Madressa’s annual day

The Dadar Athornan Institute celebrated its annual day on December 19, 2009 at its Mancherji Joshi Hall. Dastur Khur­shed K. Dastoor presided over the function while Ervad Darayus Parvez Bajan was the chief guest. Athornan Mandal trustees Ervads Asphandiar R. Dadachanji, Irach S. Kuka, Vispi S. Dastur and Parvez M. Bajan, Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustees Noshir Dadra­wala, Arnavaz Mistry and Armaity Tirandaz, several prominent community members, parents and ex-students of the Institute were present, as per a write-up received on the e-mail from its principal Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar P. Karanjia.

Conducting the proceedings were two young students of the Institute, Jehan V. Bhesania and Farzan K. Dastur. The program started with a humbandagi, followed by a welcome song and a monajat. In his welcome address, while expressing satisfaction at the running of the Institute and the support of the community, Dastoor regretted that athornans were not taking adequate advantage of the Institute. He was also anguished at the fact that the community does not distinguish between priests who study rigorously at athornan institutes and those who become navars privately with very little effort. He felt that students passing out of institutes should be given due recognition and credit, the write-up mentions.

Principal Karanjia briefly presented the annual report of the Institute for 2008-09. He stated that though the Institute was changing with the times, it has maintained the core traditional values. Along with the change of name, introduction of a new logo, publishing a new brochure and establishing a website, the Institute has also made changes to render the life of students more comfortable and the atmosphere lively and homely without compromising on discipline and education. He also appealed to ex-students of the Institute to promote their alma mater.

Recipient of the second Rustomji Panthaki Memorial Best Ex-student Award was Ervad Darayus Bajan who excelled in the academic as well as ritual and scholastic fields. He has passed his Chartered Accountancy, Cost Accountancy and Company Secretary exams at the first attempt and also holds an LLB as well as an MA in Avesta Pahlavi. He has performed nirangdin rituals and assists his father in looking after the Mewawala Agiary on a daily basis. Dastoor presented Bajan an inscribed silver salver, a silver coin and a shawl.

Special mention was made of Ervad Sherezad Rohinton Pavri who was almost unanimously selected as the head boy of The Dadar Parsee Youths Assembly (DPYA) High School and has consistently brought laurels to his school and the Institute. Mention was also made of 10-year-old Dinshaw Pourushasp Magol who, while still in Std V is a sampurna (complete) navar-maratab from Udvada, and has also passed the samel exam, the write-up states. He was unable to perform the boi ceremony at Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada merely because he was too short to reach the bell in the holy kebla!

Karanjia thanked the staff members for their co-operation and expressed gratitude to the donors, well-wishers and the management of the Institute as well as to the management, principal and staff of the DPYA High School, especially its president Jimi F. Jesia and his wife Mithoo.

Knowledgiate, the annual in-house magazine, celebrating it silver jubilee, was released at the hands of the chief guest. Its editor, Ervad Cyrus Dinshah Sidhwa was felicitated for his virtually single-handed effort in bringing out this beautiful magazine for quarter of a century. A souvenir key-chain was also released on the occasion.

The chief guest gave away the trophies, medals, book and cash prizes to students in various categories such as bhantar, school studies, religious knowledge, discipline and Shahnameh, after which 16 senior mobeds were felicitated by the Athornan Mandal. Ervad Parvez Bajan proposed a vote of thanks and also gave an interesting account of the Institute’s history, as per the write-up.

The highlight of the evening was the Parsi Gujarati play Barjorji no Barapo, a comedy about the heart-broken Barjorji and his son Jamshed who prefers a clerical job to the lofty profession of mobedi. Shapurji, a family friend, brings Jamshed to his senses with his wit and wisdom. The main cast of the play comprised Rayan D. Dastur, Magol, Hanoz R. Dastur, Bhesania, Kayomarz H. Panthaki, Farsheed Z. Dalal, Hormazd F. Aibada and Areez P. Dastur.

The audience joined the students in singing Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti and Jana Gana Mana. This was followed by light refreshments for all.