History Articles

Mumbai Samachar, since 1822: Know about India’s oldest continuously published newspaper

Mumbai Samachar had its humble origins in the form of a handwritten weekly publication.Article by Khushboo Ali | KnocksenseMumbai Samachar stands as India's enduring beacon of information. Embarking on an extraordinary journey that spans over two...
Who was Muncherji Cowasji Murzban?

Who was Muncherji Cowasji Murzban?

The Esplanade area was still a blueprint when Muncherji Cowasji Murzban arrived in Bombay in 1863MUMBAI: The Esplanade area was still a blueprint when Muncherji Cowasji Murzban arrived in Bombay in...

Monnock Parsee, Pendia Pattell & The British Flag

Monnock Parsee, Pendia Pattell & The British Flag

How an early version of UK’s national flag helped Bombay merchants grow their businessA pass for ‘Monnock Parsee’ and ‘Pendia Pattell’ sailing aboard the Tiger was issued at Fort Bombay carries an...

Alexander the ‘Accursed’ and Zoroastrianism

Alexander the ‘Accursed’ and Zoroastrianism

In his epic the Shahnamah (Book of Kings), the poet Firdawsi (940–1019 or 1025) vividly describes how Alexander (Iskandar/Sikandar) came upon the Persian emperor Darius (Dara) as he fled north after...

Imagining Zoroaster’s Domestic Life

Imagining Zoroaster’s Domestic Life

How did medieval Zoroastrians imagine the family of Zoroaster, the founding figure of their religion?Unlike founders of many other religions about whose time and place we can reach a certain degree...

Mithuben Hormusji Petit: Indian Freedom Fighter

Mithuben Hormusji Petit: Indian Freedom Fighter

MITHUBEN PETIT, WHO FOUGHT FOR INDIA’s FREEDOM WITH GANDHIJI, RENOUNCED HER COMFORTS AND LUXURIES Petit surname has its roots in the French word ‘petit’ (meaning physically small). One of the women...

Saklatvala Mausoleum in New York

Saklatvala Mausoleum in New York

An email from my friend Kersi Shroff tipped me off on what turned out to be a great treasure hunt in search of the Saklatvala Mausoleum in the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx in New York City. Kersi...

P. D. Patel:  My Fifty Years in Burma

P. D. Patel: My Fifty Years in Burma

Mitra Sharafi, a legal historian writes in… I am very excited to say that P. D. Patel's My Fifty Years in Burma (Rangoon, 1954) is now up on my website. This remarkable out-of-print memoir tells the...

The Benevolent Businessmen From Aden

The Benevolent Businessmen From Aden

Meher Marfatia: The Benevolent Businessmen From Aden The Cowasjee Dinshaw Collection of the Adenwalla Archive reveals rare records of a family of merchant-princes, last of the philanthropic Bombay...

Navsari: Home to the Parsis

Navsari: Home to the Parsis

Live History India present a great visual treat about Navsari. Archeologist Kurush Dalal and historian and author Pheroza Godrej are featured on the video and explain some of the history of the...

Zanzibar’s forgotten religion

Zanzibar’s forgotten religion

A CRUMBLING TEMPLE for an ancient religion lies hidden from the street, just beyond the fields of Mnazi Moja. All but forgotten, its doors are rarely opened; the once prominent Zoroastrians have all...

Manekji Limji Hataria

Manekji Limji Hataria

Tomorrow 15th February is the baj of Manekji Limji Hataria, the Parsi missionary to Iran. A jashan will be performed at Wadiaji Atash Behram 1st floor hall in the morning at 10 a.m.Below is an...

Gandhi & The Tatas

Gandhi & The Tatas

Revisiting the relationship between the Mahatma and the founders of the Tata group, from satyagraha to swaraj October 2019     |   Tata.comThroughout his public service...