- most Americans he hates his guts. And marketing, purchasing and order pro- jority of our sales from abroad. The then again, each time the Middle East cessing aspects of the business. “Flag ­ dictator rattles his saber, it is good for his ship is more than just an across the family business. Rusi and his wife Lorrie counter, retail outlet. We also handle a sell flags which Americans love to wave lot of corporate accounts, each one hav- corporations that fly U^ flags and possi ­ bly state or corporate flags with their own logo from their head ­ quarters or their subsidiaries. Flags flown by corporations can vary in size from 5’x8’ to 20’x30’, depending on the height of the flagpole. “These flags reflect the pride of their corporation and .as such are designed and manufac ­ tured by us to exacting require ­ ments. ” A world-famous cus ­ tomer of Flagship is Sea World of San Diego which exhibits its pride in America by purchasing large US flags as also flags of the 50 states three to four times a year. On going through Flagship ’s brochure (which incidentally was Rusi and Lorrie Gorimar: selling flags designed and printed in India), one gets is a serious business an idea of the complexities involved in the business. It is not only the variety of ing its own flag and special require- flags available but the fact that they also come in different materials and sizes, from small hand-held flags to large Cola, Ryan Aeronautics, NASA Johnson 2O’x3O’ sewn ones that flutter above corporate headquarters and military bases. An interesting sidelight provided return on investment on the Internet is the best I have encountered, ” says Rusi. Another avenue of sales comes from when in the grip of patriotic mi fervor and no one seems to stir these feelings better than Saddam. Indeed, when the Iraqi strongman overran Kuwait and the allied troops, led by the USA, countered with the highly successful Desert Storm, the business was booming like never before. “There was apoint when we had run out of US flags and our two daughters (Leila and Megan who pitched in during their free time) started to sell US flags with 49 stars (there are now 50 stars for the 50 states) from our historic flags stock. That was till we found out and stopped them, ” says Rusi. Flagship Distributors, the name by which the family business is known, is more than just into selling US flags which, undoubtedly, account for a large ments, ” Rusi explains. Some of part of their turnover. They stock and Flagship ’s clients include Sony, Coca ­ sell almost every kind of flag available, Indian included, at their store located at Space Center and the US Navy. 3746, Sixth Avenue in San Diego, South California. Indeed, you can even buy gay and lesbian flags if you are inter ­ ested and this is not really surprising since every summer the community or ­ ganizes a parade down the street where classroom and the auditoriums. This cre- the shop is located. Little wonder, the signboards over their shop as also the clock shop Adjacent to the flag shop tomer base for our business. Our web fairly high inventory to process an order often lose their ‘L’s during this annual pageant! But like any other enterprise, selling market. Our orders come from Canada, flags is a serious business. Lorrie looks Mexico, Great Britain, Japan, Australia, after the day-to-day affairs while Rusi, a Germany, to name a few countries. Or- qualified electronics engineer and a full- ders from the US military are also re ­ time employee of Dynamic Instruments, ceived from Japan, Saipan and other tt “Schools are also our major custom- I ‘ 9^ J , ers. Every school in the US is required to by Rusi is that a US flag, when flown on fly a US and their state flag (such as California state) on their grounds. Be ­ sides a US flag is mounted in every ates a large demand for flags, ” he adds. “The Internet has created a large cus- US soil and from one flagpole, must always be flown above all other flags. Flagship also stocks accessories like hoisting ropes and loops and even em ­ blems, like the bald eagle, that perch on top of flag posts. “We have to carry a page http://www.flagdist.com/flagship quickly to stay competitive. When you has placed Flagship in the international add it all up, we have to lock a lot of dollars into the business, ” says Rusi. A crucial part of the operations is deter ­ mining what to carry and sourcing the material from different manufacturers. Equally crucial is marketing. Flag- 20 Parsiana December 1998 IGLOBE THEATRES Pvt Ltd ship has its own 800 (toll-free)number - job and a family business to fall back on. I (800) 25 Flags. In USA and Canada, He does not dwell too much upon the this is a special facility whereby anyone, early days when at the age of 21 he first hopefully a potential customer, calls the arrived in the USA as a student in pursuit number free as the charges are reversed of the American dream. When he does and billed to the 800 number. Before talk about those early years, he is guarded Established April 3, 1915 Pioneers of Show Business in India for the last 82 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 ale CAPITOL BOMBAY sic GLOBE CALCUTTA All the above Cinemas have now been-equipped with nniPOCBYSTE^ Sound System 22 Parsiana December 1998 “The return on investment on the Internet is the best I have encountered ” and you can almost feel the unstated pain of a young lad, who till then had been sheltered and protected by his family back in Bombay, suddenly subscribing to this facility , Rusi had de ­ cided to paint the shop ’s phone and fax number on the rear window of the mini family van that Lorrie drove each day to work. “At first I thought the idea having to fend for himself in an alien was quite crazy but on the second day world. after Rusi had painted the number, I arrived at the shop and on the answering machine was a message from a person, who had been driving behind me on the mother taught him a few days before his highway, asking me to call him back as he wanted to know more about our flags, ” says Lorrie with a laugh. What made the Gorimars invest in homesick Indian friends with whom flags? The answer is quite simple. Lorrie ’s father initially owned the busi ­ ness and was looking to retire and so in 1980, they bought it before anyone else Bombay, a BS degtee from California could make him an offer. “My two State Polytechnic University in elpc- daughters were quite grown up by then Ironies engineering followed by a mas- and going to school. I felt I had the time ters from San Diego State College. to look after the business. And of course, Rusi promised to help, ” says Lorrie who Dynamics Corporation with whom he graduated with a degree in journalism worked lor 10 years. He was in the from San Diego State University and communication business for the next 10 worked as a journalist prior to the birth years when the company was purchased of the girls. “It seemed the ideal situation by Scientific Atlanta. When the original at the time. I could keep my job and we promoters of the company sold out and had our own little family business, ” Rusi adds. But if they thought it would be abed firm. It was a move that might have been of roses, they were soon jarred into real- expected, for to Rusi old ties mean a lot. ity. To keep the business going it