The lost generation

The report on the individual anjumans is the third installment on the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India executive council and general body meeting held on September 23 and 24, 2006. The fourth and final report will appear in our December 21, 2006 issue.

Agra

Established in 1904, Agra Parsi Anjuman has only 15 Zoroastrians residing in the city of the Taj Mahal, stated Anjuman president Hoshang Debara. Noting that the Anjuman spends thousands of rupees for the maintenance of the dharamshala, Debara lamented "the occupancy is extremely low.” In the year 2004-2005 there were only 51 visitors and in 2005-06 the number was 35.

Hoshang (top) and Daulat Debara

From April this year the figure is 21. "The dharamshala is running at a loss. Our rates are much lower than the hotels,” he noted. Most Zoroastrians in India are not aware of the dharamshala in Agra, he explained. Non-Parsis are not permitted use of the dharamshala as orthodox members of the Anjuman object. "In Agra there are no youths,” he remarked. The young prefer to go elsewhere.

Farrokh Kavina (top) and Kersi Daruwala

Ahmedabad

Five years ago the corpus of the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat (APP) was Rs 90 lakhs. Today it is nearly five crores, said APP representative Farrokh Kavina. The Panchayat has constructed 60 shops and offices adjacent to the doongerwadi for which they receive a monthly rent of Rs 1,40,000. Around Rs 1,76,000 has been given for medical assistance in the six-month period from April to September and Rs 1,97,000 towards education fees (no application for assistance was rejected), he noted. Grains and cooking oil worth Rs 25,000 were given to economically disadvantaged Parsis. A mobed, Godrej Panthaki, who had served the Panchayat for 35 years and retired on medical grounds has been given Rs 3,000 per month for the rest of his life and may

Capt Homi Dandiwalla

continue staying in the same premises. Another agiary worker Dinamai Patra­wala is being given Rs 700 a month throughout her life. Two lakh rupees worth of loans (on which interest would be payable) were dispersed to young entrepreneurs. To date there has been no default. Around two to five lakhs is spent on maintaining the Doongerwadi property and three-and-a-half lakhs was given to the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) for flood relief assistance. Ahmedabad has a Parsi population of around 1,900, said Kavina.

Allahabad

"Only 27 Parsis are left in Allahabad,” stated Capt Homi Dandiwalla, president of The Allahabad Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman. The agewise breakup "is not very encouraging… most are in the senior citizens’ group.” Recently All India Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi had made funds available for renovation of the aramgah to make the grounds "more decent and respectable,” said Dandiwalla. Amongst the graves is that of Feroze Gandhi, husband of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Unfortunately, due to heavy rains, the "entire northern portion of the aramgah boundary wall collapsed,” said Dandiwalla. The debris fell on some hutments adjacent to the boundary wall and the local politicians "started making capital… an ugly situation was created.” The Anjuman’s vice president Rustom Gandhi rushed to the scene and brought matters under control, Dandiwalla noted. Repair work was carried out with assistance from the district magistrate and senior superintendent of police. As the Anjuman did not have funds for this "unforeseen expenditure” appeals for assistance were sent to the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and the World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO). Dandiwalla expressed "our sincere thanks to the WZO and Dinshaw Tamboly for their extremely prompt response.” The BPP also sent funds, added Dandiwalla.

Yazdi Desai

Badnera

"There are barely 12 to 15 Parsis residing in this eastern Maharashtra town close to Nagpur, said Badnera Amravati Parsi Anjuman representative Yazdi Desai. Badnera has a dadgah and a priest, said Desai. A young man, Zubin Dotivala, is active in the Anjuman. Desai claimed that Badnera "now looks to WAPIZ (The World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis) for assistance.” Desai wanted more anjumans to approach WAPIZ so the orthodox body could "share the load of the BPP.” He appealed to the Federation leadership not to "disfranchise the small anjumans.” The Federation is contemplating a change in the body’s rules and regulations to give more weightage to the larger anjumans.

From left: Pervez Mehta, Yasmin and Kersi Sanjana

Bardoli

"After a span of 50 years” the marriage of a Parsi couple took place in Bardoli, said Yasmin Sanjana, representing the Bardoli Jarthosti Anjuman. The groom was her nephew. "We have a baby in our midst and a couple is getting engaged,” she added. The anjuman has a dharamshala and a dispensary.

Boman Cama

Baroda

"Shri Parsi Punchayat Vadodara have recently constructed, from the Bai Maneckbai P. B. Jeejeebhoy Trust (funds), 10 residential flats in the Umrigar Adarian complex,” stated trustee Boman Cama. The Punchayat also intends to raise a Rs 50,00,000 corpus of which Rs 25,00,000 would be used for medical relief, Rs 10,00,000 for disaster management (in light of the recent floods in Baroda), Rs 15,00,000 for the administration and other objects of the trust.

This year the Pateti program was cancelled to show solidarity with the flood affected community members in Surat. The dakhma boundary wall in Baroda was also damaged due to flooding in the monsoons. The properties, however, are insured, said Cama.

There has been a change of guard at the Baroda United Zoroastrian Youth association, Cama mentioned. Baroda has no professional pallbearers and the youth help in carrying the corpses.

Khojeste Mistree

Belgaum

The Belgaum Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman has a residential priest, said representative Khojeste Mistree. The priestly quarters had been rebuilt thanks to a generous donation by the Shapoorji Pallonji Group of Companies. Mistree said he was instrumental in bringing an Iranian Zoroastrian priest to Belgaum.

Belgaum is the "only small place” where Kadmi and Shahen­shahi muktad prayers are conducted. Mistree said that Belgaum would like the Federation "to continue with the present constitution… (we are) not happy with the new constitution.” Mistree wanted the Federation to collect data on economically disadvantaged Parsis so that the anjumans could work for their welfare. Around 70 Zoroastrians reside in the Karnataka state town. "Most people are middle aged, 60 plus,” he noted.

