The last charity

As per her will, 54-year-old Poona resident Faranak (Ana) Hirjee Nagarwalla’s body was donated to the Sassoon Hospital and her eyes to the Ruby Hall Clinic following her demise on January 24, 2006. Suffering from severe diabetes resulting in amputation of one leg, loss of 70 percent of her vision, and frequent hospitalization, Nagarwalla was keen that her body be finally used for medical research, mentions her aunt Khorshed Wadia Ezekiel.

The seeds of this decision might have been sown nearly a decade ago for Ezekiel remembers well the family discussing and lauding a similar act of charity by one of their Hindu neighbors.

Nagarwalla: body put to use

Very fond of children, at the age of 40 Nagarwalla, a spinster, decided to foster a child who could give her company following the demise of her parents. Ishika, was brought home by Nagarwalla when she was less than a year old and will now be in Ezekiel’s care.

The four days’ after-death prayers were not really important to Nagarwalla knowing that Ishika would not be allowed to sit in. The family therefore only had one afargan prayed in her memory and are grateful to one of the Poona priests who of his own volition recited the evening Srosh prayers for her. Ezekiel recalls with gratitude the moral support of Meher Mistry, a retired school teacher from a priestly family, who instructed Ezekiel to light a divo while she voluntarily said prayers for the departed soul, as also of Laila Captain, a Meher Baba follower who has taken up the mantle of helping bereaved families and with her sonorous chant of Ashem Vohu and Yatha Ahu Vairyo created a peaceful atmosphere. The masiso (monthly) and subsequent prayers were to be recited at a Poona agiary, as arranged by Nagarwalla’s maternal uncle.