Vada Dasturji Meherjirana on the Udvada Land Issue

Date

November 5, 2010

Post by

arZan

Category

Issues

Below is a message from Vada Dasturji K N Dastur Meherji Rana on the Udvada Land Issue received via email from Kaizad F Keravala.

The matter of the Udvada land near Paak Iranshah Atash-Beheram has reached the judiciary and is pending before the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal, Ahmedabad.

We, the six Vada (Chief) Dasturs are trying our best, with one voice and unanimity, to prevent the impending onslaught on our Holiest of the Holy Atash (Agni), which is burning without extinction for over a thousand years, and the village presently housing the Padshah Saheb for about three centuries.

The Parsi Community stands united in its request to the Gujarat Government to confer heritage status on the Holy Shrine and its surroundings in Udvada. The imminent question is the smooth observance of age-long religious tenets, traditions and practices related to the Holy Fire, which include certain restrictions and checks on the areas surrounding the Holy Building. The whole community is very much conscious of these religious requirements. The concept of a world tourist centre or world heritage site is far away from the present imminence and can be dealt with if (at all), as and when it arises.

We beseech and implore all the well-wishing and well-intentioned Parsis not to rush to the Press or media or internet with random talks or rumours or gossip. This creates impediments in our difficult task apart from the fact that it may attract the law relating to contempt of court in view of the pending litigation.

We are extremely thankful to Parsis all over the world who have awakened to the gravity of the situation. Please pray and continue to pray to Ahura Mazda and all the Divine Forces in nature including our Asho Pegamber and the Holiest Iranshah Atash (Agni) Padshah Saheb to disperse the gathering storm.

We, all the six Vada Dasturs and the Mobeds – Priests (Purohits) as also the entire Parsi community are thankful to the Government of Gujarat for their help and cooperation in the matter. We assure the Government that, for the Parsi Community, this is a religious situation touching the very existence of the spiritual life of the Parsis and therefore there are no two opinions on the point.

We wish the Gujarat Government and all its Officials a happy Divali and New Year and we pray to Ahura Mazda for their happiness, peace and success in the years to come.

Yours in His Service,

Sd/-

K. N. Dastoor Mehrjirana

For and On behalf of all Chief Dasturjis

22 Comments

  1. kunwalla

    Double standards at its best; on one hand you sign appeals for heritage status for our holy town and next you apply for demolition of your own ancestral house (before it is declared heritage), sell it’s heritage furniture to outsiders and sell the property to the local builder for a nice sum and in exchange for an apartment in the Udwada town….. guess who?

  2. kunwalla

    Double standards at its best; on one hand you sign appeals for heritage status for our holy town and next you apply for demolition of your own ancestral house (before it is declared heritage), sell it’s heritage furniture to outsiders and sell the property to the local builder for a nice sum and in exchange for an apartment in the Udwada town….. guess who?

  3. Zerxes.Dordi

    Mr./Ms.Unwalla,
    Why keep us guessing. No harm if you disclose the name for the benefit of the community at large. I assume it would be a member of the clergy clan. Please unhesitatingly mention the name if the facts are available with you.

  4. Zerxes.Dordi

    Mr./Ms.Unwalla,
    Why keep us guessing. No harm if you disclose the name for the benefit of the community at large. I assume it would be a member of the clergy clan. Please unhesitatingly mention the name if the facts are available with you.

  5. Ervad Hoshang J. Bhadha Ph.D.

    Udvada politics is far beyond any intelligent Parsee understanding. How local vendors can afford to buy Parsee homes for Lakhs of rupees? How & why an idea of converting Udvada in Heritage status was evolved and who instigated such idea and for what benefits …… My dear friends, Money Talks …. and it does anything non-religious including moving of Iranshah Atash a few years back for internal structural fancies and rehabilitation. When rich and influencials (unlike our glorious past) does not understand the meaning and importance of religion, fire, traditions, scriptures in our life and their actions are most definitely materialistic which is evidently destroying our sacred structure with tenets. Wish these rich & influencials know what Iranshah is for and what does it mean to have its presence in Udvada and worth of its surrounding land. Udvada was NEVER or even today has anything attractive from a tourist standpoint. Their houses were once worth only Rs10,000 with absolutely worthless structure for its value. Even today it has no Tourist Attraction spot or population (Priests, Behdins, small vendors & non-Zoroastrians (servant families)…..then who, how and why it is SO expensive to visit, stay and own place? Just Think. Think. Think.

