March 2000

Volume 22 Number 8

EDITOR Jehangir R. Patel

MANAGING EDITOR Amavaz S. Mama EXECUTIVE EDITOR Parinaz M. Gandhi SENIOR EDITORS

Dina K. Mehta, Hilla P. Guzder ASSOCIATE EDITOR Roxana A. Driver

2 Readers' Forum

36 Events and Personalities

53 Zoroastrians Abroad:Framroze Patel

SENIOR DESIGNER Kranti M. Shilotri

DESIGNER Nivedita S. Dhotre MARKETING DIRECTOR Veera J. Patel

ADVERTISING MANAGER Jasmine D. Driver

66 Federation meet at Mhow: A time for change

108 Salsette's spiritual sustenance by Hilla Guzder

ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT

Sampada S. Patwardhan

154 How should we keep our faith? by Cushrow Irani

ACCOUNTS ASSISTANTS lndu Pillai,

Sreevidya P. Unni

158 Memorials and men by Marzban Giara

OFFICE ASSISTANTS Umesh Poojary,

Selvan Mark, Sunil Sakhare,

Govind Salgaonkar, MahipatJadhav

Parsiana is editedand published by Jehangir

164 Pandit Jal Balaporia: The humble maestroby Neville Bastawalla

169 A Parsi at heartby Roshan Rivetna

R. Patel for ParsianaPublications Pvt Ltd at

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170 Who is a Zarathushti? by Nina Dilucci

177 Decades of distinctive dentistry by Dr Dinshaw Boga

186 Dr Keki Turel: Dexterously, through the nervousweb

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192 Farida Master:Mastering a magazine

198 Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta:A serial for the faithful

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READERS' FORUM

mation featured in Parsiana.

"Deadly deficit"

TheNovember issue of Parsiana con­

tains my articleundertheheading

"Deadly deficit."

Theeditor of a newspaper or a jour­ nalhas no doubt the right to edit or alter the article, taking care to see that, while doing so, its accuracyis maintained and the efficacyof the article (especially an article of a legal nature) is not affected.

The heading of the article as altered byyou, namely, "Deadly deficit," is drastic and is not appreciated by several persons [including myselfand the trust­ ees of the Bombay ParsiPunchayet (BPP)]. It forecasts a gloomy financial position in respect of the Doon,:erwadi complex and may deter potential donors from making donations to the complex. The heading may be "Heavy deficit."

The subhead furtherstates that bunglis, when notified, earn "rebate for

Zoroastrian donors." Section80G of the Income-tax Act, 1961 refers to "deduc­

tion" of the amount donated while cal­

in the complex on the solemn occasion of the death of theirdear and near ones."

RUSTOM S. GAE

NewDelhi

"Reach the inner fire"

This is the last time I am respondingto

Perin Divecha.I admire and appreciate her tenacity for endless debate. How­

ever,I see no point arguingwith her endlesslyat the expense of boringthe readers and wasting Parsiana's valu­ able column space.Divecha is welcome, however, to communicate with me, per­ sonally, by letter or e-mail.

Divecha apparently belongs to a sec­ tion of the community which believes in and swearsonly by the Gathas. She says in her recent response("Reach the inner fire," Readers'Forum, Parsiana, No­ vember 1999), "Sohow can my worship stop with the physical fire? (Has anyone asked her to do so?) How can I base my religion and my worship on the Atash Nyaish, instead of listeningto the voice that speaks throughthe words of the Gathas? The voice of Asho Zarathush­

Readers' views are welcomeon any subject of Interest to the community and should besent to the Editor,Readers' Forum, Parslana,G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400001.Letters are subject to editing for raasons of space and clarity. Unsigned lettersor those without an address will not be published.

"Address Access"

You have done an excellent job of com­

piling the list of Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian associations and dharamshalas all over the world in your December 1999 issue.

However, if as statedbyyou,90 percent have not responded to Parsiana' s

circular and you have incorporated only those who have responded, then it would imply that there were another 2,205 as­ sociationsand dharamshalas which have become defunct which is simply stag­ gering. Dr P. D. SUNAVALA

The Editor replies

When we statedthat nearly 90 percent of the associations have not respondedto our circular letter, we meant to indicate that of all the addresses listed by us only 10 percent had responded (only 10 per­ cent of the data could be verified). We carried a listing of all the associations and institutions, irrespective of whether we were able to authenticate the infor-

2 Parsiana March 2000

culating the total income ofthe donor as assessee. This is not "rebate" from tax allowed under the Act (e.g.sections 88, 88B, etc). Further the deduction is al­ lowed to any donor and not to "Zoroas­ trian donors" only.The expression in quotations used in the subhead is not accurate and is misleading and may be read subjectto aforesaid observations.

The commencement of the article refers to encroachment by non-Parsis on the complex.This is over-simplification when it is carried without any back­ ground in the matter. As your journalis read by persons in Bombay and outside, some background on the subjectis called for. Its absence deprives them of the correct picturein the matter and thereby affects the importance of the article.For the purpose the article may commenceas under: "Maintenance and upkeep of the Doongerwadi complex is the pri­ mary duty ofthe trustees ofthe BPP. To keep the complex in pristine condition is an uphill task. Encroachment by non­ Parsis on the complexis one more prob­ lem to be resolved. It is, however,grati­ fying to note that the trusteesmake all efforts to providereasonable comforts and assistance to relatives and friends of the deceasedparticipating in funeraland other obsequies performed in the bunglis

tra."

How can I argue any further with one

who has such scant regard for one of the most beautiful litanies in the Zoroas-· trian tradition-theAtashNyaish-the litany around which the boi ceremony in every atash behram, adarianand dadgah revolves.

In my very firstresponse to Divecha, I had indicated the ''context" in which I had made the statement - "I am not ashamed to say that I worship fire." I have no desire to take readers through the explanation all over again.Suffice to state that the fires burningin our agiaries and atash behrams are no ordinary matchstick fires. They are consecratedfires (ijaila atash)which, doctrinally, are regardedas conscious living enti­ ties, worthy of our reverenceand wor­ ship. This, of course, is without preju­ dice to the fact that Ahura Mazda is the ultimate spirit/divinity we worship through the consecrated fires.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary de­ fines the word "consecrate" as "make or

declare sacred." Divecha, in all likeli­

hood, may consider consecration rituals to be "pagan" and un-Zoroastrian.

However, I believe religion (Zoroas­

trianism, Hinduism,Judaism, Chinese or Islam)comprises both the doctrine

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4 Parsiana March 2000

and the practicesof the faith. In other words, theologyas well as ritual prac­ tices of the faith go hand in hand.Rituals may be seen as a process of falling in step with life, as it unfoldswithin the frames of time and space. Rituals such as the boi ceremonyor offering a Nyaish before a consecrated fire give us an understanding of our relationship with boththe material and spiritual worlds. When performed with understanding and feeling, ritualscan both educate as well as lift the spirit.They help us to experi­ ence and recognize the harmony that exists between the materialand spiritual worlds.

The Upanishads (the Hindu equiva­

lent of the Gathas) state "Sarvam khalu dam Bra/una" or everything existing in the universehas God-consciousness. In the Hindu tradition, consecration of an idol involvesa ceremony known as prana-pratistha or"investiture with life" and chakshudana, i.e. "opening the third eye" (of the idol). The items of worship, namely, the holy water of the river Ganga, the nowers, the grass and the various leaves are all addressedin inti­ mate terms as if they are on par with the worshipper himself apropos their re­ spective levelsof consciousness. Says noted historianWill Durant, "Such ani­ mismis the poetry of religionand the religion of poetry (Story of Civilization, Vol 1, Chapter IV)."The universal love and fellowfeeling which this animism is bound togenerate in the "idolatrous" Hindu is only to be matchedagainst his toleration. Durantremarks, "No blood hasbeen shed for religion in India ex­ cept by the invaders. Intolerance came with Islam and Christanity (Story of Civilization, Vol 1, pg 524)."

Like the Hindu, a Zoroastrian also believes "consciousness" as fundamen­ tal. He regards matter as derivative from consciousness. Supports scientist Max Planck, "Everything we talk about,ev­ erything we regard as existing, postu­ lates consciousness."

There is nothing pagan therefore in a Zoroastrian prayingbefore the sun, the moon, the waters, the mountains or fire. Says Prof Max Mueller in his Introduc­ tion to the Science of Religion (pg 93) "Their (Aryans')worship is not, as has beenso often said, a worship of nature. But, I should venture to call it a worship of God in nature." Max Mueller's wor­ ship of God in nature reallymeans, for all practical purposes, the worshipof life in nature.

In the words of Byron. "My altarsarethe mountains and the ocean, earth, air, stars, all that springsfor the Great Whole, who hath produced and will receive the soul."

In offering worship at an agiary or atash behram,one is, in essence, offer­ ing worshipto Ahura Mazda through fire -doctrinally considered His son. For it is this sonthat carries the will of his Fatherin sustaining this entireuni­ verse.

It is of this son of Ahura Mazda- I

repeat - I am not ashamed to be a worshipper. For it is throughthe wor­ ship of fire thatI worship AhuraMazda.

NOSHIR H. OADRA WALA

"Preserving Parsi..!'

The October issueof Parsiana included

a four-page questionnaire "Preserving Parsi Zoroastrian Cultureand Heritage" and one of the questions asked us to name a Parsi Zoroastrian of the past and the presentwhom one most admired.

This immediately brought to mind a

true life story.It might prod other Zoro­ astrian readersof Parsiana to look back into the past and see if they can come up with similar tales of heroism and nobil­ ity.

About a hundred years ago, there

liveda Parsi widow, Mithibai Sohrabji Dalal,with her only son in a township called Malegam.As was the custom in those times,she lived in a sprawling bungalow in spacious groundsat the far end of which were situated the out­ houses and the stables.It was the time of the dreadedbubonic plague with its own dark historyof death and disaster that befell somany. ItdidnotspareMithibai's household. The youngghorawalla (coachman), who lived in the servants' quarters with his large family, fell vic­

tim to the scourge. Such was the fear of this diseasethat all his near and dear

ones abandoned him and fled for their lives. He was left alone to die"

Unmindful of the consequenceto

herself. this gentlelady set aboutthe taskof single-handedly nursingthe des­ perately sick servant, feedinghim and ministering to his needs day and night. Such was the qualityof her care that by and by the dying man recovered - a near-miracle for those times.

But the spectreof death had visited the household and, once whetted,would not be denied. It was inevitable that her frail body would succumbto the ravag­ ing onslaught made upon it.She was

only42. It had to be wondered what manner of woman this was who, with sublime indifference to her own safety, relinquished her life to save that of a "mere" servant.The British civil sur­ geon who attended on her asked the same question.As she lay dying of this excruciating disease, she answeredsim­ ply: It was nothing,anyone would have done the same. How could the poor young man be left to die?

Unlike soldiers who risk life and limb

in the serviceof their country,there was no call of duty for Mithibai, only that of an extraordinary conscience. Her su­ preme sacrifice went completely un­ known and unsung except to her son who told his daughter who told me. She was my great-grandmother.

It is inconceivable in these modern

andmore selfish timesthat anyone would be inspiredto act so instinctively on the fundamental concept ofVohu Mana. To this simple Zoroastrian lady, humata, hukhata, huvarshtawere evidently not mere words but naturalurgings to be acted upon.

The gentle Mithibai liveson as the

epitome of compassion and nobility to us, her descendants. We will keep it alive in our minds and hearts to pass on

to distant generations for of such stuff are Zoroastrianlegends made.

DINASUNTOOK NAY AR

"Faith and mountains"

In the article"Faithandmountains,"

Readers' Forum, Parsiana, October 1999, Farzan Mazda has rightlypointed out that the micro minority Parsi com­ munity requiresto maintain unity for their survival. As we are aware "union is strength."

When I was interviewed by Ahmeda­ bad Doordarshan, on "Parsi Culture," the interviewer posed an importantques­ tion: When Parsis meet togetherto solve their problems, they scream, shout and fight, while they have kept their promise to behave peacefully and amicably with other communities in India, like sugar in milk. Why should they not behave with the same sweetnessamong themselves?

There is no problemthat cannot have right solutionsif we sit across the table, with good intentions and manashni. We are an intellectual communityand have more than enoughresources to come to correct conclusions. Prolongeddiscus­ sions on trifling mattersand contro­ versy in public papers cannot solve any­ thing. Kunashniis more important than

only gavashni as the foundation of the Zoroastrianreligion is karma-yoga. Let us have foresight and fortify ourselves in the new millennium. NOSHIRDABOO

Ahmedabad

"Treasured on the..!'

It was with delight and pride that I have

been reading your articles entitled"Trea­ sured on the Island," particularly the one in the issue of September 1999, as that deals with my family,the Khans.

My maternal grandfather was Mun­ chershaw,son ofFramji BhikhajiKhan (co-founder of the firm Framji Bhikhaji and Company in Colombo).He married ShirinbaiCooper of Lahore.They had four daughters and two sons. The eldest daughter Frany was my mother. She and her sisters and elder brotherspent their early childhood in Framjee House,and till the day she died spoke fondly of the years they spent there. Her baby sister Rupa was born in Colombo and died there at aboutone year of age and is buried in Colombo.

Mypaternal grandfather was Pestonji, son of DinshawjiBhikhaji Khan (co­ founder of the firm Dinshawji Bhikhajiand Company in Bombay). He married his cousin Goolbai, thedaughterof

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6 Parsiana March 2000

Framji Khan. They had two sons and onedaughter. The youngerson Framji, my father, marriedhis cousin Frany.

Thetwo sons of Dinshawji BhikhajiKhan, Bomanji and Pestonji, and the sons of Framji Khan,namely Bhikhaji and Munchershaw, carriedon and ex­ panded the business both in Colomboand in Bombay. After the death of Bomanji, the three other partners, PestonjiKhan and his two cousins,Bhikhaji and Munchershaw Khan con­ tinued. My motheroften referred to them as the "BigThree." That was the era of honest business practices, and the "BigThree" prized honestyand integrity above all. Under their able guidance the business prospered, both in Bombay and in Colombo.

Pestonji Khan was a theosophist and

a close associate of Dr Annie Besant, and Col Olcottwho during his stay in Colombo was also a guest at Framjee House. It might interest you to know whatthe late Lady Jena Duggantold me years later. She and her husband Sir Jamshedji were on their honeymoon. When their ship docked at Colombo, they were invitedto Framjee House where they spent a few very enjoyable

days as guests of my grandfather. Pestonjialso had the gift of healing by laying on of the hands. He was a great travellerand had been all over the world, including Russia.

Bhikhaji married Avabai, daughter of Dinshawji Khan. They had four daughters,the youngest of whom, Banoobai,married her cousinNusser­ vanji, the eldest son of Pestonji.Unfor­ tunately Nusscrvanji died young, leav­ ing behinda widow and three small daughters, the youngest of whom was barely six months old. His death wasfollowed by that of his father Pestonji,then in quick succession that ofhis uncles Munchershaw and Bhikhaji who was also his father-in-law. So within a space of five years all the senior partners died.

My fatherFramji, a qualifiedcivil

engineer, with a Masters degree from Cambridge and an AssociateMember of the Instituteof Civil Engineers, Lon­ don, had to leave his profession and take charge of the businessand the execution of the wills of the senior partners. This was duringthe recession, in the after­ math of the First World War. Hehad the sad task of liquidating the assets of the business, selling Framjee House and the

Colombo Oil Mills for the price of ma­ chinery.

My brother Pesy, togetherwith Mun­ chershaw'syoungest son Khurshed­cher, tried to carry on as best they could, but finallyhad to close down the busi­

ness becauseof the policy of the Ceylon

Government.ARNAVAZ F. KHAN

"More Parsimyths"

I was very much impressed to read the

views expressed by Dr M.D. Disawalla ("More Parsi myths," Readers' Forum, Parsiana, July-August 1999)on our

present outdatedsystem of dokhme­ nashini. OrthodoxParsis would acquire some true knowledge after reading Disawalla's views. Disawalla states in the end: "Let us remove our blinkers and

be not afraidtodiscardunnecessary,

impractical and out-of-time ritualsand customs as we face the coming millen­ nium."I fully agree with his views. The latesolicitor Shiavax Vakil, who ex­ pired last year and who had visited dokhmas about 25 years ago when he wasa Bombay Parsi Punchayettrustee, had describedthe unhygienic conditionsinside dokhmas. Similarviews about filthy dokhmashavebeenexpressed

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•

since November 1999 in The Free Press Journal.For over two years, no vultures are visible at the Bombay Doongerwadi. They seem to have disappeared.

Orthodox Parsis do not want to change to any hygienic and civilized system. Under the circumstances, those Parsis who prefer to be electrically cremated after their death can fulfil their wish by handing over the following in writing to any Hindu doctor:"I, the undersigned, hereby authorize my wife/husband/son/ daughter/son-in-law (as the case may be) that after my death my body should be electrically cremated and not con­ signed to a dokhma at the Doongerwadi." (My wife and I have also gone in for this arrangement.) Also, the first four days' religiousceremonies should be per­ formed according to Hindu religious rites, ifParsi priestsdo not perform Parsi religiousceremonies either at the Doon­ gerwadi or at fire-temples.

Take the signature of the doctoror

no guarantee that the next of kin will observe the wishes of the deceased. The choice of disposal would ultimately rest with those in whose custody the corpse finally lies. As in most legal matters, possession would determine the course of action.

"Cama's maiden century" You had carried an article on Dr Hambai Cama ("Cama' s maiden century," Events and Personalities, Parsiana,

October 1998) who died in the earlyhours of Novem­ ber 17, 1999. "How nice it

would be if you could all come to wish me on my 200th birthday!" she had said on her IOOth birthday on August 15, 1997. But alas! Though she had the courage, the will power and the spirit to live and serve humanity for anotherI 00

birds and abandoneddonkeys.

Her life has been one of dedication

and service to her family,friends and humanity. Even in death she found a way to further medical science by do­ nating her body to Gangadharshastri Gune Ayurved MedicalCollege and Hospital, Ahmed nagar. If the objects of dokhemenashini are non pollutionof the elements of nature and the desire to utilize the flesh in service of other living

beings, thenwhycouldI

not ask my priest to per­ form her paidustand four days' prayers whichwas her desire? Surely all these ob­ jectswere met and more, in donating her bodyto medi­ cal science?

Avatar Meher Baba had

said that the way to know a true atma (soul) of a higher plane was the behaviorof that soul. Is it the same with

person willing to fulfil your desire, give

years, her body and fleshCama: servicewith

the rich and the poor,the

him/her one copy, and pay the charges

for the first four days' religiousceremo­

said no.

Though a doctorshe

serenity

powerful and the weak?

You know you are with a

nies according to Hindu rites.D. R. ANTIA

TheEditor replies

Even if an undertaking is given, there is

never practicedmedicine for money and

always gave medicines and treatment to all,not only to the villagersaround her but also to roadside dogs, cows, goats,

higher atma when you feel a sense of

peace in their presencethroughevery

crisis in your personallife.

During my 53 years of association

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14 Parsiana March 2000

with her the two most vivid images that I shall always remember are: Cama bend­ ing over a stray dog with her sudreh and kusti visible at the back and saying: "Soo thayu, khato kem nathi (What is wrong? Why are you not eating?") and her meetingwith Mother Teresawith both their faces radiating the same di­ vinereflection.

Her life mission of service to human­ ity is aptly summed up in the words of Dr Abhay Vaidya,chief trustee, S.M. Joshi Foundation, who with her nephew and closest male relative Adil Godrej Bharucha were in the process of setting up a charitable diagnostic center in her name after her passing:"We believe weshallbe I00 percent successful when we can serve 50 percent of the people that Cama did. Aiming at a higher percent­ age many prove too frightening to at­ tempt a beginning."

BEHRAM SAROSH NAGARW ALLA

Ahmednagar

Funds for Frohar Films Many Zoroastrians must have seen the program Humata, Hukhta,Hvarshta­ Suvichar, Suvachan, Sukarma- on DO­ II Metro Channel which was aired on Sunday afternoons from 12.30 p.m. to

1.00 p.m. starting August 22, 1999.

It was a very major breakthrough that Cyrus Dastoorand his team of Frohar

Films achieved, havinghad to face many odds in gatheringfunds to make the serial. Financial help was not forthcom­

ing from many Parsi stalwarts he had approached.Dastoor had to work on a penny-pinching basis, all participants having rendered their time and energy in good faith,free of cost.

Had Dastoor receivedfinancial help, given his fine reputation as a directorof Gujarati and Hindi plays, the serial that he directed would have borne the stamp of qualitythat marks his work. I was disappointed at the quality of the serial. Today it is off the air as Frohar Films does not have even Rs 40,000 to pay for the processing of each episode.

Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta was an eye openerfor the world at largeregard­ ing the Zoroastrian religion, the way of life and culture. After 19 episodesmade against all odds, the serialhas died a natural death. Could not our business houses, professionals and entrepreneurs have created a corpus so that wecan show the world a better quality of serial about our community,culture and reli­ gion?

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Letthe community know that we have talent which we fail to support. Our community needs to wake up fast and put aside its divisive tendencies, iden­ tify and encourage people who are will­ing and able to work for a better under­ standingof the community.

Dr KETAYUN MADON

GodrejBaug agiary

In the words of a plaque on the Agiary

hall,"With the blessings of Ahura Mazda this holy fire was enthroned at village Tavri near Navsari before 1869 {YZ 1238). Due to migration and consequent absenceofParsi families from Tavri. the holy fire was entrusted to the trustees of Dowager Avabai Jamshedjee Jejeebhoy Trust for enthronement at their Agiary atNavsari on February29, h964 roz Ardibehesht Ameshaspand, mah Meher Yazad. YZ 1333. The holy fire was shifted to (Bombay)and enthroned to rest in perpetuity in Shapoorji Fakirji Jokhi Agiary belonging to Bombay Parsi Punchayet on Tuesday December 21, 1999, roz Bahrnan Ameshaspand, mah Amardad Ameshaspand, YZ !369.''

TheAgiary will fulfil along-felt need for spiritualguidance for the residents ofGodrejBaug whose number is steadilygrowing. For others,transport is the mainproblem. Yet, for them, a little hardship can be overcome and forgotten when the devotees enter the Agiary pre­ cinct, pray before the holy fire and seek its blessings. BHIKHAJI M.ADENWALLA

Portraits for posterity"Portraitof a Community" is an inde­ pendent project conceived by Gallery Chemould under the aegis ofChemould Publications and Arts Trust. The Trust was specifically created in 1983 to pro­ mote art and culturalevents which would be of valuefor the furtherance of re­ search and documentation.

It was felt that a rich and significant record of Parsiheritage has remained unknown and is decayingin several of our homes,fire-temples and charitable institutions. These are the paintingsand photographs of our sethias and their families, depicting the enterprise and lifestyle whichgave this tiny commu­ nity so distinguished a place in the In­ dianethos.

Thus a special committee of con­ cerned indi victuals has been formed and the projectproposes to:

•accomplish the task of identifying sig­ nificant portraits, paintings and photo-

graphs scattered across Bombay and other Parsi habitations in western India;

•create an exhaustivedatabaseofthe

available pictorial record, along with brief details of theartist, the subject,social context, etc;

•document each work througha photo­

graphic inventory;

oidentify those paintings which arein

urgent need of cleaning, restoration, reframing, etc;

•select the most outstandingandrel­

evant worksand hold an exhibition of these works;

•publish a catalog.

We believe the considerable amount

of time and effort requiredto accom­ plish these tasks will have been well spent if it:

Qchecks the unconscionabledecay in

these works of art,

•gives the community a valuable record

of its rare heritage,

"Sensitizes the owners of these worh (whether individuals or public trusts), thereby leadingto continued care and preservation, and

•leaves a legacy to inspire futuregenera­ tions.

Soon after our projectwas launched,

it was heartening to learn that Dr Shernaz Cama is pursuing a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cul­ tural Organization) supported project for preserving and identifying the Parsi Zoroastrianculture and heritage."Por­ trait of a Community" will be thus ful­ filling a part of Cama'sobjectives, but will be independent of it.

We have estimated our project to cost around Rs 14 lakhs. This will include: cost of advertisements solic­ iting information regarding the works; fees payable to professional photog­ raphers, with travel costs, etc; print­ ing of catalog, invitations, posters; exhibition expenses of gallery rental, advertisements, etc; courier, packing, transport, etc; insurance of paintings; documentation on CO-Rom; salary of a temporarycoordinating secretary; incidentalexpenses.

We are hopefulthat charitable trusts and like-minded individuals will gener­ ously donate to this vital project. Dona­ tions are exempt under Section80G of the Income-tax Act, 1961. Cheques are to bemade payable to "Chemould Pub­ lications and Arts Nc Portrait of a Com­ munity." Together we can make this venture a reality so that our distinctive heritage remains on the globalmap

of history. KHORSHED K. GANDHY Chairperson, ChemouldPublications and Arts Trust

Russian interpretation

We are pleased to inform our commu­

nitymembers that a new book in Rus­ sian on Prophet Zarathushtra is avail­ able in Moscow, Russia.

Velikie Proroki Zarathushtra mean­ ing "Great Prophecies of Zarathushtra" is written by Dobrovina Tatyana Artei­ miyavna and Laskareva ElenaNikalaev­ na. The publishers are Olimp from Mos­ cow.

The book is divided into six seg­ ments and it covers vast subjectsfrom the history and religion of the Aryans, the creation,the holy Avesta, Gayo maretan to Peshdadian kings, Zurvan, resurrection, the Chinvad bridge, mo­ rality, calendar,the gahambars and Zo­ roastrianastrology.

Theauthors explain in detail the prophesies of Lord Zarathushtra, the coming of the saoshyants and the end of the world. -

Lord Zarathushtra is said to be a very handsome person,an Aryan, born in Airyana Vaejah which is in the north of presentRussia.Hisnamemeansthe

ever-shining golden star. AhuraMazda, the Lord of Wisdom, is the holy spirit, without form, presentin all creations and visualizedin the holy fire.

Theauthors explain that the Aryans were super intelligent, living in the tem­ perate zone of Arctic regionswhich is now frozen land and Lord Zarathushtra is from the same race.

The presentday Russians are the descendants of the same Aryans and the

mythological and religious knowledge of the Russians comes from Lord Zara­ thushtra. BURZINE. ATASHBAND

The Zoroastrian Association of Russia, Moscow

Themillennium man

Field MarshalSam Manekshaw was fe­

licitated by the Baroda Parsi Panchayat duringtheir awards and scholarship func­ tion to which he was invited as the chief guest. A living legend of our times, we were fortunate to have him for three full days and that'swhen the man emerged from the field marshal. He came across as a very unaffected, humane,kind and lovable rascal(pardon).

Touse a common cliche, he is a man who walked with kings but never lost thecommontouch...sowhereverhe

went his name acquired a new connota­ tion e.g. Sam Bahadur from his Gurkha Regiment... Sam Babu in Bengal... Sam Manek Shaw from the FrontierProv­ ince... and Apro Sam from us Parsis.

He brought forth a blush on the face of every girl he met in the age-group of two to 95 years.He said to a 95-year-old dowager, "Darling, I still have 10 years more to reach your age..."

His energy and commitment to work

he carried beautifully on his 86-year-old frame. His service spans from the early British Raj to present times.What pleases him most, in his words, is that "A field marshal never retires, he only goes out on the gun carriage..."

An officer par excellence, he was just

as comfortable dining with thepresident or happily guzzling a big peg with a jawan in a snow clad bunker.He has a cheery word with his ever ready infec­ tious smile for anyone. "Naamkya hai? Kaunsa mulukka hai... (What is your name? Fromwheredo you hail?)" is how he makes it a point to affectionately greet a hotel doorman ... a chowkidar...

Whenhe spoke to the Parsiyouth and the officers of the army, it was a pleasure to see that everyone heard himwith

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18 Parsiana March 2000

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interest and awe, no generation gap was prevalentat any stage. "Give me a per­ son with common sense and I will make hima leader," he bellowed.

A multifaceted character, he didn't

hesitate to tick off a defence ministeror the prime minister ifhe thought they were wrong and this he did time and again, not for personalglory but to ac­ complish a tough job he was handling.

Recently when a police jeep banged

into his car, the man seatedin it had the audacity to offer a 100 rupee note. "I couldn't contain my laughter,as my driverin rage asked 'Janta hai yeh kaun hai? FieldMarshal Manekshaw hai (Do you know who this man is? He's Field Marshal Manekshaw),' to which the other replied,'Rahane de... Rahane de, sab Lete hai (Keep it, everyoneaccepts

it).,,

No sirens or security men surround him, his reasonbeing, "Who wouldwish to harm me in my own country?"

Toreach such heightsit would not have been possible withoutthe contri­ bution of his wife Silloo,whose name he often incorporates in his anecdotes, sometimes naughtily and at times with love... "Two people I was always scared of: one was IndiraGandhi, the other,my

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20 Parsiana March 2000

wife ..." About his family he said, "I never wantedsons and I have two daugh­ ters," but all of us could see the pride and gleam in his grey blue eyes when he said, "one of my grandsonshas changed his surname to Manekshaw as he didn't want the lineage to end ..."

This charismatic figure is a pucca Parsi ... that aristocratic Parsi nose, goro

goro (fair), hasnzukho Uovial), khanar pinaar (fond of the good things in life), milansar (gregarious) human being. He mostcertainly is the man of the millen­

nium, not for us Parsis alone but for all

Indians. RODA D. HAKIM

Baroda

Insulting lranis

I am an ordinaryZoroastrian who was

born in Bombay, grew up in Tehran, was

educated in London and marriedin Bombay. I visit my native land as often as I can.

Let me state (at the risk of sounding

patronizing) that of all the Zoroastrian publications I have read,I find Parsiana to be the most educational and forth­ right. Needlessto say, it is for this reason I have chosen Parsiana in which to ex­ press my views.

The main reason for my writing this

letter is to high Iight the plight of Zoroas­ trian Iranians in Iran. Over the past I ,300 years at least, they have suffered terrible persecution. It was common to see Zo­ roastrians hanged in public by their own kusti for no other reason than for being what they were- Zoroastrians! Many were torturedto death in front of their own familiesfor not being able to pay the jazia(minority tax). Even to this day, should a Zoroastrian kill a Muslim in a driving accident, he or she mustsupport the dead man's family for life. However, when the situationis reversed, the Muslimhas to discharge a nominal penalty. Moreover, should a Zoroas­ trian convert to Islam, then he or sheautomatically becomes the owner of the family's entire estate.

For a Zoroastrian to sustain his faith

undersuch desperate conditions is bad enough. But when suchZoroastrians are labeled "Irani junglee" by their fel­ low Zoroastrians, then I am sure you will agreeinsult has been added to in­ jury.

Fortuitously I personally have never

been denigrated in this fashion.But many, sadly, have. In the new millen­ nium, I believe the time has surelycome to give such despicable prejudice, within

our own faith, an honorable burial.

FAROKH FALAHATI

London, UK

Rare winter solstice

For the benefit of those friendsunaware

of what Yalda is, it's the ancientZoroas­ trian/Iranian celebrationof the winter solstice.In most communities a jashan is performed, followed by feastingtill late, story telling, recitations from the Shah Namah, singing and dancing.The celebration is for the victory of good over darkness, the days now grow longer than the nights and there is promise of spring. Last year, the winter solstice, December 22, was the longestnight of the year. It was specialbecause the sol­ stice coincided with a full moon. Not just any full moon but when the moon was atits closest pointto the Earth,appearing about 14 percent larger than usual. Being only 10 daysfromthe Earth's perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, the moon also appeared seven percentbrighter.Theseeventsoccur­ ringconjointlyareararity. RUSISORABJI

Mission to Bahrot

In the lastweekofJanuary, a group of23

Zoroastrians, the oldest being 64, stayed

Lookforwardtostylefrom thepast...

Choose from a rich and rare array of garas, antique Chinese coats,

Parsi sari borders, silk Swiss embroidered borders in pure silver

and gold and eejars inpristine condition.

These are sourced from old Parsi homes andfamilies.

l

Roshan Daver

Malabar Mansion, 37 Garden Road, Colaba, Mumbai400039 Tel: 2833078 or 2873373. E-mail:yezdi@bom3.vsnl.net.com

22 Pars/ana March 2000

overnight in Dahanu. The group includedthree veterans of Bahrot. The next day after morningtea at 5 a.m. we reached Karaj Gam.

Wethen drove to the foot of .the Bahrot Hilland after a short prayerstarted climbing the tough 30° incline at 7.10

a.m. The climate was cold and pleasant but we had to stop along the 420m high, eight km climb for short breathers. After

a two-hour ascent,we reached a flat spot on a ridge.Before us, on one side was a view of Gujarat and on the other side, Aswali Dam and Maharashtra.

We reached the top ofBahrot moun­ tain at l 0.30 a.m. where we found a natural spring.The spring water must have sustained the Zoroastrians during their13 years' stay at the top. We then joined in ajashanat Bahrot caves Jed by

Thenatural spring atop Bahrot Hill rejuvenates pilgrims

Ervads Dinyar Vazifdar and Bomi Bha­ da.

We reached thebase camp by 1.30

p.m. after one-and-a-half hours of slid­ ing down and caught the eveningtrain to Bombay feeling happy that we could accomplish our mission. Do it now

"Wishing a Happy and Prosperous JamshediNavroze Mubarak to the Parsee community"

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24 Parsiana March 2000

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when you can. ZENDM.ZEND

"The Top Ten"

I am originally from Karachi, presently

living in Ottawa. My wife is from Dadar, Bombay. I like reading the various ar­ ticles about our community -in India and overseas - in Parsiana. As you were calling for nominations for out­ standing Parsi personalities, I would like to propose the names of the following two outstanding Parsisof Pakistan who have contributed to their country:Ar­ deshir Cowasjee who was recently awarded a bipartisan Citizen's award by the citizens of Karachifor his honest, fair and gutsy views on the situation inPakistan and Jamsheed Marker,out­ standing diplomat, cricketcommenta­ tor and advisorto various governments ofPakistan. FALIPATEL

Ottawa, Canada

Our community has producedvery many talented personalities in various sports who have achievedgreat heights play­ ing at the state/national/international level in an individualsport. The lady I refer to, Shireen K. Kiash (nee Contrac­ tor), has represented India in three dif­ ferent sports(basketball, hockey and

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26 Parsiana March 2000

cricket) which I can assureyou no Zoro­ astrianor an Indian has ever achieved.

In table tennis she represented the

Bengal Schools and Calcutta Univer­ sity.

In hockey she represented West Ben­ gal at the nationallevel, India in the Third AsianWomen's Championship in New Delhi in 1968, participated in the Japan-IndiatournamentinJapan in 1970 and in the Hongkong-India tournament in Hongkongin 1970, and was awarded the ·'Playerof the Week" in the 1968 nationals at Trivandrum.

In basketball she represented West Bengal at the nationallevel and India in the Asian Women's Basketball Cham­ pionship in Kuala Lumpur in 1970.

In cricket she represented West Ben­ gal at the nationallevel and played in the India vs Australia three-test series in 1975. In the same year she was awarded the ''BestBatswoman" award at the Calcutta nationals.

The LimcaBookof Records has a

section on her forher sports achieve­ ments. She also comes up in quizzes as the only Indian to representIndia in three sports.

The crowning glory for her came at

the age of 26 when she was chosen as one of the 300 famous sons and daugh­ ters of the soil of Bengal in the 300 years of Calcuttabrochure which was pub­ lished by theCalcutta Skylinemaga­ zine. She also receivedthe "Most Out­ standing Sportswoman Award" and a citation from a LadiesStudy Group at the handsof Mother Teresa,which to her was a memorableexperience.

Besides her sportsachievements on the field she has coached school and club teams in basketballand voluntarily coached the students of the Hearing­ Impaired Schoolin basketball.

She has also been associated with variousassociations in West Bengal. She was secretary and then presidentof the Women's HockeyAssociation of West Bengal.She revived this Associa­ tion after it was lying defunctfor five years and organized many tournaments and sent West Bengalteams for junior

:and senior natwnals.She had served as selector of the Indian women's hockey team. She had served too as the vice president of the women'sAssociation of West Bengal lor many years and was manager of the Indian women's basket­ ball team which went to Singapore for

the Asian Women'sBasketball Cham­ pionship in 1980. For a numberof years she was selected as the "BestReferee" by the West Bengal Women's Basket­ ball RefereesAssociation.

I doubt if all this could have been achieved had Shireen not been a Zoroas­ trian. After shifting from Bombay to Calcutta at the age of seven years she stayed in a Parsiblock, Khorshedl Madan Mansion, affordingher the opportunity of honing her sportsskills and acquiring tremendous experience by playing with the boys of the buildings. Credit should also go to the CalcuttaParsis and to the Parsec Club for their full heartedsup­ port (including financial) without which she would have been nowhere.

This exceptional womanhas borne me two of the most beautifulchildren and performed her motherly role with equal aplomb. KHUSHROO S. KIASH

Fire will never die

Every year my wife and I make it a point

to participate in a mulaadceremony at the Zoroastrian House, UK. As soon a:-. we enteredthe large hall on Sunday,we noticedit was packed with Zoroastrians, most of them in white clothes with their

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headscovered with caps or scarves. On one side of the hall were white marble tables with tall, shiningsilver vases full of beautifully arrangedflowers. On a slightly raised platform, eight mobeds, donning starched jamo, pichhori and padan, were reciting in unison the afrinagan and farroxshi prayers. The fragranceof sandalwood and loban per­ meated the hall along with the fragrance of flowers. The shining white vases lent a spiritual aura. Never in my careerof 40 years in this country have Iever experi­ enced such a unique, divine, serene at­ mosphere.

Apart from muktads,it is an experi··

ence to witnessthe jashan ceremony performed by Ervads Jal Karkaria, Zal and DariusSethna in a loud, clear voice, capturingthe spirit of the atmosphere. One feels you are in a different spiritual world.

A visit to Zoroastrian House would

not be complete without observingthe maachi ceremonyperformed by my friend Ervad Rusi Bhedwar,chanting prayers to the fire in the Setayash Gah on

the first floor of the building in a loud, clear voice,when the atmosphere is once again charged with purity and divinity.

Come rain, storm, snow or sleet, all

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crvad sahebs at Zoroastrian House offer their services in an honorary capacityand I salute them. Our fire and faith will never die. FAROKH NAVAROJIDARUWALA

Middlesex, UK

Educate Parsi couples

The Parsi population has gone down considerablyin recent

years. When other communities are galloping with their birth rate, Parsisare remaining depressingly behind, creating sig­ nificant problemsfor the community.

I want to point out three main factors which,if properly tackled, will help to increase our population to a certain extent.

Experience has shownthat there is always considerable difference of opinion amongthe newly marriedpartners whetherto have a baby immediately or not, due to family. housing, financialand other reasons.And they are so indepen­ dent-minded that they won't listen to wiser counselfrom the elders, relativesand even friends.An effort must be made to rrovide them some religiousand psychological counselling. Otherwise such couples soon end up in divorce at an early age, aggravatingthe community's social problems.

Many recently marriedcouples openly say they still want to "enjoy," whatever that means. They insist on a carefree life and want to move around to different placesfor their own selfish motives.Some of them even argue that they will "think" about babies after five or seven years,not realizing that they will soon pass the child-bearing age and will not beableto reproduce if they try belatedly.

Figures show that divorce among couples between 25 and 40 years of age has considerably increased during the past three decades.And, although we have an army of female

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32 Parsiana March 2000

Navjote Assistance

A kind person in the USA provides financialassistance for the Navjote ceremony and accompanying religious instruction for the childrenof poor Parsis. Any

one wishing such help may contact us.

HilburDaruvala

17 Colaba Chambers

150Colaba Road

Bombay 400005

E-mail:larry@vsnl.com Courtesy: www.zoroastrian.net

social workers, attemptsto reconcile such couplesare significantly lacking. Pars is do not look on favorably towards a divorcee, male or female,and attempts to get them married again do not always succeedhappily. They should stick to the partnerthey have already chosen and married,and live happilyever after with childrenand grandchildren.

Let me thanktheBombayParsi

Punchayet for introducing the third child schemeunder which a couple havingthe thirdchild gets Rs 1,000 per month and a promiseofabiggerflattofitthe family's size.Ithinktheschemehas positive features and is attractive enough for the couple to make up their mind and have the third child for their own as well as the child's and the community's ben­ efit. RUSTOM A. KOTW AL

Whither, Parsiana?

I amvery happy withParsiana maga­

zine and enjoy it a lot. But I have some suggestions. You should try and have interviews of people from Parsi schools. You should have a column for young Parsis of different age groups. Your subscription renewalform asks for de­ tails of occupation, companyname, age group... You should bring in their names

and activities in your magazine.

MEHERPOCHKHANAWALA

Meaningful prayer

Here is a Zoroastrian prayer written years

back by my late fatherLt Col DrS. J. Bhathena, not only for the benefitof us his childrenbut also for the sectionof our community who do not read Gujarati or understand our prayers.I recite this prayer daily, morning and night, which gives me solace in my old age (80).

0 perfectly pious Prophet Zoroaster!

Our holy guide and guru Let thy sacred fire burn

The roots of the evil which are within us

And which are surrounding us So that our souls may get free from worldlyimpurities

And rise to the sublimeheight

of spirituality

To enable us to receivethe spark Of the divine dazzlinglight Radiating from the benevolent

Creatorof the universe.

0 Lord! help our erringsouls

Reach thy gloriouskingdom! Amen!

M.S. BHATHENA

Poona

Edited byParinaz M. Gandhi

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34 Pars/ana March 2000

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Events and Personalities

Hospital gears up

By May 2001, the renovationand re­

construction of the ExtensionA Wing of Bombay's B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital(PGH)which

is currentlyunder way is expected to be com­ pletedatanestimated

project cost of Rs 8,00,00,000, mentions the 86th annual report of the Hospital for the year 1998-99.The reno­ vated wing which will accommodate rooms with bath and toiletplus other ancillary facilities will be serviced by a separate lift.

The reconstruction

has been made possible throughgener­ ous donations from the Zartoshty broth­ ers of Canada, the Jokhi family of Hong Kong and The Incorporated Trustees of ZoroastrianCharities of Hong Kong, Canton and Macao. The valuabledona­ tions receivedduring the year were Rs 5,000,000 from the executorsof the will of the late Sorab Manekshaw, the other donors above Rs I ,000,000being the trustees of the Bai Manekbai P. B. JeejeebhoyDeed of Settlement Fund who contributed Rs 3,500,000, Keki Jokhi from the estate of the late ShapurjiFakirji Jokhi, Rs 2, 175,672,Settna Me­ morial Foundation, Rs 1,500,000,and Mottibai andNowroji Contractor Chari­ ties, Bai HirabaiManchersha Gilder Charity Trust and Gaol Dhunjishaw Karaka, Rs 1,000,000 each.

In responseto a commonly voiced complaint that the Hospital keeps in­ creasing its bed charges withoutprovid­ ing commensurate services, the annual report indicates througha pie chart that

36 Parsiana March 2000

just40 percent of its income is derived from hospitalcharges. The balance37 percent is from dividends and interest, 20 percent from donations and three percent

B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital: under renovation

from others. During the year, 3,907 pa­ tients were admitted of whom 1,758 were males and 2, 149 were women and chil­ dren. The number of paying patients increased from 2, 129 in 1997-98to 2,259 in 1998-99. There was a corresponding rise in the number of free and subsidized patients too from 1,469 in the preceding year to 1,648 in the year underreport. Likewise there was an increase in births at the Hospitalfrom 103 in the precedingyear to 134 in the current year, and in deaths from 283 to 306.

With the installation of a new IBM Netfinity 5,500 serverconnected by Local Area Networkto about 30 PC based terminals and commissioning of a Hospital Management Information System Software all functional areasof the Hospital - including admissions, discharges, transfers, utlilization of di­ agnostic services and operating rooms,

financial transactions, pharmacy, cen­ tral and kitchenstores, ward manage­ ment and medicalrecords - will be conveniently accessible.

The principal office bear­ ers of the PGH are president Homa D. Petit, vice presidentAban H. Petit, joint honorarysecretaries Hector H. Mehta and Zarir M. Bhathena, hon­ orary treasurer ArdeshirN. Vazifdar.

Adoption rights

"The fundamental right to life

for an orphaned, abandoned and

a similarly placed child includes the right to be adopted by par­ ents, to have a home, a name, a nationality, andthis is an en­

forceable right,justiciable through a civil

court," held JusticeF. I. Rebello of the Bombay High Court in a landmark ruling in October1999 reported in The Indian Express ofNovember 14.As stated in the report, all those within the jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court holding custody of childrenunder the Guardiansand Wards Act (as would be the case for many Zoroastrians), could seek to adopt their wards provideda two-year period has lapsedsince they got guardianship rights.

This is subject to the court ascertain­ ing that the financial status, the health and the medical reportsof the adoptive parents are sound, states the write-up, clarifying that the progressreports of the child will have to be collected and the views of the Indian Councilfor Social Welfare obtained.

Since there is no law in the country that permits adoption except by Hin­ dus, all other minorities are presently governed by the Guardians and Wards

Act,1890. The pathbreaking judgment "that has freed adoptionfrom the clutches of religionand has seen it from thepoint of view of the child is being hailed as a bold step towards undoing the 50 years of injustice to orphans," notes the Express article.

Besides giving the adopted child their

name by rectifying the Register of Births if they so wish, the adopted child would also be governedby the personal laws of the adoptiveparents and be entitled to the same right to inheritance as a naturalchild, according to the newspa­ per. The rationale of this judgment,as explained by Rebello, was to "awaken the sensitivity of our lawmakersso all children in the new millennium can have an opportunity to enjoy the joys of childhood."

Millennium prayers Zoroastrians throughoutthe world were invited to tune in to a novel humbandagi for the "peace, prosperity and happi­ ness ...oftheentirecreation,"orga­ nized by the trustees of the Karani Agiary on December 31,1999 at 5.30

p.m. Indian Standard Time,correspond­ ing to 12 midnight accordingto the cw Zealand clock.

