"Why do so many lawyers talk about religion and so many priests study trust deeds? The term Parsi Zoroastrian does not come from religion or history but from trust deeds drawn up by lawyers.” These statements by former advocate general of Maharashtra Darius Khambata sum up the facts. Our tiny community is squabbling: orthodox vs rationalists. It’s sad that the internet is full of messages of half-truths and lies, so much so that someone wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to not allow the Udvada Utsav as it hurts the sentiments of the holy Iranshah Atash Behram! They want the festival to be held outside Udvada as it goes against the tenets of our religion. What hogwash!
Indian Parsis are subjected to such unsubstantiated statements while the views of scholars and men like Khambata, Justice Rohinton Nariman and many others are ignored because they differ from those of the orthodox. Thanks to the internet people publicly air their limited knowledge. I thank my computer for the trash key where such stuff can be shunted to.
The thoughtful and unbiased editorial "What are the ‘basic tenets?’” (Parsiana, January 21, 2016), provides readers with a viewpoint that is often overlooked. The article by Feroza Jassawala in the same issue, "The door is ‘sightly ajar,’” giving details of Nariman’s speech, is an eye-opener, clearing the cobwebs we have gathered over the years. What Nariman said should make perfect sense to everyone, but the orthodox are shying away from it, wearing blinkers that focus only on their one-track unsubstantiated views that are totally irrelevant in today’s day and age. Nariman clearly and patiently refers to history and legal judgments of a bygone era, which do not stand up to any orthodox argument. How can one reason with folks who have closed minds?
In his concluding paragraph Nariman says that "the door was not shut, but kept slightly ajar.” This indicates a way out of the present impasse. If a think-tank of Zoroastrian scholars, lawyers, priests and trustees get together to thrash out these issues amicably it would do much good to the community. The letter by the vada dasturs is a sure sign that they too may mellow and see reason when things are brought to the stage of dialog instead of litigation and fatwas.
If Delhi has incorporated changes why are the remaining anjumans shying away, especially the Bombay Parsi Punchayet? Why can’t they accept the changing order? It’s time we realize no one is a winner or loser if things go out of hand; the Parsi will be lost forever. Let us avoid this for our own survival. Khambata emphatically states with proof that the term Parsi Zoroastrian does not come from religion or history but is coined by lawyers who drew up the trust deeds. Maybe it was good enough for those times, but now a rethink is needed and remedial steps have to be taken to propagate, prosper and shed all that extra baggage of orthodoxy we have all carried.
We need to move on to ensure a better tomorrow. RODA DARA HAKIM
Baroda
vadhakim@yahoo.com
With reference to Darius Khambata’s speech at the Iranshah Udvada Utsav, at the end of Nyaishes and Yashts we pray "Dad din beh Mazdayasnan agahi ravai goafrangani bad haft keshwar zamin aedun bad.” Ervad K. E. Kanga’s translation of this is: "May there be justice of good Mazda worshipping religion, (its) knowledge, promulgation and fame (or glory) in the seven regions of the earth! May it be so!” The next paragraph mentions the Mazdayasni religion and the law proclaimed by Zarathushtra.
I would request our learned priests and other "scholars” to tell us what this prayer repeated in Nyaishes and Yashts, really means and implies, especially the words knowledge and promulgation.
The word "conversion” is used by some. Certain other religions have converted forcibly with the sword, whereas Zarathushtra made people accept the good religion by appealing to their mind. This is not conversion but acceptance.
The late Dastur Khurshed Daboo had expressed similar views.
PHIROZE J. KUTAR
pjekutar@hotmail.com
The editors reply:
The Armenians were forcefully converted to Zoroastrianism.