An arterial road in Bandra is as deep-steeped in general lore as it is in personal memory for someone who grew up on this street
I am the Resurrection and the Life’ affirms the inscription on the life-size marble statue of Christ at the entrance to St Peter’s Church in Bandra. I have just stepped out after the funeral of a Spanish priest distinguished for being the last Latin tutor in the city. Fr Peter Ribes shared sonorous nuances of this classic language in St Stanislaus (the suburbs’ first English medium school) and St Mary’s from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Counting over 20 exquisite stained-glass windows that cast a glow in golden slants of the soon to set summer sun, the beautiful mass done, I walk on to Hill Road. The street I grew up on is named after one of Bandra’s two hills, Mount Mary hill and Pali hill. It extends from the railway station till Mehboob Studio. The leafy lanes sprouting right from this west-east axis are clearly sainted — St Martin, St Cyril, St Paul, St Alexious, St John — while to the left run Jain Mandir Road, Boran Road, Bazar Road and Waroda Road.
Exactly across St Peter’s Church and Stanislaus School stands my alma mater St Joseph’s. The red brick convent run by Daughters of the Cross nuns boasts a sparkling roster: painter Papri Bose, actress Dimple Kapadia, the Bredmeyers (models Anna, Ulrika, Indira), journo-celeb sisters Malavika Sangghvi and Devika Bhojwani, lawyer turned activist Dilbur Parakh and Frene Ginwala, former Speaker of the National Assembly of Parliament in South Africa.
Cheap Jack and Pinky Pat were treasure troves. We grabbed their stationery split seconds before the bell rang opposite these Bohri shops, flying across the road barely in time to tail assembly lines. Our history teacher greeted new Parsi students with interesting localese. First, that the walls enclosing St Andrew’s Church compound were built thanks to a donation from Maneckjee Sorabjee Ashburner in 1862 — we were even trotted out to see this recorded on a slab at the main gate. Next, that Jamshedjee Jeejeebhoy constructed a flight of steps from the foot of Mount Mary to the north side of the basilica known as “Degrados de Bomanjee” (Steps of Bomanjee).
If Catholic girls knelt in the school chapel, I didn’t have too far to go. Oasis-like, the Nusserwanji Ratanji Tata Agiary has welcomed the community for 130 years. The Zarathushtra image on its stained glass panel depicting the prophet between Edwardian motifs once graced Tata Palace. As kids my brother and I raced to buy fragrant sandalwood sticks from the quaint Dickensian shop curiously embedded in the fire temple’s outer wall.
A childhood haunt yet faces the agiary. Happy Books, so easily a second home where we stuck noses in pages for as long as we liked. The mother ship in Colaba was rocked by spicy controversy in the 1960s. Held for stocking copies of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, that bold bookseller had a choice: a fine of Rs 20 or a week in prison.
Somewhere between my school and bookshop the same dusty banks still see customers file in. And the counters of our favourite chemist continue to democratically dispense both allopathic and homoeopathic remedies. Amit Chaudhuri’s poem, Bandra Medical Stores, describes how “branches purled and knitted shadows” around the Nair family’s tree-shaded pharmacy.
From the original gems, New Talkies is rudely replaced by a giant Marks and Spencer hugging a prime corner of the road. Made members of its Sunday Picture Club, we learnt to love movie madness that’s lasted happily lifelong.
Food as much on our minds then as well as today, we’ve savoured it all, from MacRonell’s confectioners to Lucky biryani. Not forgetting the meatiest kebabs in Casbah and the best cart pani puri at Elco Arcade, elevated to posh restaurant avatar now.
Other typical attractions abounded. I’d hate missing the evening sight of a uniformed lamplighter slowing his bicycle to a stop at every post he lit with a tall rod… Flocks of goats herded en masse en route the abattoir near the station… and down the length of our stretch of asphalt trundled the small van with “Music grows where Maurice goes” painted on its walls — a hat tip to Maurice Concessio’s band few functions were a hit
without hiring.
The street name changing to Ramdas Nayak Marg meant nothing. Hill Road was and always will stay simply that. “Know where you come from, then you will know yourself,” Fr Ribes had often said. In Latin this sounds
profoundly pitch-perfect. “Noverim te, noverim me — May I know you, may I know myself.”
Housed in a quiet corner of the Kharegat Parsi Colony, the Alpaiwalla Museum of Mumbai opens its doors willingly to all curious visitors. And there can be no better guide than Ms. Nivedita Mehta, the curator, who took me through each exhibit in detail and entertained all my queries, patiently.
The museum is named after Mr. Framji Dadabhoy Alpaiwalla, a Parsi, who collected several items in the early 20th century. Ms. Mehta recollects that typically collectors would spend around 10 to 15% of their income on collecting, but Mr. Alpaiwalla who worked in a bank, put everything into building his collection. His passion for collecting overtook all other interests, and it is said that he eventually lived in his kitchen after he ran out of space in his 11-room home, where he housed the collection. Alpaiwalla first set up the museum at his home and following his death, his entire collection was handed over to the Bombay Parsi Punchayat (BPP). The BPP started a Parsi Punchayat Museum in 1954 at the Kharegat Memorial Building; this was reorganised and renamed Mr. Framji Dadabhoy Alpaiwalla Museum in 1981. The museum was established under the guidance of Alpaiwalla’s friend, Dr. Jamshed Unwalla, a well known religious and Avestan scholar. An archaeologist who trained at the Louvre School of Archaeology, Dr. Unwalla also worked for ten years at the historical city of Susa, in Iran. His archaeological collection from Iran is also housed at the Alpaiwalla museum.
While the museum today highlights the rich history and heritage of the Parsi community, Alpaiwalla collected not only Parsi items, but many others. He was most interested in items that reflected the new and changing ways of the world, and bought frequently from art and antiquity dealers. Among other items, he collected stamps, coins, solar water bottles and perfume bottles from across the world, Indian art pieces, Egyptian antiquities and books. When his collection was bought to the museum, one of the nicest things found was a picture of Dhobi Talao, Mumbai before it was filled up. A huge collection of picture postcards of old Mumbai, India and the world beyond is present in the museum. The collection also includes the calling card of Dadabhai Naoroji, when he was elected to the British House of Commons between 1892 and 1895. Within the collection lies a manuscript of ‘Ijashne’, one of the most important Parsi ceremonies. The manuscript is in Gujarathi, and dated 1850 C.E. The museum also includes the Vendidad Avesta, a sacred book of Zoroastrianism dated 1816 C.E. One treasure is an original firman of Emperor Jahangir issued in 1618 C.E. granting a jagir (a type of land grant) of 100 bighas (4 bighas = 1 acre) to Chandji Kandin and his nephew Hoshang Ranji; Dadabhai Naoroji was their descendent.
Ms. Nivedita Mehta, the curator of the museum, has been collecting material on the Parsi history herself. This includes several photographs of Parsi families, portrait and family paintings of Parsi families, traditional Parsi clothing and photocopies of portrait images of important Parsis that are exhibited here. Although the museum draws only a handful of visitors, it is an effort that will go a long way in sharing the history of the small but influential Parsi community.
Indian writer and photographer Sooni Taraporevala, best known as the screenwriter of The Namesake and Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay, took a picture of her family in a Mumbai balcony 31 years ago. Shown in exhibitions and featured in a book, this has been an iconic picture of an Indian – and Parsi – family.
Though this was a typical daily scene in my family, I have only one frame to remember it by.
It was 1982. I was a graduate film student at New York University. Somehow I had cobbled together the price of an airline ticket and had come home to Bombay (much later renamed Mumbai) and Cozy Building.
Built in 1921, Cozy Building is one of four Parsi buildings near Gowalia Tank – a park in central Mumbai – that flank a lane, with a fire temple at the end of it.
My grandparents moved into the building the year it was built and where I grew up in an extended family – my parents Freny and Rumi, my paternal grandparents Aloo and Aderji and my father’s two unmarried brothers, Kersi and Adi.
It was from Gowalia Tank that Mahatma Gandhi started the Quit India movement in 1942. The older generation had ringside seats.
Perfect tableau
I was about to quit India myself, reluctantly. It was the evening before I was to fly back to America. My best friend Rashida was visiting with her two-year-old son Murtaza.
I was on the balcony with him – he was in my chair eating wafers and I was taking his photo when I turned and saw my family in this perfect tableau.
My grand-uncle Maneck is reading the comics page of a newspaper. My father’s brother Kersi is looking out. My mother’s sister Piloo is visiting my grandfather Aderji, his eyes shut.
I took a single picture; I don’t know why I didn’t take more.
I flew off consumed by homesickness and an unwillingness to leave. It was the last time I would ever see my beloved Maneck. He passed away shortly after.
The watch he’s wearing in the photo – I wear it now. It works fine even 34 years later.
Indian writer and photographer Sooni Taraporevala, best known as the screenwriter of The Namesake and Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay, took a picture of her family in a Mumbai balcony 31 years ago. Shown in exhibitions and featured in a book, this has been an iconic picture of an Indian – and Parsi – family.
After the recent death of the last surviving family member featured in the picture, Taraporevala relates the story behind it.
Though this was a typical daily scene in my family, I have only one frame to remember it by.
It was 1982. I was a graduate film student at New York University. Somehow I had cobbled together the price of an airline ticket and had come home to Bombay (much later renamed Mumbai) and Cozy Building.
Built in 1921, Cozy Building is one of four Parsi buildings near Gowalia Tank – a park in central Mumbai – that flank a lane, with a fire temple at the end of it.
My grandparents moved into the building the year it was built and where I grew up in an extended family – my parents Freny and Rumi, my paternal grandparents Aloo and Aderji and my father’s two unmarried brothers, Kersi and Adi.
It was from Gowalia Tank that Mahatma Gandhi started the Quit India movement in 1942. The older generation had ringside seats.
Perfect tableau
I was about to quit India myself, reluctantly. It was the evening before I was to fly back to America. My best friend Rashida was visiting with her two-year-old son Murtaza.
I was on the balcony with him – he was in my chair eating wafers and I was taking his photo when I turned and saw my family in this perfect tableau.
My grand-uncle Maneck is reading the comics page of a newspaper. My father’s brother Kersi is looking out. My mother’s sister Piloo is visiting my grandfather Aderji, his eyes shut.
I took a single picture; I don’t know why I didn’t take more.
I flew off consumed by homesickness and an unwillingness to leave. It was the last time I would ever see my beloved Maneck. He passed away shortly after.
