I write with disgust and trepidation at what my community, which was looked upon with respect all these years, has come to! I refer to our Doongerwadi being made a tourist attraction. I have written on this subject in the past and was made to understand that this problem was being sorted out.
Why then did a bunch of tourists come out of the gate near Hanging Gardens on Sunday, April 9, 2017 at 10.45 a.m.? No, not the main entrance, not the one near the tower bunglis, but the gate right at the top where entry and exit would not be noticed. Now don’t tell me ‘buses could be parked there and we did not want the poor tourists to unnecessarily exercise their legs!’ Are you sure the next thing I hear will not be that a little corner in the lush surroundings has been chosen to serve refreshments to the poor tired tourists?
Before agitating, I went on Google and was horrified at what I read. Tourism at Doongerwadi is openly advertised and horror of horrors, I find it is given full support by our high priest!
So now it’s called "education,” is it? Why don’t we look closer home? Except for one high priest who passed away, not a single priest in India bothers to explain to a child the meaning and significance of a navjote or the meaning of our prayers, the why of our rituals, the archaic wordings in our marriage vows which still remain. One could go on and on. That seems to be of no significance! Educating the public is so much more important!
Before I am misunderstood, let me make it clear that this has nothing to do with the presence of non-Parsis at Doongerwadi for our ceremonies. Some of them possibly have more love and respect for the deceased than others. It is ridiculous to say non-Parsis cannot attend our funeral ceremonies when non-Parsis are seen all around you. My objection is that we are showing no respect to the family of the deceased by opening up a place where display of individual emotions are at their highest. I feel we are like monkeys in a cage to be observed by the general public.
MEHROO S. KHAREGAT
meherbai36@hotmail.com
The editors reply:
Many high priests and mobeds explain the significance of the navjote ceremony when preparing the candidate for initiation.