I refer to "Connecting with Zarthost” by Berjis Desai (Bawa Musings, Parsiana, November 21, 2016) in which he refers to "the more recent monajats sung by Mani Rao, Khudavind O Khavind and O Dadgar O Davar O Parvardegar.”
Perhaps the writer is not aware that Khudavind O Khavind was composed in the 19th century by Kavi Firoz Rustomji Batliwalla who died in 1912. The poet had also composed the Parsi anthem Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti. Batliwalla was the honorary secretary of Gayan Uttejak Mandali which had published Sarode Avesta, a collection of songs composed by him in Gujarati (explaining the meaning of many of our prayers). The song O Dadgar O Davar was composed by Kersi Mistry, HMV recording artist and published in Monajato by Ervad Rustomji Panthaki, then principal, Dadar Athornan Madressa in 1991. Koi puchhé mané kyan chhè tara Jarthost Paigambar was sung by Marazban Mehta and Marazban E. Wadia and recorded in their audio CD Chhaiyé Amé Jarthosti in 2001.
Ervad Burjorji Pestonji Mulla, a visually handicapped priest of Navsari had composed many songs in praise of Prophet Zarathushtra under the pen name Premi. These were printed in the magazine Cherag published from Navsari in the early 20th century. I learnt these songs from him when I was in school. In 1993 I produced an audio cassette titled Zoroastrian Melodies, a collection of 21 devotional songs which include some of his compositions which are now on an audio CD. In 1995 I published a book, Jarthosti Gayan Sangrah, a collection of 101 devotional songs. In 2006 I compiled and published Gaavo Maree Saathe, a collection of 350 devotional songs, songs for festive occasions and Parsi folk songs in Gujarati and English. I also produced two audio CDs, Khushaline Bandgina Geeto and Amé Chhaiyé Parsi.
Our community has a rich heritage of music. MARZBAN GIARA
Navsari
marzbang@gmail.com