A Parsi woman who challenged rejection of her nomination to contest Bombay Parsi Punchayat (BPP) elections got no immediate relief from Bombay high court. HC referred to her “obvious reluctance’’ to obtain confirmation that her proposer, Rustom Jeejeebhoy, member of the illustrious Jeejeebhoy family, continues to profess Zoroastrianism. Elections to two vacancies are on March 14 but BPP will approach court to postpone the elections in view of Covid.

Article in the Times of India

BPP said it was unaware of his conversion till some voters and candidates informed it after the final date of nominations on February 1. It relied on a social media page from last July of a lecture to be conducted by Jeejeebhoy in a ‘Reflective Bible seminar’ on the ‘Book of Ruth’, which said he had converted in 2005.

BPP argued that if a person did not qualify as a Parsi, there was no purpose contending his name continued to be on the general register. HC found prima facie merit in this contention.

Punchayat had on February 18 rejected the nomination of Zuleika Homavazir, a professor at Wilson College, as Jeejeebhoy converted to Christianity and was a pastor. BPP said it got information that Jeejeebhoy renounced Zoroastrianism, so he was ineligible to nominate her. She moved HC to question her disqualification as a candidate.

The key plea, noted Justice A K Menon, was to stay invalidation of her nomination and allow her to contest.

She said soon after filing nominations she “learnt of rumours from WhatsApp messages and social media that Jeejeebhoy, her proposer, had converted to Christianity, having renounced the Zoroastrianism’’. The HC order said she apparently tried to reach him and checked the general register, which had his name. As a precaution on February 1, the last date for filing nominations, she wrote to BPP to accept her father as ‘co-proposer’.

Her counsel, Rajeev Singh, raised 14 issues and said allegations that Jeejeebhoy converted were “not substantiated’’, so her invalidation was “without due process’’. It was the trustees’ duty to prepare the voters’ list. Since Jeejeebhoy’s name was on the list, whether or not he had converted, was not relevant at this stage.

BPP, through counsel Somasekhar Sunderasan, said, “There is serious doubt if her proposer continues to profess Zoroastrianism’’. He produced the affidavit of trustee Noshir Dadrewala in support of their opposition to her candidature.

HC said the trust relies on its reply and annexures “which reveal prima facie that Jeejeebhoy converted to Christianity’’.

HC said if Jeejeebhoy continued to profess his original faith, it was easy for her to get him to say it on oath.

The full 9 minute BBC segment on the Jiyo Parsi program including extended interviews with Professor Dr. Almut Hintze; Zartoshty Brothers Professor of Zoroastrianism at SOAS and Xerxes Dastur, Trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet.

Dr. Zameer Careem, a Sri Lankan historian speaks about the Parsis of Sri Lanka

Past the Parsi hostel for women in Worli, through a narrow opening almost down a rabbit hole, lies the once-slum colony of Mayanagar. The birthplace of the Dalit Panthers in the 1970s has now been gentrified; there are apartments with lifts. A bright yellow crane at the entrance, however, indicates that work is still in progress.

Article by Mandira Nayar | The WEEK

Kobad Ghandy | Photo by Amey Mansabdar

After spending a decade in several prisons, Kobad Ghandy—painted as the poster boy of the ultra-left movement in India—has returned to where it all began for him. Free now, he plods carefully with his walker. “Arthritis and sciatica are both jail products,” he says.

Old timers who recognise him stop to take pictures with an unmasked Ghandy. “I take things to build my immunity, then I do not worry that much,” he says.

Ghandy chats easily, reminiscing about the 1970s, when he walked in armed with a mat and printed material to awaken the people of Mayanagar into political consciousness. “I remember the first time I met him,” says Arul Francis—one of the young men Ghandy inspired—as he sits down with a milky cup of coffee. This is the first time the two are meeting in decades. Back then, Francis was among the many unemployed youth fired up by the ideas of B.R. Ambedkar, Karl Marx and Jyotirao Phule. “I still remember what was printed on the paper he brought when I first met him:

‘Bombay is the most densely populated city with 60 per cent slums. Why?’ We had no consciousness about social issues till then,” says Francis.

Despite his years in the field—even “declassing” to live in a dalit slum in Nagpur—Ghandy’s accent stubbornly remains. It is a constant reminder of privilege and the world he left behind. But it is not a barrier, and the camaraderie is real. “We would talk about everything in our lives,” says Rajesh Bhalerao, a dalit activist who was 17 when the Panthers came to be. An unemployed Bhalerao had received his lessons in political consciousness with Ghandy. “We were fighting for the fundamental rights that the Constitution guaranteed us,” he says. “We were raising issues of unemployment through the tools that democracy provided us, like protests. But there was also a blowback.”

In May 1972, having spent three months in a British jail for organising an anti-racism meeting (he had gone there to study chartered accountancy), Ghandy had returned to India, only to stumble upon Mayanagar. It was close to his parents’ flat in Worli, though it could have easily been another world. It is here, with its primitive drainage and lack of water, that Ghandy encountered caste.
The Dalit Panthers’ vibrant cultural revolt against rigid Hinduism, borrowing from the Black Panthers of America, was forcing questions of equality. Idealism, Marxism and communism offered the heady possibility of change.

“There used to be a car showroom across the road,” says Francis. “He asked us whether we would be able to buy a car even if we had the money or would we have to be content to just watch it from outside. It was our first lesson in class.”

It was a powerful lesson, one that changed Francis’s life. It also played a part in transforming the slum into its current state. “They stood on their own feet and managed to get the slum redeveloped,” Ghandy says with pride. “Across the road, the other side, the slum still remains. That is because they were not organised.”

There were many who drifted into the basti (colony)—a favourite place for college students to earn their social work stripes—but Ghandy was a regular. Mayanagar changed him. It became a lifelong commitment. He realised that his work there could become a lifelong commitment. A few years later, he took a further radical step; he and his wife, Anuradha, moved into the dalit basti in Indora, Nagpur. “It was not a sacrifice,” he says in his first in-depth interview after being released from jail in late 2019.

Ghandy’s prison days began in 2009, when he was arrested in Delhi and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. “It is dehumanising, especially Tihar, where I spent the maximum time,” he says, matter-of-factly. “It is meant to break you. [Break] people like us, and people without money, resources or connections. And if you are somewhat sensitive, it is difficult to maintain your sanity.”

Then home minister P. Chidambaram had launched Operation Green Hunt, an all-out offensive against the “red corridor”, which stretched from Nepal to Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka and Kerala. “Left-wing extremism (Naxalism) is the most violent movement in the country,” he had told top police officers in 2011.
This is the movement the police claimed Ghandy was an active part of.

“Kobad Ghandy was a central committee member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). He was in charge of the international affairs wing of the banned outfit,” says K. Durga Prasad, who once headed Andhra Pradesh’s anti-Naxal force, the Greyhounds. He says that though he has no information on whether Ghandy actually participated in any Maoist operations against security forces directly, that in itself is no proof of his innocence. “He was extending logistical support to Maoists, arranging funds, organising meetings and was fully involved as a CC member,” he asserts.

In 2016, a Delhi court, and subsequently four other courts, found Ghandy innocent of any terror link. “The police had really no evidence,” says Ghandy’s lawyer Rebecca John. “We demolished the case, witness by witness, relying on inconsistencies and contradictions. It was one of the earlier cases under UAPA, but once the Delhi court ruled there was no evidence to connect him to a banned organisation, he was able to get relief in almost all his pending cases on similar charges across the country.”

Out now, Ghandy stays with his sister and has spent his time writing. He learnt to type in jail. His first book Fractured Freedom: A Prison Memoir, published by Roli Books, hits stores later this month.

Born to Nargis and Adi Ghandy, who were from “the typical Parsi/corporate background”, Ghandy’s commitment to the communist cause seemed highly peculiar. He had studied at the elite Doon School, with Sanjay Gandhi as his classmate, and hardly seemed the kind for revolution. “He was a shy, withdrawn fellow,” says Gautam Vohra, his classmate in Doon School. “One would have never imagined that he would get so involved with any issue, especially communism. He never paraded his views, he never made a big display. But you could see he had commitment.”

Also read

• I consider myself a radical seeking to change society
• Ten years, seven jails, five states

Ghandy is gentle, almost professorial, and charmingly idealistic even now. His conviction in communism apart, he has found support from friends and family, though they do not share his vision.

His life changed when he met Anuradha Shanbag, to whom the book is dedicated. There was love, marriage and shared ideology. Involved with the Progressive Youth Movement, which was inspired by the Naxal movement, Anu was a firebrand intellectual committed to the cause.

Her parents shared the same ideology. “There was very little choice if you came from my family,” says her brother Sunil Shanbag, who expressed his ideology in theatre. “I was in Rishi Valley [School], when I got a letter from her talking about why the nationalisation of banks was right. Anu was then only 14.” Over the years, Anuradha got more radicalised. “I remember she went to a camp of Bangladesh refugees in Madhya Pradesh, and she came back changed,” he says. There were intense discussions with her father over politics, even though they were both leftists, and Anuradha chose a different life. “Kobad came here often, and we soon realised that there was a relationship,” says Sunil.

New horizons: Ghandy at the Mumbai airport on his way to London to study chartered accountancy in 1968

They married in 1977, when the Emergency was lifted. They were both involved in the civil liberties movement at the time and founded the Committee for the Protection of Democratic Rights in Maharashtra. A few years after the wedding, the couple moved to Indora and got actively involved with organisational activities. They deliberately kept away from family to avoid attachment. Anuradha cycled 15km daily to reach the college where she taught. They led a frugal existence. “It must have been difficult for my sister. It must have come at a personal cost,” says Sunil. “She was an avid letter writer, too, and while clearing my mother’s stuff after she died, I found her letters from her period in Indora. She must have realised that her parents were anxious.”

