Sunday Midday chronicles heartwarming Navroze traditions in Mumbai

Growing up between Simla Mumbai and Ahmedabad on Navroze 82yearold author Noshir Sanjanarsquos father Nadirshah would carefully place a record on the turntable and the room would fill with the crackly voices of legends ldquoWersquod sing along getting the words hilariously wrong and with complete confidencerdquo he laughs ldquoThose evenings stretched forever filled with laughter great food and love spilling over a crowded family table Itrsquos that feeling that made every Navroze the sweetestrdquo he says adding ldquoMy mum and auntsrsquo gentle laughter echoed above the music and we would gather around for impromptu dance lessonsmdashour steps clumsy but full of joyA spread of Noshir Sanjanarsquos favourite Parsi sweets including chikat halva bread pudding malai khaja mawa ni boi ravo sev sutarfeni and gaz PicsAnurag AhireSometimes my mum Jala would pull out old family albums whispering tales behind each faded photograph while I listened with rapt attention cuddled between my elder brother Rusi and sister Lily My unclesrsquo voices warm with laughter and perhaps a little too much beer debated everything from cricket to politics The room pulsed with life That feeling of belonging of being surrounded by the people who knew me best amidst food music and love was pure sweetnessrdquoKebab pilafSanjana who wrote Flying HighmdashA Parsi Life of Gratitude is fond of his 10yearold granddaughter Gisele with whom he shares all meals ParsiIrani food goes way beyond patra ni macchi dhansak and berry pulao that have come to be synonymous with the community as Sanjana shares ldquoTherersquos Bharuchi akuri scrambled eggs with nuts and spices gaur nu eedu softly scrambled eggs with jaggery that sounds strange but is so delicious gaz a nougat with delicate flavours of rose and pistachio like a taste of a Persian garden Mawa ni boi a fishshaped sweet for good luck always brings joyBeheram and Dinmeher Bunshah enjoy the company of their 10yearold granddaughter Zoe Anklesaria who lives next door The sixthgrader often gets in the kitchen with her grandmother baking cakes biscuits shortbread brownies and rouladesOrsu the dry salty balls of camel milk cheese remind me of my grandfatherrsquos tales of camel caravans crossing the desert Our Parsi ravo made by my mum lovingly slowstirred with the comforting aromas of charoli and almonds toasted in pure ghee No Parsi celebration is complete without sutarfeni and those big jalebis from D Damodar at Dadar Irani kebabs and fluffy chewy Iranian naan are a reminder of our ancient roots Oash with mutton a hearty soup created by Iranian ladies to put together the leftovers is now a rare gourmet treat Dhandar and kolmi no patio for lunch washed down with beer makes for the perfect Parsi mealmdasha balance of sweet sour and spicyrdquoSanjana wants his grandchildren Kezia Kayan and Gisele to know what makes their culture special is the warmth of family the fun festivals and the delicious flavours of food ldquoI want them to understand that Navroze is truly about sharing stories being close to each other making good memories being kind helping others and always doing whatrsquos right I hope they learn all this and carry it in their hearts just like Gisele does with her sweet compassionate naturerdquoBadam pak and kesari rawaSanjana says that even as the world gets busier that feeling of togetherness never goes away ldquoSometimes I miss how simple things used to be We didnrsquot have much but we had time for each other If I could Irsquod bring back those long days when all that mattered was laughing and sharing stories with family under one roof and there was nothing to distract us We didnrsquot need much just the stories the laughter and the feeling of a close family Thatrsquos what I miss the mostrdquo he addsGajar mewa nu acharAt Dadar Parsi Colony couple Beheram and Dinmeher Bunshah are waiting for their 10yearold granddaughter Zoe Anklesaria to return from vacation and join them for lunch ldquoSchool starts tomorrowrdquo says Dinmeher who has laid out a spread of atheli murghi with potatoes and boiled egg topli paneer mutton ras chawal bhida per eedu Bharuchi akuri vengna ni katri brinjal fry and kohra ni katri pumpkin fry ldquoParsis and Iranians are known for eating meat but we love our veggies toordquo she tells us Dinmeher introduces us to the joys of simple meals with their familyrsquos favourite being simple yellow dal and rice or the dhan dar patio ldquoWe can have it daily For festivals we have an elaborate spread with palao dalrdquo she sharesRegaling us with stories of the origin of Navroze Beheram tells us that for him it means the community getting together and having a jolly time Period ldquoWe love to enjoy Iranians keep the Navroze table with 56 items for friends and relatives to enjoy We see our faces in the mirror sprinkle rosewater and savour the foodrdquo For Navroze Iranians display various symbolic items on a large table with at least seven items whose names start with the Persian letter that looks similar to an lsquosrsquo Each item carries a meaning for instance coins for wealth germinated wheat for fertility etcGulbanoo P Irani and her 10yearold granddaughter often bond over food as Bapai paternal granny makes Avarsquos favourite food The 25yearold grandson Zal loves to share a walk with the two in their apartment garden PicAnurag AhireDinmeher who hails from Kanpur fondly remembers the community jashans held in the city as a part of their festive celebrations at the Byramji Nowroji Javeri DareMeher agiary that was established in 1930 and is the only functioning agiary in Uttar Pradesh ldquoWe would greet each other share the malida and have a good time That doesnrsquot happen here unless you get a personal jashan done The Dasturji says a prayer and the fire is lit followed by hearty mealsrdquoOasheberenjBehram tells us that the 41st Jamshedi Navroze gambhar will be held at the Dadar Parsi Colony Gymkhana grounds this year ldquoStarted by Mithoo Jimi Jesia of the Mancherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust the evening comprises felicitating the community and feasting with entertainment and performances by our communityrsquos young talent followed by dinner I come from a lower middleclass family so before this only Irani homes celebrated Jamshedi Navroze or new year but this gambhar makes it inclusive for all There are the learning centers formerly called madressas which have been training Zoroastrian priests There we have Ramiyar Karanjia who takes classes for small children teaching them about Zoroastrianism through stories and prayers and readying them for their Navjote thread ceremonyrdquo he informsGhormeh sabziFor 63yearold Dahanu resident Gulbanoo P Irani Navroze which marks the first day of Spring in the Northern hemisphere and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox which usually occurs on March 21 is all about shedding off the past and beginning afresh ldquoJust like springmdashnew leaves and flowers blooming everywhererdquo She tells Sunday midday adding ldquoIn my maternal home in Pune we did not celebrate much But after my marriage I saw my first Navroze table full of sweets dry fruits and salads Everything was new We visit our family and friends and greet and spread joy on this occasion At night we get together and eat from the laidout tablesrdquoHalvo shakkarIn the past it was tradition for grandparents to give their grandchildren gold and silver coins now money is given in an envelope that young and adults eagerly look forward to Her favourite Iranian dishes which she loves to make for her grandkids Ava and Zal are oashemeer a hearty bean lentil and noodle soup and osheeberenj and sirog a deepfried flatbread with pistaelachisugar ldquoWe make it on good occasions and distribute it to our family and friends My children have been helping me lay my table pray etc and I hope my grandchildren also follow and continue this tradition and the festivalrsquos spirit remains unchangedrdquo