Karachi’s history does not reside merely in its buildings, its roads, or the long curve of its shoreline. It lives in...
Blog Articles
Early morning fire at godown on Ezra Street ravages Calcutta’s oldest Parsi temple
Twenty-five fire tenders battled the blaze in central Calcutta for over six hours from 5.30am, when the first alarm...
Actor Behzad Dabu Recounts his Journey with “Disgraced”
Behzad Dabu follows in the footsteps of his parents Binaifer and Navroz who both are theater personalities in Syracuse NY and his maternal grandfather the legendary theater personality Yazdi...
Xerxes V. Dastur: Know Your Candidate
In our effort to highlight and introduce the various candidates in the elections for the Trusteeship of the Bombay Parsi Panchayet, we wrote to Xerxes V. Dastur and asked him some questions via...
Neighbors
I had gone to stay with my daughter in one of the Mumbai suburbs. I casually inquired about her neighbors. I had not seen her visiting any of her neighbors or any neighbors coming over to visit us....
As Parsi Punchayet poll nears, `political potboiler’ promises action, intrigue
Forget Bihar elections.The real rough and tumble of political battle starts right here in Mumbai as Parsis head for the polls to elect trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) on October 18. The...
Magician Zenia Bhumgara to receive the prestigious Merlin Award
Mumbai Teenager, Magician Zenia Bhumgara to receive the prestigious Merlin Award (The Oscars of Magic) Mhelly Bhumgara writes in to inform us “…..my daughter Magician Zenia Bhumgara , 1st year BMM...
The International Everlasting Flame Programme India 2016
The International Everlasting Flame Programme is to be held, from 19th March to 29th May 2016, by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, MOMA, in collaboration with Parzor Foundation and the Culture...
Maneck Davar: Know Your Candidate
The upcoming elections for the position of Trustees of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat are nearly upon us. At Parsi Khabar we are hoping to provide an unbiased platform to the candidates to put forth...
Ashdeen Lilaowala: Keeping the Gara flame alive
His thought is intensive. His vision is artistic. His sensibility is detailed. His fashion unfolds history. Ashdeen Lilaowala has not only preserved the culture of Gara embroidery but revived it...
Loyalty to Lahore
Variously described as “The Pearl of Punjab” or “The Heart of Pakistan,” Lahore brings to mind different images. Whilst Niloufer Bilimoria relates her recent experiences across the...
Lord Karan Bilimoria Talks about Contributions of Parsis in India
British NRI entrepreneur and the co-founder of the Cobra Beer Lord Karan Bilimoria, speaking at the 13th Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) lecture in Patna on Tuesday, hailed the role of...
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw as I knew him: Brigadier Sawant
It was there on the afternoon of 16th December 1971 that General Maneksha’s strength of character in dealing with Bangladesh citizens and refusing to handover Pakis to Mukti Bahini to be...
Defence Force Veterans Join Fray for Bombay Parsi Panchayet Elections
Four illustrious armed forces veterans are joining the fray for the elections of the Bombay Parsi Panchayet. Here are their bios: Major General Soli Noshir Pavri Major General Soli Noshir Pavri, an...
Cyrus Poonawalla buys iconic Lincoln House in Mumbai for Rs 750 crore
Bulge-bracket property deals by the rich and the famous are not new to the land-starved megapolis, but the weekend sale of the iconic Lincoln House here to the Pune-based industrialist Cyrus...
Interesting facts about Feroze Gandhi on his 103rd Birthday
Today is the 103rd birth anniversary of Feroze Gandhi, the husband of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the son-in-law to Jawaharlal Nehru. Feroze was born in a Parsi family at the Tehmulji...
Lessons from Bawaji
Those of us who are lucky to have had grandparents in our lives know that its one of the biggest blessings we will ever have. Good friend and ace chef and entrepreneur Perzen Patel, famously known...
Gulbai
Married at an early age, she came to live with her husband in Bombay from Surat. She was a worthy partner. She bore him 6 children, brought them up, married and settled them. Gulbai was now the...
