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Historical
Perspective:
The story of Ardeshir Khâze’s journey through life is an informative
manifest of the reality of the lives of Iranian Zarathushtrians in the
late 19th and the 20th centuries. As the much
diminished and persecuted minority community of Zarathushtrians made a
miraculous come back from the brink of extinction, it distinguished itself
as being a force spearheading the advancement of its ancestral land. From
championing the cause of democratization of the Iranian political system
in late 19th century,1
to expanding trade with India and other nations,2
to establishments of schools,3
hospitals, independent Iranian banking systems4
(non-foreign dominated), manufacturing,5
to expanding the agriculturaral base and modernizing water irrigation,6
to social reforms,7
the Zarathushtrians were at the forefront of progress in the 20th
century Iran.
From being known as the “bread basket” of the
Near East and a military and moral superpower of the ancient world, Iran
had fallen from grace in the wake of the Arab invasion in 760 C.E. Forced
conversions into Islam, religious persecutions, denial of civil and
economical rights, imposition of cruel and intolerable conditions on the
once dominant Zarathushtrian populace of Iran had brought about a rapid
decrease in their ranks from over 4 million in mid 15th century
to just about 6000 by mid-19th century. The remaining
Zarathushtrians had regrouped in Kerman, Yazd and its surrounding villages
as their last hold-outs in view of the intolerance directed at them. A
steady stream of Zarathushtrians would continue to abandon their ancestral
land for the hospitable shores of India that had given safe haven to many
generations of Zarathushtrians fleeing their mother land from the 10th
century C.E. onwards.
Propelled by the strength of their
life-affirming and progressive cultures the small group of Zarathushtrians
(Parsis) had become a vital power-base of progress for democratization8’9
and industrialization10
of their adapted homeland, India. As the conditions for Iranian
Zarathushtrians started to improve at the turn of the 20th
century, and unjust rules, such as the heavy Jizya religious head tax
imposed on Non-Moslems were lifted, a growing number of Zarathushtrians
would use their Mumbai, India connection to bring about development of
their homeland of Iran. Their sense of commitment and attachment to their
ancestral land would eventually lead them to overcome the bitter memories
of all the injustices and hardships suffered by their parents and previous
generations of Zarathushtrians and in many cases their own bitter
childhood memories of being subjected to abuse by the self-righteous
fanatics bent on their destruction. This group of Zarathushtrians, many of
whom originated from villages around Yazd, would play a critical role in
the development of modern Iran.
About the Author:
Ardeshir Khâzè was born into a poor farm-hand family in the village of
AllahAbad, Yazd, in 1902. Ardeshir’s father was Kodarahm, the son of
Marzban, son of Ardeshir, son of Rustam Nosh, son of Bakhtiar Nosh
and the son of Rustam. Kobadux had married his cousin Kharman the daugher
of Kodabux, son of Marzban. Ardeshir’s father worked as a farm hand for
Haji Ali Kermani. He was a hard working, sincere and generous man who
never had the opportunity to learn to read or write. Ardeshir received
three year of elementary schooling at a school for boys in Allahabad that
had been established by donations from Iranian Zarathushtrians in India.
Ardeshir left school and joined his father to help generate more income
for the family. Ardeshir eventually traveled to Mumbai, India where he
established himself and prospered in business. In time, he established a
book store and a publishing business. He was keen to make sure that Farsi
books, especially the important manuscripts, such as the ShahNameh11
were reproduced and saved from the ravages of the fanatics bent on
distortion of the records of ancient Iran. He made trips to Iran, in
order to procure such important manuscripts and take them to India for
reproduction and safe keeping. His trips, which took place during the
second world war, proved to be quite adventurous, but in the end he was
able to accomplish the task he had set out to do.