"All you have to do is log on to the Internet and visit www.cusrowbaug.org and go to the 'Hum Bandagi' page. We are also tryingto arrange for this facil­ ity on more web sites so that there can be maximum participation," noted a communiquefrom managing trustee Bomi Hansotia. A Zoroastrian high priest was to recite a short Avestan prayer, the translation of which reads as: "Mayin this world obediencetri­ umph over disobedience, peace over discord,generosity over miserliness, humility over arrogance. truth over falsehoodand righteousness over wick­ edness."

A convenient time chart providing the corresponding time in differentcountries of the world was also appended to gener­ ate maximum participation. Special pro­ visions were made at the Cusrow Baug Pavilion to log on at the Cusrow Baug web site to join the world prayers, writes Hansotia. This novel mode of welcom­ ing the new millennium preceded the hama anjuman maachi offered at the Baug's Karani Agiaryin the Uzirin gah on January 1, 2000 at 3.45 p.m.

Gratefully assembled

Instead of wastingtime on controvcr-

sial issueslike dokhmenashini and adult franchise, follow the advicegiven by Ahura Mazda and concentrate on in­ creasing the Zoroastrian population. This was emphasized in the keynote address delivered by solicitor Burjor Antia who spoke on "What should be our strategyfor the next millennium?" at the Sanjan Day celebrations observed on November21, 1999, mah Tir,roz Bahman, according to a press release issued by the organizers, the Sanjan Memorial Column Local Committee. Lamenting that we have more leaders than followers, Antia advised the gath­ ering of over 1,500Zoroastrians to cul­ tivate the three 'D's- devotion, dedi­ cation and discipline.

The function in Sanjan commencedwith a jashan ceremony performedby seven Udvada mobedskd by Ervad Framroze Sidhwa. After the hum­ bandagi followeda course of speeches. When we eat the best food and wear the best clothes,why should we not offer the best Malabari sandalwood to the Iranshah,Sidhwa's query was reported in the write-up.

President of the Surat Parsi Pancha­ yat (SPP), Dr Sam Bhacca, who after briefly attending the executive council

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38 Parsiana March 2000

AI Sunjun (jim11 leji): Balsara,

Bhacca, Rohintan Daviervala, Varvadewala (standing) and Oliaji

meeting of the Federation of Parsi Zo­ roastrian Anjumans of India in Mhow had returnedto Surat and with only one hour of sleep through the night had hurried to Sanjan, remarkedthat Parsis had many good qualities which seem to be diminishing. Gratitude, however, continues to characterize the commu­ nity considering that Jadi Rana'scon­ tribution is gratefully recalledI,279 years since he granted refuge to the first set of Zoroastrians who came from Iran, mentioned Bhacca.

Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Rustom Tirandaz whose speech was described as "hu­ morous, enlighten­ ing, though highlycontroversial," opined that there must be unanimity even on controver­ sial issuesinstead of the present attitude of brushingcontro­

versial religious topics underthe rug. Dr Meher Master-Moos referredto the contribution of the late Manekshah Daviervala to the development of mod­ ern Sanjanand mentioned that Varoli River in Sanjan where Dastur Neriyosang Dhaval consecrated the Iranshah, is the only unpolluted river between Bombay and Surat.It is also the locationof her Zoroastrian College.

Onbehalf of the other membersof the Sanjan Memorial ColumnLocal Committee, NarimanBalsara, Gustasp Jussawala,Dosabhai Oliaji and Dara Varvadewala, president Rohintan Daviervalaacknowledged the contri­bution of all those who had helped to

make the Sanjan Day function a suc­ cess, particularly the day's speakers, the Press, the Western Railway,Firoz Sethna, JamshedDotiwala and the Parsi Dairy Farm. He addedthat the main object of observing SanjanDay is to remember two great souls - Dast..Jr Neriyosang Dhaval who sought refuge and Jadi Rana who granted it to the Zoroastrian ancestors.The guests were then treated to a sumptuouslunch pro­ vided by the Wadi Bunder Ghambhar Trust and prepared by the SPP under the personal supervision of its chief execu­ tive Sorab Katpitia.

Thehonorable auditor

After handlingcrores of rupeesduring

his checkered career as financeminister, accountant-general of Gwalior state, ac­ counts officer in the ImperialService of the Government of India as also the Royal IndianMarine Dockyard, Ardeshir Edulji Cama died in penury. A copy of his accomplishments as corroborated by the Parsi Lustreon Indian Soil was for­ warded to Parsiana on the occasion of his I20th birth anniversary on November 29, 1999 by Dr GurdafridA. Cama.

Introduced as the grandson of Pes­ tonji Hormusji Cama, the founderof

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42 Parsiana March 2000

Bombay's Cama Hospital, Ardeshir used the legacy of Rs 20,000received from his grandfather to leave the shores of India for further studiesabroad and to qualify as the first Indian memberof the Institute of CharteredAccountants in Englandand Wales in 1908. On his return to India he built up a reputation as afreelance auditor and financial adviserwho was responsible for bring­ ing to book many financial fraudsper­ petrated by the managersof leading institutions like the CreditBank of In­ dia Limited,Gorakhpore Bank Lim­ ited, KayasthaTrading and Banking Corporation, Gorakhpore.

Cama was also instrumental in bring­ ing to light the irregularfinancial deals at the hands of high-ranking govern­ ment officials during his tenureas ac­ counts officer of the Royal Indian Ma­ rine Dockyard, in charge of the finan­ cial affairs of23 prize steamers ofWorld War I brought to Bombay for detention.

Known for his financial integrity, just the association of his name as audi­ tor for a coupleof companies like Ale­ mbic Chemical Works Limited of Baroda and the Hindusthan Co-opera­ tive InsuranceSociety Limited of Calcutta, changed the credibility of these firms. He had also served as auditorof The Tata Iron and Steel Company Lim­ ited in 1930-31.A tribute from Sir Dinsha Wacha read, "I have known him as an auditor of most complicated ac­ counts and one whom I greatlyesteem and regard for his conscientious work and perfect integrity."

As accountant-general of Gwalior in 1918, it has been put on record that "his financial acumen and utmostintegrity had saved the state a colossal sum of 12 crore rupees." The late Sir Madhav Rao Scindia appreciated his sincerity and re­ warded him by conferring on him powers of a prime ministerwhich aroused col_1- siderable enmity andill-feelingamong his competitors, ultimately prompting him to submit his resignation.

If Indiais to progress economically and politically, businessintegrity is es­ sential, Cama had writtento the Gov­ ernment of India in 1926, recommend­ ing the settingup of an Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and an Indian Institute of Banking.

Thefollowing year he once again proceeded to London, this time to study law at the Bar. Insufficient funds how­ ever compelled him to alterhis course of studies. For nearlya year he daily

visited the Reading Room oftheBritish

Museum to study astrol- ogy and soonbecame proficient in the sub­ ject, earning praise from authorities in this field. His spiritual lean­ ings evoked a desire to travel to India's ancient pilgrim siteswhichhe

Canw: pelfectdid in the company of

integrir.v his wifeJerbaiand thereby exhausted all

his resources. Father of seven children,

Cama died in Bombay on November 26, 1948.

Vatican calling

Among the 200 scholars and religious

leaders invited by the Vatican from different corners of the world to the last interfaith conference of the millennium was Dr Homi Dhalla,president of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation (WZCF), Bombay.The five-day meet from October24 to 29 deliberated on the theme, "Onthe eve of the third millennium: Collaboration among the different religions."

Dhalla, who had served as modera­ tor of one of the subgroups,was one of fourpersons involved in drafting the

final message which constituted the recommendations of all the groups and was asked to present it to the assembly, accordingto a press release.

On the final day when represen­ tatives of different faithswere asked to recite prayers before the public, Dhalla performedthe kusti in front of ablazing fire and recited a few Avestan prayers with their English translation on the theme of har­ monyand brotherhood, states the report. This was televised by the National Italian Television after which Dhalla was interviewed on Zoroastrianism.

At the finalfunction where Pope John Paul II addressed a gathering of nearly 20,000 persons at St Peter's Square, Dhalla was among the privileged fewwhowere introduced to the Pope.

Recently Dhalla and his WZCF were instrumental in bringing nearly I,600 books on Zoroastrianism in English and Gujarati to Poona'sAlbert Edward In­ stitute and Cawasjee DinshawHall and Library, notedthe October '99 issue of Rapport, the newsletter published by The Poona Parsec Panchayat.The Foun­ dation had been entrustedthe collection by ErvadHormusjiPavriofNagpur.

Dlwfla (left) greeting rilePope

Photo: Servizio Fotografico

The cupboards where these books arc showcased are kind courtesyAnu Aga, chairperson of Thermax Limited,adds the report.

Thecall of the caterer

A crowded CowasjceJehangir Convoca­

tion Hall testifiedto the personal popu­ larity of caterers Katy and Feroze Dalal as much as to their culinaryskills, ob­ served TV personality Siddharth Kak. The fonnallaunch ofKaty'ssecond pub-

With compliments from

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44 Parsiana March 2000

·-----

Katy Dalal (far left andright) with (from left) Kak,Silloo Kavarana and Jams/zed Guzderat the release of her newbook,Delicious Encounters

lishingventure- Delicious Encounters

-on January 28, 2000follows the sellout success of her first book, Jamva Chaloji, which, said Kak, "brought out the innate spirit of the community ... No othercom­ munity has learntto love life the way the Parsis of India do!"

Unlike the first book which concen­

trates on traditional Parsi fare, Deli­ cious Encounters presents a range of Parsi, Indian and Western cookery - innovative recipes that encouragethe housewife to blend, modifyand create her own culinary triumphs. "It had to be light and colorful and include not only Indian rccipiesbut also some world famous recipesthat we had been cook­ ing for our clientsdown the years,'' notes the author's introduction. The 204-pagc paperback published by Vakils, Fefferand Simons (VFS) priced at Rs 230 contains242 recipes divided into 20 sections, some of the sections sporting an introduction.

"Over the years, one's awareness increases that there is much to know outside our own warm and comfortable circle," writes Dalal, exultingin the joys of nature at her Lonavlaabode. Hencethere are suggestions for a\ fresco meals, Chinesecookery and meals "without chilies."

There arc tips on which cooking uten­ sils are intrinsic to an efficient kitchen,how to store the kitchen cupboard in holiday homes, etc. "Theknack is to know what items in your store cupboard will last longest and what items will perish quicklyso that you can plan your menus suitably," advises the chef.

Tracing her culinary lineageover three generations, Dalal recalls with gratitude and love the early lessonsin housekeep­ ing she imbibed fromboth hergrand-

46 Parsiana March 2000

mothers. Reminiscing about her paternal grandmother's tough life she paints the picture of a lady of immensefortitude who conqueredearly widowhood and ncar penuryto raise her children and to educate herself to enjoy the works of Wordsworth and Shakespeare and who "leftbehind her a legacy of loyalty and forthrightness, courageand the message that there was no shame in honest labor of any sort." Dalal,in turn, has passed on these gifts of love to her two sons and one daughter, so that the whole family is to be seen pulling togetherat major cateringevents.

An archeologist by training, a former

professor of history and a scholar, poly­ syllabic Greek and Persian names trip easily off her tongue when speaking pub­ licly at the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute (KRCOI),as noted its trustee, former justice DinshawMehta. At the recently concluded Third International Congress at the KRCOI Dalal had presenteda paper on the ijashneceremony as well as catered on the occasion. Her generosity is a byword there, as remarked KRCOI trustee secretary Homai Modi who compered the function. In his brief ad­ dress VFS's Bimal Mehta wished "all our authors were like her," so professional had been the manuscript and pictures she presentedfor publication.

But for the large number of fans and well-wishers. Nawaz Mody's vote of thanks was a prelude to the snacks that awaited their tingling appetite!

Arnavaz S. Mama

A taste of UpperCrust"Because the time is ripe and the pot is boiling over. Because the worldhas accepted Indian food beyondchicken tikka, basmati rice and alphonsoman­ go... because an admission to a catering collegeinBombayandNewDelhiis more difficult than admission to a medi­ calcollege;becauseIndiancooksarc

being treated as corporate executives and paid their salaries;because Indians arc themselves recognizing their 179 regional cuisines..." editorand pub­ lisher FarzanaContractor explains the rationale for launching UpperCrust, "India's food, wine and style maga­ zine," early this year.

The 200-page inauguralissue, priced at Rs 200, accommodates within its pages entrees,special features, restau­ rants and reviews, specialsection, wines and spirits,travel, cooking for Upper­ Crust,entertaining and home. The cover story, "Tashreef Laiye," detailing the Hydcrabadi lunch withAir Marshal Idris and Begum Bilkis Latif, has been writ­ ten by husband BehramContractor, editor of AfternoonDespatch and Cou­ rier, better knownas Busyhec.

As continuesFarzana Contractor in

her editorial, "But where do I fit in? I don't know.I can't say I am crazy about eating but I certainlylove cooking. My kitchen is my study,my laboratory, my hobbyhorse where I experiment, cook. entertain ...And what I cook,I photo­ graph ...!startedwith my Nikon.Nawah Shah Alam in Hyderabad, the Indage Chougules at Narayangaon. Then I com­ missioned talent,including the in-house Busybee, to write aroundthe pictures. Suddenly we had· a magazine on our hands- India'sfirst ever genuineglossy food and wine magazine" printedat Tata Donnelly Limited.The editorial advisory board includes Asit Chand mal, Behram Contractor, TarlaDalal, Shobha De, JiggsKalra, Vithal Kamat,Dinesh Khanna,Sanjiv Malhotra, SabiraMer­ chantand Hemant Oberoi,listed in alphabetical order.

The quarterly includes health sec­ tions like salads and cooking for health while those who are addicts may get a high from reading on the pleasuresand passions of smoking. Those who like to cat out may enjoy reading of the recom­ mended eateries whether in Bombay,

Farzana and Behram Contractor rel­ easing UpperCrust's inaugural issue.

London, New York and Dubai, others may like to experiment with the Thai, Mexican and Italian recipesrecommen­ ded by Dalal or Karen Anand.In fact, there is a special recipeindex. With a colorful visual on every page of the issue, it is a delightto turn the pages over andover again.

"Tell us what you think about the inauguralissue," invites UpperCrust. Bouquets and brickbats will be accom­ modated in Letters to the Editor.If there is a restaurant recipe that you would like to have, ask them, they will get it for you (Favourite Restaurant Recipe). "Are you dying to share your great, great, great grandmother's recipe?

earlier, disproving the centuries-held belief that the tabla was brought to Indiaby the Persian Amir Khusrau.

"The interviews, the revelationof

the secretsof ustads and the detailed genealogy of pakhawaj andtabla gharanas and paramparas makes this tome a rare jewelin musicology," notes an introduction to this book. "Consider­ ing the absence of any literature con­ centrating on pakhawajand tabla play­ ing, this extensive researchvolume must be regarded as an important landmark in the history and development of per­ cussion instruments. It thus becomes a source book on the subject,"wrote Vamanrao Deshpande in the NCPA Journal. Priced at Rs I ,000 or US $ 30,

further enqumes regarding thisbook can be made with ZaveriJiten Ramniklal, Oberoi TowersShoppingCentre,2nd floor, Nariman Point,Bombay 400021, Tel: 2023435, e-mail:katila@vsnl.com Hailed in the Limca Book ofRecords

( 1995) as "the first performing Indian

femaletabla soloist," Mistry has earned her doctoratein the male-do-minated arena of tabla,sangeet alankar and sangeet praveenin vocal music and san­ geetvisharad in sitar.Initiated in sitar and tab-la

playing under the tutelage of Pandit Keki S. Ji­ jina, Mis­ try recei­ vedher ad­ vanced training in tabla from U s t a d

A m i r Mistry: distinctive heat

Hussain

Khanand in vocal music from Pandit Laxmanrao Bodas, notes a profileon the author. She is presentlyaffiliated to several universities in India where she

Send it to us. We will test it out (Recipes Section) ...Avail of all the specialdis­ counts in this issue ...Interact with us." They can be contacted at UpperCrust, Oriana Communications PrivateLim­ ited, 9, Parker Niwas, Ground Floor, 5, RambhauSalgaocar Marg, Sassoon Dock, Colaba400005, Tel:2154748 or website: www.uppercrustindia.com or e-mail: busybeeindia@hotmail.com

Thepercussion pandit

"It is not only a book but an encyclope­

diatoo," commented Prof Sudhirkumar Saxena in the Journal of Indian Musi­ colot;icalSociety, Baroda, referringto Dr Aban Mistry's355-page tome, Pakhawaj and Tabla-History,Schools and Traditions, published last year. This 'work is a translation of Mistry's earlier thesis published in Hindi in 1984, the second editionof which is reportedly now in print.

Following her discovery of a stone mural in a dusty rock cave in Bhaja, Western Maharashtra, Mistry pursued 15 years of exhaustive research to es­ tablish that this instrument and female artisteswere inexistence 2,300 years

49 Pars1ana March 2000

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Live by the religion

"Most Parsisare unable to explain their

religion: they only live by it: which is because (§imQly QUtl it is a religion of good morals ...The ordinary Zoroas­ trian's faith, even the one who says his daily prayers from the A vesta...is very much routine and traditional, and yet to him it is an abiding source of deep

under pressure,and in preparing for this lecture I have learnt more about my creed- one for which I have always had immense respectand reverence, but not enoughknowledge," candidly states Nariman.

According to his interpretation," 'Re­

sist evil' is the Zoroastrian battle

cry ...Whatisde­

manded of his fol­ lowers by theProe_het of Iran is active cooperation with the spirit of God in fightingthe forces of evil. It is not enough that he

of India

inspiration andconsolation," noted le­

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Nariman:

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of the Parsis in India," delivered under the monthly lectureseries organized by the Foundation for Universal Responsi­bility of His Holiness The Dalai Lama at the India International Centre, New Delhi in August 1999.

The contents of Nariman's speech

together with the two appendixes con­ stitute a 72-page bookletwhich makes interesting reading, giving some rare insightsinto the community, the reli­ gion and the speaker too. "I work best

wholeheartedly and fight it vigorously."

While his summationof the religious content of the Zoroastrian religion is succinct,citing several authoritative texts, Nariman's references to the evolutionof laws applicable to Parsis make delightful reading. Referring to September 1, 1865 as "the doomsdayfor the Parsi male!" Nariman explained how with the intro­ duction of the ParsiIntestate Succession Act and the Parsi Marriage and Divorce

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ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD

''We will notonly survive but succeed''

Having thrivedon community support FEZANApresident Framroze Patel'smission is to ensure its preservation

Arnavaz S. Mama

''Our lives revolve around community work. If there was no Darbe Mehr, ZAGNY (Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York) or FEZANA (Fed­ eration of Zoroastrian Associations of NorthAmerica), God aloneknows what we'd be doing!''

Founding treasurer ofFEZANAand currently its president, the soft-spoken, mild-mannered, bespectacled Framroze Patel says he has chosen to pattern him­ self on the likes of such self-

effacing personalities as VinobaBhave and Gulzarilal Nanda whosededication to the causesthey espoused was legendary. "Iam a Gandhian rather than an Americanad­ ministrator," he smiles.

Atthe FEZANA AGM

(annual general meeting)on June 19, 1999 the bedevilled

concept of one world body, and we have faithfully adhered to the mandate given. Our aim is to form the Council, work with WZO (World Zoroastrian Organi­ sation) and merge with WZO when its constitution is acceptable to all regions." Though he has held a tenure as presi­ dent ofZAGNY ( 1980-82)and is trustee of the Arbab RustamGuiv Darbe Mehr, his preferredcorporate structure would bethat of a "gurdwara ...where there are no positions."Aself-em­

ployed professional public accountant, Patel works as honorary CPA(certified public accountant) fora gurdwara in New York. He had yearnedfor a legal ca­ reer but the Surat Parsi Or­ phanage that supported and educated himalltheway was not disposedtowards

Assistance Fund donatedin memory of her fatherHormazdyar Damkevala.

Lavish with his praise, Patel says Kaikhosrov Irani can explainthe Yatha Ahu Vairyo to a three-year-old; that Rivetna is so "service-oriented, he sees the need and jumps at it."Referring to the FEZANA Journalwhose editorial coverage and quality seems to increase with each issue. Patel notes that a truck is neededto ship the magazine to the post officeand shudders, "If Roshan (Rivetna, the Journal's editor-in-chief who also does most of the computer entry, ever) refuses to do it. the maga­ zine will foldor we'll have to pay four­ fold to the printer!" The December 2000 issue of the Journal is expectedto be a commemorative edition in keepingwith the Congress.

It was a characteristically glowing tribute that Patel paid the late Dr Kei­

structure and functioning of Patel: addicted to

the Congress2000 Execu- community service

tive Board (EB) and Program

the law as a career for dis­

possessed communityyouth in those days.

khosrow Harvesf, chairman ofFEZANA

funds and finance committee, "'a man of

vision for our North American commu­

Committee that had been forcefully chal­ lengedby Dina Mcintyre and Keki Bhote and refutedby the EB and the Zoroas­ trian Association of Houston (see "Zo­ roastrians Abroad," Parsiana, October l999) were given patient hearing. "Con­ sidering that this was a very important topic FramrozePatel allowed extra time so that all views could be heard," notes theAGM minutes. In the upshot the turbulence was quietened, it seemed, to everyone's satisfaction.

Referring to another contentious is­ sue, the creation of a World Council of Zoroastrian Federations, resolved upon by regionalrepresentatives meeting in Bombay, Januaryll-13, 2000 (see "A world body of federations," Parsiana, February 2000) Patel's report of Febru­ ary 8, 2000 to FEZANA memberasso­ ciations and other associatesseeking theirendorsement notes, "Ican assure you that the signatories took the right course of action for the right reasons. We have not movedawayfromthe

53 Parsiana March 2000

Though there is a FEZANAboard

conference every month,Patel says his ownstyle of functioning is "to get an opinion from others before I act," stay­ ing in touch with the major associations like Toronto,Houston, Washington and Chicago. On a personallevel he likes to bounce his ideas off such "personal ad­ visors" as Prof KaikhosrovIrani ("At times my children say I'm bothering Kaikhosrov too much!") and current FEZANA treasurerRustom Kevala and recalls with affection his seven initial years on the board of FEZANA with founder presidentRohinton Rivetna.

Patel's own priorities are the more active spreadof religious knowledge "at all levels" and the enhancement offunds available to FEZANA to pursue its poli­ cies. Accordingly he was most appre­ ciative of Dr Jerry Kheradi's donation of$ 50,000towards FEZANA' s Schol­ arship Fund in memoryof his father Merwan and of$ 20,000in stocks from Yasmin Cumming towardsthe Critical

nity ... He gave us substance and encour­

agement at every step of our formative years." Harvesf had suggestedthat if every North American Zoroastrian con­ tributed$ lO annually,the community would be able to amass $100,000every year. "As a tribute to my murrabbi (re­ spected elder) Keikhosrow, let us foster and encouragehis ethic of collective giving and let us begin with each of us," Patel told the delegatesat the FEZANA AGM.

Patel said he lost his father Kaikhus­ roo when he was six monthsold but though his mother Goolbaiwas wid­ owed after barely six years of marriage and three children, he "never saw her cry." While his brotherwas admitted to the Petit Polytechnic in Poona and his sister was educated at the A vabai Petit School in Bandra, Framrozespent his youth in Surat, living at the Orphanage, until he had passedboth parts of the examination of the Instituteof Cost and Works Accountants of London. After

I

apprenticeship at TISCO (Tata Iron and Steel Company)he worked at Sarabhai Chemicals and Union Carbide where its large American workforce spoke of the US as a "land of gold and honey." Lured by the hype, Patel got his MBA from St Joan's University in New York and ac­ quired his CPA and Business Valuation Licences from two other institutions. Being based in New York, he got "in­ volved with ZAGNY from day one," he muses. His wife Armaity,who is man­ ager of computersystems at Panasonic, and he have generallypreferred to work behind thescenes, he says, though Armaity was the ZAGNY secretary when it hosted the 11th North American Zoro­ astrian Congress. Patel's daughter Arnavaz works for a financial institu­ tion as a computerhelpline; his son Pashang is into E-commerce at Colum­ bia University.

Patel's heart has remainedin Gujarat. He wants to know what is happeningin Surat and Bharuch and is saddened by the economic problemsthe Surat Or­ phanage has to face. "In our time there were 180 students. Now (there are) hardly 35-40."

Noting that the redoubtable former chief executiveof the Surat Parsi Pan-

chayatDr Ratan Marshall"is getting his second PhD," Patel recalls how Marshall had encouraged him all the way to his masters degree in commerce, propelling him into all-India elocution competi­ tions. Another outstanding influence in Patel's young life had been Ervad Bruch Daboo and he can never forget the bene­ faction of Jaijimai(Kuka) Peston Jam asp who paid his fees throughthose long years.

Another illustrious mentor was the soft-spokenNaservanji Vakil, chiefjus­ tice of the GujaratHigh Court and vice chancellorof Baroda University whose credo was "We want to create not the cream of society but the core of soci­ ety," recalledPatel.

Norcan he forget Noshirwan Karan­ jia, fatherof Surat's well-knownthes­ pian Yazdi Karanjia, who conducted coaching classes for the Londoncollege of commerceeven though he was him­ self a non-matriculate!

"I was verylucky to havehadmy

education in the Orphanage ... I just want to pay back," the nostalgia is palpable. He says his "addiction is community service."

What of the next 25 years in North America? Patel sees the community"not

only survive but succeed in spite of (Zoroastrian) childrenmarrying out." As mother Goolbai alwayssaid, "To­ morrow will be a better day ..."

The Houstonbeehive

The first day (December 28, 2000) of

the Seventh World Zoroastrian Con­ gress(WZC) will be dedicated to a fes­

tive reunion, accordingto Congress ExecutiveBoard (EB) cochairDolly Dastoor who passed throughBombay in December'99. Different foods, shows, photo exhibitions, with rare coinson

display, books, artefacts borrowedfrom museums"will help the rest of the world see the assets in the West," she told Parsiana. The legacyprojects will be particularly attractiveto the youths and the EB is trying to get "30youths from India, Pakistan and Iran in addition to what the Bombay Parsi Punchayet does," says Dastoor adding that New York Zo­ roastrians have offered to look after them for a week and thereare plans to "inculcateleadershipqualities."

This Zarathushti Field Student (ZFS) project, coordinated by Aban and Purvez Rustomji (Tel: 281.493. 1275; Fax: 281-

4936145; e-mail:purvez@coating engineers.com), aims at sponsoring30

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youths aged 15-23 years in a selection process basedon financial needtogether withscholastic achievement, commu­ nity involvement and an application form which includes a 250-word essay on "Why Iwant to attend the WZC 2000," informs the press releasecosigncd by project coordinators.

ManiClubwallaofMadras (Tel: 044-

4938458) is the· ZFS representative in India. Iran and Pa­

kistan were ex­

pectedto have their own repre­ sentatives when the project was announced HI September '99. The rest of 1hc world will liaise

with an authority /)usiour: the

in Houston. An- Congress isfor ticipating an over- future planning allcostof$60,000

for the program, donations arc being

solicited.

While applications arc invited, the

lucky 30 will be selectedby the ZFS committee which will pay for airfare, registration, lunch and banquet charges, sports, entrance fee and other incidental charges. The youths will be boardedand lodgedwith individual familiesduring their25-day stay, December20, 2000 to January 15, 2001 in Houston and in Greater New York. Though exceptions may be made, the lucky ones will have to bear their own US visa charges, local transportation in the home country and personal expenses.

Describing the Seventh Congressas

"an effort in community building and future planning:· Dastoor believes the lectures and other activities will enable the community "to feel good about (it­ selO" and pull togetherunitedly.

Amongthe 'legacy projects'is the Zoro­ astrian Millennium Time Capsule, being coordinated by the Federation of Zoroas­ trian AssociationsofNorthAmerica (FEZANA) vice president FirdoshMehta of Alberta. Tocontain "Zarathushti artefacts, articlesand memorabilia of a contemporary nature," the capsuleis meant to be buried at the Zoroastrian Heritage and CulturalCenter in Houston during the Congress proceedings and visit to the Center by the delegates to the Con­ gress. Donations for inclusionas also financial supportand volunteer activity are invitedworldwide and may be ad-

dressed to Mehta at 10444-18 Avenue, NW, Edmonton,Alberta, Canada T6J 4Z8; e-mail:fmehta@RNG.com Cheque donations may be addressed to DrYasmin Ghadiali, 686 Belcher Street Baldwin. NY i 1510-3937, USA, captioned "Time Capsule donation."

A WZC2000 Photo Exhibition is being sponsored by the CongressEB with 0'Shihan Cultural Organization during the Congress sessionsat Houston. The theme is Zarathushtrian Ceremonies anddisplays are invited worldwide wh1ch would highlight "our gloriousceremt•­ nics, rituals and traditions.'' notes the press rclease.lnblack and white orcol01 (the predilection is for old pictures). the printed copy must bear leasi: 2 i.5 em b'y28 em, thoughthis specification will be waived for older pictures. The more favored alternative is a negativewhich wouldbe processed locally.

An attached entry form with each

photograph is requiredto state the name of the ceremony/ritual/tradition and pref­ erably some narrative associated with it along with the date of the photo, identi­ fication of the locationand famous per­ sonages (if known), the name of the photographer (if different from the sender), togetherwith mail and e-mail addresses, phone and fax numbers.

Thereis a possibility thatthe photo

exhibits may be published in book form after the Congress is over. The organiz­ ers also ask to be allowedto retain the prints in their archivesfor future use. Those who want them returned are re­ quired to state so clearly.

The entriesmust reach 0'Shihan Cul­

tural Organization, 2092 Gordon Ave. West Vancouver, BC V7V l V7, Canada (Tel: 604-9269891; Fax: 604-926988lJ:.

e-mai I: reridem@ netcom.ca) by end Sep­

tember 2000 by registered mailonly.

Readers may contactthem for entry fonns and other details.

The same organization is 11oating the First Zarathushtrian International Film/ video Festival(ZIFF) with the object of promoting Zarathushtra's philosophy: demonstrating "good rituals, traditions, ceremonies and also our heritage and history;" encouraging community mem­ bers to produce films/videos regarding our communityand its issues; appreciat­ ing the efforts of thosewho have already done so; and to create a base for a uni­ versal Zarathushtrian Film/Video Archive.

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To be held on a biannual basis, begin­ ning 2000, selectedofferings may be screened at the Houston Congressafter coordination with its EB. Envisaging "competitive" and "non-competitive" divisions, the first is reservedentirely for the amateurproducer, while the lat­ ter would be open to professionals.

The competition rules require that thesubject of the entry will be Zarathush­ trian, though the producer may not be

one. The best film/video will be awarded a trophy whilethe runners-up will re­

ceive certificates. Among the additional awards there are provisions for the best Farsi/Dari entry, the best English/Guja­ rati entry, best subject/story/scenarioand best entry by teenagers13-19 years.

Theentries will be judged by a panel appointed by the ZIFF. Each entry must carry an entryfee of US $ 10 (entrants from Pakistan, India and Iran are ex­ empt from the entry fee).

TheZIFF reserves the rightto in­ clude the entriesin public exhibitions, to exhibit them in various North American cities and to make duplicate copies for the purpose. However,the responsibil­ ity for copyright infringement rests solely with the entrant.

Readers interestedinparticipating

-the films/videos must reach by mid­ night August 1, 2000 -may write/e­mail/phone/fax ZIFF c/o 0'ShihanCul­ turalOrganization as mentionedabove forspecific technical detailsof partici­ pation and modes of transfer of the en­ tries.

An international book fair cum exhibi­ tion (December28-31, 2000)is expected to display the widestspectrum of printed material on Zoroastrian religiousand cultural literature, authoredby Zoroas­ trians as well as non-Zoroastrian ob­ servers. The exhibition will be divided into historical literature definedas roughly before 1800s and contempo­ rary, referring to the period thereafter. The exhibition will includewall­ mounted posters as well as manuscripts in lockedglass cabinets whichhowever, due to theirinnate pricelessness, may be hard to obtain, admitsthe press release.

Theninth century Pahlavi text, the Denkard or "the acts ordeeds of the religion," by AdurFarnbag Farrohzadan and Adurbad Emedanhas been chosen asthe reference point "because it is the only known book that actually lists the contents of the Sasanid Avesta.By se­ lecting the Denkard as a reference point,

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the exhibit highlights the fact that all Zoroastrian works derive textually from the Sasanian era. From this point, the exhibit will divide into six sections:the Avesta, old Iranian literature found on inscriptions, alphabetactivity designed to have participants write their names in several scripts,Pahlavi literature, Per­ sian and Gujarati literature, and transla­ tions into European languages," notes the press release.

The contemporary section "highlights

thematically" the more interesting works that relate to heritage and culture. "This section of the exhibition begins chrono­ logically with 18th, 19th and 20th cen­ tury Gujaratiand Farsi poetry and liter­ ary works. It then displays known and lesser-known 20th century novels, short stories and plays in Farsi and English, including a sub sectiononliterature

bring about a balanced and non duplica­ tive programby the virtue of providing balanced tracksand sessions whichpro­ videfor and present(within the ses­ sions) all viewpoints and ideologies," notes Patel. The completeprogram in­ cluding a list of speakers was expected to be finalized at the EB's meet in Feb­ ruary 2000.

Mehr vs Khatami

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Space allowing, other works in the sci­ ences and humanities will also be dis­ played."

The book fair will enable purchaseof

hooks at site as well as booking of orders to the publishers so that the publications can be delivered by mail.

The project is chaired by Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) Iibrarian Malcolm Deboo and his team of coordi­ nators includingDastoor, Cyrus Mehta, Aban Rustomji,Nerina Rustomji and probably also Jamshed Varza. Their consultants, in alphabetic order, include Jamsheed Choksy, Vest a Curtis,"Dastur Dhalla," John Hinnells, Almut Hintze, Kaikhosrov Irani, Khorshed Jungal­ walla, KhojesteMistree, Firoza Puntha­ key-Mistree and Jenny Rose.

According to FEZANA president Framroze Patel in his message to the annual general meeting, the EB had decided in October '99 that therewould be four tracksin all for the Congress­ religion and education; socialand his­ torical; youth; and Zarathushtra's vi-

·sion, this last being headed by Dr Meherborzin Soroushian from San Di­ ego.

A ticklishproblem that the EB had to

resolve was whether the issue of a "bal­ anced program" meant balance at every session or for the Congress as a whole. In the event it was resolvedthat "the track chairsmeet, discuss and coordi­ nate amongstthemselves to produceand

61 Parsiana March 2000

The former presidentof the presti­ gious Shiraz (Pahlavi) University has servedon the boards of severalother universities and colleges in Iran. He was also a founder of the Tehran College of Insurance while serving the Zarathushti community as leader of the Tehran Anjuman for 12 years. Duringthat time he founded Iran's Sazeman-e-Javanan­ e Zarathushti (Young Zoroastrian Asso­ ciation) and the AncientIranian Cul­ tural Society.

Currently professoremeritusofin­

ternational relations at Boston Univer­ sity where he recentlyfounded the Cen­ ter for Ancient IranianStudies in Bos­ ton, with its quarterlyjournal, Humata, about our faithand heritage, Mehr's address to Iran's PresidentMohhamad Khatamiand the latter's responses (En­ glish translation from Farsi), at a meet­ ing of Iranians on September 20, 1998, at the United Nationsin New York are recorded here as extracted from the World Zoroastrian Organisation journal Hamazor(Winter, 1999) and the Winter 1998-1999 issue of Humata:

The Moderator: Dr Farhang Mehr, pro­ fessor of Boston University.

Khatami: Dr Mehr is an outstanding educator to whom the Iranians are much indebted.

Mehr: As your excellency knows I am a

Zarathushti.

Khatami: All of us have Zarathushti roots.

Mehr: As a Zarathushti I belong to a

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religious minority. We are proudto have been one of the foundersof human rights inthe world. In this connection I am thinking of the edict of Cyrus the Great issued after the conquestof Babylon.

Theconstitution of the Islamic Re­ public of Iran, like the constitution of Iran before it, has recognized three reli­ gious minorities in Iran: Zoroastrian­ ism, Christianity and Judaism.As are­ sult each of them has a representative in the IslamicConsultative Assembly. Also the Islamic Civil Code, like the Iranian Civil Code beforeit, has allowed the followers of these religionsto be gov­ erned by their own religious laws and customs in mattersof personal law, i.e. marriage,divorce, inheritance and mak­ ing wills.

Unfortunately sevenyears ago the

IslamicAssembly passed a law -sec­ tion 881 bis in the Islamic IranianCivil Code- according to which, if there be a Muslim individual in a religiousmi­ nority family,that individual will col­ lect all the inheritance of a deceased person in the family to the exclusion of all the others. The relationship of that individualto the deceased person, whether by consanguinity (descent) or by affinity (throughmarriage), and the

degreeof relationship are immaterial. This law is arbitrary and unjust and has rendered ineffective the provisions of the IslamicCivil Code, previously men­ tioned, giving protection to religious minoritiesin matters of personal law. Furthermore in my researchI have not found anythingin the holy Koran to justify this arbitrary provision.

According to a universally accepted legal principle, it is the personal law of

the deceased person that governs inher­ itance. This legal principlehas been accepted by all nationsincludingIs­

lamic nations with reference to all that you said today in praise of a civilsociety in whichall citizens should enjoy the same rights.I earnestly entreatyou to issue an order for the subject to be inves­ tigated so that the rightful may gain the right.

Another issuethat I would like to

bringto your attention relates to blood­ money (Dieh). In the Islamic Criminal Code there are provisions for payment of blood-moneyby the perpetrator or

his/herheir to the victim or the heir of the victim whenthe victim has been murdered,killed through manslaughter or injured as the resultof an accident caused by the perpetrator. These provi-

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sions are applicable when the victim is a Muslim male; and the blood-money of a Muslim female is half of that of a male. But if the victim is a Zoroastrian, a Christian or Jew these rules do not ap­ ply. Consequently they are not entitled to any compensation of blood-money. Evidently this is discrimination and, as such, unjust!

Again with regard to your statement today that in a civil societyall people must enjoy equal rights and those who have been treated unjustly should de­ mand their rights throughthe existing legal channels,I hereby earnestlyen­ treat you to issue an order for these matters to be investigated and the injus­ tice be removed. I am so impressed by your expressedlove for justicein your statements. I believe that in the Iranian civil society all people who arc proud to be Iranianshould enjoy human dignity and make every effort withinthe legal framework to attain equality.

Khatami: I thank you for your remarks.

Let me make a point about our dear Zoroastrians. Of course as a Yazdi I grew up with Zoroastrians. We lived together in Yazd. Yazd is one of the centers of Zoroastrians and there has always been a friendlyrelation between

us and them. Some of my best friends were Zoroastrians and still arc. Con­ cerning its background and its link with Iran, Zoroastrianism has always had a great place in Iranianhistory and for all Iranians. The fact is that after the Arabs took over Iran, they did not know what to do with Zoroastrians. It was His Ho­ liness Ali who, quoting from the Koran, said Zoroastrianism is a religionwith a book: Zoroasteris a prophet, and Avesta is a holy book. Thus a disaster which might have happened was in fact pre­ vented; and since then, the Zoroastrian religion along with Christianity, Juda­ ism and Islam stands as one of the great fourheavenly religions.

Of course I am not familiar with the laws you mentioned. You have the right to express your views. However, so long as these laws are on the books they will be implemented. But if there are differ­ ent views these views must be expressed and we must make efforts to bring our views closer to what goes on in today' s world and try to understand them. Mind­ ful of the prevai Iing interests in the soci­ ety, our laws shouldbe more encom­ passing and citizensof whatever reli­ gion, just because they have accepted the citizenship, must benefit from allthe

rights of citizenship. And presently all this existsto a great extent, and if it seems that in some cases thereare any shortcomings, they must be resolved through discussion and dialog. What is important is the peacefulcoexistence which has existedbetween Zoroastrians and Muslimsthroughout history, and God willing this will be even more strengthened at this juncture of history, and we shall all work together for the pride of Iran.

Straightening The Times

In its review of the film Earth, The New

York Times referred to the Pars is oflndia as "descended from the Muslimswho fled Persia in the ninth century ..."

Correcting the "historical misrepre­ sentation" Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) publicrelations officer Sarosh Sukhia gave The Times a short course in West Asian history: 'The Parsis oflndia and Pakistan are descendants of the Zoroastrian refugees who fled Persia in the seventh century. The Zoroastrian empires had been in existence the mil­ lennia precedingthe birth of Christ, marked by the reignsof Cyrus, Darius and Xerxes. The Torah and the Old Testament refer to the Persiankings and their dynastieswhich prevailed well into

the eighth century before succumbing to

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Standing tall

The Pakistan daily Dawn, in "TheRe­

view" dated December30, 1999-Janu­ ary 5, 2000 presented"a gallery of pic­ tures of 39 prominentwomen and men of our country 'who stand for excellence or inventiveness or have the ability to overcome the odds and yet standtall,"' notesNoshir B. Mana of Karachiin a letter to Parsiana.

"What stumpedme was that four of

those portrayed in the distinguished 'Gallery 1999/2000' were Zoroastrians ... Late JusticeDorab Patel, Bapsy Sidhwa,

Dr Faridon Sethna and J amsheed

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continued on page 105

POLITICS AND POLICY

Atime for change

A change of publicopinion through all means is preferable to legal battlesin court, advisesAttorney-General of India Soli

Sorabjee at the Federation meetingin Mhow

Arnavaz S. Mama

Even as GroupCapt Dhunjishaw Marker, president of the Parsi Zoroastrian AnjumanofMhow, welcomed "the last Federation (of Parsi Zoroastrian Anju­ mans of India) meetingof this millen­ nium" in his hometownon November 19, 1999 a new elanseemed to have gripped the delegates from the major Zoroastrian settlements of Bombay, Delhi and Madras. Thoughno signifi­ cant resolutions were adopted there was an overall outspokenness and a reluc­ tance to shun controversial topics,as has not been the case hitherto.

"If (according) to the earlier charter controversial issueswill not be discussed, the Federation is not worth its salt," declared Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chief executiveBehram Dastur. He tabled a list of community ailments win­ ning the support not only of BPP trust­ ees Jamshed Guzder, Minoo Shroff and Dinshaw Tambolybut also of Federa­ tion vice presidents Lt Gen Adi Sethna, presidentof the Delhi Parsi Anjuman(DPA) and Nariman Mogrelia, presi­ dent of the Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman. Staunchintellectual support was also forthcoming from former lAS officer and current president of the Indore Parsi Zarthusti Anjuman Bomi Heerjee. Of course, this meant that the usual repetitive topics like the reports from the anjumans, the youth bodies,the world body, etc were truncated or eliminated.

Objections to this change of course were limited to statements by Banoo­ goshasp Irani of Dahanu, Federation vice president Eruch Irani ofPoona,and Federation of Zoroastrian Youth Asso­ ciations president Porus Karanjawalla of Ahmedabad and Homi Palsetiaof Saronda.

Overall there was the benign pres­ enceof chief guest Soli Sorabjee, Attor­ ney-General of India, both humorously evocativeand legally sobering."Honest

66 Pars/ana March 2000

introspection is necessary (for the) spirit of betterment of the community," he commented, adding,"If you are afraid of ideas you arc not ready for democ­ racy ... Please don't lose one virtue, the virtue of tolerance." Sorabjeepromised to donateone lakh of rupees "toany agency working for the betterment of mobeds."

Federation stalwart and joint honor­

ary secretary Kcki Gandhi being absent from the meet, the void was filledby joint honorary secretary Shroff, Sethna and Farokh Rustomjiof the DPA. Also missed was SuratParsi Panchayat's (SPP) Sorab Katpitia,the Federation's one-man committee pursuingdefunct anjuman properties across the country to salvage their worththrough media­ tion or legal battle.

The occasionalso marked a trun­

catedawards ceremony as the Federa­tion's Awards for Excellence were pre­ sented to five awardees by Sorabjee before the deliberations commenced­ a businesslike procedurebereft of the pomp of earlier occasions.

The house stoodin two-minutes' si­ lent remembrance of the youthfulformer member of the National Minorities Com­ mission and MLA MarazbanPatrawala. Also condoledwere the deaths of MinochaherBharucha ofBhavnagar and Hoshang Baldawala of Bardoli.

Apart from generalized topics like

the initiation of the childrenof Zoroas­ trian women, a last view of the face of Zoroastrian dead by non-Zoroastrians, the paucity of mobeds, etc, the agenda item discussedin some depth was the provision of medical insurancefor the community as a whole by the member­ in-chargeHoshang Wania, presidentof the Nargol Anjuman.

Thetiny Mhow Anjuman,of barely I 00 individuals, had produced a bumper souvenir on the occasion of the Federa-

tion meet that its honorarysecretary Dr Behram Masani called "the biggestproject we have taken up in (this)gen­ eration." (Indeed, it made front-page news in the local press.)Containing much relevant information, the publica­ tion contains several period picturesof historical value. The Anjuman,includ­ ing master of ceremonies Zal Cowasji, was at pains to depictthe natural and community resources Mhow has to of­ fer the zealousentrepreneurs. With I0 cars and a bus musteredto receive the delegates tricklinginto the settlement, all committee membersremained alert throughoutthe three days including vice president Dr Jimmy Appoo,Kersy and Jeroo Masalawala, Brig Farokh Bulsara, jt secretary Eruch Merchant,Y asmin and Kersy Bhote. Masani togetherwith wife Dolly and daughterPervi n Jehangir remainedat the heart of the operations. Raju Pawar had created the prominent Farohar at the venue and Sheikh Hasan had been the contractorin charge.

The task of providing the transport to ensure that the variouslyquartered del­ egates assembled in time for the ses­ sionsas well as three meals a day and caught their respective return train or air connection was shouldered by young Bobby Masalawala whileRuby Khajotia of Baroda and her team of caterers en­ sured that each meal was a pleasure.

