“Faith, fun and food”

Let me begin with a quote from a practical, constructive Zoroastrian par excellence of yesteryear who at the age of 92 years said, "I very firmly believe that change is the essence of living. Change is inevitable, and we too as a community must change with the times.” Ten years ago, Capt Hormazdiar J. M. Desai, a legendary stalwart, made this statement (see "A mission to serve,” Parsiana, July 7, 2008).
The Iranshah Udvada Utsav ("Faith, fun and food,” Parsiana, January 7, 2018) echoed the above in an amplified manner when the celebrated cardiologist Dr Farokh Udwadia in a bold, outspoken question aimed at hard-core fundamentalists asked: "Would you not want to change some of our customs or rituals which are not given by Zoroaster but which are man-made, to survive?”
Thanks to holy humbugs with constipated minds and stagnating beliefs, the promoters of strict, imaginary Zoroastrian ideology have subverted the community’s progress, which Udwadia seeks to correct. Udwadia is a living example of what constitutes advancement. His sermons, simple and positive speech have put the pretentious purists and dangerous dhongis to shame.
There is not one single member of the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ), or a traditionalist who can show how his religious beliefs have contributed to the health, recovery and well-being of thousands of significantly sick Zoroastrian patients, the way Udwadia has done all his life.
RASHID KHOSRAVI