Fwd: Udvada Utsav - Protest against Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: TZML Admins
Date: Mon, Jan 4, 2016 at 2:40 AM
Subject: Udvada Utsav - Protest against Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor
To: TZML <TraditionalZarathushtris@yahoogroups.com>

3 January 2016

Dear humdins, Vada Dasturjis, Ervad Sahebs and the Parsi press,

There are many angry Parsis who have felt that there is a hidden reformist agenda beneath the recent Udvada Utsav.

Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor has broken many traditional rules. If Dasturji defends Darius Khambatta's speech instead of pointing out the errors in it, he is not doing his Dasturi duty. If  Khambatta had spoken similarly in the World Zoroastrian conference of 2013, why was he chosen as a speaker at the Udvada Utsav?

The position of a Vada Dasturji has certain traditional responsibilities attached to it, and defending the Zoroastrian tenets is one of them. Not allowing inter-marrieds and their children and non-Parsis into our religious institutions is one of them. Also, in explaining to the world at large that Zoroastrianism does not enjoin conversion of people from different religions. In that light, Dasturji Khurshed has clearly failed.

Many Parsis feel that he should be reprimanded by fellow nav-kutumbi mobeds of the Udvada Anjuman.

Or, he be suspended from the Dasturi position (gaadi) for a certain amount of time.

Enclosed below is a sincere letter of protest.

You may read today's Jame Jamshed Weekly for similar letters.

Sincerely

TZML Admins

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From: Hushang Vakil  [TMYZ] <TMYZ@yahoogroups.com>
Date: 3 January 2016

 

UDVADA UTSAV PROTEST 

Udvada -Iranshah, the most Sacred and Holy place on earth for us Parsee/Irani Mazdayazni Zarathushtis.

It is a specially consecrated holy ground and is dedicated or devoted to the "undisturbed" service of Ahura Mazda.

"Service of Ahura Mazda", which does not mean to satisfy the egoistic whims and fancies of some people who by glamorizing and showcasing Udvada and Iranshah have already destroyed and are destroying further its sacredness drawing unsocial elements and thieves, as recent robberies prove.

Our wise and noble ancestors chose a remote place, far away inside a village many, many, years ago when they had a choice, they could have chosen a place close to a station or in a city. Now why would they have chosen such a secluded place even then !?

Our forefathers were much wiser and even more far sighted than the present small thinking people who are shrinking at a faster speed, not in numbers but in our thoughts and deeds. They wanted Iranshah to be protected and hidden from the limelight and rightly so, as the sanctity of it was of paramount importance to its religious and spiritual function. It's this secluded sanctity that was ruined by the Utsav.

Therefore, before some of us begin to be smug and euphoric about the whole "Utsav" thing, let us carefully question the motive and the repercussions of the whole event.

These are the questions we need answered on an urgent basis.
1) Who are the trustees of Iranshah Atashbahram?
2) Had all of them given their consent and were the necessary permissions taken?
3) Government has already sanctioned 10 Cr. Which trust, committee, or organization has collected this amount? The community has the right to know how it was spent and if the accounts are maintained in a transparent manner.
4) If the Poonawalla's had sponsored the whole event, then why were the community members charged extra?

Why is it that when Dadar Ahura Mazda grants some Parsees wealth and intelligence, they or their next generations start loosing their sense of belonging to the community? They begin going against all that their forefathers stood for and detach themselves from strengthening the customs and traditions. Instead they attach themselves to their self-appeasing motivations being totally ignorant of religious rules.

Due to their high flying lifestyle and if they are intermarried or if some of their family members are, they then try to change the religious rules to accommodate their short term desires or support the whimsical members of our community who are sailing in the same boat.

Mr. Darius Khambatta has proved himself to be deeply ignorant as far as his religious knowledge is concerned... Anyone who makes a comment such as "Zarathustra was not a Parsi" is simply showing their complete lack of understanding for our history and religion.

Khurshed Dastoor had a reputation preceding his appointment as a Vada Dastur but the community chose to ignore and forgave him. The end result being, he putting the religion at great risk. He is henceforth never to be called as Vada Dastur, as he has lost all rights and respect to that title for having shown his true colours.

A procedure must be formulated and pressure increased on the other Vada Dasturjis and Anjumans to strip him of his Gadi, which he is not entitled to because of his reformist direction and supporting the ultra-liberal Zarathushtis. Surely Khambatta's speech must have been vetted and approved by the utsav committee and Khurshed Dastoor. Though he did not make the comments himself, he is known for his ultra-liberal slant and sanctioned Khambatta from saying whatever he pleases to the community. Therefore, this cannot be played off as only Khambatta's opinion, but rather Khurshed Dastoor's as well.

Now for the rest of the laity like you and me, so much was said about the eventual defilement caused by this "utsav" prior to the event. People liked it on FB and elsewhere and the same people went in hordes and enjoyed the food, fun and games and splashed pictures with misplaced pride all over.

Why do people fail to realize that our places of worship have very strict rules about not only who can enter, but how one should enter a place of worship, especially our Iranshah? Not only does one have to be of both Zarathushti parents, but they should also be wearing their Sudreh and Kusti and perform Padyab Kusti Prayers before entering.. This was grossly violated regardless of the organizing community's efforts. If control of this cannot be maintained, then either this event should not have been allowed to occur, or Iranshah should have shuttered its doors for the time being.

As a result of this event two things must happen. Firstly, Khurshed Dastoor must step down as Vada Dastur or be forcibly removed from his post. Secondly, if another Utsav is to occur (God forbid)  it MUST take into account the sanctity of our holy fire and adhere to the rules set forth by boiwallas who are faithfully adhering to all tarikats and looking after Iranshah day and night.

PIPZ Admns.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/proudlyparsi/

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Posted by: Hushang Vakil

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