Khushaali in California

Five years after they celebrated the inauguration of their Center in Orange county in Los Angeles in 2010, the Zoroastrian Association of California (ZAC) that caters to the over 500 southern California community came together on October 18, 2015 for the ground breaking ceremony of their new atash kadeh (Farsi term for abode of fire) in the same complex. When the four priests, Ervads Zarrir and Zerkxis Bhandara, Jehangir Dastur and Arda-e-Viraf Minocherhomjee performed an outdoor jashan at 11.30 a.m., the congregation had a choice of sitting under the shade of a tree or inside the Hong Kong Room at the Center.
Referring to the chalk and floral torans everywhere, ZAC president Tehmi Damania mentioned in her report shared via the website of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA), "There was an air of khushaali na sagan (auspicious omens) all around.” To the chanting of 21 Yatha Ahu Vairyos and 12 Ashem Vohus, the four priests together with the members of the ZAC executive committee, and past presidents Noshir Jesung, Khushroo Lakdawalla, Darayus Mistry and Vira Santoke showered rose petals and rice grains into the ground where the earth was dug out. A coconut was cracked and water sprinkled. Also lowered into the pit were pomegranate pieces and a specially readied box that contained a copy of the Khordeh Avesta, sudreh-kusti, topi, sukhad, loban, rice, vermillion, a silver coin bearing the image of Zarathushtra, a farohar, seven types of ore, and the traditional ses items.

Interior view of proposed atash kadeh in Orange county, Los Angeles

"There were no speeches made on October 18; just our members, old and young, taking part in the ground breaking ceremony. We requested our founding members to attend and some of them did because the Association has come a long way in the last 40 plus years when celebrations for Navroz and Pateti were held in their homes,” wrote Damania in response to our email queries.
Senior members like Dogdoe and Tehemtan Arjani who had magnanimously contributed towards the creation of the Center (see "California’s second Center,” Parsiana, October 7, 2010) were invited to shovel earth into the ground after which every member, whether a senior citizen in a wheelchair or a little child, got an opportunity to do the same. The contract for the project was then signed with architect Sohrab Charna and contractor Feridoun Goshtasbi.
Those present were offered mevo, malido, fruits, sev and ravo. Lunch comprised dhan daar patio, the Parsi favorites catered by Arnavaz Dungore and Sri Rasa of Woodlands Restaurants. Xerxes Commissariat’s popular mango kulfi ended the repast. "It was once again proven that when we all put our efforts together we are sure to succeed,” wrote Damania.
The atash kadeh will be built at a distance of about 12 ft from their L-shaped 9,400 sq ft Center which was originally a church. Since they did not have space "to make even a small prayer room” in their Center, the Association decided to erect a separate building where "people could pray when they came to the Center,” wrote Damania.
The blueprint for the 1,940 sq ft house of worship has yet to be finalized but the committee hopes that "the weather (despite fears of El Nino) stays favorable and we (can) finish by late March or early April 2016.” Working with Damania on the ZAC committee are vice president Perinne Medora, treasurer Rooky Fitter, program chair Prochi Mistry, joint secretaries Parvez Erani and Deelnavaz Tarapore, and youth coordinator Merzi Limath.
With the cost of the atash kadeh expected to be $ 600,000, the Association is "still in the process of raising funds and we were fortunate to collect pledges worth $ 87,000 at our annual general meeting on November 21, 2015,” stated Damania. "I can say that most of the money is from our own community in southern California and by members approaching family and friends in Hong Kong, India, Pakistan and Europe. We are very grateful to all our donors and names will be disclosed when appropriate plaques go up in the finished building,” she added whilst appealing "for donations of any amount.”
Of the nearly 485 members on the ZAC register, 70 are senior citizens, 45 are children under 18 years of age and 32 are full-time students over 18. There are 123 who are enrolled as family members and 49 as individual adults. Their life membership stands at 210. Damania shared the membership profile of the Association. The full list of all the members of ZAC was placed inside the box before it was lowered into the ground by Minocherhomjee.
"The LA atash kadeh will start out as a consecrated atash dadgah,” conveyed Ervad Kobad Zarolia, president of the North American Mobeds Council. "If Zoroastrianism has to put its roots in North America... then we have to start building atash kadehs in every big Zoroastrian community. We would like to create facilities (with an urvisgah) to do all ceremonies as we did in India and Iran.”