Religion
A dadgah for Della
Community members in what is reportedly the world’s largest Parsi enclave have a new place of worship
"This is a new family member, not only for this building, or for the (Mancherji Edulji Joshi Dadar Parsi) Colony residents, but for the whole community.” Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, principal of the Dadar Athornan Institute was speaking at the installation and inauguration of a dadgah at Della Tower (DT), a residential building in the Colony on May 31, 2018. While welcoming guests at the function that included a 14-mobed fareshta ceremony, businessman, builder of DT and erstwhile Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Jimmy Mistry had said that "for me and the residents of DT, this event is beyond our dreams and expectations.” Housed in a sectioned-off area in the foyer of the multi storied building conceived nearly a dozen years ago (see "The architect of resources,” Parsiana, May 21, 2006), Mistry told Parsiana over email that "Our dadgah is an extension of the Rustom Framna Agiary and (we are) not competing with the Agiary in any way. All the collections from the diva and sukhad sales (will be) given to the Agiary. This is specified on the collection boxes.” The area facing the room where the fire is housed can seat a dozen worshippers.
The ceremonies on May 31 at DT, which was decorated with garlands and chalk and lit up to highlight the Persian figures on its façade, were kicked off with a vendidad performed by Ervad Adil Bhesania the previous day and a baaj ceremony in the morning. After the fareshta ceremony in the foyer of the building that started at 5 p.m., Ervads Bhesania and Kaizad Karkaria carried the fire to the afarganyu, followed by Dasturs (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, Khurshed Dastoor and Cyrus Dastur and other priests carrying the guraj (a cow-headed mace), shields and spears. The first offering of sandalwood to the dadgah was made by Kotwal, after prayers of Atash Niyaesh and Doa Tandarosti, among others. The approximately 350-strong gathering of community members watched the happenings on television screens while seated in the foyer and in the driveway of the building. Air coolers brought down the temperature somewhat on that sultry evening.
The ceremonies on May 31 at DT, which was decorated with garlands and chalk and lit up to highlight the Persian figures on its façade, were kicked off with a vendidad performed by Ervad Adil Bhesania the previous day and a baaj ceremony in the morning. After the fareshta ceremony in the foyer of the building that started at 5 p.m., Ervads Bhesania and Kaizad Karkaria carried the fire to the afarganyu, followed by Dasturs (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, Khurshed Dastoor and Cyrus Dastur and other priests carrying the guraj (a cow-headed mace), shields and spears. The first offering of sandalwood to the dadgah was made by Kotwal, after prayers of Atash Niyaesh and Doa Tandarosti, among others. The approximately 350-strong gathering of community members watched the happenings on television screens while seated in the foyer and in the driveway of the building. Air coolers brought down the temperature somewhat on that sultry evening.
Prayer room at Della Tower dadgah
Dasturs and mobeds in procession towards dadgah
Facade of Della Tower
Above, seated from l: Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, Dasturs (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, Khurshed Dastoor
and Cyrus Dastur, standing Jimmy Mistry in black pugree flanked by mobeds
Awaiting worshippers before the fareshta
A short humbandagi led by Dastoor followed. In his address, Kotwal exhorted the community to take advantage of the presence of the dadgah and explained how in earlier times, a dadgah was maintained in most Parsi households. According to him, the word "dadgah” in Avesta language means "lawful place.” The high priest pointed out that in the Rivayats (communications) exchanged between Iranian and Indian clergy, the term "dadgah” is also used for dakhmas. Dossabhoy Dordi’s poem, a paean to Nusservanji Tata (father of the founder of the Tata empire Jamsetji) who built a dakhma in Navsari, is called Dadgah-e-Noshirwan, said Kotwal. Dastoor told the audience that he was aware that there were one or two families in Bombay that even now maintain dadgahs in their home, observing all the required rules of purity. Surat high priest Dastur, who had travelled from his home city to specially take part in the inauguration, reiterated the three kinds of holy fires.