took Indeed, he makes it a point to return to commitment in terms of time and effort. Bombay as often as possible and on each The couple soon realized that they had trip the family tries to slip off to spend a to grow in terms of the products and few days at Lord ’s Central Hotel in services they offered and expand their Matheran and revive happy childhood market to make the business profitable, memories. Lorrie and their two daugh- More importantly, they made certain ters just love the Indian adventure, that their two daughters were not de ­ prived in any way as a result. There was always time to take them for their music classes [Leila plays the Hute and bari ­ tone (a brass wind instrument), while to remove them. Lorrie, born a Unitar- Megan the flute in marching bands] and ian, is not particularly religious either other activities. They even bought the and the two feel that their girls will girls their own horse, Buckley, which is choose their religion when they grow housed in a riding stable near their home up. To them, the important thing is to in Escondido not far from San Diego. Rusi, now a youthful-looking 51, is a contentedandhappily married man with express this message in their personal two beautiful teenage daughters, a good lives. Rusi laughs as he recalls that all he had in terms of a survival kit was the ability to fry an egg — something his departure. He learned the rules of sur ­ vival on his own quickly — sharing canned food and an apartment with other adversity had cemented a lasting bond of friendship. Rusi graduated with a BSc degree in physics from K. C. College in After graduation, he joined Spectral started a new company, Rusi joined them and worked for his third engineering Rusi is not a religious man in the conventional sense of the word though he does wear a sudreh-kusti, partly be ­ cause he had promised his father never live the good life of good thoughts, good words and good deeds and to strive to * • ¦BUSINE SS COVER STORY B anking on its balance Shifting from its low-key stance The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank Limited is targetting new clients and higher business Parinaz M. Gandhi 5 Glass panels and cabins, customer ­ friendly counters and the efficacious use of space with a mezzanine floor replace the earlier ambience of a Parsi charitable trust office. Originally the ful in the case of the small sector. Yet the headquarters of The Zoroastrian Co­ operative Bank Limited, the premises at Bombay sHornimanCircle are now used (barely one percent non performing as- for one of the six branches of the rapidly expanding Bank which expects to open “we are very particular about recovery, ” five more branche.s in the near future. The aesthetic decor of all their branches and offices i.s a matter of pride for the present managerial team who believe that in today ’.s age the ambience is equally important. “Making the cus ­ tomers feel at home, ” is their main ob­ jective, explain.s the Bank ’s managing director Keki Taraporevalla. Thanks to the patronage “of our very good cus ­ tomers all our branches were able to show a profit even in the first year of operations, ” he adds. Sure, the number of Zoroastrians on their premises outnumber members of other communities even whilst the 71- yeai-old Bank endeavors to shed the speedy processing of applications as exclusive Parsi image associated with it. As reports the Bank chairman Jchanbux Gandevia, “I was the moving force to make it non-communal. Our advance.s which were originally R.s 1 1 lakhs arc now nearly Rs 40 crores. It i.s only be ­ cause of the other communities. ” While a cooperative bank is able “to cater to the needs of small people, ” it ha.s to operate within the framework of cer ­ tain “guidelines and restrictions which are outdated, ” regrets Gandevia. By law, 60 percent of their advances have to be made to the priority sector where only laining a banking licence in 1994 they recently occupations such as agriculture and hire-purchase were included. The maximum borrowing limit for individu ­ als now stands at Rs 1,80,00,000 and Rs 3,60,00,000 for associates. For housing, a maximum loan of Rs 5,00,000 to be repaid within IO years is permitted. Fa- cilitie.s for vehicle finance, loans for machinery and equipment, overdrafts/ loans against shares/units are some of the other services offered at Zoroastrian Bank. Recovery though is always doubt- of 18-20 percent. Their advances in ­ creased from Rs 23.43 crores to Rs 38.46 crores, an increase of 64.16 percent which we are informed is the highest in the banking industry. Their operating Zoroastrian Bank enjoy.s a reputation of profitability likewise showed arise from having virtually the lowest overdues Rs 2.50 crores to Rs 3.35 crores, an >g sets) among all cooperatives because emphasizes Taraporevalla. Not many Zoroastrians choose to avail of the ad- vancc.s offered and while the Bank man ­ agement has encountered many self ­ employed Parsis in the course of their transactions the general impression is that entrepreneurship within the com ­ munity should be better. For account holders, The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank offers competitive and effective services with all opera ­ tions at all the branches being computer ­ ized, extended banking hours, teller fa ­ cility, an increase of one percent in the interest rate.s on savings accounts (a.s compared to other nationalized banks). decision making is very fast, and a one- to-one relationship between the banker and the customer who feels at home here. They give 15 percent dividend to porevalla: “We can ax/ETil of RBI (Re- their shareholders, the maximum per ­ missible as per the banking regulations. Telebanking and the creation of their own website i.s next on their list of pri ­ orities. In fact, since Gandevia took over as chairman in 1991 and Taraporcvalla joined the Bank in 1993 the Bank has shown phenomenal progress. After ob- have been able to pursue the commer ­ cial banking policy, says Gandevia. In the course ol their last financial year ending March 1998. the Bank showed an increase in deposits from Rs 50.81 crore.s to R.s 76.26 crores, repre ­ senting a growth of 60.14 percent as compared to the average banking growth Rs 2.50 crores to Rs 3.35 crores, appreciation of 34.28 percent, Tarapore- valla takes pride in giving us these sta ­ tistics. Benefitting from the returns that have accrued to them after they availed of the new banking licei^ce, this primary co ­ operative bank has now set itself a tar ­ get of obtaining a scheduled bank sfatus by the turn of the century. Thiscan only be possible if they show deposits of Rs 100 crores and retain that progress for the next six months. Since they have neared Rs 90 crores, they are fairly optimistic about upgrading the Bank although they may face difficulties for, as points out Gandevia, “When the en ­ tire industry is in a slump and business is going down, to maintain our tempo is more important. A good foundation has been built; now it has only to be consoli ­ dated. ” The rationale for seeking a scheduled bank status is explained by Tara- ..