Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Wapiz function

From: Deen Parast
Date: May 27, 2007 8:34 PM
Subject: Wapiz function

The WAPIZ function on 26th May had many traditionals attending
including Adi Doctor whom I met for the first time. The function was
attended by 2500 Parsis.

Yezdi Desai made a fantastic speech showing his deep feelings and
commitment for the religion, and Khojeste followed up by a thundering
attack on the liberal
(non)forces that are bent on destroying the dongerwadi.

"We will not let the dongerwadi go down" were his words and all the
people applauded. He promised that Wapiz will fight against any
legal action for our Dokhma grounds.

After the speeches, I congratulated both Yezdi and Khojeste on their
excellent speeches. Credit must be given where it is due.

Regards,

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Zarathosht no Diso - on Khorshed roj (Sat 27th May) The Day our Great Prophet passed away to Other Realms

From: TZML Eductn & Information Committee <tzml.eductn@gmail.com>
Date: May 24, 2007 3:44 AM
Subject: Zarathosht no Diso - on Khorshed roj (Sat 27th May) The Day
our Great Prophet passed away to Other Realms


Dear fellow Zarathushtis,


On Khorshed roz, Dae Mah YZ 1376 (Sun , 27 May 2007) is Zarathosht-no-Diso.

It is traditionally believed that our great Prophet Zarathushtra left
earth for His Heavenly Abode on this day.

This is the day when our Paigambar Saheb, Vakshure Vakshuran (meaning
Prophet of Prophets) Asho Zarathushtra left the material earth for His
Heavenly Abode . (In common parlance, it means the day when Asho
Zarathushtra Saheb passed away).

There are many interpretations about the actual meaning of the
so-called "death" of Zarathushtra Saheb. Why do we question the death
phenomenon as applied to the Prophet. Firstly, because he was a
Yazata, a Divine Being, and Yazatas do not undergo death like we
mortals do.

Perhaps some readers may throw more light on this Divine phenomenon.

The site http://www.surfindia.com/festivals/zarthost-no-deeso.html
mentions that: "Special prayer sessions are organized and prayers are
recited with religious discourses focusing on the life and works of
the Prophet. Zoroastrians visit the Fire Temple to pray. Marked as a
solemn occasion, elaborate celebrations and public functions are
largely absent. Even religious ceremonies and services are confined to
the temple or homes. In India, Zarthost No Deeso is particularly
observed in Mumbai, Gujarat and other areas with a Parsi population."

We remember Him today with a small part of a very famous devotional
song, "Saras Sau Thi Kharo Rahebar Asho Zarathosht Paigambar"

Since the original cassette with us was a bit old, the recording is
not the best.

Still it is enough to capture the devotion expressed to Zarathushtra
Paigambar, who is regarded as Vakshure-Vakshuran. Meaning Prophet of
the Prophets.

Please excuse the sound quality, but turn your PC volume full.

Your feedback is welcome.

With best wishes

from the TZML Education & Information Committee

Isn't it strange ?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tehemton B. Adenwalla <tba2004@gmail.com>
Date: May 24, 2007 3:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Traditional Zs] FW: Isn't it strange ?

Baname Khuda!
 
Dear Mr Dadachanji,
 
thank you for sharing these points with us.
 
Specially when you write: "It's never too late to realise the power of prayers..it has changed me, it could change so many like me. "
 
 
Sincerely
Tehemton B. Adenwalla


 
On 5/23/07, R Dadachanji <rdadachanji@tatachemicals.com > wrote:

Subject: Religion and Materialism

 

Isn't it strange how Rs.500/= seems like such a large amount when you
donate it to a fire-temple, but such a small amount when you go shopping?


Isn't it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you're at the fire-temple,
and how short they seem when you're watching a good movie?


Isn't it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the
Khordeh Avesta, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?


Isn't it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games,
but do whatever is possible to arrive late and sit at the last row at a
Jashan, Navjote or other religious ceremony ?


Isn't it strange how we need to know about a religious event for 2-3 weeks
before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjust it for
other events in the last minute?