Except for a few short visits early on, they kept away from relatives. There are no photographs of the couple with their families after marriage. When her father died, Anu could not go home. It was just one of the extreme steps that the two took to keep focus.

They also decided to not have children. “In those days, in Andhra Pradesh,” writes Ghandy, “it was a norm that if a young married couple were both active revolutionaries, the male member would have a vasectomy to avoid children, which required additional attention and [would] distract from one’s activities. Anu and I, having decided to dedicate our time to the poor, followed this norm after marriage.”

In 1999, the couple returned to Mumbai; Anu had been asked to leave Nagpur University (where she taught) for her political activities. She had become a mass leader, and “her work with trade unions and women was increasingly coming under the scanner of the cops,” writes Ghandy.
She then went to Bastar for two years to work with the tribal women. On one of her trips to the forest, she contracted falciparum malaria, which led to an untimely death. “It was the worst day of my life,” says Ghandy.
The famous picture of Anuradha, smiling with thick, black frames, is from the morning of the wedding. “I had taken it with my camera,” says Sunil. “It was only after her death in 2008 that we found a few more that some friends had from an earlier period.”

The two most seen pictures of Ghandy—laughing on his wedding day and dazed on the day he was arrested—serve as a before and after poster. The years in between the two events have been captured in the new book. “Kobad’s story has fascinated me since I first heard about him,” says Priya Kapoor, editorial director at Roli Books. “We corresponded while he was in prison and I expressed interest in publishing his book whenever he was ready. Few live a life true to their convictions, especially when it leads to tremendous hardships. I hope his story is read widely; it deserves to be.”

Bombay high court on Wednesday asked trustees of Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) to work out by Thursday an alternative solution after a Parsi woman’s nomination for its forthcoming election was rejected on ground that her proposer, Rustom Jeejeebhoy, allegedly no longer professed Zoarastrian faith.

Article by Swati Deshpande | Times of India

The woman, Zuleika Homavazir, a department head at Wilson College, appealed against denial of interim relief by one-judge bench of Justice A K Menon on March 8, citing “reluctance” to get an affidavit from Jeejeebhoy of his continuing to be a Parsi.

A bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and Vinay Joshi, hearing her appeal, orally observed that unless her proposer’s name is struck off the general register as a member of the electorate, by following rules, he could be entitled to vote and propose names.

The BPP said it had sent him two emails, but the HC asked if it had sent an explicit notice under rules. The appeal bench posted the matter to Thursday for hearing.

Homavazir, in her appeal, said the single judge failed to consider that for polls—for two posts of trustees—till voter list was not altered and Jeejeebhoy’s name not deleted, the question of him purportedly having ceased to profess Zoroastrian faith is irrelevant.

Indian women chefs who left indelible culinary footprints across the nation

From cookbook writers to chefs in commercial kitchens of hotels and restaurants, several Indian women too have emerged as path-breakers in the culinary world. Kitchen was their battlefield and vision and grit, their commander. Let’s take a look at who these superwomen are!

The first Cordon Bleu chef from India, Bhicoo J Manekshaw is a champion of Parsi cuisine – At 83 years of age, she still popularises Parsi cuisine through her cookbooks. She set up Basil & Thyme, Delhi’s first standalone continental restaurant and has served as a food adviser to elite clubs such as India International Centre and Delhi Golf Club.

Full list here: https://pressroom.today/2021/03/11/indian-women-chefs-who-left-indelible-culinary-footprints-across-the-nation/

Young Parsi comics, who are laughing at themselves and the innate behaviour that makes Parsis, Parsis, are taking over a corner of the Internet

Pardiwalla believes that Bollywood stereotyping spoiled it for Parsis, and his portrayal of the community is closer to the truth

Article by Aastha Atray Banan | Sunday Mid-Day

An actor serious about theatre, Shreyas Pardiwalla, would cringe at the thought of being on TikTok. But, he succumbed to its charms during the Coronavirus induced lockdown. “As an artiste, you just want to be in front of the camera. I also realised that the platform is not cringe worthy, even if some of the content may be.” What worked for him was when he started channelling his inner Parsi. Even after he “lost” the platform after India’s ban on TikTok, he continued to make the videos and shifted to Instagram. “Parsis from all over the world—UK, US, Singapore, Turkey and even Pakistan—were reaching out to me, asking me to carry on,” says the 28-year-old resident of Warden Road. “Most people I meet now say, ‘I love bawas!’ and then they launch into gaalis, and I am like, ‘hold on’. The representation of Parsis in Bollywood has been clichéd, so for them to see a true-life Parsi speaking sweet Gujarati, is funny!”

Shreyas Pardiwalla dons a scarf for some of the videos and just like that, transforms seamlessly into an old Parsi woman

Pardiwalla who made his Bollywood debut in the 2014 sleeper hit, Yaariyan, is among a group of Parsi comics on Instagram gaining fans. Their behavioural quirks, insights into the community have helped their content stay authentic. And then there was a little help from the pandemic. Humour has been much sought after in dark, challenging times. Pardiwalla’s sketch on the “love story of Shirin and Dinsu” and his take on trending reels on Instagram with a Parsi twist, has been rocking social media and WhatsApp chats. He usually wraps a scarf around his head in the way old, Parsi women do, and sets off on his woman impersonation act. Viewers outside the Parsi community are loving his content, but he says, it has worked among the Zoroastrians, too “because we are one group that knows how to laugh at ourselves”. What’s keeping him busy these days? On popular demand, he is working on a video about Parsis and Holi.

Diya Parakh’s comic sense comes from her parents, who “have no filter”. Pic/Bipin Kokate

“Now, how would that be, I wonder?” he laughs. Colaba resident (“not Cusrow Baug”,  she clarifies) Diya Parakh, 23, has been flirting with standup for a year. She got noticed after she made a video titled, Sobo kids and their drivers, which spiralled out of control. When she says, “Ram Singh ji, aaj hamein suburbs jana hai. Main fus fus laya hai,” it’s hard not to crack up (fus fus refers to sanitiser). “That video going viral was a shock to me. My first video was on ‘how to introduce your non-Parsi boyfriend to your parents’. I had been making these to cheer myself up. But yes, all my wit comes from my parents. They are maha liberal, and talk about everything and anything. I have to sometimes remind them to exercise a filter when they speak in front of me,” she says.

Kareema Barry’s cross cultural family and their stories are her inspiration

The SoBo kids video garnered 1,23,933 views, and now she has friends sharing gossip with her with a disclaimer. “But, I notice everything!” Her day job is with a production company, but she has found the time to work on her passion, and she’s ready to introduce the world to a big project and hoping they like it. “I am 50 per cent funny, and 50 per cent emotional. So, I am going to try and channel both,” she says.

For Kareema Barry, it’s enough that she is only “a quarter Parsi”. Barry, who hit 100k last week, explains, “My dad’s mom was Parsi. I am Muslim, but there is also an Anglo-Indian angle. All of this has found its way into my comedy.” The 22-year-old was born in Kolkata, studied English Literature at Delhi University, and found her way back to Mumbai during the lockdown. Her videos, which feature people she knows, like “rich moms” and “Futtoh Phuppo” are hilarious. “My mother and I have gone for family functions and sniggered on the side. Phuppo [snarky aunt] was actually a family joke. I think I have picked up on things we think, but don’t talk about. The videos that aren’t mainstream, are the ones that have done the best,” says the creator, who wants to now pursue an MA degree along with making videos. “My father, who is the funniest person I know, was very influenced by Parsi culture, since he spent a lot of time with my nani. He starts his day acting like he’s Lionel Ritchie, so you can imagine!”

Women’s Day Special: Remembering-The lady of the Law- Mithan Tata Lam

There are few life stories as invigorating as that of Mithan Tata. Mithan Tata has the distinction of smashing the thickest of all professional ceiling- she has the distinction of being the first women, allowed to practice law before the Bombay High Court. In a sense, she was fortunate that The Legal Practitioners (Women) Act 1923 was passed in April, 1923 which allowed woman to practice law. Bombay bar room was radiated with her presence in November 1923. She was not only the first practicing women Barrister before the Bombay High Court but also the first women from Lincoln’s Inn to be called to the Bar. Incidentally, she was called on bar on 26^th January, 1923. The life trajectory of Mithan Tata is unusable to say the least. She was born in 1898 to a progressive liberal father- Ardeshir Tata- a textile Mill manager based near Nagpur and Hirabai Tata, a theosophist. Mithan Tata’s mother herself was a trailblazer-encouraged by her husband she studied further and was active in for social causes and Civil Rights.

Article by Dr Charu Mathur | Live Law India

In 1911, while holidaying in Kashmir, Hirabai and her daughter Mithan Tata had a chance encounter with Princess Sophia Duleep Singh. Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was a daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of Sikh empire. Maharaja Duleep Singh, aged 10 years was forced to sign Treaty of Lahore and had to abdicate his throne and beloved Kohinoor. He was exiled to England. There he met Princees Sophia’s mother Bamba Muller- a German merchant banker.

