The histories of the novels ‘My Friend, The Barrister’ and ‘Pootli, A Story of Life in Bombay’ The library of the University of Mumbai, housed in an 1870s edifice flanked by the Rajabai Tower, is perhaps the grandest repository of literary treasures in the city. Shelved under its lofty vaulted wooden ceiling are the last… Continue reading How the first English novels by Parsis were written in the backdrop of the plague and politics
Month: July 2020
The IranShah Initiative – Donation With Vision 2020 (Part 1 of 2)
“There are no gods in the universe, no nations, no money, no human rights, and no justice outside of the common imagination of human beings,” says Yuval Noah Harari in his book Sapiens. Harari argues that humanity functions cooperatively because human beings created religions and belief systems, political societies, financial markets, judicial systems etc. That these common… Continue reading The IranShah Initiative – Donation With Vision 2020 (Part 1 of 2)
The Grand Old Man of India who became Britain’s first Asian MP
How was an Indian elected to the British Parliament in 1892? What relevance could this historical event have for us today? Dadabhai Naoroji (1825-1917) is an unfamiliar name these days. Yet, aside from being the first Asian to sit in the House of Commons, he was also the most important leader in India before Mahatma… Continue reading The Grand Old Man of India who became Britain’s first Asian MP
80-plus Irani brothers with a zest for life die of Covid-19 in Mumbai
Everyone who has known of the Ferzandi brothers — Darius, 85 and Plumarz, 81 succumbing to the deadly coronavirus within weeks of each other last month, have been aching with memories of the two bespectacled old Parsi men. Darius was a fixture at the glass gallah of his quaint little Byculla Restaurant & Bakery taking… Continue reading 80-plus Irani brothers with a zest for life die of Covid-19 in Mumbai
The Story of Jamsetji Tata’s Forgotten Farm and How It Revived the Mysore Silk Industry
In 1868, a 29-year-old man from a small town in Gujarat started a trading firm in Bombay with ₹ 21,000. The man was Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata and the occasion marked the beginning of what would grow into one of India’s largest conglomerates, TATA group of companies. Article by Sanchari Pal | The Better India J.… Continue reading The Story of Jamsetji Tata’s Forgotten Farm and How It Revived the Mysore Silk Industry
Proposed shifting of Parsi Gates lead to a lot of shouting
Proposed shifting of Parsi Gates lead to a lot of shouting Dissent cleaves community after meet to move Parsi Gates at Marine Drive; social media the battleground The Parsi Gates at Marine Drive Article by Hemal Ashar | Mid-Day On June 30, a small group of people, including some Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP) trustees and… Continue reading Proposed shifting of Parsi Gates lead to a lot of shouting
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw: A Video Interview
Parzor is delighted to see a new audience appreciate the great opportunity we had to record Sam’s world and life through his own words and those of his colleagues and contemporaries. The Field Marshal’s humour and self deprecation had been misunderstood: he had been misquoted- but he was a dear friend and finally agreed to… Continue reading Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw: A Video Interview
