Greening the dakhma

While the dakhma in Thana was cleaned up earlier this year with the intention of making it reoperational, the defunct dakhma at the Salsette Parsi colony at Andheri East was cleaned up later in the year as part of the beautification exercise planned by the builders of the new colony.

When the epidemic of 1896 had caused many Bombay citizens to flee to the Salsette island, then extending from Bandra to Thana, Ardeshir B. Patel and other donors contributed towards the construction of a dakhma in Salsette to serve Zoroastrians in the far-flung areas. Over the years it had been lying in disuse so when the 38,000 sq m Salsette complex was planned, it was envisaged that 8,000 sq m (including 3,000 sq m around the dakhma) of the land would be used for the garden (see "Concretizing dreams,” Parsiana, June 1997).

Volunteers dutifully cleaning up the dakhma at the Salsette Parsi colony Photos: Zubin P. Wadia

Cyrus Siganporia, and his band of volunteers came all the way to Andheri by 7 a.m. on October 28, 2001 "and after undergoing the rituals as per the religious prescription...completed the... cleaning and purifying...by 3 p.m.” according to a letter issued by the office bearers of The Salsette Parsis Association, chairman Adi Patel, honorary secretary-trustee Jer Moos and trustee Eruch Hodiwalla.

"Such services should be encouraged and appreciated by all our community members,” note the office bearers, naming all Siganporia’s co-workers: Nozer Sutaria, Shirzad Bhathena, Kerman Mogrelia, Zubin Mistry, Zubin Jasoomani, Rumi Marawalla, Sharukh Govadia, Dinyar Icchaporia, Ardeshir Khushrowshahi, Hoshedar Tampal, Jimmy Siganporia and Kersi Mistry.