Hamazor Issue 1-2015
Dear Readers
For your reading pleasure I send you Issue 1/2015.
Click : Hamazor 1 2015
best wishes
Toxy
Monthly Archives: January 2015
Know your batasas
287, Dukargully, Dhobi Talao (presently Dr. C. H. Street).
When customers at the Paris Bakery ask about the price of a packet of batasa biscuits, Paris’ proprietor Danesh Nejadkay offers them a sample instead. ‘Once you taste, you are trapped,’ Nejadkay insists. Indeed Paris’ Maska Batasas are the tastiest dollops of butter (with a hint of jeera cumin) in town.
Nejadkay shares some batasa wisdom with us- Bite into a batasa don’t break it, offer or accept it with your right hand, soak it in a cup of tea for a minute or two, let it ‘blow up’ and then have it with a spoon.
Courtesy : Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of Secunderabad and Hyderabad
Congrats Zeesha Davar !
Maj Gen Cyrus Pithawalla
Maj Gen Cyrus Pithawalla (centre) at the Republic Day Parade yesterday.
He holds the unique distinction of being the only member of the Armed Forces to have been awarded both the Ashok Chakra and the Vishisht Seva Medal and to have the rank of a General.
Courtesy: Beyniaz Edulji
XYZ Games
Upcoming event for your children hosted by XYZ Games on Sunday, February 15 at 9:30 am at Cusrow Baug in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Rules:
1. Each Team has 11 participants – 10 children + 1 XYZ Parent (No older siblings or friends). Among the 10 players, 2 children must be between the ages 4-6 years, 2 children between 7-10 years, 2 children between 11-15 years and the remaining 4 can be of any age group (as per the discretion of the team players/volunteers). However, this is the minimum age-wise child distribution WHICH MUST BE ADHERED TO. (See Registration Sheet)
2. In case a group falls short in the number of XYZ members to make a team, Non–XYZ members can be asked to join in the teams. Nevertheless, the age–wise distribution has to be kept in mind at all times.
3. The parent will be performing the role of a guide and facilitator. However, while assigning a parent to the team, please keep in mind that the parent is physically fit to run around on the field with the children.
4. Every XYZ member pays Rs. 100/- for this event.
Every Non–Member, Volunteer, Parent and Guest pays Rs. 150/- to attend the event. This includes Lunch on the day.
5. The final list of teams, ie. The Registration Form (including children’s name and age + Parent name + Cash + Indemnity Forms) must be submitted by 8th February 2015.
On–the–spot entries / incomplete teams (in case of last minute drop outs) will not be entertained.
6. Every Team Member must be dressed in:
• the assigned group colour T–shirt
• track pants or shorts (no jeans or skirts),
• sneakers/ sports shoes (no crocs / sandals / floaters / chappals / studs / spikes)
• P–cap and a snack for the bus journey
Lunch will be provided at the venue.
Group colours are as follows:
i) Darius’ Daredevils – Blue
ii) Cyrus’ Superstars – Yellow
iii) Jamshed’s Giants – Green
iv) Homai’s Heroes – Black
v) Behram’s Battalion – Red
vi) Rustom’s Rockstars – Grey
vii) Tehmurasp’s Titans – Orange
All team members representing the groups HAVE TO BE in the respective group colours.
7. Every team put up by a group earns its group an additional 10 points in the Annual Point System. E.g. If Cyrus’ Superstars puts up 3 teams, they get an additional 30 points in their Annual Total Points.
8. Buses will be arranged to pick up the teams from assigned locations and time. The same will be communicated closer to date.
9. If any participant fails to report on time at the pick – up point, he/she will have to make his/her own arrangements to arrive at the venue. The buses will not be delayed on account of any participant/volunteer/parent.
10. Complete team has to be present at the time of reporting at the venue.
11. The decision of the Organizing Committee will be final and binding.
Courtesy: XYZ Games
Tata Sons ties up with Bombay Heritage Walks for weekend walking tours for its employees
How many Tata Group employees would know that George Wittet, the Scottish architect who designed the Gateway of India was one of the first board members of the Tata Engineering Co, the earlier avatar of Tata Motors? Or that Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, founder of the Tata Group, had been arrested for arguing with an unfair British official at the Oval Maidan sports ground; that he had travelled with Swami Vivekananda on the latter’s legendary journey to Chicago’s Parliament of Religions and had been inspired from their conversation to envisage the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru; or that long before JK Rowling conjured magical dinners at Hogwarts, JN Tata’s son Dorabji Tata had a central well linking the kitchen in his mansion, Esplanade House, to the dinner table at the hall, so stewards would pop up from the centre of the table to serve meals?
