Seeking answers

As students of the Zoroastrian religion we at the Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism (ARZ) seek answers and clarifications from learned scholars Dasturs (Drs) K. M. JamaspAsa and Firoze Kotwal whose comments on acceptance/conversion in Zoroastrianism in the Parsi Press contain certain unfounded and baseless allegations against us. We are sure they will not disappoint us.

We at ARZ have studied and are studying our holy scriptures like Avesta, Yashts, Gathas, Vendidad, etc. Whatever level of religious knowledge we have gathered or will attain in future, we will always remain students because learning is a continuous process. As students of religion we seek your guidance and answers.

In 1903 the very learned and respected late Vada Dastur Kaikhushroo Jamaspji JamaspAsa of the Anjuman Atash Beh­ram in Bombay performed the navjote of a French lady and also solemnized her marriage with Ratanji Dada­bhoy Tata (parents of J. R. D. Tata) according to Zoroastrian rites. This great dastur was JamaspAsa’s own grandfather!

The late Dastur Kaikhushroo Jamasp­ji JamaspAsa was a highly learned, religious and pious High Priest of the Anjuman Atash Behram. He was certainly not "religiously ignorant,” "a misguided individual with no proper scholastic training,” nor did he "exhibit complete ignorance of Imperial Zoroastrian history,” nor was he indulging in "misrepresentation of scriptures” and last but not the least, he certainly did not try to "re-mold the religion.” Would JamaspAsa and Kotwal, as very learned gentlemen, agree at least on this count?

The late Vada Dastur Kaikhushroo Jamaspji JamaspAsa had also made his views very clear on "Acceptance/Con­ver­­sion in Zoroastrian Faith,” vide his letter of 1903 addressed to the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP). In that letter he has clearly stated that "there is no bar in our religion to accept non-Zoroastrian converts.” He also mentions Ervad Tehmurasp Anklesaria’s book, Treatise on the Conversion of Juddins into Mazdayasni Religion in which the author has quoted examples from Avesta, Pahlavi and Persian texts. The letter also mentions a book by Vada Dastur Jamasp­ji (great-grandfather of Jamasp­Asa) published in 1883 titled Passoxi Nirangi Javit Dinan in which further examples/quotations have been given concerning the acceptance/conversion of juddins into the Zoroastrian faith.

JamaspAsa’s forefathers stood for the cause we stand for today. If the allegations made against us are correct, the same allegations could be levied on his own grandfather and great-grandfather. We at ARZ have been working strictly according to what has been opined and written by JamaspAsa’s forefathers. In our opinion these highly learned and noble dasturs were doing and saying the right thing, as per our holy scriptures.

The famous navjotes of Neville and Nusli Wadia were performed, blessed and approved by prominent high priests and priests of our community, including both JamaspAsa and Kotwal. It is common knowledge that members of the industrialist Wadia family were Christians for three generations and had intermarried with European Christians and Indian/Pakistani Muslims. We at ARZ are happy and grateful that a correct decision had been taken at that time by all those concerned and no heed was paid to tantrums thrown by the so-called orthodox. But were the prominent priests, including JamaspAsa and Kotwal who performed and/or blessed and approved the navjotes "religiously ignorant,” "misguided dasturs with no proper scholastic training,” "exhibiting complete ignorance of Imperial Zoroastrian history,” "misrepresenting the scriptures” or "re-molding the religion?”

In our opinion they did the right thing by performing, blessing, approving and not opposing the navjotes of respected Neville and Nusli Wadia. We at ARZ are strictly following in these footsteps by accepting intermarried Parsis and their families into the Zoroastrian fold, if and when they so desire, even if a few generations have already passed as in the case of the Wadia family.

Our noble religion does not have two sets of rules for entry into the Zoroastrian religion — one for the super-rich and another for the common intermarried Parsi. Do JamaspAsa and Kotwal have any religious justification for this selfish discrimination?

Most agiaries, atash behrams and dakhmas employ helpers of mixed parentage, and/or are themselves intermarried. Our so-called orthodox groups and priests do not object to this because no so-called "pure Parsi” would be ready to work in the dakhmas and/or clean and mop the floors in agiaries and atash behrams. It is because of such mixed Parsis that our religious institutions are being served as no "pure Parsi” would be willing to work as chasniwalas or nassesallars. The community should be grateful to these people for the work they have been doing.

However, at the same time other intermarried Parsi couples and their children are barred and stopped from following the Zoroastrian religion. Which religious scripture of ours justifies this double standard of "take them in when required and throw them out when not”? Do JamaspAsa and Kotwal have any religious justification for this selfish discrimination?

KERSSIE N. WADIA

VISPI N. WADIA

Trustees, Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism