“Vanishing priests”

Once on a time we had golden priests with wooden chalices – but that was then, whereas we are in the here and now. Behram T. Dastur is spot on when he reminds us that "the community and religion owe a debt to the priests of yore,” although not quite with "our noble religion… encased in their minds. ("Vanishing priests,” Readers Forum, Parsiana, November 7, 2005).” What they did import into India was the firm resolve to have nothing to do with the newly cobbled Arab system of Islam which they quite rightly considered antithetic to the openness and vitality of Zoroastrianism. What they had left behind was the Vendidad, the Pahlavi zand and some high-minded priests who strove against insuperable odds to preserve the faith in the Fatherland. It was the Iranian priesthood which preserved and painstakingly copied the texts upon which our ancient religion is based and sent them on to the Parsis in India. Without their devout labors in Iran, our religion in India would have degenerated and vanished into nothingness. Let us keep their pious memory evergreen!

We are unclear about what Dastur had in mind when he began his letter with reference to shikar – was he suggesting a cull of our priesthood by popping them off or through pensioning off? To some minds the former seems an attractive option; the undersigned does not concur! Indeed we genuinely value our institution of the priesthood but not most of its present-day representatives who evidently have sacrificed our religion at the altar of political expediency. One recalls their blatant distortions of everything from universal conversion to a unified calendar, from initiation to intermarriage. No tradition encourages errors and their perpetuation.

Most importantly, the crazy habit of inducting barely teen-aged schoolboys into priesthood could perhaps be discouraged in the interests of Mazdayasna. We need learned priests with a fuller, broad-based education who follow the dictates of their conscience, and not the arbitrary diktats of clerical cabals which openly scoff at the Gathic precepts of Zarathushtra. What is the point of accumulating school-age youngsters who are still striving to come to grips with the intricacies of English and/or Gujarati – tykes who learn prayers by rote in wholly alien languages, quite devoid of their comprehension, who in effect simply don white uniforms, and at given times mechanically repeat ritual gestures to accompany their bhantars (set sequences and numbers of prayers) during ceremonies? There is neither supernatural transference of divine power, nor some magical transmission of it, as popular belief holds. Neither is it religiosity, but robotism! Mazdayasna deserves better than just wooden priests.

Can we do without such priests? Of course we can! No monotheism worth that definition finds priestly intercession necessary — that is for the superstitious and the deluded. But give us truly learned priests who can guide us spiritually, counsel us through wisdom — thereby embellishing the reputation of the priesthood, and enhance the devotion of the followers of Zarathushtrian Mazdayasna. Parsipanu as we understand it has always embraced learning, wisdom, openness and decency. What is on offer instead is dhongipanu (aka "orthodoxy!”) and junglipanu for which see the Parsiana reportage of the shameful shenanigans at Ahmedabad 2004, and London and Bardoli 2005 promoted by politicking prelates abetted by religious mavericks. We cannot and will not respect those priests who do not respect our beautiful religion.

Dastur has outlined his valuable suggestion regarding priestly salaries coupled with real qualifications. We understand he is connected with the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and therefore is admirably placed to knock a few heads together to concentrate their attention on what is perceived as a pressing need. Some years ago a similar plea was registered by Nadir Modi and Dinshaw Tamboly. Obviously there was no lasting interest or follow-up. That ample funding can be made available for buttressing the priesthood — through the selling off of defunct religious buildings, housing and land in areas where Mazda-worshipers no longer abide — should not be forgotten. It could all be done by proper selection processes and guarantees under BPP auspices and not through the flim-flam persuasions of dubious education trusts. Of course there will aways be furious opposition — there always is whenever disinterested parties aim for amelioration, but then surely the members elected to the BPP board have a moral duty to oversee the proper furtherance of our great religion.

Dastur’s alarmist conclusion of "No priests. No Parsis. No Religion” should be discounted, for there are well attested instances in the histories of our long sojourn in India and overseas when the laity, tired of priestly infighting and fabrications, took religious matters into their own hands without any signs of divine disapproval. They certainly made the bickering clerics awaken to the realization that, however belatedly, they had to behave decorously and move with the times or else would themselves consign their numbers to history! Should these not be reminded not only of the glorious endeavors of our steadfast Iranian priesthood, but also of the great prelates in India of the late 19th and early 20th centuries? They had brought the several erring factions in line with their proper duties. History does teach some great and good lessons, and to forget them is to repeat its mistakes. Will we never learn?

FARROKH VAJIFDAR

London, UK

The trouble with our priesthood is the concept of a Parsi priest. He just has to know the religious rituals and rattle off the prayers as fast as he can say them. Ceremony is not the basis of religion as it is perceived to be by many; spiritual philosophy is. Ceremony just provides the background for social togetherness of a religious community.

The Christian nuns and priests give service to the community even though some of them do not participate in elaborate religious ceremonies. That is what is appreciated by the community. In case of illness or family problems, they offer their help and a listening ear. Do our priests do that? That is why they do not have the respect of the community. Of course there are exceptions like perhaps Ervad Zarir Bhandara of California, who was recently felicitated for his service to the community or Ervad Shahzadi also of USA who the children appreciate as their teacher.

Also the nuns are required to pay rent for their lodgings, if they choose to reside away from the convent. They receive barely enough for their food, clothes and lodging because they do not need to accumulate worldly goods, just have enough so that they can render service to the community. They are educated people who have chosen to devote their life to the service of God, not just those who have failed their high school exams.

When the existing concept of priesthood changes, then a better class of people (not just those who cannot make their living in any other way) will be attracted to full-time priesthood which will then become a vocation, not just a profession of last resort.

Our vada dasturs should occupy themselves with such matters, instead of issuing ‘fatwas’ regarding inter-married Zarathushtis and their children.

JAMSHED R. UDVADIA

Lansing, Michigan, USA