The watch he’s wearing in the photo – I wear it now. It works fine even 34 years later.
My mother’s sister Piloo, with elegant long feet, was visiting, probably to say goodbye.
Her mouth is open, she’s saying something, but nobody seems to be listening.
Maybe Kersi has heard, there’s a slight smile on his face.
My quiet, self-effacing uncle, who used to laugh, embarrassed, yet tickled, when I’d inform him that people who saw this photo said he looked like Elvis Presley.
He was very sporting about his niece taking him around the world in his sudra – the muslin undergarment Parsis are required to wear.
A foodie who had eaten in every Mumbai restaurant, as he put it, from Nariman Point to Mahim, Kersi was crazy about cricket – it was his all-consuming passion.
He had nothing but scorn for the spoilt state of today’s Indian cricketers. His uncle Khurshed Mehehomji had been the wicket keeper in the Indian team that played in England in 1936.
He knew how his uncle got nothing except the clothes on his back and the saafa (turban) on his head, unlike the cricketers now.
Singular underdog
Kersi hated the ads on television, thought Americans were nuts and Donald Trump the nuttiest of them all. He was happiest in his room in his own world of music that he loved from the past, cricket matches on TV and Hollywood movies of his youth.
My sweet, gentle uncle Kersi breathed his last on the same balcony on 12 June 2016.
Though everybody from the photo has gone now, I know that they are still around; I have felt their presence in my life, and their love, countless times.
I know they watch over my mum and dad as they read the evening papers, my uncle Adi, my husband Firdaus, our children Jahan and Iyanah.
Evenings on our Cozy Building balcony continue.
My dad tells us how in the old days, the hills of Matheran were visible in the distance.
That’s hard to imagine. Now all we see are tall monstrosities, empty, unlived, mushrooming all around us in a frenzy of greedy, unplanned, development.
My screenwriter’s imagination foresees a future where like in the movie Up, Cozy Building might become increasingly hemmed in by monster buildings, the brave singular underdog, still holding out.
In the heart of the city, surrounded by beautiful mountains, Quetta’s Parsi Colony is picture-perfect. The lush green trees sway in the breeze. There is a rare feeling of trust: instead of the common elevated walls demarcating boundaries of houses, there are flimsy grills with open, inviting doors.
To the unsuspecting eye, this scene may not look like one from a metropolis in Pakistan, let alone one from the troubled province of Balochistan.
Despite the oft-reported turmoil in the region, however, Parsis have peacefully lived here since before partition. It was during the British Raj that the community was allotted this colony.
Today, of the many Parsis who once resided here, only about two to four families remain. Others have either died because of natural causes or migrated out of Quetta.
The presence of Parsis in the provincial capital has not been documented by the mainstream media like that of their counterparts in Karachi. This is understandable, Parsis, after all, migrated from Iran to Sindh as far back as the 8th Century. Furthermore, the community is relatively bigger in Karachi as compared to the one Quetta.
Yet, there are Parsis who prefer their home city to the concrete jungle that is Karachi.
Khurshid Minocher is an 85-year-old resident of the Parsi Colony who was born in Allahabad, India. She fondly remembers when Feroze Gandhi, a Parsi man, married Indira Nehru (later Indira Gandhi) and became the son-in-law of Jawaharlal Nehru. She also remembers seeing Mahatama Gandhi in his iconic dhoti and walking stick garb.
With these memories of her childhood home, Ms Minocher moved to Karachi as a young woman. In 1949, she started working at the prestigious Mama Parsi School, but quit the job soon after. The educationist did not like how, “The Parsi teachers, the Christian ones and the other teachers who belonged to different religions, would sit on different tables”.
After marrying her late husband, Mr Ardeshir Minocher from Quetta, she moved to Balochistan. She found a sense of camaraderie, one which was missing at the Mama Parsi School in her experience, at Quetta’s St Josephs Convent School.
She gets wide-eyed as she talks about the city’s not-so-distant past; a time when foreigners would come to Quetta and stay at a hotel owned by a Parsi named Feroze Mehta.
She complains that now the city has become too noisy and crowded. But to her it is still home.
Quetta’s Zoroastrian community has always been special to Parsis around South Asia, Ms Minocher tells Dawn.com. She recalls how in 1935 during a catastrophic earthquake, when 300 Parsis (including her father-in-law) died, Parsis all over South Asia donated money to help out. It was through these donations that the colony was rebuilt.
Houses in the Parsi Colony are owned by the ‘Parsi Punchayat’ (alternatively called the Parsi Anjuman). The general secretary of the body is another well-respected Parsi woman, Former Senator Roshan Khursheed Bharucha.
Parsis, she tells Dawn.com, have contributed greatly to the province’s education, health and, perhaps most notably, journalism sectors.
They are largely considered to be the pioneers of the English press in Balochistan.
In March 1888, a Parsi man Nawsarwanji Mancharji set up the Victoria Press. The press published the Monthly Balochistan Advertiser, Border Weekly News, Balochistan Gazette and The Daily Bulletin. It ran successfully in pre-partition India until 1935, when the same earthquake in Quetta destroyed the press offices.
Another Parsi-owned English-language press, Albert Press, had similar beginnings. Dadabhai Golwala, a man who moved to Quetta after the Second World War, started this press in 1891.
Like Victoria, the Albert Press was also pro-British and worked for the government. The press usually published content pertaining to the military. It also enjoyed the patronage of the local government.
When the Albert Press building, like that of Victoria Press’s, was damaged in 1935, Mr Dadabhai’s grandson-in-law, Shawak Rustomji got it renovated.
The administration of the press remained in the family. When Mr Shawak died, his wife Gul Rustamji took over and continued to run it until she finally sold it in 1990, moving abroad with her sons.
She was not alone, many Parsis from Quetta, and indeed all of Pakistan, have moved away. In the recent past, freedom of expression is perennially under threat in the city. Journalists frequently come under attack in Balochistan. Similarly, in the current political landscape, the region has also become an unsafe region for minorities.
The ill treatment of minorities in Balochistan is a relatively new phenomenon.
Rashed Rahman, a former editor of the Daily Times, believes that protecting minorities has historically been in the fabric of the Baloch society. “One of the outstanding characters of the Baloch society was tolerance. But now we have [given way to] intolerance, hatred, and violence [simply] on the basis of the fact that they are minorities.”
Former senator Bharucha disagrees with the notion that Parsis are treated poorly in Quetta. “As compared to the Christians and Hindus, we have lived peacefully and harmoniously [in Quetta]. We receive respect wherever we go. For example, I myself work as a chairperson at different institutes of the city, where I have not faced a single problem. I have always been given honour wherever I have gone.”
She does, however, point to a major problem faced by affluent members of the community: Kidnappings.
A prominent kidnapping case within the community is that of Abadan Faridoun Abadan, a former minister and well to do Parsi in Balochistan.
When Mr Abadan was kidnapped in 2002, his wife Niloufar Abadan vowed not to sit quietly. In hopes of recovering her husband, she met Balochistan’s chief minister and the country’s prime minister at the time. She also visited Iran and Afghanistan looking for a lead. Her tireless efforts however were futile. In 2011, on World’s Women’s Day, Ms Abadan met the same fate.
“I was kidnapped at gunpoint for ransom during broad daylight. After getting blind-folded, I was taken to an unknown place where I spent about ten months in great agony,” she told a national magazine in an interview, recalling her abduction.
She was released after paying a hefty ransom to her kidnappers. Ms Abadan lost more than money to this kidnapping.
Her kidnapping proved to be too much for her 35-year-old son Bomand Abadan. Struggling to deal with his mother’s disappearance, after 10 years of his father being missing, Mr Bomand died before his mother’s return.
“I don’t know if my husband is alive or dead,” Ms Abadan had said during the interview. 14 years later, her husband’s whereabouts are still unknown. Some suspect he has died in captivity, as his family could not fulfil the demands of the kidnappers.
Leaving remnants of a trying life behind, Ms Abadan has reportedly moved to Karachi.
The wide streets of Parsi Colony, which were once filled laughter of playing children, are now mostly quiet. While a lot of community elders have opted to stay back, they are sending their younger family members abroad, looking for greener pastures.
Many from the community are relatively affluent, and can afford to move away. Increasingly, Parsis in Quetta, and indeed Pakistan, are availing this option.
While maintaining her optimistic view of how Parsis are treated in Balochistan, Ms Bharucha concedes that even her own children have moved abroad in search of a better life. “I have three children who are abroad; they are doing jobs there.”
The writer is a journalist and researcher, who works with Dawn in Lahore. He can be reached at akbar.notezai@gmail.com and on twitter @Akbar_notezai
We at Parzor have been working on Ecology since the beginning of our UNESCO Parzor Project . Zoroastrianism has been called ‘ the world’s first ecological religion’ and it is an integral part of our cultural heritage.
Water like Fire is sacred in our tradition and WHO standards of drinking water have been found to be maintained in the ancient Tankas of Parsi Gujarat , while the Qanat and Kariz water systems of Persia are famed for providing water across millennia.
Prof Kavas Kapadia of the School of Planning and Architecture has been our Advisor in this Water Project ; he has presented some of our findings at the World Water Conference in Kyoto, as well as at the Conference of Water and Religion at Salisbury . As you watch this short movie , we hope you will see the relevance of this subject to our water starved world today .
Please do spare some time to see this movie . It is also up on You Tube. We acknowledge Sahapedia, our new partners in telling the world about heritage through the Internet.
The biggest thanks go to Dushyant and Hemant Mehta of Mahattas our photographic team , who have been with us for twenty years and Sanha of Mahattas .
Of course none of our research would have been possible without the hospitality and sharing of wisdom of the people of Bharuch , especially Mr Rohinton Jambusarwala .
Thank you for all your help over the years.
We will be delighted to share our research with all those working in the field of water management and anyone interested in knowing more about ancient wisdom relevant even today.
– Freddie Mercury’s sister unveiled the plaque alongside Queen guitarist Brian May –
English Heritage celebrated the life and career of Freddie Mercury today (1 September 2016) with a blue plaque at the singer and songwriter’s first home in England, a modest, inter-war terrace house in Feltham, West London. Freddie’s parents bought the house in 1964 after the family left Zanzibar for the UK and Freddie was still living there when he first met his future Queen band mates, Brian May and Roger Taylor. Other musicians to be honoured with English Heritage Blue Plaques include Freddie’s idol, Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Freddie Mercury’s sister, Kashmira Cooke, unveiled the English Heritage Blue Plaque and said: “Mum and I are so proud and pleased that English Heritage is honouring our Freddie with a Blue Plaque, and that he will be amongst other famous names for ever. Secretly he would have been very proud and pleased too.”
