Salgirah in Vadodara

The seventh salgirah of Vadodara’s renovated Umrigar Adarian was celebrated with religious fervor by the Zoroastrians there on March 25, 2011 with Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza of Udvada’s Iranshah as chief guest, accompanied by his wife Maharukh, as per an e-mail sent to Parsiana by Rustom M. K. Daboo on behalf of the Vadodara Parsi Panchayat (VPP).

Daboo mentions that under the able leadership of the then president of the VPP Jal Patel, the 200-year-old adarian fire, which had turned into a dadgah fire, was again ritualistically upgraded to the adarian on March 25, 2004, with higher liturgical ceremonies performed by Ervad Homi Bhesania under the Surat high priest’s supervision.

(Clockwise, from left): Jashan in progress; Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza with priests of Vadodara; inauguration of Dhanmai Contractor’s portrait

The celebrations this year started with a maachi, followed by a jashan led by Mirza who was accompanied by eight priests from Vadodara. Prayed with devotion and fervor, the ritual’s effect filled those present with spiritual bliss.

After the jashan current VPP president Baman Rustomji Cama lauded the selfless service rendered to the community by a respected former trustee, the late Dhanmai Nariman Contractor. After a brief prayer for her soul, Mirza unveiled Contractor’s portrait in the jashan hall of the Umrigar Adarian, notes Daboo.