Bawal wood database

As many trustees and administrators of anjumans and small adarians in and around Gujarat and other states would be facing the same predicament as I do, I appeal to like-minded persons to help build a database of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of suppliers of bawal wood in their areas of operation.

In Gujarat, and more particularly in Surat, there are a handful of traders who hold a virtual monopoly in supplying bawal wood to adarians and atash behrams. There is no scope or benefit in fixing the price for quantitative purchases, cutting, transport, etc. If and when a database is made available, trustees and administrators will have access to information which will enable them to take value based decisions. An additional benefit of this would be a trickle down effect for the smooth functioning of adarians and atash behrams all over India.

Keki B. Shroff has done yeoman service by donating to the corpus funds of many adarians, even in remote parts of India. The Sidhwas in Bombay have done the Zoroastrian community proud with their regular supply of kathi to all adarians, agiaries and atash behrams in the city and other areas.

The need of the hour is not just donations for kathi, but to use the available monetary resources for maximum benefit. I am willing to put in time and effort to further this cause. Your contributions in words, ideas and deeds will make the task of the next generation easier and thus benefit the community. Please communicate with me at 12, Hormuzd Building, 5th floor, 33, Sleater Road, Near Grant Road Station (West), Bombay 400007, tel: 23872594, 23898919, e-mail: patmm@vsnl.com

MINOO M. PATEL

Managing trustee, The Bai Pirojbai Manekjee

Patel Vesu Adaryan Saheb Trust Fund