A journey of discovery: I

SEMINAR
“A journey of discovery: I”
A two day PARZOR seminar acquaints the community with
the most recent research findings on Parsis/Iranis in India
Arnavaz S. Mama
“No community can go on age old studies. You need constant elevation with
new methods…What is the position of
the family in this urbanized community
with 98 percent literacy? How is the assertion of individualism impacting the
family? What is the
physical and psychological status of your
senior citizens?”
Tirlochan Singh,
former chairman of
the Government of
India’s National
Commission for Minorities (NCM) who
has taken over as
president of the Parsi
Zoroastrian (Parzor) Foundation after
the demise of Lt Gen Adi Sethna, gave a
brief insight into the program ahead at
Bombay’s Y. B. Chavan Centre on December 13 and 14, 2008.
The research by social scientists and
medical professionals into the current
status of the Parsi community and the
reasons behind it, was an intellectual
orgy of arguments and statistics. The
baseline however was the shrinking size
of the community. And apart from the
usual advice like early marriages, larger
families, greater subsidies, etc, generously given by the generation that has
done the opposite, there was no real plan
of action. The youth who are expected to
shoulder the burden of undoing the mistakes of their elders and revert to a more
simplistic lifestyle, were notably absent.
Guest of honor Mohammad Shafi
Qureshi, the current chairman of the
NCM, spoke about the NCM’s concerns
for the depleting community and noted
that it was working with the state governments to restore Parsi property to the
community in the 12 areas where
anjumans are defunct. He referred to the
112 Parsiana March 21, 2009
collapse of the vulture population, so
essential a part of the dakhmenashini
system, noting that NCM member Dr
Mehroo Bengalee’s letter to the Prime
The seminar in session: day one
Minister’s office had resulted in the ban
on diclofenac for veterinary use. The
drug had been identified as the cause of
the death of vultures. Qureshi spoke of
the need to relax admission norms for
Parsi students in government colleges
and stated that the NCM had interceded
with the Gujarat government on this
issue.
Former chairperson of the University Grants Commission and Parzor director Dr Armaity Desai, in her introductory speech referred to the predicaments of progress (where increasing affluence leads to lifestyle changes in favor of comfort and pleasure as against a
sustained work ethic) and the inverted
demographic pyramid which signifies a
small child population and a large number of elderly. “We have no child labor
and a small number in the working age
group, no figures on unemployment or
underemployment.” She recalled how
the research projects had started with a
discussion in 2001 and the help and
commitment of Russi Lala of the Sir
Dorab Tata Trust and Minoo Shroff who
was then chairman of the Bombay Parsi
Punchayet (BPP). The two institutions
had donated Rs 55 lakhs and Rs 18 lakhs
respectively to the
project, she noted in
her vote of thanks.
Parzor had been
established with a
small grant from
UNESCO and has
been examining all
facets regarding the
Parsi Zoroastrian
community in India
since 1999. It had begun with documenting research in community culture, as
noted its director Dr
Shernaz Cama. “It is for the first time in
UNESCO history that a community has
been studied in such close detail from
the cellular to the clinical level medically and through studies of the family,
the aged and the youth,” stated Cama,
adding, “This is only because the Parsis
are very small in number and yet show a
wide range of socioeconomic and educational standards, carry within themselves medical paradoxes such as longevity with a great deal of infertility,
large range of cancers, neurological disorders, genetic deficiencies, etc.”
Familial/Marital study
“Many see marriage as incompatible
with other issues. Saying ‘no’ to marriage is facilitated by social acceptance
(of the single life). Bombay youth have
a preference for live-in relationships.”
Prof (Dr) Shalini Bharat, professor in
the School of Health Systems Studies at
the Tata Institute of Social Sciences,
noted as she presented a summary of her
findings on the first day of the seminar.
Her qualitative study of the familial/
marital and socio-psychological dimen-
sions to ascertain the causes that dog the few unreserved seats in educommunity’s demographic decline, has cational institutions – often
been based on 35 informant interviews unsuccessfully – has bred
and 143 in-depth interviews in key loca- frustration. There is also retions where Parsis live. The informants sentment at being the butt of
were selected from baugs and non-baug jokes in Bollywood presenareas of Bombay, in Baroda and rural tations and on TV.
