Praying and painting

"We have not had a Parsi priest paint Parsi saints in years now,” comments Ervad Zubin Vaid whose black and white portrait of Dasturji Kukadaru was recently unveiled at the Homai and Jimi N. Kathawalla Memorial Hall, an extension of the Bai Motlibai Wadia Adaran at Malcolm Baug. The portrait earned much admiration with one of the viewers commenting, "We all seek blessings from the divine even if they are on paper. Such is the power of sincere art.”
"When I looked at the Kukadaru Saheb’s large life size portrait, which Zubin created with so much devotion and dedication, I was truly mesmerized by the expression of the eyes. It was so alive!” says corporate trainer, Pervez Daruwala who after spending many years with the Tatas in the field of human relations has developed an eye to spot talent. He now mentors Vaid and promotes him in the outer world.

Ervad Zubin Vaid with Pervez Daruwala and samples of his work

A 47-year-old boiwala who spends hours in the holy premises of the Seth Pirojsha Ardeshir Patel Daremeher in Andheri, when not engaged in priestly duties, paints in the fire temple itself. "In the agiary I feel the presence of God all the time,” says the painter priest. "I don’t know anything else, but to pray and paint, paint and pray.”
"I love to draw and paint, specially black and whites. It’s very meditative,” says Vaid. When asked what inspires him, the priest replies, "Light! Nature is beautiful and light is mesmerizing,” looking up to the vast blue sky. He mainly paints in water colors with his left hand as his right hand is paralyzed. Vaid lives in a one-room kitchen apartment with his aging parents who need care and attention from him when he is home.
Zubin’s eyes fill with tears of gratitude for his parents as he says, "I am all that I am today only because of my loving parents.” Born to Russi and Bakhtaver Vaid, Zubin had a tough childhood. An eye injury at just seven years of age caused 90% permanent loss of vision in one eye. Another setback came at 13 when paralysis led to complete loss of control over the right hand. Vaid’s journey turned inwards and he started serving at the agiary from the age of 16. He seemed to be heeding his inner calling, till one day he had difficulty hearing. At the age of 33 he lost 90% of his hearing in one ear as if the Gods did not want him to see or hear human suffering!
It’s somewhere around that time in his life that he discovered his ability to paint. It took another mobed, Ervad Naval Jijina, to recognize Zubin’s talent and teach him technicalities. But it was Bakhtaver who truly nurtured her son’s talent, sat by his side day and night providing everything she could and supporting him all along. She inspired him to read holy scriptures and seek answers within. Russi provided a stable home, protecting his son like a lion king.
"I knew intuitively that what Zubin was creating was extraordinary. He had the craft, he had the skill and above all he had an understanding of his subject,” commented Daruwala who was quick to understand that if Zubin’s art had to reach a larger audience, he would have to help him structure his time.
After his first painting of Kukadaru, Vaid undertook a wildlife series to prove his artistic talent. "My role is to make Zubin’s art ‘available,’ not ‘sell!’ I want to protect him from any art commercialism. It’s my responsibility,” says Daruwala who is keen to promote Zubin’s work among the art loving Parsi community all over the world. "He is a pious priest after all” whose counsel and guidance worshippers seek, according to Daruwala.
"I want to paint all the characters from the Shah Nameh. It’s my dream,” says the priest. "I want to ensure he achieves it,” interjects Daruwala. "Hence we are looking for art patrons who not just have the wealth but the wisdom to see as to what we are trying to achieve here, preserving our unique heritage.”

The writer is India’s renowned spiritual painter, who now lives and paints in London and was in India to celebrate Independence Day, August 15, 2017.