Editorial Viewpoint
A cause célèbre
The customs officers asked the bag to be opened. Perhaps the x-ray machine could not clearly define the contents which comprised issues of Parsiana and the pocket date diaries for distribution at the Ninth World Zoroastrian Congress in Dubai.
On viewing the contents the officials puzzled over what was to be done. After an explanation about the magazine and the December 28 to 31, 2009 Congress we were attending, the officials after some discussion amongst themselves permitted us to proceed.
En route from the airport to the Crowne Plaza Hotel where the four-day meet was to be hosted we wondered why anyone in the Emirates would be so concerned about a small community publication of little commercial value. And then the answer dawned. We were in a dictatorship, albeit a benevolent one, and the printed word was either suspect or due for scrutiny.
Was this a premonition of what was to come at the Congress or just an aberration? Would one be able to speak one’s mind or refrain from uttering statements that may be deemed provocative? After all the Congress website had stated that: “The Events Committee has the right to request the presenter if any item needs alteration/reconsideration in the presentation. The requested changes should be made and sent back to the Committee for final approval.
“Speakers need to understand that they must stay away from controversial statements, religious viewpoints, and as a speaker they have an obligation to remain neutral, non biased, and non conflictive in nature. This is in line with the Congress theme of ‘Unity through the sands of time.’”
The Congress chairperson Meher Bhesania worked doggedly for several years to prepare for the global meet and could even be seen physically placing materials, papers, Congress awards on the tables next to the podium in preparation for the next sessions. But she is wary of providing information and once when Parsiana wanted to carry an interview we had with her, she had initially questioned why we required the name of the bank with which she was connected and the position she held. Her husband Kersy who assisted her Herculean efforts for the Congress also mentioned in an informal conversation that controversies should not be aired at the Congress.
But those sentiments did not prevent script writer and director Sooni Tara-porevala from voicing her concerns at the awards ceremony. Taraporevala, who received the Congress award for the arts category spoke about the discrimination faced by Parsi/Irani women who married non-Parsis as versus men. Her comments drew loud applause.
Barring that spontaneous outpouring the rest of the sessions were tame. Perhaps this was because both the citizens of Dubai and the Zoroastrians are minorities. Over 80 percent of the Emirates population comprises expatriates. Even those foreign nationals born in Dubai cannot acquire citizenship. The Emirate fears, as do the Parsis/Iranis, that they will be swamped by outsiders and their control and wealth dissipated. On the other hand countries like America have grown and prospered through admitting immigrants, albeit in limited numbers, over a period of time. The Parsis in contrast are a dying race.
Except for India, religious and legal controversies elsewhere are minimal. Iran permits all to enter their fire temples; barring India and Pakistan other countries do not have any adarians. North American associations admit non-Parsi spouses as members. The disposal of the dead all over the world except India and Pakistan is by burial/cremation.
The packed four-day itinerary went off without a hitch except for some time overruns. The almost universal consensus was that the meet was a success. One may not have gleaned much new information from the day-long deliberations or met many leaders but the social interaction and the networking opportunities were ample. Large delegations from Iran, Pakistan, North America, UK and elsewhere ensured the gathering was global.
While there was no talk of a world body, an informal coming together of the four main Zoroastrian centers took place in one of the conference halls of the 316-room hotel. The occasion was a handing over of the Round Table mantle from Rohinton Rivetna — who was given the Congress award for Outstanding Zarathushti on December 29, 2009 — to the leaders of the Zoroastrians in India, Europe, Iran and North America. The Round Table deliberations started at the 2005 Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress in UK, and were followed by two meets in Bombay (2007 and 2008) and one in Houston in December 2008 at the time of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) annual general meeting. The BPP had hosted an “international convention” at the West End Hotel in January 2003, a day after the launch of the WZCC in Bombay.
Thus it was a bit of a shock to hear the four spokespersons, Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Dinshaw Mehta, the Iranian Member of Parliament Dr Esfandiar Ekhtiyari, the former Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, Incorporated president Paurushasp Jila and the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America president Bomi Patel all saying they could not com- ment on any sphere of cooperation without consulting their respective boards.
Whether it was a conspiracy of silence or the presence of the Press or just a coincidence that four otherwise loquacious leaders were tongue tied is unknown but it was indicative of the troubled times ahead even for an unofficial, loose alliance. When Delhi Parsi Anjuman president Dadi Mistry inquired if Mehta spoke on behalf of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India or only the BPP, Mehta replied that the BPP represented 60 percent of the Parsis/Iranis in India. At another session Mehta had described the BPP as the apex trust of the community in the world. As the Indian Federation is under the control of the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis, Mehta may feel he has more leeway to negotiate as the BPP representative.
When someone inquired about the lack of representation for the rest of the community in places such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, Jila recommended the region form a federation and send two representatives to future Round Table conferences. But even Europe at present has no federation nor is Pakistan or Sri Lanka part of any multinational alliance. And if Mehta only represents Bombay what happens to the rest of India?
There was much self adulation, accompanied by considerable applause, about being a Parsi and the brand equity the community enjoys. But that image suffered with the behavior of some participants: a large section of the gathering kept chatting during several of the sessions or blowing their New Year cardboard horns while Hyderabad born, London based singer Shayan Italia was performing. After commencing the concert with a celebration of his late mother Italia later went on to relate a lewd joke about women’s menstruation accessories and amputated men’s genitals. And a youth who requested the loan of a pen showed no inclination to return it till finally one had to ask for it back.
The 2013 Congress was assigned to Singapore which had made a presentation to the concerned body. Subsequently the BPP, which had not made any such representation, demanded they be assigned the global meet. Might being right, their wish was granted. It may not be as auspicious a start for the next Congress as one would hope. But in a community riddled by faction and internecine quarrels, that congresses are held at all is a matter for celebration.
