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Finding Keki Gazdar: New exhibition traces the roots of an Indian Parsi family through its archives

Finding Keki Gazdar: New exhibition traces the roots of an Indian Parsi family through its archives

Jun 8, 2026 | Heritage, History

It is easy to see why Joyona Medhi turns to cinema to describe her latest photobook and exhibition, Sparseeing. The launch of the book at the Cymroza Art Gallery last Friday marked the second leg of an archival work that was sparked by an incidental meeting of friends...

Nairobi Honours Parsi Legal Icon Pheroze Nowrojee With Road Naming

Nairobi Honours Parsi Legal Icon Pheroze Nowrojee With Road Naming

Jun 6, 2026 | Diaspora, News

Galana Road in Nairobi Renamed Pheroze Nowrojee Road in Honour of Kenya’s Legal Icon Nairobi has paid a lasting tribute to one of Kenya’s most respected legal minds. On May 4, 2026, Galana Road in Kilimani was officially renamed Pheroze Nowrojee Road, honouring the...

Legacy of Karachi Builder Dinsha Hormusjee Daruvala Honored at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture

Legacy of Karachi Builder Dinsha Hormusjee Daruvala Honored at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture

Jun 5, 2026 | News

Karachi, Pakistan — May 25, 2026In a fitting tribute to one of Karachi's pioneering builders and civil engineers, a studio within the Department of Architecture at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) was formally inaugurated in the name of Dinsha...

Sri Lanka’s Parsi community and the enduring story of Zoroastrianism

Sri Lanka’s Parsi community and the enduring story of Zoroastrianism

Apr 9, 2026 | Diaspora

Zoroastrianism is one of the smallest religions in the world in terms of adherents. In Sri Lanka, the faithful number only around 40 to 60 people. Yet this tiny community has left an outsized mark on the country’s commercial landscape.The Parsis, as the Zoroastrians...

Noshir Dadrawala: Why has the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 sparked such outrage?

Noshir Dadrawala: Why has the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 sparked such outrage?

Apr 2, 2026 | News

The government introduced the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 on March 25. The Bill aims to amend the FCRA Act, 2010. The main thrust of the amendment is the introduction of a ‘Designated Authority’, which will have the power to take over the...

Iran’s ancient treasures face threat from bombing, scholars warn

Iran’s ancient treasures face threat from bombing, scholars warn

Apr 1, 2026 | Heritage, Iran

The palace of Darius I at Persepolis / Alamy Damage to Iran’s world heritage sites Sir, We are deeply concerned not only about the humanitarian impact of the war in Iran but also about reports of damage to that country’s cultural heritage. Cultural heritage is always...

Despite shared roots, for Parsis, India — not Iran — is home

Despite shared roots, for Parsis, India — not Iran — is home

Mar 30, 2026 | Opinion

They fled to India back in the eighth century after more than 100 years of religious persecution following the Arab invasion of Iran and assimilated completely into IndiaWith Iran so much in the news, I find even my peripheral connection to the country evokes...

Consul General of India in Los Angeles felicitates Ervad Zarrir Bhandara during Jamshedi Navroz Celebrations

Consul General of India in Los Angeles felicitates Ervad Zarrir Bhandara during Jamshedi Navroz Celebrations

Mar 25, 2026 | News

The Consul General of India in Los Angeles, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, felicitated Ervad Zarrir Bhandara during Jamshedi Navroze celebrations at the Zoroastrian Association of California (ZAC), recognizing his three decades of humanitarian service and milestone in blood...

Supreme Court to examine plea against Parsi women losing religious identity after interfaith marriage

Supreme Court to examine plea against Parsi women losing religious identity after interfaith marriage

Mar 24, 2026 | Issues, News

The Supreme Court on Monday decided to consider a plea, raising the question of whether a Parsi woman can be deprived of her religious identity after entering into an interfaith marriage.A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and...

