Rites and wrongs

The local media reported that seven-year-old Farzin Batliwalla died of starvation but now the landlord of the building occupied by the family claims "the cause of death… may be alleged beating(s) as Nisha (her mother) was habitually thrashing her children and beating them ruthlessly.”

In an article published under his byline on the WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis) Page of The Free Press Journal on April 24, 2009 Bomi Sachinwalla stated, "I provided residential facilities in my building at Vasai opposite the Manijeh P. Sachinwalla Dar-e-Meher, free of charge, to Bejan (Farzin’s father) against his assurance that he shall render his services in my fire temple at Vasai. But within no time thereafter he disappeared. Very often I helped Nisha financially and in kind. Even her neighbors constantly assisted her.

"On receiving constant complaints from neighbors, I warned Nisha many times to refrain from beating her children, more particularly her elder daughter Farzin. Most of the time Nisha was arrogant and out of her mind.

"During police interrogations when she was in police custody for two days after the sad demise of her daughter Farzin, I along with Dr Malcolm Pestonjee stepped in to help her. The noble intention was to safeguard three lives i.e. mother and two surviving children. I had no idea that my saving Nisha, would be used by some others to shift the blame on the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustees, who were not in any way involved in the case.

The front page of Sunday Mumbai Mirror showing the funerary prayers for Farzin which sparked off a controversy

"Till this time I was under the preconceived opinion, (as I was made to believe), that Bejan is the culprit, who deserted his family. But the realities came to light thereafter. I am desirous to apprise our community and reveal my shocking findings as under:

"Bejan still frequently visits Nisha at midnight in the premises where she stays. The story of desertion is a hoax. Many a times the watchman and neighbors have seen Bejan around my building.”

Referring to a front page article in the Mumbai Mirror of April 19, 2009 which featured a photo of Nisha Batliwalla and community activist Dhun Baria praying at the funerary prayers for Farzin on the grounds of the Manijeh P. Sachinwalla Dar-e-Meher, Sachinwalla claims, "Just recently on my verbal consent to perform the religious ceremony for Farzin, a group headed by Wadia brothers of the ARZ (Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism), took wrong advantage of my verbal consent and also took over charge of the said religious ceremony. I wish to clarify that the said ceremony was performed outside my fire temple at Vasai. The picture in the Mumbai Mirror dated April 19, 2009 is misleading. Nisha did not enter my fire temple. I was unaware of ARZ’s intentions and that the priests who performed the ceremony were renegade priests who are blacklisted. They were not sincere to the cause. Their aim was to publish the photograph in Mumbai Mirror paper on the last day of the by-election of our BPP.

"I am in no way concerned with the Wadia brothers or their ARZ nor do I approve their ideology.”

Responding to the allegations made against the ARZ, trustee Vispy N. Wadia wrote in the Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly of May 3, 2009, "ARZ carried out the Zoroastrian funeral rites of the poor child Farzin on April 18, 2009 in the courtyard of Mr Sachinwalla’s Vasai agiary. The funeral ceremony was carried out after enquiring with Mr Sachinwalla whether any Zoroastrian funeral rites were performed for the departed soul of Farzin and was with prior intimation and approval of Mr Sachinwalla…

"Farzin did not see any comfort in her seven-year lifetime and was also denied peace and solace after her death. Politics was played over her death, levying of various accusations, shifting of blame, various theories like death from starvation to alleged beating/neglect by her mother, etc. But in this game of one-upmanship, lip-service and politics, those very persons forgot that though more than 18 days had passed since the child’s death, nobody had cared to arrange and perform the basic mandatory religious funeral rites for the soul of little Farzin.

"ARZ has never blamed or accused anybody for the child’s death. Whatever be the cause of little Farzin’s death — starvation — anemia — malaria — beatings/neglect by her mother, the police can certainly investigate the matter and come to a conclusion and punish the guilty. But why deny Farzin of her dignified last rites? What was innocent Farzin’s fault? We were truly disturbed to know, after enquiring from Mr Sachinwalla, that no last rites whatsoever were performed for Farzin though 18 days had passed since her death.

"Even an unclaimed ‘lawaris’ (unclaimed) body gets the dignity of a proper funeral rite by the police and the municipal authorities.

"We salute Ervad Khushroo Madon and his son for coming all the way to Vasai at short notice and conducting the funeral rites for the child without any monetary consideration. The costs of sukhad and loban were also borne by them. Even on our insistence to give them the amount for the services rendered, …Madon refused to accept any money for these funeral prayers.”

Wadia noted in conclusion that "The first month (masiso) prayers for late Farzin Batliwalla were also performed at the Jeejeebhoy Dadabhai Agiary at Colaba on May 1, 2009. The same was sponsored by a Zoroastrian. It is sincerely hoped that WAPIZ does not politicize the issue once again.”