Traditional Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism in action in the real world: The TATAS and Jamshedpur

2012-02-10T10:31:00.001+05:30

Zoroastrianism in action in the real world: The TATAS and Jamshedpur

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(This is Zoroastrianism in action, making the world a better place.
This is why, although we are Indians, the Parsees are indeed different
from the rest of the people in India, and why we must preserve our
unique identity).

Following is a note written by Lakshmi Mittal after his visit to TISCO recently.

"........I visited Jamshedpur over the weekend to see for myself an

India that is fast disappearing despite all the wolf-cries of people

like Narayanamurthy and his ilk. It is one thing to talk and quite

another to do and I am delighted to tell you that Ratan Tata has kept

alive the legacy of perhaps India's finest industrialist J.N. Tata.

Something that some people doubted when Ratan took over the House

of the Tata's but in hindsight, the best thing to have happened

to the Tata's is unquestionably Ratan. I was amazed to

see the extent of corporate philanthropy and this is no exaggeration.

For the breed that talks about corporate social responsibility and

talks about the role of corporate India, a visit to Jamshedpur is a

must. Go there and see the amount of money they pump into keeping

the town going; see the smiling faces of workers in a region known

for industrial unrest; see the standard of living in a city that is

almost isolated from the mess in the rest of the country.

This is not meant to be a puff piece. I have nothing to do with Tata

Steel, but I strongly believe the message of hope and the message

of goodness that they are spreading is worth sharing. The fact

that you do have companies in India which look at workers as

human beings and who do not blow their software trumpet of having

changed lives. In fact, I asked Mr. Muthuraman, the managing

director, as to why he was so quiet about all they had

done and all he could offer in return was a smile wrapped in humility,

which said it all. They have done so much more since I last

visited Jamshedpur, which was in 1992. The town has

obviously got busier but the values thankfully haven't changed.

The food is still as amazing as it always was and I gorged, as I would

normally do. I visited the plant and the last time I did that was

with Russi Mody. But the plant this time was gleaming and far from

what it used to be.

Greener and cleaner and a tribute to environment management. You could

have been in the mountains. Such was the quality of air I inhaled!

There was no belching smoke; no tired faces and so many more women

workers, even on the shop floor. This is true gender equality

and not the kind that is often espoused at seminars organised

by angry activists. I met so many old friends. Most of them

have aged but not grown old. There was a spring in the air

which came from a certain calmness which has always been the

hallmark of Jamshedpur and something I savoured for a full two

days in between receiving messages of how boring and decrepit

the lack lustre Fashion Week was.

Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata had created an edifice that is today

a robust company and it is not about profits and about valuation.

It is not about who becomes a millionaire and who doesn't'. It

is about getting the job done with dignity and respect keeping

the age-old values intact and this is what I learnt.

I jokingly asked someone as to whether they ever thought of joining an

Infosys or a Wipro and pat came the reply: "We are not interested

in becoming crorepatis [millionaires] but in making others crorepatis [millionaires]."

Which is exactly what the Tata's have done for years in and around Jamshedpur.

Very few people know that Jamshedpur has been selected as a UN Global

Compact City, edging out the other nominee from India, Bangalore.

Selected because of the quality of life, because of the conditions

of sanitation and roads and welfare. If this is not a tribute to

industrial India, then what is? Today, India needs several Jamshedpurs

but it also needs this Jamshedpur to be given its fair due, its

recognition. I am tired of campus visits being publicised to the

Infosys and the Wipro's of the world.

Modern India is being built in Jamshedpur as we speak. An India built

on the strength of core convictions and nothing was more apparent

about that than the experiment with truth and reality that

Tata Steel is conducting at Pipla.

Forty-eight tribal girls (yes, tribal girls who these corrupt and evil

politicians only talk about but do nothing for) are being educated

through a residential program over nine months. I went to visit them

and I spoke to them in a language that they have just learnt:

Bengali. Eight weeks ago, they could only speak in Sainthali, their

local dialect. But today, they are brimming with a confidence

that will bring tears to your eyes. It did to mine. One of them

has just been selected to represent Jharkand in the state archery

competition. They have their own women's football team and what's more

they are now fond of education. It is a passion and not a burden.

This was possible because I guess people like Ratan Tata and Muthurman haven't

sold their souls to some business management drivel, which tells us

that we must only do business and nothing else. The fact that not

one Tata executive has been touched by the Naxalites in that area

talks about the social respect that the Tata'shave earned.

The Tata's do not need this piece to be praised and lauded. My intent

is to share the larger picture that we so often miss in the haze of

the slime and sleaze that politics imparts. My submissions to those

who use phrases such as "feel-good" and "India Shining" is first

visit Jamshedpur to understand what it all means. See Tata Steel in

action to know what companies can do if they wish to. And

what corporate India needs to do.

Murli Manohar Joshi would be better off seeing what Tata Steel has

done by creating the Xavier Institute of Tribal Education rather

than by proffering excuses for the imbroglio in the IIMs. This

is where the Advanis and Vajpayees need to pay homage.

Not to all the Sai Babas and the Hugging saints that they

are so busy with. India is changing inspite of them and

they need to realise that.

I couldn't have spent a more humane and wonderful weekend. Jamshedpur

is an eyeopener and a role model, which should be made mandatory

for replication. I saw corporate India actually participate in basic

nation-building, for when these tribal girls go back to their

villages, they will return with knowledge that will truly be

life-altering. Corporate India can do it but most of the time

is willing to shy away.

For those corporate leaders who are happier winning awards and

being interviewed on their choice of clothes, my advise is visit

Tata Steel, spend some days at Jamshedpur and see a nation's

transformation. That is true service and true nationalism.

Tata Steel will celebrate 100 years of existence in 2007. It won't be

just a milestone in this company's history. It will be a milestone,

to my mind of corporate transparency and generosity in this country.

It is indeed fitting that Ratan Tata today heads a group which has

people who are committed to nation-building than just building

influence and power.

JRD must be smiling wherever he is. And so must Jamshedji Nusserwanji.

These people today have literally climbed every last blue mountain.

And continue to do so with vigour and passion. Thank god for the Tata's !"

Rebuttal to Homi Dhalla's letter

2012-02-07T19:01:00.001+05:30

From: Pervin Mistry

Cc: Bombay Samachar ; Homi Dhalla

Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 10:25 AM

Dear Kaizad,

Thank you for sending Mr. Adi Doctor's excellent reply. I am posting the entire article of Dr. Homi Dhalla written in favour of matrilineality. Also adding some observations of my own in blue.

Sincerely,

pervin

WHY OSTRACIZE INTERMARRIED PARSI WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN? A BRIEF HOLISTIC STUDY

By Dr. Homi Dhalla—BOMBAY SAMACHAR—Feb. 5, 2012

The question about children of mixed marriages, i.e. between a non-Parsi father and a Parsi mother has been simmering for decades and even today it continues to remain as tangled as ever.

Being a neutral voice, I am neither an orthodox nor a reformist but a pragmatist. And I believe that in this discussion, questioning, criticism and dissent must be valued.

A "prgamatist" would write that BOTH sexes are condemned for intermarriage, as the scriptures reveal and not make the illogical statement that if intermarried men are accepted women too should be accepted! Patrilineality is long since held as an Obiter Dicta, i.e. NOT binding on the community, by 3 sitting Judges of the Bombay HC! Instead of "discussion, questioning, criticism and dissent" why not advocate obedience to the laws of the religion? A true pragmatist would!

I for one am not in favour of intermarriage and would not encourage it. But as the statistics for intermarriages in Mumbai for the year 2010 has increased to 38% and we have not been able to arrest this trend. We ought to examine this situation in new light and with great discretion. Are we to ostracize these intermarried mothers and discard their children?

According to the Davar-Beaman Judgement of 1906, only the offspring of Parsi fathers and non-Parsi mothers were to be admitted into our fold. But in the last 100 years much water has flowed.

Zarathushtra laid down the magna carta of gender equality

Although he lived in a patriarchal society he emphasized the idea of gender equality.

What is pertinent to our discussion here is that out of the six Holy Immortals, three are masculine while the others are feminine aspects. I quote Dr. I. J. S. Taraporewalla who had stated that:

"It is rather remarkable that three out of the six Holy Immortals should represent the masculine aspects of God and the other three the feminine aspect. This is but one of the many hints we get in Zoroaster's religion of the absolute equality of the sexes."

Zarathushtra was not only a Prophet but also a reformer who transformed the religious landscape of his period

Indeed, Asho Zarathushtra was a "reformer" who got rid of the devayasni practices that had creeped in the Mazdayasni camp and reformed the Mazdayasni religion to the Mazdayasni Zarathushti Religion! He did not convert others but only those who had fallen victims to the Devayasnis (unrighteousness) back into the Mazdayasni fold! This is why we maintain that we are Mazdayasnis and follow the Mazdayasni Zarathushti Religion as taught by Asho Zarathushtra, "Mazdayasno ahmi mazdaysno Zarathushtrish"! This declaration of fiath does not indicate or support conversion from religion to religion as some conclude!

When one studies the early history of the world's religions, we come to the conclusion that all Prophets were also reformers and Zarathushtra was no exception. When he propounded his religion at the early dawn of history, the Mazdaysni religion was already in existence.

The crucial role of the Divine Feminine in various cultures

The Divine Feminine is an immaculate force in Creation. Feminine energy, which is woven into the cultural fabric, nurtures, heals, comforts and motivates. It manifests itself in different goddesses across various cultures. The tradition of invoking female deities is an integral part of most ancient cultures.

In ancient Iran, position of women was exalted. Slaves too enjoyed rights

The position of women serves as an index to the condition of an age. Several references in our scriptures point to the fact that women enjoyed a high status in society. In the Aiwisruthrem Gah we come across the term nmano paiti and nmano pathni which terms connote the 'lord of the house' and the 'lady of the house.' This shows that a wife enjoyed an equal status at home.

The Pahlavi text Madigan-i-Hazar Datistan (the Digest of a Thousand Points of Law) deals exhaustively with the rights of a woman, wife and daughter. Women were allowed to select their own husbands and widows were allowed to re-marry. They could hold property and represent themselves in court. She could legally conduct her husband's case in court. Qualified women were appointed as judges. Some of these women had also evolved to a lofty spiritual stature and hence the Avestan allusion to women saints. It is thus evident from our scriptures that Iranian law firmly upheld numerous rights and privileges of the wife, which for obvious reasons cannot be discussed here.

This Pahlavi text speaks about the rights of women but does it anywhere refer to the rights of intermarried women? No! Nowhere in this Text are intermarried women referred to as having their "rights" on the religion and those rights as "accepted"!

The mother not only nurtures life but also sustains it.

It is the mother who nurtures the child in her womb for nine months --- It is her blood that transforms it into a miracle of life! Modern genetics shows that though the genetic information of the child is encoded in the nucleus of the cells (both paternal and maternal), there is the cytoplasm mitochondria or energy producing organelles that have their own genetic code. Being in the cytoplasm, it is strictly passed on from mother to child and like any other gene can have effects, favorable or deleterious. This shows that the mother has a special place in the genesis of the child.

Empowerment of women

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights also emphasizes equality of sexes.

Gender equality is a Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

The central challenge for the global community --- to ensure a decent life and opportunities for all people, took tangible form in the Millennium Declaration of World Leaders in September 2000. This led to the Millennium Development Goals. The Goal to bring about gender equality is one of the MDGs.

Please read carefully! Here, the MDG is referring to "ensure a decent life and opportunities" because till today, in many countries, women are still unable to vote or drive a car or be considered with respect by the male members of their society. Where does it talk about religious rights? Nowhere! Pragmatically, it is dishonest to hoodwink the gullible!

'UN Women'-further enhancement of the status of women.

Michella Bachelet, former President of Chile is now the Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General of 'UN Women'. She states that "Women across the world enjoy far greater opportunities and various forms of freedom than compared to the past. It has been a very slow and peaceful revolution underpinned by a tremendous transformation of legal rights. Almost all countries have signed international conventions signaling their commitment to outlawing discrimination against women. Nearly 140 national constitutions specifically guarantee gender equality.

"Without a doubt, women's strength, industry and wisdom are humanity's greatest untapped resource. It is potential we simply can't afford to continue to waste. It was this recognition that led to the formation of 'UN Women', which brings together all the UN gender equality agencies under my leadership. It was our recognition that addressing the justice gap was crucial to removing the barriers to equality which made it the subject of our first report-Progress of the World's Women: In Pursuit of Justice".

Here again, women's social and economic issues are addressed. Not religious rights. Please read the article very carefully because all the evidence provided refers ONLY to social and economic rights! A religion too has RIGHTS to exist without interference from the political law and how many religious communities will the law address to adapt to change if the law infringes on religious mandates? Although the Christian women rights' group demanded their rights to conduct rituals and held protests at the Vatican, the last Pope John Paul II held firm and did NOT give in because it went against the belief and practice of the Christian religion! Which government interfered and demanded that in the US, Italy or anywhere else tha Catholics accept women priests? None! There is still religious freedom given by all govenrments in all developed countries!

Un Secretary-General Ban- Ki-moon called July 2, 2010, a "watershed day". That was when the General Assembly approved the creation of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - known simply as 'UN Women'. This would finally give half the world's population the high-profile platform it deserved.

Britannia strikes a historic blow in favour of women's rights

On October 29, 2011, 16 countries that recognize the British monarch as head of state struck a historic blow in favour of women's rights by abolishing male precedence in the order of succession to the throne. The decision to overturn the centuries-old tradition known as primogeniture was also accompanied by the scrapping of a constitutional prohibition on the monarch marrying a Roman Catholic. Prime Minister David Cameroon of UK said that these changes would sweep aside outdated rules that "just don't make sense to us any more".

Again, this primogeniture word is used to lull the gullible into awe! Read what it says! It only addresses the issue of a Protestant monarch marrying a Catholic which till now was banned in Britain! But, both sects are Christian! By no means is intermarriage or acceptence of matrilineality referred to! Please do not get taken in by all this mumbo-jumbo! The Catholic church does not permit divorce and so when Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife and remarry, Britain was "converted" from Catholic to Protestant but it is like saying a shenshai married a kadmi and therefore converted to the Kadmi sect!! Gosh, how can an educated scholar give these excuses to demand women's so-called religious rights? I wonder!

This momentous decision was taken in Perth, Australia, where Commonwealth heads of government were holding a summit meeting. Queen Elizabeth ll who has been supportive of this move, was also present in her capacity as head of the Commonwealth, when this announcement was made.

Supreme Court of India: "All forms of discrimination on grounds of gender is violative of fundamental freedoms and human rights"

The Constitution of India has provided for safeguards for life and liberty and due to changing socio-economic times, the explanation and interpretation has been expanded to include all living beings.

I refer very briefly to two judgements of the Supreme Court of India which are relevant to this discussion:

In the case of Valsamma Paul (Mrs.) v. Cochin University, (1996) 3 SCC 545, the Supreme Court of India after considering the various Articles of the Constitution including Articles 14 and 21, the Hon. Court held that:

"Human Rights are derived from the dignity and worth inherent in the human person. Human rights and fundamental freedoms have been reiterated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and have mutual reinforcement. The human rights for women, including girl child are, therefore, inalienable, integral and an indivisible part of universal human rights. The full development of personality and fundamental freedoms and equal participation by women in political, social, economic and cultural life are concomitants for national development, social and family stability and growth - cultural, social and economical. All forms of discrimination on grounds of gender is violative of fundamental freedoms and human rights."

Yes, do read again and again and one does not have to be a lawyer to smell a deceit. Here again, the government deals with human rights issues which involve "fundamental freedoms and equal participation by women in political, social, economic and cultural life" and refers to cultural, social and economic growth ONLY! Nowhere does it mention that the Govt. of India gives religious freedom to intermarried Hindu women to enter their sacred consecarted temples which are till today banned to the Hindu intermarried women! There will be social riots all over India IF a law was passed which hinder a religion from being followed as per its mandated scriptures and age-old traditions! Please do not get carried away by high sounding words and demonstation of legal advice! India grants full independence to all religions to carry on with their mandated scriptural doctrines and traditions! Dr. Sayedna, the respected leader of the Bohri community, has proven so in the Supreme Court! In India there is still discrimination against women regarding the right of inheritence to her husband's property. Women are still set on fire on the issue of "dowri" and there is domestic violence. It is these socio-economic laws that are addressed as an issue of equality! No religious reforms are mentioned or will be dealt with!

In various judgements delivered by the Supreme Court of India from time to time, the Hon. Court has held that "...The world has witnessed a sea change. The right of equality of women vis-a-vis their male counterparts is accepted worldwide. It will be immoral to discriminate a woman on the ground of sex. It is forbidden both in the domestic law as also international law..." (Paras 33 and 36) John Vallamattom v. Union of India, (2003) 6 SCC 611

In October 2011, Mr. Darius Khambatta, Additional Solicitor General of India stated that "The wife has a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India (right to life) to use any name including her married name notwithstanding the fact that her marriage has been dissolved".

Please read what Mr. Darius Khambatta, Additional Solicitor General of India states. Here again, only the wife's right regarding using any name whether or not her marriage is dissolved or not, is mentioned! She is entitled to use her married name of her maiden name. That is all! This does not refer to intermarried women's rights in favour of matrilineality on any community, at all! Take care when you read this paper! It is all golam-gol.

Expanding rights of children

Several Articles in the Constitution of India safeguard the rights of children. In recent months, two important decisions of the Supreme Court of India are relevant.

On December 2, 2000, Justice Sam Bharucha, the ex-Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India inaugurated the meeting of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India at Jamshedpur. In his address, he referred to the performance of the navjote of a child born to an intermarried Parsi mother. Inter alia he said, "...I must go on to add that the Anjumans and Punchayats should consider the admission into the faith, by the performance of the navjote, of a child born to a Parsi mother and a non Parsi father, provided such child is the product of wedlock and the father is a consenting party. I know that a judgement delivered long back by the Bombay High Court would seem to be standing in the way, but if the Anjumans and Punchayats all resolve that this is the appropriate practice to adopt and the practice is challenged on the strength of that judgement, it can, given the change in the circumstances, be over-ruled."

Even Justice Sam Bharucha, the respected ex-Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India maintains that a judgement is delivered by the High Court of Bombay against matrilineality. Sadly, the anjumans and punchayats are encouraged to challenge this judgement and have it over-ruled! But we pray that the followers too will be heard and our traditions, rituals and age-old customs will prevail, by help from Ahura Mazda!

Then why are some Parsis supporting gender discrimination?

Why are some knowingly disobeying religious laws and then enforce their "rights" on the community?

This is not conversion

Conversion and acceptance are the two sides of a coin as very clearly pointed by Dasturji Hormazdyar Kayoji Mirza! It is only because of intermarriage that the progeny demand acceptance and then also the right of the juddin spouse/parent to be religiously accepted!

Every time an intermarried child is refused admission into the faith, it causes pain, anxiety and a sense of rejection in the confused mind of a mother. Even when her non-Parsi spouse has no objection about their child being initiated into the Zoroastrian faith, the community slams the door into her face. We should thus dismantle the barriers of insecurity for these women by upholding their rights and allow their children to be admitted into our fold. If we allow a child of an intermarried Parsi woman into the Zoroastrian fold, it cannot be termed as 'conversion'---this is 'acceptance'.

There are some who contend that in other patriarchal societies, the children of intermarried girls are not accepted. This does not help our case. This argument does not hold good because of the drastically dwindling population of our community. The problem of numbers is not so acute in other communities.

Of course this helps our case regarding numbers! The remedy proposed is worst than the dwindling numbers! As it has been stated again and again and by many, even by Dasturji Dabu that if a glass is half filled with milk and if we add water to increase the level, what will we have? Neither pure milk nor water but BOTH will be diluted and mixed! So, to address the depleting numbers a hara-kiri is proposed and our numbers did become zero in communities in Europe and China and elsewhere where "acceptance" was practised! We have never been a large community since the past millennium. Numbers do NOT count where quality and survival are at stake! There are many microscopic communities in North America itself who do not accept any outsiders, not even Christians into their fold although all Christians hold Lord Jesus Christ to be their Prophet! Endangered species are never interbred but only within their own sub-species as in the endangered species of birds (condors) and animals (white tigers)! The mixture of two species of tigers, white with the other tigers does not produce white tigers! Any human progeny too inherits two religions, cultures and social norms. To them, there is no pride in being affiliated or identified with any one group! They do not look at others at "them" and "us" but only as one world society. But these good folks need to consider if the one world economy and trade rules have benefitted our financial position throughout the world or brought the whole world on the brink of bankruptsy and financial crisis! The same is applicable to religious orders too because religion is not a system of democracy but being revealed, is meant to be followed by putting aside the interest of a few in the greater interset of the survival of the many, i.e. a religious community's survival! Our religion teaches about the One World Community as the Universal Brotherhood of Ardafravash to which we all belong to but yet, we respect the rights of all other religions to exist and respect the diversity in Nature which is Willed by the Almighty Himself! Are we all really the same or should we celebrate the differences and accept these with grace and wisdom?

Let us not forget that when Mr. R. D. Tata who was the father of the late Mr. J. R. D. Tata evinced a desire to marry a French lady, Suzanne Briere, it was the learned High Priest, Dastur Kaikhooshroo Jamaspji who performed her Navjote ceremony.

Moreover it is a known fact that although Sir Ness Wadia, father of Mr. Neville Wadia was a born Zoroastrian, he converted to Christianity through the Church of England and Married a Christian lady by following Christian rites. Their son Mr. Neville Wadia who was baptized in the Church of England, till the age of 80 years he remained a Christian. Later when he wished to become a Zoroastrian, his Navjote was performed although he had a non-Parsi mother and a father who had converted to Christianity!

