Avan roz humbandagi

Seventy Zoroastrians congregated at the Bhikha Behram Well in south Bombay at 5.30 p.m. on October 27, 2009, Avan roz, to raise their voices together in prayer, led by Ervad Asphandiar Dada­chanji. This was the manifestation of the initiative of Hoshaang Gotla who, along with Parzon Zend sought the support of the trustees of the sacred well, Ervad Yezdi Aibara of Cusrow Baug’s Karani Agiary and the team from Zoroastrian Studies (ZS) to help organize the event in the belief that the community that prays together stays together, reveals an e-mail write-up received by Parsiana from Gotla and Zend.

"We love talking to God in our own personal space and not with people around us,” writes Gotla. But one day while he was at the Karani Agiary he saw a family praying the Ashem Vohu together and the look on their faces as they did so brought a smile to Gotla’s face. Though he still subscribed to the view that prayer was a personal matter, he spoke to some young Zoroastrians and he was told that they wanted to pray but did not know how to, or maybe did not even have the time to do so. This impelled him to organize a gathering for those who wished to pray as a community. And what more central place for young people than the Bhikha Behram Well, close to the railway stations, schools, colleges and offices? And what better day than Avan roz, which is dedicated to water?

In a very 21st century approach, Gotla and Zend started a group on Facebook to learn what the community’s youth thought of the idea. The responses were mixed. "Some felt that we had suddenly lost our marbles and were becoming religious fanatics, forcing people to pray, while others were glad that we planned the event as they wanted an outlet to come together and didn’t have the inclination to do it themselves. Lots of people cribbed about the time of the humbandagi and said that they will never be able to make it by 5.30 p.m. as everyone is busy with work, but as it is praying to the water, it had to be completed before sunset,” reason the duo.

Clockwise from left: worshippers at the Bhikha Behram well; the Avan roz prayer group; humbandagi led by Ervad Asphandiar Dadachanji and his son Hor­muz Photos: Jasmine D. Driver

However, with their families and friends supportive of their efforts, "we worked up the courage and went ahead... by just sending SMSes (short messaging service) to people in our phonebook and publicizing this on Facebook.” Within 24 hours about 200 people had registered on the group. Of these, many were unable to attend the humbandagi, but promised to say an Ashem Vohu at 5.30 p.m. on Avan roz wherever they were. "Messages started pouring in from people saying that they have set an alarm and a reminder in their cell phones that on November 26 they will pray wherever they are and try their best to leave work early and make it for the humban­dagi” which is scheduled to be held at the same venue every month on Avan roz.

The ZS team provided Gotla and Zend with copies of various prayers, which the duo compiled into one concise prayer. An English translation was provided as well so that it could be understood by all. When the first humbandagi materialized generations of Zoroastrians participated of their own choice, including young mothers who had brought their children with them to impart an insight into how powerful our prayers are and to teach them how important being a Zoroastrian is, just as their parents had taught them earlier.

The evening ended with the singing of Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti and the relishing of malido brought from the Karani Agiary. Not to mention the anticipation of participating in the spiritually uplifting experience the following month, and every month thereafter on Avan roz.