Venerating Avan, again

After a break of six years, an Avan nu parav jashan was performed at the sea-side in the Pundole family bungalow in Udvada by Ervads Zarir and Cawas Dastoor on March 25, 2018. Malcolm Pundole of Surat lent his bungalow for the occasion. Jashans were performed in the past from 1994 to 2011, under the stewardship of Aloo and Ervad Keki Dastoor till the couple passed away.
A few days before the event, on an impulse, Pervin Turel and Zinobia Sidhwa decided to revive the practice. Word of mouth and handbills spread the news. Around 80 persons, mostly from Udvada and nearby Daman, Sanjan and Vapi attended. The entrance had a cloth toran and streamers as in most auspicious events in Gujarat. Udvada’s Dastur Khurshed Dastoor was at the pier of the Radio Club in Colaba for a similar function.

Top: Avan mah jashan in Udvada after a six-year break; above: audience

Photos: Maharukh Dastur

There was the awaited bhanailo malido (sweet that has been prayed upon); followed by batata wadas (potato croquets, so good that they left attendees asking for more), chivda, ice cream and soft drinks. The pièce de résistance was the dar ni pori from Navsari handed out in large portions of a quarter per person. Dar ni pori is the ubiquitous offering on this day.
There is every intent of making this an annual feature once again. Sidhwa was heard responding to a suggestion with, "OK, we’ll do so next year.”