The next meetingof the Federation's

executive council will be held in Madras on July 15 and16,2000 atthe invitation of Mogrelia so that the delegates can participate in the 90th anniversary cel­ ebrations of the Jal Phiroj ClubwalaDar-e-Meher on July 17.

Zoroastrians as bridge builders

Even as Masani began introducing the

chief guest, a twinkle-eyed Sorabjeechimed in: "Date of birth na kaheta (Don't mention the date of birth)!" Not

L toR (1strow): Guzder, Sethna, Bhacca,Mogrelia, E. Irani; (2nd row): Marker and Sorahjee, Masani, Shrrfl, Tamholy; (3rd row): Hee1:jee, Kavarana, Rustomji,Dastur,Wania; (alongside) Awardees: Birdy,Avari, Ginwalla, Bhesania, Lahewala

to be outdone,Masani, a lawyer himself, concluded his remarks by stating,"A good lawyer knows thelaw. A better lawyer knows how to get around the law!"

Professing to be "abit speechless with the introduction," Sorabjee recalled his fascination for Mhow - Military Headquarters Of War -since the time he played war games on his own as a child. Appreciating the deep concernfor the community that had gatheredthese Zoroastrians together, Sorabjee who had read the minutes of the past meetings said he was "disturbed by the prob­ lems:" at one time Parsi namesin the services werelegion; not any more. "We haven't had Parsi cricketers for decades," and there are "veryfew of us ... in the decision making process" of the coun­ try.

68 Parsiana March 2000

He attributed the lack of mobeds to theirlow incomes and scantier respect,especially in Bombay and Delhi."You need a body of well-fed, well respected mobeds if you want to preserve the faith," he emphasized while noting the Zoroastrian priests'inadequate ground­ ing in theologyand philosophy which prevented them from rising to the intel-

lectual level of the Jesuits.

Firmly against any demand for reser­ vation from the community, Sorabjee noted, "For 50 years we have stood on our own feet and will do much better in the futurewithout reservation."

Enumerating the two true tests of a

democracy, viz "a dissenter in a democ­ racy must feel at home" and that result

L toR (1st row): Master,Patel and Cama, Dandiwalla, Dittia; (2nd row): Anklesaria, P. Irani, Paghdiwalla,

Ginwalla, Palsetia

ism results from consensus freely given, Sorabjee maintained, "WeZoroastrians are equippedto be bridge builders ... As

true missionaries we do not (need to) proselytize but to spread Zoroastrian values and the message of tolerance and respect for different ways ...of life when forces offanaticism (are rampant) around us ... (If we could)combat religious fa­ naticism we'd be making a greater con­ tributionto the nation than by producing

brilliant lawyers or great doctors." Aware that Zoroastrians outside

Bombay are willingto work hard but the children of his friendsin Bombay are disinclined to make the effort, Sorabjeewas categorical that "there should be no complacency ... (It) has led us to be over­ taken in businessand public administra-

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70 Parsiana March 2000

TARACHAND

tion." Recalling the playsof Adi Marzban ("how we couldlaugh at ourselves"), he proposed "weshould have a book of eccentrics. We'lloutplay any commu­ nity, anywhere in the world!" Extolling the virtues ofParsi Gujarati- "a unique language with such flavor - it can't ever be translated," he recalled phrases like "Kit/a intelligent che pun kaare bhi kor vali dese tau malam nahiparse (he is still mentallyalert but you never know

when he willcross

•Too many agiaries.

Shroff referred to a Tata Instituteof Social Sciences survey commissioned by the BPP which has projected the Parsi population at the nationallevel at around 80,000 by 2001. Whetherthe change in figures (the 1991 census enu­ merated 76,382 Zoroastrians in India) was due to a declinein emigration, a rise in the age at death or an increase in the birthrate, remained to be ascertained,

but fertility remains 25

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Unmindful of the "prognosis of the proph­ ets of disaster who say Zoroastrianism is dying and willdisappear,"

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Please don't lose one virtue, the virtue of tolerance"

percent lower than re­ placement level, accord­ ing to the report.

Bazun Dittia referred to twin births in Hyderabad and the anjuman's offer of a bonus in the case of mul­ tiple births.

Accepting that "the points which (Dastur)has

raised need much exami­ nation," Sethna noted there are "more people

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Sorabjee maintained sturdily,"As long

as the commitment to Zoroastrian prin­ ciples and values continues, (there will be) Zoroastrian footprints on the sands of time.We will sing Clzhaiye Harne Zarathoshtieven in the next millen- nium!"

Community flash points

Two years in the saddle as the chief executiveof the BPP, Dastur presented a list of communityproblems to the assembled delegates. It included:

•Thedemographic imbalance of too many deaths (including those of infants) to too few births.

•The growing poverty:15 percent of the Bombay community lives at or below the poverty line, congested, jobless, poorly educated,indifferent to the need for hard work.

•Interfaith marriages and the need to assimilate their offspring.

•Paucity of mobeds.

•The needforprofessional manage­

ment of idle assets.He quoted Katpitia's estimate of Rs 100 crores worth of Parsi property lying idle which may slip out of community hands.

•The increasingurbanization leading to problems with the conventional mode of disposal of the dead.

-The need to avail of spare land to nurture bawal trees to ensure kathi for the fire-temples.

•The rising disinclination to speak Gujarati.

over 65 than under 18... Everytime I go

to Gujarat I find the loss of two or threeresource persons ...Do not allow a single Zoroastrian to be lost: even one Zoroas­ trian parent's child should be initiated into the faith," he advised quotingthe example of the group of Little Farohars

-children of endogamous and exoga­ mous marriages in Delhi who get to­ gether to learnabout Zoroastrian reli­ gion and culture, the community wealth that "inour peculiar westernization mode we are spurning."

Questioning the value system that sends Zoroastrians to London and fur­ ther west butwill not enablethem to seek a good life in a place like Mhow, Sethna noted that there are now more opportunities in the mofussil than in Bombay and where occupations as rick­ shaw drivers, agriculture and horticul­ ture beckon.

Tracing the attitudinal change aware­ ness brings over a periodof six to seven years, Mogrelia relatedhow he had in­ vited the representatives of the three Zoroastrian bodies in Madras(viz the Anjuman, the Madras Parsi Association and The Jal Phiroj ClubwalaDar-e­ Meher Trust Board) to ask whether they were in favor of the childrenof mixed marriagesbeing allowed into the reli­ gion. The reply then was whollynega­ tive. Repeatingthe exercise after about three years produceda 50 percent change. Recentlywhen the now 380 Zoroastrians were askedtovote,the

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result was "100percentacceptance." There is "unity in the diversityof opin­ ion," claimedMogrelia. "Eventually something is bound to happenwith push­ ing,"said he, advisingthe BPP to send out a small questionnaire to the commu­ nity. "You will find your hands strength­ ened so muchthatnohighpriestor conservative lobby willbe able to say anything! Instead of pushing it under the carpet, bring it out and thresh it out. This could be your strongest achievement!" Congratulating Dastur "forhighlight­

ing someofourproblems,"Heerjee

asked, "How do we face them? If con­ troversialissues are not to be dealt with (at Federation meetings) and thesemeet­ ings are only for bonhomie and backslapping, we are not going to get anywhere.What we should aim for is consensus.Put it up to the house ... (Then) it would be difficult for anjumans to take a different path."

Considering it "presumptuous on my

part to say what you should or shouldn't do,"Sorabjee explained that though Jus­ tices Davar and Beaman had notedthat the "Zoroastrian faith is for spreading, economic considerations (had come) in

(and) therefore only Parsis by birth and religion (are allowed the use of commu­ nity facilities)." The judgeshad recog­ nized the children of Parsi fathersand non-Parsi mothersas Parsis. As for the PrivyCounciljudgmentintheBella Case of 1921 "when it was given there was no equalityof sex." (Bella was the daughter of a Parsi mother and Goanese father reared in a Parsi Zoroastrian fam­ ilyand initiated into the faith who was preventedfromenteringthe Rangoon agiary.) Referring to the disparityin accepting the childrenof Parsi men and not of womenas "blatant inequality of sex (and) a very serious constitutional issue," Sorabjee advised the community leaders to think "what is in the ultimate interest of the community. Religionmay be above reason but it can't be contrary to reason." Challenging anyoneto find the textual source which prevents the acceptance of thechildren of Parsiwomen into the faith, he attributed the problemto"deep-seatedmentalatti­ tudes." Using the EcumenicalCouncil as a guide- "50 to 60 years ago the idea that Catholics and Protestants can work togetherwhen the Ecumenical Council

]amshedi Navroze Mubarak

Wishing all our fellowZoroastrians in India and abroad-- love and affection, good health

and happiness, peaceand prosperity, and fraternity and unity on the pious, auspicious and joyous occasionof Jamshedi Navroze.

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74 Parsiana March 2000

Clockwise from right: Agiary far,;ade and hall; meals venue Dotiwala Hall and entranceto Anjuman complex

was first established, was considered unworkable"- Sorabjee advised, "Let not mental fettersof the past prevent a reasonable approach." He suggested however a persuasivechange of public opinion by "all the means available" rather than a legal battle in the courts.

This led Heerjee to suggest a "small core group of diverse opinions" to fully discuss the contentious issues like al­ lowing non-Parsis to see the face of the Parsi dead, the acceptance of the chil­ dren of Parsi women, etc fearingthat "if these decisions are put off, we are head­ ing for litigation."

Dissent was voiced by Dahanu, Poona, Ahmedabad and Saronda. Ba­ noogoshasp Irani informed the gather­ ing that her anjuman was working to­ wards a bar even on the navjote of the childrenofParsi men married to women ofother faiths. Ahmedabad's Karanja­ walla "strongly objected to some state­ ments from the dais." He contended that this trend could lead to another break in the Federation as each anjumanis an autonomous body. "What if the anjuman asks for reforms and the mobed refuses? We have to take the anjuman and the mobeds along... 30-40 years later the trend may change."

This reference to priestlyrefusal to

go along remindedDPA's Adil Nargol­ wala of an incidentnearly 20 years ago when a Mr Kapadia had wanted to be or

76 Parsiana March 2000

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cremated but the priest had refusedto pray. "Myfather (the redoubtable Shiavax Nargolwala, the late president of the DPA) said, 'Give me the prayers and I will pray with the anjuman.' The priest felt bad and agreedto perform (the ceremony)," relatedNargolwala.

Guzder spoke of the repeatedrequests to the BPP to keep the face of the de­ ceased open for the non-Zoroastrians to see, as happens in Delhi. Sethna noted that up to 1921 the face was left open. The system of covering the face resulted from the influenza epidemic.He further recountedthat in the early 1930sSir Rustom Vakeel,a minister in the Brit­ ish-India government was given a state funeral with his face open anda guard of honor. He said he showed a pictureof the funeral to Dastur(Dr) Firoze Kotwal who respondedthat Vakeel had been a "big man and at that time (there was) no anxiety about the face being open."

Sethna secondedHeerjee's sugges­

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gcstedthat a list of 10-15 names be presented for the anjumansto make a selection. Bombay social worker Mahrukh Noble stated thatnothing could be binding on the communitywithout a referendumand Mhow's Dr Pheroze Bharuchaasked, "What do I do if my president's views are forced on me?"

Respecting its constitution, the Fed­ eration had not discussed controversial matters all these years, noted Mogrelia but he fearedthat unless they are threshedout now, these issues will become dis­ ruptive. "Youngsters with conservative views do not havethe knowledge or experience. Five years ago I too was a conservative," he added. He argued that if we were to avoid litigation, the best modus operandi would be a referen­ dum. The law at presentis infringing the basic human rights ofParsi mothers."It was on the same basis that Air India hostesses won their case," he cited as example."Whenthepriestsarepre-

L toR (I st row): Cowasji, Bharucha, a speakerfrom thefloor; (2nd row): Panthaky, Jehangirand Dolly Masani; (3rd row) Kersy and BobbyMasalawala, Larry

sented facts and figures... the same story as Madras will be repeated," he opined.

Dastur was equally forceful,arguing for an amendmentoftheFederation

constitution if necessary: "Say (we) will

discuss controversialissues if they af­

fect the community." Agreeing that their

inability to view the face of their de­ ceased friendwas "a burningquestion with non-Parsis, they felt very hurt," and that the convention to cover the face dates no further back than the late 1920s, early 1930s, Dastur favored an initial colloquiumwith the high priests and, failing that, a referendum.

"The normal duty of a trusteeis to look after trust properties. We are not empowered to speak on religious mat-

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ters. The very topic should not have beenraised without being mentioned on the agenda," objected Bruch Irani.

Heerjee explained that his sugges­ tion of a core group was "notto take decisionsbut to thresh out matters in all aspects. Religion touchesdifferent as­ pects of the community. Discussthem, come back to the Federation. No deci­ sion will be thrust on anjumans. Make the core group more representative. Let there be interaction with the clergy. Set the ball rolling... This type of discussion is not taken up at all."

"Make the role of the Federation more meaningful...Amend the constitution if need be,"stressed Mogrelia.

''Will the verdictof the Federation be binding on anjumansif the role of the Federation is more meaningful? What about the implementation?" asked Ka­ ranjawalla.

"How do you change the rules of the

Federation?" enquiredNargolwala. "Howdo we close our eyes to the

reality?" counteredDittia.

In light of the foregoing discussion it needs to be highlighted that according to clause 35 of the Federation Consti-

tution's Rules and Regulations (R&R), only the President of the Federation can stop discussion of a controversial matter if he deems it prejudicial to the commu­ nity. His mandate can be overruled how­ ever if 80 percentof the members present and voting demandthat the discussion continue. Also, an object of the Federa­ tion [3(vii)] is to educateZoroastrian public opinion on all mattersaffecting Zoroastrian religion and culture. How­ ever, all member anjumansare free to manage their ownaffairs. implementing Federationrecommendations if deemed fit (R&R SA).

Tamboly noted that while the view of

the earlierBPP trustees had been that no controversial issues will be discussed at BPP boardmeetings, "the presentboard does not believethat anything should not be discussed. "Wehave taken the community into confidence regarding dokhmenashini." Dittia remarked. "If the BPP speakswith one voice, there is no doubtthat others will fall into line." In the post-lunch session Motishah, dissatisfied with the increasing materi­ alism of life, endorsed the suggestion for a core group "to which we can ad-

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82 Parsiana March 2000

dress our querieson religion." Appoo suggested that the decisionto cover or expose the face of the deceasedshould be the prerogative of individual fami­ lies. But Dittia noted, "Individuals and individual families are in the hands of the priests. If the priestrefuses to per­ form the ceremony, there is nothingthat individuals can do. If not direction, at least a consensus is required."

Support came froman unexpected

"q'\:.'b".'."<.".. q "<.<>..t.'-.'--.:. "f, '.'h'lt'. '.'h"t.- '? 'U

Prakash records that the face was once left open and thereafter covered because of flies and insects converging upon it during the long trek from the residenceto the Towers of Silence, Mhow mobed Ervad Sorab Panthaky indicated that "many athornans will supportyour views if the voting is by secret ballot."

Mobeds

Tamboly reminded the delegates of the World Zoroastrian Organisation's Rs 90 Iakh donation to the AthornanMandai in the interest of producing educated, articulate mobeds devotedto the profes­ sion full-time. Twenty- four to 26 mobedsreceive supplementary benefitswhich also depend upon the number and cali­ ber of the ceremonies they perform. The Mandai has invested in Deep DiscountBonds to provide for terminalbenefits as the occasion requires.So far "the response has been quiteencouraging," said Tamboly.

Guzder referred to the Rs 50 lakh donation from Iranian philanthropists Mehraban and FaridoonZartoshty with its two-pronged aim of helping mobeds and disseminating religious knowledge to the community in the form of one or two lectures a month. "But there is not too much response," mused Guzder. "Hardly 10-15 persons come."

Bharucha suggested the institution ofwebsitesinstead to overcomethe time restrictions people face. Pervez Irani of thelranianZoroastrianAnjumanreferred to the time slots reservedfor Muslims and Hindus on cable TV and wondered if the Zoroastrians could make a similar bid. Tamboly offeredthat the lecturescould be periodically held in other Zo­ roastriancenters.

Masani informed how Mhow had

overcome its mobed crisis.But it was at the expense of the Panchganiagiary. The weary refrain of mobeds unwillingto leave Bombayto serve mofussil anjumans was heard again with Guzder andShroffenumeratingthebenefits

85 Parsiana March 2000

mobedsseem to enjoyin Bombay: hous­ ing in Godrej Baug and an eight crore subsidy from the Maneckji Sett Trust for Bhagaria mobeds.Masani volun­ teered that the Mhow anjumanwould sponsora student at the Athornan Madressa on condition that the institu­ tion agrees that their graduates serve "not only in Bombay but in other anjumans.""They do volunteer to go for a month or so," responded Tamboly

'h"0'.:,'h"f,'-.'hit'-.'h'b"\lv"0'U'-.'-h"P'U"'l 'U'b'-t'h'b"fu"a'-t\'b"'l

with the AthornanMandai committee.

With his focus on long-termrequire­

ments Dastur quoted the needs of 44 agiaries and four atash behrams in Bombay, four agiaries in Bharuch, nine agiaries and two atash behrams in Surat.Though the high priests have opposed the idea, Dastur believes that merging the fireswill produce "surplus mobeds." He says his researchamong A vesta and Pahlavi documents has revealed no scrip­ tural reason against the idea. At an ear­ lier Federation meet noted solicitorBurjor Antia had espoused the same thought,though his reason had been to free property for housing, as now re­ calledTamboly. In any case, since No­ vember 1999, three more agiarieshave been added in Bombay and its environs, while Borivli has been lobbyingfor one since some time past.

Surat will be celebrating the 178th anniversaryof the P. K. VakeelAtash Bahram in March 2000, informed SPP

president and Federation vice president Dr Sam Bhacca. Their prayerhall, sagdi and bungli at the Doongerwadi was re­

cently renovatedand a new building to housemobeds is on the anvil thanks to

donations from Guzder and the Maneckbai Jeejeebhoy Trust,he added.

A suggestion from Bharucha, which

failed to elicitresponse, was whether the BPP would publish a list of mobeds willing to perform the navjote of chil­ dren of mixed marriages.

Mhow chaloji

Describing the current Indian Zoroas­ trian mindset as "a crisis of collective consciousness," Mhow's Jehangir Larry considered the presentscenario as on the brinkof"a phase transition," such as the one degree change in the tempera­

ture of water from 1oc to ooc which

changes its physical feature,from liquid

to solid.From that background he has developeda plan which had the Mhow Anjuman agog. Larry dedicated his nine­ page effort to the memory of J. R.D.

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Tata (excerpts):

"I wonder if any trustee can explain the rationale of why we

collectively own and manage hundreds of croresof rupees worth of funds and assets for a total communityin India numbering 70,000 at the most; and with 60 percent i.e. 42,000 above the age of 60 years? Shouldwe not give our 28,000 youth a kick start in life using only a fractionof the funds at our collective disposal?...

"Our forbears built this lovely cantonment. The town owes tothem whatever it has -from roads and lakes to the army establishments and schools. Beforenationalization we even owned and operated the electric power supply company.In 1900 we were I ,000 strong and growing.Our properties lined both sides of all the main roads in Mhow. We ran factoriesand restaurants. Shops were ours and we were major contractors, suppliers and builders.

''Our plan is simple ... the Anjuman and its memberswill

joinhands to promoteindustry, providing employmentto Pars is." Larry's concept rested on promotingParsi products on the basis of communitybrand equity and felt that Mhow had the necessary infrastructure to offer interested entrepreneurs.

Mediclaim

Group mediclaim is the brainchild of Wania who had been

authorized at the last Federation meeting to form his own sub­ committee and proceed with preliminary enquiries. He re­ ported that hehad inducted Tamboly and BPP trustee Din shaw Mehta as well as two upcountry members and that the scheme, when formulated, will be vettedby an eminent lawyer like Homi Ranina.

He explained to the membersthe difference between the

workings of the individual and group insurance schemes. In

the case of individual insurancethe patient must first pay the hospitalbills and then claim the amount from the insurance company. In the case of group insurance,the insurance com­ pany. on receiving the premium, issues a card to the group members on which are listed the namesof hospitals all over India. These hospitals will liaisedirectly with the insurance company for payment.

Secondly. individual mediclaim ceases atthe age of 75 years. As part of the group scheme. which becomeseffective

two months after the initialpremium is paid, it continuesfor life and even covers chronicdiseases. maintained Wania. The family includes all dependents named.Moreover. a "floater·· policy ensures claims up to five lakh rupees for even a single family member. said Wania.

The snag is that ahospitallike the B. D. PetitParsee General

Hospital cannot afford to wait until the insurancecompany effects payment. informedWania. This promptedhim to suggest that the community createa corpus trust of between 50 lakh to one crore rupees which could ensure that the money is rolled around by giving deposits to the hospital until the insurancepayment is forthcoming. The trust could avail of the 800 Income Tax exemption to donors under the womenand children scheme.The premium amounts would need to be paid by this trust via a second trust as not all beneficiaries would be women and children.

Anincome level wouldhave to be set above which the families could contribute and below which the premiumcould be provided by the anjumans/panchayats for the annual poli­ cies. suggested Wania.He recommended that premia for senior citizens(65-75 years) should be paid out of community

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funds.

The mode of creating the corpus and

working out the nitty-gritty remained open.In answer to Rustomji's query about OPD (out-patients department) reimbursements, Wania said he would work in a Rs l ,500 per person clause.

Wania's assumption that the BPP wouldshouldertheadministrativere­

sponsibility of the projectwas shot down byShroff and Dastur:

"It would be too much of a load for

the BPP to take on. What sort of corpus would the hospitals require?" questioned

Shroff noting that the same group of benefactors have to be approached each time. Besides,he added, "Self reliance should be built in. The dole systemis not helping the beneficiaries. They should be made to contribute."

''Go cautiously on subsidizing the premium," said Dastur. "Youknow how people juggle figures in housing." Re­ ferring to administrative expenses,he noted, "the present staff of the BPP can't be expectedto take it on ... we need a separate secretariat."

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awards for excellence have lost much of their elan since the

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assessing them and trackingthem in lateryears seems to be presentinga daunting task, calling for more time and energy than the organization can muster.

The Mazda EducationFoundationAwardfor excellence

achieved in the sphere of education, research, science and technology in 1998 was presented to Merzban Lahewala. The Ahmedabadi businessman's claim to fame lies in the produc­ tion of an outsizedagarbatti whose dimensions have earned him a place not only in the Limca Book of Recordsbut in the

Guin1tess Book of World Records 2000.

The BombayParsi Punchayet Award for excellence achieved

in the study of Zoroastrian history, culture and scriptures during 1997went to Surat historian Rusi Besania.

The Jiji D. Irani award for excellence in sports in 1998 was

presented to chess wizard Viraf Avari of Bulsar.

The Jamshed and Shirin Guzder Award for the best youth

sportsperson of 1998 was claimed by athlete KarishmaBirdy of Bombay while the Peshotan Nargolwala Award for excel­ lence in sports in 1994was bagged by youngroller skater

Zubin Ginwalla.

Engaged in the manufacture of incense sticks and perfum-

ery items, Lahewala' s magnum opus is 14'9" tall, 6" thickand weighs6.3 kg, burning for 60 hours with a change of three fragrances. Theidea of outsizedagarbattis had firstoccurred to · him when he experimented with six 12' long pieces,earning encomiums during the GaneshUtsav in 1997, records the

citation.

With an academic careerthat yielded two gold and six silver

medals plus prizes in elocution, authorship and drama, Besania's achievement as president of the Parsi Pragati Mandai together with the late Dr MinocherContractor was the long overdue investiture of a portraitofMme Bhikhaiji Cama in the Central Hall of Parliament. The citation ascribes to him 19 biographies including those of Dastur Meherjirana, Homaji, Behramshah Shroff and ShapoorjiJokhi. He has also authoredhistories of several fire-temples including the Anjuman Atash Behram.

Wrestling championand prize weightlifter in Gujarat, Avari

firstearned his chess spurs in the All-IndiaOpen Chess Tournamentof 1978-79, diligently and steadfastly working to a gold medal and 'masterwith fide' rating of2,200at the World Amateur Championship in 1997-98 in which 60 players from 16 countriescompeted. Avari runs his own Avari Chess Academy whose five programscover the gamut of the game from the foundation course to chess exhibitions.

The only one to seek to make a presentation on the occasion,

Besania regaled the audience with a list of Parsi firsts:

•Jijibhai Chapgar first introducedblockprintingin Gujaratwhich is still used by some presses,he said.

•Mobed FardunjiMarzbanstartedthefirstnewspaper178

years ago -The Mumbai Samaclzar.

•Dinsa Taleyarkhan started Gujarat Mitra 137 years ago.

•Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy helped start the Jam-e-lamshed 168

years back.

•Dadabhai NaorojibegantheRast Goftar and Hirji

Behadinwalla the Kaiser-e-Hind.

•Ratanji Sethna compileda Gujarat Encyclopaedia.

•Nanabhai RustomjiRanina compiled the Gujarati-English

Dictionary.

•Gujarati shorthandwas introduced by Noshirwan Bapuji Karanjia of Surat.

•Bhikhaji Bhimji Parekh established the first press in the Devnagiriscript.

•The Khordeh Avesta was first printed by Fardunji Marzban.

•Gujarati and Urdu Rang Bhumi (drama)was established by Parsis.

Youth

Since the Federation meeting was held within a week of the XIII Youth Seminarat Bordi, youthrepresentation at Mhow was poor, explained Karanjawalla. Reporting on the recently concluded seminar he enumerated the main thrustof the youths gathered there:

•With opinionsof high priestsoften in conflict, who should

they follow?

•Navjote certificates, to be vetted by a committee of high priests,should be instituted.

•All mobeds who perform the navjote of children ofnon-Parsi

fathers should be censured.

•Acknowledging that FOZYA had contributed little by way of social service, they had resolvedto visit old age homes and

hospitals.

Individual anjumans

For the first time in many years Hosang Debara of Agra reported a "slight increase" in the occupation of the dharamshala. Among the changeseffected there are the installation of a generator,a change in the flooringand a direct telephone connection.

Navroze Mubarak to the communityand our dear friends from the

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92 Parsiana March 2000

Baroda's population is increasing, claimedits trustee Baman Cama and 305 individuals took a blood test for G6PD (Cama did not announce the result). February14,2000 marks the 75th anniversary of their agiary and its renovation and that of the Godrej Hall were proceeding at the time of the Federation meeting.

Borivli presidentNoshir Paghdiwalla referredto the need for constant activity every alternate month to keep the community interested. So boatcruises, dinners, religious lectures, felicita­ tion to cricket umpires,tours to Iranshah,etc aredovetailed to optimum effect.

"Only the Bombay Port Trust has more flats than us,'' declared Tamboly. Despite 490 buildings and an annual outlay ofRs 45 lakhs, there arc 20 applicants to every new flat so that each flat allotted generates 19 disgruntled families.Shroff added that the BPP was trying to raise Rs 35 croresto provide 350 flats, but "housing is only one of the issues,not the only issue."

Guzder referred to the defeatist mindsetof "not being able to compete" as also to the hiatus between the "rather snooty," highly educated girls holding good jobs and suitable spouses. In light of the difficulty the community faces with collegeadmissions Guzder felt that the recent SupremeCourt decision that "reservation is not applicable in super specialitycourses" should be taken full advantage of by a minority like ours. The BPP is currently helping 269 students through college at a cost of Rs 6,19,000and 127 through vocational and technical education at an additional five lakh rupees,informed BPPjoint secretary ShcrooMaster. The higher education committeehad

Millennium Day Navjote

Jimmy, son of Thrity and Burjor D. Daruvala had his navjote ceremony performedon the 1st day

of the New Millennium

atAlbless Baug. Welcomeinto the

Zoroastrian fold

Jimmy

Navjote Mubarak

screened 42 students,providing Rs 8.2 lakh rupees as gift and Rs 8.4 lakh ru­ pees as a loan to those proceeding abroad and Rs I ,55,000 for those continuing with their postgraduate studies in India. "Theyouths are doing brilliantly ... It

is very difficult to decide betweenthem. It is a misconception that they are not doing well or that they are lazy," noted

Master adding, "It was very difficultto shortlist the applicants for the Dadabhai

Naoroji Scholarship from 62 to 18." While 190 studentsattended the 13th

Holiday Programmefor Youth last May, "People who come from Surat, Baroda, etc don't make very good use of the program because of the medium of in­

struction," she noted, requesting that the anjumans guide thestudents properly before sendingthem.

While there arc 68 children on the third child scheme costing theBPP

eight lakh rupees per annum, the Punchayet providesRs 300 each to 22

parties who are dependenton daycare centers,she added.

Over 16 Zoroastrianmales, largelyfrom Nowroz Baug, have volunteered

for emergencykhandia duty with BPP and an "awareness campaign" has been

mounted regarding theproblemsat

Doongerwadi, as per Dastur. In a subse­ quent conversation with Parsiana Tamboly creditedCyrus Siganporia with the development of the volunteercorps ofkhandias. Moreover a geological sur­ vey of the area has been conducted by St Xavier's College students and certain boulders on the property, contiguous to the main road going up, reinforced.

A polyclinic with 24-26 cubiclesis expected to start functioning on the

Gamadia Hunnarshala property which would benefit young doctorsonthe

threshold of their careers.

The Bombay reportled to rapturous congratulations from Sethnaon the "fan­ tastic initiatives taken by the BPP."

In Calcutta eightrooms with attached baths in the old dharamshala are being offered to old Parsis as an old age home on a trial basis,informed Nauzer Batlivala.The community contributed Rs 17,000 plus one lakh rupees from the trust funds towardsthe Kargil fund. The growth of the city has required an in­ crease in the height of the boundary walls surrounding the dokhmas, he

added.At the 87th anniversary of their - ' atash adaran the community feted Dr Russi Anklesaria and Adi Rabadi who

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had completed four and two terms as trustees, respectively. Camping, rock­ climbing, amateur dramatics to raise funds for scholarship, continue as pe­ rennial activities.

Rustomji referredto the diamond jubi­ lee celebrations of the DPA in January 2000 when their programincluded sev­ eral non-Parsispeakers of distinction to present their concept of the Zoroastrian community. Varietyentertainment was provided by Yazdi Karanjia's team from

·Surat and the Dar-e-Meher and the

Bhiwandiwalla Hall were spruced up for the occasion.

Octogenarian authorPiloo Jungal­

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walla, a long-standing author and teacher, has presented the linkagesofthe Gathas with other languages and belief systems, noted Sethna.

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teammembers have been selected for the Maharashtra state team and a taluka level exhibitionwas to be held in the hall of the school they had established with the help of Guzderand others.

Having completed their two year projectof rebuilding their dharamshala, the Indore Anjuman,which had hosted the Fed­ eration meetingin early 1998,has taken up the waterproofing of its dar-e-meher as the next project, informedHeerjee.

In a bid "tocatch them young" the Jamshedpur Anjumanhas utilized the surplus energy of schoolkids on vacationto washingthe agiary- ajob thatquite turned themon, according to Silloo Surti.Elocution and antakshari programs are popular, but there are "more awardsthan participants," she noted. The birth centenary of ArdeshirDalal, former director-in-charge of Tata Iron and Steel Companyand director of Tata Sons, was celebrated by the community. Surti also described the pain of watching the alienation of a foreignlady in Jamshedpur who was notallowed to witnessthe funerary ritesof her husband of 45 yearsby members of his family.

Three new couples and a bachelorhave joined the 318 individu­ als at Madraswhomeet15-18 times a year, according to Mogrelia. A newly emerging trendthat is a cause for concern is that of people who lock up their community propertyhomes when they go away- "a selfishattitude that needs to be curbed strongly," noted Mogrelia.On the other hand he reported the success story ofDinyar Nimachwalla who started as a rickshawdriver and his wife Dolly who began a beauty parlor. Now they run over seven establishments -a tribute to their pluckand

hard work.

Illava requested the PPP to guide Mhow in their plan to build flats on the 12 acres of Doongerwadi land. They tried planting bawal trees but the growth is very slow due to lack of water.

Mhow is still stuck with its problem of finding a second mobed and that of absentee tenants in the Anjumanproperties

andMasani narrated that the Anjumanhad been forced to file a case against a 90-year-old tenant who had gone away to Calcutta without ceding his flat. Masani acknowledged the BPP donationof Rs 20,000 (to which Guzder added Rs 30,000 to round it off toRs 50,000)and fervently hoped the Mhow chaloji project would generateinterest.

TheFravardigan jashan at Nargol was attended by 350 people even though the normal residentsthere are so few that I00 chairs had to be urgentlydonated, informed Wania. He believes· that such a scene would be repeated in every mofussilvillage that keeps up its contactswith those who have migratedelse-

where.

Twobuildings of the Poona Parsee Panchayat' s 120 flats will be ready by December 2000, announced PPP trustee-secretary Bruch Irani. A sample flat open to view has been modified as per changes suggested.In all, 424 flats are in the pipeline and though the PPP had not begun to distribute forms at the time of the Federation meeting, "tremendous pressure(and) requests from all over the country," were already buildingup, he noted. The Pune Municipal Corporation has sanctioned construction on 7,75,000sq feetofland donatedby the late Rustom Aspandiar Irani. On the cards are an old people'shome, a hospital, school

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or college. Papers for urban land ceilingclearance have been submitted for an additional8.5 acres ofland, BruchIrani added.

The PPP quarterly Rapport has been keeping the public

informed of the activities of the youthful,energetic team synchronizing work in Poona.Finding the amountcollected from the originalpayment schedule at Doongerwadi insignifi­ cant (Rs 200 whereas costs per funeralamount to Rs 1,000- 2,000) they have discontinued makingany mandatory charge and kept donation boxes which they hope will generate more funds. Four hundred to 500 treesare planted at the doongerwadi each year during the monsoonsof which an estimated 50 percent survive.Finding the wire fencing periodically cut, the trusteesare in the process of erecting demarcating boundary walls especially where encroachments are high.

Miscellanea

Pervcz Irani thanked the BPPtrustees as well as the local Stambh Committee for the repainting, planting and borewell

that has upgradedthe visual impact of the Sanjan Stambh. According to Palsetia, the beautification projectcost 1.5 lakh rupees (to which Guzder had donated one lakh earlier and now volunteeredthe balance).

Master and K. R. Cama OrientalInstitute trustee-secretary Homai Modi arc coordinating the Indian participation at the Seventh World Zoroastrian Congress at Houstonin December 2000. A major concern is to enable 100 Indianyouths to avail of the exposure but as each sponsorship would cost about one lakh rupees, how do we raise a crore, wonderedSethna. To Guzder, 100 "isa dream ... We can at least collect 35lakhs" to send 30-35 youngsters. He suggested that advertisements should be publishedseeking applicants from among whom a selection could be made according to certain criteria.Surti suggested that Indian studentsstudying in the US who have been funded by community trustsshould be asked to attend.

Master noted that effortsare on to arrange for group book­ ingsand group visasand that anjumans have already been

requested to select their best candidates. While there is no age qualification for delegates or sports competitions,the essay

competition is restricted to those between 17 and25 years.

Shroff suggested that Zoroastrians make a bid for thechairman­ shipof the National Minorities Commission and Sorabjce offered his help with a Zoroastrian appointment, informed Guzder.(Since then Lt Gen Adi Sethna has been nominated as the Zoroastrian memberof the Commission.)

Guzder noted that attempts to persuade BombayUniversity to reserve four scats for Parsis against their recent donationsto the construction of Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Bhavan at its Kalina campus had been unsuccessful.

Dr Homi Dhallaand Ervad PervezBajan had been sponsoredby the BPP to attend the Third Parliament of World Religions at South Africalast December.

Every alternate SaturdayGujarati classes are being conducted at Bombay· s Girton School by the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation and there was an attempt to revive old Parsi songs and plays and record them on CD Rom, notedTamboly. Scthna traced the historyof the Interfaith Movement to Ardeshir Kotwal in Surat I 00 years ago. Kotwal, he said, had rid Suratof

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ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD

continued from page 64

an infinitesimal .0016 percent of the

whole," adds Mana.

Parsiana quotes verbatim the four

,_ . brief eulogies from Dawn:

JusticeDorab Patel

''Born in 1924 in a Parsi family residing in Quetta, Dorab Patel rose to be one of Pakistan's most prominent judges who resigned from his judgeshipafter Gen­ eral Zia made judges take an oath to uphold martiallaw under the infamous Provisional Constitutional Order.

''In an increasingly lawless land, Jus­ tice Dorab Patel continued to represent all the values that a civilized country and its people aspired to (uphold). A man of many interests,Justice Patel represented Pakistan at the UN (United Nations)and otherinternational forums, where he addressed subjectsas diverse as the fu­ ture agendaof the UN or the IMF (Inter­ national MonetaryFund).

''His famousjudgment in the con­

tempt case againstYusuf Ali Khan in 1977 completely changed the law estab­ lished in the Snelsoncase of 1963. After leaving the bench, JusticePatel rose to further heightsas the chairman of the

the norm. Today this Hospital stands proud thanks to the innumerable contri­ butions of private donors,certain gov­ ernments and the indefatigable efforts of men and women like Dr Sethna and the trustees of the Lady Dufferin Foun­ dation Trust. He is known for his sym­ pathetic stance towards poor patients and his ability to work with everyone. 'People with my sort of reputation would be considered to be extremely wealthy but I am not... What are richeswhen they arc carvedout of human misery?"'

Jamsheed Marker

"One of our best known diplomats, Mr Marker was for many yearsPakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN). After his retirement from theforeign service, he was then hired as a special envoy of the UN secretary general for quitea few conflict zones. Erudite, articulateandextremelywell respected, Mr Marker has been one of the few outstanding lightsof an other­ wise generally reactionary and non-in­ novative foreignservice. Perhaps, some of our ambassadors need to learn a few diplomatic skillsfrom this old master." Indeed, on November22,1999Dawn had featureda longer piece on Marker,

Forman Christian College,Lahore, whencehe graduated with a gold medal in economics, Dawn traces his career. After a three-year stint in the Royal Indian Navy,hejoined the family-owned pharmaceutical and shipping business in Quetta and Karachi.His interest in industrial labor relations thus activated, he wasincluded in Pakistani delegations to conferences at the International La­ bour Organization in Geneva.

Along with these onerous responsi­

bilities Dawn notes that Marker became a well-known radio commentator for cricket and indulged his interests in music and the opera, sports and the arts, espe­ cially contemporary Pakistani painting.

Thanks again to Mana, Parsiana learnt of the "Citizens' Award 1999"conferred on feisty journalist ArdeshirCowasjee on January 7, 2000. Prominently fea­ tured in Dawn. which has supported his valiant exposesof the Pakistan estab­ lishment, the citation has been cosigned by 2,000 citizens of Karachi. Cowasjec has been recognized for "his outstand­ ing and fearless contribution, that he made throughhis writings and actions, for upholdingthe cause of citizens and civil society in Pakistan."

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

also forwarded by Mana. Recounting

where he lent his strengthand character to this fledgling organization. Justice Patel died in 1997 and is remembered for his diverse contributions: to the cause ofjustice, democracy and human rights."

Bapsy Sidhwa

"Bapsy Sidhwa is Pakistan's first En­ glish languagenovelist who has been published in the West to wide acclaim. Her novels show her sensitivity and her passion for storytelling coupledwith a complete lack of pretension. Her novel Cracking India which describesParti­ tion through the eyes of a nine-year-old Parsi girl, Lenny, has been made into a film, Earth, which has also clinchedan Oscar nomination inthe best foreign film category."

Dr Faridon Sethna

"Dr Setna's stature in the field of obstet­ rics and gynecology is undeniably huge. In Karachi,his skills and methods have earned him the ungrudgingrespectof countless mothers, grandmothers, daughters and even husbands.Dr Sethna is the medical superintendent of the Lady Dufferin Hospital wheremeticulous hygiene and cleanliness controlis clearly

105 Pars/8na March 2000

the diplomat's savoir-faire which led him to resolve the 15-year-old East Timor issue on which the Timorians hadbeenlocked in an impasse with Indone­ sia, Dawn noted that Marker had been hand-picked for the job of chief negotia­ tor and special envoyby UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

Holding the Guinness record for serv­

ing continuously as ambassador for 30 years, Markerhas represented Pakistan in Ghana,Guinea and Mali; Rumania and Bulgaria;the USSR and Finland; Canada, with concurrent accreditation to Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago; the German Democratic Republic; Japan; the UN's European office in Geneva; the FederalRepublic of Germany; France and Ireland,and the United Nat ions Edu­ cational Scientific and Cultural Organi­ zation (UNESCO).Three years as am­ bassador to the United States and Ja­ maica were followed by five more as ambassador and permanent representa­ tive to the UN in New York ere he retired.

Fluent in English,French, German,

Russian, Urdu and Gujarati, the Hydera­ bad (Sind)born Marker is an alumnusof the DoonSchoolin DehraDun and

Compiled by Arnavaz S_ Mama

Silloo Kavarana re-elected to BPP

Contesting the electionon the termination of her seven-year term as trustee on the board of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, Silloo Kavarana was reelected by a majority of 27 votes. Kavarana polled 429 votes while her challenger Zarir Bhathena received406 votes. The othercontenders were Ervad Yazdi Panthaky and Dara Kadva.Of a total Anju­ man Committee of 1,457 voters, 846 voted at Khareghat Colony's Muncherji Khare­ ghat Hall on March 11, 2000. Parsiana's detailed coverage will follow in the April issue.

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Wankancr presided as Chief Guest over the Opening day ceremonies; Dr Ramanand Sagar gave a moving per­ fOI-mance of Ancient Indian Culture excrpted from the Ramayan and Sri Krishna T. V. crials: and Dr. Vishwanath Karad of UNESCO Chair for Peace, MIT Pune,Mr. D. V. GuptajiChairman of Airpon Author­ ity of India; and Padmashri Dr. Vijaykumar Shah presided over the closing ceremony. Mr Bcjan Desai beloved Principal of Boys TownSchool had Prof. Dr. B. ll. Puri founderof VastuResearch Architecture Cenlre Delhi were conferred Doctorate de­ greesfor their outstanding work span­ ning a lifetime. I 00 selectedpersonali­ ties worldwide wereconferred the pres­ tigious MILLENNIUM AWARD led by Lord Pandit Prof. Dr. Sir Anton Jayasuriya Chairman Medicina Alternativa International.

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Acupuncture, Nature Cure, Ayurveda, UnanL Magnet Therapy, Spectra ChromeMetry, Gems, Colours and CrystalsTherapy, Pyramid Therapy, and a wide range of Natural Health Care Methods were discussed

also attracted large -,;ariety of exhibi­ tion stallsincluding the valuableair and water environment purification equipment of Mr. A M. Solanki.

Holistic Health Magazine and Life Positive covered the three days event. providing complimentary copie t.o all the Delegates. Swamiju AkhHeshjil. ')l Bihar City of GocL Dr. !\!irs.Zarin Turel, Head of Bi0-Chemistry Dept. of BombayUniversity, Prof. Dr. A. R. K, Pillai,President of Indian Leprosy Foundation, Dr. Dimmath Rai, Presi­ dent ot· International Kundalini Y •J?:<J Institme, Dr, .\llalti. Sirsiker, i\stroh ger, Dr. Harishbhm Dhut1a,PresJdcm lntcrn<:ttional Fcderatic•n of Astro!o­ gcn,, Dr. Sashik::mtSeth. Spiritual Healer, Dr. Mrs. MangaiaCl1avan Acu­ puncturist Dr. Punamchand Rat hi Mag­ net Therapist, Dr. Mahmud Hasan on Unani Medicine,Prof. Dr. R. RamaMurthy Retd. Vi.ce Chancellor ot Tirupathi University, Prof. D:-. B. B. Puri President of Vedic Architecture Institute, Prof. Dr. S. Nagendran of Indian HolisticHealthAcademy.Or

B. Lakshmi Bio-Therapist, Dr.Ricswcc Assuntaof Singapore and many other specialists were present.

The prestigious Millennium A ward was conferred on 100selected persons worldwide;including post­ humously on late Dr.Dara R. Hakim,

Late Padmashri Homi J. II. Taleyarkhan, late ShdM.C.

Bhandariji, late MobedanMobed Jehangirji Turel, nate Dr Mrs Harprakash Sahanilate Dr. A" Gosalia,late Mr. Jai H. A. Vakillate Dinshawji B. A vari and late Justice Madhukiran Kenia. Amongst the worldwide recipients of the Millen-

Courtesy Mr Jamshed Guzder

nium Award are Mr .Jamshcd N. Guzder, Jam-e-.Jamshed, Mumbai Samachar, Mr. Mchraban Zarthoshty, Dr . .Jehangir Medora, Dr. Purviz D. Kolsawalla, Dr. Farhang Mehr, Dr. Mehraban Sharvini; Mrs DollyDastur; Dr Kcki and Mrs. Tchmi Grant Dr, Pulat Pulatov, Madame Maisara Kolonova, H. E. Emomaly Rakhmanov, Ervad GodrejSidhwa, Mr. Adi B. K. Dubash,Mr. Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry, Prof.Dr. Siegfried Hermerding; Dr. Anton Jayasuriya amongst others.

Consul D. Chelyshev of Russian Cu turat Centre. Consul A. Makani

Photo No 1: GaneshaBejan Oaruwalla being conferredthe prestigious ''MILLENNIUM AWARD" by Dume DL Prof.Meher Master-Moos and Dr. Zarine Turel, Head of Bombay University Bio-Chemistry ept Photo No 2: Lord Pandit Prof. Dr. Sir Anton Jayasvriya, chanman, Medicina Alternative International being conferred MILLENNIUM AWARD by H. H. Yuvra_i DigvijaySinn. Prince of Wankaner, Dame Meher and Dr. Shashikant Seth

and Mrs. Maka i of Costa Rica and Dr. Mrs. Tatiana Makles of Poland Consulate were amongstthe distin­ guished guests of honor.

