The 150-year-old First Dastur Meherjirana Library in Navsari is the repository of ancient Zoroastrian manuscripts dating back to 500 years and some that are 700 years old, handwritten in Sanskrit, Persian, Avestan, Pahlavi, Farsi and old Gujarati. These are used mainly by scholars, foreign and national, who visit the Library for their doctoral and professional research on Zoroastrianism. In 2013, when the Library completed 140 years, a conference was held at which foreign and national scholars were able to interact.
Earlier, the Library was located on land belonging to Burjorji Bamanji Padam. In 1906, Ervad Jamshedji Kavasji Dasturji Meherjirana had a building constructed which was further extended by Rustomji Hormasji Kolah’s family in 1967. The Library building has been refurbished with a donation by Meher Panthaki from the estate of the late Coomie and Soli Dariwalla. In 1999 the building was painted and furniture polished with funds from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT). To accommodate students from Navsari who flock to the Library for their projects, an annex building was constructed in 2009 from a donation by the SDTT.
As the Library adapts to the needs of the 21st century the ancient manuscripts in its collection are being restored and carefully preserved with the help of the Indian Conservation Institute, a project that has been made possible with donations from the F. E. Dinshaw and M. K. Tata Trusts along with the cooperation of the trustees, librarian and staff.
The administration and maintenance of the Library are funded from interest earned from the corpus provided by the SDTT in the form of fixed deposits. With interest rates falling the revenue is insufficient to cover the day-to-day expenses and statutory payments. Also, the Library needs to be temperature controlled and dust free to preserve the manuscripts.
We appeal for funds to enable us to run this institution which is recognized worldwide. Kindly contact the undersigned for further details. KATY K. ANTIA
Chairperson/Trustee
The First Dastur
Meherjirana Library
Navsari
meherjirana_lib@yahoo.com