Gujarat ranging in age from 18 to 75
Bharat noted that the selfyears, including couples as well as unat- perception of the community
tached individuals. Assured of confi- was caste-based with closed
dentiality, the interviews proceeded only cultural practices.
“That the community which appears
after the participants’ informed oral consent, stated Bharat. The data was then to be so homogenous is stratified, was a
analyzed under eight broad heads. discovery for us,” noted Bharat who
found it living in
“Bringing together
the voices of averthree camps: the
traditionalists, the
age Parsis was a jourliberals and those
ney of discovery for
who are indifferus,” Bharat told the
gathering.
ent. They differ in
their response to
In contrast to the
the various issues
tremendous pride in
that face the combeing a Parsi, Bharat
found that the community, there is
discord even on
munity though very From left: Dr. Shalani Bharat and
the issue that the
grateful to Indian Dr T. S. Saraswathi
community is
society for its openness and acceptance, has an undercur- shrinking, with the orthodox camp arrent of frustration, “that nobody speaks guing that “quality is more important
for them or fights on their behalf.” Bat- than quantity.”
“It is a paradox that a community
tling the enormous competition for a
From left: Mohammad
Shafi Qureshi, Trilochan
Singh, Dinshaw Mehta,
Dr Armaity Desai, and
Dr Shernaz Cama. Alongside: Wajahat Habibulla
known to be gender fair has a
bias,” said Bharat referring to
the tension of women who
marry out of the community. “There is a
general feeling among the intermarried
Parsis that the negative and non-supportive attitude of the community is
basically to preserve Parsi wealth from
going out and gender is used as an instrument to uphold and justify the economic interests of the community.”
“The community’s tolerance towards
men marrying out is a source of great
heartburn to women and a proof of its
patriarchal double standards… Many
parents eventually (accept) the women
married out. But the communal aspect is
a source of great angst…They shared
their experiences of being denied the
right to enter the agiary, the right to see
the face of their dead parents, perform
the initiation ceremony of their children
or benefit from the various charities and
housing schemes,” notes her report. Most
Above: Dr Mehroo Bengalee, Dr R. K.
Bhathena and Dr J.V Undevia (behind);
left: BPP Trustees Khojeste Mistree,
Rustom Tirandaz in conversation with
Undevia, Mehta and Qureshi
114 Parsiana March 21, 2009
intermarried Parsi women however reported satisfaction with their marriage
and the matrimonial home and continue
to practice their religion, states the report.
This emphasis on intra-communal
marriage has other implications. Women
who do not find their mate and are too
intimidated to find a spouse outside the
community face frustration, despair,
anxiety and loneliness. This psychological dimension is not adequately recognized by the community, states the
report.
Marriage and fertility being important links in the demography debate, the
attitude towards marriage was a revealing part of the data. Regarded as important but not a must, the attitude is to defer
the event in the interests of economic
and career stability, housing and space
issues especially among the 25 to 30
year age bracket. With the question of
maintaining their parents often on their
mind, marriage they feel, “may not be a
change for the better.” Marital discord
within one’s family or social circle seems
to discourage some youths while happy
marriages seem to have a positive influence on the decision to marry.
“It is for the first time
in UNESCO history
that a community has
been studied in such
close detail from the
cellular to the clinical
level medically and
through studies of
the family, the aged
and the youth”
With the boys marrying outside the
community not provoking adverse reactions, the pool of eligible men is seen to
deplete. “Those still to be married feel
they have to contend with the ‘residue’
as one young female said, and staying
single is preferred to marrying someone
from the ‘residue.’” Disinterest in marriage could be a way of rationalizing the
inability to get married, but it could also
be a thin and veiled attempt at escaping
the realities of married life, states Bharat.