During 1911 visit of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh to India, mother and daughter had a chance meeting with Princess Sophia and were intrigued by small yellow green badge saying:”Votes for women”. Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was prominent suffragette in the UK. This, chance meeting ignited mother and daughter to demand voting rights for women in India. This demand was faced by contradictions- whether there should be full freedom from British first or the women should be right to vote. In 1918, the Montagu–Chelmsford reforms were introduced. The Lord Southborough headed the franchise committee was tasked with developing the electoral regulations under the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms. In these reforms there was no recommendation for Indian women’s enfranchisement. Large number of Petitions were filed for electoral reforms. The Lord Southborough in his 1919 report noted that educated women may be given right to vote but overall women were not ready for the vote. The report further noted that conservative sectors of society do not support women enfranchisement. This report was met by protest. So, when Lord Southborough sent his report to the Joint Select Committee (of the House of Lords and Commons) the Bombay Committee on Women’s Suffrage sent Hirabai Tata and her daughter Mithan Tata to give evidence. Sarojini Naidu and Annie Besant were sent from WIA(Women’s India Association). Young Mithan Tata did the groundwork and research and her mother present it further. Unfortunatley, only Naidu and Beasant were heard in person. Interestingly, Corneila Sorabjee gave confidential memorandum. She said that 10% of women are well read and are progressive while 90% are not. According to her these 90% left out women cannot be trusted and it will not be advisable to give them right to vote. Montagu-Chelmsford committee took opposition by conservative society for women’s right to vote almost as same as stirring “religious feeling”.

The mother and daughter stayed in London and enrolled at London School for Economics. While in England, they fought for giving women right to vote. The nationalist leaders also opposed women’s right. Mithan Tata travelled to Paris and met Madam Bhikaji Cama who told her to work for India’s freedom and Independence . She assured when India is free, women will not only get right to vote but other rights as well. Even Gandhiji in Young India suggested that he do not support “votes for women” at this stage. He said first goal is to get freedom from British. Undeterred, the pro franchise women continued there struggle.

In winters of 1923, Mithan Tata MA, Bsc, Barrister-at-Law joined the chambers of legendary Bhulabhai Desai at Bombay High Court. Now, she was a rare entity in the Bombay Bar. The only women in the completely male dominated bar. As understandable, there was a stiff resistance to give her work. Ironically, one of the earliest matter came to her was also because of her gender! A client had a water tight case and there was no chance of losing it. But he wanted to add “insult” of losing it to a women lawyer and so Mithan Tata- the only female Lawyer was engaged. Eventually, independent briefs started flowing to Mithan Tata.

In 1925, Lady Meherbai Tata established the National Council of Women in India and Mithan Tata led the legislative committee and which worked to improve the status of women. As a sign of first victory, Bengal Presidency in 1925 passed the bill for Women’s suffrage and the Punjab approved the same in 1926. Not only this, owning to tremendous industry of Mithan Tata the British Parliament allowed the Government of India to amend the electoral rules granting women the right to become legislative members. Immediately, Madras granted the right for women to contest elections for the Provincial Legislative Council.

Mithan Tata, was not only first arguing lawyer before the Bombay High Court but became the first women professor of Law in India. She was a Professor of law in Government Law College. When India became independent 1947 she became 1^st Sheriff of Bombay in independent India. Mithan Tata served on various bodies of United Nations as well as for rehabilitation of Refugees of Partition. She contributed in drafting of Parsi and Hindu personal laws.

Barrister Mithan Tata was married to Solicitor Jamshed Lam.

Views are personal

Author is a Lawyer practicing at Supreme Court of India

Our dear friend E. Kanga sends us an interesting article on the How and Why of Navroze in the Pisces constellation.

Sunrise, in Constellation ‘Pisces’ in Northern hemisphere, March 21^st

Constellations of the Zodiac, shown below at ‘Vernal Equinox’ thru the Ages.

Their periods of prominence – in the past & future epochs.

Graphic presentation of the Zodiac constellations on the plane of the ecliptic – showing three Constellations:

Aries, Pisces & Aquarius; with their ‘periods of prominence’ (in years) – at Vernal Equinox, through the ages.

Basic data on the subject of Vernal Equinox

The 12 signs of the Zodiac, on the plane of the ecliptic, are each represented by a celestial constellation.

– Each constellation of the Zodiac is assigned ~ 30^o of arc.

– Each 1^o of arc, precesses in 72years. Hence, each sign of the Zodiac takes à 2,160years (i.e., 72yrs x 30^o) to complete its periodic phase.

– Hence, it will take all twelve signs of the Zodiac – 25,920 years (2,160 yrs. x 12 signs) to complete one ecliptic cycle.

What is precession?

The Earth’s rotation axis is not fixed in space. Like the wobble of a rotating toy top, the direction of the rotation axis executes a slow precession, where-by the vernal equinox wobbles (or precesses) through all twelve signs of the Zodiac, in a grand period of appx. 26,000years. à (25,920 years to be exact – see calculation above.)

Precession of the Equinoxes

Since the rotation axis precesses in space, the orientation of the Celestial Equator also precesses with the same period. This means that the position of the equinoxes is changing slowly with respect to the background stars. This ‘precession of the equinoxes’ means that the right ascension & declination of objects changes very slowly over a 25,920year period. This effect is negligibly small for casual observing, but is an important correction for precise observations.

Dawning of the Age of Aquarius (In ~ 50yrs)

Because of precession of the equinoxes, the vernal equinox moves through all the constellations of the Zodiac over the 25,920 year precession period.

Presently, the vernal equinox is in ‘Pisces’ & slowly approaching à ‘Aquarius’

In about ~ 50 years, the ‘Age of Aquarius’ (celebrated in the musical ‘Hair’) will commence.

A ‘New-Age’ epoch will begin, when according to astrological mysticism; there will be

an awakening in humanity; with unusual harmony & understanding in the world.

We can certainly use a dose of harmony & understanding in today’s world.

What is the Aquarian Age?

According to Eva S. Dowling <https://ocoy.org/original-christianity/the-aquarian-gospel/> “…. the human race is to-day standing upon the cusp of the Piscean-Aquarian ages. Aquarius is an air sign and the New Age is already noted for remarkable inventions for the use of air, electricity, magnetism etc. Men navigate the air as fish do the sea, and send their thoughts spinning around the world with the speed of light. The word ‘Aquarius’ is derived from the Latin word aqua, meaning water. ‘Aquarius’ is the water bearer; hence the symbol of the sign which is the eleventh sign in the Zodiac, is a man carrying in his right hand a pitcher of water.

The Master (Jesus) referred to the beginning of the Aquarian Age in these words:

‘And then, the man who bears the pitcher will walk forth across an arc of heaven; the sign and signet of the ‘Son of Man’ will stand forth in the eastern sky. The wise will then lift up their heads and know that the redemption of the earth is near.’ . (Aquarian Gospel 157: 29, 30)

The Aquarian Age is pre-eminently a spiritual age and the spiritual side of the great lessons that Jesus gave to the world may now be comprehended by multitudes of people, for the many are now coming into an advanced stage of spiritual consciousness; so with much propriety, this book is called: The Aquarian (or Spiritual) Gospel of Jesus, the Christ.’ —Dan Costian. (PhD) https://dancostian.com/biography.html

Some notes

1. Before the Aquarian Age dawns, the earth will encounter major upheavals & disasters in the next few decades – either natural or populace created – as recent events on the planet have indicated. There are more and bigger changes predicted for the near future; in the present ‘Kali Yage’ (i.e., Age of Darkness).

2. This compilation is in answer to many Parsee’s who erroneously believe that on ‘Fasli Navroz’ –sunrise is always in the constellation of Aries, which is incorrect.

© E. Kanga. March 2012.*

Sunrise on 21^st March –Vernal Equinox– in the Constellation of ‘Pisces’ in the North Hemisphere. (E.K. 2019)

Brigadier Furdoon “Duck” Mehta, the Royal Indian Artillery officer who survived a bullet passing through his cap and later became military attache in Washington, has passed away on his 101st birthday on March3.

Cut to March 1944: flying a single-seater Auster over the Bm1nese jungle while direct­ing artillery fire, Captain “Duck” Mehta always had to dodge the flak and the bullets. Having taken off before dawn one morning to locate Japanese gm1 positions in the Shan Hills, and seeing nothing, he had descended to 300ft when there was a loud crack. Something hit his head and spun it rom1d, and the cockpit was sprayed with red liquid.

A ground observer urged him on the radio to gain height, as the whole Japanese position had opened fire on him. He managed to land at a nearby strip, where an ambulance driver told him his aircraft had “taken a terrible battering”.

The Auster was punctured with bullet holes and one of the main wing spars was fi·ac­ tm·ed. Mehta’s left shoulder was wet and red, yet he felt no pain. A bullet had come through the right side of the cockpit, ricocheted into the first aid box and broken the Mercurochrome bottle.

The driver asked about his service-dress cap, which looked like a fusilier’s with its white plune sticking up. Mehta was dismayed to dis­cover the bullet had gone through it, taking with it the lining and some of his hair. It had been a very pukka cap.

The Royal Regiment of Indian Artillery had its origins in 1827, when a battery was raised in Bombay for the East India Company’s army of the Bombay presidency. The other two presidencies, Madras and Bengal, soon followed suit.

After the Indian Mutiny in 1857, despite the trouble being confined almost entirely to Bengal, all native artillery units were disbanded except mountain batteries. The First World War reversed the policy and the Indian Artillery, led by both British and Indians, was rapidly expanded, serving in East Africa, West Asia and Gallipoli.

Trials in England in the 1930s for gm111er officers to fly light aircraft to control the guns led to the formation of “air observation post” squadrons, nominally RAF but with Royal Artillery officers doing the flying and commanding Number 656 (Air OP) Squadron was sent to India to join Lieutenant-General (later Field Marshal Sir)William Slim’s Fourteenth Army on the Burmese border. Mehta was the only Indian officer to serve with the squadron.

Furdoon Siavax Behramji Mehta was born in 1920 into a devout Parsee family in Bom­bay. His father had studied medicine at Bombay, UCL and Edinburgh, and served as a surgeon captain in the Indian Medical Service in the First World War.

