The petition phenomenon

The Against Parsi Conservatism (APC) petition initiated online in July 2010 by the "outraged” sisters, 20-year-old Camille and 17-year-old Zeenia Framroze had garnered support from 2,213 Zoroastrians by July 30. They were protesting that two Bombay priests, Ervads Khushroo Madon and Framroze Mirza, have been restrained from praying at the institutions (two fire temples and Doongerwadi) controlled by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP). Their purported crime was the performance elsewhere of the navjote ceremonies of children of mixed marriages and after-death prayers for those who opt for cremation.

"We find the stance of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet unacceptable,” declared the siblings, clarifying, "not for personal or selfish reasons — we are the daughters of two Parsi parents. But we are offended by this exclusive attitude and rigid intolerance. We believe that if either parent is Parsi, the children have the right to be inducted and accepted into our religion.

"This is a petition to show our support for the fight against ultra-orthodoxy and inequality within our community. If you are in agreement, please sign your name to the petition (http://www. petitiononline.com/pingpong//petition. html)… We will be forwarding this to the Punchayet and to the five petitioners of the case… Prominent members of our community have chosen to defend these two priests and what they stand for. (In the case filed by Jamsheed Kanga and Homi Khusrokhan, five petitioners — Anu Aga, Dr Keki Grant, Tehm-tan Andhyarujina, Dr Rustom Soonawala and Dilnavaz Variava — sought to be included as interveners in June). Join us, and let’s make ourselves heard.”

In response, the Traditional Zoroastrians (TZ) launched a counter petition on the web. Initiated by 27-year-old Jimmy Doctor of USA the petition had the support of 358 signatories till July 30, 2010 who "believe in the conservative tenets of the Mazdayasni Zarthusti faith.”

The WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis) Page in The Free Press Journal of July 23, 2010 claimed "Religious ignorance is at its height in the community.” Alarmed that "two young girls living abroad are leading the community members on the wrong path with misinformation” WAPIZ Page added, "Signed mostly by foreign Zoroastrians, several non-Zoroastrians and even little children the validity of this signature campaign which is based on erroneous data is highly questionable!”

According to them, "The BPP ban has come about as they have ceased to be priests and importantly as they have been converting adults in Central Asia and elsewhere... Additionally the BPP ban was imposed... as they were involved in encouraging members of the community to take the irreligious cremation route for their near and dear ones when the dakhmena-shini mode of disposal of the dead is available to the community in Mumbai.”

Original petitioners Jamsheed Kanga (left) and Homi Khusrokhan

"Fight against ultra-orthodoxy”

Support for the APC petition has come from different parts of India, neighboring Pakistan, Dubai and Iran in the Middle East, Hongkong, Singapore, Malaysia, China and Japan in the Far East, European countries of Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France and Holland, Nigeria in Africa, several states of USA and Canada, and from New Zealand and Australia down under.

Prominent members of the community in India who have lent their support are Adi Godrej, Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, Dr Katy Dinshaw, Tanya Dubash, Smita Godrej-Crishna, Zinia Lawyer, Perveez Aggarwal, Burjor Poonawala, Mahaba­noo Mody-Kotwal... Overseas encouragement came from Toxy Cowasjee, Dr Dolly Dastoor, Shahpur Captain, Ervads (Dr) Jehan Bagli and Kobad Zarolia, Dina McIntyre, Zarir Cama...

While the "two Parsi tigresses” (see page 20 for more information) have earned the admiration and kudos of the liberal community, the seven BPP trustees have been variously labeled as "bigots… nincompoops… old cronies… hypocrites… idiots… silly old codgers… Nazis… Parsi Taliban… power hungry crocs” and the BPP as "Backward Pathetic Parsis... Bad Parsi Purists.” Madon though was glorified. "Dasturji Madon is truly a Vada Dasturji for us. People, we need to come together and felicitate him,” urged 23-year-old Pashang Madon of Bombay.

