Priceless Parsi treasures

As a model and Bollywood actor, my vocation sometimes takes me to different parts of Bombay and its periphery which I would otherwise have never visited.

At present I am shooting for Star One’s television thriller Sshh, Phir Koi Hai, in which I play an important role, that of Mr Dastur, an eccentric Parsi antique shop owner. When we began shooting I was taken to Bombay’s famous Chor Bazaar, where I had never set foot before. Some scenes were to be shot in an antique furniture shop. While the camera and lights were being organized, I walked around. The area is lined with furniture shops seemingly filled with antiques from Parsi homes. When the setting was readied, I was asked to enter "my” shop. I was amazed at the awesome antique furniture available therein. It felt as if those ancient gems recognized me in my Parsi topi (cap) and were trying to convey to me that they had once belonged to illustrious Parsi/Irani homes for decades but have now been shamelessly discarded, abandoned and piled up here, waiting for antique furniture lovers, not necessarily Parsis/Iranis, to come and ‘adopt’ them.

Beautiful ancient cupboards with mirrors, large showcases where exotic wine glasses must have enjoyed pride of place in adorning spacious sitting rooms, writing desks and tables, hat stands, vases, big and small marble tables inset with beautifully colored pictures on marble tiles and hanging kaanch na diva stands (chandeliers holding oil lamps) like the ones we have in our fire temples.

I was sorry to see our unsurpassable glorious past piled up in these shops for resale. Most of these priceless pieces have been beautifully polished by the shop owner and look really enticing. Other pieces were being polished outside the shop on the muck filled slushy road since it’s monsoon time at present.

After this experience, I would sincerely like to request members of the Parsi/Irani diaspora spread out throughout the world, some of whom may be holidaying in Bombay at present, to spare some time and visit Chor Bazaar, see these priceless items and seriously consider buying them for their palatial homes abroad. It will be expensive to buy and ship these items abroad, but once this is done these pieces will once again be in Zoroastrian possession where they had earlier been, and not land up in five star properties or some sheikhs’ palaces.

Perhaps the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) and my friend Yazdi Tantra can create an online antique furniture section on the WZCC website. The Parsi Press could have regular columns in which any Parsi/Irani bungalow owner planning to sell his/her property to builders should first advertise that their ancient furniture is for sale to our community members so that these gems remain within our fold for future generations to enjoy. A similar exercise can be carried out through Cyrus Contractor’s working Zoroastrians’ networking group.

And for all those who want to view Sshh, Phir Koi Hai, the thriller is telecast on Star One channel every Friday between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.

RUSI MISTRY