Though Marshalls, the lone family of Kozhikode keeping the lineage of the Parsi tradition, seems to have embraced the rhythm of Malabari culture, they remain intact in Zoroastrian beliefs and customs.
Author:
Fluent in regional tongue one can hardly distinguish Darius P Marshall or his sons Zubin and Farzan from the local people here apart from their slightly alien physique.
Born to parents from Bharuch and Kutch Darius P Marshall is now the proud owner of a flourishing automobile workshop ‘Auto Motto’ on Vellayil Road near the beach in Kozhikode. With large number of imported automated machines the Marshalls’ service station caters to customers from across the state.
The work shop owner who receives the vehicles with much enthusiasm himself, diagnoses them before handing them over to the workers. Elaborating on the machines and tools at the workshop mostly imported from various European countries, firm and confidant Marshall was not ready to leave aside the air of seriousness. Amidst the talks on Parsi life in Kerala, he shared the pride of having hosted a ritualistic ceremony for all the six Parsi families spread across Kannur, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Mangalore.
What happened to the 299 other Parsi families who were once part of Kozhikode? Marshalls have a quick answer: Most of them left the place in search of greener pastures. “Nowadays our people in Mumbai and other cities hesitate to shift to Kozhikode,” they say. He added that the traditional Parsi rituals are slightly altered in Kozhikode to suit the local needs. “We cannot perform many rituals being followed by our community in cities such as Mumbai or Chennai where we are a sizable community. The ‘Tower of Silence’, where the body of the dead is kept on a tower for vultures, is not viable in Kozhikode. Here we bury the dead on the compound of the Fire Temple ‘Anjuman Baguh’ at SM Street. Bodies of the dead Parsis from all over Kerala and Mangalore are brought here for burial,” he says.
Heralding the legacy of Parsi business doyens such as Tata and Godrej, the Parsis who arrived in Kozhikode in the mid 19th century also eyed at the commercial and industrial prospects of the region. Marshall says the first group arrived here in 1851 to set up a coir factory to supply products to the East India Company. The bungalow of Dr Kobab Muga Sett, who had a degree in medicine from London and believed to be the highest qualified doctor in Malabar then, is the present Mayor Bhavan. Deep in the memories of Marshall are the heroic deeds of Coverjees, the most renowned Parsi family in Kozhikode of seven brothers who remained bachelors.
The thread ceremony which initiates one into to the Parsi faith is usually performed between the ages from nine to 11. No gender difference is followed in the ritual. The baniyan cloth ‘sudre’ and silk thread ‘kusti’ are worn round the waist of a boy or girl,” Darius says. Fire brought from Udvada in Gujarat, the renowned pilgrimage centre for Zorastrians world over, is kept at the Parsi Fire temples everywhere. “Here we don’t’ keep the fire burning round the clock. We will light the sandal wood fire whenever we visit the Fire Temple on SM Road. Usually we visit the Anjuman Baguh on Sundays. The admission to temple is open only to Parsis. Nowadays, apart from the Marshalls the Air India pilots and air hostesses who belong to Parsi community are the other visitors to the Fire Temple in Kozhikode.
ive met darius marshall.
a few years ago, i was registered for the national conference of my speciality association..i.e. oral pathology.
this was at a five-star hotel in kozhikode.
on the last day, i went searching for the parsee fire temple.
most people didnt even know what a parsi agiary was. we went to sm street, the main bazaar ..like our fort market and found a big gate…closed.
i kept knocking till an old malabari man opened.he took me into the dadgah, and gave me a diva and some sndalwood.he was so happy to see a parsee.
he called up darius and i was invited to their home for dinner.
i was hesitant, as i didnt know them.
he insisted and i went.
i loved the family.
they are good people, verey well-settled and prosperous.
i enjoyed my evening.
when i returned, my conference secretary asked me where i had disappeared till so late.
he was dr. ipe vargehese, dean, kozhikode’s govt. dental college & hospital.
when i told him i had visited darius marshall, he said “why didnt you ask me? i would have taken you there.everyone here knows marshall..he is a great guy”.
ive met darius marshall.
a few years ago, i was registered for the national conference of my speciality association..i.e. oral pathology.
this was at a five-star hotel in kozhikode.
on the last day, i went searching for the parsee fire temple.
most people didnt even know what a parsi agiary was. we went to sm street, the main bazaar ..like our fort market and found a big gate…closed.
i kept knocking till an old malabari man opened.he took me into the dadgah, and gave me a diva and some sndalwood.he was so happy to see a parsee.
he called up darius and i was invited to their home for dinner.
i was hesitant, as i didnt know them.
he insisted and i went.
i loved the family.
they are good people, verey well-settled and prosperous.
i enjoyed my evening.
when i returned, my conference secretary asked me where i had disappeared till so late.
he was dr. ipe vargehese, dean, kozhikode’s govt. dental college & hospital.
when i told him i had visited darius marshall, he said “why didnt you ask me? i would have taken you there.everyone here knows marshall..he is a great guy”.
ive met darius marshall.
a few years ago, i was registered for the national conference of my speciality association..i.e. oral pathology.
this was at a five-star hotel in kozhikode.
on the last day, i went searching for the parsee fire temple.
most people didnt even know what a parsi agiary was. we went to sm street, the main bazaar ..like our fort market and found a big gate…closed.
i kept knocking till an old malabari man opened.he took me into the dadgah, and gave me a diva and some sndalwood.he was so happy to see a parsee.
he called up darius and i was invited to their home for dinner.
i was hesitant, as i didnt know them.
he insisted and i went.
i loved the family.
they are good people, verey well-settled and prosperous.
i enjoyed my evening.
when i returned, my conference secretary asked me where i had disappeared till so late.
he was dr. ipe vargehese, dean, kozhikode’s govt. dental college & hospital.
when i told him i had visited darius marshall, he said “why didnt you ask me? i would have taken you there.everyone here knows marshall..he is a great guy”.
Farokh Nariman Kanga ( mail Id : [email protected] )
My memories goes back to 1975, when I used to visit Kozhikode ( also than popularly know as Calicut) working for Tata Textiles, I was introduced to the priest by my Textile dealer ( One Mr. Anandji Shah) .
I attended the evening Hum Bandagi where I met Darius Marshall. He asked me to check out from my hotel and took to his Bungalow to stay with them.
I met the senior Mr. Marshall , Darius father,
He was a very interesting person, and had than explained me how the Parsis came to Calicut, and that they were in good numbers . He went to the extent of offering me an opportunity of business, a place to stay and add on to the Parsi population of Calicut,
They were extremely warm and affectionate people. I visited them once again in 1978.
Happy to read about them. God bless the Marshalls.