First service at new Parsi prayer hall
The new prayer hall at Worli for Parsis, who choose burial or cremation of the dead, will see its first prayer service on Wednesday -two weeks after it received a go-ahead from the Brihanmumbai...
Jiyo Parsi scheme adds 22 babies in Mumbai
For all those deeply concerned about the decline in the population of the Parsi Zoroastrian community, here is some good news. Under the government-supported Jiyo Parsi scheme to boost community...
Childhood Visits to Nargol
Sleep had eluded me the night before due to sheer excitement, but a light tap and I was wide awake. The summer vacation had begun. Today, we were going to Nargol, my Mum’s native village. This was a...
Prophets and profit: The miraculous world of Indian devotional films
‘The Path of Zarathustra’, which explores the core values of Zoroastrianism, is only the latest faith-based film to hit the screens. Article by Nandini Ramnath | Scroll.in The devotional film, a...
My father, the Param Vir Chakra Hero: Lt. Colonel A. B. Tarapore
In spite of being wounded in battle, Lieutenant Colonel A B Tarapore fought for six days before meeting a hero’s death on the battlefield in the 1965 war. A legend in the Indian Army, he is...
New York Parsis Launch The INDIA Campaign for their New Dar E Mehr
The Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York ZAGNY is building its new Dar-E-Mehr in New York. Situated on the same grounds as their old one, this is a brand new facility that will house the...
In conversation with Cyrus Oshidar
In this episode of Talking Point, Exec Lifestyle chats up Cyrus Oshidar. Touted as one of the 10 most influential people from advertising world in India, Oshidar is credited for his inputs in giving...
Pakistan’s Fading Parsi Community Looks Abroad
Veera Rustomji who has been quoted in the original article writes in: I am seriously disappointed with the quality of this article; the extremely limited content of this write up and its lack...
Parsi Nicknames
From time to time we invite readers to contribute. This article is by Havovi Govadia. The occasion was my brother’s children’s Navjote. Parsis celebrate this “initiation into the Zoroastrian faith”...
Dorabjee and Sons – Pune’s Haven for Parsi Food
Considering there is a sizable Parsi population in Pune, I find it amazing that there is only one restaurant patron who will loyally visit for the bhonu fix of Dorabjee restaurant. This humble...
Raghu Karnad: Farthest Field An Indian Story Of The Second World War
Frequent readers of Parsi Khabar will be familiar with the name of Raghu Karnad who has featured on the site in the past seeking information during the research phase of his first book “Farthest...
Dara Phiroze Chinoy and the Great Escape of the 1965 War
In the early part of the 1965 war with Pakistan, Dara Phiroze Chinoy, a young Flying Officer with the Indian Air Force found himself suddenly trapped behind enemy lines. Article by Vishnu Som | NDTV...
Lifegiver: The Biography of Dr Rustom P. Soonawala
One of Mumbai’s most celebrated gynaecologists gets a biography that connects his roots with medical innovation of the 1960s Watching him drive his sedan past some serious afternoon traffic to...
Return To Roots 2015 Trip Report
The Zoroastrian Return To Roots program began in 2013 and over the past two and a half years has now taken 30 Zoroastrian youth from the diaspora for a fully immersive trips to India to expeience...
My Tryst with Cricket
From time to time we invite readers to contribute. This article is from Havovi Govadia. To use an English phrase ‘cricket is not my cuppa tea’. But living in India, one cannot avoid cricket and...
Sam Balsara on instilling a certain pride and craft into Print Advertising
The Dainik Bhaskar INK Awards were held in Mumbai on August 21, 2015 to celebrate creativity in Print advertising. Madison World turned up big winners at the event with multiple wins between Madison...
The Life And Times Of Vakshure Vakshuran Ramazgo Asho Spitman Prophet Zarathushtra
Vakshure vakshuran means the prophet of prophets who is born just once in a cycle of nature for a long long time. Ramazgo means one who is aware of the core information of the universe. Article by...
Will Mumbai’s 99-year-old iconic Parsi Dairy Farm shut shop ?
For almost a century, Parsi Dairy Farm has fattened generations of Mumbaikars on its high-quality milk, butter, ghee, and an assortment of mithais. Eateries across the city have for decades served...
