Navroze Dhamaka for all
The Mumbai Parsis will celebrate the Parsi New Year — Navrooz Yezdagardi 1381 on March 21. The word `Navroze’ is adopted by the Parsis in India from the original Persian word ‘Navrooz’. The meaning of Navrooz in Persian is: Nay = New and Rooz = day, meaning New Year. The custom of celebrating Jamshedi Navroze, a festival of spring is celebrated by the Zoroastrian commu-nity in India and all over the world. This day falls every year on March 21st which is the equinox.

This year too The Parsi Food and Trade Festival and the D.D. Mehta Memorial Trust will be celebrating their ’17th Navroze Dhamaka’ program on Wednesday, March 21 from 6 p.m. onwards at Allbless Baug, Opp Hinduja College, near Charni Road Station. To celebrate this festive occasion, Diniar Darab Mehta and his wife Shiraz along with their team of dedicated colleagues, are once again on their toes. They have been organizing this program and Parsi Fiestas for the past 20 years. This program is open to all communities since everyone craves to have authentic Parsi Food on banana leaves as you would get it in Parsi weddings.

The celebration will begin with the ‘Jashan’ — traditional Parsi Prayers — in the morning performed by the priests of younger generation. Then the evening will start with the competitions — ‘Salad Dressing & Dessert, Rangoli’ (with chalk powder and colour of varied de-signs). There is a Talent and Gara competition and several on the spot competitions. Garas are the old fully hand embroidered saris with Chinese work more than 100 years old passed on from generation to generation costing Rs. 1 to Rs.2 lakh. Each Gara has its own story which is embroidered on it. Then the evening will be open for the young & old to dance their hearts out with pulsating mixes.

The D.D. Mehta Memorial Trust have been awarding their prestigious ‘Darabshaw Achievement Award’ to prominent Parsis who have achieved success in various fields. This year too they would be presenting the `Darabshaw Achievement Award’ to several Parsi achievers. There will be a variety entertainment program by ‘Jenesis’ all through the evening.

For more details, contact: Shiraz or Diniar Mehta on 9892242994/9819952994 / 9819990292.

Courtesy : Afternoon Despatch & Courier