Bangalore’s only fire temple is being slowly smoked out

Date

June 13, 2011

Post by

arZan

Category

Religion

bangalore-fire-temple-agiaryIt was built in 1926, and the Bangalore Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman (BPZA) is keen to preserve the sanctity of the only fire temple in the city, now uncomfortably located at a busy intersection, en route to Shivajinagar Bus Terminus.

By Daily Bhaskar

The Queen’s Road-Cunningham Road junction, which has a major BMTC bus stop and also serves as a halt for autorickshaws, is not quite the ideal location for quiet worship. The 800-odd Parsi men and women in the city worry that the throng of commuters, hawkers, and autoricshaws, just outside the gates of the temple, will overwhelm the peace of the place of worship.

Trustees of the BPZA have knocked on the doors of civic authorities, but have found no respite. Ever since Cunningham Road was made a one-way, the temple has faced the brunt of converging traffic.

Office bearers of the BPZA have already approached the Karnataka Lokayukta, justice Santosh Hegde, as well as the chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission. They have also sought the intervention of governor HR Bhardwaj. They have asked additional commissioner (traffic) Praveen Sood to look into the matter.

Sood agreed to post a constable at the front gate of the temple to ensure that bus commuters do not crowd outside. That measure, however, lasted only a few weeks. Trustees approached former Karnataka chief justice Rama Jois, explaining that the problem could be solved if the major BMTC bus stop was shifted.

Shereyar Vakil, secretary, BPZA, said, "We believe in non-violence. We don’t want to protest. We have been facing a lot of problems during peak hours, and the congestion and pollution disturb our prayers."

Another perennial nuisance the BPZA faces is that film posters and other pamphlets are routinely pasted on the temple’s compound wall, as it’s a crowded area.

"It has come to such a point that people feel nothing about entering the temple precincts and smoking and chewing pan. This is offensive to us, it desecrates the sanctity of our place of worship," explains Yazdi Unvalla, treasurer, BPZA, adding that the Parsis are a minority with a faint political voice. And they would like to have their very genuine grievances heard without having to take recourse to protests or demonstrations. This place of worship is looking for some peace

20 Comments

  1. Jasmine Khursheed Chavda

    Unable to read the rest after — as the chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission. They…———?

  2. Jasmine Khursheed Chavda

    as the chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission. They…
    —– unable to read more as server will not allow it.

  3. Jasmine Khursheed Chavda

    Unable to read the rest after — as the chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission. They…———?

  4. Jasmine Khursheed Chavda

    as the chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission. They…
    —– unable to read more as server will not allow it.

  5. Hombil

    If this was a church, mosque or a temple, would the Karnataka government have ignored this issue? Just because Zoroastrians / Parsis are peace loving people and do not indulge in protests, the govt. takes us for granted. The government would have acted swiftly, if there was a mosque in place of the fire temple, because they are scared of the noise Muslims would make.

  6. phiroze b meherji

    why dont you speak to the trustees of the bombay parsee punchayat or mr areez khambatta of ahmedabad, the propietor of rashna soft drinks, i am sure they could help u a lot, believe me they will. 

  7. Hombil

    If this was a church, mosque or a temple, would the Karnataka government have ignored this issue? Just because Zoroastrians / Parsis are peace loving people and do not indulge in protests, the govt. takes us for granted. The government would have acted swiftly, if there was a mosque in place of the fire temple, because they are scared of the noise Muslims would make.

  8. Hombil

    If this was a church, mosque or a temple, would the Karnataka government have ignored this issue? Just because Zoroastrians / Parsis are peace loving people and do not indulge in protests, the govt. takes us for granted. The government would have acted swiftly, if there was a mosque in place of the fire temple, because they are scared of the noise Muslims would make.

  9. Hombil

    If this was a church, mosque or a temple, would the Karnataka government have ignored this issue? Just because Zoroastrians / Parsis are peace loving people and do not indulge in protests, the govt. takes us for granted. The government would have acted swiftly, if there was a mosque in place of the fire temple, because they are scared of the noise Muslims would make.