After schooling locally, in 1934  Furdoon Mehta joined the Mercantile Marine Training Ship Dufferin for two years, before going to the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun. He was commis­sioned into the Royal Indian Artillery in 1940, and two years later answered a call for volunteers to be Air OP pilots.

After initial flying training at RAF Jodhpur and Air OP training and conversion to the Auster at the newly estab­lished School of Artillery at Deolali, he joined 656Squadron.

Nicknames being derigueur  for pilots, it was per­haps inevitable that coming from Bombay his would be “Duck”, which he bore with good humour and even some pride

He flew from both earth strips and aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Bengal until the Japanese surender, and then during the reoccupation of Malaya.

After the war Mehta came to England for the land-air warfare course at Old Sarum, Wiltshire, before attendingtl1e h1dian Army staff college at Quetta. On independence in 1947, aged 27, he took com­ mand of the 9th Parachute Field Regiment, a markedly accelerated promotion to lieu­ tenant colonel that no one in theh1dian artillery has beaten since.

He then served at army headquarters in Delhi before being appointed chief instruc­tor at Dehradun, future recognition of his leadership qualities. He returned to Salisbury Plain in 1955 to attend the celebrated long gunnery course at the Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill, and then spent the following year on at­ the British Army of the Rhine.

Subsequently, he com­manded the artillery at divisional, corps and many level, and during the India-Pakistan war of 1965 planned and direct­ed the air defence of the field armies and vital points throughout much of northern India, including Delhi. The following year he went to Washington as military and naval attache with his wife, Villie, whom he had met on leave in Bombay six years earlier and proposed to within a week.

After leaving the army early, in 1969, he worked for many years for Tata Electric. Villie died in 2020. Mehta is survived by a son, Hormuz, who works in financial services, and a daughter, Zarina, who is a television producer and philanthropist.

“Duck” Mehta retained great affection for Britain and returned many times with his wife to attend reunions and meet old comrades. He wore a poppy on November 11 each year and always attended Remembrance commemorations, a living antidote to modern British self-abasement for its Indian past.

The Times, London

Article in the Indian Express by Man Aman Singh Chhina

Brigadier Furdoon Siavax Byramji Mehta: Pioneer of Indian Army Aviation Corps, not averse to risk

Named ‘Duck’ Mehta by his fellow officers after the fish Bombay Duck, the Brigadier who passed away in Mumbai on March 3, on his birthday, at the age of 101 years, had many firsts to his credit.

Brigadier Mehta (centre) was nicknamed ‘Duck’ by fellow officers after the fish Bombay Duck, because he came from Bombay. (Express Photo)

Not many would be able to keep their head and keep maneuvering an aircraft especially after an enemy bullet slices through their cap, taking with it a chunk of hair. For Brigadier Furdoon Siavax Byramji Mehta (retd), however, it was just another day at the front during the Second World War and something that couldn’t deter him from flying into enemy territory again.

Named ‘Duck’ Mehta by his fellow officers after the fish Bombay Duck, the Brigadier who passed away in Mumbai on March 3, on his birthday, at the age of 101 years, had many firsts to his credit.

He was the first Indian Artillery officer to wear the wings of the Air Observation Post (Air OP), now known as Army Aviation Corps. He was the only Indian Artillery officer to have served with the 656 Air OP Squadron of Royal Air Force (RAF) in Burma and Malaya in Second World War. He was also the first Indian Commanding Officer of 9 Parachute Field Regiment, a command which he took over in 1947 at the age of just 27 years.

Born on March 3, 1920, Mehta joined the Indian Military Academy in 1938 and graduated in April 1940. He was commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery and participated in the Second World War between 1942 to 1945, both in the traditional artillery role and in Air OP pilot’s role.

As a Captain, he trained as a pilot at the No 2 Elementary Flying and Training School (EFTS) at Jodhpur, which was established by then Maharaja of Jodhpur, Umaid Singh. Mehta was posted to the 656 Air Op Squadron RAF in Arakans, Burma, and later on the central front, which comprised Imphal plains in India.

Not averse to taking risks, it was in 1944 in Burma during the Second World War that Mehta narrowly escaped getting shot while flying too low on a recce to locate the position of Japanese soldiers. The bullets went through his cap, taking away a tuft of hair.

He also lost his way once, in February 1945, in the thick jungles trying to help an armoured regiment’s Colonel reconnoiter and risked crashing because he was flying without a compass. He decided to land an on airstrip, which still was still embedded with Japanese landmines marked with white crosses, because he needed fuel and a bearing to get back to an Advanced Landing Ground. Recounting the day in an article in the magazine ‘Freedom First’ some years ago, Brig Mehta said, “The Colonel asked me what the white crosses meant, so I said they were only mines and said I was going in for a landing. You should have seen his face!”.

Brig Mehta had a distinguished 29 year long career during which he also served as the Military Attache in Washington, USA from 1967 to 1969.

His military career saw him graduate from the Staff College in Quetta, now in Pakistan, in 1947, command a Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, becoming the Chief Instructor in Indian Military Academy in 1953, attending the Long Gunnery Staff Course (LGSC) at Larkhill Salisbury UK from 1955 to 1956, commanding 25 Artillery Brigade Rajouri in 1957 and 27 Artillery Brigade in Jalandhar in 1958, among other achievements.

The last wish of Brigadier FSB Mehta was that an Indian Army bugler should play ‘The Last Post’ at his funeral. A wish that was honoured by the Army’s Southern Command.

Wreaths were laid on behalf of the GOC-in-C Southern Command, GOC-in-C Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa (MG&G) Area, Commanding Officer 9 Para Field Regiment and the Ex-Services Association Mumbai where he served as Vice Chairman for over 40 years.

Obituary by Malcolm Deboo, President ZTFE

RIP Brigadier Furdoon Siavax Byramji Mehta 3^rd March 1920 – 3^rd March 2021

Dear ZTFE Members & Well-wishers

We are all aware that the highest number of volunteers who served King Emperor and Great Britain during both world wars were from India, including many Zoroastrians. The legendary Brigadier Furdoon Siavax Mehta, who passed away on his 101^st birthday on Wednesday 3^rd March 2021 (Behram roj, Meher mah), was one of them! The distinguished soldier and devout Zoroastrian, was the first Indian Artillery officer to wear the wings of the Air Observation Post (Air OP). He was the only Indian Artillery officer to have served as a Captain with the RAF 656 Air OP Squadron in Burma and Malaya in WWII.

‘Valiant Parsis in War and Peace’ written by the noted community historian Marzban J Giara has a write up on Brigadier Furdoon S B Mehta on page 150. Furdoon was born on 3^rd March 2020 to Najoo and Major Dr Siavax Byramji Mehta IMS, both devout Zoroastrians. Dr Siavax Byramji Mehta, following his medical studies in Bombay, came to the UK for further studies at University College London and Edinburgh. Dr Mehta joined the IMS in 1916 and served a surgeon during WWI. Captain Dr Siavax Byramji Mehta was promoted to the rank of Major in 1926.

After completing his schooling Furdoon joined the Indian Mercantile Training Ship ‘Dufferin’ in 1934. However,

he was not keen of taking a job with P&O, because he wanted to join the army like his father, but was underage. In 1936 he went to the famous Cambridge School at Dehra Dun, before joining the Military Academy in 1938 where he stood 7^th out of 150, scoring full marks in his interview. On 3^rd April 1940 Furdoon was commissioned in the Royal Regiment of Indian Artillery, which has its origins in 1827, and was posted to 11 Field Regiment RA at Meerut. In 1942 the Army asked for volunteers to join the Air Observation Post with the RAF. Captain Furdoon S B Mehta was the only Indian officer to volunteer Air OP. He was the first Indian Army aviator and flew from air strips on land and from aircraft carriers, thus had the honour of being the only Indian Triphibian during WWII, having served in all the 3 services; RN, Army and RAF.

In 1947, aged just 27 years and with a rapid promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, Furdoon S B Mehta became the first Indian Commanding Officer of 9 Parachute Field Regiment, a record that no one in the Indian artillery has beaten since. During the 1962 Indo Sino war, he served under the legendary Sam F Maneckshaw in NEFA. He served as the Military and Naval Attaché in Washington, USA from 1967 to 1969. Brigadier Furdoon S B Mehta left the

Army in 1969 after a distinguished 29 year long career. In civil life, he joined Cambata Aviation and became their Director Operations and then Tata Electric where he retired in 1980 aged 60 as the Manager Administration of all Tata Electric Companies. He also served for over 40 years as Vice Chairman of the Ex-Services Association Mumbai.

The anglophile Brigadier Mehta always wore a poppy every year on 11^th November and

always attended the Remembrance commemorations. On Remembrance Sunday November 2013, aged 91, he was introduced to HRH Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Afghan Church, Mumbai. It was reported in Parsi Khabar on 1^st December 2013, that Brigadier Mehta gave the address at the service on theme of moral courage. He told the congregation “moral courage implies quiet resolution” and the ability “to take risks, the will

to take full responsibility for decisions, share rewards with subordinates and equally take blame when things go wrong”. https://parsikhabar.net/bombay/brigadier-furdoon-mehta- meets-with-prince-charles/7082/

A very interesting and affectionate obituary of Brigadier Mehta was written in The Times, Friday 12^th March 2021 page 52, which we are sharing with you, tilted; “Brigadier Furdoon ‘Duck’ Mehta: Royal Indian Artillery officer who survived a bullet through his cap and later became military attaché in Washington”. For those who subscribe to The Times, the online link is; https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brigadier-furdoon-duck-mehta-obituary- pb0vmqf8n

The Indian Express also wrote an affectionate obituary of Brigadier Mehta, titled; “Brigadier Furdoon Siavax Byramji Mehta: Pioneer of Indian Army Aviation Corps, not averse to risk”. The online link is; https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pioneer-of-indian-army-aviation- corps-not-averse-to-risk-7226094/

Furdoon met his soul mate Villie in Bombay in 1960 while on leave and proposed to her within a week after their initial meeting. They visited the UK several times, while he was in the army and after he retired to attend reunions with old comrades. In July 2019, at the age of 99, Brigadier Furdoon S B Mehta was felicitated by the Parachute Field Regiment for being one of the oldest WWII veterans. On 3^rd March 2020 he

celebrated his 100^th surrounded by his nonagenarian wife Villie, son Hormuz, daughter Zarina Ronnie Screwalla, family and friends. Villie sadly passed away later in 2020.

