Mike Hankey, Consul General of the United States in Bombay visited Udvada along with his wife Melissa on December 2, 2024. They went to see the Iranshah Atash Behram from outside and were treated to glasses of doodh na puff. Thereafter they had lunch at Oliaji’s Hotel Duke in Devka, Daman where they sampled Parsi cuisine, enjoying sali boti, patra ni machhi, Russian pattice and caramel custard, as per social media posts.
Melissa and Mike Hankey flanking
Dastur Khurshed Dastoor outside Iranshah
Photo: Instagram, usconsulategeneralmumbai
At the heritage town, the couple met Vada Dastur Khurshed Dastoor to learn about the history of Zoroastrianism and the contribution of the Parsi community to India’s religious pluralism and cultural fabric, reveals an Instagram post. At the Zoroastrian Museum and Information Centre in Udvada Hankey gained insights into the cultural heritage of the Parsi community in India. He even joined a group of students from the Sheth Pirojsha Pallonji High School and Gujarat Prathmik Shaka and appreciated how the history, beliefs and practices of Zoroastrianism continue to be a vital thread in the tapestry of India and contribute to Udvada’s prosperity, notes another Instagram post. S. V.
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