The third ‘world’

There was a time in Parsi history when if a new sethia was disgruntled with an established one, he founded his own agiary. That’s how the community acquired a spate of agiaries, several in a single mohalla. Could it be that now the wheel of fashion has turned in favor of creating world bodies instead? There is the WZO (World Zoroastrian Organi­sation), the IZO (In-ternational Zoroastrian Organisation) undergoing a long and painful birth and now, poof pops WAPIZ (World Alli- ance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis)!

For 20 years, from 1960 to 1980 the Parsi movers and shakers disregarded Bailey Irani’s prescient call for a body for the far-flung Zoroastrians to cling to. From 1980 to 2002, Indian anjumans led by the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India, gave the WZO a frigid shoulder. And now that bonhomie such as Zarathushtra preached seemed possible after all, the miffed junior members of the Federation have decided to anoint their own world body because, it was said, the Federation bigwigs did not embrace them in their cosy circle of negotiators!

Be that as it may, the Bombay based WAPIZ will join the pantheon of the community’s 1,000+ trusts and societies on May 28, 2005. To be registered under section 30 of the Societies Registration Act, 1860 the constitution of the umbrella body for the diehard conservatives of the community has much in common with other Zoroastrian bodies in terms of aiding, ameliorating, promoting traditions and culture, enhancing research and education in the fields of "history, religious and social ..., customs, principles and practices of the Zarthoshti religion” — just like UNESCO-PARZOR is doing in a more sophisticated fashion.

Of the 12 objects of the society enumerated, only four make any reference to its claimed status as a world body: Clause 3b states, "To promote, aid and raise funds for the cultural, historical, socioeconomic and religious welfare, amelioration and unity of the Parsi and Irani Zarthoshtis worldwide.” Take away the "Parsi and Irani” and you could mistake it for a clause from the WZO constitution.

Clause 3d is an ambitious one. It states, "To establish, maintain, support, aid, protect, preserve, repair, refurbish, endow, finance, manage, as custodians, trustees or otherwise, assets, rights, property, funds and income belonging to or for the benefit of the Parsi and Irani Zarthoshtis ‘worldwide’ including places of worship, Towers of Silence, institutions, centers, hospitals, clinics, homes, schools, colleges, premises for residence, rest houses, sanatoriums, dharamshalas, gardens, farms, orchards, homes and enclosures for animals, wells, lakes, waterways, museums, galleries, halls, auditoriums, libraries, etc.” Please note the use of "places of worship” instead of the traditional agiaries/atash behrams. Also, where in the world, apart from India and Pakistan, will they find Towers of Silence to aid, protect, preserve...? In Iran they have been disbarred since the 1930s. And in the Indian subcontinent, those that work already have strong managements ‘traditionally’ in place.

Clause 3f empowers the body "To represent Parsi and Irani Zarthoshti interests in governmental and non-governmental forums worldwide.”

The fourth — and last — clause to claim a global objective is 3g which states, "To undertake, conduct, arrange, organize or sponsor a periodic census of the Parsi and Irani Zarthoshti worldwide.” As and when it happens, it will be a distinct plus point in their favor, provided the modalities are better institutionalized and implemented in support of the numbers quoted than the World Christian Encyclopedia has done.

Apart from generalized clauses to raise funds for the support of institutions, amelioration of poverty, advancement of any object of general public utility, etc, clause 3j commits the organization to the publication of newspapers, journals, magazines, books, etc as well as projection in the electronic media. A publication solely dedicated to the conservative viewpoint has been a desire close to the orthodox heart for a very long time. But clause 3k stretches it "To establish, maintain and support the establishment or maintenance of any institution imparting or encouraging the study of journalism and to grant scholarships, stipends, allowances, prizes, awards to any persons in the field of journalism.” (Having termed the Parsi Press namely The Bombay Samachar columnist Berjis Desai, the Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly and Parsiana, ‘unprofessional’ the question arises whether WAPIZ would extend scholarship to them to bring them on par with the secular press that Mistree so adores.)

