The Dadar Athornan Institute (DAI) celebrated its much-anticipated Annual Day, on 8th December, 2024, at the Institute’s M Joshi Hall, which was packed to capacity with family members of the boys studying here and well-wishers from the community. Gracing the occasion were President of the Athornan Mandal, Vada Dastoorji Khurshed Kekobad Dastoor; Guest of Honour – Dasturji Tehemton Mirza; Chief Guest – Lion Daara Patel and Athronan Mandal Trustees – Er. Dr. Parvez Bajan, Er. Farhad Behsania; Joint Secretary – Er. Hormazd Dadachanji, Principal of the Athornan Boarding Institute – Er. Dr. Ramiyar P. Karanjia; alongside BPP Trustee – Armaity Tirandaz, Jimmy Mistry, Arnavaz Mistry, Khojeste Mistree, Professor Almut Hintze, Principal of DPYA School – Rukhshana Parelwalla, committee members and teachers of the institute.
The evening commenced with a Humbandagi rendered by young DAI students followed by the melodious monajat, ‘Koi Puche Mane’ and the students explaining the meaning of prayers, under the encouragement of senior priests. Er. Cyrus Darbari introduced the august guests, inviting them to share their experiences and words of wisdom. Vada Dastoorji Khurshed Dastoor shared that three of the five high priests of our community completed their studies from DAI. He reminisced his time at DAI under the tutelage of Er. Rustomjee Panthakey who had mentored him for ten years. He thanked the Principal and Trustees of DPYA School, which provides free education to the Athornan students. “For the future of the community and for us to survive, we need our mobeds who will carry the flag of our Parsi Zarthosti religion. It is my sincere request to the community to give our priests their due respect, they have sacrificed a lot for the community, right from childhood,” he urged.
Guest of Honour, Dasturji Tehemton Mirza said, “Mobeds are the custodians of our culture and keepers of our community, present for our Navjotes, weddings and funerals, where each function brings our community together. A good mobed serves as a role model by not only learning prayers but also internalizing the teachings of Zarthostra.” He shared how despite enjoying much success in the corporate world, he felt the strong pull of his ecclesiastical calling and accepted the position of High Priest of Shreeji Paak Iranshah in Udwada. He exhorted everyone to take pride in our great heritage and encouraged the students to make good use of the opportunities afforded to them and uphold the lofty ideals of our faith.
Lauding the brilliant work done by the DAI, Chief Guest Lion Daara Patel, Secretary-General Indian Drug Manufacturer’s Association, said that while leading companies produce goods and services, the DAI was doing the rare and unique job of ‘manufacturing priests for the community.’ He shared how DAI is the only place providing training to become a ‘sampurna mobed’, extolling mobedi as one of the noblest and service-oriented professions. He encouraged the young initiates to ensure that no Agiary laments the lack of priests. He praised the Zoroastrian community for having taught the world the art of giving. Known for his contributions to the DAI, under the aegis of Lions International, Daara Patel announced that he and a few like-minded friends would be open to providing life insurance coverage to the students of DAI and their parents.
The DAI students truly deserve kudos for staying away from their family and simultaneously managing their academics and religious studies. They also participate in extra-curricular activities, with much encouragement from Havovie Karanjia. Next, Er. Ramiyar Karanjia conducted the prize distribution ceremony where various prizes were awarded to the DAI students by Mrs. Katy Daara Patel. Lion Daara also unveiled the 40th edition of ‘Knowledgiate’, the DAI magazine. Er. Karnajia announced that the Indian postal department had released a special 3-D cover of the ‘Knowledgiate’ to commemorate its ‘Ruby anniversary’, thanks to renowned philatelist, Er. Cyrus Dinshaw Sidhwa. The evening’s entertainment culminated with an informative play, ‘Jashan ma Chaloji’, performed enthusiastically by DAI students, explaining the meaning and symbolism of rituals and gestures of priests during Jashans.
The community extends much gratitude to the DAI for nurturing and nourishing the body and soul of our young future priests and providing them with holistic education and soft skills to succeed in life. Parsi Times applauds the remarkable and dedicated leadership at DAI as well as wishes a very bright future to our young mobeds who would become high priests of tomorrow.
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