The serene compound of the H.B. Wadia Atash Bahram witnessed a moment of quiet celebration on 12^th December, 2025, as the newly restored Georgian water fountain was inaugurated on the 90^th birthday of the community’s greatly revered Vada Dasturji Firoze M. Kotwal. As Dasturji Kotwal gently cut the traditional red sagan ribbon, a soft ripple of applause echoed through the sacred space, marking a deeply symbolic occasion.

The fountain, carved in Italian marble and long fallen into disrepair, was thoughtfully restored by the trustees, who chose to align its inauguration with the milestone birthday of a priest whose life has been devoted to the faith. The event was preceded by a dignified ceremony in the portrait-lined hall of the Atash Bahram, where trustees gathered to honour Dasturji Kotwal’s decades of distinguished service.

Trustee Zerick H. Dastur read out a formal citation acknowledging Dasturji Kotwal’s unparalleled scholarly contributions to Zoroastrian studies and his unwavering support for practising priests. Managing Trustee Hoshi Dastur and Trustee Berjis Desai felicitated him with a traditional shawl and garland, reflecting the esteem in which he is held by the community.

The restored fountain carries deep historical resonance. Dasturji Kotwal had long championed its revival as a tribute to the Wadia family, master shipbuilders whose work at the Bombay Dockyard brought lasting renown to the Parsi community. The timing proved poignant, coinciding closely with the 290^th anniversary of the Bombay Dockyard’s establishment, by Lowjee Nusserwanji Wadia, in 1723. Believed to have originally adorned the grounds of Lowjee Castle, the fountain was later relocated to the Atash Bahram along with other preserved artefacts after the castle’s sale. In 1923, Lady Aimai and Sir Hormasji Ardeshir Wadia formally presented the fountain to the Atash Bahram, cementing the family’s enduring legacy.

At the inauguration, Dasturji Kotwal offered prayers to Ardvisur Anahita, the revered guardian Yazata of the waters, and reflected with quiet eloquence on the Zoroastrian duty of nurturing and protecting the seven creations of the natural world created by Ahura Mazda. Reciting a verse from the Avan Nyaish in honour of the waters, he chanted the Yatha Ahu Vairyo prayer and cut the ceremonial red-sagan ribbon on the word ‘shyaothananam’, officially inaugurating the newly restored water fountain.

As the fountain came alive once more, its flowing waters evoked a sense of continuity, reverence and renewal. Today, the restored fountain stands as an enduring symbol of living heritage, reminding all that when faith, history and responsible stewardship converge, the past is not merely preserved but meaningfully renewed for future generations.

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[Courtesy: Firoza Punthakey Mistree & Cashmira Bengalli]