  6. Ervad Hoshang J. Bhadha Ph.D.

    Udvada politics is far beyond any intelligent Parsee understanding. How local vendors can afford to buy Parsee homes for Lakhs of rupees? How & why an idea of converting Udvada in Heritage status was evolved and who instigated such idea and for what benefits …… My dear friends, Money Talks …. and it does anything non-religious including moving of Iranshah Atash a few years back for internal structural fancies and rehabilitation. When rich and influencials (unlike our glorious past) does not understand the meaning and importance of religion, fire, traditions, scriptures in our life and their actions are most definitely materialistic which is evidently destroying our sacred structure with tenets. Wish these rich & influencials know what Iranshah is for and what does it mean to have its presence in Udvada and worth of its surrounding land. Udvada was NEVER or even today has anything attractive from a tourist standpoint. Their houses were once worth only Rs10,000 with absolutely worthless structure for its value. Even today it has no Tourist Attraction spot or population (Priests, Behdins, small vendors & non-Zoroastrians (servant families)…..then who, how and why it is SO expensive to visit, stay and own place? Just Think. Think. Think.

  7. kunwalla

    Exactly my sentiments, Ervad Hoshang Bhada but whom are you asking to think, think, think? We all are guilty of collective stupidity in place of individual opinions. Just imagine a card game with a pack loaded with jokers only, that is the real tragedy,

    Mr. Zerxes Dordi, sorry to disappoint you but if you carefully read my post you can pinpoint the person. He is one of the six signatories to the appeal and from Udvada. I have nothing personal against the gentleman, nor am concerned with the demolition and/or another apartment block being built in it’s place (which would be perfectly legal, as of today) but the hypocrisy surrounding the whole issue; You sign a public appeal for preservation of heritage et al and then pen an application for demolition of your own ancestral property with the same pen, just to preempt the concequencies of your own request to maintain, preserve and conserve our heritage, “a religious situation touching the very existence of the spiritual life of the Parsis and therefore there are no two opinions on the point”

    For your information the demolition has already begun..

    Please do not try to stop or take any steps to disturb something which is perfectly legal (as of now) and I sincerely believe the gentleman must have very compelling reasons for his actions and must have really pained him in doing what he has done; we all are equally responsible for what is happening within the community… We cannot stand back and point fingers. We all are collectively stupid and we all are guilty of this stupidity.

    Think before you Ink.

  8. kunwalla

    Exactly my sentiments, Ervad Hoshang Bhada but whom are you asking to think, think, think? We all are guilty of collective stupidity in place of individual opinions. Just imagine a card game with a pack loaded with jokers only, that is the real tragedy,

    Mr. Zerxes Dordi, sorry to disappoint you but if you carefully read my post you can pinpoint the person. He is one of the six signatories to the appeal and from Udvada. I have nothing personal against the gentleman, nor am concerned with the demolition and/or another apartment block being built in it’s place (which would be perfectly legal, as of today) but the hypocrisy surrounding the whole issue; You sign a public appeal for preservation of heritage et al and then pen an application for demolition of your own ancestral property with the same pen, just to preempt the concequencies of your own request to maintain, preserve and conserve our heritage, “a religious situation touching the very existence of the spiritual life of the Parsis and therefore there are no two opinions on the point”

    For your information the demolition has already begun..

    Please do not try to stop or take any steps to disturb something which is perfectly legal (as of now) and I sincerely believe the gentleman must have very compelling reasons for his actions and must have really pained him in doing what he has done; we all are equally responsible for what is happening within the community… We cannot stand back and point fingers. We all are collectively stupid and we all are guilty of this stupidity.

    Think before you Ink.

  9. CONTRA-DHONGI

    Despite all these weaknesses and frailties, the Clergy of the community expect the laity to revere them and there is no dirth of persons suggesting to a common Parsee to respect an Ervard and turn a blind eye to the greed of the same clergy.
    It is time for those expecting respect to realize that days are different and shortcomings of such ‘holy’ persons are bound not only to be exposed by strictly censured by the educated laity.

