“Reining in WAPIZ”

In "Reining in WAPIZ” (Editorial Viewpoint, Parsiana, February 21, 2012), about the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI) meeting held in February 2012, you have mentioned that Jabalpur sent a person who has probably not seen Jabalpur or has any contacts there.

I have to inform you that the person concerned has been to Jabalpur and has close relatives living here.

Bakhtawar Karbhari was authorized to attend the meeting and speak on behalf of the Parsi Anjuman Jabalpur. I do not see any reason why you should object to her expressing her views, which were those of our Anjuman. She has the authority and acted accordingly.

I cannot understand why you should single out only Jabalpur. There were other persons who are residents of Bombay who represented various outstation anjumans. I suppose your answer will be that they are members of that anjuman. I then ask whether a person can be a member of more than one anjuman at the same time?

In future please do not criticize our representatives just because we are not on the same wavelength as you.

DORAB C. BAJAN

President, Parsi Anjuman Jabalpur

dorabbajan@yahoo.com

The editors reply

We are happy to hear that Karbhari has connections with Jabalpur. In September 2004 in Bombay your Anjuman was represented by Yazdi Desai who also represented several other anjumans. He possibly may not have any connection with Jabalpur. His loyalties appeared to be more to the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) than to any individual anjumans.

We did not single out Jabalpur alone as alleged by you.

Khergam was also mentioned. "By masquerading Bombay based WAPIZ loyalists as representatives of various minuscule anjumans, WAPIZ has done a great disservice not only to the FPZAI but also the associations they feign to represent. Perhaps this was exemplified in the case of Khergam where a livid Pervez Khergamwalla tore into defunct anjumans subcommittee coordinator Sohrab Katpitia for alleging that Parsi property there was being taken advantage of by individuals for personal gain. Khergam has been represented by Dadar based WAPIZ activist Tannaz Parakh who had not disputed the allegations earlier. Parakh apologized but her lack of knowledge of events in a constituency she professes to represent is probably true of the vast majority of WAPIZ plants in the FPZAI.”

At the Federation meeting of March 2011 in Valsad when Meher Panthaki, a WAPIZ trustee was asked about the Parsi population of Badnera-Amravati which she represented, she turned to Parakh for the answer.

We are happy that the Jabalpur Anjuman is sufficiently concerned about the Global Working Group as to send a second representative. What we miss is information about Jabalpur itself. No doubt when the FPZAI next meets in Jabalpur we can look forward to knowing more about the community there.

It was a pleasure to read the statement "we have divorced” by Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Dinshaw Mehta, referring to his split with the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ). Your tongue in cheek editorial "Reining in WAPIZ” (Editorial Viewpoint, Parsiana, February 21, 2012) was spot on! This will surely work as a blessing and is one sure way to get the BPP to work, instead of the constant rigid stand that hampered any progress and only led to litigation and court cases galore. We have had enough dirty linen being washed in full public glare, what with the renegade priests case and the Gookrookh Gupta matter, which have made us a laughing stock.

Why should the BPP care whether one is buried, cremated or consigned to the dakhma? It is after all the choice of individuals and their family members. As custodians of trusts they have many more far more important matters to deal with rather than what they are meddling in.

At the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Delhi’s Kaikhusru Pallonji Katrak Dar-E-Meher, though Vada Dasturs (Dr) Firoze Kotwal and Khurshed Dastoor were present, they opted out of the jashan as it was performed before a cosmopolitan crowd. So be it. At least no hard words or ill wishes were uttered. It was the prerogative of the priests to take the call or not, but they did not make any ruckus or bad mouth the non-Parsis who attended the jashan. This is itself a step forward.

One fails to understand why our community leaders go out of their way to pamper British royalty what with Parsi topis and scarves, and allow them to witness our jashan ceremonies, but when this happens here in India, feathers are ruffled! It means that there are one set of rules for the high and mighty and another for the ordinary community member! Why degrade a community member who opts for the navjote of a child of a Parsi married to a non-Parsi, or those who are cremated?

It’s time concrete steps are taken to see that our beautiful religion is preserved with its inherent simplicity, without the rigidity advocated by the orthodox.

Instead of brushing our views under the carpet there should be more open forums in every city where speakers and audiences can share opinions and interact. So what if we have a group of die-hard hardliners who are happy living the life of an ostrich by hiding their heads in the sand? This does not mean those holding different viewpoints are to be excommunicated. Matters have to be thrashed out in the open in a mature way and not with shouting and cursing which is so unbecoming of Parsis.

RODA DARA HAKIM

Baroda

vadhakim@yahoo.com

It was really entertaining to read what the Parsi Press dished out about the recently held meeting of Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI) in Bombay. Had Alfred Hitchcock been around he would have made a great movie which would have won all the Oscars with its fantastic drama, great suspense, out of the world double dealing and back-stabbing.

