Editorial Viewpoint
A Navroz gift
Parsiana’s star columnists Alamai, Aflatoon and Letap trooped into the office with a big smile on their faces and a present of dar-ni-pori for the staff.
"This is going to be one really happy Navroz,” they beamed.
We were puzzled. Matters in the community were at an all time low. The Charity Commissioner has halted all property transactions of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) since December 2013, the BPP was without its major source of revenue — flat transfers, crores of rupees were being squandered on frivolous litigation such as the ban on two priests, there was no money in the coffers to pay for the second child incentive scheme or the mobed amelioration program, the Wadia Committee was objecting to the misuse of their funds for non-housing purposes, lawyers’ fees were being held up… the list goes on.
"Two WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis)/BPP trustees have made the community a grand gift,” the trio exclaimed. "They have issued a statement saying none of this is the BPP’s fault. The problem is due to a handful of mischief makers. We quote: ‘It was not the BPP trustees who initiated this particular litigation! The BPP was dragged to the honorable High Court on an issue that would have died a natural death had not the individuals (not the priests concerned) taken the matter to court… Under the guise of seeking an interpretation of the trust deed, a whole lot of other issues have been agitated… like the alleged efficacy/failure of dakhmenashini, the alleged legitimacy of cremation and conversion, the role and authority of the BPP trustees…the high priests, etc… the judgment has touched on all of these issues.’”
"But wasn’t the ban illegal to begin with?” we queried. "The Bombay High Court (BHC) said the trust deed did not empower them to impose the prohibition. After all they were performing Parsi Zoroastrian prayers for Parsi Zoroastrians who wished their bodies to be consigned to the Towers of Silence as per our ancient traditions and customs.”
"What do High Court judges know of our great Parsi religion?” retorted Alamai. "Did they consult the high priests and foreign returned scholars before passing the judgment? Did they read the Vendidad? Did they know on which rozs the hearings took place? Did they know the supernatural powers of our prayers?
"When the first BHC judge refused to give a judgment on the misguided and prejudicial originating summons-bummons, the two rogue petitioners should have had the good sense to drop the matter and not make the poor BPP shell out money on legal expenses. WAPIZ has rightly stated, ‘more litigation was thrust upon the BPP trustees!’”
"So what you’re saying is that they should not have pressed ahead to do the right thing, against the apex Bombay trust, to assist those targeted?” we queried.
"Apex Bombay trust, my sapat,” retorted Alamai. "They are the apex body of the world Parsis. Just because they didn’t allot your staff member a three-bedroom flat in Cusrow Baug and instead assigned a one room kitchen flat in Nirlon at Goregaon, is no reason to try and belittle them.”
"The person wanted the three-bedroom apartment because his wife cooks nutritious, economically priced bhonas (meals) and supplies them to Parsis in south Bombay. In one room they would have cooked non-vegetarian food, in one, vegetarian, and the third would have been the bedroom for them and their four children (right now they have only one but three more are planned). Some trustee asked for a discount on the dabba (tiffin) but his wife refused saying it would be discriminatory (she has her own merit rating system). So the trustee took khunas (revenge) and turned down the application.”
"Vegetarian food is unParsi. Anyway stop evading the main issue. We were talking about the grave injustice being done to the Parsi world premier body,” said Afla. "WAPIZ says the BPP is ‘spending funds to defend (their) action of supporting and enforcing the high priests’ directives which are vital to safeguarding our religious traditions. (The judgment) if left unchallenged would severely undermine the dakhmenashini system, the authority of the BPP trustees as well as the authority of the high priests and leave utter chaos in its wake.’”
"But why should the world apex body, as you claim the BPP to be, play second fiddle to the clergy? The BPP trust deed clearly states at the beginning that it is for the welfare of the community.”
"All lies,” said Letap. "WAPIZ categorically states: ‘The BPP was constituted first and foremost to look after the Doongerwadi complex for the purpose of dakhmenashini. That is the main object of the trust. Charity, philanthropy, housing, etc were undertaken by the BPP trustees much later.’”
"But,” we countered, "Sapur Desai in his History of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet 1860-1960 clearly states, ‘We do not know who (the BPP’s) first members were but it is certain they had some sort of a constitution albeit unwritten which they call bundobusts (arrangements, fatwas or rules) and by which they guided the course of the community…. In the beginning the Punchayet was a quasi-judicial-cum-social body dispensing justice, regulating conduct…in general the Punchayet enjoyed legislative, judicial (civil) and administrative functions.’
"The first BPP trust deed dated December 4, 1851 talks about ‘the management of the social and religious affairs and the settlement of religious, matrimonial and other social disputes’ and to manage the properties.”
"Don’t try to confuse the issue with facts,” retorted Alamai. "This is a matter of faith. When it comes to safeguarding our Parsi religion, right and wrong, moral and immoral are of no consequence. Lies, distortions, calumny, untruths are justified if the final goal is preserving our ancient tarikats (customs). Good thoughts, good deeds, good words are for bailas (sissies) like you, not us. Jaiyé hamé Zarthoshti. Navroz Mubarak.”
