Celebrations
The cost of celebration
The game of cards — invitation cards — merrily continues. The hosts issue invites, warmly to some and warily to others. The guests reciprocate, generously to some and gingerly to others. Whether extravagant or economical, every celebration is an indicator of the host’s spending power and his/her lifestyle and values. From the venue booked, to the guests invited, delicacies offered, trousseau designed, jewelry adorned, flowers selected, music played, photographs clicked… there is no limit to the expenses borne except what your purse can bear (see “Budgeting for a bash,” pg 8).
A wedding celebration that would have cost a minimum one lakh rupees six years ago, would today be in the region of two lakhs if the guest list runs to 100 invitees. Of course, many hosts hope that the cost of the meal would be recovered from the cash gifts received. And the expenses borne on saris and jewelry is justified as an investment for the next generation.
It is assumed that celebrations bring handsome profits to the service providers. But as some of them conveyed to Parsiana, with the cut-throat competition they are forced to keep their rates down even if the economics are unfavorable. Further, with their business being seasonal, they are forced to look at avenues beyond community festivities.
Cause for celebration
Our “Celebrations guide” on page 34 has attempted to list the gamut of services available under different heads. The primarily Bombay based listing is mainly of Parsi establishments although certain non-Parsis patronized by the community have been included. Where known, the outstation facilities have also been included. We realize the list may not be exhaustive and hope to be excused for any unintentional lapses. Those whom we may have overlooked can write in to us and we will accommodate them in the future. Also provided here are the contact numbers of the popular venues in Bombay with their tariffs for the convenience of those planning a function.
Dharamshalas in demand
This issue also carries a five-page listing of Parsi dharamshalas and sanatoria in India (see “Travelling tariffs,” pg 43). The earlier list in circulation, we realized, included those that had stopped functioning so Parsiana sought current information and details from different anjumans that has enabled us to present this data. It is creditable that despite declining numbers and paucity of funds there are still 31 dharamshalas and sanatoria continuing to offer affordable rest house facilities to outstation visitors.
Choose your calendar
The accompanying 12 pages of the Gregorian calendar for the year 2010 (see pg 17) provide a ready reference for those who want to know the mah and roz of a select date according to the Shahenshahi, Kadmi and Fasli calendars.
While the abbreviated version of the mah for each calendar is specified at the top of the page (please refer to the list of abbreviations at the end of this introduction in case of doubt), in the case of the rozs (mentioned against each date) the first line bears the Shahenshahi and Kadmi roz and the second line, the Fasli roz. During the months of July and August when the Shahenshahi and Kadmi rozs do not tally beginning with the first Kadmi Gatha day (i.e. July 15) and ending with the last Shahenshahi Gatha day (i.e. August 18), the first line bears the Shahenshahi roz, the second line, the Kadmi roz, and the last line, the Fasli roz.
Although both the Kadmi and Shahenshahi calendars do not synchronize with the seasons, the gahs and the gahanbars, there is a strong allegiance to them the world over. A detailed elucidation by UK based religious researcher Farrokh Vajifdar (see “Calendrical calculations,” pg 41) helps us understand how these faulty calendars came into being and why they continue to be followed, defying logical clarifications.
Actually our true calendar — called the sal-i-denig or Din-i sal (“the religious year”) — accurately fixes the dates and sequences of our gahanbars, the seasonally solar months, festivals, muktads and paravs. The prayers with their dedications would then serve a purpose, explains Vajifdar.
The Iranians continue to observe March 21, the spring equinox, as their New Year for it manifests a physical resurrection after the months of harsh winter and hibernation. The Zoroastrians in India who consider Jamshedi Navroz or March 21 as their New Year are the Faslis (Fasli means seasonal in Arabic) who have their roots in the Zarthosti Fasli Sal Mandal founded by Kharshedji Cama in 1906. Following the leap year logic, they add a sixth Gatha day, Roz-e Wahizag, every four years to ensure that their New Year is permanently celebrated on March 21.
Yazdegirdi 1378/79/80 for the Fasli, Kadmi and Shahenshahi calendars, dates back to the coronation of the last Zoroastrian Sassanian King Yazdegird III in 632 AC. Next to the month line atop every page, readers will notice the year according to the Yazdegirdi era (AY 1378/1379/1380).
Noted opticians Phiroze M. Dastoor and Company who specialize in contact lenses and laser vision correction deserve our special thanks for sponsoring the Parsiana calendar.
