Zoroastrian Parsis of Jhansi

BRIEF LIST OF ZOROASTRIAN FAMILIES IN JHANSI IN 2007:

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PESTONJI FAMILY

Rati K Pestonji wife of Late Keki B Pestonji.
Son Farokh K Pestonji's wife Dilshad & sons Hormazd & Burzin

This is my mother & brothers family, Farokh is a supervisor in the Central Railway Workshop in Jhansi specialised in the Welding department. Dilshad teaches at a private Primary school Farokh is very involved with the community projects in Jhansi, is a member of the Anjuman committee specially looking after the Dharamsala, attending to the deceased people etc.

PESI FAMILY

Pesi Kaka, my uncle is retired Manager of the Railway workshop and now lives in Jhansi mostly and spends the extremes time of Jhansi cold and warm weather in Mumbai. His dedication to his brothers is legendary and frankly if we had more Pesi kakas in this world, we would have many less problems & much more happiness in families. He is a bachelor.

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BOYCE FAMILY

Phiroze Boyce & Frenny Boyce (wife)

The surviving doyen of the erstwhile Boyce family, living in Jhansi. They have no children & are retired from the business. Filly is an expert on land laws, having being involved in the local courts, for over 50 years and is a much respected person for land laws.

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ENGINEER FAMILY

Behram Engineer & Pervez Engineer

Behram is running his own business in automobiles and contract works in Jhansi, following in the steps of his illustrious father & grandfather, both entrepreneurs and businessmen. Deena Engineer's wife of late Adi Engineer & sister to the Kolah brothers Dali & Noshir, lived her whole life in Jhansi, has been to visit her sister & sons in Canada. A very loving person who has being tutoring children for as long as we can remember.

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SETHNA FAMILY

Homia Sethna (NEE Engineer)

Homai wife of Late Col Dara Sethna after being stationed in various military cantonments in the country with her late husband, in the army, settled in Jhansi after her husband passed on. She has two grown up daughters who have made a mark for themselves in life. She also passes her time teaching children. Her daughters are Goolnaz & Jasmine both now married & not living in Jhansi.

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ICCHAPORIA FAMILY

Behram Ichaporia

Behram is a retired bank manager and now resides in Jhansi in the Parsi dharamsala complex, a bachelor, he is also Jhansi’s stand in Ervad, specially for the deceased and volunteers his assistance a lot for the community work.

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PATEL FAMILY

Noshir Patel, Naju Patel & Zubin Patel

Noshir Patel had his own business of the Singer sewing company, but is now retired. His daughter is married to Burjor Kolahs son and both children live in Bombay Noshirs brother is Behram & he is a very loveable person, who due to his lack of higher education never received much success in Jhansi for jobs etc. He is now working with the Delhi Fire temple priests who look after him well. A ever smiling happy person.

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HEJU MANECKJI

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MERCHANT FAMILY

Faram Merchant

Faram, worked in various vocations in Jhansi, but most of the time he earned a living providing tuitions to the children in Jhansi. A bachelor he lives in the dharamsala in Jhansi.

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BILLIMORIA FAMILY

Dhanji Billimoria

Dhanji a retired Engine driver, is also Secretary of the Jhansi Parsi Anjuman, and now has his sister living with him. Both brother and sister are retired and are active community members.

DAULAT BILLIMORIA
Dhunji's sister worked as a nurse in New Delhi for years and on retiring, the charm of Jhansi drew her back to her home town, where she now lives with Dhanji.

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BHAGALIA FAMILY

Pervez Bhagallia, Shahbanu Bhagallia (wife) & Firdous Bhagallia (son)

Parvez is one of the last few Parsi drivers to retire from the Jhansi division. He has four sons and a daughter, who are all settled out of Jhansi. Firdous is the only one staying with his parents & is a great assistance for the community in Jhansi. One of the younger persons in Jhansi.

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ANKLESARIA FAMILY

Dhanji Ankelsaria

Dhanji Uncle, a good friend of my fathers, lives alone in his huge Mani Villa, and is retired senior Station Superintendant of the Jhansi Railway station. A die hard Jhansiwala, he loves his Jhansi & wont have it any other way.

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RUSTAMJI FAMILY

Gudy Rustamji (husband) & Seroo Rustamji (late -wife)
Ronny Rustamji (son), Katy Rustamji (wife) & Kaizad Rustamji (son)
Yezdi Rustamji (son), Jasmine Rustamji (wife), Son & Daughter (Names Unknown)

Gudy, another Engine driver and now retired lives his life with his son & daughter in law and grandchildren in Jhansi. A fabulous person and full of Jokes and stories we have fond memories of him. His wife Seroo passed away in 2005.

