Meeting their match

Under the aegis of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) Matrimonial Bureau, 79 youngsters enjoyed a picnic at Della Adventure in Lonavala on October 16, 2011. Two buses picked up the merry­makers from prearranged locations — Khareghat Colony and Dadar Parsi Colony. Ever since 75 young Zoroastrians waiting to meet their match had enjoyed a picnic at a resort in Vasai in January 2011 there had been a clamor for yet another outing from those who had registered with the Bureau. BPP trustee Arnavaz Mistry, who had revived the Bureau in February 2010, helped by her core team of Zarin Havewala, Shiraz Guard and Kashmira Khambatta, finally assented to the popular demand, mentions Havewala in an e-mail sent to Parsiana.

The ice was broken during the journey with participants singing, engaging in conversation and getting to know each other. After a hearty breakfast at the destination, formal introductions were made and the adventurous ones set off to experience rides such as motocross dirt bikes, ATV rides, archery, paintball, zorbing and flying fox. Others chose to laze at the swimming pool or relax in the spa. Post-lunch games were specially organized to make intermingling easier for the shy ones. By tea time several participants were exchanging e-mail IDs and telephone numbers, with others taking photographs to remember the eventful day by. The return journey was filled with bonhomie and merriment, Havewala’s e-mail reveals.

Participants at the picnic in Lonavala organized by the BPP’s Matrimonial Bureau

Grateful participants told the organizers that they were looking forward to many more such fun-filled events to enable them to meet other youngsters from the community. The picnic was sponsored by the BPP and participants given concessions/discounts by BPP trustee Jimmy Mistry, proprietor of Della Adventure to make the outing affordable for them. Looking for a soul mate has now become "hipper” with such initiatives where youngsters can interact in a relaxed environment, notes the e-mail.

The dwindling Parsi Irani Zoroastrian population, late marriages, intermarriages and no marriages have become a cause for concern to the community members, especially trustees of the BPP, and constant efforts are being made by the latter to create a platform for youngsters to meet and mingle so they can find life partners. Nearly 430 hopefuls have registered with the BPP’s Matrimonial Bureau so far; some of them are engaged to be married while others are dating, the e-mail notes. Get-togethers are held on the second Saturday of every month, and the picnics organized by the Bureau have enabled them to interact with each other.

A website — http://www.bombay parsipunchayet.com/Matrimonial Login.aspx — has been created by the BPP where those seeking Parsi spouses may register. Though the upper age limit has been fixed at 40 years for attendees at the monthly meets, there is no age limit for registering on the website, the e-mail mentions.