14/01/2021
Our heartfelt tribute to Parvez Uncle
It is with a heavy heart that we have to inform you that our loved Parvez Zarthoshtimanesh left his mortal body today on this auspicious day of Makar Sankranti on January 14, 2021. Parvez Uncle as we all called him started studying under Guruji in Mumbai in the 1970s. He got into yoga as he had ankylosing spondylosis or what was termed as bamboo spine. The doctors had “anticipated” that within a few years, he would be totally bent. Parvez Uncle surrendered himself to Guruji. And both of them worked very hard. Guruji would sometime literally stand on his shoulders while Parvez Uncle would be on his back. Both were in immense pain. A new comer to the class would have got petrified. But, Parvez Uncle had full faith in Guruji and Guruji on his science of yoga. The hard work paid off and over the years both of them proved the medical fraternity wrong.
Parvez Uncle became a devoted student of Yoga. He knew the importance of the subject and introduced his children, Zubin and Ruzan, to the children’s class conducted by the Motiwalas in Mumbai. The children were compelled to do the class and I am sure that Zubin, now a well-known Iyengar Yoga teacher himself, would be ever grateful to his father not only to introduce him to this subject in his childhood but ensuring that he attended class - at a time when as children, one does not realize the importance of the subject.
Parvez Uncle ran a pharmacy in Mumbai and was a very intelligent man. Although not formally trained in computer programming, he wrote a computer software for billing and inventory way back in the early 1990s.. all this by just reading from books.
After his retirement, Parvez Uncle moved to Pune from Mumbai mainly to be close to the Institute and Guruji. He then became a strong pillar of the Institute. He was to the “go-to” man for one and all. If Guruji needed something to be done - it was Parvez Uncle. His dictionary did not have the word “No”or ”not possible. He did everything with so much love for one and all.
He was the one, who initiated the process of recording and creating audio files of Prashantji’s classes. Even when audio editing software were not very friendly, he taught himself by trial and error and would make CDs of Prashantji’s classes. He did everything so quietly and joyfully. He loved to serve. Serving and helping people was his nature.
For years, he was the one who decorated the stage for all the functions putting his heart and soul into what he did - starting with planning, procuring the material and implementing the idea. He did not have much help when he did the decorations but won several admirers. Whatever he tried his hand at turned out to be good. Many may not know but he was also a good cook. He was a karma yogi who did all his work with ease and joy.
His handwriting was amazing. In fact, majority of the certified Iyengar Yoga teachers would have a little of Parvez Uncle in their houses and studios. He neatly wrote the names in a calligraphic script on each of the certificates. And, even during the lockdown, he continued to post amazing thought provoking quotes on his page with his beautiful calligraphy.
A joyful, kind-hearted, every smiling Parvez Uncle was a devoted sevak to his Guru. He is going to be missed by the entire Iyengar Yoga fraternity. There will not be another person like him.
As he said in one of his facebook posts, “There are people in life whom you forget with time but, there are few people with whom you forget time” - Parvez Uncle was the one with whom you forgot time!
We offer our heartfelt condolences to his wife Zarine, his children Zubin and Ruzan and their families.
