The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday heard a constitutional challenge raising questions about gender discrimination...
arZan Articles
Vachagandhy Agiary: A 168-yr-old agiary reclaims its glow
Mumbai’s Vachagandhy Agiary undergoes its first full restoration in decades, blending Achaemenid motifs with Parsi...
Yezdi 250 CL II in Udvada
We help a charming, old Yezdi 250 CL II retrace its roots in Udvada, the holy land of the Parsis in India. Article by Ruman Devmane Autocar India To many, Udvada is no more than just a sleepy beach...
Now Available in United States: Zarathushtra and the Origins of Zoroastrianism
We are happy to announce that the beautiful coffee table book edited by our dear friend Meher Bhesania of Dubai UAE. “Zarathushtra and the Origins of Zoroastrianism” is now available and shipping...
Dr. Jamshed Bharucha to Lead SRM University in Amravati Andhra Pradesh India
In the heart of one of the world’s leading economies, a major transformation is underway. A recent redrawing of state boundaries has named Amaravati the new capital city of the Indian state of...
Mudras In Motion: The Unpindownable Mastery of Astad Deboo
Four decades ago, after a world-wide tour of the West and East that helped him expand his conceptual horizons, a young Astad Deboo returned to his native India—and went down south to train in...
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw: Remembering India’s Finest Soldier
On the tenth anniversary of his passing away (27 June), a few reminiscences of the iconic Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, with whom I share my alma mater. I was but four years of age when I first set...
Lesson from India to Make America Great Again
By granting asylum to Zoroastrians fleeing persecution a thousand years ago, a local Gujarati ruler inadvertently helped create modern India and benefited the entire world. The conventional view of...
Pashan Dadyburjor’s futuristic concept to keep Parsi culture, history alive
“I was a little worried and baffled when my mother made an unusual request (rather demand) one day. When I asked her what it was, she said marry a Parsi only. Now I get where that comes from, given...
Missing Sam
Field Marshal Manekshaw was loving, gracious, playful and charismatic Many of us have a day that no matter how hard we try, it leaves us sad and feeling blue. For me it’s June 27. It’s the day that...
Manuscript: Ashem Vohu
This manuscript comes not from India or Iran, the lands associated today with the Zoroastrian religion, but from Dunhuang in Central China, and is written in Sogdian, a medieval Iranian language. It...
The Zoroastrian Flame: An Interview with Khojeste Mistree
Khojeste Mistree talks about one of the world’s oldest surviving religions and what we can learn from it in the present day Zoroastrianism has an unbroken tradition going back 3,500 years. It is...
Pakistan Prime Minister inaugurates Jamsheed Marker Hall in foreign ministry
Jamsheed Marker Conference Hall opened at Foreign Ministry PM Mulk calls Jamsheed Marker a legend, an outstanding diplomat and a role model for his successors ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk...
SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute for Zoroastrian Studies Launch Event
On Wednesday 27th June, 2018, the SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute for Zoroastrian Studies was officially opened. To mark this joyous occasion, a launch event was held in the Brunei Suite of the...
Ervard Xerxes V Dastur Elected as Trustee of the Bombay Parsi Panchayet
Parsi Khabar is happy to announce that our dear friend Ervard Xerxes V Dastur has won a very tight election for the lone seat of the Bombay Parsi Panchayet. In a hotly contested election that...
Astad Deboo wins Lifetime Legend Award for his pioneering work in contemporary dance
We are happy to announce that our dear friend and legendary contemporary dancer Astad Deboo shall be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award today in Chennai. If music be the sounds between silence,...
Jamsheed Marker | Obituary
Naval officer under the Raj who became a cricket commentator and respected diplomat in Pakistan JAMSHEED MARKER, who has died aged 95, commanded a minesweeper in the Royal Indian Navy during the...
Metro Tunnel Hearing Now scheduled for July 17 2018
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) today approached the Bombay High Court seeking an urgent hearing on a plea filed by the Parsi community in the city opposing the alignment of the Mumbai...
