Mama Parsi celebrates 95th anniversary: Journey back in time

KARACHI:

In the 19th century, Parsis began to arrive in Karachi - the city then developing into British India’s foremost ports. Among their earliest priorities were establishing the Tower of Silence in 1847 and the Hirjikaka Dare Meher in 1848 to preserve the community’s religious traditions.

Only after 10 years, the steady growth of their population compelled the community elders to open the Parsi Balakshala to give religious education and knowledge of Gujarati to Parsi children.

In 1870, Shahpurji Hormusji Soparivala donated his home to the community in memory of his late wife, Virbaiji, to house a co-educational vernacular school. The Balakshala moved into these premises, becoming the Parsi Virbaiji School. Five years later, the school introduced English in higher classes and the school was renamed Bai Virbaiji Soparivala (BVS) Parsi Anglo-Vernacular School.



To accommodate the growing number of girls and the society’s norms at the time, the community members realised the need for a separate school for girls. The idea for a separate school first surfaced in 1903 and then in 1911 with Seth Edulji Dinshaw’s proposals, but insufficient funds and legal difficulties prevented it from becoming a reality.

Finally in 1918, the first elected Karachi mayor Jamshed Nusserwanji Mehta brought together the philanthropy of Khan Bahadur Ardeshir Hormusji Mama, with a contribution of Rs300,000, and the trustees of the estates of Seth Nawroji Nusserwanji Pochaji and Seth Edulji Dinshaw with Rs135,000 and Rs75,000, respectively. Thus, Mama Parsi School was set up on April 1, 1918, by restructuring the BVS Parsi Anglo-Vernacular School, which is now known as the BVS Parsi Boys High School.

“One of his [Khan Bahadur Mama’s] first notable public acts was to manifest his interest in the subject of female education in Karachi,” reported The Imperial Gazetteer in 1920 as recorded by Jubin Noshir Mama. The school was named thus in honour of the family, it added.

In its first year, the school functioned from the BVS school premises, moving in June 1919 to Mama Mansions, a residential and office complex owned by Khan Bahadur Mama. Cowashah Edulji Anklesaria, who was principal of BVS Parsi High School since 1899, assumed the dual responsibilities until Miss J Kelly was appointed as the first official principal.

The construction of the school’s own building began in January 1920, and was completed in five years.

On April 1, 1925, a student body of 70 girls moved from Mama Mansions to the new purpose-built premises. In 1943, the school began taking students from other communities as well so that they could also benefit from the broad curriculum it offered

With the creation of Pakistan, the school gave up its parochial status to grant admissions purely on merit, irrespective of religious or communal background - a practice that it follows to this day.

It offers students the opportunity to pursue either the Cambridge International Examinations or the Aga Khan University Examination Board.

“I believe we have been successful in continuing our mission to impart holistic and affordable education to the girls of Karachi,” said Tampal proudly. She has been associated with the school for the past 23 years, and was appointed the principal in 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2013.