My faith is Zoroastrianism, the oldest monotheistic religion in the world, originating in ancient Persia.The Persian...
Opinion Articles
The Parsis of Of Bombay: A Commentary
Parag Sayta writes a commentary on the Parsis of Bombay on the Brown Pundits blogI just finished reading Michael...
Navrose and Nirang: My life as a modern Zoroastrian
“I have to drink cow pee?!”Nine-year-old me glared up incredulously at my older brother, Tyler, who snickered, and with a devilish teenage grin, nodded his head — the answer was, unfortunately,...
India’s Vaccine Diplomacy and the Parsis
India’s vaccine diplomacy drive which has become the toast of the town in many a world capital, has much to thank the Parsis - a tiny community which migrated from ancient Persia to India’s...
Neville Medhora: 8 Ways to be a Little Happier Today
Neville Medhora in conversation with Noah Kagan shares some simple ways to be a little happier every day. Noah Kagan writes…. A lot of entrepreneurs work hard. A lot of entrepreneurs make money. Few...
The last of the Zoroastrians
My grandfather had never been a tall man, and now he looked absurdly small, no bigger than a child. Swaddled in off-white sheets like a newborn, with just his head and the soles of his feet visible,...
Groundbreaking trilogy finds Zoroastrian ties in religions
The ambitious project opens the scriptures of seven faiths to anyone who wishes to learn Article by James Christie | Broadview Once upon a time, a mere six centuries or so before the birth of Jesus...
Salli, Soli and Saala BC-MC… Bachi Karkaria on the Parsis
How dare you ask me to write on this topic, Editorji? It’s a contradiction in terms, and only an oxy-moron would think that such a species with common traits exists. Our most common feature is that...
How COVID Impacted Our Family
The below account is from a very dear friend (...like family..) who I have known for a decade. We met at the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY) and have over the years volunteered...
Gulshan Ewing: When life gave Amma lemons, she grew lemon trees
The Shedde family has a special relationship with Mrs Ewing, that started at the raddiwalla. We lived in a modest chawl in Santa Cruz during my childhood, and moved to a three-bedroom apartment when...
An Open Letter to Bill Gates
A long time dear reader of ours, who wishes to remain anonymous has written this very pertinent open letter to Bill Gates. An open letter to: ‘Bill Gates’ A ‘Prophet’ in our Times. – In both sense...
The predicament of the Khada Parsi: Op-Ed by Sanjay Nagral
In a cheeky comment on Mumbai’s ageing Parsis, a story goes somewhat like this: “If you visit Mumbai’s Parsi General Hospital and require hospitalisation, you are first asked your age. If you are...
A miracle might just happen and Parsis may survive
Penned by lawyer, former journalist and columnist for Parsiana, a popular international Zoroastrian community magazine, Berjis Desai, The Bawaji: Chronicles of a Vanishing Community was released by...
Giving, time, and a wish
This forum, Gospels of giving, is dedicated to discussing wealth and why it is given. One of my central research questions concerns how wealth is given. What tools or techniques do the wealthy use...
Zoroastrianism in Kurdistan: An Overview
It is scarcely deniable that the Zoroastrian faith is in the throes of a long-term population decline, an observation this is not merely confined to the 11% decline estimated by a comprehensive...
The Language We Pray In: Maya Joshi
Maya Joshi shares with us something she wrote for a writing contest. The piece is called “Do You Speak My Language”. Maya writes… The Language We Pray In My grandmother closes her eyes in the dawn...
Munchi Cama Speaks on the Parsee General Hospital Issue
The following is an op-ed by Munchi N. Cama, past Trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet.Manchi writes…I have read a recent mail comparing the B.D.Petit Parsee General Hospital in Bombay with The...
Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate For Change
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY -MARCH 8, 2019 The theme for International Women’s Day 2019 is “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change.” The theme focuses on innovative ways in advancing gender...
Could a Tower of Silence For Zoroastrian Funerals Be Built in Texas ?
