In British colonial times, enterprising Parsis looked further south, and set their sights on Sri Lanka, bringing home a good many Parsi families.

Parsi Pioneers

Gathering of Parsis outside Parsi Club, c.1940s. Those were the days when there were about 200 Parsis here before the Swabasha policy in the 1950s spurred many to migrate. Image courtesy Aban Pestonjee

The Parsis are known for their pioneering spirit and it is possible that even before colonial times, a few had established themselves here. However, it was when Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was known) was part of the British Empire that the first recorded migrations of Parsis here took place, their eyes set on import-export trading, upon which they would build their fortunes.

Article by Asiff Hussein | ROAR

According to Jamsheed Choksy*, as early as the late 1700s and early 1800s, about a hundred Parsi men lived in Colombo Fort as merchants and as planters in the estates of the Central Province. One of the earliest such entrepreneurs was Dady Parsi, based in King’s Street, Colombo Fort, whose company in the early part of the 19th century handled much of the transportation of goods in and out of the Port of Colombo. Another early pioneer was Framjee Bikhajee, who arrived in Ceylon in 1817 and founded a company that would in later times own the famous Framjee House in the seaside neighbourhood of Colpetty, and a large shopping mall located on the corner of Main and China Streets in Pettah.

A further spurt of immigration took place in the late 1800s and early 1900s, bringing many of the Parsi families who rose to prominence in subsequent years, and whom we are most familiar with.

Prominent Families And Personalities

The Parsi Club down Palm Grove, Colpetty. Image courtesy writer

Prominent Parsi families today include the Captains, Choksys, Khans, Billimorias, Pestonjees, and Jillas. The ancestor of the Choksy family, K. D. Choksy, arrived from Bombay in 1884 as an employee of Framjee Bikhajee & Co. His son, Nariman Choksy, rose to become Queen’s Counsel and Justice of the Supreme Court, while his grandson, Kairshasp Choksy, PC, went a step further. He took to politics and became an MP before becoming Minister of Constitutional Affairs, and later Minister of Finance, the highest achievement for a Sri Lankan Parsi. Pheroze Choksy, another member of the clan, became a famous architect.

The Captains are another old Parsi family long settled here. Its founder was Eduljee Captain, who served as General Manager of Wellawatte Spinning and Weaving Mills from its establishment in 1914 until 1966. His son, Sohli Captain, owned Wellawatte Spinning and Weaving Mills and his grandson, Rusi, went into corporate investments. The family is the largest shareholder of John Keells Group, a large business conglomerate running a supermarket and hotel chain. The Captains are well known for their services to humanity. Sohli Captain developed Sri Lanka’s first cancer hospice, and his sister, Perin Captain, has also contributed much to the Child Protection Society.

Yet another long established family were the Billimorias. As we gather from the Ceylon Observer Christmas Number 1921, the Britannia Bakery established in 1900 was owned by Framjee Billimoria of Hospital Street, Colombo Fort. And it was Homi Billimoria, a renowned architect, who designed the Mumtaz Mahal, the official residence of the Speaker of Parliament in Colpetty, and Tintagel, which became the family home of the Bandaranaikes. The Khan family owned the Oil Mills in Colombo and built the Khan Clock Tower in Pettah, still a prominent landmark of the area. The N. D. Jillas, another well-known family, started Colombo Dye Works along Turret Road in Colpetty, while the Jilla brothers Homi, Kairshasp, and Freddy served in varying capacities. Homi was an army physician, Kairshasp a naval officer, and Freddy a civil aviation officer.

The Pestonjees, yet another entrepreneurial family, are actually quite recent arrivals. Its founder was Kaikobad Gandy, a marine engineer who sailed around the world and finally settled for Sri Lanka, which he called ‘The Best Place in the World’. That was way back in the 1930s. He was awarded Distinguished Citizenship by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike in recognition of his services to the country’s ports as Chief Engineer. His daughter, Aban, founded Abans Group, a large business conglomerate that handles everything from hospitality and electronic goods to janitorial services. Aban started her business in a very modest way in her home garage in the late 1960s by purchasing household appliances from auctions and embassy sales before restoring them and selling them at her small shop on Galle Road. When the economy took off in 1978, so did Aban, who got into the business of importing electronic goods. Her son Rusi, as persistent as his mother, started canvassing for the McDonalds fast food franchise when he was 18, and got it when he was 28, ten years later. (So now you know why Abans and McDonalds are cheek by jowl with one another.)

Keeping The Faith

The Parsis are a very religious community, understandable for a people who migrated to yet unknown lands just to preserve their faith. The Ceylon Parsi Anjuman was founded in 1939 and administers the community prayer Hall, Navroz Baug (‘New Year Garden’), and the ‘Agiari’ (Fire Temple) down Fifth Lane, Colpetty, which is served by a ‘Mobed’ or Zoroastrian priest. The Temple, unlike the traditional Agiaris, does not have the ‘Atashbehram’ or ‘Eternal Flame’, kept lit day and night, but still suffices for the religious needs of this small community. There was a time, over a hundred years ago, when our Parsis like those elsewhere exposed their dead in a Dakhma (Tower of Silence) to be devoured by birds of prey, but this has long been given up in favour of inhumation in Aramgah (Places of Repose).

Parsi Priest with siblings of a mixed union, who were recently inducted into the community. Image courtesy Aban Pestonjee

Aban Pestonjee, who serves as Trustee of the Parsi Club along with Sohli Captain, is hopeful of preserving the community’s identity. The Parsi Club and Navroz Baug, both in Colpetty, serve as venues for social and religious gatherings such as the Zoroastrian New Year, Prophet Zarathustra’s birthday, and the communal feast known as Gambhar. Aban explained that although the offspring of Parsi women who marry out are not considered Parsis and not allowed into the inner sanctum of the temple, they meet in the balcony of Navroz Baug for the communal meal, which is partaken of by about 60 people, of both completely Parsi as well as mixed origin. She also observed that there is a trend to be more accommodating to offspring of mixed unions, and that recently, two siblings of a mixed Parsi-Sinhalese union were formally inducted into the community, bringing the number of Parsis living in Sri Lanka to 42 persons.

Although a very small community, our Parsi friends are a great inspiration for all of us who call this beautiful island home—seamlessly integrating and contributing to our nation in so many ways. And to think they came all the way from Persia!

* Iranians and Indians on the Shores of Serendib – Parsis in India and the Diaspora, J. Hinnels & A.Williams, 2007

Our dear friends Shirin and Rssi Ghadiali of Singapore have sent us this request. We urge all of you to sign the petition.

To do so, click on the link below. All you need to enter there is your mail, phone number and email address. And then select None for the first two questions and Parsi Road for the last one.

Let’s all do our bit to get a Parsi Road Station in Singapore !!

PZAS Committee of Singapore writes:

A couple of months back a lot of our Parsi community members, their non-Parsi friends and others in general were kind enough to help fill out the polls to name the new MRT Station in Shenton Way as Parsi Road Station.

It appears that the movement all of you helped spearhead previously has finally come to fruition and now we have to move this effort to Stage 2. This naming of the station, is in the final stage of the naming exercise, which has already commenced and polls will be open until December 10. 

In Stage 1, the LTA had tentatively named the station Prince Edward MRT station with a request to the general public to suggest other names. The community and their network of friends responded in large numbers to name it Parsi Road. This is no mean feat, given that more than 2,000 suggestions from the general public were sifted through in order to come up with the three finalized names below for the final naming poll.

1) Prince Edward Road
2) Parsi Road
3) Palmer Road

PZAS’ members and our member’s friends, business associates and anyone in your network that you can encourage have less than a month to fill in and submit the poll. Below is the link to use to vote for the Parsi Road MRT station in Stage 2.

https://www.lta.gov.sg/feedback/OnlineSurvy.aspx?SURVY_DETL_NUM=S201700003

Please note in Stage 1 your help in filling out the poll helped us secure a place in the first 3 place out of thousands of suggestions. Now we need your help in securing a place for our erstwhile community to be recognized for it’s contributions, preserve a legacy of our forefathers and secure a place in history for our future generations. 

Our community appreciates your vote and help in driving this initiative by not only by filling this poll out within our community but encourage others outside our community to help fill out the poll in significant numbers. This poll can be taken by anyone worldwide so please forward to your friends, community and contacts outside Singapore too. Thanks very much for your help.   

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead,

PZAS Committee of Singapore

The southern port city of Pakistan, Karachi has enjoyed immense strategic value for centuries. When the British realised its strategic significance, the city became the centre of many official civil and military activities of the province of Sindh – the British also adorned Karachi with Victorian style buildings housing civil, commercial, educational departments along with churches, residences for government and bungalows with different architectural styles.

Article By Swaleha Razi Ullah | Tribune

PHOTO: SWALEHA RAZI ULLAH

One of the buildings, reflecting the residential architecture of the wealthy class of that period, is the Dinshaw House of 1890 – where the Karachi Press Club began its journey in 1958. As described by the brochure, KPC was established in 1958 in a Victorian style bungalow on what was then the Ingle Road – now Sarwar Shaheed Road.

PHOTO: SWALEHA RAZI ULLAH

Dinshaw’s contribution in architecture of Karachi:

The Dinshaw House is named after Seth Eduljee Dinshaw, a Parsi philanthropist and largest landowner of Karachi during British Colonial rule. A noteworthy man among his community, he contributed to charitable projects in the city including Lady Dufferin Hospital (1884),Edulji Dinshaw Dispensary in 1882, Nadirshaw Edulji Dispensary, contributing in the construction of Mama Parsi School in 1910 and for Sindh Art College in 1885 and 1887.

