Ceremonies full of joy

Ceremonies full of joy
By Nadir Godrej

Although I’m not with you today
I was asked to have my say.
In Bombay from early days we see
Examples of Parsi philanthropy.
One family gave for years and years
And earned accolades and cheers.
In China too spreading happiness
All the people chose to bless
This family, so much so,
A new surname would then flow
And one might very easily guess
That this surname was Allbless.
The family then grew in fame
While always living up to that name.
Their hospitals, dispensaries
Are charities that one sees.
Now every Parsi auspicious occasion
Calls for a major celebration.
We need a baug, a spacious place
With indoor space and outdoor space.
The rich of course could easily hire
But others however couldn’t aspire.
When Eduljee Allbless died
In his will he did provide
The funds to buy a spacious site
His five sons strove with all their might
To build the baug that you see
Now in its sesquicentenary.
A momentous occasion it is indeed
Undoubtedly Eduljee did succeed
In bringing us joy through the years
For which he does deserve our cheers.
And all of us would have a stack
Of memories going way back
Of ceremonies full of joy
Navjotes for a girl or boy.
And of course weddings as well.
And any one of us can tell
That once the ceremony’s done
Everyone has lots of fun.
Some people sit, some people stand
Some dance to music from the band.
The snacks and drinks then circulate
Until the call that all await,
Till we hear, "Jamwa chalo ji!”
And then a sudden rush we see
As quickly chairs are all reserved
And then the special bhonu’s served.
There’s chicken, fish, eggs, pulao,
Saria, roti, custard. Wow!
And for those who are contrarian
There is also vegetarian!
Along with soft drinks of the common kind
Some stranger ones you’ll also find
Why raspberry, ginger and Mangola!
The soft drink range goes very far!
As you can see a baug’s a must
And it’s all managed by a trust.
Our friend Roshan (née Allbless) Lentin
One day as a trustee went in.
The last true Allbless as trustee
But Navaz Lentin is also family.
Now all the trustees pull their weight
But as managing trustee Roshan’s great!
Now Parsi numbers have declined
A phenomenon we also find
Within the Allbless family.
Her cousin Hirji is what we see.
And Mehroo her sister and Homi her brother
Whose wife Christine is the mother
Of three, there’s James and there’s Renae
And Amy who sadly passed away.
Roshan of course has a son
And Percy Lentin is the one
Who requested me to speak today.
In conclusion I’d like to say
That it’s clearly understood
For being good and doing good
For living up to their name
They deserve all this fame.
Even had they done much less
All of us would always bless
All of them for what they’ve done.
Our admiration they have won!
For Allbless Baug all our cheers
For its hundred and fifty years!