Modi to Udvada’s rescue

Gujarat’s chief minister Narendra Modi has kept his word to the Parsi community, note e-mails received from the High Priest of Udvada Dastur Khurshed Dastoor, as well as Behram and Tina Mehta of Aavan Waters. The couple had single-mindedly set up the sequence of events to obtain the subsequent concessions for Udvada, helped by their team comprising Berjis Sethna and others. On February 28, 2011 Modi’s government issued a notification to set up the Udvada Area Development Authority to control development and help protect the holy Iranshah atash behram there.

On March 9, 2011 Modi was honored in Gandhinagar by the high priests in the presence of members of the community in Gujarat. To cheers from those present, the chief minister announced that he would visit Udvada on April 24, to celebrate the anniversary (according to the organizers, the 1290th anniversary) of the installation of the sacred Iranshah fire. Addressing the gathering he jocularly stated that the Parsis who came to the shores of Gujarat had taught the locals how to love, laugh and smile, as they had learnt it the hard way amid years of adversity. He appreciated the Parsis for living in harmony and brotherhood with all communities in the land of their adoption.

(Top from l): Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, Dastur Khurshed Dastoor, Narendra Modi, Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza and Noshir Dabhoiwala; (alongside) casket with scroll of honor Photos: Sarosh Daruwalla, Mazda Audio Video Labs ; (top r): Dr Behram Anklesaria, reads citation, Behram Mehta looks on; (below) Yezdi Karanjia, Modi and Darayas Master; (bottom): Modi with community members at felicitation

Earlier, Mehta introduced the chief minister to the high priests of Udvada, Dastoor and Peshotan Mirza, Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat trustee Dr Behram Anklesaria, Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) chairman Darayas Master, SPP trustee Yezdi Karanjia, advocate Rustom Marshall, Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, Ervad Kershasp Sidhva, Prof Armaity Davar and others.

Heritage architect Jamshed Bhi­wan­di­wala provided an overview of the work done by him and his colleague Pankaj Joshi in Udvada, especially the setting up of the Foundation for Development of Udvada’s Zoroastrian Information Centre funded jointly by the governments of India and Gujarat through the Gujarat Tourism Development Corporation, road repairs and the sea wall project undertaken at the chief minister’s initiative.

A magnificent casket was presented to Modi on behalf of the Foundation for Development of Udvada and a copy of the text of the scroll it contained will be deposited at the Information Centre for the benefit of posterity. Shawls, mementos, books and flowers were also presented to the chief minister.