The Zoroastrian community in India, particularly those in Mumbai, is all set to celebrate the beginning of the New Year or Navroze.
For Mehrad Faroudi, this day is special as his grandmother Audokht has come visiting all the way from Yazd, Iran.
Audokht’s daughter is married to local Mumbaikar Zubin, whose family migrated to India nearly a century ago.
And yet the family ties and the inter-marriages have ensured the traditions of Iran are still alive, for instance, the Sofreh-haft-Seen, or the customary spread of seven “Seens.”
“We Iranians, we have a different tradition altogether, which I don’t think so Parsis do have.”
“Parsis came long time ago from Iran when Arabs were troubling them and they landed in Gujarat and that’s the day they celebrate their new year called Pateti,” said Mahnaz Faroudi, Parsi Resident.
For most Parsis, Navroze may not be the New year, but it’s still an occasion to celebrate and shop, particularly for sweets.
“There is no religion for joy. Joy is celebrated by all religions. This is joy festival; this shows that Iranis also today have kept their traditions alive,” said Haji Mohamad Hasan Hajati, Owner, Iranian Sweet Palace.
But along with the traditions also alive in India are the debates of Iran, where old cultural practices are often balanced with the Islamic religious identity, for instance, when Navroze falls during the days of Moharram, Iranis temper the festivities.
Original article here