Accord in Arizona

The weather in Arizona is at its crisp and cool best in November which is when the Zoroastrian Association of Arizona (ZA-AZ) organizes its annual picnic. The second Saturday of November 2011 was a morning of friendship, fun, food and fine weather. Men, women and children from age five to 75 played cricket, dog-and-the-bone, lemon-and-spoon race and tug of war. The outcome of ‘Each family bring one dish’ was that the trestle tables in the Park were groaning with good food — popcorn and chips, samosas and bhajias, sandwiches and salads, exotic dips and chicken wings, cakes, fresh fruit… There were no speeches, no politics, and no appeals for donations. The picnic ended on a high note of happiness with prizes given away to the winners in the games and a small gift presented to each youngster.

There is no prayer hall or community building for the Parsis of Arizona but that does not deter their feeling of kinship and enthusiasm for celebrating. They have two annual community get-togethers followed by dinner. One is held on the Fasli New Year in March and the other on the Shahenshahi New Year in August. Currently ZA-AZ has a membership of 73 families that translates to 174 individuals. It has grown from a handful of members who came together in the 1980s through the dedication and arduous efforts of Dr Darius Ghaswala from Pakistan (who passed away on December 28, 2011, see "Farewell to the founder”) and Phiroz Rivetna of India.

Top: Jamsheed Mehta, president, Zoroastrian Association of Arizona; Below: at the fun filled annual picnic

Nearly three-fourth of the ZA-AZ members are of Indian origin with Pakistani Parsis constituting the balance barring three members who are Iranians. "Gujarati, our common language, and our customs colored largely by the state of Gujarat in particular and India in general, is what binds us,” said Jamsheed Mehta, president of ZA-AZ. "The other commonality is that all of us speak English. Many of the Iranian Zoroastrians, specially the older folk still speak only Dari or Farsi. Their rituals for religious ceremonies and festivals also differ from ours. Therefore we find it hard to bond,” Mehta explained the reasons for Iranian membership being limited on their body despite there being a large number of Zarathushti Iranians in Arizona.

ZA-AZ is welcoming of non-Zoroastrian spouses of whom there are many. They form a vibrant and integral part of the community, holding office, helping from the outside and voicing their opinions, concerns and suggestions. The infusion is from all over the world — North America, South America, Europe, Far East and other religious communities of India. There are three navar-martabs in the community — Ervads Vispi Karanjia married to Shubhi, Jamsheed Tata married to Tracy and Shyamuk Sidhwa to Osti Gulnar. All three priests, though successful and busy with their professions in architecture, software engineering and electrical engineering respectively, willingly and voluntarily perform their religious duties whenever called upon to do so. They perform jashans and navjotes, say the Tandorosti for interfaith marriages and pray for the souls of the departed. Recently Sidhwa and Chicago priest Ervad Jimmy Ravji performed the obsequial ceremonies for Ghaswala which was attended in large numbers by ZA-AZ members, members of the medical fraternity, family and friends of the deceased. The non-Parsi spouses, their heads covered with scarves, sit in on all the ceremonies, assist and encourage. Their children have been navjoted.

"Friends from outside Arizona often ask us why we do not have religious education oriented programs with guest speakers to enlighten the community,” confessed Mehta. "Our response is that we are a happy and united family of Zoroastrians. Being one cohesive entity means more to us than being splintered by divisive dogma.” Even their political leanings are not country or culture specific. As one of the ZA-AZ members explained, "The older and more affluent members of the community feel kindly about the Republicans. Those still making their way up the corporate ladder or finding their feet in business side with the Democrats. Either way, the community is strong and vociferous in defense of their chosen candidates and an otherwise pleasant after-dinner conversation can turn very serious.”

The greatest strength of the Zoroastrian community of Arizona is the way they rally around to help and support any member who has a problem. There was a child who had an adverse reaction to a certain drug. As she hovered between life and death, the Parsi doctors within the community paid her two visits each day, monitored her reports, discussed her illness with her doctors and comforted the family while other members brought food, showed empathy, and took turns to stay at the hospital and pray with all the strength and sincerity of their hearts. From what seemed a hopeless condition, little Perveez regained the color on her lips and her grip on life. The joy in every Zoroastrian heart was akin to having their own daughter returned to them.

This was not an isolated incident but has been seen over and over again in the case of grave accidents and medical, financial and emotional calamities. When one is far away from home, friends become family. ZA-AZ is just that — a true family to all its members, in good times and bad.

Farewell to the founder

A highly skilled and respected trauma surgeon, Dr Darius Ghaswala had helped save and bring succor to many lives.

He came to the USA as a young man in 1977 with a medical degree from the Dow Medical College in Karachi. He did his internship and residency programs through the Mercy Hospital in Chicago, later moving to the Maricopa County Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

Dr Darius Ghaswala: skilled, stoic, smiling

Nearly seven years ago while driving down from their mountain cabin 150 miles outside of Phoenix, Ghaswala suffered a major accident that left him a quadriplegic, bound to a wheelchair. But he continued his life, mentally sharp and alert. Though he could no longer practice surgery, he lent a patient ear and gave sound advice on any subject and to anyone who needed his help. With the unwavering support of his wife Navaz (née Divecha), children Sonia and Kevin, family and friends, Darius remained stoic, uncomplaining, always smiling and pleasant.

Last December the Ghaswalas hosted a warm and enjoyable Christmas party for their friends with Navaz, always the perfect hostess, and Darius the center of his admiring friends. A few days later, Darius, Navaz and the family left for Rocky Point, Mexico to bring in the New Year. While on the drive the end came for the 61-year-old doctor who suffered a massive heart attack and slumped in his seat.