Hanoz Mistry of The Parsee Voice and other traditionalists protested about the Heritage Walk conducted at Bombay’s Doongerwadi by Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia a couple of months back. There were two issues raised by them:
First, that no non-Zoroastrian should be allowed to go beyond the bunglis on the path towards the gates of the final resting place; and second, female participants may be in their ‘periods’ and hence pollute the sanctity of the area.
Mistry has been identified by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet as an adviser/ consultant for repairing a dakhma wall.
The following questions arise:
Will the masons who work on the consecrated dakhmas be only Parsi Zoroastrians? Will their parents be Zoroastrians and so also their maternal and paternal grandparents? In short, they cannot just sudreh kusti wearing individuals.
Will the drivers of trucks carrying sand, cement and water tankers be all Parsi Zoroastrians?
Since the structure to be repaired is consecrated, will the sand and cement bags have been touched by any female worker from the stage of production to the stage of reaching the place of repair?
HOMI DALAL
homeedalal@gmail.com
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