– Khushroo Mehta

Er. Hoshang Nariman Bhandara, served as the Panthaki at the Panchgani Agiary for twelve years, from 2012 till his passing, on 21^st February, 2024.

He was known for being meticulous about his duties serving the Padshah Saheb, especially at the Panchgani Agiary, looking into minute details of the Agiary and its huge compound’s upkeep and cleanliness. He was also regarded the father figure by his entire team of chasniwalas, volunteers, gardeners and cleaners, who respected him immensely for his high level of discipline, which they too imbibed, under his guidance.

Having attained his complete priesthood (Navar-Martab) in 1952, in Pune, Er. Hoshang started his priesthood practice in an Agiary in Pune itself, serving all through his college years. A commerce graduate, he was employed as an accountant at Godrej Press, while simultaneously looking after the Parsi student’s hostel at Gamadia Colony. He took to full time Mobedi soon after and went to serve at various Agiaries across India, with long-term tenures in Madras, Deolali and Calicut.

Er. Hoshang was wholly dedicated to our religion and held great respect for the serving community members. He was delighted when his own grandson Taronish also attained complete priesthood and joined him in service of the Atash Padshah on several Salgreh occasions for Jashans.

He was an inspiration for almost everyone who met and worked with him, and regarded him a very honest, down to earth and disciplined soul, who was pious, generous and helpful to the core. Holding on to old-school traditions, he inspired his friends to get into the habit of sending handwritten letters on festive occasions, because these had the personal touch and warmth that was missing in the faster technological alternatives.

He strongly believed that our religion and prayers were a huge source of motivation and help in all difficult situations in life. His religious conviction and devotion could be heard in his powerful recitations of our prayers. In fact, when he recited prayers with his complete devotion inside the Kebla, on many occasions when this writer was present, I personally witnessed the Atash Padshah light up strongly, as if to acknowledge the sincerity and dedication with which he recited his prayers.

Shares his daughter, Havovi, “He served our Atash Saheb for 12 years religiously, despite innumerable ups and downs of life. He was a very loving and caring husband, father and grandfather. He was forever helpful to all and extremely kind hearted. My father was my first guru, whose values have given me the strength to fight life’s battles. He was and remains my pillar of strength. My children and I miss him so much but we are thankful to God that his passing was very peaceful and amidst friends and relatives, who came to pay their last respects. I’m grateful to Khushroo Mehta and Parsi Times, which was his favourite community newspaper, for sharing this tribute.”