FEZANA JOURNAL FEZANA SPRING BAHAR 1379 AY 3748 ZRE VOL. 24, NO. 1 SPRING/MARCH 2010 G SPRING/MARCH 2010 FravadinJOURNALJO – Ardibehesht – Khordad 1379 AY (Fasli) G Avan – Adar – Dae 1379 AY (Shenshai) G Adar – Dae – Behman 1379 AY (Kadimi) NOROOZ PIROOZ BAD NOROOZ MUBARAK PRIESTHOOD AND SCRIPTURES Zoroastrian Odyssey to Preservation Also Inside: The Iranian Ceremony of Nowe Zooty World Zoroastrian Congress in Dubai Religionists gather in Melbourne PZAS-Singapore at Inter Religious event PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA afezanajournal-spring2010-v16 part1.qxp 3/25/2010 8:58 AM Page 1 PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA Vol 24 No 1 Spring / March 2010 Bahar 1379 AY 3748 ZRE President Bomi Patel www.fezana.org Editor in Chief: Dolly Dastoor 2 Editorials [email protected] Dolly Dastoor Technical Assistant: Coomi Gazdar Assistant to Editor Dinyar Patel 5 FEZANA Update Consultant Editor: Lylah M. Alphonse, [email protected] Graphic & Layout: Shahrokh Khanizadeh, 6 Financial Report www.khanizadeh.info Cover design: Feroza Fitch, [email protected] 17 WORLD EVENTS PWR, Melbourne Publications Chair: Behram Pastakia Columnists: Singapore IRO, CTR, Dubai 9WZC Hoshang Shroff: [email protected] Shazneen Rabadi Gandhi : AAR, Montreal [email protected] 33 SCHOLARSHIPS Yezdi Godiwalla [email protected] Behram Panthaki: [email protected] Behram Pastakia: [email protected] Mahrukh Motafram: 49 NORTH AMERICAN MOBEDS COUNCIL [email protected] Copy editors: R Mehta, V Canteenwalla Zoroastrian Odyssey to Subscription Managers: Kershaw Khumbatta : Preservation [email protected] Arnavaz Sethna: [email protected] 117 IN THE NEWS Summer 2010 129 Interfaith /Interalia The Zarathushti Diaspora 134 Letters to the Editor Guest Editor Deena Guzder 137 Personal Profile FALL 2010 Global Health Perspectives 141 Milestones Photo on cover: 144s Between the Covers s 150 Business WZCC Annual Fravadin – Ardibehesht – Khordad 1379 AY (Fasli) Avan - Adar – Dae 1379 AY (Shenshai) Adar- Dae- Behman 1379 AY (Kadimi) Cover design Feroza Fitch of Opinions expressed in the FEZANA Journal do not necessarily reflect the Lexicongraphics views of FEZANA or members of this publication's editorial board. see page 94 Published at Regal Press, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada FEZANA Journal Vo 24 No 1 ISBN 1068-2376 (USPS 021-495) published quarterly by FEZANA 5750 S. Jackson St Hinsdale Il 60521-5109. Periodical postage rate is paid at Oakbrook, IL 60523 and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscription $25 (US) ; $25 (Canada) and $50 (air) for other countries; details on subscription Form. POSTMASTER: send changes to Fezana Journal, 8787 W. Airport Blvd. Houston, TX 77071 FEZANA JOURNAL – Spring 2010 1 afezanajournal-spring2010-v16 part1.qxp 3/25/2010 8:58 AM Page 2 A word from the Editor Dolly Dastoor A NEW BEGINNING the Padma Bhushan in the field of The year end 2009 was a triumphant one for Medicine. Zarathushtis in the diaspora. I am delighted to report on the activities around the world in a short time span of one Bravo month: The Parliament of World’s Religions, Melbourne, Cyrus, Anu The China – Singapore Religious –Cultural Exhibition and and Noshir. the World Zoroastrian Congress, Dubai. In addition there There were national awards from the Queen of England and the is no dearth President of India. of talent I was humbled to witness the recognition afforded the and community starting with the Parliament of World’s dynamism Religions in Melbourne, December 2-9, 2009, where The in the Zoroastrian Association of Victoria under the leadership of Zarathushti Perviz Dubash and their President Sarosh Kariwala community. Every year the spring issue of the Journal placed the Zarathushtis on the map. We saw people spotlights the winners of the different scholarships of walking round with stickers which read “TODAY I MET A FEZANA, The Congress Legacy 2000 in Houston, ZARATHUSHTI”. Then the fravashis smiled on the Chothia, Ahura, and Masseh. We are inspired by the Zarathushtis in Singapore where under the leadership of achievements of the youth and are grateful to all who Russi Ghadiali, The Parsi Zoroastrian Association of make it happen with their financial generosity. The future Singapore had put together a tastefully decorated booth belongs to those who give the next generation reason to of Zarathushti artifacts at the China Singapore Religious hope. And you give them hope by donating generously to and Cultural Exhibition December 16- 23. They had the scholarship fund. slotted two Zarathushti speakers as well, Farrokh Vajifdar The spring issue of the Journal on Priesthood and of London, and Dolly Dastoor of Montreal. Both at Scriptures Zoroastrian Odyssey to Preservation has been Melbourne and Singapore, the booths displayed an crafted very lovingly and diligently by Ervads Soli Dastur ingeniously