Basic questions

"This precious handy guide is of immense value not only to a child, but also to elders seeking religious knowledge. As most modern day Zoroastrian children do not know Gujarati, this book fulfills a long felt need for a book in English...” writes Ervad Rustom Panthaki, ex principal of the Athor­nan Boarding Mad­ressa, Dadar, Bombay in his foreword to Marzban Giara’s translation of the late Ervad Burjorji Bajan’s Navjot Shikshak. Giara hopes that the "practical wisdom” gained through this 127-page compact handbook will help the reader, "lead a happier, more purposeful life.”

The Navjote Shikshak was first published in 1899, notes Panthaki. Twelve editions of the book were published in Gujarati, he adds, but Giara’s is the first to be published in English. Some of the topics discussed in a question-answer format include the meaning of God, fire, religion, heaven and hell, sudreh-kusti, etc. To prove the existence of God, Bajan declares, "a gardener sows seeds and supplies water, but who makes the seed germinate and grow into a tree?” It is the Creator’s doing, he asserts. "Whatever Zarathush­tra of Bactria had taught is Godly, righteous and pure,” he quotes Lord Byron. Fire, Bajan informs us, was discovered by King Hoshang of the Peshdadian dynasty. Once while hunting he threw a stone at a snake. It missed the target but struck another stone, which created fire. Pleased with his finding, Hoshang carried the fire to his town, where he performed a jashan called Jashne Sadeh, as mentioned in the Shah Nameh.

Born in Surat, Bajan acquired his preliminary education in Avesta, Pahlavi and Farsi. He came to Bombay at the age of 21 where he was able to study the languages further. He served the J. N. Petit Orphanage, Parel, as a Bhantar teacher and religious instructor for 30 years after which he was asked to be the principal of the newly founded Madressa in Dadar in 1919.

The simple question-answer format in the book makes it useful for children being initiated in the faith. Priced at Rs 30, the book is availible from the author at Dhunmai Building, 667, Lady Jehangir Road, Parsi Colony, Dadar, Bombay 400014. Tel: 24166204.

S. J. P.