“Shifting fires”

On reading "Shifting fires,” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, February 2004) I felt I could share some more information on the shifting of the Aden fire as I was then working as police sub inspector in the Immigration Wing of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The commissioner of police had received information that the holy fire was being brought from Aden (now Yemen) by a special Air India flight on November 14, 1976 at 7.30 a.m. and to deploy Parsi officers to check the passports and then escort the fire to Lonavla.

A special meeting was called by the commissioner and practically all the Parsi officers were assigned duties. Supdt Savaksa Bodhanwala who was attached to Special Branch (II) CID which dealt with immigration, told the commissioner that his Parsi staff comprising Inspector Eruch B. Kasad and the undersigned Sam D. Patel would manage the passport checking work.

Kasad was on leave and I received the message at 1.30 a.m. stating that I had been deputed for immigration work and to report at Santa Cruz Airport at 5 a.m. and to ring up Bodhanwala, for instructions. Accordingly I rang him and he briefed me on the nature of work.

It is worth relating the difficulties I faced in reaching Santa Cruz Airport. I had sent a message to our Police Motor Transport Section to send a vehicle by 3.30 a.m. I waited for the vehicle till 3.45 a.m. and then immediately proceeded to Marine Lines station and boarded a local train for Vile Parle. Afterwards I took a cab but near Centaur Hotel it failed. At that time I saw a police jeep and signaled, but they did not see me. I finally had to walk down to the airport to reach on time.

Aden fire being carried in a special urn

Rusi Kuka was concerned that the Parsi police officers were not to be seen. I assured him that they would be near the airport gate and as soon at the air-conditioned bus carrying the "holy fire” leaves the Airport, the officers on duty would escort the fire.

The Air India Special Boeing 707 L’Hotse landed at Santacruz Airport at 7.20 hours. The ladder which was washed by holy well water (if I mistake not by Drs Jal Amaria and Sahiyar) was placed near the entrance of the aircraft. I was the first to enter the aircraft in police uniform. I introduced myself to Flight Captain Sam Pedder and told him that I had come to check their passports. He felt happy that their passports were also being checked by a Parsi police officer. He then introduced me to the 21 officers and staff and gave me their passports. He showed me the holy fire which was kept in a pure copper container. It looked so beautiful... I bowed and then checked their passports. In all 20 Indian and one full-fledged British passports were checked and stamped by me on board L’Hotse.

After the passport check the holy fire was carried to the air-conditioned bus, which was then escorted to Lonavla by a team of sub-inspectors Nozer Manec­shaw, Zaveri and Naval Driver.

Incidentally I may mention that I felt very happy to perform this duty because my navjote had been performed at the Cowasjee Dinshaw Adenwalla Agiary at Lonavla in 1948.

SAM D. PATEL

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retd)

Poona’s Sorabji Ratanji Patel Agiary Photo: Global Directory of Zoroastrian Fire Temples

The Sorabji Ratanji Patel Agiary is not only the oldest agiary in Poona, but one of the oldest in the country. The fact that since then three more agiaries have come up in areas where more Parsis stay, very few, if any, patronize the Patel Agiary. It has therefore been proposed that this fire be shifted to the newly built Parsi Panchayat Colony, located in an area below the Tower of Silence at Lullanagar, where ample place is available for it. Many can then pray before this agiary fire. However, some orthodox Parsis here have raised a hue and cry on its shifting, and have advanced all sorts of objections why it can’t be done.

They maintain that an agiary of this kind of heritage value should not be closed, even if no one hardly goes to it. Secondly, they insist on a well at the new site. In this respect I feel that the criterion should not be a well but water which is available there in plenty through Corporation water lines. In ancient times when piped water was not available, a well was necessary. Thirdly, the fire has to be shifted in a closed van, like an army tank, so that not a flicker of light can be seen by a non-Parsi, whose ‘evil’ eye, they fear can pollute it. It has to travel only at night escorted by Parsi police on a water sprinkled road, and cannot traverse over roads which have sewage pipes sunken 20 ft below.

To a common soldier like me, all this makes no sense. I believe that as long as the fire within us remains pure, nothing can pollute the fire outside.

It will help, if some enlightened readers of Parsiana would care to clarify so that the Patel Agiary fire can be shifted to a better place largely populated by Parsis, to restore its former pristine glory.

Brig (Retd) N. B. GRANT

Poona