From the Beginning...
Humans.… families.… communities.… get together and bond in celebration, congregations and happy times.
Yet, it has repeatedly been seen that stronger bonds are formed under the dark shadows of misfortune. The same goes for ties between all Zoroastrians who call Bahrain their home.
Whenever faced with peril, bonds have gotten stronger and the unity and kindness that is witnessed is heartwarming….the story of the creation of BZA reveals the same.
In Recent History...
Perhaps the earliest connection of our community goes back to the late 1920s or early 1930s, when S. Dorabjee & Son established a trading house in Southern Iran, at Bandar Abbas, at the entrance to the Gulf.
His son Phiroze Dorabjee, also lived in Iran, but visited Bahrain from time to time. Joining that business, was a young man Jamshed Marolia from Navsari who made an immediate impression on his employers, drawing the keen attention of Mr. Dorabjee.
In 1932...
Oil was found in Bahrain, and Jamshed was requested to travel there, to explore the possibility of starting a business in the Sheikhdom. Jamshed did not return to either Iran or to India and decided on an immediate plunge. Thus came about S. Dorabjee & Son in Bahrain.
The Bahrain business grew rapidly, surpassing the one in Iran, which was now run by Phiroze, the only son of Mr. Dorabjee. Jamshed, in due time, was made a profit sharing partner by Phiroze Dorabjee. Phiroze, not having great interest in business, closed the Iran operation and settled down in England.
Seeing the Business Flourish...
Through the difficult years of the Second World War, Jamshed got his brother Jal to Bahrain to assist him. The Parsi business was held in great esteem by Bahrain’s society, and Jamshed and his wife Mani were soon prominent social personalities.
When Mr. Phiroze Dorabjee settled in England and decided to sell his business off, it was bought by Bahraini merchant Mr. Ali bin Ebrahim, and renamed Marhaba Market. Jal Marolia continued his association with Marhaba Market, though we are not sure of the arrangement between Mr. Ali bin Ebrahim and Jal.
In 1951...
Jal Marolia's wife, underwent an unfortunate miscarriage, and in the absence of any facility for Zoroastrians, the Hindu community offered a small corner within their crematorium grounds for the stillborn to be interred.
Having experienced heart wrenching difficulties in interring the deceased Zoroastrians in Bahrain, Jamshed Marolia approached the then ruler Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who graciously allotted a generous plot of land, for the development of the very first, and the only Aaramgah in the region. The original founder of the business in Bahrain Jamshed Marolia passed away in July 1971 and is indeed interred in the BZA Aaramgah.
Sadly, even before that could be done, one Mrs. Kety Sorabjee passed away. Pending completion of the formalities, her grave was temporarily encircled by a barbed wire fence. That was the first interment within our Aaramgah. In the years to come, Minoo Sorabjee, the husband of late Kety was instrumental in obtaining from family and friends in India, the Iron Gate for the Aaramgah.
In 1956...
As a result of Jamshed's efforts, the Aaramgah plot was officially registered and the Bahrain Zoroastrian Anjuman (BZA) came into being. The First BZA meeting was held at the residence of Sir Jamshedji Marolia on 09 September 1956. The constitution of the BZA was brought into force and the following were elected the first office bearers of the Bahrain Zoroastrian Anjuman:-
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President - Jamshedji N Marolia
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Hon Secretary & Treasurer - Mr. Keki Contractor
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Committee Member – Mr. Phiroze N Khadiwalla
The above committee first met at the Hon President’s residence on 26 Oct 1956.
Mr. Jamshed Marolia...
Was elected, sometimes against his wishes, as the President of the BZA for 16 consecutive years, from 1956 till his demise on 15 July 1971. He was succeeded by Mr. Esadvaster (Ester) Bamji, a longtime resident of Bahrain.
The first Navjote to be held in Bahrain was of Zarine & Jasmine Pastakia in March 1974. Three more Navjotes of Pouruchisti Marolia and Farida & Rukshana Lawyer were held on the island in 1975.
The designation of the BZA was changed from Bahrain Zoroastrian Anjuman to Bahrain Zoroastrian Association during the 34th Annual General Body Meeting held on 27 April 1989.
An Extraordinary General Body Meeting of the BZA was called on 25 Oct 1990 to propose draft amendments to the constitution for bringing it in line with the “model form of constitution of social and cultural societies and clubs” as recommended by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the State of Bahrain.
The amended constitution, as approved by the Minister of Labour and Social affairs vide order no. 33/1991/ issued on 18 Mar 1991 and published in the Official Gazette no. 1950 dated 10 April 1991 was adopted during the AGM held on 31 May 1991.
One of the longest serving Presidents of the BZA, Mr Ester Bamji left Bahrain in May 1995.
The Number of Zoroastrians...
In Bahrain has increased from a small number of 13 in 1956 to about 40 families with 73 individuals being present in Bahrain in 2016. In recent years, we had members like Nozer & Mahabanu Mistry, Percy & Manijeh Mistry and Khushroo and Shireen Mowdawalla , who have been on the island for over 30 years and have contributed immensely to the community in Bahrain.
Over the years, most members, have served on the Executive Committee of the BZA in some capacity or the other. The term of the committee was officially extended from one to two years in 2014.
For their magnanimous and selfless contribution to the Bahrain Zoroastrian Association, Late Esadvaster (Ester) Bamji and Nozer Mistry were bestowed with the status of President Emeritus of the BZA in 2010.
The BZA conducts at least one Jashan on the island for its members. The following Ervads are currently on the island:-
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Ervad Kaizad Sanjana
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Ervad Kayan Sanjana
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Ervad Hormazd Sidhwa
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Ervad Yazad Bhada
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Ervad Yazad Engineer
