Parsis may be dwindling in numbers. But, they stand out in all their shining glory. A member of the community passed on to posterity the richness of Parsi culture, tradition and religion down the ages in the form of a book.
Rashid Medora had begun documenting the history of Parsis in Ahmedabad. But Meher, his better half, completed this unfinished work after his demise three years ago. The book Parsis of Ahmedabad – A Brief History will be launched at the Ahmedabad Management Association on Saturday.
“Rashid was fond of knowing everyone’s ancestry and family lineage. I, on the other hand, felt that he was prying into other people’s lives and would always walk away the instance he started such a conversation with someone. But when people came to him, I realised what he was doing,” said Meher.
“I am surprised how I finished his book! He was very fond of detailing and that was evident when we explored his research work and went through the files of pictures he had collected for this book. He would converse and take notes from lots of people like Naushid Dabo for religious information and Ratan Marshall for the history of Parsis. Dr Marshall was an encyclopaedia and Rashid a good listener,” stated the 79-year-old author.
She, however, owes the credit of bringing out the book to three people Cyrus Mobedji, Snehal Nagarsheth and Astad Pastakia. She said those three would constantly persuade her to complete her late husband’s work. “They pointed out a line written by Rashid in his introduction to the book, ‘I don’t know when the book will see the light of day’. A kind of premonition he already had.”
As she worked on his book for three years since his death on October 24, 2010, Meher recalled that she, too, had cried a couple of times. She said she was sometimes lost while getting this book together and would want to give it up. “But, I did it for him,” she said.
The 320-page book has a Fravishi symbol on Amdavad’s famous Sidi Saiyyed ni jali on the cover to mark the presence of Parsis in Ahmedabad.
