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The India launch of the Tamam Khordeh Avesta in English, the arrival of a make believe bride in a 1947 Humber Hawk vintage car, the singing of  monajats, stained glass with Zoroastrian imagery were all part of activities by various anjumans in India to observe Jamshedi Navroz this year.

"The Festival of Spring has been held continuously from 1980… (it was) not held from 2020-22” on account of the pandemic, trustee of the Mancherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust (MEJMT) Mahiyar Dastoor told Parsiana. What were the highlights of the event held by MEJMT on March 21, 2024 at the Dadar Parsee Colony gymkhana? Parsiana queried. "Over 2,000 persons attended,” Dastoor responded. "The gara collection (raffle) was donated to (nongovernmental organization) Ahura Support (that works with people with special needs)… Four designers and two singers were involved with The LimeLight ’24 Fashion Show,” he stated.

 Guest of honor at the event was thespian Boman Irani who was accompanied by his wife Zenobia. Chief guest Justice Firdosh Pooniwalla was unable to attend. Dastoor served as master of ceremonies.

  Photos: Jasmine D. Driver

A capsule of entertainment is synonymous with the Festival. Conceived and directed by Arnaaz Irani this year, with Sarosh Nanavaty and Farah Ghadiali belting out hit songs, the module included choreographed dances, costumes designed by Zenobia Unwalla and fashion shows by Ashdeen Lilaowala, Bianca Dastur, Dilnaz Karbhary and Tianna Khambatta.

A highlight of the evening was the launch of the Tamam Khordeh Avesta in English, compiled and translated by the much-admired principal of the Dadar Athornan Institute Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia. The children of Karanjia’s religion classes rendered a song to welcome the audience. 

The Trust disburses a plethora of awards at each Festival of Spring event. This year film director Behzad Khambata received the Jal Mistry Award for Outstanding Colonyite; singer Delraaz Bunshah the Kavina Karkaria Award for Most Promising Youngster. The Rustom Framna Agiary Mobed Awards were bestowed upon Ervads Jamasp Tarachand, Jehanbux Chithiwala and the late Zarir Tata. The Rohinton Chinoy Young Achievers Awards 2024 for academics, sports and culture were given to Khusnuma Vimadalal, Kiana Pavri, Mikhail Tamboly, Shahnaya  Adarian, Kiara Jassawalla, Sheen Turel, Zal Sidhwa, Darayus Daji, Jiyaa Elavia, Zerxes Daruvala and Kayomarz Dhabhar. Others felicitated included pharmaceutical professional Dr Parizad Elchidana, physician Dr Armaity and gynecologist Dr Cyrus Contractor, industrialist Kairus Dadachanji, entrepreneur-philanthropist Zarine Daruvala and media professional Sarosh Daruwalla.

As in previous years, a number of contests had been conducted in the run-up to the March 21event — cake decoration, creativity, treasure hunt, tombola and musical evening. These were coordinated by Daraius Zaiwala and Navroze Siganporia. 

A perusal of the Trust’s annual report reveals other aspects of their working. Formed in 1980, primarily to uphold the protective covenant that characterizes the Dadar Parsi Colony, the trustees, in pursuance of the charitable objects of the Trust, have disbursed in this financial year Rs 63.14 lakhs as aid for medical and education purposes and for poverty relief to 430 individuals. In partnership with the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trusts, MEJMT has built 19 houses in rural Gujarat for community members in need between 2009 and 2023. One hundred and fifty community members avail of their food scheme, "with a waiting list of about 20,” notes their report, with the Trust spending Rs 29.64 lakhs on this project in the current year. Dastoor shared a copy of the report with Parsiana.

MEJMT trustees include chairman Dinyar Panthaki, honorary secretary, grande dame of the Colony and social worker Mithoo Jesia, joint honorary treasurers Zareen Engineer and Tina Patel, with Jimi Jesia, Zaiwala, Dastoor, Homai  Daruwala, Behram Rabadi and Homi Daruwalla.                        

Farrokh Jijina

With interest in the event piqued as a result of wide publicity on social media, nearly 1,000 individuals, including participants from sister communities, attended the Navroz function, Fusion Fiesta, organized by The Zoroastrian Club, Secunderabad, at the Parsi Dharamshala on March 21, 2024. Aside from the bonhomie, many turned up to soak in Parsi culture and history and to sample Parsi food and appreciate the haft seen table. 

Club president Jehangir Bisney’s welcome address was followed by a game of housie and monajats sung by children from the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. An enactment of the community’s migration from Iran followed. 

