We are counting on you for this challenge!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Akshaya Patra Foundation <infodesk@akshayapatra.org>
Date: Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Subject: We are counting on you for this challenge!


At Akshaya Patra, we welcome challenges. Not only do they teach us to
welcome the unknown, but they also show us a way to excel beyond what
we have imagined. And what is wonderful about every challenge we have
faced is the way our donors and supporters come together, to rise up
to the task at hand. A big thank you to you!



Today, as we enroll as a charity on the GlobalGiving website, we face
yet another test. To be considered as an eligible charity on this
site, we must raise $4000 from 50 donors, in a month's time. This is a
first for us. Difficult it may be, but with supporters such as you, we
know it's certainly not impossible!



We urge you to come forward and lend us a helping hand in this endeavor.



Please visit the GlobalGiving website and donate generously for free,
unlimited food for education. Your contribution will play a
significant role is assuring us registration and visibility on this
site, which in turn is a gateway to a worldwide supporter base.
Additionally, if your efforts ensure that we are classified as a top
fundraising project, we will stand to receive a bonus from
GlobalGiving. Each dollar of contribution secured from here can, in
turn, transform the lives of many school-going children, who will
receive a wholesome midday meal everyday.



Click here to help NOW!



A FEW EASY STEPS:



Go to GlobalGiving project page
http://www.globalgiving.com/projects/sponsor-school-meals-of-200-000-children-in-india/
 and donate to Akshaya Patra.



Project Name: Sponsor school meals of 200,000 children in India (3304)



Make a donation by selecting one of the suggested amounts, starting at $15.
Then click "Give Now."
Use your credit card, PayPal or check to donate today.
It's that quick and easy and it's tax deductible!



And don't forget, once you've donated, you could help us spread the
word to your friends, family, and others! Forward this email to all
your contacts and request them to help us meet this challenge. Let
your Facebook and social media contacts know about your kind act and
urge them to do theirs!



Please hrurry, for our time ends on September 18, 2009, (11:59 pm
EDT). We need your support today!



GlobalGiving, founded in 1997 by World Bank executives, has been
featured in The New York Times, on CNN and on NPR. GlobalGiving is
endorsed by Charity Navigator and the over 500 pre-screened,
grassroots projects conducting online fundraising through
www.globalgiving.org today.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road,
Bangalore, Karnataka 560010, INDIA

Parsi couple overseas looking for Colony flat in South/Central Mumbai

Parsi couple overseas looking for Colony flat in South/Central Mumbai.

A Parsi couple, friends of mine, who have asked not to be named at this point, 

are looking for a Colony flat in South / Central Mumbai. They are currently 

overseas and are seeking to come back in 2010 to be in Mumbai and 

start a family of their own.

If there are any Parsis who have migrated overseas and have locked up their

colony flats, and are thinking of selling them, please contact me (Sam

at sam.billimoria@gmail.com ) and I will forward your details

confidentially on to this couple. Confidentiality is assured.

 

This will be a good deed for the sake of our religion and community.

 

 

Happy Khordad Sal Mubarak ... Birthday of Prophet Zarathushtra

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tehemton B. Adenwalla
Date: Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 1:09 PM
Subject: Happy Khordad Sal Mubarak ... Birthday of Prophet Zarathushtra
To: TZML <TraditionalZarathushtris@yahoogroups.com>

Baname Khuda!

 

Dear Zarathushti humdins,

 

 

it is a pleasure to send this email today on this lovely Khordad Sal day when hundreds of years ago our revered Prophet Zarathushtra Spitaman was born.

 

Khordad Sal - what a day in the Zarathushti calendar!!!

 

It is none other than the Birthday of our beloved Vakshure Vakshuran Paigambar Asho ZARATHUSHTRA Saheb. Yet Zarathushtra Saheb was not an ordinary man, He is himself regarded as equal to an Ahmeshashpand, with all their Splendour and Majesty and Power.

 

Let us travel hundreds of years ago to ancient Iran in the times of King Kai Lohrashp. Everywhere there was rampant evil. And the evil in those days was of monstrous proportions. The evil men would spoil the Yasna ceremonies, pollute the earth with their evil chants and would create havoc in Nature by literarily moving mountains and rivers and other creations of Ahura Mazda to further their nefarious activities. One righteous warrior after other valiantly attempted to stem this evil tide, but the dark forces got stronger and stronger.

