Roj Adar Mah Adar, 1380 Yz. Readers of Frashogard would recall that I had written about the deeply mystical significance of the Afarganyu which holds the Atash Padshahs in our…
Roj Rashne Mah Avan, 1380 Yz. Last Sunday was a day of hectic events. Roj Khorshed Mah Avan marked the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Ustad Saheb Behramshah…
Roj Spendarmad Mah Ava, 1380 Yz; Fasli Roj Hormazd Mah Fravardin, 1380 Yz, JAMSHEDI NAVROZE Heartiest Jamshedi Navroze greetings to all readers of Frashogard! May the coming year be one…
Roj Khorshed Mah Ardibehesht, 1380 Yz. A great hurdle to the serious student of our religion and its mystic side has been the acute shortage of good and reliable books.…
Roj Khorshed Mah Fravardin, 1380 Yz. On 16th June, 632 AD, Yazdegard, son of Shaharyar ascended the throne of Iran as the 29th King of the Sassanian dynasty. As was…
Gatha Ahunavad, 1379 Yz.
On 19th August, we Parsis will celebrate our New Year with traditional gaiety, visiting Agiaries and Atash Behrams, going to see comic theatricals, eating Pulao Dal, sali boti, patra-ni-machhi and wishing one another ‘Pateti Mubarak’. Newspapers will diligently carry small reports on the celebrations, perhaps with a photograph of a happy family posing in front of a fire temple; some will even wish their Parsi readers on the occasion. As the 18th night turns to 19th, mobile phones will buzz with SMS activity revolving around the word Pateti. Thus for a great majority of Parsis and non-Parsis, then, Pateti is a moment of rejoicing that is synonymous with the New Year. But is this all correct?
Pateti is not, in fact, the New Year. It is the last day of the closing year, while the following day, Navroze, is the first day of the next. The word ‘Pateti’ is derived from the Pazend Patet, meaning ‘repentance’. And since Pateti is the Day of Repentance, surely it is paradoxical to wish someone ‘Pateti Mubarak’?
Roj Marespand Mah Bahman, 1379 Yz. It is my sad duty to inform readers that the elderly Varasyaji of the Bhagarsath Anjuman in Navsari passed away this afternoon. The Varasyaji…
Roj Jamyad Mah Bahman, 1379 Yz.
In my earlier post I had informed readers about the sad demise of Shah Behram – the Bhagarsath Anjuman’s Varasyaji in Mumbai and the significance and importance of this majestic religious instrument in our religion. In the same post I had also noted that the Bhagarsath Anjuman had kept a spare white bull to be consecrated as and when the need arose. After the death of Shah Behram, the spare bull, called Varzavand, was expected to be duly consecrated as the spiritual heir to Shah Behram.
Unfortunately, the spare bull developed a skin infection which resulted in some fungus forming on its body. The fungus had the appearance of a black patch. Although leading veterinary doctors were consulted and they opined that the patch would disappear in due course, as a matter of abundant caution, the elders of the Bhagarsath in Mumbai decided to look for another bull which they could initiate.
Roj Amardad Mah Bahman, 1379 Yz.
It is my sad duty to inform readers of Frashogard that the holy Varasyaji ‘Shah Behram’, attached to the Bhagarsath Panth in Mumbai and stationed at the Cama Baug Agiary passed away this morning. The Pak Varasyaji had suffered a fall a few days ago and that led to paralysis. Although the best medical care was given to him at the hospital, Shah Behram could not be revived. Shah Behram lived to the very ripe age of 18 years and was older than the Varasyaji of Udvada who passed away last year. Later this morning, the body of Shah Behram was taken to the Dungerwadi grounds where it was buried, after placing a Sudreh and Kusti over its horns. The Varasyaji is one of the very few holy members of the animal kingdom which is allowed to be buried in the ground. The Anasers (spiritual building blocks which form the basis for DNA and the physical body) of the Varasyaji are so sublime that no pollution is caused in the earth by the burial of its body. Rather the earth eagerly welcomes receiving his body in her. Over many hundreds of years, the sublime Anasers of the Varasyaji will transmute into some precious ore. All other bodies (including humans) need to be exposed to the sunlight for their proper disposal.
Roj Amardad Mah Adar, 1379 Yz.