"I was fortunate to witness the enthroning… definitely a once in a lifetime moment,” Nasha Jassawalla, trustee of Rustom Framna Agiary told Parsiana after the event, adding "this dadgah was (Mistry’s) dream from the time he constructed Della Tower. This particular space was specifically made for the Dadgah saheb.” While most present in the audience mouthed or recited Yatha Ahu Vairyo led by Karanjia while the fire was being carried to the afarganyu, the event was not without its detractors, as is increasingly happening, over WhatsApp. One such anonymous message called the dadgah a "Bollywood film set.” Another called it "nothing but a tamasha… They are literally playing with fire and will only attract negative currents from nature, thus bringing their own downfall and that of the community.” No reasons were ascribed to this eventuality.
A note received from Mistry’s office after the event read: "Unfortunately some people in the community tried to create a negative campaign against this event thinking that they could malign me before the upcoming (July 1) BPP elections. But they do not realize that I have no intention of standing for elections.” Regarding comments on social media that Mistry was trying to "escape demolition” of certain areas of DT over alleged violations of floor space index (FSI) issues, Mistry clarified in an email to Parsiana that "all the cases against the building have been won by us years back. The only point that is pending at the High Court is about a boundary wall that leads down a slope to the car park. This too we have challenged in Court.”
In his vote of thanks, Mistry stated that he had built the Dadgah in memory of his father Rusi ("a simple, true Parsi”) and other family members. Acknowledging the late social worker and BPP trustee Rustom Tirandaz as "someone who sowed the seeds of community service in me,” he felicitated BPP chairman Yazdi Desai, who was accompanied by his wife Anahita, a candidate for the forthcoming trustee elections. The businessman acknowleged the presence of his long time friend, actor Boman Irani and that of the trustees of the Rustom Framna Agiary. A hand-out from Mistry’s office after the event listed some of the other community members present: Ervad (Dr) Parvez Bajan, BPP trustee Armaity Tirandaz, social worker and ex BPP trustee Arnavaz Mistry, actor Nauheed Cyrusi, businessmen Boman Irani and Percy Chowdhry, cricketer Farokh Engineer, fitness expert Mickey Mehta, founder of the erstwhile Damania Airways Parvez and his wife Roshni Damania, Anahita and crooner Gary Lawyer, acupuncturists Drs Yasmine and Rumi Beramji, and banker Hoshi Sinor.
"I miss the presence of my sister Jasmine, brother in law Berjis, (social worker) ‘Mithoo Aunty’ (Jesia), (religious scholar and erstwhile BPP trustee) Khojeste Mistree, (World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust Funds chairman) Dinshaw Tamboly, and Ervad Asphandiyar Dadachanji, "who was one of my consultants for religious questions” while the dadgah was being built, said Mistry.
A machi was offered to the dadgah at the end of the evening.
Ervad Yazdi Panthaky felicitated Mistry for "all the work he has done for mobeds” through the Parsi Resource Group (PRG) founded by the businessman. The Group works for the welfare of mobeds, with Karkaria, Ervads Meher Dastur, Cyrus Dastur, Jamshed Panthaky and Hormuz Dadachanji being core team members.
The mobeds who took part in the fareshta were: Ervads Karkaria, Bhesania, Sharukh Mirza, Fredy Makujina, Jehan Darbari, Eruch Kakalia, Kaikhusroo Lashkari, Mediomah Kerawala, Jamshed Dastur, Ratan Anklesaria, Nariman Bamji, Kersi Karanjia, Khushroo Makihatana and Mehzad Mulla. "Of the 14 mobeds, 10 are from my Rustom Framna Agiary,” Karkaria, who manages that Agiary, proudly told Parsiana.
"I was fortunate to witness the enthroning… definitely a once in a lifetime moment,” Nasha Jassawalla, trustee of Rustom Framna Agiary told Parsiana after the event, adding "this dadgah was (Mistry’s) dream from the time he constructed Della Tower. This particular space was specifically made for the Dadgah saheb.” While most present in the audience mouthed or recited Yatha Ahu Vairyo led by Karanjia while the fire was being carried to the afarganyu, the event was not without its detractors, as is increasingly happening, over WhatsApp. One such anonymous message called the dadgah a "Bollywood film set.” Another called it "nothing but a tamasha… They are literally playing with fire and will only attract negative currents from nature, thus bringing their own downfall and that of the community.” No reasons were ascribed to this eventuality.