In this context, there was a letter written by the late Dasturji Dr. Hormazdiar Mirza and Dasturji Dr. Kaikhushroo JamaspAsa wherein a reason for the performance of this Navjote was mentioned. They considered this as an exception. Why should religious injunctions be so flexibly interpreted? Why should our scriptures be interpreted to suit the convenience of a millionaire (who was a Christian for 80 years of his life and had a non-Parsi mother) and the same right be denied to a child of a Parsi mother who has been practising Zoroastrianism all her life?

It is truly sad that the "exception" did not remain so as is normally the practice! It becomes the norm! Also, no intermarried can claim he/she is practising the religion when the very mandate of NOT marrying out is thrown to the winds! This should also be taken into account! Religion must hold first preference in one's life and that is why even the pious lady Jebai Wadia did not ever accept her son Sir Ness as a Parsi Zrathushti! Even her written Will is disregarded!

Conclusion

On October 7, 2011, the Nobel Prize Committee in Oslo, Norway, recognized the brave deeds of three remarkable women by awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to them. They are Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. They leave behind a legacy of inspiration for future generations. Ban-ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General said, "This award could not be better chosen. It underscores the role that women play in the advancement of peace and security, development and human rights".

Through this selection, the Nobel Prize Committee has acknowledged that given equal opportunities in governance and development, women pull others - children, families, more women - into an expanding circle of benefits that encompasses education, healthcare, employment and peace. One empowered woman empowers many other people, functioning as she does in an interlocking system of kinship and societal links. Empowered women mean empowered Societies. Women have been agents of not only social but also political change as can be seen in the important role they have played in the Arab Spring. In some cases they have led their countries in the capacity of presidents or prime ministers.

Definitely! But throughout this whole paper women's social and economic rights are addressed! Where is religion mentioned or religious rights of women who disobey and get intermarried? Scripturally, even the men are forbidden! Our religion is NOT bound to accept even intermarried men as this law is an Obiter as well! This is why the followers wish to be left in peace to follow their religion WITHOUT any alterations or enforced changes!

Another interesting development has helped in dismantling what may be described as the last and most formidable gender barrier. Under its new policy introduced by the Australian government in September 2011, women can join the military in any role they choose --- including combat roles. This was for decades regarded strictly as a male preserve. Thus Australia has now joined three other countries---Israel, Canada and New Zealand in allowing women to join front-line combatants.

Zarathushti women too have held prominent positions in various fields of their specialization. These trailblazers have now taken up the profession of priestesses in Iran which is welcome news. Close on the heels of this, was the heart-warming news from the Karachi Parsi Anjuman Trust Fund (KPATF) granting equal rights for intermarried Zoroastrians. Let us in India take a cue from them and not ostracize intermarried Parsi women.

Some friends have been categorically told by the President of the Karachi Anjuman that no such "equal" rights are given to women. This news needs to be confirmed in writing by the President himself! And even if correct, all do not have to follow the mistake of some!

Demographically, the community hangs by a thread due to our fast depleting numbers. Every year, there are far higher number of deaths than births. The writing on the wall is clear, that we are going down a slippery slope. Since the very survival of the community is at stake, we should welcome every child of an intermarried Parsi mother into our fold, especially when the non-Parsi husband is a consenting party.

What? By adding water to milk and diluting both? Do consider that we have survived as a religious community against ALL odds ONLY because we followed our religion, its customs, traditions, rituals and scriptures without altering these!

Today, we live in a world which is in rapid transformation. In India, judicial activism has played a crucial role in socio-economic and cultural transformation. I conclude by quoting from the above judgement of justice Ganguly of the Supreme Court of India which is relevant to our discussion: "With changing social norms of legitimacy in every society, including ours, what was illegitimate in the past may be legitimate today. The concept of legitimacy stems from social consensus, in the shaping of which various social groups play a vital role. Very often, a dominant group loses its primacy over other groups in view of ever-changing socio-economic scenario and the consequential vicissitudes in human relationship. Law takes its own time to articulate such social changes through a process of amendment. That is why in a changing society, law cannot afford to remain static".

Yes, again and again, what is harped upon is the SOCIO-ECONOMIC scenario that needs to be changed in India for women of other communities who are still being discriminated against, set on fire, be subjected to domestic violence and deprived of their economic rights! SHOW one instance where religious reforms are mentioned! Nowhere! Because India gives full freedom to every religion to follow its own mandated disciplines!

Thank you for your time but do NOT get carried away by these high-sounding statements and legal threats! Ahura Mazda is the Best Judge of all! There IS Divine Justice which is immutable and no exceptions are ever made! Such is His Law!

All words in BLUE by Mrs. Pervin Mistry.

All other words by Dr. Homi Dhalla.

Response to the speech delivered by Ms. Shahin Bakhradnia

2012-02-04T11:37:00.004+05:30

From: Pervin Mistry

Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:06 AM

Subject: Re: Response to the speech delivered by Ms. Shahin Bakhradnia

Dear Friends,

Recently, the Association of Intermarried Zoroastrians (AIMZ) and WZO-UK invited a guest speaker, Ms. Shahin Bekhradnia of UK to give a speech on the religious differences between Iran and India. Of course there are differences because in Iran there is no religious freedom and our community has to give in to political pressures and also suffer absolutely unimaginable inhumane persecution since the time of the Arab conquest! This is recorded by many scholars who visited Iran including Prof. Jackson. It is remarkable that our religion survived in Iran throgh the centuries under such trying circumstances. It survived only because our ancestors staunchly followed the mandated tenets which saved our religion and community from many holocausts and destruction of our sacred scriptures! However, it is sad that during the last part of the 20th century our Irani brothers and sisters wished to depart from the age-old customs, traditions, rituals, etc. to please the Muslim oppressors and become more like them in order to be accepted as equals! This attitude has brought about a loss of many valuable traditions, customs and rituals, to preserve which, their own ancestors sealed their fate in blood and some left Iran for other more tolerent countries.

It is to be mentioned again and again that it was only and only in India that the Parsi/Irani immigrants survived as a living, practicing religious community! The other groups who left Iran and went to Europe and the East (China) perished as religious communities because they did not obey the closed door policy and were absorbed into the host cultures and religions! These groups preserved only some social customs but not the religion which was changed to suit their diaspora outside of Iran and which was therefore soon forgotten because altered time and again to suit the changing societal needs. This is a warning to the new diaspora around the world that IF we, as a microscopic community, will not stanuchly adhere to our revealed and mandated rituals, customs, traditions and scriptures we will also become history and follow the fate of the other groups outside of Iran and India remaining "Parsi-Irani Zarathushtis" only in name!

It is very important that our youth do not get carried away by such speeches but know the truth first and then make up their mind. There is no freedom without responsibility and if one generation gives up a ritual or tradition the next does not follow but forgets the particular ritual, custom which was discarded. So please read the response given in purple and do pass it on.

Please do not destroy what we have preserved through countless centuries, through obedience and faith! We do not know the working of the unseen spiritual world and its effects on us and our physical world. We do not commune with Ahura Mazda and have not yet perfected our senses, leave alone our mind which is bound by the two opposing mentalities and is not yet spiritually "enlightened". Therefore, it is not for us to destroy what we do not know! Please stand up and protect your religion from those who wish to change it for the sake of change alone, for modernity! These people do not realize that our religion is already very modern and in keeping with the greatest discoveries of science! The reply is long but the explanation has to be given, from history and from the scriptures!

Thank you all for your patience.

Sincerely,

Pervin J. Mistry

SOME DIFFERENCES IN PRACTICE AND BELIEFS BETWEEN ZARTOSHTIES OF IRAN AND PARSEES.
by Shahin Bekhradnia

Below is the copy of a speech given by Shahin Bekhradnia, President WZO, at a function organized by AIMZ on Wednesday 21st December 2011 in Mumbai.

Mrs. Mistry's rebuttal to this speech is in BLUE.

I would like to start by thanking my kind hosts for inviting me here to address you and for making this forum available for the open but civilized exchange of views. I would like to make it clear from the outset that I am not against rituals – indeed far from it as I adore the pomp, ceremony and pageant of ritual. However, it makes it so much more interesting and effective if they are meaningful to us.

Our rituals are indeed very interesting and meaningful. Many of our Dasturjis know their meaning and many of us listen to their explanations. I am reminded of the saying, "seek and ye shall find". Are today's youth interested in learning about the religion or are most of them intoxicated with the freedom of choice and their rights to do what they think is correct? We need to encourage the youth to attend religious classes and learn the scriptures as well as our history.

Wearing white or green head covers on religious occasions is expected by Zartoshties from Iran and the choice of black hats that many Parsee men don we find contrary to our principles of colour symbolism. Black has always been seen as the colour of Islam and of negative forces so we feel that is is totally inappropriate when men cover their heads with black caps. Similarly it is a matter of some concern in terms of hygiene when we find pious Parsees, undoubtedly full of good intentions, covering their heads with handkerchiefs they fish out of their pockets which are either previously or later seen to be used for their intended nasal functions. No less perplexing is the sight of people covering their heads with their hands, sheets of paper etc. While we realise that these acts are attempts to communicate their religiosity, we do not believe that Ahura Mazda will think of us as lesser humans if we show our respect for the occasion in other ways, even with open heads if we have forgotten our scarves and hats.

At our temples, our doors are open for all who wish to come there. Admittedly there may be some who come with evil intent, but even in these recent years where our community have been particularly vulnerable there have been few reasons to regret this policy. The same goes for the attendance at our All Souls memorial services of Farvardigan just after Novruz and also the gahambar period just before Novruz. Our respect for the souls of the dead is not a selfish closed matter. We empathise with all who have lost their loved ones and we welcome all who with their own free choice have embraced the same way of thinking as ourselves.

In Iran, there are certain restrictions against juddins entering our temples! There is a special door and room set up for juddins who wish to enter the Yazd 'Atash-Behram'! This was so constructed when Queen Farah wanted to go inside! Please note that in Iran there is no freedom of religion as we Parsis know of in India! Not only was this special entrance created but also a special thick red colored glass window was put up from which a juddin, including the Royal family, may gaze at the fire! All this was done at Yazd to protect the direct gaze of a juddin falling upon our fire, as is the custom. For the Zarathushtis, there is another entrance where they may stand and pray close to the kebla directly in front of the fire, as in India!

There are other places too near Yazd, where, if juddins come, they see the fire and go away but the real fire is safe from prying eyes! In Iran, the Parsis cannot do much except to comply with the wish of the Muslim intruder because of persecution! In every temple, there is a photo of Ayatollah Khomeini and Iran's President on either side of the portrait of Asho Zarathushtra. Why not ask the Parsis of India to do the same? Would Miss Bekhradnia? In Iran, there are rules which still discriminate against the 'Zoroastrians'! Hence, to make a blank statement comparing Iran and India is absurd. However, things are changing and these days many Muslims in Iran respect the Zarathushtis and respect our religion too. They respect us for our policy of non-conversion; they do not tolerate the Bahii's because they proselyte the Muslims.

There are temples in India where the Hindus do not permit entry to non-Hindus but also to those who are intermarried! There are mosques wherein the Shi'is and Sunnis do not permit each other to enter and the same with the orthodox and reformist Jews regarding entry into their synagogues! Areas within the Vatican's St. Peter's are also banned to those not designated to enter! We are not unique in not permitting juddins to enter our consecrated places of worship. We have our religious rules and many of us obey these age-old customs and rules.

In the temples we do not prostrate ourselves and kiss the step leading to the Afrignuni nor do we kiss the railings around it. This is considered as an irrational and alien way to behave, customs adopted from other cultures which surround us. Similarly placing a dab of ash on the forehead is simply not an Iranian practice, but undoubtedly echoes the Tila which has been adopted from Hindu practice.

We all know that at our initiation ceremonies we are given the sedreh and koshti to wear as the distinct emblems of belonging to our faith group. The sedreh pushi ceremony known to Parsees as Navjote is an important rite of passage and a significant milestone for a person, whenever it may be undertaken. However Iranian Zoroastrians do not suddenly lose their validity just because their parents may never have arranged the ceremony or because they may choose not to wear these emblems of their faith all the time after they have had their ceremony. It is a fact that the vast majority of Iranian Zoroastrians both in Iran as well as outside, do not wear the sedreh/koshti as faithfully as Parsees. My priestly grandfather did not regard these symbols as issues which would make or break the community's identity and indeed he was right. We may not be renewing our spiritual strength as some priests would maintain but that is to our detriment and does not affect anyone else.

Of course, if the mandated discipline of wearing sudreh-kusti is willy-nilly discarded, it is not only detrimental to the one discarding it, as Ms. Bhekhradnia agrees, but it also affects the community as well – in a very detrimental way! This is a religious issue and not a personal issue. It is not for us to choose which religious disciplines are to be discarded and which ones should be followed! Unlike democracy, religion is revealed; it is not for an individual to choose and alter what one likes or dislikes. If we could choose only wisely and progressively, there would have been spiritual progress and peace all over the world and no need for the Almighty to send His Appointed Prophets to show the Path of Religion to humanity! We do not always choose wisely because the mind is bound by the two opposing mentalities, the good and the bad! Doctors do not prescribe the same medication to one and all and we do not challenge or disobey the doctor for physical ailments; similarly, the reason why we are born to a specific religion and why certain spiritual disciplines vary in different religions is best known to the Almighty and to our immortal, therefore omniscient soul who obeys the Divine Will and is born into a specific religion with specific mandated disciplines which best suits its spiritual needs.

Sudreh and kusti are not mere symbols. These are worn by the Spiritual Beings as well, as revealed in the Holy Avesta.

Our community numbers have continued to grow and our identity has not weakened just because we do not all wear these symbolic garments. We are not shocked nor do we judge a person's worth or authenticity by whether or not they are wearing these outwards symbols. I stress this because I and a number of Iranian Zoroastrian friends were denied access to some temples in India some years ago merely because we could not persuade the doorkeeper that we were true Zoroastrians. The only thing which would have convinced him was the production of a sedreh and koshti which he demanded to see and which none of us was wearing. It may not have occurred to him that anyone could quite simply put these on and produce them for his inspection, whereas it would have been a lot more difficult for someone to learn the Avesta which we recited fluently without any success in convincing the doorman that we had every entitlement to enter the temple. Nor did our ability to converse in Dari have any effect whereas an Iranian Zoroastrian knows well that Dari is the spoken language of Yazdi and Kermani Zoroastrians.

If you join a certain group, say the girl guides, you will have to wear the uniform to belong to this group, to attend their meetings and any other dress will not be allowed. If you join an army, you cannot go into any battle or into the army camp without the specific uniform! Sudreh-kusti are our uniform that identify us as the soldiers in Ahura Mazda's army fighting to defeat 'angre-mainyu' and usher in Frashogard. Also, how is veneration to the sacred fire possible without first performing the kusti ritual? Please, do read the scriptures and the Pahlavi Texts written in Iran between the 9^th and the 11^th centuries AD when the times were really bad for our community in Iran! Yet, the Din-Dasturs of Iran have mandated that one is committing a sin if one does not wear the sudreh-kusti all the time. Even food was 'haram' if these sacred vestures were not put on! Our ancestors in Iran gave their lives because they were identified due to wearing sudreh-kusti. It is sad that when our brethren in Iran were persecuted inhumanely, they did not give up sudreh-kusti or the performance of Yasna but only in the last century when religious tolerance was accepted to some degree, the community, to please the Muslims and appear to be like them, started giving up our mandated rituals, traditions including the wearing of sudreh-kusti! Even then, due to being persecuted, the members of our community did NOT enter the fire temples without first donning the sudreh-kusti; they put on these sacred garments when they entered the fire temples as these were left at the door for the devotees to put on, do the kusti ritual and only then enter in the presence of the sacred fire! However, the danger is that if one generation does not follow a religious discipline, the next never takes to the forgotten but essential discipline and this way, what is requisite loses its religious importance and significance. These are facts!

We all know that our religion is enlightened from many perspectives, one of which is the pride we take in the equal treatment of men and women which is demonstrated in the Gathas wherein the text addresses both genders. This approach establishing women as the partners and equals of men in furthering good deeds and making the earth more bountiful was practised in domestic and political life so that we had Zoroastrian queens when there were no male heirs and sometimes women ran the household even when their men folk were not absent (as evidenced in the Herbedstan). In Iran Zoroastrian girls were the first females to attend schools, go to university, become professionals and maintain a high level of literacy among women in a country where this was far from the norm.

In keeping with this tradition it should come as no surprise although when the news broke it may have shocked the more conservative participants to learn that women used to and continue to fulfil priestly functions in the absence of adequate men. This is a living tradition and in London our recently arrived Mobed from Iran is helped by his wife when performing ceremonies. The authenticity of this tradition is confirmed by lines in the Herbedestan text in which a question is asked which makes it clear that it was quite well established that both women and men might attend priestly college. And yet there are Parsees who find the thought of a female undertaking priestly duties revolting – so much for enlightened thinking and traditions supported by historical literary sources. (at the time of writing this article recently 8 female Mobedyars were confirmed in Iran)

Of course, "women used to and continue to fulfill some priestly functions in the absence of adequate men". But it a misleading statement because the Arabs had killed most of the priests as well as learned men! Therefore, due to such dire circumstances, the Pahlavi Text, Shayast-la Shayast, states that women were compelled to perform certain basic ceremonies such as sudreh-pushi (navjote) and obsequies. However, it has never been proven or accepted (due to the stringent rules of purity) that women ever performed the Pav Mahal or the Higher Rituals such as the Ijeshne, Vendidad, Nirangdin ceremonies, or were initiated as navar and maretab to become mobeds in Iran even when there were not many mobeds and men left alive. Even today, in Iran, women do tend the fires of atash-gahs, but these are not consecrated atash and there is no "bui" ceremony performed in these atash-gahs. They are similar to the hearth fires Zarathushtis kept perpetually burning in their homes even in India in not too distant past! The ladies as well as the men of the household tended these fires.

"Sad Dar", volume 24 of the Sacred Books of the East (pg. 297), clearly defines a mobed: "as to that person, also, who performs the Bareshnum for mankind, it is necessary that he be a man." If women were mobeds in ancient Iran, "man" would not have been specified! If women were ordained as mobeds in ancient Iran, as some would have us believe, would not Havovi or Pouruchisty have been ordained by Asho Zarathushtra? How many female disciples do we come across in the Gathas? The male disciples, each one, by name, are identified and were inducted into the Magha Brotherhood. But not a single female is mentioned by name who was an athravan/ mobed in those days. Nor is there any proof, any evidence of a woman being ordained as a mobed through the initiation rituals of navar-maretab, ever, throughout the long and chequered history of our religion spanning millennia upon millennia! It is reported that only in the last century, in the early nineties, Mr. Ali Akbar Jafarey initiated Ms. Shahin Bhekhradnia as a "Mobed", in London! Women are definitely equal to men in dignity and respect but not in conducting rituals due to the stringent rules of purity! Other religions also do not allow women to conduct rituals, such as Christianity (except some Protestants), Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. The Book of Manu, Bible, Leviticus, etc. express the same concepts as the Vendidad and due to the purity rules, do not accept women as "priests" who conduct rituals! This is a fact. And definitely, both men as well as women undergo the ritual of navjote, learn about the religion and as mentioned, women were Queens ruling over Iran when the rest of the world was far less civilized! Gordafrid, a woman was a warrior too who fought Sohrab, Rustom's son as far back during the Kiyanian era! But mobeds, no, we have no record of a single woman mobed in Iran or India due to the stringent rules of purity!

Notwithstanding all oppression suffered since the Arab conquest of Iran from 632 AD, ours has always been an optimistic and joyous community which has celebrated life, the wonders of nature and the goodness of humankind. We have therefore found every opportunity to make music and dance, drink and eat together. Our festivals have always allowed our communities to laugh and have fun together and the most joyous of all festivals is our spring celebration of Novruz. Among peoples of Iranian origin is understood as meaning a New Day or New Year. Yet it seems more faithfully celebrated and understood elsewhere outside Iran than among Parsees and this is both surprising and saddening. Why is it that the people of Tajikistan still prepare a Haft sheen/Haftsin table, as do the Azaris and the Kurds but our Parsee co-religionists not only do not prepare a special table in a celebration of Ahura Mazda's bounty, but fail to celebrate the significance of the arrival of spring. How could it be that that the spring equinox holds no special meaning beyond yet another visit to the temple and maybe sending cards out while they celebrate something akin to Novruz in the middle of summer.? Where is the merry making, the genuine joy and the pleasure of seeing God's good creation renewing itself through the laws of nature, of Asha when the planets are so aligned that the life of plants, birds and animals wakes up again.

Parsis do celebrate Navroze! They do not set up the Haftsin table but they go to the agiaries/atash-behrams to pay their respect to the Creator Ahura Mazda and as usual, celebrate with good food and "merrymaking"! Families visit each other and at many Parsi baugs and colonies, the Gahambar is also celebrated! We celebrate more religiously, while unfortunately, in Iran, these festivals may be celebrated more socially under the watchful eyes of the Muslims! The regions surrounding Iran may still celebrate with the Haftsin table but this is because these regions were ruled by Iran for centuries and although they have retained the social customs and Dari (as in some parts of Afghanistan), they forgot the religious aspects because they followed either Islam or Christianity in these regions.

