It was a picture of joy and happiness at the Vikaji Meherji Fire Temple here on Sunday. Clad in traditional attire, members of the Parsi community celebrated Jamshed-e-Navroze, the Parsi New Year, by conducting special prayers, greeting each other and enjoying delicacies.
Dressed in their best, the men arrived at the temple donning the traditional Saturn or velvet caps while the women wrapped scarves around their heads. Irrespective of age, Parsis greeted each other saying “Navroze mubarak”.
The fragrance of jasmine garlands, used to deck up the temple premises, lingered in the air and made the atmosphere pleasant.
Jamshed-e-Navroze is believed to bring each Parsi an assurance of good health and prosperity. It symbolises the onset of spring and some Parsis celebrate the festival on August 21, said Erwad Jimmi F. Pathanky, the priest at the temple.
As part of the celebrations, Tandarosti prayers were offered to seek the well-being of community members. This apart, special thanksgiving prayers were offered followed by ‘open house' for the community people to enjoy traditional delicacies, including the Parsi desert Falooda, he informed. Navroze also means a time for bonding. While the elders were having a good time in the company of their relatives and friends, youngsters were looking forward to invite their peers over for dinner. In the evening, special celebrations including cultural programmes were organised at the Zoroastrian Club in Secunderabad. This year, felicitation to Dinaz Vervatwala, Guinness record holder and other members who made the Parsi community proud with their service and achievements would be the highlight, said Omim Maneckshaw Debara, vice-president of Zoroastrian Club.
