Zerbanoo Gifford—renowned author, human rights advocate, and founder of the ASHA Centre in the United Kingdom—has been...
Blog Articles
Why a proposal to resettle Parsis in Iran in the 1940s never took off
In June 1947, as India stood on the brink of independence, sections of the Iranian press began publishing articles...
Zoroastrianism: The rhapsody of an ancient faith
In the Oscar-winning film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a biopic of Freddie Mercury, his father berates him: “So now the family name is not good enough for you?” “I changed it legally,” Mercury responds. “No...
Wibs Bread: Mumbai sandwich loses its slice of life
Western India Bakers (Wibs) commanded 46% share of the city’s sliced bread market and 90% of it came from sandwich makers. Wibs, Mumbai’s favourite sliced bread, has been off bakery shelves and...
Sanjan: Digging Deep into History
On a dark and stormy night, a ship full of Zoroastrian refugees from Persia was lashed by the wind, rain and waves off the west coast of India. The refugees in the ship, fearful for their lives,...
Jamva Chaloji: A Treat for ZAC Los Angeles community
A Gala celebration in 30 years ! On August 24th, ZACLA members had the rare opportunity to enjoy a “Lagan Nu Patru” in the good ol’ USA. The Jamva Chaloji event was attended by 190 very happy,...
Adil Mama Awarded Medal of Distinction by National Ethnic Press & Media Council of Canada
The National Ethnic Press and Media Council Of Canada recently honoured and Awarded Adil D. Mama with their Medal for his many years of Distinguished and Outstanding Services to The People and the...
Huafrid Billimoria In Conversation with Hrishi K
Hrishi K with Huafrid Billimoria - 1st Indian with Dystonia to complete Olympic Distance Triathlon With a debilitating neurological disorder Dystonia coupled with OCD & ADHD you would think he...
Dikra, this is how you woo a woman
Editors Note: Recently the hugely successful and fantastically run initiative Jiyo Parsi teamed up with one of India’s oldest newspapers, and the bastion of Parsi news Jam-e-Jamshed; to have a...
Mother takes on Dadar Parsi Gymkhana over membership for son
The Dadar Parsi Colony Gymkhana management has landed in the middle of a controversy over a membership demand of 36-year-old Sanaya Dalal for her son, who has a half Parsi father. The authorities...
Jamshedji Framji Madan: The Indian Theatre Magnate
Jamshedji Framji Madan, professionally called J.F.Madan was an Indian theatre and film magnate who was the pioneer of film production in India. He was born to a Parsi family in Mumbai in the year...
Friends in need: Parsis care for their elderly in Calcutta
Friends in need: Parsis care for their elderly A group of caregivers headed by Sam Medora has been looking after elderly Parsis in Calcutta for nearly two decades When Ava Mehta flew down from...
Global Working Group Renews Amelioration And Welfare Scheme of Senior Mobeds And Widows of Senior Mobeds
Our dear friend and mentor Dinshaw K. Tamboly informs… Community members are aware that Global Working Group (GWG) – comprising the elected Parsi Irani Zoroastrian Federations, Associations in...
Three prime Parsi baugs told to cough up over Rs 35 crore for lease renewals
The city collector has issued demand notices to the city’s largest private landlord, Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), for various properties, including prominent residential baugs built by...
Cricketing History and New Year Celebrations at ZTFE in London
1886 Trophy Cricket Match Kia Oval Friday 23rd August 2019 & Shahenshai Khordad Sal Zoroastrian Centre Thursday 22nd August 2019 A ZTFE Report Not many outside the Zoroastrian community are...
Journey of the Parsi petal with Ashdeen Lilaowala
Ashdeen’s floral bouquet takes its cue from Japan this season, as seen on Gara saris, blouses and kimonos There is a quality of depth to Ashdeen Lilaowala’s blooms that is only getting better with...
Vispi Balaporia to head Asiatic Society, first woman in 215 years
Vispi Balaporia wants to ensure ongoing projects are completed – most crucial being the digitisation drive. For the first time in its 215-year-old history, a woman has been appointed as the...
