The enduring charm of Zoroastrian Club in Secunderabad
Established by a few prominent men from the Parsi community in 1915, first in Penderghast Road and later shifted to its present location in 1930, the over a Century-old Club has managed to remain operational.
Hyderabad: The Zoroastrian Club in Secunderabad, as it gets ready to celebrate yet another Club Day on June 2, has managed to endure the test of time despite the dwindling members and diminishing size of the Parsi community in the Capital. Established by a few prominent men from the Parsi community in 1915, first in Penderghast Road and later shifted to its present location in 1930, the over a Century-old Club has managed to remain operational.
Numerous Club activities are conducted every month throughout the year. Due to its strategic location, the establishment is a top draw to host events like New Year celebrations, marriages, get together parties, textile exhibitions, and other recreational activities. The Club has its presence in many Indian cities including Jamshedpur, Nagpur, Surat, and Kolkata and the first Zoroastrian Club was established in India way back in 1850.
In addition to June 2, another important day of the calendar for the Zoroastrian Club is March 21, which is celebrated as Navroz (Parsi New Year). When the Club is not booked for any public event, it offers its members a myriad of activities to pursue including indoor game facilities like badminton, table tennis, snooker and carrom board and even outdoor sports like cricket.
One of the lesser-known facts about the Zoroastrian Club is that once in five years it holds a cricket tournament ‘JiJi Irani Challenge Cup’ where all Club members from a host of cities participate in the competition. With a membership of 800, the Club exclusively caters to Parsis in the twin cities. “The growth of the Club is at risk because of the declining community size. The numbers of the community is getting thinner by the day because of many restrictions,” laments Darahor Musji , vice president of Zoroastrian Club, Secunderabad.