The youngest among the petitioners was six-year-old Alysha Cama Chogle of Kuwait who stated, "I am a BAWI girl and against you BPP duhs!” There were other children who were vocal too. Among those who proudly proclaimed that they were initiated by Madon was eight-year-old Ruken Soonawala who mentioned: "I love dasturji Ma­don. He did my navjote too.” As wrote 11-year-old Cyrus Luczkow of Dover, MA, "In our Zoroastrian class, we were taught good thoughts, good words, good deeds. Isn’t this exactly what the (priests) are practicing — the teachings of Zara-thush­tra?” The eldest among the petitioners was 92-year-old Keki Pesina of Bombay who believes, "Everyone has the right to choose their religion. The women of our community aren’t of a lesser God. The blinders need to come off. It’s time they did or we can kiss our race goodbye.”

Among the comments expressed by the petitioners some of the progeny of mixed marriages have spoken vehemently:

Dev Goel, 26, of Bombay, "I am half-Parsi and a lot of my Parsi friends say that I am more Bawa than they are! I am also dating a Parsi, and by current laws since I am not ‘officially’ a Parsi, if we get married, our children are not allowed to be Parsis either. Stupid, no?”

Janavi S. Mahimtura, 23, of Bombay, "Khushroo Madon is a good man! He has performed my navjote ceremony when I was nine years old. My mother is Parsi, my father is not. This religion is beautiful and if we have stupid things like this going on, this religion is going to slowly disappear.”

Sabrina Roshan Mas-chmeyer, 29, of Cal-gary, "My mother is Parsi and my father German-Canadian. I would have loved the choice to follow my mother’s religion… This ultra-orthodoxy will end our wonderful religion for good…”

Annaita Gandhi, 55, Middletown, CT, "God and true religion lie within. Nobody can deny one access to that which IS. These priests being banned will certainly go on practicing and they must — there is huge support for them. Better than fighting is to give them the support required to continue, set up a space if necessary to operate from and continue. Who needs the Punchayet anyhow? For what? Why give them that importance? I too am born of mixed parentage but let’s go beyond. If we wish for change let us effect it, we cannot force others to do so.”

Arjun, 16, Dubai, "My mom’s a pure Parsi which makes me half Parsi and hence a part of the Parsi community! Let’s face it, there will be very few ‘pure’ Parsis left on this planet. And if we keep driving out all the remaining Parsis in this world, the community will eventually vanish from the face of the earth…I’m a Zoroastrian at heart and no man can tell me who to believe and who not to believe in. So instead of trying to prevent me from being who I am, just accept us, just like the Parsis were accepted into India when they fled Persia. Don’t you think you conservatives should accept the members of your own community?”

Aditya Gaekwad, 20, Poona, "The blinkered nature of some fettered Parsis has resulted in the repugnant acts that were meted out to… Madon and… Mirza (including a lesser publicized case of throwing things on a guest speaker…) These counter productive vendettas must be halted quickly. Parsis were the pioneers of change wherever they went. This entrenches antediluvian tendencies in people. Narrow minded people are detracting the mixed children from entering the agiaries by embarrassing them publicly or by stating a gamut of rubbish beginning with accusations of ‘polluting the fire’ to ‘impure blood violating the sanctity of the fire.’ I’m honored to have had my navjote done by… Madon.”

Peter Ghyara (German mother), "Till today never understood this radical religion… never could and never will understand what point these people are trying to make. We are in 2010 in a global open world… I have never accepted and never will the Parsi way of thinking. Wake up and get out of your nut shell.”

Naina Mehta, 34, London, "I am half Parsi and plan to have a navjote ceremony in a few months so that I can marry a wonderful Parsi man…”

Clockwise from top left: Prominent Indian supporters Adi Godrej, Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, Dr Katy Dinshaw, Smita Godrej-Crishna, Sooni Taraporevala, Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal, Zinia Lawyer and Tanya Dubash

Many chose to express their latent thoughts through the petition. As acknowledged Robina Kapadia of Toronto, "Thanks to the Framroze sisters for giving a voice to several thousand Zara­thushtis.” Among the others who commented were:

Sonya Mehta, 47, of Bombay, "If we cannot fight the conservatism and intolerance within, how can we complain about the intolerance in the rest of the world?”

Jim Engineer, 39, of Chicago, "Unity does not equal uniformity. BPP = Bad Parsi Purists.”

