I was present at the lecture given by Sarosh Kapadia, Chief Justice of India, on the occasion of the Homaji-ni-Baj anniversary at Cusrow Baug’s Karani Agiary in Bombay on June 6, 2011.
Various points touched upon by Kapadia such as causes of the delays in the judicial system and matters pertaining to the community were thought provoking. He felt our community leaders should come forward to befriend our youth, guide them about our religion and traditions, and in general show them how to be good Zoroastrians and human beings.
I feel that there is no dearth of leaders, scholars and excellent speakers in the community. What is lacking is commonality of approach and direction. The scholars talk with different voices and as a result our laity is confused and lost. The latter know not what to believe or which way to turn.
About 25 years ago I had asked a learned speaker: "Why don’t you top scholars, high priests, leaders and those knowledgeable about the religion and scriptures sit down at a table, forget your egos and for the sake of the community, come to a decision to speak with one voice on the burning and contentious issues confronting our community today?” He replied: "Unfortunately there are more generals than soldiers in our community.”
A whole generation has grown up since then but the discrepancies remain, and in some instances have become more acute. Meanwhile, community members, not knowing better, act in a manner which sometimes disrupts families for years together. To illustrate, I narrate here a true story.
About 50 years ago a Parsi and a Hindu family lived as good neighbors and best of friends. A small boy from the Parsi family and a little girl from the Hindu family were great friends, continuously in and out of each others’ houses. The girl was treated like a daughter by the Parsi family. When the children grew up their friendship blossomed into love and the girl suddenly became "bad” in the eyes of the Parsi family which ostracized her. The boy was adamant and ultimately married the girl. They settled abroad and raised a brood of three children.
The boy’s family had cut themselves off entirely from the couple. About 15 to 20 years later the boy, now middle aged, visited his hometown with his wife and grown children. The grandchildren proved the adage that blood is thicker than water. The families were reunited, the daughter-in-law, now a middle aged matron, was accepted and everything was hunky dory again. But the grandparents had lost out on the precious years of the grandchildren growing up, while the grandchildren were deprived of the affection and guidance of their grandparents.
One can imagine this story repeating itself in very many families, just because the parents know no better and have been influenced by so-called orthodox preachers.
Let’s face it, times have changed. Our youth today is mixing intimately with members of other faiths and communities. Relations are bound to develop. In the circumstances, how can one justify the thought processes that guided our forefathers when they first arrived in India over 1,350 years ago, or say even 100 years ago? To force such laws and customs on a modern generation living in a completely different environment would be inviting rebellion.
I would therefore request people to approach Kapadia and ask him to use his unique position to act as a facilitator to prevail upon our leaders, scholars, high priests and knowledgeable persons to sit down at a round table and amicably work out answers to the burning problems besetting our community today. There should be one considered answer to a particular problem so that Zoroastrians know whether to take the left road or the right and not be deluged with confusing suggestions. Such an exercise would succeed only if egos are left outside the conference room.
Some of the issues that need to be addressed are: whether interfaith marriages are acceptable or not; whether a Zoroastrian girl who marries out without renouncing her religion should be prevented from practicing it and whether her mortal remains should be denied Zoroastrian rites; whether offspring of such unions can be taken into the Zoroastrian fold or not; whether such children should be allowed to enter and pray at our fire temples and be permitted to avail of the benefits of our trust properties and assets; whether such progeny should be permitted dakhmenashini or not; whether conversions are allowed or not; whether our priests can conduct Zoroastrian last rites for those who prefer cremation or burial to dakhmenashini; whether those who donate eyes or other organs can have their last rites performed in the traditional Zoroastrian manner as, when our scriptures were written donation of organs had not even been thought of; whether non-Zoroastrians should be prevented from attending Zoroastrian funerals and deprived of paying their last respects after the sachkar ceremony. This is particularly galling and embarrassing in small towns where the few remaining Zoroastrians are highly respected and where non-Zoroastrian friends who have known the deceased for years attend funerals in fairly large numbers only to be treated like ostracized second class citizens.
I write because I am thirsting for knowledge and guidance and would greatly appreciate it if like-minded persons raised their voices to demand unanimous considered opinions on these issues.
PHIROZE B. ILLAVA
Mhow