Association of
Inter-Married Zoroastrians
Wishes all our members,
well-wishers and the Zoroastrian
community Navroze Mubarak
We welcome membership
from inter-married Zoroastrians
and supporters worldwide
A.I.M.Z., Laburnum House
Laburnum Road, Gamdevi, Mumbai 400007
Phones 23802549/23805711 Fax 23802911
E-mail [email protected]
116 Parsiana March 21, 2009
Cousin marriages, once so popular, have
lost ground because of the knowledge of
genetic defects they breed and the girls
have accepted the Hindu custom of
raksha bandhan, tying a rakhi on their
cousins that eliminates ideas of marriage and promotes brotherhood.
While male expectations from marriage as per Bharat were trust, a loving,
caring, nurturing nature, with good looks
as desirable, female expectations of the
attractive spouse were numerous and
included good educational qualifications, a ‘decent’ income and financial
security, a high standard of living, ownership accommodation, as well as compatibility, unorthodox views, intelligence, understanding, a trusting, encouraging, sensitive nature apart from being
smart and good looking. “A great deal of
dissatisfaction” came to the fore when
the participants were asked for their
views of the opposite sex. The boys
were said to be lagging behind in education, job profiles, earning capacity, entrepreneurial and social skills. The girls
were perceived as too demanding, aggressive, choosy … “Men from semirural areas had a particularly negative
perception of the girls in their commu-
Tanaz R. Godiwalla
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“Those still to be
married feel they
have to contend with
the ‘residue’ as one
young female said,
and staying single is
preferred to marrying
someone from
the ‘residue’”
They prefer not to interfere as they do
not want to be blamed if anything goes
wrong. This shores up the general feeling of the youth, “it’s my life, my decision.”
Not all respondents felt that children
were central to their existence or essential in marriage. There were those who
felt that parenting children in the extended family could be as satisfying as
having one’s own and lack of social
stigma has supported childlessness, as
notes Bharat. Even those who do have
children opt for only one saying, “It’s an
intelligent decision” to have one child,
the motive being to provide the best for
the child.
The BPP’s scheme to provide (Rs
1,000 per month) for the third child has
only a few takers from the lower income
group. Others believe that having a child
is a lifelong responsibility and you cannot raise it on community charity. They
do not accept that community issues can
be solved by burdening individuals.
Also, the national concept of the small
family as a happy family appeals to
them.
Bharat found that while the baugs
helped to encourage marriage within
the community to some extent, she has
observed the walled living areas as a
sign of the community’s sense of insecurity in a fiercely commercial and
competitive environment. “The
118 Parsiana March 21, 2009
IR
L
F
A
I
R
FA
nity,” states the report. And there are
those Parsi youths, mainly in Bombay,
who consider marriage to be an ‘obsolete’ instititution, “something that is rigid
and binding and holds no charm. The
option of live-in relationships is more
appealing to them for it will not restrict
their freedom.”
The attitude of most parents is that
the youth will find their own partners.
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ghettoization of the community is
…making it increasingly inward
looking…A few non-baug respondents
reported people in baugs are reluctant
to marry those living outside the baugs.”
She also noticed the development of
the perception that baug housing and
Parsi charities are creating high levels
of dependency, among the youth and
males in particular.
A general dissatisfaction with the
community’s leadership is pervasive.
Inadequate representation at the state and
national levels, mismanaged charities and
benefit schemes, misplaced philanthropy
that elevates the building of agiaries over
the housing need of the poor were some
of the areas of discontent.
Suggested action
Bharat’s report recommends an increase
in child care services as well as the
organization of trained domestic staff in
child care and house management and
concerted marketing of the two-child
concept as “good for the community but
better for you.” Greater advocacy, more
advertising of the infertility treatment
provided by Dr Anahita Pundole is also
recommended. Support structures for
the elderly would free their progeny to
start their own families, argues Bharat.
Global networking to increase the
pool of available mates would increase
120 Parsiana March 21, 2009
From left: Dr Noshir Wadia, Jamsheed Kanga, Aspi Moddie, Tehmasp
Bharucha, Adil Nargolwala and
Dr Kainaz Dotiwala
the odds in favor of marriage within the
community, she feels. Simultaneously
people need to be better informed about
the provisions of the Special Marriage
Act which allows the parties to the marriage to maintain their own religion and
its practices so that there is less fear of
losing one’s privileges on finding a partner from another community. This she
feels is a task that the Association of
Inter-Married Zoroastrians could undertake. It could help mitigate the loneliness and despair for want of companionship among many unmarried men and
women.
