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SHA/H BEHRAM MOBEDZADEH
(sliAH BAHRAM MUBIDZADIH) 1901—1980
Shah Behram Mobedzadeh was an exemplary Bahá’í—devout, self—sacrificing, sincere in his love for the friends and utterly devoted to the Faith. I first met him in Karachi in 1936. His face was spiritual, his eyes luminous, and his language was an exalted Persian, sweet and inspiring. I was strongly attracted to him at first sight. We met frequently thereafter. In all meetings he spoke of the Faith, its greatness and glorious history; and of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the beloved Guardian. He also spoke with great admiration of the early believers of India. It was my good fortune to travel in his company in 1975 and I availed myself of the opportunity of learning as much as I could of his life and of his record of service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.
He was born on 25 January 1901 into a Zoroastrian family. His ancestors had been priests since'the time of Zoroaster. His father, however, left his ancestral occupation and became an importer, trading in goods from India. Shah Behram was named by his father’s sister who was reported to have said, during the naming ceremony, ‘God willing, he will
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Shah Behram Mobedzadeh
live to see the Promised One foretold by
. Zoroaster, “flab Bahram Varjavand” (“The Glory of God").’ Shah Behram felt that her hope was fulfilled when he accepted the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.
When he was sixteen Shah Behram was sent to the house of his sister in Iṣfahán in order to perfect his Persian. He learned of the Bahá’í Faith through the great teacher Fáḍil Tihram’ whose scholarship and good character deeply impressed him, and in 1925 he became a Bahá’í. ‘Immediately thereafter’, Shah Behram told me, ‘I addressed a letter to the beloved Guardian expressing my utmost obedience and signed myself Shah Behram s/o (son of) Mobed Khuda Bux. Back came a reply in the name of Shah Behram Mobedzadeh. This will explain my surname “Mobedzadeh” which I accepted forthwith.’
In 1928 Shah Behram came to India with letters of introduction and worked in restaurants, first in Bombay and then in Calcutta, although for a few months he was penniless and near despair. In January 1932 he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and 'was pn'vileged to be in the presence of Shoghi Effendi.
THE BAHA'I WORLD
Speaking of this expenence later, Shah Behram remarked that the Guardian was so kind to everyone that each pilgrim felt that he had been singled out to be the recipient of a special measure of love, greater than that bestowed upon the others. ‘I cannot describe my parting from the beloved Guardian,’ he said, ‘for my eyes were veiled with tears. He was filled with understanding and consoled me, emphasizing that I should meet the friends and impress upon them that nothing is more important than teaching and guiding seekers to the Cause. This I did both in India and Iran. Shoghi Effendi would ask me to chant and generously made a kind reference to me, saying that some Zoroastrian priests had accepted the Faith before me, but‘that I was the first among them to espouseit openly.’
Shah Behram thenceforth became a tireless worker for the Faith—travelling, encouraging, inspiring. In 1941 he married Riḍván Khánum, the daughter of the distinguished Behman Behi, whose entire life had been devoted to the Faith. In 1945 she became caretaker of the children’s hostel in Panchgani. The original hostel which housed twelve children grew to become The New Era High School where Riḍván continues to serve as superintendent. In 1964 Shah Behram was appointed a member of the Auxiliary Board and in this capacity travelled all over India. In his seventy-fifth year he remarked, ‘I do not feel the sting of age. I derive inspiration from the example of the late Hand of the Cause Tarazu’llah Samandari who even in his nineties travelled in service to the Faith like a young man. I know that there is only one joy in life—-to surrender everything to Bahá’u’lláh, to live for Him and die for Him.’
During the last two years of his life he was often confined to bed but in spirit he was always preparing to travel and was full of plans to advance the work of the Faith. He spoke only of the greatness of the Cause, the lives of the martyrs, the services of the Hands of the Cause of God, and described interesting and inspiring situations that arose in his lifetime. On 17 October 1980 he bade farewell to all and started his journey in the world of immortals. The Universal House of Justice paid him a glowing tribute in its cable of 23 October:
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IN MEMORIAM
GRIEVED PASSING STEADFAST DEVOTED PROMOTER CAUSE SHAH BEHRAM MOBEDZADEH. HIS DECADES UNINTERRUI’I'ED UNFORGETI‘ABLE SERVICES CAUSE CONTRIBUTED STRENGTHENING FOUNDATION FAITH INDIA. OURSELVES AND MEMBERS INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE PRAYING ARDENTLY HOLY SHRINES BESEECH PROGRESS HIS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM. CONVEY WIFE FRIENDS OUR SYMPATHY. ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL GATHERINGS.
(Based on a memoir by DIPCHAND KHIANRA)
