On July 26, 1875, just over 1,200 citizens voted in the first elections to the Bombay Municipal Corporation. The 64...
arZan Articles
This traditional Parsi wedding in Mumbai carried ritual and revelry to a historic racecourse
For the Zoroastrian wedding ceremony, Sanaya Irani wore a custom Ashdeen ivory gara sari while Varaz Printer opted for...
Parsi body’s plea in Gujarat HC: Order reserved
The Gujarat high court on Friday heard the petition filed by a Parsi religious body and reserved its order on the demand to permit them to dispose of the bodies of those who died of Covid-19...
First of Many: Delnaaz Irani revisits Commander
This week's First of Many features Delnaz Irani. In the 86th edition of our series, the actor talks about her first acting project, Sri Adhikari Brothers' TV show Commander (1992).Delnaz Irani never...
Sir Homi Mody … Dadabhai Naoroji: Five Parsis behind Mumbai’s street names
These five roads in Mumbai are named after politicians, bankers, lawyers and activists who had two things in common: one, they were Parsi, and two, they all contributed to the development of Mumbai,...
Survey on Zoroastrians-by-Choice’ and their interactions with ‘Zoroastrians-by-Birth
Our dear friend and PhD. student Ruzbeh Hodiwala is conducting a survey as part of his dissertation. In November 2020, we had published his first pilot survey request, and he has further tweaked...
India’s oldest running newspaper, Mumbai Samachar, turns 200
India’s oldest running newspaper, Mumbai Samachar, turns 200The Gujarati newspaper, with its office located in an iconic red building at Horniman Circle in Mumbai’s Fort area, was first published in...
Name Navi Mum airport after JRD: Kin
Amid the controversy over the naming of the greenfield airport at Navi Mumbai, a member of the Tata family has thrown in the hat for JRD Tata, who brought civil aviation to India. ``I respectfully...
Ba Humata Lecture Series: July 2021
The July 2021 Ba Humata Lecture shall be held on Sunday 04 July 2021. The topic of discussion is Creating a Bountiful and Prosperous Earth with the Good Mind (Yasna 51.5 and 51.7 and related...
A Happy 100th Birthday to Khorshid Jobani
A 100 years of Zoroastrian celebration and tradition. Khorshid Jobani has seen a lot of changes within the Zoroastrian culture. She was born on July 12th, 1921 in Quetta when it was still under...
Khurshedben Naoroji: The singer who preached nonviolence to bandits
In most countries, the life of an elite, sophisticated woman renouncing her career as a classical soprano to preach nonviolence to bandits and kidnappers would merit significant study and attention....
Jamsetji Tata tops global list of top 10 philanthropists from last 100 yrs
Hurun Research and EdelGive Foundation today released the 2021 EdelGive Hurun Philanthropists of the Century, a ranking of the world's most generous individuals from the last 100 yearsJamsetji...
Bringing out the real flavours of South Auckland, one food enterprise at a time
An innovative business accelerator programme is not only helping people get a foothold in the hospitality industry but, as Justin Latif reports, it’s also changing the way South Aucklanders think...
Doyens of medical service: Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College in Pune celebrates 75th foundation day
The hospital had played a crucial role during the 2009 Swine flu outbreak and even now, before PMC could upgrade its hospitals with ventilators and tertiary care, Sassoon was the only government...
Prime Bandra plot de-reserved, Petit trust strikes deal for housing project
In 1909, Hamabai Framji Petit sold all her jewellery for Rs 12 lakh to buy a plot in Bandra to establish an orphanage for Parsi girls. In 2021, the Petit family, which controls the trust that runs...
Iranshah Offerings Website Launched
Our dear mentor Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor informs us…There is a new website www.iranshah-offering.com. We can use it to humbly request an offering of Sukhar, Kaathi, Maachi and light divo on...
Woven In Time: The Story Of The Parsi Gara Sari
They hide within their folds the story of voyages at sea, the old trading routes and the rise and blossoming of an entire community Article By Shaeroy Chinoy | Elle Traditional Indian textiles...
As Jiyo Parsi scheme delivers, community sees record births
The work from home norm during Covid-hit 2020 delivered some good news for the Parsi community which saw a record 61 births, assisted through the Centre’s Jiyo Parsi scheme aimed at arresting a...
