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The Banquet Hall of the Delhi Palace Hotel in Phoenix came alive with the sound of hearty greetings, music and laughter at the celebration of the Shahenshahi New Year hosted by the Zoroastrian Association of Arizona (ZAAZ). Altogether 75 people attended the event on August 24, 2019, including 11 from the Arizona Zoroastrian Association (AZA) that has mainly Iranian Zoroastrians as members.
The evening started with prayers led by the youngest boys and girls of the community. Thereafter ZAAZ president Gulnar Bhagwagar welcomed the guests and Iranian contingent saying, "We are happy to have so many friends from AZA, a sister association. I hope with every passing year both our Associations draw closer to each other.” This was followed by ZAAZ treasurer Nazreen Cooper presenting the financial report for the preceding year.
The main attraction of the evening was a Gujarati natak, written, directed and acted by the members of ZAAZ. Titled Bomi’s Independence Day, it centered around Bomi seth (played by Furrokh Cooper) and Ramu, his servant (Khushru Antia) both celebrating their freedom for a few days, from Bomi’s dominating wife Cilla (Bhagwagar), who has left for the station to go visit her sister. While Bomi was happy downing a newly opened bottle of Scotch whisky, Ramu fantasized about visiting Rosie, the next door maid. To add to the excitement, an attractive new neighbor (Bhagwagar, in a double role) drops in to visit them. Both men are thrilled till they realize she wants her son Zubin (Zubin Sidhwa) to be with them while she goes on a date with some other guy! Cilla misses her train and comes back home. Young Zubin tells Cilla the whole story of his mother’s visit, bringing Bomi’s Independence Day to a short and not so sweet end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the natak, youngsters Shahaan Tavadia, Spenta and Sarah Khadkhodayan, Aban Mir and Zyon Behrana, ranging in age from two to 10 years, showcased their singing and dancing talents, and a short karate demonstration. The AZA members, starting with their president Arash Tavanaei, an attorney by profession, introduced themselves. All this time, snacks of tangdi chicken, aloo-tikka, mango lassi and soft drinks flowed freely. The hearty dinner was followed by ice cream and falooda, to give it a Parsi touch. Music and dancing that started before dinner, carried on till long after, with everyone, from kids to over 80s, on the floor.
Founded in 1987, this was the 32nd Navroz celebration of ZAAZ. Currently they have 71 paying members with four different membership categories: family (that includes all members who live at the same address), senior family (comprising a couple over 65 years of age), single/student and senior single. The only member of the original ZAAZ committee present that night was Phil Rivetna. Credit for organizing the delightful evening of brotherhood and bonding between the Parsi community, the Iranian Zoroastrians and non-Zoroastrian friends should go to the managing committee, members and volunteers for fostering so much warmth and goodwill, within and outside the community.
Serving on the ZAAZ committee for the eighth consecutive year, Bhagwagar noted, "When I came to Arizona as a student from India in 1993, this community welcomed me warmly and we are truly blessed that our Association is our family away from home.”  Vice president Sanaya Tavaria Khadkhodayan, vice president of J. P. Morgan Chase, recently relocated to Phoenix with her husband and two little girls. She is heartened to be part of this warm Zoroastrian community and is excited to serve on the ZAAZ committee as is secretary Cyra Behrana who was born and raised in Karachi. An art teacher at Great Hearts Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona, Behrana, who moved to Arizona in 2014 to be with her husband, also works as a freelance artist. During her 33 years in Arizona, Cooper has served on the committee at various times. Now retired, she enjoys working on the all-women committee and spending time with her family and friends.                        Dilnavaz E. Bhagwagar