Parsi dhongidox

I refer to a letter by Farrokh Vajifdar of London titled "Parsi dhongidox” (Parsiana, June 7, 2005).

This is a typical reaction of unfortunate Parsi men and women who, through their own choice, marry non-(Parsi) Zoroastrians.

They always blame and accuse everyone else for their deliberate mistake and expect the entire unadulterated Parsi Zoroastrian community to pay for the consequences of their personal choice and preferences.

It is about time that these unfortunate Parsi men and women understand and accept the fact that according to the tenets, precepts, scriptures, doctrines and time-honored customs and traditions of the noble Parsi Zoroastrian religion in which they are privileged to have been born, when a Parsi man or a Parsi woman who, from his or her own free will, chooses to marry a non-(Parsi) Zoroastrian, he or she ceases to be a Parsi Zoroastrian and their mixed breed progeny are considered as "juddins” or non-Zoroastrians.

The legal opinion given in this matter by the learned late Justice Jamshed E. Sanjana is as follows: "There is no provision of law to recognize non-Parsi persons as Parsi Zoroastrians after performing rituals like the navjote and hence no priest (mobed) or dastur can legally perform any rituals such as a navjote and admit any person who is a non-Parsi in the Parsi (Zoroastrian) faith.”

Ervad DARIUS N. SETHNA