Khareghat Colony cenotaph remembers Parsi-Zoroastrian war dead

Nearly 30 Parsi-Zoroastrians who died in the First World War were remembered at the Khareghat Colony cenotaph on N S Patkar Road on Wednesday morning.

Military veterans and members of the public laid wreaths and joined prayers during Frawardigan, the Zoroastrian period dedicated to departed family members and guardian spirits. The cenotaph, erected in 1926, bears the names of the First World War dead and marks its centenary in 2026.

Commodore (retired) Aspi Marker, who served in the Indian Navy from 1969 to 2005, attended in service dress. He described the monument as unusual because it was built by citizens rather than the military. Marker also helps arrange for a Navy bugler to attend the annual service.

Nearby memorials commemorate Parsi-Zoroastrians who died in the Second World War, the 1962 India-China conflict, and the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet maintains the site, while the Bombay Parsi Association has organised the annual commemoration for more than 60 years.