The Centenary of the Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar-e-Meher, on West Mada Street, Royapuram, was celebrated on August 7th, the 100th anniversary of its consecration. The necessity to establish a place of worship for the Zarthostis of Madras was, however, discussed as early as 1887 when the members of the Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman (then known as Madras Parsi Panchayat) launched what was known as the Mobed Fund and collected monthly subscriptions for this from the members.

When Sir Dinshaw M. Petit of Poona, responding to an appeal by the Parsis of Madras, generously donated Rs.3,600 in 1896, the plans to build a Fire Temple in Madras received a solid push. Sorabji Framji, the President of the Anjuman, also contributed Rs.1000. A plot of land, southwest of the Anjuman Bagh, was purchased for this purpose but was then found unsuitable – and the community continued to feel the absence of an Agiari. When Jal, the son of Phiroj Muncherji Clubwala, died in February 1906, the Clubwala family greatly regretted its inability to perform the necessary religious ceremonies in Madras on account of not having a priest or a place of worship. Whereupon Phiroj Clubwala, to help the whole community get over this sad situation, donated Rs. 2,000 for the services of a Mobed (priest) at Rs. 40 a month. Ervad Dosabhai Pavri was appointed the first Mobed. The community’s benefactor also stated that efforts should be made by the Anjuman to collect the necessary funds to build an Agiari. A Special Committee of six – Hormusji Nowroji, Phiroj Muncherji Clubwala, Ardeshir Framji Bhamgara, Meherwanji Jamshedji Amalsad, Ruttonji Meherjibhai Patel and Behramji Ruttonji Karani – was formed for this purpose. The Anjuman also resolved to augment the Mobed Fund by crediting to it one-half of the monthly subscriptions collected from members.

The whole collection process was taking too long a time for Phiroj Clubwala and, so, in 1907 he offered to provide a building on West Mada Church Street, Royapuram, for an Agiari, fully equipped, on condition that the Anjuman collected a minimum of Rs.30,000 for its maintenance. A new Committee, comprising Hormusji Nowroji, Phiroj Muncherji Clubwala, Behramji Ruttonji Karani, Gustadji N. Reporter, Ruttonji Meherjibhai Patel, Edulji Rustomji Bava Adam, and Sorab Dossabhoy Grant, was formed and it swiftly achieved its target.

The Anjuman also agreed to enter into a deed with Phiroj Clubwala, whereby the ownership of the Agiari would be vested in the Anjuman and the temple would be named the Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar-e-Meher. The entire management of the Dar-e-Meher was to be entrusted to five Trustees, namely Phiroj Clubwala (and after him his legal heir), a nominee of Phiroj Clubwala or of his legal heir, the President of the Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman (who shall also be the Chairman), and two members of the Anjuman nominated by the Anjuman. It was also agreed that the Dar-e-Meher should be under the nominal ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the High Priest of Poona.

On February 9, 1909, the foundation stone of the Agiari was laid by Hormusji Nowroji, the President of the Anjuman. Nowroji, a civil engineer by profession, designed the building and supervised its construction. The building was ready by the middle of 1910.

A marble tablet with the following inscription in Gujarati was fixed in the main hall of the Agiari on its consecration. In translation it reads:

JAL PHIROJ CLUBWALA
DAR-E-MEHER

This building which houses the Sacred Fire is built by Phiroj Muncherji Clubwala in sacred memory of his son Jal who died at Madras on Roj Marespand, Mah Amardad Y.Z. 1275. It has been consecrated with all religious rites and ceremonies and a Jashan on Roj Marespand Mah Behman Y.Z. 1279 (7th August 1910) and gifted to the Parsi Zoroastrian Community for the performance of all Religious Rites and Ceremonies.

In addition to the Dar-e-Meher premises, Phiroj Clubwala also gifted the Anjuman a block in the Agiari compound to serve as the residence of the priests of the Agiari.

In April 1910, Ervad Dosabhai Pavri, who had been Mobed for four years, retired and Ervad Hormasji Adarji Gai was engaged to take his place. On the consecration of the Agiari, Mobed Gai became the first Panthank of the Dar-e-Meher. He continued to serve it till March 1913. Among the other Panthanks who had served the Agiari, mention must be made of Ervad Rustomji Pestonji Daji, his son Tehmurasp, who succeeded him, and Mobed Tehmurasp’s son Peshotan who in turn succeeded his father. Mobed Rustomji served the Agiari for 25 years, Mobed Tehmurasp for 55 years, and Mobed Peshotan for nearly 60 years, the periods of service including those periods when each assisted his predecessor. Panthank Peshotan Daji died in 1997 at the ripe old age of 87.

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Heerjibhai Maneckji Kharas, Framji Edulji Rudibarna, Mobed Ruttondaroo, Mobed Jamshedji Faramji Aderbadan, Sorab Merwanji Mehta, Bhikkaji Botu, and Jamasji arrived in Madras in 1795 and bought a plot of land in Royapuram opposite the Mada Church and established their home there. They were the first Parsis to settle in Madras.

Rustomji Camaji and Cowasji Nowroji, partners of the firm of Hormasji Edulji Panday, obtained 24 more grounds in Royapuram on lease for 99 years from the Governor of Fort St. George in 1799. In 1814 they renegotiated the lease.

The fresh lease for all this land was entered into in 1814 between the United Company of Merchants of England and Messrs. Rustomji Camaji, Cowasji Nowroji, Hormasji Bomonji, Hormasji Edulji Panday and “Others of Parsi Religion”.

In 1876, the Parsis of Madras formed themselves into an Association, known as the Parsi Panchayat. Eleven members were present at its first meeting. A Committee of five members was elected to manage the affairs of the Panchayat. Edulji Dinshaw Panday was elected President and Sorabji Framji Secretary. Ten years later, the Panchayat elected a committee of six to draft rules for an Anjuman.

In 1893, Cawasji Edulji Panday became the first Parsi in Madras to hold the office of Sheriff. He was also a member of the first Trust Board (1886) of the Madras Harbour.

In 1900, the Madras Parsi Panchayat was renamed the ‘Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman’. Over the years, buildings were raised in the Anjuman Bagh in memory of leaders of the community, namely Fardoonji Nusserwanji Mazgamwala, Framji Pestonji Bhamgara, and Phiroj Mancherji Clubwala, among others. Phiroj Clubwala built the Jal Phiroj Block in memory of his son Jal.

When Phiroj Clubwala died in 1926, the Anjuman converted an old British residence nearby, which it was using as a social club, into the Phiroj Clubwala Hall, which was recently modernised and which hosted the centenary celebrations of the Agiari.