“The broken barrier”

I was overjoyed to read "The broken barrier” (Parsiana, September 7, 2005). I think the Wadia brothers and above all the two priests who performed the jashan deserve our community’s heartiest congratulations for standing up to their beliefs and the wishes and dreams of hundreds of Zoroastrians across the globe. The time has finally come and they have opened the doors and minds of many who have only been thinking and wishing for this day.

Of course, in North America we have been doing this for years and we have been blessed by Ahura Mazda manyfold in this new country we adopted as our own since 1967. But reading this article and especially the views written by Ervad Khushroo Madan and Ervad Framroze Mirza brought tears of happiness to my eyes. They are both saints in my eyes as they have opened the path to saving our religion and our dying community. If we all listened to Khojeste Mistree and his followers, our community would certainly be extinct in India within the next few decades. Please convey our congratulations to all who have heralded in a new era for our religion.

Ever since we have been in Canada and have had jashans, all our family and friends have been invited to share in our joy and thanksgiving to Ahura Mazda. My daughter Delna has always had jashans performed when she has moved into a new studio (they have an animation studio) or after renovations when all artists and staff have been present, all have put sukhad-loban and all have eaten the bhanaili (consecrated) fruits and mevo (dry fruits) in order to get the blessings of our prayers. On Dhanteras day all staff and artists contribute coins towards the prayers, the Laxmi feet chowk are put on all desks and entrance, and divo and prayers done. They have all come to believe in those blessings so much that they look forward to it every year. After a week or so all the money collected is sent to a charity. May Ahura Mazda shower his blessings on the Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism and the Association of Inter-Married Zoroastrians.

SHERAZ BHESANIA

Vancouver, British Columbia