By Razvin Namdarian

5^th March, 2024, was indeed a historic day of pride for the Zoroastrian community as it marked the launch of a renewed ‘Centre for Avesta-Pahlavi Studies’, at the Kalina campus of Mumbai University (MU), kicking off on an auspicious note with a bhoomipoojan (ground breaking ceremony). The centre will be established as per an MoU signed between the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, GoI, and the University of Mumbai. Giving due gravitas to the moment was Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, who did the Bhoomipoojan alongside the Minister of Higher and Technical Education Department – Chandrakant Patil.

Present at the event were a number of dignitaries from MU and the Parsi community, including Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor, Nadir Godrej, Phiroza Godrej, BPP Trustees, Dr. Ravindra Kulkarni – MU Vice-chancellor, Vikas Rastogi – Principal Secretary, Higher and Technical Education Department, Jitendra Raje – Joint Secretary of Minority Affairs, and others. The respected Dasturji Firoz Kotwal could not attend due to advancing age, but his goodwill and blessings for the Centre were conveyed by Er. Cyrus Darbari.

Dr. Ravindra Kulkarni, Vice-Chancellor, MU, spoke about India being a unique nation which prides itself on “its unity in diversity,” adding, “Parsis hold a significant place in the nation’s growth. The ‘Centre for Avesta-Pahlavi Studies’ represents MU’s commitment to preserving the rich and varied tapestry of languages that make up this great country.” He shared that the University of Toronto had already evinced interest in collaborating with Mumbai University for this centre.

Further highlighting the need to preserve and research languages like the Avesta-Pahlavi, Minister Chandrakant Patil informed the gathering, “220 languages have already been lost in the past 50 years. So many of these had no written script and when the elders who spoke them passed away, these languages died with them. Language forms the root of everything – culture, traditions, music and poetry,” he added. Lauding the contribution of Parsis to the University of Mumbai, he said, “Such a centre had to be set up in Mumbai, a city which has the largest population of Parsis. It will help preserve and study the Avesta-Pahlavi languages for years to come.”

The fact that some languages share a common root was highlighted by Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor, who thanked the government for this initiative. “The Avesta is as old a language as Sanskrit and translating the Avesta would have been difficult if not for Sanskrit,” he said. He lauded the efforts of the core team of Dr. Adil Malia, Er. Parvez Bajan, Er. Cyrus Darbari, Shiraz Kapadia, Shirin Contractor, Meher Contractor and Dr. Daruwalla, whose concerted efforts, with the support of the government, had led to this historic day.

Nadir Godrej, Chairman of Godrej Agrovet, reminded all present of how Parsis had sought refuge and later thrived in India, by reciting a lovely poem that traced the community’s 1,000-year-old history in India, after having to flee religious persecution in Persia, now Iran. “They came to Gujarat, came into their own in British India, thrived in Mumbai,” he said. He also voiced the community’s concern of a declining population, and the need to preserve its culture beyond the demographic slide. He shared how prominent community members, like freedom fighters Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshah Mehta, industrialists Jamsetji Tata and Ardeshir Godrej, were all students of Mumbai University.

In her address, Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, shared, “Everyone is aware of the ‘doodh ma sakhar’ story about the Parsis, but few knew that when Muhammad bin Tughlaq invaded Gujarat, around 1,500 Parsis had taken up arms and had joined the Hindu kings to fight the invading army. There are many such less-known events in the community’s history in India that have not yet received attention from researchers…. these and other aspects in the Zoroastrian manuscripts, like astronomy and surgery, need to be institutionalised.” She spoke of how Parsis had kept the holy fire safe in the caves of Bahrot making it an important part of the Zoroastrian legacy. She requested Chandrakant Patil, “as a mother of Parsi children,” to provide support in developing the pilgrim and tourist infrastructure at Bahrot caves, adding that the centre would 100% assist in funding the same. Her words were met with resounding applause from our grateful community.

Appreciating the work done by community stalwarts and the government, Phiroza Godrej said, “Indeed one has to appreciate the alacrity with which the Centre is being set up. For 21 years, since the closing of the program for Avesta-Pahlavi studies at the St Xavier’s College due to lack of teaching staff, the community has felt the need for an institution for the teaching and research of our languages.”

With a funding of Rs. 12 crore from the Government of India, the Centre for Avesta-Pahlavi Studies, which is expected to be ready in one year, will offer educational programs ranging from diplomas, certificates, undergraduate to postgraduate, and research degrees. Students will be able to learn about Avesta Pahlavi grammar and vocabulary, literature, historical background, scripts and writing systems, translation and philological analysis, semantics and dictionaries, ancient Iranian history and civilization, Avesta Pahlavi epigraphy and palaeography, inscriptions and manuscripts. These courses will also be available on-line and open to enthusiastic individuals irrespective of their religious faith.