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Pakistan's fading Parsi community

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You made it sound like we were running away. Like the Anglo Indians did.

The term Anglophile by its usage in the context of your statement was offensive to me as a nationalist.
Why would you take it personally when the article shared itself refers to the rich leaving for west.
 
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Why would you take it personally when the article shared itself refers to the rich leaving for west.

It has less to do with them being rich and more to do with security. I believe that was mentioned more than once.

Anyways I am an Indian, and am not qualified to speak about Pakistani Parsis one way or the other.
 
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Karachi

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Bro years ago I had discussed all of this here on a long thread on Parsis.

Right now I'm chilling. Have done my bit. Hope my kids will do the same.

Aage kisne dekha hai?

We have been around for thousands of years. Even if the Parsis die, based on what I heard from Iranians here those years ago, I am pretty confident that our ancient faith will live on. Even prosper.
Sir,Why on earth will the entire Parsi community die just like that:what:??The GoI has already taken several steps to ensure the survival of this wonderful community.The Parsis are a part and parcel of the Indian history and we are not going to let you guys go extinct without a fight.But the real problem is with the Parsis themselves.I just don't understand one thing,i mean from what i have read about your community,you guys are quite rich and successful in your sphere of life,so why don't you reproduce more like every other community in India??I mean,you can easily provide quality education to 2 or more children at a time given your financial background.I think,it's time for our Parsi brothers to take a leaf out of their fellow Hindu community in the matter of reproduction so that this wonderful community doesn't get extinct in the near future:-).
 
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Zoroastrians in Pakistan are aware of the declining trend in population but are hesitant to stay put in the country and take up the cause

The presence of Zoroastrians in Pakistan is akin to sugar in one’s tea. They prefer to mingle unobtrusively but add a sweetness to the local community. According to an apocryphal account, that’s how a wise Parsi priest first paved their entry into India by extending a symbolic gesture of sweetened milk to the King Jadav Rana of Gujrat and the community has lived by that principle ever since. But 67 years after the Partition, Zoroastrians — who numbered at 5,018 according to the first census held by Pakistan in 1951 — have lost strength in their numbers. Wary of the volatile security situation, the community remains flaccid while its Indian counterpart launches one of the biggest population revival campaigns.

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A tambola (bingo) evening held at the Karachi Parsi Institute. PHOTO COURTESY: RUSTOM IRANI


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Residents of the Cyrus and Avari colonies in Karachi often sit at the benches after their evening walk.PHOTO COURTESY: DILAIRA DUBASH

The quest to reproduce has not taken the Zoroastrians in Pakistan by storm where the population has perhaps passed the tipping point due to fewer births relative to death, migration and marriages outside the community. “This is because there are over 60,000 of them (Indian Parsis) and 1,400 of us. Also, the Tatas and the Godrejes are driving forces in the Indian economy. Which Parsi family today can boast the same status in Pakistan?” says Framji Minwalla who heads the Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi. Echoing his thoughts, Isphanyar Bhandara, who is a member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council, shares, “Parsis [in Pakistan] are very much active within their community affairs and you have to remember a low number of Parsis also leads to [a reduced degree of activity].” He further adds, “It should be kept in mind that Parsis in India enjoy more tolerance and freedom than in Pakistan. I would not encourage any Jiyo Parsi campaign keeping in view the sensitivities involved.” The younger Zarthostis also attribute a lack of initiative to Pakistan’s constant security lapses. “Unless the Pakistani state improves its abysmal [security] record, a Jiyo Parsi campaign will never flourish [here],” says 25-year-old Frayan Doctor. Natasha Sethna, a young professional, also agrees that security is the primary reason why Zarthostis are reluctant to take up the cause on a national level. “Pakistan has not been nominated to host a single World Zoroastrian Congress thus far while India hosted one in Mumbai last year,” she says. Furthermore, 24-year-old Cyrus Petigara says, “Pakistan isn’t known for extending support to its minorities.”


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The abandoned Katrak Swimming Bath at the Karachi Parsi Institute. PHOTO COURTESY: BILAL HASSAN

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The inside of the Eduljee Dinshaw wing of the Lady Dufferin Hospital. The bust is of Eduljee Dinshaw, the biggest donor to the hospital.

Dilaira Dubash is a senior subeditor on The Express Tribune magazine desk. She tweets @DilairaM

Decline in population: Of Zoroastrian descent - The Express Tribune
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Dar-e-Meher looks out over Daudpota Road which was formerly known as Frere Street. Dadi Banaji is the manager of Dar-e-Meher. He has devoted all his life to serving the holy place. He doesn?t think too much of the din and disturbance that unruly traffic outside causes, and keeps working hard to maintain the building clean as a whistle. Cleanliness, for him, is a virtue. So is tenderness for a site where people come to offer prayers.
 
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Lovely photos @ghazi52

Its pretty obvious that Karachi is a younger sibling of Mumbai where Parsis are concerned.

And this could be the story of Mumbai within the next 100 years .....

