Virginia’s House Bill 2783 went into effect on July 1, making the public display of Nazi symbols a criminal offense...
arZan Articles
Shahriar: Phoenix of the Desert
Our dearest friend Zerbanoo Gifford writes a beautiful review on a new book titled: “Shahriar: Phoenix of the Desert,...
Shrinking flocks of vultures spoil ancient culture’s funeral rituals
Destruction of birds by a cattle drug presents the Parsis of India with a dilemma MUMBAI — Smack in the middle of the thicket of ultramodern high-rises that make up Malabar Hill, one of...
Drug ban could save vultures
Vultures in danger of being wiped out by a drug used to treat livestock in India have been given a reprieve after the Government called on companies to phase out the medicine. While perhaps not the...
The Yellow Badge of Denial
The bizarre, humiliating, and enduring nature of the dress regulations imposed upon the Zoroastrian community of central Iran (Yezd) were captured in this eyewitness account by Napier Malcolm, (Five...
‘I can’t forget the killers’ faces’
A little after 8 pm on a wet night in June two years ago, inside a ground floor apartment in Dadar’s quaint Parsi Colony, Keiki Karai’s life changed forever. Three unidentified youths...
Run Lola
Of all her celebrity guests so far, she’s loved chatting with the Parsis–Boman Irani, Homi Adajania and Perizaad Zorabian. “It’s probably because Bawas and Malayalees are...
Lagan Nu Achar
Pickles preserve the historical flavours of communities like the Persian origin of Parsis in the dried fruits of their celebratory lagannu achar, or the Portuguese vinegar in which Goans preserve...
Shayan Italia: Music Sensation
Shayan Italia, a new musician in the mainstream music world is all set to release his album Deliverance. As his press release notes My name is Shayan Italia and I am the artist/songwriter of the...
New things at Parsi Khabar
New things are happening here at Parsi Khabar. First and foremost we have our own domain. Parsi Khabar now resides at www.ParsiKhabar.net The establishment of its own domain was something that was...
Rediscover the Axial Age ethos
complained to Lord Mazda (Aryan god of harmony): ‘For whom did you shape me? … Fury and raiding, cruelty and might hold me captive.’ ” Lord Mazda replied that Zoroaster, a...
Lost in time
Down a narrow lane from my school was a candy shop. It was actually a general store but a range of mouth-watering chocolates and candies in colourful wrappers were displayed on the racks visible...
Some thoughts, some reservations
A case of great constitutional significance is being argued before a bench of five justices of the Supreme Court, presided over by the chief justice of India. A few years ago both houses of...
Parsi debate: panchayat vs federation
Don’t force radical changes on us: Ahmedabad panchayat to governing body Express News Service Ahmedabad, April 30: Accusing it of forcing its radical propaganda upon Parsis, the Ahmedabad...
Green Cuisine
No Parsi wedding or celebration is complete without the famous Patro na Machchi (fish in a leaf). And a famous style of Bengal cuisine called “bhapa” (meaning steam) is steaming spiced...
Zubin Mehta Turns 70
Los Angeles, Apr 29: Zubin Mehta, one of the world’s greatest conductors of Western classical music, is celebrating his 70th birthday today. Mehta, a Parsee has been the conductor of the...
The Dilemma of Iran and US relations
Historically, a mass exodus of Iranians from the greater Persian plateau has occurred presumably for fear of religious persecution, by people of the Zoroastrian faith emigrating to Gujarat and...
Zubin Varla to Play Rajiv Gandhi
British Parsi actor may play Rajiv If all goes well for Jagmohan Mundhra, his film Sonia, based on Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s life, will rise to a remarkable level of authenticity...
Subscribe to Parsi Khabar
If you like what you read, and don’t want to miss out on anything, there is a new nifty way to do so. On the top of the page you will see a link that says “Subscribe”. Or click...
The Times of India turns the Times of Colour
Founding fathers: A British syndicate of 11 firms, two barristers, a doctor, and the Parsi merchant prince Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy. The journalists come later Continue reading here
The fairest of them all
In their constant attempt to ‘make the youth mingle’, the Zoroastrian community has come up with yet another all-Parsi event- the May Queen Ball, the annual beauty pageant that will be...
Anglicisation Of The Parsis
by Polly Noshir Chenoy My mother’s contention is: “British gayan ne’ opre vadhare British thai gayan” (We have become more British after the British have left). This, she...
Endangered vultures put Parsis in a fix
Hundreds of vultures once circled above a sacred area in one of India’s poshest suburbs, waiting to feed on the remains of followers of an ancient religion that does not allow its dead to be...
The secret of embroidering a Parsi ‘gara’
The secret of embroidering a Parsi ‘gara’ is now being taught to those willing to learn, as a part of a five-day workshop at Khareghat Colony Parsi gara embroidery, which is a specialty...
Iranshah in 1909
This is a photograph of the Iranshah Atashbehram in Udwada, shot in 1909. The photograph is part of the National Geographic archives and was taken by William Thomas Fee. Image source here More info...
Its TATA every where
Its TATA every where !!! ‘TATA’ in your life!!! What makes you lick your fingertips, but of course TATA SALT. What makes your costumes neat and clean? TATA SHUDH. Who gives a foundation...
In The Song of Kahunsha
In The Song of Kahunsha (Doubleday Canada, $29.95), the second novel from North Vancouver’s Anosh Irani, paradise is a place of no sadness. Or so believes his protagonist, 10-year-old Chamdi,...
