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"God always gave me strength.” This implicit faith in the Almighty to guide his decisions and execute his responsibilities has been the hallmark of Dastur (Dr) Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa’s life. As he completes his 75th birthday this March, JamaspAsa not only celebrates the platinum jubilee of his life but also the golden jubilee of his tenure as High Priest and the pearl jubilee of his wedding to Dr Baxtawar. On this occasion he shares with Parsiana some of his early memories:

Born in Bombay, the fifth of Minocher and Najamai’s six children (four sons and two daughters), Kaikhusroo spent the first four years of his life staying in a joint family at Bazargate Street. When he was four years old, they shifted to their present premises at Linden House, Colaba. Elder brother Noshir would regale his siblings with stories and narratives; younger brother Hoshi was full of mischief. Their mother had to constantly reprimand the brood, "Kétlu tofaan karoch (how much ruckus are you making)!” and ensure that they got to bed on time. 

While he has no memories of his paternal grandparents, he remembers the family visiting his mamaiji-mamavaji’s (maternal grandparents Piroja and Dosabhoy Sethna) house at Karelwadi, Thakurdwar, two or three times a month. "Mama and the six of us would go by Victoria (horse-drawn carriage).” The youngest, Kaikhusroo and Hoshi were perched beside the ghorawalla (carriage driver), while the rest of the family found place within the seating enclosure. The 20-minute ride would cost eight annas (50 p) in those days. "We rarely saw a taxi then,” he recalls. Before reaching there Najamai would invariably instruct the children, "Barabar khaajo… Khaadhraa ni kani nahi (eat well; not like gluttons).” After the meal mamaiji would order her husband, "Neeché jai né bachaaoné vasté ice cream lai aavo (Go down and bring ice cream for the children).” Few homes then had the comforts of a refrigerator!

Najamai too was an excellent cook and Kai­khusroo’s mouth still waters at the remembrance of his mother’s curry rice and  machhi no saas. "Her food was very tasty…whatever dish she made.” Even though there were servants in the house, young Kaikhusroo would help out with the domestic chores by cleaning and dusting the house, a duty he assumes to this day. 

As a child he was sent to the New Infant and Modern School at Colaba owned by Ms Lali who was also the principal. From there he progressed to St Xavier’s High School where initially Father Morant was the principal and later Father Solomon, the principal of the High School. During his school days he remembers playing cricket with friends at Bandstand, near Oval Maidan, every day. On one occasion they broke a lamp there which made the frightened boys flee from the scene. He was permitted to go out with his friends at 5 p.m. on the understanding that he would return latest by 7 p.m. If he dared to return later, "Mama no maar khai jaav (would get a beating from my mother),” or would be made to forego a meal or be grounded for three days, Kaikhusroo has vivid memories of how their mother kept them in control. After completing his SSC in 1948, he went to St Xavier’s College doing his graduation, and subsequently postgraduation in Avesta-Pahlavi. 

His navjote was performed at his residence. Religiously inclined since his younger days, he was initiated as a navar and maratab at Navsari’s Vadi Dar-e-Meher. He received coaching in prayer recitation and performance of ceremonies from Ervad Edulji Adarji Gai, the boiwalla at Bombay’s Anjuman Atash Bahram. With the intensive training he received he had to learn by heart the 72 chapters of the Yasna and can effortlessly recite them till today. Later, he studied under Ervad Pirojshah Gharda with whom he performed the nirangdin ceremony and thereafter the boi ceremony at Anjuman Atash Bahram.

At the age of 24, Kaikhusroo was installed as High Priest of the Anjuman Atash Bahram in 1956, nine years after his father was made to vacate the dastur gaadi (seat) due to "financial reasons.” In his place was brought in Dastur Noshirwan Kekobad of Poona and on the latter’s demise within two years, his son Dastur Hormazdyar officiated from 1948-56. Not all members of the Anjuman Atash Bahram committee though were in favor of Kaikhusroo’s appointment as High Priest, with a couple of them insisting that he was too young and should study further before he was elevated to this post. There were some others like Sir Hormazdyar Dastur and solicitor Jamasp Dastur who were equally emphatic that Kaikhusroo deserved to be made Dastur. "If you don’t appoint him today we will move the court,” they threatened. In the end the committee had to confirm his appointment as High Priest on October 3, 1956, Kaikhusroo relates the details. None of his brothers were interested in assuming the High Priest’s mantle and devoting themselves exclusively to religion. Content with the "spiritual guidance,” he never considered his responsibilities a burden, he reports. He remembers his mother’s elation and her words, "Dikra, gaadi baraabar saachvi né raakhjé (son, retain your seat honorably).”

As High Priest he was expected to oversee the functioning of the panthakies, the performance of ceremonies and cleanliness of the Atash Bahram. Referring to the 18-day muktad prayers which have now come down to 10, Kaikhusroo maintains, "This is not because of shortage of priests. The number of tables (bearing vases in honor of the departed) has not gone down. There are around 120-130 vases during muktads.” When invited, he officiates at navjotes, ashirwads, jashans and uthamna prayers. He believes in maintaining the decorum of the High Priest and will neither eat out at restaurants nor visit cinema halls. At the age of 45 he married Baxtawar, a general surgeon and urologist who like her husband believes that old customs like dur bèsvanu (segregation during menstruation) should continue and does not favor the recent trend of intercommunity marriages or cremation. 

Religious studies have always been a priority with this High Priest. He initially studied at Sir J. J. Z. Madressa under stalwarts like "Homi Chacha, Rustomji Meherji­rana, and most important Das­tur (Dr) Hor­mazdyar Mirza” who gave him insights into the Avesta Pahlavi language. There would be eight to 10 students from priestly families who would study two or three texts three times a week. For four years he worked on his thesis Aogemadaecha under Mirza before he earned his doctorate from the Bombay University in 1964. Thereafter he pursued more advanced studies for four years under Prof Helmut Humbach and Prof Hoffmann at the University of Mainz in Germany. Another four years were spent in Iran during the Shah’s regime when he worked with Prof Mahyar Nawabi to produce 50 volumes of The Pahlavi Codices and Iranian Researches which were published by the Asia Institute of Pahlavi University. In England he collaborated his research studies with Prof John Hinnells.

They have two children, Dr Jamasp and Dr Shirin who have both studied medicine like their mother. Of his own volition, Jamasp has opted to presently pursue religious studies under Dr Almut Hintze at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. The values that the parents have cherished over the years, they have imparted to the children: "Tread the path of righteousness… Practice good thoughts, good words, good deeds…Be honest in your dealings…Always be friendly…”

Members of the community "should respect religious laws,” believes Kaikhusroo, adding, "There should not be any infighting. I am absolutely against that.” When asked whether it is feasible, he counters, "Why not? We should try at least.”