Sir,Why on earth will the entire Parsi community die just like that:what:??The GoI has already taken several steps to ensure the survival of this wonderful community.The Parsis are a part and parcel of the Indian history and we are not going to let you guys go extinct without a fight.But the real problem is with the Parsis themselves.I just don't understand one thing,i mean from what i have read about your community,you guys are quite rich and successful in your sphere of life,so why don't you reproduce more like every other community in India??I mean,you can easily provide quality education to 2 or more children at a time given your financial background.I think,it's time for our Parsi brothers to take a leaf out of their fellow Hindu community in the matter of reproduction so that this wonderful community doesn't get extinct in the near future:-).

Its all in here bro ..... in great detail from a lay Parsi perspective.

India’s vanishing Parsis
 
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The Parsi Community in Karach
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A spread for Navroz at the Cowasjee residence. Mrs Cowasjee prepared the custard-like Rava made with semolina or sooji.

Rawalpindi: Parsi places of worship… still exist!

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I felt immense joy and relief that a place of worship, which belongs to a minority community of Pakistan, was well managed and looked after. PHOTO: SHIRAZ HASSAN

I was talking to the 70-year-old man, trimming grass at the Parsi place of worship, when he said,

“I have been working here for more than 20 years and during this time none of the elders or children have ever spoken harshly to me. I am their employee and they are always polite to their workers.”

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An old gardener tending to the garden at the Parsi place of worship in Rawalpindi. Photo: Shiraz Hassan

I guess the old man noticed my intrigued expression because he continued with a smile,

“One day some community leaders visited while I was having my lunch. I was about to leave it halfway and get up, in order to serve them. They simply asked me to finish my lunch, rest a while and then come serve them food. That is how they always were.”

I have a keen interest in heritage buildings and old architecture, and so a couple of months back when my friend told me about the existence of a Parsi temple located somewhere on Murree Road, Rawalpindi, I knew I had to visit the site.

I began to search for this place. I asked around, spoke to people residing in the area but no one seemed to know of any such place.

I find it sad that most people living in Rawalpindi, and other cities as well, have become too busy in their own lives and do not know much about their own locality; sometimes not even about sights that are right next door. It is no wonder then, that this sheer neglect and indifference is turning our historical landmarks into ruins, right before our eyes.

Eventually, after asking many people and searching the city, I finally managed to find out the exact location of the place and one Sunday morning I set out to see it for myself. As many of you probably know, Murree Road is the commercial hub of Rawalpindi. There is a sprawling jewellery market near the Benazir Bhutto Hospital. Hence, it is difficult to imagine that a historical landmark could exist amidst this entire hubbub.

However, as I soon found out, hidden behind these lavish jewellery shops, there was indeed a Parsi place of worship. I knew that according to Parsi traditions it would be known as a Fire Temple and I was excited to finally have a chance to explore it in detail.

As I got closer to the location, I came across a commercial area and turned into the lane behind it. I had visited several old temples and Gurdwaras before; I expected an old building in ruins, its architecture in shambles, its walls crumbling and the ever-present foul smell of garbage in its grounds.

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A well-maintained red brick single-story building housed the Parsi place of worship. Photo: Shiraz Hassan

Much to my pleasant surprise, I found myself face-to-face with a completely different scene. I was standing before a red-bricked single story building which looked clean and well-maintained. The path leading to the building was lined with rows of evergreen and date trees.

It was quite literally a treat for the eye and I was left awestruck.

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The path leading to the temple was lined with trees. Photo: Shiraz Hassan

As I looked towards the right side of the building, I saw an old colonial style building and before it there was a gate leading to the Parsi graveyard. The building was surrounded by a lush green lawn and an old man was busy tending to the garden, digging the soil and cutting the grass. It was one of the most peaceful scenes I have ever come across.

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The Parsi graveyard, next to the place of worship, was also clean, organised and peaceful. Photo: Shiraz Hassan

The stone plate at the gate of the graveyard read:

“This cemetery, together with the buildings and compound wall, was erected to perpetuate the memory of the late Seth Jahangiriji Framji Jussawala and Seth Jamasji Hormasji Bogha – both of the Rawalpindi Parsi merchants by their respective grandsons, Seth Dorabji Cowasji Jussawala and Seth Nasarwanji Jehangiriji BoghaShahshai in the month of Tir 1367, January 1898.”

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The stone plate at the entrance to the graveyard.
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nice thread, my mum makes a killer sali boti that she learnt from a parsi friend of hers years ago.

this community has contributed so much to India
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the Pakistani Qaid e Azm's connection:
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his progeny today, and I know these are douchebag celebrities but whatever, the point is they're a big business family.
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and perhaps India's greatest son, field marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji "bahadur"
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seen here in his twilight with another one of our best
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great people, may their culture flourish forever.
 
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I heard half Parsi half Christian?

Father is a parsi. Mother is christian.

Many people might not know it but the guy who was in charge of PAF's AWAC induction program is also a parsi.

Earlier in his welcoming the dignitaries, Chief Project Director of Horizon, Air Commodore Perci Edul Virjee, presented a brief update on status of the whole Project and the milestones achieved leading to the delivery of the first aircraft.

APP Video Preveiw

Another famous Pakistani parsi is Zarnak Sidhwa. She is a chef and has her own show Pakistani cooking and food channel Masala TV.

