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The 132-year-old aramgah in Bangalore came into being thanks to the beneficence of social worker Shirinbai Cama. When her husband Muncherji Dosabhai Hormusji Cama died and was interred in Bangalore in 1892, Shirinbai reportedly obtained the surrounding plot of land for an aramgah from the government and entrusted the cemetery to the local community. 

The now defunct Bangalore Spectator of April 1, 1893 reported that "the Mysore government, at the instance of V. P. Madhava Rao, deputy commissioner, gave a piece of land in Guttahally, to be used as the Parsi burial ground. Mrs Cama has, besides erecting a beautiful marble monument over her husband’s grave, built a wall enclosing the cemetery and provided an ornamental iron gate and a well and, in memory of her late husband, dedicated the cemetery for the use of the Parsi community. This day being the anniversary of Mr Cama’s death the cemetery was declared to be open for the use of the Parsi community after suitable prayers were recited by a Parsi priest from Mysore. Mrs Cama intends to give an endowment fund of Rs 1,500 (USD 18) for the repairs and upkeep of the cemetery.”

Parsiana chanced upon an Instagram page, blr.on.this.day that carried the news item from the Bangalore Spectator. Vivek Mathew, software engineer in a technology startup based in Bangalore, runs the page. He told Parsiana that he sourced the clipping from the British Newspaper Archive website: "Old newspapers seemed like a great source for that sort of local history, so I’ve been reading these old newspapers daily for over a year now.”      

The tombstone that Shirinbai erected for Muncherji still stands, his being one of approximately 100 graves. Run by the Gathic Zoroastrian Charity Trust, reportedly two burials take place annually. The graves are kept in good condition by volunteers. The three-acre property, however, is under litigation. An article in the Bangalore Mirror (July 31, 2015) mentioned that a caretaker named Gopal allegedly damaged the prayer hall, discarded books and photographs and with his personal belongings moved into the premises claiming the property to be his (see "Usurping community property,” Parsiana, September 7, 2015).

Shirinbai went on to found convalescent homes for men and women at Bandra. Taking charge of a ladies’ tailoring class that was started by Navroji Hormusji Patuck, she observed that the underprivileged women who attended these classes would frequently be absent due to ill health and malnourishment. This prompted her to start a convalescent home where such women’s health could be restored so they could resume work. Today’s Cama Convalescent Home, a beautifully located seaside property, is a boon for the needy to rest and recuperate (see "Convalescing at Cama,” Parsiana, May 21, 2018).                                 F. J.