Navroz ushers in a new era of peace, prosperity and above all harmony and is celebrated in every nook and corner of Iran for a fortnight with great éclat, gaiety and camaraderie, stated Masood E. Khaleghi, Iran’s consul general in Bombay at the Jashn-e-Navroze function where he was the chief guest. Organized by The Indo-Iranian Friendship Society in association with the Culture House of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the function was held at the Islam Gymkhana on Bombay’s Marine Drive on March 30, 2015. A write-up on the event was sent to Parsiana by Godrej Dotivala, secretary general of the Society.
"Navroz is a pristine festival celebrated in several countries more particularly among the Zoroastrians in India and the whole of Iran… It heralds the setting in of the spring season,” noted Minoo Shroff, president of the Society. Parsi and Irani Zoroastrians make merry on Navroz, wear colorful clothes, eat delectable food, have family get-togethers, attend hilarious nataks, but do not forget to thank the Almighty for His bounties, Shroff mentioned. "India and Iran have immense resources and potential. Both countries have ancient civilizations going back thousands of years. The ancient Persian Empire straddled one-third of the world and our two nations have a great legacy to carry forward,” he noted, as per the write-up.
(L-R): Godrej Dotivala, Dr Homi Dhalla, Minoo Shroff, Masood Khaleghi, Burjor Antia,
Khodadad Irani and M. Zakaullah Siddiqui
Guest of honor solicitor Burjor Antia, senior partner of Mulla and Mulla and Craigie Blunt and Caroe, prayed that Navroz may bring "new life, new vision and new vista” not only among the Parsi Irani Zoroastrians and Muslims in India and Iran but to all communities throughout the world. Elaborating on the festival of spring, Dotivala revealed that the spring equinox is also celebrated by Hindus as Holi, South Indians as Pongal and North Indians as Baisakhi. The Japanese have their chrysanthemum festival. The United Nations has given the festival recognition by declaring March 21 as the International Day of Navroz celebrated on the vernal equinox by more than 300 million people worldwide as the beginning of the New Year, the write-up quotes him as saying.
Interfaith activist Dr Homi Dhalla in his Power Point presentation on "Muslims Promoting Peace and Human Rights Globally” stressed that Islam preaches tolerance and universal brotherhood, which right-thinking Muslims firmly believe in and practice. It is the fringe elements like Al Qaida and ISIS (Islamic State of Syria and Iraq) that propagate hatred, violence, anarchy and terrorism. He provided information on the many eminent persons of that faith who have worked for the cause of amity and human rights, including former President of India Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Queen Rania of Jordan and young Taliban victim from Pakistan Malala Yousafzai, who has dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to the "voiceless” children who need to be heard and educated.
M. Zakaullah Siddiqui, president of the Islam Gymkhana and vice president of The Indo-Iranian Friendship Society, conveyed greetings to all.
The entertainment quotient was provided by children of the Lady Engineer High School who performed an energetic folk dance; recitations from the Shahnameh by Shahzad S. Faroodi; a film titled Iran Today; Iranian songs sung by students of the Persian classes conducted by the Iran Culture House led by Elinor, the German wife of orthodontist Dr Firoze Mirza; a poem by Asad Rizvi; and gags and songs by Jawad Askari and his associates.
The program, sponsored by Antia, Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Jimmy Mistry, builder Zarir Bhathena and Siddiqui, concluded with a qawwali by the Kaleem Neem Hashemi group and dinner served by Allarakha caterers, the write-up notes.