Living in a dream world

The Jiyo Parsi scheme whereby the government provides financial support to encourage Parsi couples to have more babies is getting quite a bit of publicity these days. This is welcome, but obfuscates the real issue, which is the genuine cause of the alarming decline in the Parsi population. Oft parroted reasons like late or non-marriages, emigration and the proliferation of mama’s boys are certainly valid, but they merely skim the surface.
Every year dozens of Parsi girls choose spouses from outside the community because of which they are discriminated against. Even worse, their children are not accepted into the community or religion. At a juncture when the Parsis are facing near extinction in the foreseeable future, this hidebound attitude, which has no foundation in the Zoroastrian religion, is not only ridiculous, it is near suicidal. Instead of taking active steps to increase community numbers, the anjumans and punchayets are driving away those who have a legitimate right to be included in the community. It should be noted that the mandate of the trustees is to administer the Parsi trust properties. They have no business to voice an opinion in matters of the faith, let alone issue diktats.
Government schemes like Jiyo Parsi sound attractive, but they are mostly cosmetic. We need an additional 600 births a year just to maintain the status quo; and that is not going to happen by providing a few couples with fertility treatment. Unless Parsis allow into the fold those who are genuinely interested in the religion — and there are thousands in South America and the Central Asian republics — there is little hope or future for the community. Parsis need to include themselves in the worldwide pool of Zoroastrians and encourage membership from those who express a genuine interest in the religion, rather than restricting themselves to an exclusive club which is on its way to oblivion. All other religions allow conversions, but somehow we are "special.” Incidentally Parsis have been in India for over 1,300 years and anyone who believes that there has been no intermarriage or conversion down the centuries is living in a dream world. Only a few hundred Parsis landed in Gujarat all those centuries ago; and had they married only among themselves, by now we would have been a collection of inbred morons.
It is time enlightened Parsis took matters in their own hands and spoke up against these obstinate gentlemen of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and elsewhere who seek to determine our destiny. After all, they are elected and so the power is in the hands of ordinary Parsis. If we are to have any hope of salvation, we need to exercise that power rationally and unemotionally. We have an opportunity in 2015, when we elect a fresh batch of BPP trustees. It is a safe bet that the same coterie will stand for re-election; and unless we shake ourselves out of our collective stupor (and decline to be enticed by free lunches and dinners), they will continue to preside over the affairs of the community. Recently, a group of eminent and highly respected Parsis has published a "Charter for Co-existence” in the Parsi Press expressing their anguish at the constant bickering within the community and the fact that some trustees and high priests have closed the door on constructive dialog with those who seek to move the community into a less hidebound and more practical direction. It is to be hoped that they will rise to the challenge and stand for election. Maybe we can then make a start towards stopping the rot.
FIROZE HIRJIKAKA
leonardo8_99@yahoo.com

The editors reply:
According to the grapevine BPP trustees Jimmy Mistry, Khojeste Mistree and Yazdi Desai are unlikely to seek reelection. BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta completes 21 years in office and is ineligible to stand again.