“Dispensation of justice...”

I would like to comment on two observations made by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sarosh H. Kapadia at the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Karani Agiary in Cusrow Baug ("Dispensation of justice is a spiritual function,” Parsiana, July 7, 2011).

The CJI said, "I do not find many young people at community functions.” I am not surprised, because the youth of our community is totally disillusioned with the priests who are not at all erudite enough to enable them to lead the community, the fanatical messages sent out by rabid elements within and without WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis) and the fact that the priests and the orthodox have refused to move with the times. What else do you expect from youngsters who cannot look up to the elders whose only qualification is age?

Kapadia has hit the nail on the head when he said "We have veered away from our faith.” The time has already dawned — sadly — when it is a fashion, mostly of girls and women, not to wear a sudreh. Historian Arnold Toynbee has repeatedly shown that mighty civilizations have fallen, even vanished, when they veered away from their ethical principles. We don’t have to turn to other civilizations, but our own in medieval Persia.

Unless we re-seek the roots of our religion, I am afraid we will move waywardly to a point of no return. That was what Dadabhai Naoroji meant when he launched his "Back to the Gathas” movement, which was followed by Lokmanya Tilak’s "Back to the Vedas” movement.

B. T. DASTUR