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Empowering Our Future: The 3rd World Zoroastrian Y Empowering Our Future: The 3rd World Zoroastrian Youth Leaders Forum Kicks Off at the ASHA Centre! There is something incredibly heartwarming and hopeful happening right now in the beautiful English countryside. This week, our global youth movement took a massive leap forward as the 3rd World Zoroastrian Youth Leaders Forum (WZYLF) officially got underway at the scenic ASHA Centre in Gloucestershire.The forum is, of course, the brainchild of its dedicated founder, Sanaya Master. Following the fantastic success of the inaugural forum back in 2018 and the wonderful second edition in 2024, this third gathering marks an enduring, deeply needed commitment to nurturing the next generation of Zarathushti leaders. Running from May 19 to May 26, 2026, this intensive 8-day immersion has brought together 16 incredibly dynamic young minds representing six different corners of the world: India, Pakistan, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. Over the course of the week, this bright cohort is living, learning, and working under one roof, brainstorming future initiatives for our global community. The Magic of the ASHA CentreHonestly, there is perhaps no better place on earth for our youth to gather than the ASHA Centre. Founded by the legendary inspiring author, human rights campaigner, and our very own community stalwart, Zerbanoo Gifford, ASHA is a stunning Georgian estate and registered charity nestled in the heart of the Forest of Dean.
Love Letters: Divya Cowasji With forgiveness and r Love Letters: Divya Cowasji With forgiveness and restraint, Divya Cowasji has reimagined her family history in enigmatic storytelling photographs Back in 2018, the talented and thoughtful young filmmaker, photographer Divya Cowasji lost her beloved grand-aunt Dinoo and grandmother Minnie, and in quick succession “practically the entire senior generation of my family.” She found herself once bereft and burdened, “as one of the inheritors of their beloved possessions and also the keeper of their stories and family archive, I felt like the repository of a lot of oral history and material memory, and needed somewhere to put down the love I felt for them and also tackle the pain of losing them.” Cowasji burrowed into her inherited belongings and conspired with her surviving (and now nonagenarian) grandfather Phiroze Illava to pour all those complicated feelings into an impressive and inspired suite of photographic storytelling that will be published in book form by the Marseille-based Chose Commune this October. Excerpts debuted as There Are No Love Letters Here at the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa last year, where I encountered them for the first time and became instantly captivated. It was familiar visual cultural terrain – the interior lives of well-to-do Parsi cosmopolitans – but with all the elements charmingly deconstructed in both playful and profound ways. The work is fresh, frank, achingly empathetic in its approach and authorial voice, and I found every bit of it utterly irresistible.
Our dear friend Zerbanoo Gifford at the launch of Our dear friend Zerbanoo Gifford at the launch of her new book "A Call to Consciousness" at the Center for Excellence in Public Leadership at George Washington University.
Happy Jamshedi Navroz 2026 Today on Jamshedi Navro Happy Jamshedi Navroz 2026 Today on Jamshedi Navroz, from all of us at Parsi Khabar, we wish you a happy Navroz. Zarathushtis and many others gather around the world to welcome Spring. New beginnings and renewal nurtured by nature has been a timeless cycle going back thousands of years. As we lay our haftseen tables and gather to celebrate with our families, friends and communities, we also recognise that may in our ancient lands of Persia and Iran are going through difficult times. May our friends in Iran and the surrounding regions remain safe and may the ushering in of the new year bring about lasting peace. Nowruz marks the exact moment spring begins. This year, it was at 8:20:16 PM Indian Standard Time on Friday. According to tradition, whatever emotion fills your heart at the precise second of tahvil will dominate your entire year. The idea is to feel love, happiness, gratitude and to face the new year with hope, so it follows you through all 365 days ahead. ……Mourning, destruction and fear exist simultaneously with hope and love, in a country where spring has come but winter refuses to leave……….. Traditionally, Nowruz celebrates the victory of light over darkness and warmth over cold. This year, darkness won. ---Telegraph Below is the Haftseen table laid out at the home of Parsi Khabar’s own Mehernaaz, Shovir, Ava & Zal Irani, in Mumbai, India.
Wishing all a very Happy Jamshedi Navroz. May the Wishing all a very Happy Jamshedi Navroz. May the coming of spring bring about much needed peace in the ancient Zoroastrian lands of Persia and Iran, and all around the world.
A jashan ceremony performed at the Jamsetji Tata B A jashan ceremony performed at the Jamsetji Tata Birthplace home and museum in Navsari, India on his birth anniversary. #jntata #tata #birth #navsari
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Empowering Our Future: The 3rd World Zoroastrian Y Empowering Our Future: The 3rd World Zoroastrian Youth Leaders Forum Kicks Off at the ASHA Centre! There is something incredibly heartwarming and hopeful happening right now in the beautiful English countryside. This week, our global youth movement took a massive leap forward as the 3rd World Zoroastrian Youth Leaders Forum (WZYLF) officially got underway at the scenic ASHA Centre in Gloucestershire.The forum is, of course, the brainchild of its dedicated founder, Sanaya Master. Following the fantastic success of the inaugural forum back in 2018 and the wonderful second edition in 2024, this third gathering marks an enduring, deeply needed commitment to nurturing the next generation of Zarathushti leaders. Running from May 19 to May 26, 2026, this intensive 8-day immersion has brought together 16 incredibly dynamic young minds representing six different corners of the world: India, Pakistan, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. Over the course of the week, this bright cohort is living, learning, and working under one roof, brainstorming future initiatives for our global community. The Magic of the ASHA CentreHonestly, there is perhaps no better place on earth for our youth to gather than the ASHA Centre. Founded by the legendary inspiring author, human rights campaigner, and our very own community stalwart, Zerbanoo Gifford, ASHA is a stunning Georgian estate and registered charity nestled in the heart of the Forest of Dean.
