At the Sanjan Stambh

While our community members are well educated, the strong sense of faith in our religion is sadly reducing, rued Dastur Khurshed Dastoor of Udvada, speaking at the Sanjan Day function. "While it is good to respect others and their religious beliefs, it should not lead to a reduction of faith towards our own religion and beliefs,” he advised the 1,200 strong gathering which had come to that coastal town on November 17, 2012, roz Bahman, mah Tir, to participate in the celebrations which have been organized annually for the past 25 years.
Two jashans were held in the hall near the Stambh that morning, the first by priests from Nargol and the other by Dastoor along with the Sanjan priest and others from Udvada, mentions a press release received by Parsiana from the Sanjan Memorial Column Local Committee led by Bapsy Daviervala whose late husband Rohintan along with Dosabhai Oliaji initiated the celebration. The jashans were followed by a humbandagi led by Dastoor. Built in 1920, the Stambh commemorates the landing of our forefathers at Sanjan. The agiary and dharamshala are located nearby.
The pilgrims, ranging in age from a six-month-old baby to 85+ senior citizens, had arrived from Bombay, Surat, Navsari and nearby areas. Some had come by train (the Flying Ranee and Gujarat Express made special halts at Sanjan); others by specially hired buses or by car. They were welcomed with hot tea and mawa cakes donated by Dotivala Bakery of Surat. Marzban Mehta regaled the crowd with Parsi songs with many of the pilgrims singing along, the write-up notes.
Dastoor addressed the issue of navjotes, stating that our religion does not prescribe any particular age for the ceremony. The decision on when a child should be initiated into the religion should depend on how mature the child is and not on what is suitable to the parents. Also, there is no need for elaborate celebrations or to hold navjotes together to save costs. This happens because guidance is lacking. One should approach the high priests when in doubt, he advised.
Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Dinshaw Mehta appreciated the commitment and efforts of the Daviervala family in organizing the annual pilgrimage to honor the Gujarati ruler Jadi Rana who had given refuge to our ancestors. According to him the community’s biggest problem is declining population. Each year there are only 150-200 births as against 800-1,000 deaths. If this trend is not stopped or reversed, the community will be reduced to a "tribe.” Parents should ensure that their children marry early and start a family soon thereafter. On its part the BPP assists by providing Rs 3,000 per month for the second child and Rs 5,000 for the third child from birth until the age of 18. A Parsi lady present who announced that her daughter settled in the USA had five children, four boys and one girl, was cheered by all.
BPP trustee Armaity Tirandaz’s late husband Rustom had been closely associated with the Sanjan Day celebrations, and together they had attended almost every single celebration. She mentioned that we have managed to preserve and safeguard our ancient heritage and culture; we must now make similar efforts regarding our community as "we just cannot afford to allow any dilution.” Daviervala reiterated that though we are very small numerically, the community has made a mark in every sphere of life.
Solicitor, Ervad Burjor Antia spoke of Sanjan Day as going through a balance sheet of our community. We meet to remember, respect and offer gratitude to our country, to Jadi Rana and Dastur Nairyosang Dhaval for his wisdom, foresight and for helping to institute the Iranshah in India and save our religion. We came as refugees and stayed to achieve success in every field. However, today we are like a house divided due to ego clashes and internal fights. We need to be united, cooperate with each other to ensure that the community remains strong. We need to impart religious knowledge to all, young and old, to take care of our priests. Conversions would be suicidal, and mixed marriages would lead to a different set of difficulties, he said, as per the press release.
In his vote of thanks Dara Varvadewala, member of the Committee expressed gratitude to the Western Railway authorities for their cooperation in permitting the special halt of trains at Sanjan, to the Dotivala Bakery for the breakfast, to Avan Drinks for the soft drinks concentrate and Paris Bakery of Bombay and Agni Bakery of Vapi for sponsoring the falooda, to the local students and teachers who assisted with the arrangements and performed the garba, to Marzban Mehta for the entertainment, to the BPP for its continued support, to caterer Kaizad Patel of Bombay who provided the lunch at very short notice and to all who attended the function.