Love Is All We Have!

Thanks for those two LOVELY Valentine write-ups – Darling Bomi uncle would always made us laugh the moment we met him – even as kids when he came to visit dad. He was a true romantic. And Noshir’s ‘Love, Live and Let Leave’ licence was so full of essence!

Also, your earlier editorial, ‘Look Up More Often’ was Brilliant, most relevant, most needed mind opener, dear Editor! Just how many of us actually wake to witness the first miracle of the day? Here is His perfect beautiful glow of the sun rise just waiting to peer out of the dark in all its splendour and all my requests to enjoy the phenomenon go unheeded. Eyes and head lowered only to catch up frivolous repeats on what’sapp and forwarding the same non sense! Just how many will take heed? I will surely keep looking up for my motivation.

Yasmine

---

 

Thank You, PT!

Our namaskars to Parsi Times and Anahita. Thank you very much for the article published in your weekly dated 3rd February, 2018 – we really appreciate the coverage given to Abanji’s national award and are overwhelmed with gratitude for the prominent placement of her photograph playing the tabla.

From 112 total women of India awarded, three were Parsi Ladies and that in itself is of great importance and pride considering our miniscule community. Pertinent to note herein, that despite our community shrinking, our accolades, awards and achievements are NOT!

Swar Sadhna Samiti, co-founded and established in 1961, by Pt. Keki Shapu Jijina and his disciple Dr. Aban Eruch Mistry, is a feather not only in the cap of Indian classical music but also the Parsis – the community they hailed from. The struggles and challenges were immense to break stereotypes especially by and about our community – that Parsis are only associated with Western music. However, after decades of painstaking research, Abanji’s book, “Parsis And Indian Classical Music: An Unsung Contribution” is an eye-opener, historically enlisting the numerous Parsis who succeeded in their genres in Indian classical music and dance.

A matter of great pride and we believe great interest to our younger generation.

Sincerely,

Rupa Minoo Sethna and Feroze Rusi Katila, 

Jt. Hon. Secretaries, SWAR SADHNA SAMITI

---

 

No More Controversies Please!

 

Any religion that helps us to unite, develops pure divine love towards all living things fostering a spirit of brotherhood, is religion. Anything that creates discord, split and disharmony fermenting hatred in our minds is not religion. The most intense love that humans have ever known has come from religion and the most diabolical that humans have known, has also come from religion! When Love is within us, Peace is within us, God is within us!

Religion has been a way of life since the early primitive ages, but it was practiced out of fear or greed

of gains. Lord Zoroaster dispensed with that old form of worship and for the first time inhuman history he proclaimed that religion has its truth in its moral significance and not in external practices of such imaginary values. Mankind has the freedom of choice to act to his will as long as his acts do not jeopardize others. As each one of us will bear the consequences of our choice, there is no reason for us to be guardians of others’ faith.

Differences are inevitable in a cultured educated, enlightened community. But our culture and religion should broaden our minds, teach us to solve our problems. The Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism is established to remove the evil of gender discrimination faced by Parsi ladies. Unless one adopts another religion, she has a right to practice religion of her birth, visit places of worship and attend all religions ceremonies. It is a shame for the so called progressive community, to deny justice till we knock the doors of judiciary.

Secondly, since over a century back, we have allowed the children of intermarried Parsi men to be initiated in our religion, we cannot deny the same privilege to the children of intermarried Parsi ladies. It is a matter of fair justice and human values. What the children of intermarried Parsi males are privileged to enjoy, should be applicable to the children of intermarried Parsi ladies. Even one Parsi parent can teach the child the tenets, customs and morals of Zoroastrianism. In fact, a Parsi mother can influence her children in a better way.

The ARZ has received great support from the community, on the issue of gender discrimination and on grounds of humanity. The founders should not be too ambitious and stay away from creating any further controversies.

Zoroastrian religion may or may not favor conversion, but in the present social structure, we Parsis though very small in number, have developed our unique ethnic identity, culture and life style, which will be lost if we allow outsiders to be converted in our faith. As we want the intermarried ladies of our community to practice religion of their birth, the spouses of intermarried males should follow their own religion. The ARZ is meant to bring peace and stability in the community, and not create further controversies, as the community has always been opposed to conversion.

About the sanctity of a place of worship, it is created by the mindset of the devotees who pray there. We do not doubt the beliefs of others, they pray as they think best at the grand places of worship without questioning the sanctity of a place which serves the need of the oppressed. Whether you call it a Dadgah or  not, just a Religious Centre, or even delete the word religion from it, as long as it serves a cause of humanity, and brings joy and happiness to a section of community to revive their faith, it serves the purpose.

-Piroja Jokhi