Shifting fires

The vision and efforts of the Zoroastrians of London, particularly the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) in embarking on a project to establish what is possibly the first duly consecrated atash dadgah outside Asia must be commended and indeed appreciated.

While planning for the consecration of the atash dadgah, I think the ZTFE would do well to seriously consider shifting an existing consecrated holy fire from any of the neglected agiaries in India that are languishing today either for want of funds or simply on account of lack of patronage, given our community’s demographics. For example, according to the Global Directory of Zoroastrian Fire Temples compiled by Marzban J. Giara, dar-e-mehers in Amroli, Bhuj, Calicut, Dumas, Ilav, Khergam, Nee­much, Satara and Tarapore exist in places that have a Parsi population of less than 10 persons. It is also possible to consider shifting an existing atash from any of the many agiaries in Bombay that are relatively less patronized and the upkeep of which has become unfeasible.

For how many more years will these edifices stand, not as temples but like monuments bearing the brunt of apathy and neglect? I know the task is herculean, even to contemplate shifting the atash from any one of the above places to London. The logistics, finances, planning, feasibility and execution involved in this massive exercise is phenomenal. But the fact remains that it has been done once before in the history of our community when the atash from the agiary in Aden in present-day Yemen was shifted to Lonavla in India.

From the fascinating accounts that I have heard about the shifting of the Aden atash the exercise was meticulously planned to perfection with not a single non-Parsi being involved in the entire operation. The whole exercise involved sanitizing and ritually purifying the aircraft carrying the precious cargo accompanied by priests and volunteers and even a specially trained all-Parsi flight-crew. The route from the Bombay airport to Lonavla was planned by Parsi police officers with security arrangements befitting a visiting head-of-state. Thanks to community stalwarts like Sir Cowasji Dinshaw and the late J. R. D. Tata, Rustomji Kuka, Jal Amaria, etc, special clearances were also obtained from various government authorities.

The spiritual benefits of "shifting” an already enthroned and duly consecrated atash padshah from a place where it is neglected to a place where it will doubtless be revered are manifold: The continuity of an atash would enhance its historical importance and value and also retain its ritual purity which would be difficult in the case of a fresh consecration in the present day, under the present circumstances. The trust in charge of managing the fire proposed to be shifted would be absolved of its res­pon­sibility and could put its resources, both financial and real-estate, to better use for the benefit of the local Parsi community of that area and its surrounding places.

A more recent example of such an exercise of having been undertaken is the shifting of the atash from a village called Tavri in Gujarat to Bombay’s then newly-constructed Jokhi Agiary at Godrej Baug.

The Zoroastrians of London now have the rare opportunity to have a duly consecrated atash padshah for a place of worship after having waited for one for close to 200 years. I know it is easier said than done but the challenge is before the ZTFE.

KAYOMARZ PATEL