Special efforts and scholarship
schemes to encourage boys to pursue
professional degrees and careers, special loans for entrepreneurship are
Bharat’s suggestions to improve the
cross-sex perceptions. Among the alternate solutions to housing colonies she
suggests that the Punchayet lobby for
the release of community housing from
the overview of the rent act; provide the
community loans for the purchase of
housing at nominal interest, perhaps
stand surety for loans from commercial
banks.
Seeking reservation for the community in educational institutes founded by
Parsis at all levels from the kindergarten
up, as well as representation in the Rajya
Sabha – once offered to the community
and not considered necessary then – be
actively sought. It would help to safeguard community interests through
democratic means, she says.
It would also help to create greater
transparency in the management and
utilization of charities and trust funds
as it would generate greater community confidence. Lessons from international best practices in the administration of such funds and/or the induction of non-Parsis at the decision making level are other suggestions. Better
media communication so that the history, philosophy and contribution of
Parsis to the country is better known in
all parts of India would boost hope and
optimism and help find other creative
solutions to the community’s problems.
“The Parsi community is facing an
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solution. But the solutions must be found
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some point of time in the future. A
problem of this scale requires a scaled
up effort and response from all of us,”
concluded Bharat.
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Ensuing discusssion
In the discussion chaired by Prof T. S.
Saraswathi, Jamsheed Kanga wondered
if the antipathy to mixed marriage was
based on the fear that the non-Parsi
spouse would bring in other non-Parsi
family members. This was the argument
mobeds used in their fight against mixed
marriages, he said. Bharat said such
comments had been made but not by the
majority. The non-Parsi wife was often
more worried about what would happen
to her and her children.
Neurologist Dr Noshir Wadia noted
that there had been no reference to sex.
“Is there a reduced sexual drive (among
Parsis) which makes them comfortable
with living alone?”
Bharat conceded that though they
had not approached the topic of sexuality directly, “some women did talk of
‘men not being men enough.’ They cited
men in other communities as more attractive. We also found hints of homosexuality.”
Tehmasp Bharucha, trustee of the
Poona Parsee Panchayat (PPP) wanted
to know if the participants were in favor
of nuclear or joint families. Bharat said
most were living in nuclear families and
though they appreciated the positive
aspects of joint families, young people
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At the registration
desk: Perin Pandey
(center)
preferred nuclear families because it gave
them the privacy and space — mental
and physical — that they desired. Bharat
reiterated the growing mental health
problems in the community because of
loneliness and want of companionship,
especially in rural Gujarat, after the parents die.
Aspi Moddie felt the study should
have covered attitudinal changes over
time and with the Parsi diasporas in the
West. “Which communities are happiest, which least so?” Bharat countered
that such studies come after at least two
decades while what they were presenting was a recent all-India coverage.
Sociologist Roxan
Vakharia acknowledged the privacy and
confidentiality maintained by the non-Parsi
researchers but felt
that Parsi researchers
would have probed
deeper. “We found that
Parsis are not willing
to speak to Parsis. I got
to know many facets only because I am
not a Parsi,” replied Bharat.
Cama noted that the Delhi community refused to speak to Parsis. Bharat
explained that in a small community the
need for anonymity is very great as it is
easy to identify people.
“Is there a hidden message of breakdown of family values? If so, future generations will have more problems,” noted
psychiatrist Dr Kainaz Dotiwala from
Ranchi. “Is it costly and bothersome to
raise children? Is the need to look after
parents becoming a burden?” Bharat
couldn’t say. But “economic dimensions
are weighing on people’s minds.
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Parsipanu is being lost,” she conceded.
“Is it not a reflection of what is happening in the larger community?” wondered Prof Saraswati, Bharat’s mentor
and a former student of Dr Armaity
Desai who chaired the discussion.
“Do these seminars influence leaders
of the community to play constructive
roles? Or do fears of brickbats keep
them bound?” asked Delhi Parsi
Anjuman (DPA) trustee Adil Nargolwala
but no one hazarded an answer.
To be continued
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126 Parsiana March 21, 2009