Readers' Forum
Welfare, not vultures
Though educated and seemingly well off, the Parsi community is beset with many problems which it is unable to solve. The community should learn to adapt to changing circumstances in order to progress.
Dakhmenashini is a very old and out-of-date concept and in the absence of vultures it is ineffective and useless. Many Parsis therefore prefer to be cremated. People take good care of their bodies while they are alive, beautifying them and maintaining good health. To throw their bodies to vultures or expose them to the sun is barbaric and dishonorable, showing little respect for the dead. The present system is unhygienic and inimical to public health in a thickly populated society.
Vultures tend to remain in the jungles and do not inhabit Malabar Hill. Any attempt to bring and rear vultures via the aviary project will be wasteful and ineffective, amounting to gambling with large amounts of the community’s money. The best course would be to adapt to changing circumstances and have decent burial with dignity and respect for the dead. There is ample land available for the purpose.
The money saved on the vulture project should be used for the development, welfare, health, education and normal housing facilities for the community. There is no need to construct posh flats. Parsis living outside the metros are generally poor with scant incomes. Rather than feeding vultures, these people should be taken care of. There is also a need for more institutes to impart computer education. Formerly there was a rural boys’ home at Gholvad, established and nurtured by former Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Maneck Mistry, which has been closed down. We should establish more such institutes where boys and girls are given training in modern technology in the English medium.
Parsis have few employment opportunities. They do not go in for small retail businesses which can be very lucrative such as provision stores, medical suppliers, eateries and supplying meals from home. Some other suggestions are dealing in crockery and cutlery, beauty preparations, artificial jewelry. The BPP should establish good industrial centers to give employment to Parsis and help them find employment in banking, insurance, motor car agencies and repair garages, scooter sales and repairs, house repairs and repainting.
There is still a huge demand for housing. If charity trust lands are made available free of cost for the purpose, the construction of a flat would not work out to more than Rs 15 lakh. Do not waste community funds on dakhmenashini. Smart people should take over as good leaders who provide welfare and upliftment to the community whose resources should be directed for constructive purposes only so that the community can derive full benefit.
Dakhmenashini is a very old and out-of-date concept and in the absence of vultures it is ineffective and useless. Many Parsis therefore prefer to be cremated. People take good care of their bodies while they are alive, beautifying them and maintaining good health. To throw their bodies to vultures or expose them to the sun is barbaric and dishonorable, showing little respect for the dead. The present system is unhygienic and inimical to public health in a thickly populated society.
Vultures tend to remain in the jungles and do not inhabit Malabar Hill. Any attempt to bring and rear vultures via the aviary project will be wasteful and ineffective, amounting to gambling with large amounts of the community’s money. The best course would be to adapt to changing circumstances and have decent burial with dignity and respect for the dead. There is ample land available for the purpose.
The money saved on the vulture project should be used for the development, welfare, health, education and normal housing facilities for the community. There is no need to construct posh flats. Parsis living outside the metros are generally poor with scant incomes. Rather than feeding vultures, these people should be taken care of. There is also a need for more institutes to impart computer education. Formerly there was a rural boys’ home at Gholvad, established and nurtured by former Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Maneck Mistry, which has been closed down. We should establish more such institutes where boys and girls are given training in modern technology in the English medium.
Parsis have few employment opportunities. They do not go in for small retail businesses which can be very lucrative such as provision stores, medical suppliers, eateries and supplying meals from home. Some other suggestions are dealing in crockery and cutlery, beauty preparations, artificial jewelry. The BPP should establish good industrial centers to give employment to Parsis and help them find employment in banking, insurance, motor car agencies and repair garages, scooter sales and repairs, house repairs and repainting.
There is still a huge demand for housing. If charity trust lands are made available free of cost for the purpose, the construction of a flat would not work out to more than Rs 15 lakh. Do not waste community funds on dakhmenashini. Smart people should take over as good leaders who provide welfare and upliftment to the community whose resources should be directed for constructive purposes only so that the community can derive full benefit.
KEKI PESTONJI WADIA
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