NAOROJI - THE FIRST ASIAN MP A BIOGRAPHY OF DADABHAI NAOROJI, INDIA'S

r. .IIHOI ND HHII IN:S Mf

I VDVRHVI V'IVC>HC>-:ti•IV'IDIV.2

NAUKUJI - THE FIRST ASIAN

MP A BIOGRAPHY OF DADABHAI NAORO.JI, INDIA'S PATRIOT AND BRITAIN'S MP

12) BHOWNAGGREE - PARLIA­ MENTARY CENTENARY OF BRITA IN'S FIRST ASIAN CON­ SERVATIVE MP - 1995

BOOK REVIEWS BY

Dame Dr. Prof. Mehcr Master-Moos, President, ZoroastrianCollege

Omar Ralph,son of Zeena Bharucha and Brian Ralph was fascinated by his Parsi Maternal pedigreewhich led him to research thesetwo well writtenbooks on the First two non-Englishmen to be elected Membersof Parliament at Westminister.

1.NAORO.JI- THE FIRST ASIAN

MP- is a well researched biographyof the GrandOldManofIndia- DADABHAINAOROJITheFirstParsi and Non-Englishman to be elected aMember of Parliament at Westminister. The biography covers his life from childhood, throughhisyoungdays when the East IndiaCompany was administering trade in India, and his keen interest in foreign affairs. It was thanks to him thatManekji Hataria was sent to Iran to relieve the Iranian Zoro­ astrians of the injustices suffered by them. He was a social, educational, political,andreligiousreformer.In

turned to India in 1881. He took active pan in PoliticsinBritish India, and worked for the self rule of India;he coinedthe term "Swaraj"" In March 1886 he stood for Parliamentary elec­ tion in England, and receivedgood support from the British press - The Pall Mall Gazette recordedthat "if254

rnjJJjom of I:Ier MJ}eW(f mbiecu in

bH}tV'-J!:TJJ QU:S:CCfC LC.COLCJCCJr)-.JUf r "!"_!-_::S";!.

tion in England, and received good support from the British press - The Pall Mall Gazette recorded that "if254 millions of Her Majesty's subjectsin India are ever to be represented, it would hardly be possible to find one more worthy of the positionor more fitted than the Honourable Dadabhai Naoroji." However it was not till the July 1892 election that he succeeded in becoming the MP from Finsbury Cen­ tral.He espoused socialrefonnsin­ cluding women's education and women's rights and freedom-Swaraj for India. He was a great upholder of Justice and activelyparticipated in Par­ liamentary debates, The Authorhas painstakingly researched Hansardsvol­ umes to trace the trend of Dadabhai's thinking and developmentoverthe years. Baroness Shreela Flather.the first Indian Woman to be appointed a life-peer in the House of Lords,and severalother MP' shave written admi­ rable forewords to the bookwhich should be read by every young Zoroas­ trian Worldwide and find a place in the bookshelf of every Parsi family.

2.ThesecondbookaboutSIR

MANCHER.JI MERW AN .TEE BHOWNAGGREEK.C.I.E.isaslim

volume jointly authoredby Prof. John

Hinnells and Omar Ralph with a Pref­ ace by Rusi K. Dalal.This book traces Bhownaggree's election to the British Parliament. He was twice electedin

1.895 and 19.00 th.rough the conserva-

ment of educational facilities in India

so that Indians would not need to de­ pend upon the English educational sys­ tem. He lost his third election in 1906 and than devotedhimself to Parsi com­ munity affairs transforming thereli­ gious funds of the Zoroastrians of Eu­ rope into the incorporated ParsecA'-

munity affairs transforming the reli­ gious funds of the Zoroastrians of Eu­ rope into the incorporated Parsec As­ sociation of Europe and the establish­ ment of the Zoroastrian House in Lon­ don. He continued to live in England till his death in 1933.This book makes enjoyable reading for everyeducated Zoroastrians. Both the booksare avail­ able from MazdayasnieMonasterie Of­ fice at concessional special rates for India.

ZARATHUSTRIANS IN OLDE

IRAN- Published and releasedin June 1999covers the history of Zoroastrians living in the Olde Iranian Achamenian Empire of Darius the Great, extending from Central Asia ChinaBorderto Ukraine and Greece. The bookspe­ cially covers the two World Avesta Conferences sponsored by the Govt.of Tajikistan in 1992 and 1996held in Dushanbe and contains some selected papers about revival of Zoroastrian re­ligion in its originalhomeland of Olde Iran. The book aiso has photographs of archeological excavations of sites of Ancient Fire Templesand Dokhmas; of the "Golden Man" whom the arche­ ologists believe is the original Jamshed Padshah.

This and many bookson Zoroastrian religion, health and Aura and World Congress Brochure and other interest­ ing subjects are available. Contact of-

RELIGION

Salsette's spiritual sustenance

The Seth Ardeshir BhicajeePatel Dadgah at Andheri is the newest Zoroastrian house of worshipin Bombay

Hilla P. Guzder

It is the third Zoroastrian house of prayer tobe inaugurated in the Bombayarea in just over two months. On January 23, 2000, the Seth ArdeshirBhicajee Patel Dadgah in the Salsette Parsis Associa­ tion (SPA) housingcomplex at Andheri (East) opened its portalsto worship­ pers. On November14, 1999 the Mani­ jeh Pirojsha Sachinwalla Dar-e-Meher had been consecrated, followedby the Shapomji FakirjiJokhi Agiary on De­ cember 21.

Situated amidst verdureand spa­ cious surroundings, ringed by a cluster of new buildings, the Dadgah and adja­ cent community hall were designedby architect Dara B. Mistryand constructed freeofcostby builder HosangB. Mistry, managingdirector of PersepolisCon­ struction CompanyPrivate Limited which developed the property (see "Con­ cretizingdreams,"Parsiana, June 1997). With a total of767 flats (671 on owner­ ship basis and 96 on rent), this is one of the largest Parsi housing schemes in Bombay in recent times (see "Salsette on schedule," pg 113).

After four days and nights of reli­

gious ceremonies which included four ijasnes and one Vendidad, the dadgah fire was installed on January23as thousandsof peoplefromallover Bombaypouredintoreiteratetheir faith. "Seeing the crowds comingin, I must confess I was a bit nervous at first, as we could not estimate how many people would come all the way to Andheri, that too on a Sundaymorn­ ing," statesAdi M. Patel, chairman of the Association. "On the day itself we receivedaboutoneandahalflakh rupees as donations from the public with our volunteers maintaining lists and handing out receipts on the spot." The day saw a morning and evening jashan,withhigh priests(Drs) Firoze Kotwal, Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, Hor­ mazdyar Mirza and Hormazdiar Dastur of Poona participating along with other mobeds. All the high priests had been

108Parsiana March 2000

invited but were unable to come for different reasons,explains Jerbanoo Moos, trustee and honorary secretaryof the SPA. Speaking on the occasion,Kotwal said that in the prevailing cir­ cumstances in the communitywhere there was a paucity of full-time priests, it was advisable to set up a dadgahgrade fire whereineven three bois would suf­ fice and the fire could be tended, if necessary, by any behdin.Khojeste Mistree, scholar-teacher and founder of Zoroastrian Studies,explained to the lay audience the meaning of the ijasne ceremony and the long hours of kriya­ kaam (ceremonies) that gointo the mak­ ing of a holy fire. The Vendidad that preceded the installation was performed by Ervads Adil Bhesania and Dinyar Vajifdar,with Ervad Aspandiar Dada­ chanji of Vachaghandhy Agiarypar­ ticipating in the prayersand being an inspiring force. "Dasturji Kotwal and Ervad Dadachanji guidedus all along," relates Moos."They visited the site on two-three occasions and advised on the laying of the pavis, kebla, etc."

"The time of actual installation (when

the fire is liftedfrom the small afargan and placed into the main one) is a very poignant and rewarding moment," re­ flects Patel's wife Arnavaz. "Itis diffi­ cult to controlone's emotions at that time." The Dadgah's newly appointed panthaky is Ervad Nozar Behram­ kamdin who has a flat in building No 1 and who has taken early retirement from his job followingbypass surgery.

The inauguration was scheduled for roz Spandarmad, mah Shahrevar (Janu­ ary 23) as that was the day his grandfa­ther, after whom the Dadgah is named, had passed away, informsAdi Patel. ArdeshirBhicajee Patel had been one of the founding members of the SPAin the 1920s.

Present amongthe numerous invitees at the function were Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Jamshed Guzder, trustees SillooKavarana,

Rustom Tirandazand Dinshaw Mehta and former trusteeEruch Desai. In ad­ dition to Patel and Moos, the other trustees of the SPA-Nadar Mullan, Jal Contractor, Eruch Hodiwalla and Shaharouk Irani -participated in the felicitations offered to the numerous individuals who had contributed to­ wards the establishment of the Dadgah. "We received donations in cash andkind," informs Moos. Darabsha C. Pader gave 350 chairs, Hoshang Billimoria fabricated the prayertables, the Khodaiji family spent for the ladies' kustiroom, etc, she says, and there were many others too numerous to enumerate. Yasmin Taraporevala, Ratamai Peer, Kersi Katila[the panthaky of the Seth Pirojsha Ardeshir Patel Daremeher at Andheri (West) which is undergoing extensive renovation] and Ratoo Dastoor are among the individuals she names as having been of great assis­ tance.

"I cannotforgettheyoungstersof

Salsette colony and Cyrus Siganporia's team of young men from Nowroz Baug who washed the entire premisesand helpedin the preparation for the cer­ emonies," she notes.Not to be outdone, the ladies of the colony chippedin too, awakening early in the morning to do the chalk-toran at the Dadgah on all four days, as well as at the entrancesof the individual buildings on the day it­self. Colony residentPersis Wadia compered the function and took on other tasks alongwith Maheet Desai,man­ ager Dara Saklat and others.

"The evening functionsaw a larger

crowd," notes Adi Patel.The flowers and felicitations were followed by Parsi geet (songs) by musiciansJaloo Bhe­ sania and Kersi Mistry and a live band entertained the diners.Jimmy Caterers did a good job of feeding over 1,500 people on the grounds of building No I, remarks Patel. Dinner coupons priced at Rs 120 had been sold earlier at the Cusrow Baug's Karaniagiary, the Patel

1, 2 and 3. At the Dadgah consecration

4. Section of' congregation

5.Trustees and high priests

6.( L toR) Contractor, Engineer, Dara Mist!)' and Irani

7. Moos honoringHosang Mistry

8. Patel (left) felicitating Guzder

9.Mullan (lef't) with

Patel

10.Hodiwalla (right) with Engineer.11. Behramkamdin (right) and Patel.

Photos: Spectravision Labs 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 11

Aalok Sadanand 2, 7

and 10

110 Parstana March 2000

agiaryat Andheri (West) and at the site. Recording for posterity the events on vi­ deo was NazneenVajifdar of Spectra­vision Labs.

Providing a glimpseinto the past, Patel points out that the disuseddokhma on site had been set up in 1927 on the initiative of the Zoroastrian residents of Santa Cruz,Vile Parle and Andheri. The initial effort had been made as early as 1915 when the ParsiZoroastrian Anjuman Mandai of Andheriwas estab­ lished.The tano (foundation) ceremony

Salsette on schedule

The construction of the whole complex

will be completeby the year 2000, Hosang Mistry, managing director of Persopolis Construction Company Pri­ vate Limited,had told Parsiana in May 1997. Well on schedule, all the six buildings and Dadgah and community hall at the Salsette ParsisAssociation (SPA) housing complex at Andheri (East) with well laid out internal roads, gardens landscaped and planted under the supervision ofHosang' s wife Amee, are complete and partially occupied except for building No 5 whose posses­ sion will be handed over shortly. The

in 1927 was attended by a large gather­ ing including eminent personalities like DadabhaiNaoroji,KhanBaha-dur M.

C. Marzban, Sir Jivanji Modi, etc. The present senior-most trustee of the SPA Nadar Mullan had also been present at that time as a lad of 12, informs Patel.

With the proliferation of population

in Andheri and surrounding suburbs and the presence of planes landingand taking off from the nearby domestic and international airports, the dokhma had fallen into disuse for decades."We

range in area from 310 sq ft to 565 sq ft, according to information providedby the developers.

"We have been in contact with Hosi

(Hosang) throughout and it is his perse­ verance and fairnessthat has seen this projectthrough,"

commends SPA trusteeBruch Hodi­ walla. Technical consultant Aspi En­ gineer too has played a leading role,ob­ taining the necessary clearances from various government

have plantedcreepers on the old dokhma wall to cover it. A walking pathhas been laid out in the complex too," states Hosang Mistry. "Ifeel great when I come here," opinesColaba-resident Ho­ diwalla, appreciating the "beautiful at­ mosphere" of the complex,due in large measure, he says, to Amee Mistry's green thumband the "active but silent" role she has played."I would like to say a big thank you to (technical consultant, Aspi) Engineer's wife Pilootoo for all her support," adds Hodiwalla, also grate-

trouble and have had to face many hassles," says Jerbanoo Moos, trustee and honorary secretary of the SPA.

As per the agreement, the tenanted

building No 2 was also built free of cost by the developers. Mistryhas also pro­

vided fixtures like lights and fansin the Dadgah and com­ munity hall at his own expense, in­

cluding neat rows of lights to illuminatethe terrace, though this was not speci­ fiedintheagree­

ownership flats, which form a coopera­

tive housing society,have been sold well below prevailing marketrates, at prices fixed by the charity commis­

departments, the charity commis­ sioner and localbod-

ies, he points out.

Hosang and Amee Mistry and

view of the complex (below)

Photo: Aalok Sadanand

ment. "Itis a small

but fine terrace which can be given out for navjotes,

sioner, notethe developers. The flats

"The developers have takenalotof

etc," remarks chairmanAdi M. Patel.

113 Parsrana March 2000

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fully acknowledging the "tremendous hard work" over a long period by the officestaff of Persepolis Construction and sister com­ pany BomanjiJamasji Mistry and their staff on site, including projectmanager Nagin Doshi.

"Over the last few years, we have spent

lakhs of rupees as counsels' fees, tackling the various casesfiled against the trustees and other legal matters. We have become half solicitorsourselves," with loads of legal pa­ perwork going back and forth! laughs Engi­ neer. "This has been one of the most compli­ cated and challenging projects we have handled," he says, due to the fact that the vast, 38,000 squaremcterundulating plot was beset by encroachments and had to be releasedfrom the urban land ceilingregulations even before the projectcould get off the ground. Mistry's proposalto name the complex the "Bomanji Jamasji Mistry Baug" to perpetuate the memory of his late father, himselfa reputed builder, is still pending, with the trusteesun­ able to arrive at a consensus.

Just six years ago this land had been a mass of weeds and grass, Adi Patel had informed the gathering at the inauguration. "My thoughts now are for future genera­ tions," assertsMoos, "that they should se­ curely preserve the inheritance they have received."

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114 Parsiana March 2000

RELIGION

COVER STORY

Theconsecrated convoy

The enthronement of the Tavri fire at the ShapoorjiFakirji Jokhi Agiary at GodrejBaug fanned the community's embersof faith

Text: Arnavaz S. MamaPhotos: Kersi M. Pooniwala

Wishing the community"a great futurefor the new millennium" a misty-eyedKekiJokhi expressed his gratitude to the trustees of the Bombay Parsi Puncha­ yet (BPP) "for givingme the opportunity of es­ tablishing this agiary in memoryof mygreatbrother Shapoorji Fakilji Jokhi." A standing ova­ tionto the Jokhi family, whose donation of Rs 75 lakhshad culminated in the enthronementof the sacred 99-year-old Tavri fire in the empty shell of the Godrej Baug Agiary, now called the Shapoorji Fakirji Jokhi Agiary, climaxed thejoy and devotion with which the community had greeted thefour-day

event. The fine irony of the late Sha­ poorji'shigh profile in a neighborhood to whose development he had expressed his inability to contribute in the early 1980s as per the Pirojsha GodrejFounda­ tion's architectManeck Engineer, could nothave been lost on the Navsari-born Hongkongphilanthropistwho was surely present in spirit.

Godrej Baug residentsmaintained an all-night vigil (December 20 21, 1999) as the sacred fire (ensconced in the same perforated coveredcauldron of white metal that had been designed to salvage the Aden Agiaryfire in the 1970s) was now carried by Ervads Hormuzd Dada­ chanji and Hormuzd Govadiaup Hughes Road and GibbsRoad and throughAmbawadi to reachits destined throne well in time for the Havangahmaachi. A vanguardof a water carrier with sprin­ klers, followed by volunteers with new

116 Parsiana March 2000

Overview of the Shapoorji Fakirji Jokhi Agiaryat Godrej Baug

brooms organized by Cyrus Siganporia, cleansed the streets so that pavis of sand could be laid to demarcate the path of the atash. Shielded by aswathe of white cotton held by thepriestly entourage, escorted by an armed guard of athravansin symbolic readinessto fight evil on its behalf and an army of devoted Zoroas­trians variously estimated between 4,000 and 5,000, the processionwended tri­ umphantlytothefootoftheAgiary where a one-wayentrance and exit of controllednumbers ensured orderliness. The euphoria cut through all categories of the community, the exalted and the hoi polloi marching harmoniouslyto­ gether,professional andamateur pho­ tographers alike recordingthefervor. The noveltyof the proceedingsmade

frontpage news in the national Press.

By the time of the commemorative jashan commissioned by Jokhi on December 21 (raj Bahman, mah Amardad being Shapoorji's birth anniversary) at 10 a.m., the file past of devotees had reducedto a trickle but the hall was full to overflowing. Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, who ledfivefellow high priests and 14mobeds at prayer, followed up the cer­ emony by recounting in Gujarati the historyof the Tavri fire.

While thankingthe

Godrejfamily, in pass­ ing, "for these magnifi­cent surroundings," BPP trustee Dadi Engineer enumeratedand extolled

the philanthropy of the Jokhi family: Avan Baug,named aftertheir mother which houses 2,000 Parsis in Navsari, the renovation of the Rustomji Jejeebhoy School and Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Agiary there and the provision of the Rs 4.5 crore Jokhi wing at Bombay's B. D.· Petit Parsee General Hospital (PGH). A second threecrore contribution to the PGH has enabled the Hospital to under­ take a totalrenovationofits nursing home wing.He concluded by dedicat­ ing to them John Bunyan's words in Pilgrim's Progress,"He who bestows his wealth upon the poor will have as much and10 times more," adding fer­ vently, "not 10 but 100times more,1,000 times more!"

BPPtrustee Dinshaw Tamboly,who had been instrumental in obtaining the Jokhidonation, focussed upon the con­ tribution of those who had worked"be

The fire container; the original Tavri agiary; the Sumo carrying the atash; BPP trusteeDinshaw Mehta, Dali Mistry, police inspector Viraf Chinoy and Got/a;placing the fireinto the Sumo at Navsari; Aspandiar Dadachanji (center)with his team of athravan drivers and mechanics Facing page: Sumo leaving Navsari agiary; farewell}as han at Sir J J Agiary; Aspandiar Dadachanji answering queries on the patio of the Sanjan Agiary; Khojeste Mistree (extreme left) explaining a ritual detail; the Jokhis, the Meherjiranas and others chatting with Tamboly (center) outside Navsari 's Sorab Hall

hind the scene with completededication . and devotion:" Ervad Aspandiar Dada­ chanji and his team of mobeds compris­ ing Ervads Farrokh Govadia,Hormuzd Govadia,Hormuzd Dadachanji, Homiar Nasirabadwalla, SorabBharucha, Khushroo Vaid and Aspy Rao "whohad travelled with him in cramped condi-

118 Parsiana March 2000

tions bringingthe fire to Bombay;" Darayus Gotla who procured policeper­ mission and organized police escort through all the stages of the journey; Dali Mistry, Gustad Irani and Farrokh Govadia for maintaining the vehicles not just in running order but within the ritual specifications of thejob at hand;

the BPP'sadministrative staff led by chief executive officer Behram Dastur and includingMehli Colah, Sheroo Master, Noshir Medhora, BakhtawarDastur, Jime Poonawalla, Pervez Aibara and Jokhi Agiary pan-thaky Pervez Madon andhiswifeMahrukh.

Shawls, commemorative silver sal-

They had even performed a "dry run"a few days earlier

to establish a workable

timetable for the transfer

vers and flowers were presented by the BPP trustees to each of the high priests, viz Drs Hormazdyar Mirza and Kotwal,Kekobad Dastur, HormazdiarN oshirwan Dasturand Meherji Meherjirana, to Nadirshah Unvala, to Keki Jokhi and his two sons, to Aspandiar Dadachanji and

his team members, to Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, to formertrusteesEruch Desai, Dr MehrooBengaleeandDr Nelie Noble, to Noshir Kasadand to Cyrus Unwalla whocarried out amendments to the Agiary's existing structure,to BPP chairman Jamshed Guzder, who acknowledged the BPP's

debt to Jejeebhoy for the fire, and to the senior Punchayet staff members. Former BPP chairman, Dr Aspi Gol­ walla, former trustee JamsheedKanga and former chief executiveRustom Anklesaria did not attend. Neitherdid any member of the Godrej family or their senior staff.

119 Parsiana March 2000

120 Parsiana March 2000

Clockwise from right: Awaiting the emergenceof the atash outside Vachaghandhy Agiary; gate of the Jokhi Agiary; entering the Godrej Baug Agiary; laying the sand pavis on Hughes Road

Facing page: In the vanguard of thefire; priestly entourage

surrounding the atash; washing and scrubbingHughes Road

121 Parsiana March 2000

Clockwise from top left: The }as han; Madan andTamboly; Shroff and Dastur; Silloo Kavarana and Master; Tirandaz and Yezdi Panthaki;

Maneck Engineer; Dadi Engineer at

the mike; Keki and Javer Jokhi (first and thirdfrom left) with Guzder and Tamboly

122Parsiana March 2000

Theenthronement

The story of the Godrej Baug Agiary is

a skein of many strands,of the fire and the building and nearly two decades of planning and frustration that was even­ tually rewarded,though not quite as originally envisaged.

A Zoroastriansettlement two miles

out ofNavsari, Tavrialready possessed two dadgah fires ere this adarian fire, a consecrated compilation of the fires from the homes of priest,policeman, agriculturist and potterwas gifted to the 250 strong community in 1900 by Coo­ verji Cavasji Tavariain memory of his deceasedson Hormusji, enthroning it in a new buildingconstructed for the pur­ pose, informed Kotwal. [He also nar­ rated how the popular Gujaratiadage "Guya Tavri ne aya ravri (went to Tavri and got left high and dry)" had gained parlancewhen some of the estimated8,000 Zoroastrians who attended the consecration ceremonyof the dokhma there, being carried away by the local attractions, missed the special return train arrangedby Sir Jamsetjee Jejee­ bhoy and had to journeyback under great discomfort.]

However, by 1964 with only one Zo­

roastrian family left in Tavri, the holy fire was brought to Navsari and housed in Sir

J.J. Agiary managed by the DowagerBai

Avabai Jejeebhoy Trust whosetrustee Sir JamseijeeJejeebhoy suggested that the BPP enthrone it at Godrej Baug. Among those who had escortedthe fire from Tavri to Navsari on that occasion were Dinshaw and Bachi Tamboly, now charged with the major task of organiz­ ing its evacuationto Bombay.

Generations ofthe athravan Dada­

chanjifamily had tendedthe Tavri fire. By poetic justicethe move fromNavsari to Bombay was executed by a descen­ dant of thesamefamily - Ervad

125 Pars/ana March 2000

Aspandiar Dadachanji, panthaky of the Vacha­ ghandhy Agiary at Hughes Road - underthe overall guidance of Kotwal.

Dadachanji, himself a driver of the rallying kind, together with his band of motorist mobeds and dedi­ cated technicians, got to­ gether a fleet of cars, two Sumas of which were spe­cially adapted forthe taskwith

all but the front seat removed - one

being the atash'sdesignated vehicle, the other on emergency standby.Other ve­ hicles transported the rest of the priestlyentourage and the varied paraphernalia required for the rituals. They had even performed a "dry run" a few days earlier to establish a workable timetable for the transfer,informed Dadachanji.

Inthe van travelled Gotla with his police friends,clearing the way for the 16-vehicle convoy that precededand followed the VVIP, startingfrom Navsari on January19 at 1.30 a.m. after the Ushingahboi,reachingSanjan'sDasti.nji KookadaruDar-E-Meher at about 4.00

a.m. (Consecrated firesareritually moved during the dark hours to preventother light rays and/or alien gaze contaminat­ ing them.) Removed from the confines of the travelling receptacle on to the afarganyuprepared to receivethe sacred embers in the Agiary's urvisgah, the fire and its tenders restedfor the day,provid­ ingprayersandmaachi offerings throughthe five gahs. Again at 1.30 a.m.on 20th December1999the process was repeated on the second lap of the journey,reach­ ing Bombay'sVacha- ghandhy Agiary well in time for the Havangah boi. With a jashanin the afternoon offered by the Vachaghandhy Agiary trustees anda spate of devotees bowingbefore it, the Tavri fire had begun its transition to the third and most glorious phase of its illu­ mined century.

By 2.30 a.m. on December 21 a

(From top left) The Jokhis: Fakirji and Avabai and Shapoorji and Manijeh; Jejeebhoy and Guzder; Naoroji Godrej (left)

Photos: Homyar Mistry, Homz Prints

legion of well-wishers had gathered without the Vachaghandhy portals.

Theyranged from babes in arms to the platinum brigade and their presence, with ardent hopes and prayer­ ful longings,wasamiracleinitself. What­ ever restlessness theremight have been was dispelledby a good-natured mix of truisms and commentary in Tirandaz's booming voice until the phalanxof mobeds, jealouslyguarding the atash on the last stretchof the journey to its new home, began its brisk walk.

Hughes Road had been cleared of traf­ fic although trafficsignals continued to blink. Gibbs Road was a dense mass of Zoroastrians, some panting to keep up with the priests, others indulging in small talk within the ambit of the history they knew they were making. The narrow Ambawadientrance proved a bottleneck and by the time the majority of the walkers got through,the Agiary seemed to be surrounded by a human moat.

Inside, the process of enthronement proceeded with clockwork precision, fol­ lowed by the pealingbell of the first boi at 6 a.m. Concerned that the horde hungry for spiritual salvation may also need ma­ terial sustenance, the BPP had thought­ fully commissioned catererDr Katy Dalal to providesteaming hot tea, batasas and sev.

Fractured hopes

Jejeebhoy's welcome invitation to avail

of the second consecrated fire at Sir J. J. Agiary inNavsari for the benefitofGodrej Baug's 1,700+Parsis ended nearly15 years of frustration for the Punchayet.

When first conceivedin the early 1980s, the agiary was expected to house two sacred fires -one from the Pun­ chayet's own Godavara Agiary and the other from the LangranaAgiary, both located in the bylanes of Fort, Bombay, where of the six sacred fires some lan­ guished due to the exodus of Zoroastri­ans to the developing suburbs(see "Con­ structionundercriticism," Parsiana, No­ vember 1986). It was anticipated that the sale of the released real estate would provide funds for the maintenance of the new agiary at Napean Sea Road. There were ample precedents, the fires of the Karani Agiary at Cusrow Baug and of the Kuppawalla Agiary at Tata Colony having been shiftedfrom their original sites where the depreciating localities had witnessedthe departure of the com­ munity.

To theconsternation of the BPP a few community members, as beneficiaries of the institutions, demanded- and got

-a stay order from the charity commis­ sioner againstany attempt to relocate the sacred fires.Having lost both, the fires and the means for their sustenance, plans for the new agiary remained in suspension until the Doongajifamily of Bharuch and Bombay,led by the late

Hoshang Doongaji, offeredthe 254-year­ old fire from their agiary at Bharuch along with Rs 10 lakhs towards the cost of construction. Accordingly, Godrej and Boyce architect Maneck Engineer's hexagonalconception, with provisionfor two or three fires, then estimatedto cost Rs 45 lakhs, was modified to pro­ vide a single gumbaz plus an urvisgahfor baj and ijashni ceremonies. Dastur (Dr) Hormazdyar Mirza led six mobeds in a jashan ceremonyon January 31, 1988 as Golwalla, the then BPP chair­ man laid the foundation stone (see "A new home for an old fire," Parsiana, March 1988).

Even as the trustees were exercised in the nitty-gritty of moving the sacred fire, the earlierscenario recurred in a bleary deja vu with Sam Sethna and a couple of other beneficiaries in Bharuch winninga stay order from the charity commissioner against the project.Re­ peated entreaties and arguments in fa­ vor of the greater goodproved of no avail. Sethna held his ground. The now 266-year-old Pestonji Aslaji Doongaji fire may,in all probability, be reducedto ashes.

Engineer soldieredon, building the

agiary with whateverfunds trickled in,

encouraged by the lateNaoroji Godrej 's own personal, emotional commitment to Godrej Baug,while the ding-dong parleys continued. To his dismay,when work in the partially built structure gained momentum thanks to Jokhi's donation, Engineer was not consulted. In a letter to Parsiana he notes, "Onthe day of the consecration of the fire and later on my subsequent visit to the fire­ temple, I have noticed that some changes have taken place not only on the fac;ade of the building but also inside the building without involving me in doing the same. To be frank ... I have not been to Iran nor have I done extensive studieson fire-temples, but considering the fact that the Sasanians were iconoclasts, most of the temples constructed in Iran were not having any images on the fac;adeof the temple and therefore whilst designing I had only considered circular columns and RCC grills on the fac;ade.Further. ..the build­ ing was designed considering the im­portance of naturalventilation in (a) public place. The existence of fire atthecenter of the structure createsa sort of pressuredifference and the air was supposed to move (inward and up). However, as the openings on the inner

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side of the hall and the passage around the kebla have been closed this will result in accumulation of smoke and heat in and around the keblaarea. A raised platform was made in the hall, but no door was provided betweenthe kebla door and the hall. Now that the same has been provided, if the raised platform is used for any ceremonyor jashan purpose,then the rays of the fire inside the Agiarywill mingle with the rays of the fire which will be placed in a small afarganyu on the centerof the platform which, according to my knowl­ edge, is notacceptable."

Evenas Engineer questioned the fig­ ures on the fac;ade of the fire-temple, Firoza Punthakey-Mistree, Nauzer Bharucha, Percy Balsara and Ervad Marzban Hathiram have identified them as of Assyrian, non-Zoroastrian origin in Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly (Jan 23, 2000). The faux pas is compounded because the figures depicted are histori­ cally associated with barbaric and brutal cruelty. Urging the Punchayet to rectify the situation Punthakey-Mistree writes, "Not only is it an affront to our religion and illustrative ofour limited knowl­ edge, but it sends out a wrong message to the community as generations ofParsiswill grow up wrongly thinkingthe Assyrian gods to be Zoroastrian icons of worship."

The colonythat almost neverwas Thebeautiful Godrej Baug has seen the steady deterioration of relations between the House ofGodrejand the BPP. When the Punchayet salvagedthe prestigious area fromthe Government's graspun­ der the UrbanLand Ceiling Actthanks to the intercession of then PrimeMinis­ ter Indira Gandhicirca 1982/83 as per Golwalla's article "The Birth ofGodrej Baug" (Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly,Febru­ ary 6, 2000) it lacked the funds to de­ velop it urgentlyin the face of political pressure. The land was hillyand totally lacking in infrastructure. At that junc­ ture the House of Godrej offered to provide the basicamenities- roads and foundations and general layout - at cost. In return the Punchayet agreedto name the new colonyafter the family patriarch Pirojsha Godrejand allow the Godrejs 50 percent allotment rights in the buildings they constructed plus 15 per­ cent of their donation infrastructural de­ velopment computedas the difference between what the BPP paid and the prevailing market price.This principle

continued on page 149

There's something so real

inthe taste of life

'

IIJ<•r•a/ta,tr· of l•fi·

RELIGION

Conception to Consecration

The contribution of several factorsmade possible

the consecrationof the S. F. Jokhi Agiary at Godrej Baug

Text: Behram Dastur Photos: Kersi M. Pooniwala

In the livesof Zoroastrians, the conse­ crationof a holy fire comes about once or twice, and that too after a long period intervening betweentwo consecrations.

Planning for an agiaryis, in principle, only slightly different from planning for a modem factory.The purpose of this article is not to go into the religious aspects of the consecration itself but ofthe logistical and financial planningwhich precedes and followsthe consecration, specifically the details connected with pre-consecration,consecration and post­ consecration activities, concerned with the world's largestagiary (17,500 sq ft) christened on December 21, 1999 as the Shapoorji Fakirji Jokhi Agiary, at Godrej Baug, Bombay.

The trusteesof the Bombay Parsi Punchayet(BPP) had the sprawling land

at their disposaland the House ofGodrej had the money. Way back in 1978, thethen trustees, in their collective wisdom, envisioned the creation of what is called Godrej Baug, the cynosure of our com­ munity in south Bombay(the other cy­ nosure is Malcolm Baugin the north­ western suburb of Jogeshwari, set in sylvan surroundings).

What is to be appreciated is the larger vision of the then trustees to provide for an agiarywhich would servicethe in­ habitants of 474 flats at GodrejBaug/ Mobed Quarters.

Thecontribution of the Godrejfam­ ily was massive and monumental in that an extremely rocky terrain was con­ verted into a habitable place for Zoroas­ trians seekinga respectable shelter.A special mention needs to be made of the

detailed engineering skill and physicalendeavor put in by Maneck Engineer (vice president, construction, Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company Lim­ ited) and Darius Khergamwalla. Solid rock was subordinated to man's desire to live over it, in peace and in tune with Ahura Mazda'sholy fire.

Progressively, a corpuswas created for the upkeep of a giant-sized agiary. The civil engineering aspects,plumbing and electrical connections, the drain­ age system, gardens and lawns,and

Anticlockwisefrom below: Hall outside the kehla; kehla entrance; wellfrom which water is pumped up to the Agiary; sanctumsanctorum with the gleamingnew afarganyu awaiting theflre

130 Parstana March 2000

pathways had to be planned, as meticu­ lously as for a factory.The several permissions from the municipal and state governments had to be obtained, and put in place, progressively. While an agiary may not have to seek permis­ sion from the factory inspectorate, or

131 Parsiana March 2000

the directorate of explosives and the inspectorof mines and the like, all the other permissions have to be sought with a total eye on safety and environ­ mental protection.

The full board of trusteesof the BPP had entrustedthe job of overseeing all

the operations, connectedwith the con­ secration, to Dinshaw Tamboly.He was directly involvedwith every facet of that activity, and I had the good fortune to work under and with him, along with a very able team of senior managerslike Sheroo Master,the manager of the wei

faredivision, Pervez Aibara,manager (estates), NoshirwanMedhora, chief engineer(maintenance), Jime Poona­ walla, the manager of our Doongerwadi,

M. L. Bhagat and M. M. Wagle, the two custodiansof Godrej Baug andajunior, but a dedicatedteam of supporting staff. I was directlyaided by Mehli Colah, the deputy chief executive officer and fi­

Dowager Bai Avabai Jejeebhoy Trust agreed to part with the holy Tavri fire at their Agiary in Navsari. We had to check with the said Trust the paraphernalia that would accompanythe holy fire, and that which we would need to provide from our own stock, or buy out. Pur­ chases, either from theBPP'sown funds or from those providedby the Jokhis,

approaching the police authorityin the states of Gujaratand Maharashtra, along with the requisite permissions from the respective RTOs.

A volunteerband of Zoroastrians escorted the holy fire throughout its journey.

Even here, as in planningfor an in­

dustrial undertaking, we had to under­

nancial controller. The other staff from

take contingency planning. An addi­

the welfare divisionwho were deeply involved in that activitywere Bakhtawar Dastur and Adil Crawford.

The message is verysimple: when

youwant to do ajob well, fast and within a budgetarystipulation, you have got to pickthe brains of your superiors, your peers and your juniors.

Thedream of an agiary became a reality as soon as Tambolymanaged to get a massive contribution of Rs 75 lakhs from Keki Fakirji Jokhi of Hong­ kong. His able lieutenant, in Bombay, was Noshir Kasad who worked with all of us, not only closely but cordially.

It was not as easy as walkinginto a

ready-made structure. Renovations had to be carried out, costing over Rs 15.5 lakhs,and the time bound job was ably done by civil contractorCyrus Unwalla and architect Rusi Khambatta.

How did the exercise begin?

Three brainstormers sat with me, and we divided the activity into four major phases, and catalogued nearly 40 items. Each item was given a time-tag,and main and subsidiary responsibilities were fixed for each activity. "A" meant sole or prime responsibility. "B" meant sub­ sidiaryresponsibility. For some items, the subsidiary responsibility was shared between two or three persons specializ­ing in a particular activity,like obtain­ ing the permissionof the water and power departments of the Bombay Mu­ nicipalCorporation, the shops and es­ tablishments department, etc.

In the initial stages, all the activitieswere monitored everythree weeks, in­ volving site visits. As the activitiesgot completed, progressively, those were

. deleted, and the attentionconcentrated on the remaining activities. As happens with factory planning,so with our agiary, we had to modify some dates and either advance or retard others.Deviations from cost estimates were plotted every month and major expensesscrutinized, in ad­ vance of their incurrence.

With the direct help of JamshedGuzder, the chairmanof the BPP, the

132 Parsiana March 2000

The contribution of the Godrej family was mass1ve

and monumental in that an extremely rocky terrain was converted into a habitable place

involved: items for civil renovations to theoriginal structure; a grilled main door and molded, life-size, concrete figu­ rines; solid brassrods and a solid wooden door for the sanctumsanctorum; furni­ ture, prayer books, a life-sized painting of Zarathushtra, paintings of the de­ ceased members of the Jokhi family; strongboxes for donations, steel cup­ boards for the panthaky's office and a fridge for his residence; fans and fix­ tures, sliding mesh-covers for the well, granite steps, were among the host of items that had to be provided.

Then came the fine-tuning of trans­ porting the holy fire in stages, from Navsari to Godrej Baug. I foundit no different from sendingmaterials from Bombay, Delhi and Jaipur, in stages, to a factory in Soporc,Bara Mulla Dis­ trict, in Jammu and Kashmir state.

In order that the status of the holy fire

as an adarian saheb be retained,we had to transport it by road, in stages. In order to do that, all the five gahs' bois had to be performed, as if the fire was in situ. The lifting of the fire, from Navsariand its final resting at the Godrej Baug Agiary, involved dedicatedwork by Ervad Aspandiar Dadachanji, the panthakyof the Vachaghandhy Agiary, Ervad Farrokh Govadia,Darayus Golla and Dali Mistry under the aegis ofTamboly. Trustee Din­ shaw Mehta also accompanied the fire, from Navsarito Bombay.

Its transportation, in safety, involved

tionalSumo van, with temporary alter­ ations in it, accompanied the holy fire, right through. The zonalpolice in the two states readily helped us and the holy fire could journey, withoutany hindrance. In the concluding stages, trustee Rustom Tirandaz was also in­ volved in seeing to it that all the 'i's were dotted and all the 't's were crossed. Trustee Silloo Kavarana, Sheroo Mas­ ter and Bakhtawar Dasturdid a lot of legwork in buying the shawls for some dignitaries and the dasturs,getting the silver salversmade and commemora­tive coins struck,for the staff. as me­ mentos. Extremelyelaborate measures were taken for catering, illumination, festoons and torans.

Vital advice was given to us by the

panthaky Pervez Madon, and his wife Mahrukh, on the do's and don't's of readying a functionally perfect adarian.

The volunteers from GodrejBaug

and Nowroz Baug made elaborate ar­ rangements for laying the pavis and washing the street, with tanker-water, for the carriage of the holy fire between the last two termini.

Therewere lessons to be learnt from the foregoing exerciseand I have jotted down a few of those:

•There is still a lot of 'fire'and passion for our great religion in the minds of Zoroastrians from all walks of life. The congregation, en route and at the Jokhi Agiary, had to be seen to be believed.

•Activity-wise, time-scheduled planning is mandatoryand I00 percent feasible.

•Reviews, at increasinglyshorterfre­

quencies, become a compulsion.

•Goodguidance, by itself, is not enough. But teamwork and good guidance to­ gether can bring about timely miracles!

•A managerial touch to planningmakes the exercise effective,quicker and self­ satisfying.

•Fiscal discipline is an inherentpart of planning.

With all these in place, the great Lord Ahura Mazda gave the finishing touch to our labor, our success, our pride and our devotion.

RELIGION

Faith and fervor For the residents of Godrej Baug, the arrival of a sacred fire in their midst has increased their religiosity

Parinaz M. Gandhi

the fire-temple daily. When he is at his grandmother's place at Tardeo,it is the Kuppawalla Agiary where he pays his obeisance.

"When it is just a few steps from my home, so peaceful and so quiet, and especially since it is my colony Agiary, I like to come here everyday,'' asserts Ketayun Khambatta. Her daughter Kainaz who is a student of Villa There­ sa School goes to the fire-temple daily too, though on no promptingfrom her mother. "It issomething that has to

A basket of scarves and tapis is left at the en­ trance as a watchful dog sitting nearby keeps an eye on all the devotees who enter theportals of the Shapoorji Fakirji Jokhi Agiary at Godrej Baug. At the priest's desk withinthe sanc- tum, thereis a packet of sweets for free dis- tribution to the many tiny tots who frequent the Agiary daily. In the absence of a commu­ nity hall at Godrej Baug, the fire-temple

serves as a meeting point for residents

of all ages. The proximity of the Agiary totheir place of residence is the greatest motivator for those residingat Godrej Baug. The peaceful ambienceand sce­ nic locale are yet other factorsthat draw devotees to this Agiary.

It serves as an evening outing forM

Block resident Goo! Pithawallawho comes here daily in the company of her neighbor Bepsi Bilimoria. "TheAgiary is the best thing that has happened since we camehere,"elaboratesBilimoria. To them, the Agiary serves a multipur­ pose functionas it offers them a walk plus an opportunity to interact with God within religious precincts, a place which they feel is "something our very own." "I like to begin the day with a visit to

the Agiary," says ShazneenKhan, a student of Sophia College.On those

. days when she cannotmake it in the morning, she frequentsthe place in the evening. And there are yet other days when she comes to the Agiary in the morning and in the evening enjoying

JokhiAgiary dome Photo: HomyarMistry, HomzPrints

First navjote at the Jokhi Agiary

Photo : Superstar Video Labs

134 Parsiana March 2000

"some sense of secu­ rity and well-being" that the fire-temple provides.

For Natasha Mis­

try too, a visit to the Agiary in the morn­ ing prior to the arrival of her school bus is part of a new routine, mentions her mother Khurshid who does not have the time to do the same before or after work on a week day but happily ac­ commodates her daughter's religious

inclination. For them, hearing the boi

bells from their fourth floor residence at N Block is also a movingexperience each time. The family formerlyused to frequent theThoothi Agiary at Walkesh­ war, being close to Godrej Baug and offering parkingfacility. The after-death prayers which are presentlysaid for Khurshid's late husband Phirozeat the Vachaghandhy Agiary will continue there, mentions the wife, feelingno need to change the venue.

For Mehzad Divecha who studies

commerce at HindujaCollege, when he is at Godrej Baug, he invariably goes to

come fromwithin,"maintainsthe

mother.

Visiting the Saber Agiary at Breach Candy or any other in the vicinitywas a routine practicefor Armaiti Adajania. a teacherat New Activity School. But now she and her little son Frahim "don't have to depend on husband Adil" to ferrythem around, the Agiarybeing just a short walk from theirhome, she reveals. She is disappointed however that some devoteesin the sanctum face the northwhen praying.

Considering that first he was not an agiary goer, Bomi Tamboli is surprised that now he "doesn't miss any day"atthe Agiary. "Itfeels good. I feel com­ fortable coming here," are his reasons for being counted amongst the most regular devotees at Godrej Baug.

Being a residentof the colony since 1985, Erik S. Patellsays a place of worship is "something I've been desir­ ing for a very long time." Being the past president of the Godrej Baug Associa­ tion he recalls having written letters to Bharuch pleadingthat the Doongaji Agiary fire be allowedto be brought here when a stay order was sought from the charitycommissioner. Despite his hectic work schedule, he makes it a point to visit the Agiary almostevery day and is contemplating shiftinghis

Above (left)Guzder inaugurating the playground(Photo: Kersi M. Pooniwala) andmembers of the GBRA committee(front row, from left):Slzemaaz Lilaowalla, Dumasia,Farlzad Hozdar, MehernoshDeboo, Panthaki. Minoo Majra, Rustom Nargolwalla, Jasi Pardiwalla and Nergish Majra;(back row, from left)Urvax Dhanda, Noshir Shroff, Beroze Mistry•, NevilleVelati and lime Poonawalla

with them over the years.The problems of distanceand commuting, so com­ monly heard from Godrej Baug deni­ zens, especiallyduring the monsoons and the Shahenshahi muktads in Au­ gust,can be overcome if more choose to

family prayers here. A maachi on every Bahram roz, according to the Fasli cal­ endar, he has alreadybooked at the Jokhi Agiary.The fact that there is no Fasli calendarhung there is a handicap, according to him.

The area around the kebla should have been bigger to accommodate more Zoroastrians, opines Nergish Majra, a committee memberof the Godrej Baug Residents' Association (GBRA). She is

also painedto see footwear being left just outside the kebla. An Agiary in their midstmeans that memberscan pray at length in peace withoutthe minor irrita­ tions so common at home, says Majra who is content to visit the fire-temple on the importantrozs in a month. The fact that little children of their own volition choose to pay their respectsto the fire daily pleases her particularly, knowing that an abiding faith in fire will remain

have their prayerssaid at this Agiary,

she believes.

It will take five to six years for the residents of the colony to optimallyuti­ lize the facilities for more prayers,states the panthaky of the Agiary Ervad Pervez Madon: "People arc so sentimentally attached to their agiarythat they want after-death prayersperformed there only. They are reluctant to shift the family table during muktads or to have separate

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prayers said for deceased membersof the family at differentagiaries ... Godrej Baug is full of young blood."

