The Bukhara Mohulla at Khamasa Crossroads in the Walled City is home to two shrines. One is the Parsis’ Vakil Adariyan Agiyari fire temple. And the other is the only Jewish place of worship in Gujarat, the Magen Abraham Synagogue (built in 1934) of the small Bene Israel Jewish community. Article by Paul John |… Continue reading Ahmedabad’s Vakil Anjuman Adarian to move out of Old City
News and Updates
The Dabu Couple wins over Syracuse theater scene, 20 years running
Hints of spice waft in swirls of steam. Pastel teacups brimming with brewed Indian chai rest on the sanded wood of a low table. Binaifer Dabu and her husband Navroz Dabu sit side-by-side on their leather couch, the twilight sun still warming their faces. Leaning toward Navroz, Binaifer offers him a cup of the family… Continue reading The Dabu Couple wins over Syracuse theater scene, 20 years running
Daryush Mehta: Zoroastrian Chaplain at Harvard and MIT in Boston, USA
From Harvard’s website: Daryush Mehta It is with great humility that I represent the Zoroastrian community as a Chaplain at Harvard University. Dr. Cyrus Mehta has diligently represented the Zoroastrian community in this capacity for 15 years, and I am honored to continue his good work and to engage in religious dialog with the larger… Continue reading Daryush Mehta: Zoroastrian Chaplain at Harvard and MIT in Boston, USA
Mercenaries and merchants: A short history of the strong ties between India and Yemen
As Houthi rebels overran the Yemeni capital of Sana’a in March, the embattled government shifted its capital to Aden. For many Indians, and especially for residents of Mumbai, the name of the city has an unusual ring of familiarity to it. It is evoked, for instance, in the name of major thoroughfare in the Central… Continue reading Mercenaries and merchants: A short history of the strong ties between India and Yemen
Dr. Navroze Kotwal and Urdu Poetry
Why can’t a Parsi pen Urdu poetry, asks orthodontist When he is not fixing his patients’ teeth, he is penning Urdu couplets. But orthodontist Dr Navroze Kotwal’s passion for Urdu poetry, especially its sublime form ghazal, has been a source of pique for his friends. “You are a Parsi, right? How come you speak Urdu… Continue reading Dr. Navroze Kotwal and Urdu Poetry
Death and Legal History on Sunday Afternoons
Cemeteries as Historical Evidence In Law and Identity in Colonial South Asia, Mitra Sharafi argues that rather than trying to maintain collective autonomy and integrity by avoiding interaction with the state, the Parsis sank deep into the colonial legal system itself. One way their unique identity was evident was in the cemeteries they dedicated for… Continue reading Death and Legal History on Sunday Afternoons
Row over Parsi hospital’s pact with private firm goes to Bombay High Court
A quaint heritage Parsi hospital property built in 1895 and lying defunct for several decades in the prime Fort area of south Mumbai will be redeveloped into an orthopaedic and neurosurgery centre. Article by Nauzar Bharucha | TNN Last week, six of the seven trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayat (BPP) finalized an agreement with… Continue reading Row over Parsi hospital’s pact with private firm goes to Bombay High Court
Enlarged Compendium of Zoroastrian Calendars
Rohinton Erach Kadva writes in Appeal to preview and purchase my book entitled ‘Enlarged Compendium of Zoroastrian Calendars’. I am a civil engineer settled with my wife in Bangalore for the past 36 years. I have authored a book entitled ‘Enlarged Compendium of Zoroastrian Calendars – 1384 Yz (2014 CE) through 1500 Yz (2132 CE)… Continue reading Enlarged Compendium of Zoroastrian Calendars
Setback to Wadia in land battle as Supreme Court upholds old Act
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a law made in Maharashtra in 1977, which requires that before courts get into the facts of a case, they should decide on jurisdiction when questions are raised on issues, including that of delay beyond a legally set bar of three years. The verdict, by… Continue reading Setback to Wadia in land battle as Supreme Court upholds old Act
