Bolting from their village homes to build better lives, plucky young boys landed in Bombay with no more than a coin rattling in ragged pockets. Years of slog later, they contributed considerably as entrepreneurs, entertainers and educationists. Track Stage comedian Jangoo Irani (extreme right) with Burjor Patel, Dinshah Daji, and Ruby Patel in the Adi… Continue reading The Runaways
Category: Heritage
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
Living History India has a wonderful overview on the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai that were designated a World Heritage side by the United Nations. Many of these buildings were built by eminent Parsis of that generation. And today many of the leading citizens who made the designation happen are also Parsis.… Continue reading Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
The history of Karachi’s Homi Katrak Chambers
If you head to Clifton after passing Sind Club and Frere Hall in Karachi, you’ll come to a traffic signal at Lilly Bridge, with a piece of history on its left: Homi Katrak Chambers. This stunning pre-Partition heritage building was bought by TPL Properties and will be converted into a luxury real estate complex. This… Continue reading The history of Karachi’s Homi Katrak Chambers
A reborn Persian Empire captured Rome’s lands—and its emperor
Inspired by their powerful ancestors, the Sassanian dynasty restored Persia to imperial glory, ruling lands that stretched from Turkey to Pakistan. By Miguel Ángel Andrés-Toledo | National Geographic Alexander the Great conquered Persia in 331 B.C. and ended the Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus the Great. For the next five centuries, the Iranian plateau became… Continue reading A reborn Persian Empire captured Rome’s lands—and its emperor
Muncherji Murzban and the Restoration of Lal Chimney: Parsi Social Housing
TO practice conservation in Mumbai, one must be lucky to have the right client who understands and sympathizes with the word ‘conservation’. I was fortunate to have one such client, the Garib Zarthostiona Rehethan Fund, a benevolent trust looking after the low/middle income group, residential housing needs of the Parsi community. Article by Ar. Vikas… Continue reading Muncherji Murzban and the Restoration of Lal Chimney: Parsi Social Housing
Digital Zoroastrian at the British Library
The British Library is fortunate in having an unparalled collection of over 100 Zoroastrian works ranging from the oldest, the ninth century Ashem Vohu prayer written in Sogdian script discovered by Aurel Stein in Central Asia in 1907, to, most recently, manuscripts collected especially for the Royal Society in London during the late-nineteenth century. Although… Continue reading Digital Zoroastrian at the British Library
Parsis in Pakistan: A life in photos
Photojournalist Mobeen Ansari has spent close to a decade capturing facets of the Parsis — a community that has contributed immensely to the building of Pakistan Walking around Jamshed Baugh, a quiet Parsi neighbourhood in Karachi, photojournalist Mobeen Ansari spotted an elderly woman sitting on her porch, lost in thoughts. In her bright pink frock,… Continue reading Parsis in Pakistan: A life in photos