Reportedly, Dinshaw owned half of Karachi by 1893. His rise from poverty to one of the largest landowners in Karachi lasts as a memorial to his enterprising energy. A first generation millionaire, his contribution in architecture of Karachi in that era is of great significance – with most of the buildings built by him serve as private residences, offices, and godowns.

The evolution of the architectural style of residential buildings in the colonial era reveals that single storied residential bungalows of an early period of occupation paved the way for the construction of double storied stoned structure with the basic features of pitched gable roofs and verandahs. “The bungalows enclosed in walled compound represent the symbol of wealth and status. The typical residential bungalow for the wealthy, for example, was set back from the road by a walled compound. The amount of land enclosed was a symbol of status.”

Architecture of Dinshaw house (1890) and its post-partition state

Anglo-Indian styled building in Karachi’s Cantonment area with Victorian architecture of the 118 years old monument fashioned with stones, is a walled compound covering 5,000 square yards including a lawn in the front and a car park in the back yard. The thick-walled stoned structure of high ceilings and round opening arches were carved to fulfill the climatic conditions. Italianate style beautifies the outlook and symbolizes the Eduljee’s status as a wealthy figure of that time.

The Dinshaw house, declared a Protected Heritage by Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994, is home to KPC since 1958.

Architect Farhan Zia, founder of architectural firm SCHEMATICS and a member of Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP) and Institute of Architects of Pakistan(IAP), also confirmed that the 19th-century monumental building was originally a double storied bungalow built in Italianate style with local stones used as basic construction material. In contrast to the modern structures, these elements are based on geometry.

A comparative study by Rameez and Barkatullah, highlights the classical architecture of the KPC building including pediment, keystone, Doric columns, arches, gable roof. The triangular section, the pediment, found at the main entrance of the KPC building is compared with a Greek temple’s pediment and Roman temple’s pantheon. While the doric order and round arches are compared with Renaissance Palace Pallazzo Te in Italy. The rustication feature is likened to Medice Recardi and Pallazzo Caprini (renaissance palaces built in Italy) and Sicilian Baroque that possesses Baroque architectural features of 17^th and 18^th centuries.

The architecture is being modified to accommodate activities of the journalist community as KPC is frequented round the clock. A steel structure has been constructed in the front yard to encourage new members. But the modifications have received mixed response from the journalist community as the steel structure has overshadowed originality of the monument. “The chopping of the majestic Neem and other trees has affected the beauty of the monument,” remarked a senior KPC member. “It’s target killing.”

PHOTO: SWALEHA RAZI ULLAH

Rameez and Barkatullah also condemned the modification, saying that ‘the building of steel structure was against the architect’s advice since it hides the original beauty of the architecture. Noting that the addition provided shelter to growing audience of public and journalists, they said it was brutal as it hid the building’s beauty and significance.

The Dinshaw House’s heritage and identity is somewhere lost despite minimal modifications to the skeleton of the main building. The frequent organisation of activities of the club and visiting of a large number of people has also increased conservation demand.

Preservation work of KPC building

Apart from alterations, the heritage building has also weathered environmental conditions including pollution, erosion, deteriorating teakwood combined with poor conservation and repair work carried out by the Sindh Cultural Department.

Currently, the weathered stones and fortification of masonry are being replaced with lime plaster.  An estimated Rs2.5 million worth of preservation work has been carried out since March 26, 2014 under the supervision of a two-member committee for rehabilitation work.

Senior journalist, AH Khanzada hinted that the original building was constructed with stones from Thatta – it is pertinent to add here that the restoration is being carried out by the same stones.

The floor will be reconstructed in six months with funds allocated through Endowment Fund Trust (EFT) – the centuries-old flooring will be removed, polished and placed again. On the other hand, the teakwood doors and windows are also expected to be replaced with wood. The ongoing conservation coupled with the press club body’s determination to maintain its identity stresses the importance of Dinshaw House. The conservation work will help to retain its identity for the future generation, and recognition to protect our heritage to its visitors.

PHOTO: SWALEHA RAZI ULLAH

Post partition possession history of Dinshaw house

Before the establishment of KPC at the Dinshaw house, the building served as an office and warehouse of Evacuee Property Trust. President Iskandar Mirza also resided in this building.

In 1958, General Azam Khan offered the building to some journalists, who would gather in front of the Aslam Restaurant at II Chundrigar road, at a monthly rent of Rs110. In 1961, the upper story of the house was also rented out in the same amount.

The establishment of the Karachi Press Building in this monument of late 19^th century served as the landmark in the historical significance of this heritage. The formal opening on December 6, 1958, inaugurated by then information minister Habibur Rehman, marked the beginning of a democratic struggle as KPC provides a platform to raise voice against injustices – social and political. Over the years it has been adorned with titles such as “Bastion of Freedom”, “Liberated Area” and “London’s Hyder Park”.

The building was sold to Zakariya Saya, a well-known trader of the city, by the Cantonment Board but after persistence from the then mayor Karachi Farooq Sattar, a tri-party agreement was signed between Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, KPC and Saya which allowed the building to hold its identity as KPC while two plots on Queens Road were granted to Saya.

Until the 1997 tri-party agreement, the building was under the patron-ship of Prince Karim Agha Khan, who paid Rs1,200 to the Cantonment Board.

Architectural detail of present KPC building and institutional history

After a survey carried out in 2015, it was decided to hold on to the skeleton of the main building through modification.

The “Ibrahim Jalees Conference Hall” on the ground floor hosts press conferences – at a specific amount. It is one of the sources of income for the KPC. The hall’s walls are decorated with two paintings – one by Indian painter Maqbool Fida Hussain and the other by Shahid Ismail. On September 10, 1992, Hussain entered the building barefoot and created the master piece. The artwork remains a powerful lingering memory of the Indian artist’s visit.

The building also boasts a library, a committee room, secretary room and an internet room named after the prominent journalist and former president KPC Sabihuddin Ghausi and a card room.

The elections for KPC body are held in the committee room – it is the same room where the Movement of Restoration of Democracy (MRD) began against the tenure of former dictator General Ziaul Haq. The room’s walls are adorned with two Sadequain paintings worth Rs20 million.

Former president of the KPC and veteran journalist Abdul Hameed Chhapra reminisces that prior to the establishment of KPC, demonstrations were held outside the Regal cinema in Saddar.

The club currently has more than 1,200 members with honoury members such as Prince Karin Aga Khan, scientist and Nobel laureate Prof Dr Abdus Salam, Prof Dr Saleemuzzaman Siddiqui, Justice Dorab Patel, Justice Fakruddin G. Ebrahim, Prof Karrar Hussain, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Habib Jalib, Ahmed Faraz, Josh Maleehabadi, Jahaingir Khan, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad. The late Abbas Khallili and Air Marshal Nur Khan were among the first members on this roll of honour.

Our dear friend, mentor and one of Singapore’s leading Parsi Rustom Ghadiali was featured in a Straits Times article earlier this month

One of the most memorable ques­tions Mr Rustom Ghadiali was asked as a Zoroastrian priest is: “Is Zorro a Zoroastrian?”

The kindly 82-year-old replied: “No. Zorro is a comic book charac­ter. Zoroastrian is a 3.700-year-old faith.”

The leader of one of the smallest faiths in Singapore – with only 300 believers – Mr Ghadiali has made his mark in promoting inter-faith harmony here.

Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest surviving religions. Followers believe in one supreme being. Ahura Mazda. It was once the official religion of Persia, as Iran was then known, and one of the most powerful religions of ancient times. But the Zoroastrians dwin­dled in numbers after Alexander the Great defeated Persia’s army.

Zoroastrians were persecuted and fled their homes. Some, like Mr Ghadiali’s ancestors, settled in In­dia where they were called Parsis.

Mr Ghadiali studied the monothe­istic faith in his teens in India and was ordained as an Ervad or priest. An Ervad does not need to give up his secular life and become celibate as that is contrary to the belief that Ahura Mazda wants followers to live industrious and happy lives.

Mr Ghadiali first visited Singa­pore on a work trip in 1971 as a man­ager for American semiconductor firm International Rectifier – where he Liter became vice-presi­dent of the South-east Asia, India and China branch.

He had come to look for a site to build a semiconductor plant and was impressed by Singapore’s way of doing business. He quickly de­cided this was where he would spend his life.

“It wasn’t like in other countries, you didn’t have to bribe the officials. So I set up the plant here and settled down,” he explained.

He set up home in Singapore in 1973 with his wife Shirin, now 76. They have two daughters. N’atascha and Kharmayne, who were born in India and raised in Singapore. The sisters were gymnasts who repre­sented Singapore at the SEA Games in the 1980s and 1990s.

Mr Ghadiali connected with other Zoroastrians in Singapore. He became the leader of the com­munity in 1986. when he was asked to join the Inter-Religious Organisa­tion (IRO) to replace Mr B. R Vakil.

The IRO, started in 1949, fosters friendship and cooperation among the 10 official religions in Singapore and rotates its presidency among the leaders of the faiths.

“The Baha’i leader, who is my friend, called me and persuaded me to take on the role so that Zoroastri­ans can retain their scat in the IRO.” said Mr Ghadiali. Baha’i is one of the faiths included in the IRO.Mr Ghadiali was IRO president three times. During his stint in 2009. IRO worked with the Singa­pore Buddhist Lodge and the Chi­nese authorities to hold the first China-Singapore Religious and Cul­tural Exhibition, which attracted morethan 10,000 visitors.This helped to nurture and strengthen the ties between the reli­gious leaders from both countries.II is efforts over 30 years won him the IRO Award in March this year.

