Editorial Viewpoint
A second chance
There was a time when Indian associations would vie with one another to host a meeting of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI). The convention was that in a year one out-of-Bombay anjuman would host the 70-strong member all-India gathering and then six months or so later the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) would follow suit.
But following the fracas that took place at the December 2004 meet in Ahmedabad, anjumans have largely fought shy of holding the meet. They fear, and rightly so, they may be inviting dissension into their small communities. As it is for over three years no general body meet was held due to the ill will between associations as well as the legal wrangling between the BPP trustees until the 2008 elections. When a meeting was finally held in September 2009, the WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis)-led coalition that packed the Federation, managed to elect their hand picked candidates.
Four out of five key vice president posts were bagged by WAPIZ members or their sympathizers. Most of the major out-of-Bombay anjumans were sidelined. Small anjumans with memberships of 20 to 100 or so have an equal voice with anjumans that have populations going into hundreds, if not thousands.
Delhi always held the vice president post for the north till the honor was bestowed on Ratlam, whose president Tehmtan Anklesaria now resides in Bombay. Thus one was surprised to learn that the Delhi Parsi Anjuman Trust (DPAT) was intending to host the Federation meet in September this year. The DPAT had renovated their Pirojsha Godrej Cultural Centre and probably wanted to showcase it to the anjuman heads from all over the country. The premises would have been an ideal venue for the gathering.
But on second thoughts the northerners felt it wiser to forego the event. Delhi is a liberal anjuman and that would have raised the hackles of many would-be attendees. In addition the sign outside the Kaikhushru Pallonji Katrak Dar-e-Meher states entry is permitted to Zoroastrians as versus Parsi Zoroastrians. The Privy Council judgment of 1924 in the Saklat vs Bella case grants the trustees the right to admit non-Parsis if they deem fit.
It was the statement by Nariman Mogrelia, then Madras anjuman president about the bar on entry to the children of Parsi women married to non-Parsis in the Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar-e-Meher that sparked off the Ahmedabad rumpus six years ago. Delhi would have been a soft target for the fundamentalist FPZAI leaders. As it is in the Bombay 2006 meet WAPIZ members questioned Delhi’s right to membership on the FPZAI as it permitted non-Parsi spouses associate membership on their anjuman and their children admission to the fire temple. The substitution of DPAT as versus the Delhi Parsi Anjuman for membership on the Federation made over 25 years ago was a face saving compromise to keep Delhi in the body.
So finally with no one coming forth to host the event, the BPP once again will hold the meet on October 9 and 10, 2010 at the Banaji Atash Behram hall. The sign outside the entry to the fire temple asks Parsi women married to non-Parsis and their children to refrain from entering the holy precincts. Such signage is sure to warm the cockles of the traditionalists’ hearts.
What purpose will the get-together serve? At one time the FPZAI served as a forum for discussion on crucial community issues. Individual anjumans presented a report on events and happenings in their spheres. There was a chance to acquaint oneself with the heads of other associations, exchange notes, seek assistance, further bilateral ties. There was also talk of forming a world body. And it was on this issue that the future leaders of the then unformed WAPIZ galvanized the smaller anjumans to oppose the move. Zoroastrian associations abroad have non-Parsi members. How could a world body be formed with such racially different persons? Would it not be a dilution of the master race? Race won over reason and the bonhomie that once existed between anjumans was laid to rest.
In the present context also reason may have little place. The FPZAI meet will be another opportunity to raise the traditionalists’ flag and rally the troops. A Zoroastrian world congress is to be hosted by the BPP in Bombay in December 2013. Perhaps the Federation meet may serve as an occasion to announce plans for the world meet. But have preparations been made for the Congress? How should the Congress be structured? What topics should it cover? Who should be the speakers? How does one ensure maximum global participation especially in light of the divergence in views between the Zoroastrians in North America and Bombay? and so on.
The FPZAI may serve as a sounding board for ideas. But how open are the new trustees to thoughts that have emanated from others? The trustees could also ventilate plans for the Congress at their annual anjuman meeting to be held later this year at either the Dadar Parsee Gymkhana or Rustom Baug.
Or would they use the occasion to hit out at their opponents as they did at last year’s meet?
The BPP trustees have largely functioned with a narrow sectarian view, with an eye for what they imagine will please their electorate at the next election. Will they now change? (They sent Parsiana an invite for BPP chairman emeritus Jamshed Guzder’s condolence meet. For the function to honor the Chief Justice of India Sarosh Kapadia no invite was issued. Parsiana’s request for photographs of the function was also rejected.)
