With the renovations at Suvali’s Dadabhai and Cawasji Pallanji Chavna Daremeher complete, the duo of Kaizad Sethna and Percy Hansotia have reportedly refurbished three adarians and six dadgahs in south Gujarat in a span of 10 years. Speaking to Parsiana on November 11, 2020, Sethna stated that the Suvali dadgah will shortly be reopened after a jashan by a priest from Surat’s Shahenshahi Atash Behram. Suvali is about 20 kms from Surat and has only recently been subsumed by the growing boundaries of Surat.
From l, 1st row: Kaizad Sethna, Percy Hansotia, Mandvi fire temple;
2nd row: exterior and interior of the Amroli fire temple;
3rd row: exterior and interior of the Minocherhomji Daremeher (Navsari)
The Ankleshwar-based pair of brothers-in-law, who are in the business of manufacturing ice, are said to have repaired these generally ill-maintained fire temples from their personal funds. The only exception was the project to repair the Suvali dadgah. Some of the local 10-member community reportedly insisted on chipping in with donations, Sethna explained. "We generally do not put up any plaque about our contributions,” he stated. At one location, Illav, the duo also contributes towards the kathi expenses and salary of a mobed/caretaker, Sethna said. Each renovation project takes a minimum of three months, and costs could range between three and five lakh rupees. Personal supervision by the duo ensures "baddhu time pramané thaay (everything happens as scheduled),” Sethna told us. The repairs at the Ichhapore place of worship lasted five months. "Bo kharaab haalat maa hatu (It was in a very bad state),” he stated.
Explaining their intention behind incurring expenditure on fire temples in communities with a handful of local residents, Sethna stated that "Padshah Saheb né saari rité jaalavva joiiyé …aapraa raja kéhvaay (The holy fire must be well looked after… The fire is akin to a king).” He says he was inspired by his father Noshir’s personal involvement in the renovation of Ankleshwar’s Framji Dinshaw Petit Daremeher in 2009. The 39-year-old stated that he has visited and prayed at "at least 90” of the approximately 150 fire temples in India.
Does the duo get support from local community members and anjumans? "Parvardégar no saath hoy tyan baddhu possible chhé (If one has the support of Ahura Mazda, everything is possible),” stated Sethna. He listed the seven other fire temples stated to have been refurbished by his family: Jamshedji Burjorji Mistry Daremeher (Illav); Darasha Dorabji Randeria Parsi Agiary (Rander); Anjuman Daremeher (Mandvi); Cawasji and Dhunjibhoy Paowalla Daremeher (Ichhapore); Kanjibhai Dorabji Mithaiwalla Daremeher (Amroli); Mobed Minocherhomji Daremeher (Navsari); Dinshaw Dadabhai Mistri Daremeher (Surat).
Sethna and Hansotia had earlier moved the Bharuch District Court against the shifting of the holy fire of the Doongaji Agiary there to a new proposed fire temple in New Bombay. After a protracted legal battle, the Supreme Court ruled that the adaran-grade fire from Bharuch’s languishing place of worship could be moved to New Bombay’s Shirinbai and Khurshedji Hormusji Doongaji Daremeher (see "Bharuch to New Bombay,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, August 21, 2019).