It is given to those who have contrib­uted to inter-faith peace.I RO’s current president K. Kesava- pany said: “We owe it to Mr Ghadi­ali and other members of the pio­neering generation for the peace and happiness that we enjoy.”Such harmony is the result of re­spect and discipline from all the leaders of the IRO, who follow a st rict code of conduct.Mr Ghadiali explained: “If we have disagreements, we don’t take it further or escalate it, we discuss it. And we also never comment on the other religions. We deal with in- ter-faith harmony, not intra-faith harmony. So if one religion is suffer • ing from internal issues, we step back and let them figure it out.”While IRO leaders have managed to stay friendly, parts of the world have been fraught with rising reli­gious tensions, as radicalism and fun­damentalism drive act s of violence.Recalling the climate after the Sept 11, 2001. terror attacks in the US.

Mr Ghadiali said: “The first thing that happened was that peo­ple started discriminating against Muslims. But terrorists can come from any country and any religion.”He added that the IRO leaders ap­peared together at a multi-religious memorial service for the attacks to lead prayers. It was a symbolic way of emphasising the harmony be­tween the different faiths here.But religious tensions are not a thing of the past. As Mr Ghadiali said: “It’s the same problem now be­cause of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) and people have nega­tive attitudes of Islam.”But he believes that there is a way to deal with the misunderstanding and discord – through dialogue and discussion.He regularly speaks to youth through outreach programmes sup­ported by the Ministry of Culture. Community and Youth, and lec­tures organised by IRO and poly­technics.”One thing I noticed Is that there are more people without religious affiliations turning up. I asked them what they want and they say they are interested in learning instead of believing.” he said.Although a deeply religious man, Mr Ghadiali is far from dismayed.He said: “People can often have the wrong ideas about religion or even misunderstand its concepts. So I’m very encouraged by how young people do want to learn more about religion even if they don’t believe in any religion.”

Historians have written not just pages, but books on his life; he is a wellknown figure in the Parsi historical hall of fame; it should be a polite yawn by now to read the writings of social reformer, author and poet Behramji Malabari.

Article by Sanchia Desouza | Mumbai Mirror

Born in Baroda in around 1853, Malabari is best known as an advocate for the rights of women, writing against child marriage and in favour of widow remarriage. Mumbaikars will, of course, recognise one of his legacies: the Seva Sadan Society for the education and empowerment of women and girls, headquartered at Nana Chowk, Gamdevi. He founded it in 1908 with his friend, Dayaram Gidumal. All of this makes him sound like the 19th century worthy he was, but there is more.

Sitting down a few days ago to reread the travel memoir Malabari wrote about his three visits to Britain, beyond the stillfresh surprise of the Indian looking back at and assessing imperial Britain, I was completely hooked. Looking at sections from this 1893 book The Indian Eye on English Life, or Rambles of a Pilgrim Reformer, my delighted students commented that he was “pretty snarky”. And if snark is a typically millennial way to be subversive, Malabari could very well be a millennial.

On the bustle around in London, he comments, “Every man, and woman — one might say every animal, and even some of the inanimate objects — seem to be full of life.” Decades before the railways of Bombay carried millions of commuters in his own home city, he is shocked by them in the imperial capital: “The crush is indescribable… I wonder how people can stand the noise and bustle. If I were to be detained in such a crowd for a few hours I am afraid I would either be stunned, or distracted beyond cure.” I can only be glad that he doesn’t have to endure the proverbial Virar Fast.

The sounds of the city are fascinating reminders of industrial progress to Malabari: “The noise and bustle — the everlasting clang of feet, the whistling of engines and smoking of chimneys — are music to my ear.” But he also prefers hearing them “at a safe distance.” When he eventually leaves London, he does so calling it a “dirty little pool of life, that has grown and expanded into an ocean”.

Madame Tussauds, which now houses oddly alarming figures of so many Indian celebrities, didn’t seem to meet with his favour, but for a comically withering reason that had little to do with wax. “We do not care to visit Madame’s Chamber of Horrors, to be introduced to many of the criminals and cut-throats known to history. We have just had our throats cut by the waiter at the restaurant, who charged us half-a-crown for two plates of mudwater which he passed off as mulligatawny soup. There were horrors enough in that costly repast.”

Malabari enjoyed the zoo much more and casts himself sardonically as a man from an exotic jungle: “One feels as if moving about amongst his kith and kin, all of them real and alive—very much alive indeed, judging from the overtures made to me by a greedy old beast of a baboon.”

Amidst all the description of people and places, the spectacle and cruel extremes of an empire at the height of its power, Malabari faced also some less-than-gracious treatment. His unfamiliar headgear and habitual wearing of white flannel, as done in more tropical climes, both came in for some gawking from urchins and the middle class alike. The urchins heckled him saying “Yaw, gov’nor, foine day for creeckit?” and Malabari’s mimicry of the accent in writing is surprisingly, sharply funny. Further down the street, two ladies wanted to look at his pagdi, and his companion commented that they were probably photographers or artists. Malabari’s sense of privacy and dignity injured, he remarks with killing subtlety, “Very likely. But I would rather not give them a sitting.”

On the tightrope of the British Empire, maintaining his delicate position between worlds, Behramji Malabari got in more than a few jabs with a gentlemanly walking stick.

More about Behramji Malabari: Here & here & here

By Rhea Mogul | South China Morning Post

Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai serves millions of Hongkongers every year, with its 24-hour accident and emergency centre providing an important lifeline for residents. The hospital has witnessed more than 70 years of Hong Kong history, yet in that time its role in the community has changed very little.

From the time the first brick was laid, the hospital was always destined to be a driving force in improving public health in the city. It was founded by Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee, a prominent Parsi trader from India, as a tribute to the daughter he lost to tuberculosis.

Born in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1880, Ruttonjee was sent to Hong Kong at the age of 12 by his father, Hormusjee Ruttonjee, who had been trading wines, spirits and other provisions in the city since 1884.

Hong Kong stories: The Indian immigrant who helped build HKU and the road that bears his name

After graduating from St Joseph’s College, the younger Ruttonjee joined his father’s business, eventually taking it over in 1913.

At 22, Ruttonjee married, and had a son, Dhun, and two daughters Tehmi and Freni. Known for his big heart, Ruttonjee also adopted his two young nephews and niece – Rusy, Beji and Minnie Shroff – after their father was lost at sea during a typhoon.

Ruttonjee Hospital has been serving the public for 70 years.

After years of successful trading, Ruttonjee wanted to produce something of his own. As Hong Kong was largely reliant on imported beer in the early 1900s, Ruttonjee saw the opportunity to establish his own brewery.

His family and friends tried to discourage him from the venture, but with the support of Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs, the Governor of Hong Kong at the time, Ruttonjee persisted. Hong Kong Brewers & Distillers Ltd opened its doors in 1931.

Unfortunately, the brewery suffered several years of bad luck, and eventually had to be closed down. Ruttonjee was undeterred. He bought another brewery, and this time, it was a success.

Yet misfortune struck again late in 1941 when Hong Kong fell under Japanese control during the second world war. The brewery was seized, and in 1942, Ruttonjee and his sons were arrested, accused of helping war prisoners inside Stanley Internment Camp. They were detained and tortured for nine months, and later sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.

The line-up of dignitaries putting spades to ground, as staff of Ruttonjee Hospital watch from windows at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Hospital.

During that time, the city was hit by outbreak of tuberculosis. It sadly claimed the life of Ruttonjee’s daughter, Tehmi, in 1943. Ruttonjee was determined to do something to tackle this deadly disease.

In 1948, as the city began to recover from the war, Ruttonjee called on Hong Kong’s people to support his campaign; later that year, the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Institution was established.

It is known today as the Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association, and sits next to Ruttonjee Hospital on Queen’s Road East. Over the years, it has paved the way for many advances in the prevention and diagnosis of diseases of the chest, heart and lungs.

A second facility – Ruttonjee Sanatorium – was built in Wan Chai in 1949. This would become Ruttonjee Hospital in 1991. After Ruttonjee died in 1960, his son carried on his philanthropic work.

Dr Dhun Ruttonjee continued the work his father started.

He was in turn succeeded by Ruttonjee’s adopted son, Rusy Shroff. To date, eight medical facilities have been established in Hong Kong under the Ruttonjee name, including a home for elderly care, and education centres for medical research.

The family’s presence in the city remains strong to this day. Shroff continued to champion the causes that his father loved, sitting on the board for the Ruttonjee Hospitals until his death in November 2017. His wife continues to uphold the family’s legacy.

In the Oscar-winning film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a biopic of Freddie Mercury, his father berates him: “So now the family name is not good enough for you?”

“I changed it legally,” Mercury responds. “No looking back.”

Article by Rev. Alexander Santora | NJ.com

Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara into a Parsi family that had roots in India and was Zoroastrian by faith. I was inspired by the film to learn more.

Seen here are Zoroastrians and Hoboken residents Sherazad Mehta, his wife, Mrinalini, and their sons Talin and Zaydan.

Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions; it could date back as far as 1200 BCE when its founder, Zoroaster, lived, though there are no precise dates. Many scholars say it had an influence on Christianity, Islam and Judaism because it taught that good would triumph over evil, that there is a good deity, a heaven and a hell and that human beings are endowed with free will.

Today, it is one of the smallest religions with perhaps about 110,000 followers worldwide. The closest temple of fire to us, where adherents can gather and worship, is in Pomona near Suffern, New York, right on the Jersey border with Mahwah up off Route 17. It opened in 2016 and can hold 1,000 followers.

