Sanjan Day – 2014 – A brief Report

Afternoon Despatch & Courier – dated 17/11/2014.

Courtesy : Marazban Mehta

Sanjan Day-2014

Sanjan Day: It marks the historic landing of Parsis
in India 13th Centuries ago

By Dr. Shernaz Baji Avari

The  Sanjan Memorial Day is celebrated in a spirit of bonhomie and ‘Parsi-panu’ reflected in the hearts of devout Zarathushtis, both young and old who  throng to converge at Sanjan from Mumbai, Navsari, Surat and other nearby places to make this day a truly memorable event.

Our ancestors fled their motherland Iran precisely in 1299 to avoid religious persecution as they were devoted to the Zoroastrian faith, religion and its tenents.  To preserve our unique  identity  and our glorious Mazdayasnie Religion, we landed on the shores of Sanjan after undergoing lots of hardships, sacrifices and pitfalls.  When we landed on the shores of Sanjan, we were sheltered and welcomed by the noble King Jadi Rana and the story of the proverbial sugar-in-milk is etched in the heart and soul of every Zarathushti and will remain memorable in the annals of history.  The soil of Sanjan will always remain sacred to us as we grew and flourished from this epicentre.

Let’s take merry-go-round at the festive spirit pervading here.  The Sanjan Memorial Pillar also known as the ‘Stambh’ was installed on 6th August, 1917, the brain-child of Sir Jamshetjee Jeejeebhoy, 5th Baronet to immortalise the historic landing by our Parsi forefathers.  The late Rohinton Davierwalla and his gracious wife Bapsy adds a personal touch to this ‘Gahambhar’ by taking keen interest and rendering selfless services.
Donations to maintain this Stambh can be sent to Bapsy Rohinton Daviervala, President, in favour of Sanjan Memorial Column Local Committee at Khan Bahadur’s Bunglow, Sanjan (WR), Tel : 396150.

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One comment

  • A small correction …… if I may…….in the second para of this article, it should read…..arrived in Sanjan about 1299 years ago (that would be in the year 715 AD, after around 18-20 years ?? stay in Diu — which was our first landfall on fleeing Iran, around 695-697 AD) & NOT….. precisely in 1299.

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