Readers' Forum
Decimate or propagate?
Zoroastrianism is a universal religion and is practiced in different forms across the world. It will continue with or without the Parsis. However, it is only in India that it has survived in the most pristine form. From my observations through living in India, Iran and the West, it is clear that for the religion to survive in its pure form, it must be linked to the community and its practices.
We have survived persecution over the centuries and ironically are now abandoning the principles that enabled our growth for so long. The bond within the community is clearly based on race but is definitely not racist. Children of mixed marriages are welcome to practice the religion as they deem fit but they cannot be Parsis by definition.
If one looks at the results of this approach in the West, it is undeniable that by the second or the third generation, the religion and the community are barely recognizable, if not lost. There is little semblance to the practice and rituals of the faith. Hence, a closed community that has helped us for centuries needs to be reinforced. The later generations are either exposed and absorbed by very strong influences of majority religions, or simply lose the fervor in the face of pressures of modern living.
It is only in India that there is some hope of proudly maintaining our traditions through a closed environment. To open it up would predictably prove disastrous. It is a burden that is unfairly borne by faithful existing members in India. It is because we abandoned these principles and married outside the faith that a crisis emerged. We were a small group that arrived from Iran and my hope is that we can recover from this debacle again, adhering to principles that our wise forefathers advocated.
The question therefore before the young is to choose between community and self-interest. Marriage can prove to be the means to wealth, fame, passion, material and career success or any other factor. To do so within the community would require pride in our heritage, considerable effort, sacrifice. We have done it before and can do it again.
This can be done by congregation of members in baugs and Parsiwads. In the past the community progressed through support of business families like the Camas, Jejeebhoys, Wadias and others, along with scholarly stalwarts like Dr Jivanji Modi, Kayoji Mirza, to name a few. This support is a necessity today.
With fewer community members, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet will need to play a key role in advancing the cause. Infighting, conflict of egos and self-interest have no place at this juncture. Alternative organizations to resolve issues facing the community will also help, such as mentoring for entrepreneurship, education, careers and so on, along with religious education and providing support to practicing priests.
Parsis and the religion are intricately connected and destruction of one will follow the other. ROHINTON UNWALLA
British Columbia, Canada
unwalla@shaw.ca
We have survived persecution over the centuries and ironically are now abandoning the principles that enabled our growth for so long. The bond within the community is clearly based on race but is definitely not racist. Children of mixed marriages are welcome to practice the religion as they deem fit but they cannot be Parsis by definition.
If one looks at the results of this approach in the West, it is undeniable that by the second or the third generation, the religion and the community are barely recognizable, if not lost. There is little semblance to the practice and rituals of the faith. Hence, a closed community that has helped us for centuries needs to be reinforced. The later generations are either exposed and absorbed by very strong influences of majority religions, or simply lose the fervor in the face of pressures of modern living.
It is only in India that there is some hope of proudly maintaining our traditions through a closed environment. To open it up would predictably prove disastrous. It is a burden that is unfairly borne by faithful existing members in India. It is because we abandoned these principles and married outside the faith that a crisis emerged. We were a small group that arrived from Iran and my hope is that we can recover from this debacle again, adhering to principles that our wise forefathers advocated.
The question therefore before the young is to choose between community and self-interest. Marriage can prove to be the means to wealth, fame, passion, material and career success or any other factor. To do so within the community would require pride in our heritage, considerable effort, sacrifice. We have done it before and can do it again.
This can be done by congregation of members in baugs and Parsiwads. In the past the community progressed through support of business families like the Camas, Jejeebhoys, Wadias and others, along with scholarly stalwarts like Dr Jivanji Modi, Kayoji Mirza, to name a few. This support is a necessity today.
With fewer community members, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet will need to play a key role in advancing the cause. Infighting, conflict of egos and self-interest have no place at this juncture. Alternative organizations to resolve issues facing the community will also help, such as mentoring for entrepreneurship, education, careers and so on, along with religious education and providing support to practicing priests.
Parsis and the religion are intricately connected and destruction of one will follow the other. ROHINTON UNWALLA
British Columbia, Canada
unwalla@shaw.ca
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