In BPP Election Several Parsis fear takeover of punchayet by chief and wife
BPP chairman’s wife is contesting for trustee’s post, raising prospects of husband-wife pair in control of the community’s largest trust. Ever since the Bombay Parsi Punchayet Trust adopted the...
Marker’s Memory
Distinguished diplomat Jamsheed Marker was truly one of a kind There is no better description for Jamsheed Marker than the foreword penned by historian Stanley Wolpert for the former diplomat’s...
Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the 71st Zoroastrian East Bombay Guide Group
As a part of its Silver Jubilee celebrations, the 71st East Bombay Zoroastrian Bharat Guide Group of the Young Zoroastrian Society (YZS) staged the concert, ‘God’s World – Light the Passion, Share...
Iran’s ancient engineering marvel
What on Earth are those? I thought to myself shortly before landing in the Iranian city of Esfahan one summer. From the aeroplane window, I could see what looked like a cross between freakishly...
Ambassador Jamsheed Marker Passes Away
We are extremely saddened to hear about the passing away of Ambassador Jamsheed Kekobad Ardeshir Marker today June 21, 2018. He was one of the most illustrious Zarathushtis of the 20th Century and...
Noshir Dadrawala’s Contribution At International Center for Non-Profit Law
Noshir Dadrawala is known to most on our community as an eloquent speaker and a prodigious writer on religious and community related issues, or as a trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet. Article...
Enthronement Ceremony of the Auspicious Dadgah at Della Towers in Mumbai
We are happy to share the official images and write up of the new Dadgah at Della Towers. The dadgah project was spearheaded by our dear friend, mentor and acclaimed designer Jimmy Mistry. Date:...
Rustom Ghadiali: Zoroastrian priest a firm supporter of inter-faith harmony
Our dear friend, mentor and one of Singapore’s leading Parsi Rustom Ghadiali was featured in a Straits Times article earlier this month One of the most memorable questions Mr Rustom Ghadiali...
BPP Trustee Elections: Anahita Desai
Candidate Profile Anahita Desai The past few weeks have witnessed a couple of Manifestos coming from candidates standing for BPP Trusteeship. These Manifestos clearly expose the candidates’ limited...
Parsis oppose toilet block near Dadyseth Atashbehram
UPDATE: The contents of the article are not current. Senior journalist Nauzer Bharucha, in a facebook post had informed that he had spoken to the authorities and this proposal has been scrapped. Vow...
Bombay High Court to decide Bombay Parsi Punchayet election venue
One of the venues for election may be changed; some members suspect ulterior motives With just a little over a fortnight before the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) election takes place, mid-day has...
Coffee days champagne nights and other secrets by Kainaz Jussawalla
Author Kainaz Jussawalla informs us…. ‘We all have deep dark secrets …..’’ That is the crux of my first novel published by Crossword book stores in June 2017 It was...
Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor: “Was misled about tunnels by Metro officials”
Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor of Udvada, who until last year was in favour of Metro III, says high priests were misinformed about alignment and demands for the proposed tunnels to be realigned...
Astad Deboo Conferred the Yangnaraman Living Legend Award
Our dear friend and brilliant legendary contemporary dancer Astad Deboo has been credited for blending his kathak and kathakali training and creating a unique dance form that has been appreciated...
AILA Presents Cyrus D. Mehta with the 2018 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will recognize Cyrus D. Mehta with the 2018 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law. He will...
BPP Trustee Candidate: Xerxes Dastur In Conversation
On the sidelines of the 11th World Zoroastrian Congress 2018 in Perth Australia, Parsi Khabar had an opportunity to catch up with Ervard Xerxes Dastur who is contesting the BPP Trustee election for...
Roshan K Bharucha Sworn in as part of Pakistan’s Federal Caretaker Government
Roshan K. Bharucha is one of the six members of Pakistan’s caretaker federal government. Roshan along with her other colleagues was sworn in on June 4th. Roshan has been one of the leading Parsis in...
World Zarathushti Awards Presented at 11th World Zoroastrian Congress in Perth
The World Zarathushti Awards were presented at the 11th World Zoroastrian Congress, held in Perth this month. The awards are coordinated by the Awards committee of the Global Working Group....