Freddie’s parents, Jer and Bomi Bulsara, chose Feltham as Jer already had a sister living in the area and the family moved into number 22 Gladstone Avenue in autumn 1964. Seventeen year old Freddie took an A-level in art at Isleworth Polytechnic followed by a Diploma in Graphic Art and Design at Ealing College of Art, supporting himself with a variety of jobs, including washing dishes in the kitchens at nearby Heathrow Airport. It was while studying at Ealing that Freddie met future Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor.
Kashmira recalls how while living on Gladstone Avenue, her brother was always sketching for his college art work – sometimes calling on her to model for him – or tapping his fingers and humming as if thinking of his next song. A natural musician, Gladstone Avenue was where Freddie really began to explore his musical talent, listening to the likes of Cream and his hero, Jimi Hendrix in his bedroom at the back of the house; there is a 1968 photograph of Freddie in his bedroom posing in the manner of Hendrix with a borrowed Fender Stratocaster. Kashmira also remembers how he loved watching Tom & Jerry cartoons and collecting cuttings of Andy Capp comic strips from the daily newspaper and how he spent hours grooming his hair – much to her annoyance as the house had only one bathroom.
Dr Brian May said: “It isa pleasant duty to help install this little reminder on Freddie’s parents’ house in Feltham. It was here that I first visited Freddie soon after we had met through a mutual friend. We spent most of the day appreciating and analysing in intimate detail the way that Jimi Hendrix had put his recordings together in the studio – listening to Hendrix on vinyl played on Freddie’s Dansette record player – which had stereo speakers on opposite sides of the box! Feltham was the childhood neighbourhood for both of us but we never knew it until we met in the cause of music.”
Sir Peter Bazalgette, English Heritage Blue Plaques Panel Member, said: “Before Freddie became Freddie Mercury, this small house was where he lived and took the first steps towards stardom. English Heritage’s blue plaques celebrate the great men and women whose achievements endure and Freddie Mercury – singer, songwriter and producer – was certainly one of our greatest musical talents. He was truly a champion.”
Attending the unveiling, the Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for Culture, said: “Freddie Mercury is a global icon whose music touched the lives of millions of people around the world. I am delighted that one of Britain’s most influential musicians will be recognised through the Blue Plaque Scheme – a small but important reminder to people of the impact he had both in London and well beyond.”
Freddie Mercury’s charisma, unfailing talent and commanding stage presence established him as one of our all-time greatest musicians; when Mercury performed audiences were captivated. English Heritage is delighted to commemorate his life and legacy with a blue plaque in a year that would not only have seen his 70th birthday but one that also sadly marks the 25th anniversary of his death, on 24 November 1991.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the English Heritage London Blue Plaques scheme. It is generously supported by David Pearl, the Blue Plaques Club, and members of the public.
Parsi influence on Karachi’s architecture is immense. Parsi businessmen and philanthropists commissioned some of the most remarkable structures in Karachi especially at the turn of last century. People still don’t hesitate to spend lavish sum of money on buildings in present day Karachi but the city suffers from our collective lack of aesthetics and sense of community living. We can all learn a few things from Parsis, not just sense of aesthetics but life in general too. Drive to Katrak Parsi Colony and you will get to see the city you never knew. With low boundary walls, manicured gardens, old trees and community areas taking central stage, it showcases how Parsis envisioned living in modern day Karachi.
The Karachi Walla was with a British visitor, born to a Pakistani and Iranian couple. We parked our car at the entrance of the colony and walked towards the central park. The central park has Banu Mandal, the community center on one side while there is a library on other side known as Bhedwar Library. There were trees and some beautiful trees and not the usual conocarpus which has descended on our town like plague.
We walked from one end of the colony to another. I was uber excited as I have not found leisure walk such a pleasure anywhere else in the city. But it was not just me as my partner kept running from one house to another.
She told me that she found it weird when her family in Karachi did not let her walk to the grocery store in their neighborhood. She soon realized the norms and limitations of women in Karachi and hence was as delighted to find such a perfect getaway.
MA Jinnah road has become a perennial favorite of religious and political parties for holding rallies and protests. Therefore most of the lanes connecting Parsi Colony to the main road has been blocked permanently with the help of containers. Parsi population has been dwindling in the city and a lot of houses are lying vacant but Banu Mandal still brims with life during festivities.
Although the 132-year-old Ripon Club has endured the vicissitudes of time and fortune, a part of the good old Parsi bastion may suffer partial eclipse. A controversial proposal to surrender or sell off a portion of the institution in Fort will be decided during the club’s EGM on Thursday, even as some members continue to protest.
The club’s trustees called for a meeting with its members to discuss the settlement of a suit that was filed by the land owners—N M Wadia Charities-against the club in 2010. A similar proposal to surrender its tenancy rights to the solicitors’ firm Wadia Ghandy & Company in 2008 was shot down following hue and cry by members. The club management had claimed it was running into losses and moved a proposal to sell the entire fourth floor, including an open terrace spread over 5,500 sq ft to the solicitor’s firm for Rs 6.75 crore stating that the money from the sale would help it run the institution better. The pitch to sell part of the club, founded by stalwarts Sir Phirozesha Mehta, Jamshedji Tata and Sir Dinshaw Manockjee Petit in 1884, was shelved after most of the members voted against the sale.
Eight years on, the sale plans are being revived while another resolution awaits the club that has on its roll leading solicitors, doctors, CAs, businessmen and of course, Parsi Zoroastrians as members. Located on the third and fourth floors of N M Wadia Building on M G Road in Fort, this quaint, old English-styled establishment has been popular for its mutton dhansaak buffet on Wednesday afternoons.
“For many years, the Ripon Club has been embroiled in the said suit filed by the landlords seeking eviction of the Ripon Club… considerable sums of money have been incurred by the club to defend itself and further substantial amounts will be required towards litigation costs till the matter reaches finality. The trustees are of the opinion that the costs of such a long protracted litigation will be unaffordable for the club,” read the explanatory statement from the club.
Advocate Khusroo Zaiwala, who was steered the protest back then has decided to raise his voice again. “No papers from the suit or the defence have been shared with members. How can we pass the resolution for negotiation if we don’t know what the terms of settlement are? It’s like being asked to sign on a blank cheque,” said Zaiwala, who has written to the managing committee, requesting that members be allowed to inspect the documents and postpone the meeting.
Xerxes Dastur, chairman and treasurer of Ripon Club explained, “Members are free to ask any questions at the meeting because we want their sanction before we start negotiating with the landlord. The meeting will decide whether to continue with the litigation or negotiate a settlement with the landlords in a manner that ensures that the integrity and future of the club’s premises are secured.” However, an inclination towards selling a portion of the club, he explained, was “to find a solution to safeguard the rest of the club and not subject ourselves to the court of law”. The fourth floor, which the club proposes to give away, has a card room, a snooker table, siesta chairs and a large terrace.
For Berjes Shroff, who has spent several wistful afternoons at the club since he came to Mumbai in the mid 90’s, every corner of the club has sentimental value. “Those easy chairs, the grandfather’s clock, verandah and vintage air… Wonder what’ll happen to the snooker club? My biggest worry is that we won’t get a fair deal as landlords usually have the upper hand. It’s sad that a Parsi trust wants to take away a part of the Parsi heritage,” he rued.
On December 11, professors from Wilson College and the principal of a Zoroastrian religious school led a group of 25 people, including a few foreign travellers, on a one-hour tour of Doongerwadi, the Zoroastrian forest cemetery on Malabar Hill.
The walk should have been an inconsequential one – like the many others organised in Mumbai by urban heritage enthusiasts, but the event escalated into a major controversy, with some community members filing a complaint with the police, accusing the cemetery’s managers of hurting religious sentiments by allowing a public tour in a sacred area. The community’s worldwide diaspora, connected though social media, joined the debate and community forums last week were abuzz with accusations and counter-allegations.
The three-century-old cemetery has prayer halls, a fire temple and circular stone structures known as Dakhmas, or Towers of Silence, where the dead are laid out for sky burial. Zoroastrian tradition requires the corpses to be disposed of by natural elements like the sun and carrion birds, though the near-extinction of vultures in India has jeopardised the arrangement. Non-Zoroastrians are allowed entry into some parts of the cemetery, including one prayer hall, and only Zoroastrians pall-bearers enter the Dakhmas.
The funeral rituals have interested students of religion, and travellers have written about the cemetery – though visits to most sections are prohibited. Since 2007, Ramiyar Karanjia, a priest and principal of Dadar Athornan Madressa — a religious school – has been taking students of comparative religion from Wilson College for an annual tour of the cemetery. The walks have been conducted without any problems. This year, the Mumbai Research Centre of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai, joined the tour. The event has the approval of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), the trust that manages the cemetery. The number of participants is restricted to 30 and the group avoids areas that are out-of-bounds, like the Towers and the paths leading to them. The protests this year, therefore, surprised many.
A day before the walk, a complaint was filed at Malabar Hill police station. Anahita Desai of World Alliance of Parsi-Irani Zarthoshtis, who is the wife of BPP chairperson Yazdi Desai, said that she received a call in the evening from a resident of Godrej Baug, a community housing estate near the cemetery. She was told that the police wanted to speak to someone from the trust. “We were given a letter and were asked why the police was not informed of the tour. We said we did not foresee any problem,” said Desai. “Ramiyar Karanjia is a scholar-priest and knows what is open to the public. Doongerwadi is a sacred ground and we trust his learning and scholarship.”
Protestors tried to stop the tour, and though the walk could be completed with the police watching from a distance, the event was acrimonious. People who were opposed to the tour said that they were stopped by the police from joining other protestors. Inside a funeral hall – the one open to non-Zoroastrian friends and relatives of the deceased, as Karanjia explained the Zoroastrian idea of life, death, the etymology of the phrase ‘Tower of Silence’, and the importance of the cemetery as a historic site, he was asked whether the women in the tour group knew about rules that prohibited them from entering a sacred place when they were menstruating.
Shehernaz Nalwalla, professor at Wilson College and a member of the team that organised the walk, said, “Patriarchy stills dominates, whether it is menstrual taboos or keeping women married to non-Parsees out of the fold. But what is surprising, or perhaps not so, was the vociferousness of the women who vehemently believed that menstruating women defile sacred spaces.”