Ashish Chagla, 35, of Dubai, "We are all Zoroastrians before we are Parsi, and marrying someone of the same faith is not a requirement of Zoroastrianism. Let’s not forget that, and be true to who we are. Parsi Punchayet, I am shocked and heartbroken that you banned our priests from praying in God’s house. Shame on you.”

Darius Shroff, 59, Bombay, "The action of the Parsi Punchayet is abhorrent to our religious tenets and common decency.”

Khurshed Poonawala, 46, Bombay, "High time we stop being spectators and do something about our Parsi Taliban.”

Natasha Kharwanwala, 27, of Missi­s-sauga, "Our religion is dying out. We should be doing everything in our power to conserve it. There are enough Parsis who do not embrace our religion. If others out there are willing to embrace our religion and practice as a true Parsi would, I do not see anything wrong with that.”

Myriam Monzavi, 53, St Pierre de la Reunion, "At the beginning of Zoroastrianism all the ones who have the faith became Zoroastrian! That was the true religion. It should be like that even today cause you don’t get the true faith in your maternal abdomen!”

Bomi Framroze, 49, Bombay, "The Nazis believed in the purity of blood. My prophet believed in the purity of our souls. We must always fight the dogma of the narrow-minded.”

Homi Vazifdar, California, "Pretty disgusting, narrow- minded and frankly an unconscionable act on the part of self-proclaimed governors of the Zoroastrian faith.”

Darayus S. Motivala, 62, UK, "It is time the silent majority have their say against the bullying minority.”

Dr Farrokh F. Bharucha, 65, Bom-bay, "Parsi Puncha-yet is a thing of the past living in the distant past tense.”

Meher Panthaky, Toronto, who hails from the Dastur Meherjirana family and is the daughter, wife, mother of a priest, "We have to stop these bullying tactics in our community… (I) am absolutely against this stupidity of some so-called leaders who… instead of keeping our small community in limelight in a positive manner (are) trying to destroy our community image so very negatively in the media…”

Dr Zenobia B. Mistri, Crete, Illinois, USA, "Too many have been already lost due to a fear of the ‘others’ becoming ‘us.’ With such an attitude, Zoroastrians are doomed to extinction. Such expulsion is draconian. Reinstate our smart priests and reeducate the ones who have prosecuted the smart thoughtful... priests. I’m reminded of the Inquisition where innocent people were persecuted. Where are the forward looking Zoroastrians?”

Vijay Crishna, Bombay, "In this age of stress and strife it is vital to keep finding the right way forward. The Parsi community has managed to do that in India for a long, long time. But now they appear to have lost their place on the pages of history totally by disallowing proper latitude to devout women of the faith marrying outside the faith. This is the time to grow with strength, not wither away as a community out of a misplaced sense of conservatism that is really nothing but a cloak for bigoted thinking. Shame on those who would pull down forward-thinking people of the faith.”

Aloo Yezi Tata, 68, Bombay, "We are so self defeating in our actions. Mothers have always been the ones who transmit to the younger children their sense of ethics and values and to bar these children… is very wrong. This wrong is compounded when the priests who try and help are ostracized and punished.”

Shahrokh Mehta, 70, Syracuse, New York, "I… request those trustees who are responsible for this unZarathushti actions to kindly resign from BPP trusteeship, starting with chairman Dinshaw Mehta and his crony Khojeste Mistree. The latter has done more harm in dividing the once happy and peaceful community than any other community member in the 20th century in India.”

Shaila Presswalla, Toronto, "Such a shame that the members of the Parsi Punchayet will fan the flames of conservatism just to hold on to power despite similar personal familial situations.”

Hoshi Merchant, New Jersey, "In the Avestan text Yasna 17.11, Zoroaster tells us to accept and respect a person who wishes to follow the Zoroastrian religion. So who are we to stop someone who willingly wants to join our religion?”

Shernaz Vakil, Bombay, "From the Gathas, Yasna 28, verse 7, ‘Grant your devoted adherents strength so that your holy teachings may be taught to the world at large.’”

