The portals of Pearline

"Parsis will willingly leave their home for a weekend but they will not leave behind their preference for Parsi food,” observes Parivaz Irani of the many Parsi customers who have been frequenting their 52-year-old Pearline Beach Resort in Dahanu and continue to order Parsi favorites although there are umpteen options. Whilst dining and housekeeping for the 48 rooms, villas and cottages on their sea facing property is primarily Parivaz’s domain, husband Ronnie manages the marketing and administration portfolio.
Early this year, they opened Funny Fish, their restaurant on stilts, as an elevated extension of their Garden Restaurant and Bar which during dinner time is the main draw for not only those lodging at their hotel but also for guests from neighboring areas. After sunset, the illumination on trees in the Pearline compound add a special glow to one’s dinner. Funny Fish may not tickle any bones but through the day it clearly offers a vantage view of the sea and the casuarina trees that front the beach. The 17 km shore line of Dahanu being known for its "umpteen variety of fish,” their à la carte menu lists many fish varieties even though boi, the Parsi favorite is not available here. In addition to the non-vegetarian and tandoori dishes, their restaurants offer a good assortment of vegetarian and even Jain dishes.

Pearline complex and bungalow where it started

In the summer holidays, Pearline is fully booked with tourists from Bombay; in the Diwali holidays, from Gujarat; and the rest of the year too it is popular with those who love water for not only does Pearline have a swimming pool, the beach across the road has its own fascination. "Beach bums love to get wet and have a good time. Even more so when they will be returning not to their homes but to a hotel room,” jests Parivaz. The clear waters of the swimming pool beckon not only seasoned swimmers but entire families who disregarding the swimwear code take a plunge. Whether it is a toddler paddling in the shallow waters or an aged couple cooling in the water, there is no line of divide.
Nearly 50% of their customers constitute Parsis who, according to the owners, "are well-mannered, non-destructive, best paymasters, best tip masters, perhaps more demanding because if they order a bottle of water, it must be delivered in five minutes, or if they see dirt somewhere, it must be cleaned immediately.” The staff members tend to gravitate towards the fun-loving bawas who usually come in groups. One Parsi gentleman decided to test a waiter by asking him the difference between akoori and bhurjee. He promptly got a succinct reply with appropriate hand gesticulation and voice modulation, "bhurjee tight, akoori loose,” a response that Parivaz has yet not forgotten.

Parivaz and Ronnie Irani with their boxer Joey

When Ronnie took on the reins of the Resort in 1997 after the demise of his father Boman, he was 38 years old, had gained experience in the US working for establishments like Jack in the Box, and Boston Chicken where he was managing 12 stores. On his return to Dahanu, when confronting bureaucratic restraints he felt so frustrated initially that he was wondering whether it made sense to continue with the lodging and boarding facilities at Pearline. Gradually he learnt to view the government officials "as your partners,” as advised his good friend Behruz Irani who runs Hotel Atithi at Dahanu Naka.
Having reconciled himself to the modus operandi in India, Ronnie has now given up his green card and has expanded Pearline to more than three times the size when he joined it. "With personal supervision, by assuring good quality and introducing new concepts, we have managed to face competition in this pond full of fish,” he states. In fact, just beyond Ronnie’s boundary wall to the south, his younger brother Micky who runs The Orchard Resort in Gholwad, is gearing up to launch another hotel, Sea Crest Beach Resort, and his restaurant Crazy Crab has started drawing customers. Taking this competition in a positive spirit, Ronnie declares, "Instead of being complacent, I am now on my toes…My business has increased after he started.”
Ronnie and Parivaz believe that their two sons Jeron and Malcolm who are currently in the US will return to India at some stage. Since Jeron evinces a greater interest in farming and Malcolm in hoteliering, one will inherit the hotel business and the other, the orchards; both though will be partners in the two enterprises. Ronnie has decided that the prime business for each of them must not be similar. "I will never make them rivals.” For the present, the sons believe that since Ronnie is only 55 and Parivaz, 50, the parents are "too young to think of retiring.”

In fact Ronnie’s mother Dolly who may not now be involved in the day-to-day functioning, still retains an interest in the goings-on and Ronnie’s sister Nancy helps out in their kitchen. As recalls Parivaz, it was on Dolly’s initiative that the family bought Imperial Hotel in 1962 and decided to rename it Pearline after their youngest daughter who was just born. The Hotel then constituted four rooms that would be hired out on a monthly basis. The hall in the center of the spacious bungalow served as a common dining area. The bonding between the families was so strong that at the end of the month, they parted company reluctantly. As demand for their rooms increased, 11 additional rooms were built in an adjoining building in 1991 and the bungalow was retained as residence by the family.
By 2009 Ronnie had gradually expanded to 48 rooms. The Resort also has a 100-seater, well equipped, air-conditioned hall that can conveniently be used for conferences, weddings/navjotes and celebration parties. A playground for children equipped with slides, see-saws and swings, a chance to feed the rabbits in their enclosure are the other attractions for those young in spirit.
Their room rates (for two persons) on weekdays start at Rs 900 for a non-airconditioned room and with the seven options on offer the priciest room is the airconditioned cottage room for Rs 1,950; on weekends the rates are Rs 1,350 and Rs 2,925 for the same rooms. (These rates are not inclusive of taxes.) They have a workforce of 42 men and women and whilst some have been with them for nearly 20 years, there are others who are drawn to temporary jobs offered at double the wages in the neighboring industrial townships of Umbergaon where lies the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation and Boisar where the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation is located.
"I am the bully here,” Parivaz has no qualms about announcing how she manages the staff. Since guest relations too fall within her ambit, she tries to ascertain the preferences of their regular patrons and find out what improvements they would like. For animal lovers, the pet dogs or the rabbits on the Pearline premises are one more reason to make a repeat trip. Their boxers Joey and Zeus, and pugs Tubby and Junior frequently serve as a bridge to get-to-know-your-customer and Parivaz refers to one of their regular visitors who had so many photos of their pet dogs that when their earlier pug Amigio died she created a special collage and shared it with the Iranis.

View of (Photo: Jasmine D. Diver)and from the beach

Udvada being one-and-a-half-hour’s drive from Dahanu, many Zoroastrians visiting the Iranshah like to connect it with a short holiday in Dahanu. Whilst Parivaz may take pride in reporting that one can frequently sight a Parsi at their Resort doing his kusti facing the sun, she candidly admits that she does not wear the sacred garments regularly except when "I desperately need the extra sheen and protection.” Being agriculturists at heart, they believe that after death the disposal of a body should be a matter of convenience. In the absence of pallbearers, Ronnie has helped carry the dead into dakhmas at neighboring Boisar and Davier and is aware that bodies just lie there.
The Zoroastrian community in Dahanu has dwindled to around 200 resident families plus another 50 non-residents who have invested money in property in the area. Even whilst the profit margins from the chikoo orchards is falling, the fruit being highly perishable, some Zoroastrians in this region have made a name for themselves as doctors, politicians, social workers, entrepreneurs. Always willing to extend a helping hand when differently abled children from their town need volunteers or funds or a venue to enjoy a special meal, Parivaz and Ronnie keep open the doors of Pearline at regular intervals for these special guests.
Parivaz admits she periodically needs a break when she catches up with her Jaipur based sister Behroze Singh, an entrepreneur who built up the "Cottons” brand. Ronnie has not permitted himself a vacation for the last several years. For him, it is important to work so that others can relax on their holildays.