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Parsiana
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Events & Personalities

Utsav update

A team from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London will bring a 4D Google experience of the Yasna ceremony to the delegates of the Iranshah Udvada Utsav 2019 (IUU 2019), the three-day event in the South Gujarat town that kicks off on December 27, 2019. The event is sponsored by billionaire philanthropist Dr Cyrus Poonawalla. Some "prized manuscripts” will also be displayed at the Kayoji Mirza Library, noted a write-up from Freyan Bhathena, who is handling the public relations for the event. Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, High Priest of the H. B. Wadia Atash Behram will be felicitated on the first day of IUU 2019, in the presence of union minister for women and child development Smriti Irani.
"Udvada High Priest Dastur Khurshed Dastoor and his wife Havovi, with the support of (chairman of the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trusts) Dinshaw Tamboly and (founder of Xtremely Young Zoroastrians) Hoshaang Gotla have gathered a group of professionals” to structure the festival, the write-up noted. A play Amar Jyoti Zarathustra, staged by social worker Mithoo Jesia; monajats; photography exhibitions "that celebrate the Parsipanu within us... including one where the elderly can have their portfolios taken;” a flea market for Parsi household items; a treasure hunt; a cookery show by Hilla Marolia of Café Farohar, Udvada are some of the other highlights.
A youth group "Wings” has put together, football, sepak, volley ball and cricket games with lucrative prizes. The floodlight midnight games have seen enrolments from Parsi youth teams across Gujarat and Maharashtra. Social media specialist Scherezade (Sherry) Shroff, television star Viraf Patell and formula car racer Jehan Daruvala are amongst the young Parsis being recognized for their contribution to the country’s landscape, noted the write-up.
On December 29, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani will share the stage with Poonawalla to close the festivities.
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