^1 serve Bank of India) remittance as also refinance facilities. We would then be in a position to accept deposits from local bodies, quasi government bodies and religious and charitable organizations where the prevailing limits would be removed. Guarantees issued by us would be accepted by the state/central govern ­ ment and so too would cheques drawn on scheduled banks be accepted by the state and central government. ” Although presently they are governed by the Maharashtra State Co-operative Act, 1960, once they are recognized a.s a scheduled bank they would come under the purview of the Multi State Act and hence could even commence operations i n Gujarat where they are sanguine about 24 Parsiana December 1998 9 II 26 Parsiana December 1998 %f JL THE ZOROASTRIAN CO-OPERATIVE aANKJ.IMITED, T #1' The new look ofZoroastrian Rank and Its key constituents: (facin^t page, clockwise from top left): central office, Romhay Main branch, the Poona branch, before and after it commenced operation.': and the Andheri branch with Taraporevalla (in suit, center) and Ranatwalla (in right) (Above) The directors of the Rank and Ronibav Parsi Punchayet trustees at the Dadar branch (left) and Tardeo branch with Gandevia (left) and Dinshaw Mehta getting support from Parsis. They are targetting not only Indian rcsiclents but also Non- Resident Indian.s (NRfs) with the introduction of two new schemes in 1998; Non-Resident (Ordi ­ nary) Account and Non-Resident (Ex­ ternal) Rupee Account whereby viduals ¦ ----- CUI lent, savings and term deposit ac counts with funds remitted from abroad or by sale of foreign exchange while on a temporary visit to India, subject to certain regulations. Interest from NRE exempt from income-tax, exempt from wealth tax and gifts to relatives in India are exempt from gift lax. Currently all foreign ex- routed through the ------- ional Bank, Bombay arrangements with office.s in New York, London, Switzerland Ger ­ many and Hongkong. Zoroaslrians over ­ seas having relatives in India should subscribe to these facilities, the Bank's managers. rhe managerial and executive team has been considerably revamped brilin ­ ing ni many new hand.s and minds widi varied past experience at national and foreign banks. Assisting Taraporevalla enjoying NRI status c, account.s is ? baiances are Oman Internati which has Ml I iiM indi- can open t ac- !e on are exempt recommend revamped bring pn looking after the day-to-day affairs 27 Pa/siana Dec mber >998 are general manager EarokhBanatwalla senior manager Aspi Katgara, manager (credit) Hidayatullah Shaikh, manager (audit and accounts) NoshirPaghdiwaTla manager (EDP and operations) Viral' Chinoy, secretary Dolly Mistry, branch manager-Bandra, Hilla Avail, branch manager-Andheri, Homi Engineer, branch inanager-Tardeo, Pesi Pitha- walla, branch manager-Dadar, Jehangir Lfmrigar and branch Tehma,s Bharucha. The Bank ’s expensc.s on their staff (numbering 91) to their total income i.s going down, points out Paghdiwalla. fhat i.s because we have vclj, industrial relations, ” elaborates Tar; porcvalla. “We are good paymasters (cmnpared to other cooperative banks) ,ng mis Bank , olfeimg (several) facilitie.s and bank “rT i- ¦ — ' ’ holidays. We stay like a family and even January ^1 cZ^Thr^"^’” I as the managing director mix with thn r, i intention was to slalTol lhciHITerSnibranches " Alllhcir th !>n V* K.Z « W O J LllVl Illg XlCllllll having the opportunity to participate at Bulinjkar. The next year I captained the the national level when she wa.s a sub ­ junior, else “it would have been rare occasion when a player starts partici pating in the nationals ata Maharashtra team at Hyderabad and a very stood eighth overall amongst women. In i- 1997 I once again led the Maharashtra team at Chandi ­ garh and stood sixth. This year I was again se ­ lected to lead the state, securing third place over ­ all amongst wo ­ men, with the I Team achieving the runners-up* I position, ” Tantra has the statistics at her fingertips. Tantra details the tour ­ naments she has won at the state level. “In 1994,1 cre ­ ated a record of sorts, by sweeping a hat trick of titles, viz. singles, doubles as well as team champion ­ ship. ” In 1996 however she won the doubles tourna ­ ment at Alibag, but lost in the quarterfinal round in the singles. Tantra ’s first state level tournament was a champi ­ onship played at Dadar in which she had entered in the sub-junior group. She was too good for the rest of the field and won the tournament in her group, and was runner-up in the junior group as well. She moves on to the also managed to reach the pre-quarterfinals in the women ’s singles group, quite an achievement for a beginner who learnt many things along the way. The world of carom also has its own a I M* Clockwise from top left: With and weaving mills were established workers had to stand for nearly six to eight hours a day working on the weav ­ ing machines. In the evening when they returned home, a game of carom would help them relax as the game is played sitting down, she explains. “The important carom tournaments husband Kaizad; carom in India are the Federation Cup and the concentration; receiving the nationals and based on this I’m ranked Award from Ms Alexander number two in the state, with my archrival Anupama Kedar being num ­ ber one, ” she laughingly comments. In the Federation Cup, she was a runner-up in 1997 at Akola. Taking a walk down memory lane, 24- year-old Tantra recalls'that the first time she participated in the junior nationals at _____ ,____ ,.,,>...,,1 ,u.mii m Delhi, she won the singles as well as the the prc-quartcrfinals in the women ’s Tri vandrum junior nationafs she was run ­ ner-up in the singles, doubles and team event, “a triple crown you may call it, ” she sub-junior level and senior national level. ” Tantra elaborates that she had to miss the nationals in 1991-92 and 1992-93 due to her college exams. In December __ _____ w.. .,u., n., mwh 1993, she represented Maharashtra at ranking tournaments, observes Tantra, Bokaro (the steel city in Bihar), losing in . . - 1 -1------- L.r 111 mv VVWIIIVII team championship. In 1992, at the singles, but reaching the semifinals in women ’s doubles. From then on there was no looking back for her. “In 1995 at Faridabad I won the elaborating that many countries in the world are called carom playing nations. Besides India and Sri Lanka, Germany, UK and Switzerland are full-time play ­ ing countries, ” she declares, adding that continued on page 46 38 Parsiana December 1998DRAMA A playwright at work > In A Sister Like kdt/Dina Mehta explores domestic violence ? Every time fiction writer/playwright Dina Mehta read about a battered wife she fought incessant silent battles, on an emotional level, inside herself — till one day she received her wake-up call. She learnt I that in the front wing of I her own building a hus- I band was routinely bru- I talizing his wife, beating I her up. And one night | when her screams be- came impossible to bear, I her immediate neighbors I sent for the police. But I the wife flatly denied the I abuse, she denied the se- I vere beatings, the victim- I ization. I Mehta remembers that ¦ the neighbors felt ag- Mehta: vital and vibrant grieved. They felt that the Photo: Varghese Fernandez wife had, by her personal choice, declined to escape her entrap ­ ment; that all she had to do, with the police on the scene, was to accuse her husband of assault — attested to by the visible