170 years old and standing tall: Secunderabad Agiary was built by two banker brothers
Come August 17 and the Parsi community in the city will gather at the 170-year-old Fire Temple in Secunderabad to celebrate New Year. The majestic structure standing tall on MG Road was built in...
Meet Jini Dinshaw the phenomenal 90-year-old who runs Mumbai’s oldest orchestra
Feted around the world, Jini Dinshaw has trained generations of young musicians gratis, entirely for the love of Western classical music. It is 1962. Jawaharlal Nehru is prime minister, the...
Oh! Those Parsis by Berjis Desai
Miss Contractor’s chalk screeched on the blackboard as she conjugated a French verb in a series of appropriate sentences. Fais, fait, faisons, faites… she wrote with her right hand before launching...
Mumbai’s heritage Parsi Gate to be removed to make way for Coastal Road construction
RTI response says BMC will shift it back after work is done, but Parsis are worried about its condition Apart from marine life, the proposed Coastal Road will see another casualty: Parsi Gate, which...
Remembering Dorab Patel
Born in 1924, Dorab Patel was a Pakistani lawyer of Parsi descent. After completing his education in England, he returned to Karachi in early 1950s to practice law. Throughout his illustrious...
Burzin Bulsara to Pedal from Texas to Alaska to Raise Money for Cancer Research
Burzin Bulsara is a young Zoroastrian youth living in Plano, a suburb of Dallas, Texas in the United States. in 2020 Burzin will be participating in the Texas 4000 challenge where he will cycle from...
Understanding 20th century Parsi theatre
During 1857- 1930 big theatre companies which were largely owned by Parsi business community flourished which used to showcase plays in Gujarati, Hindi and Urdu languages. In the early 1900s, some...
A Peek Inside Actor Boman Irani’s House
Boman Irani takes us inside his ‘noisy, full and loving’ house, reveals Anil Kapoor’s advice behind his purchase. Boman Irani shows a glimpse of his ‘noisy, full and loving’ house which has been...
Udvada Gets New Railway Station Building
Udvada Railway Station recently got a massive facelift. Below is an article on the history of the Udvada Station by eminent historian and our dear friend Marzban Giara. Marzban writes… There was no...
“The 1886 Trophy”: A Matter Of Pride For The Cricketing Fraternity
(Extraordinary lovers of the game called cricket are all geared up and excited to be a part of the tournament “The 1886 Trophy” and are saying it aloud that they are proud of the heritage w here it...
Part and Parsi of Madras
This Madras Day, members from one of the oldest communities in the city speak through their traditions, roots, cuisines and culture. Amid the clamour of a bustling Royapuram lies the Parsi fire...
Tracing a Parsi trail through Gujarat
For Zoroastrian heritage, the shadows may be lengthening, but at least the flame continues to flicker. Article by Meher Mirza CN Traveller An old Parsi house in Navsari. Photo: Dinodia...
The legacy of Rowena Irani – daughter, sister, student and children’s advocate
It was a momentous day for Officer Rooshad Irani — the day he knew he’d finally made it. He’d recently picked up his degree in criminal justice from Wichita State and was finally starting his...
2019 Iranshah Udvada Utsav Announced
We are thrilled to learn that the the third edition of the Iranshah Udvada Utsav shall be held in December 2019. Readers of Parsi Khabar will remember our reports from IUU 2015 and IUU 2017 and we...
From A Hong Kong businessman to philanthropist: Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee.
Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee faced business failures, political unrest and personal tragedy in Hong Kong, but his devotion to the city and its people never wavered By Rhea Mogul | South China...
Legendary Hockey Coach Marzban Patel wins Dronacharya Award for Lifetime Achievement
Marzban Patel—better known as Bawa—has been doing this for almost 40 years, and he did not change it on August 17, when it was announced that he had been awarded the Dronacharya in the Lifetime...
Boman Irani to play Farokh Engineer in Ranveer Singh starrer ’83
Both the fraternity of Indian cricket fans as well as that of Bollywood lovers are keenly awaiting the arrival of the movie ’83 on the silver screen. This movie, based on Indian cricket...
Bombay Parsi Punchayet constitutes committee to resolve issues facing the community
Trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, founded in the 17th century to look after the welfare of the Parsi community, have constituted a 16-member consultative committee of prominent people to...
