Double standards

The Daily News and Analysis newspaper recently reported that a Parsi actress married to and subsequently separated from her non-Parsi spouse was debarred from entering an agiary. Subsequently a clarification was issued that she was permitted to attend the obsequial ceremonies of her late father, though her name was not included in the prayers.

While Parsis are preventing Parsis from entering fire temples, other faiths have no qualms about allowing Parsis into their places of worship. They have openly welcomed Parsis within their fold, and into their places of worship.

Astrologer Bejan Daruwala swears by Ganesha. He and his son were accorded a warm welcome by the Siddhivinayak Temple authorities when they went there to make an offering. Photographers from a national newspaper were present to record the occasion.

The Catholic church at Mahim does not drive Parsis away from the Wednesday novena service. Three percent of the congregation at this service comprises Parsis.

The Sai Baba temples at Forjett Street and in Shirdi do not drive away or forbid Parsis from entering and worshipping there. Even Parsis from priestly families pay obeisance there. Other Parsis visit dargahs.

Famed music conductor Zubin Mehta who has married non-Parsis twice, first Carmen Lasky and then Nancy Kovack, and has a son out of wedlock from an Israeli violinist, visits fire temples when he is in Bombay, but none of the priests have had the gumption to stop him.

Are these not double standards?

Many Parsis believe in babas (godmen). In fact many have turned into babas and gurus themselves. In Parel, Bombay there is a Parsi duo who floated a snake cult and called themselves the Snake King and Snake Queen.

Twice in the recent past The Times of India carried full page advertisements honoring one "Guru Dinshaw Mehta” (not the Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee).

On one hand, Parsis will not allow non-Parsis, and sometimes even fellow Parsis to enter their fire temples while on the other hand they freely visit churches, dargahs and temples of other faiths.

Will the high priests and the newly proposed council of priests and scholars also keep a track of Parsis believing in other faiths, visiting places of worship of other faiths, and bar them from fire temples? What action is proposed against such Parsis? Does paying obeisance to or following the tenets of another faith amount to renouncing Zoroastrianism? Will such people be excommunicated from the faith?

BARAK AGA

barak.aga@hotmail.com