“Rites and wrongs”

Apropos "Rites and wrongs” (Parsiana, May 21, 2009), regarding Zoroastrian prayers said for the soul of little Farzin Batliwalla, Vispy Wadia of ARZ (Association for the Revival of Zoroastrianism) and Ervad Khushroo Fali Madon deserve kudos, gratitude, and appreciation from all right thinking Parsis and others. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustees now look so small with their band of fanatics, fascist and orthodox, for not helping baby Farzin in time.

Let’s hope that Wadia and Madon are not hounded by the fanatic orthodox and priests as was done with Ervad Framroze Mirza.

Of course, to protect their own skins, the BPP trustees have now resorted to damage control, fire-fighting, buck passing, and stooping as low as they can, perforce to show that they are doing something so a few crumbs are thrown to the uneducated poor mother.

This reminds me of an Akbar-Birbal story. Perfume vendors once came to Akbar’s court to sell their wares. Jars of perfume were being circulated amongst all the begums of which Akbar had quite a few. One such jar fell on the carpet and the perfume spilt out. One of the queens who was not of royal blood took out her handkerchief and dabbed it in the spilt perfume. The courtiers were aghast. Akbar, realizing her gaffe, and in order to do some damage control, asked one of his darwans to go out into the garden, empty the fountain of all water and fill it up with the same perfume. Birbal, who was witness to all this, could not resist the temptation to put the King in his place and said: "Jahapana, jo boond say gai woh hoj say nahi aati [Pardon me, your majesty, but the prestige which was lost for a drop (of perfume) cannot be regained through a pond (of perfume)].”

This is most apt and applicable to our pompous, orthodox trustees. However, there is no guarantee that there will be no more Farzins.

BEHRAM AGA

behram_r_aga@yahoo.co.in