Pilgrims march to Udvada

Almost 1,500 Zoroastrians visited the Ervad Ratansha Katila Stopover Lodging Place in Udvada in the last six months, with December showing a record high of 295 visitors, notes a write-up from Prof Khurshed Sheriar. "The facility has succeeded in creating a new stream of pilgrims to Udvada rather than eating into the hotel and dharamshala clientele” as those who avail of its lodging convenience order food from the hotels and dharamshalas of their choice, points out Sheriar. The Katila Place receives not only the hordes of usual weekenders but guests right through the week.

The overwhelming response has resulted in the creation of additional lodging space in the attic, mentioned Sheriar, happy that the ancestral house of Katila is being put to good use by the Youth Wing of the World Zoroastrian Organi­sation (WZO). Pesiba, Porus and Khurshed Sheriar, the nephews of Katila who had inherited the ancestral property when the priest was murdered on September 13, 1997, gifted the estate to the WZO Youth Wing "to perpetuate the fellow-feeling and ideals” the old man had stood for.

During his 78-year life span, Katila never missed a day of worship at the Iranshah, recalls the nephew. Ordained as a yozdathregar mobed at a young age, he performed the bareshnum ceremonies for 25 years at the Iranshah. His insistence on offering pure sandalwood to the holy fire led him to start a sandalwood business in 1946 which he continued to attend till the last day of his life. The orthodox, upright priest also served the local community as a member of the Udvada Samast Anjuman Committee, Seth M. C. Damanwala Dispensary Committee, Bhikhaji Unwalla Library Committee and the Bazme-Khadaman-Iranshah (a society for the welfare of Udvada’s practising priests).

Since its inception on April 18, 2001, the Katila Stopover Lodging Place has been catering to the needs of pilgrims who find the Udvada hotel and dharamshala rates unaffordable. For a moderate fee of Rs 20 per head per day guests are allowed to stay here for a maximum of 48 hours. Hot water is provided free as also clean sheets in a bright and ventilated environment by the hospitable caretakers Noshir and Mani Sodawaterwalla. Optional breakfast can be availed of at an extra Rs 25 per head. "But while the Youth Wing is persevering with the nominal rates it has set, operating costs have been daunting. Incidental expenses too crop up all the time, straining resources,” mentions Sheriar noting that they would welcome donations. Cheques or drafts favoring "The WZO (India) Youth Wing” may be forwarded to the WZO executive board member (youth affairs) Sarosh Bana at 52 Bakhtawar (Main), 22 Narayan Dabholkar Road, Bombay 400006, tel (O): 22883948, (R): 23679717 or e-mail: sarosh_bana@ hotmail.com