Three of the five current high priests are graduates of the Dadar Athornan Institute (DAI), Dastur Khurshed Dastoor, chairman of the Athornan Mandal, stated in his presidential address at the Institute’s annual day function held at the Mancherji Joshi Hall on December 8, 2024. They are Dastoor, Dastur Tehemton Mirza of Udvada and Dastur Keki Ravji Meherjirana of Navsari. Calling the DAI a "pillar of hope and faith,” Dastoor exhorted the students that, as future priests they would have to guide the community, teach people prayers and encourage them to be one with Ahura Mazda. He recalled his days as a student at DAI when Ervad Rustomji Panthaki was principal, and said nostalgically that when he left the Institute he felt it was like going away from home, noted a write-up sent by DAI.
Top row, from l: Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, Ervad Cyrus Sidhwa, Daara Patel releasing Knowledgiate,
Dasturs Tehemton Mirza and Khurshed Dastoor, Katy Patel and Ervad Cyrus Darbari;
Katy with awardee Ervad Zhiyan Turel; 2nd row: commemorative postal cover; students singing monajats
Lion Daara Patel was chief guest and Mirza guest of honor at the function. Also present were Roxana Parelwala, principal of the Dadar Parsee Youths Assembly (DPYA) High School, Prof (Dr) Almut Hintze from the School of Oriental and African Studies of London University, Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Armaity Tirandaz and former BPP trustees Khojeste Mistree, Jimmy Mistry and Arnavaz Mistry. The hall was filled to capacity with students, ex-students, parents and guests.
Mirza received the annual Rustomji Panthaki award for best ex-student, presented to him by Dastoor, along with a shawl and a plaque. Despite having reached a high position in the corporate world Mirza left it to serve the Iranshah Atash Behram as a Vada Dastur in February 2024. Priesthood is a calling that demands commitment, he said. Apart from having knowledge of prayers and rituals, a good priest must internalize the teachings of the Prophet and serve as a role model to inspire others.
In his report, principal of DAI, Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia spoke of the activities and achievements of the students in prayers, academics, singing, Shahnameh recitation, elocution, quiz and sports. Acknowledging the help and support of management, donors, staff members and community members, he implored parents to enroll their young sons in the Institute as the Zarine Sarkari-WZO Trust scheme has made it very attractive for priests of the future.
The chief guest released the DAI’s in-house magazine Knowledgiate edited by Ervad Cyrus Sidhwa, and the two High Priests joined him in presenting the special 3D (three dimensional) postal cover to commemorate the ruby jubilee of the magazine. Knowledgiate, which contains informative articles by experts and students, is available at DAI for Rs 100. The special postal cover had been earlier released at the Bombay General Post Office (GPO) on December 5. It is the first ever 3D cover issued by the GPO and bears the logo and image of the cover page of the first issue of the magazine. That function was attended by Sidhwa, Karanjia, Sridevi Shenoy, manager of the Philately Bureau and several philatelists. The cover is available for Rs 50 at DAI, 651-52 Firdausi Road, Parsi Colony, Dadar, Bombay 400014.
After Katy Patel distributed prizes and trophies to students, the latter put on a humorous two-act skit, Jashan maa Chaloji, in which the significance of a jashan was explained by a "mobed” to eager, curious children. Ervad Cyrus Darbari proposed a vote of thanks and presented flowers to teacher Mahbanu Contractor and other dignitaries. The evening concluded with the singing of Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti and the national anthem after which the guests were treated to light refreshments.
Sherene Vakil