Month: October 2005 Articles

Parsi Ingenuity

An airplane is flying over the United States at night. The pilot says "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have lost an engine, and need to lighten our load, we have dumped all excess fuel, but the plane is losing altitude. All baggage is being jettisoned." A...

Chaos Paradox

... The temple is as tranquil as the market is chaotic, and at the Hanging Gardens she points out a low wall behind...

Tata’s: A gem among corporates

In today's world of cut-throat competition, corporate ruthlessness, global economy and free markets, it is heartening to note that there are still a few companies which value "corporate social...

Blog QUAKE Day

Blog QUAKE Day

DesiPundit has sent out a "call to arms" to raise awareness about the recent quake in Kashmir. They are running a continuously updating sticky post on the various ways and means that individuals and...

Writing is the music in the background of my life

Writing is the music in the background of my life - III Julie Rajan has an intimate chat with Pakistani, Parsi writer Bapsi Sidhwa on life, words and all the cracks in-between Why do you think it is...

For word’s worth

By Sunaina Kumar [ Saturday, October 22, 2005 09:40:23 pmTIMES NEWS NETWORK ] The author of four successful novels and many essays, Bapsi Sidhwa has spiced up her writing with her multi-cultural...

SOLI LOQUIES: Death penalty

Soli Sorabjee in the Indian Express Death penalty October 23, 2005 Debate about the abolition of the death penalty is unending. It has been abolished in practically every European country and in the...

SOLI LOQUIES: Rising intolerance

Soli Sorabjee in the Indian Express Rising intolerance October 11, 2005 The rise of intolerance is alarming. Some years back, Zairus Banaji, because of his critical remarks about Narender Modi, was...

SOLI LOQUIES: Women in society

Soli Sorabjee in The Indian Express Women in society September 11, 2005 There was a time when no less a person than Thomas Jefferson, the principal architect of the US Constitution, believed in the...

SOLI LOQUIY: Judiciary and Parliament

Soli Sorabjee in The Indian Express. Judiciary and Parliament August 28, 2005 The Supreme Court judgement dealing with minority educational institutions has evoked severe criticisms. What is amazing...

Parsi Recipes on the Net

Parsi Recipes on the Net

Parsi cuisine is unique and rich in tradition. Like most Indian cuisine it is labour intensive, but the results are mouth-watering. GourmetIndia.com has a small section on Parsi Cuisine that can be...

Guinness Record for letter writing

In this day and age of fast communication via email, blogging, et al, it seems there are still some people who do it the tried and trusted old fashioned way. Behram Dastur is one such person. The...

Parsi creates world record

Guinness record for 70-year-old letter writer ... World Records. A few months back, the chief executive of Bombay Parsi Punchayet had no idea he was even eligible. ''Last year ... Read on at Mumbai...

Vultures spotted after 3 years

Calcutta Telegraph - Calcutta,India ... And Parsis feared what would happen to their dead. They needn't worry anymore. ... Worried also were Parsis, who leave their dead to be eaten by vultures. ...

A radiant entry

Deccan Herald - Bangalore,India ... Cyrus writes about Mumbai. A city that is entirely captivating in its madness. Jingo, the protagonist, hails from a middle-class Parsi family. ...

From Parsi to Pakistani to Indian and more

Daily News & Analasys - Mumbai,India Born in Karachi and brought up in Lahore, she now lives in Houston, Texas. How would you describe yourself as an author? I always see myself as a Parsi first. ...

Freeze-drying touted as new green burial

Scotsman - United Kingdom ... THE Parsees of Mumbai in India leave their dead on top of Towers of Silence to be eaten by vultures, while in the Solomon Islands, the deceased are laid out on ......

25 Years Ago: Hotels in Bombay

Mid-Day Mumbai - Bombay,India One is patronized by Hindi film heroes, the other by affluent Parsi widows, and both have a fair share of Arab guests, who are their bread, their butter and ......

1939: Bombay then..

Mid-Day Mumbai - Bombay,India ... The development of the suburbs and the opening of new Parsi "colonies" are rapidly relieving the terrible congestion from which the city has suffered for ......

When Mannat was Villa Vienna

Mid-Day Mumbai - Bombay,India ... Having no heirs, she wrote it off to her sister Goolbanu and it went onto her son Naryman Dubash, known for promoting the cause of Parsi priests. ... Continue...