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Photo is taken at a childrens activity day out in morning at the Jehangir Hall Dharamsala.

Standing left rear: Mrs Daruwala (in frock ) Mrs. Dolly Merchant, Mrs. Zerin Merchant, Mrs. Naju Patel, Master Neville Merchant, Mr. Dosu Elavia, Mr. Keki B. Pestonji, Mr. Adi Engineer and Mr. Behram Anklesaria.

Standing front row: Starting from Young Boy in chequered shirt & 2 pockets, Farokh K. Pestonji, Fredy Merchant, Mrs. Zerin Dick, Miss. Kashmira Maneckjee, Mrs. Mani Bhagat, (in specs & sari, behind) Miss Roshni Bhagat, Mrs. Freny Anklesaria, & Rony Dick.

Sitting rear row: Miss. Beroz Daruwala, Miss Tanaz Bhagalia, Miss Diana Daruwala, Miss. Peris, Miss. Alice, Miss Dinaz Bhagat (Large collar frock) Master Neville Dick, Master Firdoz, Master Tubin, Master Freddy Bhagalia

Children front row (from left to right): Master Zubin Patel (looking down), Miss Goolnaz Dick, Miss. Monaz Patel, Master Farhad Dick, Miss Yasmin Sethna, Miss____, Miss Dimple Bhagat (Right hand on cheek).

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Many a Parsi Engine driver operated these engines for their livelihood, and most times they excelled in their work with dedication and excellence. We have recorded examples of many a famous personality being engaged in conversation with the drivers en-route to New Delhi & Jhansi drivers were driving the trains Minoo Mirza was driving a similar engine when Dr. Rajendra Prasad, free India's First President was travelling to Delhi, the train was running late & the President was anxious to be in Delhi, so Minoo used his skills and ensured the President reached Delhi on time. The grateful president personally came and thanked him on the engine.

Similarly Dali Pestonji was on engine when Shree (Mr.) Morarjee Desai, then Prime Minister of India, travelling from Agra to Delhi, came to the engine and our Dali Uncle offered to have the Prime Minister come on engine for the trip, which as the PM later recounted to him was a hugely memorable experience. Incidentally Dali uncle also secured an interview with the Prime Minister for later on and requested his intervention in getting our family home, then a local post office released, so he could retire and use it. Incidentally that house is where our Pesi Uncle resides now.

These photos show Jimmy Bhagat and his firemen assistants on the Railway engine. Jimmy used to drive these and later the diesel and Electric engines also. Most train runs for the Jhansi drivers would originate from Jhansi, train runs going up to Delhi, to the north & Itarsi to the south. These are the Romantic steam engines, operated on huge coal fired boilers & if the driver wanted more steam, more coal had to be shovelled by the assistants speedily. The coal particles used to smear ones clothing and so you see all three engine operators wearing head bandannas. Drivers were expected to maintain speed limits on the tracks, obey the signals and directions given, keep records, maintain logs, liaise with the guard, maintain signal communications with the passing by railway station masters on the lines, by means of signal flags & non verbal communications, keep engine working to best optimum, keep a watchful eye on all gauges, record readings on instruments, maintain safety and other issues. All at the same time & ensure the engine stayed on track. On the Indian railway tracks a lot of rural animals, scavenging birds & even people were killed by the roaring trains passing by. Skilled drivers on off duty and sitting in the train can actually even tell you when a bird or animal has been killed by the engine, listening by the sound change on the tracks.

The Engine Drivers' assistants were called Firemen as their primary task in these engines was to shovel coal into the boiler firebox & the term still refers to them although the engines are now run on electricity and no naked fires are there. Modern engine lingo calls them Assistant engine operators.

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Behram Icchaporia, an elder & close friend of my Dad, now retired from the Central Bank of India, is informing Farzana, Mahrukh & Arzan about the good times they enjoyed here. This is the pavilion of Jehangir Hall & community centre, where lots of Jashans, weddings, Navjotes, plays, Navrooze & Pateti functions took place. At its peak the community numbered over 500 persons & this large open covered pavilion was a central meeting point. My own Navjote was done here. This is probably also the turning point where the seed of forming this website was germinated, as we want to record the events in the lives of Jhansi Parsis for posterity, before the elders library of knowledge and information is lost for ever. Also playing around in picture are Burzin & Shazan.

