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

 

 

 

Re: Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over ‘hurtful’ remark

"I must be one of the few people who has gone into the agiary pretending to be a Parsi," Rampal had said.   Hereat this culprit is actually saying he went in to an agiyari, pretending to be a Parsi! Why is he now changing his story? - that he was only playing in the fire temple compound and was mistaken as a Parsi by the caretaker who caught hold of him and then let him go!   Is he getting out of the kitchen because he has suddenly found it too sizzling hot for his looks?  From show off to suddenly shying away from the famous Parsi ire, huh?   And what may I ask is so innocent about bragging in a public press report that he had actually broken our laws with impunity?  If he was deeply upset by our reactions he should have been more so at his own actions!   Book him and throw away the key!  This sort of utter nonsense and disgusting desecration, has to be stopped once and for all! ShirinMAI!     --- On Sat, 8/8/09, Deen Parast <deenparast@gmail.com> wrote: From: Deen Parast <deenparast@gmail.com> Subject: Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over 'hurtful' remark To: samir.jain@timesgroup.com Cc: meenal.baghel@timesgroup.com, manoj.nair@timesgroup.com, "parsi panchayat" <ppbombay@vsnl.net>, theparseevoice@gmail.com, deenparast.tradzoro@blogger.com Received: Saturday, 8 August, 2009, 5:07 PM Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over 'hurtful' remark By arzan sam wadia ⋅ August 8, 2009 ⋅  Email This Page ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment Arjun Rampal should apologise to the Parsis. This is the demand from sections of the Parsi community who are scandalised with the actor for stating in a recent interview to a men's magazine that he had visited a Parsi fire-temple or agiary. "I must be one of the few people who has gone into the agiary pretending to be a Parsi," Rampal had said. The Zoroastrian religion does not allow non-Parsis to enter the holy premises. "Everybody in Mumbai knows that non-Parsis are not allowed to enter the fire temple," said Firoza Mistree, a researcher of Zoroastrian studies. Mistree says that the actor should apologise and identify the temple so that it can be purified. In a letter to Rampal, Mistree states, "I am surprised that your wife, Mehr Jessia (a former Miss India), whom our community respects, has allowed you to publicly brag about your wrongdoing…Nobody is going to appreciate it." Khojeste Mistree, co-trustee of the Parsi Panchayat and religious scholar, said, "What Rampal has done is unethical. He could have been more sensitive." Rampal said he was deeply upset that an innocent remark by him had hurt the Parsis. "Let me bring it into context. It was when I was around eight years old and playing with my friends that I wandered into the compound (garden) of a fire temple. The caretaker mistook me for a Parsi and caught hold of me, and then let me go. I would never disrespect any community. I have always thought of the Parsis as respectable and enterprising people and would not change my opinion on this. If the actions of an eight-year-old boy have hurt the sentiments of anyone, I deeply apologise for it." Chairman of the Parsi Punchayet Dinshaw Mehta said, "Even if he says it happened when he was eight years old, why is he boasting about it now? We want an apology."

---

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Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over ‘hurtful’ remark

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sam Billimoria
Date: Sat, Aug 8, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Subject: Fwd: Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over 'hurtful' remark
To: MainstreamZoroastrians@yahoogroups.com

Friends ,

 

I am forwarding this , also bcc'd to several  people .

 

You could then compare the inconsistency in  Rampals' statements and his quote to GQ.

 

 A) GQ quotes him as saying he pretended to be a parsi and he visited an Agiyari . Was it an Agiyari, an Atesh Behram , maybe

 

  even  Iran Shah.   How can we trust him?

 

  B) His latest statement says that he innocently fetched a ball from an Agiyari compound as an eight year old  and a priest

 

   hugged him thinking he is a Parsi. Can you believe this.?

 

If Arjun is not forthcoming it should be Mithoo Jesia's obligation to identify the defiled institution ,so that corrective measures 

 

can be taken . I suggest that an open request be made to Mithoo Jesia  showing the inconsistency of Arjun's statements.      