Parsiana has no love lost with the self appointed World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) whose world extends from Kaanpur to Nakhpur (ears to nose). This association will not have anything to do with Parsiana save revile, vilify and belittle Parsiana’s editor in its rag non-Parsi publication, when it suits them. However, "Reining in WAPIZ” (Editorial Viewpoint, Par­siana, February 21, 2012) revealed the facts better than the rest of the Parsi Press.

At the FPZAI meeting representatives of many anjumans said there were under 50 Parsis in their area. Yet, instead of accepting custodianship of the Federation to ensure that the properties are protected there is cussedness to risk encroachment and eventual loss of precious assets by keeping the Federation out. What does it show? There is a lack of trust, loss of credibility and crisis of confidence, and many like Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Calcutta, etc do not even attend meetings

The only worthwhile discussion was about Global Working Group; that Parsis should stay away from it. Even the five high priests have given a clarion call to that effect in the non-Parsi Press which by no stretch of imagination can be called free. Who will be the losers? The answer is blowing in the wind.

Not long ago some rank opportunists started to pack the anjumans with their own cronies and sycophants to capture the Federation and hijack power. The Parsi Bill Gates with Rs 500 crores under his belt was the front runner.

The BPP trustees were at loggerheads and four of them quit, complaining about Dinshaw Mehta. The rest is history. Adult franchise was born. Of course some mutlabis (selfish ones) demanded that it be scrapped. Initially WAPIZ wanted it to be only for people residing in Bombay but they realized the advantage of it being open to all bawas.

Elections were announced and to Mehta’s surprise a group which WAPIZ called Altoo Faltoo Parsis (AFP) threw their hat in the ring. It was great fun for the lay bawas as for the first time in history those who mattered took notice of them, wined and dined them and entertained them for their votes. The scenario was similar to political elections where saris, stoves, hooch, cash are on offer for the voter.

As Mehta had just one term after which he would no longer be eligible to become trustee, and as he wanted to be chairman, a marriage of convenience took place. Please don’t ask me if it was solemnized under the Common Marriages Act, or whether it was a gay marriage or marriage of convenience. I don’t know. Leave it to the Parsi Press or the Non-Parsi Press if you please. The newly weds romped home and sent the AFP wallas packing, except for one who was deemed orthodox. But soon the newly weds went after this lone ranger and hounded him out as he did not toe their line.

There was another election and its own candidate was put up by WAPIZ to capture the BPP. Mehta realized that this was betrayal and the marriage came to an end. To save his gadi (seat) Mehta proposed to apro Muncherji Cama, who threw his hat in the ring and romped home convincingly, so much so that in the WAPIZ stronghold he got more votes than his adversary.

Victorious Mehta wanted to pay his estranged spouse back in the same coin. Just as they had packed the anjumans with their own soldiers, he too stirred up a storm in a teacup at the Federation meeting. In the morning on empty stomachs they were at each other’s throats with finger pointing and accusations flying thick and fast. After a bumper bhonu, they started to think rationally. The estranged couple came together for a while and had a powwow, realizing that if they did not hang together they would hang separately. They had been invincible when united, but after the divorce it was a different scene, though not so desperate as to go at one another’s throats. If they made that mistake some altoo faltoo Parsis could take undue advantage of the situation. So an armistice was signed whereby status quo would be maintained.

After the Parsi Press came out with this news, in the colony as usual the "Aaj Ki Taja Khabar Mandli” meeting was in progress. Bachoobai asked, "Ay moova laréch né ék-ék na tota peeséch, té kharoo kon né khotoo kon (These fellows are at each others’ throats. Who is right and who is wrong)?” Second floor ni Silla responded: "Moovo jé dhichawé, nachawé né dabrawé téné vote aapé, beeju soo (those who provide drinks, dancing and browbeats, they will be given votes, what else)?” Mody Building na Mancherjee joined the discussion, "What a question bawa? Maa mai bhala ké méraa bhai, ek dhér doosraa kasai (mother, am I good or is my brother? Six of one and half a dozen of the other)?” In his support Shapoorji from Sethna Building commented, "Munchi kéch té baraabar chhè. Aav ré bhai harkha, apré bév sarkha (What Munchi says is correct. We are all alike).” There is nothing to choose from. Teejay mar no (from the third floor) Temul ooobho thayo (stood up), looked at his watch and said, "Chaalo bawa sarasaat thai gaya, ék takoro mari né masoorpav khai né ghotlo la-ee-yé. Kaal ni vaat kaalé (Come on folks, it’s 7.30 p.m., time to dine on masoor with bread and then retire to bed. Tomorrow will take care of itself).”

The meeting ended sine die.

So jamva chaloji till the next Federation na fésta (tantrums).

BEHRAM AGA

behram_r_aga@yahoo.co.in