Youth Congress

The Third World Zoroastrian Youth Congress was held in Poona from December 27-31, 2003. The 500 odd delegates from all over the world, ‘ came, saw, but unlike Julius Caesar, they went back without crossing the Rubicon.’ Speaker after speaker extolled the valuable but silent contribution that the community had made to the political, economic and social life of the country. They also asked the youth to move with the times, but without defining in what direction the movement should take place.

All controversial subjects plaguing the community were taboo. Senior citizens who were keen on knowing the thinking of our youths were not allowed to be present even as observers. A few examples of the banned subjects were: forbidding prayers for cremation or burial of the dead even though there are no more vultures left at the Tower of Silence, not allowing non-Zoroastrian friends and relatives from attending the funeral ceremony, not allowing children of mixed marriages to be accepted in the Zoroastrian fold.

The biggest, and if I may say the only, problem of the community today, is its fast dwindling population, but this was glossed over by simply stating that every couple should produce four children. The logo of the Congress incorporated the words ‘kindling the spirit.’ The question is, whose spirit will be kindled when after two decades, there will be few ‘spirits’ left? After fashion shows, dances, plays, dinners and other social entertainment, the delegates departed, promising to meet again after five years, with the few still left.

Brig N. B. GRANT

Poona