Abbreviations of the mahs: Fravardin (Frav), Ardibehesht (Ardi), Khordad (Khor), Tir (Tir), Amardad (Amar), Shahrevar (Shah), Meher (Meh), Avan (Avan), Adar (Adar), Dae (Dae), Bahman (Bahm), Spandarmad (Span).
A wedding celebration that would have cost a minimum one lakh rupees six years ago, would today be in the region of two lakhs if the guest list runs to 100 invitees. Of course, many hosts hope that the cost of the meal would be recovered from the cash gifts received. And the expenses borne on saris and jewelry is justified as an investment for the next generation.
It is assumed that celebrations bring handsome profits to the service providers. But as some of them conveyed to Parsiana, with the cut-throat competition they are forced to keep their rates down even if the economics are unfavorable. Further, with their business being seasonal, they are forced to look at avenues beyond community festivities.
Cause for celebration
Our “Celebrations guide” on page 34 has attempted to list the gamut of services available under different heads. The primarily Bombay based listing is mainly of Parsi establishments although certain non-Parsis patronized by the community have been included. Where known, the outstation facilities have also been included. We realize the list may not be exhaustive and hope to be excused for any unintentional lapses. Those whom we may have overlooked can write in to us and we will accommodate them in the future. Also provided here are the contact numbers of the popular venues in Bombay with their tariffs for the convenience of those planning a function.
Dharamshalas in demand
This issue also carries a five-page listing of Parsi dharamshalas and sanatoria in India (see “Travelling tariffs,” pg 43). The earlier list in circulation, we realized, included those that had stopped functioning so Parsiana sought current information and details from different anjumans that has enabled us to present this data. It is creditable that despite declining numbers and paucity of funds there are still 31 dharamshalas and sanatoria continuing to offer affordable rest house facilities to outstation visitors.
Choose your calendar
The accompanying 12 pages of the Gregorian calendar for the year 2010 (see pg 17) provide a ready reference for those who want to know the mah and roz of a select date according to the Shahenshahi, Kadmi and Fasli calendars.
While the abbreviated version of the mah for each calendar is specified at the top of the page (please refer to the list of abbreviations at the end of this introduction in case of doubt), in the case of the rozs (mentioned against each date) the first line bears the Shahenshahi and Kadmi roz and the second line, the Fasli roz. During the months of July and August when the Shahenshahi and Kadmi rozs do not tally beginning with the first Kadmi Gatha day (i.e. July 15) and ending with the last Shahenshahi Gatha day (i.e. August 18), the first line bears the Shahenshahi roz, the second line, the Kadmi roz, and the last line, the Fasli roz.
Although both the Kadmi and Shahenshahi calendars do not synchronize with the seasons, the gahs and the gahanbars, there is a strong allegiance to them the world over. A detailed elucidation by UK based religious researcher Farrokh Vajifdar (see “Calendrical calculations,” pg 41) helps us understand how these faulty calendars came into being and why they continue to be followed, defying logical clarifications.
Actually our true calendar — called the sal-i-denig or Din-i sal (“the religious year”) — accurately fixes the dates and sequences of our gahanbars, the seasonally solar months, festivals, muktads and paravs. The prayers with their dedications would then serve a purpose, explains Vajifdar.
The Iranians continue to observe March 21, the spring equinox, as their New Year for it manifests a physical resurrection after the months of harsh winter and hibernation. The Zoroastrians in India who consider Jamshedi Navroz or March 21 as their New Year are the Faslis (Fasli means seasonal in Arabic) who have their roots in the Zarthosti Fasli Sal Mandal founded by Kharshedji Cama in 1906. Following the leap year logic, they add a sixth Gatha day, Roz-e Wahizag, every four years to ensure that their New Year is permanently celebrated on March 21.
Yazdegirdi 1378/79/80 for the Fasli, Kadmi and Shahenshahi calendars, dates back to the coronation of the last Zoroastrian Sassanian King Yazdegird III in 632 AC. Next to the month line atop every page, readers will notice the year according to the Yazdegirdi era (AY 1378/1379/1380).
Noted opticians Phiroze M. Dastoor and Company who specialize in contact lenses and laser vision correction deserve our special thanks for sponsoring the Parsiana calendar.
Abbreviations of the mahs: Fravardin (Frav), Ardibehesht (Ardi), Khordad (Khor), Tir (Tir), Amardad (Amar), Shahrevar (Shah), Meher (Meh), Avan (Avan), Adar (Adar), Dae (Dae), Bahman (Bahm), Spandarmad (Span).
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From the archive