Attending to assets - III

There are 496 Parsis in Calcutta of whom over 50% are aged over 60, stated Russi Jeejeebhoy, vice president, East Zone at the executive council meeting of the Federation of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India on September 14, 2014. Besides celebrating the World Elders Day, once every week they take the disabled and senior members of the community for an outing in a bus gifted by the Gimi family. They wish to promote their caregivers’ scheme to look after the aged facing loneliness and ill health. For the welfare of poor Parsis they have set aside Rs 13-14 lakhs as medical and hospitalization costs, preferring to spend on prevention than when a person is on his deathbed. Their charitable clinic caters to members of all communities. Realizing the importance of education for students, they contribute Rs 50,000 towards admission fees, and Rs 30,000- 40,000 as monthly fees with a further Rs 1,500 per month as coaching fees. Children below 18 were presented a Navroz gift of Rs 7,000 and those on monthly doles were given Rs 5,000. Jeejeebhoy referred to their dharamshala in Calcutta which is currently under renovation and purchase of Khorshed Mansion, a ground-plus-two-storeyed structure as housing for the community. In the absence of vultures and erratic functioning of the solar panels, they find more members of the community opting for cremation.

Among the anjumans of the North Zone, Mhow president Cyrus Mancherji informed the members that there are 45 Parsis left in the town. He related their plan of creating an aramgah "on 11 acres of land, a little away from the dakhma,” under guidance from Ervad Asphandiar Dadachanji of Bombay’s Vachaghandhy Agiary. Whilst North Zone vice president Tehmton Anklesaria described it as "a systematic, well maintained anjuman,” the internal opposition from certain factions prompted Anklesaria to advise the dissidents, "Kindly don’t go to court, it affects the whole anjuman. Kindly don’t go to court on any damn issue.”
Ronny Dick, president of Jhansi for the last 24 years, was concerned that the anjuman’s peace has been disturbed in the last year by two youngsters who "are causing problems” by not respecting the ‘Parsi only’ covenant that has been adhered on their properties there. Seeing the dharamshala "badly encroached on all sides” Anklesaria advised Sorab Katpitia who handles the defunct anjumans’ portfolio for the Federation to file a scheme authorizing Federation representatives to manage Jhansi’s assets.
Indore Anjuman president Bomi Heerjee mentioned that they elected a new managing committee last September. Referring to the 130-140 Zoroastrians in their anjuman Heerjee said, "We are at peace with ourselves and with the rest of the world.” Jabalpur has 42 Parsis and is now in a financially comfortable position drawing a monthly lease rent of Rs 1,40,000 from the property they have leased out to a nursing home. The income is used for its members, dharamshala, aramgah and other anjuman activities, stated Anjuman secretary Kerman Batliwala.

Reporting on the other anjumans in his North Zone, Anklesaria informed the house that Ajmer has an agiary, dharamshala and dakhma with a good income from various sources. Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh has only 10 Zoroastrians of whom seven are aged over 75 and property worth Rs 10 crores but no cash flow because of which they will be selling one of their properties. They have an aramgah and dakhma on the same premises, as also an agiary and a full-time priest, with the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) paying the mobed’s salary and contributing towards its kathi costs. Since it would classify as a defunct anjuman with their membership having dropped to below 15, a scheme has been filed for Neemuch where along with Federation representatives, the Neemuch president, another local member and the North Zone vice president will also be included.
Once thriving with 200 members, Ratlam now has only 18 Parsis for whom a priest from Vadodara comes on certain important rozs to recite prayers. Their aramgah on 15 bighas (about 24,300 sq yds) of land is well maintained with a strong boundary wall. Bhopal has 50 graves and only three members who are "reluctant to sign the custodianship agreement but somehow I will manage to convince them,” Anklesaria was confident.
Among the other North Zone anjumans, Agra has a small graveyard, Ajmer has a fire temple, dharamshala and dakhma and Kanpur has a fire temple. Allahabad has a dadgah in a prime location which Anklesaria believes "needs the Federation’s attention for the locals say it is family property.” Trying to convince the dwindling anjumans to sign the custodianship agreement with the Federation, a buoyant Anklesaria assured the executive council members: "Achhé din aané waalé hai (happy times are round the corner)” quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan for his election campaign.
"There is hope for the Parsi Zoroastrians of Delhi,” remarked Farrokh Rustomji insinuating that besides contemplating a change in its constitution that came under heavy criticism at the morning session of the Federation, the anjuman with 781 members does much more. They hold regular classes on religion, have published a book authored by Piloo Jungalwalla, on the social front they look after the problems of senior citizens, children with learning disabilities and are promoting matchmaking within the community through their chaalokaajkariye.com portal. This year they are commemorating the 100th birth anniversary of erstwhile Delhi Parsi Anjuman (DPA) president Shiavax Nargolwala. Minni Boga of the Amritsar anjuman now wants to hand over the assets and responsibilities of the anjuman to the DPA.
Seeing the spate of criticism levelled against Katpitia in the morning Rustomji chose to express his appreciation for Katpitia having devoted "more than half his life for defunct (anjuman) work. He has done yeoman service...Had it not been for him most of the anjuman documents...would have been lost in the wink of an eye... We have to take advantage of these two people (Katpitia and his assistant trainee Ruzbeh Jungalwala).” "There is no question of underhand dealings or selling at a lower rate,” Katpitia sought to remind the members. He explained how transactions are finalized in the presence of BPP trustees or staff members and funds credited to the respective accounts. Acknowledged Federation president and BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta, "Let us not keep castigating him, making him out to be a chor (thief) or crook. Just be a little gracious.”