The funeral ceremony of the grand old man and well known aviator was performed on his 101^st birthday at 3.45pm at the Hodiwala Bungli, Towers of Silence Mumbai. The last wish of Brigadier FSB Mehta was that an Indian Army bugler should play ‘The Last Post’ at his funeral, a wish that was honoured by the Army’s Southern Command.

May Brigadier Furdoon Siavax Byramji Mehta’s soul rest in peace next to his beloved wife Villie, in Garothman. May his fravashi inspire us all to be courageous and voluntarily serve our country.

Kindly inform those who are not connected to the internet or / and do not receive ZTFE Group emails.

Yours sincerely Malcolm M Deboo ZTFE President

Niloufer is a cookbook author and cooking instructor with a great passion for food and a love of world travel.

The people from Pars – a province in the Persian Empire — migrated to Gujarat, India, 2500 years ago. Persecuted, most of them fled, taking with them their rich culture, heritage, traditions and cuisine. The locals referred to them as Parsis, which continues to date.

Article by Niloufer Mavalwala | The Cooks Cook

Adopting and adapting to many of the local traditions, the Parsis are a success story for India. What we lack in having a flag or a nation to call our own we make up in rather large strides in every sector of the economy. We continue to leave an indelible mark wherever we live: the Covid vaccine by the Poonawala family, Freddy Mercury, and maestro Zubin Mehta, to name a few.

Persian and Parsi food have many commonalities. Both tend to love sweets, adding fruit and nuts to both savory and sweet dishes, and cook with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves.  They also share the method of cooking meats in yogurt and milk, uncommon in other cuisines.

Saffron – the dried stigma of the crocus bulb is very special to us. Rose and citrus, like orange and lemons, are also a must in both cuisines. Vinegar, jaggery and tamarind are favorites. Eggs and garlic are incorporated in many ways. Interestingly, unrefined jaggery sugar has  often been dropped from modern day recipes, but its health benefits and increasingly easier access around the world has made it an ingredient worth reviving.

Festivities like Navroze or “New Day” – Naurooz in Farsi — marks the first day of the Spring Equinox and is eagerly celebrated. Falling on March 20th/21st of each year it marks the end of winter and reminds us to cleanse our homes to start afresh for the year ahead. The occasion is celebrated with friends, families, and neighbors, sharing whatever one is fortunate enough to have.

Neighbouring countries also celebrate Navroze. It is estimated that over 190 million people mark this occasion every year.

Traditionally every home prepares a Haftseen table, a symbolic tribute to the seven creations of the universe – fire, water, air, earth, metal, the plant and animal kingdom. The table features candles, a mirror, coins, flowers, painted eggs, nuts and dry fruit, and gold fish.

In addition, seven items beginning with the letter S are offered as thanks for the abundance in one’s home, and with hope for continuity into the days to come.

Sumac – dried berry powder represents sunrise

Semanu – sweet semolina pudding

Seb – apple representing health and beauty

Sabzi – greens or lentils representing life and rebirth

Seer – garlic representing health

Senjed – olives representing love

Serkeh – vinegar representing age and patience

This festivity founded by the Zoroastrian King Jamshed the Great of the Persian Empire centuries ago continues to be an important part of modern-day Iran and is celebrated over several days.

The dining table offers a buffet to all who come visit the family bearing gifts like sweets, flowers and wine. It often has a meat, fish and vegetable. Sweets of choice and homemade cheese, laid out with fruits like pomegranates and clementines, complete the table. An offering of rose water is splashed for its perfume on guests, and each person looking into the mirror makes a wish for the year ahead, making for a light-hearted event.

While there are plenty of recipes that are prepared for this occasion, I would like to share two of them here. Intricately entwined with my Persian and Indian heritage, the first includes dry fruit and nuts and fresh coconut.  Chaapat (pronounced Chaa- putt) is a simple delectable pancake – I have dressed it up with thinly rolled out marzipan between the layers and served with a crème anglaise. The other is copra na pancake using a French-style crèpe to fill with a fragrant rose and cardamom-speckled coconut filling.

Chaapat — Parsi Sweet Pancake

Chaapat or Parsi crèpes/pancakes are easy to make. Chaapat is pronounced as Cha- puttt and can simply mean “flat.” They are an old favorite from the past, when lots of treats were made from real coconut milk, laced with nuts and little sugar, to enjoy with a cup of tea.  As in most traditional foods, every family had their secret recipe to making their very own version of the same dish. This one is shared from my mother-in-law’s family who were all excellent chefs making traditional Parsi food.

Ingredients

For the Chaapat:

• 473 ml (2 cups) canned coconut milk
• 200ml (7ounces wt.) sifted all-purpose flour
• 200ml (7ounces wt.) sugar
• 4 eggs
• 7.5 ml (1/2 tablespoon) melted ghee
• 30 grams (1 ounce wt.) almonds, blanched and grated (See Notes)
• 15 grams (1/2 ounce wt.) chopped pistachios
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
• 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) cardamom powder
• 1.2 ml (1/4 teaspoon) freshly scraped nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads (see Notes)

For the Crème Anglaise:

• 473 ml (2 cups) milk
• 8 egg yolks
• 125 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
• Choice of flavorings: traditional – add 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of vanilla extract, or add 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla and 5 ml (1 teaspoon) coffee granules, or 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla and 15 ml (1 tablespoon) rum, or 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla and the zest of a lime or lemon.

Notes: The nuts chosen here are sweet. Substitute with your favorite ones. Macadamia nuts are the closest to these ones. Charoli, commonly found in India and in their larger Indian stores across Canada and the UK is also a great addition to the recipe. Roughly chop the Charoli before adding them.

Crush the saffron threads to help blend into the mixture. If you store the box of saffron in the fridge, it will crisp up and make it easier to crush. Use the tips of your fingers!

If you do not wish to buy ghee, clarified brown butter is just as good. Simply melt and simmer 4 ounces of butter until it separates and changes its color. Use as needed.

Preparation

1. For the chapaat: Heat a small 5 inch/13cm skillet and a drop of ghee and pour a ladle of the mixture. Tilt the pan in circles so the mixture spreads around evenly covering the bottom base of the pan. Lower the heat and allow it to cook for a minute until a pale golden brown. Carefully flip it over and cook for another minute. Serve warm.

2. For the crème Anglaise: In a glass measure cup scald the milk. In a heavy bottom pan, stir 8 egg yolks with the sugar. Mix it well with a wooden spoon breaking it all up properly, then add a pinch of salt. Now add the milk slowly to the eggs mixing it vigorously and quickly to emulsify the mixture.

3. Set aside a plastic sieve set over a  glass bowl in a bath of iced water. Against all odds and other norms, cook the mixture on a fairly high heat always remembering to mix it continuously, only until the mixture thickens to coat the back of the wooden spoon. Do not boil. Flavor as desired. To flavor it you have several choices: traditional – add 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of vanilla extract, or add 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla and 5 ml (1 teaspoon) coffee granules, or 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla and 15 ml (1 tablespoon) rum, or 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla and the zest of a lime or lemon.

4. Strain the crème Anglaise immediately. Mix it to stop forming a skin on top or place a cling film over it touching the crème.

Notes:  If you are using vanilla bean, split the bean and remove the pulp, adding it to the milk before heating the infuse it at its best. If not add the vanilla extract at the very end.

Mix and keep the batter for up to 24 hours covered in the fridge if you need to.
If it becomes thick add some milk to bring it to the right consistency.
If it is thinner, refrigerate and wait for an hour or two for it to thicken as the gluten in the flour will help do just that.

If you are not confident of turning the pancake, simply cover the skillet with a lid and cook through. Fold the pancake and serve both sides will show up as a beautiful golden brown!

Delicious delight!

Copra Na Pancake is a favorite Parsi tea-time treat, filled with coconut, dried fruit, and nuts.

Ingredients

For the Crèpes:

• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) sifted all-purpose flour
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 237 ml (1 cup) warm milk
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) salted butter, melted

For the Coconut Filling:

• 2 scraped coconuts; 473 ml (2 cups) or more (frozen scraped coconut may be purchased from Indian and specialty food stores)
• 198 grams (1 cup) sugar
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) mixed dried fruit and nuts (raisins, peeled chopped pistachios and almonds)
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) coconut water*
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) rose water (not rose essence)**
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salted butter
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) cardamom
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) nutmeg
• Pinch of salt

*If you cannot get fresh coconut water substitute water flavored with a few drops of vanilla.

**Rose water must not be an essence but the actual water made from roses steeped in distilled water.

Preparation

1. For the crèpes*: In a bowl beat the eggs until frothy and light.

2. In separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, warm milk, and melted butter until smooth and free of lumps. Add the beaten egg to the mixture and stir to combine. Allow the batter to rest and thicken at room temperature for 30 minutes before making the crèpes.* Meanwhile, prepare the coconut filling.

