Doongerwadi decorum

Almost 10 years ago when I returned to Bombay after retirement and happened to visit Doongerwadi I saw notices displayed on the walls of the bunglis, requesting visitors to observe silence, not to use the mobile phones, etc during the time the prayers were in progress. At that time, I thought that such notices were unnecessary and tantamounted to an insult to our highly cultured and well disciplined Zoroastrian community whose members are known to be aware of their duties/responsibilities and are capable of maintaining proper decorum and dignity required on such solemn occasions.

What I observed, last week, during a geh sarna ceremony, was unimaginable and lamentable: a few visitors conversing in high tones, discussing politics or share bazaar, others using mobile phones. It was highly objectionable and utterly indecent. Use of mobile phones by the members of a bereaved family, in emergency, would be understandable.

DALI J. GUNDEVIA