Readers' Forum
Intriguing questions
One usually writes to answer questions. I write this to ask questions on matters which have intrigued me. Two of them are on English terminology and the other two have to do with Parsi humor and the calendar. I hope knowledgeable Parsiana readers may be able to throw light on these matters which have floored me.
The use of the word "non-vegetarian” is wrong according to me. I and billions of other humans are called non-vegetarians because we eat meat. But don’t we eat vegetables as well? So why call us non-vegetarians?
Rather than divide humanity into vegetarians and non-vegetarians, should we not have meat-vegetarians (those who eat both meat and vegetables) and vegetarians (who only eat vegetables). There could be a third and extremely small group of non-vegetarians who do not eat vegetables at all. Please note: vegetables include fruits.
Another poser that floors me is: We have parents and parents’ parents who are rightly called grandparents because they are older than parents. But why call children’s children grandchildren when they are younger than our children? Should not they be called petite children?
Just consider my logic rather than label me a nut case!
Here are two Parsi/Zoroastrian conundrums. Where have the humorous Parsi nataks gone? Disappeared from the face of the earth? When I was in Bombay in 1950s and 60s we had nataks by Adi Marzban, Pheroze Antia, Dorab Mehta and Homi Tavadia regaling us with laughter. No Navroz was complete without a hilarious natak by one or more of the above. They converted disasters into chuckles.
When I visit Bombay these days, such entertainments are sadly missing. Extinct, I wonder? Parsis and humor were synonymous then. Sadly, not so now. Not funny!
Regarding our calendar (or should I say calendars?) isn’t it ridiculous that for a small community like ours we should have three calendars – Shahenshahi, Kadmi and Fasli? The first two go back one day every four years as they have no leap year. Twelve months of 30 days each plus five Gathas make it a 365-day year. One day is not added every four years as is done in Gregorian calendars.
To me, Fasli is the accurate calendar as it adds a day every four years ensuring that the Fasli Navroz always falls on March 21. The Shahenshahi Navroz has moved from early September in the 1950s to August 17 in 2016. In 2080, it will fall in June! Also, as per the Shahenshahi and Kadmi calendars, persons born in say January will celebrate their birthday in December after a decade or so. A woman I know hates it because "people can calculate my age if they know my date of birth by the English and Shahenshahi calendars!”
Although I do not claim to be a scholar of religion or astronomy, I think we should follow the accurate Fasli calendar whereby Navroz will always be celebrated on March 21. KERSI MEHER-HOMJI
Sydney, Australia
kersi5@bigpond.com
The use of the word "non-vegetarian” is wrong according to me. I and billions of other humans are called non-vegetarians because we eat meat. But don’t we eat vegetables as well? So why call us non-vegetarians?
Rather than divide humanity into vegetarians and non-vegetarians, should we not have meat-vegetarians (those who eat both meat and vegetables) and vegetarians (who only eat vegetables). There could be a third and extremely small group of non-vegetarians who do not eat vegetables at all. Please note: vegetables include fruits.
Another poser that floors me is: We have parents and parents’ parents who are rightly called grandparents because they are older than parents. But why call children’s children grandchildren when they are younger than our children? Should not they be called petite children?
Just consider my logic rather than label me a nut case!
Here are two Parsi/Zoroastrian conundrums. Where have the humorous Parsi nataks gone? Disappeared from the face of the earth? When I was in Bombay in 1950s and 60s we had nataks by Adi Marzban, Pheroze Antia, Dorab Mehta and Homi Tavadia regaling us with laughter. No Navroz was complete without a hilarious natak by one or more of the above. They converted disasters into chuckles.
When I visit Bombay these days, such entertainments are sadly missing. Extinct, I wonder? Parsis and humor were synonymous then. Sadly, not so now. Not funny!
Regarding our calendar (or should I say calendars?) isn’t it ridiculous that for a small community like ours we should have three calendars – Shahenshahi, Kadmi and Fasli? The first two go back one day every four years as they have no leap year. Twelve months of 30 days each plus five Gathas make it a 365-day year. One day is not added every four years as is done in Gregorian calendars.
To me, Fasli is the accurate calendar as it adds a day every four years ensuring that the Fasli Navroz always falls on March 21. The Shahenshahi Navroz has moved from early September in the 1950s to August 17 in 2016. In 2080, it will fall in June! Also, as per the Shahenshahi and Kadmi calendars, persons born in say January will celebrate their birthday in December after a decade or so. A woman I know hates it because "people can calculate my age if they know my date of birth by the English and Shahenshahi calendars!”
Although I do not claim to be a scholar of religion or astronomy, I think we should follow the accurate Fasli calendar whereby Navroz will always be celebrated on March 21. KERSI MEHER-HOMJI
Sydney, Australia
kersi5@bigpond.com
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