Those who opposed the tour accused their opponents of being ‘fanatic’ supporters of religious conversions. “This is due to the influence of the pro-conversion people, who say that there are no rules of purity, no rules at all in our religion,” a community member wrote from New Zealand.
Talk of ‘us’ and ‘them’ has long dominated Iran-related politics in the West. At the same time, Christianity has frequently been used to define the identity and values of the US and Europe, as well as to contrast those values with those of a Middle Eastern ‘other’. Yet, a brief glance at an ancient religion – still being practised today – suggests that what many take for granted as wholesome Western ideals, beliefs and culture may in fact have Iranian roots.
Even the idea of Satan is a fundamentally Zoroastrian one
It is generally believed by scholars that the ancient Iranian prophet Zarathustra (known in Persian as Zartosht and Greek as Zoroaster) lived sometime between 1500 and 1000 BC. Prior to Zarathustra, the ancient Persians worshipped the deities of the old Irano-Aryan religion, a counterpart to the Indo-Aryan religion that would come to be known as Hinduism. Zarathustra, however, condemned this practice, and preached that God alone – Ahura Mazda, the Lord of Wisdom – should be worshipped. In doing so, he not only contributed to the great divide between the Iranian and Indian Aryans, but arguably introduced to mankind its first monotheistic faith.
Zoroaster likely lived between 1500 and 1000 BC, but some scholarship suggests he may have been a contemporary of Persian emperors Cyrus the Great and Darius I (Credit: Alamy)
The idea of a single god was not the only essentially Zoroastrian tenet to find its way into other major faiths, most notably the ‘big three’: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The concepts of Heaven and Hell, Judgment Day and the final revelation of the world, and angels and demons all originated in the teachings of Zarathustra, as well as the later canon of Zoroastrian literature they inspired. Even the idea of Satan is a fundamentally Zoroastrian one; in fact, the entire faith of Zoroastrianism is predicated on the struggle between God and the forces of goodness and light (represented by the Holy Spirit, Spenta Manyu) and Ahriman, who presides over the forces of darkness and evil. While man has to choose to which side he belongs, the religion teaches that ultimately, God will prevail, and even those condemned to hellfire will enjoy the blessings of Paradise (an Old Persian word).
How did Zoroastrian ideas find their way into the Abrahamic faiths and elsewhere? According to scholars, many of these concepts were introduced to the Jews of Babylon upon being liberated by the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great. They trickled into mainstream Jewish thought, and figures like Beelzebub emerged. And after Persia’s conquests of Greek lands during the heyday of the Achaemenid Empire, Greek philosophy took a different course. The Greeks had previously believed humans had little agency, and that their fates were at the mercy of their many gods, whom often acted according to whim and fancy. After their acquaintance with Iranian religion and philosophy, however, they began to feel more as if they were the masters of their destinies, and that their decisions were in their own hands.
Could Dante have been influenced by Zoroastrianism?
Though it was once the state religion of Iran and widely practised in other regions inhabited by Persian peoples (eg Afghanistan, Tajikistan and much of Central Asia), Zoroastrianism is today a minority religion in Iran, and boasts few adherents worldwide. The religion’s cultural legacy, however, is another matter. Many Zoroastrian traditions continue to underpin and distinguish Iranian culture, and outside the country, it has also had a noted impact, particularly in Western Europe.
Zoroastrian rhapsody
Centuries before Dante’s Divine Comedy, the Book of Arda Virafdescribed in vivid detail a journey to Heaven and Hell. Could Dante have possibly heard about the cosmic Zoroastrian traveller’s report, which assumed its final form around the 10th Century AD? The similarity of the two works is uncanny, but one can only offer hypotheses.
Elsewhere, however, the Zoroastrian ‘connection’ is less murky. The Iranian prophet appears holding a sparkling globe in Raphael’s 16th Century School of Athens. Likewise, the Clavis Artis, a late 17th/early 18th-Century German work on alchemy was dedicated to Zarathustra, and featured numerous Christian-themed depictions of him. Zoroaster “came to be regarded [in Christian Europe] as a master of magic, a philosopher and an astrologer, especially after the Renaissance,” says Ursula Sims-Williams of the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.
Zoroastrianism may have been the first monotheistic religion, and its emphasis on dualities, such as heaven and hell, appear in Judaism, Christianity and Islam (Credit: Alamy)
Today, mention of the name Zadig immediately brings to mind the French fashion label Zadig & Voltaire. While the clothes may not be Zoroastrian, the story behind the name certainly is. Written in the mid-18th Century by none other than Voltaire, Zadigtells the tale of its eponymous Persian Zoroastrian hero, who, after a series of trials and tribulations, ultimately weds a Babylonian princess. Although flippant at times and not rooted in history, Voltaire’s philosophical tale sprouted from a genuine interest in Iran also shared by other leaders of the Enlightenment. So enamoured with Iranian culture was Voltaire that he was known in his circles as ‘Sa’di’. In the same spirit, Goethe’s West-East Divan, dedicatedto the Persian poet Hafez, featured a Zoroastrian-themed chapter, while Thomas Moore lamented the fate of Iran’s Zoroastrians in Lalla Rookh.
Freddie Mercury was intensely proud of his Persian Zoroastrian heritage
It wasn’t only in Western art and literature that Zoroastrianism made its mark; indeed, the ancient faith also made a number of musical appearances on the European stage.
In addition to the priestly character Sarastro, the libretto of Mozart’s The Magic Flute is laden with Zoroastrian themes, such as light versus darkness, trials by fire and water, and the pursuit of wisdom and goodness above all else. And the late Farrokh Bulsara – aka Freddie Mercury – was intensely proud of his Persian Zoroastrian heritage. “I’ll always walk around like a Persian popinjay,” he once remarked in an interview, “and no one’s gonna stop me, honey!” Likewise, his sister Karishma Cooke in a 2014 interview reflected on the role of Zoroastrianism in the family. “We as a family were very proud of being Zoroastrian,” she said. “I think what [Freddie’s] Zoroastrian faith gave him was to work hard, to persevere, and to follow your dreams.”
Ice and fire
When it comes to music, though, perhaps no single example best reflects the influence of Zoroastrianism’s legacy than Richard Strauss’ Thus Spoke Zarathustra, which famously provided the booming backbone to much of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The score owes its inspiration to Nietzsche’s magnum opus of the same name, which follows a prophet named Zarathustra, although many of the ideas Nietzsche proposes are, in fact, anti-Zoroastrian. The German philosopher rejects the dichotomy of good and evil so characteristic of Zoroastrianism – and, as an avowed atheist, he had no use for monotheism at all.
Zoroastrians worship in fire temples, such as this one in Yazd, Iran – they believe fire and water are the twin agents of purity and necessary for ritual cleansing (Credit: Alamy)
Freddie Mercury and Zadig & Voltaire aside, there are other overt examples of Zoroastrianism’s impact on contemporary popular culture in the West. Ahura Mazda served as the namesake for the Mazda car company, as well as the inspiration for the legend of Azor Ahai – a demigod who triumphs over darkness – in George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones, as many of its fans discovered last year. As well, one could well argue that the cosmic battle between the Light and Dark sides of the Force in Star Warshas, quite ostensibly, Zoroastrianism written all over it.
Towers of Silence, such as this one in Chilpyk, Uzbekistan, are where Zoroastrians would leave the bodies of the dead to be consumed by birds (Credit: Alamy)
For all its contributions to Western thought, religion and culture, relatively little is known about the world’s first monotheistic faith and its Iranian founder. In the mainstream, and to many US and European politicians, Iran is assumed to be the polar opposite of everything the free world stands for and champions. Iran’s many other legacies and influences aside, the all but forgotten religion of Zoroastrianism just might provide the key to understanding how similar ‘we’ are to ‘them’.
On April 18 which is observed as World Heritage Day, among the several monuments with a story to tell in Kozhikode is its only Parsi temple in Kerala. The local people are not well aware of this fire temple, the Parsi Anju Amman Baug, where Parsis are the only worshippers. This sacred temple, which is over 200 years old, is located off the busy streets of the famous Sweet Meat Street. Over 300 Parsis once resided there but today, Kozhikode is left with only one family, the Marshalls, which has only six members.
Parsis live chiefly in Mumbai and in a few towns and villages mostly to the South of Mumbai, but there are a few in Karachi and Bangalore. The fire temple was built in the 18th century when Parsi traders settled in Kozhikode about 200 years ago. The Parsis, the name means “Persians”, have descended from Persian Zoroastrians who immigrated to India to avoid religious persecution by the Muslims. Devotees visit the temple for mainly two purposes, related to marriage and for good health and longetivity of the husband.
“They come here for worship only on Sundays”, says a nearby shopkeeper of the flower shop. “A Parsi has to be cremated in here. They are very unique in their costumes and rituals”, he added. There customs are different from that of the other communities. Fire is given supremacy in the Zoroastrian faith. It is closely associated with Ahura Mazda, the lord of endless light and wisdom, according to the Parsis. Most religious ceremonies are performed in the presence of fire. Just before entering the temple, the hands are washed and a ‘kusti’ (ritual) is performed and a scarf is used to cover the head.
If you’re a book-lover and haven’t yet set foot inside SoBo’s JN Petit Library and Reading room, then let us tell you that you’re missing out on a lot.
Established in 1856, this is one of Mumbai’s oldest libraries and is breathtakingly beautiful. Located at Fort inside this very magnificent and Gothic-style building, this library boasts of a huge collection of books {over 1,50,000 and counting}, that are spread across multiple categories such a fiction, non-fiction, art, culture, history, religion, general subjects, books in regional languages and more.
They also have a rare copy of Firdausi’s 11th century epic poem Shahnama, illustrated with gold leaf and an entire huge section {a special room, actually} that is home to rare books, old manuscripts of the Zoroastrian religion and more.
The library recently underwent a restoration process to preserve its beautiful architecture. When here, make sure you spend good enough time in its reading room, one that gorgeous and huge and majorly populated by college students {especially before exams}. The room boasts of stunning stained glass windows, reclining chairs that let you read in leisure and is amazing airy.
It’s pretty simple. You go there, fill out a membership form with all the details and get started. Annual membership will cost you INR 1,000 where you’re allowed to take three books for a fortnight and two magazines at a time for a week. They regularly update their collections and have books that suit every kind of a reader.
