Month: September 2006 Articles

Farrukh Dhondy: “Writing fiction is never a purely logical process”

On his hometown, Pune, religion as wilful human delusion, and the different strands that inspired his new novel, Tibetan Gospel Did Tibetan Gospel emerge from a fascination with belief and scepticism? Or was it simply the current world political...

Pray, atone and feast

That’s what Parsis will do on Pateti today, a day before celebrating Navruz. If you plan to wish your Parsi...

Tata Tea, Godrej to sip in local…

Two of India`s top business houses owned by Parsis, the Tatas and the Godrej group are eyeing some of the strongest regional tea brands to gain a decisive edge over each other in the Rs 45 billion...

No Fire Temple, but Lakhnawi warmth

The Parsi community is one of the smallest ‘communities from outside’ in Lucknow. There are just 71 Parsis in town! “We started trickling into the city and found Lucknow welcoming...

Scientists to help breed Vultures

Parsis worried about the growing pile of bodies in their ‘Towers of Silence’ can take heart. The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has decided to take up, on an express...

Surat Residences get a new face

SURAT: The babbling and wails of infants from apartments in Bai Bamasipore Memorial Zarthosthi building in Saiyedpura in Surat have begun to raise the hopes of the local Parsi community, dogged by a...

Periodicals of protest

Over the decades, Parsi journalism has managed to fiercely guard its democratic character By Manoj R Nair for Mumbai Mirror The terms, ‘cosmopolitan newspapers’ or ‘community...

NYT: Zoroastrianism Slide Show

NYT: Zoroastrianism Slide Show

Turn on the sound and listen to this very interesting slide show on Zoroastrianism. This appeared on the NYTimes website, as an interactive accompaniment to the article Zoroastrians Keep the Faith,...

Religion and Materiality

Isn’t it strange how Rs.200/= seems like such a large amount when you donate it to a fire-temple, but such a small amount when you go shopping? Isn’t it strange how 2 hours seem so long...

Parsi Anthem

We received this via an email tip. It makes interesting reading. Author Unknown When my time has come, when my race is run I want to go that very way of my Fathers and their Sons. When my breath has...

Udvada on Behram Roj

This write up was forwarded to us by email. I don’t know the author or the source. However it makes fascinating reading, and something that a lot of people will relate to. The 20th day of the...

Remembering Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta

Remembering Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta

Mr. Mehta was popularly known as the uncrowned king of Karachi and the prophet of the poor… Celebrating the 54th death anniversary of Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta (who served as the mayor of...

Muktaad

Ruby Lilaowala remembers Muktaad, in the Afternoon D.C. Muktaad are the ten days preceding the Parsi new year which are devoted to intense prayers and elaborate rituals for the departed souls...

Bury funeral ritual: Parsi woman

A centuries old custom has triggered off a bitter debate within Mumbai’s influential Parsi community. The Parsi community is now divided over how to dispose off their dead. The bodies are kept...