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Jamshedji Sohrab Kukadaru (26 May 1831- 4 October 1900) was a Zoroastrian priest in Mumbai, India revered by Zoroastrians for a a number of miracles he is believed to have perfomed. He was well known by his contemporaries for his simple lifestyle and asceticism and unflinching adherence to priestly purity rules. Most of his life is said to have been spent in prayer.
Contents
- Lifestyle of Dasturji Kukadaru
- The Gold Bar Miracle
- Fame in the 20th Century
- Mazagon Navjotes
- Nirang Prayers to help people
- References
Aditionally, Kukadaru was a astrologer of some repute. He was renowned for his spirituality, in particular his healing and divination. He is also reported to have prophesized several events (including the death of certain people, including Empress Victoria.
Due to spelling inconsistencies he is also referred to as Dasturji Jamshedji Ervad Sohrabji Kookadaru Saheb and numerous other variations. Dasturji and Ervad are both honorific titles relating to his position as a priest. Rather confusingly he has the title Dasturji and Ervad, which are different priestly 'ranks'. This is is unprecedented, in his lifetime Kukadaru was only an Ervad a medium-level 'mere ritual priest' not befitting the title of Dastur which was granted after his death by the noted priest Jamasp-Asa at his Uthamna (Zoroastrian funeral prayers). The title Saheb give to him is another honorific, translating as 'master', it is often used in the Indian Subcontinent in reference to 'spiritual masters' like the Sikh Guru Granth Sahib.
Lifestyle of Dasturji Kukadaru
Kukadaru was born on 26 May 1831 in Surat, Gujarat, India. The day as per the Zoroastrian calendar was Yazdegerdi Mah (month) Ava, Roj (day) Zamyad. Kukadaru moved from Surat to the larger city of Bombay, to work as the (priest) of Kapawala Agiary (Fire-Temple) at Nizam Street, Baharkot.
Kukadaru Saheb lived a simple life inclduing washing his own clothes and eating only one meal a day which consisted of rice and ghee (clarified butter). This meal woulf be cooked by keeping a vessel of rice in the rays of the sun and reciting sacred Avestan verses. He did not eat meat, and only consumed milk and fruits.
The Gold Bar Miracle
Several miracles were performed by Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb, and the most famous one was the Gold Bar miracle. Dasturji Saheb transformed an ordinary brick into a large bar of gold by praying the ancient Avestan prayers throughout the night. This was on request of the Zoroastrian devotees to cover a shortfall in the construction money for the Anjuman Atash Behram building at Dhobi Talao (Mumbai, India). The sum of Rupees 10,000 was raised by selling the transformed bar of gold, a handsome sum of money in the 19th century. Even today, an amazing lifelike portrait of Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb is placed in the hall of the Atash Behram, and similar portraits of Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb are placed in most of the Parsi Zoroastrian Atash Behrams and Agiaris (Fire Temples) in the Indian subcontinent. Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb also cured people of diseases by praying the Avestan scriptures of the Zoroastrian religion.
Fame in the 20th Century
Kukadaru died on 4 January 1900 on the Yazdegerdi calendar day Behram in the month of Fravardin.
Many years after Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb had died, Ervad Nadarsha Navroji Aibara who was a well-known priest of Cusrow Baug, Colaba, (Mumbai, India) was responsible for rekindling the faith in Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb 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 Saheb died. Ervad Aibara’s spiritual Guru (mentor) was Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb, and Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb’s spiritual Guru was the more ancient Dastur Azar Kaiyvan Bin Azar Gushasp Saheb.
Mazagon Navjotes
Dasturji Kukadaru was reported to have participated in the Mazgaon Navjots of people born of inter-religious marriages in 1882, as per the records in Parsi Prakash, an Orthodox Zoroastrian newsletter. In 1882, a group of poor dock workers living and working in the Mazgaon Docks appealed to various Priests & High Priests and also petitioned the Bombay Parsi Panchayet (BPP) for being admitted to the Parsi fold, as being born to inter-married parentage. About 200 prominent Parsis collected funds and eminent Dasturjis performed the Navjote ceremony, in the presence of a large gathering on 26 June 1882. Eleven navjotes were performed (4 males & 5 females, age ranging from 35 years to 77 years & two children) on persons born of inter-married parentage. This one-off event was duly reported in the Mumbai Samachar, Jam-e-Jamshed and ‘Parsi Prakash’.
Nirang Prayers to help people
Ervad Aibara mentioned that over the years, the spiritual power of Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb communicated with him regularly through his inner voice. Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb gave Ervad Aibara a number of nirangs (short prayers) and instructed him to give these nirangs to any person who came to him for help in difficulties. Many people benefited from these prayers in India as well as overseas, during the later half of the 20th century. The faith in Dasturji Kukadaru Saheb spread considerably due to the power of these prayers.