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25 January, 2005 the wedding of our cousin's son in Mumbai, as is typical, a Jhansi Parsi wedding is full of great fun, as families, friends and old acquaintances meet and the usual gasp "Oh my God. How big your child has grown, last I saw him was so high", denoting 2 feet high. The laughter & rejoicing are loud, dancing and music is a must, photos are fun & everyone is expected to participate, young and old. Our family weddings and Navjotes are really great fun, as our daughters in law become our daughters, as once they are married in the family they all are all part of us, no discrimination of any sort is tolerated. The family allows great freedom & latitude, but under a watchful elder's eye & youngsters will always be reined in, if they are close to crossing the decency or manners line. Elders respect is not taught, but acquired automatically and youngsters will all go out of the way to ensure respect of elders, which is paramount and similarly the elders have always showered the younger generations with love and affection.

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Standing are Zerin Bhagat her mum Mani Bhagat, Sera Cawas Pestonji & daughter Anno Pestonji. Sitting are Hunsu & Rosy Bhagat.

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The house that our Mum & dad built for us, after purchasing it from a Bengali family around 1970, we moved into the house around May 1971, when suddenly a truck came around our railway quarters, in the morning, the furniture was transported to the new house & we began a new life. The block painting style was my design from my Engineering days around 1979. Farokh my brother can be seen holding Arzan- like a Jhansi (a shadow in the centre) this picture is probably around 1994, & lot of changes have been done to the building since. We have very many fond memories of this home.

Originally my Dad & Uncle Dosu had gone visiting Dhun Dick to purchase some hens, when she mentioned the house was for sale, so my Dad & uncle went and saw it, liked it and later on Dad bought it. A lot of additions were done later on. There were no water lines and around 1973, the local municipality supplied drinking water lines and the whole colony tapped onto the main line. The first water flow was blessed by my mother, in the traditional manner with milk and water pouring out of tap. Basic amenities were slow in coming and before the tap water came our servants had to pull water out of the 2 near by wells & carry it to our house. Asso & Munna are our family servers for decades & have served us very diligently and loyally for non stop over 30 years, no holidays, sick leaves or annual vacations.

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Even though we may be in far flung corners of the world, our roots are still in India & our religious & major events do bring us back to our families and Mumbai, here for the Navjote ceremony of our son Arzan, being performed by our venerable Vada Dastoorjee Phiroze Kotwal, a highly respected & learned scholar on Zoroastrianism, incidentally whose wife's family has strong links to Jhansi & is a distant family member of ours. Navjote is being performed at the Major hall of the Cama Baug, same spot where we were married in December 1983.

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Diesel powered engines like this one, were fundamentally the prime movers, between the older coal fired boiler engines that our grandfather and later Uncles drove and the electric engines of modern India. From around the 1970s to the late 90s these engines were instrumental in providing the prime movement for trains in northern India, replaced by the Electric engines now. More powerful and cleaner then coal fired boiler engines, however less romantic and nostalgic, then steam power, ones, but very fuel efficient. Most of our cousins like Jimmy Bhagat, the brothers Rony & Jimmy Dick & many other Jhansi drivers in the last 2 decades retired on these types of engines.

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My father Keki, aunt Mani, Mum Rati, Daulat aunty & Pesi Kaka (Uncle). This photo taken on 25 January 2005, shows the family elders at the time. Cawas kaka is not in the photos.

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The St. Judes church, a focal point for the local Christian followers, built with American Missionary funding, is a major attraction for thousands of devout followers who claim the venue has miraculous powers & people flock specially to the annual St. Judes Fair, end of October each year, from all parts of the world. An imposing structure it is beautiful inside & outside with simplistic designs and beautiful paintings inside.

As children we used to go there for the fun and gaiety & our mother specially, had an opportunity to enjoy the Masal Dosas served hot there by the south Indian devotees who used to open shops there, as dosas, in those days were not available in any restaurants in Jhansi. I visited the venue in 2006 with my brother Farokh & his sons Hormazd & Burzin & the favourite dish now is "Chinese Chowmein", generational food tastes do change.

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Anoo daughter of Sera & Cawas Pestonji & sister of Dara, poses next to her scooter. The Jhansi girls for their time were pretty modern, fashionably dressed, Anglo influenced & excelled in sports also. Anno is married to Yezdi Edelbehram and lives in Dadar Mumbai. She has a daughter Natasha married to Adil ____________, living in Andheri. Note the smart fashion of the day.

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Pestonji & Bhagat family grouping for Shazan Pestonji’s Navjote 8 January 2006 at Hotel Heritage.

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Seated are Rati Pestonji, Late Keki B Pestonji, Mrs Mani Bhagat, Mrs Daulat Amroliwala & Mr Pesi Pestonji Standing behind re Arzan, Farzana, Shazan, Mahrukh & Firoz K Pestonji.

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