At the biannual meetings of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI) there is often a lament about the poor utilization of dharamshalas.
There is a sea change in the prevailing perquisites among press reporters and traveling sales representatives, in the last 20-25 years.
Parsi businessmen/sales executives bypass dharamshalas and live in hotels of varying grades.
If there is a persistent trend of low occupancy (say, for the last five years), it is most unlikely that the occupancy will swell in the near future. The concerned anjumans should seriously abandon the thought of running dharamshalas and instead convert them into shops and offices. They may have to pull down the structure but it is well worth it.
One has to change with the times and change fast. Lamenting is not a solution.
BEHRAM T. DASTUR...