The musical director of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra from 1981 until his retirement in 2019, the maestro said he...
Blog Articles
A century in the capital: How Delhi’s Parsis mark 100 years of community, faith and philanthropy
The Parsi community shares a deep-rooted relationship with Mumbai (then Bombay), where much of its history unfolded....
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 the...
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 Zoroastrians of...
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 the...
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 their...
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...
Parsi Culture and Cuisine at the Sofitel Mumbai: A Review
It is not very often I am happily surprised by a personal experience. As a native Mumbaikar, I’d think I’ve seen quite a bit. But I got mine late last week in the most (again) surprising of places....
Can The Cure for Migraine Come From The Parsi Community ?
Migraines – debilitating and agonising, there’s not much that can be done about them. Science is still looking for an effective way to prevent these recurring headaches. The answer to what can help...
Everyday Parsi: Firoze Jungalwala
Our third author in the Everyday Parsi 2015 series is Dr. Firoze B. Jungalwala My recollection of Muktad in Surat during the Late 1940s I vividly remember the Muktad days at my grand father’s home...
Hormusjee Jamsetjee Rustomjee of Karachi
OFF I went to another memorial meeting yesterday, February 13, with no moans involved, to commemorate a patriarch of the family who died one hundred years ago to the day. We, his descendants, now...
Bombay Parsi Punchayet Announces Schedule for 2015 Trustee Elections
Owing to the vacancies created upon the completion of the term of office of Trustees Mr. Dinshaw Mehta, Mrs. Arnavaz Mistry, Mr. Khojeste Mistree, Mr. Yazdi Desai and Mr. Jimmy Mistry and the...
Everyday Parsi: Niloufer Mavalvala
Our second author for the 2015 Everyday Parsi Series is Niloufer Mavalvala Muktad Recollected: Then and Now Childhood memories can be sweet and not easily forgotten. I grew up in Karachi amongst a...
Professor Almut Hintze Speaks about the movie “The Path Of Zarathustra”
Professor Almut Hintze, renowned Zoroastrian scholar endorses 'The Path Of Zarathustra'.
Everyday Parsi: Ervad Kayomarz Yezdi Sidhwa
Our first author for 2015 Everyday Parsi series is Ervad Kayomarz Yezdi Sidhwa. Kayomarz writes Thank you Parsi Khabar for giving me the opportunity to write what Muktad days have meant to my family...
The Everyday Parsi in 2015
August 8, 2015 is the first day of Muktad or to call it correctly “Farvardegan” per the Shehanshahi Parsi Calendar. Parsis around the world and especially in India remember the dear departed of...
Making Muktad More Meaningful
Muktad are the 10 days starting from Roj Ashtad of Mah Spendarmad and ending on Vahishtoisht Gatha, when, according to Zoroastrian tradition, all Fravashis and souls collectively descend every year...
Nell Freudenberger: In Conversation
Nell Freudenberger talks from Mumbai about the dwindling population of Parsis in India. The word Parsi refers to followers of the prophet Zarathustra who came to the west coast of India from what is...
Reformist Parsis get a funeral prayer hall of their own in Worli, Mumbai India
Barred from prayer halls inside Doongarwadi for opposing the traditional method of disposing of dead or for marrying outside the community, the liberals build their own space to pray for the dead....
Feroze Rangoonwalla: Collector for all seasons
Well-known film chronicler Feroze Rangoonwalla has passed away. A remembrance by Khalid Mohamed Suddenly the brownstone colony he lived in, bang opposite the Mumbai Central Railway station, was...
The Worli Prayer Hall For Parsi Irani Zarathushtis
In Febrarury 2014 we had informed you about the allocation of land at the Worli crematorium to build a prayer hall to be used for Parsi and Irani Zarathushtis who opt for cremation upon death. The...
The Amesha Spenta or the Divine Attributes of God
Here is a very good commentary on the teachings of Zarathustra and the Divine Attributesof Ahura Mazda by Scott Nelson who is an instructor on comparative religions & philosophy....
Aapro Jall Cowasji: Help This Young Parsi Filmmaker Fulfill His Dream
If you have seen the film Qissa-E-Parsi, you know Jall Cowasji. He is the cinematographer of the excellent film co-directed by his sister Divya Cowasji and Shilpi Gulati. The film has won various...
Parsis battle threat of extinction
The government has sponsored schemes for assisted reproduction so that Parsis increase in number. Article by Vinaya Deshpande | The Sunday Guardian Twelve hundred years ago, we fled to India for our...