“Transfer of the torch”

At the recently concluded 9th World Zoroastrian Congress in Dubai Khojeste Mistree is reported to have said that he was the "lone voice in the wilderness” not to believe in the theory of dwindling Zoroastrian population ("Transfer of the torch,” Parsiana, February 21, 2010). He believes that there are 69,000 Zoroastrians in India, and by adding others from the rest of the world the grand total comes to around 1,25,200.

Giving him the benefit of his theory even the present figure of a little over one lakh represents only a fast disappearing race. Maybe the figures will change in the West, in times to come, but the days of the Indian Zoroastrians are numbered! The reason being we refuse to walk with the times and still wear blinkers about our reet (customs) and rivaj (rituals) and shy away from any healthy discussions. Why can’t we face the opposition and debate about our problems instead of the "no controversial topics please…” Wherever we meet, whether at the World Zoroastrian Congress or elsewhere, this code of conduct applies. It’s like a fatwa. This habit of sweeping things under the carpet is only causing more dust to accumulate!

There are topics and issues that we need to address face to face. When would be a good time to do so? Is going to court the only solution, thereby washing our dirty linen in public? This attitude of "chaalwaa déo chaaltu aayuj tém (let things continue the way they are)” is totally wrong. Discussing about the navjotes of children of a Parsi woman married to a non-Parsi is still taboo, though everyone knows it’s happening everywhere — abroad, in Delhi, Jam-shedpur, Calcutta, Madras and even Bombay. Who can stop these children from worshipping in our atash behrams and agiaries? We don’t carry our DNA on our sleeve to prove that we are Parsis. Prayers for those who opt for methods other than dakhmenashini are banned. Why? Is this some sort of a strategically organized ploy to ensure that the Indian Parsi becomes extinct? When Zoroastrians all over the world are changing, why are their Indian counterparts being systematically alienated? These are the issues that are facing us and frightening us too!

The recent banning of two priests for their not toeing the age-old line of thought will really not matter in the least, as now they will be more sought after, but on the sly! In actuality who cares whether the Bombay Parsi Punchayet approves or not. The will to find solutions to these problems does not exist. Often it turns into a free for all, with the bandying of the choicest Parsi gars (swear words) and street behavior such as one would not associate with Parsis. So we are back to square one.

RODA D. HAKIM

Baroda

vadhakim@yahoo.com