The new Arbab Rustam Guiv Dar-e-Mehr building, inaugurated on March 26, 2016, is a Zoroastrian religious and cultural community center in Pomona, New York, and home to the Zoroastrian Association of Greater NY and Iranian Zoroastrian Association. Designed by award-winning architect and community member, Dinyar Wadia, the building is inspired by ancient Persian and Parsi architecture of the fire temples of Iran and India, respectively. Photo: Mahafreen H. Mistry

Fire — representing light, warmth and purifying powers — is an important symbol, as is the evergreen cypress tree, representing eternal life.

Zoroastrians mark two new year celebrations, which are their big days to go to temple. One is the spring equinox on March 21 and the second is the third week of August.

Community activities and religious festivals are held in the temple two weekends a month, according to Arzan Sam Wadia, an architect and urban designer in Brooklyn. He emigrated to the U.S. from India in 1998 to go to Pratt for graduate school and stayed.

Vada Dasturji (head priest) Khurshed Dastoor (in chair on left) from the holy place of Udvada, India, led the Jashan ceremony for the inauguration of the new building along with 29 priests from all over North America. Above them, the symbol of protection and Zoroastrianism, the Farvahar. Photo: Arzan Sam Wadia

For him, though, his daily practice is what strengthens his faith. After he showers in the morning, he ties a sacred thread, a kushti, around his waist three times over a sudreh, a white colored vest made of muslin cloth. Then he says his prayers from their Scriptures, Avesta, for about 20 minutes.

“We thank God to keep us always on the path of righteousness and to do the right thing,” Wadia said.

There is no communal worship, but Zoroastrians follow general guides for good living, he said, like leading a good and righteous life.

“It is not a list of what not to do, but more positive,” he said, adding that if believers are successful in life, ”they are encouraged to share their wealth.”

Hoboken resident Sherazad Mehta sums up Zoroastrianism as “good thoughts bring good words and good words inspire good deeds.”

He believes, he said, that we are only in this world for a short time and must ensure that we leave it in a better place than it was when we received it.

“We believe that people are created equal and I teach these basic principles to my children as these ancient truths are truer and more relevant today than ever,” he said.

Zoroastrians celebrate a special ritual that lasts 10 days of the year during which they say prayers for the departed souls and go to the temple every day. They put flowers in a family vase, a muktad, and change them daily. They will share a simple meal at breakfast, lunch or dinner and the dead are thought to return and be with them.

Zoroaster founded the religion in ancient Persia — modern-day Iran — but adherents fled religious persecution from Muslims sometime between the 7th and 10th centuries. They settled in India, where they came to be called “Parsis.”

Today, there are no conversions in India unless your parent is Zoroastrian, which may account for their smaller numbers. But in the U.S., for example, one can opt to convert, Wadia said.

Zoroastrian Sherazad Mehta, left, and Mrinalini Nair of Hoboken are pictured here wearing traditional clothing. Sherazad wears a Dugli, the traditional white coat worn with white pants, and a Topi prayer cap. Mrinalini wears a traditional white sari draped in the preferred Parsi style. Photo: Mark Swaroop

For the last six years, Wadia has served as the program director of “Zoroastrian return to roots,” an initiative to teach the next generation about the roots of Zoroastrianism in India. They sponsor what are called birthright trips for 15 days for young people between the ages of 18 and 25. During the trips, travelers visit historical and religious sites and meet with scholars and business people. So, far about 80 have gone in the six years the program existed.

Wadia hopes there will be an uptick of interest in his faith.

Since the movie, every one of his friends and people who know him said, “Freddie Mercury is one of your people.” And Wadia believes that Mercury “did embrace the religious and ethnic identification in the end.”

A rhapsody, indeed.

The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, in Hoboken New Jersey, USA

The 3rd Salgreh of the Zoroastrian Association of California‘s Atash Kadeh was celebrated with great religious fervor on November 13, 2019

A maachi was offered at all five gehs. Two of which were Hama Anjuman Machis, of one kg each of pure Sandalwood, offered to the holy fire in Havan and Aiwishruthem gehs. Followed by a Hama Anjuman Jashan performed by Ervads Zarrir Bhandara and Jal Birdy.

After the Jashan a very informative and interactive talk on fire was delivered by Ervad Zarrir Bhandara, in which he briefly gave the history of the enthronement of the fire. Stating that 3 days and nights before the opening of the Atash Kadeh, under the guidance of Dasturji Dr. Kotwal, the Vendidad Sadeh and 6 Bajs were performed on the fire that was burning in our house for the last ten years and from that same fire this Padshah was enthroned.

He then explained the significance of offering the Machi to the Padshah.  Machi comes from a word Manch, which means a throne. The first two pieces are the base of the throne, the next two are seat, then the arm rest and finally the backrest. Furthermore, he asked the gathering “are we fire-worshippers or do we worship God through fire? We worship the ceremoniously enthroned fires namely the Atashbehram, Attash Adran and Atash Dadgah as son of Ahura Mazda. On the other hand if you say we worship God through fire, that is true too as we revere all God’s creations and that God’s spark/energy is present in all living beings and the manifestation of that energy is fire.” At the conclusion he thanked all the attendees, the ZAC committee for providing dinner.

After that birthday cake was cut by Ervads Jal Birdy and Zarrir Bhandara.

Jal Panthaky is a Zoroastrian priest, with a love of life and a staunch dedication to his faith. He is both a proud father and a deeply spiritual man.  But neither of these are static roles.  Recently, his devotion to his religion and to his children collided; he felt moved to examine the tenets of his faith, and that has led him to be open to new relationships and embrace new horizons.

The collision occurred when his eldest daughter, Rahnuma, brought home a man she was dating who was not Zoroastrian. In Zoroastrianism, mixed marriages are frowned upon.  Not only that, but the rules are different for men and women. 

A Zoroastrian man who marries a non-Zoroastrian woman can at least ensure that his children are raised in the faith. But the same is not the case for a Zoroastrian woman who marries a non-Zoroastrian man.  She is unable to practice, to enter the temple, or even to attend a family funeral.

Orthodox roots run deep

“I was born in a priestly family [of] many generations,” Jal says. “My father was a high priest in a place of worship, and my brother was a principal in a monastery where they taught new Zoroastrian priests … the belief was that you don’t allow any non-Zoroastrians into any of our religious ceremonies, and you don’t allow our children to marry outside the Zoroastrian faith.”

So when Rahnuma introduced Michael to her family, Jal was at a loss. Outwardly, he initially didn’t extend much of a welcome to Michael.

Rahnuma recalls, “When he got an inkling that I was dating Michael at the very beginning, he basically said, ‘You are not going to date him, and if you do I will make it very difficult for you.'”

But inwardly, Jal searched his faith for answers to his dilemma: What was behind the rules against interreligious marriage in Zoroastrianism? And how would they affect his daughter’s wish to marry outside the faith?

A faith examined

Jal’s quest for understanding has led him to embrace his son-in-law and has changed his practice as a priest; he now performs mixed marriage ceremonies.

“We proudly say that Zoroastrianism is the first monotheistic religion. If we believe in one God, then all these people are his children. So why should we discriminate [against] them? And I started to open my mind to observe the people; and especially in my own family, my own daughter.”

– Jal Panthaky

His journey has not only enriched his family life, but it also represents an important step for Zoroastrians. A broader outlook on marriage may be a boon to this ancient religion; by some estimates there are fewer than 200,000 Zoroastrians in the world.

Click listen to hear CBC Producer Tania Mehta’s documentary Jal’s Journey: A Zoroastrian Priest’s Path to a New Normal.

The post Guess who’s coming to dinner? Zoroastrian priest changed by daughter’s interfaith marriage appeared on Parsi Khabar.

Hong Kong’s very earliest days were dominated – surprise – by the question of land. Traders had begun putting up mat-shed structures and company jetties in 1841, even before the Treaty of Nanking of 1842 which formalised the ceding of the Island of Hong Kong to the British in perpetuity.

The 1841 Land Auction was, therefore, held under dubious authority, and caused legal problems as time went by.

Article by Vaudine England | Hong Kong Free Press

But the list of buyers on that summer’s day of 14 June, provides a curious insight into who actually had the power and the money at the time.

Yes, there were the expected English and Scotsmen, even a few Americans. But who were those men with the fascinating multi-syllabic names?

• Dhunjibhoy Ruttonjee Bisney
• Dent & Co
• Dirom & Co
• Ferguson, Leighton & Co
• James Fletcher & Co
• Fox, Rawson & Co
• Framjee Jamsetjee
• W & F Gemmell & Co
• Gribble, Hughes & Co
• R Gully
• Charles Hart
• Holliday & Co
• Hooker & Lane
• Jamieson & How
• Jardine, Matheson & Co
• Captain Larkins
• Lindsay & Co
• MacVicar & Co
• Captain Morgan
• Pestonjee Cowasjee
• P.F. Robertson
• H. Rustomjee
• Turner & Co
• Robert Webster.

The earliest to build were Lindsay & Co, who built The Albany Godown in Wanchai, and Jardine Matheson at East Point. These two had been the first two independent firms (outside the East India Company monopoly) to establish themselves at Canton earlier, also.

Some lots quickly changed hands, others remained in company hands — witness Jardines’ East Point (the Causeway Bay site where sits the Excelsior Hotel and the Noon-day Gun) for a remarkably long time.

The most interesting point to my mind, however, is the ethnic mix. Among the expected names of the Anglo-Saxon contingent was just one other group of buyers: the Parsis.

These ‘gentlemen’, as British records invariably describe them, can trace their family histories back to Persia, from where their Zoroastrian religion derives. After upheavals at home, the Parsi diaspora found a safer base in Bombay where they put their considerable skills in trade — both a cosmopolitan outlook and a reputation for honesty — to good effect.

They traded with the new powers in the area as well as the old, and so had long-established relationships with the British and others in Canton. Unsurprisingly, they were partners in the enterprise that was early Hong Kong.

