Perizad Kolah Marshall:
Pateti is the last day of the year for the Parsi community and generally falls in the last days of August as per the English calendar. Bawas don’t need an excuse for celebration, so you can imagine to what extent we go to bring in the New Year. For me, it’s a ritual to visit the Fire Temple in the morning and then an elaborate sit-down lunch with the whole family comprising of all Parsi delicacies – Pattrani Machhi, Salli-boti and Pulav Dal to name a few. The Parsi Custard is generally the dessert. We distribute sweets and chocolates among friends and family. Since this Navroze happens to be the first for my seven-month-old baby Deanne, we plan to take her to the Fire Temple and seek blessings.
Tanaaz Currim:
Navroze for me would mean a must-visit to the Agiary in the morning and catching up on a good Gujrati play in the evening. Ironically, this year my whole family will be at a play produced by me — Daddy Cool which has both Bakhtiyaar and me acting in it. The day will be all the more special for me as my new-born baby will be coming to see play this year. The New year lunch is a huge affair for us since Parsis are known to be fond foodies. The lunch table that will be laid out today will consist of Parsi dishes like the yellow dal with garlic tadka, white rice, prawn or fish patio and for the veggies it will be brinjal patio. The dessert spread will be: sutar feni, jalebis, sweet sev accompanied with sweet dahi and of course ravo (rava cooked in sugar and milk). Our house will be decorated with flower torans and a rangoli at the doorstep.
Delnaz Paul:
I am not high on rituals but make it a point to visit the Fire Temple on Navroze and offer sandalwood to the Fire God and light the ritualistic diya. Though Rajiv cannot accompany me there since he does not belong to our caste, he makes sure to attend all the festivities at home. We decorate our house with lots of flowers. I like to do a rangoli on the floors of my verandah. For us, the celebration is a get-together of the entire family and a good play or movie in the evening. We may be busy with our respective lives but we do come together for lunch or dinner on Pateti or Navroze. Today is just going to be another working day for us. I remember my mom making yummy mutton pulav, pathrani machi and sev with sweet dahi. I am going to get a dabba stuffed with all the delicacies from mom like every year.
Actor Boman Irani, his wife Zenobia their children begin the Parsi New Year with a visit to the agyari (fire temple).
Most non-Parsis are quite familiar with the fact that food takes precedence at any bawa event, so it is natural to hear Boman add that his morning temple round is always followed by a big family lunch.
He is quite serious when he emphasises on the word ‘big’ for we learn that Boman and his extended family of 24 then make their way from their home to a theatre near by to watch a Gujarati play. “I like doing things that I did during my growing up years,” explaining his daily ritual, “and I have always seen a Gujarati play on New Year ‘s Day. There are some really brilliant theatre actors and I enjoy watching them immensely.”
Taking his time to ponder over whether he would ever consider acting in one such play
Boman says, “I don’t know. I don’t think I’m cut out for it, but at the same time I don’t want to close my mind to anything.” Post the play the family ends the day with some more family bonding.
Original article here.