Isn't it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about our religion &
history, but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?


Isn't it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers
say, but we question the words in our Khordeh Avesta or Vendidad ?


Isn't it strange how we send jokes in e-mails and they are forwarded right
away, but when we are going to forward messages like these, we think about
it twice before we share it with others?


I didn't think twice...please forward it to your Parsi friends and family and
promote our religion.
It's never too late to realise the power of prayers..it has changed me, it
could change so many like me.

 

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Monday, May 7, 2007

Dadar madressa doing a good job for the Parsi community - a report from Times of India

From: Tehemton B. Adenwalla <tba@xtra.co.nz>
Date: May 6, 2007 11:35 PM
Subject: Dadar madressa doing a good job for the Parsi community - a report from Times of India


 
Dear friends,
 
A very inspirational article on the Dadar madressa, as in the Times of India.
 
 
Sincerely,
Tehemton B. Adenwalla
 

Bringing up the mediums
Ketan Tanna
[6 May, 2007 l 0030 hrs ISTlTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
 
Parents make the heartbreaking decision to send their children to residential schools for various material reasons. It's seldom for a cause. But last year, parents of 30 Parsi children decided that the cause of serving the community was worthy enough. So they packed them off, some of them only about six years old, to the Athornan Madressa at Dadar, a boarding school for future Zoroastrian priests situated in a leafy by-lane of the Parsi Colony.

The school is one of only two in the world (the other one too, is in Mumbai, in Andheri). Graduates, known as "mobeds" or priests who pass out of the school, serve the Zoroastrian community in India and outside. Often, many of them come from humble backgrounds.

In a way, the Madressa signifies the attempts of the besieged Parsi community to keep its traditions alive in the changing world and produce priests who would take care of the shrinking community's religious traditions and practices. Mobeds usually come from a line of priestly Zoroastrian families, called Athornan. Not all of them attend the school and many of them memorise the prayers and rituals at home before being ordained. But in order to carry out more complex rituals and ceremonies, the mobeds need to complete a stint at one of the two boarding schools.

The innocent small mobeds at the Madressa are more like little muppets, dressed in traditional black cap worn by Zoroastrian priests. On a sultry Saturday afternoon, they are here working hard to learn their prayers amidst the din of a marriage hall right across from the school. With lunch hour minutes away, restless kids drone away, some dreamily looking out of the small classroom on the ground floor. The school itself is a non-descript, three-storied structure, with a mess on the ground floor. The mobeds learn throughout the day, starting at 5:30 in the morning and then attend another normal school (which gives them the required education to pass the tenth standard or SSC board) and by ten in the night retire into a huge dormitory. The school principal, 41-year-old Ramiyar Karanjia lives on the floor above along with his wife and two children.

Needless to say, there are students who feel miserable. They do not like their new surroundings. Principal Karanjia and his family often act like surrogate parents to their little wards who miss their families. They join the Madressa at a young age and continue to study till they "graduate" (are ordained) when they are 14.

Shehrezad R Pavri is one such acolyte. Hailing from Navsari in Gujarat, Pavri was initially very hurt and upset when his parents left him on the path leading to priesthood. But some six years later, the bespectacled and confident Pavri who is now all of twelve years old is a rising star in the Mumbai Parsi community, especially at the Madressa. He is the school's youngest ordained priest who memorised the Yazashne, a 300-page Zoroastrian holy book in just two years, instead of the customary four, and also learnt the Zend Avesta (the sacred text of the Zoroastrians) in a record time after entering the school in 2001. Pavri is one of the 30-odd holy "men" that the Madressa takes in annually since the first batch started in 1919.

For someone who is just 12 years old, Pavri speaks of serving the community in a very unwavering tone. "I am a priest and I will continue to be a priest," he declares without hesitation. When pointed out that he was just twelve years and too young to take such decisions, a smile comes to his face. "There is no such thing as young in this school. It's how you interpret your life," he says.

Ryan Dastur, a local Bandra boy and classmate of Pavri, though acts his age when asked what he loved the most. "I love eating at McDonald's and am happy sometimes we are treated by the school at the local McDonald's." There are a few students who stay on at the school even after they have finished their studies. Sixteen-year-old Yazad K Mandiwala from Navsari in Gujarat, who is an ordained priest, lives in the school premises and studies at the nearby Khalsa College. For such senior students, films and outings are permitted as long as they do not make a habit out of it.

The other school that trains future Parsi priests is Andheri-based Cama Athornan Madressa which was founded in 1923. Once it was sought after. Now it has only a handful of students due to various reasons including the absence of a secondary school where the budding priests could further their education.

One of the first graduates of the Athornan Madressa was Jal Savak Kuka who is now 99 years old. "We were the first batch of graduates which passed out. We were the talk of the community then. It was a matter of prestige to study there," he recalls.

Over the years, things changed. The low salaries of the priests and the general vibrancy of the world outside the Madressa discouraged parents from consigning their children to priesthood. Most priests today have full time alternate careers. However, Karanjia says that there is no shortage of Parsi priests because the community itself is very small with only 69,601 people according to the 2001 census. But, it is the future that worries the community. They fear the day when there is still god but no priests.




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Sunday, May 6, 2007

Salgreh on Behram roj, Adar mahino, YZ 1376 ( Sun, 6th May 2006) - Bai Motlibai Manekji Wadia Adaran at Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari, Mumbai

From: Tehemton B. Adenwalla <tba@xtra.co.nz>
Date: May 6, 2007 7:31 AM
Subject: Salgreh on Behram roj, Adar mahino, YZ 1376 ( Sun, 6th May
2006) - Bai Motlibai Manekji Wadia Adaran at Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari,
Mumbai


Dear Zarathushti friends,

today on Behram roj, Adar mah, YZ 1376, which is Sunday, 6th May 2007
is the Salgreh of these agiaries:

The Bai Motlibai Manekji Wadia Adaran at Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari, Mumbai

The adarian was consecrated in the year YZ 1232 ( AD 1863) and is
hence 144 years old.

The adarian is a God-send for the residents of the ever popular
Malcolm Baug colony, and for others from the Andheri-Borivali area.

Will there be any special ceremonies or jashans held to commemorate
this auspicious event.

Readers may share the time-table with all of us, and those who
actually go for the celebrations may send us a brief report.

Does someone have a photo of this agiary to share with us all.

Thank you,

Sincerely
Tehemton B Adenwalla

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Salgrehs of different agiaries on Sarosh roj, Adar Mah YZ 1376 (3 May 2007)

From: tba@xtra.co.nz <tba@xtra.co.nz>
Date: May 1, 2007 6:22 AM
Subject: Salgrehs of different agiaries on Sarosh roj, Adar Mah YZ
1376 (3 May 2007)


Dear Zarathushti friends,

this is an advance announcement of the Salgreh of our Agiaries on
Sarosh roj, Adar mah YZ 1376 (ie. Thurs, 3 May 2007).

We hope this would help our dear readers to plan their trips to these
agiaries well in time.

If you wish to share the event Calendar for any of these salgrehs,
please feel to do so with our members.

(Listed In order of establishment)

1. Seth Bhikhaji Hormasji Chinai Agiary at Gandevi, off Billimora
Station, South Gujarat
Consecrated in the year YZ 1203 (AD 1834) and is 173 years old


2. Seth Bomanji Merwanji Mewawalla Agiary at Byculla, Mumbai
Consecrated in the year YZ 1220 (AD 1851) and is 156 years old

3. Seth Pallonji Khurshedji Cama Daremeher at Cama Baug, Grant Road, Mumbai
Consecrated in the year YZ 1238 (AD 1869) and is 138 years old

4. Seth Hormusji Gandabhai Daremeher (Dadgah) at Pardi, next stop
to Udvada, Gujarat
Consecrated in the year YZ 1250 (AD 1881) and is 126 years old

5. Seth Edulji Rustomji Soonawalla Agiary at Mahim, Mumbai
Consecrated in the year YZ 1282 (AD 1913) and is 94 years old

Sincerely,
Tehemton B. Adenwalla