Twin cities’ thanksgiving

The Zoroastrian Club of Secunderabad-Hyderabad, which was given a new look for the first time in its 70-year history, invited Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza of Udvada’s Iranshah to lead a thanksgiving jashan in the Club’s premises on July 18, 2009. Priests from all three agiaries in the twin cities participated in the ceremony which was attended by a large gathering of Parsi Zoroastrians, Kerfegar B. Antia, the Club’s honorary secretary revealed in a write-up sent to Parsiana.

The jashan was held in the Club’s main hall and, after partaking of the chashni the gathering moved out to the festive pandal to hear Mirza’s speech. Welcoming the high priest, Antia listed his achievements and also acknowledged the efforts of the Club’s president, Jehangir D. Batliwalla whose initiative was largely responsible for the undertaking and completion of the renovation work in record time.

Mirza spoke on "Tracing the roots of the Parsis,” punctuating his lecture with verses from the Gathas and other scriptures, providing an outline of Zoroastrianism from its advent till the time Parsis landed in Sanjan. He pointed out that the Mazdayasni religion was always practiced in Iran and that our prophet reformed it when non-Mazdayasni practices began to creep in. Thus, according to Mirza, a Parsi was always a Mazda-yasni Zarathushti and vice versa, Antia’s write-up reports.

(Top) Jehangir Batliwalla (left) felicitating Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza seen with Kerfegar Antia; (above) a section of the audience

[The Encyclopaedia Britannica speculates that "some kind of polytheism with many… gods” existed prior to Zoroaster. According to the Encyclopae­dia, Mazda­ism was a "later Zoroastrian religion of the Sasanian period (AD 224-651)” and questions whether it "genuinely reflected the teachings of Zoroaster… There are no reliable sources more ancient than the prophet himself.” — editors]

Mirza also stressed the need for our community to remain united, which is most essential in the present times. This could be achieved by praying together as at the humbandagi being conducted every week at the agiaries in Secunderabad and Hyderabad. It was heartening to note that a large portion of the gathering comprised the community’s youth which listened to the lecture in rapt silence.

Thereafter, Mirza was felicitated by Batliwalla on behalf of the Club, by Gulbanoo Chenoy, president of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of Secunderabad-Hyderabad and by Perviz Nalladaru, president of the Zoroastrian Stree Mandal (ZSM), each of whom presented the high priest with a shawl and a memento. Winners of the indoor sports competition conducted earlier by the Club received their prizes at Mirza’s hands. The children magnanimously donated their cash prizes to the ZSM which is celebrating its golden jubilee year, Antia reports.

At housie, Feroze Bhathena won the jackpot of Rs 3,000 sponsored by The People’s Cooperative Credit Society Limited of which Antia is chairman and managing director. The function ended with a dinner subsidized by the Club and catered at cost by Abad Wadia who also undertook the floral decoration and lighting, the write-up concludes.