Weddings are another example of things done differently. Our wedding celebration does not consist of much reciting of prayers in a language that is pretty much incomprehensible to most Farsi/Dari speaking Zoroastrians. Of course the preservation of the ritual language has its place but it is not interminable. Instead the majority of time is spent by the celebrant of the wedding giving prescribed advice (andarz) to the young couple in an intelligible language so that their lives may be lived according to true Zoroastrian values and principles. It is a truly inspiring liturgy which is lost on those who cannot understand the language and therefore it has now been translated noy just into Farsi but also into English and French and is used for ceremonies where the couples (usually living in Britain or North America) no longer speak Farsi as fluently as they do English or for mixed weddings.

Parsis have retained praying the Doa-I Paiman or "ashirvad", i.e. the wedding benediction, as has been prayed for millennia to continue the lineage and tradition! We still pray in the Avestan language the same prayers our Paigambar Saheb prayed in! We pray Yasna 54 also during the wedding ritual. We do not have to please those who choose to depart from the fundamental principles of our religion; we try and please Ahura Mazda and our Paigambar Saheb by praying in the spiritual language, referred to as the sacred manthra! Manthra Spenta is the Soul of Ahura Mazda as declared in the Farvardin Yasht and therefore, we attune with His Soul when we pray in His Spiritual Language! Marriage is a religious ritual and not a social celebration alone! Marriage is a holy sacrament, a union of two souls who follow the same religion and pledge to hold Ratu Asho Zarathushtra as their Prophet and Ahura Mazda as their Ahu or Lord Almighty! It is absolutely a spiritual, religious ritual and not just a social merrymaking event! Most Parsis in India do not transform anything spiritual into mundane!

There is nothing reprehensible about updating the liturgy so that it can be really meaningful and communicate an important message as it was intended to do. We do not see it as a cardinal principle to remain entrenched in the past and not change. Our religion is supposed to be based on rational enlightened thinking and we need to take sensible steps to ensure that the dynamic message of the Gathas is not lost through sticking to languages and practices that were developed for different times and different conditions. After all much of the Avesta that we recite is actually merely a translation or commentary on an older language – eg in our koshti prayer. Humata hukhta hvaresta, meneshni govenshni koneshni but here the second triad is merely a translation of the older first triad, and then we have tani ravani giti mainyu where the first pair are the more modern version of the second

Ms. Bhekhradnia states that "We do not see it as a cardinal principle to remain entrenched in the past and not change." About the societal change as opposed to the Immutable Laws of Asha, the Pahlavi Text Dadistan-i-Dinik (SBE, Vol.18 pg. 109, Footnote 1) written during the worst times we faced in Iran, states that "heterodoxy, 'the most mischievous weapon' of the fiend, must fail in the end, because, like other revolutions, it relies on constant change, which implies want of permanency." Our religion is based on Divine Revelation, on Asha's Immutable Truth! Truth does not change! Truth is not based on societal fads which change constantly! Truth, if it changes, is no Truth to begin with; Asho Zarathushtra declares that Asha's (Nature's) Laws are Immutable. These Laws do not change for mankind but mankind's thinking changes according to its evolutionary progress! Truth is the only Constant in the Universe as is the Almighty! Moreover, our religion is NOT based on rational thinking alone because none of us have perfected our so-called rational thinking. If we had "enlightened" our minds, would the world be in such a sorry state on the brink of destruction as it is right now? And if we could all think rationally or correctly, would there have been any need of Religions or Prophets to come down and show us the Path? No! None of us are spiritually perfected yet; our physical senses are also not as yet perfected! It is only because our thinking is not always in keeping with the Right Path that the Almighty has sent us different Religions and Prophets to show us the Path of Spiritual Progress! In the Gathas, Asho Zarathushtra emphasizes the fact that he has prescribed certain spiritual disciplines and those who do not follow, or obey his revelation, for them the end will be full of woe (Y. 30.11 and 45.3)! We are admonished that we are free to choose our actions in life and the inevitable ensuing reward or punishment is meted out according to the choice made between the two paths of good and evil, "akem akai vanguhim ashim vanghaove" (Y. 43.5). To be taught, to be admonished to obey is far from granting the so-called "reflective thinking" and the "freedom of choice" to do as one pleases! Please do consider that it is contradictory to maintain that obedience is synonymous with the freedom to do as desired! The only freedom of choice is between the two paths (of good and evil), with ensuing results. The choice comes with immutable moral responsibilities (Y. 32.15, 43.5, 45.7 and throughout the Gathic stanzas). There is absolutely no freedom of unlimited choice in any of the Gathic stanzas and certainly no choice is offered between "choosing" religions. In fact, ha 32.3 specifically mentions that the army of Akoman (whose leader is Angre-mainyu), has spread on all the 7 regions of the Earth and we are mandated to convert this army of Akoman to goodness, to Spenta-Mainyu! Every man is free to choose his actions but ample warning is given with regard to consequential reward and punishment.

It is ONLY because we have NOT changed our mandated religious tenets that we have survived for countless millennia through inhumane persecutions and repeated destructions of our scriptures. It is ONLY due to ORAL traditions and the memory of our priests who learnt by rote the complete Avesta that we have survived as practicing Parsi-Irani Zarathushtis!

The pair and the triad mentioned above by the author are hugely misunderstood! There are certain portions recited in Pazend in the Holy Avesta which are given to us by Dasturan-e Dastur Adarbad Maraspand who proved his Dasturi by going through the 'test of Fire' by pouring burning molten metal over his chest without getting a single burn on his body. Of course, some renegades have indulged in maligning this pious Dastur by calling him a "trickster"! It is incumbent that we MUST recite our Holy Avesta in the spiritual language based on 'staot,' the divine cosmic resonances / frequencies caused in Nature by the utterance of the Ahunavar at the dawn of creation! When we recite Yasna 54 we do pray to attune ourselves with the Laws of 'Staot', the primordial 'sound' uttered by Ahura Mazda's First Word, Ahunavar, at the beginning of creation! So, there is much wisdom in following our prescribed mandates and praying in the spiritual language of 'light' and 'sound', the language of the Spirit also referred to mystically in the Bundahishn (Chapter XIX, pg. to, SBE, vol. 5), as the language of the "birds", indicating the Divine Fravashi which resembles a bird with wings! When manthra is recited, the sound takes precedence over its meaning because sound has the potency to induce spiritual insight by quietening the mind and consequentially creating "fields" around the reciter; e.g. when we pray "ahumin vairim tanum paiti" we admit that the recitation of manthra protects the body!

The meaning of Humata, Hukhta, Huvreshta is given in detail in Yasna 19, which is the Avestan commentary on the Ahunavar Manthra! Please do read it! "tani ravani geti minoani" teaches us that our physical body, "tanu" and "ravan" are interlinked as are the physical world "geti" and the spiritual "minoi" world. At frashogard the physical "tanu" will merge with the spiritual "ravan", and the physical world "geti" will merge with the spiritual "minoi". It is for this reason that the Sacred Manthra of Ahunavar is divided into 3 lines of 7 words each; the 3 lines refer each to the spiritual world, the semi-spiritual world and the physical world. Similarly, our constitution is also divided into 3 components, spiritual, semi-spiritual and physical. Till we are spiritually and morally perfected, wisdom teaches us to follow what is divinely revealed and not give in arbitrarily to what the imperfect mind bound by the two dualities prompts us to discard, follow and choose!

Another example of difference is minor but some may find it interesting to know that in Iranian weddings we don't sprinkle rice upon or hold a coconut over the couple but a green scented herb similar to oregano – obshan - which conveys the concepts of fertility, health sustaining and fragrant happiness. We do have in common the symbolism of tying the thread but we represent it differently and so on. We certainly do not ever use the SEJ(?) tray.

The Iranis in Iran may not use the 'ses' tray but they DO put the triangle shaped green 'paro' (pyramid) filled with sugar on the table next to the couple when they get married in Iran! In addition to this "paro" and which is similar to what the Iranis still do, the Parsis also include a divo or a small burning fire (Fire as Ahura Mazda's Son is present at all our rituals), plus the vase-like container of rosewater "golabas" or "pigani" for sprinkling perfumed water on the couple! "Pigani" is used in Iran as well! Because we add these things we organize all this into a tray we call 'ses'! The only thing missing in Iran is the tray or "ses" as we call it. In Iran instead of the garland of flowers, cypress twig(s) is used. Other objects added to the ses such as coconut, red kanku and egg, etc. may be a custom evolved in India. Basically, we are more in touch with religion in India which this speech sadly portrays the Irani Zarathushtis as having moved away from! Hopefully, the situation in Iran is not as religiously detrimental as it is made out to be.

The principle of dynamic evolution can also be seen at work in discussing the use of dakhma and cremation. In Iran the use of dakhma or the Tower of Silence was given up as a result of social change in the late first half of the 20th century. As cremation became available, many Iranians opted for this sort of disposal rather than purification within the earth which was seen as un –Zoroastrian since the earth was provided to give forth life-sustaining crops and flowers etc. There was no question of defilement of fire as nothing can defile something which is inherently self purifying by its very nature. However where cremation is not an option, then burial has to be the alternative.

The Towers of Silence or dakhmas were not "given up as a result of social change" in the late half of the 20^th century! It is reported through very authentic sources that the dakhmas HAD to be closed down, first in Tehran, because the Muslims used to throw pieces of putrid animal flesh inside the dakhma at Tehran and also sprinkle animal blood on the walls! It was only and only through political pressure brought upon the Zarathushtis that the dakhma in Tehran was first closed! The helpless Zarathushtis of Yazd still followed the practice of dakhmenashini as per our millennia old customs, scriptures and rituals for nearly 15 or 20 years more but HAD to give in to political pressure from Tehran's Anjuman! This is a fact! Also, the Zarathushtis of Yazd were so traumatized to close their dakhma and start an aram-gah (coffins built of stone with sand underneath to prevent the earth from getting contaminated – and definitely not cremation) that they have written to the Parsis of India about their helplessness and spiritual loss! They have urged the Parsis NOT to give up the dakhmas where they exist! The letter written by the Yazd Anjuman was sent to the Irani Anjuman and Mr. Kaikhushru Fitter who was the then Prez of this Irani Anjuman in Bombay had this letter published in a booklet form! Many Parsis would have saved this letter/booklet; I have! And I will scan and post it someday soon!

In Iran, there is NO cremation for Zarathushtis! Only aram-gahs exist! Cremation may be preferred in the western countries out of helplessness and not as an option! Additionally, the important fact is that Iran is under Islamic rule and there is no freedom of religion granted as it is in India! The Constitution of India grants us the freedom to practice our religion the way it has been for millennia without any interference from the Government! In fact, the Govt. of India assures protection for our religious rights! And so, when these statements were made, it is hoped that any legal professional attending this speech in Bombay corrected the speaker informing her of the political differences between Iran and India where religious practices are concerned!

The change from dakhma to other forms of funerary rite was not resisted by the majority of the population and clearly did not cause major traumas for the community.

(I have referred to the trauma of the Zarathushtis from Yazd and the setting up of aram-gahs! In fact, Sheheryar, the caretaker of the aram-gah near Yazd, at Khairabad, still wears –at least till 2003 when I met him last - the brown turban and sash to indicate the persecutions the Zarathushtis faced in Iran. In the old days, the brown sash and turban was mandated to be worn by Zarathushtis to identify them to the Muslims. If one reads the reports of ornithologists, one learns that the vultures can never carry anything in their beaks or talons.)

There was/is no condemnation of the use of cremation rather than burial, and certainly no comments that failing to use the dakhmeh as the means of disposal, will consign one to hell as we have heard said apparently from the mouths of so called scholars. This is in contrast with the continuing Parsee practise of Dakhma disposal even though the Dakhma in Bombay and other towns is now dangerously close to if not in the midst of urban populations and regularly gives rise to embarrassing incidents of body parts dropping onto nearby residents' properties. It is clear that what may have been appropriate for past times, can no longer be relevant in a changed social context. Please remember that Dakhma disposal was designed for and applied in an arid desert climate that Iran has, not for a monsoon humid climate such as that of Bombay.

Iranians do not get very excited about whether the fire in their temples is fed by natural gas or sandalwood and recognise that if there is shortage of one material, then a sensible rational solution must be sought through a new channel of thinking. Indeed judging by the large logs of sandal wood I have seen here ready for the holy fire, I would think the environmentalists among us would have plenty to worry about, although the natural gas solution also poses its own environmental issues. Replacement planting at the ratio of 1:10 cut down trees would be a way forward of course. Meanwhile, there are no messages being put out by any Iranian priests or sages to the effect that we will be condemned to hell for not using sandalwood again as I have heard claimed by some Parsee scholars?

We offer sandalwood to the fires in India because it is so stated in the Atash Niyayesh that one should only feed dry and perfumed wood to the fire! It is available in India and many Parsi pilgrims to Iran do leave behind a good amount of sandalwood to offer to the fires later on, by those tending the fires!

Some Parsees appear to be very passionate about the use of Nirang, or consecrated bulls urine whose use in Iran was referred to in the Rivayat texts about which I will speak shortly.. In fact it was still in use at the time of my grandfather and even my mother's childhood. So there was no loss of tradition during the downtrodden period of our history. . There was however a re-thinking of its real function ( which at a certain époque acted as a disinfectant) and it was agreed that it was not perhaps no longer as essential in keeping the religion alive. Some priests now use pomegranate juice instead for ritual symbolic purposes.

It is sad that the holy Nirang and the life-giving Hom juice are banned in Iran as impure substances. Asho Zarathushtra maintains in the Gathas that there can be no immortality and no Frashogard without the performance of Yasna or Hom, "yasna ameretatem" (ha 34.1). We have written information that Ijeshne, the ritual of pounding the sacred Hom juice, was practiced in Iran from time immemorial till the last half of the 20^th century; also, havani-lala are excavated from Suza as well as Peresepolis and displayed in the Museums at Tehran and on the site at Persepolis as well.

And the question of the segregation of menstruating women had an equally practical reason which no longer applies today – women are no longer in need of a well deserved break from the heavy lifting and carrying work they used to do in the villages of Iran (e.g carrying pitchers of water up dozens of steps, carrying heavy wood, iron implements and cooking vessels, sweeping and cleaning etc ), nor are they likely to experience embarrassing situations in a public space. I do not say that some people do not still observe the custom of not entering sanctified areas at a certain time of month but on questioning my friends, family and acquaintances, I can say that it is rare.

The practice of segregating women in their biological cycle is not due to any embarrassment or due to carrying heavy loads by women! There is a very good sanitary reason as well as a good spiritual reason for segregating women during this cycle!

The goal of rituals is to unite the physical with the spiritual. If women are allowed to perform sacred rituals during their biological cycle, inevitably, adverse effects will be the outcome of these improper, deceptive rituals as the presence of the excreted blood would not affect the union of any impure physical condition to the Divine Spirit which is pure. Can there be ritual purity in the midst of bodily impurities? No! No communion with the Divine can be established through blood, "druj-e nassu"; but, in sorcery, blood is one of the essential requirements to fortify and unite with the dark forces of Nature. Centuries ago, cults of priestesses existed, mostly in Europe. These were replaced by revealed religions. Human and other sacrifices are banned in all revealed religions since the ensuing blood attracts the negative influences of the lower elementals or nature spirits. Sorcery and witchcraft are effectually solemnized through blood which is the magnetic agent to attract the dark forces of nature.

Even when we are alive, any blood and excretion that is severed from the vital circulation within the body, immediately becomes impure and injurious to the health of others. The excreted blood pollutes not only the surrounding air but also the aura of every individual within a certain radius. This is because blood contains iron which is magnetically charged. Aura is also magnetic. The magnetic emanations from the aura and more specifically from the eyes and the fingertips of a woman in menses are so potent that they penetrate and influence the electro-magnetic auras of individuals within a certain radius. Justifiably, the ancients considered a woman in her biological cycle as "contaminated" because there is a magnetic link established between individuals during close proximity, touch, or in the act of any giving and taking. The Bible mentions an episode wherein a woman who was haemorrhaging touched the hem of Lord Jesus' robe which made him exclaim, "who touched me, my glory is gone"! Meaning, his spiritual aura became contaminated and spiritual glory or 'vision' was temporarily gone. The reason for the biological cycle to commence is because no life was created. As soon as an embryo begins life in the womb, the biological cycle stops. It is an issue of Life versus non-Life, and our religion teaches Life to be a Divine Creation. Life is sustained by light, heat, energy and vitality; whereas non-life is the outcome of the dark forces by which decomposition begins.

In most religions women are forbidden to attend religious events or come in contact with sacred objects when they are in their biological cycle. The laws of purity have been mentioned in the Book of Manu and in the Islamic as well as Jewish Codes of Purity as well. Purity is the pivot around which our religious doctrines are established. Ritual purity is one of the most essential and fundamental of our doctrines as stated in the Vendidad and in the Gathas. "Purity is the Best Virtue from birth" (Y. 48.5); indicating Purity is Godliness! Besides, a woman is unable to maintain bareshnoom due to the biological cycle. That the rules of bareshnoom were observed in Iran is evident from the Epistles of Manushchihr. It is very, very fervently wished that Ms. Bekhradnia would first read, study the scriptures and then inform others of the correct facts. Some people can get carried away sometimes due to not being educated religiously (scientifically as well) but not all the time and all Parsis cannot be so religiously illiterate as to be carried away by what is stated by Ms. Bekhradnia! If she has her right to say what she thinks is correct I also have my rights to defend my religion according to the revelation in the scriptures and not as per my individual thinking/opinion! Religion also has rights; the right to be followed as per our millennia old traditions, customs, rituals and scriptures! I will defend my religion as long as I live and I am sure many will join me in echoing these convictions!

The point is that such matters were not spelt out in the Gathas, but became the obsession of a priestly caste that wished to keep the people in its thrall, ironically exactly what Zartosht himself denounced in the Gathas when Karapans (priests) were using their powers to get a hold over people How do we know what is or was the message of our founding prophet? Well, apart from oral transmission and handing down of tradition through families, some texts were secretly preserved. These were usually among priestly families such as my own which yielded a chest full of faithfully copied manuscripts, saved despite the many public burnings in front of the priests' eyes in Islamic Iran. Textual specialists have translated both the oral and written texts. Having spoken with some Parsee priests, I was informed that in their madressa training, they did not study the meanings of the texts but were merely taught the correct recitals and rituals pertaining to them. Interestingly, the primacy of the Gathic texts were not discussed either. Now this is a critical matter because any serious student of Zoroastrianism is well aware that the Gathas constitute the fundamental core of Zoroastrian philosophy. They are admittedly difficult for several reasons : language, content, dating. Nevertheless the maybe 20 different translations (among which Stanley Insler's is considered the most authoritative and from which Dastur Kotwal has quoted - on account of his outstanding linguistic competence and his deep empathy with Zoroastrian values), all reveal consistently that Zoroaster believes he must spread the message he has had revealed to him by Ahura Mazda. His mission is therefore to extend the community of Ashavan ie those who want to become happy by making others happy – propagating good and overcoming negative energies – encapsulated in the Ashem Vohu prayer.

The ONLY conversion mentioned in the Gathas is the MORAL conversion of converting vices to virtues! It is so stated specifically in the Ahunavad Gatha (ha 32.3) that the army of Akoman (vices) whose leader is Angre-mainyu, has spread on all the 7 regions of the Earth and it is this army we are asked to convert to virtues, to the Good Mind, Spenta-mainyu! Asho Zarathushtra did NOT teach conversion meaning proselytism because according to his revelation of Yasna 19, which is the Avestan Commentary on the Ahunavar, he teaches that the 5 major religions and the 5 Appointed Prophets are Willed by Ahura Mazda Himself! Do read this translation of ha 19 because it also teaches what Humata, Hukhta and Huvreshta means!

Talking about linguistic competence, Professor Humbach was asked if conversion, meaning proselytism is taught in our religion, specifically in the Gathas and he categorically maintained that only MORAL conversion is taught! Many Parsi scholars have maintained, to name one, I.J.S. Taraporewalla, that "the fullness of this Eternal Message shall be known only when we ourselves reach the heights of Spiritual Illumination to which HE had attained" (The Religion of Zarathushtra, pg. 85). Ervad Kavasji Edulji Kanga, whose translations of the Vendidad, Yasna, Visperad, Yashts and the Khordeh Avesta are held to be reliable, writes, "Some European Zend scholars have at various times attempted it [translation of the Gathas], but they themselves are aware of the great difficulty they had to encounter in rendering a correct and intelligible translation of them. The writings of the Gathas being highly poetical and full of deep meaning, containing prayers, hymns and other subjects pregnant with philosophical and abstract ideas, ripe scholarship and patient investigation, added to a critical knowledge of the Avesta, are requisite to interpret them correctly and intelligibly." (Gatha-Ba-Maani, Preface to the First Edition, p ix.) While translating the Sacred Text of the Gathas, many a times Kangaji declares that his own translation is not satisfactory. There are several instances written by Kangaji in Gatha-Ba-Maani where, according to him, the translations of certain verses by scholars such as Rev. Mills, Dr. Spiegel and Prof. Darmesteter are also doubtful. This proves that it is futile to try and decipher the Sacred Texts and especially the sacred manthra by an only scholastic approach. Professor Stanley Insler, whom Ms. Bhekhradnia mentions, has also declared that the Gathas are so mystic they are bound by 7 seals! Do we know which 7 'seals' reveal our scriptures? There are in fact many more than 20 translations of the Gathas alone, each one being different because no one knows the 7 'seals' or the translation of "mathra" which are spiritual and based on 'staot', which is not a spoken language! Spiritual scriptures are to be applied through Faith and Obedience which are the faculties of the spiritual soul.