If you’re a sucker for books, architecture and just spending your time catching up on great pieces of literature, then make your way to the JN Petit Library and Reading Room in Fort and get mesmerised with all that it has to offer to you.
In the highly competitive food and beverage business environment of Delhi–National Capital Region, the restaurant brand SodaBottleOpenerWala is just another name where customers expect a fine dining experience. Yet, there is a uniqueness to the restaurant. In Delhi-NCR, where the knowledge of Parsi cuisine is still very limited, a young chef Anahita Dhondy, who is in charge of the operations of the restaurant brand, wants to make Parsi cuisine popular and she has been partially successful in doing so. Dhondy also plans to write a book on Parsi cuisine. he wants to play a significant role towards contributing to her community through her profession. She is not alone. However, even as young Parsis continue to make their mark through their individual successes, the age-old challenges for the Parsi community remains.
The population of Parsis continues to decline in numbers. Today, with over 60,000 Parsis in the country and over 800 Parsis in Delhi-NCR it has come to a point where it is feared that soon the Parsis may become extinct. Late marriages, Parsi women conceiving lesser children, a large number of geriatric population, greater mortality rate and a large number of Parsis moving abroad are some of the major reasons cited for the decline in the population in the Parsi community.
Over 30 per cent Parsis remain unmarried. While the trend of declining population has been a major challenge for last 60 years, steps are now being taken to stop the community from dwindling.
The Government of India through the Ministry of Minority Affairs formulated a central scheme for containing population decline of Parsis in India in September 2013 and named it Jiyo Parsi. The campaign is being supported by various Parsi organisations. Jiyo Parsi has two components – advocacy and medical assistance.
Under the campaign of advocacy, an emphasis is being laid on personal interaction and encouraging the members of the community to attend personal functions. Under the medical assistance, the Jiyo Parsi scheme pays for the treatment of Parsi couples who need IVF or other forms of artificial reproduction treatment. A total of 100 additional births in the Parsi community has been made possible by this campaign.
By addressing a crucial issue of population decline, the Jiyo Parsi has been able to become a household name among Parsis. Yet, for making the scheme achieve its long-term objective the participation of new generation Parsis is as much important as the old who want to preserve the legacy. For long there have been complaints that individuality and economic prosperity is also contributing to major causes for the dwindling number of Parsis. With special emphasis attached to pride in Parsi culture, a greater responsibility is being placed on the young Parsis towards holding on to the pillars of their tradition. For various young Parsis, who want to come out of their comfort zone and tread through an adventurous path in their lives, a major dilemma lies ahead of them – in adapting to the new, yet preserving the old.
“Though the usual reasons for a decline in numbers of Parsis remain, a major aspect also lies in many of the Parsi women marrying into other communities. I myself am not married into a Parsi community. Mostly in such marriages the children are not included in the official population of Parsis even if a Navjote (initiation ceremony) is being conducted,” says Nina Fariman, a practising lawyer
“When we talk about the differences between the old and the new, I think we are too individualistic. Within each generation, there are conservatives and liberals. I personally don’t like the idea of the Government getting involved in the birth of a Parsi child. This is an issue that ought to be tackled within the community,” Fariman added. Fariman opines that free-mindedness, aspirations and individuality are qualities that the new generation Parsis must carry forward.
Yezad Kapadia, a member of Delhi Parsi Anjuman, however, provides a strong view on young Parsis. “The decline in economic prosperity can also be attributed to declining population of the Parsis. Today, most of the youth are not that economically independent. In the earlier years, Parsis were the pioneers in supporting the education of their community members. Today other communities have picked up. Our girls seem to be educating themselves better than the boys and hence are not finding eligible bachelors to marry within the community,” says Yezad Kapadia. “Our youth seems to have lost the zest for achieving prosperity in life. In the past, the community was fortunate for getting favours from the British which led to the prosperity of the community. Although there are many Parsis who have achieved success in their respective professions today, the community at large is lagging behind.” adds Kapadia.
Remarking about Parsis in Delhi-NCR, Kapadia says, “The Parsis of NCR are a breed apart in India. They are the foremost amongst the community in accepting non-Zoroastrian spouses as members of the Anjuman and also accepting the offsprings of such marriages whose Navjote are being performed.”
An example that can perfectly illustrate Kapadia’s statement is Ava Khullar, who was born Parsi but married into a Punjabi family. She is currently the vice president of Delhi Parsi Anjuman.
“At the time I got married, there used to be a lot of resistance of Parsi women marrying outside their communities but my family was supportive of my decision. Back then, I too was a member of Parsi Anjuman and even now I am serving my community,” says Ava Khullar.
Keeping the legendary Parsi sense of humour intact, when asked about her adjustment in the Punjabi family Khullar says, “Punjabis may be generalised as loud, aggressive and occasionally over-the-top personalities, but so are the Parsis. In fact, there are Parsis who swear a lot, however, there is a saying that even when Parsis swear, it seems very endearing for those who receive the flak.”
“As in most communities, there are some people even in the Parsi community who are more rigid in terms of traditions. I believe we should have pride in our values but also be prepared to accept changes in rituals and practices as and when required,” says Rukhsana Shroff who runs Farohar classes along with her partner Kerman Mehta to teach Parsi values to children in Delhi-NCR.
“As a Parsi, I am proud of my core values that lay emphasis on truth, good action and care, and concern for all living beings. Each generation is different and so is this new generation of Parsis. I hope that this generation will carry out basic tenets of Zoroastrian faith – believe in good thoughts, good words and good deeds, value truth and stand up for what they believe is right. I hope they also live life to the fullest with respect for all human beings. In my mind this will help in the progress of the community,” added Shroff.
“The Indian plurality has served the world’s smallest community well over the years. Yet, for our survival, we need to regain confidence as a community. We need to realise that migration is not going to save our community. We need to get on in the competitive world of India today. We need to learn more academically about our history and religion. Yet, we need to stop thinking that the past is all we have and plan for our future together as a community,” says Shernaz Cama, Director PARZOR foundation.
“Even as we are dwindling in numbers, a major reason that contributes to our survival is our faith. We must restore faith. There is not much difference between the old and the new generation of Parsis. It is just that most of the young Parsis don’t get Parsi friends and are therefore marrying outside their community especially in Delhi-NCR,” adds Cama. The metaphor of sugar dissolving in milk and adding to its sweetness has long been used to describe the contribution of Parsis in the country. The versatility and talent of the community can be gauged from the fact that for community members who started as traders during the British era, today, has also provided us with a famous comedian, chef and a documentary filmmaker.
While there is a surge of leadership among young Parsis in various fields, there is also a feeling in certain quarters that the older generation of Parsis is still stuck in the time warp of glories. There may be a huge goodwill that has been earned by Parsi community in the past, yet most of the members also share a grouse. Squabbles and indifferences by the present leadership of Parsi community are resulting in policy paralysis and leading to a closure of age-old institutions set up by the Parsi visionaries.
Amid many challenges faced by the community, young Parsis are hopeful and doing their bit for the community while maintaining their individuality. These youngsters are therefore living a Parsi way of life described perfectly in the Zoroastrian anthem by Kavi Firoze Batliwala.
Hyderabad: They have just proved the correctness of a popular myth — ‘Like Sugar in Milk, about Parsis. The Centre of Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) scientists, along with researchers from Estonia and the UK, have established that Parsis are genetically closest to the Neolithic Iranians, followed by present-day Middle Eastern populations, rather than those in South Asia.
The research paper titled, Like Sugar in Milk: Reconstructing the Genetic History of the Parsi Population, has been published online by BioRxvi. The research results are in concord with the historically-recorded migration of the Parsi populations to South Asia in the 7th century. It has also been proved genetically that the Parsis assimilated into the Indian subcontinent’s population and socio-cultural environment “like sugar in milk”.
“In a wider context our results suggest a major demographic transition in West Asia due to Islamic conquest,” said resear-chers. CCMB’s senior principal scientists Kumaraswamy Thangaraj of Evolution-ary and Medical Genetics had worked extensively on reconstructing the genetic history of the Parsi population. Previous studies on Parsis were dependent on low-resolution markers.
CCMB analysed the Indian and Pakistani Parsi population using high resolution autosomal and uniparental markers. Around 108 mitochondrial DNA markers among 21 ancient Parsi DNA samples excavated from Sanjan in Gujarat were analysed. Sanjan is the original settlement of Parsis in India. It is estimated that the admixture of the Parsis with the Indian population occurred 1200 years ago. “Enriched homozygosity reflected isolation and inbreeding experienced by the Parsis,” revealed the scientists.
Parsis in India also share the highest number of haplotypes with present-day Iranians. Researchers observed 48 per cent of South Asian-specific mitochondrial lineages found in the ancient samples, may have resulted from the assimilation of local females during the initial settlement. A small group of Zoroastrians came to Gujarat when the Sassanian dynasty was threatened by Islamic conquest. There are several myths that narrate their first arrival.
According to the most popular myth mentioned in in the ‘Qissa-e-Sanjaan’ an Indian ruler called Jadi Rana sent a glass full of milk to the Parsi group that had sought asylum, indicating that his kingdom was full of locals. The Zoroastrian group had put sugar into the milk to indicate an assimilation of their people into local society. Researchers concluded that new substantial data has emerged and a more comprehensive insight into the population structure of Parsis and their genetic links to Iranians and South Asians has been established.
But if much is taken, much abides in the sunlit, tree-shaded, broad-avenued life of what’s often called Bombay’s only un-walled Parsi enclave. The Parsi Colony’s new celebrities may be speed-racing teenager Jehan Daruvala – Bombay’s real baby driver?– and designer Rooshad Shroff, but it’s also home to celebrities other than Penaz Masani and the extended family of Freddie Mercury. Here’s a starter-kit Who’s Who of Dadar Parsi Colony’s past, present and future:
Mr Jimmy, Café 792: This tiny three-year old Parsi eatery wears the look of a modern café, but conceals the soul of an old Irani in its tiny kitchen, manned by busy cooks frying up roast chicken while staff oversees counters of chocolate eclairs and daily-special boxes. Recipes are said to come from friends and neighbours in the area, and 792 caters to many older people who can’t be bothered to slow-cook dhansak for lunch any more. Pay your respects to Jimmy, manager of the establishment, in order to be handed a menu and served your papeta per eedu at table. 792, Dina Manzil (outhouse), corner of Jam-e-Jamshed Road and Tilak Road, call 24140792.
