Reason for revelry

The festivities to celebrate the 109th anniversary of Nagpur’s Bai Hirabai Mullan Dar-e-Meher saw participation from community members ranging in age from three to 83, notes a report on the four-day event from October 5 to 8, 2004 by Dilnavaz Bhagwagar. Organized by the Nagpur Parsi Gymkhana, the celebrations are "an occasion to foster camaraderie among all members of the Parsi community in Nagpur.”

On the last day was a well attended jashan at the Dar-e-Meher followed by a ham bandagi led by Ervad Sohrab Bharu­cha, head priest of the Nagpur agiary. The preceding three days gave an opportunity to the members to showcase their intellectual and artistic talents. There was an audiovisual quiz on the Zoroast­rian religion, culture, events, personalities and institutions organized and com­pered by Khursheed Dalal; "Advertisement no ghota­lo (TV ads with a Parsi twist);” a fancy dress and a fancy bot­tles competition. The Personality Contest anchored by Monica Bhagwagar saw Meher Mavalwalla and Arman Bhagwa­gar as the winners in the five to 10 age-group; Armaity Daver and Rohan Doongaji as the Mailoo Princess and Chikno Prince; and Naushad Bhagwagar and Parizad Daver as the Bawa King and Bawi Queen.

Office bearers and winners of Nagpur’s Arm Wrestling Tournament (from left): Medhora, F. Poacha, Mistry, Gimi, Mehta, S. Karbhari, Kavarana and S. Doongaji

At the evening of dances, kids danced to a medley of lively tunes after which the mothers performed a lilting tribal dance. Then to the surprise of the audience five motorbikes thundered on stage with five svelte pillion riders in red sequins and black leather leaping off the bikes to start a pulsating dance from Dhoom. Overheard was the remark, "Bossy, what bikes and what babes!”

On the final day of the celebrations Edul Bhagwagar, president of the Nagpur and Kamthi Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman dis­tributed the Anjuman merit prizes for academic excellence to top-notchers in various board examinations: Edul Patel (Secondary School Certificate), Tanya Patel (Central Board for Secondary Education), Armaity Daver (Higher Secondary Certificate), Imrose Medhora (Bachelor of Mass Communications), Parizad Daver (masters in English literature), Hoshedar Govadia (postgraduate diploma in marketing and business management), Dinaz Bhamgara (postgraduate diploma in psychological counselling) and Ayesha Master (piano, Trinity College of Music).

Outstanding Achievers Awards were won by Fermin and Khushru Poacha for their blood donor website; Rayomand Daruwalla for boxing, Yuhan Doongaji for roller skating, Gulrukh and Shiraz Mehta for covering the Nagpur-Poona-Nagpur route on a motorbike in 24 hours. The Dr Dadi Bulsara Outstanding Sportsperson of the Year award went to Percy Amroliwalla for representing India at the International Woodball Tournament in Malaysia. The Baimai and Nadarshah Vazifdar Cricket Trophies were awarded to best batsman Danush Doongaji and best bowler Jamashp Bapuna. Earlier the prizes for the Dinshaw Mistry sponsored Arm Wrestling Tournament were distributed. The winners were Peenaz Medhora and Fermin Poacha (women), Rushad Kavarana and Shezad Doongaji (boys) and Shapur Karbhari and Peshotan Mehta (men). At the Dr Dadi Bulsara Indoor Sports event Meherzad Karbhari won the juniors shield, Rashid Karbhari, the seniors shield and Girnaz Dadina, the shield for women. Dr Thrity Patel was felicitated for being conferred the Best Teacher Award 2004 by the Government of Maharashtra.

The guest speaker on the last two evenings was Dinshaw Tamboly, trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), who commend­ed Jamsetji Tata for giving new meaning to philanthropy, outlined the activities of the World Zoroastrian Organisation and comment­ed that "being a trustee of the BPP is not a crown to wear but a cross to bear.”

The president of the Nagpur Gym­khana Shiraz Gimi "worked hard to make the four-day celebrations a success,” acknowledged Dilnavaz Bhagwagar, also appreciating the efforts of secretary Mehru Watchmaker, compere Rusi Godha, catering in-charge Khushru Poacha and their team of volunteers.