Books for Baroda

Nearly 800 books on Zoroastrian religion, history and culture donated by the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation (WZCF) have found a new home in the Late Fardoon Curshedji Reading Room and Library in Baroda inaugurated on March 21, 2006. While these tomes have been carefully bound and cataloged and placed in new cupboards, another section of the premises has the latest magazines and newspapers to make the facility user friendly, mentions a press release.

Dhalla (right) inaugurating Baroda’s Fardoon Curshedji Reading Room and Library as Patel looks on

After the jashan, Dr Homi Dhalla, president of the WZCF who inaugurated the new Library showed a film Revival of the Zarathushti Culture and delivered a talk on "Various dimensions of Zoroastrianism.” On behalf of Shree Parsi Panchayat Baroda, president Jal Patel felicitated Dhalla commending his organization’s work for the conservation of the Bahrot caves, Sanjan excavations, solar concentrators, teaching monajats and Gujarati language as also kusti weaving.

Dhalla’s missionary zeal has led to the setting up of libraries in different parts of India. In 1999 a collection of 1,600 books in Poona was lodged in the Albert Edward Institute and Cowasjee Dinshaw Hall and Library. Another collection of 325 books was donated to the Bangalore Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman and kept in the premises of the Bangalore Agiary for the benefit of the community, according to the write-up.