bruises and lacerations on her body — and storm out of the flat with her son. Yes, they had a boy. About eight years old. But without the skills to live alone, lacking independent means, unsure of her acceptance in her own community and indeed, in her own parents ’ home, where was the wife to go? Indian parents usually advise the abused daughter to stay within her marriage to maintain the izzat (prestige) of the family, to keep her misery under wraps — or how would her younger sisters get married? But for a battered wife to walk out of her mar ­ riage without specific information on her options, without financial, legal, emotional resources and support, seemed to Mehta to correspond to nothing less than the abuse itself. The aftermath of the visit from the law was that within months the family moved out of the building, and was not heard of again. But wondering what had happened to the wife troubled Mehta enough to invite speculation in fictional terms — her way of connecting with the find herself in the clutches of a vicious brute. Years of abuse and two daughters later, Kavita is forced to seek the help of her embittered elder sister Shanti , whose victim, of sharing her estrangementfrom the family has pushed trauma. Mehta does not 40 Parsiana December 1998 iA- t her into independent living. Initially, an implacable Shanti repulses her battered sister, but when Kavita is charged with see herself as a crusader, but when the story evolved in her head and killing her husband, Shanti staunchly the characters happened, the problem of domestic abuse became more real for her. If it is fiction, Mehta believes, it means you ’ve taken mental — even psychic — posses ­ sion of a happening, re ­ realized it. Then, depend ­ ing on whether it ’s a story or a play you are offer ­ ing, you invite your reader or the person in the audience to grapple with the problem in her own mind long after shc ’.s finished the story or left the theater. You have engaged her imagina ­ tion, her concern; and sometimes even her indignation, for concern is feckless till passion steps into it. This, then, was the genesis of Mehta ’s healthy lust for your woman, and ade- two-acl play, A Sister Like You, which was nominated in the South Asia cat ­ egory for the British Council New Inter ­ national Play writing Awards 1996, and was on the judges ’ shortlist in the UK last year. Specially commended as “an accomplished piece of work which tack ­ led the theme of domestic violence with great passion and understanding ” and for its “three-dimensional, flesh-and- blood ” characters, A Sister Like You was presented by the Play Reading Forum on September 22 and 23, 1998 at the ravaged Kavita, Dipika Roy now sim- British Council Theatre in Bombay. Within the context of violence against women, the play also takes a searching ity Nikhil Kapoor made an excellent look at the relationship between two gone-to-seed Pradeep, and Naagesh sisters. They have both been in love with Bhosle was brilliant as Dhondu, Janki ’s the same man and it is the younger one, Kavita, who marries Pradeep, only to I 1 supports the younger woman as she pre ­ pares for the legal battle ahead. As Mehta worked on the play, a clear divergence emerged in the way Indian women suffer their brutalization in dif ­ fering socioeconomic^lasses. Kavita is educated, westernized. A spunky girl, she is a rebel even in a no-win situation*. With all the punishment he inflicted on her, Pradeep could not break her spirit and she fights back. On the other hand Janki is illiterate. She washes utensils for Shanti and de ­ spite her brother-in-law ’s terrible abuse of her sister, Janki feels that Sonal ought to bear up with her lot. For Janki the ideal woman is docile and compliant and fashioned by nature to be man ’s obedient servant. And she actually be ­ lieves that sound beating comes from a voted wife should welcome this per ­ verted sign of desire in her man. Directed with sensitiv'ily by Jiten Merchant and with a fine cast of readers, the play touched the right chord with its audiences. Dolly Thakore ’s Shanti was intelligent, tough, but not without heart. Denzil Smith could have introduced a little more tension in his role as Tushar, the quiet young man in her life who is instrumental in making Shanti change her attitude towards her sister. As the pered, now spat venom, now was affect- ingly vulnerable. Television personal- brutal brother-in-law. But it was Vandana Gupte as the tI maid Janki who held the audience captive. Limited by her lack ot education and despite believing blindly in all the “tmly disqualifications ” dished out to her sex, .lanki i.s large-hearted and loyal and irrepressible. And Guptc plays this role with a bounce and vigor — and choice Marathi expletivc.s — that make her irresistible. A Sistei Like You was a welcome change from the usual Western imports — cheap or stylish — that flood the Enstlish stage in Bombay. It is only too easy, Mehta feels, to borrow imitate or plagiarize that bit of Huff from West End, or that heavyweight from Broadway, because the homework has been done loi you elsewhere; wherea.s an original play de ­ mands a total involvement of the imaginative vision of entire production team. But that i.s a challenge that must be met if we are to evolve an authentic Indo-English stage. Eor theater i.s not a lonsi distance echo Irom other lands, but an indigenou.s plant __ assimilation that intimately invoivc.s our own soil, roots, a water and sunlight. The truth of this wa.s felt instinctively by the audiences of A Sister Like You. A.s the story of battered wives unfolded before their eyes, the people up there on stage and those seated in the auditorium re-created each other because they shared the same ethos, the same problems. There \....... here, an intensity of communication became possible. ; certain vitality took over — something shared and hot! So much wa.s accomplished in two evenings by accom ­ plished readers and an ace director. More such"] ....L.. ' are on the anvil in the coming year but what the play de:.e:-. c: IS a lull-scale theater production. Any would-be spoil make her irresistible. entire production team. an an air. was a complicity a there listening? presentations eserve.s sons out Errata In "Delining Zoroastrian commitment" (Barsiana. September 1998), there were errors ' ' which we apologize. The Combined resources of Croit-Reynolds and Mazda Provide a Comprehensive range of world's most efficient equipment. 