  10. phiroze b meherji

    why dont you speak to the trustees of the bombay parsee punchayat or mr areez khambatta of ahmedabad, the propietor of rashna soft drinks, i am sure they could help u a lot, believe me they will. 

  11. phiroze b meherji

    why dont you speak to the trustees of the bombay parsee punchayat or mr areez khambatta of ahmedabad, the propietor of rashna soft drinks, i am sure they could help u a lot, believe me they will. 

  12. phiroze b meherji

    why dont you speak to the trustees of the bombay parsee punchayat or mr areez khambatta of ahmedabad, the propietor of rashna soft drinks, i am sure they could help u a lot, believe me they will. 

  13. shahzad jimmy vasaigara

    I have been to our agiary in Bengalore just 2 years ago, and i was amazed to see how well maintained and beautiful it is. I just couldnt believe what i saw, as honestly i had expected it to be in some sorry state of affairs before going to pray there. But hats off, to our trustees and caretakers of the agiary in bengalore for making it so beautiful and well maintained. And yes, that bust stop outside is indeed a nuisance, and we should try our best to move it a bit.

    Rgds

  14. shahzad jimmy vasaigara

    I have been to our agiary in Bengalore just 2 years ago, and i was amazed to see how well maintained and beautiful it is. I just couldnt believe what i saw, as honestly i had expected it to be in some sorry state of affairs before going to pray there. But hats off, to our trustees and caretakers of the agiary in bengalore for making it so beautiful and well maintained. And yes, that bust stop outside is indeed a nuisance, and we should try our best to move it a bit.

    Rgds

  15. shahzad jimmy vasaigara

    I have been to our agiary in Bengalore just 2 years ago, and i was amazed to see how well maintained and beautiful it is. I just couldnt believe what i saw, as honestly i had expected it to be in some sorry state of affairs before going to pray there. But hats off, to our trustees and caretakers of the agiary in bengalore for making it so beautiful and well maintained. And yes, that bust stop outside is indeed a nuisance, and we should try our best to move it a bit.

    Rgds

  16. shahzad jimmy vasaigara

    I have been to our agiary in Bengalore just 2 years ago, and i was amazed to see how well maintained and beautiful it is. I just couldnt believe what i saw, as honestly i had expected it to be in some sorry state of affairs before going to pray there. But hats off, to our trustees and caretakers of the agiary in bengalore for making it so beautiful and well maintained. And yes, that bust stop outside is indeed a nuisance, and we should try our best to move it a bit.

    Rgds

  17. shahzad jimmy vasaigara

    I have been to our agiary in Bengalore just 2 years ago, and i was amazed to see how well maintained and beautiful it is. I just couldnt believe what i saw, as honestly i had expected it to be in some sorry state of affairs before going to pray there. But hats off, to our trustees and caretakers of the agiary in bengalore for making it so beautiful and well maintained. And yes, that bust stop outside is indeed a nuisance, and we should try our best to move it a bit.

    Rgds

  18. Masco

    Am a frequent traveler to Bangalore, have visited the agiyari several times. Have also noticed the traffic. Once their was a robbery to taken place where the window glass of dastoor sahib was broken. We Zoroastrians have contributed a lot to Karnataka government especially in Mysore, Mangalore n Bangalore. In fact the governor n the current CM of Karnataka had invited our earlier late head priest of Bangalore to bless them.

  19. Masco

    Am a frequent traveler to Bangalore, have visited the agiyari several times. Have also noticed the traffic. Once their was a robbery to taken place where the window glass of dastoor sahib was broken. We Zoroastrians have contributed a lot to Karnataka government especially in Mysore, Mangalore n Bangalore. In fact the governor n the current CM of Karnataka had invited our earlier late head priest of Bangalore to bless them.

  20. Masco

    Am a frequent traveler to Bangalore, have visited the agiyari several times. Have also noticed the traffic. Once their was a robbery to taken place where the window glass of dastoor sahib was broken. We Zoroastrians have contributed a lot to Karnataka government especially in Mysore, Mangalore n Bangalore. In fact the governor n the current CM of Karnataka had invited our earlier late head priest of Bangalore to bless them.