"Tiny girls in ponytails and shorts who had walked in nervously holding on to their parents, to be registered as Bulbuls, have today worked shoulder to shoulder with us, to make this a grand event. Seeing them today taking on independent responsibility, makes us feel that our time and energy spent in training them was well invested,” reminisced flock leader Jasmine Wadia of the 71st East Bombay Bharat Guide Group about the 23 years she has spent with the Group. Mackie Majra, group leader added, "We started with only six Bulbuls, eight Guides and four Rangers on August 1, 1993.” Looking ahead Majra, who has been involved with the Group since its inception, adds that she "feels assured that our Group will have a long innings with such dedicated members.”
The silver jubilee celebrations of the Group took place on June 9, 2018 at the Sophia Bhabha Auditorium with a traditional lighting of a divo (lamp), by chief guest, banker Homai Daruwalla, Majra and the 16th East Bombay Scout Guide Group Leader Noshir Randeria, while Ervad Sheherazad Pavri led a humbandagi. Daruwalla’s talk was peppered with "many inspirational quotes,” notes Wadia, in conversation with Parsiana on June 25.
A "diva” dance by the Guides in Parsi garas and a Bharat Natyam performance by Guide Nishreen Rustomjee flagged off the entertainment. In keeping with the theme of "God’s World Light the Passion, Share the World,” the three-hour event featured Indian and international folk dances on integration. The program, which included Parsi songs from parents of the Group’s children, featured skits on values treasured by both the Guides and the Scouts. "The whole event, right from designing and developing the invitation cards, to souvenir to stage props…choreographing, scripting and directing were done by our skilled senior Guides and Rangers under the guidance of the adult leaders,” notes the write-up.
Members of The Young Zoroastrian Society
From l: Mackie Majra, Noshir Randeria and Homai Daruwalla
Writing in a souvenir released on the occasion, Majra recalled ideals that scouting movement founder Lord Baden Powell mentioned as important: character and intelligence,/ skill and handicraft,/ physical health and hygiene,/ service for others and fellowship. These guidelines afford the Guides "a course of education outside the school.” The souvenir lists out the calendar and brief reports of activities for the past 12 months that include summer camps, a "camporee” (overnight stay at a Bombay school), a sports day, a cooking competition, night games and efficiency competitions, among others.
The guide and scout Groups function under The Young Zoroastrian Society that has been active in the scouting movement since 1920 (see "Girl Guides going strong,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, September 7, 2017). The souvenir recalls the efforts of the late Merwanji Mehta and Ardeshir Jilla in founding the Society and that of Sir Hormusji Cawasji Dinshaw for his "generosity and philanthropy” towards the Society.