Religion
A time for prayer
The alleged detainment of two devotees at a major fire temple has raised a debate
After two devotees overstayed their welcome at the Zarthoshti Anjumanna Atash Bahram (ZAAB) at Dhobi Talao on the night of October 23, 2012, the visiting hours for the sacred precinct were curtailed from 9.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and boards announcing the new timings were displayed prominently. "There is a limit to everything,” said an exasperated Ervad Kaizad Kotval, a boiwalla at the fire temple. The two worshippers who are senior citizens were allegedly locked in the premises after they consistently lingered beyond the official closing time
Speaking to Parsiana over the phone Kotval stated that in the past the two were often detained for intervals of 15 minutes or so while the priests were involved with other formalities. The doors would then be unlocked to permit the worshippers to depart. The exercise was conducted to discourage the devotees from sitting beyond the time limit of 9.30 p.m. "Time per nahi niklé (they do not leave on time),” complained Kotval. But when the duo repeatedly failed to take the hint, the gate was kept locked till 12.30 a.m., explains Kotval.
The shortened hours for prayer inconveniences other worshippers who in the past could sit till 9.30, lamented Kotval. He was sympathetic to people who worked till late and wanted to come to the fire temple for solace. "These people have been deprived (of that privilege) because of them.”
In response to a query from Parsiana regarding the incident, ZAAB honorary secretary Ervad Burjor Antia noted in a letter dated December 3, 2012 that, "two elderly retired Parsis come every day to the gate of Atash Behram premises late evening and near the place reserved for (the) security guard, they chitchat, read newspapers, do exercises/yoga and enter the Atash Behram premises at about 8.45 p.m. and in spite of requesting them to leave the premises at the closing time … they refuse to do so. These Parsis argue with the boiwalla saheb on duty and deliberately delay in leaving the premises, thus delaying the preparation… for the next day. I may add that as far as I know these Parsis are debarred from entering other atash behram premises for creating nuisance late in the evening. In fact when our boiwalla saheb requested them to leave the premises, one of them remarked that they do not mind sleeping in the Atash Behram premises as they can get good sleep in front of the holy fire. Therefore the story of locking of two Parsis in the fire temple is false and fabricated and as a matter of fact, these two Parsis opted on their own to stay in the premises during the night time. One can understand that once in a while a genuine devotee comes late to the Atash Behram premises and at his request he may be allowed to pray after 9 p.m. However, it appears that these two Parsis deliberately come late every day, though they are staying in a building next to our Atash Behram… In (our) opinion they are not genuine devotees but persons out to create trouble and nuisance to our boiwalla saheb and give a bad name to our holy Atash Behram… These are the true facts and any report to the contrary published anywhere is false, malicious and defamatory.
"One must also bear in mind the strenuous life of our boiwalla sahebs as they have to get up at 12 midnight for offering Ushahin gah (midnight to dawn) boi and after that they have to clean up the utensils themselves and perform the yajashne ceremony the next day. Thus, the boiwalla saheb on duty gets very little time to sleep after 9 p.m. Each boiwalla saheb has to perform boi ceremonies for five gahs when on duty and this is a very strenuous life.
"Please note that all the atash behrams of Bombay have their visiting hours as decided by the trustees which is from 6 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. In our Atash Behram, the visiting hours is from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (i.e. half an hour more) so as to accommodate some persons (especially office goers or businessmen) who may not find time to visit fire temples during the day time. But this indulgence cannot be shown to these two Parsis who come in late day after day.”
One of the two devotees who spoke to Parsiana on the condition of anonymity stated he and the other gent that night were "comfortable. It was nice and cool sleeping on the bench.” The duo were "not locked near the fire” but in the passage near the well and the dadgah. He was happy to be in the atash behram even at that late hour as he could hear the Ushahin gah being recited. "It’s a rare thing…I’m a prayerful kind of person…a loner…I try and finish my prayers early but prayers are such things they never end.” His colleague phoned his son to say he was alright and "not to worry.”
But as the hours ticked away, the family apparently became concerned and soon the phone lines were buzzing with calls to all and sundry. "It was blown up by the Press,” alleges the devotee. Readers wrote who "had no idea” of what transpired.
The Parsi Times (PT) weekly broke the story in its issue of October 27 with editor Freyan Bhathena in her "From the Editor’s desk column” expressing concern over the well-being of the detainees. She inquired "is the holy padshah only available during working hours?” In the PT issue of November 3, two of the boiwallas of ZAAB, Daraius Karanjia and Kotval and Jamasp Tarachand wrote, "One can understand that once in a while coming late can be pardoned and permission for sitting a little late can be granted but it appears that to harass the boiwalla, they come late deliberately. The gentlemen stay very close to the Atash Behram and they are welcome to come for seeking solace anytime till the fire temple is open rather than coming at the closing time (perhaps after having dinner)…
"Your suggestion for installation of CCTV (close circuit television) cameras cannot be adhered to since the cameras cannot be installed in sacred precincts. Even mobile phones are required to be switched off while entering the premises.”
In the same issue reader Savak Balsara recommended the installation of "a simple door latch which can be opened from inside (and) fixed at all fire temples.” Meher Zaiwala alleged that "the wrongful practise of locking up of fire temples and preventing worship in gah Rapithavin (noon to 3 p.m.)” is a great inconvenience to "outstation worshipers… who return without (paying) obeisance.” D. M. Karkaria stated he is a regular visitor to the Atash Behram, and observed, "regarding your concern (that) something would have happened to them because of old age, then in the first place why did they remain out of their homes for such late hours?”
