Readers' Forum
A matter of attitude
We don’t produce children by the dozen but we produce quality and what we leave behind is quality stuff. It is nature’s law that good things are rare, like us. We have always been a minuscule community. Now if you want to sit and cry, that is your problem! But I am sure we are not a doomed religion and community. If people want to document us, let them! We have much to do yet and much more to give to this world.
I can quote dozens of incidents like the one about a relative in Bombay who went to a well-known sari shop to choose a couple of saris for her wedding. She liked three or four saris but did not have with her the money to pay for them. However, since she said she was a Parsi girl living at Dadar Parsi Colony, the shopkeeper said she could take all four saris home and return them a day later after her mother had made a selection. These are factual stories to illustrate the integrity of Parsis.
Probably it is this attitude of sincerity that has kept us going. Numbers don’t count. We have to work hard. All the boys and girls should marry and not shirk this responsibility with loose talk like we do not have money or accommodation so we cannot marry. The world is a very large place; get out of Bombay, see the world around, see how people love and live, marry and produce children even if they are staying in small houses, colonies and jhuggis (hutments).
The children of our boys and girls who are outmarried should be allowed to join our fold and have their navjotes performed to make them Zoroastrians. Please try and get over all these petty objections. We are living in the 21st century. Forget the old fashioned religious beliefs and rituals. All Parsis, young and old, should come together on one platform and discuss this rather than fight cases in the courts and try to use force on each other as in the Sanjan incident. We are a very dignified and cultured race, not hooligans. We are just a handful of people, so why can’t we sit, talk things over and take our own decisions rather than wash dirty linen in public? We should behave in a dignified and civil manner. Lakhs of people still love and admire Parsis. During the riots many Parsi cars and homes were spared.
It’s a shame that Parsis are going to courts to solve problems. Our punchayets, senior judges, vada dasturs and eminent senior citizens can sit at the table and decide. The Delhi Parsi Anjuman is showing the way. We are responsible enough to sit down and forge a better future for our shining community.
I can quote dozens of incidents like the one about a relative in Bombay who went to a well-known sari shop to choose a couple of saris for her wedding. She liked three or four saris but did not have with her the money to pay for them. However, since she said she was a Parsi girl living at Dadar Parsi Colony, the shopkeeper said she could take all four saris home and return them a day later after her mother had made a selection. These are factual stories to illustrate the integrity of Parsis.
Probably it is this attitude of sincerity that has kept us going. Numbers don’t count. We have to work hard. All the boys and girls should marry and not shirk this responsibility with loose talk like we do not have money or accommodation so we cannot marry. The world is a very large place; get out of Bombay, see the world around, see how people love and live, marry and produce children even if they are staying in small houses, colonies and jhuggis (hutments).
The children of our boys and girls who are outmarried should be allowed to join our fold and have their navjotes performed to make them Zoroastrians. Please try and get over all these petty objections. We are living in the 21st century. Forget the old fashioned religious beliefs and rituals. All Parsis, young and old, should come together on one platform and discuss this rather than fight cases in the courts and try to use force on each other as in the Sanjan incident. We are a very dignified and cultured race, not hooligans. We are just a handful of people, so why can’t we sit, talk things over and take our own decisions rather than wash dirty linen in public? We should behave in a dignified and civil manner. Lakhs of people still love and admire Parsis. During the riots many Parsi cars and homes were spared.
It’s a shame that Parsis are going to courts to solve problems. Our punchayets, senior judges, vada dasturs and eminent senior citizens can sit at the table and decide. The Delhi Parsi Anjuman is showing the way. We are responsible enough to sit down and forge a better future for our shining community.
Major (Retd) NOSHIR K. MARFATIA
President, Shri Ajmer Parsi Jarthosti Anjuman
nk.marfatia@gmail.com
President, Shri Ajmer Parsi Jarthosti Anjuman
nk.marfatia@gmail.com
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