"It seemed as if the sun had ventured closer trying to have a nearer look at the earthly keeper of the hallowed fire,” noted Rusi Sorabji in his brief report on Udvada Dastur Khurshed Dastoor and his wife Havovi’s visit to the Arbab Rustam and Morvarid Guiv Dar-e-Meher in San Jose, California on September 2, 2017 which for many in the Silicon Valley was "the hottest day in living memory.”
Dastur Khurshed Dastoor (left) and Bomi Patel at the get-together in San Jose, California
After a welcome by Bomi Patel, president of the Zarathushti Anjuman of Northern California, resident priest Ervad Kaikoobad Jamshed and other priests dressed in their starched white jamas and pugrees, Dastoor interacted with the gathering of nearly 70 members. He later recited a prayer for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and addressed the members where he elaborated on the history and travails of the Iranshah and its keepers, and the various grades of the consecrated, sacred fires. Referring to plans for the infrastructure development of Udvada, he urged the audience to participate in the Iranshah Udvada Utsav in December 2017. His speech for nearly an hour resulted in a question-answer session for the next hour before the gathering partook of light refreshments, mentioned Sorabji.