Uneasy in Udvada

One grows up with so many misconstrued ideas about our religion. All these years that we visited Udvada, I always considered the Pandole Agiary as the "Lal topiwalao ni agiary,” a group of our own people whom I thought were very orthodox, since I considered myself as a progressive liberal! But this time I made it a point of going to the Pandole Agiary with an open mind and I found it to be a place of immense peace, spotlessly clean, and young smiling priests who were around to help you with any queries. While they prayed one felt the vibrations of our beautiful prayers.

In contrast the priests at the Iranshah were a lack luster group, tatya chadaviné bèthéla (laidback). They were most uncommunicative, disheveled, far from interested in any of the pilgrims’ queries. They were only interested in their own loud conversations with their counterparts inside the Iranshah premises. This sent off such cool vibes instead of a vibrancy and serenity that one would associate with this place of pilgrimage!

It’s not that we don’t have dasturs who, just by their glance, can turn a non-believer into believing! This happened at Navsari Atash Behram where Vada Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kot­wal was visiting. Never having met or seen him before, we felt an overwhelming urge to meet him, and bask in his ‘nurani (au­ra);’ such was his charisma! Very sportingly he even agreed to be photographed with us. He seemed totally approachable, smiling and even if one did not agree with his views, one would take note of what he says and means! This is what a dharampita should be like. It’s for them to explain and preach but it’s for us to follow or not! After all even Lord Zarathushtra leaves the choice in our hands.

RODA D. HAKIM

Baroda