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The inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024 was welcomed by many community institutions and individuals. The dissidents dwelt mainly on the appropriateness of community fire temples commemorating the event by performing khushali na jashans (joyous thanksgiving prayers) for a non-Parsi event. But historically the community has celebrated landmark national events with prayers.

At least five fire temples held jashans and offered maachis to mark the installation of the idol of Ram Lalla or Balak Ram (infant rendition of Ram). The place of worship has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore (USD 217 million) by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The site in Uttar Pradesh is claimed to be the birth place of Lord Ram. The Babri Masjid stood at the spot until it was demolished by Hindu fundamentalists in 1992 resulting in a spate of violence and the loss of over 2,000 lives, mostly Muslims. 

  above: Dastur Khurshed Dastoor at Ayodhya

In Surat both the Sheth Dadabhai Naoshirwanji Modi Shahenshahi and the Seth Pestonji Kalabhai Vakil Kadim Atash Behrams held jashans followed by maachis in the Rapithwin gah as a mark of joy ("khushi na pratik é”) on January 22. A circular from the Surat Parsi Panchayat invited all community members to participate. The Navsari Atash Behram held a jashan followed by a maachi to offer the good wishes ("shubh ichchha na pratik é”) of the community. 

The Delhi Parsi Anjuman held a khushali nu jashan at their Kaikhushru Pallonji Katrak Dar-e-Meher "as a part of... the nationwide celebrations.” The Borivli and Suburban Zoroastrian Association held a khushali nu jashan at the Motlibai Wadia Agiary, Jogeshwari, "in solidarity with the nation.” The Cawasji Patell Agiary in Thana was the venue of a khushali nu jashan organized by the Thana Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman "to acknowledge the harmony between Hindus and Parsis over the centuries.” 

Vice chairman of the National Commission for Minorities Kersi Deboo was present for the jashan in Delhi. The Gujarat Samachar of January 22 quoted him as stating that such a jashan "was being held for the first time since 1947.” He sent Parsiana relevant extracts from Parsee Prakhash, Vol VIII Part 4 covering the years 1947 and 1948 listing an entry for August 15, 1947. Among other celebrations [jaher sabha o, melavda o and roshni o (public meetings, get-togethers and illuminations)] for Independence Day, jashans were held, at big and small Parsi settlements, including Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Udvada, Davier, Navsari, Surat, Kalyan, Bangalore, Nargol, Valsad, Illav, Igatpuri, Belgaum, Indore, Karachi, Zanzibar and Colombo. 

The publication also stated that on February 26, 1948 a jashan was held at Iranshah, Udvada to commemorate (asho yaad ma) the passing of Mohandas Gandhi, who was assassinated on January 30 of that year. Udvada High Priest Dastur Khurshed Dastoor told us that even the deaths of Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were commemorated with jashans. 

Celebrations were not restricted to fire temples. In a public notice on their Facebook page, Jimmy Mistry-owned Della Adventure and Resorts in Lonavala invited all to "join us for a divine day filled with spiritual rituals… Maha Yagna (major ceremony) by 21 brahmins for a prosperous and Atmanirbhar (self-dependent) Bharat. Around 3,000 people reportedly attended the gala event with Mistry dressed in a saffron outfit. Bhajans and the lighting of 1,000 lamps took place following the live telecast of the Pran Pratishtha (installation of the idol) from Ayodhya at noon.  

In a press release dated January 22, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustees extended their "heartfelt congratulations to the Hon’ble Prime Minister on the successful completion of the temple at Ayodhya Dham” and offered congratulations to "the government and our brothers and sisters of the Hindu community on the momentous occasion.”

When photos of Dastoor, resplendent in a richly embroidered red shawl, standing with the backdrop of the temple appeared on the Worldwide Zoroastrian Facebook Page, sarcasm, criticism and commendations followed. 

Dastoor, known to enjoy a close relationship with both, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the moving spirit behind the construction of the temple, and union minister for minorities Smriti Irani, was a special invitee at the inauguration in Ayodhya. Irani captioned a picture of the Delhi jashan on her social media account and wrote that Parsis prayed to celebrate the installation of the idol at the Ram Mandir. Dastoor told Parsiana on January 24 that the trust that was charged with the building of the temple, had sent a special invitation to his residence. Other religious and spiritual leaders were present as well, he noted. Special invitees included top industrialists and members of the film fraternity.

Dastoor was all praise for the logistical arrangements. "They put us up in Lucknow (which is about 150 kms away)…Tremendous security… It was a sublime feeling to be there amongst all the religious heads,” he stated, adding that he was able to view the main idol in the temple. About the censure in some quarters for jashans in fire temples for a Hindu event, Dastoor queried, "Have we not had jashans for various coronations and for the well-being of British royalty?” 

