In a statement in response to rumours and allegations that construction and earth-moving equipment was seen at the...
arZan Articles
Rohan Doctor Brings Louisa AI to Life at WZCC-NY Event
Rohan Doctor Brings Louisa AI to Life at WZCC-NY Event On Saturday, July 19th, the WZCC-NY chapter and ZAGNY hosted a...
No Fire Temple, but Lakhnawi warmth
The Parsi community is one of the smallest 'communities from outside' in Lucknow. There are just 71 Parsis in town! "We started trickling into the city and found Lucknow welcoming us with open arms....
Biologists to help breed vultures
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology aims to rescue the ancient Zoroastrian practice of corpse disposal (writes Ashling O'Connor). Biologists are to inseminate artificially the Oriental...
A Parsee passionate about sidecar bikes!
Standing in one corner of Jer Baug, Byculla, the BSA B31 350cc motorbike with sidecar waits for the rains to end. It is only then, that its owner Neville Choksi will lift the covers from this...
Madame Cama’s call for Bande Mataram in…
By V SUNDARAM She was a fiery patriot who first unfurled India's flag at an international assembly. She turned away from a life of luxury and lived in exile abroad in Europe for 29 years to serve...
Scientists to help breed Vultures
Parsis worried about the growing pile of bodies in their 'Towers of Silence' can take heart. The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has decided to take up, on an express basis, the job...
Surat Residences get a new face
SURAT: The babbling and wails of infants from apartments in Bai Bamasipore Memorial Zarthosthi building in Saiyedpura in Surat have begun to raise the hopes of the local Parsi community, dogged by a...
Amritsar’s Tehmi Bhandari: 100 years and going strong
100 cheers to Amritsar's pride Tehmi Bogga Bhandari -- the only pure Parsi left in Amritsar -- turned 100 on August 15. Born into a rich conservative Parsi family in Amritsar in 1906, she was the...
Periodicals of protest
Over the decades, Parsi journalism has managed to fiercely guard its democratic character By Manoj R Nair for Mumbai Mirror The terms, 'cosmopolitan newspapers' or 'community press' may not figure...
NYT: Zoroastrianism Slide Show
Turn on the sound and listen to this very interesting slide show on Zoroastrianism. This appeared on the NYTimes website, as an interactive accompaniment to the article Zoroastrians Keep the Faith,...
Parsi Dead: A Video of the Towers of Silence Controversey
The video below is the segment that appeared on the Indian cable news channel CNN-IBN. The video has some disturbing imagery and therefore caution is needed when viewing the video. The controversey...
Religion and Materiality
Isn't it strange how Rs.200/= seems like such a large amount when you donate it to a fire-temple, but such a small amount when you go shopping? Isn't it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you're...
Parsi Anthem
We received this via an email tip. It makes interesting reading. Author Unknown When my time has come, when my race is run I want to go that very way of my Fathers and their Sons. When my breath has...
Udvada on Behram Roj
This write up was forwarded to us by email. I don't know the author or the source. However it makes fascinating reading, and something that a lot of people will relate to. The 20th day of the...
Parsis remember their dear departed 10 days prior…
Parsis remember their dear departed 10 days prior to New Year, community observes Muktad ceremony at city agiaries The Parsi New Year is nine days away. But much before the celebrations begin, it is...
Remembering Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta
Mr. Mehta was popularly known as the uncrowned king of Karachi and the prophet of the poor... Celebrating the 54th death anniversary of Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta (who served as the mayor of Karachi...
Muktaad
Ruby Lilaowala remembers Muktaad, in the Afternoon D.C. Muktaad are the ten days preceding the Parsi new year which are devoted to intense prayers and elaborate rituals for the departed souls...
Photogallery: Zoroastrians of Yazd, Iran
The above is one of a series of 55 photographs taken by Gilles Crampes. These are pictures of the Zoroastrians of Yazd. Check out the entire gallery here [Hat Tip: Vikram J. Parekh]
ZTFE Jashan/Reception to honour Lord Karan F. Bilimoria of Chelsea
The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (Inc) invites you to join in a Jashan and reception to honour Lord Karan F. Bilimoria CBE of Chelsea at the Zartoshty Brothers Hall, on Sunday 15th October 2006...
Blog World Responds to NYT Article
Sepia Mutiny the power house Indian group blog points out to a response by a blogger to the NYTimes article. Amardeep at Sepia Mutiny writes Perhaps the reluctance by more conservative Parsis to...
Bury funeral ritual: Parsi woman
A centuries old custom has triggered off a bitter debate within Mumbai's influential Parsi community. The Parsi community is now divided over how to dispose off their dead. The bodies are kept in a...
Zoroastrians Keep the Faith, and Keep Dwindling
In his day job, Kersey H. Antia is a psychologist who specializes in panic disorders. In his private life, Mr. Antia dons a long white robe, slips a veil over his face and goes to work as a...
Karan Bilimoria, first Parsi in House of Lords
India-born beer baron Karan Bilimoria will on Monday formally "take his seat" in the House of Lords, making him the first Parsi to enter the British Parliament's upper house. Bilimoria, the owner of...
Zoroastrian MP proposes changing name of the month
Zoroastrian MP proposes changing name of the month of Mordad to Amordad TEHRAN, July 24 (MNA) On Saturday, MP Kurosh Niknam, who represents the Zoroastrian community in the Majlis, presented a...
‘Parzania’ yet to find distributor in India
After making the rounds of film festivals abroad, Rahul Dhalokia's film "Parzania" on the 2002 sectarian violence in Gujarat is yet to find a distributor in the country. The movie starring...
First India-born Parsi to enter House of Lords
London, July 23 (IANS) India-born beer baron Karan Bilimoria will on Monday formally "take his seat" in the House of Lords, making him the first Parsi to enter the British Parliament's upper house....
