A notice from the Lonavla Municipal Council (LMC) threatening to acquire agiary land for road widening has galvanized the 113-year old Lonavala Khandala Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman (LKPZA) to launch a signature campaign to oppose the acquisition.
A letter addressed to the LMC chief officer dated November 12, 2013 was circulated among 250 guests at the LKPZA annual dinner meet on November 16 in the Seth Cowasjee Dinshaw Adenwalla Daremeher compound.
Noting that the agiary compound was used by the LKPZA to host social events, dinners, park vehicles, etc, anjuman trustee Capt Percy Master told the gathering, "There is no sense in taking our property when adjoining areas are not conducive to widening the road.” A quick survey of the surroundings show vacant plots on the other side of the road available for widening. The main town road that runs parallel to the railway tracks leads into the congested center of the town crammed with chikki shops, stalls, parked cars, handcarts, etc. This street is sandwiched between Lonavla station and a row of buildings. Broadening this road is not feasible.

The areas surrounding the agiary compound are not well maintained. An open manhole stands gaping opposite the agiary’s front wall while a garbage dump dots the main road.
The letter addressed to the chief officer of the LMC presented on the agiary trust’s letterhead stated, "On August 31, 2013 the agiary trustees received a notice from the president, Lonavla Municipal Council stating that S. D. Pandit will be coming to take measurements of how much of our agiary land has to be acquired and the agiary representative should be present (copy of notice in Marathi and English translation attached). (Accordingly the land measurements were taken — editors.) This is for road widening purpose. While we fully appreciate the need to widen roads, we believe it should not be at the expense of our prime community institution in the heart of Lonavla. Already land has been taken from the adjoining bungalow which once belonged to the Adenwalla family, the founders of the Lonavla fire temple. When this adjoining land was appropriated, the sanctity of the fire temple suffered.
"We are now being faced with the possibility of a second encroachment not only on our community land, but also our religious sentiments and our ability to congregate. The land that is sought to be acquired is utilized several times a year for purposes of performing ceremonies, storage of kathi wood, social get-togethers, dining and preparation of food. If this land is taken from us we will be greatly handicapped.

"In light of what is stated above we would request the Lonavla Municipal Council to look to alternate ways of widening the road. We would also like to bring to your attention that widening this portion of the road will not alleviate the traffic congestion in Lonavla town. The roads leading into the town are very narrow permitting just around two cars to come and go. Thus, widening of the road using the portion belonging to the fire temple will serve little purpose.
"We therefore request you not (to) proceed with any appropriation of our sacred land. The Lonavla agiary has the distinction of being the only fire temple in the world that has two sacred fires, a matter of great pride for Lonavla.”
The adarian was founded by the Adenwalla family in 1899 and is managed and maintained by the Cowasjee Dinshaw Trust. The trustees are Dr Sohrab Javeri, Mehli Colah, Saroosh Dinshaw, Freny and Adi Jehangir.
Around 250 signatures opposing the acquisition have been collected, states LKPZA trustee Sam Choksey, of which over 100 were obtained at the function.
LKPZA president Saroosh Dinshaw introduced the chief guest of the evening Homi Khusrokhan, a director in several companies, a former managing director of Glaxo Burroughs Wellcome, Tata Tea, Tata Chemicals and president of the Bombay Natural History Society amongst other positions held. The relaxed chartered accountant who was involved with the proposal to set up a vulture aviary at Doongerwadi joked that if any news item appeared with the word vulture in it, he would receive 500 emails informing him about it!

Noting he came from a family with traditional religious values, he recalled that going to his family’s home in Surat meant reciting the kusti prayers 15 times in a day as he had to visit all the fire temples and other religious institutions in the vicinity. He recalled his late mother-in-law Jer Bardi asking him what distinguished Zoroastrianism from other religions. Her answer: "There is no forgiveness in our religion. If you do something wrong you get punished for it.” Khusrokhan made some inquiries with people and they concurred, "I think she’s right. (Our) religion means doing the right things, (making) the right decisions. Here there is no forgiveness. You’re blessed with a good mind, you’re given knowledge, you must use that knowledge to make the right decisions.”
(In response to Parsiana’s query on the subject London based scholar Farrokh Vajifdar clarifies, "Khusrokhan’s contention on the absence of forgiveness in Zoroastrianism is entirely right. Whatever scraps of forgiveness may have been thought up subsequently are wholly nullified by the Gathic teachings which lay great stress on restorative and not retributive means of social conduct. Forgiveness has no place at all in our strongly ethical system of good moral guidance. Genuinely followed right-thinking, measured speech, and right activity is required.”)
Khusrokhan said when he recited his prayers in the morning he found, "I was making the right decisions during the day.” He recalled his father being a religious person and referred to a Zoroastrian prayer he gave his son extolling one to "blaze forth...forever be shining…and grant courage till the day of resurrection.”
After thanking all the donors and sponsors of the event, Master noted LKPZA has earmarked Rs 55,000 to Rs 60,000 to assist "the poor and needy in all communities.” Accordingly, some cheques were handed out to deserving causes and individuals.
The LKPZA also plans to compile a directory of residents and issuing them identity cards, states the leaflet announcing the holding of the annual get-together.

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