Religious reprints

Two recent paperbacks provide reprints of religious books to meet current day needs. They are the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago’s Jashan Prayers With Understanding, comprising text and translation from the late Dastur Nowrooz D. Minochehr-Homji’s My Prayer Guide and Adil F. Rangoonwalla’s An Overview of Zarathushtrianism. Both books, printed in 2011 by Union Press, 13 Homji Street, Bombay 400001 have been reprinted in response to felt needs of community members.

Author Adil Rangoonwalla

As notes the Foreword by Rohinton Rivetna in Jashan Prayers With Understanding, when the Zoroastrians of Chicago invited Minochehr-Homji to give them a series of lectures, "Little did we know what was in store for us. We had a feast, a learning experience that we have never forgotten.” The topics covered ranged from understanding our prayers and ceremonies, discussions on the soul and afterlife, lessons in ancient history and the antiquities at the British Museum. Minochehr-Homji also provided them with a series of booklets to serve as a guide to the jashan prayers. To perpetuate his memory it was decided to publish these booklets, for which purpose Roshan Rivetna donated the cost of printing and shipping in memory of her late parents, Jaloo and Khurshed Patell.

The 209-page book contains the text of the jashan prayers in the Roman script along with their translations to make the ceremony more meaningful to devotees. The price is not mentioned. Rohinton Rivetna can be contacted at 5750 South Jackson Street, Hinsdale, IL 60521, USA; e-mail: rivetna@aol.com tel: (603) 325-5383.

Dinshaw Tamboly of the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust Funds has written the Foreword to Rangoonwalla’s An Overview of Zarathushtrianism. "In our minuscule Zoroastrian community... some self-appointed defenders of the faith have... chosen to impose their will on the rest of us... We must think for ourselves and not be led like sheep; we must do what we believe to be right and not because some self-appointed messiahs dictate it to be so,” he states. This reprint of Rangoonwalla’s earlier simple text book, Zarathushtrianism, has come at a time when the levels of intolerance have "dipped sharply in our community.”

The author mentions that he worked hard to create this edition, replete with attractive color visuals on glossy paper. Providing basic information about the Prophet and his religion, the book also deals with its legends, symbols, ceremonies and rituals. There is a useful subject index at the end of the 96-page book for the benefit of the present generation. There is no mention of the price. The book is available from the author at F-203 BPP Complex, Walbhatt Road, Goregaon (East), Bombay 400063.

SHERENE VAKIL