“Much before the modern five-star hotels

"Much before the modern five-star hotels came up in Mumbai, the city's swankiest hotel was 'The Grand'. It is today a fraying three-star hotel, but the Parsee family that owns it still boast of how...

Bapsy Sidhwa comes to Bombay

Bapsy Sidhwa comes to Bombay

Afternoon Dispatch and Courier INDIRA RODERICKS | Thursday, October 13, 2005 11:37:37 IST Internationally acclaimed author here to release fifth book.. Bapsi Sidhwa, the author of four...

New Gurdwara opened in Washington DC

Gurdwara opened in Washington DC .... Allah from Holy Quran. Mr Bahram Pastakia from Zoroastrian faith (known as Parsi) offered prayer in ancient language. This was done ... Continue reading at...

Parsis look for new path to spiritual world…

Sydney Morning Herald ... To dispose of the dead a group of Parsis, the ethnic group that practices Zoroastrianism, are using solar panels and lenses like a magnifying glass to ... It is one of the...

Love and Longing in Lahore

Kolkata Newsline - New Delhi,India ... can remember. Even after partition, I would trot along with my mother who had an entire brood of Parsee relatives in Mumbai. If ...

Tradition dying out for lack of vultures

... The Indian Parsi diaspora includes conductor Zubin Mehta, writer Rohinton Mistry and the late Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen. Continue reading at The Guardian 

Gujaratis are best in biz

.... Next come Parsi-owned companies, with an m-cap share of 9%, closely followed by the Marwari and Bania communities, which account for a market cap of 8.4%. ... Continue reading at Economic Times

The Holy Cow: A book review

... When confronted with 'NO NON-PARSIS' signs at Parsi temples, the author pines for 'the inclusive, casual nature of Hinduism' (p. 186). ... Continue reading at the Sikh Times

Mumbai Food Mania

... 7) Dolly Fullwadiwalla of Tardeo, Aalamai of Sleater Road and Sooni Taraporevala of Breach Candy, all as marvellously sweet as the Parsi lagan nu custard. Continue reading at [DNA]

A View from the “Outside”

Sakshi Juneja, shares her personl experience with Parsis and writes about what endears her to this "role model" community I think of the Parsi community in India as a role model for the rest of us....

Parsi Khabar turns 100 posts

Parsi Khabar posted its 100th post yesterday. The blog started as a small idea to highlight issues and events that concern the Parsis of India in particular and the Zoroastrian community at large...

Kenya goes bananas (and oranges)

Indian Express - New Delhi,India This is what is up for the November referendum. A brilliant Parsee lawyer, Pheroze Nowrojee, has questioned the legality of the proposed Constitution. So persuasive...

Ancient parsi coins unearthed

Madikeri Karnataka | October 05, 2005 4:45:44 PM ISTA copper vessel containing 190 ancient coins, was dug out from a coffee estate at Kelakodli village here recently, police said today. Continue...

Parsi tradition dying out for lack of Vultures

The Guardian It is one the most poignant images in India. Muslin-wrapped mourners carry the dead up a leafy hill to a temple, conducting an ancient ceremony in modern Mumbai. They reach the Towers...

West Bengal starts missing its vultures

Rediff - India ... But urban development and ac9;The Renegade Diet'>The Renegade Dietcidental poisoning have almost wiped out the birds, leaving Parsis divided on how best to treat the dead.

Modi takes lessons in tourism

Newindpress - Chennai,India ... help. "On the other hand, there is Udwada, where the Parsis first settled in the 16th century," the Chief Minister said. It ...

No vultures, Parsis turn to sun

The Asian Age - Bombay,India ... Basically, they harness sun rays and allow them to penetrate the body and aid decomposition," said a source in a prominent Parsi organisation in Mumbai. ...

Parsis: Pioneers of Cricket in India

Business Standard - India ... It is also interesting to learn that it was the Parsis who first took to cricket, which was followed by the Hindus and Muslims. ...  

John Abraham, unleashed

The Week - Kochi,India ... Epithets like 'ultimate sex symbol' suit Bipasha Basu's Parsi (as she is rumoured to have nick-named him; he is actually of Malayali-Parsi parentage ...