Ilm-e-Khshnoom - Traditional Zoroastrianism: Tenets of the Religion

his face the first thing that strikes you is the pair of extraordinary eyes. They seem as if they are heavily laden
with devotion and trying to look down towards earth, at the same time charged with a shining spiritual sparkle.
I saw him, first and last, in December 1949 in the chamber of Jehangirji Chiniwalla Advocate and few days
thereafter in Banaji Agiary. In my very young age, I had seen a few practising Mobeds, in Navsari and
Udwada, whose lives were interwoven with extensive "Manthra-Khaani" i.e. the chanting of Avesta Manthra in
Kriya-kaam as well as in their personal lives. They had a peculiar glow in their eyes and on their faces.
Bamanshah Hakim had that spiritual shine on him.
He belonged to a well known family of Surat whose vocation was mainly the practice of "Hakimi" line of
medicine. Somewhere in the 19th century, one Khwaja Avaaneys Saheb had come to Surat. He was an
Armaani Hakim, highly proficient and skilled in the line. At that time the Hakim family had the surname:
Bhogiji. One ancestor of Bamanshahji had given refuge to Khwaja Saheb, who in turn taught him the Hakimi
art and science. From that time, the Bhogiji family adopted the vocation and became known as "Hakim"
family. Khwaja Saheb's grave is still existent in Surat.
Bamanshah had also adopted the same vocation and was a competent Hakim. His medicines for cold
and cough were cheap in cost but very effective and famous in whole of India. His father Dosabhai was a
learned teacher as well as a practising Hakim; he was the co-author of the then famous English Grammar by
Macmilan and Hakim! One of his sons, Aredeshir Hakim, (Bamanshah's brother) was the 'Diwaan' (Principal
Minister) to the King of the then Kashmir State. Another brother of Bamanshah, Dr. Dhanjishah Hakim was a
Doctor of modern medicine and "Hakimoo" both. Bomanshah's own worldly education had not gone beyond
high school; but his was an intensely spiritual journey on this earth. He was destined to advance on the Path
of Ahuramazda consciously and knowingly in this life itself. He was a marathon chanter of Manthra-Vaani and
had several mystical experiences. MOST IMPORTANT he was a spiritual disciple ("Shaageyrd", Shishya) of
Ustad Baheramshah Shroff, who guided him in his extraordinary spiritual journey.
Bamanshah Hakim never cared for any worldly pomp, pride or pretences. A silent, unassuming and
unobtrusive devotee that he was, self-publicity had never entered into his thought process. All the miraculous
events which occurred in his life would have never been known to any person, but for Jehangir Chiniwalla's
persuasion to publish a few of them in Parsi Avaz Weekly. His five articles appeared in that Weekly's issues
dated 5-1-1958, 12-1-1958, 19-1-1958, 26-1-1958 and 2-2-1958, wherein he described with some hesitation,
a few of his spiritual experiences, and in particular his Master-Pupil relationship with Ustad Saheb
Baheramshah Shroff. In another series of his articles published in Parsi Avaz of 1-1-1950, 8-1-1950, and 15-
1-1950, he recorded certain events which occurred at the time of Baheramshahji's coming out before the
public. It is a treat to read Bomanshah's experiences, which included his own contacts with the Saheb
Delaan's of Daemavand. In fact it was that contact which resulted in the miracle of Dr. Saheb Framroze
Chiniwall's life. Ahura willing I'll one day narrate Hakim Saheb's experiences in this humble magazine. For the
present I confine myself to the amazing true story of how Dr. Framroze Chiniwalla was being prepared by
Nature for the acquisition and propagation of Khshnoom.
Although born in the - Hakim family, Bamanshah's knowledge of the art and science of "Hakimoo" was
not systematic. It was his desire to make a proper and thorough study of this branch of medicine. It was
necessary first to learn the anatomy and other related subjects pertaining to the human body. He had formed
the habit to ask for direct guidance from the Saheb Delaan's of Daemavand, whenever he desired to take a
major decision in life. So he did this time also. His query to his spiritual Masters was whether he should go to
Mumbai and learn the subjects from the then well known Doctor Sohrabji Dosabhai Desai, who was a direct
disciple of Ustad Saheb Baheramshah Shroff. The Demavand Masters, however, guided him to Dr. Saheb
Framroze Chiniwalla. Bomanshah Hakim came to Mumbai in 1917. Dr. Framroze welcomed him and taught
him the elements of the science relating to the human body. Both used to meet at Dr Saheb's eye-clinic at
Bhuleshwar. For one full year the training continued. Dr. Saheb even took Hakim Saheb to Grant Medical
College to acquaint him with the workings of the human body.
When Hakim Saheb felt that he was adequately equipped to practice Hakimoo, he asked his Demavand
Masters whether he should return to Surat. The permission was granted, but he was asked to discharge a
special task. He was to go to Dr. Framroze and tell him that the Masters had sent a special message for him;
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