For the convenience of the residentsthe timings at the Agiaryare presently 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. barring the two hours in the afternoon from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30

p.m. when the doors are closed. Certain

exceptions though arc permitted. Perin Bagli, principal of Bombay's The Ac­ tivity High Schooland her son Arzan entered the portals one afternoon after ringing the doorbell. They however had not come only to pay their respects. Arzan having been trained as a maratab by Madon, his mother was keen that before his return to the United States for further studieshe should perform one boi at the new fire-temple.

Madan who also handlesthe pan­ thakyship of the Soonaiji Hirji Agiary

at Gowalia Tank is assistedin his priestly duties by his two sons Harvesp and Farshogarplus others like Arzan who

have trained underhim. In fact the Madons are equipped to help out some other fire-temples like the Mithaiwalla and Mehla Patel Agiaries at Grant Road when there is pressureof work there. The decision to take on the panthakyship of a secondagiary was in the interests of the sons.Since both the boys want to

takeup mobedi as a profession although the elder one is studying commercenow and the younger one is still at school, the parentswant to ensure that the young mobeds do not face the same predicament encountered by their fa­ ther and kaka (paternal uncle) when their grandfather Faredoon had the panthakyship of only one,Aslaji Agiary.

Their mother Mahrukh says that she

was able to convince them that they are in a rare position to tend the sacred fire unlike the laity and should use the op­ portunity that God has sent them.The children were specifically sent to the B.

K. M. High School at Babulnath which gets over by12.30 p.m. so that they could accommodate their religious du­ ties. Initiallythe elder son would get tired after praying one afringan (one of the outer liturgical ceremonies, divided into three parts which can be performedby any priest, being an expression of love or praise). Today he can manage I0 afringans in a day, proudlyclaims the mother. She is also happy that in their free time one or the other will be seen polishing the afarganyu which holds the sacred fire, during the hoursthat the Agiary is closed to the public.

The cleanliness of the Agiary is the responsibilityof the Madan familyin

With Best Compliments

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138 Parstana March 2000

conjunction with the three chasniwallas employed by them. "When they see us go down on our knees, they automati­ cally work with us. Whatever we eat, we sharewith them," says MahrukhMadon, the mainstayat the two agiaries. She also explainsthat the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and the Jokhi family has offered them a very fair deal by paying them Rs I ,000 per month plus providing for the kathi. The income gen­ erated at the Agiary may be retainedby the panthaky, she adds. Ninety percent of the electricity bill is also paid for by the Punchayet who arranged to get them twocupboards, a refrigerator, chairs and furnishings. The maintenance of the Agiary is in the hands of the Punchayet.

Although the Madons were not di­ rectly involvedin the consecration of the GodrejBaug Agiary, they had the responsibility of looking after the com­ forts of the priestsAdil Bhesania, Darius Pervez Bajan, Aspi Bajan, Godrej Pan­ thaky, Dinyar Vajifdar who were in­ strumental in performing under the personal supervision of Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal the threeSrosh-ni-ijashni, one vendidad-ni-ijashni and one ven­ didad, the ceremonies performed during the preceding four days which consti­ tuted the Gumbaz ijvanikriya. Several residents availedof the opportunity to sit in at these ceremonies and what sur­ prised the Madons was that some even came for the vendidad ceremony which started at 1.30 a.m. on December 19. When a couple of old devoteesdozed off in their chairs during the courseof the prayers, MahrukhMadan admits being frightened lest they fell off their seats.

The fervoramong the Godrej Baug

residents was palpable soon after BPP chief executiveBehram Dastursent a circular requesting membersofthe colony to desist from using the Agiary grounds for playing cricketand receiv­ ing drivinglessons and to prove to be good hoststothethrongswhowere expected to visit the Agiary on the memo­ rable morningofDecember21.The cooperation from the residentswas in­ stantaneous. Thereafter the GBRA presi­ dent Ervad Yezdi Panthakimade a call for volunteers to assist in the cleaning of the Agiaryandto ensure that the scheduled program beconducted smoothly, as also for volunteer mobeds for the jashan that was organizedby the GBRA. An overwhelming responsefor theseduties heartened the president who

141 Pars/ana March 2000

says he was happy to lead the 23 mobeds as zoti at the jashan performedin the Uzirin gah on January 21, with son Jimmy officiating as atravakshi (the one who tends the fire). From the funds collected from the residents, they were able to offer a five-kilo maachi and distribute chaasni,including 20 kg of malido, speciallycatered for the occa­ siOn.

After the jashanKotwal had given a

talkon "Hindustan ma Parsionu aagman ane Iranshah padshahsahabnisthapna

(The progress of Parsis in India and the establishment of the Iranshah)," fol­ lowedby a slide show by Zoroastrian Studies founderKhojeste Mistree when a specialscreen, 20' x 12' with a projec­ tor had to be organized to permit maxi­ mum visibility.

Referring to the cooperationex­

tended forthe cleaning of theAgiary beginning December 16 when the con­ tractors wereaskedto hand over the charge of the Agiary,Panthakicould not help referring to the labor involved in installingthe taaj (metallic tray or crown which traditionallyadorned the kings of yore,thefire being granted majestic statureandsaidtobeposi­ tioned on a throne)inside the sanctum sanctorum. In the absenceofaniron chain pulley which would have served the purposebeautifullyrequiring just six to eight peopleto handle the heavy apparatus, nearly 15-20 Zoroastrians strove for nearlyfour hours to accom­ plish the task with a plastictwine. And just when they thought the missionwas accomplished, the heavytaaj almost collapsed on someofthevolunteers who had a miraculousescape.So the effort had to be resumed all over again.

In the interestsofcleanlinessand

purity,they undertook to clean the pre­ mises twiceover,thefinalcleansing being undertaken only by the men with thehelp of nirangdin, states Panthaki.A chain telephone system ensuredthat there was coordination among the vol­ unteers witheachcommitteemember being given earmarked responsibilities.

A speciallychartered bus carried33

zealous pilgrims from Godrej Baug to Navsari who went there to bid a special welcome to the fire and accompanyiton its road journey to Bombay. In the past there is referenceto men mounted on horses and armed with swords being called upon as guardianswhen fires had to be shifted, mentionsPanthaki.

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ham bar organizedby the GBRA on the night of December 21 was overwhelming too with I,500 dinersenjoying the meal catered by Tehemton Dumasiaof K. K. Caterers. With meal coupons priced at justRs 20 and the euphoriaof the day not yet over, many residents and visitors were able to get togetherfor a common meal at the Godrej Baug playground, the initial contribution ofRs I 0,000 coming from the Parsi Punchayet and the residentsgiving generous donationstoo, making the Asso­ ciation plan to make it an annual event. The live band by MehernoshTantra who gave his honoraryservice for the occasion added gaiety to the solemnoccasion.

The playground which was inaugurated the sameday is presently just a plot of levelland. There are plans to make the playground intoan ceo-park, says the president.

Asthe committee membersand some volunteerssat down for dinnerat the last sitting by which time it was the early morning hours ofDecember22, they could not help remarking that this was a special wintersolstice not only because the moon was to appear the brightest in the last 135 years (its orbit being in close proximityto earth), followedby the brightest rays of the sun, but because it had made possible a spiritualrejuvena­ tion at Godrej Baug.

Twochildren Jessica and Michael from the Jokhifamily were the first to be initiated at this Agiary.Ajashan, a religious discourse, uthamna and sarosh prayers are the other events that have taken place in the Agiary hall. Whether the premises outside the Agiary should be let out for special occasions is under deliberation by the trustees. In the meanwhile, those who need to keep their physicalbodies in shape or take their dogs out for a walk happily circumambulate the hexagonal structure. Those in need of spiritualsustenance need just climb the flight

of steps that will bring them closer to the sacred fire.

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142 Parsiana March 2000

EVENTS AND PERSONALITIES

continued from page 50

Act in 1865, "illicit proliferation of the community" came to a halt. Why a com­ mission was set up to recommend a code of laws for the Parsis is also explained: "Rather than face the highly explosive situation of a meetingbetween two Parsi women married to the same husband, (the bigamous) Ardasher Cursetjee took the less hazardous but more expensive course. He appealed to the judicialcom­ mittee of the Privy Council-the court of last resort for litigation in British India. He was successful; their lordships set aside the decree of the Recorder's Court (andheld) that the ecclesiastical law of England could only be applied to Chris­ tians!"

Nariman dwells on the famousParsi

Punchayet case of 1906 wherein JusticesDavar and Beamanheld that the proper­ tics vested in the trusteesof the Parsi Punchayet were only for members of the Zoroastrian religion who were also ra­ cially Parsis.A similar judgmentdeliv­ ered by the Privy Councilintheless l"< mous Saklat vs Bella case -where a GoaneseChristian child, presumably born of a Parsi mother,was reared by the Cowasjis(a well-known family in Burma)

and initiated into the faith when she turned 14 but baned from enteringthefire-templein Rangoon- is also quoted by Nariman. He adds here, "The conse­ quence of this decision - a decision personally regrettable to me- was that Bella(thoughman·ied toaParsiDhanjisha Kolapore whom I and my parents knew well) turned her back on the community in Rangoon. She abandoned her ward­ robe of saris, donned Bunnese clothes, became a Buddhist, spokeonly Burmese and never once attended any of thefunc­ tions organized by the Parsianjuman."

Drawinghisspeechtoaclose,Nariman maintained, "Tome, it is not important whether Zoroastrianism as a religionsur­ vives in the next centuryas long as its moral teachings continueto inspire its adherents as they have in the past..."

Sinor stabbed

While earlier it was the senior members

of the community staying alone in af­ fluent localities who were assaulted and murdered, this time it was a 40- year-old Parsi doctor. RohintonSiavax Sinorwas brutally stabbedto death at his residence at Cosy Cottageat Four Bungalows, Andheriin the early morn­ ing hours of October16, according to a

report in The Times of India of October 28, 1999.

Owner of the Banaji Group of phar­ macies that ran severalhomeopathic dispensaries at Andheri, Ghatkopar, Borivli, Byculla and Breach Candy, the hefty Sinor "had his own gymnasium and a sauna where he exercisedevery morning," one of his acquaintances told Bombay Times, believing that it must have taken at least three to four persons to overpowerhim.

As narrated in The Times, on the morningofOctober16, when Sinor's

cook and householdhelp reported for duty, they found no response to their doorbell. They tried to call him from a local phone but when they got no re­ sponse to that too, they alertedSinor's neighbors. His body was found lying in a pool of blood."Sinor was stabbedin the stomach and probably strangulated to death," mentions the newspaper. The "warmhearted" widowerhad been stay·· ing alone following the death of his wife in a train accident. The motive behind the murder had yet to be ascer­ tained at the time the report appeared in the Press.

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144 Parsiana March 2000

COMMENT

Adoption by Parsis

The recent MumbaiHigh Court decisionon adoption by Christians, while applicable to the community, is subject to the personallaw of Parsis

Rustom S. Gae

In the absence of any law regarding adoption by Parsisthe matter is left to be governed by the case law or decisions of courts on the subject.The custom of taking a son in adoption hy way ofdatak or dharmaputra prevalent in the erst­ while Baroda State is no longerappli­ cable to Parsis in India. The position prevailing in the matter at presentis that if a Parsi wants toadopt a child,whether a Parsi or non-Parsi, he must in the first instance obtain a guardianship order by having recourseto the procedure laid down in the Guardiansand Wards Act, IR90, (the Act) applicable to minors of all castes and communities. In the selec­ tion of guardians and matters relating thereto, courts have regardto the per­ sonal law of the adoptiveparents and the welfare of the minor, his age, sex and religion, and the characterand capacity of the proposed guardian,his nearness of kin to the minor, etc. The position regarding the adoption order was not clear. This is now authoritatively laid down by a recentdecision oftheMumbai High Court referred to below.

On a petition filed by a Christian

couple (appointed as guardians of ami­ nor child)seeking direction that the child may be given to them on adoption, the Mumbai High Court gave a landmark judgment regarding adoption by Chris­ tians. The Court held that in the absence of any general law regarding adoption, persons who have taken a childin guard­ ianship under the Act will have the right to move the court to adopt that child. The right of a child to be adoptedflows from Article 21 of the Constitution of India guaranteeing life and libertyto every person. The fundamental right of a child includesa right to be adoptedby parents and to have a home, name and nationality, enforceable as a civil right in courts of law.

Absence of any law regardingadop­ tion cannot prevent guardians appointed

146 Par.wmfl MRrch 2000

under the Act from seekingrelief from courts by filing a petition to adopt the child.

Parents appointedas guardians un­

der the Act can move the court for adop­ tionof their minorwards and the court will pass an order for adoptionsubject to adequate safeguards. The court must be satisfied that the guardians appointed under the Act will be suitableparents for the minor child. After the passingof the guardianship order a periodof two years must elapse before an adoption petition is filed. The court will ascertainthat the financial status,health and medicalre­ ports of the adoptive parentsare sound. A progressreport of the child will be obtained. Views of the Indian Council for SocialWelfare will be taken into account beforethe adoption order is passed. Commonci vii code is not neces­ sary for enforcement of the right to adoption.

The legal consequence of an order for adoptionpassed by the court will be that the personal law of the adoptive parents will apply to the adoptedchild whoseright to inheritance will be the same as that of a natural born child. Adoptive parentshave the rightto rec­ tify the register of births and, if they so desire, to give names to the child.

Principles laid down by the High Court regarding adoption by Christians will, so far as may be, be equally appli­ cable to adoption by Parsis. This is no doubt subject to the personal law of Parsis as adoptive parents,which will beapplicable to the adopted child, whether a Parsi or non-Parsi.

It is now well settledthat the Parsi community in India consistsof:

•Parsis who are descendants from the original Persianemigrants and who are born of Zoroastrian parentsand who profess the Zoroastrian religion;

•the Iranians from Persia professing the Zoroastrian religion, who came to India

either temporarily or permanently; and

•the children of Parsi fathersby alien mothers who have been duly and prop­ erly admittedinto the Zoroastrian reli­ gwn.

The position emergingfrom judicial decisions is that a Parsi can only be a Parsi by birth and cannot be a Parsi by conversion or absorption, e.g. adoption. A non-Parsi child adopted by a Parsi does not fall under any of the aforesaid three categories and cannot therefore he called a Parsi. Such a child would not he entitled as of right to enjoy any of the rights and privileges availableonly to members of the Parsi community.

It is a long-standing customand us­ age prevailing in the communitythat conversion or proselytization to the Zo­ roastrian religion, even though permit­ ted by the religion, is not recognized hy the community. As the right to freedom of religionor religious practicesis a fundamental right guaranteed undertheConstitutionof India, it cannotbe taken away or affected by the legislature orthe executive. Hence a non-Parsichild adopted hy a Parsi will not automati­ cally become a Parsi,i.e. a Parsi Zoroas­ trian.

Thoughthe adoption order virtually

assimilates the positionof an adopted child with that of a natural born child to the maximumextent possible, it cannot affect the basic practiceof the Zoroas­ trian religionagainst conversion. As a non-Parsi child adopted by a Parsi can­ not on adoption become a Parsi, the child cannot be taken into the Zoroas­ trian faith by performing his navjote ceremony. The child cannot,on attain­ ing majority,solemnize his marriage under the Parsi Marriageand Divorce Act, 1936, which appliesonly when both the bride and the bridegroom are Pars is. The child is not entitledto enter and offer prayers in fire-temples meant forParsis only. Similarlyrelatives ofthc

child,on his death, cannot avail of the dokhmenashini or aramgah facility.Trust deeds or schemes regardingthese places or institutions almost invariably contain a provision that they are meant only for Parsis.

Allthis shows that a non-Parsi child adopted by a Parsi cannot claim any right or benefitunder such trusts or schemesrelating to dokhmas,aramgahs, baugs, agiaries, atash behrams, etc meant for Parsis only. Similarly a behdin child adopted by an athornanwill not auto­ matically become an athornanon adop­ tion.

The Mumbai High Court has held in

the above case that the effect of the order of adoptionwill be that the personallaw of adoptive parents will be applicable to thechild whose right of inheritance will be the same as that of a naturalborn child. An adopted son, not being a Parsi, cannot be equated with the natural born son. Chapter III of Part V of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 contains "Special Rules for Parsi Intestate." The word "Parsi" used throughout the chapter should be construedjudicially inter­ preted as earlier.A non-Parsi child adopted by a Parsi pursuant to the adop­ tion order passed by the court cannot be called a Parsi and cannot thereforein­ herit the estate of the deceasedparent on intestacy(without leaving any will). The decision of the Mumbai High Court re­ garding the right of an adopted child to inherit the estate of the adoptive parents dying intestate is thus distinguishable and will not be applicable to inheritance by a non-Parsichild adopted by a Parsi

THE CONSECRATED CONVOY

continued from page 128

applied to all donors and several build­

ings at Godrej Baug have been con­ structedbyvariousindividualsand trusts,including the Rayomand Com­ mitteeofZoroastrian ladies among whose pillars was the redoubtable Jer Bardi. Personal rivalry and increased politicizationled to Godrej being ac­ cused on two counts: of using Punchayet land to house theirpersonnel andof making money on the flats they allotted (because Godrej made theirallottees pay Rs 40,000 on the premise that the bonanza of a flat then worth Rs 3.5 lakhs on NapeanSea Road should gen­ erate funds for further construction for others on the waitinglist as hadex­ plained Naoroji Godrejto Parsiana in 1986).A disgusted Godrejresigned from the Punchayet after 19 months on the

149 Parsiana March2000

dyingintestate. Such a child cansuc­ ceed to the estate only if a bequestis made to him under the will of the de­ ceased parent. This practice is followed by Parsis at present in respect of an adopted child, being a Parsi or non­ Parsi.

Disabilities arisingin the case of an adopted child,being a non-Parsi as men­ tioned above, will create an embarrass­

ing situation regarding the adopted child vis-a-visthe natural born child, so long as the personal law (including customsand usages) applicableto Pars is remains as at present.

A general law on adoptionon the lines of the Adoptionof Children Bill, 1980 (which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 16, 1980, but could not be enacted as an Act of Parliament) is advisable. That will simplifythe pro­ cedure regardingadoption and give sta­ tus to the adopted child. However, it will not be much helpful, unlessthe personal law applicable to Parsis is amendedwith a view to removingthe disabilities re­ ferred to above. The policy of the Gov­ ernment oflndiais not to interfere in the personal law of any minoritycommu­ nity unless the communityitself asks for anamendment.

Rustom S. Gae, a formerlaw secretary to the

Government of India,is pres­ ently a senioradvocate prac­ tising in the Supreme Court of India. He is known for his expertiseon subjects relat­ ing to fiscal laws, company law and constitutional law.

board of trustees(see "The Godrejexit,"

Parsiana, October 1986).

The celebrationof the consecration

of the Agiary was boycottedby the Godrej family.The Punchayet trustees, with the exception of Tirandaz, made scant referenceto the Godrej contribu­ tion. In his normal jestingstyle Tirandaz noted, "For the first time there are more young people than old people... If there had been no Naval Godrej there would have been no Godrej Baug. If there had been no Maneck Engineerthis lovely Agiary wouldn'thave come up. And if there had been no Khojeste Mistree around, therewould have been no en­ thusiasm among our youngsters ..."

Ifthe resplendent Godrej Baug Agiary is a measure of fissiparous effort,one wonders what would be the magnitudeof the community's achievement if ev­ eryone pulled together.

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COMMENT

Representation without responsibility?

The cost of good governanceby the BPP needs

to be shouldered by the community, arguesthe author

Aspi D. Moddie

The September 1999 issue of Parsiana had three articles ("BPP deficit: 1.39 crores," "What price Universal Adult Franchise?" and "The casefor uni versa) adult franchise") which bring to life the Bombay Parsi millennium bug, bedeviled issues of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) -now sought to be immodestly made into "theapex body of Zoroastrians" in the hour of its clamorous decline- despite, may I add, the presence of a few good representatives in the AnjumanCommit­ tee(AC). The articles givethe impression of acute "financial stringency" with a deficit of Rs 1.39 crores; and the vexed question of representational electionand UAF (universal adult franchise), dis­ cussed by Arnavaz Mama, Dinshaw Tam boly, Rustom Tirandazand DinshawMehta. On this question of the nature of governance and financial management, the BPP and the Bombay Parsis seem to be on common ground with India as a whole. UAF has not helped Indiain its financial bankruptcy since 1991.May be it has worsenedit by populist expenditures by irresponsible 'rcpresentati ves of the people,' not made really accountable. UAF has not exactly been the answer to people's prayerseven in developed countries, and certainly not in most of India!

On the other hand, how long can the

Bombay community dependon a limited franchise system, with 90 percentof the community not involved in its own management?

Perhaps the first need is for clarity of

objectives and issues, which this article attempts to offer. The three basic objectives of any societyarc good representative governance, financial viability for sustainability, and public accountability in a transparent system of democratic governance. The BPP needs to honestly examine its own perfor­ mance, within its limitations as a trust, over a long period of time.

Mama's articleshows gross

150 Parstana March 2000

misallocation of resourcesand wrong priorities: Repairsto property Rs 139.19 lakhs, changing the facade of Doonger­ wadi includingplanting of trees Rs 40- 50 lakhs,education Rs 151akhs,support to aging members Rs 11 lakhs, renovating Doongerwadi bunglis Rs 7 lakhs, subsidizing rent of deservingte­ nantsRs 2.2 1akhs, etc.

The highestfigure ofRs 139.19lakhs

on repairs to properties occupiedby rich and middle-class Parsi tenants at pittance rents of Rs 17 to 30 makes a mockery of the righttovote,withoutconcurrent responsibility to pay faircommunity dues. Any basis in Zoroastrian values, before makingclaims to being an apex body "with the largestTowers of Silence complex andthebiggest troupe (unfortunate expression usually used for actors, dancers andacrobats!) of qualified priestsanywhere in the world?" Doongcrwadi improvements to the order of an extravagant Rs 40 to 50 lakhs seems in ignorance of economic forestry practices in naturalregeneration of plants with adequate protection andfaster growth thanplanting newtrees, especially in Bombay's climate.Three­ quarters of this money could be saved with soundprotection fornatural regeneration as any good foresterwill confirm. Education, agingelders,and subsidized renttothepoor,ahigh community priority,accountsfor Jess than 18 percent of the above expen­ ditures. Theseexpenditurescouldbe doubled or trebled if the weli-off in baugs cease to be community parasites, if they also want to vote; and if the BPP adopts naturalregeneration withmini­ mum plantings as good forestrypractice. One would have thought that bleeding democratic hearts for UAF would have thought of such revisedprioritiesfor students, the aging, and the poor. Parsis, once takingprideincharity,needto discard community parasitism, and adopt community civic sense (vohuman), by putting their money where their mouths,

votes and futurehousing lifestyles should be.

Is it enoughfortheACtobe"a

ventilating chamber," as expressed by Dadi Engineer? Is it not also a performing body? Do years of Parsiana convey any coherent idea of that to the Bombay Parsi public?So, even before the cons­ titutional issue of largerrepresenta­ tiveness in the AC, UAF or proportional representation, theBPP needs to take honest stock of its performance and the quality of its leadership in a modernized community in the last two decadesat lcastifitalsoaspires to "apex" leadership of the wider community, and21 stcentury aspirations. This impliesgoing beyond the legal niceties of a trust organization, accountable only to the minority who elect the trustees. Can the BPP at least begin by articulating its 20 l 0 aspirations, plans and resources?

If largerrepresentativeness or UAF

is the issue now raised by new populist leaders whose grounding has been in BMC (BombayMunicipal Corporation) politics, the longhistoricallessonof democracy-makingin Englandand the USA shows that long before a wider franchise andUAF,theprincipleof taxation and representation was at the root. From King John'sbarons in Magna Carta (1215),to the American War of Independence ( 1774-83) on the funda­ mental principleof"No taxation without representation"led to the need for the lower house to sanctionall money bills on taxes and expenditures since. This is mentioned not as an academic point, but to make clearthatwiderrepresenta­ tiveness carried the wider obligation to pay the systemfor services, and to make the executive accountableintaxation, expenditures and financialmanagement generally. UAF onlyfollowedinthe 20th century.Most democratic history is about paying, not just getting.This is not an aspecttakenintoaccountby Tirandaz andMehta.Infact,allthe evidencepointstoacommunity-wide

OBSERVATION

How shouldwe keep ourfaith?

Whilst adhering to time-honoredprinciples the

community needs to face the changing scenario,advocates the author

Cushrow Irani

Although my name is Irani, when I was in school my exercise booksand other identification marks used tosay 'Cushrow Russy Aga.' My grandfather would take great pride in the fact that Aga was a distinction conferredon one of our ancestorsby the old Iranian mon­ archy and he was very anxious to em­ phasize that we were not Agas from Turkey who were Muslims.The com­ mander-in-chief of the TurkishArmy was called the Aga. As we grew up my grandfatherused to insist that people who wrote letters to us should say Irani inbrackets to emphasizethis. But there wasno way we could controlhow people addressed us. And one of my childhood memories is of my father and my uncle going in petitionto the grand old man and saying,"If you feel so strongly about it let us just drop the Aga and say Irani." And that is how it comes aboutthat I am today able to bridge perhaps both sides of the divide- andthere is a divide.

Thenew surname had more advan­ tages. On the only occasion that I went to Iran, my enthusiasm was ahead of my common sense and I forgotabout the necessaryvisa. This wasin 1964.I landed at the airport at 2 o'clock in the morning and was refused admission. After argu­ ing with the immigration officerfor a very long time I suddenly said thatif he thought that somebodywith my name could not enter Iran, I did not know who could! So he looked at the passport again, grinned from ear to ear, stamped mypassport with a special thumpand let me through.

We human beings as Zoroastrians have a role to play. We are constantly exhorted to so conduct ourselvesas to advance the cause of righteousness and move this creation towardsperfection. We have a choice, a choice between good and evil. Hence,the need for good thoughts, for good words and for good deeds. This is the philosophical core of our religious faith - beautiful in its simplicity, profoundin its implications

154 Parsiana March 2000

and as relevantto the modern world in which we live as it was when it was first propounded 30 centuries ago. We have been remindedthat religions do not per­ ishby reputation, but by misuse when they have outlivedtheir relevance. By this test, Zoroastrianism is alive, very much alive.

Let us remind ourselves that intoler­ ance is not a virtueand willingness to listen to other points of view is not a weakness, it is a measureof civilized behavior. I cannothelp making this point because, time after time in congresses and meetings whereZoroastrians gather, we seem somehow to lapse into intoler­ant attitudes. Many years ago whenI was a student oflaw, our professor used to tell us of the advice given by a very great British judge to a newcomer at the Bar. He said, "Young man, if you are weak on the facts and strong on the law, stress the law; if you are strong on the facts, and weak on the law, stressthe other way. If you are weak both on the law and on the facts, thump the table." In all walks of life and not just at Zoroastrian congresses we come across people who seem to go through life with thesublime conviction that they can do no wrong,that they nevermake mis­ takes. They suffer neither doubtnor anxiety.Their minds have been firmly shut and locked and the key seems to havebeen thrown away.It must make for an easy life;sleep must come very easily to them because they are not troubledin any way. Such personscan very rarely be mystic; they may be very mature souls who have outgrowntheir environment. But more often than not, they are likely to have the characteris­ tics of a schoolboy, well birchedbut none the wiser.They have not yet learned that the applause they sometimes excite willsoon cease to sound,and if they were a little less conceited they would sense the contemptin which theyare

held by their fellowmen.

How shouldwe keep our faith, the

coreof our teachings and beliefs and, at the same time, be ready to adapt to a changing environment? Let me submit for your consideration a few proposi­tions: First, there is a legitimate pride in our traditions. Traditions explain the faith in a particular historical context. Second, traditions and respect for them should not lead to the inference that we are in any sense a chosen peopleand that those who do not share our beliefsand faith are somehow beneath us and doomed to perdition. Zoroastrianism, as I understand it, does not accept the propo­ sition that some human beings are more orless human than others. Humilityand a constant striving towardsperfection is the hallmark of our faith,not compla­ cency or arrogance. Third, Zoroastrian­ ism is a universal creed, valid for all mankind. And therefore,it seems to me to follow, it is not a creed limited to those who happen to be born Zoroastri­ ans. On the other hand, it does not follow either that we should be settingout to proselytize the world. But this is a social and politicalproblem, if you will, not a problem in religion.

Finally, I would suggest that charity

is a strongplank in the Zoroastrian ethos. We hold serviceto humanity to be a form of worship. We lay great stress on human values and the equality of the sexes. We also claim that thefirst decla­ ration of human rights was propoundedby Cyrus the Great.

I have been talking to our young

peopleand I think they understand that prayers and rituals are a part of our tradition. There is a complaint, how­ ever, that wedo not understand what we say in our prayers. When we go to view performances at the opera it is well­ known that they are in Italian,French, German or other languages. If we really want to enjoy those performances, then we take the troubleto study their trans­ lations, to learn the theme or the plot if you like, to make thenecessary effort. Is thatspiritofendeavorandenterprise

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90 Parsiana Marcil 2000

awards for excellence have lost much of their elan since the retirement of former BPP chief executive Rustom Anklesaria. This year only five awards -a mixed bag of achievements dating between1994 and 1998-were presented of a total of

17. While Zoroastrians forge aheadininnumerablefields,

assessing them and tracking them in later years seems to be presenting a daunting task, calling for more time and energy than the organization can muster.

The Mazda Education Foundation Award for excellence achieved in the sphere of education, research,science and technology in 1998 was presented to Merzban Lahewala.The Ahmedabadi businessman's claim to fame lies in the produc­ tion of an outsizedagarbatti whose dimensions have earned him a place not only in the Limca Book of Records but in the Guinness Book of WorldRecords 2000.

The Bombay Parsi Punchayet Awardfor excellence achieved in the study of Zoroastrian history,culture and scriptures during 1997 went to Surat historianRusi Besania.

The Jiji D. Irani award for excellence in sports in 1998 was presented to chess wizard Viraf Avari of Bulsar.

The Jamshed and Shirin Guzder Award for the best youth sportsperson of 1998 was claimed by athlete KarishmaBirdy of Bombay while the PeshotanNargolwala Award for excel­ lence in sports in 1994 was baggedby young rollerskater ZubinGinwalla.

Engaged in the manufacture of incense sticks and perfum­

ery items, Lahewala's magnum opus is 14'9" tall, 6" thick and weighs 6.3 kg, burningfor 60 hours with a change of three fragrances. The idea of outsized agarbattis had first occurredto him when he experimented with six 12' long pieces, earning encomiums during the Ganesh Utsav in 1997, recordsthe citation.

With an academic careerthat yielded two gold and six sil vcr

medals plus prizesin elocution, authorship and drama, Besania' s achievement as presidentof the Parsi Pragati Mandai together with the late Dr Minocher Contractor was the long overdue investiture of a portraitofMme Bhikhaiji Cama in the Central Hall of Parliament. The citation ascribesto him 19 biographies including those of Dastur Meherjirana, Homaji, Behramshah Shroff and Shapoorji Jokhi. He has also authored historiesof several fire-temples includingthe Anjuman AtashBehram.

Wrestling champion and prize weight1ifter in Gujarat, A vari

first earned his chess spurs in the All-India Open Chess Tournament of 1978-79, diligently and steadfastly working to a gold medal and 'master with fide' rating of2,200 at the World Amateur Championship in 1997-98 in which 60 players from 16 countriescompeted. Avari runs his own Avari Chess Academy whosefive programs cover the gamut of the game from the foundation courseto chess exhibitions.

The only one to seek to make a presentation on the occasion, Besania regaled the audience with a list of Parsi firsts:

•Jijibhai Chapgar first introduced blockprinting in Gujarat which is still used by some presses, he said.

•Mobed FardunjiMarzbanstarted the firstnewspaper 178

years ago- The Mumbai Samachar.

•Dinsa Taleyarkhan started Gujarat Mitra 137 years ago.

•Sir JamsetjeeJejeebhoy helped start the Jam-e-Jamshed 168 years back.

•Dadabhai Naorojibegan the Rast Goftarand Hirji

Behadinwalla the Kaiser-e-Hind.

•Ratanji Sethnacompiled a GujaratEncyclopaedia.

•Nanabhai RustomjiRanina compiled the Gujarati-Englis/1

strange when it comes to our prayers? Can we not also try to understand what our prayers are about? The -language of Avesta is not in use at the moment, but all languageis beau­

tiful, there isa cer­ tain resonance about it. When I intone Jashme A vange Mazda threetimes I feel a certainquali­ tativedifference, fromsaying "Come to our aid, 0 Lord." I also suggest that the effort is its own reward; the struggle to overcomeour handicaps also builds character. May I, therefore,

he wrote a book tracing the relationship

-and he claimed that there was a rela­ tionship - between the Gathas of Zarathushtra and the Vedicscriptures of

the Hindus. Forme it is enough that this humble man gave 10 years of his life in tudying the Gathas and in writinga book. I only helped him in a sma11way to get his book published. He did not ask to become aZoroastrian, but if he had what would have been our re­ sponse? There must be something sub­ lime in our religion to inspiresuch devo­

essence of the changesthat are coming upon us. I have the greatest respectfor their sincerity and for theircapacity to get thingsdone. There is serious ques­ tioning in theirminds. Their question­ ing, I am convinced, is born of a desire to learn, to understand, and only thento accept. As a journalist, questioning is my stock-in-trade- that is how we get our stories -so I am more than nor­ mally sympathetic to this view. This world is changing rapidly,sometimes a little too rapidly for comfort. Do we have a talisman, a test, a warning thatwe can apply and that we can taketo heart?

As I was thinking how to formulate

this thought I reca1led a story about Gautama Buddha and I think it is very appropriate becausewe have learned that there is great similarity between Zoroastrianismand the religion of the

make apersonal Peterson (center)being initiated

submission and say into the faith

that we should try

tion in Chatterjee. I

also suggest that there must be some­

Buddha. I think this is true. Both stress

the importance of individualsalvation and both stress that salvation is in our

and understandwhatour prayers are

about rather than expect the prayers to cometo us in a readilypackaged, and perhaps, predigested form.

Zoroastrianism is a missionary reli­

gion. It was a state religionat a certain time in our history.Let us approach this problem of conversion in a spirit of understanding, of tolerance and retain at the same time a sense of proportion. I do not think anyone is suggestingthat the time has come to unsheathe the sword and to force people to accept a certain faith. We have to understand also at the same time that for a commu­ nity as small as ours the prospectof opening our doors wide raises an appre­

thing ratherodd about ourselvesif we

believe that had Ahura Mazda known that Jatindra Mohan Chatterjee was a worthy soul, he would have arranged to have him born into a Zoroastrian family.

We Zoroastrians arc a highly indi­ vidualistic community. Some time ago the foreign minister of Japan had come to Bombay and was asked, "MrMinis­ ter, how is it that your country which has a total lack of every natural resource has made such a success of its economy?We in India have every natural resource worth the name and we continueto flounder. Do you have a simple, perhaps oversimplified explanation?" He said, ''In Japan we have so

own hands. And this is a true storyby all

accounts. The Buddha was dying and Ananda, his senior-most disciple,was trying to get whatevermore advice or wisdom he could glean before the Bud­ dha passed away. One questionwas preying on Ananda' s mind and he raised it at this point. He said,"What should be our attitudeto women, 0 Lord?" The Buddha answered,"Do not see them." Ananda asked again, "But if we do see them and meet them, what do we do, Lord?"He replied, "Donot talk to them." Ananda persisted, "Ifthey talk to us, Lord, what shall we do?"The Buddha answered, "Keep wide awake, Ananda."

I am not suggesting that

hensionthat we will be swamped. It is a perfectlyreasonable apprehension. And yet, for a religionthat stresses the importance of the individual and the need for each of us to work out his own salvation,it seems to me a little strange that we should be refusing all comers absolutely.

Ifwe are honest with ourselves, I think we will recognize that Joseph Peterson whose navjote was performed

many million citizens. In India you arc so many million individuals."

Now thatis true of all

Indians. It is much more true of Zoroastrians.

We are highly indi­ vidualistic and we have

to account forit. And that, perhaps, is alsoour safety valve- that no one will

Religions do

not perish by

reputation, but

by misuse when they have outlived their relevance

the attitude towards

women in Buddha's time

and age is centralto Bud­ dhist doctrine. Itis not. It is no part of our doctrine. The world has moved a great deal since that time but what is relevant, per­ haps, to our situation to­ dayis the final admoni­ tion - "keep wide

in 1983 has a bettergrasp and under­ standing of our faith than many of us whoarcsimplybornintothe'right' families.Jatindra Mohan Chatterjee led the life of a humble clerk in an office in thecityofCalcutta.Hehadanother major interest. Attractedto the Gathas ofZoroastrianism since a very early age he taught himself Avestain order to study the Gathas in the original and then

156 Parsiana March 2000

be able to ride roughshodover us, no one will be able to weld us into a deter- mined, oppressive communityharass­ ing our neighborsin the countries where we have chosen to reside. I take great pride in the fact that Zoroastrians, wher­ cverthey have settled, have been a credit to the countryof their adoption. I am delightedthat our young people are be­ ing recognized, because theyarethe

awake!" In a rapidlychanging world, all

we can do is to hold fast to our prin­ ciples, hold steadfastand true to them, and for the rest keep wide awake.

Edited excerpts from a paper presentedby the author, who is the Editor-in-Chief and managing director ofThe Statesman, at the 5th North AmericanZoroastrian Congress in Los Angeles in 1985.

OBSERVATION

Memorials and men

Centuries later the contributions

of three prominentBombayites are recalled

Marzban J. Giara

His concern for health and education, his foresightand charitable disposition are recalledI00 years after Nowrosjee Nusserwanjee Wadia's demise. The Nowroz Baug, a residential colony of Parsi Zoroastrians at Lalbaug, and the Nowrosjee WadiaMaternity Hospital at Parel are named after him.

A street in Bombay's commercial Fort area and another locality in Khetwadi stand asa tribute to Cawasji Rustamji Patel,200 years afterhis death.

Yet another prominentfigure whose 200th deathanniversary is observedthis year was MancherjiBamanji Saithna, a leading trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet whose counsel even the Mayor's courtrespected.

Their sterling contribution has been summarized here for the benefit of Parsiana readers.

Born on August 30, 1849roz Dae-pa­

started an agencyfor importing textile machinery and his businessgrew from humble beginnings. Through his firm boilers, enginesand other machinery started coming to Bombay and many mills herehavebeen

established with ma­ chinery importedun­ der his supervision. He designed and built the National, the Neriad, the Dhun, the E. D. Sassoon, the David, the Presidency, Currimbhoy andWadia, Indo-China, Tricumlal, Jehangir Wadia and Calicut Mills. Besides,he es­ tablished two mills called Century and Textile Mills and him­ self managedthem.

towards improving the position of un­ derpaid teachersand securing healthy accommodation for ill-housed schools in variousparts of the city. He took a prominent part in the introduction of a

large number of Urdu

schools for Moham­ medans and also in starting a better class of schoolsfor girls and backward classes. Be­ sides introducing the kindergarten system of education, he advo­ cated physicaltraining for boys and girls.

As a member of the

Municipal Corpora­ tion, Wadiaserved on the buildingbylaws committee, the house connections commit­ tee, the health depart­

Adar, malz Spandarmad, 1218 AY,

Nowrosjee NusserwanjeeWadia CIE, died onDecember 19,1899, roz

From 1885 he was Waclia: introduced hosiery to

vice presidentoftheIndia Photo: Parsi Lustre on Indian Soil

Bombay Mill Owners

ment reorganization

committee and the dis­ posal ofthe town

Khordad, mah Tir, 1269 AY. The Times

of India of December21 , 1899 carried a tribute under the heading"The late Mr

N.N. Wadia, a RemarkableCareer."

Some excerpts: NowrosjeeNusserwanjeeWadia, 50,

father of Cursetjee, Nusserwanjee and Rustomjee, had been to England for his education in 1861, at the age of 11. He attended a school at Liverpooland re­ turned to Bombay in 1866 when he served as assistant engineer at the then Royal Mill.In 1874 he was given the post of manager in the famousManeckji PetitMills for which he designedand erectedone of the largest engines in the world. It was hewho introduced the manufacture of hosiery and making of socks and sewing thread in India.

He started a special factoryfor dye­ ing yarn andcloth in Bombay called The Bombay DyeingCompany. In 1877 he

158 Parsiana March 2000

Association. One of its most activemem­ bers,he was appointed a committee member for 15 consecutive years. From March 1887 he was the honorarysecre­ tary of the Victoria JubileeTechnical Institute (VJTI). He was able to secure much of the machineryfor the VJTI workshops as a gift through the munifi­ cence of Sir Dinshaw Petit. As Lord Reay, the then governorof Bombay, observed, Wadia was well versed in technical education, had brought his special knowledge and skillsto the board, and given of his time and labor ungrudgingly.

If there was one son oflndia who had advanced the cause of primary educa­ tion in the presidency, it was Wadia. Since 1888,he was appointed a member of the joint schoolscommittee by the government, and became its chairman in 1894. His endeavorswere directed

sweepings committee. His many sug­

gestions and recommendations were generally adopted and he got the Corpo­ ration to pass a resolution for the ap­ pointment of a commission to enquire into the sanitary condition of Bombay. He showed great concern for town con­ servancy.

In 1889 he was awarded the title

'CompanionoftheindianEmpire' (CIE) by the government. In August of the same year, Lord Reay appointed him a member of the Government of Bom­ bay's Legislative Council, which honor he heldfour times ti111897. He rendered great assistance in the passingof indus­ trial and sanitary measuresfor Bombay. The part he took in the discussions on the Boilerand Factory Acts reflected great credit on him as an expert engi­ neer.

In June 1896, he established a chari-

tabledispensary at Khandalaat his own expense. The same year he was ap­ pointed as a trusteeof the Bombay Parsi Punchayetand an officialof Sir Jamsetjee Institute.During the famineof 1896, he raised a fund to sell foodgrain at a cheap rate to poor Zoroastrians. In 1897, he was appointeda fellow of the Bombay University and a trustee of the Bombay Port Trust.

Wadiawas connected with numer­ ous educational institutions and served on various hospitalcommittees, chair­ ing some of them. He was a director of the AlexandraNative Girls' English In­ stitution, a member of the committee of the Fergusson College and Victoria High School at Poona, and also of the Zoroas­ trian Girls' School Association. He largely contributed to the funds of the Fergusson College,the Sardar Nusser­ wanjee Zoroastrian Girls' High School and Victoria High School (Poona), the Poor Boys' Seminary, and the Sangam­ ner EnglishSchool.

The promotion of physical education was a thing upon which he had set his heart. It was he who secured the present excellent site at Backbay now occupied by the Parsi Gymkhana of which he was an active member.He took a prominent part in the establishment of the Bombay High Schools' Athletic Association and contributed regularlyto it.

He was a member of the committeeof the Parsi Maternity Hospitalfor the endowment of which he contributed Rs 18,500, and maintained five beds at an average cost of about Rs 100 a month. He was a member of the board of the Bombay Native Dispensary, the Free Dispensaryat Khandala (maintained by him), theLowjee WadiaDispensary, the Leper Home and the Nurses' Home. There was not a charitable institution in Bombay to which Wadia was not con­ nected. He maintained many indigent familiesand defrayed the cost of educat­ ing several poor but deservingstudents. He was known for his benevolence and charity withoutdistinction of caste or creed.

·In the start of 1898, seeingthe rise of plague among the Zoroastrians, he took the lead and founded the Zoroastrian Fund for Reliefof Hardships (Sankat NivraranFund). In 1899 he had the Indawalla Agiary at Dhobitalao merged with his paternal grandmother Bai Avabai A. K. Wadia Agiary and had it newly consecrated. He showed great enthusiasm as the chairman of the

161 Parsiana March 2000

Bombay Zoroastrians' Death Benefit Fund.

Hedied at Bournemouth, England. As a mark of respect to his memory all port and port trust flags were ordered to be placed at half mast. The VJTI, Sir J.

J. Parsec Benevolent Institution and other Parsi establishments remainedclosed.

C. P. Tank benefactorPatel

Photo: Parsi Lustre on Indian Soil

At his uthamnaon December 21, a sum of Rs 3,51,000 was contributed out of his estate as stated in his will to establisha fund for the benefitof the Parsi community. His wife, sons and relatives contributed another Rs 45,706 in charity.

At the end of the uthamna, Shams-ul­Ulema Dastur DarabjiPeshotanji Sanjana proposedto the athornans that his name be recited in public ceremo­nies of the Zoroastrian religionalong with the names of other elders.This was secondedby Ervad Nusserwanji Burjorji Desai.

TheNowroz Baug, a residential colony ofParsi Zoroastrians at Lalbaug, and the NowrosjeeWadia Maternity Hospital at Parel are named after him.

Wadia's sympathies were catholic and his energyand private charityun­ bounded. Entirelya self-made man, the story of his life shows what sound com­ mon sense, compassion and indefati­ gable industry can achieve.

With his keen commercial spirit, lib­ eral views and pursuit of excellence, Wadi a raisedthe Parsi communityto the unique position it holds amongst the races domiciled in India.

CawasjiRustamji Patel died on August 6,1799, roz Bahman, mah Bahman, 1168 AY, at the age of 55. He was the eldest son of Rustamji DorabjiPatel who organized an army of Kolis and local people to fight the Siddis and held Bombay for three days till British rein­ forcements arrived.He was therefore referred to as Rustam General.Cawasji' s grandfather DorabjiNanabhoy Patel was the first Parsi to come to Bombay.

After Rustamji' s death in 1763, his son Cawasji held the post of 'Patel' of

Bombay. Besides,in 1774 when the British government took Thana and

Vasai from theMarathaSardar

Raghunathrao Dadasaheb, he was en­ trusted with the 'pate1ship' of villages like Charni bunder, Manpeshar, Turambu,Madh, Marve, Manori, Vesave, Danda,Kalyan, Bhiwandi, etc which he administered with his brother Dorabji RustamjiPatel. He settledmany Parsis in Thana village and in 1780built a dokhma, an atash dadgah, dar-e-meher and a nasakhanafor their use.

