Flame of the Faith

The commemorative volume produced by the Parsi Zoroastrian Association of South East Asia, Singapore and the Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hongkong, Canton and Macao in conjunction with the exhibition held at the Asian Civilization Museum, Singapore, May 28 to August 1, 2004 deserves special mention. Celebrating the 3,000th anniversary of Zoroastrian religion and culture and the 50th anniversary of the Singapore Parsi Zoroastrian Association, the 90 odd pages of text and illustration are an essay in fine reproduction.

Designed by Kirti Trivedi, processed by Reproscan Limited, Bombay, printed by Pragati Offset of Hyderabad, with photographs processed by Burjor and Khurshed Poonawalla of Bombay’s Comart Lithographers and Sanjeev Prabhu of Technik, the hard cover book Flame of the Faith: An Insight into the Parsee Zoroastrian Tradition displays Parsi embroidery on kors and jhablas — courtesy, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet’s F. D. Alpaiwalla Museum — to advantage. Not only the editorial pages but the advertisements and donor acknow­ledge­ments are livened with motifs and pictures, many depicting antique paintings with views of China, South East Asia and India, courtesy Phillips Antiques of Bombay, worth a long and close look and preferably, a place on the bookshelf.

Editorially, the book recounts in brief the history of the Zoroastrian — mainly Parsi — settlements in Singapore, Hong­kong, Canton and Macao. Zoroastrian Studies founder Khojeste Mistree answers the question "Who are the Zoroastrians?” and traces the history of Imperial Iran. Roshen Kersy Dadabhoy writes about the ancestors of Dr Dadabhai Naoroji while scholar Rusheed Wadia journeys eastward with Parsi merchants of the 19th century in search of markets. Pheroza Godrej and Firoza Punthakey Mistree celebrate the patronage and philanthropy of the Parsi women of the 19th and 20th centuries, beginning with Lady Avabai Jamsetji Jejeebhoy and ending with Lady Hirabai Cowasjee Jehangir.

Impressive as are these chronicles of past achievement, it is Rustom Ghadiali, president of the Singapore association who in his Foreword reminds us, "The future of Zoroastrianism lies in our hands, especially in the hands of our youths. Within the heart of each of us there is a spark that keeps the flame of Zoroastrianism burning ever bright. We need now to fan it into a brilliant flame with minds that are open, hearts that are willing and hands that are warm.”