The Videvdat which developed the purity laws and which was the precursor of the Vendidad only appeared towards the end of the fist millennium about one thousand years after the divine revelation of our prophet. Later, at the time of the fall of the Sassanian dynasty (closely associated with the priesthood), there was certainly an unhealthy concern among priests about retaining the power they wielded through the further imposition of a whole host of religious dogma and ritual introduced by Kartir a couple of centuries earlier. Among the many theories for the success of Islam in Iran, is one that states that many people gladly gave up the overbearing ritual requirements made on the laity by the priests which involved economic demands , and sadly there are still some similar ego obsessed priests in our midst even today who impose their views on the laity as to what is or is not correct practice and belief.

None of the scholars have set a definite date for our Paigambar Saheb. Therefore, how can it be maintained that the Vendidad "appeared towards the end of the fist millennium about one thousand years after the divine revelation of our prophet"? Asho Zarathushtra lived during the Kiyani Dynasty, in such antiquity, that history is unable to chronicle its factual existence and therefore, considers this era to be "mythical"! In which case, ascribing a date is mere speculation! The Avestan language is so archaic that even during the Achaemenian era, it had become a liturgical language that was preserved orally through chanting the scriptures while the script alone, has undergone subsequent changes. Consequentially, till the date of Asho Zarathushtra and the existence of the Kiyani Dynasty are established, it is a fallacy to maintain about the one thousand year period when our Paigambar Saheb, Asho Zarathushtra, described as a Yazad in the Yasna has 3 and 7 and elsewhere many times over in the sacred Avesta, lived and taught his spiritually manthric Avesta, including the Vendidad! And, we lost Iran to the Arabs because the Arabs were united while we were a nation struggling to keep peace within our own religion and kingdom. Not because, according to "theory", as stated by Ms. Bekhradnia, "there were overbearing requirements made on the laity by the priests". There was fratricide, patricide, treason and heresy spread against our religion in the kingdom. "There was tragic chaos in the royal family particularly after the death of Khusro II. Intrigue, deception, and lust for power and other dangerous vices were rampant. The princes instigated and actively supported by their mothers of foreign extraction and foreign faith played havoc in the royal family, in aristocracy and in state affairs. The kings and queens were proclaimed and most of them were deposed or murdered in quick succession. In the short period of four years (628-632), ten monarchs ruled over Iran, and most of them fell victims to court intrigue and fraud due to internecine strife. In such deplorable conditions and disastrous circumstances the last Sasanian Emperor ascended the throne." (Dasturji Hormazdyar Kayoji Mirza, Outlines of Parsi History, pg. 164.) Our downfall was swift and it was mainly due to intermarriage from within the nobility! The priests and wise advisors of the Kings such as Vazorgmithra tried to keep the Empire and Religion safe from the heretics and those born of a foreign faith during the most trying days since Khusro I, Anosharavan (531-579) came to the throne of Iran.

It may be a little known fact to most Zoroastrians that with the passing of several centuries after their arrival in India, the Parsees had lost a lot of their knowledge about the practice and beliefs within the religion. It is nevertheless a fact that cannot be challenged. Furthermore there is good written evidence of all of this in documents known as the Rivayats which are accessible to all of us translated into English in 1932 by B N Dhabhar. The Parsee communities of Surat and of Navsari sent envoys to Iran to ask for guidance because they had lost confidence. They first sent out a brave Parsee named Nariman Hoshang over to Iran twice in 1478 and 1487 to seek advice on the correctness or otherwise of a number of issues.

It should be noted that the mobeds of Iran sent their sons to learn mobedi from the Madressas, Dasturs and Mobeds of India till recently and some still continue to do so. This is a fact! This was done because the religion was being forgotten in Iran due to doing away with the Yasna ceremony and other mandated rituals! If these were not considered necessary by Irani mobeds they would not have sent their sons to India to be initiated as "navar" and "maretab" according to the requisite rituals – rituals which are not followed in Iran in recent times! India has retained its Pav Mahal and barshnoom-gahs which Iran has lost!

The questions asked on behalf of the Parsee community included the right to recognition of Zoroastrians who had converted into the faith or who have been forced to espouse Islam but want to return. The responses from the Iranian priests on these occasions and all future exchanges right up till the last visit in the late 18th century constantly confirm the views of the Zoroastrian clergy of Iran that it is right, proper and meritorious and fully in the spirit of the message of Zoroaster that our faith should welcome those who have chosen of their own free will to heed the message of our religion.

"If slave-boys and girls have faith in the Good Religion, then it is proper that kusti should be (given to them to be) tied [that is, they should be converted to Zoroastrianism], and when they become intelligent, attentive to religion and steadfast, they should give them barashnum and it is also proper and allowable to eat anything out of their hands"!

The Parsis in India never kept juddin boys and girls as as "slaves"! Even in ancient Iran, the Ganj-namah records the payment to every single worker who was employed to build Persepolis, Suza, Bahistun and any other monument because as in Egypt or other countries, we never employed "slave" labor! There is no historical or oral record of the Parsis keeping slaves as laborers or servants in ancient Iran or in India. Cooking of food is mentioned to indicate that the Parsis in India, even as late as the middle of the last century did NOT eat any food prepared by juddins and some, especially from the athornan families, still do not keep juddin servants and still do not eat food prepared by juddins! This is a fact! There are many families at Udvada, Navsari, Surat and other villages, in Bombay too, who still staunchly follow this practice due to the rules of purity! How can the Irani mobeds reply to this question in the Rivayat because in Iran, it would have been unheard of to keep any Muslim as a "slave" or a "servant" in any Zarathushti household! The custom of keeping juddin servants and slaves was definitely unknown to the Irani Zarathushtis who tried to reply to the question in the Rivayat! So the above quote from the Rivayat is dubious. Besides, the Rivayats are not scriptures or sacred texts. Rivayat means the exchange of "reet-reevaj", or customs. There was NO custom of keeping Muslim (juddin) "slaves" and servants by the Zarathushtis in Iran and thus the answer is unreliable, to say the least. There were some wealthy Parsi families who employed poor Parsis to work for them, cook food for them but these were never treated as "slaves" or servants! Perhaps the Irani writers understood that these Parsis should be made to wear sudreh-kusti if due to poverty their navjote was not performed.

Besides, if the Parsis wrote to the Irani Zarathushtis of Iran regarding the customs and traditions they had forgotten; if the Parsis of India were ignorant of their own scriptures, tenets, customs and traditions how could they presume to make the new converts knowledgeable of the religion they themselves were not sure of! Friends, please think and make up your mind! Around the same time as the Rivayats, a Nask, called the Vaetha Nask also surfaced to promote conversion of juddins in India! This Nask was proven to be a forged Nask by several learned scholars including Dasturji Hormazdyar Kayoji Mirza, Prof. Hennings, Prof. Mary Boyce and others. In Iran of course there was never a question of converting any Muslim to our religion due to religious persecutions during the 17^th and 18^th centuries, prior to these dates and even after the 18^th century and till today! In fact, it is stated in the Rivayats: 1) Shapur Bharuchi, 1597 (Dhabar, p. 275): "If a person (of a foreign faith) exercises tyranny over a man of the good religion and tells him to turn Musalman with his family, then out of helplessness he should commit suicide (should take poison), but he should not turn Musalman". 2) Kamdin Shapur, 1559 (Dhabar, p. 275): "..in this quarter the Atash Behram and all the Behdins are distracted and distressed…". 3) Faridun Marzban, 17^th century (Dhabhar, p. 621): "Be it known that the affairs of the country of Iran are in great distraction and disquietude, and the dearth, and scarcity of food, and oppression and tyranny are such that its commentary cannot be comprised in this letter." (Dasturji Hormazdyar K. Mirza, Outlines of Parsi History, pg. 213.) Therefore, it is a logical progression of thought that these Rivayats were written by our Irani brothers under great duress, distraction and distress; their opinions are vague generalizations and the authors of the Rivayats were also completely unfamiliar with the customs and situation in India. Wisely, as precaution, they mention that "no harm should be done to the religion and to the community" thereby casting doubts regarding the conversion of juddin "slaves" and "servants"! As opposed to the Rivayats, the Avestan scriptures are divinely revealed and authentic!

They went further by expressing disapproval of the hypocritical Parsee tendency to treat their servants as if of the faith when it suited them and to deny them appropriate funerary rites. We also have the 1599 Kaus Mahyar Rivayat whose question includes categories from even lower-deemed persons:

"Can a grave-digger, a corpse-burner and a darvand become Behdins (i.e. be converted to the Mazdayasnian religion)?" gives as an answer: "If they observe the rules of religion steadfastly and (keep) connection with the religion, and if no harm comes on the Behdins (thereby), it is proper and allowable"!

In the past, in India too, there were times when in the villages, the poor Parsis were compelled to dig graves (from this profession the surname "Ghorkhodu" has come about) and this shameful treatment was not done by Parsis to the poor Parsis but by juddin oppressors to the poor Parsis; poor Parsis may also have been compelled to burn corpses by the oppressors who ruled in the different states of India. Or, due to illiteracy and religious ignorance, these acts may have been committed by some behdins because the Vendidad mentions the punishment of religious sins committed through ignorance or through proper knowledge of the same. The word "dravand" is explained jointly by the three Dasturjis, late Dasturji Dr. H. K. Mirza, Dasturji Dr. K. M. JamaspAsa, Dasturji Dr. F. M. Kotwal, in the booklet, "Conversion in Zoroastrianism, A Myth Exploded" (reprinted from Jam-e issues of 9^th and 10yth June, 1983). The word "dravand" does not refer to the juddins (to be converted) but to any Parsi as well who moves away from the tenets of the religion of his birth! We respect all juddins who follow their own religions. Therefore, there is no hint of conversion in the above two quotations from the Rivayats. It is meritorious to bring back a Parsi "behdin" who has strayed away from the tenets of the religion (i.e. become a "dravand") through compulsion or uneducated choice.

The final quote I wish to bring to your attention comes from the last rivayat exchange known as the Ittoter Rivayat of 1773 Mulla Kaus was sent from India and asked 78 questions among them: "Concerning the acquisition of young men and women who are juddins as servants, the mobeds and behdins must first of all show care for their own religion, for their own rituals, for their personal property, and for their own soul so as not to face losses. TEACHING THE AVESTA TO THE SONS OF THE JUDDINS WHO HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED AND CONVERTING THEM TO THE DIN-I VEH-I MAZDAYASNAN EARNS ONE GREAT MERIT"

It is apparent when today comparing the varying complexions of Parsees, that some interbreeding with local indigenous people certainly did take place, since there were few women accompanying the courageous pioneers immortalized in the Qissa Sanjan and even as late as the 18th century since the question was posed then, it is evident that it was going on. The message is that all our welcome within our community, provided they have had proper instruction.

The fact that the Parsee community continued to send envoys to Iran over 3 centuries to seek guidance is adequate indication that they must have accepted the Iranian tradition as both correct and acceptable.

Knowing about this long background of toleration helps explain how Iranian Zoroastrians have kept this true Gathic spirit alive throughout the centuries. Thus it should come as no surprise to learn that our late High Priest, Mobed Ardeshir Azargoshasb whose erudition and authority as Head of the Iranian Mobed's council is indisputable despite efforts to undermine our High Priests' learning and knowledge, published a newspaper statement in 1991 in Parsiana (despite the evident dangers of doing so) "WE MUST PERSEVERE TO PROPAGATE OUR RELIGION AND ACCEPT PERSONS WHO WANT TO EMBRACE IT."

Naturally he could not say this in Iran, and today because of the prevailing circumstances our mobeds still cannot publicly condone this stance officially. Interestingly this Iranian perspective was shared by Parsee mobeds as recently as in the 20th century when a number of eminent Parsee dasturs (Ervads Bharucha, Modi and Kangaji) who held a similar view, stated publicly and unambiguously that our initiation ceremony contains a declaration of faith including the statement that Zartosht came for the propagation of God's message. Other eminent Parsee Dasturs who shared the same view were Dasturs Framroze Bode, Anklesaria and Kaikhosro Jamaspji.

The choice to propagate the religious message of Asho Zartosht has continued even despite the severe hardships which have been the unfortunate experience of Iranian Zoroastrians to undergo in the years following the Islamic revolution. Working with the Home Office and Immigration Appellate in the UK I have been surprised and impressed by the Zoroastrians who have had to flee Iran because they have chosen to continue the tradition of propagating our religion to those who seek information. They have chosen this path despite the obvious personal danger they put themselves into because they are clear about the several explicit verses in the Gathas which exhort followers to undertake this mission which can be found explicitly in Yasna 31.3 and 47.6.

Most Parsis from India or Iran have immigrated to the western countries because of "greener" pockets. The intention of the recent immigrants to other diaspora is not for the preservation of our religion and religious community as was the reason for the first immigration out of Iran to India in the 7 century AD and thereafter. The reason for the new immigration is not religion but to live a life of luxury and seek acceptance into the social and cultural norms of the Westerners. Moving away from the traditions, rituals and scriptures where preserving the religion is not the prime motive is easier because religion takes second place to a better lifestyle and acceptance into the new culture of the diaspora.

Many Irani Zarathushtis have moved away from Iran due to many other reasons as well. The Irani Zarathushtis moved away due to persecution by the Islamic regime in Iran. The laws are against us for doing business without having a Muslim partner; if someone in the family converts to Islam then all the property and wealth belongs to only that individual, and there are several other reasons which induce the Irani Zarathushtis to immigrate to the western world but not for "converting" other westerners to our religion! It is already mentioned that only the moral conversion is stated in the Gathas, and is so confirmed by the Dasturjis and by none other than Professor Humbach too that conversion, meaning to proselyte, is alien to our religion!

This Gathic message was echoed in the inscriptions of both Darius and Xerxes with clear indications that they both felt a compulsion to spread the religion, even by force if need be, by eliminating competing religions in the lands they conquered. The same attitude was practised by a number of Sassanian monarchs and well attested. This willingness to spread the religion whenever possible is a consistent approach which has continued unabated within the Iranian Zoroastrian tradition when opportunities have arisen.

Darius and Xerxes never converted any subjects of any nations they conquered and definitely never ever by force! Darius the Great has also proudly inscribed his Parsi lineage at Naqsh-e Rostam. He was proud of his unbroken Parsi lineage which would not have been so evident had he practiced converting others from other religions! Mention must also be made that Cyrus the Great liberated the Jews from the Babylonian captivity; rebuilt the Temple of Soloman from his own treasury; gave complete religious freedom to all his subjects without converting them to his own Zarathushti religion; even let the other nations and subjects under his rule follow their own gods and idol worshipping. He gave the world the First Charter of Human Rights giving all under his rule the freedom of worship! The Sassanians also gave religious freedom without converting others. King Yazdgard I (399-420) was so favorably disposed with the Jews and Christians and also lenient in his religious policies towards them that they in turn took undue advantage and burnt down the Great Fire Temple at Ctesiphon. Yazdgard took stern measures and put down the religious feuds. Therefore, it is not correct to say that a number of Sassanian monarchs "felt a compulsion to spread the religion, even by force if need be, by eliminating competing religions in the lands they conquered." The Sassanian monarchs, by and large, were tolerant of other religions to a fault!

In keeping with the Zoroastrian Iranian authorities referred to earlier which in turn have their reference from the Gathas, we have always welcomed into our community a spouse from a different background and naturally the children of such unions. A similarly welcoming approach applies to children who are adopted of non-zoroastrian birth and who are raised within a Zoroastrian household to go on to marry within the community. Our priests have never had a difficulty with this matter and have only refused to conduct such marriages if it is evident that problems will arise from such a union – a view voiced back in 1599 in the Mahyar Kaus Rivayat. We certainly find it quite inhumane and unnatural that some Parsees are so dogmatic as to prefer to reject their own children and grandchildren by cutting off relations with them rather than using the Zoroastrian qualities of wise thinking to accommodate them into the community. And what is worse, to differentiate in the acceptance of offspring between sons and daughters.

In ignoring our history reflected in textual sources, and by reference simply to what has been done in living memory, and by failing to bring clarity of rational thinking to the debates, and instead relying on mindless dogma, certain priests do us all a disservice in misrepresenting our beautiful forward thinking philosophy which uplifts the soul and offers a way forward with gender equality, environmental concern and positive philanthropic messages for all humanity. How then could we justify restricting it only to those who think they have some superior genetic/racial composition? They are the backward thinking benighted souls of our community and yet their voices have held sway and bullied us just as they did in Sassanian times, and even recently, much to our shame, they have resorted to violence as we read and hear. . They should not be allowed to prevail as they corrupt the really radical optimism of our religion.

So Mahyar Kaus did oppose intermarriage in 1599 in his Rivayat! Our religion does not differentiate between a man and a woman who marry out. Both are condemned. With reference to proselytism, those who think that only they and their religion is superior and therefore everyone should convert to their religion and only then be accepted as equals, are the greatest bullies and perhaps backward in their thinking! Not the other way round. Non-conversion does not mean discrimination; it means self-preservation and avoiding the religious wars, crusades, jihads, which are caused due to proselytism. Parsis in India and Iran are safe due to the policy of non-conversion. Christians, Muslims and others are slaughtered because they proselyte the Hindus in India! Remember Rudaki Samadi who was murdered in Tadjikistan just a couple of years ago because he publicly professed he was a "Zarathushti"? In Iran, can any Muslim claim he is converted to our religion? No! He will be publicly hanged! Correct me if I am wrong. Our religion is not radical or militant; we are taught to follow Universal Brotherhood! We respect all religions, prophets and their followers. This is why we are still surviving, are respected and held as model citizens wherever we live.

KHSHNAOTHRE AHURAHE MAZDAO

Letter from Rustom Chothia - Let us not question the word of GOD

2011-12-16T09:05:00.004+05:30

From: Rustom C Chothia

Date: 12/15/2011 7:23:17 PM

To: tparsees@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Zarathusti = Parsi

Dears ...

Reading your mails I have one comment to make.

We cannot keep tearing to pieces the translations and the extant Scriptures.

Firstly they were destroyed twice. What we have left today is just one nask

and some fragments of other nasks.

Disputing Sahib's word is nothing less than a sin.

His teachings are quite clear to any sensible person.

The controversies created are manmade.

They come from 2 sources:

1) a lack of Faith.

2) ignorance

Our prayers and His Teachings are divinely inspired.

So as the saying goes: IF YOU HAVE FAITH NO EXPLANATION IS

NECESSARY WHILE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE FAITH,

NO EXPLANATION IS POSSIBLE.

PRAYER AND LOVE FOR GOD EMANATE FROM THE HEART.

Some main controversies people harp upon are:

1. Conversion - Dasturji Mirza, and Pervin Mistry (To name only 2)have given

answers quoting scripture, chapter and verse.

2. Intermarriage - This is nothing but selective conversion which will wipe us off the

face of the earth in 3+ generations.

3. Dokhmenashini or other means of disposal. - There are no two ways about this.

The extant Scriptures are clear on this. No defiling nature.

4. Why people of other faiths cannot enter our Fire Temples.-

For the same reason no non-Muslim cannot enter the whole city of Mecca.

For the same reason no non Hindu cannot enter the Jagganath Temple in Orissa,

and some Temples in South India.

For the same reason that non Christians cannot enter certain coptic churches.

Let us all discard our egos and bow down in humility and pray from our heart

whatever is in our Scriptures.

Remember "A MAN CONVINCED AGAINST HIS WILL, IS OF THE SAME OPINION STILL"

Let us not question the word of GOD.

Rustom.

FEED NEEDY OLD PARSIS in MUMBAI: APPEAL to all Zoroastrians Worldwide

2011-12-13T13:59:00.001+05:30

FEED NEEDY OLD PARSIS in MUMBAI: APPEAL to all Zoroastrians Worldwide
by Rustom C. Chothia

THE DADAR-MATUNGA PARSI ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATION
(Registered under the Societies Registration Act., XXl of 1860)
(Registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act ,1950 under No. F -736
Bom.)
(Estd. May 1925)
PRESIDENT: RUSTOM C. CHOTHIA - 757, RD.NO. 7,
PARSI COLONY, DADAR, MUMBAI 400014.
TEL/FAX: +91 (India) -22 (Mumbai) -24148394
E-mail: chothia@vsnl.com

Dear Folks,

WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

I approach you on behalf of The Dadar Matunga Parsi Zoroastrian
Association, which is doing laudable work since the last 70 years by
helping old and needy people of our community. The segment of society
we assist are aged, infirm people, people who are mentally and
physically handicapped and people in need of medical help. Many of our
beneficiaries are widows and some are even bedridden. These are people
who cannot be rehabilitated as they are incapable of doing any sort of
work. Most of these people are under constant medical treatment though
they cannot even afford a square meal. We have today more than 200
such on our roles and there is a waiting list of fresh applicants. We extend cash assistance of Rs 100 per month which is inadequate in present inflationary times. It is our aim to raise this sum and also to help more people who are on our waiting
list. Our volunteers screen each applicant individually for
suitability (financial and health) before we accept them as
beneficiaries. You may find it difficult to believe but some of our
beneficiaries are even residing in slums.

We organize a GHAMBAR LUNCH every year at Sohrab Palamkot Hall and
feed over 500 poor people who come from all over Bombay to enjoy a
true LAGAN NU BHONU complete with side dish, eggs, chicken and pulav
followed with ice-cream.

We organize an EXHIBITION CUM SALE once a year with more than 100
tables where people bring all types of home made utility articles and
foodstuff and also bought out items for sale.

We purchase mulmul and get poor women to stitch sudras which are then
sold by our members.

We have brought out 4 editions of the Dadar Parsi Colony Directory
listing all Parsi residents with addresses, phone numbers and even
blood groups. It also lists emergency services, doctors etc and is
very popular with the people.