More than just Marketing- Meet the 8WZYC Marketing Team
The 8WZYC Marketing Subcommittee’s main role will be to host fundraisers, social events and spread the word of our congress through social media and other channels to encourage a large number of...
Put the Accent on Diversity: Persis Khambatta
A recent FEZANA Talk featured the life and times of the brilliant Parsi actor Persis Khambatta. The talk brought Vaishali Sinha, Sooni Taraporevala and Farah Bala to discuss Persis Khambatta. The...
DELLA Leaders Club: Global Soft Launch
The Global Soft Launch of DLC: Della Leaders Club is scheduled for Saturday June 12, 2021 at 7:30 PM India, 10:00 AM New York, 3:00 PM London This very first of its kind Business Platform is the...
Dadar Parsi Colony: Cherishing the Bombay that was
Inflatable pools, barbecues, open backyards…this is how architect Rooshad Shroff recalls the better part of his childhood spent with his parents in the Dadar Parsi colony. With the endless...
Manifestation in Meditation: A Father’s Day Special Virtual Event
Join 2021 Father's Day Transformational Special MANIFESTATION IN MEDITATION with Global Leading Holistic Health Guru And Corporate Life Coach Dr. Mickey Mehta from India & Professional Speaker...
Grand Tour: A century ago, these Parsis circumpedalled the world
In the 1920s, long before the dawn of fake news, one Chinese man was told that Rabindranath Tagore had composed the Gujarati national anthem of the Parsi community that went: "We are old...
Parsis, a tiny Indian minority, challenge ban on traditional sky burial rite amid Covid-19 pandemic
They have, for centuries, left their dead to be devoured by scavenging birds and decay naturally atop circular raised structures known as dakhma or Tower of Silence.But the pandemic has put a stop...
Ba Humata Lecture Series: June 2021 In Memory of Ervad Soli P. Dastur
The June monthly Ba Humata Lecture will be honoring Ervad Dr. Soli P. Dastur Our Honorable Friend Dr. Ervad Soli P. Dastur passed away a few days ago. He served as the Guiding Light For Bahumata...
Discussing the history and practice of Zoroastrianism: Register Now
This online webinar is organised by The Iran Heritage FoundationDescriptionZoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions and the exhibition Epic Iran, co-organised by the V&A and IHF,...
Behram Yazad Jashan of Victory to be performed at Zoroastrian Association of California.
A Jashan of Victory "....The Most courageous Beheram yazata then speaks unto him (i.e. seeker for help): I am the most courageous in courage, I am the most victorious in victory, I am the most...
Ervad Soli P. Dastur: In Memorarium
We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Soli Uncle. This is a huge loss for the community in North America and all over the world. Soli Uncle was a huge supporter of Parsi Khabar...
Centre Seeks More Time From Guj HC To File Reply
Next Hearing To Take Place On June 9; Parsi Trust’s Petition Says Burial Or Cremation Of Parsis Succumbing To Covid-19 Is Against Their ReligionThe Central government on Thursday sought time from...
Dr. Behramshah Mazda: The Flying Doctor of Dahanu, An Obituary
Mark Manuel's tribute to Dr. MAZDA ... The Irani doctor of Dahanu has gone, flying away… I bring sad news. Dr. Behramshah Mazda, MBBS, of Dahanu is no more. The message came on Whatsapp: “Your...
Four Zoroastrian Scouts Awarded the Good Life Zoroastrian Emblem
On May 16th, 2021, the Southern Californian Zoroastrian Community gathered for the first time in many months at the ZAC Community Hall after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.The community was...
Gujarat High Court Issues Notice On Plea Seeking Permission To Perform Dokhmenashini, The Practice Of Disposing Dead Bodies In Parsi Community
The Gujarat High Court has issued notice on a petition filed by Surat Parsi Panchayat Board seeking permission to perform Dokhmenashini, a customary practice among the Parsi community of putting the...
Ardaseer Cursetjee Wadia receives English Heritage blue plaque
Ardaseer Cursetjee Wadia (1808-1877), a pioneering naval engineer and former member of the Society has recently been awarded an English Heritage London blue plaque marking the 180th anniversary of...
