Dadysett Agiary incident

The statement of Ervad Darayus P. Nalladaru, panthaky of Dadysett Agiary at Fort, Bombay, in the matter of late Jimmy Shapoorji Bhavnagari’s prayers that "I would never have undertaken the four days’ after death ceremonies if I had been aware that it was a cremation case” is not true. His response appeared along with a letter from one Bakhtawar Kar­bhari in the Jam-e-Jamshed on February 19, 2012.

Nalladaru should have the courage to own up to his mistake or misdeed, because I performed the geh sarna prayers for Bhavnagari at the Chandanwadi electric crematorium. Even before the body was removed from the Breach Candy Hospital I was approached by a relative of the deceased for performing the four days’ prayers at his residence at Churchgate, as is the normal practice for those who are cremated, and I had agreed to do so.

Shortly thereafter I received a telephone call from the relative that I should perform only the geh sarna at the crematorium and the remaining four days’ prayers would be performed at the Dadysett Agiary by Nalladaru. I immediately contacted Nalladaru and inquired whether he was aware that the deceased was to be cremated before he had agreed to perform the four days’ prayers in the Agiary as that would be in defiance of the embargo imposed by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and the high priests of Bombay. In reply he told me that he was aware of the full facts of the case. He said he has nothing to do with both these authorities as he is a Kadmi mobed and he can conduct any ceremony at the Dadysett Agiary.

So, what is he sorry for now?

On February 28, 2012 I appeared before the board of trustees of the BPP and explained the full facts to them. They advised me to clarify the entire issue for the benefit of the community by publishing it in the Press to enable the BPP to look into the matter.

Anyone who is interested in having further knowledge in this matter, and in future anyone who wishes to opt for alternative method of disposal and wants to have the first four days’ prayers to be performed, may contact me on my mobile phone (9821421593) because what I preach, I practice.

Ervad FRAMROZE SOHRABJI MIRZA

Ervad Darayus Nalladaru responds:

In his letter Ervad Framroze Mirza states that he had called me before the geh sarna prayers which he was going to perform at Chandanwadi crematorium. If I was aware of this and was going to do the four days’ ceremonies knowingly, why would I not also perform the geh sarna ceremony at the crematorium? If my client was aware that I was going to do the cremation ceremony or was in favor of cremation, he would have given me the entire job, including the geh sarna prayers, and there would have been no chance of Mirza coming into the picture.

It was I who had the courage to come forward as soon as I came to know that there was something wrong done by me inadvertently, without any knowledge about the cremation, as I had stated earlier in my letter in the Jam-e-Jamshed. Mirza is an outcast priest in the Bombay Parsi community as a result of his anti-religious activities. He was formerly praying in the Dadysett Agiary and was barred from performing any ceremonies there. Therefore it is not appropriate to entertain him in any way. Even in his letter to Parsiana he is just trying to advertise his dubious activities.

I have full faith in my religion and will always abide by its laws. I would not like to do any anti-religious activities and then try to prove that I have done something right. I believe that what is wrong is always wrong.