The Other Jimmy, Della Tower: Put your shades on at the southern entrance of Jam-e-Jamshed Road if you don’t want to be blinded by the most sensational structure ever to appear in the colony. Many Parsi builders may have designs on the neighbourhood, but none have made a splash as spectacular as Jimmy Mistry, the real estate baron who constructed the colony’s most spectacular break from the past.
You’ll find Mr Mistry, or at least his head office, in the sky-scraping Della Tower, whose facade is covered in copper leaf and reliefs that mimic the stone walls of Persepolis and Pasargadae. (Who needs that Iran holiday anyway?) A residential apartment building that replaced an old three-storey house, Della Tower makes its neighbours, low-rise bungalows with names like Khorshedabad and Sarosh Bhavan, appear modest. Unlike newer buildings (with names such as “Ornate Galaxy”) replacing these houses, however, this is a firm reminder of where you are, and what some residents may hope for it to become. Della Tower, Jam-e-Jamshed Road, call the Della Group head office at 67451400.
Though much is taken, much abides in the sunlit, tree-shaded, broad-avenued life of what’s often called Bombay’s only un-walled Parsi enclave.
Perviz Tarapore: The late lamented daughter of Bombay philanthropist Mr Jehanbux Tarapore, Perviz gave her name posthumously to a building that Jehanbux funded in 1947 and granted to the Dadar Parsee Youths Assembly. Today, the assembly lends its name to a neighbourhood school – and to the DPYA Snacks Centre, fuelled by the talents of Parsi aunties and purveyors of mutton cutlets upon which entire generations have grown up. Perviz Hall, 803-D, Ambedkar Road, call 24129437.
Katie Bagli: You may, if you’re lucky, encounter environmentalist Katie Bagli on a Sunday walk with fellow dendrophiles, identifying the copperpods and Ashokas that have lined Parsi Colony streets longer than most of its inhabitants have been alive. If you don’t know how to get hold of her, though, console yourself with her book, Trees Of Parsi Colony, filled with the stories of some of the stateliest old Parsis of all. Buy a copy from the offices of NGO Greenlines at Don Bosco Provincial House (Don Bosco School), Nathalal Parekh Marg, Matunga.
Perzen Patel: The Bawi Bride blogger is now a Bawi Mummy, and master of a kitchen that delivers “Bawisasu ni kaju chicken” and “Shirinbai’s cheese and egg cutlets” around the city. A truer key to her neighbourhood, however, may lie in the customised cooking classes she conducts in her home, in which you’ll be taught to make salli boti and mawa kopra pak as though you were bhonu do it. Send Perzen inquiries through her Facebook page here.
Kamu Iyer: We’re cheating, since one of Bombay’s best-loved architects lives in Five Gardens, across the invisible boundary that divides Parsi Colony from its less Parsi neighbour. You must, however, read his lovely book Boombay: From Precincts To Sprawl, part-memoir, part-architectural exegesis of the city’s buildings. Among other things, Boombay explains what why the facades of Parsi Colony bungalows are distinct from those elsewhere in the city, and why the average Parsi got 10 sq metres of space more than his neighbours in Parel just down the road.
Rustom Tirandaz: It’s easy to think that our favourite park in the colony – a radiantly green triangle facing Five Gardens– must have been named for a Persian poet. But in fact, the late Mr Tirandaz was one of the leading lights of Parsi politics, former vice-chairman of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet and a BMC corporator who represented his neighbourhood for seventeen years. (From a moving obituary we also learn he once wrote an entire essay without a period, partially confirming our early impression of literary artistry.) Rustom Tirandaz Garden, Khareghat Road, west of Five Gardens.
Zarine Engineer: The president of the Mancherji Edulji Joshi Colony Residents Association is a mainstay of sorts for outsiders: call her for a quote in a story (we did!), a potted history, an update on the status of any of the public fights waged by residents to preserve their surroundings – and even, if you’re feeling lucky, an educational walk through the neighbourhood.
“Mancherji Joshi pushed for Parsi reservation in this neighbourhood so that people from the community could afford housing here in the 1920s, when it was first built,” she explains to us. “But only about 113 of the buildings are actually covenanted” under reservation for Parsi residents. Zarine’s status as colony activist and public historian owes something to a family connection: her grandfather was the man whose name officially graces the colony he built. Say hello to…
Mancherji Joshi: A bust of Zarine’s handsome grandfather stands at the southern entrance of Parsi Colony (around the block from Café 792). In 1921, Joshi was a young civil engineer with the Bombay Improvement Trust, tasked with creating affordable housing that encouraged people to move out of the plague-stricken environs of South Bombay. You could say he succeeded: the Parsi Colony he created (and which was named after him) may be the world’s largest Zoroastrian enclave.
Getting there: Dadar Parsi Colony, Ambedkar Road, Dadar East, between Five Gardens and the BEST Workshop, Wadala.
Thanks to Shekhar Krishnan and Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar for their insights.
A piece of jewellery is more than just an accessory; it is a record of a time, a mood, of lives and loves. And heirloom jewellery, handed lovingly down, is a veritable archive of a family’s history. ELLE asked four women belonging to Mumbai’s Parsi community—characterised as it is by a sense of nostalgia and antiquity—to let us into their personal stories by way of their most precious jewels (some of them nearly 200 years old). To complement these precious pieces, the ladies wore traditional, hand-embroidered Parsi saris, called garas—also inherited, also loved.
Aliya Chichgar’s great-grandmother made this 22K gold and pearl neckpiece with matching earrings for her daughter on the occasion of her navjote (the Parsi equivalent of a thread ceremony). “They lived in Myanmar (then Burma), but had to leave because of the war [World War II],” says Chichgar. “They gave up most of their belongings, but this necklace was one of the few pieces my grandmother managed to carry with her.” After graduating from Warwick University, UK, armed with a degree in business and strategy management, Chichgar worked at a digital marketing agency in London with clients such as The Huffington Post, before deciding to move back to her home city of Mumbai. She currently leads the marketing team at Saffronart, a leading Indian auction house that deals in art, jewellery and antiques.
“My great-grandmother gave it to my grandmother on her first birthday. It then found its way down to my mother, who has now passed it on to me,” says Shanaya Boyce of her 104-year-old gold, diamond and emerald necklace with matching earrings and a ring. A recent psychology graduate from Mumbai’s Jai Hind College, Boyce divides her time between teaching speech and drama to children, and volunteering with SheSays, an organisation dedicated to women’s empowerment and ending gender discrimination. She’s also actively involved in theatre.
Freishia Bomanbehram’s gold, ruby and pearl necklace and earring set was made in Maputo, Mozambique (her family is from South Africa), and originally belonged to her grand-uncle’s mother, who left it to him when she died. He in turn gave it to his wife, who then gave it to Bomanbehram’s mother; eventually it found its way to her. “It’s a fourth-generation piece and is easily 175 years old,” she says. An actor since her childhood, Bomanbehram did her first professional play when she was five, and has been involved with the arts ever since. Having worked at a radio station and in television, she now hosts a travel show on NDTV Good Times. She also has her own YouTube channel, Whack, which has over 80,000 subscribers.
The large clear aquamarine in her necklace was purchased by Alyssa Chesson’s grandfather in Sri Lanka during his travels. “He brought it back for my mum as a birthday present,” says Chesson, “and she ultimately had it set in the art deco style, along with a matching ring.” The necklace’s stone is surrounded by diamonds and strung on grey-blue South Sea pearls, interspersed with glittering diamond rings. An English literature graduate, Chesson found her true calling in the culinary world, eventually bagging a coveted spot at Le Cordon Bleu in London. Upon her return to Mumbai with a Diplôme de Pâtisserie, she opened her own boutique ice cream brand, Bono, which specialises in the classics (hazelnut, salted caramel) as well as the curious (blue cheese and honey; milk chocolate and bacon).
My first encounter with Dadar was back in 2004 when I used to travel from Churchgate to Dadar during the evening rush hour. Most of my journey would go in planning my exit strategy from the crowded local train. Dadar has since been synonymous with crowd and chaos and something that should be avoided at all costs.
A decade later I have finally come to see the other side. The side that is calm, quiet and lush green! Welcome to Dadar Parsi Colony, the largest Zoroastrian enclave in the world designed and founded by Mr. Mancherji Joshi during the British rule more than 80 years ago.
Take a walk in this quiet neighbourhood and you might forget that you are in Bombay. The roads are wide and outlined by trees, parks at every corner and old buildings have a distinct charm about them. People are friendlier too. They smile and patiently wait for you to take their pictures (like this couple here), wave at you from their balconies (like this lady here) and sometimes even offer to show you the best and oldest buildings near by. Here are some pictures to give you a peak into this quiet part of town that has been home to some famous personalities including the likes of Freddie Mercury.
Starting with the Fire Temple – the place of worship for Parsis. Unlike other temples and religious places, non-Parsis are strictly prohibited from entering a Fire Temple.
And where there are parks, there will be dogs… Lots of them! Like these guys who were out for a walk.. apparently. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
If you are a Parsi or a local who knows more about Dadar Parsi Colony, do share some interesting tidbits in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you. If you are few of those lucky folks who actually live here, I would really appreciate receiving some old pictures and stories from the past. You can write to me at suitcaseofstories@gmail.com.
Every year on October 12, the local Zoroastrian community commemorates the birthday of Sir Hormusjee Mody and his generosity to the University by having a priest place a garland of flowers around the bust of Mody located inside the Main Building.
The bust was presented by the Incorporated Trustees of the Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton and Macao to commemorate the 90th anniversary of HKU.
Renowned philanthropist and benefactor, Mody was a successful Zoroastrian businessman whose major donation ensured the fulfilment of the dream of establishing a university for Hong Kong.
On March 16, 1910, a grand ceremony was held for the laying of the foundation stone. Mody explained, “Life is incomplete when man lives for his own self. Life is best lived when it is lived for others.”
His initial offer of a donation to construct the Main Building was the very first such pledge, setting an example that other benefactors followed. Without his generosity, the University’s existence may not have been realised. We will always remember his contributions with deepest gratitude.
Representatives of the Jain and Zoroastrian will now join 15 other faiths, including Hinduism, Sikhism, at Britain’s annual war memorial service to make it more reflective of modern Britain, Faith Minister Lord Bourne announced on Wednesday.
Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism are among the faiths already represented at the National Remembrance Service held at the Cenotaph in central London on November 11 every year, to commemorate British and Commonwealth soldiers who died in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
“For a tiny faith community, the Zoroastrians have punched well above their weight and contributed immensely to Britain in both World Wars,” said Malcolm M Deboo, President of Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, welcoming the move.
