“World body stymied”

The proceedings of the last meeting of the executive council of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India held at Ahmedabad on December 18 and 19, 2004 make sad reading and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. Some members from the small anjumans were asked to be present at the meeting only with the intention of stalling the formation of the proposed world body and if necessary, agitating and disrupting the meeting. At any such meeting the carriage of the proceedings is in the hands of the chairman of the meeting and it is his duty to conduct the proceedings and maintain order at the meeting.

While referring to his past experience, the president Minoo Shroff, observed that "I have never experienced such unruly behavior.” All this unequivocally shows that this was eminently a fit and proper case for the president to dissolve the meeting. Any pro­ceedings held thereafter would have become infructuous, having no effect in law. It is regretted that none present at the meet­ing raised this issue and advised the president to act according­ly in the matter. That unfortunately resulted in chaos at the meeting.

Self -styled scholars and the so-called defenders of the faith evince a real danger to the strong fabric of our community and constitute a threat to tear apart the close-knit community in the country. Every effort should therefore be made to see that this does not lead to a split in the community, especially at a time when the Parsi community in India is considered an endan­gered species.

The crucial issue is whether the world body would consist of only Parsis, i.e. Parsi Zoroastrians, or whether it would also include Zoroastrians, i.e. persons professing the Zoroast­rian religion, whether Parsis or not. To avoid any doubt in the matter the trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) should once and for all unequivocally clarify their stand regarding joining the world body. They have recently taken a unanimous decision endorsing "the creation of a world body of Zoroastrians on specific terms.” The crusade of the orthodox lobby and the high priests in India against India join­ing the world body cannot be ignored. Much as the trustees would like to join the world body, circumspection and caution are needed to avoid any split in the community in India which is already greatly diminished. That calls for prompt action on their part supported by prudence and foresight in the larger interests of the community as a whole.

So far as the Federation is concerned the balance tilts against their joining the world body. If India does not join the world body it would lose its importance and that would minimize its influence in India and in the world.

The most crucial issue faced by the community at present is its dwindling population in India. It is significant to note that in 1951 the population was 1,11,791, while in 2001 it came down to 69,601, a sharp decline of 38 percent during the last half a century. About one-third of the girls in Bombay marry outside the community (the number rises outside Bombay). Their children are not taken into the Zoroastrian faith. On an average there are 1.2 children per couple, quite low compared with other communities. The fertility rate is as low as 0.94 which contrasts sharply with the all India rate of 3.2. The geriatric population of persons over the age of 60 is 31 percent — highest in the world. The mortality rate is very high, three times more than the birth rate (clear proof of an aging population). These realistic factors no doubt indicate a definite decline in the population of Parsis in India. In this connection a pertinent question arises whether the community will survive in India or whether it will be a tribe and ultimately become extinct by the end of this century.

The First Report on Religious Data (2001 Census) makes a startling revelation regarding "extremely unfortunate decline of a rich civilization of Zoroastrianism and its people” and sternly suggests that urgent and drastic interventions are required by all concerned "including probably the Government and definitely the Parsi community leaders in India.” The survival of the com­munity is at risk. Our inability to come to terms about the same is threatening to tear apart the community. Emigration, inter­faith marriages, non-acceptance of children of such marriages as Parsi Zoroastrians, low fertility and late marriages are some painful factors sufficient to erase Zoroastrianism from the map of India. Children of interfaith marriages should be freely admitted into the religion, just as Parsis settled in Canada and the USA have shown the way quietly. After all customs are not eternal and ancient customs in a modern society are fast chang­ing, giving place to new ones.

Having regard to the valuable contribution made by the minuscule community of Parsis, "India’s most talented community” and the high esteem in which it is held by other communities, I have no doubt that the Government of India will not remain a silent spectator in the matter. It is stated that the Prime Minister is worried about the sharp decline in the population of Parsis in India and is willing to render all assistance needed for the purpose. The community must extend its full cooperation to the Government in the matter and duly implement the steps adopted by it for the purpose. Time is of the essence. Delay may prove dangerous.

The Census Report further gives a loud and clear message to "awaken the Parsi community from the deep slumber it is possi­bly in and have a beneficial effect for them.” Survival of the community should therefore be given the topmost priority and full support must be given to the efforts made by the BPP in that direction by way of advice and guidance to young married couples by opening fertility clinics, giving financial assistance to the third and fourth child, etc. The government should be moved to make an exception to its policy precluding any assistance to the third and fourth child in a family. All this undoubtedly suggests a strong and cogent reason to keep all other issues including the controversial issue regarding India joining the world body on the backburner, especially when tempers are running high and the situation is surcharged.