On viewing the contents the officials puzzled over what was to be done. After an explanation about the magazine and the December 28 to 31, 2009 Congress we were attending, the officials after some discussion amongst themselves permitted us to proceed.
En route from the airport to the Crowne Plaza Hotel where the four-day meet was to be hosted we wondered why anyone in the Emirates would be so concerned about a small community publication of little commercial value. And then the answer dawned. We were in a dictatorship, albeit a benevolent one, and the printed word was either suspect or due for scrutiny.
Was this a premonition of what was to come at the Congress or just an aberration? Would one be able to speak one’s mind or refrain from uttering statements that may be deemed provocative? After all the Congress website had stated that: “The Events Committee has the right to request the presenter if any item needs alteration/reconsideration in the presentation. The requested changes should be made and sent back to the Committee for final approval.
“Speakers need to understand that they must stay away from controversial statements, religious viewpoints, and as a speaker they have an obligation to remain neutral, non biased, and non conflictive in nature. This is in line with the Congress theme of ‘Unity through the sands of time.’”
The Congress chairperson Meher Bhesania worked doggedly for several years to prepare for the global meet and could even be seen physically placing materials, papers, Congress awards on the tables next to the podium in preparation for the next sessions. But she is wary of providing information and once when Parsiana wanted to carry an interview we had with her, she had initially questioned why we required the name of the bank with which she was connected and the position she held. Her husband Kersy who assisted her Herculean efforts for the Congress also mentioned in an informal conversation that controversies should not be aired at the Congress.
But those sentiments did not prevent script writer and director Sooni Tara-porevala from voicing her concerns at the awards ceremony. Taraporevala, who received the Congress award for the arts category spoke about the discrimination faced by Parsi/Irani women who married non-Parsis as versus men. Her comments drew loud applause.
Barring that spontaneous outpouring the rest of the sessions were tame. Perhaps this was because both the citizens of Dubai and the Zoroastrians are minorities. Over 80 percent of the Emirates population comprises expatriates. Even those foreign nationals born in Dubai cannot acquire citizenship. The Emirate fears, as do the Parsis/Iranis, that they will be swamped by outsiders and their control and wealth dissipated. On the other hand countries like America have grown and prospered through admitting immigrants, albeit in limited numbers, over a period of time. The Parsis in contrast are a dying race.
Except for India, religious and legal controversies elsewhere are minimal. Iran permits all to enter their fire temples; barring India and Pakistan other countries do not have any adarians. North American associations admit non-Parsi spouses as members. The disposal of the dead all over the world except India and Pakistan is by burial/cremation.
The packed four-day itinerary went off without a hitch except for some time overruns. The almost universal consensus was that the meet was a success. One may not have gleaned much new information from the day-long deliberations or met many leaders but the social interaction and the networking opportunities were ample. Large delegations from Iran, Pakistan, North America, UK and elsewhere ensured the gathering was global.
While there was no talk of a world body, an informal coming together of the four main Zoroastrian centers took place in one of the conference halls of the 316-room hotel. The occasion was a handing over of the Round Table mantle from Rohinton Rivetna — who was given the Congress award for Outstanding Zarathushti on December 29, 2009 — to the leaders of the Zoroastrians in India, Europe, Iran and North America. The Round Table deliberations started at the 2005 Eighth World Zoroastrian Congress in UK, and were followed by two meets in Bombay (2007 and 2008) and one in Houston in December 2008 at the time of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) annual general meeting. The BPP had hosted an “international convention” at the West End Hotel in January 2003, a day after the launch of the WZCC in Bombay.
Thus it was a bit of a shock to hear the four spokespersons, Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Dinshaw Mehta, the Iranian Member of Parliament Dr Esfandiar Ekhtiyari, the former Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, Incorporated president Paurushasp Jila and the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America president Bomi Patel all saying they could not com- ment on any sphere of cooperation without consulting their respective boards.
Whether it was a conspiracy of silence or the presence of the Press or just a coincidence that four otherwise loquacious leaders were tongue tied is unknown but it was indicative of the troubled times ahead even for an unofficial, loose alliance. When Delhi Parsi Anjuman president Dadi Mistry inquired if Mehta spoke on behalf of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India or only the BPP, Mehta replied that the BPP represented 60 percent of the Parsis/Iranis in India. At another session Mehta had described the BPP as the apex trust of the community in the world. As the Indian Federation is under the control of the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis, Mehta may feel he has more leeway to negotiate as the BPP representative.
When someone inquired about the lack of representation for the rest of the community in places such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, Jila recommended the region form a federation and send two representatives to future Round Table conferences. But even Europe at present has no federation nor is Pakistan or Sri Lanka part of any multinational alliance. And if Mehta only represents Bombay what happens to the rest of India?
There was much self adulation, accompanied by considerable applause, about being a Parsi and the brand equity the community enjoys. But that image suffered with the behavior of some participants: a large section of the gathering kept chatting during several of the sessions or blowing their New Year cardboard horns while Hyderabad born, London based singer Shayan Italia was performing. After commencing the concert with a celebration of his late mother Italia later went on to relate a lewd joke about women’s menstruation accessories and amputated men’s genitals. And a youth who requested the loan of a pen showed no inclination to return it till finally one had to ask for it back.
The 2013 Congress was assigned to Singapore which had made a presentation to the concerned body. Subsequently the BPP, which had not made any such representation, demanded they be assigned the global meet. Might being right, their wish was granted. It may not be as auspicious a start for the next Congress as one would hope. But in a community riddled by faction and internecine quarrels, that congresses are held at all is a matter for celebration.
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