An Incredible Parsi boy

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

---------- 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

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

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

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

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

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