Your editorial "Honoring the heritage” (Parsiana, April 21, 2017) strikes a note in honor of the Bombay Parsee Association (BPA) which "is doing more than honoring the long dead.” Let me make an observation poetically for the honored dead, standing as statues in the city:
Crows choose to sit/ On the statue that stands/ They soon defile it/ For the crow never understands.
Mobed Mehraban Firouzgary clarifies, ("Development of dakhmas,” Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, April 21, 2017), "No dakhma is functional any more in Iran… To the best of my knowledge, the one in village Cham was the last one to be sealed in or around 1975.” This should make one question the farce at Malabar Hill.
The credible contribution to our community’s reputation comes from achievers like Justice Firdaus Dordi, hailed as the first Zoroastrian judge in the US ("On the Superior Court,” Zoroastrians Abroad, Parsiana, April 21, 2017). Also it comes from fantastic ladies like Jai Godrej ("She knew well how to train,” Parsiana, April 21, 2017). We have much to gain from them. Her son Nadir Godrej’s versification is commendable. It has a spontaneous flow in the rhyme-verse-genre. Not a single line shows the use of a contrived word to give rhyme-effect, unlike poets today who shun rhyme, giving vent to emotion and thought in easy escapism called "blank verse.”
Parsiana brings great news in "Fire takes wings again” (April 21, 2017) that On Wings of Fire has been restored. Director Cyrus Bharucha’s balanced views about Zoroaster and Zoroastrianism did more, in fact much more for the community than the orthodox can ever do. As your write-up says, "the deal was that he (Khojeste Mistree) could not change a single word in the script.” Thirty-one years later, I remember what friend Bharucha had complained regarding a pseudo-orthodox philanthropist from Iran who promised financial aid to him for the film. His monetary contribution was conditional — Bharucha had to portray Prophet Zoroaster as per the grandiose maverick’s wishes.
The tribute to former solicitor general of India by Dr Venkat Iyer is lengthy, factual and excellent ("Andhyarujina’s acumen,” In Memoriam, Parsiana, April 21, 2017). In every manner the late T. R. Andhyarujina was great. He had unshakable adherence to the doctrine of parliamentary supremacy and judicial activism.