 

There were plans in Nature to user a Soul, a Paigambar, who would check these demons and give mankind a Law to fight them. The Divine Plan was also to strengthen and re-establish the Mazdayasni religion that was prevalent at that time.

 

Asho Zarathushtra was born on Khordad Sal day to carry out this mission. It is said that the whole of Nature was joyous at this Phenomenon. The trees and the rivers and the mighty planets in the skies all rejoiced at the birth of this Saviour of mankind.

 

Asho Zarathushtra Saheb brought the demonic and evil forces under control and give the Mazdayasnis the Vi-devo-dat (the Laws to bring the demons under control), also called the Vendidad, which is applicable in all ages and at all times, even today.

 

Paigambar Zarathushtra not only gave us the Gathas, but also other Scriptures and prayers like the Yashts. He taught us not only to live by the Holy triad of Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds, but also to have faith in all our Scriptures, our ceremonies and our tariquats and rituals.

 

On this day of Khordad Sal, let us walk in the Path shown by our Paigambar Saheb and be good Zarathushtis.

 

I share a snippet of a song in honour of Zarathushtra Saheb, entitled "Koi puche mane kya che tara Zarathosht Paigambar".  It is in MP3 (which can be copied into your cellphones or i-Pods) and play and remember Him daily.

 

Once again, HAPPY KHORDAD SAL MUBARAK to all of you.

 

With best wishes,

Tehemton B. Adenwalla

 

 

 

Appeal for Food Donations for Indian School children

Appeal for Food Donations for Indian School children.

FEED 6 schoolchildren a midday meal for a full year
for only Rs. 3600 donation, or 28$ if living abroad!

The best value for your donation money.

Indian Rupees
http://www.akshayapatra.org/donate.htm...l

American Dollars
http://www.foodforeducation.org/index.php?content=9

 

Food donation is the Best donation as per the sacred scriptures of India.

 

 

Globe as a cow-centric village - Organiser

From: Tehemton B. Adenwalla
Date: Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 10:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Traditional Zs] Globe as a cow-centric village - Organiser
To: TZML <TraditionalZarathushtris@yahoogroups.com>

Baname Khuda!

 

Dear Kaizad,

 

thanks for sharing a very knowledge-filled posting on the cow, in whose family falls our much revered Varasjaji, without which our Zoroastrian religious ceremonies cannot just be performed.

 

What noble creatures are the cow and Varasyaji.

 

I liked the article very much, it gives insights into the importance of cow in Nature and in spiritual progress thought the articles uses the lens of Hinduisnm to reveal this.

 

The article also mentions about Parsis involved in this Yatra exercise: Did you also get the support of other saints for the Yatra?

Yes. Many Jain, Buddhist and Sikh saints have joined hands with us. All the sects, communities and sections of the society including some Muslim, Christian and Parsi leaders are in the Yatra Samiti.

 

There is much wisdom in "There should also be decentralisation of industries. Instead of having one factory at a cost of Rs 90 crore, there should be 90 units of rupees one crore each. This is possible. "

 

And also in the astute observation that "The place, which does not have cow, farmer, forest and pure air, is nothing but zahar (poison)".

 

I am reproducing the complete article for our readers and also sharing it with other friends who may be very much interested in this article.

 

Thanks once again for sharing this well-picked and insightful article.

 

Best wishes

Tehemton B. Adenwalla

(please see below)

 

 

Globe as a cow-centric village - Shree Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji

The objective of the Yatra is to unite people working for cow protection. Presently, there is a complete lack of concerted effort. The Yatra is a medium to bring all of them on one platform. Those who are inactive have to be inspired and prepared to join the movement. It is an initiative to put Indian villages on the path of sustainable development by focussing on cow-based way-of-life.

The place, which does not have cow, farmer, forest and pure air, is nothing but zahar. The cow and villages share a very important relationship and we have to strengthen it.

The day the rural people realise the prosperity in cow-rearing they will not even think of migration. There should also be decentralisation of industries. Instead of having one factory at a cost of Rs 90 crore, there should be 90 units of rupees one crore each. This is possible.

