Hearty welcome to the 17th Dasturji Meherjirana – He will be taking Oxycodone for a few weeks

Posted by:

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.

 

Thereafter, at 3:40pm, a large congregation gathered at the residence of late Dasturji Meherji. The entire Mohalla in Dasturwad was overflowing with Mobeds of the Bhagarsath Panth, along with Dasturji Cyrus Dastoor of Surat and Dasturji Peshotan H. Mirza of Udwada who had come to give their respects to their departed senior colleague. In midst of this sea of Mobeds and laity, the Uthamna ceremony was performed by senior Bhagaria priests Ervad Keki Ravji (Panthaky of the Cama Baug Agiary in Mumbai) and Ervad Homi Kotwal (senior Boywalla priest of the Navsari Bhagarsath Atash Behram) along with their colleagues. As per the long standing traditions of the Bhagarsath Tola, at the end of the Uthamna, the Tandorasti was recited with the name of Ervad Kaikhushroo thereby conveying to the attendees the name and face of the new appointment. Thereafter, Dasturji Firoze M. Kotwal addressed the gathering and spoke a few words in memory of the departed Dasturji Meherji, and then announced the Anjuman’s decision to appoint Ervad K. N. Dastoor to the Meherjirana Gaadi.

In a solemn and moving moment, Ervad Khurshed Desai, the senior most Desaiji Saheb, and head of the Desai family which has played a pivotal role in the history of Navsari and the Bhagarsath Tola, arose and offered the first shawl to Ervad K. N. Dastoor, thereby cementing the deep and long-standing relationship between these two families who form the core of the Navsari priesthood. Thereafter Dasturji Firoze M. Kotwal offered a shawl to the newly appointed Dasturji. At the time of writing this, more shawls were being offered from representatives of the different Pols of the Navsari Bhagarsath Anjuman, other Anjumans from all over India and leading and senior figures of our community.

In this manner, without much fuss or attention or controversy, but with deep spiritual import and in line with the nearly 800 year history of the Bhagarsath Tola, the seat of spiritual power has passed from one member of the Meherjirana family to another. Dasturji Meherji is dead. Welcome and long live the new Dastur Meherjirana!

Ervad Kaikhushroo Navroze Dastoor, 83, is a direct descendant of the original Dasturji Meherjirana. His late father Ervad Navroze Dinshawji Dastoor was an accomplished senior priest of the Bhagaria Tola having performed innumerable Nirangdin ceremonies and had for some time served as the Nayab Dastoor (assistant to the Vada Dastoor) under Dasturji Kekobad. His uncle, late Ervad Rustamji Dinshawji Dastoor, popularly known as Bapaji was an accomplished scholar of Avesta and Pahlavi and the author of the book used by all priests in their daily ceremonies. Ervad K. N. Dastoor completed his Navar and Maratab initiations from the Vadi Daremeher in Navsari and thereafter completed his graduation in Science and Law. He served for many years with a nationalized bank and reached the post of General Manager and Chief Vigilance Officer. Thereafter he has practised law privately. He has authored two books on Banking Law.

At a very young age, Ervad K. N. Dastoor was fortunate to come into contact with late Jehangirji Chiniwalla, the senior disciple of Ustad Saheb Behramshah N. Shroff and also an advocate himself. This friendship and discipleship grew over the years and Ervad K. N. Dastoor played a leading role in the printing of the Parsi Avaz paper described earlier. On the death of Jehangirji Chiniwalla, Ervad K. N. Dastoor took on the mantle of spreading the knowledge of Khshnoom, which continues till this day through thousands of talks, seminars, camps all over the world and in India. He published the Parsi Pukar magazine for many years and a short time ago merged it with Dini Avaz, to form the reborn Parsi Avaz. Ervad K. N. Dastoor is also at the forefront of all community campaigns whenever the traditional nature of our community is threatened. As a powerful speaker he has motivated hundreds of Parsi to come back to their faith and their roots. This writer acknowledges the deep debt he owes to Ervad K. N. Dastoor in over 20 years of association, and has learnt much of the little he knows from him. Ervad K. N. Dastoor is also an accomplished Indian classical musician and plays the flute.