Wrote Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal, High Priest of the H. B. Wadia Atash Behram in response to Parsiana’s request to shed light on the practice of holding jashans, "Such cosmopolitan events are fittingly commemorated in the name of the whole community as a token of goodwill for the felicitation of an individual or an event taking place… It is important to preserve our long-practiced traditions and rituals in the established format followed for over a thousand years in India and accommodating a national event or celebration in the manner explained above befits the occasion.”

 

"Fairly strict”

"The Parsi community in India appears to be sharply divided over the presence of (Dastoor)… at the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya — as well as special prayers held at several fire temples in India to mark the consecration of the Hindu temple,” commented newsmagazine scroll.in on January 24. Journalist Freny Manecksha told the news magazine that "Parsis are fairly strict about certain rituals… It seems strange to hold khushali na jashans for a Hindu temple.” An unnamed "member of the BPP” told scroll.in that Parsis are only showing gratitude to the government and the country by holding special prayers.

What energized the Parsi chatterati (people who talk and write a lot about current events and political and social matters) the week following the inauguration was the terminology of the ceremony in the fire temples as a khushali nu jashan and the presence of Dastoor at the temple town. 

One viewer stated, "Now our Dasturji should have no problem with Parsis marrying non Parsis.” The British were invoked, and the much-vaunted Parsi loyalty to the Raj was aired: Dastoor was not wrong in showing allegiance to the powers-that-be, said some. A few objected on the grounds that the Mandir was built on the debris of a demolished mosque and Dastoor should have been sensitive about that. Another party pointed out: "First of all this invitation is not from any political party… The invitation is from the temple trust where they have invited prominent people across various spectra… Whether to attend or not is an individual’s choice… So why so much hatred and spewing of venom?” 

Kotwal noted, "It has been a part of our tradition to commemorate a significant event or an auspicious occasion by celebrating a jashan in its honor… A jashan serves a dual purpose: to worship Ahura Mazda, and show our gratitude to Him for an auspicious occasion.” The High Priest stated that our prayers are meant for the collective goodness of our mantras to spread in all corners of the earth. "In our Afrinagan or jashan ceremony, the priest remembers and blesses the king/ruler of one’s country, Khshathryan dainghu-paiti, whoever he may be, every time the ritual is performed. However, non-Zoroastrian personal names cannot be remembered for such events in a Zoroastrian religious ceremony. Still, the ceremony is performed instead in the name of Hama Anjuman, and the ceremony is also commissioned by the Hama Anjuman, which means the entire community blesses the event that the whole country is celebrating.” Kotwal too reiterated that Parsis have celebrated such events out of affection and gratitude, such as at a happy occasion of being victorious in World War II, the jubilee celebrations of a benevolent ruler such as Queen Victoria and the restoration to good health of good rulers like Sayaji Rao, the Gaekwad of Baroda. "In this instance, a jashan was held in the Navsari Atash Behram when Sayaji Rao recovered from a terrible illness.” 

Kotwal stated that such events "are of a cosmopolitan nature and not directly linked to our religion… Such occasions are just commemorated and blessed by the whole Mazda-worshipping community unitedly in the following manner but without mentioning any non-Zoroastrian name:

Namchisti zindeh rawan Hama Anjuman aedar yad bad,

 Namchisti zindeh rawan Hama Anjuman be-rasad

Farmayashni Hama Anjuman Mazdayasni be-rasad

Ram and Ram 

To clarify about the seemingly similar name, Ram in the 101 names of Ahura Mazda and Ram as in Hinduism, Parsiana requested principal of the Dadar Athornan Institute, Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia to provide details.

"Historically and spiritually there is no similarity between the Hindu God Ram and the Zoroastrian Yazad Ram, though both the names are identical,” he stated. The priest added that the Hindu God Ram, also written as Rama, was the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu and had taken birth in a human form to Kausalya and Dasharatha. His sacrifices, wisdom and justice have made him an epitome of a balanced and supreme deity and person (maryada purshottam).

"The Zoroastrian Yazad Ram’s original name is Raman. It has been changed to Ram/Rama in Avesta after grammatical inflections and in later Iranian languages he is referred to as Ram. He is entirely spiritual, and has never had a human form. He presides over joy, domestic happiness and marriage. Along with his associate Vayu Yazad, he also presides over the atmosphere. Hence is invoked with Meher Yazad in the Havan gah, since one of the functions of Meher Yazad too is to preside over the atmosphere.” 

Karanjia added that there is one similarity between the Hindu God Ram and the Zoroastrian Yazad Ram, and that is in their literal meanings. "In Sanskrit, the root ram has several meanings, one of which is ‘to be pleased.’ This root is same as the Avestan root ram, the principal meaning of which too is ‘to be pleased,’ the secondary meaning of which is ‘to rejoice.’

As commented Dastoor to Parsiana, about the tempest on Facebook, "The armchair activists should realize that after all the country has given us shelter over the years and treated us well.”