We hold social/cultural functions to raise money but still our funds
are limited and we depend on donations we receive from time to time
from charitable minded organizations and individuals. We look forward
to your support by way of a generous corpus donation which shall bring
relief to and blessings from the underprivileged of our community.
Today out of one billion Indians we are only around seventy thousand,
which works out to less than one Parsi per ten thousand Indians. The
other communities are not going to help our people. It is for us to
look after our poor.

If you are abroad, personal cheques can be sent in foreign currency to
the above address. Please make out the cheque payable to "Dadar Matunga Parsi Zoroastrian Association" and send it to the address. RUSTOM C. CHOTHIA - 757, RD.NO. 7, PARSI COLONY, DADAR, MUMBAI 400014 India.

Currently donations are quite low so the poor old Parsis need all the help they can get. Please ask your friends to donate too. You can send a local rupee cheque or you can also send a foreign currency cheque.

We do not qualify for income tax exemption as we are helping our own
community only.

Yours sincerely,

RUSTOM C. CHOTHIA. (President)
E-mail: chothia@vsnl.com
TEL/FAX: +91 (India) -22 (Mumbai) -24148394

USHTA AHMAI YAHMAI USHTA KAHMAICHIT
HAPPINESS TO HIM WHO MAKES OTHERS HAPPY
(PROPHET ASHO ZARATHUSTRA, HOLY GATHA YS. 43-1)

Ervad Hathiram writes to the Jame about the Dokhmenashini debate

2011-10-15T10:12:00.001+05:30

The Editor
Jame-Jamshed
Mumbai.

Dear Sir,

I have been following with interest the ongoing debate about Dokhmenashini in your paper. As one who has done a little study on the subject, I feel it necessary and in public interest to share with your readers some basic facts about the Dokhmenashini system.

The system of Dokhmenashini has several facets. The least important of these is the speedy disposal of the physical body, with the minimal amount of pollution. It is pertinent to note that the Avesta refers to the system as "hvare-daresana", Pahlavi "khurshed nigarashni", i.e., exposure to the sun. The Vendidad does mention the agency of the "kaharkasas", i.e. meat eating bird [vulture], but only as secondary. The entire issue being raked up here is the paucity of birds - but these were never considered as an essential prerequisite for the efficient working of this system.

The larger issue, however, and one which has been consistently ignored by all and sundry is that the dokhma and Dokhmenashini is NOT merely a system for disposing off a dead body. Were it so then, theoretically, we should have no objection to a member of any other community desiring to consign his body in this manner. But it is not so.

It is pertinent to mention that the Avesta says that a human body is composed of nine parts: - three physical - tanu, gaetha and azde; three semi-physical - keherp, ushtan, tevishi; and three spiritual/immortal - ruvan, baodangh and fravashi. Any system of disposal of the dead has to ensure that ALL THESE NINE PARTS are efficiently dealt with - not only any one group.

The dokhma is first and foremost an alat, an instrumentality of the Zoroastrian religion, much as an Atash Behram or an agiary. The dokhma is an important part of a four part system that ensures that not only is the physical body disposed off, but also that the spiritual aspect of the soul's onward journey is facilitated in a most efficient manner. Thus the Dokhma is one of the four wheels of the car that drive the soul on its onward journey - remove a single wheel, and you can imagine what happens. The other three wheels of this car are:
    1. The sachkar ceremony
    2. The geh-sarna ceremony
    3. The dokhma
    4. The four days prayers for the departed soul.

Concentrating on the dokhma, it is apparent from its method of construction and consecration that it is not merely a receptacle for putting a dead body - were it that way then we could have used an open hill top too. I would request readers to go through the same Dr Jivanji Mody's book on Zoroastrian ceremonies to get an idea of the immense time and effort it takes to construct and consecrate a single dokhma. Without going into details [which are sufficient to merit a complete book in their own right], we can summarise:

1. The physical construction of the dokhma is such that it takes care of the physical aspect of the disposal of a body. - the tanu, gaetha and azda are dealt with
2. The ceremony of "tana" which is done prior to the construction of the dakhma, in its foundation pit, ensures that the semi-physical bodies are properly dealt with - keherp, ushtan and tevishi
3. The consecration ceremonies and the various bajs performed prior to opening the dakhma ensure the onward journey of the immortal parts - ruvan, baodangh and fravashi.

For a Zoroastrian, there is no alternative but to go the dokhma way - for his own good.

I would be only too glad were the Jame to give an opportunity to me to write in detail on this topic and end this controversy once and for all.

Regards,

Ervad Marzban Hathiram.

An Appeal for Financial Aid for our Daughter Anahita Amrolia

2011-10-11T08:58:00.002+05:30

An Appeal for Financial Aid for our Daughter Anahita Amrolia

This is a genuine request for help - I vouch for that. Anahita is a single parent of a 7 year old with retired parents. She was the sole breadwinner of the family before she was stricken with Encephalitis and has been suffering since around April this year. Her treatment costs have dried up all the savings of this family.

If anyone is interested in helping the family financially they may get in touch with Hormuz Avari at 98207655 hormuz.avari@gmail.com or directly with Sam / Behroze Amrolia in Mumbai (numbers given below).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 1st, 2012

Sub:Medical help required for my daughter who is suffering from Encephalitis

(Definition: is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the brain, most often due to infections)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I, Sam Amrolia retired service man write to you with great hope and request you to help me with financial aid for the medical expenses of my ailing daughter Anahita Amrolia age 35 years who was diagnosed and is being treated for Encephalitis at the Bhatia Hospital, Tardeo, Mumbai, India for the past 4.5 month. Now she is being treated for recovery from the damage she has suffered. The expenses we incurred during her treatment were INR 11.95 lakhs in hospitalization for which scanned bill has been attached. We have managed to go so far with help from friends, relatives and personal funds. On advice of the doctors we have brought her home as medical treatment at the hospital is completed and now she in to undergo medication & physiotherapy since she is partial paralyzed due to brain damage.

Anahita was the bread earner for the family and a single parent of 7 year old girl Mehernaz. I and my wife am retired serviceman of Central Bank of India since three years.We have been given enough hope from all medical experts that Anahita is and shall recover, but with no definite time frame for recovery specified.

The monthly expenses that we have been incurring since we have brought her home account for a sum of INR 58,890/- p.m. (expenses bifurcation attached herewith) which is a heavy sum for us now as we have exhausted all our liquidity during her treatment.

We would be greatly obliged towards your organization if we could receive due help for sustaining ourselves while taking care of our recovering child.

We wish to inform you that we have received donation from trust and family contribution of INR 673,000/- (Six Hundred Seventy Three Thousand Only) (Donations bifurcation attached herewith)

On request we will produce all the bills in original.

With this appeal I truly solicit your timely help and would be obliged to receive any help in anyway.

Sincerely yours,

Mr. Sam N Amrolia

10/4, Sir C.J.Colony

Tardeo,

Mumbai - 400034

Mobile – 09821500481/09821500483

EXPENSES PER MONTH

Particulars

Remark

Monthly Expense

Rental Surgical Bed

INR 5000 p.m. rent

INR 5,000.00

Physiotherapist Charges

Rs. 600/- per hour Monday to Saturday

INR 15,600.00

Caretaker / Maid expenses

Rs. 300/- per day

INR 9,000.00

Tests

Various Tests including Blood tests, sodium level, Serum level, Carbamazepine Level and Potassium Level every 10 days. @ INR 5680 onetime

INR 17,040.00

Medication

INR 7,000.00

Diapers

As totally bed ridden

INR 5,250.00

Total Expenses

INR 58,890.00

Donations received from various Trust and other sources

Donation

Remarks

Amount (INR)

Bai MPB Jeejeebhoy Deed of Settlement fund

Trust Donation

198000

British Council

Employer Medical Assistance

250000

Lotus Trust

Trust Donation

50000

Mr. Jalnawalla

Personal Donation

50000

Relatives

100000

Other Well wishers

Personal Donation

25000

Total

673000

Regards

Behroze Amrolia

Free Zoroastrian Match Making service by Mrs. ABAN VAZIR

2011-10-02T06:05:00.002+05:30

This e-mail was forwarded to me by Mr.Shroff from Houston. Hope you find it useful

...Spread the good news!

Hi….Everyone,

Kindly forward this email to all Zarthustis around the world. Aban Vazir from Toronto, Canada is providing a wonderful FREE Service to the young youths of our community and within a short span of time:

· 30 Zarthushti couples have already got their life partners
· 45 Zarthushti couples have been engaged

She has a huge database of young (ages 17 – 59) Zarathushti boys and girls, seeking matrimony within our community.please do not hesitate to contact her directly.

Email: aban_vazir@yahoo.ca

Third Email:

Hi...Everyone,

This email has been sent on behalf of Mrs. Aban Vazir:

Please forward it to all your friends and relatives around the world.

Dear Kerman Katrak,

Just wanted to update you on the progress of the Free Matrimonial Service. Young Zarthushti girls and boys have approached me from Bombay, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, USA and from our own Canada.

With great care and respect I have been forwarding E-mails to suitable matches keeping it very confidential to honour the respected individual. Today with great pleasure and joy I would like to inform you that:· 10 couples have already got their life partners· 15 couples have been engaged.Besides this, they have found a lot of happiness and consolation in meeting new Zarthushti friends in all parts of the world.

Amazingly all of them have forwarded this match making E-mails to thousands of friends all over the world and the result is I keep getting at least 5 new E-mails per day as boys and girls are looking for their Life Partners.

I think this is the best way to approach a girl or a boy if you are shy. It becomes easier to get to know each other by E-mail. All the efforts that have been put into this, has resulted in finding their right partners in Life and many of them can be good friends forever.

The Community's strength is measured when family and friends join hands and stand together, in the common cause of our community.

I sincerely request people from all age groups to come forward and approach me or send me your Bio and I will send you E-mails of your choice.

May Ahura Mazda guide and bless our community.

With best regards,

Aban Vazir - Toronto , Canada .Tel: 416-622-6552

Email: aban_vazir@yahoo.ca

Second Email:

Hi...Everyone,

This email has been sent on behalf of Mrs. Aban Vazir:
Please forward it to all your friends and relatives around the world.

Dear Kerman Katrak,

I would like to update you on the progress of this FREE Matrimonial service: As it currently stands, I have:68 listings of boys43 listings of girlsAges varying from 17 to 59
Boys and Girls from Canada, USA, Europe, New Zealand , Australia, India & Pakistan.3 couples have been engaged.14 couples have been in serious matrimonial correspondence.

I still have a huge database of people and receive more and more eligible Zarthushtis on a regular basis.

I would ardently request you to kindly roll out this email once again and my humble request is for people to please come forward and contact me, who are looking for a match within our community.

This is absolutely a FREE Community Service, with utmost Confidentiality.

With Best Wishes,
Aban Vazir - Toronto , Canada .Tel: 416-622-6552

Email: aban_vazir@yahoo.ca

First Original Email:

Hi Everyone,

This email has been sent to you all on behalf of Aban Vazir: Please contact her directly.

Greetings to Everyone,

Since the past 30 to 40 years we Zarthushtis have settled in this beautiful Land worked hard and struggled to raise our kids in the best environment. We have tried to give them the best education and always wished they would settle well in their lives so after we leave this world they can stand up on their feet and be independent.

Every Zarthushti Parent's dream is that their son or daughter would marry and stay in our own community and preserve the values of our great religion which our great grandfathers have passed on to us. But how would anyone achieve this. We feel there is a strong need for a person who would help by trying to locate an appropriate friend or a partner and in turn keep the utmost confidentiality of each and every individual.

Hence I would ardently request each one of you to please come forward and contact me so that I can help you find the most suitable match and also assist you in every step of the way, by finding a life partner who will match your personality and compatibility.

I already have a list of girls and boys of all ages, who are looking out for a suitable match, within our community.

So please don't feel shy and kindly contact me as this is a free and purely community service for our friends and family and above all for our religion.

With best regards,Aban Vazir - Toronto , Canada .Tel: 416-622-6552
Email: aban_Vazir@yahoo.ca

Email: aban_vazir@yahoo.ca

Great Tale of Behram Yazad

2011-09-12T16:53:00.001+05:30

MUSHKEL AASAN BEHRAM YAZAD NI PANAH!!

WE TAKE REFUGE IN THE GREAT BEHRAM YAZATA THE SOLVER OF ALL PROBLEMS!!

======================================================================

THE ANCIENT TALE OF THE WOODCUTTER MISHKIN AND HIS GREAT FORTUNE

(Original English Text by Dhun and Cyrus Madon, rewritten by Porus Homi Havewala.)

==============================================================================

There is a wonderful tale of tradition that is told when our Parsi-Irani Zarathushtri people are in great need or difficulty. In this tale, we tell the story of how a poor woodcutter Mishkin was helped and uplifted by the spiritual and heavenly help of Shah Behram Yazad, a great worshippable divinity in our religion who has the power to remove obstacles and ease all difficulties. This story happened many thousands of years ago in our sacred fatherland of Iran, and is repeated even today with devotion to call for divine help in the time of great difficulty and obstacles.

We pray to God Almighty, Dadar Ahura Mazda and thank Him for His Blessings, and bow to Him and His worshippable created being (Yazad) the mighty Shah Behram Yazad, asking for Divine protection and Blessings for our whole family. We praise Shah Behram Yazad and His Divine Power of easing all difficulties. We humbly offer to You these simple heart-felt offerings of Chana (grams) and Sweets, which please accept from us and bless us, Amin, Amin, Amin.

In the days of yore, in our sacred fatherland of Iran where the steps of our Prophet Zarathushtra fell more than 8000 years ago, there once lived Mishkin, a simple woodcutter along with his small family, a wife and daughter. He earned a meagre living by chopping wood in the forest and selling it in the market nearby. The small family lived a simple life, eating simple food and knowning no luxuries.

It was one of those days when Mishkin had gone to the forest, that his rich neighbours decided to cook a delicious liver dish in the Iranian style. In those days house doors were kept open so the wonderful aromas started to pour into Mishkin's house, where his young teenage daughter was knitting some garmets. The daughter was still like a child, and she was so wonderstruck by the fine aromas that she decided to visit the rich neighbour on an excuse, in the hope that they would then invite her in to share the delicious meal. She knocked on the neighbour's open door and asked for some embers to rekindle their household fire - since all Zoroastrian houses in those days maintained a Holy Fire inside their own house.

The neighbour gave her the embers, but made no mention of inviting the girl to share the meal.

Disappointed, Mishkin's daughter went back to her house, where she waited a while before trying again. This happened two more times, but by the third time, the neighbour was quite irritated and screeched at the little girl that she well knew why Mishkin's daughter kept coming back again and again, that it was a sin to estinguish the Holy Fire on purpose, and that she would never be invited to eat the dish. So saying, the selfish rich neighbour slammed the door on the young girl's face.

Devastated, Mishkin's daughter went crying to her house, where she sat in motionless depression until her father Mishkin came home. Shocked to see her in such a state, the father asked her:

"O Daughter!Why are you so sad today, what has happened?"

The young girl poured out her whole heart, and the father was immensely saddened. "My child, I realize we are poor compared with our neighbours and cannot afford the ingredients for delicious food. But I promise you, I will make an extra effort to earn more money tomorrow by chopping a lot more wood. When I sell this wood, I will use the extra money earned to buy all the ingredients necessary to cook this delicious dish you want. So my child, be happy once again and look forward to that". The daughter was happy when she heard the father's promise, and the whole family went to sleep dreaming of the nice meal that was to be cooked the next day.

In the morning, Mishkin made a very early start so that he would have more time to chop wood in the forest before the sun set. But when he reached the forest, he was aghast to see a forest fire that was spreading through the whole forest. He sat down at the edge of the forest and waited with great patience, but the fire raged on and on and he could not cut any wood on that day.

Deeply disappointed, Mishkin came home without any earnings, and the whole family had nothing to eat on that day, they went to bed quite hungry after filling their stomach with only water. This scenario continued the next day and the family was brought to the brink of starvation. On the third day, the starving Mishkin was filled with utter dispair when he saw that the forest fire was still raging. Breaking down totally, he sobbed like a child, hiding his face in his folded arms and crouching down beneath a large dark tree. He just could not bear to go home and face his starving family again, and tell them that he had nothing to give them to ease their hunger.

It was at that divine moment, that five Divine beings (Yazatas) from Heaven were passing through the luminous sky above the blazing forest. They were dressed in divine colours of white, green and yellow, and they were none other than Behram Yazad, Ardibehest Yazad, Meher Yazad, Bahman Yazad and Sarosh Yazad. Among these, Behram Yazad was the Yazad in charge of solving human problems.

When the Divine beings saw Mishkin crying by himself in a corner of the forest, they were filled with pity and stopped in their journey. They descended to the forest and asked Mishkin:

"Oh human being, what are you weeping for? Please tell us. We will surely try and help you out".

At first Mishkin refused to part with his problems but later opened up and explained the whole situation of how his family had to go without food for three days due to forest fires, and about his selfish rich neighbours who refused to share their food even when their poor neighbours were starving.

Touched by the sad story of the starving family, Shah Behram Yazad picked up three handfuls of sand from the ground and put it in Mishkin's lap and said "O Mishkin, keep this safely with you. If your situation improves with this, then whenever convenient narrate the whole story and offer some grams (nuts), flowers and sweets and remember us."

Now Mishkin was skeptical and thought to himself, "Actually, What good is this sand going to do for me? It is just sand. After they leave, I shall throw it away." The five Yazads disappeared into the air and immediately a mysterious voice came booming from the heavens above:

Oh Mishkin, look after this sand as you would look after your own life. You will prosper with it -- don't throw it away, otherwise you will face poverty all your life." Hearing the powerful voice from Heaven, Mishkin decided not to throw the gift of God away, even if it looked like sand and pebbles.

When Mishkin returned home, he placed the sand carefully in one corner of his room. The whole family went to sleep, again very hungry. Now in the wee hours next morning, when dawn was yet to break and it was the Holy time of HOSHBAM (when prayers are most effective), the neighbours saw a bright glowing light emanating from Mishkin's house. They were frightened and yelled out "There is a Fire in your house, Mishkin, wake up!!" Mishkin's daughter too came running to her father’s bed, and shook and woke up her father, screaming:

"Father, there is unusual brightness in the house. It could be a torch carried by a thief who has entered our home, to steal things. Please check, we are very frightened!!".

Mishkin replied, "Don t be silly my daughter, we have nothing in the house except a rope and axe for the thief to take. What can he steal? You have been starved for the last three days so you must be having visions. Don’t worry, go back to sleep and let me sleep too."

However, Mishkin couldn’t go back to sleep, since he was a little uneasy himself to notice this unusual brightness around the house. After a few minutes, he got up from the bed to check around the house. To his amazement, he found that the sand he had placed in a corner had all turned to precious jewellery, diamonds and jewels, and these were throwing a dazzling glittering light all over the house. This had happened in the Holy time of HOSHBAM.

When the sun arose, Mishkin thanked Almighty God with his morning GEH prayers. He then took a piece of jewellery out of his precious jewels to the market to sell it. The jeweller examined the piece, and was amazed to see that it was a perfect and dazzling jewel. He asked Mishkin if he could offer him 100,000 or 200,000 Gold pieces for the piece? Mishkin could not believe his ears – he thought the jeweller was jesting with him, so he went to another jeweller to get his jewels valued.

The second jeweller too was amazed to see the jewel, as in his lifetime he had never seen such a precious jewel. Surely it must have come from Heaven!

The second jeweller was also a honest man, so he made three bags full of money ready and asked Mishkin to toss his jewel and take away whichever bag it landed on. Almighty God would guide the throw! So Mishkin did, and sure enough, it landed on the biggest bag of money. Mishkin was now a very rich man. Remembering his promise to his young daughter, he immediately went shopping for provisions and bought some of the nicest ingredients to cook food, and got a labourer to carry it down to his house. On his way home, he distributed some grams, sweets and cardamom to whoever came his way, and narrated the story of how he had been helped by the Divine Forces of God.

When the food and goods arrived at his house, his wife and daughter refused to accept or empty the goods, thinking that it must belong to some rich family and has landed there in error. At that point, Mishkin reached his home. The daughter quizically asked the father:

"O Father! We are starved for every grain of food and we have no money, so how did you manage to bring all this? Did you steal, father?"

Mishkin replied, "No daughter, I have not stolen. It was Almighty God who bestowed this upon us all as a gift, and He has lifted us out of dire poverty with His Divine Grace. Blessed be His Name." So saying, he narrated the whole incident of how the Divine Yazads – the forces of God had given him the sand , and how the sand had turned into glittering jewels at the Holy time of HOSHBAM.

Soon after, the rich Mishkin built a house for himself which was more magnificent than even the King's palace, and this became the talk of the town where Mishkin lived. One day as the King of Iran himself was passing by Mishkin's house, he was astonished to see a house that was more magnificent than his own palace. Upon enquiring, he found out who the owner was and heard the incredible story.

The King decided to find out if the newly-rich Mishkin had become an arrogant man due to his new found wealth, so he sent the same high quality food that they ate to Mishkin's house to see how Mishkin would react to this gift from the King.

Mishkin and his family felt highly obligated when they saw the delicious food from the Royal kitchen, and they wondered how to repay the King's obligation. So Mishkin decived to give the King's young daughter a piece of jewel out of his precious jewellery.

The King and the Princess of Iran were totally amazed to see this beautiful piece of jewel. Surely it must have come from Heaven! The Princess had it set in a Golden necklace and wore the jewel proudly from then on.

Now Mishkin decided to go out of town on a pilgrimage to all the Holy sites of Iran, to offer thanks to all the Divine Forces of God. Before he left, he entrusted his daughter to say her weekly prayers to Shah Behram Yazad.

