With reference to your editorial "Rooting for the community” (Parsiana, August 7-20, 2023), I think that considering women as second class individuals in the community is a misconception. To fathom the evolution of this we need to look at Indian tradition and history.
In India, the joint family was the norm. Essentially, when a woman married, she was expected to conform to the traditions, religion and practices of that family. Hence it follows that the children with a non-Parsi parent would be unlikely to be brought up with Parsi traditions or expected to uphold the faith and practices or be loyal to the cause that our forefathers died for.
Today children care little about religion even if born of both Parsi parents. Those of mixed marriages are pretty much a lost cause as is amply evident overseas. Parsi community traditions are unknown, as the children imbibe foreign culture and education. In India, the fight seems to be more about benefits, community housing and welfare funding rather than culture, religion, tradition and access to Parsi institutions. If these are damaged then everything else we value will certainly be lost in due course.
ROHINTON UNWALLA
Port Coquitlam, Canada
unwalla@hotmail.com
In your editorial "Rooting for the community” (Parsiana, August 7-20, 2023), you believe that harking back to the roots refers to India. I would like to believe that this conveys going back to the Gathas. There is a big gap between what the Gathas state and how we practice our religion in India.
The Gathas are beautiful in their utter simplicity. They tell us to be good human beings by thinking good thoughts, speaking good words and performing good deeds. We need to show compassion and empathy towards others, especially those less fortunate than us. Does it make me a compassionate person if I go regularly to the fire temple and recite prayers which I do not understand? The muktad prayers are recited so hastily that at times it is not clear for whom the prayers are being recited. Prayers, traditions and rituals are fine, but do they make me a person as described in the Gathas?
I was brought up in the finest traditions of a liberal family. Dastur Framroze Bode, under whom I was ordained a navar, was a regular guest at special occasions of the family. I was taken to meet Dastur Maneckji Dhalla of Karachi whenever he came to Bombay. Why were Bode and others ostracized for doing what they thought was right?
Are there dos and don’ts in the Gathas? Today nearly 50% of marriages are interfaith. As many priests do not wish to perform such marriages I am asked to work overtime! Also, when children of interfaith married couples wish to have their navjotes done, I perform them.
There are several non-Zoroastrians living abroad who, after studying all religions, choose to convert to Zoroastrianism. Why do our priests deny them this privilege? There is absolutely nothing in our scriptures which prohibits this. On the contrary, our faith fully supports conversion. In one case a person, born into the Greek Orthodox faith, flew in all the way from Greece to be inducted as a Zoroastrian.
After performing navjotes, I tell the initiates that they will be faced with three basic choices in life — wealth, fame and respect. Wealth and fame are transitory, whereas respect is eternal. Treat others, black or white, rich or poor, man or woman, with respect and dignity and you will be respected in return.
Ruzbeh Hodiwala is writing a doctoral thesis on what he calls neo Zoroastrians, those whose parents are not Zoroastrians but who have opted to become Zoroastrians. Why should we deny them their wish? The Gathas are emphatic about free choice. Why are we told we cannot do this or we must do that? The Gathas state we design our own destiny.
In the past some followed the practice of performing the kusti ritual after each visit to the washroom. Was that specified in the Gathas? Is it practical in today’s world? If Parsis are to survive they must adapt. I believe no religion can survive without change. The message of the Gathas is basic; there will be nothing much to change. Ervad YEZAD KAPADIA
Gurgaon, Haryana
yezad.kapadia@gmail.com