“At the outbreak of the First World War, thousands volunteered from Britain and India to serve as soldiers and doctors and many were decorated for their bravery and sacrifice. Sadly, many also lost their lives and a Zoroastrian War Memorial was erected in their memory in South Bombay in 1926 where they are remembered annually,” he said.
Among the well-known Zoroastrians in the war efforts was Colonel Phirozshah Byramji Bharucha of the 14th Ferozepore Sikhs Regiment, who was also the first Indian to be awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
“The loss of the lives of Zoroastrian servicemen in World War I also came at great cost to the faith, which relies on the male line to continue the faith, from which it never fully recovered,” notes the UK’s Communities Ministry.
In reference to the Jain faith, it adds: “Although the Jain faith focuses on non-violence, the Jain community has a long history of serving in the military, including Britain’s armed forces.
“For Jains, it is their duty to stand up to tyranny and violence to bring peace. Jains have been an active force in both World Wars.”
The National Remembrance Ceremony is led by Queen Elizabeth II and involves official wreaths being laid on the steps of the Cenotaph by political and religious leaders on November 11 – Armistice Day that marked the end of World War I in 1918.
The list of faith representatives who will join the service from this year was expanded following an open nomination process, run by Faiths Forum for London.
“One hundred years ago, men and women of all faiths and beliefs made huge sacrifices for our freedom in the First World War,” said Lord Bourne.
“It’s absolutely right as a modern, multi-faith society that we step up our efforts to honour those people of other faiths for their contribution. It’s because of their bravery and selflessness that we are afforded the privileges and luxuries we enjoy today. Their sacrifices should be honoured through the ages,” he said.
The UK government said the addition of several smaller faith communities, also including Coptic Christians, Mormons, Baha’is, Spiritualists and Humanists, will reflect the significant but little-known contribution made by minority ethnic communities to Britain’s war efforts.
“It also sends a strong signal throughout Britain and the world that this country values the contribution of its diverse communities,” a government statement said.
The faiths and beliefs selected have a link to Britain’s Armed Forces and their inclusion is aimed at ensuring that the UK’s National Remembrance Service is “truly reflective” of the diverse faiths and beliefs in the country.
The service has changed little since it was first introduced in 1921, and involves hymns, prayers and a two-minute silence. The ceremony ends with a march past of war veterans as a gesture of respect for their fallen comrades.
More faith and belief groups to join the National Service of Remembrance
Seven more faith and belief groups are to be permanently represented during the National Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph from this year.
Published 17 October 2018
Seven more faith and belief groups are to be permanently represented during the National Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph from this year Faith Minister Lord Bourne announced today (17 October 2018).
Jains, Zoroastrians and Copts are among those faiths and beliefs that will now take part in this country’s greatest service to remember and honour the heroes of our past – making the National Service of Remembrance more reflective of modern Britain.
The addition of several smaller faith communities like Mormons, Baha’ís and Spiritualists, will reflect the significant but little-known contribution made by minority ethnic communities to Britain’s war efforts.
It also sends a strong signal throughout Britain and the world that this country values the contribution of its diverse communities.
Minister for Faith Lord Bourne said:
One hundred years ago, men and women of all faiths and beliefs made huge sacrifices for our freedom in the First World War.
It’s absolutely right as a modern, multi-faith society that we step up our efforts to honour those people of other faiths for their contribution. It’s because of their bravery and selflessness that we are afforded the privileges and luxuries we enjoy today. Their sacrifices should be honoured through the ages.
Currently, the list of 15 faiths represented at the service does not reflect the diversity of those who gave their lives so that others could live in peace. Those faiths and beliefs selected have a long and proud link to Britain’s Armed Forces. Their inclusion will ensure that the National Remembrance Service is now truly reflective of the diverse faiths and beliefs who help to make Britain the great country we are today.
His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London said:
While Christianity focuses on peace and reconciliation, war has been a regrettable part of the reality of our world, as a result of which many have paid the ultimate price to keep us safe. It is for this reason that we honour their memory and pray for their families and colleagues who still mourn their loss, while also praying for those who follow their selfless example today.
While we remember our fallen heroes who have paid the ultimate price to keep us safe, we give thanks that this year’s Centenary anniversary, marking the end of the First World War, is a reassuring reminder that even the ugliness and destruction of war has an end.
Malcolm M Deboo, President of Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe said:
For a tiny faith community, the Zoroastrians have punched well above their weight and contributed immensely to Britain in both World Wars.
At the outbreak of the First World War, thousands volunteered from Britain and India to serve as soldiers and doctors and many were decorated for their bravery and sacrifice. Sadly, many also lost their lives and a Zoroastrian War Memorial was erected in their memory in South Bombay in 1926 where they are remembered annually.
The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe is extremely delighted to be invited to the National Remembrance Ceremony for Armistice 100 and is honoured to be a part of remembering those that sacrificed so much 100 years ago.
Following an open nomination process, run by Faiths Forum for London on MHCLG’s behalf, the following list of faiths and beliefs have been selected to be included in the annual National Remembrance Service both for this and future years:
The Zoroastrians
The contribution of the Zoroastrian community to Britain’s war effort greatly exceeds their small size. There have been notable Zoroastrian servicemen in both World Wars and the Falklands conflict, including Col Phirozshah Byramji Bharucha of the 14th Ferozepore Sikhs who was the first Indian to be awarded the Distinguished Service Order. The loss of the lives of Zoroastrian servicemen in World War one also came at great cost to the faith, which relies on the male line to continue the faith, from which it never fully recovered.
The Coptic Christians
The Coptic Christians are the most persecuted Christian community in the world and if any community is a symbol of extending the hand of peace despite facing regular violent attacks, it is this one. The Coptic Christians have also played their part in supporting Britain in the two World Wars, especially in the Egyptian campaigns.
The Jains
Although the Jain faith focuses on non-violence, the Jain community has a long history of serving in the military, including Britain’s armed forces. For Jains, it is their duty to stand up to tyranny and violence to bring peace. Jains have been an active force in both World Wars.
The Baha’ís
The Baha’í faith owes its very existence to the Indian cavalrymen, fighting for Britain, who rescued the Baha’í spiritual leader from Ottoman captivity in September 1918, in the last major cavalry campaign in military history. Without this action, the fledgling Bahá’í faith may not have survived. To that end, the Baha’ís honour the sacrifices made for their faith by these servicemen both through remembrance and through military service in Britain and abroad.
The Humanists
A significant number of people serving in Britain’s military do not ascribe to a particular faith, but many of these will associate with Humanist beliefs. It is important that in our quest to create a National Remembrance Service which is reflective of modern Britain, that major belief systems are recognised as well as faiths, including the Humanists.
The Spiritualists
The number of Spiritualists grew dramatically over the course of the First World War. In 1914, there were 145 societies affiliated to the Spiritualists National Union. By the end of the War, it had more than doubled to 309. Spiritualism provided an important source of faith and comfort for many soldiers dealing with the effects of war.
The Mormons
The First World War was hugely influential on the Mormon faith and its followers. For many, it was an opportunity to change the way that others viewed the Church and the valiant actions of these men often caused other soldiers to rethink the way they felt about the Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a long history and tradition of military service and continue to support the military.
Case study: Abdul Baha’
Immediately prior to the outbreak of the First World War, Abdul Baha’, son of the Founder-Prophet of the Baha’i faith and steward of the nascent Baha’i community, was nearly 70 and being held as a prisoner of conscience in Haifa, Israel – the spiritual centre of the Baha’i faith. With his life under threat from the Ottoman authorities, the War Office hatched a plan to rescue him following lobbying from the British Baha’i community.
In September of 1918, men of the Jodhpur Lancers and the Mysore Lancers supported by the Sherwood Forester Yeomanry, rode to Haifa to secure the life of the figure known to Baha’is as “the Centre of the Covenant”.
In dramatic scenes, troops of the Jodhpur Lancers took Turkish forces by surprise, launching an audacious charge up the slopes of Mount Carmel. Despite early setbacks, the Indian cavalry charged in the face of artillery and heavy machine-gun fire, capturing two machine gun positions, 1,350 prisoners and opening the route to Haifa.
A detachment of Mysore Lancers rode immediately to secure the house of Abdul Baha and Baha’i shrines were protected from destruction – today they remain the primary site of pilgrimage for the Baha’i community across the world.
Overseeing the operation, General Allenby sent a cable to London: “Notify the world that Abdul Baha is safe.” The legacy of the courage and sacrifice witnessed that day has been the flowering of a worldwide Baha’i community, including perhaps close to 2 million Baha’is in India today.
About the National Remembrance Service
The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London has played host to the Remembrance Service for the past nine decades. On the Sunday nearest to 11 November at 11am each year, a Remembrance Service is held at the Cenotaph to commemorate British and Commonwealth servicemen and women who died in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
The monarch, religious leaders, politicians, representatives of state and the armed and auxiliary forces, gather to pay respect to those who gave their lives defending others. The service has changed little since it was first introduced in 1921, hymns are sung, prayers are said and a two-minute silence is observed. Official wreaths are laid on the steps of The Cenotaph. The ceremony ends with a march past of war veterans as a gesture of respect for their fallen comrades.
Faiths currently invited to the National Remembrance Service
At present, 15 faith and belief denominations are represented at the Remembrance Service. These are:
The Roman Catholic Church
Churches in Communities International representing Free Churches
Feriyas is a colloquialism from Feriwalla, Gujarati for someone who takes a ‘Fero’, a round of some place. During the struggle for Indian Independence, people used to have Prabhat Feri, a small early morning procession that went around singing patriotic songs, raising the Indian flag and reminding people about Independence struggle.
From time to time we invite readers to contribute. This article is by Havovi Govadia.
For any Parsi living in a Baug or Colony, Feriyas are the lifeline… a means of availing everything from ghee to mutton to getting stoves repaired at the doorstep….all one had to do was clap loudly and call and a relay would start and end with the vendor at your doorstep!
Ferias can be divided roughly into 2 categories; those who advertised their ware with quaint calls that became their trade mark and others who did not call but had a select clientele whose requirements they fulfilled daily, weekly or monthly. The callers were certainly more interesting. If one heard them casually, you had no idea what they were selling. But their loud calls to announce their wares or services were unique to them and hence one knew that the vegetablewalla had come or the panirwalla was calling out or to take out your shoes for repair since the cobbler was taking his fera.
