A person’s views are often based on snatches of conversation, extracts from books or articles and whatever information has been drummed into him/her from childhood. Some of the opinions are based on incorrect or partially correct facts and more often, prejudice. The number of people who take the initiative to study and understand issues are few. A common complaint mostly from armchair critics is that there is a dearth of verified material that is easily accessible. One often comes across elected or nominated community leaders who do not even read community publications or websites, leave aside books. Much of their information is gleaned from WhatsApp messages (mostly containing falsehoods), arguments or discussions.
Thus it was a welcome change when two diverse works of research on the community arrived in the office.
Four volumes of The Indian Parsis, Themes Old and New by Drs Armaity Desai and Shalini Bharat landed up in the office this March 9. The tomes largely contain the extensive research undertaken by Desai and her former colleagues at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) from 2004 to 2009. The books are replete with text and tables delineating the findings of the various surveys and studies undertaken at the urging of Dr Shernaz Cama of the Delhi based Parzor Foundation. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust contributed substantial financial assistance to the studies.
The books are an essential addition to any community library and association (though most anjumans and punchayets don’t even have a shelf of books, leave aside a stand or a room). The price of Rs 9,900 (USD 151) would deter all but the most dedicated community readers, but if purchased by an association and made available to members, the information would be disseminated to many more. Most anjumans spend lakhs of rupees on renovating their fire temples and building or repairing Doongerwadi walls, so the amount is piddling in contrast. But how many associations spare space for books? And how many members would come to read? Years back when we suggested to a panthaky of an agiary that a ramp should be built for wheelchair bound devotees, we were informed hardly any such devotees came! We can safely assume a similar answer will be given for starting a library.
The four volumes contain a mine of information. The authors are strongest when it comes to the research they undertook although in more general community areas there are lacunae. Footnotes are few, thus checking on sources is problematic. But these are minor failings and should not in any way detract from the voluminous data and analysis provided. Anybody planning for the community’s development must turn to these tomes to check if their hypotheses and assumptions are correct.
For years people said the declining Parsi population was due to lack of housing. They alleged couples were not getting married because they did not have a home ("No houses, no spouses" was the refrain). But despite a massive investment in housing over the past 100 years and more, the numbers continued to decline while other communities continue to multiply without the benefit of subsidized housing. If you want to solve a problem, you have to first understand the underlying causes and then meticulously start researching the possible solutions.
The second study was an attempt by a 16-year-old student Rohan Vakil with his father Dr Cyrus’ assistance (see "Polling the Parsis," page 26) to conduct a survey on the community. The duo was unaware of the poll Parsiana had commissioned the Hansa Research Group to undertake of Bombay Parsis prior to the hosting of the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress in the city in December 2013. They believed they were charting unknown territory. And perhaps they were, as several of the issues they included, we had not. While our survey focused solely on Bombay, theirs was extended to other areas. With his father’s social science background, the poll gains credibility, though the results would not have the same legitimacy as a more scientifically conducted exercise. And yet some of the results were similar to what the Parsiana poll revealed.
The fact that the initiative was taken by the youngster, that the family encouraged him and his father actively participated in the project lending his professional expertise, makes the study all the more worthy of emulation. Too often we hear parents moan that their children are disinterested in community affairs. They often lay the blame for this indifference on the infighting within punchayets and anjumans or critical articles in the Press. Few parents realize they are the problem, and that the children are merely mirroring their behavior.
When people complain of their children’s lack of involvement with the community, we often ask if the family subscribes to Parsiana. Often the answer is a sheepish "no." So if one of the major sources of community news, research and analysis is not available in the household, are not the elders at fault? If the parents do not discuss community issues at home, how will the children’s curiosity and interest in the community be aroused? When around 200 participants at a Holiday Programme for Youth meet in Bombay last year were asked if they discussed community issues at home, barely a hand went up.
So the father and son need to be applauded for their efforts, and more importantly the value systems that underlie such a venture. Years ago, two teenaged sisters had started an online petition to support the two priests who were barred by the BPP from performing religious ceremonies at Doongerwadi and two fire temples controlled by the trust. Their efforts helped to shame the bullying BPP that had no business interfering in clergical matters. The case was finally resolved through mediation, but not before over three crore rupees (USD 457,840) of BPP controlled community funds were frittered away on litigation. (The BPP now says they function with a deficit.)
TISS, Parzor and the Vakils have done their bit as have many researchers and intellectuals before them. Now we have to use their initiative to plan for an uncertain and bleak future.