Roshni Rustomji-Kerns's Archival Objects: A Farohar Frame, A Watch Necklace, A Gifted Candle

DESCRIPTION
In this slideshow, you will see:
A Farohar frame Roshni Rustomji-Kerns keeps near and dear to herself. The Farohar is a winged sun disk with a seated figure in the center and is a meaningful symbol from old Persia and in Zoroastrianism represents the guardian angel. In her oral history interview, Roshni shared her strong belief in the guardian angel.

A necklace with a watch. In her oral history interview, Roshni selected this object as one of the things she'd keep in a time capsule. Instead of an engagement ring, Chuck, Roshni's husband, got her a watch on a necklace because he had heard her say that watches have never worked on her wrist and that she used to really admire the necklace with a watch that one of her Dad's aunts used to wear long ago. She wears the watch necklace every day and considers it "my wedding ring."

A candle gifted to Roshni by her friend, Isabel Gruen, in Mexico. Roshni shared in her oral history interview that Isabel was the daughter of her very dear friends/guardians Walter and Alexandra Gruen--in Mexico via WWII Germany. Walter had been imprisoned in three different concentration camps. She considered Isabel as a daughter and Isabel gave Roshni the candle on one of her visits to Mexico City as a token of her love and of their "connection" through many lives. Isabel died in a car accident about a week after she gave Roshni the candle. Roshni had kept the candle wrapped in its original wrapping until a few minutes before her husband took the photo, when she unwrapped it for the picture. It has always had a scent of sandalwood. Roshni shared that her mother made the candle a symbol of Roshni's name. On her Navjote and other important celebrations for Roshni, her mother would "draw" a wonderful candle in chalk at the entrance gate.

ADDITIONAL METADATA
Date: April 10, 2022
Subject(s): Roshni Rustomji-Kerns
Type: Photograph
Source: Archival Creators Fellowship Program
Creator: Sharmeen Mehri
Contributor: Roshni Rustomji-Kerns
Location: Alameda , CA

PROVENANCE
Collection: Sharmeen Mehri Fellowship Project
Donor: Roshni Rustomji-Kerns
Item History: 2022-07-14 (created); 2022-07-19 (modified)

* This digital object may not be sold or redistributed, copied or distributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media without express written consent from the copyright holder and the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA). The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. If you are the rightful copyright holder of this item and its use online constitutes an infringement of your copyright, please contact us by email at copyright@saada.org to discuss its removal from the archive.