“Right another wrong”

Kudos for your well written editorial, "Right another wrong” (Parsiana, January 21, 2008). This should serve as an eye opener to Parsis who wear blinkers and refuse to look beyond their Parsi noses! The message is loud and clear — that one can take recourse to the courts of law to bring about a change in the dogmatic Parsi psyche.

We have been crying ourselves hoarse trying to gain acceptance for children of Parsi mothers married outside our faith, but the dogmatic orthodox sections refuse to budge though they have no qualms about accepting the children of Parsi men who have married outside. The World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) endorses this! In such a scenario the day is not far when Parsi women will move the courts to right this wrong. Eminent lawyer Iqbal Chagla has stated that "maternity is certain, paternity is an assumption.” How beautifully put, so truthful and so simple!

If one goes through the different court orders that are being endorsed in disputes concerning religious matters, one can see a leaning towards change, a recent example being that of Sabarimala temple where women had not been allowed to enter since centuries. This inequity has now been set aside by the court.

There is another issue that needs a radical change. With so many opting to marry outside the community, the rules governing Doongerwadi need to be altered. The practice of not showing the face of the departed to near and dear ones who are not Parsis is demeaning and hurtful, as is the segregation of Parsis and non-Parsis in the seating arrangements. All this is irrelevant in this day and age. What is strange is that such practices only exist mainly in Bombay and a few other places. If we need the intervention of the courts on every issue it will prove a serious setback for our faith. Why don’t we see the writing on the wall, thrash out our problems within the community and resolve them, instead of these matters being dragged to court and splashed all over the national media?

RODA D. HAKIM

Baroda

vadhakim@yahoo.com