Love Letters: Divya Cowasji With forgiveness and r Love Letters: Divya Cowasji With forgiveness and restraint, Divya Cowasji has reimagined her family history in enigmatic storytelling photographs Back in 2018, the talented and thoughtful young filmmaker, photographer Divya Cowasji lost her beloved grand-aunt Dinoo and grandmother Minnie, and in quick succession “practically the entire senior generation of my family.” She found herself once bereft and burdened, “as one of the inheritors of their beloved possessions and also the keeper of their stories and family archive, I felt like the repository of a lot of oral history and material memory, and needed somewhere to put down the love I felt for them and also tackle the pain of losing them.” Cowasji burrowed into her inherited belongings and conspired with her surviving (and now nonagenarian) grandfather Phiroze Illava to pour all those complicated feelings into an impressive and inspired suite of photographic storytelling that will be published in book form by the Marseille-based Chose Commune this October. Excerpts debuted as There Are No Love Letters Here at the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa last year, where I encountered them for the first time and became instantly captivated. It was familiar visual cultural terrain – the interior lives of well-to-do Parsi cosmopolitans – but with all the elements charmingly deconstructed in both playful and profound ways. The work is fresh, frank, achingly empathetic in its approach and authorial voice, and I found every bit of it utterly irresistible.
Our dear friend Zerbanoo Gifford at the launch of Our dear friend Zerbanoo Gifford at the launch of her new book "A Call to Consciousness" at the Center for Excellence in Public Leadership at George Washington University.
Happy Jamshedi Navroz 2026 Today on Jamshedi Navro Happy Jamshedi Navroz 2026 Today on Jamshedi Navroz, from all of us at Parsi Khabar, we wish you a happy Navroz. Zarathushtis and many others gather around the world to welcome Spring. New beginnings and renewal nurtured by nature has been a timeless cycle going back thousands of years. As we lay our haftseen tables and gather to celebrate with our families, friends and communities, we also recognise that may in our ancient lands of Persia and Iran are going through difficult times. May our friends in Iran and the surrounding regions remain safe and may the ushering in of the new year bring about lasting peace. Nowruz marks the exact moment spring begins. This year, it was at 8:20:16 PM Indian Standard Time on Friday. According to tradition, whatever emotion fills your heart at the precise second of tahvil will dominate your entire year. The idea is to feel love, happiness, gratitude and to face the new year with hope, so it follows you through all 365 days ahead. ……Mourning, destruction and fear exist simultaneously with hope and love, in a country where spring has come but winter refuses to leave……….. Traditionally, Nowruz celebrates the victory of light over darkness and warmth over cold. This year, darkness won. ---Telegraph Below is the Haftseen table laid out at the home of Parsi Khabar’s own Mehernaaz, Shovir, Ava & Zal Irani, in Mumbai, India.
Wishing all a very Happy Jamshedi Navroz. May the Wishing all a very Happy Jamshedi Navroz. May the coming of spring bring about much needed peace in the ancient Zoroastrian lands of Persia and Iran, and all around the world.
A jashan ceremony performed at the Jamsetji Tata B A jashan ceremony performed at the Jamsetji Tata Birthplace home and museum in Navsari, India on his birth anniversary. #jntata #tata #birth #navsari
Aedun Baad, Aedun Taraj Baad #parsi #parsee #zor Aedun Baad, Aedun Taraj Baad #parsi #parsee #zoroastrian #zarathushti #faith #religion #prayer #fire #daremehr
Parsis In Pakistan: A Fading Community And The Sil Parsis In Pakistan: A Fading Community And The Silence Of Survival For a few weeks each year, in parts of Karachi and Quetta, you can hear Avestan prayers in the Parsi fire temples rising above traffic and generator hum. It is a small sound now, almost silent as the years go by, but it carries two thousand years inside it.Article by Kiva Malick | The Friday TimesParsis are the South Asian descendants of Zoroastrians who left Persia after the 7th-century Arab conquest, preserving a faith that predates Islam by centuries. Zoroastrianism, associated with the prophet Zoroaster, shaped much of pre-Islamic Persian cosmology; ideas about judgement, heaven and hell, and moral dualism; that later circulated across Abrahamic traditions. When Parsis arrived on the western coast of India, likely between the 8th and 10th centuries, they negotiated survival through adaptation, not confrontation.The Persian account Qissa-i Sanjan captures their arrival quite well: dissolve like sugar in milk. When the refugees arrived, the local ruler presented a bowl of milk, full to the brim, signalling that the land was already complete. The Zoroastrian priest added sugar without overflowing it, showing a gesture that promised integration without displacement.By the 19th century, many had moved to Karachi, then an expanding colonial port. They were never numerically large, but they were disproportionately visible in civic life. Philanthropy became their public language: schools, dispensaries, housing schemes.

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Parsi Khabar is a portal of information about Parsis and Zoroastrians, appearing on the world wide web everyday.

The main objective of the site is to inform the public about news articles referencing Parsis. From time to time, there shall be opinions, commentaries, and announcements.

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