Readers' Forum
“Losing the true essence”
I refer to the letter "Losing the true essence” by Armin Dutia Motashaw (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, December 21, 2014) in which she has expressed her disappointment that the Parsi anthem Chhaiye Hamé Zarthoshti was not sung at the conclusion of a Parsi function.
Chhaiye Hamé Zarthoshti was composed by Kavi Firoz Rustomji Batliwalla in the 19th century. It comprises four stanzas and a chorus. Even at Parsi public functions in Bombay sometimes only one, two or three stanzas are sung. Either those at the mike do not know the full song, or the organizers of the function (which lasts for a few hours) are in a hurry to wind up, or both.
The late Kersi Mistry, music director produced an audio cassette in 1986 of devotional songs in which the entire anthem is recorded. In some of the subsequent audio cassettes or CDs only two or three verses are provided, giving a false impression.
Sometime back the internet was abuzz with some Parsis who wrote (perhaps out of ignorance) that they were ashamed of the Parsi anthem as the music was similar to that of a German song of the Nazis. Little did they know that the composer died in 1912 whereas Hitler and The Third Reich came on the scene a few decades later.
Singing the entire Parsi anthem and understanding its meaning would instill pride and make us better citizens and human beings by helping us lead a righteous life. MARZBAN GIARA
marzbang@gmail.com
Chhaiye Hamé Zarthoshti was composed by Kavi Firoz Rustomji Batliwalla in the 19th century. It comprises four stanzas and a chorus. Even at Parsi public functions in Bombay sometimes only one, two or three stanzas are sung. Either those at the mike do not know the full song, or the organizers of the function (which lasts for a few hours) are in a hurry to wind up, or both.
The late Kersi Mistry, music director produced an audio cassette in 1986 of devotional songs in which the entire anthem is recorded. In some of the subsequent audio cassettes or CDs only two or three verses are provided, giving a false impression.
Sometime back the internet was abuzz with some Parsis who wrote (perhaps out of ignorance) that they were ashamed of the Parsi anthem as the music was similar to that of a German song of the Nazis. Little did they know that the composer died in 1912 whereas Hitler and The Third Reich came on the scene a few decades later.
Singing the entire Parsi anthem and understanding its meaning would instill pride and make us better citizens and human beings by helping us lead a righteous life. MARZBAN GIARA
marzbang@gmail.com
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