In 1770 the East India Companyal­ lotted him a 'boat contract' to provide barges for the army. In 1775, William Hornby, the governor of Bombay pre­ sented the handsome Cawasji a 'dressof honor.' He built a large pond in Khetwadiin 1776, which is still known as Cawasji Patel Talao- C. P. Tank. Also, a street in the Fort area of Bombay named after him is still knownas Cawasji PatelStreet. He plantedthe largest mangosin Bombay which were used for making murrambo and jam known even today as Caswasji Patel no ambo. In 1790 he built a nasakhana at Baharcote for the use of the anjuman. He was the owner of Shah Jehangir, a ship of705 tons, which was engaged in the China trade. He was a trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet.

In1795 when the son of governor Jonathan Duncan went to England,Cawasji presented him with half a ton of dry Bombay ducks and two and a half dozen dry pomfrets.The gift was grate­ fully accepted.

Mancherji Bamanji Saithna died on August 8, 1799, roz Shahrevar, mah Bahman, 1168 AY, at the age of 88. He was the third son of BamanjiRustamji

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Saithna. Bamanji was the second son of Rustam Maneck of Surat. In 1741 Mancherji came to Bombayfrom Surat and traded with foreign countriesalong

There was not a charitable institution in Bombayto which Wadia was not connected

with his brothers. Thereafter, in 1748, after the death of his cousinManeckji Navroji Sett, he administered the Sett Trust till1785.He was a leading trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet and be­ ing a learnedelderly person himself, his opinion was sought in the Mayor's court on questionspertaining to Parsi cus­ toms.

His son, SorabjiMancherji built a dar-e-meher at Baharcote in his name and had itconsecrated on November24, 1796. It continued to function in its originalbuilding near SheikhMemon Street, Baharcotetill June 11, 1923. As the Parsi population in the locality de­ clined,a new dar-e-meher was opened at Tardeo on March 27, 1927.

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OBSERVATION

The humblemaestro

A mechanical engineerby training Pandit Jal Balaporiapreferred to respondto the call of music

Neville Bastawalla

Jal saheb looks, behaves and lives like a typical guru should.To this date he goes all the way to Fort by train, daring the rush to teach Hindustani shashtriyasangeet as a visiting professorat the University ofMumbai.Such is

his stature that when his pupils go upto the stage to perform, they first touch PanditJal Balaporia's feet,then touch the stage and only then mount the steps.

Musicians perform for the public, Jal saheb performsfor the musicians. The respected musician was invited to sing at the chhatri (grave) of the leg­ endary SangeetSamrat Mian Tansen at Gwalior some years ago. To quote Panditji, the Gwalior Gharana is like a seed­ bed of musical imagery that embodies the fundamental principles of Hindustani clas­ sical music.His repertoire con­ sists of various forms such as khayal, tarana,thumri, tappa, hori and the ashtapadis, (which are in Sanskrit). The piece de resistance for Jal saheb is his presentationofthebandish.

This of course is completely followed by bolalap, boltaans, taans, behlave and layakari, he patiently explainedthe finer points of his art in simple language.

Trophies and awards adorn Jal saheb's sitting room at Shapoorji Bharucha Baug in Andheri.The adjoin­ ing room where he does his riyazhas sparse furniture, an altar with a diva, a photograph of his guru, and an idol of Ma Saraswati (received as a trophysome years ago). There arc also two tanpuras resting against the wall on a couch.(The word tambura is incorrect. The correct word tanpura signifies completion of a taan and is an instrument accompanying all vocalists.)

164 Parsiana March 2000

In 1997he was conferred the Sangeet Research Academy Award and in 1998 the Maharashtra State Cultural Award. He is also the proud recipientof the Parvez Katrak Foundation Award and

The maestro in concert

the Swar SadhnaRatna Award. Other felicitations and honors are too many to enumerate.

Hiscassette Tanas and Tappaswas released four years ago when Panditjiwas felicitated in Dadar. His music has beenput on COs by a French music company two years ago. But the trag­ edy is that very few Parsis actually know of this. Why are the two living Parsi legends of Hindustaniclassical vocal music: PanditPheroze Dastur of the KiranaGharana and Pandit Jal Balaporia of the GwaliorGharana not known beyond a select elitist circle?

Why have so few people heard of let alone listenedto them or to the tabla maestro Aban Mistry or the sarod mae­ stro ZareenDaruwalla?

When asked why the Parsi commu­

nity was so ignorant about Hindustani classical music Panditji was reticent and just said such is life! Music is his hobby, his passion and his life. That he has made it his profes­ sion is something of nature's gift, which few mortals arc blessed with. Panditji is one who speaks little,but always speaks on a high intellectual­ spiritual plane.

Jal sahebisthesonof

Kaikhushroo Balaporiawho worked forthe Indian Rail­ ways, as many Parsisdid at the turn of the century.Kaik­ hushroo had a sweetvoice with a reservoirof talent thatre­ mained largely untapped. The initial exposure of Panditjito music came at Sholapurwhere his father was posted,but when the family moved to Bilimora a change of fortune occurred.

Kaikhushroo's brother Sohrab had a son named Sapal who lived

in the joint family.Sapal was many years· senior to Jal and, in a way, was a catalyst

that inductedhim into the art of music.

Sapalwas studying at M.T.B. College,Surat for a Bachelor's degree in science and had impressed everyoneby his ren­ dering ofthe Rag Bhimpalasi at a college function. (Sapaldid not pursue his talent and becamea metallurgist who was later to becomethe assistant director of inspec­ tion, Government of India Inspectorate and Laboratory at Jamshedpur.) Jal, of course,excelled since the initial influence was so strong that the winds of change were unableto erase his footsteps on the sands of time.

His father encouraged Jalto sing as a child. But his formal tutelage began at the age of 14 years under the well-known Pandit Sitaram Eknath,thesonofthefamousPandit Eknath VishnuoftheGwalior Gharana.His mentor was RehmatKhan of Gwalior but his intensive training was howeverrecei ved from a renowned dentalsurgeon Dr H.

G. Moghe, himselfa disciple of Pandit Eknath.The musical lineage is indeed impressive but what is more impressiveis that this humble maestro alwayscredits his gurus for his success.

It is claimed,he said, that the origin ofHindustani shastriya sangeet began with the Rag Bhairav which, legend has, flowed out from the

vocalcords of Lord Shiva. He went on to say that if one wereto remove the legend of Lord Krishna from Hindustani shastriya sangeet only 40 percent of what has been sung will remain. That is primarily becauseof the predominance of ShyamaSangeet (in praise of God­ dess Kali) which has engulfed easternIndia and the mystic chants of Lord Shiva, which have becomepopular in the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh belt.

Left to right: Balaporia (with award), former Cultural Affairs Minister Pramod Navalkar and Governor

Dr P. C. Alexander

The language used is usuallyBraj Bhasha for songs relating to Lord Krishnaand Bengali when it comesto Shyama Sangeet.But what we did not know is that there is a strand of Hindustani shastriyasangeet which has a strong (Farsi) Persianbase and which Panditji was adept at. He had studied Persianin

schooland can still speak it. His Marathi is extremelyfluent and he can pass off as a Maharashtrian with ease. Jokinglyhis close friends call him Jal Saheb Balapurkar.

Jal sahebisa mechanical engi­ neer who graduated from the fa­ mous VJTI(Victoria Jubilee

Technical Institute) in Bombay and had many years of distin­ guishedservice with Air India.

Panditji is a soft-spoken, se­ dateman with a mischievous smile, a dry sense of humor and an articulated logic that makes themost intricate facts about Hindustaniclassical music sound

so simple. His hospitable wife Roshan, well-known for her excellent cuisine,is talkative and down-to-earth.

Such is his relationship with Mother

Nature that he is a God-loving person rather than a God-fearing one. He has definite ideas about ethicsand morals but is far from beinga fundamentalist. A wine loving vegetarian (by choice), he is also a qualifiedpriest. His great­ ness is his humility.The maestro gave usa small lesson in Hindustani classical music and a great lessonin humility.

With Best Compliments From

166 Parsiana March 2000

OBSERVATION

A Parsi at heart Should we identifyourselves with our ethnic and religious labels or nationality?

Roshan Rivetna

Thoughts from a slightly confused Parsi­ lndian-lranian-North American Zara­ thushti

Growing up in Bombay the question

of who I was or what I was, was pretty much cut and dried. In fact it was a moot point, to which I gave very

little thought.

I was born a Parsi, in a hos­ pital endowed by Parsis, lived ina nice Parsi neighborhood, frequented the agiary down the lane to remember loved de­ parted ones and ask for Ahura Mazda's blessings, most espe­ cially on exam days. On very

Zarathushti or a Zoroastrian. With the turn of history thathas brought Zara­ thushtisfromIranandIndiatothis continentafter centuries of separation, I am told, "We should not call ourselves Parsis or !ranis, we are all Zarathushtis."

While my mind tells me that thisis the right approach and I must separate my ethnicity from

my religion, my heart is very sad about the thoughtof giving up the Parsi appellation.

I find it very difficult to make the separation. In fact I also

throw my nationalityintothe

pot -of India,the country of

Far East and Africa.

Zarathushti groupsare emerging in Russia, Tajikistan, Kurdistan and Ukraine. 'Neo-Zarathushtis' are being initiated into the faith. The Zarathushti community will have to learn how to deal with these diverse ethnic groups, their different cultures, traditions and even beliefs.

Of course, as we all know, Zara­

thushtis are spread far and wide across ideological boundaries, from the ex­ treme traditional to the ultra reform­ ist, and a million stancesin between. To date, we cannot even agree on our name. Should we call ourselves 'Zo­

special occasions such as Pateti Rivetna:eth­

and Navroz, I dressedup in my nic diversity

new clothes and went to the

my birth, North America,my

country of adoption,and some­ times also Iran, where my fore­

roastrian' or 'Zarathushti' or one of

the multitudeof spelling variationsin between?

Atash Behramand then on to an Adi Marzban natak (comic play). The whole

family - all the aunts, uncles and cousins then got together for a seam­ splitting meal of pullav-dar, sali gos, patra-ni-machhi, falooda,kalingar, kulfi (from ParsiDairy Farm of course) and more.

Most of my friends were much like

me. After school every eveningwe hung out at HangingGardens, which is also called Pherozshah Mehta Gardens or at the rocky oceanfront at Scandal Point.

Theschools, hospitals, libraries, art galleries, museumsand theaters I went to were endowedby our illustrious fore­ fathers, Cowasjee Jehangir,Bhabhas, Petits, Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy. I enjoyed the fruits of the great industrial empires built by the Tatas,Wadias and Godrejs.I traveled in their railwaysand air­ planes. I walked down streets named after them and passed by their statues. With their scholarships I came to America.

Here in America the question of my identity is not as clearcut as it was in the little Parsi world I came from. My loy­ alties are being pulled betweencalling

myself a Parsiandcallingmyselfa

fathers came from, the motherland of my religion. I really think of myself as a

Parsi-Indian-Iranian-North American­Zarathushti and have much difficultydeciding which comes first and what to drop,if any.Am Ia Parsi first, or a

Zarathushti? I know my passport says I

am an American,but at heart am I not still an Indian? And do I not still have a strong attachment to Iran, the land of my ancestral heritage?

And what about my children?Havingbeen

bornin America, are 1f they Parsis,or are they · yet anothernew breed

of 'North American

Zarathushtis?' Will their children be Parsis? For how many generations?

In the last few de- cades, Zarathushtis are spreading from the mother countries oflran and India (and Pakistan) to the cor­ ners of the earth - to Britain, North America,Australia, New Zealand, the

Some associations of the Federation

of ZoroastrianAssociationsofNorth

America are making effortsto define "Who is a Zarathushti?" (see pg 170) and writingmembership guidelines.

It is a monumental task for oursmall

community to learn how to deal with this burgeoningdiversity -ethnicand ideological. Is it really pos­

sibleto come up with and agree on a com­ mon, unified profile of a'Zarathushti?'

Instead of trying to unify, czm we maybe spend our limited en­ ergies at understand­ ing, respecting and celebrating our differ­ ences?

As for me and my family, canwego

back to being simply Parsis- no ifs,ands or buts?

Edited and reprinted with permission from FEZANA Journal, Spring 1999

169 Parsiana March 2000

OBSERVATION

Who is a Zarathushti?

A survey of the definitions of the term 'Zarathushti' or 'Zoroastrian' in the constitution of different associations of USA and Canada

Nina Dilucci

Listed here are the relevant sections in the constitution and bylaws of dif­ ferent associations in North America that pertain to the definition of a 'Zo­ roastrian.' This compilation was un­ dertaken (for the FEZANAJournal, Spring1999, from which it is repro­ duced) with the hope that it would be a useful guide for new organizations and those who wish to make future amendments and is not an attempt to offer any judgments.

Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA)

[Article III.!]: Membershipto the Fed­ eration shall he open to any North Ameri­ can Zoroastrian organization/associa­ tion/society that fulfills the following requirements:

B. Has been formed exclusively for the purpose of representing and serving the

religious and charitable needs of a group of Zoroastrians resident in a geographic area in Canada or the USA.

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

Zoroastrian Association of Alberta (ZAA)

4.1 Membership in the Association shall consist of one category: regular mem­ bership.

4.2Regular membership shall be open

to any person who is of the full age of 18 yearsand over and a residentof Alberta, who shall undertaketo fully abide by the objects, rules and regulations of the as­ sociation as herein set out in the Association's bylaws.

(The objectives of the Association re­ quire its members to "maintain, pro­ moteand disseminate the knowledge of the fundamentals, doctrines, traditions and cultural heritageof the Zoroastrian faith as propounded by the Prophet Zoroaster, his teachings, prayersand interpretations thereof,as laid down in the Khordeh Avesta and other Zoroas­ trian scriptures," etc.)

(Term'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

170 Parsiana March 2000

Zoroastrian Association of Arizona (ZAA)

[Not available]

Zoroastrian Societyof British Colum­ bia (ZSBC)

[Section 1.1.21]: "Zoroastrian" means anindividual who atteststo be a true believer and followerof the religion as propoundedby Asho Zarathushtra in the Gathas, and who subscribes to es­

tablished Zoroastrian habitual or cus­ tomary practices.

4.2 Member

A Zoroastrian, his spouse or his child

resident in British Columbia shall be eligible to become a member of the Society if he is:

4.2.1 born of two Zoroastrian parentsand initiated into the Zoroastrian religion;

4.2.2 born of two Zoroastrian parents but not initiated into the religiondue to

circumstances; or

4.2.3born of one Zoroastrian parent but not initiated into the Zoroastrian reli­ gion; provided that he is not practicinganother religion and he declareshis will­ ingness to be initiated into the Zoroas­ trian religion;or

4.2.4not born of at least one Zoroastrian parent but initiatedinto the Zoroastrian religion.

California Zoroastrian Center (CZC) Any Zoroastrian person 18 years of age or older of good character dedicated to the purposesof this corporation shall be eligible for regular membership.

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

Zoroastrian Association of California(ZAC)

ArticleVII, Section 1:The membership of the Association shall be open to all Zoro­ astrians, their spouses and children, sub­ ject to their payment of the annual mem­ bership fee.

AZoroastrian is a person who has been initiated into the Zoroastrian faith by a navjoteceremonyandwhodescends

from Zoroastrian parentis.

Persian Zoroastrian Organization, Cali­ fornia (PZO)

Membership requirements -none for­ mulated

Zarthoshti Anjumanof Northern Califor­ nia(ZANC)

Article 3, Section I: The membership of ZANC shall be open to all Zoroastrians

and all other personswho express interestin the objectives of the Organization and agree to abide by the constitution and its bylaws.

(The primaryobjective is "topromote the

study, understanding and practice of the Zoroastrianfaith ...")

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

Traditional Mazdayasni Zoroastrian Anjuman, California (TMZA) Membership requirements: The member­ ship is open to all Mazdayasni Zoroastri­ ans who practicethe Zoroastrian faith, who have not renouncedthis faith and who havenot married outsidethe Zoroas­ trian fold.

Definition of aZoroastrian: AMazdayasni Zoroastrian is aperson who has descended from both MazdayasniZoroastrian par­ ents and who has been traditionally initi­ ated (by a navjote or sudreh pushi cer­ emony recognized by TMZA) into the MazdayasniZoroastrian religion by Mazdayasni Zoroastrian mobeds.

Zoroastrian Association ofFiorida(ZAF) Membership is open to all Zoroastrians and their spouses.

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago (ZAC)

Article VI, Section I: The membership of

the Association shall be open to all Zoro­

astrians, their spouses and children, and all other persons who express deep inter­ est in the objectives ofthe Association and agree to abide by its constitution and bylaws.

2.a Ordinary membership shall comprise of all Zoroastrian individuals and family

(Term 'Zoroastrian'- undefined)

the same consideration,andshallbe eligible for all the same rights and privi­

units. Zoroastrian Association of Greater New

(Only Ordinary Members have the right York (ZAGNY)

to vote and hold office.) Article III, A: All Zoroastrians and their Article IV, Section 1: A Zoroastrian, immediate family membersare eligible

leges in the Association, as holders of a

majority view.

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

for purposesof the constitution and uponpaymentof thestipulated mem- Zoroastrian Association of Pennsylva­ bylaws of the ZAC is definedasa bership fee to become members (imme-nia and New Jersey (ZAPANJ)

personwho is a believer or follower diatefamily being definedas spouse andArticle III, SectionA: Any persondesir­ of thereligionaspropoundedby children). ous of promoting Zoroastrian cultural, Prophet Zoroaster, and one who has All non-Zoroastrians whohave educational, social and religious activi­ not only signifiedhis willingness todemonstrated an interest in Zoroastrians tiesand their immediatefamily mem­

be initiated into the Zo- r--------------------------, hers are eligible upon pay-

roastrian religion,but has been so initiated in accordance with the practices followed by Zoroastrians.

Zoroastrian Association of Kansas (ZAK)

Article III, Section 1: Membershipshall be open to all Zoroastrians,their

spouses and childrenand to all other personswho express deep interest in the objectsof the Asso­ ciation ...

(Term 'Zoroastrian' undefined)

'' Po 'folJ sA'f mcnt of the stipulated mem-

r:A tfs s? f us hers. (Immediate family

HOW CA-N 1 BE'IJEVr> PAR.S!!fi! shall bedefinedas spouse,

'fOURCALI.Y ARI NO POUST d

A :?.ARATHUSHTI?" - ABOUT IT. 11 children Un er 18 yearsOf

\ age,and retired and/orde­

pendent parents.)

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -un­

defined)

Zoroastrian Association of Quebec(ZAQ)

Section 5.05:An Ordinary

Member must be a Zoroas­ trian resident of good stand­ ing...

Section 4.01: A Zoroastrian

for purposes of theseby­

Zoroastrian Association of the GreaterBoston Area (ZAGBA)

Article4, Section 1: The membership of the Association shall be open to all Zoroastrians, their spouses and chil­ dren and all other persons who express deep interest in the objectives of the

Association and agree to abide by its constitution and bylaws.

2a. Ordinary membership will be open to all persons who have been formally initiatedinto the Zoroastrian religion and their spousesand children, whether natural or adopted.

(Only OrdinaryMembers have the right

to vote and hold office.)

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

Iranian Zoroastrian Association, New York (IZA)

Article II, Section 1: Classes of mem­ bers.

(a) Class "Z" members:Iranian Zoroas­ trians and only Iranian Zoroastrians are eligible for class "Z" membership as class "Z" members.

(b)Class "0" members: All persons including Iranian Zoroastrians are eli­ giblefor class "0" membership.

Only class "Z" members shallbe en­

titledto vote ...

172 Parsiana March 2000

are eligibleupon payment of the stipu­

latedmembership fee to become Asso­ ciate Members.

(An Associate Member is not eligible to vote or hold office.)

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

Zoroastrian Society of Ontario (ZSO) Constitution, Section4: Zoroastrians, their spouses and their childrenshall be admitted to membership in the Soci­ ety ...

Section 1: For the purposes of the con­

stitution and bylaws,'Zoroastrian' is a person who is a follower of the religion as propounded by the Prophet Zoroasterand who has been initiatedinto the Zo­ roastrian faith.

Zoroastrian Association of Pennsylva­ nia (ZAPA)

Article III, Section1: Any Zoroastrian, and his or her spouse, widow or wid­ ower, and children, may become mem­ bers of the Association.

Article 1, Section3: No Zoroastrian may be excluded from member­ ship...because his or her views differ from the views. of the majority on mat­ ters of principle,interpretation or appli­ cation of the Zoroastrian faith. Holders of a minority view shall be treated with

laws is defined as "a person who is a

believer or a followerof the religion as

propounded by our Prophet Zoroaster, who has not only signified his willing­ ness to be initiated into the Zoroastrian religion, but has been so initiatedin accordance with the practice(s) followed by the Zoroastrians and whose parents and/or grandparents have been initiated into the Zoroastrian religion.

Zoroastrian Association ofRocky Moun­ tains (ZARM)

Article III, Section 1: Membership of ZARM shall be open to anyonewho subscribes to its objectives, pays its dues

and abides by its constitution.

(Themain objective is to spread and foster knowledge about Zoroastrian cul­ ture and religion.)

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH)

Article 3.01: Membership is open to all

individuals, regardless of race, sex, creed or color subject to the membership re­ quirements.

Article 3.02: Regular Members: All Zo­

roastrians and their spouses and chil­ dren are eligible for regularmember­ ship, subjectto the payment of the ap-

propriate dues.

(Term 'Zoroastrian'- undefined)

Thoughts on the "Who is a Zarathushti" survey

Zoroastrian Association of North Texas (ZANT)

Article 3.01.1: For purposes of mem­ bershipin this Association a Zoroastrian shall be definedas: A person who is a believer and a follower of the religionas propounded by Zarathushtra and one who has been initiated in the religionin accordance with the customsand reli­ gious practices followedin the commu­ nity in which he or she currently or previously resided.

Article 4.03: Only Zoroastrian mem­ bers are eligible to serve on theboard of directors.

Zoroastrian Association of Metropoli­ tan Washington, Inc (ZAMWI)

Article 4, Section 1:The Ordinary Mem­

bership of the Association shall be open to all persons who have been formally initiatedinto the Zoroastrian religion and their spouses and children whether natural or adopted.

(Term 'Zoroastrian' -undefined)

Zoroastrian Society ofWashington State (ZSWS)

Article IV, Section 1: A person who is

born of Zoroastrian parent(s)and who is

initiated into the Zoroastrian faith, is a Zoroastrian.

A person whois born of Zoroastrian parent(s)but is not initiated due to the prevailing social andpoliticalcondi­

tions, is also a Zoroastrian, provided he/

The Zarathushti religion is at the thresh­ old of yet another redefining moment in the historyof its struggle for survival. Zarathushti Americans are facing new challenges of assimilation into the Americanmainstream and a loss of our identity.However, instead of focusing on our problemsof survival, many of us are lost in arguments among ourselves over the differences in the practiceof rituals by Zoroastrians from India/Paki­ stan and Iran.

In these times, it is important that we put aside our differences and stand united in our effort to redefine ourselvesand keep the torch burning.The actions we take today will determinewhether our religion will continue to thrive or be­ come a relicof the past.

I am married to a catholicAmerican and our 6-year-old daughter, Jasmine, is

growing up with mixed religion parents. It is important to my husbandand me that Jasmine growsup knowing her roots on both sides.As parents we would like to teach our daughterthe culture and religion of both sides of her parentage. When she is an adult(does not have to be

18) she would then choose to practice the religion of her preference.

However, as a community, we take away this choice when we start eliminat­ing children like her becausethey do not

fall under their narrowdefinition of a

Zarathushti (Zoroastrian).

Zarathushti Americans are facing two major challenges today. The firstchal­ lenge is to understand and accept the differences between our Zarathushti brothers and sistersfrom Iran and India/ Pakistan. They have lived apart for cen­ turies in very different politicaland cul­ tural environments. Therefore, the prac­ tice of our religion, especially the ritu­ als, have evolveddifferently.

Our second challenge is to arrest the exodus of future generations born to mixed religionparents. Our small numbers, the lack of a fire-temple around the corner,not growing up in a neighborhood/colony where one is surrounded by Zarathushtis -these are some of the many reasons why inter-religion marriages are inevitable, if not in this generation, certainly in future generations.

One way to keep our community

together and growing, wouldbe to allow for the diversityto exist happilyunder one umbrella. Eventually, American Zarathushtis will evolve a culture of their own. As I worked on gathering the data for the articleon "Who is a Zarathushti?"I felt that a good place to start to overcome thesechallenges would be to broaden the definition of the term Zarathushti (Zoroastrian), or possibly not define it at all. Nina DiLucci

she has practiced the Zoroastrian faith since his/her birth.

"The passion that fills the room"

A person who is not born of Zoroastrian parent(s),but who is a believeror a follower of the religion as propounded by Zarathushtra, has studied our scrip­ tures, has learnedthe navjote (sudreh/kusti and sudreh pushi) prayersand has been initiated into the Zoroastrian faith in accordancewith the Article III of the Articles of Incorporation, is a Zoroas­ trian member of the Society...

Nina I.Dilucci was born in Bombay and immigrated to the USA in 1983. She is a

certified public accountant with a Master'sdegree in taxation who after activelyworking in the accounting profession for seven years, is now a full-timehousewife and an active mem­

ber of the Zoroastrian Association of North Texas (ZANT} in Dallas.

174 Parsiana March 2000

I am sitting in the back row lookingat

the semi-full room of Zarathushtis my parents' age or older. They have come together to discuss the only remaining part of the ZSBC (Zoroastrian Society of British Columbia)constitution- the section regarding who is a Zoroastrian qualified to be a member of this commu­ nity.

Theroom is alive with their mutual passion for the subject. One by one they stand to voice their thoughtsand I listen. I am listening, yet that is not all I am doing. I have come here with the goal of giving everyone's thoughtsa sincere and equal chance. Therefore, as each speaker gets up I find myself in a pow­ erful inner challenge to clear my mind, so I can listen with an open mind.

When the speakers share points in accordancewith my thoughtsand be-

liefs, it is naturaland passive for me to

listen. What is difficultis to listen to all the points with the same openness.I find

my heart racing as I striveto find why it

is that I am mentally and physically objecting so stronglyto some of the statements.

A few hours and several speakers later, I find myself losingconcentration and withdrawing from the scene before me. I am focusing on the passionthat fills the room. A passion stemming from caring Zarathushtis. Zarathushtis who are proud of who they are but are over­ whelmed with the fear that in the rapidly approachingfuture, all that they cher­ ish,all that had made them who they are, will fade into history.

It is this common fear for the future

that is fuelingthe passion in this room.

TrityPourbahrami

PROFESSIONS

Decades of distinctive dentistry

With the fourth World Zoroastrian Dental Congress to be held

in Bombay in September 2000, the authornarrates the pioneering role of Parsi dentists in thecountry

Dr Dinshaw F. Boga

In common with other sciences, den­ tistryhad a crude beginning, being prac­ tised by goldsmiths, blacksmiths and barbers. It began as a craft, not a science or an art.

Organized scientific dental educa­ tion began in March 1840 at Baltimore, USA, with the establishment of the first ever dental college by Dr Horace H. Hyden ( 1769-1844) and Dr Chaplin A. Harris ( 1808-1860). TheAmericanJour­ nal of Dental Science was also started by those two pioneers.

In the United Kingdom (UK), the foundation of the Odontological Soci­ ety of London was laid in 1856 and the first dentalschool and hospitalwas startedin London in 1858. The first lady dentist was Lady Mellonbywho quali­ fied in 1889.

The first officialbook on dentistry was writtenin 1828. Harris in fact wrote and publishedthe first recognized text­ book, which was translated into several languages. The first dentaljournal in Britain appeared in 1856, and in Indiain 1925.

Before dentistry was organized in India, there were no colleges and few went abroad to study it. They learnttheir trade as apprentices with foreign practi­

\\oner5. Den\a\ \eg\s\at\on came through

in 1948, when Parliament passed the Dentists' Act. Thereafter, all practitio­ ners had to register with the DentalCoun­ cil, a government body. The number of qualified dentistsin India was 15 in 1950, which has risen to more than 30,000 today.

In India, the first dental college was founded in 1920 in Calcutta by Dr R. Ahmed. Dr M. K.Patel startedhis school in Karachiin 1927. Bombaysaw the founding of the Nair Dental Collegein 1933. This was immediately followed by De Montmorency Dental College in Lahore in 1934, the first government dental collegein India. Organizedden­ tistrywas placed on a firm footing in India in 1945.At present therearc al-

177 Parsiana March 2000

most 100 dental colleges in the country.

The premier association of local den­ tists was formed in Calcutta in 1927 while in Bombay the first meeting of dentists was held on February21, 1938. The All India Dental Association was formed in 1946 when the First All India Dental Conference was held in New Delhi.

In the late 19th and early 20th centu­

ries, there were about a dozen Indian dentists in Bombay, of whom eight were Parsis who always wore Parsi dress, including a Parsi cap. The early Parsi dentists prosperedin Western India and charged as little as Re 1 for an extrac­ tion, Rs 5 for a filling.The usual practice was to advertise in various newspapers and magazines.

In 1885, Dr B. E. Vacha,born in 1860

and a science graduate from Wilson College, started learning dentistry un­ der Dr Clark, an American dentist,op­ positethe Clock Tower in Bombay. Vacha startedhis own practice at Pydhonie in 1892, the first Indian den­ tist to do so. Dr SorahCama was his first student. Cama started his practice at Bori Bunderin 1902, and retired in 1957.

Dr JehangirNariman, born in 1878,

received an Honors degree from the University of Ohio, USA, and startedhis Bombaypractice in 1902. He died in 1962. His son Hoshang is still in active private practice.

Dr Gimi, born about 1865, practised at Churchgate Street for many years. He specialized in third molar removal.

Dr Jamshed Jivanji Mody qualified from the Royal Dental College, Lon­ don. A professor of dental surgeryat the Grant MedicalCollege, he was also at­ tached to the J. J. Hospital-the first dentist to be attachedto a hospital. He was instrumental in establishing the Sir Currimbhoy EbrahimMemorial Dental College and Hospital (now part of St George's Hospitalncar VT), and was the first Indian to write a dentaltext­ book.According to him, India and not

Greece or Egypt was the cradle of den­ tistry.

Dr Manchersha Nicholson ( 1882-

1960) started his Bombay practicein 1903.He was fortunate to have both his sons become dental surgeons.

Dr Framji Patel, LMandS (Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery),started about 1905 and practised for many years at Churchgate Street. His son Dr Jal F. Patel qualified from the Royal Dental College, Londonand carried on his father's practicefor many years until he retired in 1955.

Dr Sorab P. Kapadia, LM and S, born

in 1882, also studied under Dr Clark.He startedhis practice in 1907 in Bhendi Bazar and later shifted to Hornby Road. Kapadia was thefirst Indian to use a dental x-ray machine. He was also the District Grand Master of the English Freemason Lodge, a foundermember and past presidentof the Indian Dental Association and editor of its journalfor eightyears, practising past the age of90.

Dr Nadir Cooper, DDS (Doctorof DentalSurgery), qualified from New York around 1925 and practised at Flora Fountain, Bombay.He died in 1954.

Outside Bombay, some of the pio­ neering Parsi names were Dr Cama of Colombo, Dr Ghista of Karachi, Dr Romer of Ahmedabad and Dr Sethnaof Lahore.

Dr Sam Dastoor, who passed away in

1958, was the first to open a dental clinic in Surat. Dr Eruch Kasad was an MBBS who was the first honorarydental sur­ geon to be attachedto the Civil Hospital in Surat. He conductedhis private prac­ tice for more than 30 years.

Dr Cawasji Toddywala began his practice in Surat in 1903. Later.he was the first dentist to start in Navsari and Bulsar and practised for 60 long years.

Dr Kaikhushru Jilla (1887-1960) practised in Navsari and was a prolific writer, having authored 58 bookletson dentistry for the public, distributing them free of charge.He also regularly wrote

in local magazinesand newspapers. His daughter Banoo was the first qualifiedlady dentist in India.

Some of the other Parsi dentists born in the 19th century were DhunjishaAnklesharia, Ardehsir Avasia, Amaria, Andhyarrujina, Rustom Bhagat, P. M. Bhajiwalla, Minocher Bilpodiwalla, Bowman (Boman) Chothia, Sorab Cama, Kaikhushru Choksi(Bhavnagar), Sohrab Engineer,Jehangir Gimi andBurjorji Kapadia (Ahmedabad), Kaikhushru Sanjana and Tehmurasp Kapadia(Belgaum), Jehangir Kapadia, Karanjia,Shavak Katrak and Maneck Sethna (Baroda), Framroze Masani, Sorabji

that of Dr Noshir Kapadiaof Dehra Dun. Born in 1905, he started his prac­ tice in Dehra Dun in 1933 and passed away in 1999.

Dr Gustad Patel, born in 1907,qualifiedin 1940, was a part-time teacher until 1955and was inactive prac­ tice even at 90 years of age. He died in 1997.

Dr Homi Guzdar of Baroda was born in 1910. He practisedfrom 1931 to 1994,although he was al­ most 85 years old.

Dr Jasi Jagosc was born

Dubai,one each in Israel and Libya, about 10 in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. That brings the grand total of more than

HO. I am told a Parsi dentistin the USA owns a private aeroplane, which he flies himself to commutefrom place to place.

Dr SorabWarden was

the first Indianto start prac­ tice in the UK way back in 1922. Passing his MBBS in 1914, he graduated in den­ tistry in London in 1922 and was inpractice for sev­ eral decades.

Mewalla(Gujarat), Keki Mody,Jamshed Naigamwalla, SorabjiOomrigar, Rustom Patel, PhirozeRana (Navsari), Shroff, Thanavalla,RustomVacha,

in 1913, started practice in 1935 and worked until his demise in 1970.

Zoroastrian dentists have

BanooA I'(ISia: India's first lady dentist

In the field of dental education, Parsis have ex­ celled. More than 40 den­ tists have been inthe teach-

Nariman Vaid and ArdeshirVasunia (Junagadh).

Among the old-time dentists, Dr F.

N. Mehta of Bombay shouldbe in the Bookof World Records.Born in 1900, he startedhis practice in 1922 and was very active as a full-time practitioner until his death in the early 1990s, having to his credit almost 70years of practice. He served 12 years at the King Edward Memorial Hospitaland 36 years at the Masina Hospital.

Another name that comes to mind is

Nadirshaw Ka­ wa.<;jee (center and inset)with the staff of NadirshawPrinter and Company

ventured into almost all parts of the world. But the maximumconcentration is, of course, in Bombay. All figures are approximate. At the momentthere arc around 50 of them withinthe limits of Greater Bombay.Another 50, who prac­ tised in the city, have passed away. The next highest number happens to be in Ahmedabad and Poona. Besides this, Parsi practitioners have settled in places like Aurangabad, Baroda,Belgaum, Bhavnagar, Bhusaval,Calcutta, Dehra Dun, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Jamshedpur, Junagadh, Madras, Mhow, Nasik, Navsari and Surat. In short,there would 75 Zoroastrians in the dental pro­ fession in India.

Outside India, the UK has more than

a dozen Parsidentists, USA about the same number. About four each have settled down in Australia, Canadaand

ing profession, here in India as well as

abroad.Half of them have been elevated to the post of professors and heads or departments: Drs Fali Antia, Dhun Bativala,Phiroze Bativala, Katie Billimoria, Nozer Daruwalla, Dinyar Doctor, Behroze Hiramanek, Kali Kapadia, Sarosh Master, Fali Mehta, Keki Mistry, Minoa Sanjana, Aspi Sur­ veyor and Mehroo Turner.Turner was the first Indianlady to be made a full professor and head of department of Sir Currimbhoy EbrahimMemorial Hospi­ tal. Dr Minoo Ginwalla held the post of dean of the Nair Hospital Dental Col­ lege. Soon after he retiredhis wife Dr Tehmi Gin walla took over the deanship of the same College.

DrS. B. Master was affiliated to the

Tata MemorialHospital in Bombay and has contributed on prosthetic rchabilita-

178 Parsiana March 2000

Standing (from left): Faramroze Antia, H. D. Merchant,Fali Mehta, Tehmi Ginwalla, Ratan Doctor, N.

N. Berry and Minoo Ginwalla Sitting: Nariman Vajifdar (center)

and Jal Patel (right)

tion in two books on oral cancer. He is also editor of the Zoroastrian Dentists' Organisation (ZOO) newsletter, and servesas librarian there.

Dr A. M. Malaowalla' s position is unique, in as much as he organized the first dentalcollege in Gujaratfrom scratchand remained its dean untill985. Half the Parsi dental teachers have been examiners in various universities. A few of them have also authored books on dentistry. In USA and UK several Parsi dentists are in top positionsin university dental schools.Among the several doc-

From left (top row): Sorab Nicholson,Mehroo Turner, Rusi Rustomji and Sctrosh Master;(Below) Keki Mistry, Gulshan Dossabhoy, Ratan Doctor and Jasi Jagose

180 Parsiana March 2000

tors who took up part-timeteaching when dentistry in India was in its in­ fancy were Dr Gustad Patel and Dr Nariman Vaid.

The impressive performances of some of our dentistshave received interna­ tional recognition. Dr Ratan Doctor be­ came the president of the AsianPacific

Dental Federation. Dr Keki Mistryfol­ lowedhim in this responsible position. That a few Parsi dentists have been awarded the coveted Dr B. C. Roy Award is a testimony to their high level of excellence. Severalof them have been elected Fellows of the International Col­ lege of Dentists.Three have reached the highest positionthat the College offers, viz, the mastership.

Almost all Parsi dentists and dental students arc members of the IndianDen­ tal Association, the official organ ofthc profession in India. Someof them helped found the All India Dental Association and reached the pinnacleposition of president. SeveralParsi dentists are members and past presidentsof the dif­ ferentspecialist societies in various branches of dentistry.

Nearly 50 percentof fresh dental graduates are ladies, the proportion be­ ing roughlyI:5 in the Parsi community. The first qualified lady dentist in India was Dr Banoo Avasia, nee Jilla. Born in 1914, she passed her LDSC (Licentiate in DentalScience) examination in 1936.

Regrettably, today there are hardly a dozen Parsi students in dental schools in India (whichis curious, for Parsi girls arc studyingdentistry in Australiaand otheruniversities abroad). This is due to the fact that admissionis strictly on the percentage of marks obtainedand, how­ ever much they try, Parsi students find itdifficult to hold their own in the rat race for marks. To mitigatethis, the ZDOstarted a fund to enable a student get admission into a dentalcollege in Kama­ taka. We have been successful in seek­ ing admission for four to six Zoroastrian students - in Manipalas well as in Mangalorc.

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Although several Parsi dentistsjoined the defence services, they left in a short period of time. Dr Rusi J. Rustomjeepersisted and retiredwith the rank of surgeon commodore. He is the only den­ tal surgeonto have served all the three wings of the defence forces. There have also been a few Parsi brigadiers in the Army Dental Corps, one of whom is Dr Sorab Nicholson. Some have been given honorary ranks becauseof their associa­tion with the defence services.

Charity playsan important rolein the hearts of Parsis. Dr Fali Mehta, the late Drs F. N. Mehta, Minoa Ginwalla and Nariman Vajifdarfounded the ZOO.Its objectswere to assist students of the economically weaker sectionsof the community, to help retired, aging and needy dentists and to organize scientific lectures, seminars and social get­ togethers. A notable featureis that each dentist pays only a small sum to become a life member and every student attends all the functions (mealsincluded) totally free of charge. In this way, we meet in Bombay about four times a year forscientificactivities, followed by social­izing. News of our activities is mailed to all Parsi dentists whereverthey may be and at our meetingsdentists of all com­ munities are welcome.

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182 Parsiana March 2000

Another landmark -and feather in our cap- was the holding of a World Zoroastrian DentalCongress in Bombay early in 1988. This was followedby similar congresses in Karachi, 1992, and in Goa in 1996. A total success each time, with participants from all parts of the world, the World Zoroastrian Dental Congress has now become a regular feature. The fourth one is scheduledin Bombay in September 2000.These con­ ferences are thrown open to dentists of all communities.

Several of ourParsi dentists have

graced the president's chair in service organizations such as the Rotary Club and the Lions Club. Some of them have been justices of peace, honorarymagis­ trates and special executivemagistrates.

Almost half the Parsi dental popula­ tion in India are Freemasons. A majority

of them have been masters, while two have been honoredwith the highest po­ sition one can achieve in India. DrS. P. Kapadia was a district Grand Master of

the EnglishConstitution, and Dr S. M.

Khambatta held a similarposition under the ScottishConstitution.

In sports,one recalls the names of Dr

H. Hathiram and Dr A. Surveyor as

chess champions. Dr Gulshan Dossa­ bhoy(nee Sunawalla) is an athleteof

national repute.Dr Farokh Bharuchais actively involved in scuba diving, and has passed the instructor's examination. Dr Phiroze Motiwallahas captained the combined varsities hockeyteam.

Thefirst Indians to plunge into dental businesswere Parsis. Nadirshaw Kawas­ jeewas the sole proprietor ofNadirshaw Printer and Company.Born in 1892, he was the first Indian to startthe import of dental goods in 1921. With his head­ quarters in Bombay, he opened branches at Calcutta, Madras, Karachi, Lahore and Bangalore. This business has now closed down.

Afterhaving served in several firms, Cawasji E. Bhandara startedhis dental business in 1928. He opened a branch in Bangalorein 1932 and was later joined by Boman Avasia.

Bornin 1901, JehangirC. Godiwala worked as stenographer, salesman and manager of a firm dealingin dental goods inBombay and Calcuttatill he started his own dental business in 1922. Two more generations joined him in the business.

Dr Ratan H. Doctor obtainedhis BDS (Bachelorof Dental Surgery)degree in 1952, and soon after graduation started manufacturing simple chairs and units as a one-manshow, together with his private practice. A high-powered sales-

man, over the years he steadily built up sole agencies for India from some of the best manufacturers in the world. During his lifetime he was ably assisted by his two children, Pervina and Viraf. Unfor­ tunately, he met with a sudden, prema­ ture death during one of his frequent trips abroad.

Dr Cawsi Naterwalla, a dental gradu­ ate with a very sophisticated practice,

has obtained agenciesto import goods from Europe and the USA.

It can be safely concluded that Parsis pioneered dentistry in India. They have

served it well in all spheres, be it in education or as a trade, in the defence services, freemasonry and the social ser­ vices. They haveexcelledbecauseof

their dedication, courage, integrity and

sound judgment.

Past presidentof the Indian Dental Associa­tion, Dr DinshawF. Boga practices at the NorthcoteNursingHomein Bombay. He

passed his Licentiate in Dental Surgeryfrom the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1954 and was subsequently elected Fel­ low of the International Col- lege of Dentistsandthe

Royal Society of Health.

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185 Parsiana March 2000

MEDICINE

Dexterously, through the nervousweb

President of the Asian-Ocean ian Skull Base

Society Dr Keki Turel speaks of the complexity of neurosurgery

Arnavaz S. Mama

"Today, thereisnootherbranchof Apart from the normal exchangeof medicine thathasthethrustandre- papers which had characterized the four

ered it his "obligation to (his) country" to enable upcomingIndian surgeons to

wardsof neurosurgery. To enable a blind personsee; to make a paralysedone walk; to remove the limp in his gait or the intractable neuralgic

pain from his face, arm or

leg;to bring back the senses, intelligence, understanding that were lost due to tu- mors ..."

Neurosurgeon Keki Turel is a dreamerwho pities those who cannot dream. The self- dependentarchitect of the 5th Asian-Oceanian Inter- national Congresson Skull

earlier two-dayCongressesin Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul artd Islamabad,the eight­ day Bombay Congress had a 20-hour'cadaver workshop' where

aspirants from India and

abroad weretrained in the use of this sophisticated gad­ getry by 46 tutor-demonstra­ tors in the huge anatomy hall at KEM Hospital. Midas Rex,theinstrumentcom­ pany that creates drills for boringholesandscaling bones, Zeiss, the microscope company and Storz,the

take full advantageoftheCongress.

Though the foreigndelegates from 35 countries including those from the UK, US, Canada,Europe and 24 Asians were housed at the Hotel Leela Kempinskywith a registration fee of US $ 450, many of them fromthe poorer Asian countries were exempted from payment as Turel' s aim was "to help Asian coun­ tries come together on a common plat­ form, irrespective of economic status." Speaking to Parsiana at his office at the Lady Ratan Tata Medical ResearchCen­ tre after he had recovered from the burly­ burly of hosting the ambitious gather­

Base Surgery (AOICSBS) held in Bombay in Novem­

Turel: "Its your endoscopes maker, flew in

attitude that counts" their wares for the use of the

ing, TurelnotedhowrichIndia is in

comparison to some ofitsneighbors,

ber 1999, Turel saysthat Photo: Arnavaz s. Mama

organizing the Congress

participating surgeons. The

exchange of paperswhen

both intellectually and financially. "In­

dia is rich in talent... (she has produced)

taught him that if you "do not lose your vision, your goal will come through!" At the pre-Congress press confer­ ence we were told that the base of the skull is the entry and exit point of major arteriesand veins and 12 pairs ofnerves that control all the functions of the body. It houses the organs for vision,hearing, smell and other vital senses. The intri­ cacy and complications inherent to the areainvolves the multidisciplinary fields of ENT, head and neck, maxillofacial, ophthalmicand plastic surgeryand was unthinkable 20 years ago. It is the ad­ vent of modernimaging techniques like CT Scan and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), angiography and the creation of endoscopic and microscopic surgical techniques whichhas enabled the doc­ tors todiagnose the problemsand to address them. The base of the skull is a thick and toughstructure which requires drilling expertise to enable the installa­tion of microscopes to view deep areas of the brainfrom outside.To acquire that expertise requireslong and tedious hours of labor on animals and cadavers

-and exemplary discipline and sacri­

fice.

some frank and courageous doctors dis­ cussed their mistakeswas followed by live surgeryby participating teams that was not only videotaped for classroom use later but was viewed (on Internetworldwide) with two-waycommunica­ tion betweenthe audience and the sur­ geons. However what most thrills the doctor who has twice successfully re­ moved brain tumors weighingover half a kilo, setting a world record, is the triumph of the acronym TEAM which underscoredthe Congress literature. Standing for "Together Everyone Achieves More,'" it encapsulates the philosophy of skull base surgeryand the Congress.