A note received from Mistry’s office after the event read: "Unfortunately some people in the community tried to create a negative campaign against this event thinking that they could malign me before the upcoming (July 1) BPP elections. But they do not realize that I have no intention of standing for elections.” Regarding comments on social media that Mistry was trying to "escape demolition” of certain areas of DT over alleged violations of floor space index (FSI) issues, Mistry clarified in an email to Parsiana that "all the cases against the building have been won by us years back. The only point that is pending at the High Court is about a boundary wall that leads down a slope to the car park. This too we have challenged in Court.”
In his vote of thanks, Mistry stated that he had built the Dadgah in memory of his father Rusi ("a simple, true Parsi”) and other family members. Acknowledging the late social worker and BPP trustee Rustom Tirandaz as "someone who sowed the seeds of community service in me,” he felicitated BPP chairman Yazdi Desai, who was accompanied by his wife Anahita, a candidate for the forthcoming trustee elections. The businessman acknowleged the presence of his long time friend, actor Boman Irani and that of the trustees of the Rustom Framna Agiary. A hand-out from Mistry’s office after the event listed some of the other community members present: Ervad (Dr) Parvez Bajan, BPP trustee Armaity Tirandaz, social worker and ex BPP trustee Arnavaz Mistry, actor Nauheed Cyrusi, businessmen Boman Irani and Percy Chowdhry, cricketer Farokh Engineer, fitness expert Mickey Mehta, founder of the erstwhile Damania Airways Parvez and his wife Roshni Damania, Anahita and crooner Gary Lawyer, acupuncturists Drs Yasmine and Rumi Beramji, and banker Hoshi Sinor.
"I miss the presence of my sister Jasmine, brother in law Berjis, (social worker) ‘Mithoo Aunty’ (Jesia), (religious scholar and erstwhile BPP trustee) Khojeste Mistree, (World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust Funds chairman) Dinshaw Tamboly, and Ervad Asphandiyar Dadachanji, "who was one of my consultants for religious questions” while the dadgah was being built, said Mistry.
A machi was offered to the dadgah at the end of the evening.
Ervad Yazdi Panthaky felicitated Mistry for "all the work he has done for mobeds” through the Parsi Resource Group (PRG) founded by the businessman. The Group works for the welfare of mobeds, with Karkaria, Ervads Meher Dastur, Cyrus Dastur, Jamshed Panthaky and Hormuz Dadachanji being core team members.
The mobeds who took part in the fareshta were: Ervads Karkaria, Bhesania, Sharukh Mirza, Fredy Makujina, Jehan Darbari, Eruch Kakalia, Kaikhusroo Lashkari, Mediomah Kerawala, Jamshed Dastur, Ratan Anklesaria, Nariman Bamji, Kersi Karanjia, Khushroo Makihatana and Mehzad Mulla. "Of the 14 mobeds, 10 are from my Rustom Framna Agiary,” Karkaria, who manages that Agiary, proudly told Parsiana.
Natalia, Farhan, Delna, Jimmy and Pearl Mistry; Lily Mistry
From left, 1st row: Yazdi Desai, Armaity Tirandaz, actor Boman Irani,
businessmen Boman Irani and Percy Chowdhry;
2nd row: Farokh Engineer, Mickey Mehta, Nauheed Cyrusi, Roshni and Parvez Damania
With the singing of Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti, led by behdin pasbaan Marzban Wadia, the sultry evening drew to an end with the audience partaking of cut fruits and cool drinks. A dinner for the assembled mobeds hosted by the Mistry family (matriarch Lily, Jimmy, Delna and children Pearl, Natalia and Farhan) followed.
About a permanent Zoroastrian exhibition center that Mistry proposes to set up in the building, the write-up from his office notes: "The exhibition will be where the next generation is inducted into appreciation of the religion…I (want) to create a place where the youth of our community would feel comfortable coming into even if they have forgotten their prayers, or just wanted to spend a few minutes in prayer… I wish to create a space with modern audio visuals that will attract the youth…I want the youth to…feel proud to be Parsi.” Mistry added in an email to Parsiana that "we are looking for a full time English speaking priest who can guide the youth and answer any questions they may have regarding the religion.”
As Ramiyar quipped, "The Dadgah will make our hearts and spirits go in the right direction.” Referring to the plans for the exhibition centre, he said "minds will also then be aligned in the right direction.”
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