Head of Shree Ramchandrapura Math in Karnataka, Shree Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji is a well-known personality in the country who has successfully preserved the existing 33 breeds of Indian cow. Apart from preserving and promoting them he has also scientifically proved how cow can truly bring prosperity in the life of her herder. He is also a guiding force behind the Vishwa Mangal Gou Gram Yatra beginning from Kurukshetra on September 30. Organiser correspondent Pramod Kumar spoke to him in New Delhi to discuss the preparations of the Yatra and also his views on cow and the development of villages. Excerpts:

What are the objectives of this Yatra?
There are many objectives. First, ignorance existed about cow has to be eliminated from the mind of the people. Whatever atrocities are being perpetrated on cow is due to this ignorance. People have forgotten her usefulness. There is no need to educate the people about the importance of gold. Since they do not know the importance of cow, she is being slaughtered. All it is due to ignorance. If we are able to eradicate it, there will be no need to launch any agitation for cow protection. Second objective is to unite people working for cow protection. Presently, there is a complete lack of united effort. The Yatra is a medium to bring all of them on one platform. Those who are inactive have to be inspired and prepared to join the movement. It is an initiative to put Indian villages on the path of sustainable development by focussing on cow-based way-of-life.

What is to be done for the villages?
Village and cow cannot be segregated. There is no village without cow and there is no cow without village. Bharat is the soul of the world, village is the soul of Bharat, farmer is the soul of village and cow is the soul of farmer. Now this chain has broken. With the breakdown of one relation between the farmer and cow all the relations have broken. It also damaged the relation of Bharat with the rest of the world. This relation has to be restored. The relation of cow and villages is like the relation of body and soul. If there is no soul, the body is dead and if there is no cow, villages are like a dead body. The cow too cannot be protected without villages. Therefore, the uplift of villages and cow has to be done together. I normally say shahar (city) is not shahar, it is zahar (poison), as there is no cow rearing in the cities. There are slaughterhouses in cities instead of goshalas. The place, which does not have cow, farmer, forest and pure air, is nothing but zahar. The cow and villages share a very important relationship and we have to strengthen it.

There have been many agitations for cow protection even after Independence but there has been no positive result. How can this new agitation bring in positive results?
If there has been no positive result in the past, it does not mean that there will be no positive outcome in the future too. We believe in making efforts. We are approaching the countrymen with a pure heart and a pure objective. We know that the policymakers do nothing until they are pressurised for doing so. It has become their habit. Now we should not look at the policymakers but to the public. If the public once stands for a change the policymakers will have no option but to do what the public wants. The demand of cow and village protection needs to come from the whole country and not just from some saints alone. Normally there are three sections in the society. One of cow-lovers, second is of those who oppose and the third is of those who remain neutral. The first and second sections are very small. But the third section is very big. Until this third section is activated the disappointing atmosphere will remain. Therefore, we have to activate and inspire this third section. Nothing will happen even if we demonstrate outside the Parliament House. This demand should come from all sections of the society.

But the tragedy is that farmers themselves sell the cows to butchers. Comment.
You have reached at the roots of the problem. This is a fact that cow is slaughtered at the slaughterhouses but the process of her slaughter begins from the house of farmers. If the farmers do not sell them, there will be no problem. There are two ways to persuade the farmers. One is through developing respect in their hearts and second is promoting economic aspect. People think in terms of money. They compare what is beneficial—rearing cow or selling her. The farmers need to be educated—if one sells the cow he will earn a few hundred rupees and if he rears her he will earn lakhs of rupees. This problem will remain the same until we do not establish this scientifically. Enactment of a central legislation will also not solve the problem. It will continue illegally. Only the fact that rearing is more beneficial than selling the cow will put a complete ban on it. Therefore, there is a need to create a nationwide network of industries based on cow urine, dung and other products. It has to be developed as a profitable business. In the beginning goubhakta industrialists have to be engaged in this task.

What is being done to strengthen this economic aspect?
Many efforts are being made in the form of manufacturing medicines and panchgavya products. Some farmers are conducting very good experiments on cow-based farming. I agree that there is still lack of a united effort and I hope the united effort will be strengthened during the Yatra.

People from villages are fast migrating to urban areas. Then who will protect cow in villages?
Only the cow can stop this migration to urban areas. The day they realise the prosperity in cow-rearing they will not even think of migration. There should also be decentralisation of industries. Instead of having one factory at a cost of Rs 90 crore there should be 90 units at a cost of rupees one crore each. This is possible.