Following the success of thiscon­ gress Turel has been nominated to orga­ nize The Golden Jubilee Conference of the Neurological Society of India in 200 I. "It is an honor for us because the last time Bombay hosted this Congress was in 1971,"he notes with satisfaction.

Turel, who was unanimously elected president of the Asian-Oceanian Skull Base Society by its 20 executive com­ mittee membersin Islamabad in 1997 when he was least expectingit, consid-

some of the top scientists thanksto her

fantastic genetic pool... the sharpness of brain, the spirit of hard work is secondto none ....(Also) some of the richest people in the world live in India."

Ifat all he was in doubt, the Congress taught Turel "notto be mesmerized by the external view of things." Scroung­ ing for the financial resourcesto orga­ nize the Congress,he was dismayed by the "very, verybad response from busi­ ness houses" and thought at one time "that we'renotfinancially strong (enough) for the Congress." Numbering· some of"the topmostindustrialists,jew­ ellers and glitterati among (his) patients" Turel receiveda fund of unkept prom­ ises fromrich people withthe exception of modest sums from Sir Dorab Tata Trust, Godrej and singerJagjit Singh who went out of his way to help. Apartfrom some medicalcompanies, by and large it was his ordinary patientsand his friends who contributed. "Therich arc rich becausethey don't spend!It's wrong to expect anything from them," he la­ mented.

The eldest of five children of sewing machinesalesman Edulji Turel and his

186 Parsiana March 2000

wife Jalu, Keki inheritedhis father's great memory -Edulji couldremem­ ber the partsof each generation of Singer machines - as well as his fantastic mechanical sense -the doctorhas cre­ ated and patented sev­

eral surgicalappli­ ances.Raised at the Panday Sanatorium

with limited resourcesand unlimited disci­ plineTurel imbibedhis religious values and love of nature at an early age. His parents respected his desire to turn vegetarian at the age of six even as they accommodated the stray puppieshe shel­ tered though a square meal was not always guanmteed for the family. Thefamily

moved to Rustom Baug when Keki was about 12 (and to DadarParsiColony after he became a neurosurgeon), his entire educationwas supported through StXavier'sSchoolandCollegeand Grant MedicalCollege hy community endowments and scholarships.Along the way he entered scouting, becoming the leader of the Bombay StateScout Group, maintained the family's priestly tradition bybecoming a navar and maratab, playedcricketwithSunilGavaskarin the team and joinedLalas as tour conductor. A sports and physical fitness buff, Turelwas an international judge atthe World Amateur Body Build­ ers' Association meet in Genevain 1981. Ret1ectingon the way these activities shaped his earlycareerTurel says,"Scouting, vegetarianism and the strict and modest upbringing taughtme self­ denial." Since his operationsaverage

I 0-12 hours in duration(some go on to

24 and even 27 hours when he had to revive assistants who had collapsed, he says),Turel' s morningintake on opera­ tion days- thricea week- is "a little fruit juice" and nothing till dinner. It

· eliminates the need for toiletingduring the operation, he observes matter-of­ factly.

The fravashiandthewingedbulls

adornthe wall leadingto his inner of­ fice; Zarathushtra overlooks his desk. The Hippocratic oath and the Interna-

Turel with Burgese (left),Mazda and Khursheed, and (above)with UNESCO art book

tiona! Code of MedicalEthics t1ank a framed pictureofDhanvantari, the Hindu god of medicine, in the waiting room. The rest of the walls displaychoice artistic reproductions gifted by his pa­

tients. The morningof the interview Turel has received a particularly beautiful and weighty UNESCO publication on the Iranian artist Mahmoud Farshchian

-his pleasure is con­ tagious.

An avid photogra­

pher, Turel has l ,00,000 slides "on anything and every­ thing," he says.A sepa­ rate enclosure in his office suite houses them alongwiththe

c, v\deo\'.ofh\so\)erat\cms

;' which he not onlyuses

while teachinghis students - he is professor and head or the department of

neurosurgery at the Bombay Hospital and Institute of Medical Sciences-but viewspersonally to improve his own performance. He has made presenta­ tions on radio and TV in t1uentHindi, converses with his Arabic patients in their own language and learnt German while he worked in Germany for two years under the world's fabled neuro­ surgeon of Iranian origin, Dr Madjid Samii. Along the way he learnt to play the banjo,harmonium and the har­ monica. Two quotations on the wall of his consulting room encapsulate the doctor's approach to life: "Inlife there are neither rewards nor punishments, only consequences." "It is your attitude, not aptitude, that determines your alti­ tude."

Turel is a great believer in the effec­ tiveness of the Parsi gene. Because of Ill

our genes "weare both long living and decentcitizens,"hesays."NoParsi business person would be taintedwith the reputation of smuggling or traffick­ ing in women,drugsoralcohol.It's completely alien to the community ... Notthat we don't want to earn money but we wantto do it in a clean way, without cheating,by excelling." For the same genetic reasons Turel's ideal is to avoid mixed marriages"which result in confusionandlackofidentity."He advocates more community get­ togethers sponsoredby the wealthy like the gahambars of old,butacknowl­ edges that "aapra Parsioma tichka bahu thai gayach (the Parsi community has become snobbish), that's where we are suffering; that's our biggestdrawback." Though aware that we are graduallydwindling, he "cannot imagine India without Parsis." What is required,ac­ cordi.ng to hi.m, i.s to "know the di.agno­ sis and the potential of the body to fight disease ... The problemis proper leader­ ship and getting the act together." Re­ membering the soft voice,ordinary ap­ parel and rubber slippers of the "so humble and so generous" Bhikhamai Kharas who gave awaymorethana croreof rupees of personal wealth to found the Burns Unit at Masina Hospi­ tal, Turel asks, "Where have these Parsis gone?"Recalling how Mahatma Gandhi sacrificed his personal life to be like the common man in order to be able to lead him,Turel feels that Parsi leaders should emulate Gandhi by forfeiting their ex­ pensive habits. "Our religion is based on spirituality and health factors. Meat and alcohol are not healthfoods. Beyond a pointalcoholisdetrimentaltohealth and society is suffering becauseof meat." Referring tothe cysticercosis parasite which lives in the t1esh of animals Turel notes that if the cyst is not destroyed with cooking it enters the human body,

189 ParstanaMarch 2000

producing convulsions and swelling of thebrain. He adds however that improp­ erly washed saladscould also produce this unhappy result.

"People havestopped thinking of the community. They think only of them­ selves and their survival. Some collec­ tive leadership shouldemerge (with the necessary) political will.We need lead­ ers for the cause -not for the name or the chair. 'Unitedwe stand, dividedwe fall,'is an old saying but an important message for a small community such as ours." Referring to the AOICSBS logo of Govinda where the broadestshoul­ ders and stoutestlimbs bear the burden of nimbler oneswho stretch towardsthe traditional pot of pelf, Turel notes that "the leaders are people at the bottom who encourage the young and dynamic spirits to go up ... Like-minded people could put order into the chaos (where there is) argument insteadof debate" and thereis no headway because partici­ pants come away moredisgruntled after the meet."We Parsis are tooargumenta­ tive, and oftentoo self-opinionated," headds.

"Prepared to give time for communitywork," Turel is unhappy that there are not many Parsi doctors in the profession

today. "I sincerelywish Sir JamsetjiJejeebhoy had nominatedseats for Parsi doctors rather than a ward for Parsis." At the moment the younger generation of Parsi doctorsare generally the children of eminent practitioners who are disad­ vantaged by the automaticcomparison with their seniors. "It is a damaging comparisonunless they take up different specialities," says Turel who wonders about his own two sons, Burgese(22) and Mazda (18) who are into their final and first year MBBS respectively. His wife Khursheed,a clinical psychologist now, was also a denizenofRustom Baug when they met.

There is no reason why the commu­ nity cannotstart a medicalcollege, he avers. "It is within our capacity and it will do Parsis and other communities a world of good. If you accepteveryone who wants to jointhe profession, it could preventmigration," he declares.In fact he visualizes a Parsi university like Shantiniketan where peoplecan live together.Otherwise "we are going to be wiped out becausemillions are compet­ ing against us. The BPP (Bombay Parsi Punchayet)is missing out in providingeducation. Parsis from abroad will pump in money," believes thedoctorwho

treats priests and teachers free of charge "because they are the guardiansof our community."

While Turel does notoppose the concept of euthanasia per se, he feels it should be done "very sacredly" and not as an easy way out. It is the "duty of science to find solutions," he notes, emphasizing that smallpox, TB, ma­ laria, cholera wereall killers at one time. He recalls a 93-year-old female patient whose brain tumor when removedre­ stored to her the joy of playing the pianoand of paintinguntil she died of old age. Turel believes that the best judge of the need for euthanasia shouldbe the family doctor and rues the fact that"our nouveau riche society has made (general practi­ tioners) into jet setters (complete with) mobile phones and swanky cars, (seek­ing) commissions."

According to Turel the good doctor is one who combines the art of medicinewith the science of medicine."We have forgotten so many great people on whose shoulders we stand today.People who don't know history,don't know any­ thing. Doctorstoday don't know the history of medicine.Without the glory of historywe are losing the romanceof medicine ..."

"Whom shalt Thou send, 0 Mazda, to protect Us all, when Untruth threatensus with hate, Other than Thine own Fire and Thy Love?

Whenboth these are roused withinour hearts, Asa shall be fulfilled, 0 Ahura; -

May my Soul realize this SacredTruth. "

Translation by I. J. Taraporewala of Yasna 46.7 of Ustavaiti Gatha, 4.7

190 Parsiana March 2000

MEDIA

Mastering a magazine

Commending the qualityof life in Poona, Citadel Pune editor Farida Master believes the city provides ample opportunities for growth

Hilla P. Guzder

The ambiance at the officeis restful - in a profession traditionally associated with pressure and daunting deadlines! In the bungalow's compound, custard apple laden boughsbend in the breeze,birds chirrup in the

bushes, an occasional mongoose eavesdrops on visitors on the front porch!

"Yes, it is wonderful to work here. Our col­ leaguesin Bombay envy our quietsurroundings," says Farida Master, edi­ tor of Citadel Pune. Master moved to Poona adecade ago aftera nine­ year stint with the monthly film magazine

Stardust, four of which were as JOint editor. "Everyone told me it was profes­ sional suicide, leaving the gloss and glamor of the film world to settle down in apensioners' paradise!" she laughs. But her instincttold her, she says, that it was a good move, that as long as she was footlooseand fancy-free workingwith Stardust was fine ("it was not a 24 but a 48-hour job, eight days a week!"), but Stardust and marriage would not go together.

The decision to move did not come

easy, however, and for the first year she had what sheterms a "weekend mar­ riage," with husbandKhushroocom­ muting from his home in Poona to Bombay where she lived andworked. A difficultpregnancy necessitated rest and recuperation in Poona anda rethink about the future.Around that time, Nari Hira, publisher and managing editor of the Magna group of publications, was look­ ing at startinga Poona magazine which would chronicle events in the city, she

Master (center)with Khushroo and Sanaya

192 Pars;ana March 2000

explains. Master's baby daughter Sanaya and the magazine were born around the same time and the first issue of Citadel Pune was launched in September 1990. "At first it was a frightening thought,

editing a magazine every month of a city you knew very little about," she re­ marks. "But Poona wel­ comes you with open mms. In Bombay you may get lost,but in Poona ev­ ery little good you do is acknowledged and appre­ ciated. I found that very refreshing." Duringher sojourn at Stardust, life had revolved around the world of Indian movie stars - the rumors and

the retorts, the acrimony and adulation, the flips and flops ofBollywood. "It was a kind of blinkered existence," she opines.

Acquaintances in Bombayhad fore­ told a dull existence in Poona, bereft of

social life! "But that'snot true, there is

so much happeninghere. Citadel is now my life line. I can't imagine living with­ out it!" she grins. Why was the maga­ zine named Citadel? "Poona is a city of forts, so we thoughtit an appropriatename," she responds.Citadel provides an eclectic mix of views, interviews and

investigative articles -from profiling the progressive men and machinesof the city's industries (Poona's pride, says the magazine), to the achievements of the upcomingIT (information technol­ ogy) nerds,to the activities of the irre­ pressible ex-municipal commissioner and 'demolition man' Arun Bhatia, to the analysis of somber issues like cancer therapies and euthanasia. To leaven life, there are articles on food, fashionand fun, illustrated by glossy color pictures and catchycaptions.

With the magazine being published and printed by the Bombay-based Ma­ gna Publishing Company Limited, la­ sers, page layouts, etc shuttle back and forth from Poona to Bombay!Besides Stardust and Citadel Pune, Magna pub­ lications include the monthly Society, Savvy, Showtimeand Health and Nutri­ tion andthe glossy quarterlies Society Interiors,Savvy Cook Book and Society

Fashion which is also edited by Master. "So­ cietyFash­ ion, priced at Rs 100,is currently on hold for a va­ riety of rea- · sons," in­ forms Mas­ ter. Laun­

ched over two years ago, Master laughingly statesthat for its first issue, she had worked "like a woman possessed!" Seeking to showcase the creative work of India's couturi­ ers, bringing out the magazine involved a huge amountoflegwork as well - rushing to

Delhi, Calcutta, Ban galore, etc, meeting the best designers. "It was a 'if it's Tuesday, this must be Delhi' kind of situation!" she jests. A big launch at thecapital's Ashoka Hotel saw the country's glitterati in attendance, she says. Society Fashionalso co-sponsored with Godrej the Ford Supermodel of the World Con­ test in Bombay. "Model Bipasha Basu was discovered at this time," elaborates Master. Coordinating with the enter­ tainment agency, publicity agency, fran­ tically drawingup guest lists,working alongside celebrities like Parmeshwar Godrcj and MehrJesia (who coached the models) was a great learning experi­ ence, Master points out.

Citadeltoo had hosted a grand ex­

travaganza in 1993in which top Bombay models likeMadhu Sapre, Jesia,Rhea Pillai,etc had participated. "We had invited Amitabh Bachhan- it was his first visitto Poona," statesMaster, add­ ing that people stillrecall the eventand ask for more! Each September, Citadel celebrates its anniversary witha bumper issue pricedat Rs 50, while regularis­ suescost Rs 15. "Every day is some kind of a challenge. We are continuously looking at new avenues.Monotony shouldnot set into the magazine. We

Judging a beauty contest with

ex Miss India Meher Castelino (left)

have to constantly compete with our­ selves," she notes. Goals are sometimes not very distant, she laughs, it's usually the next deadline!

On a reflective note she muses,"I

see myself more as an editor, though I do like to write articles on those who inspire me, like, for example, Dr Keki Grant of Ruby Hall Clinic or Lila Poonawalla, chief executive officer of Tetra-Pak." Docs the publication have an editorially free hand? "Oh,yes, Nari Hira is a greatboss that way,in fact there are times when we wonder why he's not reacting!" she remarks, addingthat there were occasions when their NRI (non

resident Indian) boss would ask for ar­ ticles in Stardust to be faxed to him in New York!

Acknowledging the supportshe has received in her career from Khushroo, Master says: "I am what I am because of him." It was Khushroowho told her if she wanted to take up the editorship of Citadelshe should do so, despite having a baby daughter. ''So I was never on a guilt trip," she smiles. Mother-in-law Thrity has also been a tremendoushelp and Sanaya is extremely fond of her grandmother, says Master. Khushroo, she relates,is into car rentals and events organization and has presentedcultural shows in Indiaand abroad.

Master has also recentlytaken on the

task of editingRapport, the Poona Parsec Panchayat (PPP) newsletter. PPP secre­ tary Bruch Irani asked her for help, she explains, as the lady who was editing the newsletter was getting marriedand mov­ ing to Bombay. "Ifind Poona Pars is the mixing sort," she comments. On Parsi New Year, there is a big gathering of the community at the Sir J. J. (Jamsctjee Jejeebhoy) Agiary and her parents Freny and Dhunjishaw Balsaraeven come from Bombay to enjoy the camaraderie. Mas­ ter observes that she is "very impressed''

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194 Pars1ana March 2000

Parsiana wishes all its readers, subscribers, advertisers and

donors a very happy Jamshedi Navroze

Statement of Ownership

& Other Particulars about Parsiana:Form IV (See Rule 8)

Place of Publication: Mumbai

Periodicity of Publication: 11 issues in a year Printer.Publisher, Editor: JehangirR. Patel Nationality: Indian Address: 300Perin NarimanStreet, Mumbai 400001 Proprietor: Parsiana Publications Pvt Ltd, 300 Perin Nariman Street,Mumbai 400001

Shareholders holdingmore than one percent of the total

cap1tal: Jehangir R. Patel, Veera J. Patel and Simin J. Patel, address same as above.

I, Jehangir R. Patel, hereby declare that the particulars

given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Sd. (Jehangir R. Patel) 1 March 2000

by the way Poona agiariesare main­ tained andfeels some of the Bombay agiaries could take inspiration from them! "I have my own personaldia­ logue with God," she maintains, regret­ ting however that she doesn't "knowtoo much" about the religion,though she is spiritually inclined, being interested in reiki as well.

Sheloves to sing old Parsi songs, she avers, and has even teamedup with teenagers to sing sagan na geet, garbas, etc at the celebrations of the I06-year­ old Komra-ni-agiary (Kadmi and Shahenshahi Anjuman Daremeher). Along with Sanaya, now nine years old and a student of St Anne's School, Master goes once a week to Sardar Dastur School music teacherSoonu Doctor's singingclasses (which she conducts free of charge)to learn khushali na geet- a most enjoyable way, she believes,of spending a Saturday eve­ ning! "Finally materializing," she an­ nounces, is a Parsi colony in Poona being built by the PPPwith flats on leave and license basis. "The model flat (a prototype ofthe other240 flats)is ready," she states and the Panchayathas been "flooded with inquiries."

Master joinedthe journalistic pro­ fession "quite by accident." After her BCom from Bombay'ssuburban Mithibai College, she was keen to take on a summerjob, she narrates. A cousin working in the advertising department of a film magazine ropedher in and she was hooked! From apprentice to editor, Master states she has never felt ham­ pered by the lack of formal training. Today, she is a guest lecturerat the Symbiosis Collegeof Mass Communi­ cation and Journalism and officiates on its standing committee and interview panel for admissions. "The recent batch of studentswas terrific," she asserts, whereas earlier she had felt that therewas much to be desired.Citadel docs take on trainees for short periods,some­ times at the cost of "coming in the way of work," she quips. CommendingCitadel's compact editorial and adver­ tising teams, she terms them "creative, sincere and dedicated."

Thequality of life in Poona is good, she maintains. "Even if you have a small amount of enterprise in you, you can get started and get noticed.I feel I have grown in Poona as a person," she as­ serts.

With Best Wishes From

Mr Rusy M. Shroff, M.B.E.

and

Mrs Purviz R. Shroff

196 Parsiana March 2000

MEDIA

A serialfor the faithful

Through the TV serial Humata, Hukhta,Hvarshta Frohar Filmswere endeavoring to educateboth Zoroastrians and non-Zoroastrians

Parinaz M. Gandhi

"Majani serialchhi. Tu joich ke'" (It is a good serial. Do you view it)?" When members of the community unknown to him enquire whetherhe is familiar with the television serial llumata, Hukhta, Hvarshta, director Cyrus Dastoor finds it amusing but reassuring that theteam effort of

Frohm· Filmsis not in vain. When he learns that the devout fold their hands in prayer at a passingglimpse of a fire-temple that con­ stitutes one ofthe many backdrops of the low-bud­ get telcserial, Dastoor is convinced thatthecom­ munity respects this maidenventure. To avoid disturbance during the cru­ cial half an hour when the serial is telecast, some la­ dies reportedlykeepthe phone receiver offthe

hook. That non-Parsistoo stay tuned in to learn more of the communityfrom Doordarshan Channel II at 12.30 p.m. on a Sunday afternoonis also hearten­ ing for Dastoor.

The stars of Frohar Films have been endeavoring to provide "aninsight into Zoroastrianism focussingon the teach­ ings of ProphetZarathushtra," accord­ ing to a publicity handout. Every epi­ sode would start with a short speech by a scholarof eminence like Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, Dastur (Dr) Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa, Dastur Kekobad Dastur... with the latter half being devoted to interviews of interesting personalities like astrologer Bejan Daruwalla orgy­ necologist Dr Rustom Soonawalla or showcasing some talent within the com­ munity.

The introduction of music and enter­ tainment to what severalviewers termed a staid program broke some of the mo­ notony. But the episodesbereft oflighter

198 Parsiana March 2000

material evoked listlessness among some youngsters. The sermon-type de­ livery of the speakersin a classroom atmosphere provokedeven a few elders to surf other livelierchannels, happily tuning in to other serials while appreci­ ating the theoretical effortsof the com-

Dastoor (right)mz the sets with Ervad (Dr) RamiyarKaranjia

munity.

The sets that they had created for the episodes at Dadar's AthornanBoarding Madressa evoked mixed reactions from the community. For the future,Silloo Mahava,in charge of production and public relations at Frohar Films,real­ izes the need "to improvise, to change sets, make it more pleasing to the eye," this being their first experience of cre­ ating a serial. Some viewers want more of Gujaration the serial. Others, more of English;the director and producer trying to strike a balance to appease both demands."We would welcome good scriptwriters as also ideas and suggestions for improvement," notes Dastoor. Among the speakers, Ervad Kaikhushro N. Dastoor's discourseon agiaryetiquette evoked the maximum feedback fromtheviewers.Noshir

Dadrawala's insight into gahambars found favor with the audience too.

The only cause for despairis that after 19 episodes the serial had to be suspended for financial reasons.The substantial goodwill they generated earned them encomiumsandapproval

fromthe middle class and

eventhe financially weaker section whoalongwith their words of encourage­ ment would enclose some token sum of Rs 500 or Rs 251, reportsMahava. But it is the large industrial houses and prospering businesses­ tablishments who need to support this venture con­ sidering that the per epi­ sode costworksoutto nearly Rs 40,000, reiter­ ates Dastoor.Among their major supporters were the Bombay Parsi Punchayet,

The World Zoroastrian Organisation,

Naryman Dubash and of course, the philanthropic well-wisher who started the ball rolling with an initialcontribu­ tion of Rs 50,000 to promote religious education within the community. His promisethat once the project gets under way, he would donateanother Rs 50,000 has also been honored.

So now the optimistic Frohar Films

team is hopefulthat a windfall may come their way from Zoroastrians in India and abroad to enable them to complete their self-undertaken mission of 52 episodes. "Wehave enough in the pipeline," says Mahava whilstgrate­ fully acknowledging the supportfrom speakers, the performers, the technical crew, some of whom have been render­ ing honorary service to make the serial financially viable.

Along with Dastoor and Mahava there are others workingbehind the scenes to promotecommunityaware-

ness: Yaasmin N. Chama handles ad­ ministration and projects; Dr Amavaz Havewalais the project coordinator; RashmikantJaveri, the production ex­ ecutive; cinematography is in the hands of Parvez Irani; set design with Sam Kerawala;

music, Kersi Mistry; edit­ ing, Aziz Khan; com­ puter graph­ ics and spe­ cial effects, Saundarya Graphics; rare and an­ tiquarian

books and engravings, Dilnavaz M.

Mehta.Their child artistestoo showed exemplarycooperation, some of whom had to sit from 8 a.m. to 1.30 a.m. when they were workingon the two episodes for children.

From the dasturs to the doctorswho have been interviewed, they all re­ spected the Frohar Films' request not to make any controversial statements. The only subject where a difference of opin­ ion arose was the dress code prescribed for ladies: They were requested to drape a sari in the Parsi style with a sor cover­ ing their head. While some women felt this attire lookedtoo artificial they chose to go on the sets a second time without the sor. They were astonished when they receivedtelephone calls to say how much betterthey looked with the sor, disclosed Dastoor(who with his fond­ ness for caps always keeps his head covered),happythat hewasable to predetermine the pulse of his view­ ers.

If they succeed in going back on the

air, the consecration of the Godrej Baug Agiary will featurein their immediate priorities. Time and resourcespermit­ ting they would like to cover all aspects of Parsi and Iranian historyand even episodes from theShah Nameh, men­ tions Dastoor. Mahavais keen to intro­ duce a special episode for the teens just as there was for little children. Her past involvementin organizing the Parasika exhibition at Bombay's Prince of Wales Museum has convinced Mahava that the contribution of the community to the progress of India is little known and needs to be highlighted. While the en­ tertainment sectionof this serial was in her charge,for religious topicsshe re­ lied on Dastoor's better judgment be-

201 Parsiana March 2000

Top: Mahava (left) and Dastoor Center and below: Scenes from different episodesf£'aturing Kotwaland children's qui::. program

lieving the orthodox ordainedpriest to be more knowledgeable on the subject.

The great, ancient Zoroastrian reli­

gion has not been projectedthe way it should be. Dastoor says he was toying

•

with this thoughtwhen he got an offer from the Gurjari channelto ready pro­ grams on the communityfor the last Shahenshahi New Year and Khordadsal. These same programs constituted the first two episodes for the Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta serial telecastby Doordarshan Metro ChannelII in their regional languagetime slot. "Dastur no dikro hijoo soo kari sake (What else can

be expected from a priest'sson)?" he rhetoricallyasks.

Whilst Dastoorhad past experience of acting and directing about 10 plays for Doordarshan, and performing in se­ rials like Ek Kahani, Choti Badi Bate, Hum Sub Ek Rain,this was his maiden experience in directinga serial. Under the Universal Theatresbanner Dastoor has directed innumerable plays starting withMakaanMaruLafrooTaruin 1980, with his 1999 directorial effortbeing titledNaas Bhag.Altogether he has di­ rected and produced16 plays and acted in 50 full length and one-actplays, ac­ cording to his bio data. Since he holds a job with the Union Bank of India, the bachelor thespian has to accommodate his theatrical interests accordingly, of­tenstaying up late in the night to com­ plete hisassignments.

Dastoor has his roots in Udvada but hadstudiedatBombay'sCamaAthornan Madressaafter which he graduated in commercefromBurhaniCollege.As foundersecretary oftheKhareghat Colony Youth Association, Dastoor had started the All Parsi Drama Competition which discontinued after some years,he mentions. "I am keenly interested in reviving old Parsi theater as far as pos-

sible," says Dastoor who first acted in Mari Jagya Kaun Lee he under the tute­ lage of the late Adi Marzban,it was recounted in The Times of India of December 11, 1999. In additionto his contribution to the Gujaratiand Hindi theater,Dastoor has also participated in Marathi plays and directeda Sindhi play for one of his Union Bank func­ tions.

WhileDastoorhadactedinPestonjee, Mahava had been cast in Percy,the two feature films projecting the Parsi life­ style. "Silloo Aunty," as she is respect­ fully known in the theaterand social welfare circles has enacted roles in in­ numerable plays being first associated with the Bruch Pavri Drama Group and then with Adi Marzban's Aavo Maari Saathe program on TV.Among the Hindi TV serials whereshe features is Dillagi, Kabhi Idhar, Kabhi Udhar,Raja Rani, Captain House ...Interested in dramatics since her early school days at Panch­ gani's Batha School,Silloo (nee Bhe­ sania) recalls havingto forego the stage due to family pressurewhen she was brought to Bombayto study at the En­ glish High School. She was hoping to become a doctor when circumstances compelled her to seek employment at

the age of 16. It was only with the encouragement of her late husband Parvez that she was able to realize her histrionic potential and performroles for dramas like Sharda and Band Muthi Lakhni which have audienceseven in the USA, she adds.

Aspresident of Young Rathestars, Mahava is involvedin organizing enter­ tainment programsto raise fundsto alle­ viate poverty, organizegahambars, dis­ tribute alms to the needy, help the pa­ tients at the J. J. Hospitaland the B. D. Petit Parsec GeneralHospital, the old inmates of the Parukh Dharamshalla and Navsari infirmary, supportthe poor Zoroastrian farmers in the villages of south Gujarat...Like Dastoor she is also active with the AthornanMandai, and says that being a moderateshe tries to go to the agiarydaily.

Even as the fate of this serial hangs

precariously Dastoor has plans to make a telefilmof Fourth Day, based on a collection of short storiesby Burjor Karanjia where the soul of a father talks to a small child. Next on the director's cards is a mega serial on Parsi culture and Iranian history. Determined he is "toeducate the lay public in the salient features of the religion."

With the compliments of

N. S. Guzder

&Co. Ltd.

Neville House Ballard Estate Bombay 400038

202 Parsiana March 2000

CINEMA

Avisual Paradise

Inspired by their religion the two protagonists strive

to make the ancient valuesapplicable to moderntimes

Burjor K. Karanjia

Paradise (video film), written and created by Shahriar and Shervin Shahriari. Director: Mojdeh Shahriari. Directorof Photography: Peyman Parsa.Spon­

sored by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associa­ tions of North America, the Zoroastrian Society of British Columbiaand other individuals, foun­ dations and associa­ tions. Duration: Approx

one hour. Price: US$15+$3forthefirstvideo and $ 2 per additional video with the same order for shipping and handling. Cheques payable to "FEZANA" to be sent C/o Dolly Dastoor, 3765 Malo St, Brossard, PO J4Y 1B4, Canada. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

We pledged allegiance, remember?

During our navjote ceremony, our

tiny hands enfoldedin the priest's gnarled, warmly loving ones, snapping the kusti against ahriman, tying it round our waist in praiseof good thoughts, good words and good deeds- aschil­ dren we declared allegiancein tiny pip-

Above: Shervin and Shahriar Shahriariin meditation. Below: Stills from the video depictingCyrus the Great (leji) and Zarathushtra

ing voices to the good Mazdayasnian religion. A faith which cuts short all controversies, which is a dedication of

the self, which is holy, and which of all reli­ gions is the first re­ vealed and most excel­ lent, the Ahurian Zarathushtrian religion.

Did our allegiance include arguing about whether to allowcon­

versionor not? Or which of the three calendars is the right one to adopt? Or making distinctions between Parsi hus­ bands marriedto non-Parsi wives and Parsi wives marriedto non-Parsi hus­ bands, and other such time-consuming inanities and futilities?

These were the questions that came to mind as I watchedShahriar and Shervin Shahriari's documentary Para­ dise, which if rather static and heavy on monologue, has great inspirational con­ tent, remindingus of our great past, the paradiseour forefathers knew and en­ joyed, how it came to be lost and how it may yet be regained.

Thefilm's two protagonists, both young and ambitious men obviously eager to learn, are depictedin the film as going backcenturiesin time; andthe

Prophet Zarathushtra is imagined as be­ ing reincarnatedto answertheir ques­ tions (a ratherbeefy and heavilybearded incarnation), which are the usual ones agitating the community today -how do we survive,how do we stop conver­ sion, and so on. The Prophet brushes aside such questions, reminding them that his philosophy teachesnot how to be a success in life, but how to he, a way of being that the true believer can trans­ form into a way oflife.The true believer is endowed with the Good Mind and has the heartofa champion. He is given freedom of choice and expected to take responsibility for the choices he makes. "Be a great Zoroastrian," the Prophet tells the duo, "and Zoroastrianism will

be great again."

KingVistaspa ofBactria was the first in history to publiclyembrace the new creed that Zarathushtra preached against that of the wicked courtiersand hypo­ critical priests,the Kavis and Karpans who fattened on the ignoranceand cre­ dulity of the people,calling upon them to worshipdiverse gods and propitiate them through meaningless sacrifices. But it was Cyrus the Great, King of Kings who, in his wisdom, armed with righteousness, built a most magnificent and glorious empire,based on Zarathush

204 Parsiana March 2000

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tra's teachings, which tothose who lived in those times appearedto be paradise.

But paradisedidn't survive. General

Alexander's depredations at Pcrscpolis and the Muslim hordes sweeping across Iran ended one of history's greatchap­ ters in blood and ashes.

The eager young protagonists ask the Prophet whetherparadise can be built again. By way of answer he introduces them to a reincarnation of the greatCyrus himself, adequately played by an actor who, however, lacks the regal dignity associated in our minds with that majes­ tic king. "Hear ye, hear yc, as I am Cyrus your King," he says, then pauses to look closely at the duo. "I can sec fear, not hope in your eyes." He tells them man's worst enemiesarc fear and ignorance; truth and creativity arc needed to fight them. "Strive for the higheraltitudes," he urges."Do not let the avalanche of fear deter you."

He asks them to develop a vision of paradise so that they may be able to recre­ ate it. Cultivate the values thatZarathushtra preached 25 centuriesago. These core values continueto be the driving force that impels its followers to excel in all fields of human endeavor and contribute vastly to the benefit of mankind. True

206 Pars/ana March 2000

values are never time-bound.

Finally, and most importantly, he bids them realize the greatness that is within. And to make righteousness their weapon, than which there is nothing more powerful. For Zoroastrianism makes of life a battlefield, with man ranged on the side of good to fight the forces of evil.

The two protagonistsareinspired.

What is more to the point,they are ready to act. They resolve not only to revive the ancient values but to make them relevant to modern times. A Zoroastrian Bollywood, a Zoroastrian Broadway, a Zoroastrian Centre of The Performing Arts, a ZoroastrianOrchestra ...

The paradisethey setout to build will

keep up with the times: an InternetCom­ munication Network, the best creative usc of modern technology. The film's protagonists arc convinced that "this nation, which now calls itself a commu­ nity, can once againrise with the sun and glow in the face of history." One problemremains. however. With the best will in the world the protagonists cannot go it alone.

That's the film's epicenter, its throb­

bing heart, revivinglost memories and forgotten allegiances, showing the way.

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FOOD

"Make life more simple.

Keep the kitchen well stocked, plan your meals and follow your instincts, advises the author

Bhicoo J. Manekshaw

• •''

When the Parsiana editor suggested that I might give here a few easy-to­ cook dishes for the working woman/ man, my initial reactionwas, how bor­ ing!But after some thought I said to myself, how selfish can you be! Must you write to please yourself or to be helpful to those wonderfulpersons who work late hours, come homeexhausted, thencook a meal for the family?

So, shamefacedly, I'm going to try to help those who need to make life less complicated for themselves.

At theriskofsounding likea schoolmarm, I'd suggest to the working person (after all I'min thesame cat­ egory despitemy77years!)thatto _ simplify the work for yourself you must

be organized: that is, your storage cup­

board and refrigerator must be well stocked. If you like both Indian and continental cuisine I suggestyou keep the following in your kitchen:

Garlic paste (250 g), ginger paste (250 g) kept separately, for there are times when only one of them is re­ quired. I would rather store them in glass bottlesinstead of plastic, unless you use the plastic jars especially made for storage of food.

Brown about 1 kgsliced onions on a

holiday or any spare time you may have, portionthem off, cover in cling wrap and deep freeze. Make about Vz to Iltr of demi glaze dependingon the size of your familyand keep in deep freeze or simplyrefrigerate it. Make agood stock and keep that also in the fridge­ a good stock will jell.

Instead of makinga vinaigrette dress­ ing (sauce made of oil, vinegar,onion, parsleyand herbs), everytime for your salad, make some in a bottle with a sprinkler and store in your store cup­ board. If mayonnaise is used often, make the mayonnaise withoutthe vin­ egar and store it covered or bottled in the fridge and it will stay for over a month. Then add a little vinegarwhen

208 Parsiana March 2000

you need to use it.

When tomatoes are cheap in winter, buy a couple of kilos, and puree them; then cook in a pan till thick, addinga pinchof salt. Cool and pour into an ice tray with compartments and freeze. Wrap each cube in cling and keep in a plastic box. Remove a cube of tomato paste and use when needed.

I buy my meat, fish and poultry in

bulk for a week or two. Have the butcher cut the meat as needed and the fish filleted or cut as desired, then washed. The meat is portionedoff per meal and wrapped in plastic or cling wrap and deep frozen;the same is done with the poultry unlessneeded for roasting.

The fish, for betterpreservation, is

individually wrapped - especially if filleted- in cling wrap and deep fro­ zen in suitable packets as needed per meal.

Potatoes and onions may be stored

for at least two weeks. If other veg­ etables are bought for the week as I do, I use the ones that have less staying power, such as the greens, first; and vegetables such as green peas, cauli­ flower, pumpkin, later.

Decide and planyour meal forthe

night. Remove from the freezerthe meator fish or poultry and keep in the fridge to thaw out slowly.This is impor­ tant.

In these ways you save many hours

of unnecessarylabor.

Yes, I agree that the grinding and frying also takes time. But if thatis done at one time, then life is made much easier. All you have to do when youcomehome, is reheat the onions, add your masala, add meat,fish or chicken and cook till done. All the preliminaries are over and so you can relax! Ifyou are well organized, cooking is not a bind, even if you are very tired.

Ifyou do not feel like cooking,make

an eatable soup with the stock already in the fridge by adding mixed veg­ etables or pasta,meat or a bit of any mixture you may fancy.Make some toast and you have a deliciousmeal in 15 or 20 minutes.Keep different types of cheeses,now available in the market. Keep your favorite pasta.

If you likehamandbacon,store

some of these,including different sau­ sages, packed cold cuts, etc. Also keep some dried herbs in your store cup­ board. Bring home a lettuce, boil up some potatoes, mix with mayonnaise, sprinkle some vinaigrette dressing on the lettuce -with a little imagination, you can cook up a deliciousmeal.

STOCK

There are many recipes for stocks. Some are veryrich,somearelight.Given below is one of my currentfavorites. Chickencarcasses (2)

Chicken wings (6)

Lamb shins with the meat on it (2-3) Chicken feetwith the nailsremoved (4) Turnip (l)

Carrot (1)

Onion ( 1 large) Ginger (2" piece)

Bay leaves(2-3)

Black peppercorns (4-6) Celery (1 stick or few leaves) Salt

Break up all bonesandshins.Wash

vegetables well and coarselycut keep­ ing the skins on. Put all in a pan and add

watertoabout3" above the bones. Bring to aboil, skim, lower heat, half cover and simmer for about 1Y2 hours. Strain, cool and refrigerate. Next day remove any fat from top of the jellied stockand use as needed.

Note:If a brown stock is needed, brown the bones well in a little oil then add the vegetables, lightly brown them and add water and proceed as above.

OEM I-GLAZE

Jellied stock (richbrown -

1 imperial pint or 20 oz)

Oil (3 tbsp)

Carrot (1)

Onion (1) Celery ( 1 stick) Flour ( 1 tbsp)

Tomato puree (1 tsp)

Bouquet garni

Removeany fat from jellied stock. Finely dice the vegetables. Heat oil in a small pan, add vegetables and cook on low heat till vegetables are lightly col­ ored. Stir in flour, continue to cook on lowfirestirringtillbrown.Remove

about25-30 minutes. Now remove lid, tilt pan slightly and add the reserved cold stock. The fat will rise to the top, remove the fat. Strain,add seasoning and keep in refrigerator and use for any brown sauces or add in casseroles.

Given below are two delightful recipes sent to me by my dear friendMeher Banaji, daughter of the famouseye specialist, the late Dr Firose and Zenobia Banaji. Our unusual friendship began when she read my book Parsi Food and Customs and wrote to me. Not only did she fly to Delhi to meet me, we are still in constant touch.

SPAGHETII WITH TUNA AND

results. If cooked earlierit has a ten­ dency to get stuck togetherand reheat­ ing is never the same. But if you have to reheat, put pasta in a sieve and plunge it in very hot water for a few seconds. Drain well and use. To preventpasta from sticking, grease your hands with oil and toss pasta with your hands so that the oil on your hands coversthe pasta lightly.

Whileboiling pasta cook in a large quantity of water in which you have added a tablespoon of oil. This also prevents pasta from sticking.

Spaghetti or penne (500 g) Olive oil (1 tbsp)

Butter(30 g/2 tbsp)

Black olives (pittedfor garnish)

Sauce

Tinned tuna (drained- 200 g/7 oz)

Tinned anchovy (filletsor whole,­ drained 60 g/2 oz)

Olive oil ( l cup/250ml/8 fl.oz)

Parsley (fresh, roughlychopped - I

cup/30 g/2 oz)

Creme Fraiche (21_, cup/150 ml/1.4 pint) Salt ·

of stock and

PARSLEY SAUCE

Pepper

remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, half cover and simmer on low heat for

It is suggested that the pasta should be cookedjustheforeserving,forbest

Make the sauce first.

Remove any bones from tuna (and

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210 ParsianaMarch 2000

anchovy, if whole).Put in blender with anchovies,olive oil and parsley. Blend till smooth.Saute sauce till hot but not boiling. Keep warm while the pasta is beingcooked.

Spaghetti

Boil water in a large pan, add the olive oil and pasta. Add salt when pasta is half done. Cook "al dente," drain in a colander. Return to pan, add butter and toss thoroughly to coat the butter. Spoon in a warm servingplatter with the sauce spooned over it or serve the sauce sepa­ rately. Or as four individual servings.

PASTA WITH LEMON OR LIME CREAM

Pasta (spaghetti orfettucine orcuppelini

-'12 kg or I lb)

Lemon or lime peel (freshlygrated- 2

tsp)

Butter (280 gil 0 oz/10 tbsp)

wine.Cook for just 30 seconds.Add cayenne and cream,cook for two min­ utes stirring continuously. Remove from the fire and keep warm. Cook pasta in a large pan of boi Ii ng water with a tbsp of oil. Drain and add to cream mixture tossing for one minute.

Remove pan from heat and add rest

of butter cut into cubes,juice, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped chives or parsleyor roasted bell peppers or crisply fried bacon bits.

Note: If the cream is not pasteurized,

add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to preventcurdling.

CREME FRAICHE

Buttermilk (l tbsp) Cream (I pint or 20 oz)

Stir buttermilk into cream and warm it

over gentle heat. The cream should feel

Pastas are quick to cook and filling. There are also other quicklycooked dishes such as fish and vegetables or grills. Saladswith shellfish or chicken or meats are also fillingin summer. Chilled and hot soups, which can be made in bulk and kept in the deep freezer can be heated when needed. We also have our great vegetarian food which can be made quickly and be very satisfying.

So now relax. Youhave just come

home from a tired day at work. Have a cool drink, allow yourimagination to run wild -and doexactly what your instinct tellsyou to do.

If you are born with a love for food and have that rare common sense, you will produce superb meals. If not, well just try, try and try again- don't give up and suddenly, in front of you will be a new creation of culinary art!

cup)

slightly cool to the back of your finger.

Bon appetit!

cup)

Remove fromheat,pourintoawarm

bowl, cover and keep warm (at about

Bhicoo J. Manekshaw, a graduateof the

Fresh lemon or lime juice ( l tsp)

Salt Pepper

In a large frying pan, melt 5 tbsp butter.

Add rind. Cook for one minute.Add

24°C-75°F) either in a bowl of hot water

or in a warm place, to set, which will take from eight hours to 24 hours depending on the temperature it is held at. At a pinch you could use drainedcreamycurd.

prestigious Cordon Bleu School of Cookery, London, and author of Traditional Recipes of India and Parsi Food and Customs, has been associatedwith many haute cuisine organi­ zations in the country.

With Best Compliments From

Manufacturers of 'Wibs' Products

IRANI FOODS AND INVESTMENT COMPANY

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212 Pars/ana March2000

BOOKS

Agentleman's challenge

His childhood and later brush with politics are related in these extracts from the bookNaval Tata Remembered

K. D. Skandan

Naval Tata Remembered compiled by K. D. Skandan, edited and producedby M. R. Pai, advisor to the Employers' Federation of India. Published in 1999 by M &J Services, Mohan Kunj, Jyotiba Phule Marg, Dadar, Bombay 400014. Pp: 79. Price:As 50.

Naval Tata Remember­ ed isa tribute offered with much affection and admiration to his erst­ while employerby K.

D. Skandan,personal

secretary. Excerpts from this short volume are reproduced here to afford our readersinti­ mate glimpses of the in­ dustrialist and the man. Section one of this com­ pilationbegins with a reprint of an articlewrit­ ten by Naval Tata him­ self in 1987 referring to

his early brush with poverty. His moti­

vation tojoin politicsis explained in the second section.

It was my sad lot to lose my father when I was only four years old. My father, who died in 1908 of sudden heart fail­ ure, was only 42 years old. His father and the founder,the late J. N. Tata, were cousins.As a spinning master in Tatas' AdvanceMills at Ahmedabad, my fa­ ther had prospectsof stepping into the shoes of the manager in a coupleof years. Alas, his sudden death was a tragic blow to my mother. For a widow with four sons to supporton an income unbelievably meager was indeedan ordeal. Those were the days when there was no gratuity, providentfund to sus­

settled down in Surat on her modest resources, furthersupplemented by her income from embroidery work at which she excelled.

It was at this point a cousin of my parents- Sir Dorab Tata- cameto our

rescue. Throughhis gen­

erous assistance, two of

my brothers were taken up as boardersat the J. N. Petit Parsi Orphanage. A year later, in 1916, it was my turn to be accepted

·gratis' as one of the

Foundationer' s students on the roll of the Or­ phanage, in view of the fact thattwo of my broth­ ers were already paying boarders.

If I have tried to de­ scribe pangs of poverty which a family like ours faced, it is notfor en­

listing (the) pity of the readers but only

to convey to people who are unawareabout the great blessings which the Petit family have showered on our com­ munity by establishing this Orphanage. It was certainlya hard life for 300 poor boys supported on an extremely slender budget for food, clothingand health care. True, it was like a penitentiary, since inmates did not even have a chance to peep at the world outside.