Having become rich, Mishkin's daughter now had made many new friends. One day the group of friends came to a pond where the King's daughter also came with her servants for a bath. Mishkin's daughter also came to the same place. She met the Royal Princess who liked the young girl, inviting her to the palace for a further meeting, and then lunch on a future date, which Mishkin’s daughter gladly accepted.

A deep friendship blossomed between the two young girls, however with all this new-found enjoyment and royal company, Mishkin's daughter soon forgot to say her prayers to Shah Behram Yazad.

One day the two young girls were passing by a lake and the King's daughter decided to go for a swim. Since Mishkin's daughter did not know how to swim, she stayed behind to look after the Princess clothes and diamond necklace.

When the Princess came out, she started to dress but found her precious necklace missing. She accused Mishkin's daughter of stealing it. A quarrel soon ensued between the two girls, with Mishkin’s daughter protesting her innocence. Why would she steal back a gift that her own father had made?

But the angry princess refused to listen and complained to her father the King of Iran, and got both mother and daughter arrested and put in jail.

On the other hand Mishkin got robbed by thieves on one of the lonely mountain roads. He returned home empty-handed. When he came to know that his wife and daughter were in jail, he went straight to the King and pleaded with him to release them and put him in jail instead. This was done immediately.

That same night, in jail, Mishkin was sleeping sadly. In the early hours of the morning, in the Holy time of Hoshbam, he had a dream in which he saw an Yazad who said, "O Mishkin, you were granted so much happiness in life and still you or your daughter could not say a prayer to Behram Yazad?"

Mishkin, in the dream, sincerely apologised for his daughter's mistake “Please forgive my daughter, she is very young and has innocently erred. I ask forgiveness on her behalf, Divine Yazad”.

The Yazad was pleased and nodded. "Never mind what has happened in the past, Mishkin. When the sun rises and you wake up, you will find some money under your pillow. Your chain will loosen up too. If you order some grams out of this money and pray to Shah Behram Yazad , ALL your difficulties will be resolved."

In the morning when Mishkin woke up, he found that his chain had become loose and he also found some money as promised by the Yazad in his dream. Mishkin went out of the prison. He stood on the road, and requested a young passerby who was riding on a horse to buy him some grams (nuts), so he could say the prayer to Shah Behram Yazad.

But the young passerby haughtily refused to do so saying, "I am in a hurry to pick up some wedding clothes and I do not have the time to bring you the grams". Soon after he left, the horse of the young passerby fell in quick sand and he broke his leg.

Just then another old man was passing by with a sad face. When Mishkin requested him, he agreed to bring the grams for Mishkin even though his son was on his death bed and counting his last moments. Mishkin was touched with humanity and requested him to sit with him while he narrated the story and acknowledge it by saying "Ha Ji (Yes Please)" to whatever he heard. The old man agreed to do so, and he listened to the story. Mishkin completed his story and wished well for everybody and offered the grams to the man by way of offerings.

When the old man went home, he was amazed when he saw that his son was fine and everyone in the family was rejoicing at his fast recovery. Seeing this, the old man was overjoyed, he established his faith in Shah Behram Yazad and began to pray with grams for Shah Behram Yazad every week or whenever possible.

On the other side, the King and Queen of Iran with their daughter were relaxing in a garden. Just then a gigantic bird flew over them and dropped the necklace into the soft lap of the Princesss. When they all looked up, they say it was the SIMURGH bird of ancient legend (the great bird who raised Zal, father of Rustom Pahelvan, the hero warrior of Iran). The King now admonished his daughter thus:

"O Daughter! Mishkin’s daughter was innocent. You have falsely accused an innocent family of theft and have made them suffer in prison, what are we to do now?" (Such were the ancient Kings, they could not bear to do injustice to their subjects).

The Princess was shame-faced and apologized sincerely for her false accusations. The King had Mishkin freed immediately and brought to him, and apologised publicly to Mishkin for his error of judgement.

Mishkin said sadly, "O King, we accept your apology for this injustice, but you have already degraded my family and spoilt our name by branding us as robbers, now who will marry my daughter?"

The King and his family, seeing the truth in what Mishkin was saying, wanted to make amends. So the King agreed to marry his own son to Mishkin's daughter, after consulting with his son – the Prince of Iran and the future King. Mishkin gladly accepted.

Thus the poor woodcutter Mishkin's family was raised to becoming a part of the royal family itself, by the Grace of Dadar Ahura Mazda and Shah Behram Yazad.

Being relatives, the two families now visited each other quite often. One day they were all together at Mishkin's house, and the Queen of Iran saw that Mishkin was peeling some grams and saying the story in his mind. The Queen jokingly asked him the reason for peeling grams - "O Mishkin, WHAT are you doing? And WHY are you doing this?"

Mishkin replied: "O Queen of Iran, these grams have made us all very happy by the Grace of Dadar Ahura Mazda and Shah Behram Yazad." He then told her the whole story.

The Queen said, "O Miskhin, if there is any truth in what you are saying, please hear me. I have lost my brothers since the last 7 years, when they travelled out of Iran. I fear for their safety since the outside world is not a safe place. I promise you that if my dear brothers come back to me, I will make your story world renowned."

So the Queen and Mishkin prayed the story together, and offered the grams and sweets to Shah Behram Yazad and asked for His Divine Help for the Queen’s lost brothers to return home safely.

And by the Grace of God, the brothers came back to Iran in 3 days time and met the Queen with great brotherly love and affection. The Queen was overjoyed to see her kin, and her faith in Dadar Ahura Mazda and Shah Behram Yazad grew a thousand-fold. So she fulfilled her promise and the story was made known to her subjects in Iran as well as the rest of the world, and it was recommended to pray to Shah Behram Yazad in times of severe difficulties.

O Shah Behram Yazad! When our Parsi forefathers along with their great Fire-Priests (Dasturjees) left Iran by ship to save our sacred religion, there was a huge sea storm and their ship was about to sink. Our ancestors prayed to you, and it is only with your Divine Help that our Sacred Fire (present Fire in our Udwada Atash Behram) was saved and our Atash Behram was established in Udwada/India. You have saved us refugees from Iran in our time of great need, and helped us get sanctuary in the benevolent and great land of India, where our religion has thrived in full peace and prosperity for more than a thousand years.

So, we pray,just as the Queen's wish was fulfilled, just as Mishkin and his wife and daughter’s desires were fulfilled, just as the old man's son miraculously came to life from his death bed, just as our Parsi forefathers were miraculously saved from the sea storm and sure extinction by Your Divine Grace, similarly may all our problems and difficulties be resolved and removed. Amin, Amin, Amin.

(Here ...... offer incense and wish well for all.)

May God Almighty make all our problems and difficulties resolved and removed. May Peace be on all of the World. Amin, Amin, Amin.

* It is highly recommended that this prayer be done when you are facing a problem with no possible human solution and in times of extreme difficulties. The Divine Godly Power of Shah Behram Yazad will work miracles. Amin, Amin, Amin.

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN

2011-09-02T20:29:00.001+05:30

From: armin motashaw
Date: Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 8:09 PM
Subject: WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN ALL THAT OUR ANCESTORS DID, TO SAVE THE RELIGION

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THAT WE OWE THIS TO THE FUTURE GENERATIONS

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THAT THEY LEFT THEIR ALL, TO PROTECT THE " DEEN"

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN TO PRACTISE THE "DEEN" IN ITS PRISTINE FORM- CLEAN

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THAT RELIGIOUS-CONVERSION IS WHAT THEY FOUGHT

WHY HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT THE "TOLA" THAT WENT TO GERMANY CANNOT BE SOUGHT

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN TO MARRY EARLY IN THE "COUM" & HAVE CHILDREN MORE

WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THAT BY CONVERTING, WE CANNOT INCREASE OUR SCORE

ARMIN DUTIA MOTASHAW

IS MAZDAYASNI ZARATHUSHTRI RELIGION UNIVERSAL?

2011-08-30T09:06:00.001+05:30

IS MAZDAYASNI ZARATHUSHTRI RELIGION UNIVERSAL?
Vada Dasturji Kaikhshroo N. Dastur Meherjirana, 2005, Parsi Pukar
DO YOU KNOW WHAT RELIGION IS AND WHY ARE THERE MORE THAN ONE RELIGIONS?
The questions which we have to address are:
1. What is religion? Is it really needed in the life of the humans?
2. Why are there more than one Religions amongst humanity?
3. How come, the holy Founders of all Religions like Jesus Christ, Mohammad, Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Mahavir, Krishna, Zarathushtra, universally proclaim that They have been sent by God, that They are His Messengers, that They have dialogue with Him, that They are specially inspired by Him to teach the humans a way of life, a divine Path, which leads to Him?
4. Is it reasonable to say that only one of these Religions is the True Path and others not? And that only one of them is to be "chosen"?
5. Is Zarathushtra the only Prophet of Truth?
6. How come every Religion has its own formidable list of holy Saints, Sages, Seers, Fakirs, Olias, Sufis, Dervishes, Rabais, Bhikhoos, Sadhus, Rishis, Ashavans, Saheb Delaans, Pir-e-Magans? Were all of them except Zarathushtrians away from Truth?
7. What are the criteria of choice if anyone is to 'choose' a Prophet for himself out of so many?
8. What is the meaning of universality?
9. If all Religions emanate from God and all of them lead to Him, how can just one of them be universal? Are not all Religions equally universal when their beginning and end are the same?
10. Has the intellect of man any capability to "choose” a Prophet from amongst many?
Is it easy to answer these questions? Let us try.
"Why are there more than one Religions?" This was a question asked to the great Hindu saint of 19th century Ramkrishna Paramhans (18-2-1836 - 16-8-1886). His answer was to this effect: A mother has four children. One is an athlete; he has to be given a nonvegetarian diet and proteins. Another has diarrhea; he cannot be given milk and heavy food. The third is a weakling; he is to be given moderately substantial balanced food. The fourth is a gastric; he has to avoid potato and pulses. The mother has the responsibility of maintaining her children's health by serving different food to each. Let us have another analogy. Varied patients are collected in a hospital. One has T.B., other has malaria, another one has pneumonia, fourth has mad-cow disease and the fifth has a sophisticated HIV or HPS. Each patient is treated by a specialist doctor. Some of them meet in a common hall. The T. B. patient starts praising his doctor and tells the malaria patient that he must switch to his doctor. The Malaria patient insists that his doctor is the best for all. It should be realized that each doctor is a specialist in his own field of a particular disease and may not have adequate knowledge or expertise in any other form of disease. This is the reason why Lord Krishna in Gita 3-35 says:"One's own Dharma, though imperfect is better than the dharma of other well performed. Better death in one's own dharma; the dharma of other is full of fear." (...Svadharam nidhn shrae: Pardharmo Bhaivah)
The great saint Ramkrishna Paramhans elaborates on this aspect in his masterly style:
"A professional farmer does not lose courage and continues to cultivate even if there are terrible droughts for twelve long years. But a weaver who takes to tiling for a change of occupation gets disheartened if rain fails for just one season. A true devotee does not deviate from his Path of devotion…."
Look at Lord Krishna's above passage: “Death in other Dharma is full of fear.” Why does He say so? It is like a saying amongst us: “Gujarya pachi ravan rakhdi jashe.” This is not just a colloquial saying. There are scriptural evidences to show that the Ruvan does loiter in certain circumstances.
At about five places the Gatha refers to the word "Daenaao." This is the plural of "Daenaa." Daenaa means Religion - Dharma. Gatha: Yasna Ha 31-11 proclaims that different Religions are according to the Divine Plan of Mazda. They are ordained for different groups of humanity. The undercurrent is common, but the tarikats, tenets, devotions, doctrines are different. But that difference is not meant to discriminate each other. Because Ha 34-13 declares that the Daenaao - Religions are brought by Saoshyants i.e. Prophets and Avatars of Ahura and each Din can by itself lead man to Mukti, Salvation, Nirvaan, Mokhsha, Frashogard. This is proclaimed subject to man following the commands and tarikats of his own Religion. The word used in 34-13 is "Hookeyreyt" which conveys the meaning of sticking to the Din. It also indicates ‘center’ i.e. being at the center of one's own Din.s
Ha 46-6 declares that the Paths of all Dins are against the path of druj i.e. the evil. And Ha 49-9 says every Din is a gift from Ahura leading to the breaking of the bonds of evil.
Religion is not an intellectual and argumentative exercise. Religion is a way of life to be lived on every moment of our existence on earth. It is a way leading us on the Path of God. Each Religion is God-sent and a Path towards Him. Every religion has three main phases: Knowledge, Practice and Devotion.
Knowledge is the quest for truth, an investigative divine science, which is learnt from spiritual experience in the laboratory of life.
Practice is the practical way of dealing with ourselves and our surrounding creations: animals, vegetables, minerals and humans. The banner of this practice is Armaiti: i.e. dissolution of ego; humility, love and service towards all the four creations; renouncing of all hatred; truth on the tongue; sincere attempt to avoid goonah (sins); adoption of Kerfeh ( thoughts,words and deeds as ordained by the Din) and Patet ( repentance for sins).
Devotion means divine attraction towards Daadar, Yazats, Paigamber and the Din itself. And a burning desire to walk on the Path of God and to ultimately be in union with Him.
There are a hundred references in the extant Avesta emphasizing Asho Zarathushtra’s Yazatic stature. One full Haa with 11 passages and 243 words in the Gatha are devoted to Him and depicts who HE is. Farvardin Yasht has two passages of 211 + 38 words narrating how He discharged the Divine Duties assigned to Him by Ahura Mazda and will continue to do so till Frashogard and beyond. All Avesta sings this celestial song.
One of the Duties of Asho Zarathushtra was to prepare for the advent of other great Religions and their Divine Founders. All Religions work in a Divine Brotherhood. We got the living proof of these Truths when Baheramshah Shroff (1858-1927) enlightened the Parsis on IIm-e-Khshnoom, the Divine Science, Practice, Love and Devotion of our Din.
************************************
The reformists are dying of thirst sleeping on the bank of a cool sweet spring. This description of them is given by the great Sufi Poets Rumi and Hafez. It is they who require to be awakened and revived and not the Din.
Hum Mithra at - 7 a.m. every day for Peace.

Recite: 2 Yatha Ahu Vairyo, 1 Ashem Vohu.

"Let no harm come upon the Traditional Zoroastrian flag and its values which are so dear to us. Let the reformist agenda never succeed and their nefarious plans be upturned. Let no harm befall upon Pavmahal of India that is - our Iranshah of Udwada and all Atash Behram, Atash adaran and dagah of India. The things that we value most like Holy consecrated Fire(Pavmahal), Dokhmas, Sudreh Kusti which acts as a weapon to thwart evil, and let us protect our racial traits of Parsi panu through Boonak Pasbani by not marrying outside. That is how we will be able to maintain our true Zarathosti Khandani. Let the advent of Shah Behram Varjawand and his fore runners come soon and protect us from this mess. Let my Kusti Padiav and my Tarikats be helpful to nature to fight for the cause of Righteousness against the evil negative forces of Drujis, and may it protect us all Zarathustis and entire humanity who live by religion and its tenets"

Recite: 1 Yatha Ahu Vairyo, 2 Ashem Vohu.
__._,_.___
**************************************************

POEM

2011-07-29T07:27:00.001+05:30

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: armin motashaw
Date: Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 7:30 PM
Subject: POEM

JUST THINKING ALOUD ABOUT THE FEARS.... ON THE DANGEROUS GROUNDS WE ARE TREDING

WHERE WILL THIS LEAD US TO...........

OBSESSION

OBSESSION TO CONVERT & ACCEPT CONVERTS IS THE LATEST ISSUE.

MAY BE, WE SHOULD RESEARCH IN GENETICS - ON CLONE - TISSUE

OR YET, SEND MISSIONARIES TO RE-CONVERT MUSLIM-IRAN

MAY BE, THAT WAY WE CAN EVEN REGAIN OUR LOST TEHRAN

WOULD SOMEONE TRY TO RE-CONVERT PRIYANKA & RAHUL

PHIROZE'S GRANDCHILDREN ALSO INCLUDE PHIROZE-VARUN

THEN; VARIED WILL BE OUR PARSI NAMES AND SURNAMES

TO BE PARSIS; SINGH, IYER, NAMWANI, WILL ALL MAKE CLAIMS

SNUBBED-NOSED PARSIS THERE WILL BE - WHITE, BLACK, BROWN

AT A DARK-STOCKY LOOKING PARSI, THEN NO BODY WILL EVER FROWN

THE RACE THAT STOOD OUT SO TALL, SO DISTINCTLY WILL BE NO MORE

ALAS OUR GREAT ANCESTORS WILL BE REMEMBERED IN A FOLK-LORE

ARMIN DUTIA MOTASHAW

POEM

2011-07-29T07:26:00.003+05:30

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: armin motashaw
Date: Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 7:24 PM
Subject: POEM

SELF ANNIHILATION

WHO CAN HELP US BUT OURSELVES.... NO ONE ELSE SURELY ! !

BUT TO HELP OURSELVES, WE ARE PROGRESSING VERY POORLY.

SELF-ANNIHILATION, KAMIKAZE, SUICIDE IS WHAT WE ARE UP TO

IT IS NOT AS IF WE DO NOT KNOW, WHAT WE MUST QUICKLY DO

HAPPEN WHAT MAY; WHO CARES....IT IS ZARTHUSHTRA'S HEADACHE

WHY SHOULD I SACRIFICE FOR ZARTHUSHTRA'S OR RELIGION'S SAKE

WHO CAN WAKE UP OUR SLEEPY COMMUNITY, THAT CARES V. LITTLE;

LIKE NERO- WHEN ROME WAS BURNING, WAS COOLLY PLAYING THE FIDDLE

WE DO NOT BELIEVE, LEARN OR TEACH OUR CHILDREN, RELIGIOUS TENETS

WE WANT TO FIGHT, ARGUE, DISAGREE & FOR THIS, FORM CHAOTIC SENATES

NO MARRIAGES, LATE-MARRIAGES, LOW FERTILITY, INTERFAITH MARRIAGES, RUIN US

ANY DOUBTS ? ? ? ARE NOT WE FULLY READY FOR SELF - ANNIHILATION, THUS.

ARMIN DUTIA MOTASHAW
Reply Reply to all Forward

POEM

2011-07-29T07:26:00.001+05:30

Process of Consigning to Doongerwadi , Mumbai , from Overseas

2011-07-03T04:39:00.001+05:30

Baname Khuda.

                                  Process of Consigning to Doongerwadi , Mumbai , from Overseas

Why Dokhmenashini.?
Importance of Dokhmenashini: Ervad notes.
Please also refer to recording by Dr.Chiniwalla on Dokhmenashini   at BPP website, linked through Zoroastrian.net
Returning the deceased for his/her last rites requires proper pre planning and teamwork
The project needs to be broken up in smaller parts and each part needs to be executed with precision.   It is not difficult if properly planned and coordinated. Total costs thus far have been less/compatible to burial expenses, if one person/family member is accompanying the corpse.
This full brief is based on various personal experiences on consigning to Mumbai from California, USA, only, and is predicated on proper planning and back up support in Mumbai. Hopefully with this initiative, volunteers from other countries will share their process. Requirements of each county/ state/province/country differ. It also assumes death due to natural causes only, without contagious disease. Before deciding to consign to Doongerwadi please refer to official website of BPP at www.bombayparsipanchayat.com/doongerwadi.html to ensure procedure/eligibility etc.
The various parts of the project are:

Most important-Tarikats (spiritual disciplines) to be followed. Ervad Marzban Hathiram has kindly volunteered to guide and advise on this matter. Please contact him at marzban.hathiram@gmail.com well in advance.
Arrangements to be made immediately upon death.
Documents to prepare for a) Arrival in India and Doongerewadi b) Indian embassy c) Transportation. Clearly all these documents have to comply with US Federal and state regulations.
Arrangements to be made prior arrival of the ruvaan at Mumbai
Clearing the body in Mumbai and transporting to Doongerwadi the same day .

