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Entrances to many residential buildings wore a festive look with floral hangings and colorful chalk designs bearing the wordings "Saal Mubarak,” "Happy Birthday,” "Happy Anniversary,” "25 Glorious Years”… For the nearly 1,500 residents of Godrej Baug, the silver jubilee celebrations of the Shapoorji Fakirji Jokhi Agiary that stands in their midst gave them a reason to start December 14, 2024 with sagan (auspicious) offerings, express their thanksgiving at the khushali nu (celebratory) jashan after the evening Uzirin gah boi, and finally partake of the feasting after the formal melavdo (get-together) event. 

To mark the 25th anniversary, 25 senior and junior priests joined in the jashan led by the Surat High Priest, Dastur Cyrus Dastur. A circular jointly issued by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and the Godrej Baug Residents Welfare Association (GBRWA) had requested "all ervad sahebs from the Baug to come forward and join in the hama anjuman jashan prayers.” It is the BPP which manages both Godrej Baug as also the Agiary therein. The hall of the recently renovated Agiary was packed with devotees and the kathi offerings to the sacred fire seemed enough to last a fortnight. 

With around 504 flats in 16 buildings in the colony abutting Doongerwadi, Godrej Baug stands out for "the vigor with which they celebrate their traditions, the increase in the number of children and a growing population,” remarked BPP chairman Viraf Mehta at the evening function at Eco Park. Describing the Jokhi family as "an epitome of generosity,” Mehta informed the gathering how at a meeting in Hong Kong last year the Jokhis readily agreed to contribute towards the repairs of this fire temple. Even though the BPP had assured them that they would take care of the shortfall, ultimately the entire cost of waterproofing, structural repairs and renovation was borne by the Jokhis whose Bombay representative Noshir Kasad ensured it was a seamless process. 

Rustom Jokhi who with his wife Roxy and son Daryus had specially flown down to Bombay to attend this silver jubilee event conveyed greetings on behalf of his "mother (Javer) and father (Keki) who due to advanced age are unable to be present.” Rustom gave credit to his father for his generous donation that led to the fire temple being named in memory of Keki’s brother Shapoorji. "Many professed pride in being present at this (inaugural) event. Many must have wondered what the community was up to in the early hours,” stated Rustom referring to the thousands of well-clad devotees who had accompanied the sacred fire on foot for the last two kilometers. He was "gratified that the efforts of the family” have promoted religiosity among the Godrej Baug residents. Keki’s initial donation of Rs 75 lakhs at the time of enthronement of the fire in 1999 and the family’s recent largesse, estimated at over a crore has infused a fresh life into the fire temple.   

"This Agiary sits like a crown atop Malabar Hill,” stated Farhad Hozdar, GBRWA president, acknowledging the munificence of the Jokhi family and the Godrej family, particularly Naoroji Godrej who was instrumental in developing the Baug. He mentioned that the consecrated fire that was first housed in the agiary in Tavri will complete 125 years in 2025 making it another occasion for the community to cherish "the legacy of our ancestors and the principles of purity and truth that have guided us through the centuries.” 

Nearly all the main speakers that evening expressed their joy and pride in having participated in the last leg of the spiritual sojourn and enthronement of the sacred fire 25 years ago. Lest this memory be relegated to the background, it was refreshed through a short skit, The Journey of Faith, performed by the Baug youngsters. In 1900 the fire temple in Tavri, two miles out of Navsari, was consecrated by Cooverji Cavasji Tavaria in memory of his deceased son Hormusji. By 1964 there was only one Zoroastrian family left in Tavri so the holy fire was housed as the second fire in Sir J. J. Agiary in Navsari. 

When a cavalcade brought this fire to Godrej Baug in 1999, it took brief halts along the way at Sanjan’s Dasturji Kookadaru Dar-E-Meher and the Vachagandhy Agiary in Bombay to ensure that the fire continued to receive all five bois. The children relived the passage when the sacred fire was carried on foot from Hughes Road via Ambawadi to its final abode with roads washed and sand pavis laid out. Following the priests bearing the urn was a procession of over 4,000 devotees. Adequate police protection had been arranged in the pre-dawn hours before the sacred fire was enthroned with the first Havan gah boi at the Jokhi Agiary on roj Bahman, mah Amardad in 1999. 

  

  above: committee members of the Godrej Baug Residents Welfare Association

In his keynote address, Ervad (Dr) Parvez Bajan, panthaky of the Mevawala Agiary mentioned that "the sacred fire is not just a living entity before which we pray with open heart and mind and bowed head. It is the symbol of Ahura Mazda… It moves against the force of gravity… It looks at the hand of a devotee to see what the moving friend has brought for the sitting friend. What it wants is wood, not necessarily sandalwood. The Zoroastrian religion that has withstood trials in the past will remain forever… if we individually and collectively continue on the path of righteousness.”

The evening function at Eco Park started with a humbandagi, followed by the young children of Godrej Baug singing monajats. After the skit was an Indo-western fusion dance. All the participants received a memento at the hands of Roxy Jokhi who had donned a gara that her mother-in-law Javer had worn at the time of the consecration of the Agiary. 

A special edition of a 10 g silver coin engraved with an image of the Agiary on one side and 25 Years on the obverse was released at the hands of Dastur. Besides presenting it to the guests on the dais it was also gifted to all the seven BPP trustees in attendance. 

Among the Godrej Baug residents, specially singled out for their dedication and devotion were Jeroo Nargolwala who has been teaching navjote prayers to innumerable children of the colony while she stitches sudrehs and spins kustis, and Ervad Harvesp Madon, panthaky of the Jokhi Agiary.

For many in the audience an added attraction was the patra nu bhonu catered by N. P. Dalal for which they had bought subsidized passes. Even while the finale, a gara and sari collection by Zenobia Daver, was being showcased by the Godrej Baug models and before Chhaiyé Hamé Zarathushti and the national anthem could be sung, many had already begun dining. More than 1,000 partook of the meal that night including around 250 who had been given complimentary passes. The support staff at Godrej Baug like watchmen and cleaners, nassessalars from Doongerwadi, the employees of Sir Ratan Tata Institute and inmates of the Parukh Dharamshalla too were invited to join in the celebrations.

 GBRWA honorary general secretary Shahrukh Bilimoria who served as the master of ceremonies and joint secretary Nilufer Nasirabadwala in her vote of thanks acknowledged the contributions of the Jokhis and others like Jimmy Kelawala of the Jal Sethna Trust and Justice Shahrukh Kathawalla (retd) who had generously donated towards the silver jubilee celebrations. The time and efforts of all the others responsible for the success of the function were also appreciated.

As the residents were reminded at the evening celebrations, what they earn, they will spend; what they save, they may lose; but what they give, they will still have. The Agiary at Godrej Baug stands as an inspiration to continue the spirit of philanthropy.