Six months of Prayer Hall

The Prayer Hall at Worli, which completed six months on March 1, 2016, has been well received by the community with 50 obsequies having been performed there so far, states Dinshaw Tamboly, chairman of The Prayer Hall Services and Maintenance Trust (PHS&MT). "The usage has exceeded our expectations,” he told the Parsi Times (PT) of March 5.
Initially only the coordinator Ervad Framroze Mirza and Ervad Khushroo Madon performed ceremonies, along with Madon’s son Fali and Ervad Jal Balsara, but the Prayer Hall now has 13 priests on its roster, whose services are used from time to time. Tamboly, however, insists in all fairness that they first obtain permission from the trustees of the agiaries they are associated with before coming to the Prayer Hall. Should any Zoroastrian wish to use the services of any priest of their choice they may do so, but it would be obligatory for them to inform Mirza so that an available time slot can be arranged for them, elaborated Tamboly.
Though the use of the Prayer Hall is gratis, charges for the prayers have been fixed. For four days ceremonies to be performed by two priests the amount is Rs 22,000, but if the family of the deceased requests for additional priests, it would cost Rs 25,000. An additional amount of Rs 3,600 is levied as tips for the security, housekeeping and crematorium staff, Tamboly specified. In one case where the elderly deceased was indigent, Mirza preformed the ceremonies free of cost while the dues of the other priest were borne by one of the PHS&MT trustees.

The Prayer Hall at Worli

Some families have been keen that the bhoi prayers be recited during the intervening period between the body being brought to the Hall and the geh sarna ceremony. As priests are not readily available for the purpose, the PHS&MT is in the process of having these prayers recorded so that the CD can be played through speakers, a facility that should be available before the end of March 2016, Tamboly informed PT.
Since The Prayer Hall became operational in September 2015, several additional facilities have been made available. Sandalwood and divas can be purchased at the site, flowers arranged for through the coordinator, a water purifier provides safe drinking water, a tea/coffee vending machine offers the beverages at a reasonable Rs 20 and electric power points are available for use of family members who wish to relay via Skype (from their own equipment) the obsequies to folks residing elsewhere.
Details regarding the Prayer Hall facilities, usage, booking procedures are available on its website, www.prayer- halltrust.org or maybe requested by email from prayerhalltrust@gmail.com