Our dear friend Dr. Rashna Writer, well known to the global Zoroastrian community as a scholar, teacher, and storyteller, has made her remarkable work The Story of the Zoroastrians: An Historical Perspective available both as a free audiobook and a printable PDF on her website — www.rashnawriter.com.
In her Preface, Rashna writes with characteristic warmth and curiosity:
“I am a Parsi Zoroastrian who was born and grew up in Calcutta. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been intrigued to know more about my community – a small handful among the millions of Calcutta’s population.”
That lifelong curiosity took her from the streets of Calcutta to the London School of Economics, where she earned her doctorate, and later to SOAS, University of London, where she lectured on Zoroastrianism in Ancient and Modern Worlds.
Dr. Rashna Writer, author of The Story of the Zoroastrians: An Historical Perspective, has made her book freely available as both an audiobook and a printable PDF on rashnawriter.com.
During the quiet months of the Covid-19 lockdown, Rashna recorded The Story of the Zoroastrians as an audiobook — a sweeping yet intimate retelling of our people’s journey from ancient Iran to the modern diaspora. By popular demand, she has now released a printable PDF version so readers can revisit the text on paper or their e-readers.
Rashna’s purpose, as she explains, was not merely to chronicle empires and dynasties – from the Achaemenids and Sasanians to the Parsis of India – but to help us remember who we are. She writes:
“The history of the Zoroastrians is unusual: from a great imperial people to a ‘most minuscule minority’. Reviving a historical memory is a road to understanding. A historical perspective gives us a better appreciation of the past, helps place ourselves in the present, and can be invaluable in charting a roadmap for the future.”
That is exactly what Rashna offers — a gift of remembrance. From the founding of ancient Iran’s first empires to the migration of the Parsis and their far-reaching contributions across India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, her work distills complex history into accessible storytelling that connects head and heart.
The book closes with a reminder that speaks powerfully to every reader today:
“The world may have lost sight of them, but Zoroastrians remain a small but vibrant community – changed, yet in many ways, unchanging.”
We at Parsi Khabar are proud to share Rashna Writer’s work and her lifelong dedication to documenting the story of our people with clarity, scholarship, and love.
To read or listen, visit www.rashnawriter.com
Under the Book tab, you’ll find both the audiobook and PDF download links.