Not many. But their employer has found an interesting way to change that. Tata Sons has tied up with Bombay Heritage Walks to organise weekend walking tours for its staff from its various firms, where they are told the conglomerate’s story, especially in the light of its inextricable linkage with Mumbai.
Read more at:
Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu
Home-style Parsi food, like your friend Dhun’s mummy used to make it.
There’s a sudden flood of appreciation for Parsi food in Delhi, and I’m not at all surprised. With its abundance of meaty fare, decadent curries, and fried potatoes, there’s no easier cuisine for the meat-loving North to get stuck into. But this isn’t the food of Bombay’s Irani cafés. Nope, Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu is going where no Parsi restaurant has gone before: straight into the home recipes of the Parsi community.
Run by former food writer Kainaz Contractor, and partner Rahul Dua (of Café Lota fame), this tiny twenty-seat restaurant in Adhchini is primarily aimed at home deliveries, and if our first sampling of their menu was any indication, they’ll be doing roaring trade once the full menu’s in effect.
Contractor’s dipped into her own family’s repertoire to put together the menu, supplemented by other Best Of’s from friends and family, and there’s more than just dhansak on the menu, thank heavens. Personally, that meat-and-lentil stew’s always been my least favourite, paling in comparison to things like prawn patio, with its tangy tomato gravy (Rustom’s excellent version is Rs 495, and comes with yellow dal and rice), or the rich jardaloo marghiu ma salli, with ghee-fried apricots and topping of crisp, fried potato straws (Rs 395).
The kheema pattice (Rs 298) come in a pair, are ginormous, and divine. With mutton mince encased in potato, topped with egg and fried, there’s not much that can go wrong here, but Rustom’s version is so, so right that I’d be tempted to just order multiple rounds and make them my meal. They’re a little reminiscent of the ‘chops’ served in Bengali homes, but just…better. Classicists never fear, there is dhansak, and you can choose between the trad mutton (Rs 495) or even give a veggie version a spin, with spiced aubergine kababs (Rs 395). Definitely order the malai na paratha (Rs 80) to mop it all up; they’re unbelievably pliant and, when wrapped around one of those keema pattice, make one of the best rolls I’ve ever had.
Work’s still underway on the restaurant, so the kitchen is currently operating only for deliveries. We’re told that a longer menu will emerge once the place opens, but until then, their current list encompasses all that is good about Parsi home-cooking, and is on the menu for dinner tonight.
Sadeh Celebration by Iranian Zoroastrian Association
The Iranian Zoroastrian Association (IZA) will be celebrating the ancient Iranian Jashan of Sadeh on Saturday February 07, 2015. Due to the construction of the new Darbe Mehr in Pomona New York, this year’s event will be held at the Patough Restaurant in Bayside New York (in Queens New York close to the Long Island border).
Sadeh is the celebration of the discovery of fire and the start of the human civilization. The jashan will be slightly modified this year due to the location of the event.
You are invited to join us for this celebration!
The event starts at 5:00 PM and the program is as follows:
- Niyayesh by Mobed Noshir Hormuzdiar
- Speech by highly regarded scholar, Dr. Houra Yavari
- Live music by well-known artist, Shahrokh Vafa, dancing
- Appetizers, dinner, dessert by Patough
The price of the admission is as follows:
- Adults and Children over 12 – $45
- Children under 12 – $35
- Price with no reservation – $55
Cash bar is available.
Patoug’s address is:
Patoug Food
220-06 Horace Harding Expwy
Bayside, NY 11365
Parking is available behind the restaurant.
Please rsvp by email to iza.anjoman@gmail.com no later than February 4th.
Bollywood Funk Class
Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY)
As part of next week’s Adult Lecture series during the Prayer Class Sunday, we will be having a Bollywood Funk Dance Class.
This class shall be conducted by Zenobia Dotiwala. More about Zenobia below.
Note: All participants are requested to wear comfortable/gym clothes And definitely comfortable footwear conducive to dancing 🙂
Zenobia works as a project manager at a healthcare consulting firm, but contributes a large part of her time to her passion, dancing and teaching dance. Bollywood and dancing have been Zenobia’s interests for over 20 years now and she thinks dancing is the best form of fitness [for her, at least:)]. Zenobia moved to the US in 2008 and now calls NYC her home. Zenobia’s mission is to spread awareness of Bollywood dancing wherever she can and make sure people have a great time discovering it. Zenobia dances at Bollywood Funk NYC, a premier Bollywood dance school in NYC and has performed at iconic locations such as Times Square and Madison Square Garden.
Live Encounters Magazine February 2015
People of the Good Faith: A brief history of the Parsis by Aryaa Naik, Parsi cuisine by Peri Avari and introspection from Adi Patell on the dwindling tribe of Parsis (Zoroastrians).
Click Here for the coverage of Parsis at Live Encounters Magazine – Free Online Magazine from Village Earth