1. Pre planning :
A) Identify an experienced and established mortuary . It is a great support system to advice on latest requirements , documents procedures, shipment , travel rates,   and relevant website of Indian Embassy(keeps changing) .
B )Be in touch with your family members in Mumbai and start 4 days obsequies (except Geh Sarna ) immediately upon last breath, with your family panthak in Mumbai. In addition, you may also carry out the same obsequies (except Geh Sarna) at place of death, if you have an access to a mobed. Ervad Hathiram has also compiled a detailed brief on the full 4 day obsequies to be carried out. Please refer to this article at:    (Ervad please enter the address.)
C) Plan on someone to personally hand carry required documents (listed below in 3) to be notarized by Indian embassy in USA. Proper contact needs to be established at the embassy to save time. With advanced planning notarization can be done in a day.
D) It is important to bear in mind that corpses to India can be cleared only if embalmed .Embalming consists of removing blood from the body and injecting formaldehyde in its place to delay rigor mortis (decomposition). Embalming adds to transshipment weight. An elegant, light coffin is necessary to limit costs. White coffins are also available.
2. Arrangements upon death :
A) Light a diva at deceased's head and have someone pray Ashem Vohu continuously
B) Arrange for the body to be transported to mortuary immediately
C) Start four day obsequies see 1 B) above.
D) Ask mortuary to prepare body for air shipment to Mumbai .Embalm the body as soon as possible
E) If possible, apply Taro to the deceased with help of family/humdeens.
F) Prepare relevant documents.(no.3 blow)
G) Alert family members in Mumbai   see 4 below. Also alert volunteer team detailed in 4, 5 .
I) Always double check with Doongerwadi and volunteers in 4, about all documents required prior shipping the body from overseas. Make sure all original sets for India and place of departure are prepared.
3. Documents
Death certificate ( stating cause of death-natural cause ),embalming certificate , a certificate stating that death was not due to any contagious disease, flight schedule on airline letter head. All documents need to be notarized by Indian embassy.Prepare seven copies of each document ,including two originals. In addition a no objection certificate will have to be obtained on arrival Mumbai, .See 5) Clearing the body.
4. Arrangements prior to arrival In Mumbai :A) Inform family members who should coordinate with flight details to have Doongerwadi Hearst ready upon arrival ,notifying bungli etc. All Doongerwadi details, phone numbers are available on BPP website, or they can be made available through volunteers below. .
B) Mr.,. Mehernosh Fitter has kindly volunteered to help in this process. His experience , connections can be very helpful for swift, seamless clearance . If you need to contact him he can be reached at Mumbai @ 2412 2999 OR CELL 98201 57534 FAX; 2416 2886   email: meherdel@vsnl.net.   He has received consigned bodies at Sahar airport in the past and helped clear them with family members.
C) M/s Kashmira Rao has kindly consented to volunteer   to help out with the coordinating process .She can be reached at Mumbai cell 91- 9833199985 e-mail: ilg@vsnl.netu
5 Clearing the body :
Since volunteers have kindly consented to take care of this detail, please advise family members to contact and thoroughly plan the procedure with them . It involves clearing the body with customs and health department, making statements at Sahar airport police station who may ask to open the coffin and site the corpse, making a panchnama and obtaining a no objection certificate. Police, Customs , Health, Doongerwadi all need copies of relevant documents.    It must be stressed to family members that planning saves a lot of time to consign to Doongerwadi .
The whole process with proper planning and coordination takes about six days from US .
Mrs. Silloo Mehta of California has always helped out in these matters . From US you may contact her at
949-551-5252 .
You are also welcome to get in touch with sam.billimoria@gmail.com.
Please do not impose any financial requests/obligations to any of the volunteers above.

Patuck Polytechnic Trust::Educational Institute

2011-06-26T07:43:00.001+05:30

You might find this article interesting and informative.

Please spread the word around to let other Zarathushtis know about it, and

avail themselves of the education opportunities.

50% of the seats are allocated for Parsis...However, currently only 2 Parsi
students out of a total of 3,500 students are registered.

Thanks,

Regards,
Sam M.Billimoria

Patuck Polytechnic Trust::Educational Institute

How many of us Parsis know that there is a reputed school and college of commerce and management in Mumbai, which provides free education to Parsi students? As a minority community institution 50% seats are reserved for Parsis. This article is written to make our community aware of the opportunities provided by Patuck Polytechnic Trust in the field of education.

History: Late Mr. Rustomji Hormusji Patuck was the founder and sole settler of Patuck Polytechnic Trust in 1932. He was a Parsi businessman settled in Manchester, U.K. He was a merchant prince turned technical educationist. He was groomed at the Manchester College of Technology. He became a philanthropist in the cause of vocational and professional education on his return to India. He was born on 12th November 1860 and passed away on 20th October 1936. Rustomba Patuck as he was popularly known to his close associates started Modern Industrial School in 1934 to impart technical and vocational training in weaving and carpentry. He ran the school in Gujarati medium, in hired premises with eight students. He himself was the founder principal, chief instructor and caretaker all rolled into one. He established the Trust with a corpus of Rs. 9 lakhs for the running of the Institutions managed by the Trust. He was the preceptor of the concept of work experience and vocationalisation of technical education at the secondary and higher secondary levels. His credo was "Work is worship".

Patuck Complex is situated at Vakola, one km. away from Chhatrapati Shivaji Domestic Airport, Mumbai off the Western Express Highway. The road adjoining the campus is named Rustomba Patuck Marg since 17th July 2004. It consists of its own 4-acre plot and houses the campus under its Integrated Education system viz. K.G. to P.G. (Kindergarten to PostGraduate). Its students feature in the merit list at S.S.C., H.S.C. exams and have won laurels in various fields. The following institutes are conducted by the Trust catering to the educational needs of over 3500 students:

1. Patuck Play School

2. Patuck Pre-Primary School (1994)

3. Patuck Primary English School (1994)

4. Patuck Technical High School (1945) and Jr. College (Science - 1982), (Vocational - 1986), & Commerce

5. Patuck Gala College of Commerce & Management (2002)

6. Yeshwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University Study Centre for Diploma course in Engineering (1998)

7. Gala Infotech Centre (2000)

8. Patuck Industrial Training Centre (1981)

Patuck Gala College of Commerce & Management was started in 2002. It is affiliated to the University of Mumbai for teaching Commerce (B. Com.) and Management (BMS – Bachelor of Management Studies). Dr. C. M. Sankaran Kutty is the Principal. The Trust is starting a Law College from June 2005, and also Master of Management Studies (M.M.S.) courses shortly.

Organising Board: Mr. Adil J. Patuck, grand nephew of the founder is the chairman. Professor Rustom Kaikhushroo Mody, former Principal and Secretary, VJTI is a director. Mr. J. J. Goiporia is the Honorary Secretary. Principal K. G. K. Kurup is the administrator. Postal address is 100, Nehru Road, Vakola Bridge, Santacruz (East), Mumbai 400 055. Tel. no. 26680939, 2668 3806.

Junior College -Science (1982)

Students desirous of going for higher studies in Engineering, Medicine or Para-Medical courses and other science faculties can opt for Jr. College-Science.

1. Pure Science

2. Science with information Technology

3. Science with Vocational Subject – Computer Science or Mechanical maintenance

Junior College – Vocational (1986)

Objectives: Govt. of India in its National Education Policy contemplated Vocational Education at plus two stage (after SSC) having minimum competencies in various fields. On completion of these two-year courses as vocational technicians with NCERT certificate, the trainees directly enter the world of work. Patuck has several courses in which well-qualified teachers in its own well-equipped laboratories and workshops impart training.

Special Features: (1) On the Job Training of six weeks compulsory. (2) Computer Awareness is an added competency. (3) Received National Award for School Industry Linkage in 1998 from NCERT, Govt. of India.

A. Accounting and Auditing

Subjects: English, Hindi, Financial Accounting, Cost Accounting, Auditing.

Job Opportunities: Accounts assistant, Cashier, Ledger clerk, Audit clerk, Audit assistant. Can render services independently on accounting activities as self employed in any of these jobs.

B. Auto Engineering Technician

Subjects: English, Hindi, Mechanical Technology, Auto and Diesel Cycle, Engineering Drawing, Garage Management & Motor Vehicle rules.

Job Opportunities: Auto mechanic, Service mechanic, Vehicle surveyor and loss assessor, driver, auto fitter.

C. Building Maintenance

Subjects: English, Hindi, Construction technology, Estimating and costing, Construction management and accounts, Building yard practice.

Job opportunities: Supervisor, contractor, plumber, consultant for maintenance, entrepreneurship.

D. Electronics Technology

Subjects: English, Hindi, Basic electricity materials, Basic electronics, Applied electronics, Electronic instrumentation, Consumer electronics, Industrial electronics & Line Communication.

Job opportunities: Maintenance and repair of electronic equipment, sales and service centre for electronic equipment, manufacture of electronic equipment, mobile service centre for sales and service in rural areas.

E. Maintenance and repair of electrical domestic appliances

Subjects: English, Hindi, Material and workshop practice, Domestic appliances, Elements of electrical technology.

Job opportunities: Manufacture, testing, repair, selling domestic appliances. Dealership / Agency, repair shop of electrical domestic appliances.

F. Mechanical technology

Subjects: English, Hindi, Mechanical technology, Engineering Drawing, Operation and Maintenance of machine tools, Engineering science.

Job opportunities: Skilled worker in turning, fitting, welding, chargeman supervisor, instructor.

G. Medical Laboratory Technician

Subjects: Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, clinical biochemistry, microbiology and parasitology, clinical pathology and haematology, Blood Bank, Histo technology, Laboratory management and ethics.

Job opportunities: Laboratory technician in colleges, hospitals, pharma labs, health centres. Self employment as distributor for lab chemicals, wares, equipment and spare parts.

H. Tourism and Travel Techniques

Subjects: Introduction to tourism, Heritage of India, Economics and geography of tourism, transport, hospitality industry and business communication, travel agency operations.

Job opportunities: Tour organiser, tour operator, travel counsellor, transporters, tourist cars, buses, Pilgrimage tour organisers.

At present only two Parsi students are availing of this golden opportunity. It is hoped that more and more Parsi students become aware and take advantage of this renowned institution.

TheParseeVoice ANAHITA YAZDI DESAI – THE SOCIAL CRUSADER

2011-06-25T07:15:00.001+05:30

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Parsee Voice
Date: Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 12:32 AM
Subject: TheParseeVoice ANAHITA YAZDI DESAI – THE SOCIAL CRUSADER
To: the-parsee-voice@googlegroups.com

We reiterate with all the emphasis at our command that a vote for Ms Anahita Desai is a vote for progress, a vote for stability, a vote for traditionalism.

· Put aside all your doubts and worries about the takeover of the BPP Board by the WAPIZ trustees. It is neither true nor practical.

· Do not heed the charge of it being a gher-no-ghambhar, for it is definitely not! Remember, it is you and me who will cast our votes and decide and not the Board.

· It is not nepotism either, for there is no element of internal favouritism involved on the part of the BPP Board. She is a competent and accomplished lady in her own right and nobody can deny her the opportunity of serving the community as best she can.

· She is honest and forthright.

· She is a grassroots level worker and understands the aspirations and problems of the ordinary bawaji.

The second round of voting for the vacancy in the BPP Board is due to take place as under :

Saturday, 25^th June 2011 – Cusrow Baug

Sunday, 26^th June 2011 – Rustom Baug

So dear humdeens, please shake of your lethargy and make it to the polling booths this weekend. You owe this much to yourself and to your community. Please rewmember to take your voters'registration certificates and photo identification.

Regards

The Editor
The Parsee Voice

The betrayers of Zoroastrianism

2011-06-22T05:04:00.001+05:30

From: Geve Narielwalla
Date: Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 7:39 PM

I have been thinking of this for several days, and I keep getting the feeling I should put my thoughts down in writing.

These BPP elections, presently and in the future, seems to be also a well camouflaged fight between those who are traditional and very religious or who consider all our heritage and traditions precious and worthy of preservation on one hand, and those who have developed disrespect and mockery for our heritage and religion, well hidden in a front image that these things are of no interest or value, a waste of time.

Those who are bent on getting inter marrieds' spouses and their children into the Zoroastrian fold, and also do away with the system of dokhmenishi, are not just the enemies, the worst hidden enemies are those who display very disrespectful, indifferent and confrontational attitude to all Zoroastrian religious practices and rituals/tarikats. These are ready market for the liberals

Not only do they avoid these rituals and tarikats, but they also criticize and discourage and mock those who wish to practise these.

This is the acid test of who these people are. They look down and criticize everything, the nirang used before the Navjote, to the ceremonies for the dead, the difficult and strenuous rituals to become a navar martab, total disregard of holy places, even the house holy objects/shrine can be approached close by a women in menses........everything is poohpoofed.

These are the real enemies of the religion, not just our Zoroastrian religion, but any religion, because these are probably atheists need not be posing as liberals, but more as indifferent individuals, that religion is very oddly out of place in this age, without being these so called liberals.

Use every logic one can use for deliberating this very curious phenomena in our community:

If an individual does not find that rituals and tarikats are of any good use, spiritual or otherwise of benefit, at least respect and display pride and magnanimity towards the religious institutions, above all respect the wishes of those who want to be traditional or orthodox. Why run down all those who do not suit their views?

A decent human being would disagree, but not climb on those and try bully and scoff and ridicule those who differ from their views.

This senseless and arrogant push to mock and look down on our Zoroastrian institutions, rituals, ceremonies is in fact that these individuals wish to destroy all these millennia old heritage of Zoroastrianism. They have proudly discarded wearing the sudreh-kusti, gloatingly sharing their secret with their cronies of like mind.

These will scoff at the current writing s in various media etc that Zoroastrianism was the world's first monotheistic religion, or that Iran was once a great power .......these are "westernised" or "Bollywood films, and/or only Indian history only is great" types, to the point where anything relating to their own ancestral heritage is an embarrassment!

Then there is, curiously, this further arrogant attitude from this group.......they have no fellow feeling for their Zoroastrian community members, they will only rub shoulders with those who are 'high society' within the community, no desire to help the poor in the community or run charities on a genuine basis of helping the real needy, accommodation allotted to the wrong people, and more showcase charities to non-Parsis, to get a mileage in the country.

They could also be counted amongst the middle middle class, one can easily spot them, because they will avoid any talk on religious or community issues, or when pressed to give opinion, display total indifference, or turn on you and say they are not interested.

If you try and count the number of these who are already stabbing and betraying Zoroastrianism, may be find they are pretty big numbers.

Geve Narielwalla

BPP Elections -You Must Vote

2011-06-19T06:47:00.001+05:30

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Neville Gandhi
Date: Sat, Jun 18, 2011 at 7:39 PM
Subject: BPP Elections -You Must Vote

June 18, 2011.

Dear Humdins,

The First Round of BPP Elections for the post of Trustee is scheduled for tomorrow

ie June 19, 2011 at Khareghat Colony, Hughes Road, Mumbai.

In an Adult Franchise, it is the duty of every Eligible and Able Voter to Vote. So please

exercise your Right to Vote.

Voters should ensure the following credentials in a candidate when you cast your vote:

1. The Candidate is Active in our Community because "Actions Speak Louder Than Words"

2. The Candidate has proved in preserving and defending our Religious Institutions and Traditions.

3. The Candidate has the support of our Vada Dasturjis / High Priests.

4. The Candidate is easily accessible and available for the community

5. The Candidate has sufficient knowledge and experience of Charitable Trust Matters.

So VOTE YOU MUST.

Regards,

Neville S. Gandhi

JAME PAGE: ANAHITA ANSWERS QUESTIONS AND COMES OUT A WINNER

2011-06-18T12:09:00.001+05:30

From Tannaz Parekh

JAME PAGE 19TH JUNE 2011

ANAHITA ANSWERS QUESTIONS AND COMES OUT A WINNER

Bapsy Dastur writes

2011-06-17T10:27:00.001+05:30

From: Karl Sahukar
Date: Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 2:40 AM

Bapsy Dastur, an international lawyer of repute says:

"......... Other than an irrational personal belief there is no
intellectual rationale for not permitting a husband and wife from
being trustees together.

The criteria for election should be merit, integrity, commitment,
tradition; all of which Anahita meets with flying colours so she
should not be prevented just because of her marital status.

For hundreds of years there has been no such prohibition in trusts,
institutions, politics, corporations, so why the BPP?

Do not be deceived. The real reason these folks do not want Anahita
is because she is traditional and will protect the religion and defend
the poor. If Anahita comes into the BPP, the liberals will lose their
grip to create dissent through Munchi Cama. If you want an effective
Punchayet, which can actually make a difference, elect Anahita so that
the BPP does not become fragmented and weak.

A vote for Anahita is a vote for upholding the Tradition. If you
don't vote for her for any reason, you are supporting the
anti-Tradition lobby."

TheParseeVoice THE PEOPLE’S TRUSTEE – ANAHITA YAZDI DESAI

2011-06-17T08:35:00.001+05:30

From: The Parsee Voice
Date: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 10:31 PM
Subject: TheParseeVoice THE PEOPLE'S TRUSTEE – ANAHITA YAZDI DESAI
To: the-parsee-voice@googlegroups.com

THE PEOPLE'S TRUSTEE – ANAHITA YAZDI DESAI

Once again, the community will go to the polls, starting Sunday, 19^th June 2011, to elect a representative to the Board of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, the apex body of the community.

With the introduction of adult franchise, the ordinary Parsee has now been empowered to place the candidate of his/her choice on the Board, a candidate who has interacted frequently with the community at the grassroot level and, hence, is aware of its needs and requirements, one who has the courage of conviction, the passion and the belief to fulfil their dreams. This proud but beleaguered community requires a dynamic go-getter, one with a proven track record.

It is our firm belief, based on experience, that Mrs Anahita Yazdi Desai fits the bill completely. She has all it takes to make a success of this job. More importantly, she enjoys the confidence and support of four High Priests of the community, who have unabashedly endorsed her candidature. It is no wonder that she has been christened 'The People's Trustee'.

Dear Parsees, we live in bad times when deceit and falsehood are ruling the roost. We caution all of you, please do not fall prey to false propaganda. Resist all attempts to delay the election process on false pretences. It is now our right to elect worthies of our choice, so do not let anyone take the same away. Please turn out in large numbers, even if it means braving the rains, and exercise your right and cast your vote for Mrs Anahita Yazdi Desai. After all, it is our collective good which is at stake. We deserve the best and we should get the best!!

The Election Schedule is as under :

Venue	Day & Date	Time
Khareghat Colony, Hughes Road	Sunday, 19.6.2011	10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
Cusrow Baug, Colaba	Saturday, 25.6.2011
Rustom Baug, Byculla	Sunday, 26.6.2011
Dadar Parsi Gymkhana	Saturday, 2.7.2011
Bharucha Baug, Andheri West	Sunday, 3.7.2011

Voters are free to go to any of the above venues, irrespective of the place of their residence. Please remember to take your BPP membership certificates with you when casting your secret ballot. If the same does not bear your photograph, please take a photo id like PAN card, Passport etc. with you for purposes of identification.

--
Regards

The Editor
The Parsee Voice

An Incredible Parsi boy

2011-06-08T12:16:00.002+05:30

An Incredible Parsi boy !

25 May, 2011 — Support AN INCREDIBLE BOY: During my recent trip to Mumbai in February 2010, I had a great privilege of meeting a very gifted Parsi boy, who completely won my heart. While I was reciting my prayers at the Wadiaji Atash Behram am energetic young boy entered the prayer room, stood in front of the Atash Padshah and loudly began reciting some prayers. This little boy prayed like a veteran dastoorji. His powerful and mesmerizing voice echoed through the prayer room.
Outside the prayer room, I waited curiously to talk to him. His name is Rooyintan Mehenty and not Rohinton as he quickly corrected me and he was all of 6 years old!. When I asked if he had undergone his Navar ceremony because he prayed like a true champ, he quickly corrected me that he still did not have his Navjote. Rooyintan confirmed he was reciting prayers from the Khordeh Avesta. He claimed he could recite by heart all the prayers in the entire Khordeh Avesta. His father Ervad Nozer (lead boiwalla at the Atash Behram) & mother Monaz Mehenty joined us and could not stop praising Rooyintan as a 'small wonder' often referring to him as a 'miracle child.'
As explained by his parents, Rooyintan started reciting prayers at home with his dad at 4 years of age. Still unable to read Rooyintan learnt his prayers by listening to his father reciting them. His parents confirmed that he now has completed the entire Khordeh Avesta and recites all the prayers by heart. The boy was working on the 9th Ha of Yasna also known as the Hom Yasht, but would eventually master it as well.
The parents continued that not only he is outstanding and proficient in the religious education, but Rooyintan stands first in academics as well as in sports. His elated proud parents continued to tell me the little boy's stories and that if I am lucky to be around as Rooyintan grows up, he will perform "Chamatkar" for our Zoroastrian community.
On April 9, 2010, we were honoured to be invited to witness Rooyintan and his sister Shahrevar's Navjote ceremony at the Wadiaji Atash Behram. All the prayers were recited by his father Ervad Nozer in the background as Rooyintan reciting the prayers aloud with his chest full of passion and pride for prayers. Not only that, Rooyintan is on his way to master the geh sarwa prayers recited as funerals and is currently trying to learn Ha 28-34 of Ahunavar Gatha, says an update from his parents.
I consider myself very fortunate and honoured to meet this amazing "miracle child" Rooyintan and his lovely parents.

This email was forwarded by Farah Wankadia.

Schedule of campaign meetings of Ms Anahita Desai

2011-05-30T12:17:00.001+05:30

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Parsee Zarthoshti
Date: Mon, May 30, 2011 at 2:08 PM
Subject: Schedule of campaign meetings of Ms Anahita Desai

Dear folks,

Campaigning for the BPP elections has started in right earnest. One of the candidates, Ms Anahita Desai and her team will address the community members at the following venues:

1. Friday, 3rd June 2011 - Jer Baug Grounds, Byculla - 7.30 p.m.

2. Saturday, 4th June 2011 - Gamadia Colony, Tardeo (exact venue will be notified later) - 7 p.m.

3. Sunday, 5th June 2011 - Malcolm Baug Hall, Jogeshwari - 11.30 a.m.

Community members are requested to be present in large numbers to hear her speak about her reasons for contesting the elections. She and her team will willingly answer all questions and set to rest the doubts that are being created in the community's minds about her overall suitability and other issues.

Regards

H M Mistry

Endorsement by Zarine Engineer for Anahita

2011-05-29T09:26:00.001+05:30

Anahita Desai Will Make A Wonderful BPP Trustee

I hope the Community Unites to Support her Candidature

I have seen Anahita Desai working with so many different groups for so many community projects, that I have often wondered how she manages to handle everything so efficiently. Whether it is a youth activity or one for senior citizens, a big project or a personal problem faced by an individual, I have seen Anahita working to help them all, and have greatly admired her commitment to the community.

Almost 10 years back, Anahita and her husband Yazdi were involved in protecting our doongerwadi at the time when the DDD-AG had raised its head to demand a cremate-in-bungli. Therefore, years later, I was not surprised when this husband-wife team got together with other orthodox leaders to form WAPIZ to counter the reformist movement, which was again gaining ground among the rich and elite in the community.

