Parsi Times presents the concluding part of the 4-part series by Adil J. Govadia, which honours and celebrates our humble Mobeds – our religious heads, who played a crucial role in preserving our Community’s religious and ethnic identity, while keeping aflame our sacred fires, in our temples and in our hearts.
Pious and highly respected Dastur Rustomji Kumana (1819-1890) was the Vada Dastur of the Kadimi Sect, in Surat. He was the fourth descendant of the great teacher, Dastur Darab Kumana. Five years before his demise, he had rightly predicted his end and is said to have rejoiced. Er. Behemanji Khurshedji Kumana (1848-1934) too was a humble, pious priest, who had the distinction of serving the sanctum of Surat’s Kadimi Atash Behram for 52 long years, where he performed Boi ceremony till the ripe age of 82 years.
Scholar, author and an erudite speaker, Er. Shams-ul-Ulama Dr. Sir Jivanji Jamshedji Mody (1854-1933) wrote seventy books in his lifetime – three in French, twenty in English and forty-one in Gujarati, besides six memorial volumes. In addition, he also delivered over 350 lectures around the world. A reputable scholar of Sanskrit, Persian and Avesta languages, Er. Jivanji Mody was one of the longest functioning Secretaries of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat, having served for 37 years.
Born in a humble Athornan (priestly) family, his father, Er. Jamshedji Jivanji Mody, was the first Panthaky of Colaba’s Seth Jeejeebhoy Dadabhoy Agiary from 1836 to 1871. After his father’s demise, Er. Jivanji continued the Panthakship for four decades, from 1871 to 1910. Er. Jivanji’s mentor was the Oriental scholar, Seth Kharshedji Rustomji Cama, who encouraged him to take-up Iranian studies. Later, Er. Jivanji Mody founded the K R Cama Oriental Institute and served for several years as Secretary, President and Editor of its journal. In 1880, he was appointed Justice of Peace and in 1893, he was conferred the title, ‘Shams-ul-Ulama’ (‘Sun of the Savants’). In 1912, he received the honorary doctorate criterion (Ph.D.) at Heidelberg University in Germany and in 1917, the British Government conferred ‘Champion of the Indian Empire’. He was knighted in 1930 and in 1931, Sir Ernest Hotson, Governor Chancellor of Bombay University, conferred the honorary degree ‘Doctor of Law’ (LLD) on Er. Dr. Sir Jivanji Mody and Sir Dinshaw Fardunji Mulla – the first two Parsi stalwarts to have received such an honour, along with Sir C V Raman and Sir M Visvesvaraya.
Ervad Dr. Minocher Dadabhoy Karkhanavala (1926-1979), a staunch follower of Zoroastrian faith, was a nuclear scientist of repute and an exceptional administrator. A brilliant student of science and religion, Er. Dr. Karkhanavala practiced what he preached. Besides being a trustee of the Boyce Trust as well as of the Banaji Atash Behram, Er. Dr. Karkhanavala was a Group Director at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center. Along with fellow-scientist Dr. Darabshaw Noshirwan Wadia, he represented India at the Geneva Conference on ‘Peaceful Use Of Atomic Energy’. He died in a catastrophic air-crash on 17th November, 1979.
There’s an endless list of great learned and professional Parsi priests, like Dastur Dr. Hormazdyar Kayoji Mirza, Dastur Kekobad Dastur, Dastur Dr. Firoze M. Kotwal, Dastur Kaikhushroo M. JamaspAsa, Dastur Dr. Peshotan Hormazdyar Mirza, Dastur Khurshed S. Dabu, Dastur Dr. Navroze MinocherHomji, Er. Eruchshah Karkaria, Dastur Dr. Sorabji Kutar (London), Er. Hormuzd M. E. Pavri (Nagpur), Er. Nadirshah Navroji Aibara, Er. Aspandyar R. Dadachanji, Er. Parvez Bajan, Er. Dr. Ramiyar P. Karanjia and many more, who have served and continue to serve the community sincerely, with disciplined religious orthodoxy and spiritual luster.
In this modern age of computers and social networking, the community is faced with extreme religious and spiritual bankruptcy, as Mobeds are reduced to the task of only performing day-to-day religious ceremonies. Unfortunately, the community has failed to recognize the significance of Mobeds. The ancient priestly traditions, spiritual efficiency and scholarly acumen seem to fade with time. The falling standard of Parsi priesthood too is a matter of great concern that needs urgent attention as the Parsi community needs proper religious education and spiritual guidance, in the form of deeper spiritual truths. But, poor emoluments, coupled with a general lackadaisical attitude of the community towards the clergy, has discouraged priestly families from pursuing Mobedi (priesthood) as a profession.
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