Tanaz Godiwalla, The Queen Of Parsi Catering: In Conversation
Parsis love food. We’re always talking about it. At breakfast, we discuss what’s for lunch; at lunch, we discuss what’s for dinner; at dinner, we discuss the next day’s menu. While Mumbai’s many...
Parsi population slides in Twin Cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
Only 17 births against 65 deaths registered in the last five years Hyderabad: Forget the tiger, first save the Parsi, says Shapoor Toorkey a regular to the Zoroastrian Club in Secunderabad. Even the...
Navroz The New Day: A Film by Divya Cowsji
Divya Cowasji the phenomenal young Parsi filmmaker is at it again. Her latest work titled “Navroz: The New Day” documents Jamshedi Navroz as it is celebrated by the Parsi and Irani...
Remembering Adi Marzban
Walking in the tracks of Marzban mania Were he with us, puckish humour and wacky wit intact, Parsi theatre’s finest writer-director Adi Marzban would have been 101. Generations of ardent fans agree...
In death, kin of Farrokh Guard gift life to five on Navroz eve
On the eve of Parsi New Year, the family of a 57-year-old Parsi resident of Thane gave the gift of life to five patients by donating his organs after he was declared brain dead. Farrokh Guard, who...
Navroze Mubarak 2015: Happy New Year 1385 Y.Z.
At the outset we would like to wish you our readers a very happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year. Navu Saal Mubarak. The last year has been an eventful year for the Parsi community in the...
Everyday Parsi: Ervad Jehangir Madon
Our seventh and last author of the 2015 Everyday Parsi series is Ervad Jehangir R. Madon Jehangir Madon writes August 1992, Bombay. 4:15 am. I would wake up to the constant reminders that it was...
Lord Karan Bilimoria Laments that Britain has failed to maximise its relations with India
First Parsi to sit in the House of Lords says Britain has failed to maximise its relations with India as trade figures dip Lord Karan Faridoon Bilimoria – the first Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in...
Everyday Parsi: Ervad Soli P. Dastur
Our sixth author in the 2015 Everyday Parsi series is Ervad Soli P. Dastur A Mobed’s Recollections and Involvement in Muktad Gatha Days! On the P&O SS Oronsay ship somewhere near Suez Canal...
PVR Director’s Rare to release “The Path of Zarathustra” this September
Directed by Oorvazi Irani, The Path of Zarathustra is all set to release under the PVR Director’s Rare banner on September 4, 2015. The movie touches upon the theme of Parsi community and...
Everyday Parsi: Ervad Vispi Jehangir Mirza
Our fifth author in the 2015 Everyday Parsi series is Ervad Vispi Jehangir Mirza 18 days of Muktad in Udvada Ervad Vispi Jehangir Mirza writes The preparations of Muktad started on Aspandad mahino...
Mumbai Parsis hail upcoming New Year with food, fun and frolic
Who needs to travel around the world to experience different cultures when you live in a country where multiple cultures nestle together? India is truly blessed to taste the flavours a myriad of...
Four Parsis came together to talk food, culture, quirks, and more food
Be it the impeccable maintenance of their vehicles or their unique style of swearing, Parsi quirks are legendary. Ahead of the Parsi New Year (August 18), we invited entrepreneur Kainaz Messman,...
Parsis once dominated English theatre
The first family of Parsi theatre on memorable productions, new travelling plays and drinking wine on stage To talk theatre with them is to breathe a living legacy. Actor-producers Ruby and Burjor...
Everyday Parsi: Sheroo Vispi Kanga
Our fourth author in the 2015 Everyday Parsi series is Sheroo Vispi Kanga Sheroo writes Thank you Parsi Khabar for giving me this opportunity to write about what the Muktad (free soul) days mean to...
Government to Fund “The Everlasting Flame” to Preserve Parsi Culture And Heritage
First Ambitious Project Under New Scheme “Hamari Dharohar”, to Preserve Rich Heritage Of Parsi Community Three Exhibitions to be Held at an Estimated Cost of Rs. 14 Crore The Ministry of Minority...