Funny Irani
Whatever role Boman Irani takes on, it's guaranteed he'll have you in splits. From the hero's bete noir in Munnabhai MBBS, to a mean Parsi son in Being Cyrus, Irani has come full circle. ''In...
Mumbai university set for anniversary
President APJ Abdul Kalam will unveil the 150th anniversary of Mumbai University, the oldest in the country. The University's convocation hall just restored for the event is a stunning symbol of its...
Parsi orthodontist who writes Urdu poetry!
Dr. Navroze S. Kotwal is a qualified orthodontist but his true passion lies in writing Urdu ghazals. Which is rather unusual, we don't know many Parsees ... Dr. Navroze S. Kotwal is a qualified...
Bachi Karkaria : Navroze Mubarak everyone!
An article by Bachi karkaria....at her hilarious best .. Parsi to Past-si ... By Bachi Karkaria Soli Solicitor shuddered at the Census sentence, knowing there was no reprieve. Nusli had an asli...
Saal Mubarak
Today is the Parsi New Year. The first day of the parsi calendar. Parsi new year brings with it the hopes for a new, happy healthy and prosperous new year. A year where hopefully there shall be more...
Fire Chief Meherwanji Passes Away
The Mumbai Fire Brigade turned up to say goodbye to their former chief at the Doongerwadi yesterday For scores of firemen of the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the death of L. S. Mehervanjee came as a shock....
A Parsi who was a fire fighter! …
A Parsi who was a fire fighter! L. S. Mehervanjee, who passed away on Tuesday at 81 of illness following a paralytic stroke, was one of Bombay's most famous Fire Brigade chiefs. I knew him well,...
The burden of a song
By Farrokh Dhondy The Archbishop of Canterbury wants to kill the tradition of singing hymns in colonial places. I can’t imagine Bishops School, Pune, without the hymns, alien songs to the alien...
India’s Bilimoria appointed to the House of Lords
Indian born, Cobra Beer founder Karan Bilimoria is now entering a more political role in the UK. A promoter of Indo-British ties, Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea has the India story on top of his agenda...
It’s a life-changing moment: Lord Bilimoria
Life’s turned a full circle for Karan Bilimoria, CEO of UK-based £80-million Cobra Beer. Growing up in the family house at Marredpally in Andhra Pradesh, Bilimoria was deeply influenced by great...
Takht-e Rostam is pride of Karaj
Undoubtedly, the most ancient historical monument in Karaj, Tehran province, is Takht-e Rostam which dates back to the Sassanid Era (226-650 AD), reported the English-language newspaper Iran Daily....
Islam, The greatest threat to humanity worldwide
Nearly 1400 years ago, a group of nomads from across the scorching Arabian Desert conquered Iran (Persia), the greatest empire known to the history of man. With that, they almost destroyed one of...
More good news for nature’s waste managers
Asian vultures faced with a plummeting population after eating animals treated with a toxic veterinary drug have been thrown a lifeline in Nepal. Three once-populous species of vultures have been...
The ‘SAP’ of life
Standing in front of the Taj Mahal in Agra, Alan Sedghi, president and MD, SAP South Asia, was mesmerized and deep in thought....... ......Born in Tehran, Sedghi claims that he had a fairly average...
Uncorking the good times with Indian wine
Ahuja, who sells to a predominantly Parsi neighbourhood, says Parsis buy wines for both personal and formal celebrations. “My sales are good,†he says. “But most of my customers feel that...
Takht-e Soleiman boundaries marked
Islamic Republic News Agency - Tehran,Iran ... The complex is the remnants of a fortress home to Zoroastrian priests during the Arsacid and Sassanid dynasties. It was destroyed during the Moqol...
Indian market is booming: Bilimoria
Describing India as a booming market, NRI entrepreneur Lord Karan Bilimoria has said that British businessmen should engage more in that country. "I am passionate about what's happening in India...
Laughing all the way from Gujju to Parsi!
Aashish will now assume the mantle of another community known for its humour and pleasant nature- the Parsis! Our sources tell us that Aashish will play an amiable Parsi in Inder Kumar's new laugh...
No affairs for me, vows Boman Irani
Actor Boman Irani, who describes himself as a 'boring old Parsee', rules out any romantic hanky-panky. 'No affairs for me. It is so wonderful to have a family to come home to, to sit with them, pull...
Indian dairy workers protest salary delays
Parsi Diary Farm employees picketed the company's head office at Marine Lines in Mumbai on July 10, protesting the late payment of salaries and the non-payment of bonuses for the past two years. One...
‘Parsi Mecca’ Udvada on tourism map of State soon
UDVADA, a small town in Valsad district bordering the Union Territory of Daman is considered as the mecca of the Parsi community. The State Government is now set to develop it as a tourism centre...
Khorshed Italia: The grand dame of CP
Khorshed Italia knows Delhi like no other. After all, she has been here for 84 years IF living could blunt life, Khorshed Italia would be a rusted relic. If wrinkles could scar the mind, her memory...
Tomb and Prison of Cyrus the Great Eternalized
By preparing the map and holograms of the prison and tomb of Cyrus the Great, these two unique monuments will stay alive in the memory of history forever. Tehran, 22 June 2006 (CHN Foreign Desk) --...
Flat allotments sparked rift
Acrimony has been vitiating the boardroom of the 350-year-old Bombay Parsi Punchayat (BPP) for several months now. One of the ostensible reasons why four of the six trustees resigned on Tuesday was...
Going to London to get a degree?
Kaizad Mistry, a Counsellor, has been screening students and guiding them on how to make a proper choice For most students, going abroad after graduation is a done thing. While some can afford the...