Events & Personalities
A capital visit
A capital visit
"We were very impressed with the well planned exhibitions that we saw in Delhi,” Ervad Hormuz Dadachanji informed Parsiana over the telephone. He was one of the eight-member contingent of priests, including two vada dasturs, who were taken to the capital to see The Everlasting Flame and two other Zoroastrian exhibitions showcased by ParZor. The two-day visit on May 20 and 21, 2016 was sponsored by the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) courtesy president Malcolm Deboo who felt it was a wonderful opportunity for them to view the magnificent heritage of their ancestors, Dadachanji revealed in a subsequent email to Parsiana. It was a "very worthwhile weekend,” he shared enthusiastically. The trip was organized by Firoza Punthakey Mistree who walked the priests through two of the exhibitions on the first day, while Dr Shernaz Cama of ParZor accompanied them at Threads of Continuity, explaining the significance of the items on display, Dadachanji said. "It was very interesting and very nicely done,” he mentioned. In addition to Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, Ervads Asphandiar and Hormuz Dadachanji, Porus Katrak and Firdaus Pavri came from Bombay. Dastur Cyrus Dastur, along with Ervads Faredoon Turel and Harvesp Sanjana formed the contingent from Surat, mentions an email received from Veera Mavalwala, trustee of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman (DPA) which hosted them on the second day. The priests were accompanied by Cashmira Bengalli, a scholar working with Kotwal.
These priests had helped with the exhibitions, Hormuz’s email notes. Many of the religious implements had been given on loan by the Surat priests, while he himself had workmen fashion the brass swords that decorate the sanctum sanctorum of a fire temple. Pavri had procured the hindoras (stone platforms used in rituals).
"We were very impressed with the well planned exhibitions that we saw in Delhi,” Ervad Hormuz Dadachanji informed Parsiana over the telephone. He was one of the eight-member contingent of priests, including two vada dasturs, who were taken to the capital to see The Everlasting Flame and two other Zoroastrian exhibitions showcased by ParZor. The two-day visit on May 20 and 21, 2016 was sponsored by the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) courtesy president Malcolm Deboo who felt it was a wonderful opportunity for them to view the magnificent heritage of their ancestors, Dadachanji revealed in a subsequent email to Parsiana. It was a "very worthwhile weekend,” he shared enthusiastically. The trip was organized by Firoza Punthakey Mistree who walked the priests through two of the exhibitions on the first day, while Dr Shernaz Cama of ParZor accompanied them at Threads of Continuity, explaining the significance of the items on display, Dadachanji said. "It was very interesting and very nicely done,” he mentioned. In addition to Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, Ervads Asphandiar and Hormuz Dadachanji, Porus Katrak and Firdaus Pavri came from Bombay. Dastur Cyrus Dastur, along with Ervads Faredoon Turel and Harvesp Sanjana formed the contingent from Surat, mentions an email received from Veera Mavalwala, trustee of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman (DPA) which hosted them on the second day. The priests were accompanied by Cashmira Bengalli, a scholar working with Kotwal.
These priests had helped with the exhibitions, Hormuz’s email notes. Many of the religious implements had been given on loan by the Surat priests, while he himself had workmen fashion the brass swords that decorate the sanctum sanctorum of a fire temple. Pavri had procured the hindoras (stone platforms used in rituals).
Visiting priests with DPA trustees and community members
The group also visited the Kaikhushru Pallonji Katrak Dar-E-Meher as invitees of the DPA whose members were "very welcoming” and were especially pleased that Kotwal was among their number as he was one of the priests who had consecrated their Dar-E-Meher some years ago. The visiting mobeds prayed in the fire temple and were later served refreshments. Kotwal spoke of their meeting with Dr Najma Heptulla, minister for minority affairs, during which they requested her good offices to develop the Bahrot Caves as a religious tourist destination. They sought her assistance for good access roads to enable Parsis to travel there easily, mentions Mavalwala’s email. Kotwal also commended the development carried out in Udvada through Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hormuz Dadachanji described Heptulla as a "very humble lady” who heard them out patiently. Since the community owns vast tracts of land in Surat, the priests from there wished for an organization like the Waqf Board to manage and safeguard the properties. Dadi Mistry, Zoroastrian representative on the National Minorities Commission, asked them to give their proposal in writing so that the matter could be properly considered, Dadachanji told Parsiana. Kotwal and Dastur presented flowers to Heptulla with the latter giving her a fravashi plaque on behalf of the group. Asphandiar Dadachanji gifted the minister with a book on the History of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet on behalf of that trust, notes Hormuz’s email.
DPA president Yezad Kapadia thanked Khojeste and Firoza Mistree for arranging the visit while the ZTFE hosted a Parsi lunch for the priests at the Sodabottleopenerwalla restaurant, concludes Hormuz.
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