Parsi Times is turning eleven, which is a very auspicious number in our Parsi and Indian tradition. In olden days, a gift envelope of Rupees eleven was considered most appropriate and auspicious. Eleven continues to be regarded as auspicious. In numerology, the number eleven is regarded as a master number representing spiritual growth. Number eleven consists of the numeric one that appears twice, symbolizing new beginnings and opportunities. This number also symbolizes high energy, intuition, enthusiasm, and creative energy.
May this year prove to be ever auspicious for Parsi Times and its readership, which we are told with the e-paper, is now over forty-eight thousand globally! That’s a good volume of the global Parsi population. Well done indeed!
What We Like About Parsi Times?
What we like most about Parsi Times is it’s easy-going (non-preachy) style and the diversity of topics and views that it covers every Saturday. The cricket season is on and Parsi Times so reminds us of T-20 – it is colorful, it is exciting, it is fun and it is enjoyed by everyone regardless of age. What’s more, even non-Parsis or Parsi-philes – who admire our community – subscribe to it and love reading it!
Speaking of cricket and the number eleven, isn’t it interesting that a cricket team has eleven players (as also a football team). But what’s more important is both games require skilled team-work and forward thinking – a strong trait in this young and dynamic Parsi newspaper.
In cricket, apart from the bowler, ten players are considered enough to cover the whole ground to field the ball. The number eleven is therefore considered as a standard number to cover all the fielding spaces with minimum resources. Parsi Times, at eleven, appears to have covered all the fielding spaces!!
Also, Parsi Times has never tried to compete with anyone but its own self – constantly trying to evolve and improve its content and outreach. It freely circulates its e-version globally, in fact, all through the pandemic, it kept its readers informed, connected and inspired hope.
Since the beginning, Parsi Times has been an open platform for one and all to express their views freely and frankly. It’s spiced with community news and views, flavored with religious and cultural points of view, peppered with diverse voices, blending finally into a unique potion that leaves a few shaken and the rest stirred!
The editorial policy has always been balanced – neither rabid fundamentalism nor extreme liberalism. It’s a complete newspaper covering news, food, entertainment, sports, travel and humour!
What More Could Be Done?
We would love to see Parsi Times profile more and more young entrepreneurs and professionals. Also, it is a great platform for budding writers to push their writing skills. May be throwing essay competitions with prize money would interest some. In fact, there could be a regular column for the youth to express their aspirations and their voices to reach out to a wider audience.
If the community is looking for a change, it should not wait for a miracle – the community must make that miracle happen with its collective voice. Remember, journalism can never be silent – that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.
We need a revolution in the community. For too long has the community stayed silent and for too long have voices been drowned in the din of orchestrated political propaganda. Now is the time to truly usher change and a new dawn in the history of our community.
Together, the community and Parsi Times, should tackle tyrants, respond to those who have been ruthless and all this with resoluteness to change things for the better. They say, journalism is the first rough draft of history. With the Grace of Ahura Mazda and the support of the community we may be about to turn the first page of history in the eleventh year of Parsi Times and new leadership at the community’s apex body soon thereafter.
It’s an interesting and challenging time for all of us. However, Parsi Times will remain our binding force and voice of reason.
Happy Eleventh Birthday and all Kudos to the Editor and her team!
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