"Jewels of our community"

"The Shahenshahs of songs, ghazals, bhajans and literature,” were felicitated at the launch of Gaavo Maree Saathe — Parsi Geetono Anmol Kha­jano, Singalong Treasure Trove of Parsi Songs by Marzban Giara. The function held under the auspices of the Rahnumae Mazdayasnan Sabha at the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute (KRCOI) on September 4, 2006 coincided with the 181st birth anniversary of Dr Dadabhai Naoroji. "Let us demonstrate our gratitude to these jewels of our community by giving them a standing ovation,” mentioned Surat’s comedy king and chief guest of the evening Yazdi Karanjia. After garlanding the portrait of Dadabhai Naoroji, he added, "Ahura Mazda has given us this life, so laugh and be merry. Kisi ki muskarahato pé ho nisar. I am sure that the late Dadabhai Naoroji is present with us in spirit today at this music program and is blessing us all.”

Three renowned Parsi musicians — kirtankar Pervez Katrak, music director Kersi Mistry and poet and ghazal writer Adi Mirza — were felicitated on this occasion by the Sabha for their decades of service to the Parsi community. "If I were to detail the contribution of these three musicians I would have to write a book on each of them,” jested Giara, honorary secretary of the Sabha.

Katrak has entertained thousands with his kirtans not only in India but also overseas. He has published a book Katrak Kirtan Sangrah.

Having been a recordist with His Master’s Voice, Mistry was responsible for composing and providing music in the first studio recorded audiocassette of Parsi songs brought out by the Maneckji Cooper Education Trust in 1986. He has also composed the title song for the teleserial Humata, Hukhta, Hvarashta.

Mirza has written innumerable ghazals which have been published into a book called Sadgi. Mirza has written and composed many songs (seven of which are published in this book), his most popular being Enu Naam Té Bawaji. For many years he used to conduct the YOU (Youths Own Union) Music Circle and was specially felicitated with a shawl and flowers by YOU’s Ratamai Peer on that day.

Contributions by other stalwarts of the music fraternity — the late Navroz Mehta, Vistasp Bulsara, Dali Palkhiwalla and Shehnaz Munshi — were also recalled by Giara. Felicitated for her years of singing with Kersi Mistry in India and abroad was ‘melody queen’ Jaloo Bhesania, fondly referred to as the Lata Mangeshkar of the Parsi community. The Sabha also applauded the efforts of Peer for providing inspiration to Giara for compiling and publishing this book.

Top: Yazdi Karanjia releasing book as Cowasjee Dinshaw looks on. Alongside (L to R): Adi Mirza, Karanjia with Kersi Mistry, Pervez Katrak and author Marzban Giara Below: Senior citizens, singers and children singing songs from the book Photos: Minoo Bhagalia

The book, priced at Rs 150, is a collection of over 250 songs, 60 devotional hymns in English, 100 Parsi devotional songs/monajats, 40 songs/garbas for happy occasions and 65 Parsi comic/film songs. With an aim to rekindle interest in the community’s musical heritage, this is Giara’s second book on Parsi songs, the first being Jarthosti Gayan Sangrah published in 1995.

Selected songs from Gaavo Maree Saathe were rendered by several singers and children as well as senior citizens with music accompaniment by Adi Mirza on the harmonium, Firoz and Rusi Kapadia on the rhythm and Marazban Mehta on the khanjri.

In his welcome address Cowasjee Nusserwanjee Dinshaw, president of the Sabha said, "Rahnumae Mazdayasnan Sabha is one of the 30 organizations that Dadabhai founded in 1851. This Sabha has been carrying on its mission of spreading religious awareness for the past 155 years. Dadabhai served our community and our nation. Today we have organized this function to pay homage to him with music so that his memory is preserved.”

A section of the audience at the book launch

Trustee of the Sabha Vispi Dastur spoke a few words on the Grand Old Man of India. "Dadabhai was the first Indian to demand Swaraj. (He) was the first Parsi and the first Indian to be elected to the British Parliament in 1893. The Government of India has issued commemorative stamps in his memory. He is the only Parsi in whose honor the Government of India has minted a Rs 5 commemorative coin in 2003,” he mentioned.

At the end of the program the trustees of the KRCOI were thanked for providing the hall for the function, Katy Dalal for the snacks served on that day as also Jam-e-Jamshed and The Bombay Samachar for regularly giving publicity to the Sabha’s various programs.

Two reprints

Two books, Religious Discourses by Ervad (Dr) Minocher D. Karkhanavala and Our Zoroastrian Religion by Ervad Fardunji N. Rabadi have been reprinted by publisher Marzban Giara (giara@vsnl.com) and are on sale at a nominal price so that the maximum number of Parsis can purchase them, he states.

The first book by Karkhanavala, an orthodox priest and scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, consists of transcripts of five lectures he delivered. The topics are Zoroastrianism and modern youth; date and teachings of prophet Zarathushtra; the significance of sudreh-kusti; dakhmenashini — the Zoroastrian method of disposal of the dead and the importance of science in the study of Zend Avesta. The 92-page book is priced at Rs 60.

Rabadi’s 52-page book, priced at Rs 30, covers "topics relating to our religion…in simple, easy to understand language in the form of questions and answers,” states Giara. "Sixteen editions of this book were published in Gujarati. This book was given to me when I was attending religious class in 1950. I have translated this into English and published it for the benefit of persons who do not know Gujarati.”