3. For the coconut filling*: In a large saucepan, combine all filling ingredients. Place over medium-low heat and stir gently until the mixture is softened and well blended. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. For assembly: Lightly brush a nonstick 18 cm (7-inch) crèpe pan or skillet with ghee or clarified butter. Place over high heat until hot. Add a ladleful of batter and swirl the pan to ensure it spreads evenly all over. Lowering the heat, let it cook until a pale golden brown, about 2 minutes. With a flat spatula, carefully flip it over and cook for another minute until golden brown. Allow the pan to reheat before adding new batter, and stack the crepes are they are removed from the pan.*

5. Divide the filling into ten portions. Spread each crèpe with a portion. Fold into quarters and arrange decoratively on a serving plate.

Tips for making the filling:

*Once the crèpes are made they can be frozen for up to 1 month. Frozen crèpes are best for use in baked dishes with sauces, as the consistency changes slightly once frozen. Cool completely before freezing. Stack them with buttered parchment between each one, or simply freeze in batches of 10. To avoid freezer burn be sure to cover tightly with airtight wrap. To thaw, bring each batch to room temperature; place in a warm oven for 10 minutes if you have trouble separating the individual crèpes.

**The filling can be made up to 7 days in advance and kept refrigerated.

Niloufer Mavalvala

Born and raised in Karachi, with London, Toronto and Dubai all part of her life, Niloufer has travelled extensively. Passionate about culture through its cuisine she enjoys all cuisines of the world. Self taught, her experience through the years has driven her to write a blog NiloufersKitchen.com and publish two Parsi cookbooks – receiving 3 awards. She strongly believes that while we are identified by race, religion and colour, we share the tightest bonding through food. Her umpteen zoom demos through this pandemic have picked up momentum worldwide making #revivinganancientcuisine one recipe at a time her priority. Niloufer runs regular cookery lessons via Zoom.

Courtesy photo

Read more from Niloufer Mavalvala

THROUGH SEVA: A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE FIVE STARS OF IRANSHAH

In 2021, our Goal Is To Bring IranShah’s Presence To The United Nations by building a Special Project through SEVA (Service) For Humanity using the guiding principles of Asha In The Light Of IranShah.

And to initiate this endeavor with love and light, we are tapping on the Heart And Spirit Of Our 5-Star Iranshah DreamTeam of Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor, Noshir Dadrawalla, Homi D. Gandhi, ArZan Wadia and Tinaz Karbhari.

Article by Meher Amalsad

To me SEVA stands for

SERVICE ENCOURAGING VICTORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

And the Light of IranShah provides A 5-Star Service To Humanity.

Star Question 1.

Dasturji, as our GEM STAR spearheading in spreading this Light Of IranShah

Which is your Favorite Star Of SEVA and how will its Light Of Valuable Energy (LOVE) transform the spirit of humanity?

Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor: After the Arab conquest of Iran, Zoroastrians fled their ancestral homeland. History has it that one group of Zoroastrian Refugees landed in Diu, India and lived there for 19 years. Driven by faith and inspiration they set out towards Gujarat when they were caught up in a violent storm. They beseeched the angel of Victory, the Powerful Beheram Yazad to guide them to safety, vowing to consecrate an Atash Beheram (Iranshah) if they reached safe ground. Thus, came to Life A Spiritual ‘Light’ – Our HOLY IRANSHAH.

Along with Every other Zoroastrian, I will remain eternally indebted to our ancestors who had struggled with determination to preserve our faith. Our Dastur Sahebs and Mobed Sahebs, from the time of consecrating the Iranshah Fire till date, have ferociously protected the sanctity of This Fire. There seems nothing more victorious an Achievement than that of these dedicated Mobed Sahebs. The Selfless Service of every Bouywala is a valuable contribution towards Our Sacred Iranshah whose divinity kindles every Zoroastrian Heart with Spirituality, Hope and Light.

For me SEVA embodies the spirit of Raadhi (Charity) with Raasti (Trust & Righteousness).

Star Question 2.

Noshir, as the SHINING STAR spearheading in spreading this Light Of IranShah

Which is your Favorite Star Of SEVA and how will its Light Of Valuable Energy (LOVE) transform the spirit of humanity?

Noshir Dadrawala: SEVA is about Service and Giving – of one’s Time, Knowledge, Skills and not just food, shelter, clothing and money.

In fact the highest form of SEVA or Service is dispelling the darkness of ignorance with the light of knowledge and wisdom.

Knowledge is empowering for the receiver and ennobling for the giver.

There is more joy in giving than in receiving and the gift of knowledge, in my opinion is one of the highest forms of SEVA.

Giving of Food, Clothing, Shelter or money can provide relief to the needy.

But giving of knowledge can empower the needy to overcome his needs and rehabilitate himself or herself in a sustainable and dignified manner.

Therefore, I would consider SEVA as embodiment Sustainable Evolution with Value Add.

Star Question 3.

Homi, as the WISE STAR spearheading in spreading this Light Of IranShah

Which is your Favorite Star Of SEVA and how will its Light Of Valuable Energy (LOVE) transform the spirit of humanity?

Homi Gandhi: SEVA means selfless service or work performed without any thought of reward or repayment. It resonates with our Ashem Vohu prayer.

In ancient India SEVA was believed to help one’s spiritual growth and at the same time contribute to the improvement of a community. This is the art of giving with no need to receive, where the act itself is a gift to everyone involved. SEVA is the art of blessed action.

Helping others does not require some special skill nor is it a birthright of some special individuals. And we do not need to wait for a calamity or a special event to help others. When we see a need – in any circumstances big or small – we must heed the call of that natural impulse within us and follow it where it leads us.

Humans have unlimited capacity to connect and we may sometimes feel limited, especially in current lockdown circumstances, but we have natural impulse within ourselves to help others. Anonymous open giving makes one more comfortable with giving with no need for reward and thus one can expand the reach of one’s actions.

So enjoy, in joy, the act of selfless action and all the wonderful energy that surrounds it.

Serve and Expand Valued Actions

Star Question 4.

Arzan, as the SUPER STAR spearheading in spreading this Light Of IranShah

Which is your Favorite Star Of SEVA and how will its Light Of Valuable Energy (LOVE) transform the spirit of humanity?

Service to the faith and community should be inculcated from a young age. We have seen countless examples of it in our community. Be it the pioneers who took it upon themselves to preserve the faith. And then others followed and provided the means and methods for generations to flourish. Building institutions both physical and non-physical allowed our community to have fire temples, educational institutions, housing, hospitals and a plethora of institutions. This happened because people felt that in doing their small or big bit they were serving the community.

At different times in one’s life one is presented with various ways to serve or do SEVA.

The younger folks can give of their time in the service of the community. Giving in service is not only limited to monetary resources. For service to come a full circle one needs folks to give of their time to complement those who give their financial resources. It is only when both happen that true service comes forth.

So today when you think of how you can so SEVA….give whatever works for you today. To the young adults, who are starting out in life and professional careers, give your time to worthy causes. And later in life someday, Ahura Mazda willing; you will be able to contribute financially too.

Star Question 5.

Tinaz, as the RISING STAR spearheading in spreading this Light Of IranShah

Which is your Favorite Star Of SEVA and how will its Light Of Valuable Energy (LOVE) transform the spirit of humanity?

Tinaz Karbhari: SEVA or the act of selfless service is something that should be performed by all individuals. The scale of the act can be as minute or grand as one may choose and can take many different forms, whether it be through volunteering one’s time, doing an act of kindness or simply donating to a cause one cares about.

Youth should have the importance of SEVA instilled in them from a young age, in order to be able to practice and apply it into their everyday lives, in turn developing an altruistic nature.

This should then be shared with the next generation to continue the cycle. 

I encourage everyone, particularly youth from all corners of the world to serve others and causes close to their heart. Unknowingly, the simplest service will bring you the most happiness. And it doesn’t have to be difficult, helping out is not a hard task and doesn’t require any special skills. Service is essentially the expression of love. Serve in whatever manner possible. Take it upon yourself to inspire others and be the change that you want to see.

The Pahlavi Dinkard recommends cultivation of 5-STAR virtues which are of religious merit:

Truthfulness, Charity, Skill, Endeavour and Giving encouragement to others in good deeds.

May we be inspired by these lofty ideals. May we imbibe these virtues in our day-to-day life and dedicate this transformation in our thinking, our speech and our deeds to Holy Iranshah!

Let’s join hands as we prepare to take the Light of Our Zoroastrian Vatican To The United Nations with the attribute of SEVA to humanity.

This spring we have much to be hopeful about, as 2021 brings us closer to universal vaccination and normalcy. Nowruz, the festival of Spring is a joyful time for Zoroastrians, as the start of the new year.

Article by Nawaz Merchant

A traditional Haft-Shin Table features sprouted wheat, sweet pudding and items starting with S as good wishes for prosperity.

“The Avestan term Hamas.paθ.maædÿa refers to the exact time at which: the celestial paths are at a midpoint and have the same distance /length from each other. The Persian word Nowruz, means literally New Dawn/Day and alludes to the first fresh dawn light after the vernal equinox.” (From authenticgathazoroastrianism.org)

The ancient Zoroastrian religion was once followed across the middle east, from the Himalayas to Turkey. In this region Nowruz is now celebrated across religions as a time of rebirth and awakening. The traditional Nowrouz banquet/table (Also called Haft-Shin table) is a symbolic offering of “decorated colored eggs, germinated wheat or lentil sprouts, hyacinth flower, silver or gold coins, mirror, candles, wine, incense, bowl of milk, spring water with thymes, apples or sour oranges, fried sweet bread and garlic cloves.”