RUSTOM S. GAE

New Delhi

The revolution in travel and communications has resulted in transforming our world into a global village. At a dramatic rate, the world’s religions and cultures are opening up their horizons to becoming multi-cultural and multi-religious. And Zoroastrians too have been contributing to this changed landscape, both at the local and international levels by participating in this dialogue of religions and civilizations. When we are on the threshold of crossing paths with men of other faiths, it is unfortunate and strange that we as an educated community do not have a world body of Zoroastrians (WBZ). The fresh challenges of the 21st century demands that we transcend national boundaries. Do we not need a common vision, a growing friendship and a strategic partnership which will affect Zoroastrians living in the far corners of the globe?

This will open a new window of opportunity:

Establish contacts and have a representation at the United Nations

The WBZ could represent Zoroastrians in any region of the world in times of crisis, e.g. at the time of the Iranian Revolution or during natural calamities when our brothers and sisters may be affected

Foster cultural links between Zoroastrians worldwide

Encourage historical, archeological and anthropological research and publish these findings

Promote an educated and enlightened priestly class which can guide, discuss, lecture and lead the community in religious matters

Work towards the conservation and preservation of the Bahrot Caves (where the Iranshah was kept for 12 years), Udvada which is the Mecca for all Zoroastrians, as well as other religious sites in Iran and elsewhere

Encourage youth exchange programs

Promote educational opportunities worldwide

Open up employment opportunities

Work for the alleviation of poverty for our less fortunate brothers

Forge business and industrial links

Assist in organizing world congresses and other religious con­ferences

The WBZ, which shall act as a hub or nerve center of the world community, will disseminate information on matters of common concern.

Raising the bogey of religion being in danger, some self-appointed saviors who are not elected representatives are trying to mislead the gullible. They falsely claim that the creation of a World Body would lead to the dilution in India of the Zoroast­rian identity and ethnicity. This would ultimately result in the basic tenets of our faith being compromised and converts to our faith claiming entry as a matter of right into our fire temples, being consigned to the Towers of Silence, becoming beneficiar­ies of our charitable trusts and laying claim to our housing colonies.

Although the trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) have publicly debunked these claims, it may be appropriate to consider the opinion of eminent solicitor Eruch Desai, erstwhile chairman of the BPP: "In India itself, we are a miniscule minority in a vast sea of humanity comprised of different faiths. The other communi­ties have always respected our traditions and customs. They have not insisted upon any right to share the facilities enjoyed by us. They have not demanded entry into our fire temples or other institutions. If there is no danger from near, how then can there be a danger from afar?... One should know that once a property is settled upon trust for a particular objective and confined to a particular class of beneficiaries, no other can avail of such right, unless by due process of law, and that too if it is per­missible, amendments are carried out in the trust...”

Today there are pockets of Zara­thushtis in Tajikistan, Kurdistan, Russia and elsewhere who claim to have Zarathushti roots and wish to follow the religion of Prophet Zarathushtra. Do we Parsis have the right to say that only we have the monopoly over Zoroastrianism and we are the sole interpreters of the faith? They do not require our permission to follow the religion of the Prophet which has a universal message.

We ought to realize that those in the diaspora and the neo-Zoroastrians are our brothers and sisters and ought to be respected even if their interpretation and practice of Zoroastri­anism varies from ours. We ought to engage in creative dialog with them in a spirit of mutual trust.

Although neo-Zoroastrians have been around for some decades now, there has not been a single instance of their apply­ing to the BPP for any sort of assistance whatsoever. In the WBZ, if every region is autonomous, there would be no scope for any interference in Parsi trusts. Moreover, Parsis only shall remain trustees even in the future and the trust deeds will also remain for the benefit of Parsis alone.

Traveling back in time, the BPP, which has a history of about 335 years, has been the epicenter of the community. The formation of the WBZ shall be an important landmark in our his­tory. We as responsible and enlightened members of the community should stand by and encourage the BPP to join the WBZ. This august body cannot remain a silent spectator but should be very much a part of the decision-making process. Comprehending the fast changing ground realities it should play a proactive role on the world Zoroastrian stage. Let not future generations say that we spoke much but did little in forming the WBZ.

Dr HOMI DHALLA