Roj Asman Mah Sherevar, 1379 Yz.
With the growing power of his amal and the blessings of Ustad Saheb, Dr. Framroze began his life mission – the writing of authoritative volumes on Khshnoom. An ardent fan of Persian poetry and a great researcher in Iranian and world history, Dr. Framroze first concentrated on setting right the wrongs perpetrated by biased Greek historians, who wrote about the Persian empire with great jealousy and hatred. These Greek sources formed the bedrock of modern historical studies at that time and resulted in the Persians being depicted in almost barbaric fashion, whereas the truth was far removed from these fallacies.
Dr. Framroze painstakingly collected the other sources of ancient history – accounts of Muslim and European travelers, Arab translations of ancient Persian treatises, other Greek sources usually ignored by the mainstream historians and began the tough job of showing to the world the great inaccuracies and contradictions present in the works of such ‘authoritative’ writers like Herodotus – who was awarded the title ‘father of history’ by European scholars. Although Dr. Framroze’s work is virtually unread by modern historians since it was written in Gujarati, what he has written over 80 years ago is now being supported by modern historians who have finally got over the ghost of Herodotus and now openly say that many of his writings were exaggerated, untrue or purely fictional, with Herodotus proudly describing battles where he was not even present in the first person!
In 1922, Ervad Phiroze Masani , the close disciple of Ustad Saheb and Editor of the Frashogard Quarterly came along with a relative to Dr. Framroze’s clinic. While the doctor examined his relative, Ervad Phiroze spotted a large manuscript on Doctor Framroze’s desk. Glancing through the manuscript he realized that this was the doctor’s essay on the origins of Iranian history. As he read through the first few pages, Ervad Masani could not contain his excitement at what Dr. Saheb had written. He immediately requested Dr. Saheb’s permission to print the article in his Frashogard magazine, to which Dr. Framroze agreed. Subsequently, the first part of this article was carried in Frashogard, volume 23, issues 3-4, dated Jan-June, 1923. At the beginning of this article Ervad Masani gave a brief introduction to the readers of Frashogard as to who Doctor Framroze was and heartily congratulated him for presenting before the world a more accurate and true account of the origins of Iranian history. Soon more articles by Dr. Saheb Framroze began appearing in the Frashogard magazine.
I have mentioned earlier that during the time when Dr. Framroze was requested to perform the amal by Bahmanshah Hakim, his wife Najamai had fallen seriously ill. She had complications during her earlier pregnancies and had lost her baby a few times before they could be delivered. Finally in January 1924 Najamai gave birth to a baby girl but died soon thereafter due to complications. Soon after, even the girl passed away. These deaths unsettled Dr. Saheb Framroze and he closed his clinic in Bombay and went back to Surat to live in his father’s house and cope with the grief which had overcome him. By coincidence, this was also the period of great grief for Ustad Saheb after the unsavoury incident in April 1923 at Behram Baug. United in their individual misfortunes, both Ustad Saheb and Dr. Saheb spent most of their time together, discussing Khshnoom for hours on end every day. The great relationship which had started earlier now grew even deeper as Ustad Saheb finally found the true disciple he could relate to. These hours of intimate discussions and close friendship were the one bright spot in the last years of Ustad Saheb’s life.
As their friendship and relationship grew deeper, Ustad Saheb requested Doctor Saheb Framroze to go back to Bombay and take charge of the Khshnoom classes which had been started by Ustad Saheb and which had been run by Ervad Phiroze Masani for many years. After some unpleasantness, this task was performed by Doctor Framroze.
The years 1925, 1926 and 1927 were ones of great sadness and difficulty for Ustad Saheb. Increasingly troubled by diabetes, Ustad Saheb had two major strokes but recovered from them. Within Khshnoom circles there was growing uncertainty and worry about what would happen after Ustad Saheb. Many senior students of the Master requested him to write or at least dictate an authoritative book on Khshnoom teachings which they could use after his demise. Ustad Saheb flatly refused and mysteriously answered that that would be done after his death!
In the month of June 1927, Ustad Saheb met with a number of his close disciples and behaved somewhat strangely with them. To one disciple who lived far away, he appeared in a dream telling him to hurry up, since he had to leave his house at 8:19 am! To others he remarked whether he would meet them again. To some, he talked of changing his residence. To the disciple who had opposed him on the fateful day in Behram Baug, he wrote a postcard, giving him a specific prayer to recite and advising him to “sit in a corner and keep praying.” Finally on Friday, 7th July 1927, Roj Bahman Mah Bahman, Ustad Saheb got up early in the morning and after his bath said his normal prayers. As he crossed the threshold of his room and sat down at the table for breakfast, he put his head down and closed his eyes forever. It was around 8:19 am. In this manner our Master, without any fuss or trouble, left this world. An era ended. A new dawn was to begin.
The Master’s faithful student Bahmanshah Hakim arrived and along with a friend gave the final bath with Taro to our Master’s body and placed it on the stone slabs and performed the Sachkar along with the Nasseh-salaars. The Paidust was held that afternoon. At a solemn Uthamna two days later, the Vada Dasturji of Surat stood up after the ceremonies were over and gave a passionate speech. “The Ustad of all Ustads has left us forever. His true worth will be realized only now that he is no more. I request all our Mobed Sahebs that from tomorrow morning, in every prayer that you recite, please take the name of Osta Behramshah Osta Navroze along with the names of other worthies of our community.” This request and Firman of the Vada Dasturji is upheld till this day, and in every Agiary and Atash Behram in India, the name of Osta Behramshah Osta Navroze is taken in every ceremony every day.
Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram
FEB
