For Dennis Taraporewala, music is a form of worship, a way
to converse with the divine
A two-minute-54-second video of people, ballet dancers and others dancing to the Ashem Vohu prayer put to music by musician, entrepreneur and "a spiritual seeker who believes that sound is the bridge between the human and the divine” Dennis Taraporewala has raised the hackles of some community members. In a chat posted on a community group, Taraporewala explained what prompted him to produce the video.
"I have not tried to stir any controversy — my prayers and my personal communion with God have my own inner reflection. I regularly do many music tracks. It is on my page. (It has been) my deep spiritual quest for over 30 years now.”
Taraporewala is the managing director of Criesse Communications Private Limited based in the Tardeo area. His business website states that he has "27 years of international experience in public relations, marketing and corporate brand strategy and has worked in Singapore, the USA and India.”
In a note Taraporewala worded for Parsiana at the magazine’s request, the 54-year-old explained what motivated him to produce the video.
Top l: Dennis Taraporewala playing the guitar;
above: covers of tapes of Ashem Vohu sung and played by him in different styles
"Some of my earliest memories are filled with music. As a six-year-old, my tiny hands wrapped around a guitar almost too big for me, I learned that each string could tell a story. Soon after came the piano, then the harmonium, tabla and accordion, each instrument opening another doorway into sound, feeling and wonder.
"By 10, I was composing my own songs, clumsy perhaps, but full of an earnest, unspoken search for something larger than myself. In college, the search took the form of a rock band — loud, vibrant, chaotic — the sheer energy of youth pulsing through every performance. Yet even then, under the surface noise, there was a quieter longing that no electric guitar could satisfy.
"That longing found its answer when I was 23. Life, in its mysterious kindness, brought me to a spiritual master who awakened a divine energy within me. It was as if an ancient memory stirred in my soul, something vast, something real. From that moment on, music was no longer just about melody or fame. It became a form of worship, a way to converse with the divine.
"Across cultures and centuries, sages have understood the sacred power of sound. The ancient Hindu texts whisper of Nada Brahma — sound is God. The Rig Veda speaks of the universe being sung into existence. In the timeless words of Friedrich Nietzsche in Thus Spake Zarathustra: ‘Without music, life would be a mistake.’ And I realized, without sacred sound, my life would be incomplete.
"Over the years, even as I built a successful business career, my most profound passion remained singing and chanting prayers. I have had the blessing to chant sacred Hindu mantras and the beautiful prayers of my Zoroastrian Parsi heritage. I believe that Zarathushtra, the great prophet, sang his Gathas — they were not dry doctrines but living hymns to the divine. I grew up seeing my father chant the great Zoroastrian prayers aloud daily. Those imprints live in my subconscious today and take expression musically.
"Among my most cherished projects has been interpreting the ancient Zoroastrian prayer Ashem Vohu — the song of righteousness, purity and truth. I have sung it traditionally, and in a bold spirit, even created a club mix for the younger generation. Some traditionalists frowned, but many others celebrated the new life breathed into an ancient gem. I have created about four versions already — Ashem Vohu guitar, club, harmonic and opera, and intend to create a few more. I believe that if we do not evolve, our traditions risk fading into history. Music is a bridge; it honors the old while embracing the new.
"Chanting is not just repetition; it is invocation. It transforms the singer and the listener alike. I have seen it in private gatherings and public performances — how a single chant can dissolve walls between people and between hearts. In our fragmented world, chanting offers a universal, nonjudgmental pathway to the divine.
"I also see a profound connection between the physics of sound, the science of mantra, and the awakening of the chakras. Repeated vibration, focused intention, and sacred words open hidden doors within us, leading to higher consciousness. This is not just philosophy; it is lived experience.
Taraporewala at his navjote
"Ultimately, my journey over the last 30 years is simple. I sing not just to praise the divine but to become the divine, to dissolve the small self in a larger song, to offer my little voice to that infinite symphony that is always playing, just beneath the surface of things. As Nietzsche wrote: ‘One must have chaos within oneself to give birth to a dancing star.’ Through music and prayer, I seek to birth not only my own star, but to awaken the divine spark within everyone I meet.
"Because, in the end, every string, note, and chant is a call to remember who we really are.”
The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) had condemned Taraporewala’s video terming it "blasphemous and gravely offensive to the religious sentiments of the Zoroastrian community worldwide” and stated that they have "initiated formal complaints to the relevant departments of Instagram and Facebook, requesting the immediate removal and blocking of the video… Additionally, we are in the process of undertaking appropriate complaints to the cyber crime department and are using other such legal recourse including lodging criminal proceedings.”
Former BPP trustee Noshir Dadrawala however termed the video a "non-issue... There was nothing vulgar about the video. Yes, visuals could have been more sober or traditional, but to sing the Ashem is not a sin or crime.”