Letter writer Behram Aga stated in the PT issue of November 17, "the fire temple should be open 24x7 for Parsis to pray without any let or hindrance,” while reader Rohinton Dadachanji remarked, "Every organization has its set of rules and code of conduct… There are many churches and temples whose doors are shut to the public in the afternoon and after sunset.”
The shortened hours for prayer inconveniences other worshippers who in the past could sit till 9.30, lamented Kotval. He was sympathetic to people who worked till late and wanted to come to the fire temple for solace. "These people have been deprived (of that privilege) because of them.”
In response to a query from Parsiana regarding the incident, ZAAB honorary secretary Ervad Burjor Antia noted in a letter dated December 3, 2012 that, "two elderly retired Parsis come every day to the gate of Atash Behram premises late evening and near the place reserved for (the) security guard, they chitchat, read newspapers, do exercises/yoga and enter the Atash Behram premises at about 8.45 p.m. and in spite of requesting them to leave the premises at the closing time … they refuse to do so. These Parsis argue with the boiwalla saheb on duty and deliberately delay in leaving the premises, thus delaying the preparation… for the next day. I may add that as far as I know these Parsis are debarred from entering other atash behram premises for creating nuisance late in the evening. In fact when our boiwalla saheb requested them to leave the premises, one of them remarked that they do not mind sleeping in the Atash Behram premises as they can get good sleep in front of the holy fire. Therefore the story of locking of two Parsis in the fire temple is false and fabricated and as a matter of fact, these two Parsis opted on their own to stay in the premises during the night time. One can understand that once in a while a genuine devotee comes late to the Atash Behram premises and at his request he may be allowed to pray after 9 p.m. However, it appears that these two Parsis deliberately come late every day, though they are staying in a building next to our Atash Behram… In (our) opinion they are not genuine devotees but persons out to create trouble and nuisance to our boiwalla saheb and give a bad name to our holy Atash Behram… These are the true facts and any report to the contrary published anywhere is false, malicious and defamatory.
"One must also bear in mind the strenuous life of our boiwalla sahebs as they have to get up at 12 midnight for offering Ushahin gah (midnight to dawn) boi and after that they have to clean up the utensils themselves and perform the yajashne ceremony the next day. Thus, the boiwalla saheb on duty gets very little time to sleep after 9 p.m. Each boiwalla saheb has to perform boi ceremonies for five gahs when on duty and this is a very strenuous life.
"Please note that all the atash behrams of Bombay have their visiting hours as decided by the trustees which is from 6 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. In our Atash Behram, the visiting hours is from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (i.e. half an hour more) so as to accommodate some persons (especially office goers or businessmen) who may not find time to visit fire temples during the day time. But this indulgence cannot be shown to these two Parsis who come in late day after day.”
One of the two devotees who spoke to Parsiana on the condition of anonymity stated he and the other gent that night were "comfortable. It was nice and cool sleeping on the bench.” The duo were "not locked near the fire” but in the passage near the well and the dadgah. He was happy to be in the atash behram even at that late hour as he could hear the Ushahin gah being recited. "It’s a rare thing…I’m a prayerful kind of person…a loner…I try and finish my prayers early but prayers are such things they never end.” His colleague phoned his son to say he was alright and "not to worry.”
But as the hours ticked away, the family apparently became concerned and soon the phone lines were buzzing with calls to all and sundry. "It was blown up by the Press,” alleges the devotee. Readers wrote who "had no idea” of what transpired.
The Parsi Times (PT) weekly broke the story in its issue of October 27 with editor Freyan Bhathena in her "From the Editor’s desk column” expressing concern over the well-being of the detainees. She inquired "is the holy padshah only available during working hours?” In the PT issue of November 3, two of the boiwallas of ZAAB, Daraius Karanjia and Kotval and Jamasp Tarachand wrote, "One can understand that once in a while coming late can be pardoned and permission for sitting a little late can be granted but it appears that to harass the boiwalla, they come late deliberately. The gentlemen stay very close to the Atash Behram and they are welcome to come for seeking solace anytime till the fire temple is open rather than coming at the closing time (perhaps after having dinner)…
"Your suggestion for installation of CCTV (close circuit television) cameras cannot be adhered to since the cameras cannot be installed in sacred precincts. Even mobile phones are required to be switched off while entering the premises.”
In the same issue reader Savak Balsara recommended the installation of "a simple door latch which can be opened from inside (and) fixed at all fire temples.” Meher Zaiwala alleged that "the wrongful practise of locking up of fire temples and preventing worship in gah Rapithavin (noon to 3 p.m.)” is a great inconvenience to "outstation worshipers… who return without (paying) obeisance.” D. M. Karkaria stated he is a regular visitor to the Atash Behram, and observed, "regarding your concern (that) something would have happened to them because of old age, then in the first place why did they remain out of their homes for such late hours?”
Letter writer Behram Aga stated in the PT issue of November 17, "the fire temple should be open 24x7 for Parsis to pray without any let or hindrance,” while reader Rohinton Dadachanji remarked, "Every organization has its set of rules and code of conduct… There are many churches and temples whose doors are shut to the public in the afternoon and after sunset.”
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