Once in two or three weeks, the boys in batches of hun­ dred were taken out to the Victoria Gardens whichwas their only glimpse of the world outside. Despitesuch limita­ tions of amenities, let me make a candid admission that for

outs.

In my case,however, I waslucky

enough to be blessed by Dame Fortune. In the year 1918, anothercousin of my parents, Sir Ratan Tata, died suddenly in England, at an early age of 47. Whilst his grieved widow was still in the UK, the Tata family headed by Sir Dorab Tata and Lady Meherbai,along with Sir Nowroji Saklatwala, at a familymeet­ ing felt that an adoptedson was neces­ sary for the uthamnaceremony. As luck would have it, their choice fell on me, since my mother was Sir Ratan's favor­ ite cousin.

On (her) returnfrom the UK, Lady Navajbai Ratan Tata took the familydecision as a moral obligation and playedtheroleofa fairy mother for which I shall ever be grateful to her. Suffice to say she wantedmewith­ drawn from the Orphanageon her re­ turn from the UK, butthe authorities refused on the grounds that I was a non­ paying Foundationer student and there­ fore the rules did not permit my release from the School. I had, therefore, to continue as a payingboarder till I com­ pleted my matriculation as one of the students of the Orphanage. Needless to say that thereafter I was transplanted to a life of luxury, thanksto my adoptive mother. In anycase, I am grateful to God forgiving me an opportunity to experience pangs of povertx

which, more than anything, molded my character in (the) later years of my life.

It is indeed difficult to for­

getmy debt of gratitude to an institutionwhich, despite its limitations of amenities, looked after all the needs (of)

tain and support dependentsofsuch tragedies.

After temporaryrelief from family

the300 boys it was a heaven.Skandan: rare They were the unfortunate off- glimpses spring of parentswho could

unfortunate boys like me.In the absence of such institu- tions, they would havebeen

members in Bombayfor a few months

and a further few months of shelter in the humble house at Navsari in which ...

J. N. Tata was born, my motherfinally

214 Parsiana March 2000

have hardly afforded their children food, clothing and shelter. In addition, they got free educationup to matriculation,

and even vocational trainingfor the drop-

neglected by the societyand withered in wilderness, uncaredfor. Hence, the be­ nign gift of Petits that fulfilledtheir

elementary needs deserve the blessings

of the poor and needy.

As I grew up in life I was extremelyhappy that the late Sir ByramjeeJee­ jeebhoy one day rang me up and wanted meto be a member of the Trust's man­ aging committee and later on I was invited on the board of trustees.Ever since that time I have considered it a pleasureand privilege to serve this in­ stitute in order to pay my debt

of gratitude.

What impressed me most was (the) late Sir Dinshaw Petit's enterprising thought of transforming the humble Orphanage into a dynamic traininginstitute by building an extensive complex in an enviable site in Poona. In its new garb, the present Tech­ nical TrainingInstitute. run on non-communal basis,of­ fers to the inmatesa way of life which,compared to the original Orphanagein Pare!, could be described luxurious.

It offers hundredsof aspiring

youth, regardless of caste and .:reed, educational facilities up to school leav­ ing examination as also an opportunity for a technicaleducation by way of vocationalbias. This is a trend we need in our educational policy in our national interestto eradicate the stagnation of the educational system we inheritedfrom our colonial government.

On the demise of Sir Dinshaw Petit, it is gratifying to note that his young son Nusli is taking an equallykeen and lively interest in the institutions en­ dowed by his family. I have not the slightest doubt that under his able stew­ ardship,these institutes willfulfil not only the hopes and ideals of the founder but will undergo further development to earn the blessings of the general public.

From: 'A Reminiscence' by Naval Tata, 1987.

Elections '71

Naval Tata always felt that there was not

a single memberfrom industry in Parlia­ ment who could speakfreely and answer any chargesmade against it in general, and employers in particular. Even if there were a couple of them in Parliament, they were not able to speak freely because of the dictatesand manifestos of the parties which got them electedto Parliament. Whilst there were members to project and protect the interests of all lobbies,cotton, sugar, eta!, and more so the trade

216 Parsiana March 2000

unions to represent workers, the number of effective members from industry was negligible.

When the Congress party first split in 1970-71 withNijalingappa represent­ ing Congress (0)- what was known as the Syndicate- and IndiraGandhi rep­ resenting Congress (I)-- Indiraor Indi­ cate- they had to face the electorate for

,;.;;r,

Taw (in jeep, secondfrom riJ?hfJ during his electioncampaiwz

the parliamentary electionin 1971. All thewell-known senior leaderswere with the Congress (0), and Gandhi,with the socialists within the party, with Con­ gress (I).

In the South Bombay constituency,

George Fernandes was the candidateof the Socialist party. He was a sitting member having defeatedthe late S. K. Patil of the undivided Congressin the previous election, and getting the nick­ name of "George the Giant Killer." The Congress party announced the name of Dr N. N. Kailas.Fernandes, very well known at that time for stoppingthe wheels of industry(and its progress?) and pulse of Bombay city by holding charge of unions in the essential ser­ vices like the BEST, municipality, etc was sure to win the electionagainst a not well known candidate like Kailas. How­ ever, some industrialists who had to face the wrath of Fernandes' militanttrade unions in their establishments were bent upon defeating him at all costs. Spear­ headed by the late Babubhai Chinai,Nusli Wadia and other industrialists ap­ proached N. A. Palkhivala to contest the election. While he declined,it seems that he suggestedNaval Tata's name and all of them approached Tata with their request. Tata felt that his presence

as an independent candidate would give him a chanceto talk freely in Parliament and defend the attack againstindustry and employers, especially from the mem­ bers of Parliament representing trade unions and agreedto their request. He also felt that this was a 'Godsent' oppor­ tunity for him. Before filing his nomina­ tion, his industrialist friends approached the Shiv Sena chief and sought

his help.This was necessary,

sinceout of the six assemblysegments falling under the South Bombay Parliament con­ stituency,the Shiv Sena had a stronghold on a coupleof them. The Shiv Sena promised a clear lead of l 0,000 votes for Tata fromthe Girgaum constituency which was their bastton and they fulfilled their promise.

After filing his nomination, Tata told Swaminathan, his ex-­ ecutive assistant, whom he used to consult on all matters, about his intentionto fight the election. I still rememberwhat

Swaminathan told Tata: "Allthrough­ out your life, you have been successful in your terms of officein the ILO (Inter­ national Labour Organisation), EmpIoy­ ers' Federation of India, IndianHockey Federation (in fact, it was duringTata' s presidency of IHF that India won three consecutive Olympicgold medals inhockey-in 1948 in London,in 1952 in Helsinki and in 1956 in Melbourne) and therefore, at the fag end of your career, you should not lose that image.Person­ ally, I am unhappyabout your decision to enter into politics." Tata told Swaminathan that he was contesting the election only to protect the interests ofemployers and defend them on the spot He further told him that his very pres­ ence in Parliament would createa good impact forthe industry, thoughhis voice. may be weak.

A confidential message was sent from

Gandhi to Tata that if she had known of his intention to enter Parliament even as an independent candidate, she would have put a very weak candidate against him so that he could win but since Congress (I) had already announcedthe name of their candidate who had filed his nomination, she felt it was too late. However, it was learntthat she wished Tata successin the election! Inciden­ tally, I rememberTata telling me during the election time that the Jan Sangh had offered him a seat to contest from Mad-

hya Pradesh in 1957 which he declinedsince he did not want to contest on any party ticket. The Congress party also offered a seat to Tata in 1957 from the South Bombay constituency, but Tata refused as "the free enterprising House of Tatas cannot see eye to eye with the Congress policy of state enterprise."

The election campaignstarted in right earnest with daily padayatras in the mornings, visits to various groups of people, pressconferences, meetings, pro­ cessions, etc. Tata's entry in the fray shook Fernandes since he knew that if there was to be a triangular contest with a heavyweight like Tata, his chances of winning were not bright. Though some of Tata's colleagues had reservations about his decisionto contestthe elec­ tion, he received spontaneous and un­ solicitedsupport from all quarters like the Jan Sangh, Communists and work­ ers from various trade unions cutting across partyline. This was because as a man he had created an image of a friend of the weak and poor.

Nana Chudasama, the ex-sheriff of Bombay, was one of the contestants who had filed his nominationas an independent candidate. However, he withdrew later on and supported Tata and campaigned for him wholeheart­ edly. During the election time his ban­ ners on Marine Drive in support ofTata read:

"Trust the man who mans the trust;" "Two Ns together are unbeatable - Nana backsNaval."

Everyafternoon there used to be a press conference and Tata used to give answers to any charges levelled against him and his campaigning. I give below a couple of questionsput to him by the Press and his answers.

Q: "There is a report that you put up a vulgar display of wealth in your elec­ tion campaign.What have you to say? I am referring to the report of your using costly terrycot cloth banners, insteadof cheap cotton cloth banners during your election campaign."

A:"Yes, it is true, but I would like to tell you that there is a charity angle behind it. Normally, afterthe election, the political parties throw away their banners. But I suggested goingin for good qualitycloth for making banners because after the election, I could do­ nate it to charity organizations for mak­ ing clothes for poor people and stu­ dents." He further said that his friends had formed a Tata MitraMandai and

218 Pars/ana March 2000

after the elections, they would take care of the bannersand distribute the clothes whetherhe won or lost.

The phrase 'siphoning off profit' was asallergic to Tata as the word 'profit'to Pandit Nehru. At another press confer­ ence, one reporterasked Tata: "George Fernandes has levelledcharges that some Tata Companiessiphon off theirprof­ its." Tata retorted: "Never use that word

At the releaseof the book (from/eft) Skandan,Simo_ne Tata and Sohrab Godrej

again; say, 'avail of the profit' from one company for anotherwithin the group." He ·continued that if Empress Mills (which was the Founder's first venture in Nagpur) had not made use of its fortunes, TISCO (The Tata Ironand SteelCompany Limited), TELCO(The TataEngineering and Locomotive Com­ pany Limited) and various othercompa­ nies would not have been established during that time. By availingof the profit of one companyfor another, the Tata group was able to start new indus­ tries, thereby creating more employ­ ment and contributing to revenue bywaysof excise duty, sales tax and other levies to government. Therefore, in avail­ ing of profitof one prosperous company by another sickcompany which the man­ agement felt viable, there was no harm in doing so and it was not bad business. He however concededthat there were 'black sheep' in every walk of life­ industry, trade unions, medicalprofes­ sion, legal profession, etc and to single out industryalone was not fair. It there was a feeling that availing of profit from one company by another withinthe group was for any purposeother than savinga sick unit, the government and financial institutions haveall the powersto stop it. He concluded that availingof profit to save anothercompany which was viable was not a crime.

At one of the electionmeetingsof

the Congress candidate, Kailas, the late

Y. B. Chavan, who was a cabinet min­

isterat the Center at that time, said: "I am surprised that a 'capitalist and ex­ ploiter' like Tata is contesting the Par­ liamentaryelections and what role would he play in Parliament?" Tata replied to him throughthe Press that if trade union leaders,doctors, lawyers, cotton/sugar lobbies, etc couldcontest an election,why can an industrialist not do so to protectthe interests of the industry?He further stated that Tatas were the first to put into practice trust­ eeship capitalism and their recordcan be appropriately traced to Jamsetji Tata andhis sons, who placed virtually the whole of their wealthin philanthropic trusts for the people to be used exclu­ sively for theirbenefit. The concept was to complete the cycle and ensure that what came from the people went back to them many times over, which was much before MrChavanwas born'' ...

Talking about corruption in politics,

he put a counter questionto a reporter: "You know what is the difference be­ tween a pickpocket and a Congress­ man?" He himself gave the answer."The former first picks the pockets and goes to jail, while the lattergoes to jail first and then picks the pockets. 1have done neither!"

In reply to another question, Tara said

that the ILO is a triangle with equal rights to government, employer and worker. However, the MRTP (Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices) Act has ex­ empted trade unions in the matterof hold­ ing office-bearership. Whereasthere is a restriction that an employercannot be­ come a directorof more than 20 or 25 companies, a trade union leader can be­ come president/chairman of any numher of unions. Tata always felt that this was most unfair to employers. He, therefore, pleaded with governmentthat a trade. union leader could have a hold of only a ce1tain number of unions or, say, I0 lakh workers, whichever may be higher. This was in consonance with the ILO philoso­ phy.

Talking about the "right to strike" Tata had this to say: If trade union lead­ ers feel that "the right tostrike" is a

fundamental right, then employers should also be given that right to "lock out." Otherwise, this would be some­ thing like a man holding a gun at one end of the table and the other unarmeddur­ ing negotiations.

Talking aboutabsenteeism in indus­ try, Tata used to cutaj.oke:"A supervisor went to hisshop floorand found nine machines workingbut the I Oth machine wasidlebecausetheworkerwasnot present. After waiting for five, 10and 15 minutes, the worker who was supposed to be operating the lOthmachinecoolly walked in. The supervisoraskedhim: 'Where had youbeen?'The worker re­ plied: 'Sir, I wentforahaircut.'The supervisor was surprised and further asked him: 'Youwentforahaircutonmytime?' to which the worker replied:'What can I do Sir, it grew on your time."'

Talking about retrenchment/dismiss­ als, Tata used to say that the labor laws are framed in such a way that today it is very easy for (him) to get a divorce from his wife, but impossible to get rid of a worker from (his) factory.

While talkingabout 'tripartism' in

dealing with issues pertaining to indus­ trial relations, Tata used to have a dig at the Indian Communists and their trade unions who drew inspiration from their big brothers - Russia and China. InIndiawe practice 'tripartism' in the real sense i.e. government, worker and em­ ployer, while the Communistcountries also practice tripartism but it is more in

the form of "army, navy and force." Tata's election campaign was con­

ducted in a very clean way and he never

madeany personal attacks against the other contestants. However, if others did, he defendedhimself by giving properand convincing replies.

During one of the sharing-the-plat­

formmeetings with all other contestants, when a memberfrom the crowdwanted to ask him a question, he was shouteddown by Tata' s supporters. Tata immediately intervenedand allowed him to have his say. Tata was asked what would be his stand, if he is electedto Parliament, on an issue which he feels is against the interests of employers. He replied: "Ifl feel that the issue is in the overall interestof the nation as a whole, I would wholeheartedly sup­ port it, irrespective of whether the pro­ posal emanated from Congress (1), (0), Jan Sangh or even from the Commu­ nists."

Tata had the advantage in the shar­ ing-the-platform meetingsover other contestants. The rule for such meetingswas that all the speakersshould be present till the entire meetingwas over and they should not go away after their speech. Since the speakerswere se­ lected in alphabetical order, Tata was

the last speakerand the advantage he had was to listen to all speakersand give them proper replies.

Inmy opinion, Tata would have definitely won the election had not Fernandeshit him below the belt. As Tata' s election campaign gainedmo­ mentum and he was getting support from all quarters, Fernandesbecame nervous and he was smelling'defeat.' However, he never wantedTata to win the electionand he did not mind Kailas getting elected. Therefore, just a couple of days beforethe polling, he sent word to his supporters to divert his votes to Kailas since he did not want a 'capital­ist' to win the election.Otherwise, how can a sittingMP, and a 'Giant Killer' lose his securitydeposit?

Finally, the difference in votes be­

tween Kailas, who ultimatelywon the election, and Tata was only just below 20,000 votes and it was the narrowest as compared to the electionresults of other industrialists in other parts of India, all of whom were defeated by a margin of over one to two lakhs of votes because that election witnessed an 'Indira wave.'

From 'Naval H. Tala's Parliamentary Election Campaign in South Bombay in 1971.'

INGERSOLL-RAND

Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited,RhSne-Poulenc House, S. K. Ahire Marg, P. 0. Box 9138, Mumbai- 400 025. Tel: 022-493 6765, Fax: 022-495 0516.

220 Parsiana March 2{)()0

BOOKS

Researching the Gathas

The Gathas Of Zarathushtra by Piloo Nanavutty. Publishedin 1999 by Mapin Pub­ lishing Private Limited,Chidambaram, Ahmedabad 380013.Pp: 173. Price:Rs 650.

There have been many translations of the Gathas- the songs of Zarathushtra

- before this one. Indeed the author

herself, in collaboration with Dastur Framroze Bode, produced one which was well received.But PilooJungalwalla who writes under her maiden name Nanavutty, felt she still did not know enough about the subject and thus it neededseven long years of dedicated research andscholarship to producethis

Christianity and Islam.

The introductiontothistextex­

plains various Zoroastrian concepts

-the six attributes of Ahura Mazda, the one God: Asha, the cosmic order; vohu mana, the good mind;kha­ shathra, sovereignty and power; armaiti, loving devotion; haurvatat,

perfection; ameretat, im­ mortality.

The text startswitha creationmyth, not a part of

theGathas, and then goes on to translate and explain the fiveextantGathas. Per­

haps the most important part of this translation of the songs of Za-rathustra are the detailed and illu­ minatingcommentaries

through the good mind and upholds it, becomes Ahura Mazda's ally in creat­ ing a perfect world.

Monotheism is the guiding principle

of the religion and this is strongly re­ flected in the Gathas. Passiveaccep­ tance, or only trustin God, is not re­ quired. The world is far from perfect. It is rather a battleground between good and evil, existingfrom the beginning of time in order, perhaps,to provide free­ dom of choice, a concept always em­ phasized in Zoroastrianism, for withoutsuch freedom, goodnesshas little mean­ ing. As each personsees the truth and acts accordingly, the world becomes perfect and suffering is destroyed.

Every Zoroastrian knows the essence

of the religion: humata, hukta, huva­ rashta -good thoughts, good words,

book.

Nanavutty: dedicated

which explain,elucidate

good deeds.Zarathushtra's insistence

According to the late to the task

Eckehard Kulke, lecturer

of sociologyat Freiburg University and

authorof the book The Parsees in India, the A vesta,the holy book of the Parsis, was attributed to Zoroaster himselfand was originally supposed to contain 21 books. Today it containsonly four, of which the Yasna is one. The famous 17 hymns, divided into five Gathas, are part of the Yasna. This new version has beenput together in a way which en­ hances understanding and necessitates a new approachto their content.

The Gathas are one of the oldest texts of mankindin which Zarathushtra (or

Zoroaster as the Greeks called him), speaks of the truth revealed to him by the one God, Ahura Mazda. Zoroastri­ anism is believedto be one of the most ancient of therevealed religions, but

also the least known.

It is not knownexactly when Za­ rathushtra lived or when these hymns were composed. TheGreeks placed him around 6000 BC but western scholars believed he lived between 2000-1000. Sasanian priests thoughthe lived 258 yearsbefore Alexander conquered Iran, whichworks out to 600 BC. Whatever the facts, it is widelyacknowledged that Zoroastrian beliefs influenced the four major religions- Buddhism, Judaism,

and vividly capturethe es-

sence of the teachings, combining analysis and elegant writing,

with a style that is both disciplined and transparent. Vedic parallels to the Gathas are providedall along, thus aiding in comparisonand research, forstudents

of this ancient Aryantradition.

TheGathas begin with the lament of Gaush Urva, literally the 'soul of the cow,' symbolizing the suffering and oppressed of the world.She appeals to Ahura Mazda for help and he sends Zarathushtra to her. In the next Yasna, Zarathushtra prays to Ahura Mazda, "MayI reach you in fullness of knowl­ edge that comesfrom the good mind," and he promisesto uphold truth and goodness forever. The following Yasna deals with the originof evil, while Yasna 31 provides importantguidelines for those who wish to lead a life dedicated to Mazda.

"Oh Mazda from the beginning/you fashionedfor us/physical bodiesand awakened conscience and a/directive intelligence/through your own Mind./ You infused life breath/into mortal forms./You granted us/capacities to act and true teaching to guide us/so that we could choose to be with you or against you."

A person who understandstruth

was that allthree must be combined into

a single unity for the greatest benefitand effect. Good deeds must extend not only to one's fellowmenbut also to the envi­ ronment, to plants and to animals.All living thingsmust be caredfor and treated with love.

Thus, while for aZoroasu·ian the

Gathas form the basis of the religion, for

a non-Zoroastrian they provide a subtly differentunderstanding of the relation­ ship between God and humanity,in which the essential role of the individual is to fight for good against evil.

This is a beautifully producedbook

with relevantillustrated material to en­ hance and explainthe text. One illustra­ tion is from a pagefrom an unpublished manuscript at the Bibliotheque Natio­ nale, Paris, which examinesthe Zoroas­ trian versionof the Story of Creationas interpreted in the Gathas.The beautiful illustration on the cover depictsa Sasa­ nian seal in the British Museum,Lon­ don. It shows an afarganor fire censer with leaping flames, in the centerof which is a horse with forelegs and head reaching upwards- a symbol of the ascending power of prayer.

The task of truly translating such a

work is indeed formidable. The author is deeply sympathetic to the spirit of the original. Itportrays the spiritual struggle

222 Parsiana March 2000

of the human soul for goodnessand perfection and the vision of God in all things.

JuanMascaro in his introduction to his translation of the Bhagvad Gita writes:

"The spiritual visions of man con­ firm and illumineeach other. We have the cosmic greatnessof Hinduism, the moral issues of Zoroaster, the joy in truth of Buddha, the spiritual victoryof ·Jainism, the simple love of Tao, the wisdom of Confucius, the poetry of Shinto, the one God of Israel,the re­ deeming radianceof Christianity, the glory of the God of Islam,the harmony of the Sikhs. Great poems in different languages but they are all poetryand in them we have lampsof fire that burn totheglory of God."

The Gathas werewritten to celebratethe glory of God. NERGIS DALAL

* * *

Palkhivala's portfolio

Nani Palkhivala, SelectedWritings edited by

L. M. Singhvi, M. R.Pai and S. Ramakrishnan. Puhlisl:ted in 1999 b'JVi.kinQ/Bhavan's Book University,Penguin Books India (Private) Limited, 11, CommunityCenter, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi110017. Pp: xxxiv+330.

Price: Rs 395 (hardcover).

I remember today,with some amuse­ ment, how the first time I accompanied my husband to the spacious lawns of the Cricket Club oflndia(Bombay) to listen to a public lecture on the Union Budget, I had protestedall the way in the car. I was not remotely interested in fiscal policies or the philosophy of taxation; and my monthly householdbudget I managed competently enough by jug­ gling an assortment of envelopes inwhichI deposited cash earmarked for 'daily bazaar,' 'milkman,' 'dhabi,'etc. So why had I agreed to sit through a dusty sermon on debts and interest rates and borrowings and -heaven help me

-what else?

Butthe evening turnedout to be magical. And the magicianbehind the mike was Nani Palkhivala. The over­ flowing audience he had attracted(this was in the late '60s), told me that I was present not at a discoursebut a national event.

Why,this man was a wizard! I mar­ velled that one head could store all the

Palkhivala addressing a spellbound audience

224 Parsiana March 2000

facts and figures and statistics he tossed at us withouta single note to aid his memory. I marvelled at the eleganceof his language, the persuasiveness of his arguments.

This man was a honey-tongued ora­ tor! His post-budgetspeech

that evening was replete

with humor and irony, punctuatedwith quotations from literature and refer­ ences to history,to wise, ancientIndian texts and modern physics.He had the sensibilities of a Renais­ sance man.

As the numbers at Pal­ khivala's yearly talks in­ creased, the venuewas shifted from theClub lawns

to the extensive grounds oftheBrabourne

Stadium (hometurf of cricketers), and a photograph on the dust jacket of the book under review has capturedone such pensive, disciplined audience for posterity. (In a past incarnation the groundshad resounded with shouts and whistles..., raucoU£witticisms.. and S.QG­ radicbursts of firecrackers from cricket­ crazed spectators, so different from this hushed crowd participating in a cerebral exercise that was somehow so chasten­ ing...)

Offered as a labor of love to com­ memorate the 80th birthdayof this bril­ liant public educator, Nani Palkhivala, Selected Writingsis compiled by a three­member editorial committee: Dr L. M. Singhvi, eminent jurist and Member of Parliament;human rights and social ac­ tivist M. R. Pai; and S. Ramakrishnan, director general of the BharatiyaVidya Bhavan worldwide.The16 pages of

black and white photographs illustrate the vast canvas of Palkhivala's boy­ hood, family and public life.

The book covers a wide arc of sub­ jects from the temporalto the spiritual and is divided into segments like envi­

ronment, law, democracy,

taxation, education, per­

sonalities, etc. Palkhivala' s contributions as lawyer, teacher,author and eco­ nomic developerare im­ mense, even so it is evident from the first few pages that the man himselftow­ ers over his achievements. And in the profile at the beginningof the volume the editorsconcede that it iseasiertodefineana­

tionaland international persona than the essence of a man who walks in grace. For how do you describe the fragrance exuded by an honest man?

That he is able to combineintegrity with pragmatism is what makes Palkhi­vala aliving legend- and a Zoroastrian Qar ex.cellen.ce .. He s.eek£fot: meanin.'bs_ of his principles and concepts in their practical application (the gooddeedis not far behind the good thought and word), and apparently agrees with phi­ losopher WilliamJames that the func­ tion of thought is to guide action.Most powerfulmen have no time to deal with social moralitybut for Palkhivala com­ merce and ethicsmove in tandem. And this collection -culled from his essays, prefaces, speeches, profilesand corre­ spondence- bears ample testimony to Palkhivala' s efficient and impeccable style of functioning whether in the court­ room or the corporate field, as India's

ambassador to the UnitedStates or as activist and reformer in the public arena at home.

A highbrow Palkhivala may be, but he has never been an ostrich: he sees things as they are. He sees the moral crisis writ largeon our political scene. He sees thatwhile the poor in ourcoun­ tryendure injustice withfeudalistic ser­ vility, the trader/businessman prefersto circumvent an unjust law or wriggleout of an unfairlevy rather than fight for its repeal. He sees thatstate controls have suffocated our enterprises and entrepre­ neurship and damned the majority of our people to subhuman squalor- and spells out ways and means by whichwealth must firstbe created beforeit can be distributed.

He seeswhat is happeningtoour

cities. In his elegy on the Bombayhe once knew and loved, he expresses as much regret and nostalgia as Salman Rushdie in his fictive representations of the city. In the last seven decades Palkhi­ vala saw Bombay grow, bloom, then sadlydecay. "Surfeit and claustropho­ bia"sent the protagonist of Rushdie's latest novel, The GroundBeneath Her Feet, baring out of Bombay. This citi­ zen, we ferventlyhope, is not going anywhereeven while endorsing the com­ ment made by The Economist (Lon­ don): "Bombay is the most expensive slum in the world." (Here I may add that Palkhivala surely sees the necessity for humor in these bleak days if a man is to workwith a degree of sanity for the causes he holds dear.)

Farsighted enough to believe in qual­ ity education (with spiritual undertonesand millennia! overtones) for the regen­ eration of our country, Palkhivala's ad­ vocacy of this 'priorityof priorities' as the universalpanacea for all our woes is impassioned and unremitting. You have to start with the youth, he believes,par­ ticularly the girl child."Education ...must be inwardlyappropriated," he writes; and what you claim for your own when you are young colorsyour entire life.He quotes: "In the lost boyhoodof Judas/ Christ was betrayed."

"Without the guidancewhich can be derived only from liberal education," he writes, "a whole generation has grown up which is content to see crime and violence,casteism and communalfrenzy become the order of the day.More crimi­ nals have openly entered publiclife than ever before." His disenchantment with our ignorantprofessional politicians is

226 Parsiana March 2000

total,his criticism of them trenchantand deliciously quotable:"Their critical per­ ception is no higher than 40 watts." And again, "...for portly politicians, goodly in girth, povertyis good business: they talk continually about garibi (poverty) without having the will, the expertiseor imagination to eradicateit." And "Elec­ tions have been reduced to a horse race by contesting politicians -the differ­ ence being that the horse is highly trained."

Palkhivala is perhaps the most ar­ ticulate and formidable critic of what isdistorted in the Indian scenario. Yet as I put down his book I was left with the feeling that he had from a hidden source imbibed the spirit of optimism; and that with our ancientseers and sages and mahayogis (Aurobindo leaps tomind) he sharesa buoyant faith in the ultimate high destiny of India.

DINA MEHTA

* * *

Outlines and insights

Outlines of Parsi History, Zoroastrian Reli­ gion and Ancient IranianArt, a restructured edition of Outlines of ParslHistory by Dastur (Dr) Hormazdyar Kayoji Mirza. Condensedand edited by Ervad(Dr)RamiyarParvez

.Karanjia. Published in 1999 by the Societyfor the Promotion of Zoroastrian Religious Knowl­ edge and Education and the ZartoshtyBroth­ ers Fund Sub Committee, R-11,Central Bank Bldg, Sir Homi Modi Street;Bombay 400023.

Pp: xxxii + 215. Price: Not mentioned.

Dastur (Dr) Hormazdyar Kayoji Mirza, seniormost High Priestandrevered scholar of theParsicommunity, had broughtout in 1974a book titled Out­ lines of Parsi History.A magnum opus, and the outcome of a lifetime of scholar- ship, the title of the• ·".:"' · bookreallydoes not

reflect the magnitude of the subjectunder re­ view. Dastur Mirza has covered the entire Parsi history from the first King Gayomard to the present time, both in Iran and India.Not only that, but he has covered the entire gamutofZoroastrian

religion, cultureand , art. These have been corroborated by innu­ merable references and

copiousfootnotes,

thereby making this volume one of the most authenticworks on this subject. A second revised edition was brought out

·in 1977.

At the same time, because of the nature of the work involved, the book

has become quitep:

heavy both physi­

cally (about 525 pages) and tech­ nically.The So­ ciety for the Pro­ motion of Zoro­ astrian Religious Knowledge and Education there­

fore decided to Mirza: lifetimeof

make available scholarship

thisvoluminous

work in a lighter version for the benefit

of lay people. Founded in 1903 by a large numberof eminent Zoroastrians of the time, this Society has worked in the field of religious knowledgeand culture for nearly a century. With the help of the Zartoshty BrothersFund, the work was entrustedto Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Parvez Karanjia, principal of Bombay's Athornan Boarding Madressa, who carried it out diligently and has now brought out the original work of Dastur Mirzain a condensed and restructurededition.

This new work contains about 215 pages but retainsall the chapters of the original work. The book isbeautifully designed with the frontand back covers displaying photos of the remnantsof the Achemenian dynasty. It is divided into threemajor parts: 'ParsiHistory,' 'The Zoroastrian Religion' and 'IranianArt.' In order to understand the nature and importance of this work, it is appropri­ ate to quoteErvad Nadir Ardeshir Modi,

president of the Soci­ ety: "This book is an

attractively presented compendium of au·­

thentic information not only on Zoroastrian history but also on Zo­ roastrian religionand culture by a distin­guished scholar-duo­

·one blessed with age and experience and the other with youth and vitality -and both being devoteesof knowledge and wis­ dom.

"In the Zoroastrian

world, age and youth have seldom col­ laboratedso well in a cause (as) worthy as this.

"Every intelligent Zoroastrian will pick up this book with anticipation and put it down with satisfaction.

"For any community (as for any indi­ vidual) the best possible preparation for the future has to be based upon the best possible knowledge of its past. This need is suppliedby this book, a copy ofwhich ought to be owned by every Zoroastrian." In fact, both the books,the original and the presentabridged one oughtto be owned by every Zoroastrian -one for

affirmthe same thoughtthrough the ancient saga that Firdausi penned centu­ ries ago.

Yet as a Zarathoshti I wanted the

', book to reveal

the meaningbe­

hind the count­ less wars, bat­

tles, duels and deaths recoun­ ted on page af­ ter page after page. The knowledge came. Its very

With Compliments Of

the detailed study andreference work.

the other for the simple narration.

ERVAD (Dr) ROOYINT AN P. PEER

Karanjia: quality of

documentation

length made me

internalize the work to discover

Manize

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228 Parsiana March2000

* * *

Sagas of the Shahnameh

The Iranian epic... Shahnameh ... in serialised stories- Kayan by Ramiyar P. Karanjia. Publishedin 1999 by Havovi and Ervad Dr Ramiyar P. Karanjia, AthornanMadressa, 651-52, FirdausiRoad, Mancherji Joshi Parsi Colony, Dadar, Bombay400014. Pp: 278.

Price: Rs 150.

TheShah Nameh or book of kings is not about ordinary people like you and me. It is about kings and queens, princes and princesses. About strongand brave sol­ diers and warriors.

Theoriginal Shahnameh is set in verse. One gets lost in the beauty of its words and rhymes, but in this book one focuses on a different grandeur,the his­ torical grandeurthat the venerable Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia refers to in his introduction: "Some people believe that thePeshadian and Kayaniandynasties are mythological and not historical... However, one should remember that these ... (are) in the realm of pre-history where the art of writing was not evolved... (But) ... it may not be long before ar­ cheological evidences from the sixth and seventhmillennium BC are avail­ able." The book focuseson and brings great clarity to the history of the ancient Kay an dynasty.

Mulling over its pages, I was struck by the author'shigh quality of docu­ mentation and his familiarity with the original ShahNameh. And that he does not seek to put an interpretation to his faithful narration of events,but leaves it to the reader to go whereit will takehim. It reminds me of the first holy name of Ahura Mazda in the HormazdYasht­ NamaAhmi- I am! This book seems to

that it elucidates aspects of power, con­ flict (good verses evil), fame and for­ tune in the personae of Rustam, Sarah, Piran, rival King Afrasiyaband many other kings who ascended the Iranian throne, including King Gushtasp and theholy prophet Zarathushtra (spelled Zartosh in the book).

Also touchedon are the softer as­ pectsof loyalty and love (as for ex­ amplebetween a horse and its owne ). A great sense of righteousness was felt by the heroes as they foughtfor theirking, country, family and even for themselves. Prayerand devotion also find a place in this story. War­ riors prayed beforeattacking the en­ emy,during difficult momentsand even for miraclesand miraculous pow­ ers. And in this saga the prayersare heard, wishes granted,desires ful­ filled. The strenuous effortsare fol­ lowed by relaxation, repose and feast­ ing. And the unswerving worshipof Ahura Mazda by the great King Kae Khushru towardthe end of his reign epitomizes the meaning of detach­ ment: he shed worldlypursuits in hisquestfor things spiritual.

Initially I was startledby Gulshan Dalal's illustrations. The civilian clothes worn by men are a prototypeof Zara­ thushtra' s garb as depicted in all popular pictures of him. It's like seeingthe Prophet's extendedfamily and commu­ nity! And the Shah Nameh may well be the context in which Zarathushtra lived and preached.

The book makes good reading for adults and older children.Portraying as it does a very ancienthuman saga, its theme and world-view must be savored

within the context of the times in which it was written. HUTOKHSHI P. COOPER

230 Pwsiana March 2000

With Best Compliments From

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232 Parsiana March 1999

168, Hilla Mans, Bora Bazar, Fort, 400001; January 16

Adi Desai (88), 304, Zaveri Bldg, Corner of Grant Rd, 400007; January 17 Khorshed Darabshaw Siganporia (73), 39, Ahmed Bldg, Gunpowder Rd,

Mazgaon, 400010; January 17 Dara SorabjiFitter (68), JorawarBhavan, Marine Lines, 400020; January 18

Phiroze Meherji Kirolwala(79), 17/B/11,Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; January 18

Putla Jal Patel (82), Clover,

Sleater Rd, 400007; January 18 Fardoon Klwdadad Irani (84), 40, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Rd, 400004; January 19

Nergish Jal Poonegar (80), 730, J. Vimadalal Rd, Parsi

Clny, Dadar, 400014;

BIRTHS

Boys Girls

MARRIAGES

Parsi

INTERCOMMUNAL

Males married out Females married out

DEATHS

CONSIGNED

Males Females

CREMATED

Males Females

FIGURES AT A GLANCE*

Bombay India World

This issue1999.2000°This issue1999+ 2000° This issue 1999+ 2000°

January 19

Hosang Jamshedji Zaiwala (72), 212-C/24, Shivganga Co­ op Hsg Soc, Gorai II, Borivli (W), 400091;

January 19

Cool Adi Blwrucha (70), 622,

•Running totals for 1999 (January1999-March 2000 issues) oRunning totals for 2000 (January 2000-March2000 issues)

Overseas deaths are listed in the consigned column as Parsiana doesnot have a breakupof those cremated.

*These figurespertain to information providedto or collected by Parsiana. They do not representthe total number of births, marriages and deaths in the Zoroastrian communityin India and abroad.

234 ParsianaMarch 1999

IN MEMORIAM

Patrawala's Portfolio

Whena group of Zarathushtis gathered together at the BombayParsi Punchayet (BPP) board room on October 20, 1999 at 10.30 a.m. to bid adieu to homeward bound Iranianconsul general Sayed Kamal Yasini, there was no inkling that itwould be one among them that the rest were to see for the last time. A low-key MarazbanPatrawala(50).

looking fairer than his nor­ mal fair self- but quieter

- took his place at the

crowded table only to slip away as the proceedings progressed. It was a busy day for politicians in Bombay as some of the leg­ islators had been sworn in a day earlierand more were tobe sworn in this day. Per­

hapsthe recently reelected Congress MLA (Memberof the Legislative As­ sembly) was preoccupied ...

By midday Bombay's political, legal

and communitycircles were accosted by the shock of barrister-politician Patrawala' s passing.On returning home in increasing discomfort, he had suf­ fered a fatal heart attack before medical help could reach.

After the swearingin of some MLA members, Maharashtra chief

minister Vilasrao Deshmukhmoved the condolence motion in the House highlighting Patrawala's learning and legal ski1ls; it was seconded by the leader of the opposition, NarayanRane, who spokeof the loss of "adear colleague;" deputy chief ministerChhagan Bhujbal noted that Patrawala was to be inducted into the cabinetat its next expansion; former deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde referredto Patrawala's opennessto criti­ cism even fromopposition members, payingdue atten­ tion to theirviews and sugges­ tions, accordingto the After-

Patrawala (above) with Rajiv Gandhi(alongside)

236 Parsiana March 2000

Arnavaz S. Mama

noon Despatch and Courier(ADC) of October 21, 1999.

After paying itstributes to its de­ parted member the House adjourned,lending a constantstream of visitorsto the Patrawala residence in Cusrow Baug to pay their last respect. Thus it was only in the late eveningthat the body

was removed to the Doongerwadi where the available Bhabha bungli feB woefully short of the substantial turnoutof mourners at the funeralthe nextmorning, a largenum­ ber being accommodated in the open space outside.

Patrawala' s "crucial

role" in helping the Con­ gressandtheNationalist

Congress Party with legal opinion to form the governmentin Maharashtra after the recentlyconcluded elections has been documented by The Indian Express of October21, 1999: "He was oneamong those who had draftedthe letter addressed to the governor in which the Congress staked its claim to form the next government."

Former ministerof law and judi­

ciary and senior advocate Ramrao

Adikspoke to Mid-Day (October 21, 1999) of his 20-year association with Patrawala dating from 1978 when Patrawala, a long-standing Youth Congress leader, became more in­ volved with mainstreampolitics as general secretary of the BombayRe­ gionalCongress (I) Committee. With an LLM and master of management studies from the UK, Patrawalathen practiced at the BombayHigh Court while Adik was advocategeneral of Maharashtra. When the latter became theminister of law and judiciary in 1990,Patrawala was his minister of state. Adik remembers him as "anon­ controversial and straightforward per­ son ... always in good health."

However, as notes Express News line of October 21, 1999 Patrawala was de­ nied the Congress ticket for the Legisla­ tive Assembly po11 in 1995 and unsuc­ cessfu11y contestedthe 1996 Lok Sabha election as a Samajwadi party candi­ date. He rejoinedthe Congress in 1997.

The resolutionpassedbytheNa­ tional Commission for Minorities at an emergencymeeting on October21 notes, "We fondlyrememberourlongand lively association with him and find it extremely difficultto believe that he is no more alive.Patrawala wi11

alwayslive in the hearts of those who have known him as an eminent member of the Parsi Zoroastrian minority,a brilliant lawyer, an activestatesman and above a11, a very fineand charm­ ing human being."

Detailing Patrawala' s career,

the BPP resolution passed on October 26, 1999 acknowl­ edges, "Patrawala was always availablefor advice to the trust­ ees when requested and this meeting places on record its appreciation of his meritorious services to the Parsi commu­ nity."

"I had the privilege of know­ ing him for some yearsnow and had great esteem and regard for his erudition, vast reading and continued on page 240

TRIBUTE TO

ARDESHIR CURSETJI IRANI

1855-1939

THE PIONEER CULTIVATOR OF CHICKOO PLANTATION IN GHOLVAD

IN MEMORIAM

The drivingforce

Parinaz M. Gandhi

Marfatia was surprisedhow the suc­ ceeding years brought her closer to the Institutionand to the principal in her capacityas counselor, headmistress of the primarysection and assistant prin­ cipal. "Ma'am treated me like her daugh­ ter. She trained me, she projected me

Died: Roshen Phiroze Framji Driver,

63, principal of the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee CharitableInstitution (BJPCI) and College and chairperson of the Zo­ roastrian Student TeacherAssociation (ZOSTA) on October9, 1999 following cardiac arrest in Bombay.

"She worked selflessly with utmost

dedication towards the cause of giving our Parsi boys and girls a solid platform to grow and develop a true

Zoroastrian identity. She brought the Zoroastrian teachers,past and present,together too," commended the condolence resolution from ZOSTA referring to her expertiseand leadership in nurturing ZOSTAfor over two decades.Within the course of a fortnight there were threecondolence

mented Rati Wadia, principal of Queen

Mary School,remarking how Driver was

respected by the departmentand minis­ try of education.

During the 28 years she was princi­

pal of the BJPCI, she succeededin

raising the standardand reputation of the school. By converting it into a co­ educational, cosmopolitan institution, introducing self-defense classes,job ori­ ented courses, remedial

training, the school band, she

ensured that her students had opportunities for overall de­ velopment. "Energetic, en­ thusiastic and full of fore­ sight, she had contributed greatly to the ... progress and welfare of the pupils,staff and the school," notedthe condolence resolution passed by the trustees of the

and I am very gratefulto her for all that

she has taught me of administration,"

acknowledges Marfatia.

Involved as she was with several ad­ ministrative responsibilities, Driver found time to tutor only select classes,child development being one of the subjectsshe specialized in. Yet being the person she was, teachersand students always found there was a lot to learn from her. As recalled Godrej J. Khandadia in the Jam­ e-Jamshed,"I had the good fortuneto work as a science-mathematics teacher for 24 years under her able principalship, but had neverfound her losingher temper or speaking in harsh words to any of the staff members or to any parent or to the general public...She never allowed any one of us to feel thatshe was our...superior. She always remainedcheerful and active even underdifficult situations."

After her early education at the Prin­

meetings summoned inDriver: all for

Driver's memory. While theeducation

ZOSTA condolence meet-

Institution on October 13,

1999. To her also goes the credit for starting the junior

cess School, Driver(nee Mistry) pro­

ceededtostudyforherBAfrom Bombay's Wilson College,MA from St

ingwasheldonOctober26,theone convened by the BJPCI was on October 18, and the meeting by the32nd West Bombay Pioneer Scoutson October 31. "The south zone schools have lost a true friend, a zealous worker and a very noble lady," noted atributefrom Manthan, a Forum of Principals formed at the initiative of theSecondaryEducation Department. "Her cheerful, positive atti­ tude to life has helpedso many princi­ pals, teachers, parents and students," mentioned a condolence letter from Bapsy Chubb, principal of the CumballaHill High School.Referring to her as a "stal­ wart Zoroastriansoldier,"principalof the Bai RuttonbaiF. D. PandayGirls'High School Silloo Commissariat wrote, "I shall never forget her spontaneous laughter, her large-hearted hospitality, her charities, her generosity to the needy and her love and compassionforher children."Driverwasdescribedas"a pillar of strength for all to lean on,"by Dr Armaity Boyce,trusteeoftheBai Ratanbai F. Pavri Girls' High School. "A visionary leader,her spirit, enthusiasm and spunk," were worth emulating, com-

238 Parsiana March 2000

college for commerce and science, (even introducing electronics as a subjectwith

considerable persistence) and thereafter seeing the senior collegein commerce through its infancy along with trustee Keti Mehta, notedsolicitor and social worker, mentions her successor Diana Marfatia. "The BJPC Institution was like a mandir (temple) to our dear Roshen and she always (made reference to) 'my school,my children, my staff,"' men­ tioned a letter from her sister Zarine and brother-in-law Maheli Amalsadvala, being her neighborsat Shapur Baug with whom she shared an emotional bond following the demiseof her hus­ band Phiroze.When her schoolbuilding which she would ofttimesdescribe as "maaropatharno dikro (my solid son)" was declared a heritage building,she was as radiant as the beautifully illumi­ nated structure, noted Wadia.

Return to this Institution after gradu­

ation, Driverhad told Marfatiaduring her first assignment with the BJPCI in

1983 as a studentsocial worker deputed bythe Tata Institute of Social Sciences.Little expecting to heed Driver'swords,

Xavier's College and MEd from St

Xavier's Institute of Education and she is known to have won several prizes in oratory,debate and essay-writing. Be­ fore her long inningsat the BJPCI she was a teacher at the Queen Mary School and the Birla Trust School. Extremelyreligious by nature, Driver would never miss out on an occasion to hold ajashan in the school premises,states Marfatia. And yet, the principal was rational and logical in her beliefs,not fanatic, she adds. She was activelyinvolved in or­ ganizing the first seminar at her school to impart religiousknowledge to Zoro­ astrian studentsof ICSE (Indian Coun­ cil of SecondaryEducation) schools, recalls Wadia. Her determination to climb up to Pir-e-Saabs in Iran five years ago, her heavy frame notwith­ standing, was also remarkable, accord­ ing to her colleagues.

Despite her preoccupation with all

educational activities, Driver made time to serve as treasurer of the International Tourism Council for over a decade, was involved with the Indian Heritage Soci­ etyand the Youth Hostels Association.