Serial celebration

A continuous screening of the episodes of Frohar Films’ Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta acquainted the visitors with the teleserial. Another display showed visuals of the serial while it was being shot. An extensive list of episodes was also displayed to enable the viewers to purchase their subject of interest in VCD format. The three-day exhibition, "Celebrations — 2006” organized by the Frohar Foundation from March 25-27, 2006 marked the completion of 101 episodes of Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta, the only serial on the Zoroastrian religion telecast on Sunday mornings on Zee Gujarati channel. Rites and rituals concerning the religion, Zoroastrian institutions, individuals and events have been the subject of different episodes meant to "create awareness of our background, instill a sense of pride and belonging, and motivate our community members towards becoming even better Zoroastrians than they are,” as notes a press release.

The exhibition at the Russian Cultural Centre was inaugurated by Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza with the guests of honor being chairman emeritus of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) Jamshed Guzder and Jimmy Mistry of Della Tecnica. On the last day BPP trustee Dinshaw Mehta and Noshir Dadrawala were the guests of honor. The history of the Zoroastrian religion from the Peshdadian times until the landing of the Parsis on Indian shores, some of the eminent personalities of this community, the basic Zoroastrian rituals like the jashan, boi in an agiary, the muktads, the inner liturgical ceremonies, a model of a dakhma… were explained through the exhibition.

Clockwise from top left Peshotan Mirza felicitating Cyrus Dastoor; Mirza inaugurating the exhibition , visitors studing the exhibits,Ramyar Karanjia explaning exhibits

"Please take the exhibition to other places and to other cities. Should have been publicized more so more people could view it.” "Thank you Frohar Foundation for taking up this project of educating our community through your serial and literature… Reveals to us how little we actually know of our religion” were some of the feedback received by the organizers as conveyed by the director of the Foundation Ervad Cyrus Dastoor.

To introduce Parsi humor on the occasion, there were small skits and gags performed by Jimmy Jesia, Jehangir Karkaria, Silloo Mahava, Mani Mulla, Errick Elavia, Marzban Bhesania, Cyrus Pooniwala, Rumi Zarir and Aban Baria while Mithoo Jesia, Zarine Commissariat and Maneck Dastur officiated as master of ceremonies. The inputs for the exhibition were courtesy Jennifer Dinshaw, Ervad (Dr) Ramyar Karanjia, Dr Homi Dhalla, Kurush Dastoor, Ervads Dinyar Vajifdar and Pallonji Dastoor.