A celebration of Zoroastrians and their lip-smackers
Mumbai, August 19: It may not be accompanied by public ceremonies or street dancing, but Pateti or Parsi New Year is a ‘Mumbai’ kind of day. It’s a day every Zoroastrian looks forward to, and Mumbai loves its Parsis.
While a visit to the fire temple and a groaning table are part of the occasion, to discover more about the family festivities, it’s best to crash your Parsi friends’ homes. Actor Nauheed Cyrusi’s is where we’re headed.
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“When I was growing up, it was a ritual with us to go out as a family and watch a Parsi or Gujarati play,” she says. Although now her sister is married and away, this day still remains a day for the family. “However busy I may be, I go out with my parents for dinner and make sure to meet the extended family too,” she adds. Most Zoroastrians in India follow the Shehanshahi, or the Parsi calendar, and not the Iranian date book. “My mother is Parsi, but my father’s Irani; we even celebrate the Irani New Year on March 21,” she smiles.
The special meal of the day consists of traditional Parsi dishes like pulao dal, sali boti and patra ni machchi. “Fish is my favourite. I make sure my mother makes patra ni machchi and a special cake,” says Cyrusi.
Original article here