Khushbu Solanki, a Rutgers Law graduate makes a compelling arguement for a Dokhma in Texas.Khushbu writes…Traditional Zoroastrian funerals require stone structures called Dakhmas — “Towers of...
Cyrus Mistry: What’s Your Life Optimization Score
Cyrus has spent the past 20 years helping people and business be more efficient. Through his work at Google, he has developed a simple process for optimizing all the areas of our personal lives –...
Fall from glory: Prof Pithawala holds up a mirror to India’s oldest law college
Prof. Pithawalla, who has been teaching at the GLC for 46 years, says lax attendance, poorly-paid teachers are among its sore spots Prof. Homiar Pithawalla has been witness to the peaks and troughs...
Russy D Sumariwalla: Towards a Planet-wide Culture of Non-Violence
From times immemorial, humankind, in its brief history on planet Earth, has caused and experienced for itself unimaginable horrors and carnage. Violence is commonly used to settle disputes or to...
The Story Behind Raphael’s Masterpiece ‘The School of Athens’ And the Zoroaster Connection
Long before Rafael the hotheaded, red eye mask wearing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle entertained children onscreen, there was Rafael the esteemed painter who’d won over a cultured crowd of art...
Intelligent Conservatism Can Improve Parsi Survival Prospects
This is the text of a talk given by Berjis Desai at the recently concluded 11th World Zoroastrian Congress in Perth Australia. Berjis is an eminent legal counsel, journalist and columnist residing...
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...
March 8 proclaimed by United Nations in 1977 as International Women’s day
On the occasion of International Women’s Day we feature an Op-Ed by our very dear friend and mentor Dolly Dastoor March 8 proclaimed by United Nations in 1977 as International Women’s day On this...
We are the warriors of the Light
Our dear friend and whiz adman Rayomand J. Patell wrote the following on a social media post today. We are the warriors of the Light. Our Fire Temples try to gently remind us of this. When Europe...
Why is India’s Parsi community going extinct?
It is a welcome decision of the Indian government to fund new fertility clinics to help save its dwindling Parsi population which is now under threat of extinction. The Parsis should be grateful...
Half Parsi. Half Muslim. Full woman.
‘Name?’I say my name, in full.‘Date of birth?’I say my date of birth, in full.‘Religion?’‘Half Parsi, half Muslim,’ I say. In full.Article by Shaista Tayabali |Sister-hoodShe looks up at me. I am...
Parsis May Want to Look to the New Pune Fire Temple to Keep the Flame Burning
A ‘half-Parsi’ explains why Parsis must end their insistence on only marrying within the community and open the doors of their religion to the rest of the world. Born a little over a hundred years...
Who is a Zoroastrian?
The court is showing that it is all too eager to meddle in the affairs of religions. Article written by Dinsha Mistree | Indian Express While many voice concern over Narendra Modi and the Hindu...
Dwindling population in Navsari, Mecca of Parsis
Navsari, once a sleepy town with magnificent buildings, sprawling lawns and wide roads but is fast turning into a ghetto Kersi K Deboo’s eyes light up when he starts talking about the Parsi...
Sanaya Dalal: A Parsi Woman’s Perspective On Being Denied Basic Rights
"You knew what you were getting into." "A child inherits his father's name and religion, not his mother's." "Women with non-Parsi spouses will have their kids navjoted only to avail of housing and...
Farrukh Dhondy: An open letter to my fellow Parsis
In his words: "I am just a professional writer, which means I don't do blogs and try and get money for whatever I write."The Parsis gathered in numbers at this well as it is regarded by some as...
Many think Parsis are a model minority. Are they?
Debates over the Uniform Civil Code usually zero in on one kind of personal law: Muslim matrimonial law. What gets less airtime is Parsi matrimonial law. We assume that it lacks the gender...
Honour or Undermine: Your Choice
When I read ‘This is how USA treats Indian Military Veterans’ by Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi in the May 2017 issue of "Fauji India", I could not help but write about the experiences of my husband and I over...