Parsi community against Metro tunnels passing underneath ancient temples
Burying their differences, traditional and liberal Parsis on Friday came together at a packed public meeting and passed a unanimous resolution against the Metro 3 underground tunnels planned to pass...
BPP Trustee Elections: Ervard Xerxes Vispi Dastur
Candidate Profile Ervard Xerxes Vispi Dastur Proposed by: Mr. Cyrus Jamshed Guzder Seconded by: Mr. Keki Mistry Supported by: The Community “KOMMNO” ANNE “KAMMNO” TRUSTEE This Bombay Parsi...
Day 03: 11th World Zoroastrian Congress 2018 Perth Australia
The last day of the Congress dawned bright and sunny on a Perth winter Sunday. After the previous night’s River Cruise, the participants were raring to get on with the program. The morning saw...
Day 02: 11th World Zoroastrian Congress 2018 Perth Australia
Another beautiful sunny day welcomed the participants as they streamed in to the first full day of presentations kicked off with a beautiful rendition of Monajats by Mani Rao of Chicago USA. Meherji...
Day 01: 11th World Zoroastrian Congress Perth Australia
June 1, 2018 dawned as a beautiful sunny late fall day in Perth Australia. Over 330 Zoroastrians from all over the world gathered for the very first World Congress in the Southern hemisphere. The...
It Truly is Worth Going to Perth
In a few hours the 11th World Zoroastrian Congress will begin in Perth. This will be a Congress of a few firsts, all of which make it worth going to Perth. For the first time it is being hosted in...
Parsi dadgah in Dadar to complement nearby agiary
It will be situated in the lobby of Della Tower and have an exhibition centre in the adjoining section displaying the history of Zoroastrianism A dadgah — a lower grade fire temple — at Della Tower...
Parsis are indifferent when it comes to saving community institutions says petitioner Berjis Desai
Even as the Bombay High Court steps in to rein in a rampant MMRCL over the tunnelling process under sacred fire temples at Princess Street, petitioner Berjis Desai says that the community is often...
A town by the sea
A slice of Parsi life in tranquil Udvada With a shrill toot, the autorickshaw rumbled to a stop next to us as we walked into the village. “Ice cream?” offered the gentleman behind the wheel as he...
India’s first ‘open fire temple’ in Pune breeds new hope for Zoroastrianism, Parsis
India’s first ‘open agiary’ mainly caters to ex-communicated Parsis, i.e. those who have married out of their community, and their children, and Zoroastrian enthusiasts who want to learn more about...
Mumbai Metro 3 project: HC directs MMRC board to meet Atash Behrams’ high priests, petitioners
In a significant order, the Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC) board to give a hearing to five high priests and trustees of two Atash Behrams...
Parsi Dairy dispute finally ends as one partner ‘retires’ with Rs.14cr share
A festering family dispute among the eight partners of Parsi Dairy Farm has finally been resolved with one of the partners, Urvaksh Naval Hoyvoy, who was jailed last month, retiring. Hoyvoy, who was...
How the Parsi sari was adapted into Bengali culture
If you try to picture Rabindranath Tagore – especially if you are a fan of the bard and his literary works and remembered his recent birth anniversary – you will visualise his trademark silver beard...
Fake Email Clarification
Dear readers of Parsi Khabar It has been brought to our attention by numerous people, that a fake email supposedly sent by Parsi Khabar is doing the rounds. This email was sent out yesterday from a...
Meet the Kavinas, one of the only two Parsi families in Kerala
Dressed in regular ‘nighties’ with a dash of sacred ash on their forehead, Rathi and Dhan Kavina could easily pass off as Malayalis. But a look around their modest flat reveals a picture of Prophet...
Navi Mumbai gets its first Fire Temple at Kopar Khairne
Shirinbai and Khurshedji Hormusji Doongaji Daremeher Navi Mumbai gets its first Fire Temple at Kopar Khairne Parsis celebrate after the new fire temple at Kopar Khairane was inaugurated on Monday....