“Death by diva”

I have read the article "Death by diva” (Parsiana, August 7, 2009) and feel that matters of religion can only be dealt with by the priests themselves as they are the supreme authority on our religion, rather than by punchayets and anjumans. Dasturji sahébo salaamat rahé (may the priests ever remain well) as they are the strength and guiding force for the vast majority of behdin members of our community.

As a safety measure, the priests may continue wearing the jaamaa which could be reduced in length to three inches below the knee. The diameter at knee level could also be reduced by having fewer frills to make the jaamaa narrower. This way the garment will not come into contact with the diva and the priest will be safe. The sethias of the community have become practical and done away with daglas and wear daglis made of different materials. Why can’t priests change over to an attire which would not only maintain religious sanctity but would also be more comfortable, affordable, practical, and above all, safe? Using fire retardant material is all right in cities, but in remote towns this is neither available nor affordable.

The distance between the afarganiu, diva and where the priest sits could be increased by providing the latter with a longer chamach and chipia with which to tend the fire. There should be one afarganiu per shétranji and one diva per ceremony. This way the priest would be safe and would face less discomfort from smoke coming into his eyes.

Instead of the priest or boiwala lighting the divo, a member of the family for whom the ceremony is being performed should be asked to light it so that they are content with one divo. Also the divo should be kept close to the afarganiu while flowers and fruit may be placed closer to the priest so that the chances of the jaamaa catching fire are reduced.

A portable fire extinguisher should be kept handy for use in an emergency. A thick blanket and first aid kit should also be available in the room where the ceremony is being performed, and not kept under lock and key.

All priests must wear spectacles while performing ceremonies, whether they have a number or not, to prevent direct contact with the smoke. This will prove most useful in the long run to protect the eyes.

Fire retardant chemicals should be used on the shétranji or 9 mm Bison board which is fire retardant. Bison board, a combination of cement and waste wood particles, is cheaper than steel plates and available in most cities.

In some fire temples in Bombay the panthakies themselves have the contract for providing diva. They take advantage of religious sentiment and provide diva at varying rates ranging from five rupees to Rs 501. There is no backup for the exhaust and heat to flow out and the heat tends to crack the paint and ceramic tiles on the walls of the room. The money for the diva goes into the panthaky’s pocket and he later comes out with a list of donors from whom to collect funds with which to repair the agiary.

If the priest notices that a family member has brought adequate sandalwood to last the entire ceremony, he should use only that and not wood belonging to the agiary, provided the priest explains to the devotee that this would help reduce toxic emissions.

We pray to our vada dasturs to be the steering wheel of the community and not the spare wheel that tags along the journey of life. They should be courageous like their forefathers and come out with convincing, practical solutions. Every change results in some criticism but progress is essential for survival.

NAUZER D. PESIKAKA

npesikaka@rediffmail.com