On July 31, 2022, according to the Parsi Shenshai calendar, the Parsi Agiary (fire temple) at M.G. Road will mark 175 years of its existence. A jashn (celebration) is being planned by the small community that has thrived in Hyderabad from Nizam’s time. “The Seth Viccaji-Seth Pestonji Mehrji Agiary was built by two brothers Viccaji Mehrji and Pestonji Mehrji. The Atash Adaran (holy fire) was consecrated on September 12, 1847,” informs Jehangir Pilcher, the priest of the temple.
The temple has a fresh coat of paint and two large winged bulls or godhas have been placed on either side of the entrance. “We have added a ramp to make it disabled-friendly. We moved the holy fire to a different site when the workers carried out the renovation work inside,” informs Mr. Pilcher, who has been the priest of the oldest Parsi temple in south India for the past 38 years.
The planned two-day celebrations will bring the who’s who of Parsi community to Hyderabad. “Among the guests for the event are Justice (Retd.) Shahrukh J Kathawalla, Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Fali H Major, Major General Cyrus Addie Pithawalla (Retd.), Bachi Karkaria, and Kersi K Deboo (Vice-Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities),” informs Arnaz Bisney, an active community member.
While Hyderabad has about 1,000 members of the Parsi community now, the brothers Viccaji and Pestonjee were the pioneers in the early part of 19 th century. Beginning by trading in cotton in Central India, then working out the logistics for transport to Bombay port, they became one of the top banking firms of the era. In 1830, about 2,05,000 tonnes of cotton poured into England and took the industrial revolution to the next level. This was facilitated by the brothers who streamlined the transport of the goods from interiors of Berar to Bombay.
Invited by the Nizam’s minister, the brothers set up their firm in what is now Bank Street in Hyderabad. It marked the arrival of Parsis in Hyderabad with the Pestonjee Kothi (ENT Hospital) coming up within yards of the Residency Building. But the firm went through a rough patch where the brothers had to sell off everything except the Seth Viccaji-Seth Pestonji Mehrji Agiary and the Dokhma (tower of silence).
Now, nearly 150 years later, the Parsis in Hyderabad will once again celebrate the indomitable spirit of the community at the temple built by the brothers Viccaji and Pestonji.