 

 

Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over 'hurtful' remark

By arzan sam wadia ⋅ August 8, 2009 ⋅  Email This Page ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Arjun Rampal should apologise to the Parsis. This is the demand from sections of the Parsi community who are scandalised with the actor for stating in a recent interview to a men's magazine that he had visited a Parsi fire-temple or agiary. "I must be one of the few people who has gone into the agiary pretending to be a Parsi," Rampal had said.

The Zoroastrian religion does not allow non-Parsis to enter the holy premises. "Everybody in Mumbai knows that non-Parsis are not allowed to enter the fire temple," said Firoza Mistree, a researcher of Zoroastrian studies. Mistree says that the actor should apologise and identify the temple so that it can be purified.

In a letter to Rampal, Mistree states, "I am surprised that your wife, Mehr Jessia (a former Miss India), whom our community respects, has allowed you to publicly brag about your wrongdoing…Nobody is going to appreciate it."

Khojeste Mistree, co-trustee of the Parsi Panchayat and religious scholar, said, "What Rampal has done is unethical. He could have been more sensitive."

Rampal said he was deeply upset that an innocent remark by him had hurt the Parsis. "Let me bring it into context. It was when I was around eight years old and playing with my friends that I wandered into the compound (garden) of a fire temple. The caretaker mistook me for a Parsi and caught hold of me, and then let me go. I would never disrespect any community. I have always thought of the Parsis as respectable and enterprising people and would not change my opinion on this. If the actions of an eight-year-old boy have hurt the sentiments of anyone, I deeply apologise for it."

Chairman of the Parsi Punchayet Dinshaw Mehta said, "Even if he says it happened when he was eight years old, why is he boasting about it now? We want an apology."

--
Regards,

Sam M.Billimoria

Re: Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over ‘hurtful’ remark

Arjun Rampal has already apologized in yesterday's Mid-day and today's Times of India for the irresponsible act and statement made in the Press.

I think we should let it pass now.

 

Burjor.

----- Original Message -----

From: Deen Parast

To: samir.jain@timesgroup.com

Cc: meenal.baghel@timesgroup.com ; manoj.nair@timesgroup.com ; parsi panchayat ; theparseevoice@gmail.com ; deenparast.tradzoro@blogger.com

Sent: Saturday, August 08, 2009 12:37 PM

Subject: Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over 'hurtful' remark

Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over 'hurtful' remark

By arzan sam wadia ⋅ August 8, 2009 ⋅  Email This Page ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Arjun Rampal should apologise to the Parsis. This is the demand from sections of the Parsi community who are scandalised with the actor for stating in a recent interview to a men's magazine that he had visited a Parsi fire-temple or agiary. "I must be one of the few people who has gone into the agiary pretending to be a Parsi," Rampal had said.

The Zoroastrian religion does not allow non-Parsis to enter the holy premises. "Everybody in Mumbai knows that non-Parsis are not allowed to enter the fire temple," said Firoza Mistree, a researcher of Zoroastrian studies. Mistree says that the actor should apologise and identify the temple so that it can be purified.

In a letter to Rampal, Mistree states, "I am surprised that your wife, Mehr Jessia (a former Miss India), whom our community respects, has allowed you to publicly brag about your wrongdoing…Nobody is going to appreciate it."

Khojeste Mistree, co-trustee of the Parsi Panchayat and religious scholar, said, "What Rampal has done is unethical. He could have been more sensitive."

Rampal said he was deeply upset that an innocent remark by him had hurt the Parsis. "Let me bring it into context. It was when I was around eight years old and playing with my friends that I wandered into the compound (garden) of a fire temple. The caretaker mistook me for a Parsi and caught hold of me, and then let me go. I would never disrespect any community. I have always thought of the Parsis as respectable and enterprising people and would not change my opinion on this. If the actions of an eight-year-old boy have hurt the sentiments of anyone, I deeply apologise for it."

Chairman of the Parsi Punchayet Dinshaw Mehta said, "Even if he says it happened when he was eight years old, why is he boasting about it now? We want an apology."

Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over ‘hurtful’ remark

Parsis seek apology from Arjun Rampal over 'hurtful' remark

By arzan sam wadia ⋅ August 8, 2009 ⋅  Email This Page ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Arjun Rampal should apologise to the Parsis. This is the demand from sections of the Parsi community who are scandalised with the actor for stating in a recent interview to a men's magazine that he had visited a Parsi fire-temple or agiary. "I must be one of the few people who has gone into the agiary pretending to be a Parsi," Rampal had said.

The Zoroastrian religion does not allow non-Parsis to enter the holy premises. "Everybody in Mumbai knows that non-Parsis are not allowed to enter the fire temple," said Firoza Mistree, a researcher of Zoroastrian studies. Mistree says that the actor should apologise and identify the temple so that it can be purified.

In a letter to Rampal, Mistree states, "I am surprised that your wife, Mehr Jessia (a former Miss India), whom our community respects, has allowed you to publicly brag about your wrongdoing…Nobody is going to appreciate it."

Khojeste Mistree, co-trustee of the Parsi Panchayat and religious scholar, said, "What Rampal has done is unethical. He could have been more sensitive."

Rampal said he was deeply upset that an innocent remark by him had hurt the Parsis. "Let me bring it into context. It was when I was around eight years old and playing with my friends that I wandered into the compound (garden) of a fire temple. The caretaker mistook me for a Parsi and caught hold of me, and then let me go. I would never disrespect any community. I have always thought of the Parsis as respectable and enterprising people and would not change my opinion on this. If the actions of an eight-year-old boy have hurt the sentiments of anyone, I deeply apologise for it."

Chairman of the Parsi Punchayet Dinshaw Mehta said, "Even if he says it happened when he was eight years old, why is he boasting about it now? We want an apology."

Zarathushtris hurt by Arjun Rampal's desecration of a Parsi Fire Temple

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: Arjun Rampal's desecration of an Agiari

Mr. Samir Jain and Ms. Meena Baghel,

Please see this link

http://wadias.in/site/arzan/blog/arjun-rampal-and-the-desecration-of-an-agiyari/

 

Arjun Rampal's admission has hurt the religious feelings of thousands of Zarathushtris worldwide.

 

Your journalist Manoj was quick to give publicity to a priest who is 

performing religious ceremonies for the inter-married against the

prescriptions of the religion and the wishes of the BPP, elected

democratically by the majority of thousands of Zarathuhstris in Mumbai.

 

We now ask you and your journalist to stand up for the religious feelings of

the thousands of Zarathustris who have been offended by the admisssion

of Arjun Rampal in GQ that he has broken the religious rules of the Zoroastrians

in India, and he is boasting about it. Please see below for gauging how this

act of Arjun has wounded our religious feelings.

 

Regards,

 

Porus.

 

 

http://wadias.in/site/arzan/blog/arjun-rampal-and-the-desecration-of-an-agiyari/

Arjun Rampal and the desecration of a Parsi Fire Temple

By arZan ⋅ August 6, 2009 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅

The image you see below is from a recent issue of GQ Magazine published in India. Arjun Rampal actor/model answers some candid questions and one of his answers is a boastful "I am one of the few people who have gone into the Agyari pretending to be a Parsi".

This is really pathetic and obnoxious of Arjun Rampal. A little background. Arjun Rampal is married to Meher Jesia, ex Miss India.

Current rules state that only Parsis are allowed entry into their holy places, the Agiyaris and the Atashbehrams. And Arjun is not a Parsi. What right does he then have to break the rules of a community, just to satiate his own personal curiosity and boast about it.

Rules in religion are not always agreed upon. But as long as they exist one needs to respect them. I wonder if Arjun Rampal would dare to go to the Kaaba at Mecca, which is out of bounds to non-Muslims. No offence to Muslims, but I wish he would try that stunt and see the consequences.

Parsi fire temples are not guarded securitized places. Over the centuries there has been a certain respect/trust within the society, which respects the wishes of the Parsi community and not venture into their fire temples.

I am not a legal maven, but I wonder if a criminal case of trespass can be filed against this Arjun Rampal. He has knowingly desecrated a consecrated place, an agiary.

It also makes me wonder what sort of a person Arjun is, what moral standards he must have to take credit in publicly admitting such an act.

Cross-Posted on Parsi Khabar.