Some readers of Frashogard have asked me to comment on an unfortunate incident which happened at Dungerwadi last week on 15th April. What really happened can be described very briefly as follows:
A Parsi gentleman residing at Godrej Baug passed away and the four days’ ceremonies were to be held at Dungerwadi. The family of the deceased entrusted the responsibility of the prayers to the Jokhi Agiary at Godrej Baug, currently managed by Mrs. Mahrukh P. Madan. As per normal practice, Mrs. Madan contacted her Dungerwadi liaison Mobed, Ervad Jal Balsara to make arrangements there and also deputed a Mobed from her Agiary, Ervad Dara Karanjia to stand for the Geh Sarna prayer.
Roj Spendarmad Mah Adar, 1379 Yz.
For the last few years, the community has had to bear in silence the brunt of the reformist agenda posted through the columns of the venerable Jame Jamshed newspaper, which was once the bastion of orthodoxy and religiousness. Many campaigns and attacks were carried out through this newspaper on our religion, its sacred institutions, our Manthras and our long standing traditions. This was possible due to the absolute intellectual, ethical and moral inadequacy of the so-called editor of the paper.
The hopes of the right minded and traditional community members were greatly uplifted when Ms. Shernaaz Engineer was appointed Editor of the Jame by the owners a few months ago. Well known for her upright behaviour, ethical attitude and journalistic pride and courage, Ms. Engineer was like a breath of fresh air. She promised to bring about righteous change in the manner in which the paper was run and within a short time we did see significant and positive changes, not only in terms of editorial content and presentation but also righting the balance between orthodox and reformist sections of the community.
Roj Sarosh Mah Sherevar, 1379 Yz.
Today marked the Dasma (10th day after death) of Dasturji Meherji. A series of ceremonies was held, both in Navsari and at the Ustad Saheb Behramshah N. Shroff Daremeher in Jogeshwari to mark this occasion. On the previous day, a complete Vandidad ceremony was also performed at Jogeshwari by young Ervad Sahebs Kurush Dastur and Yazad Mandviwala, currently studying at the Dadar Athornan Institute.
A few days ago, I went on a one-day trip to Navsari to meet Mrs. Meherbanu, the wife of late Dasturji Meherji.
Roj Avan Mah Sherevar, 1379 Yz.
I am happy to inform readers that the Bhagarsath Anjuman has elected Ervad Kaikhushroo Navroze Dastoor (more popularly known as K. N. Dastoor, or KND) as the 17th Dastur Meherjirana in place of Dastur Meherji Dastur Kekobad, who expired on 23rd January as reported earlier.
This morning, the Bhagarsath Anjuman met under the leadership of Dasturji Firoze M. Kotwal After deliberations, Ervad K. N. Dastoor was offered the post and he accepted.
He is currently quite ill, which has set back a few things that were scheduled such as the traditional acceptance of the position. The doctor’s orders are that he will have to buy oxycodone with pay pal and take it for several days, and rest for two weeks as well. His health is the biggest concern obviously, so we will delay the festivities as much as is necessary so he will recover.
Roj Adar Mah Sherevar, 1379 Yz.
It is my solemn duty to inform readers of the sad demise of Vada Dasturji Meherji Dastur Kekobad Meherjirana, the Vada Dastur not only of the Navsari Bhagaria Mobeds but also the senior most Vada Dastur throughout India. Dasturji Meherjirana (or just Dasturji, as we used to call him affectionately and respectfully) was the 16th descendant of the first Dastur Meherjirana who was elected Vada Dastur by the Behdins and Mobed Sahebs of Navsari in 1579. This appointment was in recognition of the great fame that was achieved by this pious Dastur in the court of the Mughal ruler Akbar, where he had been invited to join an august assembly of learned men to discuss the intricacies of religion, philosophy and science. Through the power of his prayers and his great piety and majestic bearing, Dastur Meherjirana captured the attention of Akbar and was gifted 200 bighas of land in the village of Gelkhari near Navsari. Since then, the descendants of this pious Dastur have assumed the title Dastur Meherjirana and have traditionally been given respect as the senior most of all the other Dasturs.
Roj Ava Mah Amardad, 1378 Yz.
Several of my friends have called me to ask whether I was going to respond to a couple of articles published in Jame Jamshed weekly over the last two weeks, attacking my article on prohibition of donation of body parts after death.
I strongly believe that every individual has the right to hold an opinion, specially if it does not correspond to my own views on the subject. In an age where religious learning is almost non-existent, my writings and articles are to be used as tools to arrive at a decision after considering the facts as given in our religion. I do not have any hold over an individual and nor can I say that my view is the only view, although I definitely believe that my view is the RIGHT view from the point of our religion and its pristine teachings.