Attending to assets

"Kisi ki muskurahaton pé ho nisaar/Kisi ka dard mil saké tau lé udhaar/Kisi ké vaasaté ho téré dil mein pyaar/Federation isi ka naam hai (If you become enamored by another’s smile/Make their anguish your own/If you love and care for another/That would be called Federation).” Tweaking the Hindi lyrics of the famous Raj Kapoor song, Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) trustee Yazdi Karanjia sought to remind those present at the executive council meeting of the Federation of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI) on September 14 that their purpose on the all-India body is to resolve each others’ difficulties whilst promoting harmony among co-members.
Since the morning session had witnessed occasional outbursts of resentment and animosity against the functioning of certain anjumans and office bearers, Karanjia’s post-lunch plea received loud applause. He referred to the activities of the Zoroastrian Women’s Assembly of Surat and its publication of the Surat directory, of the Pragati Mandal and the Yazdi Karanjia Group that function primarily to increase "inner joy.” Through our involvement with community organizations "we are helping ourselves, not obliging others,” reminded the thespian who was particularly disappointed with the verbal assaults on the elderly Surat resident Sorab Katpitia who for years has been handling the defunct anjumans portfolio for the Federation.

Doongerwadi in Surat

Prior to his comments, co-trustee Jamshed Dotivala alluded to the SPP activities which in the last decade has given deserving community members 110 housing units in six buildings at a subsidized rent ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 750 in the localities of Shahpore and Saiyedpura, thereby resulting in an increased footfall for the two atash behrams. This year another building with 40 flats was constructed. Under their Poverty Amelioration Scheme, Rs 29,32,260 was distributed to 200 deserving Parsis last year and grains worth Rs 3,12,270 were distributed to 376 families on the Shahenshahi New Year. Towards education of 277 students, the SPP expended Rs 25,47,537. One hundred and one boys and girls avail of free boarding and lodging at the Surat Parsi Boys Orphanage and the Nariman Girls Orphanage. The Nariman Home and Infirmary houses about 28 inmates, many of whom are totally bedridden, by giving them free boarding and lodging and even paying for their medical expenses. With bawal being planted on Doongerwadi land, they hope to provide free kathi to fire temples in the coming years.
Thereafter other anjumans of West Zone B (Gujarat) gave a brief report on their activities and the main issues confronting them. For the community members in Vadodara, numbering 1,100-1,200 from 306 families, the punchayet expends around eight lakh rupees on medical expenses, Rs 3,50,000 on relief of poverty and Rs 2,50,000 on education, stated president Baman Cama. Their dakhma land falls under the Town Planning Scheme for which they will be required to surrender the peripheral land. In addition to the scholarships that are instituted on an annual basis, a new one has recently been endowed for sports and adventure by the Hakim family. Cama also announced that upcoming national level cyclists from any part of India could approach the Vadodara punchayet since they wish to gift a cycle in their possession to someone who would value it.
The 1,700 strong community in Ahmedabad has an occasion to meet every month with activities organized by the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat (APP) or its sister organizations like Ushta Te, Zarathushti Awareness Group of Ahmedabad and Parsi Youth League of Ahmedabad. Financially stable, "we just about manage to look after our humdins,” stated APP president Brig Jahangir Anklesaria (retd). At the last APP special general body meeting, among the issues discussed was lowering the voting age from 21 to 18. They also sought community sanction for shifting the Khamasa Agiary to "a better and cleaner location...so that we don’t leave a beleaguered legacy to the community.”
Another issue before the Panchayat is "the overwhelming demand for an aramgah” from community members who feel the dakhmenashini system is not serving the purpose of disposing the dead and would therefore in the absence of a burial facility perforce opt for cremation. Whilst Mount Abu and Porbunder have aramgahs, these are quite far, stated Anklesaria, referring to the "catch 22 situation” with the high priests and Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Khojeste Mistree advising that "if you have a dakhma, don’t think of an aramgah.”
APP also reaches out to the seven/eight Parsis in the neighboring Khambhat area, distributing grains to them twice a year. The erstwhile fire temple in Khambhat is in a dilapidated state with no walls, no rooms and animals inhabiting the kebla area, revealed Anklesaria. Although Katpitia was not given an opportunity to make a presentation on different defunct anjuman properties at this meeting, his 26-page report mentions that the dilapidated fire temple premises at Khambhat have been repeatedly valuated with the intention of getting the highest sale proceeds. On one instance when proposed buyers had come to attend a meeting in Bombay, they were sent back because Federation joint honorary treasurer and BPP trustee Yazdi Desai sent an email stating that he has appointed a valuer. Two years ago Desai was requested to visit Khambhat and put forth his suggestions but he has purportedly neither been there nor given the name and address of the valuer with the result that "the property remains in a sad condition” with a possibility of encroachment.
Homi Pithawalla, president of the Bardoli anjuman, referred to their fire temple being recently renovated whilst anjuman secretary Pervez Mehta regretted that the Parsi owners on the adjoining land have reportedly indicated that they will sell their property to a Muslim despite the offer from the anjuman.