Tomb of Cyrus the Great in Pasargadae, Iran

Growing up in Mumbai, my family invited aunts and uncles to a Nowruz feast of Dhandar, (a comfort food, white rice with smooth yellow dal) with a delicacy like prawn patyo (shrimp in spicy tomato puree), vegetables and dessert.After bathing, we wore new clothes and traipsed off to the Fire Temple, where we offered sandalwood to the holy fire and lit diyas (candles floating in oil). The scent of woodsmoke floating softly upward, the susurration of whispered prayers, the quiet peace of those gentle moments is still with me.

Then came the festivities—we’d welcome relatives bringing sweetmeats and homemade goodies, hugs and kisses and excited calls of “Goodness, what are you feeding them? They’re growing like bean-stalks!”

Author’s parents at Bandra Fire Temple, Mumbai.

With joyful energy we’d set the table for the feast, and serve. Then came stories, as the family caught up on all the adventures of the past weeks, each person narrating events, successes and struggles. This was the social media of the time, a gathering to hear and be heard, where connections were made “Isn’t his daughter twenty-five now? Shall we ask if she’s interested in our ____?” Aunts and uncles equally forthcoming. Our family did not separate the genders, so we’d hear of cricket as well as the intricacies of cooking, politics and legal cases, corporate machinations, inventions, discussion of science, friends, and more. Our plans, our opinions were heard, boys and girls alike.

Those times were no less tumultuous: besides the terror of Emergency, rationing and food shortages, we dealt with illnesses and daily struggles. Dad worked three jobs to provide for our family, so he’d often return, exhausted, late at night. My mum worked as a teacher, managed our home on a pittance and served as arbitrator to us siblings. Ours was a tiny, but boisterous home. Nowruz marked the new year (in the Persian calendar) as well as the promise of new opportunities and adventures.

Last March, lockdown put an end to travel plans, commutes, and dinner parties. After the first astonishment, “Is this really happening?” we adapted. Making and wearing masks, curbside shopping, not touching out faces (who’d imagine this was so difficult!), treating anything from outside out house as “achoot”, (contaminated), we quarantined it and washed hands after touching it. We learned to zoom instead of inviting friends over. We worked from home. Through it all, we had the sense of living in war-time, living through something momentous, yet invisible. We took photos saying, “Later, we can say this was during the time of Covid.”

Nowruz this year brings a special message: This too shall pass.

This Nowruz, the “time of Covid” draws to a close; a tenth of us are vaccinated and vaccination capacity grows daily with entire malls turned into massive mega centers. Hospitals, pharmacies, counties, state agencies all offer vaccines. Of course, we cannot be complacent as deadly variants can still spread if we are not vigilant; masks will be needed for some time.

Yet this Nowruz brings a message of hope—we will get through this, mourn those we lost, yet appreciate what we received. The joys of approaching spring are near. Soon we will take long walks amid tiny, filigreed leaves, buds peeking out from the ground. We can plan vacations again! We look forward to meals with friends, restaurant gatherings, celebrating with our dear ones, to a time when we don’t need to worry about accepting invitations!

Traditional Nowruz gathering with music, stories, food and sprouts.

Covid forced us to slow down, so pay attention, to learn and adapt. We won’t forget those hard-won lessons. Now let’s give thanks to those who stayed with us through this, who got us through it, who braved daily danger on the front lines, who called “just to check on” us, who care. Let’s give thanks for those in our lives, and know that spring is near. Open that window and breathe in that fresh scent; it’s called happiness.

We wish all our readers a very Happy Jamshedi Navroze Mubarak. May this new spring bring about a new post-pandemic world. Below is a beautiful poem written by our dear reader Deenaz P. Coachbuilder. 

About Deenaz P.Coachbuilder, Ph. D.

Deenaz is an educator, writer, artist and environmental advocate. A retired school principal, professor in special education and consulting speech pathologist, she is the recipient of several professional and community awards, including President Obama’s “Volunteer Service Award”. Her poetry, commentaries and essays have appeared in international, national and regional publications.

Her books of poems, “Metal Horse and Shadows: A Soul’s Journey” and “Imperfect Fragments” have been received with critical acclaim. Deenaz is the language editor of FEZANA Journal. She is a Zoroastrian Parsi who resides in Riverside, California.

On April 2nd. 2019, Mayor Bailey of Riverside, California, presented Deenaz’ painting and poem on his city blog, in celebration of the Zoroastrian Navroz.

Navroz Mubarak

It is the twenty-first of March

the spring equinox

the first day of the rest of the year.

The days of Muktad* are over.

Steeped in remembering and praying for

the fravashis of so many of her dear ones,

the souls of the departed,

she senses their spiritual presence,

and of her own farohar, her ever present guardian.

The darkness of winter

with its season of somnolence,

hopelessness

its sense of faithlessness

fades away.

The sun, symbol of light and creation

glows with greater clarity.

Now is the time for creativity

the awakening of dormant seedlings

a renewal of the spirit

the very possibilities of life.

Daylight

extends itself

overpowering

the hours of darkness

just as the light of wisdom and asha*

will prevail

over death and despair.

Today is Navroz

the most joyous of celebrations

rich in symbolism.

This good Zoroastrian warrior*

has cleaned her home, the walls, the drapes, the floors

sweeping away

the hurt and the disappointments

the detritus of the past.

The perfume of hyacinths and tube roses

wafts through gleaming rooms

the mesmerizing smell of sandal wood

to ward off evil spirits and to honor

those of the dead,

burning in silver chalices.

Her family has bathed,

donned festive garments for a festive day.

“Have you said your prayers?” she admonishes

her young son, reminding him

that truthfulness

is the essence of all believers.

She draws in a long, deep breath

with a sense of renewal.

Today begins a regeneration

of her own life,

her relationships

her home

her community,

leading, she hopes,

to a renovation of this present world.

She promises to herself

to be diligent,

to seek improvement daily

until it becomes an enduring part of her being,

for that is her mission.

It is a day of special kindness,

bundles of presents await eager fingers,

and nourishing food

to be distributed to those in need.

The Sofreh, the Navroz offerings

are spread across her white, linen covered table.

Seven dishes representing the creator and six

Zoroastrian abstract attributes or archangels

invite the partaker.

There is the Ajlis, seven dried fruit and nuts

pistachios, roasted chickpeas, almonds, hazelnuts,

fine skinned figs, newly dried apricots and golden raisins.

Today she has added her favorites

dry walnuts, ruby red pomegranate seeds

and luscious purple mulberries plucked just yesterday

from her backyard tree.

In a prominent spot,

flames in a silver filigreed afargan,

a symbol of wisdom, goodness and purity

dance in the morning breeze.

In a little bowl is her specialty,

grain, sprouted carefully over five days.

There is wine, sugar, milk, syrup, honey,

candy and rice pudding.

As she lays the table she remembers that the

seven attributes of this temporal planet,

fire, air, water, earth

plants, animals and human beings,

are also to be revered and depicted in her offerings.

She has recited a confessional patet*.

This soldier examines her thoughts,

words and deeds.

Not only will each be weighed

on the scales

determining her afterlife,

but on her shoulders

rests

the destiny of the world

its very resurrection.

*Muktad-the days before the new year in which prayers are said for the souls of the dead.

On the last day a gambhar or communal feast is held, with the souls of the dead invited to partake.

*asha-righteousness.

*Zoroastrian warrior- Zoroastrians are warriors engaged in a ceaseless cosmic struggle against evil and our own temptations. When our “good thoughts, words and deeds” outweigh their evil counterparts, a resurrection of the world will be brought about in the light of the creator Ahura Mazda’s wish.

*patet-prayers of repentance for past sins.

Deenaz P. Coachbuilder

Going purple for Census 2021

Harrow’s Civic Centre and the iconic Zoroastrian Centre on Alexandra Avenue will join more than a hundred buildings and landmarks across England and Wales lighting up purple to celebrate the upcoming census and its importance to communities.

The event is being organised by The Office for National Statistics (ONS) to raise awareness of census day on March 21, a survey that happens every ten years and gives a picture of all the people and households in England and Wales.

Other iconic landmarks including the BT Tower and Blackpool Tower are signed up for the celebration, which will see them light up in the Census 2021 brand colour this weekend.

The census helps decide how public services are delivered. It helps determine things like the number of school places and hospital beds that are needed to serve the community.

It also helps to ensure that services are appropriate, with information on ethnicity, languages spoken and religion also captured.

The last census in 2011 showed Harrow to be one of the most religiously diverse places in the country. 40 different religions are practised in the borough, including Zoroastrianism, with more than 90% of residents recording that they have a religious belief.

Malcolm Deboo, President of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, said, “We’re delighted to support the census by lighting up this great Harrow landmark we call home.

“Completing the census, whatever your background, shows that you care about your community and its future.”

Leader of Harrow Council, Cllr Graham Henson, said, “The census is for everyone. It will paint a picture of our diverse borough and ensure that the needs of local people are fully represented in decision-making.”

Pete Benton, ONS Director of Census Operations, commented:

“The census is such an important undertaking that helps inform the vital services we all rely on every single day.

“We wanted to shine a (purple!) light on the buildings and landmarks that matter most to local areas, highlighting the importance of the census in helping shape the communities we live in.

“We’re thrilled with all the support we have received so far and would like to thank Harrow for getting involved. Now is the time for everyone to complete their census and be part of history”

Every household in England and Wales will now be receiving their census letters with unique access codes enabling them to fill in their census online. 

Census day is March 21, but you can fill yours in as soon as you receive your letter if you’re confident there will be no change in who usually lives in your household. 

Papers forms are available for those who need them, plus a range of other support. If you need any help, or to request a paper form, you can visit the census website www.census.gov.uk. 

The census support line (freephone 0800 141 2021 in England and 0800 169 2021 in Wales) is available if you can’t find the help you need online.