Bombay had practically no season to boast of. We knew that winter was upon us when the call “doodh na puff / ghas ni jelly lev” (sweetened milk in a tall glass with froth in half the glass) was heard, since doodh puffs were sold only in winters. Ramo, a tall man in white kurta and dhoti carried “doodh na puff/jelly” in a huge tray with compartments. He got only limited number of glasses daily so some days he started selling from the outside blocks and some days from the farthest blocks. He collected the glasses and money later on. In summers, post dinner, the last guy to call out was Ramo selling milk kulfi. Did they not melt in the Bombay heat? No, the kulfi in cone shaped aluminum containers were packed tight with ice and salt in a huge double cane basket. We had to give him our quarter plates on which he would slide out the kulfi for just 4 annas (25 p.). Ramo’s son continued to be called ‘Ramo’ and continued his father’s tradition till alas choco-bars reduced his business.
Early morning, Parsi Dairy Farm Milk vendors came in their uniforms carrying milk containers with taps. They had their set clientele who bought a predetermined amount of milk in exchange for coupons, which had to be bought and paid for at the beginning of the month. When the government milk scheme started, the boys left half litre milk bottles again at the door step of their set clients. In the ensuing years the glass bottles were replaced by plastic milk pouches.
Then it was the turn of the bread walla, Bansi, who, as children, we thought was so called, because he sold buns, bringing the typical Bombay ‘pav’ now famously called ‘pav-bhaji’ bread. One ‘laadi’ had 12 small breads and each family bought according to their breakfast needs. The ‘bruns’ (breads with hard outer crust) were very popular too. Bruns was the standard breakfast at our house with Polson butter (before the advent of Amul and Britannia) and jam and thick cream which was removed from the Parsi Dairy Farm milk.
The flower vendor Tulsi came with flower garlands, leaving “haar pudi” in the stoppers of our house. At the end of the month he came to collect his monthly bill when he was given instructions to bring extra garlands if any birthdays fell in the next month. He had a Parsi calendar in his shop with important festivals and roj marked in red since he knew he had to order extra flowers during those days. This walking computer hardly made any mistake in delivering whatever had been asked for.
The mornings started with various vegetable vendors who called out, the salt seller who came in a bullock cart, broom sellers who called out “jhadoo ghai jhadoo”. The ‘Dehnu chai fudinawalli’ was in great demand. She sold mint, spear mint and lemon grass which she claimed came from Dehnu and which most Parsis added to fortify their cuppa to keep cough and colds at bay. Sometimes she brought round red radish or salad leaves which were in demand too.
The tinkling of a certain bell sent parents of children who suffered from whooping cough scurrying. This was the guy who brought the ‘gadheri’ or an ass, whose milk was considered a magical cure for whooping cough.
Then came the shriveled old chunawalli who sold the powdered chalk used for making colourful ‘chowk rangoli’. Her call was a series of undecipherable sounds.
Then the much awaited fisher mongers descended one after another calling out the type of fish they were selling that day. One was spoilt for choice –
The variety included pomphrets, prawns, surmai, bombil (Bombay ducks), bangra (mackerel) etc. etc. They knew Parsi tastes and brought only those fish which would be sold off fast. The most popular among them was ‘Mavshi’ and her fat pock-marked husband with the catch of the day. Mavshi would be dressed in her cotton saree tightly tucked between her ample buttocks and her husband would be wearing a ‘Vashti’, a lungi-like triangular cloth tied around the waist and worn with a shirt. Just one call of ‘Machheeee’ was enough to get the ladies of a whole building of 40 flats turn into a rapid action force. There would be much haggling and bargaining interspersed with gossip and good humoured ribbing, till both sides felt satisfied with the deal. Once bought, the fish would be cleaned by the fish mongers all the while with an exchange of some news.
There was Bade Miya or Chacha, a Muslim goswalla who delivered meat early morning and came for the payment at 11am, when he took the next day’s order. His huge bag would be packed with packets of ¼ and ½ kgs. mutton wrapped in newspaper. This made it easy and convenient to fulfill the clients’ orders without wasting time. He even knew better than us kids, the four anrojas or the days when Parsis did not eat meat. At times he had to listen to complaints of meat which was not soft – “Bara gosh to nai laya?” he would be admonished (did you get beef meat?). He would act suitably offended and scandalized at that thought, since he knew that Parsis did not eat beef. The offals like brain and liver were sold separately by another man who called out “kaleji/bhejawalo”. Needless to say in the Parsi Colony where hundreds of tenants lived, these men managed to sell off everything. It was a win-win situation for all.
Next there was the omnipresent egg seller, who did not really call out but went from door to door saying “eedawallo”. He was a swarthy Maratha who sold his wares in a quaint round basket and inspected each egg by making a tube of his fist and peering through it. In those pre-fridge days he even exchanged the rotten eggs if evidence was produced! The changing times brought a Parsi gentleman who had started the business of selling eggs. He came in a big van once a week and blew his horn loudly. His eggs were cheaper so all the ladies would trundle up with vessels to buy their supply for a week.
Then came the fruit wallas, rustic Marathas with orange turbans, and’ tilaked’ foreheads. They sold the seasonal fruits. But Gulub, the banana seller came every day. He not only had his set clientele who needed bananas everyday but also the ones who bought once in a while. After his round of the colony he would sit out and sell bananas.
There was “Junna Kapda lai ne vasan apvawalooaaarrrgh” whose call ended with a belch-like sound, the guy who exchanged old clothes for vessels and came along with a fellow who carried a heavy load of vessels and walked very slowly. Old clothes were exchanged for brand new aluminum vessels and later stainless steel. I believe now the trend is to exchange with non-stick cookware.
One need not go out to buy even cloth for curtains, nighties, koro satin and long cloth for pyjamas etc. since even these were available at your doorstep. There was an old Chinese man who came to sell patchwork bed sheets, pillow covers, cushion covers. He would talk in a funny accented Hindi with all the ladies, coaxing them to buy. He had picked up many Gujarti words too which always came in handy to build a rapport with his customers. The “Rangaro” or dyewalla came once in 15 days. If you wanted anything dyed or darned, you waited for him. He got a shade chart for you to choose the colour from and brought back your dyed sari after 15 days.
And who can forget the brassier walla, who without saying ‘the B word’ called out “bar, anna, bar, anna, chalo, One-four”…. had the ladies calling him, but always with other female friends around. Believe it or not regular bras were available at 12 annas equivalent to 75 paise and deluxe ones at Rupee 1 and 4 annas (roughly Re.1 and 25 paise). He was immortalized by Bomi in the game of housie in the colony when number 14 was called, calling out ‘vun phor’ exactly the way the vendor did…
“Junni kasbi kor vechati laisu” (will buy old silver/gold thread borders) was a cry I heard practically every day. In the 50s and 60s garas and kor had gone out of fashion. Nylon had been invented and nylon saris and material were a rage. Alas, so many priceless and beautiful heirlooms were sold off for a
pittance during this time.
In those days when food was cooked either on primus stoves or on wood and coal, primus chula repairwalo was much in demand. He used to say “chulaaaa lo” and his call would bring out various ladies who daily had some work lined up for him. He would clean and service the primus as well as change some faulty parts.
All these were interspersed with the twang of the pijaro, the guy who with his quaint contraption went twang, twang, twang and rejuvenated old mattresses… He would remove the cotton from the old mattresses, fluff it up with his contraption and refill the fluffed cotton in another brand new cover.
These ferias came once in 15/20 days.
Ladies called takiwalli, who were supposed to be from the Wagri community and who wore saris without blouses, came to mark the grinding stones on which masalas were ground. They would mark the big grinding stones which had become smooth due to use, with some primitive tools; so that ginger, garlic and other curry masalas would be ground to a fine paste.
The kalaiwallas came to nickel the bronze vessels. Cooking in bronze vessels created toxins making some food cooked in these vessels poisonous. The nickel coating made bronze vessels safe for cooking. The plain steel knives needed sharpening and an old man came with a wheel to sharpen them.
With the advent of fancy sleeping mattresses made from coir and rubber, and knives that do not need sharpening at all or the mixer and grinders which have revolutionized cooking, the new generations have probably never heard of these ferias. The whole style of living has changed and alas these people with their unique tools are no longer needed.
By mid day the stream petered out since no hawkers were allowed during siesta time between 12 and 3 in the afternoon.
From teatime onwards, the new lot of ferias brought in more exciting ware. There was the rough and ready Bhavnagri sev, ganthia wallo who came only on Tuesdays and Friday so you had to stock up for the week. Late evening saw some sundry ‘feriwalla’ the bhelwalla or the narielpanniwalla.
On special days and Zorastrian festivals came a Parsi gentleman in a black coat and tall black cap, who brought along an assistant who pushed a 3-wheeled cart, from which he sold sandalwood, loban incense, kakra, agarbatti and tacho, Kolah’s vinegar and homemade dhansak masala. He too had a high pitched inimitable call.
If one of the feriwallas failed to appear at the designated time on the designated day he was sorely missed with mumblings of ‘ Marere muo, kahn gayo?? (beyond translation)…such was the nexus between the ladies and the ferias…of mutual respect and friendly dependence.
With more women going out of the house for work, a different set of feriyas have started coming. It is now the age of ready mades; so now you have the lady who comes to sell readymade rotis, cutlets, or dhanshak in foil boxes. Some sell Parsi goodies like “daar ni pori” or “khajur ni ghari” since these are hardly made at home now due to lack of time. The cotton pinjaras, kallaiwallas, takiwalli, stove repairers have disappeared from the scene. The kasbi kor buyer is hardly to be seen since thankfully people have realized the value of these heirlooms. Bade miya unfortunately was killed during the 1993 riots. Change it is said is the only constant.
Havovi Govadia is a 65 years old grandmother of 3. She was born and brought up in Mumbai and shifted to Nagpur after marriage. Was working in Empress Mills (first Tata enterprise) till it shut shop in 1987. Working now as an independent financial adivsor.
Havovi wrote scripts, directed and staged plays and various tableaux on Zarthushtra, Parsi fashions through the ages etc. mostly to acquaint the younger generation of their rich heritage from 1980 till about 2000 for the Nagpur Parsi Gymkhana.
Havovi started writing these little anecdotal stories at the insistence of her niece who is now 10 years old and living in USA and who was keen to know about her grand parents whom she would never meet and those days when “you and my Dad were little”.
