Beating the heat

Adar mah is a month of celebration for the Parsi community. It’s really admirable to see so many Parsis and Iranis travelling long distances by train, autorickshaws and even in their own or hired cars just to have a bite at the gahanbars in various far-off places.

However, the number of devotees is dropping, mainly because of the heat. I have suggested to many organizers that conditions would be much improved if they used two layers of cloth instead of one while putting up the shamianas. A white or light pink cloth could be used at the top facing the sky and a dark colored red or dark blue cloth used underneath, facing the ground. The white or light colored cloth would reflect the heat back towards the sky and the dark layer would not allow the heat to be transmitted toward the ground. This is a simple technique that is used for car windows and it can bring down the temperature by at least two degrees celsius. Unfortunately, the organizers dismissed the suggestion, explaining that the shamiana is provided free of charge so they have no say in the matter.

Would it not be worthwhile to spend a little more for an additional layer of cloth for the shamiana to ensure comfort? I am sure there are donors who would be willing to cover the additional expense.

RUSTOM HAVEWALLA

rustomhavewalla@gmail.com