At the end of their second year in office the trustees have to decide whether they want to travel the same road for the next five years or try another route. If they persist with their present direction they will be arriving at a dead end sooner than later.
But following the fracas that took place at the December 2004 meet in Ahmedabad, anjumans have largely fought shy of holding the meet. They fear, and rightly so, they may be inviting dissension into their small communities. As it is for over three years no general body meet was held due to the ill will between associations as well as the legal wrangling between the BPP trustees until the 2008 elections. When a meeting was finally held in September 2009, the WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis)-led coalition that packed the Federation, managed to elect their hand picked candidates.
Four out of five key vice president posts were bagged by WAPIZ members or their sympathizers. Most of the major out-of-Bombay anjumans were sidelined. Small anjumans with memberships of 20 to 100 or so have an equal voice with anjumans that have populations going into hundreds, if not thousands.
Delhi always held the vice president post for the north till the honor was bestowed on Ratlam, whose president Tehmtan Anklesaria now resides in Bombay. Thus one was surprised to learn that the Delhi Parsi Anjuman Trust (DPAT) was intending to host the Federation meet in September this year. The DPAT had renovated their Pirojsha Godrej Cultural Centre and probably wanted to showcase it to the anjuman heads from all over the country. The premises would have been an ideal venue for the gathering.
But on second thoughts the northerners felt it wiser to forego the event. Delhi is a liberal anjuman and that would have raised the hackles of many would-be attendees. In addition the sign outside the Kaikhushru Pallonji Katrak Dar-e-Meher states entry is permitted to Zoroastrians as versus Parsi Zoroastrians. The Privy Council judgment of 1924 in the Saklat vs Bella case grants the trustees the right to admit non-Parsis if they deem fit.
It was the statement by Nariman Mogrelia, then Madras anjuman president about the bar on entry to the children of Parsi women married to non-Parsis in the Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar-e-Meher that sparked off the Ahmedabad rumpus six years ago. Delhi would have been a soft target for the fundamentalist FPZAI leaders. As it is in the Bombay 2006 meet WAPIZ members questioned Delhi’s right to membership on the FPZAI as it permitted non-Parsi spouses associate membership on their anjuman and their children admission to the fire temple. The substitution of DPAT as versus the Delhi Parsi Anjuman for membership on the Federation made over 25 years ago was a face saving compromise to keep Delhi in the body.
So finally with no one coming forth to host the event, the BPP once again will hold the meet on October 9 and 10, 2010 at the Banaji Atash Behram hall. The sign outside the entry to the fire temple asks Parsi women married to non-Parsis and their children to refrain from entering the holy precincts. Such signage is sure to warm the cockles of the traditionalists’ hearts.
What purpose will the get-together serve? At one time the FPZAI served as a forum for discussion on crucial community issues. Individual anjumans presented a report on events and happenings in their spheres. There was a chance to acquaint oneself with the heads of other associations, exchange notes, seek assistance, further bilateral ties. There was also talk of forming a world body. And it was on this issue that the future leaders of the then unformed WAPIZ galvanized the smaller anjumans to oppose the move. Zoroastrian associations abroad have non-Parsi members. How could a world body be formed with such racially different persons? Would it not be a dilution of the master race? Race won over reason and the bonhomie that once existed between anjumans was laid to rest.
In the present context also reason may have little place. The FPZAI meet will be another opportunity to raise the traditionalists’ flag and rally the troops. A Zoroastrian world congress is to be hosted by the BPP in Bombay in December 2013. Perhaps the Federation meet may serve as an occasion to announce plans for the world meet. But have preparations been made for the Congress? How should the Congress be structured? What topics should it cover? Who should be the speakers? How does one ensure maximum global participation especially in light of the divergence in views between the Zoroastrians in North America and Bombay? and so on.
The FPZAI may serve as a sounding board for ideas. But how open are the new trustees to thoughts that have emanated from others? The trustees could also ventilate plans for the Congress at their annual anjuman meeting to be held later this year at either the Dadar Parsee Gymkhana or Rustom Baug.
Or would they use the occasion to hit out at their opponents as they did at last year’s meet?
The BPP trustees have largely functioned with a narrow sectarian view, with an eye for what they imagine will please their electorate at the next election. Will they now change? (They sent Parsiana an invite for BPP chairman emeritus Jamshed Guzder’s condolence meet. For the function to honor the Chief Justice of India Sarosh Kapadia no invite was issued. Parsiana’s request for photographs of the function was also rejected.)
At the end of their second year in office the trustees have to decide whether they want to travel the same road for the next five years or try another route. If they persist with their present direction they will be arriving at a dead end sooner than later.
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