PARSI- AN UNWANTED DEATH / EXTINCTION

PARSI ,an enterprising community which I used to relate and Identify with a peculiar life of south Mumbai , its not that they make their presence feel only at South Mumbai but some how my graphic caricature was limited .In my student life , I got intrigued by the story of their expedition from Iran to SaJan and as the legend goes King of Sajan didn’t allow them initially and sent a Glass full of milk ,representing that city can no more accommodate further people . Parsi’s in return poured a spoonful of sugar in that glass indicative that they will mix with the existing people and in fact sweeten it further .

Till this time they have lived up to their promise, even during partition they were neutral . But some aspect of those pledges has become detrimental to their existence.
My house at Marine lines , where I stayed during my Sabbatical( that’s another story) was bang opposite the Parsi fire temple , u would see Old people coming in bits and pieces ,very few young people coming to offer prayers ,most of the time the temple wore a deserted look . The parking compound which must have been bursting with people is dotted with Cars parked by Local . Going further to right , you would see another Fire temple ( agiary ) ,similar story , further ahead is old parsi shop Kiyani and Co shop , the moment you enter , a sense prevails that death of the shop is Inevitable .
Inquisitive about what led to the virtual death of this community , which has played pivotal role in the Economy and poltical Landscape of the country ,I happen to meet Ms Roshni D souza , she was recently in media for her stand against Parsi Panchayat . Roshni is Parsi by birth and got married to a very dear friend of mine Savio D souza and apparently the moment a Parsi girl marries a Non Parsi ,she is excommunicated from the Community . While if the Boy marries a Non Paris ,she can practice Zoroastrianism . Roshni wanted to Initiate her daughter Zeena into Zoroastrianism , for which a ceremony called Navjot is performed , the apparent reasons were to rebel against archaic custodian laws and second was that Zeena should be able to see her mother’s funeral since non parsis are not allowed in the funeral . How inhumane is this?
Roshni went ahead and did Navjot ceremony against the backdrop of threats and under Police protection .
Interacting with numerous Parsi they feel that not allowing any one to convert , archaic marriage laws and not changing with the times has resulted in this grave situation .
All said and done , extinction of this peculiar community is on anvil and unless few more people like Roshni doesn muster courage ,the unwanted death of this community is real just years away .

Afghanistan – Yaghistan , unruly country & Threat of Taliban Looming

Circa 2001 or 2002 , Kate Clarke ,BBC’s Kabul correspondent ,while reporting on post German conference on Afghanistan made a passionate plea that Afghan people will need continuous support ,even after the media camera’s would have finished their sojourn in Afghanistan .Fast forward , ten years have gone yet the peace seems elusive and her apprehension might turn true . Out of 181 districts , Karzai govt’s writ is just in 20 odd districts , there is a impending threat that Taliban will be accommodated so that war fatigued NATO forces can have “honourable” exit . Its believed that Pasha ISI chief had secret meetings with Hamid karzai , which led to the Pro India afghan security chiefs ouster . Its believed that Pakistan is negotiating role for Taliban ,If thats true then the great game is anvil . As Pakistan embarks upon strategic depth , India and Iran will be busy propping up another Northern alliance . In all the proxies and games , it will be aghans who will suffer , I fail to understand how one country strategic objectives will be met by the Misery of Afghans. I am reminded that Afghans have never been ruled by any foreign forces ,which the tribal people boast . But I wonder, if British would have survived the great game in middle of Nineteenth century , would things have been different . I believe so ,they would have been able to Consolidated fragmented country in both political and social landscape ,ditto what happened to India. I think if this occupation would have persisted by couple of decades , we would have definitely a different Afghanistan . It’s a paradox that Afghanistan derives its word from Yaghistan , meaning a land which cannot be ruled , but I wish it was ruled by “ Any County” which will relive the Afghans from the misery and suffering they have suffered .
Regards Raju

Curfewed Night - Rumaged the Past

was reading Curfewed Night book yesterday , in fact , was second day of my reading and finished reading at around midnight but could nt sleep for hours , a sense desperation , despair engulfed me , wondered all possible reprieve to the present Quagmire of Kashmiri Muslim . Right now in my office , book again on my table , wondering what can I do to turn the clock back to pre 89 . I am certain , I wouldnt be able to do anything to this complex problem . I am Kashmiri Pandit , left in 1990 , and great desire to go back but quite convinced that Kashmir no more is place for KP. My despair to see situation normal is not with a objective that I should go back , but it has more to do with my sense of roots ,I feel that my roots are in conflict, that are in displeasure , and those roots are very close to my Heart . Islam , pakistan , India , autonomy to me external punctuations made by alter ego of a human being , but for me my roots are intertwined in violence . I want to escape from that excruciating pain , where in my roots are not at ease . Alas , being a close observer of kashmiri politics and having understanding of historical perspectives , I know situation wont move back and I will have to bear the pain , till the very end .... rendezvous with that very "end" I am sure will be away from my roots , away from where my grand father , grand mother was cremated , cremation ground near balgarden, batmaloo sringar kashmir.....

End of an Era - Death of Eugene Terreblanche

Having been remote witness of Apartheid in South Africa and subsequent transition of white minority from power corridors of Jo berg ( as Afrikaans popularly called this place),I was always intrigued by one personality and that is Eugene Terreblanche ,founder of AWB , a while super racist who was fighting for the separate homelands for white.From bombing the main airport of Jo Berg to barging with Armoured vehicle into the world trade center where the negotiations for ending the Apartheid was taking place in 1993 and to a recent event in 2001 , where in he killed two black farm employees for which he was jailed.
I have seen couple of documentaries on him and was quite intrigued and his persona to me seems Inscrutable at best.I have been strong votary against apartheid and never have endorsed his views. But the fascination to know him and to understand his persona was some thing I myself could not comprehend as I didn't subscribe to his ideology .In Utopian scenario it would have been nice , if white retribution by blacks post apartheid wouldn't have happened ,but human psychology manifested in politics would have never allowed it to happen.
The death of Eugene Terreblanche has created a fresh stir with uneasy calm between white and black community, more so with AWB vowed to take revenge of this killing.
I wish the old age enmity buries it self and New world of AFRIKANS gets evolved.
rgds
Raju Moza

Death of Mumbai

Amit has made an unsual move, he has returned to Jammu after years of toiling in Mumbai , he was my room mate at Jogeshwari , at tanis house . He came to mumbai with a passion to understand the world of advertising, worked hard beyond ones imagination .Since we used to live in PG , the use of electricity has to be judicious so he used to study his books past midnights near the tanis Mandir lights.Spending one year with him, I was amazed with his dedication , single minded pursuit and commitment. In fact he was the instrumental in my going back to Jammu for MBA . I went to Jammu , then eventally to Delhi via Delhi London . He was in Mumbai working relentlessly, made four ads , i was happy to see those ads in Youtube and glad that he has finally achieved the mission on which he had embarked 10 years back. But Alas,on my recent trip to Mumbai, when I called him , he was in Jammu and made a move to return to Jammu. I was suprised ,its wasnt typical jammuite falling prey to easy life of Jammu, the reason has to do with the Mumbai , the place which is fast degenerating into a regressive state .The place has not progressed in these 10 years, the once a mine of creativility has gone into oblivious state with no sign of recovery .With the advent of Marathi manoos syndrome , its getting further in a Morass from where it will fall similar to that of Calcutta.It might be trivial to LINK amits exodus to the demise of Mumbai, but the underlying landscape is changing which will eventually force one day to write an obitiuary of Mumbai.....