Parvez Katrak, Gandhian, Kabir exponent, creator of Zarathushtrian kirtans (recitation of devotional songs or chants), community server, passed away in 2015, 10 years shy of his birth centenary on February 11, 2025. His mother, Jalamai, wife of mobed Jamshedji, had a difficult delivery. The fetus was in breach position and the distraught parents prayed that the child would not follow his siblings to the grave virtually at birth. Their prayers were answered, and the child grew up with whatever little material comforts his parents could afford. Love he got in unbounded measure. And discipline.
From this humble background the lad would become an acclaimed kirtankar. One of the earlier issues of FEZANA Journal quoted from S. N. Mushi’s Zarathushtis (1999): "Parvez Katrak has given over 1,000 kirtan performances in India and abroad, and for the last 25 years has not charged a rupee. All voluntary contributions from his concerts are turned over to charity.”
So how did he get here?
Above and inset: Parvez Katrak singing kirtans
When Jamshedji passed away in 1936 young Parvez became the breadwinner, joining Lloyd’s bank soon after matriculation. He remained there till he retired at 60, but yearned for something more fulfilling. In the impassioned pre-independence days he was drawn to Dadabhai Naoroji’s granddaughter, Perinben Captain (1888-1958), freedom fighter and social worker. This brought him into Mahatma Gandhi’s ambit.
Gandhi asked him, "Bawaji, désh maté shu karsho (What will you do for the country)?” When the teenager looked confused, he was advised to go beyond his native Gujarati to study Hindi and Hindustani: "Not only learn these languages, but spread them to your Parsi com (community), and whomever else you can.” The young man enrolled in the Hindustani Prachar Sabha and obtained the Kovid certificate in Hindustani. He conducted free language classes, while keeping up with Bombay’s involvement in the freedom struggle.
He married Bhikhoo (née Sethna) in 1953 and taught their children, Yazdi and Firooza Ali Razvi lessons in high thinking and simple living.
Katrak dabbled in freelance journalism and the stage using the platform of the Youth’s Own Union (YOU), was a compere, narrator, even gymnast. He found something deeper in the poems of Karsandas Manek and Kavi Khabardar, but most of all in the dohas (couplets) of Kabir. He spread their earthy wisdom in prose and song which he recited and sang. He would sing a few lines independently and, if he lost key on certain notes, the singers would support him by singing along. They also sang bhajans independently. For years, Navroze Mehta would coax the deep notes out of the harmonium and lend his melodious voice to Katrak’s impassioned devotion at the many kirtan evenings. They never charged a paisa, but often a collection would be made at the end in aid of the organization’s activities or to be donated to some needy charity — the Parsi widows’ chawls, hospitals or orphanages.
Katrak extended his repertoire, creating kirtans on Zarathushtra, incorporating Gathavani and the Mathravani. Thus Katrak became that unique entity, a Parsi kirtankar. He acquired a dedicated following, receiving accolades from many, not just the Parsi community. He was even invited to perform abroad. His greatest honor was being felicitated by the Kabirpanthi association of Grant Road’s Kabirwadi, as one of their own.
He would continue till age 85, when his health failed. He upheld the three principles of his heroes, Kabir, Gandhi and philanthropist Burjorji Bharucha: "Séva, daan ané bhakti (service, charity and devotion).”
"The roots of my interest in philosophy, yoga and the work of Kabir lie in my hearing him talk on these subjects. The dohas come to me naturally, having heard him recite and sing these multiple times,” says his daughter, yoga exponent Firooza. Yazdi became a successful marketing executive.
A staunch Zarathushti, Parvez "was not at all happy over my marrying outside the community,” recalled Firooza. But at some point he had become a Kabirpanthi and in the last days of his life he kept a small photo of Kabir under his pillow; it was his solace and anchor as much as his Zoroastrian prayers.
Bachi Karkaria