Ninth Refresher Course

"Fourteen ostas and ervads and 12 behdin pasbaans participated in this Refresher Programme,” Ervad (Dr) Cyrus Dastoor of the Ex-Students’ Association mentioned in a write-up sent to Parsiana. They ranged in age from seven years old to 85 years young! The fortnight long 9th Residential Refresher Programme of Ostas and Ervads and the 2nd Workshop for Behdin Pasbaans were successfully conducted by The M. F. Cama Athornan Institute Ex-Students’ Association at the Institute in Andheri between May 9 and 22, 2010. The course included, in addition to lectures by visiting speakers, visits to the Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada, the four atash behrams in Bombay and an outing to Della Adventure resort in Lonavala owned by Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Jimmy Mistry.

Following a jashan on May 9 chief guest Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza of Udvada inaugurated the course at the Institute’s palatial building. "We are Mazdayasnis as per the teachings of Prophet Zarathushtra. (This) we declare while performing the kusti (ritual)... The term Parsi has acquired a religious connotation... Obedience and reverence for the religion has reduced. Renegade priests break the promise made by them when they were ordained priests. This is religious trespass, cheating, sacrilege... Religion is not a matter of personal whims and fancies,” Mirza declared before the gathering, reported Marzban Giara in a write-up.

Ervad Burjor Antia, head of the Ex-Students’ Association, who presided, stressed the need for unity and for increasing the number of priests in the community. "When I was a student at The M. F. Cama Athornan Institute there were 70 to 80 students; now that number has come down to four,” he bemoaned. Added Dastoor: "Parents are responsible for imparting religious education and encouraging children to learn about religion... Quality, faith and spirit of sacrifice is required, not mere numbers.” Ervad Vispi Dastur noted, "Athornans must conduct themselves with honor. Catholic priests go for a retreat every year. They are friends, philosophers and guides. We need to train our priests in public speaking, counseling.” Dastoor thanked the trustees and staff of the Institute, donors, speakers, doctors who held the medical camp and volunteers, after which all present repaired for lunch.

(Top): Left: Participants singing religious songs accompanied by music teacher Viraf Daruwalla (on harmonium) Alongside: Ervad Burjor Antia being felicitated by a student; (Below left): Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza leading the valedictory jashan and (right) Ervad Kaizad Nariman receiving Best Participant shield from Dastur Kaikhushro Dastoor Meherjirana; (alongside) audience at the closing ceremony All photos: Parvez Tavaria

The closing ceremony of the program on May 22 began with a humbandagi led by Mirza, who presided over the evening’s function. Dastur Kaikhushro N. Dastoor Meherjirana of Navsari was the chief guest. Dr Zinobia Madan had been invited to make a power point presentation on "Medical problems of the Parsi community.” She cautioned: "We have an ageing profile. Thirty-one percent of our population is over 65 years old. Parsi girls need to marry at age 21 and to marry only Parsis. The BPP Fertility Project started in January 2004 has treated 526 couples over a period of six years... Everyone must know their blood group and whether he/she is G6PD deficient. Zoroastrianism is one religion on the path of science and medicine. Man’s need for prayers is as great as (that for) food.”

"Science and religion are complementary to each other and not competitive,” Mirza mentioned. "By observing the laws of life enjoined in our religion we can be healthy... We are declining because of no marriages, late marriages, mixed marriages. Let us have many marriages, young marriages. Mixed marriages are to be abhorred. It requires concerted effort by the whole community to reverse the declining population,” the high priest exhorted. "Zoroastrian religion is not based on science; it is the principles of science and hygiene which are based on Zoroastrian religion.”

In his keynote address, Meherjirana said religion is the science of all the sciences. Parsis today need mantravani and faith in the religion. We have to respect and lead our lives in the religion into which we are born. Why are there different diseases in our community? Because we have stopped following tarikats, saying they are external rituals. We have stopped wearing the sudreh and kusti as is evident at lagans and navjotes these days.

Dastoor explained that the Institute has now devised a full-time course of three to four years’ duration for behdin pasbaans (helper priests) which retired persons too may take up in view of the shortage of priests, especially in mofussil areas where agiaries may have only one or no priest to tend dadgah fires. Marazban Wadia, a behdin participant in the refresher course, thanked Ervads Dastoor, Homi Govadia and Pirojshah Sidhwa for their dedication in conducting the program successfully, remarking: "The organizers have given us good training which will stand us in good stead to serve our community.” Ervad Kaizad Nariman, a participant from Hyderabad also told the gathering about how the Refresher Course had enlightened him about our religion.

At the prize distribution, three shields donated by Tannaz Kerawalla in memory of her late husband Keki were presented to the best participant in each category: Best Osta Jehan Darbari, Best Ervad Nariman and Best Behdin Pasbaan Marzban Giara. Each and every participant received a cash prize of Rs 1,000 on behalf of Jamshed N. Guzder, chairman emeritus of the BPP. There were prizes for bhantar, kriyakam, written tests and quiz as well.

In his vote of thanks Sidhwa thanked Mirza, Meherjirana, trustees of The M. F. Cama Athornan Institute, donors, the Press, speakers, participants and all those who helped in this endeavor. After the singing of Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti everyone partook of dinner.