Mumbai’s J D Amaria Sodawaterwala Agiary, located at Marine Lines, commemorated its glorious 150 years salgreh on 2^nd September, 2024 (Roj Fravardin – Mah Fravardin). The auspicious occasion was marked by two Jashans held on the day, one at 10.00 am and another one at 05:30pm, performed by dedicated Panthaki – Er. Pervez Karanjia. A number of devotees came in to pay their respects on the Agiary’s sesquicentenary.

The Agiary witnessed consecutive auspicious occasions as the very next day, (Roj Behram – Mah Fravardin) marked a Jashan ceremony held in honour of the great saint – Dasturji Kookadaru Saaheb’s death anniversary. Panthaki Er. Pervez Karanjia, who led this Jashan ceremony too, shared that Zarthoshti devotees from all over the world visit the Sodawaterwala Agiary to pray to Pak Dasturji Kookadaru Saaheb as he is known to grant all sincere wishes.

Speaking to Parsi Times on the auspicious occasion, Sodawaterwala Agiary’s dedicated Trustee, Anahita Desai shared, “Our Sodawaterwalla Agiary does not get many devotees on normal days. I wish people realized that our Fire temples are brimming with divine energy, on account of the countless rituals performed there, and hence it is an ideal place to recite prayers and the devotee will benefit with a relaxed mind after spending time before our Atash Padshahs.”

As has been the fate of most Agiaries in recent decades, the dwindling number of worshippers and reduced patronisation eventually led to the Agiary’s failing condition, calling for urgent need for structural repairs. Unfortunately, one of the Agiary’s main sources of income – a well housed within its compound which was tapped by water tankers – was also stopped, post the government’s ban on commercial well-water extraction.

Fortunately, a generous donation from the Buhariwala family, in 2020, was instrumental in coming to the rescue of the Agiary, starting the restoration and repair process which stretched two years due to Covid. Finally, 2022 marked the inauguration of the refurbished Sodawaterwala Agiary, restoring it to its former glory.

Parsi Times also caught up with Sodawaterwala Agiary’s dedicated Trustee for nearly four decades – Dinshaw Variava, who has been instrumental in the Agiary’s wellbeing, alongside his fellow committed Trustees. He shared, “I’ve always noticed most people coming in are older adults and seniors and I greatly emphasize the need for them to encourage our youngsters by ingraining in them a sense of religious and spiritual duty towards our Agiaries and our religion. The lack of religious knowledge leads to the downfall of the community and its glory. The need of the hour is for parents to take the effort and the time to learn it themselves and then pass it gown to their children. As a community, we also need to ensure the upkeep of our Agiaries in terms of funding and donations so as to keep alive our glorious religious legacy.”

Established in 1874, the Sodawaterwala Agiary is a heritage-listed property – a Grade II structure under Mumbai’s Urban Heritage Laws – and was built through the largesse of the Amaria family. Known philanthropists, the Amaria family were also believed to have built the famous Sodawaterwala Dharamshala, in Udvada, for the use of Zarthoshti pilgrims.