Nashik-Devlali directory

"This is something we have needed for some time and I am happy to present it to you on October 4, 2008, roz Srosh, mah Ardibehesht, the salgirah of our Bai Ratanbai Chenoy Agiary. I hope you will find it useful,” notes a message from the managing trustee Bomi Netarwala in the 16-page 2008 Directory of the Nashik-Devlali Parsee-Zoroastrian Anjuman.

Details of nearly 375 individuals from 130 Zoroastrian families, residing in Nashik and Devlali, are presented in this compilation. Besides the name, address, telephone and e-mail contacts where available, against each entry is also mentioned the date of birth, sex, marital status, blood group and educational qualifications, barring some exceptions. As per the data published, there are 185 males as versus 190 females in the Anjuman. The agewise breakup indicates that 30 percent of the Zoroastrian population (numbering 111) is aged over 60, there are 59 percent (222) in the 15-59 age-group and nine percent (35) aged under 14. A separate page carries the family details of three Zoroastrian males and three Zoroastrian females who have married out of the community. "It is unfortunate that most of our grown-up children no longer live in Nasik and therefore their names have not been included in the Directory,” clarifies Netarwala.

Clockwise (from top left): Bejon Desai; Chenoy Agiary; Rohintan Baxi speaking with dignatories on the dais; Bomi Netarwala with directory

Besides color photographs of the Agiary and Dharamshala, the Directory carries a list of 19 members of the managing committee including president Dhunjishah Neterwala (although he is not listed in the directory section), Bomi Netarwala (his name has been spelt in four different ways in the details forwarded by the Anjuman), treasurer-trustee Noshirwan Irani, trustees Sheriar Irani, Ratan Messman, Sherena Khan, Feroze Neterwala, Jehangir Sumariwala and trustee from Secunderabad, Mehernosh Chinoy.

The Directory was released on the 92nd anniversary of the Agiary by Bejon Desai, former principal of Boys’ Town Public School who was presiding over the celebratory function that included an hour long talk by Ervad Marzban Hathiram, panthaky of Ustad Saheb Behramshah N. Shroff Dar-E-Meher in Bombay’s Behram Baug on "Preserving the community for our children and responsibility of Parsis today.”

Before the function ended with a sumptuous dinner, the volunteers were presented gift vouchers by the managing trustee. The Deolali-Nashik Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman manages the trusts of the Agiary, the Deolali dakhma lands and charities, and the Shirinbai Manekji Naterwala Rest House and Memorial Hall. Parinaz M. Gandhi