The astute reader will recognise names such as Ruttonjee and Bisney on some of Hong Kong’s more generous, long-lasting institutions.

Their community remains tightly-knit and successful to this day, forming just one part of what was on its way to becoming a richly exotic mix of peoples making up Hong Kong.

The post Hong Kong’s first land sale featured some unusual, but familiar, names appeared on Parsi Khabar.

In British colonial times, enterprising Parsis looked further south, and set their sights on Sri Lanka, bringing home a good many Parsi families.

Parsi Pioneers

Gathering of Parsis outside Parsi Club, c.1940s. Those were the days when there were about 200 Parsis here before the Swabasha policy in the 1950s spurred many to migrate. Image courtesy Aban Pestonjee

The Parsis are known for their pioneering spirit and it is possible that even before colonial times, a few had established themselves here. However, it was when Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was known) was part of the British Empire that the first recorded migrations of Parsis here took place, their eyes set on import-export trading, upon which they would build their fortunes.

Article by Asiff Hussein | ROAR

According to Jamsheed Choksy*, as early as the late 1700s and early 1800s, about a hundred Parsi men lived in Colombo Fort as merchants and as planters in the estates of the Central Province. One of the earliest such entrepreneurs was Dady Parsi, based in King’s Street, Colombo Fort, whose company in the early part of the 19th century handled much of the transportation of goods in and out of the Port of Colombo. Another early pioneer was Framjee Bikhajee, who arrived in Ceylon in 1817 and founded a company that would in later times own the famous Framjee House in the seaside neighbourhood of Colpetty, and a large shopping mall located on the corner of Main and China Streets in Pettah.

A further spurt of immigration took place in the late 1800s and early 1900s, bringing many of the Parsi families who rose to prominence in subsequent years, and whom we are most familiar with.

Prominent Families And Personalities

The Parsi Club down Palm Grove, Colpetty. Image courtesy writer

Prominent Parsi families today include the Captains, Choksys, Khans, Billimorias, Pestonjees, and Jillas. The ancestor of the Choksy family, K. D. Choksy, arrived from Bombay in 1884 as an employee of Framjee Bikhajee & Co. His son, Nariman Choksy, rose to become Queen’s Counsel and Justice of the Supreme Court, while his grandson, Kairshasp Choksy, PC, went a step further. He took to politics and became an MP before becoming Minister of Constitutional Affairs, and later Minister of Finance, the highest achievement for a Sri Lankan Parsi. Pheroze Choksy, another member of the clan, became a famous architect.

The Captains are another old Parsi family long settled here. Its founder was Eduljee Captain, who served as General Manager of Wellawatte Spinning and Weaving Mills from its establishment in 1914 until 1966. His son, Sohli Captain, owned Wellawatte Spinning and Weaving Mills and his grandson, Rusi, went into corporate investments. The family is the largest shareholder of John Keells Group, a large business conglomerate running a supermarket and hotel chain. The Captains are well known for their services to humanity. Sohli Captain developed Sri Lanka’s first cancer hospice, and his sister, Perin Captain, has also contributed much to the Child Protection Society.

Yet another long established family were the Billimorias. As we gather from the Ceylon Observer Christmas Number 1921, the Britannia Bakery established in 1900 was owned by Framjee Billimoria of Hospital Street, Colombo Fort. And it was Homi Billimoria, a renowned architect, who designed the Mumtaz Mahal, the official residence of the Speaker of Parliament in Colpetty, and Tintagel, which became the family home of the Bandaranaikes. The Khan family owned the Oil Mills in Colombo and built the Khan Clock Tower in Pettah, still a prominent landmark of the area. The N. D. Jillas, another well-known family, started Colombo Dye Works along Turret Road in Colpetty, while the Jilla brothers Homi, Kairshasp, and Freddy served in varying capacities. Homi was an army physician, Kairshasp a naval officer, and Freddy a civil aviation officer.

The Pestonjees, yet another entrepreneurial family, are actually quite recent arrivals. Its founder was Kaikobad Gandy, a marine engineer who sailed around the world and finally settled for Sri Lanka, which he called ‘The Best Place in the World’. That was way back in the 1930s. He was awarded Distinguished Citizenship by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike in recognition of his services to the country’s ports as Chief Engineer. His daughter, Aban, founded Abans Group, a large business conglomerate that handles everything from hospitality and electronic goods to janitorial services. Aban started her business in a very modest way in her home garage in the late 1960s by purchasing household appliances from auctions and embassy sales before restoring them and selling them at her small shop on Galle Road. When the economy took off in 1978, so did Aban, who got into the business of importing electronic goods. Her son Rusi, as persistent as his mother, started canvassing for the McDonalds fast food franchise when he was 18, and got it when he was 28, ten years later. (So now you know why Abans and McDonalds are cheek by jowl with one another.)

Keeping The Faith

The Parsis are a very religious community, understandable for a people who migrated to yet unknown lands just to preserve their faith. The Ceylon Parsi Anjuman was founded in 1939 and administers the community prayer Hall, Navroz Baug (‘New Year Garden’), and the ‘Agiari’ (Fire Temple) down Fifth Lane, Colpetty, which is served by a ‘Mobed’ or Zoroastrian priest. The Temple, unlike the traditional Agiaris, does not have the ‘Atashbehram’ or ‘Eternal Flame’, kept lit day and night, but still suffices for the religious needs of this small community. There was a time, over a hundred years ago, when our Parsis like those elsewhere exposed their dead in a Dakhma (Tower of Silence) to be devoured by birds of prey, but this has long been given up in favour of inhumation in Aramgah (Places of Repose).

Parsi Priest with siblings of a mixed union, who were recently inducted into the community. Image courtesy Aban Pestonjee

Aban Pestonjee, who serves as Trustee of the Parsi Club along with Sohli Captain, is hopeful of preserving the community’s identity. The Parsi Club and Navroz Baug, both in Colpetty, serve as venues for social and religious gatherings such as the Zoroastrian New Year, Prophet Zarathustra’s birthday, and the communal feast known as Gambhar. Aban explained that although the offspring of Parsi women who marry out are not considered Parsis and not allowed into the inner sanctum of the temple, they meet in the balcony of Navroz Baug for the communal meal, which is partaken of by about 60 people, of both completely Parsi as well as mixed origin. She also observed that there is a trend to be more accommodating to offspring of mixed unions, and that recently, two siblings of a mixed Parsi-Sinhalese union were formally inducted into the community, bringing the number of Parsis living in Sri Lanka to 42 persons.

Although a very small community, our Parsi friends are a great inspiration for all of us who call this beautiful island home—seamlessly integrating and contributing to our nation in so many ways. And to think they came all the way from Persia!

* Iranians and Indians on the Shores of Serendib – Parsis in India and the Diaspora, J. Hinnels & A.Williams, 2007

The post Parsis Of Sri Lanka: Denizens From A Land Far Away appeared on Parsi Khabar.

Our dear friends Shirin and Rssi Ghadiali of Singapore have sent us this request. We urge all of you to sign the petition.

To do so, click on the link below. All you need to enter there is your mail, phone number and email address. And then select None for the first two questions and Parsi Road for the last one.

Let’s all do our bit to get a Parsi Road Station in Singapore !!

PZAS Committee of Singapore writes:

A couple of months back a lot of our Parsi community members, their non-Parsi friends and others in general were kind enough to help fill out the polls to name the new MRT Station in Shenton Way as Parsi Road Station.

It appears that the movement all of you helped spearhead previously has finally come to fruition and now we have to move this effort to Stage 2. This naming of the station, is in the final stage of the naming exercise, which has already commenced and polls will be open until December 10. 

In Stage 1, the LTA had tentatively named the station Prince Edward MRT station with a request to the general public to suggest other names. The community and their network of friends responded in large numbers to name it Parsi Road. This is no mean feat, given that more than 2,000 suggestions from the general public were sifted through in order to come up with the three finalized names below for the final naming poll.

1) Prince Edward Road
2) Parsi Road
3) Palmer Road

PZAS’ members and our member’s friends, business associates and anyone in your network that you can encourage have less than a month to fill in and submit the poll. Below is the link to use to vote for the Parsi Road MRT station in Stage 2.

https://www.lta.gov.sg/feedback/OnlineSurvy.aspx?SURVY_DETL_NUM=S201700003

Please note in Stage 1 your help in filling out the poll helped us secure a place in the first 3 place out of thousands of suggestions. Now we need your help in securing a place for our erstwhile community to be recognized for it’s contributions, preserve a legacy of our forefathers and secure a place in history for our future generations. 

Our community appreciates your vote and help in driving this initiative by not only by filling this poll out within our community but encourage others outside our community to help fill out the poll in significant numbers. This poll can be taken by anyone worldwide so please forward to your friends, community and contacts outside Singapore too. Thanks very much for your help.   

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead,

PZAS Committee of Singapore

The post Vote for Parsi Road Station in Singapore appeared on Parsi Khabar.

The southern port city of Pakistan, Karachi has enjoyed immense strategic value for centuries. When the British realised its strategic significance, the city became the centre of many official civil and military activities of the province of Sindh – the British also adorned Karachi with Victorian style buildings housing civil, commercial, educational departments along with churches, residences for government and bungalows with different architectural styles.

Article By Swaleha Razi Ullah | Tribune

PHOTO: SWALEHA RAZI ULLAH

One of the buildings, reflecting the residential architecture of the wealthy class of that period, is the Dinshaw House of 1890 – where the Karachi Press Club began its journey in 1958. As described by the brochure, KPC was established in 1958 in a Victorian style bungalow on what was then the Ingle Road – now Sarwar Shaheed Road.