You are also engaged in many cow preservation activities. What are these activities?
We are not alone doing it. Many people are doing outstanding work on this front. We have the only goshala in the country, which successfully preserved the existing 33 breeds of Indian cows. There are some breeds, which have only 10 to 20 cows today. It is like Bharat darshan. All cow breeds from Kanyakumari to Kashmir are available there.

What is your thinking of rural development?
I dream of a completely natural village where there is no artificialness, only simple lifestyle.

The government is engaged in rural development work. How do you look at it?
That is not rural development. They are basically destroying the rural culture by converting villages into cities.

The chemical fertilizers have made the soil infertile. How could this land be revived?
Only cow can cure it. This poison of chemical fertilizers dominates over the cow. The day it is reversed, the picture will change. Before it we shall have to develop love and affection for the cow in the heart of the farmers. This is one of the objectives of the Yatra.

Did you also get the support of other saints for the Yatra?
Yes. Many Jain, Buddhist and Sikh saints have joined hands with us. All the sects, communities and sections of the society including some Muslim, Christian and Parsi leaders are in the Yatra Samiti. Many leading saints and their organisations like Baba Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Guruji, Mata Amritanandamayi, Dr Pranav Pandya and others are actively contributing in this task. Some scientists from outside the country have also joined hands. The foreign scientists know the importance of cow more than us. They have conducted unique experiments on cow urine, milk and panchgavya.

The overall atmosphere in the country with regard to cow protection is very disappointing. How will it change?
People are disappointed because they are sitting inactive. The day they become active the picture will change. They expect that the change will surface without doing anything. They will have to come out and fight against the evils. If 50 crore of the 110 crore people come out, which government will dare to ignore them?

Did you contact the political parties also for any kind of support?
Politics will benefit none. The time has come when we shall have to make efforts keeping the politics away. People should be united irrespective of their political considerations. We must keep in mind that if cow is protected nobody will die prematurely and if cow dies nobody will be safe. It is not the agitation for cow protection. It is the agitation for self-protection. If you want your coming generations to be safe, you will have to support it. It is a movement for atmaraksha, rashtra raksha and sanskriti raksha. Come and join us in this historic journey towards universal prosperity and happiness. Let the globe truly become a cow-centred village.

Do you have any action plan to implement after the Yatra?
Yes, this is just the beginning. We have to do a lot of constructive work in the future. Though cow is undoubtedly divine, financial gains seem to be the measurement of success in today's materialistic world. Accepting this reality, we have to develop cow-based industries and make cow-rearing profitable. We have to educate the common man on the profit of cow-rearing. We need to convince them of social justice and the need to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. We have to take up urgently the cause of safeguarding and nurturing the existing 33 Indian breeds. In 1947 the country had about 60 breeds of cows but today we have only 33. We have to spread the message of the movement and convince the government about its importance in achieving the welfare of the nation. Nurturing the cow can begin primarily from farmer's home. Therefore, we have to educate farmer about the benefits of cow-centred life and agriculture. The immediate goal would be to make cow-rearing profitable by promoting the cow-based industrial products. We have to undertake serious researches on new possibilities of cow-based products. By and large, we have to work for creating safe heavens for cows in districts and talukas.

 

Own 'Facebook' to spur Parsis to marry their own

Forwarded Message

 

From: Zoroastrian Parsees
Date: Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Subject: Own 'Facebook' to spur Parsis to marry their own
To:


Own 'Facebook' to spur Parsis to marry their own


Mumbai: Worried about outside-the-community marriages, the Bombay
Parsi Punchayet (BPP) has come upon a proactive solution. It plans to
launch its own youth club and a social networking website to promote
interaction among the community's youth. The initiative, says the
Punchayet, will encourage youngsters to marry within the community.

BPP chairperson Dinshaw Mehta said the Punchayet will launch the
Zoroastrian Youth Association or ZYA (the name is yet to be finalised)
"with a big bash" in November, targeting 4,000-5,000 youngsters in
nearly 5,000 flats across 12 Parsi colonies in Mumbai.

Though primarily meant for the 15-30 age group, the association will
have members till the age of 40.

"We want our youth to marry within the community. By forming such a
group, they can meet often and hold events. This will encourage
interaction," said Mehta.

The portal, including a social networking platform, will bring Parsi
youngsters together and create a sense of belonging, he said.

"The website will be ready by October, and we have kept aside a budget
of Rs17.5 lakh for the association," he said.

The association will have an office at Gamadia Colony in Tardeo and a
hall to host events in the Khareghat colony, Grant Road, Mehta said.

