The centenary celebrations of Calcutta’s only fire temple or agiari in operation at 91 Metcalfe Street, or Bandook Gali, began with a ceremony both warm and colourful early on Tuesday.
The city’s Parsi population may have shrunk to 600-strong but they were present in full force at the Late Ervad Dhunjeebhoy Byramjee Mehta’s Zoroastrian Anjuman Atash Adaran established in 1912.
By Soumitra Das | The Telegraph
Senior citizens are in a majority in the city’s Parsi community now, and they were dressed to the nines for the occasion — many of the men in brilliant white coats or daghlis modelled on angrakhas and trousers, and women mostly in antique saris elaborately embroidered in China known as garas. The saris were in rich plums, red, peach, pinks and cream, and those with borders had Chinese or Swiss designs.
Among the women were Hilla Bilimoria, who is 102, and Perin Dastoor, who is as old as the temple itself, but still going strong. The women with their heads covered sang a verse in Gujarati welcoming the celebrations.
The Parsis of Calcutta will celebrate the 250th anniversary of their arrival to this city in another five years. Dadabhai Behramji Banaji of Bhagvandi in Surat was the first to be here. His relative Rustomji Cowasjee Banaji came in early 19th century, and apart from being a prominent citizen, he founded an agiary in Ezra Street in 1839, which is now decrepit and encroached on.
Dhunjeebhoy Behramjee Mehta, after whom the agiari was posthumously named, came to Calcutta in 1846 and soon began trading with China. He started Empress of India Cotton Mills in Serampore, and after a dispute with Banaji, decided to set up a place of worship in his own house, for which the sacred fire was brought from Navsari in Gujarat.
After his death, his wife, Khorshedbai, and son, Rustomejee, decided to fulfil his wishes with handsome donations from the family as well as members of the community and the second fire temple was established. It was consecrated on October 28, 1912, with great pomp and splendour. The fire that had been brought from Navsari for the Mehtas’ own house was installed here.
The temple plot measures about 900 sq yards and the fire in a giant urn installed on the first floor is out of bounds for non-Zoroastrians. It has about 11 stained glass windows with Zoroastrian themes and motifs designed by Katayun Saklat.
The ground floor has an old grandfather clock on which is inscribed: Specially made for RD Mehta Esq by J&T Foster, 12 Mayes St, Manchester 1908, January. The squat building was painted for the occasion and beautifully decorated with flowers and orchids.
The ceremony was rounded off with a sumptuous lunch comprising fish (considered auspicious) steamed in banana leaves, curried chicken with chips, and pulao daal followed by custard pudding.
i m very delighted to see grandeur which reminds me visited 15 yeas back
i m very delighted to see grandeur which reminds me visited 15 yeas back
i m very delighted to see grandeur which reminds me visited 15 yeas back
Remember visiting this agiyari in Dec 1974… Best Wishes!
My uncle stays in Calcutta and is a strong member of the Zorastrians in Calcutta: Hosi (Hoshang) F. Munshi <3
inspite of our dwindling nos. we will still survive and grow.our mazdayasni religion is forever.it will never perish—0pak dadar hormuzd khodai ni madad ho jo ji
RUSTOM PATEL–NAVI MUMBAI
Dear Parsis of Calcutta (Kolkata),
Hearfelt congratulations on your love for our religion to celebrate the Centenary of the Zarathushtrian Anjuman Atash Adaran with such grace and dignity. Many thanks to all who came out in such large numbers.
Congratulations to the two lovely ladies [1] Hilla Bilimoria and [2] Perin Dastoor whose age has exceeded a century, and may God grant them many more years of health, wealth and happiness.
Can a kind Zarathushtrian enlighten me if there exists a book or a pamphlet in Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali or English that details the history of the Parsis in Calcutta? Can someone also provide me with the full names of the above mentioned ladies (of course with their permission and approval) so that I can add them to my handlist
of Zarathushtrians who have lived or are living over the age of 100. You may do so in private by asking Parsi Khabar for my e-mail.
May God Bless you ALL.
Dear Parsis of Calcutta (Kolkata),
Hearfelt congratulations on your love for our religion to celebrate the Centenary of the Zarathushtrian Anjuman Atash Adaran with such grace and dignity. Many thanks to all who came out in such large numbers.
Congratulations to the two lovely ladies [1] Hilla Bilimoria and [2] Perin Dastoor whose age has exceeded a century, and may God grant them many more years of health, wealth and happiness.
Can a kind Zarathushtrian enlighten me if there exists a book or a pamphlet in Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali or English that details the history of the Parsis in Calcutta? Can someone also provide me with the full names of the above mentioned ladies (of course with their permission and approval) so that I can add them to my handlist
of Zarathushtrians who have lived or are living over the age of 100. You may do so in private by asking Parsi Khabar for my e-mail.
May God Bless you ALL.
Dear Parsis of Calcutta (Kolkata),
Hearfelt congratulations on your love for our religion to celebrate the Centenary of the Zarathushtrian Anjuman Atash Adaran with such grace and dignity. Many thanks to all who came out in such large numbers.
Congratulations to the two lovely ladies [1] Hilla Bilimoria and [2] Perin Dastoor whose age has exceeded a century, and may God grant them many more years of health, wealth and happiness.
Can a kind Zarathushtrian enlighten me if there exists a book or a pamphlet in Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali or English that details the history of the Parsis in Calcutta? Can someone also provide me with the full names of the above mentioned ladies (of course with their permission and approval) so that I can add them to my handlist
of Zarathushtrians who have lived or are living over the age of 100. You may do so in private by asking Parsi Khabar for my e-mail.
May God Bless you ALL.