Sojourn in Surat

Sojourn in Surat
About a score of enthusiastic youngsters from overseas, accompanied by Aban Marker Kabraji, Asia Regional Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and Khojeste Mistree, Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee visited Surat on January 3, 2014 to acquaint themselves with the rich culture of the Parsis of Gujarat. A report about their trip was sent to Parsiana by Yazdi Karanjia, trustee of the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) and noted thespian. The youths were participants of the Parzor Return to Roots initiative and had attended the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress in Bombay a week earlier.

After visiting the two atash behrams, the Parsi Infirmary, the Girls’ Orphanage and the well known Dotivala Bakery, that evening the group converged at the Enti ni Dharamshalla where they were regaled with Parsi songs, skits and dances by the Yazdi Karanjia Group and the Zoroastrian Women’s Assembly of Surat (ZWAS). Others present included the trustees of the SPP, children from the Boys’ and Girls’ Orphanage and members of ZWAS.
Maharukh Chichgar, ZWAS trustee, welcomed the group while Karanjia spoke about the Parsi philosophy of life in his own witty style. Marker elaborated on the purpose of the visit which was to revive the religion among members of the diaspora spread around the globe. The program concluded with the singing of Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti and partaking of a Parsi dinner.