Pervin Kersi Shastri, 57, Toronto, "The world has started accepting gays and lesbians now so what’s wrong with accepting our own children… if one of (the parents) is not a Parsi?”

Clockwise from top left: Prominent overseas supporters Ervad (Dr) Jehan Bagli, Darayus Motivala, Dina McIntyre, Ervad Kobad Zarolia, Dr Dolly Dastoor, Zarir Cama, Dr Zareen Karani-Araoz, Shahpur Captain and Toxy Cowasjee

Dr Zareen Karani Araoz, 65, Boston, "Our Prophet Zarathushtra would have signed this petition and wanted it this way.”

Rustom K. J. Khambata, 67, Bombay, "I am hurt, bewildered, annoyed and angry that vested interests are pushing their ‘personal agendas’ by using the shoulders of our great religion to take aim and fire indiscriminately at any and everyone who ‘oppose’ their hypocritical/biased views in a manner that will fast sink the Parsi Zoroastrians in Bombay and India into the pit hole of oblivion.”

Bomi B. Pardiwalla, 58, Bombay, "Wake up the dead wood (if possible) of our community or else we will be extinct and no one to even pray for us.”

Kate Currawalla, "It is good to see the younger generation taking the lead and giving the silent majority a voice. We have had enough of intolerance and fundamentalism shaping community affairs.”

Soonoo Taraporewala, Bombay, "They sound like Nazis when they talk about ‘racial purity’ which is debatable to start with. Another irrationality is their insistence on dakhmenashini… Do they think that heaven is only to be achieved passing through the gut of a vulture?... Dressed in a little brief authority they ascribe powers to themselves which they are least suited or qualified (or even elected) for.”

Polly Buhariwala-Collins, 45, London, "Khushroo Madon performed the navjote ceremony for my two children whose father is a non-Zoroastrian. They had been learning their prayers since the age of four and had attended the religious classes at the Zoroastrian Centre from the same age and still attend now, as teenagers. Zoroastrianism is the religion they identify with from their hearts. Their father has been the one who has taken them to their prayer classes and Zoroastrian Centre activities consistently for many years when I was unable to… Maybe we should look more closely at what it means to be a true Zoroastrian rather than just being the product of two Parsi parents.”

Sooni Taraporevala, 53, Bombay, "Unfortunately our Parsi Taliban are in power because they were voted in. Why did they win? Because most people who think like us did not bother to take the time to go out there and vote. Next time around VOTE them OUT!”

Jimmy Fredoon Dholoo, 61, Washington, "In any other faith, a community leadership organization... would work towards growth and flourishing of its faith. Sadly BPP chooses to work towards its demise without offering any scriptural support.”

Beroze Sabatier, France, "We should fight against these orthodox ideas. Reminds me of the dark ages.”

Dilnavaz D. Irani, 65, Toronto, "Drag them kicking and screaming into the 21st century.”

Eisenhower Dadachanji, 70, Bombay, "A man bearing my name fought fascism and bigotry 70 years ago. Sadly the fight never ends.”

In support of the ban

The list of APC petitioners surprisingly even includes about half a dozen names justifying the BPP ban like Ava of Calcutta (does not give her full name) writes, "Stop this NONSENSE at once. We fully support the BPP. These two renegades HAVE TO GO.” Writing at length was Jamshed H. (full name not given), 34, of Bombay, "As my parents used to say, ‘Vinash kaale vipreet buddhi’ which means when the end is near, the brain stops functioning. That’s the case with the Parsis of today who think they are smarter than the generations that went before them. There’s a reason why certain rules were put into place. Both male and female Zoroastrians were discouraged from marrying outside…The truth, however difficult it may be to digest, is that for a religion that does not proselytize, marrying outside will bring about an end in a few generations. Just look at Zoroastrians in the hinterlands of western countries. They have lost their identity within a couple of generations. There’s just about a 50 percent chance that progeny of mixed marriages will follow the Zoroastrian faith. Within a few generations that means complete decimation of the Zoroastrian population. If you feel strongly about allowing mixed marriages, then you should feel strongly about actively proselytizing to make up for the decimation. OK?”