For further information on Census 2021, visit https://census.gov.uk/.

For further information or any other media enquiries please contact censuspressoffice@mcsaatchi.com

Notes to Editors

About Census 2021

Everyone benefits from the census. It informs decisions nationally and locally on vital services and issues like diversity. Ultimately it ensures millions of pounds are invested in emergency services, mental health care, school places, hospital beds, houses, roads, GP’s and dentists’ services based on the information people give. We’ve made it easier for people to complete the census online on any device, with help and paper questionnaires for those that need them.

The next census will be held on 21st March 2021 in England and Wales and results will be available the following year. However personal records will be locked away for 100 years, kept safe for future generations.

About the Office for National Statistics (ONS)

The Office for National Statistics produces the numbers that matter most– on the economy and business, people, population and communities. Operating impartially and free of political control, we are mobilising the power of data to help Britain make better decisions and improve lives.

Dear Parsi Khabar family,

We take this opportunity to wish you and your family and loved ones a very happy Jamshedi Navroze Mubarak.

As we enter a new spring, and a new year; and emerge from the events of the last year, may we be more compassionate, caring, healthy, positive and stronger human beings, communities, neighborhoods and nations.

We wish you all the best in the year ahead and thank you for being Parsi Khabar supporters for the last 15 years and counting.

The above Haftsheen table was laid out at the home of Gulbanoo and Pervez Irani in Dahanu, India. Gulbanoo was duly aided by Mehernaaz Shovir Irani and Ava her 7 year old granddaughter.

ZTFE would like to invite our members and well-wishers to join us for a specially curated evening on the Epic Iran exhibition, from the comfort of their homes.  The exhibition explores 5,000 years of Iranian art, design and culture, bringing together over 300 objects from ancient, Islamic and contemporary Iran.   It is scheduled to run at the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum, London) until 12th September 2021.

Join via zoom on

Wednesday March 24, 2021

7:00 PM: London Time

3:00 PM: Eastern

12:00 PM: Pacific

11:30 PM: Tehran

12:30 AM: India (March 25)

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/99112055424

Alexandra Magub and Sarah Piram of the V&A have kindly organised a presentation for the ZTFE on the general overview of the exhibition, section by section, with a quick focus on the ancient material and Zoroastrianism.  Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the V&A is currently closed, thus the presentation will be done remotely with the help of slides.  Alexandra and Sarah are happy to answer any queries at the end of their presentation.  We are very grateful to the speakers for accommodating ZTFE’s request of a late evening event, so that most of our working members and students could attend.

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://zoom.us/j/99112055424

My faith is Zoroastrianism, the oldest monotheistic religion in the world, originating in ancient Persia.

The Persian prophet and religious reformer Zarthushta [Zoroaster] is regarded as its founder. It pre-dates the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and is likely to have influenced those religions too.

Article By Dilnaz Billimoria | The Age

A Zoroastrian priest outside a fire temple in Mumbai, India. CREDIT:AP

Zoroastrians believe in a benevolent deity of wisdom, Ahura Mazda, who sends forth Asha [truth], studied through our important texts, the Avesta. We worship the fire as holy, respect elements of nature and have prayers thanking water, land, flora and fauna for their gifts to us.

Growing up in Mumbai we heard the famous story of “milk and sugar” on the laps of our grandmothers. Following the Muslim conquest of Persia and the fall of the Zoroastrian Sasanid empire in the 7th century AD, Zoroastrians fled their homeland in boats. Many perished and the fortunate few landed in Gujarat, India.

The Rana (king) in Gujarat was generous and provided temporary shelter. However we looked different, spoke a strange language and practised unusual rituals, so the residents politely asked us to leave. But where could my people go?

Our elders asked for a cup of milk and a spoon of sugar, which was dissolved in the milk entirely without spilling a drop. Our message was that we would assimilate in the population, sweeten the country and never spill a drop of blood. Thus began the legend of the Parsis (Persians) who have kept their promises to the land of their adoption, who believe in education, equity and empathy, following the threefold tenets of Asha – Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds – and perpetuating charity to spread happiness. Our reward is here in this life, helping others.

In a quest for the purity of the Zoroastrian bloodline, conversion into the faith is not allowed. Interfaith marriage is considered taboo. Men marrying outside the faith are allowed to have their children brought up as Zoroastrians with a navjote (baptism) ceremony. When women of our faith marry outside, their children are considered non-Parsis. These man-made laws are not fair to all.

Education is paramount and Parsis are often highly qualified professionals. Their resulting independence has diminished the need for marriage as an institution. All this has sadly led to a sharply dwindling Parsi population, with about 150,000 to 200,000 left worldwide. There are about 600 of us in Melbourne and fewer than 5000 in Australia. Many years ago, I remember threatening to put our young kids out on the nature strip after seeing the mess in their rooms. Our son piped up that they needed to be immensely valued as they were part of the “dying breed of Parsis”!

However few we may be, we are a jolly bunch known to enjoy life. We believe in peace and share a love of music, art and literature. We are connoisseurs of good food and self-appointed fashionistas ready to laugh with others and at ourselves. We burst into song, break into a dance, recreate traditional recipes in Mumbai or Melbourne and our intergenerational love binds families together.

Today we celebrate the Persian New Year. Happy Navrooz!

Dilnaz Billimoria is a community leader, advocate and volunteer.

We are thrilled to inform that our dear friend Veera Rustomji will have a solo exhibition at VM Art Gallery in Karachi Pakistan.

VM Art Gallery is pleased to present Fish Meets Grill, a solo exhibition by Veera Rustomji, opening on 24^th March 2021 from 11am – 7pm. The exhibition will continue until 11^th April 2021.

The title refers to a recipe as an anecdote for the ultimate fate of creatures cooked to reach charred perfection. If we think about the ‘manly’ activity of fishing, it is usually an idealised form of bonding and an attempt of being at one with nature. However, perhaps we should also consider how fanfare masculinity expressed through activities such as fishing and hunting leave traces of unwarranted developments and divisions in our environment through both intangible and seaborne ways.

This is a story of disparate elements connected through autobiographical and fantastical accounts. The subtle kookiness of mythic sea life leaves us to ponder about fictitious beings and erased lands connecting architecture and storytelling. This body of work also takes into account the pleasure sought from consuming and participating in these narratives, animating marine life through colonial waves, and gendered footprints. Some of these stories are told by production houses like Disney or Netflix and some of the marine life stories are excavated through researchers and archaeologists. As we are embroiled in a perpetual contest of erasing diversity from the coast to the hills, pulling the land out from underneath others’ feet, and wearing the skins of beings on our backs, it is safe to say we are at an irrevocable stage with our surroundings. These are the musings before the calamities.

VM Art Gallery will only allow a limited number of visitors within the space at once in order to follow social distancing SOPs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. To avoid having to wait outside the gallery, please call ahead of time. All visitors will be required to wear a mask and get their temperature checked at the door.

Failure to follow Gallery protocol will result in visitors being asked to leave the premises. Please help us follow safe practices during your visit to avoid unnecessary complications.

About the artist:

Veera Rustomji (b. 1992) is an artist from Karachi, Pakistan. She holds a BFA from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (2015) and an MA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts, UAL (2019). Alongside pursuing her visual art practice, she teaches within the Fine Art Department at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. From 2015 – 2018 she curated and managed residencies in Karachi with Vasl Artists’ Association as a Project Coordinator and during her time in London she worked with the Learning & Collections Department at the Royal Academy of Arts. She is a recipient of the UAL Postgraduate International Scholarship Award and is part of a Chelsea alumni collective named Portland. As an artist she has displayed internationally; some key highlights include Rossi & Rossi, London, The Arts Licks Weekend, Aicon Gallery NYC and the 2017 Karachi Biennale.

www.veerarustomji.com

We are happy to inform you about the upcoming WZCC Talk. Our dear friend Dorab Mistry will be in conversation with Piruz Khambatta of Rasna

Saturday March 27th, 2021

7:30 AM Pacific

10:30 AM Eastern

2:30 PM London

6.30 p.m Dubai

8:00 PM India

10.30 PM  Hong Kong & Singapore

Click here to join the webinar:

https:// us02web.zoom.us./j/88128877823

Meeting ID: 88128877823

Passcode: 656424

About Piruz Khambatta

Leading India’s largest homegrown Indian multinational Company, and the most
popular and trusted brand ‘Rasna’ is a mammoth task. Mr. Khambatta got involved with the company at the age of ,eighteen and has been its Chairman &
Managing Director since 1997.

Rasna today is present in more than 53 countries and Rasna is spread across
India with 12 manufacturing plants, 36 depots and 1.8 millon outlets in India
making a host of food and beverage products.

On the corporate level Mr. Khambatta is ,actively ·nvolved in various industry associations. He is currently Chairman – CII Task Force on Ease of Doing
Business and Chairman CII National Committee on Special Abilities. He is
Ambassador Make in India Initiative and Champion of Change (NITI Aayog).

Hon. Consul General South Korea (Gujarat) Director, Guj1arat Narmada Valley Fertilizers ,and Chemicals Ltd, Director Natiional Insitute of Food Technology
Entrepreneurship and Management (NIIFTIEM), Member MICA-EDC Advisory
Council Member Advisory Council Vibrant Gujarat Government of Gujarat Mr.
Khambatta in past has also been President of Al India Food Processors
Association, Chairman, CII Gujarat Council .and Chairman CII National
Committee on Food Processing for several years.

Under Mr. Khambatta’s leadership Rasna received various awards including some internationally acclaimed awards like “Superior Taste Award” institutted by the International Taste and QUality Institute, Belgium. “Moden Selection Quality Award” and host of Indian awards.