“To break a tradition”

I found Behram Aga’s letter "To break a tradition” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, June 21, 2008) both informative and interesting. However, he is wrong in assuming that there are no Parsis around who do their kusti after each visit to the toilet. I should know. I am married (and proudly so), since the past 38 years to a man who does his kusti every single time he visits the toilet, no matter where he may be or what time of day or night it is. We have lived in several countries around the world for long periods of time and he has religiously followed this custom taught to him by his parents, as have his two brothers who live in Bombay. I do admit, however, that this custom is rarely followed today and will be fast assigned to the pages of history.

To our staff, who over the years have been warned implicitly never to bother their boss when his office door is closed, it was a source of intense curiosity as to what exactly he was up to, day after day, for short periods of time, in total silence and on his own behind closed doors. Most of our Russian, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese and other ethnic staff had never heard of Parsis or had the faintest inkling about their customs. When they asked me, I would merely smile and continue with my work. Then, one day an intrepid Chinese member of our staff opened the door and I watched in amazement as the color drained from his face. Looking shocked, he asked in a raised voice: "What is he doing?” The boss was praying. I do not know what he expected to see, but what he received was a lesson on the Zoroastrian faith and its customs.

Some time back, the same staff member, now working for Canadian Customs, telephoned us. "Tell your husband my little son is sick. Do an extra kusti, please!” That brought a smile to my face. A number of Chinese, Russian, Polish and other ethnic persons who have worked for us now know about and respect our religion and our religious customs.

PERVIN PATERASP NIRUMVALA

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada