On 21st March, 2018, the Asha Vahishta Zoroastrian Center Dadgah in Pune celebrated its first Jamshedi Navroz amid much happiness. The special Navroze ‘Haft-Seen’ table was decorated and set up in the Main Hall of the Center and a jasan was performed followed by a Maachi ceremony on the auspicious occasion. The Hall of the Centre was packed with over a hundred and ten elated devotees who came in from Pune, Mumbai, Jalgaon, Nasik and Ahmednagar to attend the ceremonies. After the religious ceremonies, light refreshments consisting of falooda, sandwiches, dry fruits, wafers, malido and fruits were served to all

“It was an indescribable feeling of real joy to be able to pray along with my husband and children on the auspicious occasion of Jamshedi Naroz. I know I speak for most of such families that we met at the Center – we are all thrilled that our families were kept united and not separated or divided on this blessed day. There is no greater teacher than a real life experience for our children too, who have upto now only heard and imagined what a Zoroastrian place of worship looks and feels like!” said an attendee.

The Dadgah ‘Asha Vahishta – The Zoroastrian Center’, is a place of worship and venue solely for Zoroastrian social and religious ceremonies. Inaugurated in Pune (NIBM Road, Kondhwa) last year in December, under the umbrella of Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism (ARZ), it is headed by brothers Vispy Wadia and Kerssie Wadia, with the main aim of ‘inclusion’ or providing a dignified alternative to Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians who were excommunicated or discriminated against from entering Zoroastrian religious places of worship.

“It was truly heartening to see families, especially intermarried families, unitedly worshipping and bowing down at the Dadgah. They were so delighted that they could, for the first time in their married life, attend, worship and celebrate Navroze together as a family,” said Vispy Wadia.

The Dadgah keeps its doors open to intermarried Parsis and their children, as also Zoroastrian enthusiasts who seek a greater understanding about the religion. Built over 5,500 square feet, the two-storeyed construction houses a community hall, a prayer hall, a library and a Dadgah fire and is open for visits 7 days a week, from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The center has been receiving constant bookings to hold religious ceremonies including Machi prayers, navjotes, marriages as well as the 4-day prayer of those who have opted for cremation.