An Iranian Holiday That’s Perfect for Americans
As a little girl in Iran, I loved Nowruz, the first day of spring, known as the Persian New Year. It was the only time when grown-ups seemed joyful and full of hope. Even my most morose relatives...
Dr. Roshni Rustomji and the Diversity of Karachi
Dr. Roshni Rustomji-Kerns, a renowned author, was nine years old in 1947. She lived in a building full of diverse tenants, in a Parsi family that espoused the ideals of acceptance, integration and...
Jame Response on the Recent Happenings
The below is an Op-Ed piece sent to us by Shernaz Engineer, Editor Jam-e-Jamshed Shernaz writes… Four BPP trustees proposed a “ban” on the Jam-e-Jamshed on June 28, 2016, to which several pages of...
Noshir Dadrawala’s Open Letter to Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly
Below is an open letter by Noshir Dadrawala, a current trustee of the Bombay Parsi Panchayet, addressed to the Jam-e-Jamshed newspaper Open Letter to the Editor of Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly They say, for...
Dasturji Peshotan Mirza: Obituary by Dinyar Patel
The passing of Dasturji Peshotan Mirza has been a loss on many fronts. We have lost a high priest who helped sustain the spiritual needs of the community, took an active part in our religious...
Open Letter to the Editor of Jame Jamshed
Below is a reader submitted open letter to the Editor of Jame Jamshed. Dear Ms Shernaz Engineer, I am a reader and well-wisher of Jame Jamshed our grand 184 year old newspaper. The 5 pages dedicated...
Reminiscing Memories of Three Parsi Stalwarts we lost in last three months
It is hard to believe that we have lost three of our Parsi commuity’s esteemed luminaries – internationally acclaimed Neurolgist Dr Noshir Wadia on 10th April 2016, renowned Advocate & Solicitor...
In Memoriam: Dasturji Peshotan Dasturji Hormazdyar Mirza
Our dear friend Ervad Soli Dastur wrote a very personal piece on the passing away of Vada Dasturji Mirza. We are sharing the article here with his permission. Ervad Soli Dastur writes… As all of you...
Lord Karan Bilmoria’s Speech in the aftermath of BREXIT
The 23rd of June was not Independence Day for Britain; it was the day the UK shot itself in the foot. The UK economy has been going so well after an awful recession, but we have a fragile recovery...
A box of tissues for Mr. Jehangir Patel please!
Yesterday we published an editorial by Jehangir Patel titled "A Parsi Trupti Please". Below is a rebuttal to the same by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram, Editor of Frashogard The ubiquity of Whats-app...
A Parsi Trupti, please
Parsi women have tolerated discrimination for over a century, and there's no-one to fight for them. Trupti Desai's efforts to seek equality between the sexes in matters of worship have been on the...
Speaking Tree: Ahura Mazda Ahura Mazda
Threads of Continuity — an exhibition on philosophy and culture of Zoroastrians in India is currently on in Delhi. MONA MEHTA reports on what she learnt about the Parsis from the show Half way...
Anu Aga says she doesn’t favour reservation for Parsis
Former chairperson of Thermax Industries and parliamentarian Anu Aga says it would be unfair for her Parsi community to seek reservation. "We have not faced generations of discrimination and are a...
Parsis bitterly divided when they should be multiplying
Our Persian empires, our fabled fortunes during the British Raj, the drum-roll of greats, all this and high praise from the PM too. The Everlasting Flame Programme (March 19-May 29) in Delhi on...
The Achaemenids At Ankleshwar
As the Everlasting Flame exhibition gets ready to make its India debut on March 19th in New Delhi, we bring you a critique of the original exhibition in London in 2013. The Achaemenids At...
Dara Rivetna: My Sojourn At Navsari
My dear wife Dinsoo passed away at the WZO Trust Funds Senior Citizens Centre at Navsari on 24th December 2015 around 7 am. EXPERIENCES OF MY SOJOURN AT NAVSARI By Dara M. Rivetna, Chicago. I...