7. hibzda CONTROLS LTD. Vacuum Systems, Air Pollution Control- Equipments & Two- Stage Liquid Ring- Vaccum Pumps Reducing Valves, Safety Valves, Control Valves, Desuperheaters & Valve Positioners ill w** MAZDA CONTROLS LTD. Mazda House, Panchwatj 2nd Lane. Ambawadi, Ahmedabad 380 006. INDIA. Ph.. 408014, 408967, 408654 Fax : 079-6565605 e-mail No. : mazda@ad1.vsnl.net.in Always remember in the caption.s lor two photograph.s for The two photograph.s with their appropriate caption.s are being carried here: ^Ic-tHlTATA B <^2»iiBATA i2«»iiKHAMBATA hom left: Firclosh Mehta, Yezdi Rustoniji and Farhaiii^ Mehr hmm left: Farrokh Mistree. Kaeiiierz Dotiwala and Bella Tata 43 Parsiana December 1998 Ketayun & Bomi 22/A, Wellington Terrace Wellington Street, Bombay 400002 Tel No: 2069636,2057242 Pager No: 9602-104007 Dorrabji’s JERROZ HOTEL Under Cliff Bungalow, Ring Road, near Parsi Fire Temple Panchgani 412805 Phone; (91) (02168) 40238a performed by Ervad Faredoon Ruslomji The first managing committee com- Modi tmd as instructed by the vadadastur prising president Kuwarji Kalyaniwalla, secretary Pestonji Diwan, and trustees Dadabhai Sumariwalla and Bhikhaji The first managing committee of the Deccan, a capsule with it message was buried. The untimely demise of the ______________ ____ benefactor that same year compelled hi.s Taraporewallasignedanagreementwith the Parsi Punchayet Funds and Proper ­ ties, Bombay (BPP), to open an account in the name of Shri Ajmer Jarthosti Anjuman Religious Funds. From the son Kuwarji Naoroji Kalyaniwalla to ABLAZE IN AJMER continued from page 30 Gandevia further served as master of ceremonies at all the sessions. At the inauguration, Piloo Navder, Mahrukh Bodhanwala and Tavadia recited prayer, and Piloo Navder also led the group in a humorous welcome song. “On the occasion of the centenary of our Agiary, the present dwindling Parsi community of Ajmer (which includes 16 families) salutes their ancestors for then wisdom, charity and farsighted- With th© WOflcI frOITI thiS ness. The religious and trust institutions nroat r*'! -f ” which we have inherited from them has giOal Cliy OT OUTS enabled us, even today to perform reli ­ gious ceremonies as per the traditional tenets of ourZoroastrian rel igion, ” wrote Contractor in his review of the Ajmer Anjuman and Agiary. The munificence of distillery con ­ tractor Naoroji Rustomji Kalyaniwalla who purchased the land and undertook the construction of the agiary building in memory of his colleague Framjee Naoroji Ballabhai Kalyaniwalla was called. The foundation stone ol the agiary Faredoon Ruslomji Modi performed the had been laid on March 29, 1897 by Dhunjishaw Dinshawji Mehta, superin ­ tendent, Commissioner ’s Office, Ajmer. The requisite religious ceremonies were “Do not try for greener pastures outside Ajmer donations raised by the Ajmer residents, but to try to keep pace ‘ a sum of Rs 1,133 plus three and half percent Government promissory notes worth Rs 2,000 were assigned to the BPP which account is still opera ­ tional. In the first decade of the 20th century Ajmer could boast of the Rustom Framna Dharamshala Block and Ghambar Hall donated by Munchershaw Rustom re- lultil his lather's dream. The consecra ­ tion ol the fire for the new agiary was undertaken in memory of the deceased Naoroji by his father Rustomji Dadabhai Framna of Bombay as also a road lead ­ ing to the Parsi Tower of Silence fi­ nanced by Rustomji Rustom Framna of with Jaipur. The jashan hall and the room for the last rites at the doongerwadi were constructed in 1939 from a donation by Shirinbai Jehangirji Mehta. The chowki- dar room at the doon^rwadi was made possible by Dinshawji D. Mehta. The new blocks of the Dharamshala came up in the mid ’60s and mid ’70s — the Sukhia Blocks donated by Aloomai Kalyaniwalla. The High Priest of the Deccan, Sardar Khan Bahadur Daslur (Dr) Hoshangji .lamaspji alon^ Dastur Khurshedji Jamshedji, Dastur Dorabji Ruslomji Sanjana, Ervad Pestonji Ruslomji Kanga and Ervad ig consecration ceremonies on roz. Dae- pa-Adar, mcih Bahman, (July 19, 1898) and Kuwarji dedicated this Agiary to the Parsi Anjuman. 44 Parsiana December 1998 * kSukhia, the Ratibai Block donated by STRIKING HER WAY TO GLORY Rustomji Contractor. The construction of the stage and the kathi store was thanks to donations from Nadirshaw Doctor and Sorabj i Bodhanwala respec ­ tively. The late Armaity Contractor got Bangaroo Babu from Madras, the Rustom FramnaDharamshalaBlocks continued from page 38 the world body i.e. the International Carom Federation is based in Germany, the secretary of which is an Indian, “On the occasion of the centenary, Ajmer ’s present dwindling Parsi to a great extent, she believes. rnmmi initv <^aI1 itpq Appreciating the support she has re- COrTirilUnIly bdlUlWb ^er family. Tantra compli- their ancestors” ments husband Kaizad. “He is my prac- ------------------------------------------- - -----tice partner and has given wonderful support, ” she enthuses, much to Kaizad ’s delight! Practice sessions are conducted at home and finances for participation in tournaments arc raised from her own resources. Her brother Khushroo is a national level referee and has been of immense help too. “Khushroo ha.s taught me all the rules of the game. That ha.s made me perfect. We work as a team, ” she adds. “Carom runs in our family. My father. Tata Colony where I paired with my uncle Soli Cooper in the mixed doubles. Il was an exciting moment for me. ” To her knowledge, there are no other Parsis at the state or national level in carom. Fond of reading, swimming, music and travelling, Tantra completed her BCom from Sydenham College. Fol ­ lowing it up with an MCom from Bombay University, she is currently renovated in memory of her husband Jehangir in 1978. As mentioned in the Souvenir, the single largest donation to the Anjuman has come from her estate. Although there is no history of the early Parsi settlers in Ajmer, it is in ­ ferred that during the 19th century a sizable number of Parsis resided in Ajmer and the nearby cantonment town of Nasirabad. By 1888 they already had a consecrated dokhma (reportedly the only one in the whole of northern India) the late Rusi D. Cooper, mother Homai, and sagdi (courtesy Dadabhai Sumari- ' ~ ...................... walla). The earliest mention of the name ‘Shri Ajmer Parsi Panchayat ’ with the date 1891 was found on utensils donated by individuals for use in religious cer ­ emonies. Founded by King Ajay Pal Chauhan in the seventh century, Ajmer (which derives its name from Ajay-Meru, mean ­ ing invincible mount) came into promi ­ nence during the reign of the Rajput king, Prilhvi Raj Chauhan. Over the years it has witnessed change of guard from the Rajputs to the Mughals, Marathas, Scindias, British and on to independent India gaining eminence as a convergence of different religions. Located within its proximity arc the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti and Lord Brahmaji ’s Temple which attract pilgrims from all over the world. The Zoroastrians, of course, lake pride that the oldest fire-temple in northern India is in Ajmer. A.s noted Dastur H. Mirza in his mes ­ sage, “For a century this Agiary (has) guided the religious life of Parsis of Ajmer and surrounding places. During these hundred years, thousands of Zo­ roastrians have recited Atash Nyaish and other prayers and invoked bless ­ ings of Ahura Mazda through the holy fire. May this holy fire continue to blaze in this place for centuries to come... ” Initially Tantra started playing carom at various Parsi colonies, viz. Tata Colony , Captain Colony, Cusrow Bang, etc where a majority of her partners were male not female. That helped her sharpen her skills working with Monarch Video. On the subject of religion. Tantra states, “I believe in our religion very strongly and that is the main reason why I’m successful today. ” Kaizad adds, “We are religious fanatics, anything to do with religion and we are for it! ” Tantra opines that our youth basi ­ cally cannot be called a deprived lot. “They have everything, in life. If they strive a little bit harder they can achieve