Located in the Sayajigunj area of the city, the Parsi Agiary was the first private Parsi temple to be built in Baroda. It was commissioned by Faramji Contractor and was completed in 1923 under Pestonji Contractor. Faramji Contractor was the State contractor for the Baroda State.
The place where the Agiary stands now is from where Faramji Contractor started his brick manufacturing business. Later, he got the Agiary built for the use of the Parsi community of the city. When built, Faramji made it clear that the Agiary should be managed and financed by the family members only. To this day, his great-grandchildren maintain this legacy.
The Agiary:
Agiary was designed by architect V. R. Talwalkar and was completed at a cost of Rs. 1 lakh. The architect has designed the building in a way that respects the local architecture of the city along with elements that root it to the Parsi Community. The building represents the architectural character of the city in its use of exposed brickwork along with the contrasting tones of the stone. While the Parsi elements are reflected in the design of the grand columns on the welcoming porch of the building. All of these elements combined with the effect of the height of the structure, present an image of the building that shows its importance.
Apart from the main building, the compound consists of a Bungali (for performing death ceremonies), a Dharmshala & a Community Hall and a small garden.
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The 100-year-old edifice is now looked after by a Trust consisting of the Contractor family members. According to tradition, no person belonging to any other community is allowed inside the building. The holy fire that started almost 100 years ago still blazes constantly in the Agiary.
I studied Engineering at Kalabhavan, Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda for 6 years from 1959 t 1964, stayed at the Parsi Dharamsala near the Parsi Agiary of Sayajiganj, when I came from Bombay to give my entrance exam, and later as a student I used to come to pray at the Agiary. Once admitted to the degree program, I lived in a Parsi lady’s home in Pratapganj, with a few other Parsi students for a few months, before living in university hostels. The last one I lived in, was Dadabhai Naoroji Hall, (close to the university and the river Vishwamitri), named after the Parsi Vizier of Maharaja Sayajirao who advocated education for girls, and who wrote a white paper criticizing the British for taking raw materials from India, manufacturing goods in England and selling them to Indians. He was president of the Indian National Congress more than once, later became a member of the British Parliament in England and continuing his fight for the rights of Indian subjects. I used to travel from K.M.Munshi Hall to Kalabhavan on my Raleigh bycicle which I left to the Gurkha watchman when I graduated.
I was privileged to stay in Dharamsala once a month for 4-5 days built inside this palacial Red Stone Agairy compound in Baroda from 1966 to 1972. At that time dahramsala was Managed by Dastur Ardeshir Kamdin. Open vast Compound made the stay in dharamsala comfortable even in summer.
From the photo I could make out that the Agairy is well renovated with garden and fountain.
May the Agairy Fire burn and glow for many years to come and bless not only Contractor family but also the Parsis in Baroda and Gujarat.
May late Pestonji Contractor soul rest in peace.
Hoshang Nekoo