With the threat of coronavirus on the ebb, community members have ventured into having "live” celebrations rather than virtual ones, as has been the norm for the last 24 months. Parsiana received inputs from Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Hyderabad about their Jamshedi Navroz (March 21, 2022) celebrations.
Two legal luminaires, retired Supreme Court Justice Rohinton Nariman and Justice Jamshed Pardiwala of the Gujarat High Court, took center stage at the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat’s (APP) Navroz celebrations, states a note received from the city’s Panchayat office. Nariman was guest of honor and Pardiwala chief guest at the function held at the Sanatorium grounds. Nariman spoke on some of the commonalities in the Vedic texts and Zoroastrianism discussed in his 2021 book Zoroastrianism in Other Faiths (see "Impacting other faiths,” Parsiana, May 7-20, 2021). He explained how Zoroastrianism had influenced Judaism, Christianity and Islam. "All present highly appreciated his detailed and erudite explanation and quotations without a single note or paper in hand,” stated the APP note.
Pardiwala joked that it was not possible to describe the work and persona of Nariman "in few words only.” He alluded to Nariman’s vast knowledge of the law, his deep study of religions specially Zoroastrianism, his humility and above all his pursuit of truth, honesty and complete adherence to the Indian Constitution in letter and spirit. Pardiwala cited various landmark judgments given by Nariman.
Earlier, APP joint secretary Cyrus Sabavala welcomed all present. APP president Brig Jahangir Anklesaria (retd) honored the key guests with shawls and silver coins. The vote of thanks was provided by joint secretary Firoz Davar. A community dinner followed.
1st row: At Nagpur’s Navroz: Ervad Percy Panthaky, Aspi Bapuna Navroze Davar (4th, 5th, 6th from l) with
mobeds; portrait of Ervad Asphandiar Dadachanji;
2nd row: Ahmedabad’s Navroz function: from l: Justice Jamshed Pardiwala, in suit, with family,
Justice Rohinton Nariman, Brig Jahangir Anklesaria (retd);
3rd row from l: Firoz Davar, trustees Mehernosh Dastur, Kety Daruwala and Shirin Kanga, Cyrus Sabavala
A portrait of the late Ervad Asphandiar Dadachanji was unveiled in the Jashan Hall of the Hirabai Mullan Dar-e-Meher by president of the Nagpur Parsi Punchayet (NPP) Aspi Bapuna on March 21, 2022. He recalled that the senior priest had not only served in Nagpur for nine years as panthaky of the fire temple but had also time and again come to the rescue of the Punchayet by sending priests from Bombay "during times of crisis or coming himself at his own cost to perform higher liturgical services or giving religious discourses on special occasions,” noted former assistant secretary of the Nagpur Parsi Gymkhana (NPG) Shernaz Davar. [Dadachanji passed away on October 22, 2021 (see "Mentor to many,” In Memoriam, Parsiana, November 21-December 6, 2021).] Bapuna acknowledged the donation of one lakh rupees sent by the Dadachanji family towards the fire temple funds.
The event was attended by NPP honorary secretary Navroze Daver, honorary treasurer Adi Magra, past president Edul Bhagwagar and NPG president Tauby Bhagwagar, among others. Nagpur’s Zoroastrians had met in person "after two years for such an occasion,” stated Shernaz. The morning saw a "good turnout” at the Dar-e-Meher for the jashan led by Ervad Percy Panthaky with six other mobeds.
The evening saw a gathering at the Gymkhana for housie and dinner. "It was heartening to see a very large turnout for the occasion,” she added. Tauby welcomed the guests and conducted a round of housie, which was followed by a rendition of Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti. "The announcement of drinks (sponsored by the Bapuna family) was greeted by a welcome cheer as the thirsty bawas and bawis hurried to the watering hole,” noted Shernaz. The meal was catered by Gymkhana vice president Meheroo Watchmaker. And to round off the evening on a sweet note, there was Dinshaw’s falooda.
Clockwise from top l: Hyderabad’s Navroz table; tots reciting monajats;
audience at Ervad Mehernosh Bharucha’s talk
Each family residing in the Bai Maneckbai N. Chenoy Agiary complex, Hyderabad contributed a predetermined item for their Navroz table, noted Kerfegar Antia, a resident of the complex about their March 20, 2022 celebration. Head priest Ervad Mehernosh Bharucha led the 75 assembled community members in prayer, he noted. This was followed by a short talk on the significance of Navroz and the singing of monajats.
Antia thanked the president and trustees of the Agiary for subsidizing the dinner and also the Trust secretary Rusi Doctor for his arrangements. Antia noted that Vispy Saher provided the falooda and caterer Abad Wadia the dinner, at cost. The table was arranged by Farida Antia as were informative religious charts. The ubiquitous Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti was sung to the accompaniment of music provided on the organ by young Yohan Tarapore.