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Jamshedji Sorab Kukadaru

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Anjuman Atash Behram, beneficiary of the Gold Bar Miracle of Dasturji Kukadaru
Anjuman Atash Behram, beneficiary of the Gold Bar Miracle of Dasturji Kukadaru

Dastur Jamshed Ervad Sohrab Kukadaru was a saintly Parsi Zoroastrian priest of Mumbai, India. He was born on 26th May 1831 in Surat, Gujarat, India. The day as per the Zoroastrian calendar was Yazdegerdi Mah (month) Ava, Roj (day) Zamyad. The Indian Gujurati term SAHEB (respected sir) is usually added to his name as a mark of respect. He is very popular among the Zoroastrian Parsi community in India and overseas. His life story was filled with miraculous events which have been documented extensively in Gujarati as well as English. The Dasturji passed away on 4th January, 1900 on the Yazdegerdi calendar day Behram in the month of Fravardin. [1]

Life of Dasturji Kukadaru

When Dasturji Kukadaru moved from Surat to Mumbai, he became a Panthaki (priest) of Kapawala Agiary (Fire-Temple) at Nizam Street, Baharkot. Dasturji Kukadaru lived simply, washing his own clothes and taking one meal of rice and ghee (clarified butter) per day. He did not eat meat, and only consumed milk and fruits besides the rice and ghee. It was possible for him to cook rice by simply keeping a vessel of rice in the rays of the sun, and then recite the sacred Avestan verses. Several miracles were performed by him, such as a number of predictions that came true: the passing away of Empress Victoria of England and other personalities in India at that time. He also cured people of diseases simply by praying the Avestan scriptures of the Zoroastrian religion. [2]

The Gold Bar Miracle

One of the most famous miracles performed by Dasturji Kukadaru was the Gold Bar miracle. The Dasturji transformed an ordinary brick into a large bar of gold overnight for the Anjuman Atash Behram building at Dhobi Talao (Mumbai, India) simply by the power of the ancient Avestan prayers. This was on request by the Zoroastrian devotees of the city to cover a shortfall in the construction money. The sum of Rupees 10,000 was raised by selling the transformed bar of gold, a very large amount of money in those days (19th century). Even today, an amazing life-like portrait of Dasturji Kukadaru is placed in the hall of the Atash Behram, and similar portraits honouring the Dasturji are placed in most of the Parsi Zoroastrian Atash Behrams and Agiaris (Zoroastrian Fire Temples) in the Indian subcontinent. [3]

Fame in the 20th Century

Dasturji Kukadaru during his lifetime was not a Dastur (High Priest) but only an Ervad, a medium-level category of Zoroastrian priesthood. After he passed away, at the uthamna (Zoroastrian prayers for the departed) ceremony, Dasturji JamaspAsa declared that his name should henceforth not be recited as ‘Ervad Jamshed Ervad Sohrab’ but as ‘Dastur Jamshed Ervad Sohrab’ as a mark of unprecedented respect. Many years after Dasturji Kukadaru had passed away, Ervad Nadarsha Navroji Aibara who was a popular priest of Khushru Baug, Colaba, (Mumbai, India) was responsible for spreading the fame of Dasturji Kukadaru among the Parsi Zoroastrian community in India and overseas. Ervad Nadarsha Navroji Aibara was born in 1933, which was a number of years after Dasturji Kukadaru had left the physical world. Despite this time difference, Ervad Aibara’s spiritual Guru (mentor) was considered to be Dasturji Kukadaru, and Dasturji Kukadaru’s spiritual Guru was considered to be the more ancient Dastur Azar Kaiwan Bin Azar Gushasp. [4]

Nirang Prayers to help people

As per Ervad Aibara, the spiritual force of Dasturji Kukadaru communicated with him over the years. Dasturji Kukadaru gave a number of nirangs (short prayers) to Ervad Aibara and instructed that these nirangs may be given to any people in difficulties. The people could pray the nirangs and remove their difficulties. Many people benefited from these prayers in India as well as overseas in the 20th century. The fame of Dasturji Kukadaru spread considerably as a result. [5]

References

  1. ^ MICHAEL STAUSBERG and RAMIYAR P. KARANJIA, “KUKADARU, JAMSHEDJI SORAB,” Encyclopaedia Iranica Online, June 23, 2008, available at www.iranicaonline.org.
  2. ^ ERVAD BURJOR H. ANTIA, ZARTHOSHTI ANJUMAN ATASH BAHRAM A BOOK CELEBRATING THE 100 YEARS OF ITS ENSHRINEMENT, ANJUMAN ATASH BAHRAM
  3. ^ ERVAD BURJOR H. ANTIA, ZARTHOSHTI ANJUMAN ATASH BAHRAM A BOOK CELEBRATING THE 100 YEARS OF ITS ENSHRINEMENT, ANJUMAN ATASH BAHRAM
  4. ^ Dr. (Mrs.) Hilla Minoo Wadia (2003), LATE ERVAD NADARSHA NAVROJI AIBARA BLESSED BY SANT DASTURJI KUKADARU SAHEB,KUKADARU TRUST
  5. ^ Dr. (Mrs.) Hilla Minoo Wadia (2003), LATE ERVAD NADARSHA NAVROJI AIBARA BLESSED BY SANT DASTURJI KUKADARU SAHEB,KUKADARU TRUST
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