PHOTO: SWALEHA RAZI ULLAH

Dinshaw’s contribution in architecture of Karachi:

The Dinshaw House is named after Seth Eduljee Dinshaw, a Parsi philanthropist and largest landowner of Karachi during British Colonial rule. A noteworthy man among his community, he contributed to charitable projects in the city including Lady Dufferin Hospital (1884),Edulji Dinshaw Dispensary in 1882, Nadirshaw Edulji Dispensary, contributing in the construction of Mama Parsi School in 1910 and for Sindh Art College in 1885 and 1887.

Reportedly, Dinshaw owned half of Karachi by 1893. His rise from poverty to one of the largest landowners in Karachi lasts as a memorial to his enterprising energy. A first generation millionaire, his contribution in architecture of Karachi in that era is of great significance – with most of the buildings built by him serve as private residences, offices, and godowns.

The evolution of the architectural style of residential buildings in the colonial era reveals that single storied residential bungalows of an early period of occupation paved the way for the construction of double storied stoned structure with the basic features of pitched gable roofs and verandahs. “The bungalows enclosed in walled compound represent the symbol of wealth and status. The typical residential bungalow for the wealthy, for example, was set back from the road by a walled compound. The amount of land enclosed was a symbol of status.”

Architecture of Dinshaw house (1890) and its post-partition state

Anglo-Indian styled building in Karachi’s Cantonment area with Victorian architecture of the 118 years old monument fashioned with stones, is a walled compound covering 5,000 square yards including a lawn in the front and a car park in the back yard. The thick-walled stoned structure of high ceilings and round opening arches were carved to fulfill the climatic conditions. Italianate style beautifies the outlook and symbolizes the Eduljee’s status as a wealthy figure of that time.

The Dinshaw house, declared a Protected Heritage by Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994, is home to KPC since 1958.

Architect Farhan Zia, founder of architectural firm SCHEMATICS and a member of Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP) and Institute of Architects of Pakistan(IAP), also confirmed that the 19th-century monumental building was originally a double storied bungalow built in Italianate style with local stones used as basic construction material. In contrast to the modern structures, these elements are based on geometry.

A comparative study by Rameez and Barkatullah, highlights the classical architecture of the KPC building including pediment, keystone, Doric columns, arches, gable roof. The triangular section, the pediment, found at the main entrance of the KPC building is compared with a Greek temple’s pediment and Roman temple’s pantheon. While the doric order and round arches are compared with Renaissance Palace Pallazzo Te in Italy. The rustication feature is likened to Medice Recardi and Pallazzo Caprini (renaissance palaces built in Italy) and Sicilian Baroque that possesses Baroque architectural features of 17^th and 18^th centuries.

The architecture is being modified to accommodate activities of the journalist community as KPC is frequented round the clock. A steel structure has been constructed in the front yard to encourage new members. But the modifications have received mixed response from the journalist community as the steel structure has overshadowed originality of the monument. “The chopping of the majestic Neem and other trees has affected the beauty of the monument,” remarked a senior KPC member. “It’s target killing.”

PHOTO: SWALEHA RAZI ULLAH

Rameez and Barkatullah also condemned the modification, saying that ‘the building of steel structure was against the architect’s advice since it hides the original beauty of the architecture. Noting that the addition provided shelter to growing audience of public and journalists, they said it was brutal as it hid the building’s beauty and significance.

The Dinshaw House’s heritage and identity is somewhere lost despite minimal modifications to the skeleton of the main building. The frequent organisation of activities of the club and visiting of a large number of people has also increased conservation demand.

Preservation work of KPC building

Apart from alterations, the heritage building has also weathered environmental conditions including pollution, erosion, deteriorating teakwood combined with poor conservation and repair work carried out by the Sindh Cultural Department.

Currently, the weathered stones and fortification of masonry are being replaced with lime plaster.  An estimated Rs2.5 million worth of preservation work has been carried out since March 26, 2014 under the supervision of a two-member committee for rehabilitation work.

Senior journalist, AH Khanzada hinted that the original building was constructed with stones from Thatta – it is pertinent to add here that the restoration is being carried out by the same stones.

The floor will be reconstructed in six months with funds allocated through Endowment Fund Trust (EFT) – the centuries-old flooring will be removed, polished and placed again. On the other hand, the teakwood doors and windows are also expected to be replaced with wood. The ongoing conservation coupled with the press club body’s determination to maintain its identity stresses the importance of Dinshaw House. The conservation work will help to retain its identity for the future generation, and recognition to protect our heritage to its visitors.

PHOTO: SWALEHA RAZI ULLAH

Post partition possession history of Dinshaw house

Before the establishment of KPC at the Dinshaw house, the building served as an office and warehouse of Evacuee Property Trust. President Iskandar Mirza also resided in this building.

In 1958, General Azam Khan offered the building to some journalists, who would gather in front of the Aslam Restaurant at II Chundrigar road, at a monthly rent of Rs110. In 1961, the upper story of the house was also rented out in the same amount.

The establishment of the Karachi Press Building in this monument of late 19^th century served as the landmark in the historical significance of this heritage. The formal opening on December 6, 1958, inaugurated by then information minister Habibur Rehman, marked the beginning of a democratic struggle as KPC provides a platform to raise voice against injustices – social and political. Over the years it has been adorned with titles such as “Bastion of Freedom”, “Liberated Area” and “London’s Hyder Park”.

The building was sold to Zakariya Saya, a well-known trader of the city, by the Cantonment Board but after persistence from the then mayor Karachi Farooq Sattar, a tri-party agreement was signed between Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, KPC and Saya which allowed the building to hold its identity as KPC while two plots on Queens Road were granted to Saya.

Until the 1997 tri-party agreement, the building was under the patron-ship of Prince Karim Agha Khan, who paid Rs1,200 to the Cantonment Board.

Architectural detail of present KPC building and institutional history

After a survey carried out in 2015, it was decided to hold on to the skeleton of the main building through modification.

The “Ibrahim Jalees Conference Hall” on the ground floor hosts press conferences – at a specific amount. It is one of the sources of income for the KPC. The hall’s walls are decorated with two paintings – one by Indian painter Maqbool Fida Hussain and the other by Shahid Ismail. On September 10, 1992, Hussain entered the building barefoot and created the master piece. The artwork remains a powerful lingering memory of the Indian artist’s visit.

The building also boasts a library, a committee room, secretary room and an internet room named after the prominent journalist and former president KPC Sabihuddin Ghausi and a card room.

The elections for KPC body are held in the committee room – it is the same room where the Movement of Restoration of Democracy (MRD) began against the tenure of former dictator General Ziaul Haq. The room’s walls are adorned with two Sadequain paintings worth Rs20 million.

Former president of the KPC and veteran journalist Abdul Hameed Chhapra reminisces that prior to the establishment of KPC, demonstrations were held outside the Regal cinema in Saddar.

The club currently has more than 1,200 members with honoury members such as Prince Karin Aga Khan, scientist and Nobel laureate Prof Dr Abdus Salam, Prof Dr Saleemuzzaman Siddiqui, Justice Dorab Patel, Justice Fakruddin G. Ebrahim, Prof Karrar Hussain, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Habib Jalib, Ahmed Faraz, Josh Maleehabadi, Jahaingir Khan, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad. The late Abbas Khallili and Air Marshal Nur Khan were among the first members on this roll of honour.

The post Karachi Press Club: The majestic heritage monument that still stands tall appeared on Parsi Khabar.

Our dear friend, mentor and one of Singapore’s leading Parsi Rustom Ghadiali was featured in a Straits Times article earlier this month

One of the most memorable ques­tions Mr Rustom Ghadiali was asked as a Zoroastrian priest is: “Is Zorro a Zoroastrian?”

The kindly 82-year-old replied: “No. Zorro is a comic book charac­ter. Zoroastrian is a 3.700-year-old faith.”

The leader of one of the smallest faiths in Singapore – with only 300 believers – Mr Ghadiali has made his mark in promoting inter-faith harmony here.

Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest surviving religions. Followers believe in one supreme being. Ahura Mazda. It was once the official religion of Persia, as Iran was then known, and one of the most powerful religions of ancient times. But the Zoroastrians dwin­dled in numbers after Alexander the Great defeated Persia’s army.

Zoroastrians were persecuted and fled their homes. Some, like Mr Ghadiali’s ancestors, settled in In­dia where they were called Parsis.

Mr Rustom Ghadiali received the Inter-religious Organisation Award in March for his contributions to inter-faith harmony over a span of 30 years. He Is a priest of the Zoroastrian faith, which is one of the world’s oldest surviving religions and has around 300 followers in Singapore.

Mr Ghadiali studied the monothe­istic faith in his teens in India and was ordained as an Ervad or priest. An Ervad does not need to give up his secular life and become celibate as that is contrary to the belief that Ahura Mazda wants followers to live industrious and happy lives.

Mr Ghadiali first visited Singa­pore on a work trip in 1971 as a man­ager for American semiconductor firm International Rectifier – where he Liter became vice-presi­dent of the South-east Asia, India and China branch.

He had come to look for a site to build a semiconductor plant and was impressed by Singapore’s way of doing business. He quickly de­cided this was where he would spend his life.

“It wasn’t like in other countries, you didn’t have to bribe the officials. So I set up the plant here and settled down,” he explained.

He set up home in Singapore in 1973 with his wife Shirin, now 76. They have two daughters. N’atascha and Kharmayne, who were born in India and raised in Singapore. The sisters were gymnasts who repre­sented Singapore at the SEA Games in the 1980s and 1990s.