Membership will be free and a core group of 10-15 young minds will do
the planning, Mehta said. Another group of 50 people will be formed to
organise events while staff will be hired for the administrative work,
he added.

In response to Manoj Nair's ariticle: Letter to Ervad Framroze S Mirza

TO:

 

TIMES GROUP Vice chairman Samir Jain at samir.jain@timesgroup.com 

 

CC: Mumbai Mirror editor Ms Meenal Baghel at meenal.baghel@timesgroup.com

CC: Manoj Nair at manoj.nair@timesgroup.com

CC: Parsi Panchayat

CC: Parsi Voice

CC: Traditional Zoroastrianism BLOG

 

BCC: Thousands of Zoroastrians worldwide

 

Subject: In response to Manoj Nair's ariticle: Letter to Ervad Framroze S Mirza

 

Mr. Samir Jain and Ms. Meena Baghel,

 

Please read and publish the letter below written by our fellow Traditional Zarathustri

Hushtasp R. Bhumgara. This is in response to the article you have published a

few days ago giving front-page publicity to the people who have been asked by

the Traditional trustees of the BPP to stop their anti-scriptural activities.

 

Please note that the BPP has the democratic majority support of our community.

If you consider your newspaper to be democratic and representing the voice of

the people, you must ask your journalists to support the feelings of the majority

behind the BPP, and not that of the anti-religious minority.

 

Please note that it is the foreign inter-married liberals, the outsiders who are
supporting the inter-marriage movements among the Parsees in India

from their overseas bases.  By supporting such overseas trouble-makers,

you would not be serving the cause of our motherland India to whom we

Indian Parsees have always been faithful and proud of.

 

Regards,

 

Porus.

 

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Hushtasp Bhumgara

Date: Sun, Aug 9, 2009 at 9:00 PM

Subject: Email Letter to Ervad Framroze S Mirza

 

To: fsmirza@rediffmail.com

Subject: Email Letter to Ervad Framroze S Mirza

Date: Sun, 9 Aug 2009 08:56:35 -0400

 

Please open and read the the attachment first Dated 07/08/09. Thank-you.

 

Ervad Framroze Sorobji Mirza

 

fsmirza@rediffmail.com

 

Dear Sir

 

I am a Parsi Zoroastrian living in Canada. I have read your letter Dated 25th August 2008 which you have sent to Vada Dasturji (Dr) Kaikhusroo Minocher Jamasp Asa in which you claim not to have done any conversions of Non Zoroastrians.

 

This contention of yours is false and you have lost any credibility you may have had, as your picture appears along side the letter doing a Navjote of a Non-Zoroastrian with your co-priest  in Tajikistan in 2006.

 

In your own letter you admit to performing the Aashirwad for a couple even if only one person is Irani/Parsi Zoroastrian. This is astonishing, are you not informed or aware that the prayers and scriptures call for both people getting married to be professing the Zoroastrian faith? And that in the Ashirwad one has to swear allegiance to the worship of Ahura Mazda and the seven Amashsaspands and surely you know that a non-Zoroastrian Spouse cannot uphold this religious view? What scriptural evidence can you provide towards supporting your actions or your point of view?

 

I am a mere student of our religion however I do care to read and inform myself.

 

For your enlightenment I am including a link below please care to read and inform yourself.

 

http://www.avesta.org/ritual/rcc.htm#chap2

 

It is from the book THE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES AND CUSTOMS OF THE PARSEES.

 

By JIVANJI JAMSHEDJI MODI, B.A., PH.D., C.I.E.,

 

It is indeed a shame that there are Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian Renegade Priests from within the community that contribute to the breakdown of the Zoroastrian Religion.

 

Now considerable data is emerging in North America where Navjotes of mixed marriage progeny have been encouraged and performed over the last 30 years, and the data points to the fact that very few of these mixed marriage children if at all practice or continue to follow the Zoroastrian religion. Even fewer marry within the community. So the total experiment is a failure.

 

There are also listings that show that there are 2.6 million Zoroastrians in the World.

 

To be a Parsi or Irani Zarthushti you have to be born of both parents being Parsi that is a biological fact.

 

So by any stretch of the imagination the numbers within the Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian community can only increase if Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians choose to create more progeny.

 

Regards

 

Hushtasp R. Bhumgara

 

CC Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians