Rules

The Prayer Hall Services and Maintenance Trust
Registration No. E – 31041 (Mumbai) Dated 13-03-2015


C-1, Hermes House, 3rd floor, Mama Parmanand Marg, Opera House, Mumbai 400 004.
Tel No. +91 8691012488, +91 9821421593, +91 7721911359
E-mail: prayerhalltrust@gmail.com

RULES GOVERNING USE OF THE PRAYER HALL

These Rules must be observed by all Parsi Irani Zoroastrians who use the Hall and avail of the services offered by the Prayer Hall Services & Maintenance Trust (PHS&MT). They apply to Priests praying at the Hall, as also families of the deceased.Further clarifications if required will be provided by the undersigned.

General Information

  • The Prayer Hall is the property of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and is available for use of all Communities.
  • The Hall is to be used solely for funerary services (i.e. the customary 4-days prayers of Zoroastrians). No other activities are permitted to be carried out in the Hall.
  • There is no prior booking system at any Municipal Crematoria in Mumbai and usage will always be subject to availability, on a first-come-first-served basis or as decided with the Coordinator, (Er. Framroze Mirza).
  • Parsi-Irani Zoroastrians can use the hall for any of the 4-day prayers even if the Paidast/Cremation have been done elsewhere.
  • Members of the Parsi-Irani Zoroastrian Community will be given priority for use of the Prayer Hall during the following hours: 7.00 am to 9.00 am (for morning Paidast Ceremonies), 3.00 pm to 8.00 pm (for afternoon Paidast, Uthamna and Sarosh Ceremonies) &4.00 am to 6.00 am (for the Post-midnight Uthamna and Jashan).
  • In case a body is brought to the Hall after sundown and the Paidast is to be done at the customary time of 7.45 am the next day, it is essential that at least one family member remains at the Hall through the night.
  • No provision has been made for cold storage. However names of Funeral Directors will be provided by the Coordinator Er. Framroze Mirza upon request.
  • There is no provision for overnight stay of relatives within the Prayer Hall but there are washrooms available for use and a water cooler.
  • The Prayer Hall consists of 2 inter-connected Halls which can be used separately or together. Seating capacity is 200.
  • There are 2 Electric Furnaces, in the adjoining Crematorium, one of which is on a stand-by. It takes approximately 2 hours for a body to be consumed.
  • Bodies are generally transported from the Prayer Hall by friends / relatives using an Ambulance Trolley which can easily be wheeled down the short path between the Prayer Hall and the Crematorium. There are no Nussersallas at the site, but Crematorium staff do help when required.
  • The Hall is cleaned daily and there is round the clock security.

The Coordinator & his role

  • Er. Framroz Mirza is the Coordinator appointed by the PHS&MT. He is also entitled to serve as an officiating priest. While families of the deceased are free to avail of the services of any priest, prior intimation must always be given to the Coordinator, Er. Mirza on Tel: +91 8691012488. He needs to be kept informed of the proposed timing of ceremonies and the name of the officiating priest.
  • Er. Framroze Mirza will assist, provide guidance, and coordinate all arrangements including:
  • Providing telephone numbers for hearse, funeral directors (in case the body is to be stored awaiting the arrival of outstation relatives), and other such facilities.
  • Keeping the Security Staff / Municipal officials informed about the approximate time of arrival of the body at the Prayer Hall & ensuring the presence of crematorium operators and helpers when required plus making arrangements for the bamboo bier.
  • Assisting with documentation, registration of the death, and guidance for obtaining Death Certificates.
  • Arranging for ‘sandalwood’, flowers & making available the equipment used during ceremonies. (There are 2 sets of Afargans, Khumcha’s etc., kept at the Hall in two locked cupboards, the keys of which are with the Coordinator).
  • Hiring of additional chairs if the attendance is likely to exceed 200 persons
  • Some of the facilities provided at the Crematorium require the payment of gratuities to the local staff. In consultation with the Coordinator it has been decided that an amount of Rs. 6,000/- will cover this cost and this amount be paid in cash to the Coordinator who will distribute it appropriately.
  • Irrespective of who the officiating priest is, it is important to keep Er. Mirza informed as there could be more than one set of ceremonies at a particular time and the scheduling, ensuring which of the two Halls is to be used, etc. are decisions that only he is entitled to make.

Donations

The PHS&MT incurs a certain cost for daily cleaning, 24-hour Security and the Coordinator to assist with all formalities. These are provided entirely free of cost, but users of the facility may make a modest donation after use, if they so wish, entirely of their own free will, as a contribution towards the Corpus of the PHS&MT, so the Hall is well looked-after in future. Donations may be made by cheque in the name of ‘The Prayer Hall Services & Maintenance Trust’ or in cash and can be handed over to the Coordinator or sent to our office. The coordinator shall issue a stamped official receipt of the PHS&M Trust for all donations made by Donors.