Parsis and Boy Scouts have been synonymous since the early part of the 20th century. And India’s oldest Scout Group, the Sethna’s 18th West Bombay Scout Group leads from the forefront. As the oldest continuously running Scout Group in the country it has been the incubator of many a Parsi/Zoroastrian Scout Troops in Bombay.
Below is a small example of how scouts and rovers can help in everyday life. The motto of Rovers (18 years to 35 years) is SERVICE. And the incident below defines the spirit of Service.
Homiar Hathiram, Rover at Sethna’s 18th West Bombay writes in.
Dear all,
It gives me immense pleasure to broadcast a Rover Service Activity undertaken on Sunday 8th April 2012.
Our Rovers were called in to help move a 4 storey scaffolding at Kappawala Agiary. The 50 foot scaffolding was built around the eastern side of the agiary to clean the agiary facade and was needed to be shifted across the entrance of the agiary in order to clean western frontal facade. Dismantling and rebuilding the scaffolding would have taken a long time and lot of effort – and it was then that our Rovers were called in, literally the night before, to help move this mammoth structure using their brains, brawn and bravado.
A "Service" SMS/Facebook update was sent to a band of rovers who responded positively and a 6 member team was ready for Service on Sunday morning.
Since the scaffolding was to be moved intact, our rovers quickly split and took positions on the ground and on the rooftop. They freed the scaffolding and tied guy lines to maneuver the huge structure. Once freed, the scaffolding was tilted and lifted by our rovers and other volunteers on the ground. The Rovers on the rooftop deftly guided the scaffolding through a narrow passage which was lined with glass panes on one side and trees on the other. The trees proved to be the biggest obstacles as the branches got entangled within the scaffolding. Rover Kaikhushru Lawyer displayed nimble climbing skills and quickly climbed the free standing scaffolding to free it from the branches.
With the scaffolding now shifted, the Rovers lashed it firmly onto the agiary gate to provide a safe and secure platform for the cleaning volunteers.
The WZO secretary, Mehernosh Zaveri, and Panthaky Jamshed Bhesadia, thanked us profusely and appreciated our speed, skill and above all responsiveness to his request made just a night ago.
We thank our Rovers, mentioned below, for rising to the call of service.
1. Kaikhushru Lawyer
2. Rayomand H Parakh
3. Percy F Naterwala
4. Shahrukh A Patel
5. Neville J Mistry
6. Homiar J Hathiram
7. Vistasp D. Pochara
“Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility”
and our Rovers underscored that on Sunday.
Regards,
Homiar Hathiram
