The Rose Beyond the Wall - Traditional Zoroastrianism: Tenets of ...

financial assistance, is tantamount to hurting his feelings and insulting him. This high
spiritual soul did not like anyone thanking him for help. Even one word of thanks was
not acceptable to him. One day, the voice of ‘Atma Saheb’ told him that people are
disappointed by his constant refusal. So, a suggestion was made to build a hall in
memory of Dasturji Jamshedji Sohrabji Kukadaru, out of the money offered by people.
Because of this, people would experience a feeling of having expressed their gratitude to
Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb. Thus, Dasturji Jamshedji Sohrabji Kukadaru Trust was
founded to build a hall in memory of a great saint like the late Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb.
This was not an easy task, but one that demanded a great effort.
The question arose of finding a suitable place for Kukadaru Hall. At first, Aibara
Saheb as per Kukadaru Saheb’s directive, selected a place at Marine Drive near the
Taraporewala Aquarium. Ervad Aibara used influence with the then Prime Minister
Mrs. Indira Gandhi and met her personally. Indira Gandhi had agreed. But the then
President wrote a letter to Aibara Saheb stating that this place was earmarked for Nehru
Bhavan. Reading this, Aibara Saheb was very sad.
Aibara Saheb made the next effort for Kukadaru Hall at Bandra. Once a Zarthosti
came to him and said: “A Zarthusti lady in Bandra possessed a huge piece of land. As
that lady was alone, I used to take care of her. That lady passed away and has made a
Will under which, after her demise, that land would belong to me. A part of this land is
to construct a widow’s chawl and some part of the land is to construct a building. The
rest of the land I wish to give to you for constructing a Kukadaru Hall.” Hearing this,
Ervad Nadarsha was really happy and personally went and saw that piece of land. But,
it may not have been destined to build Kukadaru Hall on this land. So, after some time,
that Zarthusti gentleman came and said: “The builder is demanding Rs. 10,00,000/-
more and this place which I have offered to you for Kukadaru Hall, I will have to sell to
obtain the extra amount. So, I am sorry that I am not in a position to give you this land
for building the hall.” Thus, Ervad Aibara was disappointed a second time.
When Kukadaru Agiary and Kukadaru Hall were built at Sanjan, Ervad Aibara had
given a cheque for Rs.3.5 lakhs out of Kukadaru Trust. Two days before Ervad Aibara
passed away, he said that Kukadaru Hall and the Dadgah be built in Mumbai. It was the
wish of Atash Padshah and Kukadaru Saheb that Kukadaru Hall should be in Karani
Agiary and so it happened.
This hall could not be constructed during Aibara Saheb’s lifetime. Ervad Aibara
passed away on 12 th January 1989. The Trustees of the Karani Agiary and Seth Jamshedji
Gazdar, appointed in place of Ervad Nadirshaw his elder son, Yezdi, as panthaki of
Karani Agiary.
In 1991 once again the move for constructing Kukadaru Hall in Karani Agiary
started. In 1992, Mr. Hyderabadwalla, architect and Mr. Dadi Mistry, engineer, started
construction of Kukadaru Hall, and in 1993, the Hall was finally ready. Thus, the voice
of Aibara Saheb’s soul proved right and the dream of Kukadaru Saheb and Aibara Saheb
was realized. Man proposes and God disposes. Aibara Saheb used to say: “The inner
voice, the soul’s voice is the inner voice of God. This voice cannot be false.”