"This is going to be one really happy Navroz,” they beamed.
We were puzzled. Matters in the community were at an all time low. The Charity Commissioner has halted all property transactions of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) since December 2013, the BPP was without its major source of revenue — flat transfers, crores of rupees were being squandered on frivolous litigation such as the ban on two priests, there was no money in the coffers to pay for the second child incentive scheme or the mobed amelioration program, the Wadia Committee was objecting to the misuse of their funds for non-housing purposes, lawyers’ fees were being held up… the list goes on.
"Two WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis)/BPP trustees have made the community a grand gift,” the trio exclaimed. "They have issued a statement saying none of this is the BPP’s fault. The problem is due to a handful of mischief makers. We quote: ‘It was not the BPP trustees who initiated this particular litigation! The BPP was dragged to the honorable High Court on an issue that would have died a natural death had not the individuals (not the priests concerned) taken the matter to court… Under the guise of seeking an interpretation of the trust deed, a whole lot of other issues have been agitated… like the alleged efficacy/failure of dakhmenashini, the alleged legitimacy of cremation and conversion, the role and authority of the BPP trustees…the high priests, etc… the judgment has touched on all of these issues.’”
"But wasn’t the ban illegal to begin with?” we queried. "The Bombay High Court (BHC) said the trust deed did not empower them to impose the prohibition. After all they were performing Parsi Zoroastrian prayers for Parsi Zoroastrians who wished their bodies to be consigned to the Towers of Silence as per our ancient traditions and customs.”
"What do High Court judges know of our great Parsi religion?” retorted Alamai. "Did they consult the high priests and foreign returned scholars before passing the judgment? Did they read the Vendidad? Did they know on which rozs the hearings took place? Did they know the supernatural powers of our prayers?
"When the first BHC judge refused to give a judgment on the misguided and prejudicial originating summons-bummons, the two rogue petitioners should have had the good sense to drop the matter and not make the poor BPP shell out money on legal expenses. WAPIZ has rightly stated, ‘more litigation was thrust upon the BPP trustees!’”
"So what you’re saying is that they should not have pressed ahead to do the right thing, against the apex Bombay trust, to assist those targeted?” we queried.
"Apex Bombay trust, my sapat,” retorted Alamai. "They are the apex body of the world Parsis. Just because they didn’t allot your staff member a three-bedroom flat in Cusrow Baug and instead assigned a one room kitchen flat in Nirlon at Goregaon, is no reason to try and belittle them.”
"The person wanted the three-bedroom apartment because his wife cooks nutritious, economically priced bhonas (meals) and supplies them to Parsis in south Bombay. In one room they would have cooked non-vegetarian food, in one, vegetarian, and the third would have been the bedroom for them and their four children (right now they have only one but three more are planned). Some trustee asked for a discount on the dabba (tiffin) but his wife refused saying it would be discriminatory (she has her own merit rating system). So the trustee took khunas (revenge) and turned down the application.”
"Vegetarian food is unParsi. Anyway stop evading the main issue. We were talking about the grave injustice being done to the Parsi world premier body,” said Afla. "WAPIZ says the BPP is ‘spending funds to defend (their) action of supporting and enforcing the high priests’ directives which are vital to safeguarding our religious traditions. (The judgment) if left unchallenged would severely undermine the dakhmenashini system, the authority of the BPP trustees as well as the authority of the high priests and leave utter chaos in its wake.’”
"But why should the world apex body, as you claim the BPP to be, play second fiddle to the clergy? The BPP trust deed clearly states at the beginning that it is for the welfare of the community.”
"All lies,” said Letap. "WAPIZ categorically states: ‘The BPP was constituted first and foremost to look after the Doongerwadi complex for the purpose of dakhmenashini. That is the main object of the trust. Charity, philanthropy, housing, etc were undertaken by the BPP trustees much later.’”
"But,” we countered, "Sapur Desai in his History of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet 1860-1960 clearly states, ‘We do not know who (the BPP’s) first members were but it is certain they had some sort of a constitution albeit unwritten which they call bundobusts (arrangements, fatwas or rules) and by which they guided the course of the community…. In the beginning the Punchayet was a quasi-judicial-cum-social body dispensing justice, regulating conduct…in general the Punchayet enjoyed legislative, judicial (civil) and administrative functions.’
"The first BPP trust deed dated December 4, 1851 talks about ‘the management of the social and religious affairs and the settlement of religious, matrimonial and other social disputes’ and to manage the properties.”
"Don’t try to confuse the issue with facts,” retorted Alamai. "This is a matter of faith. When it comes to safeguarding our Parsi religion, right and wrong, moral and immoral are of no consequence. Lies, distortions, calumny, untruths are justified if the final goal is preserving our ancient tarikats (customs). Good thoughts, good deeds, good words are for bailas (sissies) like you, not us. Jaiyé hamé Zarthoshti. Navroz Mubarak.”
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