excellence in whatever they do. We are not a community of have-nots, we are a community of haves. We have had people like Jamsetji Tata, Pirojsha Godrej, Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy who made not only their own careers but made possible the careers of hundreds after them. We should all take a cue from this and follow. Our youth espe ­ cially should learn. ” uncle Soli, sister Dilshad and brother Khushroo arc all carom buffs. The first tournament I won was the one played at We never take our guests and breath-taking views for granted * Cz 5 46 Parsiana December 1998 rj*: *‘4i Lord’s Central Hotel Matheran 410102 Matheran Telephone 021483-0228 Fax 021483-0595 Bombay telephone 3867776 i' f ¦4' hTHE CHANGING GUARD continued from page 15 ties to the religion, noted Kevala. Others found it a good site for study and medi ­ tation, holding religious conferences and even for building a fire-temple and semi ­ nary to train young mobeds in the future. Kevala noted that a young Zarathushti had remarked that we need a place like this for the Zarathushtis of the future and should not miss this opportunity even if the older members of the community do not have the foresight or vision to make proper use of this land at this time. Kevala proposed a four-phased plan for the use of the land, keeping commu ­ nity resources and the Foundation ’sE&A guidelines in mind. The progressive stages are the provision of spiritual re ­ newal facilities; a study center; prayer hall and priests ’ quarters; consecrated temple and seminary. The very first stage would require the completion of access roads, the provision of water and elec ­ tricity at an estimated cost of $ 50,000. Envisaging a large building with a meet ­ ing room and kitchen to be rented to groups of Zarathushtis through the summer would require an additional $100,000. The study center would become fea ­ sible as additional funds become avail ­ able. With a family residence for a direc ­ tor who could conduct religious work ­ shops, participate in studies with visit ­ ing scholars and explain the religion to visitors, the site would grow into a “Zarathushti spiritual community ” dur ­ ing the summer, visualizes the plan. Noting that “many Zarathushtis are already setting aside legacies in their wills for such purposes, ” Kevala ’s re ­ port notes that a prayer hall, dadgah and priests ’ quarters may be built any time a donor appears. Accepting that the consecration of a temple or dadgah would require much time and resources, the report notes, “Once the temple is consecrated, it will become one of the most spiritually im ­ portant sites for Zarathushtis from all over the world. The proposed plan... for astudy and spiritual center... will greatly enhance the visibility and prestige of our community in the western world. It needs funding, it will need planning and much work, but it will be a legacy that will place Zarathushtis on a strong and permanent footing in North America. Its significance is far beyond anything we have done on this continent so far. ” World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) president Rumi Sethna ’s report on the major draft changes in the WZO constitution marked the culmination of the AGM. Since the FEZANA member ­ ship voted in 1997in favor of a single world apex body in the form of a restruc ­ tured WZO, a dialogue has been con ­ tinuing between Sethna and FEZANA’s first president Rohinton Rivetna who had presented the blueprint of an alter ­ nate body named the World Council of Zarathushti Federations. Sethna reported on draft changes in the WZO constitu ­ tion whereby “associations, federations and individual members can coexist within the WZO with separate functions and decision-making structures in their councils and yet come together at the board level to take decisions on the community ’s global affairs, ” as per a report sent by Dastoor to Parsiana. While reporting substantial progress towards the goal, Rivetna noted that differences requiring further discussions and nego ­ tiations remained. He was urged to con ­ tinue the dialogue and requested to send a progress report by October I, 1998 to all associations for tlTeir feedback. The meeting ended with the intro ­ duction of the new team by Dastaor and a vote of thanks to the outgoing team. I > 1 With compliments from B. B. GARDA & SONS 10 B. J. Road, Poona 411001 48 Parsiana December 1998MILESTONES Intercommunity marriages reg ­ istered both at the Old Customs House as well as at the MH ADA office in Bandra (East) for the seven-month period of May to November 1998 find a mention in this issue ot Parsiana. How ­ ever, names that could not be confirmed as Zoroastrian have been omitted from the list. The Old Customs House reg ­ istered 21 intercommunity mar ­ riages plus seven civil marriages, whereas the figures at the MHADA office were 21 and one respectively. The age ot Zoroastrian brides (as listed in this issue) ranged between 21 and 43 years, the arithmetic mean (the total num ­ ber ot individual ages divided by the total numberofbrides) being 27 years. The corresponding fig­ ures for the groom.s were 22 and 45 years, averaging at 32 years. As compared to 16 births in Bombay in November there were 58 Zoroastrian.s who were con ­ signed to the Bombay Towers of Silence. Fourteen victims fell prey to heart disease of whom six were 80 years and above. The BOMBAY BORN A girl to Mahariikh and Percy Khandhadia on November 6, 1998 A boy to Hutoxi and Mehernosh Zaveri', November 6 A boy to Arnavaz and Vinod Iddya', November 9 A boy to Delnar and Kaizad Irani'. November 9 A girl to Zena and Maneck Mavji', November 1 I A girl to Harsha and Mehernash Heeramaneck', November 13 A girl to Veera and Marazhan Dalal', November 15 A boy to Pervin and Farhad Contractor', November 17 A boy to Furzeen and Nasha JcissawaUa', November 18 A boy, Behram, to Shiraz, and Vis/iy Kapadia, brother to late Fareena, Sanaya and Vahishta; November 18 A boy to Khuheher and Kermaan Mehta', November 18 A girl tn Anahita and Firoz.e Mondegari', November 20 A girl to Nelly and Perev Bhesania', November 24 other killers were pneumonia/ lung disease (II), old age/gen- eral debility (five), cancer (four) and liver disease (three). Two patient.s each succumbed to ma ­ laria, septicemia and kidney fail ­ ure. Isolated cases registered for November were: osteomyelitis (intJammation commencing in bone marrow), prostate hyper ­ trophy (increase in the size of tissues or struclure.s of the pros ­ tate), atherosclerosis (deposition of fatty substance.s in the arter ­ ies), osteoporosis (los.s of bone density due to excessive absorp ­ tion ol calcium and phosphoru.s Irom the bone), Alzheimer ’s dis ­ ease, brain disease, drug abuse, stroke, diabetes, hypotension (low blood pressure), asthma, anemia, nervous disorder, my­ asthenia gravis (a disorder char ­ acterized by marked fatiguabil ­ ity of voluntary muscles) and intestinal obstruction with intes ­ tinal gangrene. The eldest to die was a 97-year-old lady as com ­ pared to the youngest: a 52-year- old male. The Zoroaslrian life expectancy al birth for Novem ­ ber, in Bombay, was 76 years. A boy to Anahita and Neville Dhahhar; November 24 A boy to Jenifer and Kershasp Carnae; November 25 A girl to Jusmine and Daravus Mistry; November 28 