Magnanimity in Madras

A donation of Rs 22 lakhs from Tehnaz and Darius Bahadurji and Rs 17 lakhs from the Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman (MPZA) has made possible the refurbishment of the Pavilion Hall in the South Indian city. "Our community now owns an asset that will add to the resources of the Anjuman and enable them to continue to do the wonderful work that they have already been doing,” wrote Zarin Mistry, secretary of The Madras Parsi Association (MPA) in an email to Parsiana. "With a lot of effort put in by Dadi Dalal, Firdause Jila and Pervez Mulla, the Pavilion has been beautifully and tastefully renovated and centrally air-conditioned,” she wrote.

Inaugurated on Navroz day, March 21, 2018 with a jashan led by Ervad Bamanshah Vazifdar and assisted by Ervads Pourushaspa Vazifdar and Kairus Pir, community members congregated to felicitate the Bahadurjis. In her welcome speech, MPA president Jasmine Kabrajee informed members that over the years, the Bahadurjis had contributed nearly Rs 50 lakhs for various community projects including sprucing up the burial ground in Madras and recycling 100-year-old graves, resulting in a "Wall of Remembrance” for the departed; in addition they sponsor the maintenance of the Zoroastrian burial grounds in Pondicherry. They continue to support Parsiana raise its publishing standards, supporting their web and app development. The family has extended their support to various secular causes, including equipping schools with furniture and medical aid to the needy. Others who spoke on the occasion included MPZA patron Nariman Mogrelia, Dalal and Ness Pesikaka. The MPA presented a silver salver to the couple. "Also, from the Anjuman and the Association, two stars in the firmament were named after Tehnaz and Darius,” noted Mistry.
Mistry’s note gives the background to the activities of the community in Madras: "Our Club started in 1930 in a beautiful colonial style bungalow called Greenfields. For many years, the Club was used regularly and there were many sporting activities.” The MPA constructed an indoor badminton court in 1960, behind the Club building, with the foundation stone of the Pavilion Hall laid by then president of the MPA, Savak Naigamvala. "Ours was the first indoor badminton court in the city. Many state level and inter-club tournaments were held in the Hall. We also used the Hall to stage many Parsi nataks (dramas) and for celebratory dinners,” noted Mistry. In 1980 the old Club building was replaced by the current Phiroj Clubwala Memorial (PCM) Hall. "We gratefully recall that even for the air conditioning and renovation of the PCM Hall, we had received a donation of Rs 10 lakhs each from the Bahadurjis and from Kaety and Darayes Dalal,” noted Mistry. Funds were raised by staging many dramas for the public in the city. "We will always appreciate the efforts of Mani Clubwala and Noshir Ratnagar towards this effort,” she acknowledges. After the new Club premises started functioning, the Pavilion fell into disrepair, till its repairs were funded by the Bahadurjis and the MPZA.
A dinner catered by Zavera and Mahiar Shroff brought an end to the evening. "This marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Phiroj Clubwala Memorial Hall,” noted Mistry.