arZan Articles

From Dadar Parsi Gymkhana To Five Gardens, Zervaan Bunshah’s Fast And Funny Guide To Mumbai

Know Mumbai through Zervaan Bunshah’s quick, grounded guide as he revisits Dadar Parsi Gymkhana, Five Gardens and Bombay Scottish, offering an insider’s take on the city’s pace, people and everyday culture.When people talk about Mumbai, the rush...
In Search of Godrej Khodadad Mugaseth

In Search of Godrej Khodadad Mugaseth

Raghu Karnad has written an excellent essay on his experience recovering memories of WWII in Manipur, all while trying to trace any remaining information about his Parsi great-uncle, killed in...

A Day of Shame for India: Opinion

Ervad Marzban Hathiram makes some very valid points and raises questions about the state of society in India today. This is in the aftermath of the shocking series of events that started with the...

Polson Butter and the Bihar Connection

Polson Butter and the Bihar Connection

All those cheap generic viagra Biharis in a position to remember the smells and flavours of their breakfasts from the 1950s-60s, may jump at the mention of Polson butter. It may please them to know...

New Singing Sensation: Shanaya Z Patel

Check out Shanaya Z Patel’s video below.  She is one of the youngest Zarathusti singers in North America ! Shanaya lives in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, Canada. “Like” her Facebook page:...

Zubin Mehta re-creates a night 50 years ago

Zubin Mehta re-creates a night 50 years ago

A special anniversary concert with the L.A. Philharmonic revisits his first night as its music director in Nov. 15, 1962. It's a serious event — in good ways. By Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times Music...

Priest killed, friend hurt in mishap

A young Parsi priest was killed and his friend seriously injured while riding a bike on the Palm Beach Road early on Sunday. The deceased, Kaiwan M Dastoor (22), resided in Dadar's Parsi Colony...

Ratan Tata: Exit Stage Right

Ratan Tata: Exit Stage Right

With just a fortnight to go for his retirement on December 28, Ratan Tata is getting ready for a new life. His multi-storey, sea-facing house opposite Mumbai’s Colaba Post Office is being...

Irani Restaurants: Bye-bye to Brun maska?

A little of Iran blossomed on the streets of South Bombay in the form of restaurants and bakeries in the late 19th century. A few have closed down owing to various pressures. What about those that...

The Cyrus Cylinder travels to the US

‘First declaration of human rights’ to tour five cities in the United States The British Museum today announces that one of its most iconic objects, the Cyrus Cylinder, will tour to five major...

10th World Zoroastrian Congress 2013

Mumbai will be host to the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress is to be held in December 2013. Hosted by The Bombay Parsi Punchayat; it will be held from December 27 to 31st 2013. The website for the...

An up-close view of Parsis at Harvard exhibit

Sooni Taraporevala’s photographs make clear how much like everyone else Parsis are A man stands with his back to the camera, looking look at the sea. It’s the photograph that begins Sooni...

Vadodra Parsis cremated as vultures dwindle

Vadodara: When Dara Hakim, 89, a former Indian Navy deep-sea diver and prominent member of Vadodara?s Parsi community passed away recently, his family chose to cremate him. Though he did not leave...

On Sanjan Day, Parsis dwell on future

As you travel north on the railroad route from Mumbai towards Surat, the first station beyond the Gujarat border is Umargam. The second is a small, unassuming coastal settlement named Sanjan. By

A Who’s Who of Persian History.

Who was Who in Persian History.   All the ancient Iranian historical events/facts are taken from a century old book. This list is compiled by Phil Masters. [Hat Tip: Mickie Sorabjee]   1)...

Purity makes Parsis an endangered species

IN a country where 70,000 babies are born every day, young Zahan Daruwala's birth three months ago was a relatively rare event. As the child of two Indian Parsi parents, Zahan is one of fewer than...

A treasure trove for antique lovers

The Parsi community paper has ads on old items for sale Relic hunters, collectors, dealers and researchers search a weekly newspaper for antiques By Prabhat Sharan | Deccan Herald They are objects...

The first team from India to visit England

The first team from India to visit England

In 1886 Fifteen Parsees toured England in 1886, and though the results weren't great, they were well received India are currently preparing to take on England, 79 years since the first Test series...

Parsis and Body Building

Parsis and Body Building

When the annual Mr Zoroastrian contest in Mumbai was cancelled due to a lack of entries earlier this year, it signalled the fading out of the Parsi bodybuilder. The Parsis were among the first to...

Hormazd Narielwalla: Dead Man’s Patterns

Hormazd Narielwalla: Dead Man’s Patterns

Discarded suit patterns from dead Savile Row customers form the foundation of the Hormazd Narielwalla’s PhD student's work. Article by Lily Bonesco | DAZED Digital Hormazd Narielwalla is about to...

Race to save dwindling Parsis

Facing extinction, the Parsi population has something to cheer about. The Planning Commission has granted sanction to set up fertility clinics for the Parsis. The Minority Affairs Ministry will now...

Burjor Patel: Back in Service at 82

Burjor Patel: Back in Service at 82

Actor Burjor Patel, Adi Marzban’s collaborator on modern Gujarati theatre, gets back to Mumbai, and acting after 20 years Ayaz Memon | TNN Burjor Patel resurfaced in viewer consciousness when an...

Jerry Pinto: The Parsis

In the 1970s, Victoria High School, Mahim, was a melting pot, as state-aided Roman Catholic schools tended to be. The majority of the students were Hindu, the second largest group was the...