Empowering and disempowering

"Even though you have addressed the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) Trustees as ‘Friends,’ it is obvious that your attitude to the BPP is not in consonance. The Jiyo Parsi (JP) scheme has started this Jiyo Mobed program without any discussion whatsoever with the BPP who is an equal partner in JP. Forget being friendly, this attitude borders on ‘scant respect for the BPP trustees.’”
So wrote the BPP chairman Yazdi Desai late last year to the Delhi based, JP convenor Dr Shernaz Cama. His ire was aroused by the inclusion of World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) Trust Funds chariman and former BPP trustee Dinshaw Tamboly "as a sessions convenor” at the second Jiyo Mobed workshop held in Bombay on November 19, 2017 (see "Mobeds as mediators,” Parsiana, December 7, 2017). "We agree with you that Tamboly is an expert in care for the elderly, but how does that qualify him to be part of this Mobed program?” inquired Desai. "Given Tamboly’s ultra-reformist views, don’t you think the mobeds would generally be disinclined to look up to him as a ‘guiding’ force? And wouldn’t this make the community generally uncomfortable? Why not (former BPP and World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis trustee and founder of Zoroastrian Studies) Khojeste Mistree; or even our very own (BPP) trustee Noshir Dadrawala?
"Another selection is that of Binaifer Sahukar, and I wonder why our BPP’s own counsellor Pareecheher Daviervala was not considered? Pareecheher also happens to be a trustee of two important mofussil anjumans with a better understanding of the issues involved!”

Desai’s legendary animosity towards Tamboly is second only to his hostility to another Dinshaw, former BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta. The presence of either of the two on any body even vaguely connected with the BPP would raise Desai’s hackles. But Sahukar was once close to Desai and campaigned for his wife Anahita when she unsuccessfully contested the BPP trusteeship election in 2011 against Muncherji Cama. Subsequently they fell out.
While endorsing JP’s advocacy in increasing the depleting Parsi population and matrimonial meets, Desai disapproved of "starting a different Jiyo Parsi mobed scheme.... Please do not treat the BPP as just a rubber stamp in this scheme. Otherwise let BPP write to the Government to opt out of this JP so that you and your Parzor can continue with your free reign.” Whether Desai had consulted his fellow BPP trustees before sending the email is not known. BPP trustees Dadrawala, Kersi Randeria and Zarir Bhathena are/were aligned with Tamboly.
On November 18, 2017 Tamboly wrote to Cama, "At the risk of sounding immodest allow me to mention that I have probably done more for the cause of mobeds than what the present trustees of BPP have collectively done over the years.
"As early as in 1996 the WZO Trust introduced the WZO Trust-Athornan Mandal Mobed Welfare Scheme to support young, full-time mobeds, not through just payment of financial incentives, but compensation linked to the types of ceremonies performed, with the support to each mobed increasing when they undertake higher liturgical ceremonies. This scheme has stood the test of time (1996 and still going strong) with 68 young, full-time mobeds participating in the scheme. Additionally WZO Trusts support around 50+ elderly, retired, full-time mobeds by funding them to the tune of Rs 9,000 every quarter. Further whenever the mobeds need support for medical purposes or education of their children, the first person they contact is me at the WZO Trust office and not the BPP.
"Whilst the WZO Trusts scheme for mobeds has been moving smoothly for the last 21 years, a scheme for mobeds that BPP launched a couple of years ago was prematurely terminated with(in) a year or two.”
Regarding not keeping any of the BPP trustees informed of developments, Tamboly noted, "If I recall correctly, Noshir had within a few days of his appointment in 2016 written something to the effect that he would not like to be bothered with messages that were being exchanged on the JP Group.”
Tamboly cautioned Cama that Desai "is known to ride roughshod over people, so it is necessary that you will need to be firm and take a stand (failing which they will walk all over you)… I am prepared to stand by you but will not accept or respond to any further criticism about my community welfare activities.”
On November 18, 2017 Cama replied to Tamboly, "No problem. I am not going to allow the BPP to hurt us again.”
But on February 28, 2018 Tamboly wrote to Cama, "This is being written after having given adequate thought and pursuant to serious discussions that Binaifer, Dasturji Khurshed and I have had. The Jiyo Mobed initiative has essentially been the brainchild of Binaifer. It was thought to be an apt corollary to the JP scheme as the objective was to inculcate societal values into mobeds, young and not so young; the aim being to develop leadership and counseling skills so that they can confidently interact with the laity.
"Two sessions of the Jiyo Mobed initiative were held in 2017. Whilst the first session was an outstanding success, the second session, though effectively propagated the Jiyo Mobed message, unfortunately left us with mixed feelings on account of various road blocks sought to be created by others associated with JP.
"After reflection and discussions, Binaifer, Dasturji Khurshed and I have come to the conclusion that our interest being only in elevating mobedi as a profession, we would henceforth ourselves organize similar initiatives in a manner whereby we would not be encumbered by extraneous issues such as those that had arisen whilst planning the second edition of Jiyo Mobed.
"We will therefore not be planning and organizing any further editions of the Jiyo Mobed initiative under the aegis of JP. Please do rest assured that we shall not use the title ‘Jiyo Mobed’ in the programs that we organize.”
On March 2, Cama addressed an email to Tamboly, Dastoor and Sahukar where she stated the second workshop was well received. "While I am aware of the issues created by the BPP before the workshop, at the subsequent meeting when Dasturji Khurshed was present, this was clarified and at another time of interaction with the BPP, this matter has been put to rest. So please let us know what you mean by these ‘road blocks’... We missed Dasturji Khurshed at the important meeting with the President of Iran and have also not kept in touch during his recent visits to Delhi. Since we are all working for the same cause and do not believe in the factionalism which has unfortunately overtaken our community, we do hope that we all continue to work together as we have done in the past. Please do clarify on the issues above so that if there are any problems they can be resolved in a mature and rational manner.”
Tamboly replied the same day that the issue was not the success of the workshops "but the road blocks that were sought to be created.” He stated that he and Sahukar "have borne the brunt of the disparaging comments...from the ‘equal partners’ of JP (the BPP),” and there was no reassurance these criticisms "would not be repeated. (Desai is not a fan of Dastoor either — editors).
"We have therefore decided to move on, on our own, as we are interested in focusing only on constructive projects and not concerning ourselves with irrelevant and extraneous issues... Whilst we (Dasturji Khurshed, Binaifer and I) will soon begin our own set of seminars aimed at developing leadership and counseling skills of mobeds, we wish JP continuing success in conducting their own Jiyo Mobed seminars.”
The new program is named "Empowering Mobeds” and has held two workshops on "Mobeds moving online,” on May 13, 2018 (see "The medium is the message,” Parsiana, June 21, 2018) and "Significance of muktad ceremonies and prayers” on July 22, 2018 (see "Not a diktat,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, August 7, 2018).