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Mental alertness through the day was followed by maja (fun) in the evenings, the hallmark of all Zoroastrian congresses. A performance by the World Zoroastrian Orchestra, the Gala Banquet Entertainment and the July 4 (Independence Day) fireworks viewed from a cruise vessel were the social events planned for different evenings of the 12th World Zoroastrian Congress (12WZC). Since the inauguration on July 1, 2022 included a fair share of music in the morning, with the Zandieh family of Iranian descent performing the Persian Rhapsody (see "A creditable Congress,” Parsiana, July 21-August 6, 2022), there was no special entertainment planned for the first evening. For some youth though, it was an opportunity to move and mingle at the legendary Central Park in the vicinity of the New York Hilton Midtown, the venue of the Congress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Broadway hits, ballet, dance, opera and symphony by the World Zoroastrian Orchestra could be enjoyed by all the delegates as it was included in the Congress registration fees and was not an add-on, ticketed event. Under the baton of conductor Piroozi Cooper-Wittlin, the orchestra performed "Summer” from The Four Seasons composed by Antonio Vivaldi and a couple of Johann Strauss waltzes from Tales from the Vienna Woods. Cooper-Wittlin who, after conducting and directing the inaugural Zoroastrian Orchestra in 1998 continues to engage with Zoroastrian musicians, is an oboist and English hornist with several orchestras including the New York Chamber Symphony Orchestra and has played at several festivals. As a music specialist in early childhood education, she collaborates with teachers and administrators to benefit students. Assistant director of the World Zoroastrian Orchestra, Cyrus Mehta has been regularly playing at Zoroastrian congresses. While he plays the violin, his wife Liley plays the cello. Both of them were members of the Lawyers’ Orchestra in New York and the Bombay Chamber Orchestra. He is the managing partner of his legal firm that specializes in immigration law.
Nearly a score of other community instrumentalists had come together to play for the World Zoroastrian Orchestra where Malcolm Cooper, Meher Pavri and Jamshed Turel served as program advisors. Cooper and Pavri were among the lead voice performers at the Congress. A tenor and music educator, Cooper has performed with a variety of professional choirs and ensembles at churches, synagogues and other venues in the Greater Philadelphia area. An active recording artiste he has worked with reputed labels. Pavri, a soprano, is a multidisciplinary artiste who performs in opera, musical theater, theater, film/television and is passionate about early childhood music education. Turel is the head of music at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Canada and is a versatile composer, producer and arranger who has to his credit over 20 feature films, 100 television episodes and several documentaries. The other vocalists who performed at different events at the Congress were Tara Jamshidian, Tina Siganporia, Ardavan Taraporewala, Kerissa Lalkaka. Versatile Pia Sutaria was seen on stage as a dancer and soprano.
Bonding through Bundahishn
"It has been exhausting as also exhilarating. I came so much closer to the ZAGNY (Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York) community after 40 years of involvement,” admitted Behroze Clubwala who had served on different Congress committees referring to the collective efforts put in by the ZAGNY team to stage a multimedia presentation Story of Creation – As Told in the Bundahishn. Her role as coordinator was to bring on stage "40 ZAGNY members — the very young, the young and not-so-young. At ZAGNY, we have place for everyone,” she noted in her introductory remarks.
Impressed with this show that she had first seen in Madras, Clubwala thought it fit to seek scriptwriter Perviz Bhote’s permission to stage it in New York for the 12WZC. The narrative described the pure world conceived by Ahura Mazda, the inevitable fight between good and evil, the presence of seven Amesha Spentas to offer guidance, and the advent of Zarathushtra and his divine message to promote Asha and use Vohu Mano for good to prevail in the struggle against evil.
The impressive production in New York was directed by Shahnaz Shroff, founder director of The Westchester School of Speech and Drama, and senior vice president and director at a global advertising agency in New York where she manages programs for Fortune 100 brands. Her husband Kaizad Darbari served as the producer and Kamal Belihomji as the choreographer. Prema Menon Cassad and her husband Rushad Cassad donated the costumes for the cast. To lend a professional touch to the production, the angel and ahriman dancers as also the live percussionist and sound effects professionals were brought in from the Art of Motion Dance Theatre. The media design was created by Danny Taraporevala.