Sixty-three participants, men and women, put in their best for a ramp walk that showcased garas. This was followed by the show "Anaika: A Parsi Odyssey.” Mehernavaz Aria of Star Ventures who organized the event told Parsiana that "Anaika is a Sanskrit word which means complete and powerful… That is what we Parsis have been to the country and world at large.” Community members dressed up to resemble Parsi legends like Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, industrialist J. R. D. Tata, freedom fighter Bhikaiji Cama, actor Boman Irani, singer Freddie Mercury, jurist Nani Palkhivala, scientist Homi Bhabha, billionaire-philanthropist Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, cricketer Farokh Engineer and music maestro Zubin Mehta. The enactment of a Parsi wedding scene where the bride arrived in a 1947 model Humber Hawk vintage car generously lent for this occasion by businessman Capt Kayarmin Pestonji drew a lot of oohs and aahs.

The performance of Bangalore-based musician Behram Siganporia and his band, Best Kept Secret, was very well received by the evening’s gathering. Caterer Abad Wadia’s food, served on banana leaves was much appreciated. Drone photography was provided by Mehernosh Dittia. The evening ended with singing of the Parsi and the national anthems.

As stated Bisney in a broadcast WhatsApp message after the event, the function was "thrown open to the public at large for them to understand our traditions, culture and customs.” He thanked the various service providers, the Dharamshala’s trustees, sponsors, the press and radio as well as the managing committee.

The Club’s premises have been closed since March 2023 due to on-going litigation with one of its service providers (see "Zoroastrian Club impasse,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, October 21-November 6, 2023). "As we continue our battle to free our Club from external constraints… we have demonstrated the resilience and spirit of our Club, and I am immensely proud to be part of such an extraordinary community,” said Bisney.        

Beyniaz Edulji 

"Bawas, Bhonu and Gupshup.” This sign was displayed at Calcutta’s Olpadvala Hall on March 17, 2024 at an eponymously titled event designed to bring to the fore the intangible heritage of the community "that can be felt, heard, smelt and importantly for Parsis, tasted,” noted Calcutta resident Yezdi Karai. Stained glass artwork with Zoroastrian imagery by artist Ketayun Saklat was on display, as was a haft seen table set up by Sanam Karai in addition to the food, networking and repartee. 

Sportsperson and author Prochy Mehta discussed her book Who is a Parsi? (see "A compelling case,” Books, Parsiana, August 7-20, 2022) with Karai. The "conversation put to rest some common myths about Parsis, their origins and their presence in India. It brought to the fore the disparity in how women are treated in our largely patriarchal society and indicated how the learnings are portable across the feminine population of all communities,” he said. A video of the song To Parsi girls we’ll wrong no more about sexual discrimination, featuring Mehta’s granddaughter Samara Mehta Vyas, was screened. 

"Community stalwarts” and the "ageless” trustees of the city’s apex body, Calcutta Zoroastrian Community’s Religious and Charity Fund, Numazar Mehta and Cyrus Madan "regaled the audience with anecdotes and funnies that tickled the appetite… There is no Parsi event without humor and the ability to laugh at ourselves,” stated Karai. Numazar told the audience, "When it comes to loyalty, we are still loyal to an oath, a promise we made but we aren’t sure what the promise was,” referring to the fable of sugar-in-the-milk, stated a report in The Telegraph (TT) on March 21. 

The meal included "all the known Parsi favorites of mutton dhansak, sali ma marghi that headlines a menu, with something for all.” The patra ni machhi was compared by many of the diners to the Bengali paturi maach, that is fish laced with mustard. Khurshid Vatcha curated the menu and handled the catering. 

The event, attended by about 100 people, was organized by Own the Past, a part of the OPUS Foundation Trust, dedicated to the appreciation of intangible and tangible heritage of the West Bengal capital, noted Karai. "Our initiative is to rekindle a conversation on the legacy of the Parsi community in Calcutta,” writer Vibha Mitra who runs the Foundation told TT on March 12.                          F. J.

The Parsis of Madras celebrated Jamshedi Navroz with a khushali nu jashan on the evening of March 21 at the Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar-e-Meher. The festivities then continued at the Parsi Club, noted honorary secretary Shahnaz Rao in a brief communication to Parsiana. 

A group of members sang two popular monajats to usher in the spring festival accompanied by youngsters Rustom Poncha on the keyboards and Eruch Poncha  on the guitar. "We also felicitated agiary caretaker Zareer Daruwala for 27 years of devoted service to the Clubwala Dar-e-Meher and bade farewell to him and his family. The evening concluded with a sumptuous paatra nu bhonu,” noted Rao. "We continue to meet every month at the Club for fun and fellowship,” she further stated.                                                 

F. J. 

   Eruch Poncha and Rustom Poncha providing musical entertainment for the Madras Parsis 

Parsiana also inquired from anjumans in Delhi, Poona, Ahmedabad, Navsari and Surat whether Navroz had been observed by them. They replied in the negative or had not responded till the time of going to press.