  10. CONTRA-DHONGI

    Despite all these weaknesses and frailties, the Clergy of the community expect the laity to revere them and there is no dirth of persons suggesting to a common Parsee to respect an Ervard and turn a blind eye to the greed of the same clergy.
    It is time for those expecting respect to realize that days are different and shortcomings of such ‘holy’ persons are bound not only to be exposed by strictly censured by the educated laity.

  11. Barak Aga

    REPLY FROM THE CHIEF MINISTER OF GUJARAT.
    (In Good Humour)
    Dear Vada Dasturs,
    Millenia ago, you seperated from us, called us the “Daeva Worshipers”, whacked us, and sent us packing over the mountains, which you later named “Hindu Kush” – “The Crusher / Killer of the Hindus”

    When the Arabs whacked you, and you came running, swimming, sailing to us, with sugar and milk, we took you in, and gave you refuge in our land.

    Once we gave you refuge, you started showing your true colours. You called us “Parjat”, you considered our presence defiling, and polluting, and you started throwing your weight around, in our land.

    We are fed up of you. So please take your sugar, your milk, request Mr. Nusli Wadia to build some ships for you, and get the hell out of our country and go back to Iran.

    May the Lord Ahura Rasna (with his sachet size intellect) be with you.

  12. Barak Aga

    REPLY FROM THE CHIEF MINISTER OF GUJARAT.
    (In Good Humour)
    Dear Vada Dasturs,
    Millenia ago, you seperated from us, called us the “Daeva Worshipers”, whacked us, and sent us packing over the mountains, which you later named “Hindu Kush” – “The Crusher / Killer of the Hindus”

    When the Arabs whacked you, and you came running, swimming, sailing to us, with sugar and milk, we took you in, and gave you refuge in our land.

    Once we gave you refuge, you started showing your true colours. You called us “Parjat”, you considered our presence defiling, and polluting, and you started throwing your weight around, in our land.

    We are fed up of you. So please take your sugar, your milk, request Mr. Nusli Wadia to build some ships for you, and get the hell out of our country and go back to Iran.

    May the Lord Ahura Rasna (with his sachet size intellect) be with you.

  13. kunwalla

    Type your comment here…
    Truest Sentiments of an 100% Sudh Parsi
    (totally in bad humor…)

    tch! tch! jarak bhi parsi nathi lagto, ai, barak aga – muo parjat dhero lagech! apra chookha aryan blood ne kai samaj nathi… bhaste jai muo..
    arzan dikra, tu ai kem chalavi lech… amhe bdha sudh parsi tuti parshu, pachi tu ne muoa ne akkal avshe? nathi gumto ai aveo badho, attar ghadi kari nak, nahi toe khodai bachave tu ne..

  14. kunwalla

    Type your comment here…
    Truest Sentiments of an 100% Sudh Parsi
    (totally in bad humor…)

    tch! tch! jarak bhi parsi nathi lagto, ai, barak aga – muo parjat dhero lagech! apra chookha aryan blood ne kai samaj nathi… bhaste jai muo..
    arzan dikra, tu ai kem chalavi lech… amhe bdha sudh parsi tuti parshu, pachi tu ne muoa ne akkal avshe? nathi gumto ai aveo badho, attar ghadi kari nak, nahi toe khodai bachave tu ne..

  15. Barak Aga

    Kunwalla,
    Your forefathers had to fall at the feet of the “mua dheras” for refuge, after the Arabs whacked you.

    Your forefathers had to adopt the language of the “mua dheras”, and even you have had to encrypt your comment in the language of the “mua dheras” on an English language website.

    You have had to adopt the culture of the “mua dheras”.
    You have had to adopt the dress of the “mua dhera”.

    So aren’t you too a “mua dhera”?

    Don’t threaten the administrators of this website with “attar ghadi kari nak”, they are fearless, and upright.