To strengthen the hands of Ahura Mazda we must choose wisely was the message imbibed by the cast as also the audience that included children and tweens who were given a break from their parallel programs on the third day of the Congress to enjoy the production.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transcontinental trail
The excitement was palpable as nattily dressed delegates waited for the doors to the Grand Ballroom to open for the Gala Banquet Night on the penultimate day of the Congress. For the youngsters, and the contingents who had come from different regions, the delay gave them extra time to pose for their photo shoots. For the others it was an opportunity to network and socialize when the bar beckoned.
Since tables had been assigned in advance, delegates were expected to read the markers on the doors to select their nearest point of entry and avoid crowding. The delegates had also been instructed that wearing of name tags and carrying their dinner coupons with the assigned table numbers was mandatory. Ultimately, though, neither of these was checked by the volunteers.
At this event, Edul Daver, co-chair of the Fundraising Committee acknowledged the magnanimity of Dr Shahriyour Andaz and family who as the diamond sponsor had contributed $ 100,000 (Rs 77.57 lakh) for the success of the Congress. The unassuming donor, a cardio-thoracic surgeon, would have been just one more face at the Congress had he not been introduced to the audience.
The array of fashion designer Ashdeen Lilaowala’s gara creations, the work of nearly 300 craftsmen, with jewelry sponsored by Argentum Jewelers captured the audience’s imagination. Nearly 50 members of the North American community of all ages displayed Ashdeen’s gara creations in the show entitled "One World, One People.” Adding zing and zest to the colorful production, directed and scripted by Lilaowala, were songs by Cooper, Jamshidian, and Meher Pavri who was the master of ceremonies for the evening. The piano accompaniment was by Neville Dusaj and Turel. Dances by Sutaria and Menon Cassad lent a special charm.
 "This show celebrates the world as a global village, a melting pot of cultures and traditions… Arts and crafts function as the glue to bond people and cultures,” noted the introduction to this event. The gara motifs that borrow heavily from nature, reflect "our ancient hunter gatherer selves, self-reliant, always on the move and living in constant communion with nature… It is a celebration of the fact that we gather together as a strong vibrant Zoroastrian community…”
In his efforts to bring the "transcontinental show” to New York, Lilaowala found his heart missing a few beats at different times, especially when a part of his luggage initially did not reach New York due to the confusion at Heathrow airport. Masterminding a remarkable show despite the challenges, Lilao- wala stated, "I hope I have been able to inspire.”
For some in the audience the dinner delicacies were the highlight of the evening and for the youngsters it was an opportunity to dance to a live band with disc jockey Zubin Chichgar. The dance floor being clearly not large enough for the enthusiastic delegates, many had spread out to other areas in the Ballroom even as Nauzad Sadri provided audiovisual and lighting. The dancing that continued until 2 a.m. had apparently exhausted many delegates for the audience was lean at the concluding session that was to start at 9 a.m. but ultimately began nearly an hour later. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farewell with fireworks
The July 4 Fireworks Cruise was an add-on event offered by the organizers to those who wanted to sail through the Hudson River on the US Independence Day in the company of a boat load of Zoroastrians. The nearly five-hour cruise that started at 6.30 p.m. had the three levels of the boat occupied by over 300 Zoroastrians depending on their age and interest: to be closer to the bar or starters or desserts or dance floor or the open-air deck! Before sundown, it was the iconic skyscrapers and bridges and the Statue of Liberty that kept the shutterbugs delighted. Thereafter it was the fireworks that intermittently illuminated the dark sky.
With the sun setting around 8.30 p.m. in New York and the fireworks commencing post 9.30 p.m. by the time the boat wound its way back to the pier it was 11.30 p.m. Then began the anxious search for a taxi by those unable to walk the half hour distance past Times Square to the New York Hilton Midtown hotel!