made afarganyu set up with stack of sukhard and Jehan Bagli bringing to it their years of religious to hid the battery operated tea lights that gave the effect scholarship and their motivating the other mobeds and lay of flickering flame. The effect was marvelous, attracting community members to contribute thought provoking intrigued visitors who left with literature specially prepared articles in the five sections:1 Priesthood 2 Scriptures 3 for the occasion. Preservation 4 Future and 5 Miscellaneous. We learn of Then on to Dubai for the 9th World Zoroastrian the similarities and differences in the training and practice Congress, December 27- 31 where the gods smiled on of priesthood in Iran and India, we learn of the new 750 Zarathushtis, who participated with good humor and Mobedyar program and the enthusiasm with which men camaraderie. And though we buried our heads in the and woman are pursuing it, we learn of the preservation sands of Dubai by not discussing “controversial” topics, of scriptures from the Bronze Age to the Electronic Age but sphinx like we rose again with Sam Bulsara and we learn of the loss of musicality in the recitation of proposing, after consultation with the community through our prayers. With this issue we are slowly building up a a survey, a blue print to be implemented in five years till cadre of scholar mobeds to carry on the work of we meet again in Mumbai. There was a lot of goodwill preservation through rituals and enlightened thought. generated and a hesitant willingness to try new ways of With the goal of transfer of knowledge, a behavior. It is hoped that this is a genuine desire to be complimentary copy of this keep sake coffee table “inclusive” rather than to be “politically correct”. Hope the FEZANA JOURNAL is being sent to all the mobeds of the days of posturing are over and this seed of trust that was Diaspora through the kind generosity of NAMC. generated across the oceans, will germinate into a full- And as we enter 1379 AY I wish you and the grown tree of communal respect for all branches of community a new beginning of a glorious future based on religious and social thoughts. mutual respect and trust for Zarathushtis living in all four And the new year brought more good news for corners of the world. May we continue to stoke the flames Zarathushtis. Cyrus Todiwala, the affable Chef of Spice of Frashokerati. NooRooz Pirooz bad Namaste was conferred with the OBE in the 2010 Queen’s honors, and on the 2010 Republic Day of India the President of India announced the winners of India’s highest awards where Anu Aga of Thermax India was awarded the Padma Shri and Dr Noshir Shroff, of Delhi, 2 FEZANA JOURNAL — Spring 2010 afezanajournal-spring2010-v16 part1.qxp 3/25/2010 8:58 AM Page 3 A Message from FEZANA President Wishing you a Very Happy and Prosperous NouRooz. Congratulation to Dasturji Kaikhusro Navroz Dastoor on his appointment as the 17th Dastur Meherjirana as successor of Dasturji Meherji Dastur Kekobad. Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the family and friends of Dasturji Meherji Dastur Kekobad Meherjirana Saheb. May his soul rest in eternal peace. 2009 came to an end with a big bang as we held the closing ceremony of the 9th World Zoroastrian Congress in Dubai. With a total attendance of 750+ Zoroastrians at the congress the North American contingent of 200+ was the second largest following the 350+ attendees from India. The congress was quite successful with versatile speakers from all the continents of the world. At the 2008 Houston Coming Together Round Table (CTR) conference there was some come together,” he said, “a very positive step that we disagreement regarding the venue of the 10th World have taken at this Congress.” Zoroastrian Congress and I had suggested that The World Federations come together and appoint a Bomi Patel (FEZANA) reiterated that each Region committee to take a proper decision. I am happy to inform has a diverse constituency of population, but we must you that the CTR has now been handed over to a work together. There will be changes in the working of committee comprising of the four region elected the CTR, as we transition ownership of the CTR, to the representatives of BPP, ZTFE, FEZANA and Iran. The Regions. So far we have agreed to “come together” and four region representatives have agreed to work together that we will not interfere in the working of each other’s for the betterment of our community. regions. I am very happy at the progress the community I also congratulate our N. American Youth for winning elected representatives have made with this decision and the second prize at the Youth Leadership Enhancement also congratulate Mr. Rohinton Rivetna for his decision to Program (YLEP) and Mrs. Meher Bhesania and her WZC hand over the CTR to the joint committee. I welcome the team for organizing a successful congress.