Since then, WAPIZ has proved its worth on the orthodox front and besides that, has undertaken so many other worthy projects for the benefit of the community, which I greatly appreciate. As the CEO of WAPIZ, Anahita is solely responsible for taking forward these projects -medical aid, educational aid, mobed scheme, etc.

It is clear that this husband and wife team have dedicated their lives to the community.

On the Mancherji Edulji Joshi Memorial Trust, (MEJMT) which is a Public Trust like the BPP, albeit smaller, I served together with my husband Jimmy, till his untimely demise. Even now, we have the husband-wife team of Mithoo and Jimi Jesia serving on the MEJMT Trust at the same time. Their working together for the Trust has strengthened and enhanced the working of the Trust and in similar vein Yazdi and Anahita's working together, will definitely strengthen the working of the BPP. Therefore, I request all to please examine the sincere commitment of this young couple to the community and their excellent quality of leadership and service, and not disqualify Anahita, only because she is Yazdi's wife.

Although Anahita does not reside in Dadar Parsi Colony, she has still supported and lent Dadar a helping hand for protecting our five gardens and other open spaces in the Colony-and for me, that shows her outstanding quality of extending herself, even beyond what is expected of her.

For all the above reasons, I feel that Anahita Desai is truly deserving of Bombay Parsi Punchayet trusteeship and I urge all of you to unite and strongly support her candidature.

Sd. Mrs. Zareen Engineer (Grand-daughter of Mancherji E. Joshi, the Founder of Dadar Parsi Colony, and President of Dadar's Residents Association)

Endorsement by High Priests, Dasturji Dr. Firoze Kotwal & Dasturji Kaikhusroo N. Jamaspasa for Anahita

2011-05-29T09:23:00.001+05:30

Dear Community members,

In these troubled times it is imperative that a candidate who stands for BPP trusteeship should be a person with impeccable credentials and one who will at all times support the cause of our religion and safe guard the faith. In our view as High Priests, it is most important that a trustee must have a track record of upholding orthodox causes and to have worked ceaselessly towards preserving the sanctity of our religious institutions. Keeping in mind the above criteria, we believe that Anahita Desai is absolutely the right candidate for BPP trusteeship.

We have worked with Anahita closely on many community issues for the last more than 12 years. She has defended Agiaries from builders, financially supported buzorg Mobed Sahebs, helped mobilize support for so many orthodox causes and taken up cudgels for poor Parsis, who have nowhere else to turn. She is selflessly serving our religion and our community, spending her own money and giving all her time to community causes.

Anahita has done all of this for so many years without any thought of becoming a BPP trustee. But now, when this sudden election has come about, we must take this opportunity and give her a chance to serve the community even better, through the BPP, where she can use the vast resources of our apex trust, and not just her personal finances, for the good of the poor and for safeguarding the religion.

It is our firm belief that if Anahita is given the opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder with her husband Yazdi and the other trustees on the BPP Board, it will strengthen the BPP in a way that will most certainly benefit the community.

In times such as these, when our religion is being mercilessly attacked from all sides and the community is being torn apart, Anahita Desai's candidature as a BPP Trustee should be supported not only by all those who espouse the cause of orthodoxy and want to see our religion safeguarded at the level of the BPP, but by all right-thinking Parsis, who want to see a more charitable and benevolent face for the Bombay Parsi Punchayet.

Sd: High Priests, Dasturji Dr. Firoze Kotwal & Dasturji Kaikhusroo N. Jamaspasa

Husband and Wife Team

2011-05-29T09:16:00.001+05:30

Have Public Charitable Trusts had members from the immediate family as trustees at the same time? –
The Answer is YES!

Why then is Anahita Desai being wrongly singled out on this point?

Speaking solely from within the framework of the Parsi/Irani community, we will let the many examples (of 2 members of an immediate family, serving at the same time on a PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST, be they husband and wife, siblings, father and son, or mother and daughter), speak for themselves:

Banoo Cama and Manchi Cama (Mother and son – Garib Zarthosti Rehthan Fund)
Late Nusserwanji Cama and Manchi Cama (Father and son – K.R. Cama Oriental Institute)
Dinshaw Tamboly and Bachi Tamboly (husband and wife – all WZO Trust Funds)
Meherwanji Cursetjee Jeejeebhoy and Cowasjee Cursetjee Jeejebhoy ( 2 brothers - Bombay Parsi Punchayet)
Sir Cowasjee Jehangir and Lady Hirabai Cowasjee Jehangir ( husband and wife - Bombay Parsi Punchayet)
Late Jimmy Engineer and Zareen Engineer (husband and wife - Mancherji Edulji Joshi Memorial Trust)
Jimi Jesia and Mithoo Jesia (husband and wife - Mancherji Edulji Joshi Memorial Trust)
Keki Pavri and Pheroza Pavri [husband and wife - Ahmedabad Parsi Punchayet)
Navroze Kanga and Shirin Kanga (husband and wife - Ahmedabad Parsi Punchayet)

ALL the above mentioned Trusts are PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUSTS, where the public have donated moneys in the same way as they have in the BPP. None of the above are family Trusts. So history has provided proof that 2 people from the same immediate family can, and have been, Trustees at the same time, on Public Charitable Trusts.

Why then is Anahita Desai being wrongly singled out on this point? Is it because VESTED INTERESTS HAVE NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN USE TO BRING HER DOWN? Anahita Desai's Clean and Honest Image seems to be bringing out the worst in her opponents!

This information has been forwarded by Tannaz Parakh.

From The Parsee Voice: The next BPP trustee - An objective analysis

2011-05-26T11:29:00.001+05:30

From The Parsee Voice: The next BPP trustee - An objective analysis
Date: Thu, May 26, 2011

The last few decades have seen the community go from one crisis to another. Lack of strong leadership was clearly evident. Worse than that was the attempt made by vested interests to influence the community's thinking towards a course of action which would only result in disintegration of the community and loss of its identity. Fortunately, the 2008 BPP elections gave the community the much needed opportunity to assert itself and choose the leaders it wanted. The AFP combine, whose agenda left much to be desired, was routed at the hustings. But even after that, the community was not to know peace. The new Board was assailed with litigation after litigation, a distinct attempt being made to browbeat and harass the Board and prevent progressive schemes and ideas from fructifying. The objective was simple – prevent effective functioning and make the new Board look incompetent. After more than two years of conflict, the dysfunctional trustee finally stepped down.

The community is once again at crossroads. BPP trustee Noshir Dadrawala's resignation has necessitated an election to fill the vacancy. Five hopefuls have already thrown their hats into the ring viz. Ms Anahita Desai, Muncherji Cama, Tehemtan Dumasia, Adi Govadia and Noshir Gotla. (as we release this, we have learnt that Tehemtan Dumasia has withdrawn his candidature). But the community is well aware that the major contest is between Ms Desai and Mr Cama. The others will only ending up eating into the votes of the main candidates, either unwittingly or by design. The combined wisdom of the community will put a new incumbent in the chair. At a time like this, it is necessary to sit back and think objectively about the qualities that the new BPP trustee should possess and whether the hopefuls possess the same. This is the right time for the community to learn from the experience of the past years and make a proper selection - an informed, intelligent choice.

So, what qualities and credentials should the new incumbent possess? As we understand it, the incumbent must have -

1) An impeccable record of honesty in thoughts, words and actions. Saying one thing for public consumption and doing something diametrically opposite later is definitely not on! He / She must be willing to walk the talk!

2) An abiding sense of pride in being a Parsee Zarathoshti and believing in and honouring the time honoured tenets and traditions of our religion. The incumbent must be willing to safeguard and protect our religious institutions against depredation, internal and external. He / She must have a PROVEN track record of service to religious causes and institutions.

3) An ability to think independently and courage to assert his/her views, even in the face of strong opposition from vested interests.

4) An inclination to spend time and resources to further causes of use to the community. There must be an established record of community service.

5) An ability to be a team player and not indulge in games of one-upmanship.

6) The ability to administer and ensure that decisions are implemented and do not just remain on paper.

7) Firmly believe and understand that BPP trusteeship is an office of service and not a prize bestowed by the community to enjoy and use at will. It involves leadership by example.

Now let's attempt to evaluate the two main contestants against these parameters:

Ms Anahita Y Desai

· Scrupulously honest. Not a single allegation of financial impropriety has been levelled against her till date, even by her political opponents.

· Very traditional minded. Was a prominent part of the team which was battling to save Doongerwadi against the onslaught of the DDD-AG. Galvanised support from the various Anjumans of India and defeated the proposal to form a cosmopolitan World Body. Has a proven track record of protecting religious institutions and properties from the builder lobby e.g. Lalbaug's Wadia Agiary, Kappawala Agiary, Dadiseth Atashbehram. Has always supported traditional causes spearheaded by others like The Parsee Voice. Is the CEO of WAPIZ, an organisation formed to protect and uphold the religion and its institutions.

· Has been strongly recommended as a fitting and capable person for trusteeship by the learned High Priests of Mumbai.

· Fiercely independent and always willing to stand by the cause she has espoused. Known to be frank and outspoken.

· Has a distinctive track record of community service, liaising with baug committees and individuals alike to help all community members in need. Though not a trustee, is closely involved with the functioning of the BPP and execution of its various projects and activities e.g. project for Children with Special Needs, looking to the needs of the inmates Gamadia Boys' Hostel, providing better facilities at doongerwadi for bereaved families as well as the resident khandhiyas and nassessalars, meetings of the Federation of Parsi Zoroatrian Anjumans of India.

Mr Muncherji Cama

· One of the owners of the Mumbai Samachar. Is also a trustee of several housing related trusts and other community trusts.

· Claims to be traditional-minded but actions do not reflect that. Since years, he has permitted the Parsi Tari Arsi (PTA) column in his newspaper, Mumbai Samachar, to be used by close friend, Berjis Desai, to deride and denigrate the tenets of our holy religion and its institutions and spew venom against the traditional minded folks. During the 2008 election, Desai was instrumental in forming AFP to further his unholy agenda. Cama was one of the candidates put up by the AFP, but lost the elections. Has never been in the forefront on any of the issues facing the community all these years.

· Is a donor of ZTFI (an organisation which has sprung up after the AFP was routed). ZTFI is involved in charitable activities for the community. However, it is silent on its religious agenda.

· Has no known involvement with the BPP or its functioning.

If one views the whole situation dispassionately, keeping in mind the current requirements of the community and the existing state of affairs, the need is definitely for a dynamic, vibrant person with youthful vigour to face the various challenges and do justice to the role. Mrs Anahita Desai clearly stands out as having the mettle and the wherewithal to do justice to the job at hand and deliver the goods at this critical juncture! So, it is in the community's own interest to put her competence and passion to good use and put her in the BPP.

To add icing to the cake, the community's learned High Priests, based on their personal experiences till date, have also voiced their strong endorsement to her candidature.

--
Regards
The Parsee Voice team

E-mail from Pervin Langrana

2011-05-25T17:22:00.001+05:30

E-mail from Pervin Langrana

I request you all to please give your valuable VOTE to ANAHITA DESAI in the coming Election of B.P.P.

I assure you that she is the right candidate as the Trustee of B.P.P.
I have been working with Anahita since last 4 years, and I vouch for her
Honesty, Courage and helping nature. She is a workaholic person and at
this junction in B.P.P. we really need a person who will take alll the
responsibilities and work towards the welfare of our Community.

please please VOTE for ANAHITA DESAI.

If you have any doubts or need any more information about Anahita
please feel free to contact me on 9819173501.

Pervin.... 25.05.2011

Only the Gathas?

2011-05-17T14:39:00.001+05:30

Only the Gathas?

Since the 1980s, a new group started in the Western world, which relies on only the Gathas as Zoroastrian scripture and accepts no other Avestan scripture. This was known as the Gatha-alone cult. By it's very nature, this is a radical cult since it has discarded the huge extant of Zoroastrian scripture such as the Holy Yashts and Vendidad, and most of the Khordeh Avesta that thousands of Parsi Zoroastrians pray daily. The cult is so radical that it also discards all our sacred ritual ceremonies, the sanctity of our Atash Behrams, and our Dakhma-Nashini method of dead body disposal. It doesnt believe in either fire temples or fire priests!

Since the 1960s, the Western world has become the home of many cults like this, unlike India which since 1000s of years has given refugee to and nourished several authentic great religions like Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and even Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama selected India for bringing his Tibetan people since he knew that his people's culture and religion would best be preserved on the soil of India. So too did our wise Zoroastrian priests when they brought our forefathers after the Arab conquest from Iran to India.

The Gatha-alone cult and their followers speak only of the Gathas, they do not have faith in the Nirang Din ceremonies, or even our great Atash Behrams - since even those are not mentioned in the Gathas! For that matter, there are no rules of right and wrong in the Gathas, so one can do anything we want - right? This is exactly what some cult members are doing in the West, they say any sexual behaviour is ok in our religion just because it is not mentioned in the Gathas! Do we realize what just believing in the Gathas will lead to? A free-for-all so far as morality and rules of right/wrong are concerned!

Our Prophet Zarathushtra's message had two parts to it. One the universal philosophy of love for God and happiness, and the other part was the one of TARIKAT or method of worship. Every religion has philosophy as well as method. The Gatha-alone cult seems to forget that Zarathushtra Himself was an Athravan, a Fire Priest. To say that an Athravan had no rituals and no sense of right/wrong things is quite erroroneous.

The religion's rules of right and wrong are in the Avestan Vendidad, in the form of conversations between Dadar (Creator) Ahura Mazda and the Prophet Zarathushtra, and the scripture has strict rules against any impurity, and also against wrong sexual behavior. The scripture also enjoins that the dead body of Zoroastrians must be exposed to the sun for destruction, known as Khorshed-Nigareshni, which we also call as Dakhma-nashini. This is an ancient Aryan practice and similar to the method of "sky-burial" practised by some native American tribes, and also by Tibetan Buddhists on their mountain tops.

Power of our ancient ceremonies - scientific tests

Our rituals are also very important, they are very ancient, and similar to the Indian Vedic rituals. The Nirang Din ceremony has the power to purify by the power of AVestan sound alone, see the article:

http://tenets.zoroastrianism.com/nirang33.html
NIRANG, THE WATER OF LIFE
by Dasturji Dr. Sohrabji H. Kutar

In this article, a scientific test has been described on Nirang that proved that bacterial growth was stopped just by this ancient ceremony. We should be proud we have retained such powerful ancient rituals, not ashamed. We should not discard our heritage. In fact, the Gathas were also memorized by our fire priests as part of the Zoroastrian rituals, and that is how the Gathas were preserved - as a part of the traditional Zoroastrian rituals. Did you know this?

The Gathas are poetic and divine songs to God. Saint Tukaram wrote Abhangs (poems of praise) to God. They are great works of devotion, but are they the sole basis of the Hindu religion? There is a very big fallacy in the thinking of the Gatha-alone cult. If you ask someone to read the Psalms of David in the Bible, which are poems to God, and ignore the rest of the Bible, is that the right thing to do? Is religion just a song, without any morality or rules of right and wrong? If religion doesn't tell us these things, who then to tell us what is righteousness and what is not?

In fact all reliigons teach humanity what is good and what is bad. Zoroastrianism too has scriptures that teach these things. So too does Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and even Buddhism. Please dont say that whereas all these religions have rules, our Zoroastrian religion is the only one which doesnt have morality or rules of right and wrong. This is not right.

This is the main fault of the few Parsi followers of the Gatha-alone cult, that they have discarded our scriptures. Our forefathers preserved them through 1000s of years, we lost a lot of them to the accursed destroyer Alexander, but we still preserved 10-15 %. And in the space of a few years of the modern age, some modern Parsis who think they are superior to their own ancestors, have thrown away what our forefathers preserved for 1000s of years.

Is the religion Universal?

About the Zoroastrian religion being universal, please read the articles by the Zoroastrian scholar Roni Khan on the subject. These are on http://tenets.zoroastrianism.com/roni33a.html and are titled "Universalism and all that".

In a nutshell this series of articles explains that the message of every religion is indeed universal. However the Tarikats (methods to worship and to reach God) of each religion are specific and must be followed by certain peoples to whom the message (Paigham) was given by the prophet (Paighambar). So for example, Iran was sent the Prophet Zarathushra, and the Jews were sent the Prophet Christ. If God had intended only one universal religion, he would not have sent multiple prophets to different people, since that would mean religious wars. Our Creator is Wise and not so foolish. However, when the followers of a religion started saying their religion is "universal", it let to conversion and then religious wars in the last 2000 years. And the world has never been the same since conversion started.

Our Avestan Yashts are so divine, have you read the English translations? The Gathas are fantastic, but only the Gata-alone cult relies only on the Gathas. So, please dont be a radical cult member. Please believe, like the majority of Zoroastrians in India do, in all our sacred scriptures. This is the first step in your coming back to the path of your righteous Parsi forefathers, who made you what you are - a proud Parsi in modern India.

If the forefathers had not believed in our scriptures, if they had discarded our religion and dakhmas as "unhygienic", if they had thrown open our religion to the crores of people around us - breaking their promise to the Indian King Jadav Rana, if they had started inter-marriage with the non-Zoroastrians around them, you would not be here today as a Parsi Zoroastrian in India. You are here because of their faith, their belief in our religion, and their saying no to inter marriage. God Bless you and yours.

Porus Homi Havewala.

Response to people gloating over recent "conversions"

2011-05-12T08:45:00.000+05:30

Traditionally, Zoroastrians have not converted anyone since coming to India 1200 years ago due to a promise given to the Indian King, and there are priestly scholars who have said there was never any conversion to our religion.
See :
CONVERSION UNKNOWN IN AVESTA AND IN ANCIENT IRANIAN HISTORY:
Inter-Communal Marriages & Conversion of Non-Zoroastrians
- Remedy More Dangerous than the Disease -
- says Dasturji Dr. Hormazdiar Dastur Kayoji Mirza
http://tenets.zoroastrianism.com/deen33d.html
Some modern people (mostly inter-married spouses) are nowadays gloating about recent so-called "conversions" to our religion by some cults in the Western world. My reply to such people is: Only God-revealed religions last. No cult will last. What you see happening in the Western world today are nothing but pseudo-Zoroastrian cults, not the actual Zoroastrian religion which with all its ancient ceremonies and traditions is today preserved only in the Indian sub-continent (India and Pakistan).
Regarding these same people gloating unseemingly on the Iron wall of our religion "crumbling" down, my reply is:
Our religion is built on the solid rock of the Pav-Mahal ceremonies that take place in India and are blessed by the very soil of India. This is the foundation of the traditional religion. When someone tries to "crumble" the wall of the Zoroastrian religion, that someone is attacking the soil of India itself, which has preserved our relgiion through the last 1000 years. My request to these people is to understand what they are doing, and to correct their actions. IF they think about what they are doing, they will realize their thoughts, words and actions are radical and not the middle path that our religion enjoins. Please do not copy the radical cults of the West.
I would also request the few inter-married Parsi women who are performing, with the misleading power of their money, the sacred Zoroastrian thread ceremony of their children of Hindu or Muslim or Christian fathers, to please not to make their children suffer in the long run, since the spiritual progress of these children will be effected if they do not follow the religion of their Hindu or Muslim or Christian fathers.
You may feel you are "crumbling" the beliefs of your own Parsi grandfathers and great-grandfathers, and you may be feeling unnaturally happy about that, but in effect you are playing with the spiritual lives of your own children, please realize this for their sake. Please let them follow the religion of their Hindu or Muslim or Christian fathers, is our sincere request to you all. Peace be unto you all, and God Bless you to make the correct choices, and move away from the radicalized path you are on - and come back again on the middle path.

Written by Porus Homi Havewala.

Endorsement from Homi P. Ranina

2011-05-06T19:41:00.001+05:30

From: tannaz parakh
Date: Fri, May 6, 2011 at 6:55 PM
Subject: Endorsement from Homi P. Ranina

Hi all,

Mr. Homi Ranina has strongly endorsed Anahita Desai's candidature for
the upcoming BPP elections. (see attachment). I agree with every word
he has written and think that Anahita is absolutely the right person
for the BPP in these troubled times for our community. She is an
independent thinker, whose love for the community overrides all other
considerations. I have worked closely with her for the last 10 years
and can therefore vouch for her total honesty and unshakeable
principles, which can only help to strengthen the BPP and thereby, the
community. More later. Meanwhile, please forward Mr. Ranina's
endorsement to all your family and friends, if you agree with what he
has written. Thanks,

Tannaz

"Parsicide" is actually the domain of the heterodox

2011-05-04T08:26:00.001+05:30

From: Deen Parast
Date: Tue, May 3, 2011 at 10:41 PM
Subject: "Parsicide" is actually the domain of the heterodox
To: Ratan Unwalla <ratanunwalla@yahoo.com>

Mr. Unwalla,

The not-so-funny side of this is that the "Parsicide", as you put it,

is actually the domain of the heterodox community who consider

themselves Parsis and yet want to admit non-Zoroastrians into

our sacred institutions. If these "modern" and "keeping with the

times" desires of theirs are fullfilled, it will mean the end (God Forbid)

of our sacred heritage and culture in India that our forefathers have

preserved for over a thousand years.

One other example is the heterodox desire to replace our holy

institution of Khorshed Nigareshni (exposure to the sun) with ideas

imported from other religions, such as cremation and burial. We

are not Hindus or Christians to burn or bury our dead. Why do

they want to copy other religions?

So it is this heterodox side of our community who are the destroyers,

whereas the Traditionals have always been the Preservers. The

word Parsicide can best be applied to these heterodox people who

want to distort our ancient culture and heritage beyond recognition.