The editorial "Faith and the future” (Parsiana, June 21-July 6, 2024) should impel the community to undertake both introspection and action.
Congregational participation appears to be dwindling the world over, but when there is a major reduction of numbers as is the case with the Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian community this has serious consequences, some of which have been red-flagged in the editorial.
Churches appear to be closing down in the West. Should our agiaries follow suit? This issue is causing considerable dissension, heartburn and even leading to legal notices being served. These issues cannot be left hanging and need to be resolved through amicable discussion and debate, not acrimony.
Dwindling footfalls lead to shrinking incomes in places of worship, whether a church or an agiary. Funds are required for maintenance — of the staff, garden, building, church, agiary or atash behram. The community has been fortunate that the Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry family had both the generosity and the wherewithal to renovate the revered Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada as did the Dadachanji group who renovated the Maneckji Dar-e-Mehr in Nani Daman by. However, not all fire temples have or can attract such benefactors.
Iranshah Atash Behram renovated by the Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry family
Though necessary, physical maintenance alone is not enough. The fires need to be fed. The priests who tend them need to be looked after. Chasniwalas (assistants) have to paid. All this costs money.
Many minds must have been agitated over how to attract resources from within a dwindling population. And both orthodox and liberal devotees have the best interests of the religion and the community at heart.
Brainstorming is needed, but a samast anjuman (all community) meet, regrettably, is not the answer. I had attended the samast anjuman meeting at Rustom Baug called by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet on December 15, 2000, on the matter of disposal of the dead. The audience, many unruly and uncouth, booed speakers it was in disagreement with. No ideas were forthcoming, much less any resolution.
My personal suggestion would be to invite ideas and suggestions from the community at large, form a committee to initially sift the inputs, short-list the viable ones and refer them to a think tank. The inputs should be brief, strictly to the point, polite and constructive. Any abusive inputs should be discarded.
Let’s be pragmatic and consider all constructive suggestions without bias or bigotry, whether put forward by the orthodox or the liberals. Let’s not go overboard either way. After all, how many women still "sit separate” during menses? How many, even among the liberal-minded, would welcome large-scale conversion?
Zoroastrianism advocates the golden mean. Let’s incorporate that into our lives and policies to make both the religion and the community more cohesive, alive and vibrant. Let’s keep those fires glowing!
ARMIN WANDREWALA
arminvey@gmail.com