Those attending the Federation meeting were: Brig Jahangir Anklesaria (Retd) from Ahmedabad; Sarosh Bhurana and Benaifer Sherdiwala from Ankleshwar; Anahita Desai from Badnera-Amravati; Homi Pithawalla and Kersi Sanjana from Bardoli; Cmde Medioma Bhada (Retd) from Belgaum; Sarosh and Pilloo Ginwalla and Kaiyomard Kerawala from Bharuch; Marazban Baria and Jimmy Dandiwalla from Bilimora; Dinshaw Mehta, Arnavaz Mistry, Khojeste Mistree, Yazdi Desai, Armaity Tirandaz, Godrej Dotivala and Cawas Panthaki from Bombay; Minoo Khan, Khurshed Pastakia and Marazban Mehta from Borivli; Russi Jeejeebhoy from Calcutta; Rohinton Italia from Chikhli; Mancher Mubarakai from Dahanu; Marazban Wadia and Pareecheher Daviervala from Davier; Farrokh Rustomji from Delhi; Yazdi Laher from Dumas; Homji Suratia and Farokh Shaher from Gandevi; Mehroo Panthaki and Pervin Jehangir from Ilav; Bomi Heerjee from Indore; Pervez Irani, Homai Faramarzian, Paricher Bastani from the Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman; Kerman Batliwala and Bakhtawar Karbhari from Jabalpur; Ronny Dick from Jhansi; Pervez Khergamwalla and Aspy Khan from Khergam; Mani Clubwala from Madras; Hosi Bajina from Mahuva; Dara Gandhi and Pervez Mandviwalla from Mandvi; Cyrus Mancherji and Zal Cowasji from Mhow; Shiraz Doongaji from Nagpur; Farroakh Govadia and Hoshang Wania from Nargol; Sherry Patel and Karyesh Patel from Navsari; Gita Choksi, Navroze Kotwal and Darab Bajina from Panchgani; H. S. Pardiwala from Pardi; Khushman Tamboli from Rajkot; Tehmton Anklesaria, Arshad Contractor and Ava Contractor from Ratlam; Jehangir Mandviwala, Sarosh Poonawalla and Yezdi Panthaki from Saronda; Jamsheed Kanga from Satara; Zubin Amaria and Farhiz Darukhanawala from Solapur; Yazdi Karanjia and Jamshed Dotivala from Surat; Pervez Bhesania, Percy Karani, Dara Wadia and Zarsis Udhnawala from Thana; Pirojshah Sidhwa from Udvada; Baman Cama from Vadodara; P. J. Jokhi from Vansda; Sam Chothia from Valsad; Soonnoo Vesuna and Keki Lakdavala from Vesu; Persi Buharivala and Sarosh Buhariwala from Vyara; Sarosh Irani and Zarir Oomrigar from Zai Bordi.
The retiring office bearers who were not representing their anjumans were Pervez Mehta and Mehrwan Irani.
The guest speakers were Dadi Mistry, Dr Shernaz Cama, Dr Katy Gandevia, Pearl Mistry, Farzan Mazda, Burjor Antia, Viraf Mehta, Delraaz Bunshah and Ayesha Mehta.
The Press was represented by Jam-e-Jamshed and Parsiana.