Biryani bonanza

"For more years than we can remember we have been receiving a handi of mutton biryani from the city palace of His Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammed Burha­nud­din, the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community on Parsi New Year day,” notes the diarist in the Afternoon Despatch & Courier of August 23, 2005. The tradition was reportedly initiated when Behram Contractor was the editor of the Afternoon and the Syedna’s public relations officer Iqtadar Hussain, an admirer of Contractor’s Busybee column, chose to show his appreciation with the handi of biryani.

"We thought the practice would stop after first Behram passed away in 2001 and then Hussain in 2003. But no, the handi of biryani kept coming. It did again on Saturday (New Year) night, hot and steaming, just taken off the slow dum fires. And large enough to feed the immediate neighborhood which it ultimately did…Not being either Parsi or Muslim and unwilling to look a gift horse in the mouth, we were naturally grateful,” notes the diarist whilst regretting that he was unable to identify the source of this largesse.