First Trip to India
We saw schools and hospitals established by the Parsis (Persians who follow the Zoroastrian faith and who migrated to India over a thousand years ago.) community. Continue reading here
From the fringes: Votes without a voice
Parsis…..Numbering about 650 in the city, the Parsis are determined to have a say in the polls. ”Yes, I vote from Burrabazar constituency. Most of our people vote. Why shouldn’t...
Vultures That Vanish
Spare a thought for the scrawny vultures — those once-familiar birds of prey that used to circle lazily high in the air, scanning for anything to scavenge. In my youth, they even perched on...
Flights of fancy
Parvez Damania’s biggest passion is riding to school! He became a poster boy of the Indian aviation industry with Damania Airlines and he’s still in the thick of things as executive...
Parsi triplets offer hope to the community
Khorshed Bulsara (38) is a symbol of hope for the Parsi community. Khorshed stands apart in the dwindling community as she gave birth to triplets on September 2005, after receiving IVF treatment....
Historic Kasra Arch
Preserving the historic Kasra Arch as a Persian heritage in danger and inscribing its name in UNESCO’s list of endangered heritage were discussed during the third conference of Iran’s...
Australian sculptor scraps Zarathushtra’s name
Move comes after protests by Parsi community against a nude scultpure named after the Prophet Mumbai Mirror Bureau The Australian Consul General in Mumbai has informed Mumbai’s...
New jewels for Queen’s Necklace
The MMRDA’s facelift plan for Marine Drive includes landscaping, re-paving, subways, better lighting and two amphitheatres Mumbai Mirror Bureau The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development...
India will be indebted to the parsi community
Ashish , a blogger from Pune, writes about the Parsis The community though very calm,composed & peace-loving, have succeeded in very walk of life, business in particular. Their business acumen...
Celebrating old age by making a difference in society
“Problems of the aged are not confined to the elderly but also impact the younger generation,” A.M. Sethna, president of Parzor Foundation that deals with issues of the Parsi community,...
British Iranologist Mary Boyce dies at 86
British Iranologist Mary Boyce died on April 4 at the age of 86, the Persian service of IRNA reported on Friday. Many Iranologists regarded her as the most prominent expert of Iranian culture and...
Zarathushtra; The First Monotheist Prophet
Apr 9, 2006 By Noorbakhsh Rahimzadeh Until contemporary times, researchers in the world have had lengthy debate and have written hundreds or perhaps thousand books as to which of the prophets, known...
Secrets from the bunny’s basket
Mumbai Mirror – India … communities as clients. For instance, a long standing order comes from a Parsi lady whose daughters are allergic to food colour. So every … Secrets from the...
Holy cow! Rajnath remembers Hindutva
CNN-IBN – New Delhi,India … “India has a Muslim President, a Sikh Prime Minister and a Christian heading the ruling coalition, a Parsi Field Marshal and a Sikh Army Chief because...
Navroze recognised in NYC
Jamshedi Navroze, the spring festival celebrated the world over by Zoroastrians, Iranians, Afghanis, and other cultures of Asia, is also an officially proclaimed day in New York City. In 2003 Mayor...
Chaiye Hame Zarthosti – The Parsi Anthem
Gujarati: English Translation: Chhaiye humay Zarthosti Re Mazdayasni nek Kul jehan sathe dosti- Rakhiye nibhavye tek. Mootthi bhar aa tolo Saoo no sangar. Re bol bala bolo Oh, saoo nur ne nar....
Mumbai Mirror: Protest In Peace
Recently Parsi Khabar wrote about the controversey that erupted from the naming of a sculpture after Prophet Zarathustra. Today the comments are published in the Mumbai Mirror. The article is...
The Ghost in the Baghdad Museum
NYTimes FOR the director of a shuttered museum in a country at war, the imaginary can be a welcome refuge. Condemned to contemplate his own and his country’s fate in great halls emptied of...
Offending nude ‘Zarathushtra’:.Parsis get their way, but quietly
By Bachi Karkaria/TNN Mumbal: The culture-vulture Parsis would be mighty pleased over a prestigious Australian sculpture symbolizing their ancient religion commissioned by Dame Elisabeth Murdoch,...
DOKHMENASHINI CONTROVERSY
by Mr. Noshir H. Dadrawala Thanks for provoking me to respond on the latest controversy surrounding ‘Dokhmenashini. I believe this controversy has a time cycle of its own for the past century...
Heralder of the New Age
Mid-Day Mumbai – Bombay,India … He talks of the musical soirees he attended, travelling far and a field to watch Parsi plays, listening to Tara Bai and takes us to the world of popular...
Flowering The Youth Of The Community
by Eruch B. Desai Our illustrious ancestors with dedication and concern for the community did yeoman service to the succeeding generations by their various acts replete with sane advice, wisdom,...
A strange and sad phenomenon (if one can…
by Shernaaz Engineer in the Jam-e-Jamshed A strange and sad phenomenon (if one can call it that), is taking over our community. Perhaps, this was something of a foregone conclusion – although...
Historic Association of Zarathushti Mobeds
by Roxan Aspi Driver in the Jam-e-Jamshed Jimmy Mistry has shown that he can accomplish what he sets out to. A man of action, and not just intention, barely a couple of months after the launch of...
Why Is The Truth About Conversion Not Told?
by Jamsheed Kanga in The Jam-e-Jamshed In a recent book, “Breaking the spell: Religion as a national phenomenon” the author Daniel C Dennett explains by an interesting analogy how...