Keeping up with change

To keep up with rapid change, our priests will have to evolve or become obsolete. I am told that there is virtually no activity in several agiaries in Bombay. Quite a few of our youngsters are not interested in parroting prayers without understanding a word. They are not likely to have jashans and other religious ceremonies performed. Inter-caste marriages will continue — nobody can stop them. The numerical strength of the community is dwindling fast and as per demographic studies our numbers will be down to around 20,000 by 2050 or even earlier.
Should we take cognizance of these changes and prepare a strategy to combat them or allow the changes to overrun us into oblivion?
In my opinion, there is a strong need for the community to have a separate body to act as a think tank to propose possible steps to be taken today to ensure the future of the community. I suggest that the think tank should comprise of professionals from law, business and industry, social sciences, education, etc. Another option is to entrust the work to professionally competent consultants.
KERSEE KABRAJI
Poona
kerseekabraji@gmail.com