Bandra diamond jubilee

The Bandra Parsee Association (BPA) which was established in 1949 celebrated its 60th anniversary with an entertainment-cum-dinner program on January 26, 2011 at the Bai Avabai F. Petit Girls High School in Bandra, deemed Queen of the suburbs. The evening’s program began with a humbandagi led by Ervads Freddy Khambatta and (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, as per a write-up sent by Sam S. Choksey, joint honorary secretary of the Association.

Guests of honor gracing the diamond jubilee celebrations were Bombay High Court Judge Shahrukh Kathawalla, social worker Mahrukh Noble and Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly editor Shernaaz Engineer. The auditorium was packed with members, their families and friends. Students from the boarding section of the Avabai Petit School regaled the audience with amazing demonstrations of gymnastics and roller skating with synchronized movements. Sohrab and Anahita Karanjia recited verses from the Shahnameh, the former in Persian and the latter in Gujarati. Pia Sutaria sang English songs while her sister Tara performed a graceful ballet, the write-up mentions. Ay toe kai kehvay nai, a humorous skit, was performed by Dinyar Tirandaz and his troupe.

Top row: Performances by Avabai Petit schoolchildren; second row (l): a natak; last row (l): Shernaaz Engineer, Mahrukh Noble and Shahrukh Kathawalla; Bottom right, clockwise from bottom l: Prof Khurshed Sheriar, Maharukh Mistry, Dolly Tata, Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, Ervad Freddy Khambatta, Sam Choksey

The BPA was founded to provide needy Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians of Bandra with financial and medical help and for the education of their children, aims which it has met successfully over the past six decades. In 1974 the Association started a scheme to give freeships/scholarships to Parsi students residing in Bandra and the western suburbs up to Virar to cover school and college education, including professional and postgraduate courses. Each year 80 to 100 students benefit from this.

The BPA also looks after the welfare of the staff of the Tata Agiary and the Panthaki Agiary in Bandra. When the Bombay Municipal Corporation planned to demolish the front portico of the Tata Agiary in order to widen Hill Road, the Association collected over 1,000 signatures from Parsis in Bandra and Khar and submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner asking him not to disturb this religious heritage structure (see "A temporary reprieve?” Parsiana, December 21, 2006). With the active help of the organizations of other communities, the BPA was able to prevent demolition of part of the sacred fire temple and its compound, Choksey’s write-up states.

Over 350 families in Bandra and Khar are life members of the Association. To foster closeness among Zoroastrian residents of the area the BPA has in the past organized jashans, religious discourses, variety programs, dinners, etc. The current managing committee comprises president Prof Khurshed C. Sheriar, vice president Dolly D. Tata, honorary joint secretaries Choksey and Maharukh F. Mistry, joint honorary treasurers Burjor F. Pavri and Dr Zenobia H. Bhathena and committee members Homai F. Mistry, Bomy Dabhoiwalla, Dinaz S. Choksey, Mani P. Patel, Yasmin Charna and Rohinton Elavia.