After taking voluntary retirement from the banking sector where she had worked for 32 years, Ahmeda-bad resident Dilshad N. Sui chose to use her time to impart religious education to Zoroastrian children under the aegis of the Zarathushti Awareness Group of Ahmedabad. "The new eagerness and anxiety among the youth of our community to know about the philosophy, history, culture and ceremonies of our... religion inspired me to come out with my maiden book, Illumination,” she mentions on the rear cover, while acknowledging the encouragement she received from noted scholar and writer No-shirwan K. Daboo. Sui has dedicated the book to her late daughter Kaishwar who died at the early age of 10 and her late husband Nariman.
It’s an ambitious project, covering religious knowledge, history and details of Zoroastrian ceremonies. There is an interesting collection of songs and monajats. Color photographs and Farokh D. Hathiram’s graphics help illumine the at times rather ponderous text.
Dilshad Sui: religious knowledge
The 107-page book has significant value as a guide to the Zoroastrian religion, its philosophy and practices. Published in February 2010 by the author, 304, Sukhdam Tower, Nehru Nagar Circle, Satellite Road, Ahmeda-bad 380015, India (tel: 09825940485), the book is priced at a subsidized Rs 50 per copy to ensure access to all. Sale proceeds have been earmarked for religious activities. S. V.