Baval bounty for Vyara

The High Priests of Udvada and Surat, Dasturs Khurshed Dastoor and Cyrus Dastur blessed the Aajivan Kathi Yojna project of the Vyara Songadh Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman in which 2,500 baval trees have been planted on 2.5 lakh sq ft of its Doongerwadi lands. After 10 years, the trees will be fully grown; each year 250 trees will be cut and others planted in their place. This will ensure ample supply of kathi for the Seth Nasserwanji Petit Vyara Parsi Jarthosti Anjuman Daremeher and the surplus would be supplied to the anjumans and atash behrams of neighboring towns and cities like Navsari, Surat, etc. This information was received in an email from Sarosh Buhariwala, a member of the Anjuman who is actively involved in the project.

Pirojsha Dordi, Yazdi Desai, Dasturs Cyrus Dastur and Khurshed Dastoor, Rustom Vakil and Dr Bahadursha Jokhi

Mehernosh Jokhi, Persi and Sarosh Buhariwala

Present at the opening ceremony of the Aajivan Kathi Yojna, on June 12, 2016 at the agiary in Vyara were, in addition to the High Priests, Rustom Jal Vakil, managing trustee of the Faramji Hormusji and Manekji Faramji Sethna Trust which donated the money for the project, along with his wife Shehnaz. Chief guest, Bombay Parsi Punchayet chairman Yazdi Desai, was accompanied by his spouse Anahita. President of the Anjuman Dr Bahadursha Jokhi, and vice president Pirojsha Dordi shared the dais. Dastoor led a humbandagi and then lit a lamp to inaugurate the function.
Jokhi spoke about the project for which the Sethna Trust had given a generous donation of about Rs 28,73,000. Also on the cards is the construction of a compound wall with chain link fencing and installation of a drip irrigation system, mentions the email. Dordi has constructed a new bungli at the Doongerwadi at his own expense (around Rs 4,00,000) and donated it to the Anjuman, as the old structure was in a dilapidated condition. The Anjuman has also received a donation of Rs 3,00,000 from the philanthropic Parabia family of Baroda.
Desai praised the baval project and explained the importance of offering pure sandalwood and kathi to the holy fires which burn in our agiaries and atash behrams.
Vakil expressed surprise at seeing the young and smart Parsi population of Vyara. He stressed the importance of using the huge properties owned by various Parsi punchayets and anjumans for such benevolent purposes rather than selling them off for short term gains. He urged members of the Vyara Anjuman to nurture the baval trees so that the time, money and effort put into this project are not wasted. He thanked Persi Buhariwala, trustee of the Vyara Anjuman and two other members, Parvez Jokhi and Sarosh Buhariwala for their hard work and dedication to the project. The trio was later felicitated by Dastoor. Dr Bahadursha Jokhi was honored for his lifelong service as the president of the Vyara Anjuman. Members of other anjumans who were present were also felicitated, as was Sunnu Kasad for providing tasty Parsi bhonu at a very reasonable rate. All expenses incurred for the occasion were borne by the humdins of Vyara, the email acknowledges.
Finally, everyone proceeded towards the tower of silence where a plaque on the Aajivan Kathi Yojna was unveiled by Vakil and the new bungli inaugurated by Dastoor, the email concludes.