Pilloo Ginwalla

Bharuch

"We have very few youths,” said Bharuch Parsi Panchayet representative Pilloo Ginwalla. "Only three to four young people.” She added however, that two boys who had left Bharuch for studies "came back to join the family business.” Of the seven agiaries in the Gujarat town, three have closed down and "only one is running properly,” she noted. In one agiary, the priest tends to the fire and then the fire temple is "locked up.” One family agiary where the fire had died a natural death was converted into a dharamshala but found "no takers... We have lots of property. What do you do with them?” she asked, a question many an anjuman is faced with. The Motlibai Parsi Girls High School "has no Parsi students.” The Gujarati medium section was closed down and now English is the language of instruction.

"What do we do with the old buildings? Can’t we put them to some other use?” she queried. BPP trustee and noted solicitor Burjor Antia suggested the old properties be developed or sold.

Mehli Colah (top); Cawas Panthaki

Bombay

The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) spends one crore, 37 lakh rupees on religious activities, one crore, 23 lakhs on education, 53 lakhs on medical aid, 89 lakhs on relief of poverty and one crore, 17 lakhs on other objects and activities, stated Ca­was Panthaki, senior executive of the BPP and Federation executive secretary (welfare). The total comes to over five crores and 21 lakhs. Of the amount spent for religious objectives, one crore, 20 lakhs is spent for Doonger­wadi, 7.5 lakhs is spent for the upkeep of the Godavra Agiary in Fort and 15 lakhs for the Jokhi Agiary at Godrej Baug.

We used to say the BPP looks after Parsis from "birth to the grave,” stated BPP chairman Minoo Shroff but as the word "grave” caused offence we now state from "birth to death.”

The BPP spends "Rs 14,000 per corpse, against this we hardly gets Rs 2,000,” said Panthaki. At Doongerwadi 65 percent of the cost goes towards salary. "People have complimented the beautification at Doongerwadi saying ‘béhest maa gaya hoi tévu lagéch (it seems like we have gone to heaven) I have never seen it in better shape… we have never tried to pinch on the maintenance (of Doongerwadi even though) our costs are going up.”

Noshir Paghdiwalla

Borivli

The Borivli and Suburban Zoroastrian Association (BASZA) membership received a boost when around 175 members of the Andheri Parsi Association joined with them, said BASZA president Noshir Paghdiwalla. Prior to the amalgamation around 575 families were members of BASZA where membership is restricted to families and not individuals. The Association has 12 to 14 programs in a year, both social and religious. Noting that people had to commute to work for two to four hours daily, he observed that it was "only through BASZA that people get a chance to come together.” He thanked Keystone Group managing director Boman Irani for the complimentary use of his Group’s school premises and infrastructure. Paghdiwalla narrated how Bakhtavar Merchant, president of the Andheri association who is also a member of BASZA, had been impressed with the activities of BASZA and asked Paghdiwalla, "Why don’t you take over” the Andheri association. Free membership was given for one year with people from Behram Baug and the Salsette Parsi Association attending the programs.

Noting that a restraint of funds prevents them from doing charity on large scale, he said BASZA volunteers go to widows’ homes, the J. J. Parsi Ward, Parukh Dharamshalla and others. He noted every year during the monsoon the Mithi brook overflows causing floods in Borivli. Three Parsi homes which had been flooded received help from BASZA volunteers. One of the few associations in India which regularly publish a newsletter, Paghdiwalla stated the publication bound the community together. The Association is around 30 years old.

"The youth meet regularly,” said Paghdiwalla. "All programs except the AGM (annual general meeting) are conducted by the youth.”

Bahadur Postwalla

Calcutta

"We are a happy, united community of 650 Parsi Zoroastrians,” said Calcutta Zoroastrian Community’s Religious and Charity Fund representative Bahadur Post­walla. There are 170 non-Parsi spouses making a total of over 800. The anjuman has initiated an insurance policy for senior citizens. Members over the age of 75 can avail of hospitalization benefits. The policy is for individuals and is not a group insurance policy, said Postwalla. A solar concentrator is yet to be installed. Over 60 percent of the community is over the age of 60, he noted.

Chikhli

"There are no youth in Chikhli,” said Chikhli Parsee Anjuman trustee Pervez Italia. Around 20 Parsis (six families) reside in the south Gujarat town which once boasted of a population of 100 families. Over 50 percent are over 60 years. Chikhli has an agiary, a dharam­shala and a marriage hall. The agiary was renovated thanks to a donation from BPP chairman emeritus Jamshed Guzder. A gahanbar was held which 300 people attended from neighboring villages, Italia stated.

Pervez Italia

Dahanu

"The trend is (towards) marrying outside (the community),” said Parvez Irani. He was thankful to the World Zoroastrian Organisation and Dinshaw Tamboly for "subsidizing fees for 12 students.” Irani mentioned that there was a Yazd Sports Club in Dahanu which is open to the young and old of all communities. There are over 800 Zoroastrians in Dahanu. The Dahanu Road Zoroastrian Agiary Trust Fund was represented by Firoz Jamshedji and Hushang Vakil.

From left : Parvez Irani, Firoz Jamshedji and Hushang Vakil

Bomi Hirjee

Indore

A major problem involving a road on the national highway being located close to the dakhma has been solved, said Indore Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman president Bomi Hirjee. The Indore development authority will maintain the road but "the ownership remains with us,” he added. A compromise decree has been filed in the court. The anjuman intends to tear down the old quarters built for the priest and create flats for the mobed and others. There are around 200 Parsis in Indore.

To be continued