The last of the Parsees: The only family in Balasore, Orissa tells their tale
Balasore, August 25 (LocalWire): The eastern state of Odisha is known for its culture, age-old traditions, temples and its indigenous people. People of all religions have called the state home...
Touring Parsees meet in England for the ‘1886 Trophy’
Zoroastrian festival of 'Khordad Sal' celebrated prior to the match Friday 23rd August 2019 was a beautiful English sunny day for the historic cricket match to be played at the Kia Oval between the...
The Parsee pioneers of 1886
More than 130 years after a team made up entirely of Parsees arrived in the UK for India’s first international cricket tour, a group from England travelled in the opposite direction to honour those...
Artist Anaheez Karbhari Is Capturing The Experience Of Being A Zoroastrian Woman In India
Our dear friend Anaheez Karbhari, an extremely talented graphic artist in Toronto, was recently featured on the Indian Women’s Blog. “My artwork relies heavily on my background as a Zoroastrian,...
A breakfast date with the Parsis of Chennai
The city’s Parsi community break brun at their Dharamshala for Madras Week, to explain their history and unique culture over multiple cups of mint chai, generously buttered buns, and eggs akuri...
2019 Muktad in Southern California
Our dear friend Ervad Zarrir Bhandara has been the leading mobed in the Los Angeles area for nearly three decades. He writes in about the most recent Muktad prayers… My dear family and friends, I...
Another Happy Birthday to Dr. Mickey Mehta
Our dearest friend, mentor, guide and world class Wellness guru Dr. Mickey Mehta celebrates yet another circle around the Sun this August 29th. Below is an article on him in the recent Parsi Times....
Naatak nights on Tejpal heights
Capers to thrillers, Parsi plays have enjoyed great runs at the 59-year-old Tejpal Auditorium in Gowalia Tank. Tracing the journey of this drama genre here, ahead of Navroze week The young guard...
Our Mobeds – Our Community’s Lifelines
Our dear friend, mentor and community leader Dinshaw K. Tamboly shares some thoughts on the occasion of Parsi New Year 2019 Dinshaw K. Tamboly writes…. At the outset, on the auspicious occasion of...
Dadar Athornan Institute marks 100 years, struggles to stay afloat
The school estimates that it will be required to spend Rs 2 lakh per head for boarding, lodging and educating each student and has sought donations from both Parsis living in India as well as...
Mumbai Muktad Diaries 2019
During the recent 10 day farvandian/muktad days I posted some observations on social media. Below is a compilation of all the posts. Many of the images were in black and white, but a lot of people...
Navroze Mubarak 2019: Happy New Year 1389 Y.Z.
On this the first day of the “navu varas” new year 1389 Y.Z. we all at Parsi Khabar wish you and your families and loved ones a very Happy New Year. May this be the year when we find the best in all...
DHANSAK & CO. – FIRST ZOROASTRIAN CLOTHING LINE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES
Today is the official launch of Dhansak & Co. - the first Zoroastrian streetwear brand! The clothing brand includes premium quality, limited-edition t-shirts, hats and phone cases created by...
Twenty decades of Mumbai Samachar
While the print media across the world has been showing signs of fatigue, Mumbai Samachar, a Mumbai-based newspaper, is celebrating its decades of success in the field of printing; a testimonial to...
100-year-old sacred fire to be relocated from Bharuch to Navi Mumbai
A 27-year-old dispute within the Parsi community came to an end last week, after the Supreme Court (SC) allowed the Atash Adaran — a 100-year-old grade-two fire — at Pestonji Aslaji Doongaji Agiary...
The Secrets of Saher Agiary in Mumbai
Meher Mirza takes us on a walk around the delightful Saher Agiary. Mumbai has lost so many of its memories under highways and malls that I am loath to share the few pockets that remain, but I shall...
Freddy Vachha To Stand for Election As Leader of UK Independance Party
Freddy Vachha, London’s Regional Chairman has been selected by 1,400 UKIP members to stand in the election for the next leader of the UK Independence Party. Having run UKIP London totalling 15% of...