“MJDPC’s sub-culture…”

I read with great excitement the piece about the Mancherji Joshi Dadar Parsi Colony ("MJDPC’s sub-culture dissipating” (Bawa Musings, Parsiana, August 7, 2014) by Berjis Desai. Having been born and grown up in the MJDPC, I can visualize clearly the changes that have taken place during the past 70 years — some for the good, others not so.
Of the several eccentric bawajis living in the MJDPC, Desai did not mention the colorful "Kakas,” the most well-known of whom was "Kaka Bomb.” The Colony’s boys would tease him relentlessly when he came out for his evening walks. They would follow him and shout "Aay, Bomb!” He would turn around, wave his stick, and let fly a barrage of the choicest Parsi gaar (abuses). He would never get it into his head to just ignore the boys. There was another gentleman who wore a black topi but was of a much milder disposition than Kaka Bomb, known as "Kaka Kaleji-Bukko.” He was very tranquil and, unlike his contemporary, never got upset. And then there was a slim young Parsi man who was called "Sali-Boti,” a title he did not mind. He was given that epithet because among his various duties he delivered bhonoo (meals) to older Parsi inhabitants and hence was always seen carrying oversized tiffin boxes. He wore his signature white shirt and white long pants (the latter were a little short in length but too large at the waist so he was forced to tie a tight belt to keep them up)! Another short, bald character (I forget his name) had served in the British Army’s North Africa campaign against Rommel. The Colony’s boys would stroke his bald head and ask him to relate his wartime stories — of course, exaggerated 100-fold! He died a long time back.
And who could forget the king of them all, "Kelly,” who resided opposite the Rustom-Framna Agiary. He would be dressed in a white coat, white pants and a tie, with oily hair well combed back. He had a BEST (Bombay Electric Supply and Transport) inspector’s seeti (whistle) in his mouth and using it would daily direct traffic around the statue of Mancherji Joshi. Bus drivers often mistook him for a genuine BEST employee entrusted with the task and followed his orders to the accompaniment of shrill bursts from his whistle. But they soon found out that he was actually misdirecting traffic, resulting in huge traffic jams! Alas, he too died some time ago.
There may be more such colorful characters of the MJDPC; but as a Japanese saying goes: "The old forget, and the young don’t know.”
ARDESHIR B. DAMANIA
abdamania@yahoo.com
Davis, California, USA