Last week, Parsi Times highlighted the brilliant initiative undertaken by ‘Zoroastrians’ – a WhatsApp group conceptualised with the objective of serving the Community – one being executing the noble responsibility of facilitating the navjote ceremony of deserving Zoroastrian children, having both Zoroastrian parents, who unfortunately face financial constraints. With the support of Yasmin Charna, Superintendent of the Boarding Section of the Bai Avabai Petit Girls High School, the daughter of Zinobia and Zubin Patel, Friyona Patel – a student of Bai Avabai Petit High School – was ordained into the Zoroastrian faith with her Navjote organised on 27^th May, 2018, at the Rustom Framna Agiary.

The Navjote ceremony took place thanks to the efforts of the ‘Navjote Committee’ comprising Managing Trustee of Rustom Framna Agiary – Nasha Jashawalla; Trustee of Ahura Support – Hutoxi Doodhwalla; Entrepreneur – Yashna Dadachandji; Legal expert – Dilshad Tawadia; Community activists and theatre personality – Rumi Zarir; and Prof. Faredoon Kapadia, who were instrumental in sourcing funds from July 2017 to April 2018. The collective and selfless efforts of the members included Nasha graciously offering Rustom Faramna Agiary as the venue for the Navjote to be performed under Er. Kaizad Karkaria, completely on gratis. A kind-hearted community member, Rumi Sarkari from Dubai, bore the entire cost of the navjote, in addition to gifting a gold chain, pendant and bangles with six designer dresses to Friyona, whose navjote dress was sponsored by Yashna Dadachandji of Felinaaz Collections. Hutoxi, Yashna and Dilshad shouldered the responsibility of shopping and arranging for all the items essential for a navjote ceremony.

Speaking to Parsi Times, Professor Faredoon said, “For me it was a proud moment to see a young Zarthusti being inducted in Zoroastrianism. With the blessings of Ahura Mazda, my team and I called the ‘Navjote Group’ contributed to this noble deed. We hope and pray to do several similar deeds in the future.” Adding to this, Managing Trustee of Rustom Framna Agiary, Nasha Jashawalla, said, “The Trustees of Rustom Framna Agiary are very happy to have contributed towards this auspicious cause. I feel blessed to be a part of the Zoroastrian Group, which comprises over 100 members, with varied views coming together for positive discussions on Community matters amongst other things. It is indeed a great initiative by Professor Faredoon Kapadia.”

“The entire ceremony was organised very well. I am very grateful and indebted to all the committee members who helped me so much. I can’t express how thrilled my daughter is on being initiated into the Zoroastrian religion at Rustom Faramna Agiary,” expressed an emotional Zubin Patel, Friyona’s father.

In keeping with the grand success of Friyona’s navjote, the committee will be on the lookout for deserving Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian children from financially weaker Zoroastrian parents so as to continue the noble act of arranging for their Navjotes. The second such navjote is proposed to be held in January 2019. The committee is in the process of forming a Trust and building a corpus, the returns of which will aid in hosting one navjote ceremony, annually. In case of surplus funds, the committee will consider organising multiple Navjotes of deserving children.

Kudos to ‘Zoroastrians’ and its ‘Navjote Committee’ group!