Monthly Archives: December 2011
Mumbai without Parsis: Unthinkable !
Mumbai without Parsis: A selfish and sick city
Everyone in Mumbai has their favorite “mad bawa/bawi” story. Bawa/bawi being a synonymn for a member of the Parsi community in Mumbai.
All-time favorites are of the late Bapsy Sabavala who lived alone with her collection of dolls, and who was known to call up the city’s leading doctors in the middle of the night if any of her dolls fell ill.
The owners of the famous Brittannia restaurant were so enamored of their pet black rooster that it would preside on their cash counter.
Then there’s the one about the gentleman from Khushroo Baug Parsi colony who would take his six balancing pomeranians on his bike for a ride every Sunday.
Read more: Mumbai without Parsis: A selfish and sick city | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/life/what-would-mumbai-be-without-its-parsis-032539#ixzz1fT7PdiNg
Tower of Silence – Bangalore
One building…On my way to and from the Bangalore International Airport, one building often catches my eye:
I have long known the custom of the Parsi community to dispose of their dead by exposing the bodies to the elements and to the sun. I vaguely remember being shown a “Tower of Silence” in Mumbai, many decades ago.
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Courtesy : Jehangir Bisney
Bharucha Baug Education Association
Sir,
We take this opportunity to introduce Shapurji Bharucha Baug at S.V. Road, Andheri (west), Mumbai, as the most proactive Association. The Baug is one of the biggest in the Parsi community accommodating over 500 families.
The Association does yeoman service for the community spread across Andheri and is recognized by the Parsi Punchayet. One of its activities include encouraging our young children to excel in academics, for which each year we hold an Education Award function for our youngsters right from Nursery to Graduation (all streams).
From the time we have started giving awards, we have found a marked difference in the achievements of our children; they seem to be striving harder and harder to best not only the results of their fellow students, but their own results too. They have become very enthusiastic to receive the award each year. This is apparent from the way the children, and not their parents, come to us asking when the award function will be held and when they have to submit their results. This alone compensate for all the hard work that we have put in to make the function a success.
You will agree Sir, that children imbibe all the qualities from their elders, may it be their parent or teacher or philanthropist like you. They watch and learn and it is our duty to show them the right way to lead their life.
However as all such activities require monetary assistance, we request you to be generous and donate towards this worthy cause. Your generosity will go a long way in securing a good future for our upcoming generation, thereby securing the future of the globally rising India too.
The cheque may be issued in the name of ‘Bharucha Baug Education Association’.
Hoping to receive a favourable response,
Yours faithfully,
J.Pithawala, President
Bharucha Baug Education Association
Zarathoshti Code Conduct
The Zarathoshti Code of Day to Day Conduct
Zarathushti daily prayers
Dear Zarathustis,
I have created a website at the request of a few parents whose children have reached the age when they can start reciting our prayers. It will be beneficial to our young Zarathusti children who are preparing to learn their daily prayers for their navjote ceremony.
Please click on the link below to access my website:
https://sites.google.com/site/ZarathushtiPrayers/
On the left are links to the basic prayers which are recited at a slower pace so the child can catch the proper pronunciations. On the right are the same prayers and a few more recited at a regular pace. Please feel free to download the prayers you need and also pass this along to others who are unaware of this website. Hope you will find this website useful.
Rohinton Keki Tarapore
A rare glimpse at Persia’s History
A rare private collection on show at the Sharjah Art Museum reveals a different side of Persia.
In varying hues of black and white, a different image of Persia comes to life.
Set against monumental landscapes captured in painfully meticulous detail, Persians are dressed in flamboyant seamless costumes, the men often with pointed beards and cone-shaped turbans, and the women covered up completely or with open headscarves, showing long wavy hair and flirtatious smiles.