When Roshen Nariman spoke in favor of the trustees saying they were only complying with a promise given to Jadi Rana, petitioner Homi Daruwala retorted, "Where were you when so-called Vada Dastur Kotwal performed the navjote of (Neville) Wadia at the age of 70+ for monetary gains?”

"A living voice”

A special group created on Facebook with over 900 members has also been discussing this issue. When those against the petition signed in, certain members objected saying they should use their own forum.

Enthused by the warm response Zeenia thanked the supporters on Facebook: "So many of us feel this way but never take the next step. We hope this simple gesture of signing a petition of support will empower and encourage those like the… petitioners who have put themselves on the line on behalf of all of us.”

But gratefulness was not only shown by her, it was also reciprocated by the signatories to the petition who were glad to share their angst. Rustom Khambata signed the petition a second time over because he found the space for comments limited! He was keen to share Rabindra­nath Tagore’s introduction in The Divine Songs of Zarathushtra where the Nobel Laureate writes, "And Zarathushtra’s voice is still a living voice, not a mere matter of academic interest for historical scholars who deal with the dead facts of the past. It is not a voice which is only to guide a small community of men in the daily details of their life. For have we not seen that Zarathushtra was the first of all teachers who, in his religious teachings, sent his words to all human races across the distance of space and time?... He was the watcher in the night who stood on the lonely peak facing the East and broke out singing the poems of light to the sleeping world when the sun came out on the brim of the horizon. He declared that the sun of truth is for all, that its light is to unite the far and near.”

Traditionalists seek to preserve

The counter petition is meant to "show them that we are NOT silent and NOT a minority,” declared the petition posted on PetitionOnline.com/TradZ/petition. html, created by the supporters of Traditional Zoroastrianism and written by Doctor. Addressed to the BPP trustees their petition states, "We believe that a Zoroastrian… is one born of BOTH Zoroastrian parents… The BPP is WRONG in allowing (in some circumstances) Zoroastrian males who have married non-Zoroastrian females to be called Zoroastrians… Our religious institutions are NOT public facilities… Good thoughts, good words and good deeds is an essential part of Zoroastrianism. However these tenets alone do not make a religion… If a Zoroastrian wishes to practice Zoroastrianism, they must also practice various other spiritual tenets of our religion such as wearing the sudreh and kusti. Liberal minded people are entitled to their own opinion and should NOT force us, our priests, and our institutions to practice their version of Zoroastrianism. We wish to practice Zoroastrianism the way it has been practiced for millennia…”

There were 177 signatories from India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand who had signed up until July 30. Among their strong supporters were:

Behram P. Dhabhar, 51, Bombay, "Since when has religion and religious laws been up for voting? They are divinely revealed and cannot be tampered with. We have no authority to discuss/debate/modify long-standing traditions and customs. This is a priceless legacy handed down to us from our ancestors. The least we can do is to preserve, protect and pass them on to our next generation intact. The people who desire change are the ones who are ignorant as regards our tenets and customs and wish to modify them for their own convenience.”

Ervads Khushroo Madon (left) and Framroze Mirza

Jamsheed Burjor Sidhwa, 46, New Zealand, "The word ‘Zoroastrian’ is a Greek corruption. Asho Zara-thushtra’s holy name and religion should not be corrupted further by his followers utilizing a Greek corruption. Zoroastrianism should be respectfully replaced with Zarathushtrianism or the words Traditional Zarathushtee religion.”

Farah Cyrus Wan-kadia, 49, Bombay, "Na jaané din, na jaané dharam, Na khuda no dar, na aankh maa sharam. Nathi jé-lokonaa tan per sadro, nathi jé-lokonaa tan per kusti, Evaaoné laiyné vadhaarvaa chaaliya vasti. Pasti na moolé vechai jasé tamaari hasti, jo khuda ni saathé kari aavi harkat sasti... (The shameless who do not wear the sudreh-kusti and don’t understand religion are seeking to increase the strength of the community. Those who seek to tamper with religion will make themselves a laughing stock.)”

Among their global supporters the youngest was 15-year-old Meherzad (full name not given) of Saudi Arabia and the eldest was 82-year-old Behramshaw Kalianwala of Bombay.