FOR THE URAN PARSI AGIARY…PLEASE DONATE & SPREAD THE WORD AROUND.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for having spared your valuable time to read the APPEAL mail below on the holy agiary of URAN.

First of all let me give you a brief introduction about the few details of the “URAN PARSI AGIARY” which is found in history and on the internet too.

” The Umrigar Agiary in Uran was built in 1904, a ‘Nhallo Aatash’ (small fire temple) was built as a private initiative by Sheth Kuverji Adelji Umrigar and Sheth Khurshedji Adelji Umrigar. In the beginning of the 20th century there was a sizeable presence of Parsi community (around 800) in Uran. These families were mainly in the business of distilleries. Presently, only a handful remain. However there are regular Zoroastrian families visiting all year long, coz a special faith lives for this Agiary and its fire having fulfilled many wishes of its pilgrims.

 This Agiary is located at Mora Bunder in Uran, a small fishing village across the harbour from Bombay. The agiary isn’t far from the jetty, and one can walk towards this holy place with the landmark of a couple of houses on the way which are made to Parsi style. 

Kersi Sooi is today the only recognised Parsi left in Uran. He looks after the agiary, though he is not a priest. He is now used to this job and has taken care of this holy place as his very own. His parents had come to Uran from Navsari to manage the sanatorium in the agiary complex.

The agiary fire is a dadgah, and therefore a normal religious Parsi could tend it too. So whenever the priest had to go to his home-town, he entrusted the fire in the care of the Sooi family. The trustees didn’t have enough funds, and neither the Sooi’s nor the priest drew much of a salary. When the last priest quit, no one was ready to work for the pittance offered. Rather than let the holy fire die out, Kersi began to look after it.  It was quite a struggle then for him and even today he is just about managing to pull it off.

The original trustees couldn’t spare the time to manage the agiary and had handed over the trust to the trustee of the Bhiwandiwalla trust. Kersi had gone to meet him to discuss the future of the  agiary, he was told categorically by Mr Bhiwandiwalla that the original trustees had not left enough funds to look after the upkeep of the whole premises. But, at very least they would make sure of a regular supply of wood for the holy fire. After his death though, even that dried up, and Kersi had to put out constant appeals for funds to the Parsi public. 

More than anything , Kersi bemoaned the loss of Parsi properties through carelessness. None of the legal heirs to the Parsi properties here had papers to the houses. He claimed the navy was ready to hand over the dokhma,  if we Parsis could prove ownership. But no one knew where the original title  deeds were. The agiary lands would have been encroached too if Kersi wouldn’t have stayed around and taken care of this holy place. He has sacrificed his entire life for the service of this holy place which was initially started by his parents. He is married, but his family doesn’t want to stay in Uran. They stay at Vashi, with his wife’s parents.”

With all these efforts around and a lot of sacrifice gone into the service of this holy place, including a lot of financial support extended by his ownself towards the upkeep of this holy place, which should rightly be called the URAN PARSI AGIARY with no trustees name attached to it; as in all these years there hasn’t been any welcome trustee who has come forward to take the real responsibility of the upkeep of this Agiary.  Therefore Kersi Behramshaw Sooi now appeals to all genuine religious minded Parsis and Iranis [Zorastians] around the world to kindly come forward and donate generously towards the maintenance and upkeep of this Agiary as with passing age, Kersi is finding it extremely difficult to continue meeting ends towards the regular supply of wood for the holy fire as well as  the much needed maintenance of the Agiary and its premises. 

In a Universal request we appeal to one and all to come forward and support this sacred and holy cause and SAVE a holy fire from diminishing, yet another landmark for us ZORASTIANS fading out in the darkness of history.  So please wake up and help the generous cause to keep the light shining and the HOLY fire burning forever and ever. Amen! Amen! Amen! 

Please forward your donations in cash or kind or in the form of service [arrange to get the maintenance of the Agiary complex done on your own, in the loving memory of your beloved ones.] May the blessings of Ahuramazda be with you always.

Contact by return email to:  khushroo.mehta@yahoo.com

Or contact Mr Kersi Sooi directly on +912227230047, 09987381490.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL YOU KNOW CAN GENUINELY HELP THE CAUSE……. ……… .

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.