Suspect scholarship

Khojeste Mistree, the torch bearer of the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ), is a candidate for the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) elections, and his candidature is endorsed by three High Priests. He claims that he is a scholar of the Zoroastrian religion and hence will protect it from kaffirs like some other candidates. His associate Yazdi Desai refers to him in a letter published in Jam-e-Jamshed (September 21) as "the only religious scholar who is responsible for the rejuvenation of our religion among the Parsi youth, and who has spent years successfully imparting religious education to our children.”

The community deserves to know from authentic religious scholars and High Priests what Mistree’s true credentials as a religious scholar are, and whether the views he preaches and teaches to our children are acceptable to the other scholars and the High Priests who are the upholders of our religion.

Doubts about his scholarship and also integrity in giving true interpretations of the scriptures have been raised by at least one highly learned and respected scholar priest, the late Dastur (Dr) Hormuzdyar Mirza who has publicly stated that "Mistree is a public fraud on the religion, the community, and on scholarship. Mistree’s scholarship is the scholarship of ignorance, arrogance, gambling with words and deceptive show. All impudence, fooling and fraud.” Of course Mistree will never answer these allegations since his tactics are to bluff and fabricate facts.

In a very critical article commenting upon what Mistree had said in a paper published in Irano Judaica 11, called "The breakdown of the Zoroastrian tradition, as viewed from a contemporary perspective,” Mirza writes, "Mistree’s article is an ‘overthrow’ (a pun by Mirza on the word ‘overview’ used by Mistree) of the basic Zoroastrian precept of monotheism propounded in the Gathas, and preached in the Avesta, in Pahlavi tradition, and even later writings… Mistree’s article is entirely misleading, and it does injustice to learned, selfless and devoted scholars… Mistree condemns ‘western education’ as materialism, but invokes help of western educated western scholars and quotes them approvingly… Mistree does not find any merit in any work of any scholar, or any institution in India except Mistree’s own work, and his institution. Evidently Mistree’s overview is written with a selfish ulterior motive to project his own image, and to advertise his own institution.”

Mistree refers to Zoroastrian priests of the early 19th century as: "The nonscholarly Parsi priests of the day... None of them were scholars in their own right” which Mirza considers "gross injustice to scholar priests of the19th century. Amongst the priests of those days were scholars by the standards of study at that time... They wrote Avesta and Pahlavi manuscripts, translated Avesta, wrote books and articles in Gujarati, and they were scholars in their own right. They were sincere and honest. At that time we had no pretenders, as we have in our community at present… Mistree’s article is a notorious example of character assassination. He mentions internationally accredited scholars by name and runs them down and their works without any justification… The authors of these good books… the erudite Dr K. R. Cama and his learned disciples... (to) whom Ormazd is mighty and very powerful, but not omnipotent Mistree wants to black out for obvious reasons. This shows his malicious attitude towards the great selfless scholars. His article wants to show that in the Parsi community there are no scholars worthy of being mentioned by name, except one scholar and he is Mistree and only one institution, namely Athravan Educational Trust (AET).”

Under the heading "An attempt to smuggle personal belief” Mirza writes, "Mistree quotes Zaehner’s translation of Mardan Farrokh’s Skand Gumanik Vijar (SGV) to assert his belief in two gods Hormazd and Ahriman and writes ‘From the above it presupposes that Ormazd is mighty and very powerful, but not omnipotent.’

"Mistree’s article is an important document to show that he does not know any language except English. Further it appears that he has not studied the scriptures seriously even in translation! It appears that since the community relied on his promises and since nothing has been written against his public utterances (he rarely writes), he seems to have become so irresponsible and so arrogant in his overview.

"Mistree started with promises to the Parsi community. He promised to prepare and present to the community… 15 educated and worthy Yozdathregar (high order) practising priests. Relying on his promises the community donated lakhs of rupees. Decades have passed and how these trust monies are being managed no one knows except Mistree and his associates. After decades and after spending considerable amount of trust monies, instead of high order priests, Mistree presents the Parsi community with degraded Hormazd and exalted Ahriman.”

One can understand that scholars and teachers can have honest differences in interpreting scriptures; however what Mirza alleges is more serious, involving Mistree’s deliberate misinterpretations, combined with an attempt to take credit and run down sincere scholars like Dr K. R. Cama a truly great person. This is most shocking and unZoroastrian. I sincerely hope our learned High Priests Dr JamaspAsa and Dr Kotwal, both scholars in their own right, will guide the community in this matter.

Neither has Mistree explained or answered Mirza’s criticism, nor has he stopped claiming to be a scholar, a claim which Mirza has clearly demolished. Now when this criticism is out in the open Mistree has stated in the WAPIZ Page that as Mirza is no more, he will not bother to respond to this. Surely, facts do not change even if Mirza has passed away; his words and comments live on. Any self respecting scholar takes steps to explain and give his version when his statements are challenged and his reputation is attacked. It is the duty of our high priests and scholars to correct misinterpretation of our scriptures by so-called scholars, so that the layman is shown the correct path.

Can such a person be entrusted with the trusteeship of BPP?

A retired Indian Administrative Service officer, Jamsheed G. Kanga held senior posts in government including that of the municipal commissioner of Bom­bay. He is at present a senior corporate advisor to the Tata group of companies. A former trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, he is on the board of several companies and is active in heritage conservation and town planning.