Ardaseer Cursetjee Wadia: The esteemed Indian ancestor no one in my white British family knew about
Who do you think you are? The esteemed Indian ancestor no one in my white British family knew aboutImage: Ardaseer Cursetjee, the first South Asian Fellow of the Royal Society, has been awarded a...
Famed deliverer of babies Dr Feridoon Setna passes away
Benazir Bhutto said to have been his patientOne of Karachi’s most famous gynaecologists, Dr Faridoon Setna, FRCOG, has passed away, according to information on Saturday.His funeral prayers will be...
The Iranian kings who thought the world revolved around them
While not as well-known as that of the Achaemenid dynasty (550–330 BC), the second Persian empire ruled by the Sasanian dynasty (AD 224–642) is a pivotal but often overlooked period of ancient...
Aspi Engineer And Winning the Aga Khan Race
Our dear friend Rusi Sorabji writes….I attach something I wrote about friend, ASPI Engineer*, the 17 years old should go down in the annals of World Aviation better than the likes of Alcock &...
WAPIZ Oxygen Concentrator Project
– Aim To Provide Each Baug With 1 Oxygen Concentrator – The most heart-wrenching news heard daily, in connection with the ongoing pandemic, is that scores of people are dying due to lack of...
Over 500 Zarthostis from around the world participate in a Jashan & Pray Together
Our dear friend Ervad Zarrir Bhandara writes in….Sincere gratitude to all in making our efforts towards ending the pandemic and bringing about good times through the collective power of our...
Arzan Nagwaswalla, a Parsi in Team India after 28 years
Farokh Engineer played his final Test for India in 1975 while Diana Edulji's last game in the women's team came in July 1993. Arzan Nagwaswalla in action for Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy. ...
Prints For Hope: Divya Cowasji
We are thrilled to share a very timely initiative by our dear friend and brilliant filmmaker Divya Cowasji. She writes… “I am Divya Cowasji, a Parsi filmmaker and photographer from India. Like...
Former Attorney General For India and Veteran Jurist Soli Sorabjee passed Away
Soli Jehangir Sorabjee was born in 1930 in Bombay. He commenced his legal practice in 1953 in Bombay High Court. In 1971, he was designated senior counsel by the Supreme Court of India. He became...
Homi Dastoor’s Musical Journey: The Ninety First Symphony
Over the last three weeks India is going through one of the worst public health crisis of our lifetimes. The fact that this comes more than a year into the covid-19 pandemic is even worse.Here is a...
Behram Roj Jashan from Zoroastrian Association of California
"He who heals by means of reciting the Mānthra (is) the best amongst (all) the healers." - Ardibehesht Yasht para 6 Our dear friend Mobed Zarrir Bhandara informs us…A Behram Yazad Jashan will...
Ba Humata Lecture Series: May 2021
The May 2021 Ba Humata Lecture shall be on the topic: THE LIGHT OF ZARATHUSHTRA "Aatarsh Puthra Ahuraheh Mazdaao" An Ode To Energy, Light and Life (Atash Niyayesh And Related Prayers)On Sunday, May...
Painting with a Needle: Dr. Shernaz Cama and the work of PARZOR
Dr. Shernaz Cama the founding director of UNESCO PARZOR Project speaks on ZAMWI ZOOM, a lecture series curated by the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Washington DC.
Not just the coronavirus, the government’s ineptitude has brought this tsunami on us
Oxygen, vaccination, more beds and firmer enforcement of COVID-19 protocols can help us weather this crisis.The present pandemic has devastated our poor country and anguished its people. There are...
Jimmy Engineer talks about major artistic achievement Javid Namah mural
Jimmy Engineer said that he has been painting for well over four decades and has so far created hundreds of paintings but he considers transforming big murals into colourArticle by Muhammad Zahid...
Mumbai: 100-year-old Parsi Gate to be relocated 75mt away
BMC has relocated the century-old Parsi Gate at Marine Drive to make way for the coastal road project. While one pillar of the gate was moved on April 17, the other was moved three days later. After...
How the Parsee gara, or sari, has Chinese influences and history woven into its fabric
Nineteenth century Parsee traders returned to India from Canton with embroidered silk cloth which was fashioned into unique saris which came to be known as garas Traditional Parsee embroidery has...
Who are the Iranian People?
In a landmark study, a team of international researchers with unrestricted access to local populations and fossilized genetic material in Iran, led by scientists from the University of Cologne...