Covid prayers denied

The possibility of having the geh sarna funeral prayers recited at Doongerwadi for those consigned to the crematorium on account of death due to contracting Covid-19 has been dashed by former Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Dinshaw Mehta. He controls three of the five functioning trustees of the BPP and has opposed the proposal, claiming in the Parsi Junction (PJ) of September 20, 2020 that "the Doongerwadi land is specifically reserved only for disposal of (the) dead by dakhmenashini.”
But in the same issue Mehta’s onetime electoral ally and friend, publisher Maneck Davar contradicted the allegation noting, "Your argument about the trust deed of Doongerwadi is completely specious and without merit. There is no alternate method of disposal of the dead being practiced here. What is being asserted is the basic right to say prayers for the departed... Every right thinking Zoroastrian who believes in the dakhma should ask himself or herself: What if I lost my parents, spouse, child or sibling to Covid?”
Even former BPP trustee and onetime Mehta’s electoral ally Muncherji Cama stated in the same issue, "Nowhere does the trust deed say what you are quoting. All that the trust deed says is that the land is to be used for dakhmenashini and for Zoroastrian prayers. So according to the trust deed, the trustees have to allow all Zoroastrian prayers there, funeral or otherwise.”

Representational image of a dakhma at Doongerwadi

The controversy arose when the Bombay Municipal Corporation ruled that those who had died of Covid had to be cremated or buried. Some affected families who believe in the dakhmenashini mode of disposal approached BPP trustee Noshir Dadrawala to let at least the geh sarna prayers be performed at Doongerwadi even without the body being present. Dadrawala got an all-clear in writing from high priests Dasturs (Dr) Firoze Kotwal and Khurshed Dastoor.
High priests expressed their opinions through emails.
Kotwal: "In this case there is no corpse (nasa) and so no rituals like the sachkar or sagdid are required or needed and the prayer is merely recited near the dakhma, its rightful place. I reiterate that it is not recited as part of a funeral ceremony, but as a prayer for the solace, comfort and satisfaction of the living and the dead.”
Dastoor: "I am in total agreement with your genuine and practical views with regard to the geh sarna prayers to be performed at the Doongerwadi facing the dakhmas by two mobeds, but only for those who have succumbed to Covid-19 and have been forced to be cremated.
"Adhering to the scholarly and religious advice of Kotwal is the way forward in the face of the current crisis and will also bring respite to the families of those who may unfortunately succumb to this virus.
"Saying this, I would like to emphasize that this arrangement has to be temporary in nature and ONLY for those who are the unfortunate victims of Covid-19. It must be remembered that this practice must cease to exist as soon as the situation is in control.”
Dadrawala then initiated a WhatsApp (WA) discussion on the trustees’ group, noting: "Dear colleagues, (an elderly gentleman is) critical with covid. He and the entire family are keen to have two priests pray at Doongerwadi. Priests from Doongerwadi are ready to pray. In case he passes away, please let us allow the geh sarna to be performed by two priests facing the dakhma and rest of the ceremonies at Mehla Patel Agiary.”
BPP trustee Kersi Randeria replied: "The high priests including Kotwal (who is considered to be the final authority) have said this can be allowed. I am ok with the suggestion.”
BPP trustee Xerxes Dastur: "Let’s all discuss this as last time we said no. This decision should be left to the Vada Dasturjis and they should all confirm... This decision should be in their domain.”
Dadrawala: "Let’s not buy time... Kotwal was first to propose. Dastoor has given his approval in writing. Take a stand. This is our domain. Decide you want to be bold or be a coward.”
Dastur: "I did, last time remember the whole thing went for a toss. I would like to build consensus on this and proceed.”
BPP trustee Armaity Tirandaz: "Nosh do we have any written letters from our Vada Dasturs stating that this is only for those who expired due to Covid and wanted dakhmenashini, but perforce cremated? If so then I am ok for the geh sarna...on a temporary relief basis.”
Dadrawala: "Yes in writing from Khurshed and Kotwal.”
When Parsiana had sent WA messages to Dastur and BPP co-trustee Viraf Mehta eliciting their views, Dastur reiterated he wanted written confirmation from the high priests in response to a letter sent to them regarding their stand. Viraf did not reply.
As BPP chairman Yazdi Desai is recovering from a stroke, he has not been participating in the video meetings of the trustees. BPP trustee Zarir Bhathena expired on June 24, 2020. Elections for a new trustee have still to be scheduled.
On September 11, when Parsiana had posted a news item on its Facebook page that three of the five BPP trustees had agreed to the priests praying at Doongerwadi, an anonymous post on WA stated that Tirandaz had kept her decision on hold: "(Dinshaw) Mehta called up Armaity Tirandaz and requested her not to agree to anything which will put the Doongerwadi estate in danger...She has agreed...by putting her decision on hold,” the unnamed source claimed. Hanoz Mistry of The Parsee Voice, however, alleged Parsiana’s post had "indulged in sensationalism while pushing its own agenda based on half-truths and that no such decision to permit the geh sarna at Doongerwadi was taken by the BPP trustees.”
Dinshaw alleged that Dastoor had favored the suggestion because at that time the Worli Prayer Hall coordinator Ervad Framroze Mirza was charging Rs 48,000 for performing the geh sarna ceremony regardless of whether the party wanted the remaining three days’ ceremonies performed at the Prayer Hall or not. Dinshaw alleges that once Mirza agreed to charge only Rs 6,000 for the geh sarna ceremony, Dastoor was not in favor of the prayers being recited at Doongerwadi. But Dinshaw has not produced any written statement from Dastoor to substantiate that claim despite Dadrawala asking him to do so.
Fire temples have been permitted to perform the remaining ceremonies for Covid corpses that are cremated.
PJ, which is published by Dinshaw loyalist Kersi Sethna, has not carried any statement from Viraf on the controversy.