A video featuring dancers sashaying to a sacred Zoroastrian prayer mixed with club music has appalled Parsis. Following the community uproar, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), their apex trust, said that it has asked social media platforms to block the video.
BPP chairman Viraf Mehta said that they are in the process of filing complaints with the cyber crime department. Dennis Taraporewalla, the singer, defended himself, saying he simply shared a reel of a prayer taught by his father.
Mehta said the video portrays the sacred Zoroastrian prayer, Ashem Vohu, in a manner that is blasphemous and offensive to religious sentiments. “We urge the Parsi community to assist in reporting and blocking the video across all platforms. Collective action will amplify the gravity of the issue, prompting expedite action from the authorities, the BPP’s board of trustees said in a statement.
Taraporewalla said he was just expressing his spirituality through chants, music and songs in praise of the divine. “The video was shared on my private social media page as a quiet celebration of that spirit, intended for an audience of friends and family, who understand the context.” It was neither meant for public circulation nor was it intended to provoke debate, cause offence or attract undue attention, underlined the singer.
According to Taraporewalla, the video was illegally downloaded and circulated across social media groups, with abusive language. “Out of sensitivity and respect for differing sentiments, I chose to take down the video from my page immediately, even though there was no obligation to do so,” he added.
Taraporewalla said he had the support of community forums and prominent Zoroastrians, who also removed the post and even issued a public apology. “As a community at a crossroads, I believe we must nurture spiritual expression with openness, compassion, and creativity, not judgment or public shaming,” he added, referring to the demographic crisis in the community.
Some Parsis called the video ‘blasphemous’, suggesting that the creators need to be prosecuted. Others thought that the young generation will probably be more inclined to chant Ashem Vohu after listening to this version. They hoped that community panchayats do not pursue the matter legally as there are more important issues to be addressed.
Article Name:Prayer mixed with club music irks Parsis
Publication:The Free Press Journal
Author:Manoj Ramakrishnan
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