"Knowledge is welcome at any age and all those who attend are a keen and interested lot,” stated president of Calcutta’s Parsi Zoroastrian Association (PZA), Nargis Bapooji. While the religious classes organized by the Association are intended for children, "very few attend,” she stated in an email to Parsiana. "Average attendance is around 35 and most of the audience comprises seniors.” The classes "are not held at any specific intervals but we try and have them once a month. We have had 10 classes during the period of about one year,” she explained.
Above: participants and prize winners of Calcutta Parsi Zoroastrian Association’s art competition,
winners Pearl Tarapore (seated, center) and Enakshi Bulsara (standing, 3rd from r); above(r): Ervad Behramshaw Karanjia
At the PZA’s annual general meeting on July 21, 2019, Ervad Behramshaw Karanjia was felicitated for "his keen interest and dedication in conducting religious classes for the community over a period of one year,” stated Bapooji. Thirty-five people attended, she noted. The PZA committee for 2019-20 comprises vice presidents Viroo Medhora, Katy Sabawalla, joint secretaries Roshan Dandiwala and Ketty Kapadia, honorary treasurer Darayas Bapooji and seven committee members. A session on "Acupressure Awareness” by Drs Manoj and Kavita Chakravarty followed.
Pearl Tarapore, who won the Homi Nanabhoy Langrana Challenge Shield, and Enakshi Bulsara who took away the Baji Mancherji Mirza Trophy are winners for PZA’s art competition held in early June. Results were announced on July 15. The event is organized every alternate year, noted Nargis. Seventeen people, ranging from ages less than five to above 80 participated. "There were some serious budding artists in the group,” Nargis noted.