The WAPIZ membership is restricted to Parsi/Irani Zarthoshtis wherever they reside, "so long as the member conforms to the spirit, aims, objects and regulations of the society.” He/she must be "born of both Parsi/Irani Zarthoshti parents or of a Parsi/Irani Zarthoshti father (and) descended from original Persian Zar-thoshtis” implying "continuous lineal descent, both historically and ecclesiastically, preserved, maintained and upheld the Parsi/Irani Zarthoshti ­religion, traditions and identity. (This writer is confused. Does this mean that if your mother/grandmother/great grand-mother disdained the ‘tradition’ of separation during menses and post parturition, you lose your right to WAPIZ membership? What of the descendants of the likes of Manockjee Cursetjee, Shapurji Bengallee and others who vehemently opposed child marriage which the Parsis had once adopted with such gusto? ) In any case, eligibility demands that he/she has been "duly initiated into the Zarthoshti religion according to the ecclesiastically recognized practices, customs and traditions of the Parsi/Irani Zarthoshti community.”

Five categories of membership exist: Founder members, currently seven (like the BPP trustees), who have paid a one time fee of Rs 1,000 each. They include the financial strongman Areez Khambatta whose reported budgetary provision of one crore rupees to WAPIZ has made the entire deal possible, including hoardings at Marine Drive and Dadar, prime mover Khojeste Mistree, former BPP trustees Dr Mehroo Bengalee and attorney Homi Ranina, chartered accountant Hoshang Wania, Bardoli anjuman president Jamshed Mohta and unsuccessful BPP trusteeship contender Yazdi Desai. They will ipso facto be members of the WAPIZ managing committee — with Khambatta as chairman/president of the Alliance — until they reach the age of 77.

Other categories of membership include patron members at a one-time fee of Rs 50,000; honorary patron members who are invited to join the Alliance by the managing committee in recognition of some exemplary contribution to the objects of the society; life members with a one-time fee of Rs 500; and ordinary members who pay Rs 50 annually. The society will maintain a "Register of Members” under section 15 of the Societies Registration Act 1860. The managing committee has the right to expel a member, if he/she fails to answer satisfactorily the charges leveled against him/her by the committee, without refund of any fees, subscriptions or levies as per clause 9 of the Rules and Regulations.

A world body of individuals, WAPIZ will be guided in matters of religion by an Advisory Council of High Priests notes clause 4 of the Rules and Regulations. There is no further reference to them. A second advisory council wherein anjumans, associations, institutions, etc may be incorporated at the discretion of the managing committee is also envisaged, but those anjumans who admit non-Zoroastrian spouses or the children of Parsi mothers and fathers of other faiths are proscribed, no matter if the intention is the humanitarian one of keeping the family together. A simple majority on the managing committee is sufficient to establish international chapters with a favored Zarthoshti nominated to the chair for a maximum period of three years. Also, the managing committee has the final word on the interpretation of the rules and regulations and its ruling is final and binding.

The managing committee is stipulated to comprise a minimum of seven and a maximum of 21 members with a tenure of five years and a quorum of two-thirds of its membership, with the members being entitled to fees for attending meetings, etc. At least four meetings shall be held in every calendar year with seven days’ prior notice. While voting at the annual or special general meeting for nominees for the managing committee will be as per the ballot paper — and proxies are permitted — voting for all other matters will be by a show of hands. "Voting shall be by ballot only if a majority of members present and entitled to vote, demand it,” notes clause 31. (Does that mean that the bullies will generally succeed in herding the sheep?)

While the president/chairman shall officially head the society and has a number of rights/duties including correspondence with governmental and non-governmental bodies, he may delegate such duty to any member of the managing committee, notably to the vice president who is entitled to exercise the rights of the president as far as management and administration of the society is concerned during the latter’s absence. Of course, all acts done by the managing committee or any of its members or nominees will be considered as done in good faith.

The official launch at the Royal Western India Turf Club on May 28, 2005 was preceded by a mega jashan at the Seth Cawasji Behramji Banaji Atash Behram with 100 priests participating. May Ahura Mazda listen to His flock...