  16. Barak Aga

    KUNWALLA

    “Barak” : lightning, the son of Abinoam

    “Aga” : title of respect, often used with the title of a senior position ; a military commander

    Only “mua dheras” as you have called them, have names such as “KUNWALLA” “DABBAWALLA”, “CHASNIWALLA” “GOS WALLA”.

  17. Barak Aga

    Kunwalla,

    A 2004 study in which Parsi mitochondrial DNA (matrilineal) was compared with that of the Iranians and Gujaratis determined that Parsis ARE GENETICALLY CLOSER TO GUJARATIS (“mua dheras” as you call them) than to Iranians

    So, KUNWALLA, you have no “chookha aryan blood” in you.

  18. Barak Aga

    KUNWALLA,

    Speaking of “chookha aryan blood”, none of your Gods has it.

    Avestan “Ahura” derives from Rig Vedic “Asura”
    “Mazda” from its Sanskrit cognate ‘medh?’.

    Anahita is an Armenian diety.

    (“Mui maaki” as you would call her.)

    “Asho Farohar” is an adaptation of the the symbol of the “winged sun” hieroglyph from Mesopotamian and Egyptian reliefs.

    (The Farohar would be a “mua Aarab” to you.)

    Apam Napat in Avestan meaning “grandson of waters”, In Hinduism, Ap?m Nap?t is the god of fresh water.

    May be some of your divinities would require a transfusion of “chookha aryan blood”.

    Surprising none of your Aryan divinities were named “Bhonawalla”, “Dabbawalla”, “Batliwalla”, “Soda walla”, “Gotla”.
    Instead they have names such as “Ahura Mazda”, “Ahura Berezenta”, and “Apam Namat”.

    “Arzan dikra, tu ai kem chalavi lech… amhe badha sudh parsi tuti parshu, pachi tu ne muoa ne akkal avshe?”

  19. Barak Aga

    Kunwalla,
    Your forefathers had to fall at the feet of the “mua dheras” for refuge, after the Arabs whacked you.

    Your forefathers had to adopt the language of the “mua dheras”, and even you have had to encrypt your comment in the language of the “mua dheras” on an English language website.

    You have had to adopt the culture of the “mua dheras”.
    You have had to adopt the dress of the “mua dhera”.

    So aren’t you too a “mua dhera”?

    Don’t threaten the administrators of this website with “attar ghadi kari nak”, they are fearless, and upright.

  20. Barak Aga

    KUNWALLA

    “Barak” : lightning, the son of Abinoam

    “Aga” : title of respect, often used with the title of a senior position ; a military commander

    Only “mua dheras” as you have called them, have names such as “KUNWALLA” “DABBAWALLA”, “CHASNIWALLA” “GOS WALLA”.

  21. Barak Aga

    Kunwalla,

    A 2004 study in which Parsi mitochondrial DNA (matrilineal) was compared with that of the Iranians and Gujaratis determined that Parsis ARE GENETICALLY CLOSER TO GUJARATIS (“mua dheras” as you call them) than to Iranians

    So, KUNWALLA, you have no “chookha aryan blood” in you.

  22. Barak Aga

    KUNWALLA,

    Speaking of “chookha aryan blood”, none of your Gods has it.

    Avestan “Ahura” derives from Rig Vedic “Asura”
    “Mazda” from its Sanskrit cognate ‘medh?’.

    Anahita is an Armenian diety.

    (“Mui maaki” as you would call her.)

    “Asho Farohar” is an adaptation of the the symbol of the “winged sun” hieroglyph from Mesopotamian and Egyptian reliefs.

    (The Farohar would be a “mua Aarab” to you.)

    Apam Napat in Avestan meaning “grandson of waters”, In Hinduism, Ap?m Nap?t is the god of fresh water.

    May be some of your divinities would require a transfusion of “chookha aryan blood”.

    Surprising none of your Aryan divinities were named “Bhonawalla”, “Dabbawalla”, “Batliwalla”, “Soda walla”, “Gotla”.
    Instead they have names such as “Ahura Mazda”, “Ahura Berezenta”, and “Apam Namat”.

    “Arzan dikra, tu ai kem chalavi lech… amhe badha sudh parsi tuti parshu, pachi tu ne muoa ne akkal avshe?”