Eleven-year-olds Danesh Jilla of Navsari, and Bakhtiyar Dumasia, Palash Tarapurwala and Hriday Amrolia, all of Bombay, were navjoted free of cost at the Kadmi and Shahensahi Anjuman Daremeher in Poona thanks to the efforts of the Zoroastrian Youth Association (ZYA), the Poona Zarathoshti Seva Mandal (PZSM) and other donors. New clothes were provided to the children, mostly students of Poona’s J. N. Petit Technical School, by PZSM while watches were gifted by the Bacha family. Lunch was provided on a no-profit basis by Hutoxi Nanavatti of Food Gallery. Flower arrangements and bouquets were sponsored by Ervad Gayomard Sinor. Of the priests who performed the ceremony — Sinor, Ervads Kaipasun Raimalwalla, Cyrus Pestonjee, Arzaan Khambatta, Neville Karkaria, Cyrus Bhada, Noshirwan Dastoor — a few waived their fees.
Young initiates, family members and supporters in Poona
The ZYA wishes to conduct such events again in the future and requests all community members to contribute for such causes. They also invite applications from deserving Zoroastrians, if they wish to initiate their child into the faith. Interested parties should contact Farah Khambatta on 9130377764.
Volunteers who helped organize the event were Mabrin Nanavatti, Faramroze Taraporewalla, Farah Khambatta, Arzaan Khambatta, Kurush Patel, Khurshid Irani, Porusasp Irani and Hormuz Pundole.