MARRiri) Sushnia Dilhahadur Chhetri and Beheram Ratan Cooper. May 3 Rasna Lamha and Ravi S. Mishra; May 16 Parieheher Zarir Misirv and Sludiazad Cavas Conlraetor; May 21 Preeti Karkhanis and Nozer Tarapore; May 27 Vahhiz. Kersi Udwadia and Riimy Zarir BiHmoria; May 28 Preeii Girdluwilal Shrojf and Rayomand Naval Hilloo; May 28 EUa Maria Castellino and Shah rival- Behram Alai', May 29 Deharali Chatterjee and Kaizad Kersv Driver', May 29 Shirley Pesi Moo.'; and Husain Hasanali Merehanf. May 29 Delnaz. Jimmy Patel and Parveen Noshir Paieh. June 2 Farida Kotwa! and Neville The data on births, marriage.s and dcath.s has been compiled from information supplied by various newsletters and anju ­ mans in India and abroad, courts and hospitals. This information i.s not alway.s complete or con ­ sistent: we are unable to carry August 12 data Irom area.s where the anju- mans do not furnish the particu ­ lars; the birth ligure.s forBombay are supplied by four hospitals — birth.s in suburban hospitals and private nursing home.s are not included unles.s individuals send us information together with copy ol the birth certificate. There Sophia Mohsin Merchant and may be an inadvertent repetition ol names in the marriage list when a civil marriage precedes a religiou.s ceremony. I n the break ­ up ol deaths according to ill ­ nesses, especially of the elderly, death i.s olten due to a combina ­ tion of several diseases. 1 f reader.s have any births/mar- riages/dcaths they would I ike pub ­ lished, some proof to ensure the veracity of the report would be Ripple Miikund Marfatia', rec|uired. We arc sure our reader.s wouldappreciatethisrequirement and cooperate with us. Ig a Mehta', June 10 Charulala Arun Popat and Neville Dossil Bharucha', June 15 Rebecca Smith and Firdos' Jamshed Muharaki', June 17 Jacqueline Dattatraya Quenim and Sam Horniu.vji Divecha; June 18 Urniila Moolchand Kothari and Porii.'; Rohinton Peshotan', June 19 Linda Kamal Marshall and Darayes' Behram Shaw, June 20 Ruby Keki Avari and Molanalli Raviraja Shetly, June 25 Jerzeen Homi Ranji and Nikliilesh Dilii Bijiani', June 26 Hulo.vi J. Pate! and Ravindra C. Malvaiikai', July 3 Parizad J. Palia and Manoj Sinha', July 6 Manisha Kunjhihari Dube and Adil Rohinton Sodawaterwalla', July 9 Jeroo Sam Pate! and Vishal Rally, July 16 Velvin Ratansha Saher 'iXnd Yazdi Pesi BiUimo ria', July I 7 Patsy Joachim Canadas' and Neville Sarah Mehta', July 20 Shirin Minoa Wadiu and Sljl ikaiitli Sriram', July 27 Shalmaz Bahadur Master and Yazad Homi Patel\ August 4 Keshmira D. Patel and Jitesh S. Mamtora', August 7 Poshan Burjor Vazifdar and Niraiijan Dharshi Parikh; 1 r f’ Nazneen Rusi Mirza and Viraf Rusi Vatcha; August 18 Firoza Desai and Kizkhakke Pachuveecha Ravindraiiath Menon; August 24 Lorraine Jennifer Maelzer and Sarosh Burjor Dastur; September 1 Cyrus Farrokh Mody; September 11 Bincufer Mukadam and Ashu Khanna; September 24 Kashniira Jimi Nanawati and Anna Bhau Kavare; September 28 Dilnawaz Phiroze Bilinioria and Girish Hansraj Chawla; September 29 Rashna AsjJf Cooper and October 1 Shahnam Eruch Mirza and Ashrat Meher Mehta; October 3 Vidyamani Shetty and Aftah Jhanytoo Jokhi; October 9 Freny A rdaviraf Kerawalla and Behram Ardeshir Irani', October 12 Bahsy Cyru.'; Mody and Suleman Nasir Tharadra', October 16 Neeta Arvind Mhatre and Navroz Phiroz Behramfrain', October 23 Zenohia K. Surti and Ehnur Peter Schoetz', October 30 Dimple Ghosh arrtt Rahul Jamshed Hakim', October 31 Anahita Maneck Sethna and Phiroz Ardesher Kerawalla', November 1 Jasmine Keki Patel and Behram Rustomji Surty, November 1 Farida Jal Satha of Nagpur and Tehmton Nariman Toorkey, November 1 Aloo Keki Chothia of Valsad and BurgH Jamshed Aihara', November 2 Yasmin Pirojshaw Ichhaporia and Sarosh Jehangir Ghodawalla', November 3 Nazneen Adi Pohocha and Zuhin Nariyosang Karkaria', November 5 A ¦1^’ 50 Parsiana December 1998 IParizad Dinyar Wadia of Ahmedabad and Hanoz. Dinshaw Mogrelia; November 5 Khtishnnma Nariman Patakia and Paras Parvez Saktalwalla; November 5 NUoufer Lave Contractor and Sudhir Virendra Singh; November 5 Khursheed Minocher Balsara and .lamshed Zarir Sethna; November 6 Parizad Minoa Dumania and Rohintan Minoa Bandarawalla; November 7 Pretty Pruch Patel and Adil Dhtm/ishah Piller; November 7 Yasmin Behram Patel and Darayns Parvez. Nalladarii; November 8 Sharndn Erach Daniania and Jimmy Pervez. Hiranianek; November 9 Hameda Daraih Vasi and Darans Godrej Irani; November 9 Perriizan Riisi Khamhatia and Pas/nd Rttsi Stirti; November 9 Perizad Sarosh Gandhi and kreddy Nasidr Bharuchu; November 10 Nazneen DaU Bhesunia and Hisiasp Merwan Khamhata; November 10 Rashna Parvez. Palsetia and Vaspar Paramroze Kolah; November 1 1 Ayesha Astad Parakh and Darius Pardoon Saanawalla; November 11 karangiz Zarir Satarawala of Jodhpur and Preddi Sheri Gyara; November 12 Hu)fish Meherji Avari of Navsari and Pants Minoa Palia of Dhrangadhra, Gujarat; November 12 Jasmin Sheri Shrajj and Sheray Hand Daver; November 14 Parida Viraf Irani and Sarosh Merwanji Paonuwalla; November 14 Armaily Scheheriar Vasiinia and Sarash Kersi Amaria; November 15 Shahnaz. Bahadur Master and Yazad Hand Patel; November 15 Kamalritkh Khurdad AnklesaPia and Adi! Homi Mehta; November 16 Kuinaz. Mehernash Mttnshi and Hanaz. Phiroze Patel; November 16 Mahazaver Kersi Maralia and Kttrush Dara Patel; November 16 Dilkliush Bejiin Patel of Dahami Road and Kiiruxh Soli ReMlyiitoney; November 17 Hufrish Aspi h-ani and Kaizad kali Patel; November 19 Neerja Kanwa! Chawdliarv and Sarah Kharshedji Bliahlia; November 20 Gayatri Gliaiishaiii Lami^ani and Nitasli Hamtaz. Irani; November 20 Maharokh Parvez Nrdladarn and Paitriisasp Dinshawji Muftal; November 20 Neeta Shriehand Hanidev and Pants KersI Kharephat; .November 21 Yasmin Sarahjee Zuiwtilla and Add Lrachshaw Lakilawala of Sural; November 22 Aseshtt Shiraz. Ginii and Yez.di kiraze Patel ol' Dalianu Road; November 22 Dilkliiisli Nash Mehta and Khtishnnd Adi Irani; November 23 Meher Adi Karkaria and Pali Adi Hayvtty; November 24 Zenahia Pall Sidhwa and Adi Riisi Patel; November 24 Zana Mary Rai and Mehernash Hand Bhahha; November T! Loretta Aynella ReheUa and Rahintan Tehmtan Byrainji; November 21 num Mani Aspi Irani (63), Room no 38, Hirabai Petit Bldg, Grant Rd, 40()()()7; November I Biirjor Minacher Sidhwa (60), Lady Ralan Tala Bldg no 3/10. RTI Comp, Gurunanak Rd, Bandra (W). 400050; November 2 Pilloa Minoa Bilimaria (76), Pallonji Hse, New Charni Rd ¦In, 4()()()04; November 4 Shiava.s Riistamji Dtthash (84), 8, Bora Ma.sjid St. Fori, 4()0()0l; November 4 Nargish Erachshaw Elavia (71), E-l, Shapur Baug. V. P. Rd, 4()()()04; November 4 Mota Jal Ichhaparia (87), Khorshed Abad, 724, Dinshaw Master Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar. 400014; November 4 Coomi Phiroz. Ka/tadia (82). Rani Villa, Motibai St, Tardeo, 4()()()07; November 4 Jer Pramji Mehta (85), Pallonji Mans. 43. Ciiffe Parade. 400005; November 4 Mani Pestanji Vajifdar (75), 164, Bora Bazar St, Fort, 4()()()()l; November 5 Preny Prnch DaruwaUa IIG), Dawoodi Mans, Sleater Rd, 400007; November 6 Rati Sahrah Katwu! (82), Mody Mans, Mereweather Rd, 400039; November 7 Dally Keki Unwalla (71), 2kPdh2. Wodehouse Rd, 40000,5; November 7 Meherhai Pestanji Dalal (86), 12, Wadia Block, Malcolm Bang, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; November 8 Gaalhanaa Ratanshaw kdisawala (12). 