Iranshah Udvada Utsav is embroiled in a controversy as a high priest questions using Fire Temple's name

The Iranshah Fire Temple. Pic/Joshua George

One of the two high priests of the Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada, Gujarat, has said that neither the Iranshah Atash Behram - the country's oldest fire temple where a millennium-old sacred fire burns - nor its managing trusts have ever received any financial support from the Iranshah Udvada Utsav (IUU), a major Zoroastrian cultural festival held every two years, despite its implied association with the sacred site.

The first edition of the festival was held in 2015, to showcase the cultural history of the Parsi community. The 2024 edition is scheduled to be held from December 27 to December 29. "Given that Iranshah's name is tagged to the Utsav, and the fact that it takes place in Udvada, there has been a general belief among the Parsees across the world that the financial benefits of the Utsav accrue to Shreeji Pak Iranshah Atash Behram and the Udvada Nine Family Shahenshahi Athornan Anjuman. This belief is incorrect," said Dastur Tehmton Mirza, 45, who was appointed as the Iranshah Atash Behram's second high priest in February.

Dasturji Khurshed at the 2017 edition of the festival. PIC/FACEBOOK/FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF UDVADA

"I would like to take this opportunity to once again clarify that the IUU is organised and managed by Foundation for Development of Udvada (FDU), a trust that is completely separate from both, the Udvada Nine Family Shahenshahi Athornan Anjuman (that manages the affairs of Shreeji Pak Iranshah Atashbehram) and the Udvada Samast Anjuman and to my knowledge neither of the two Udvada Anjuman trusts have receive any funds from these Utsavs." When asked whether FDU had approached either of the two trusts to co-host this year's festival, he said: "There has been no official communication from the FDU trustees with either of the trusts."

Dasturji Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor, who succeeded his late father as a high priest of Iranshah Atash Behram in 2002, served as the sole high priest for eight years following the passing of Dasturji Peshotan Mirza in 2016; he was also the chairman of the FDU, the organising body of the IUU, in 2015. The high priests of the Iranshah Atash Behram are also ex officio trustees of the Udvada Samast Anjuman. In 2021, there was a change in the composition of the trustees of the Udvada Samast Anjuman when Mirza became an elected committee member.

"There has been no official communication from the FDU trustees with either the Udvada Nine Family Shahenshahi Athornan Anjuman or the Udvada Samast Anjuman with regard to this year's IUU," said Mirza. Asked if the temple's trusts will restrict the use of Iranshah's name in festival promotions, Mirza said: "Officially, there have been no such attempts made."

Sources told mid-day that not a single paisa has accrued to the Atash Behram Trust or the Udvada Samast Anjuman, from IUU, since the latter's inception in 2015. "If the festival has no connection to the fire temple or its trusts, then why use the name ‘Iranshah' at all? If the Udvada Samast Anjuman was involved as a co-host, it should have received some benefits from the festival's proceeds, like ticket sales and revenue from stalls.

Using the name ‘Iranshah' without benefiting the trusts that govern and maintain the fire temple only creates confusion," said a source, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that the Udvada Samast Anjuman was not approached for this year's festival because "there has been a change in the composition of the trustees."

Genesis of the festival

The Foundation for Development of Udvada (FDU) was formed on September 22, 2003, as a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts during his tenure as Gujarat's chief minister, to promote Parsi heritage and culture.

FDU trustee Dinshaw Tamboly told mid-day: "I am unable to discuss anything about the forthcoming IUU as due to family commitments, I will be giving this year's IUU a miss. I have not been involved in any planning for the same. Dasturji Khurshed will be the right person to comment."

Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor told mid-day: "There is no role of Atash Behram in this festival. The festival is supported by the Department of Tourism, Government of Gujarat, and the Udvada Samast Anjuman. But everything is done by FDU."

Asked what he meant by "support", he said: "Since the festival takes place in Udvada and the Udvada Samast Anjuman is the local body… the support of the Udvada Samast Anjuman helps us to look after everything and be in connection with the local people of Udvada."

When asked whether the Udvada Samast Anjuman would support the upcoming edition of the festival, scheduled to be held in Udvada from December 27-29, 2024, he responded: "I have not asked them yet."