Zarnak Sidhwa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
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.Major General (Retd) Kaized Maneck Sopariwala was the first Parsi to rise to the position of a Major General in Pakistani Army
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Ardeshir Cowasjee is a leading philanthropist, businessman and columnist based in Karachi. He is the Chairman of Cowasjee Group and is engaged in philanthropic activities apart from being regarded as an old ‘guardian’ of the city of Karachi.


Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta was the first elected Mayor of Karachi and remembered as the “Maker of Modern Karachi”.[1] He was also a notable figure in the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association. In 1918, Mehta was elected a councillor of the Karachi Municipal Corporation. He was soon elected the President of the Corporation. He served in that capacity for 12 years and become the first Mayor of the city. He transformed the city into a great and important metropolis in his years as local politician. As a member of the Sindh Legislative Assembly, he served every field of human life and activity. He was the father of Scouting in Sindh as well as in Karachi and one of the founder members of the Boy Scout Movement in India, and later on in Pakistan. He was the Deputy Chief Commissioner of the GHQ and its Honorary Treasurer. Pakistan’s Sea Scout landing craft is named after him.



Jamsheed Kaikobad Ardeshir Marker, Hilal-e-Imtiaz is a veteran Pakistani diplomat. He is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having been ambassador to more countries than any other person. He speaks English, Urdu, Gujarati, French,German, and Russian and was Pakistan’s top envoy to the United States and more than a dozen other countries for more than three decades and earned the distinction as the world’s longest-serving ambassador. He was a radio cricket commentator. His first broadcast was from the Karachi stadium. he originally worked in his family’s “shipping and pharmaceutical” businesses.


Minocher Bhandara,
popularly known as Minoo, was a Pakistani businessman and former minority representative and member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He was the architect and owner of one of the most successful and durable business conglomerates in Pakistan. Amongst his companies was the Murree Brewery, which his father had bought a control share in during the 1940s. He leaves behind a legacy of enlightened political activism. Bhandara, was active as a minority representative and served as MNA from 2002 to 2007.
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Parsi community in subcontinent is the most westernised community. I myself am part Gujarati Parsi (From great great grandmother side). Parsis are one of the truly plural and secular and patriotic people. Therefore inter-religion marriages and migration to west is the cause of dwindling number of Parsis in both Pakistan and India.
 
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.Major General (Retd) Kaized Maneck Sopariwala was the first Parsi to rise to the position of a Major General in Pakistani Army
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Major-General-Retd-Kaized.jpg
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Ardeshir Cowasjee is a leading philanthropist, businessman and columnist based in Karachi. He is the Chairman of Cowasjee Group and is engaged in philanthropic activities apart from being regarded as an old ‘guardian’ of the city of Karachi.


Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta was the first elected Mayor of Karachi and remembered as the “Maker of Modern Karachi”.[1] He was also a notable figure in the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association. In 1918, Mehta was elected a councillor of the Karachi Municipal Corporation. He was soon elected the President of the Corporation. He served in that capacity for 12 years and become the first Mayor of the city. He transformed the city into a great and important metropolis in his years as local politician. As a member of the Sindh Legislative Assembly, he served every field of human life and activity. He was the father of Scouting in Sindh as well as in Karachi and one of the founder members of the Boy Scout Movement in India, and later on in Pakistan. He was the Deputy Chief Commissioner of the GHQ and its Honorary Treasurer. Pakistan’s Sea Scout landing craft is named after him.



Jamsheed Kaikobad Ardeshir Marker, Hilal-e-Imtiaz is a veteran Pakistani diplomat. He is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having been ambassador to more countries than any other person. He speaks English, Urdu, Gujarati, French,German, and Russian and was Pakistan’s top envoy to the United States and more than a dozen other countries for more than three decades and earned the distinction as the world’s longest-serving ambassador. He was a radio cricket commentator. His first broadcast was from the Karachi stadium. he originally worked in his family’s “shipping and pharmaceutical” businesses.


Minocher Bhandara,
popularly known as Minoo, was a Pakistani businessman and former minority representative and member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He was the architect and owner of one of the most successful and durable business conglomerates in Pakistan. Amongst his companies was the Murree Brewery, which his father had bought a control share in during the 1940s. He leaves behind a legacy of enlightened political activism. Bhandara, was active as a minority representative and served as MNA from 2002 to 2007.
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I like this post for two reasons. Firstly it shows the talent, dedication and hard work of Parsis community in Pakistan and secondly, and more importantly, it shows Pakistan values and provides opportunities to all if they deserve. Like appointing a non Muslim person as an ambassador of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to so many countries that it becomes a world record, is unprecedented.
 
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I like this post for two reasons. Firstly it shows the talent, dedication and hard work of Parsis community in Pakistan and secondly, and more importantly, it shows Pakistan values and provides opportunities to all if they deserve. Like appointing a non Muslim person as an ambassador of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to so many countries that it becomes world, is unprecedented.

Among all Muslim countries I think Pakistan is the one where some of the most sensitive posts in military were held by minorities. Pakistani christian particularly have a very important role in its atomic program.
 
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