“I am working here for more than 20 years and during this
time none of the elders or even a kid spoke harshly to me” – the 70 year old
man told me, while clipping the grass at the lawn of the Parsi Place of Worship.
“I am their employee and they are always so polite to their
workers”, he added.
I guess Baba realized I wanted to know more, and this
encouraged him to look back and reminisce. “Once some leaders from the
community visited while I was having my lunch. I was about to leave it halfway
and get up, in order to serve them. They simply asked me to finish my lunch,
take rest and only then come and serve them. That’s how they were, always!” He
fondly remembered.
My journey to this amazing place kick-started when a couple
of months back my friend told me about the existence of a Parsi Place of
Worship somewhere at Murree Road, Rawalpindi.
As I have a keen interest in heritage buildings and old architecture, I
kept on searching for this place. I asked around, spoke to people residing in
the area but none of them had any idea about such a place!
The irony of the situation is that most of the people living
in Rawalpindi (or may be in other cities as well) are too busy with their own
lives and do not have the time to look around or know much about their own
locality, even if it is right next door. No wonder, this sheer neglect and
indifference is turningour historic landmarks into ruins, right in front of our
eyes.
Anyway, after many such visits around the city, I finally managed
to find out the exact location of the place and one fine Sunday morning I went
out to visit the place.
As it is, Murree Road is the commercial hub of Rawalpindi
city. Moreover, near the Benazir Bhutto Hospital there is a sprawling jewelry
market and one cannot even imagine that amidst this congested area there could
exist a historic landmark!
However, it is a fact that hidden behind these lavish
jewelry shops, there is indeed the Parsi Worship Place that I had been looking
for. I already knew that such a place, according to Parsi traditions, would be
called a “Fire Temple” and I was excited that finally I had my chance to
explore it in detail.
As I reached the area, close to the location, I came across
a commercial place, and took the lane behind it.
My earlier experience with several old Temples and Gurdwaras
had prepared me well and I was expecting to walk into an old building in ruins,
its architecture in shambles, its walls crumbling and the ever-present foul
smell of garbage rising from its grounds.
And here came a pleasant surprise as I came face to face
with a completely different scene! A red-bricked single story building stands
there. Neat, clean and well-maintained. The path below was shadowed and lined
with rows of tall trees of Evergreen and Dates variety. It was a treat for the
eye and I was taken by surprise, almost awestruck.
One the right hand side there stood an old colonial style building
and in front there was a gate to the Parsi Graveyard. A lush green lawn surrounded
the building and an old man was busy with his gardening tools, digging the clay
and cutting the grass. It was a peaceful scene.
The stone plate at the gate of read:
“This cemetery
together with the
buildings well and compound wall was erected to perpetuate the memory of the late
Set Jahangiriji Framji Jussawala
and
Set Jamasji Hormasji Bogha
both of the Rawalpindi
Parsi merchants
by their respective
grandsons
Set Dorabji Cowasji Jussawala
and
Set Nasarwanji Jehangiriji
Bogha
Shahshai month Tir 1367,
January 1898”
The graveyard was also very calm and clean.
I asked the old man(the gardener)if the Place of Worship was
still functional.
“Yes” he nodded, “There are some 30 to 40 Parsi families in
Rawalpindi and whenever someone passes away in their community they perform
funeral and religious rituals here”
A member of Rawalpindi's Parsi community Feroze Bhandara tells that "It is not a Parsi temple. There is none in Rawalpindi. However this bungli is part of our Parsi graveyard and is used for the purpose of washing the dead bodies and saying last rites." Mr. Bhandara is currently based in Houston, United States and his brother Minno Bhandara of Rawalpindi is buried here.
Mr. Bhandara says that "About ten years ago the frontage along Murree Road for our Parsi grave yard was illegally taken over by developers who have built shops along Murree Road and literally blocked off access into the grave yard. Proceeding in this case are pending in the local courts."
Given that we all know that there was a Parsi community (mostly merchants) in Rawalpindi, some hundred years ago, it was indeed news for me that they still live in Rawalpindi in present day and time!
Mr. Bhandara says that "About ten years ago the frontage along Murree Road for our Parsi grave yard was illegally taken over by developers who have built shops along Murree Road and literally blocked off access into the grave yard. Proceeding in this case are pending in the local courts."
Given that we all know that there was a Parsi community (mostly merchants) in Rawalpindi, some hundred years ago, it was indeed news for me that they still live in Rawalpindi in present day and time!
The old gardener also informed me that this place belongs to
the owner of a famous brewery company and they often visit this place to pay
homage to their elders buried at this graveyard.
I also noticed that the doors to the building are kept locked
and the whole premises is well taken care of.
While walking back,what I felt was immense joy and relief
that a place of worship, which belongs to a minority community of Pakistan, is
well managed and looked after.
All I can wish for is to see our tolerance towards the other
religious minorities in Pakistan and that we live along with each other in
harmony, peace and prosperity.
Text and Photos by: Shiraz Hassan