I request my readers to join me in congratulating Ervad K. N. Dastoor for his appointment and in wishing him many years of a successful, invigorating and memorable Dasturi.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

9

Comments

  1. Burjor P. Randeria  January 25, 2010

    Ervad Marzban,

    Ervad Marzban,

    My family joins me in welcoming Dasturji Kaikhushroo Navroze Dastoor to the Gadi of Mehrjirana. We too wish him many many years of healthy, successful, invigorating and memorable Dasturi.

    Long live Dasturji Kaikhushroo Navroze Dastoor.

    Burjor. P. Randeria

  2. Abaan  January 26, 2010

    Ervad Marzban,

    I recently read an article by Ervad K. N. Dastoor titled “WHITHER MANKIND? WHY ALL THESE HATRED AND SUFFERING? – Part 1 of 2” I was very impressed with the clarity and beauty of his words and the balance in his message. I am glad to see that he now occupies the Gadi of Mehrjirana. May Lord Ahuramazda bless him and keep him in perfect health to continue his important work.

    With Best wishes,

    Abaan

  3. Nazneen P.G. / H.K.  January 26, 2010

    Dear Ervad Saheb,

    Me & my family heartily welcome Dasturji Kaikhushroo Navroze Dastoor as the 17th Dastur Meherjirana & wish him all the Good Luck & Best Wishes on his coming endeavors.

    In your tribute to Dastur Meherji Dastur Kekobad, who expired on 23rd January you had mentioned the grave responsibility on Bhagarsath Anjuman to select his successor. In just a days time we learnt that Dasturji Kaikhushroo Navroze Dastoor is appointed as the 17th Dastur Meherjirana as the last wish of Dastur Meherji Dastur Kekobad himself.
    This just makes our belief stronger that Pak Dadar Ahura Mazda is watching over us & no matter in how dire situation our community is; we will be emerging as survivors.

    Thanking you once again,
    Best regards,

  4. Behram Wadia  June 10, 2011

    It is widely known that Dusturji Meherji never did have a heir, and he had never recommended KND. Many people knew the he neither was a Khshnoomist, and he was very open to new ideas, compared to the reactionary Khshnoomist peoples. When Meherji Rana XVI passed away many thought that illustrious priest such as Asphandiyar Dadachanji or Rooyintan Peer would be nominated, but out of no where a man who has spent half his life decked in a black advocate robe comes to the lime light! It was quite apparent that he thirsted for the position– loudly professing where ever faith took him that he was a distant relative of the Meherjirana family and even after he received the gaadi he wears a shawl upon his dagli– as if he is a fashion model showing off his archaic stoles! Long-live KND! Long-live MeherjiRana!

  5. Ruby Percy Sanjana  May 11, 2012

    Sahebji Ervad Saheb,
    Do you have any lecture recordings of Ervad K N Dastoor?
    If so can you please post it on Khshnoom Sky drive.
    I heard his lecture recording of “Ooshmoi ujareshwa”. He has explained it so beautifully and with such clarity. I, for one am really thirsty to learn more from his lectures. As you rightly put it, he indeed is a very powerful speaker and a great motivator.
    May we have more like him, to show light to our community.
    Tandarosti,
    Ruby

  6. Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram  May 11, 2012

    @Ruby
    All lectures of Khshnoom speakers are being recorded and stored. They are available on DVDs arranged speaker-wise or date-wise. You can contact Mr. Aspi Tavadia at the Mahella Patel Agiary at Grant Road on all Saturday evenings and get the same from him. The lectures take a great deal of space on the SkyDrive and are also quite large to download for those with slow connections, hence I have not uploaded them so far.

  7. Ruby Percy Sanjana  May 11, 2012

    Thank you so much for the information. Will do so ASAP.
    Tandarosti,
    Ruby

  8. Darius B. Solan  December 5, 2014

    Osta Darius. Solan and son Ervad Ardavan Darius. Solan, our family and the entire Solaina khandan of Navsari heartily congratulates Dasturji K. N.Dastoor to the Gadi of Meherjirana Saheb,