Bharuch has 140 members on the electoral rolls of whom 70 to 75 must be actually residing in the town, declared Sarosh Ginwalla. Yet another issue vexing them is the presence of only two mobeds to look after their four fire temples and some uncooperative members filing criminal proceedings against trustees who seek to relocate fires to areas where they can be properly tended. The punchayet gives medical and educational aid to its members. They recently won a case in the Supreme Court concerning their maternity home property.
Marazban Baria of Bilimora was happy to report that both the dadgah and adaran "are well maintained” by their young priest and supported by the community numbering 200. If he is on leave his duties are performed by the young mobed from Gandevi. Their dharamshala has five rooms with attached bath and toilet plus a dormitory. Voluntary service by community members ensures the functioning of Doongerwadi. Under the Poverty Amelioration Scheme, they distributed Rs 1,30,000. They additionally give school and college scholarships, foodgrains and provisions for six months, plus 10 meters of mulmul to those in need. They have a corpus of over seven crore rupees and their annual income from rent is Rs 4,23,894.
Chikhli has 80-100 Parsis, mentioned its junior trustee Rohinton Italia, according to whom they set aside Rs 1,25,000 for gahanbar celebrations, Rs 36,000 for rations and Rs 25,000 for education. With bodies being sent to Bilimora or Valsad for disposal, their dakhma land is not in use but is well maintained.
Davier anjuman president Marazban Wadia stated that as a trained behdin pasbaan he gladly performs the priest’s duties at their well maintained agiary. Their erstwhile mobed house they would like to convert into a dharamshala if they are able to raise funds. Co-trustee Pareecheher Daviervala pointed out that vacant Parsi lands are in the eyes of the locals who allegedly with the connivance of district authorities constantly seek to usurp properties and build shrines thereon to lend it sanctity. Those Parsis who dare to oppose them are intimidated by the locals who threaten: "We will file an atrocities case against you.” She appealed to Dadi Mistry as the Zoroastrian representative on the National Minorities Commission to put in a word to the collector.
To protect the Doon­gerwadi land at Gandevi, the anjuman would like to build a wall but are unable to do so due to shortage of funds, said Farokh Saher. Mandvi too is keen to fortify its Doongerwadi wall in light of recent encroachments in the area, stated representative Pervez Mandviwalla. There are about 250 Zoroastrians living in the area and they are blessed with a "fabulous” agiary, mobed house and dharamshala.
For the upcoming port in Nargol, the Nargol anjuman has been asked to surrender 10 acres of Doongerwadi land, reported Farroakh Govadia who said that for the last 27 years he has been going from Bombay to Nargol every week. While there are 37 Parsis now resident in Nargol, according to Govadia there are 700 past members of Nargol living in Bombay. With Beji Lord having built 200 new tenements of which 172 have been bought by Parsis, he was hopeful of the resident population increasing in numbers. They have planted 700 mango trees and 600 bawal trees on their property and brought down their loss from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 50,000.
Vyara-Songadh anjuman that has a strength of 100-120 Parsi members spent Rs 30 lakh to secure its Doongerwadi wall. They have plans to build a new bungli, stated Parsi Buhariwala.
After renovating their agiary in 2010, the Mahuva anjuman which has 110 Parsis recently renovated their hall at a cost of Rs 45 lakhs, said Hosi Bajina. Ervad Yezdi Panthaki of Saronda announced that their sacred fire will complete 200 years next year. The welfare of the 70-80 Zoroastrian residents left in Udvada, including facilities like free medication, is handled by a seven-member committee elected every five years, stated Ervad Pirojshah Sidhva. Vesu is left with "a small community” of 30-35 Zoroastrians with its agiary being managed by a separate trust, said Soonnoo Vesuna.
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation having named a road after Dr Homi Dastoor, "the most well-known doctor in Saurashtra,” is a matter of prestige for the community, conveyed Khushman Tamboli. For the 30 Zoroastrian residents remaining in Rajkot, it is a matter of concern that regular enquiries regarding the usage of their Doongerwadi land means "government ni eye chhè (the government is eyeing this community property).” They are on the lookout for someone who can serve their fire temple.
Valsad has two agiaries, a hall, Bejan Baug and its Tower of Silence property. The well placed anjuman expends Rs 23-25 lakhs on education, medical and monthly doles, revealed Valsad managing trustee Sam Chothia, vice president of West Zone B. To be continued