Zoroastrians Abroad
Parsi ware
"This is mostly a hobby and a not for profit venture. It gives me great satisfaction to provide my fellow Zarathushtis with something they value so much and cannot find easily,” states Khursheed Bapasola of New Jersey of her venture The Zoroastrian Shop that offers a range of products used by and for Zoroastrians in their religious ceremonies and for adorning Parsi homes.
In response to Parsiana’s queries Bapasola mentioned that on reading in the Fezana Journal that the erstwhile sole supplier of Zoroastrian items in the USA was discontinuing the service, she decided to fill in the lacuna 17 years ago after her encounter with cancer. Since she frequently travels to Bombay to take care of her mother Dhun, she could conveniently source her materials. Her enterprise was named The Zoroastrian Shop, on the suggestion of her then seven-year-old daughter Sherazade, although "there is no physical shop.” Once this was announced in Fezana Journal, the Zoroastrian convert Joseph Peterson offered to promote her items by publicizing her service on his web page.
"Grateful for the opportunity to be able to serve my community who have been such a support to me and my family in the USA,” Bapasola appreciates that she is "constantly showered with blessings... I mostly take orders and provide items people need. She sells sudrehs for five USD (Rs 300), kustis for $ 35 (Rs 2,100), a jashan kit which includes enough sukhad, loban, tacho and veher for one jashan for $ 40 (Rs 2,400)... Jashans being a popular ceremonial worship in the USA, previously "the priests in our area went out of pocket to provide the sandalwood, as well as the services at no cost. Now people have the opportunity to offer sukhad that they can purchase in the US. I also put a display of artifacts at our community functions, like ses, divo, Zarathushtra and farohar photo frames,” she says. Copies of the Khordeh Avesta are in the range of six to 18 USD (Rs 360 to Rs 1,080), depending on the size, and embroidered covers for the Avesta range from eight to 12 USD (Rs 480 to Rs 720).
According to Parsiana reader Porus Dadabhoy who brought this Shop to Parsiana’s attention, "In the North American continent…there is only one shop serving Zoroastrian needs… One should be able to get supplies locally for daily family needs rather than only from Bombay. Please strengthen her inventory... so our religion may survive and flourish.”
Among the other items that will be sold are books on the religion for which Bapasola is grateful to Roshan and Rohinton Rivetna of Chicago for their encouragement. Zoroastrian calendars, farohars, incense sticks, metal bulls, chalk dabbas, toran and artefacts with traditional motifs feature on her list too and can be ordered from kbapasola@yahoo.com Any items relating to the religion and navjote/wedding ceremonies such as ses, divas, daglis, sapats, food items and more can be custom ordered.
In response to Parsiana’s queries Bapasola mentioned that on reading in the Fezana Journal that the erstwhile sole supplier of Zoroastrian items in the USA was discontinuing the service, she decided to fill in the lacuna 17 years ago after her encounter with cancer. Since she frequently travels to Bombay to take care of her mother Dhun, she could conveniently source her materials. Her enterprise was named The Zoroastrian Shop, on the suggestion of her then seven-year-old daughter Sherazade, although "there is no physical shop.” Once this was announced in Fezana Journal, the Zoroastrian convert Joseph Peterson offered to promote her items by publicizing her service on his web page.
"Grateful for the opportunity to be able to serve my community who have been such a support to me and my family in the USA,” Bapasola appreciates that she is "constantly showered with blessings... I mostly take orders and provide items people need. She sells sudrehs for five USD (Rs 300), kustis for $ 35 (Rs 2,100), a jashan kit which includes enough sukhad, loban, tacho and veher for one jashan for $ 40 (Rs 2,400)... Jashans being a popular ceremonial worship in the USA, previously "the priests in our area went out of pocket to provide the sandalwood, as well as the services at no cost. Now people have the opportunity to offer sukhad that they can purchase in the US. I also put a display of artifacts at our community functions, like ses, divo, Zarathushtra and farohar photo frames,” she says. Copies of the Khordeh Avesta are in the range of six to 18 USD (Rs 360 to Rs 1,080), depending on the size, and embroidered covers for the Avesta range from eight to 12 USD (Rs 480 to Rs 720).
According to Parsiana reader Porus Dadabhoy who brought this Shop to Parsiana’s attention, "In the North American continent…there is only one shop serving Zoroastrian needs… One should be able to get supplies locally for daily family needs rather than only from Bombay. Please strengthen her inventory... so our religion may survive and flourish.”
Among the other items that will be sold are books on the religion for which Bapasola is grateful to Roshan and Rohinton Rivetna of Chicago for their encouragement. Zoroastrian calendars, farohars, incense sticks, metal bulls, chalk dabbas, toran and artefacts with traditional motifs feature on her list too and can be ordered from kbapasola@yahoo.com Any items relating to the religion and navjote/wedding ceremonies such as ses, divas, daglis, sapats, food items and more can be custom ordered.
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