Traditions in Toronto

Many Zoroastrians from the diaspora choose to have their children initiated in India to retain the traditional rituals and festivities associated with the navjote ceremony. Ervad Jal Dastur of Toronto was keen though that his eight-year-old grandson Faredoon be initiated into the faith at their family home in Canada itself without compromising on any of the customs associated with the ceremony, according to a report of the event sent by the family. From the chalk decorations, torans of roses and lilies, to the heavily laden ses, the day was marked as special. For Dastur Khurshed Dastoor of Udvada who was specially invited to Toronto to preside over the ceremony, this was the first navjote he was performing outside of India after taking over as High Priest. Incidentally the first ashirwad ceremony Dastoor, as High Priest, had performed in the diaspora was of Faredoon’s parents Hormuz and Delnaz.

For the nahn ceremony conducted by "Granpa” Jal, home grown pomegranate leaves were used and nirang specially brought from Udvada. Joining the High Priest at the navjote ceremony in the garden porch were Faredoon’s grandfather as also Ervads Jamshed and Farokh Dhabar. "Faredoon demonstrated his passion for prayers by reciting them in sync with the Vada Dastur in a very loud and eloquent manner with perfect pronunciations,” states the write-up.
After the navjote, Faredoon dressed in the traditional dagli was greeted by his family and friends, some of whom had come from India and Dubai to grace the occasion. Post navjote, the guests were served sev and dahi with home-made blueberry-orange muffins. Following cordial fraternization, the group enjoyed a hearty patra nu bhonu, seated in a traditional ‘paath’ under picnic canopies. After a champagne toast to Faredoon, the guests enjoyed their meal catered by Percy Daruwala consisting of rotli, lagan nu achar, saria, taréli machhi, sali boti, dhan daar né kolmi-no-patio, lagan nu custard and anjeer ni kulfi.