13. Khareghat CIny, Hughes Rd, 400007; November 8 Shera Bhikaji Bai>a (60), 301, Valcha Gandhi Bldg no 2, Vatcha Gandhi Rd, Gamdevi, 400007; November 10 Band Darahsha Darnwala (53), Karanjia Bldg, Grant Rd, 400007; November 10 Amy Phirajsha Gliista (88), Ashley Hse, Opp Colaba Post Ol lice, 400005; November 10 Banao Caaveiji Keruwaki (86), Boyce Bldg, Chikalwadi, Grant Rd, 40()()()7; November 10 Noshir Jcdiangirji Rana PIS), 4/44, A. H. Wadia Bang, Parel Tank Rd, 400033- November 10 Rohintan Kaikhnshru Saehinwalla (hip. 12, Usha Kiron, 2nd Pasta Lane, Colaba, 4()()()05; November 10 Bakhtarar Rnttanshaw Pate! PXP. 5, Oval View, 150, M. Karve Rd, 4()0()20; November 1 1 Preny Bejanji Desai (76), B/4. Bhiwandiwala Ter, Dhohitalao, 4()()0()2; November 12 Amy Sam Nariman (82), 6, Ness Bang, Nana Chowk, 4()()()()7; November 12 Jehanyir Pallon/i Nicholson (isl). Minoo Mans, 51, Malcolm Bang, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; November 12 Nariman Meherwanji Patel (70), R-39, Nowroz Bang, Lalbaug, 400012; November 12 Gaol Rnstom/i Wadia ((tSP Room no I 1, Mistry Bldg, Jame Jamshed Rd, Dadar, 400014; November 12 Dinamal Manchiirshaw Aspar (94). 19, Laxmi Nivas, 12th Kheiwadi Lane, 400004; November 13 krenihai Behram Badshah (97). C, Sagar Sangeet, Near Colaba Post Office", 400005; 'g^ November 14 Pesi Maneckji Batliwalla (85), A/44, Sleater Rd, Grant Rd, 400007; November 14 Jer Paredoon Mehta (81), 6/5, Rustom Bang, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; November 14 Rashid Kaikhushru Irani (80), Manek Bldg, Opp Navjivan Soc, Lamington Rd, 400008; November 15 Ratainai Erachshaw Marfatia (80), C-25, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; November 15 Adi Manekshaw Daruwala (75), C/26, Nowroz Bau; Lalbaug, 400012; November 16 Khurshed Jehangir Mistry (74), 112, Mehr-Naz, Cuffe Parade, 400005; November 16 Minao Ardeshir Damania (60), Yusuf Mans, Kheiwadi Back Rd, 400004; November 17 Rusi Jivanji Patel (75), 22/B-l, Dhunbaiwadi, Dadabhai Rd, Vile Paj-Je (E), 400050; November 17 Viraf Honnasji Singpurwala (55), Mistry Bldg, Khetwadi Back Rd, Near 10th Lane, 400004; November 18 PaUi Sarabji Nanjee (82), Patel Bglw, 11th Khetwadi Lane, 400004; November 19 Paridokht Khodayar Meherhani (70), 23-F, Fatima Manzil, Dr Maheshwari Rd, 400009; November 20 Rutty Homi Bharucha (88), Moli Mansion, 10, BEST Marg, 400039; November 21 Najamai Nariman Udachia (87), E-11, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; November 21 Pretty Sorahji Bharucita (78), M-2-32, Cama Park, Cama Rd, Andheri (W), 400058; November 22 Phiroz Behramji Limki (76), Mithoo Villa, 749, Rd no 6, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; November 23 Paraniroze Sorahji Shroff (86), 29/A, Sethna Bldg, Nowroji Seth St, Off Girgaum Rd, 400002; November 23 Burjorji Navroji Dahdi (72), 1, Tata Bldg, Dhunbaiwadi, Dadabhai Rd, Vile Parle (W), 400056; November 25 Sam Hornuisji Divecha (68), The View, 165, Dr Annie Besant Rd, Worli, 400018; November 25 Sorahji Paraniji Punegar (78), 51 Parsiana December 19987, Malegamwalla Bldg no 2, M. M. C. Rd, Mahim, 400016; November 25 Homai Godrej Dadina (90), Old Framji Cama Bldg, Zoroastrian Clny, Tardeo, 400007; November 26 Jimmy Behramji Karbhari (65), 5, Sayaji Bldg, Balaram St, Grant Rd, 400007; November 26 Ratanshaw Dinshawji Boga (79), Naju Mans, Nawab Tank Bridge, Dockyard Rd, 400010; November 27 Nergish Rusi Kheshwala (59), 12, C. D. Sethna Bldg, Golanji Hill, Parel, 400012; November 27 Aloo Maneck Master (82), Patel Palace, 580, Jame Jamshed Rd, Matunga, 400019; November 21 Eruchshaw Jivanji Press (90), 688/10, P. A. Hormuzjee Bldg. Dr Dinshaw Master Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; Novmeber 27 Naval Khurshedji Dastur (60). 2/17, Mahalaxmiwalla Bldg, Sleater Rd, 400007; November 28 Burjor Ratansimh Bastawala (65). 34, Owners Court, Near Strand Cinema, Colaba, 400005; November 29 Burjor Ardeshir Birdy (52), C, Dullabh Bhavan, New Charni Rd, 400007; November 29 Goolcher Cawas Movdavalla (93), F-ll, Cusrow Bauu, S. B. Rd, 400039; November 29 Jed Ardeshir Khara.\ (82), Mohamedbhoy Mans no 1, S. Patkar Marg, Kemp ’.s Corner, 400036; November 30 BIR THS Boys Girls MARRIAGES Parsi INTERCOMMUNAL Males married out Females married out DEATHS CONSIGNED Males Females CREMATED Males Females FIGURES AT A GLANCE' Bombay This issue 1998* 95 80 43 203 23 ¦ 19 ¦ 37 36 27 31 448 467 India This issue 1998* 101 84 World This issue 1998* 40 31 14 38 39 ?Running totals for 1998 (January-December issues) ¦Totals for May to November 1998 Overseas deaths are listed in the consigned column as Par si ana does not have a breakup of those cremated. These figures pertain to information provided to or collected by Par si ana . They do not represent the total number of births, marriages and deaths in the Zoroastrian community in India apd abroad. October 2.3 Jamshed Biirjorji Commis­ sariat (80), 3/17, Five Star Apts, Bund Garden Rd, 41 1001; October 31 Tehmi Cawas Gandevia (8.3), N-.3, Konark Puram II, Kondhwa Khurd, 411048; November 1 Dinoo .lamasp Madon (70). C-I9, Kalpana Empress, Saint Patrick ’s Town, Hadapsar, 41 101,3; November 4 Jamshed Patel (75), husband of Nergish and father of Cashmira Holl in Surrey; October 9 JABALPUR DIED Peril! Bomansha Wadia (11), Duplex A-3, Aarti Dias Apts, 50, Denning Rd, 482001; November 5 AUSTRALIA New Smith Wales MARRIED Hiilaxi Smjuiiwullti, daughter of late Helga and Noshir, and Reginald D’vine, son of Ida and Joseph; October 24 Ontario DIED Thrily Pate! (21), wife of Firoze and mother of Rayomand and Parizad in Toronto; August 30 Ardaviraf Daruwala, husband of Nergish and father of Nilofer Sethna, Gulshan Irani and Percy; October 12 USA Illinois DIED Khurshed Khory, wife of Firoze and mother of Noshir at Chicago; October 16 New Jersey BORN A boy, Ray han, to Mane.k and Khushrav Nariman, brother to Viraf; April 5 POONA DIED Ratansha Frainji Dhalla (84), 6. Royal Home, Baner Rd, Aundli, 411007; October ,3 Feraze Sohrah Tara/wre (14), AI-F2, Noble Apts, Gultekdi, 4110.37; October 12 Honii Nariman Mehla (90), 3. Sholapur Bazar Rd, Camp, 411001; October 22 Sarwar Rustom Irani (12), 840, D. M. Rd, 411001; CANADA British Columbia BORN A girl. Shawna, to Seema rind Shahrokh Yazdatd in North Vancouver; November 1 FRANCE Pari.s MARRIED Roxanne Godiwalla of Bombay, daughter of late Freny and late Rohinton, and Francis Ledrif, July 12 MARRIED ' Shirin Khamhata, daughter ;i of Aloo and Rustom, and Gregory Scott Fgrd, son of Marcia and Burton, at Bernardsville, Somerset; May 30 DIED Keki Khamhalla (N)), husband of Koomi in Victoria; September 12 Pilloo liehram Khamhalta (84), mother of Homi, Bomy, Yezdi and Thrity Bhatcna in Vancouver; September 20 PAKISTAN Karachi DIED Aloo Pyramji, mother of Kershaw and Feroze; October 12 UK Middlesex DIED Bachan Dinshaw Nekoo (96), 102, Nursery Rd, Pinner; October 1 Texas BORN A girl, Ava Diane, to Amy and Shah rukh Sanjana at Houston; September 1 A boy, Asad Mahmood, to Ruhina and Farid Khan, brother to Tanya and Sarah at Houston; September 9 A girl, Alyssa Mir, to Sanober and Aderbad Tamholi at Houston; October 11 Compiled by Roxana A. Driver 9 7 1 4 2 3 I 7 1 1 3 1 1 4 4 3 5 7 4 I 52 Parsiana December 1998 I