Mr Ghadiali connected with other Zoroastrians in Singapore. He became the leader of the com­munity in 1986. when he was asked to join the Inter-Religious Organisa­tion (IRO) to replace Mr B. R Vakil.

The IRO, started in 1949, fosters friendship and cooperation among the 10 official religions in Singapore and rotates its presidency among the leaders of the faiths.

“The Baha’i leader, who is my friend, called me and persuaded me to take on the role so that Zoroastri­ans can retain their scat in the IRO.” said Mr Ghadiali. Baha’i is one of the faiths included in the IRO.Mr Ghadiali was IRO president three times. During his stint in 2009. IRO worked with the Singa­pore Buddhist Lodge and the Chi­nese authorities to hold the first China-Singapore Religious and Cul­tural Exhibition, which attracted morethan 10,000 visitors.This helped to nurture and strengthen the ties between the reli­gious leaders from both countries.II is efforts over 30 years won him the IRO Award in March this year.

It is given to those who have contrib­uted to inter-faith peace.I RO’s current president K. Kesava- pany said: “We owe it to Mr Ghadi­ali and other members of the pio­neering generation for the peace and happiness that we enjoy.”Such harmony is the result of re­spect and discipline from all the leaders of the IRO, who follow a st rict code of conduct.Mr Ghadiali explained: “If we have disagreements, we don’t take it further or escalate it, we discuss it. And we also never comment on the other religions. We deal with in- ter-faith harmony, not intra-faith harmony. So if one religion is suffer • ing from internal issues, we step back and let them figure it out.”While IRO leaders have managed to stay friendly, parts of the world have been fraught with rising reli­gious tensions, as radicalism and fun­damentalism drive act s of violence.Recalling the climate after the Sept 11, 2001. terror attacks in the US.

Mr Ghadiali said: “The first thing that happened was that peo­ple started discriminating against Muslims. But terrorists can come from any country and any religion.”He added that the IRO leaders ap­peared together at a multi-religious memorial service for the attacks to lead prayers. It was a symbolic way of emphasising the harmony be­tween the different faiths here.But religious tensions are not a thing of the past. As Mr Ghadiali said: “It’s the same problem now be­cause of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) and people have nega­tive attitudes of Islam.”But he believes that there is a way to deal with the misunderstanding and discord – through dialogue and discussion.He regularly speaks to youth through outreach programmes sup­ported by the Ministry of Culture. Community and Youth, and lec­tures organised by IRO and poly­technics.”One thing I noticed Is that there are more people without religious affiliations turning up. I asked them what they want and they say they are interested in learning instead of believing.” he said.Although a deeply religious man, Mr Ghadiali is far from dismayed.He said: “People can often have the wrong ideas about religion or even misunderstand its concepts. So I’m very encouraged by how young people do want to learn more about religion even if they don’t believe in any religion.”

The post Rustom Ghadiali: Zoroastrian priest a firm supporter of inter-faith harmony appeared on Parsi Khabar.

Historians have written not just pages, but books on his life; he is a wellknown figure in the Parsi historical hall of fame; it should be a polite yawn by now to read the writings of social reformer, author and poet Behramji Malabari.

Article by Sanchia Desouza | Mumbai Mirror

Born in Baroda in around 1853, Malabari is best known as an advocate for the rights of women, writing against child marriage and in favour of widow remarriage. Mumbaikars will, of course, recognise one of his legacies: the Seva Sadan Society for the education and empowerment of women and girls, headquartered at Nana Chowk, Gamdevi. He founded it in 1908 with his friend, Dayaram Gidumal. All of this makes him sound like the 19th century worthy he was, but there is more.

Sitting down a few days ago to reread the travel memoir Malabari wrote about his three visits to Britain, beyond the stillfresh surprise of the Indian looking back at and assessing imperial Britain, I was completely hooked. Looking at sections from this 1893 book The Indian Eye on English Life, or Rambles of a Pilgrim Reformer, my delighted students commented that he was “pretty snarky”. And if snark is a typically millennial way to be subversive, Malabari could very well be a millennial.

On the bustle around in London, he comments, “Every man, and woman — one might say every animal, and even some of the inanimate objects — seem to be full of life.” Decades before the railways of Bombay carried millions of commuters in his own home city, he is shocked by them in the imperial capital: “The crush is indescribable… I wonder how people can stand the noise and bustle. If I were to be detained in such a crowd for a few hours I am afraid I would either be stunned, or distracted beyond cure.” I can only be glad that he doesn’t have to endure the proverbial Virar Fast.

The sounds of the city are fascinating reminders of industrial progress to Malabari: “The noise and bustle — the everlasting clang of feet, the whistling of engines and smoking of chimneys — are music to my ear.” But he also prefers hearing them “at a safe distance.” When he eventually leaves London, he does so calling it a “dirty little pool of life, that has grown and expanded into an ocean”.

Madame Tussauds, which now houses oddly alarming figures of so many Indian celebrities, didn’t seem to meet with his favour, but for a comically withering reason that had little to do with wax. “We do not care to visit Madame’s Chamber of Horrors, to be introduced to many of the criminals and cut-throats known to history. We have just had our throats cut by the waiter at the restaurant, who charged us half-a-crown for two plates of mudwater which he passed off as mulligatawny soup. There were horrors enough in that costly repast.”

Malabari enjoyed the zoo much more and casts himself sardonically as a man from an exotic jungle: “One feels as if moving about amongst his kith and kin, all of them real and alive—very much alive indeed, judging from the overtures made to me by a greedy old beast of a baboon.”

Amidst all the description of people and places, the spectacle and cruel extremes of an empire at the height of its power, Malabari faced also some less-than-gracious treatment. His unfamiliar headgear and habitual wearing of white flannel, as done in more tropical climes, both came in for some gawking from urchins and the middle class alike. The urchins heckled him saying “Yaw, gov’nor, foine day for creeckit?” and Malabari’s mimicry of the accent in writing is surprisingly, sharply funny. Further down the street, two ladies wanted to look at his pagdi, and his companion commented that they were probably photographers or artists. Malabari’s sense of privacy and dignity injured, he remarks with killing subtlety, “Very likely. But I would rather not give them a sitting.”

On the tightrope of the British Empire, maintaining his delicate position between worlds, Behramji Malabari got in more than a few jabs with a gentlemanly walking stick.

More about Behramji Malabari: Here & here & here

The post Behramji Merwanji Malabari: A Parsi in London appeared on Parsi Khabar.

By Rhea Mogul | South China Morning Post

Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai serves millions of Hongkongers every year, with its 24-hour accident and emergency centre providing an important lifeline for residents. The hospital has witnessed more than 70 years of Hong Kong history, yet in that time its role in the community has changed very little.

From the time the first brick was laid, the hospital was always destined to be a driving force in improving public health in the city. It was founded by Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee, a prominent Parsi trader from India, as a tribute to the daughter he lost to tuberculosis.

Born in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1880, Ruttonjee was sent to Hong Kong at the age of 12 by his father, Hormusjee Ruttonjee, who had been trading wines, spirits and other provisions in the city since 1884.

Hong Kong stories: The Indian immigrant who helped build HKU and the road that bears his name

After graduating from St Joseph’s College, the younger Ruttonjee joined his father’s business, eventually taking it over in 1913.

At 22, Ruttonjee married, and had a son, Dhun, and two daughters Tehmi and Freni. Known for his big heart, Ruttonjee also adopted his two young nephews and niece – Rusy, Beji and Minnie Shroff – after their father was lost at sea during a typhoon.

Ruttonjee Hospital has been serving the public for 70 years.

After years of successful trading, Ruttonjee wanted to produce something of his own. As Hong Kong was largely reliant on imported beer in the early 1900s, Ruttonjee saw the opportunity to establish his own brewery.

His family and friends tried to discourage him from the venture, but with the support of Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs, the Governor of Hong Kong at the time, Ruttonjee persisted. Hong Kong Brewers & Distillers Ltd opened its doors in 1931.

Unfortunately, the brewery suffered several years of bad luck, and eventually had to be closed down. Ruttonjee was undeterred. He bought another brewery, and this time, it was a success.

Yet misfortune struck again late in 1941 when Hong Kong fell under Japanese control during the second world war. The brewery was seized, and in 1942, Ruttonjee and his sons were arrested, accused of helping war prisoners inside Stanley Internment Camp. They were detained and tortured for nine months, and later sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.

The line-up of dignitaries putting spades to ground, as staff of Ruttonjee Hospital watch from windows at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Hospital.

During that time, the city was hit by outbreak of tuberculosis. It sadly claimed the life of Ruttonjee’s daughter, Tehmi, in 1943. Ruttonjee was determined to do something to tackle this deadly disease.

In 1948, as the city began to recover from the war, Ruttonjee called on Hong Kong’s people to support his campaign; later that year, the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Institution was established.

It is known today as the Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association, and sits next to Ruttonjee Hospital on Queen’s Road East. Over the years, it has paved the way for many advances in the prevention and diagnosis of diseases of the chest, heart and lungs.

A second facility – Ruttonjee Sanatorium – was built in Wan Chai in 1949. This would become Ruttonjee Hospital in 1991. After Ruttonjee died in 1960, his son carried on his philanthropic work.

Dr Dhun Ruttonjee continued the work his father started.

He was in turn succeeded by Ruttonjee’s adopted son, Rusy Shroff. To date, eight medical facilities have been established in Hong Kong under the Ruttonjee name, including a home for elderly care, and education centres for medical research.

The family’s presence in the city remains strong to this day. Shroff continued to champion the causes that his father loved, sitting on the board for the Ruttonjee Hospitals until his death in November 2017. His wife continues to uphold the family’s legacy.

The post From A Hong Kong businessman to philanthropist: Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee. appeared on Parsi Khabar.

