Chronicling the community

"I am part Vakil, my best friend is a Karanjawalla and if my mother hadn’t married my father, I would have been a Kothavala,” said the chief guest, eminent lawyer and former solicitor general of India Rohinton Nariman, to the great amusement of his 300-strong audience. He was referring to the first three Parsi families to have arrived in Ahmedabad as mentioned in the book Parsis of Ahmedabad: A Brief History by Rashid Sohrab Medora which he was releasing at the Ahmedabad Management Association grounds in the city on the banks of the Sabarmati on October 26, 2013. Meher Medora, the author’s wife, sent a write-up to Parsiana about the book launch.

Nariman shared with those present his personal connect with some of the things mentioned in the book: the Western classical music collection of his uncle-in-law Adi Dubash which he inherited and the tallest agarbatti (joss stick) owned by Merzban Lahewala which merited mention in the Guinness Book of World Records. Nariman also noted that the record for the longest marriage — 85 years — is held by a Parsi couple: the groom, Dr Tehmulji Nariman was five years old and his bride was just three!
The evening’s function started with the singing of a monajat by Shirin Kanga, trustee of the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat (APP). Seated on the dais were chief guest Nariman, founder of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation Dr Homi Dhalla and APP president Brig (Retd) Jahangir Anklesaria. Meher, who published the book after her husband’s demise, spoke about how his dream came to fruition. His great interest in and love for his community stemmed from his early childhood. Having lived in a large joint family and listening to interesting anecdotes and actual conversations, he developed a keen interest in the lives of his ancestors and was constantly inquiring about their history, achievements, family background and the mark they left on the city, she recounted. This eventually resulted in the writing of the book which unfortunately he did not live to see in print. The loving wife’s efforts over the past three years resulted in its publication as "my tribute to him and his fond memory.”

Author the late Rashid Medora

Dhalla spoke about how the author had made "judicious use of oral history to supplement the written record. This resource is reflected in personal stories, perceptions and memories of close friends and relatives.” Other cities should follow this example and write about their history lest it be lost or relegated to oblivion, he felt. Dhalla also appreciated that Parsi children in Ahmedabad speak in Gujarati and was particularly happy that the function commenced with a monajat, the write-up mentions. These devotional songs are fading away Dhalla rued, as also the custom of dressing in a dagli. Even the Pope had noted with appreciation Dhalla’s dagli at an interfaith meet and remembered him the next time they met, he revealed.
Meher thanked Astad Pastakia for his perseverance and editorial guidance, graphic designer Cyrus Mobedji for his creative ideas, Prof Snehal Nagarsheth for editing the book, Prof Delnaz Jokhi for checking out references, Harvard PhD candidate Dinyar Patel for his timely assistance and Mehernosh Dastoor for scanning the manuscript in record time. Earlier, Rustom Marshall, senior advocate of the Gujarat High Court and the Medoras’ son-in-law introduced Nariman as "a man of fantastic achievements, immaculate integrity and great learning” while Vahishtai Medora Daboo described Dhalla as a well known scholar and interfaith and peace activist.
Oorvaksh Medora thanked the dignitaries, the editorial team, solicitor Nadir Modi, classmate of his father Rashid for writing the Preface to the book, Jokhi for ably compering the event and the staff of Medora Travels for their unstinted support. The evening ended with Yohan Marshall, the Medoras’ grandson, singing Starry, Starry Night.