Pleasurable performances

The devotional, religious and secular entertainment presented at the Iranshah Udvada Utsav (IUU) won accolades from the audience. From monajats, a skit on the Parsi landing in Sanjan, a film on the boat ride from Iran to India, as also Parsi nataks (skits) to the rollicking humor of actor-dancer Shahriyar Atai and new comedian Neville Bharucha, the music of Khurshed Mogrelia plus the dance performances of Shiamak Davar’s and Hormuzd Khambatta’s troupes had the audience entertained.
Monajats premiered the entertainment on December 25 with devotional songs sung by the students of the Bai Avabai F. Petit Girls’ High School (AFP). Mogrelia who was the lead actor in the musical Grease, as also in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Raell Padamsee, sang old numbers strumming his guitar at the close of the first day. The crowd, though was impatient for dinner that was delayed by almost an hour.
The Big Red Bus Band quipped that they added ‘Big’ after they all put on weight. The band consists only of Parsi musicians. At the tail end of their performance, they brought actor Boman Irani up on stage to sing My way in his fulsome baritone. Jesting that in 20 such mandaps the entire community could be accommodated, he stated "I hope we remain united. Prepare ourselves and excel for our country.”

Introduced as entrepreneur, actor, singer and photographer Irani addressed the audience as chief guest on December 26, recalling his earlier days of struggle. When first looking for a studio, he found most were beyond his means. The Russian consulate in Bombay, however, agreed to let him utilize their premises on condition that he did the Consulate work. He felt humbled that a ‘waferwala’ (his family business) and a non-entity had been given such a privilege and wondered if the deal was too good to be true. As the consul was about to sign the agreement, he put the pen back into the cap. Irani thought the deal was off. The consul then asked him, "Are you a Parsi? When I replied ‘yes’”, the diplomat said he was signing the contract.
The Farohars of Delhi aged four to 16 years, are imparted religious instruction by the Delhi Parsi Anjuman (DPA). The DPA members had composed songs based on the Gathas to popular tunes like Row, row, row your boat, Polly-wolly doodle and a song on the seven ameshaspentas to the tune of She’ll be coming round the mountain.

The latter part of December 26, came alive with Atai, the singer-dancer-actor-ventriloquist who built a rapport with the audience with his extemporaneity and on-the-spot comments, made with ease and humor. He belted numbers with his own lyrics to well-known tunes such as La Bamba with the chorus resounding "bawa, bawa.” The community is the inspiration for his lyrics — whether Parsi boys’ devotion to their mothers or love of food or late marriages.
A play by Yazdi Karanjia and his troupe from Surat staged familiar situations of late marriage, scenes in a home, in a dispensary with the ubiquitous double entendres of the Parsi natak. There was also "Tapo-ré-Iranshah” by the students of the Mancherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust Dharmagyan class held in Dadar. It was a tribute to the sacred fire, igniting those who visit the it.
Welcome humor followed the heat generated by Darius Khambata’s controversial talk on accepting all navjoted Zoroastrians. Bharucha, a standup comedian regaled the audience with his well-timed humor and talent. As the slender lad stated that he turned to humor after his "body building” business went "phut,” the audience laughed as he retorted, "thank you for the vote of confidence.”
Can Bollywood be far behind? Two dance troupes of Davar and Khambatta performed with verve, gusto and gyrations — their enthusiasm spilling into the audience, both in person and metaphorically. Davar’s troupe was on stage twice, late evening of December 25, whilst Khambatta’s group performed the next day.
On December 27, in the presence of finance minister Arun Jaitley; chairman emeritus Tata Sons Ratan Tata and billionaire chairman of Serum Institute of India Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, was Firdausi’s Shahnameh recited in Pahlavi by Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia and in Gujarati by his wife Havovi. This was followed by monajats by AFP and the rendition of Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti by a choir in traditional dress with long sleeves and scarves giving it quasi-religious fervor.
Provision had been made on the grounds for stalls for Parsi entrepreneurs. The 34 stalls offered a range of products from samosas, masalas and bhakras to gara-styled clothes and art made from waste.
A raffle for Rs 1,000 saw Dara Mistry from Surat win a Nano car from the Tata Motors stall which also exhibited the latest Zica model. This stood next to a row of vintage cars driven from Bombay under the aegis of Xerxes Master. Some of the owners were or used to be Parsis, some having sold the vehicles. Past glory was parked next to current reality.

To be continued