In the Oscar-winning film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a biopic of Freddie Mercury, his father berates him: “So now the family name is not good enough for you?”

“I changed it legally,” Mercury responds. “No looking back.”

Article by Rev. Alexander Santora | NJ.com

Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara into a Parsi family that had roots in India and was Zoroastrian by faith. I was inspired by the film to learn more.

Seen here are Zoroastrians and Hoboken residents Sherazad Mehta, his wife, Mrinalini, and their sons Talin and Zaydan.

Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions; it could date back as far as 1200 BCE when its founder, Zoroaster, lived, though there are no precise dates. Many scholars say it had an influence on Christianity, Islam and Judaism because it taught that good would triumph over evil, that there is a good deity, a heaven and a hell and that human beings are endowed with free will.

Today, it is one of the smallest religions with perhaps about 110,000 followers worldwide. The closest temple of fire to us, where adherents can gather and worship, is in Pomona near Suffern, New York, right on the Jersey border with Mahwah up off Route 17. It opened in 2016 and can hold 1,000 followers.

The new Arbab Rustam Guiv Dar-e-Mehr building, inaugurated on March 26, 2016, is a Zoroastrian religious and cultural community center in Pomona, New York, and home to the Zoroastrian Association of Greater NY and Iranian Zoroastrian Association. Designed by award-winning architect and community member, Dinyar Wadia, the building is inspired by ancient Persian and Parsi architecture of the fire temples of Iran and India, respectively. Photo: Mahafreen H. Mistry

Fire — representing light, warmth and purifying powers — is an important symbol, as is the evergreen cypress tree, representing eternal life.

Zoroastrians mark two new year celebrations, which are their big days to go to temple. One is the spring equinox on March 21 and the second is the third week of August.

Community activities and religious festivals are held in the temple two weekends a month, according to Arzan Sam Wadia, an architect and urban designer in Brooklyn. He emigrated to the U.S. from India in 1998 to go to Pratt for graduate school and stayed.

Vada Dasturji (head priest) Khurshed Dastoor (in chair on left) from the holy place of Udvada, India, led the Jashan ceremony for the inauguration of the new building along with 29 priests from all over North America. Above them, the symbol of protection and Zoroastrianism, the Farvahar. Photo: Arzan Sam Wadia

For him, though, his daily practice is what strengthens his faith. After he showers in the morning, he ties a sacred thread, a kushti, around his waist three times over a sudreh, a white colored vest made of muslin cloth. Then he says his prayers from their Scriptures, Avesta, for about 20 minutes.

“We thank God to keep us always on the path of righteousness and to do the right thing,” Wadia said.

There is no communal worship, but Zoroastrians follow general guides for good living, he said, like leading a good and righteous life.

“It is not a list of what not to do, but more positive,” he said, adding that if believers are successful in life, ”they are encouraged to share their wealth.”

Hoboken resident Sherazad Mehta sums up Zoroastrianism as “good thoughts bring good words and good words inspire good deeds.”

He believes, he said, that we are only in this world for a short time and must ensure that we leave it in a better place than it was when we received it.

“We believe that people are created equal and I teach these basic principles to my children as these ancient truths are truer and more relevant today than ever,” he said.

Zoroastrians celebrate a special ritual that lasts 10 days of the year during which they say prayers for the departed souls and go to the temple every day. They put flowers in a family vase, a muktad, and change them daily. They will share a simple meal at breakfast, lunch or dinner and the dead are thought to return and be with them.

Zoroaster founded the religion in ancient Persia — modern-day Iran — but adherents fled religious persecution from Muslims sometime between the 7th and 10th centuries. They settled in India, where they came to be called “Parsis.”

Today, there are no conversions in India unless your parent is Zoroastrian, which may account for their smaller numbers. But in the U.S., for example, one can opt to convert, Wadia said.

Zoroastrian Sherazad Mehta, left, and Mrinalini Nair of Hoboken are pictured here wearing traditional clothing. Sherazad wears a Dugli, the traditional white coat worn with white pants, and a Topi prayer cap. Mrinalini wears a traditional white sari draped in the preferred Parsi style. Photo: Mark Swaroop

For the last six years, Wadia has served as the program director of “Zoroastrian return to roots,” an initiative to teach the next generation about the roots of Zoroastrianism in India. They sponsor what are called birthright trips for 15 days for young people between the ages of 18 and 25. During the trips, travelers visit historical and religious sites and meet with scholars and business people. So, far about 80 have gone in the six years the program existed.

Wadia hopes there will be an uptick of interest in his faith.

Since the movie, every one of his friends and people who know him said, “Freddie Mercury is one of your people.” And Wadia believes that Mercury “did embrace the religious and ethnic identification in the end.”

A rhapsody, indeed.

The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, in Hoboken New Jersey, USA

The post Zoroastrianism: The rhapsody of an ancient faith appeared on Parsi Khabar.

The 3rd Salgreh of the Zoroastrian Association of California‘s Atash Kadeh was celebrated with great religious fervor on November 13, 2019

A maachi was offered at all five gehs. Two of which were Hama Anjuman Machis, of one kg each of pure Sandalwood, offered to the holy fire in Havan and Aiwishruthem gehs. Followed by a Hama Anjuman Jashan performed by Ervads Zarrir Bhandara and Jal Birdy.

After the Jashan a very informative and interactive talk on fire was delivered by Ervad Zarrir Bhandara, in which he briefly gave the history of the enthronement of the fire. Stating that 3 days and nights before the opening of the Atash Kadeh, under the guidance of Dasturji Dr. Kotwal, the Vendidad Sadeh and 6 Bajs were performed on the fire that was burning in our house for the last ten years and from that same fire this Padshah was enthroned.

He then explained the significance of offering the Machi to the Padshah.  Machi comes from a word Manch, which means a throne. The first two pieces are the base of the throne, the next two are seat, then the arm rest and finally the backrest. Furthermore, he asked the gathering “are we fire-worshippers or do we worship God through fire? We worship the ceremoniously enthroned fires namely the Atashbehram, Attash Adran and Atash Dadgah as son of Ahura Mazda. On the other hand if you say we worship God through fire, that is true too as we revere all God’s creations and that God’s spark/energy is present in all living beings and the manifestation of that energy is fire.” At the conclusion he thanked all the attendees, the ZAC committee for providing dinner.

After that birthday cake was cut by Ervads Jal Birdy and Zarrir Bhandara.

The post Zoroastrian Association of California Celebrates the 3rd Salgreh of their Atashkadeh appeared on Parsi Khabar.

Haringey should honour Sir Dadabhai Naoroji MP, generally considered to be the first Indian and non-white person elected to the House of Commons, according to opposition Lib Dem councillors.

Article in the London Post

Naoroji was born in Gujarat and educated in Mumbai. In 1892, he was elected as Liberal MP for the Central Finsbury constituency (which included Muswell Hill) despite a public prediction from the then Conservative Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, that he doubted “a British constituency would elect a blackman”.

During his time in Parliament, he advocated not only for Indian independence but also Irish Home Rule, votes for women and pensions for the elderly.

He also served as Prime Minister of the Indian state of Baroda, a Professor of Maths and Natural Philosophy, a Zoroastrian priest, the founding partner of a trading company and President of the Indian National Congress – a role which would later be held by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

The resurgence of the Black Lives Matters movement has brought new focus to debates on how history is commemorated in public spaces. The Mayor of London and Haringey Council are currently reviewing place names associated with racism, slavery and colonialism. Haringey Lib Dem councillors believe that these steps should be complimented by commemorating anti-racist heroes such as Naroji.

Whilst there are several roads named after him in India and a side street in Islington, there is currently nothing memorialising him in Haringey. Given the milestone in British history his election represented, Haringey Lib Dem councillors are calling for a park, school or main road in Muswell Hill to be renamed in his honour or for a prominent statue or plaque to be erected to commemorate him.

Cllr Julia Ogiehor, Liberal Democrat councillor for Muswell Hill, comments that:

“Haringey has seen many firsts in the British politics. For example, the first Black council leader and one of the first Black MPs was elected in our borough. We must recognise Sir Dadabhai Naoroji’s place amongst these pioneers.

“It is especially important to commemorate his legacy now. In recent weeks, we have seen people claiming the likes of Cecil Rhodes didn’t know what they were doing was wrong because moral values were different back then. In fact, at the same time Rhodes was using his position as Prime Minister of the Cape to entrench White Supremacy, Naoroji was in Parliament condemning racism and colonialism. By remembering that Victorian voters were willing to choose an Indian campaigner against the Empire as their MP, we are remembering that whilst racism has a long history, so too does anti-racism”.

Our dear friends at XYZ Foundation are collaborating with FEZANA Member Associations to create the hugely popular XYZ Whacky Weekend for youth in North America.

The first weekend is planned for those on the Eastern timezone in USA and Canada.

There are only a few slots open, so if you have not yet registerd, now is the time.

A future event for Pacific Coast timezone is also being planned. Stay tuned for those dates.

XYZ WHACKY WEEKEND

Especially for North America (EAST COAST)

Xtremely Young Zoroastrians are an organisation based in Mumbai, India who have activities for children aged 5 to 15 years.

XYZ has planned this weekend which will be a great opportunity for you to meet new people, make some amazing friends and have lots of fun, absolutely FREE OF COST…

Some of our activities include Bingo, Scavenger Hunt, Art, Creativity and Games, all with a unique and fun twist.

All you have to do is log into Zoom from your own homes and have lots of fun!
 
To register, click on the link: https://bit.ly/XYZWW

Last Date to Register: Wednesday, 23rd September 2020.

Or email us on info@xyzfoundation.net