Ardeshir was keen to give back to his birth
place and country of origin as much as he could, and to play his role in
the development of the same. As such he was keen to make sure the young
girls in the village of Allahabad would have access to schooling. He
secured required funding from well doing Zarathushtrians in Mumbai who had
attachments to Allahabad and Yazd. The funds were sent for the
establishment of a school for girls in Allahabad. Later he returned to
Yazd and married a Zarathushtrian woman who had studied in Yazd. His
wife, accompanying Ardeshir to Allahabad, became a teacher at the school
which he had helped establish. Ardeshir continued his tireless efforts to
help his village through the last days of his life. His off-springs, all
well accomplished in their own rights, chose to move away from Allahabad
and settled in other places including North America.
Ardeshir’s journey was a shining example of
how one individual can make a difference in many other lives and how they
can be instrumental in moving the society forward.
About the Book:
One of Ardeshir Khâzè’s
contributions was to make a good record of his life experiences. He grew
up in Allahabad and Yazd, moved to Mumbai and then back to Yazd and
AllahAbad. A lot interesting information surrounding the reality of his
time and place were captured in this valuable book.
Ardeshir’s recording of the treatment of the
Zarathusthrians in Yazd at the hands of the Moslem fanatics, his
experiences in Mumbai and travels between Iran and India gives the reader
a first hand glimpse into the reality of life for Zarathushtrian
minorities in Iran in the 20th century. One can also get a
sense of the improvements in the conditions of Zarathushtrians in Iran
that occurred later in the 20th century, and how individuals
like Ardeshir helped improve the conditions for other Iranians.
Here are a few excerpts from his book.
-
One day as a young boy he was playing with other Zarathushtrian kids in
Allahabad, when two Moslem men from the village of Ahmedabad approached
them. Seeing the two adults and anticipating trouble, the boys
immediately ran away. Ardeshir, being the youngest of the lot, could not
keep up with his play mates, and was grabbed by one of the intruders.
He fainted and was finally freed by his father, who took him home.
-
One day Ardeshir is transporting farm products on the back of his donkey
in the city of Yazd. Following his donkey and walking bare-feet,
Ardeshir is stopped by Moslems when he tries to cross a stretch of the
bazaar that has been sprayed with water. Being told that as a
Zarathushtrian he soils the wet earth, he is forced to take a much
longer detour to get to his final destination.
-
One day as a youth companying his father, they enter the Jewish quarter
in Yazd and pay a visit to the house of a Haj Yuzghal. In one part of
the house big containers that are used for producing wine and vodka can
easily be spotted. Haj Yuzgal leads Ardeshir and his father, Khodarahm
to a private room and serves the father a cup of high quality vodka
impressing upon them, that this vodka is reserved for special people.
Regular customers are served the lower grade vodka.
-
On one of his trips from Mumbai to Yazd, there are eight Zarathushtrian
males traveling by sea to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. One of them,
Mahyar Bahram, a young and handsome man feels sick as they land in
Bandar Abbas, but continues the land journey towards Yazd. Not far
from Bandar Abbas, Mahyar’s condition deteriorates and he cannot move
any further. One companion goes back to Bandar Abbas to get medical
help. As they wait, Mahyar Bahram calls on Ardeshir, and gives him
everything from his packet, saying he would have no more use for them.
Inquiring as to the reason for his assertion, Mahyar explains his father
(long deceased) and a few other deceased persons have come to welcome
him to their abode. Ardeshir continues on his trip and finds out a few
days after his arrival in Allahabad that Mahyar had passed away, a
victim of poor sanitary conditions.
As an ending to his book, Ardeshir expresses
his hope that the future generation of Zarathushtrians, by reading his
memoirs will get a better sense of the sacrifices the earlier generations
had to make to keep the Good religion alive, and that they will be equally
committed.
0 The reviewer acknowledges
Mr. Rohinton Riventa, of Chicago for procuring a copy of this book on one
of his trips to Mumbai.
1
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Keikhosrow Shahrokh
2
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Ardeshir Goodarz Jahanian
3
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Manekji Limji Hateria
4
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Jamshid Bahman Jamshidian
5
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Rustam Guiv
6
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Esfandiar Yeganegi
7
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Manijeh (Kermani) Shahrokh
8
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Mrs. Bhikaiji Rustom Cama
9
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji
10
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/The Wadias of India
11
http://www.vohuman.org/Articles/Ferdowsi, A Critical Biography |