Sanjan (in South Gujarat, about 150 kms from Mumbai) and the potential threat to its alleged sanctity seems to have disturbed the sanity of the Parsi community, recently. WhatsApp groups are abuzz with some WhatsApp-Warriors going into overdrive! In the eye of the storm is the Bai Maneckbai P B Jeejeebhoy Sanatorium, a Parsi property currently vested in and governed by the trustees of the WZO Trust Funds.

The Sanatorium has been running in a loss since many years and therefore, recently, the trustees unanimously decided to monetize what they consider ‘a non-performing asset’ and use the proceeds to support other charitable initiatives including healthcare, education, poverty relief and other community welfare projects and programs.

Facts And Figures

Over the past five years, against average annual expenditure of INR 12,62,000.00, the average annual income has been only INR 3,19,000.00. One could say, the cost of maintenance of this sparingly used sanatorium (average bed utilization is only 10.95%) is four times the revenue it generates. While donors have supported maintenance of this sanatorium over the years, they obviously feel that instead of supporting an institution with just 10.95% patronage, their funds could be used more optimally for health care or education within the community.

Who really is at fault – the trustees for alienating Parsi property or the community for not patronizing it adequately but now wanting to save it from being lost to the same community that only pays lip service to Sanjan? While some are worried about ‘desecration’ of the ‘Sanjan Stumbh’ (Sanjan Memorial) column, others feel that Sanjan is sacred soil for Parsis.

Historic And Religious Importance

Sanjan is no doubt of historical importance to the community. But, then so is Diu, where Parsis first landed. However, the Dokhma in Diu is in disuse since several decades. The Holy Fire at the Seth Jehangirji Nusserwanji Wadia Dar-e-Meher (consecrated in 1830, many centuries after Parsis first landed in Diu) has been extinguished. The Dar-e-Meher is now known as St. Annes Kindergarten School.

Around seventy-five years ago, when no Parsis remained in Diu, the Portuguese government, which then administered Goa, Daman, and Diu, took over Parsi-owned property under colonial law. In 1950, it was handed over to Christian missionaries to run a school. After India’s Operation Vijay on 19th December 1961, Diu was liberated, ending over four centuries of Portuguese rule in India. While it is well established that the first Atash Bahram, Iranshah, was consecrated in Sanjan, the exact site of its installation remains unknown. It is also uncertain whether the original land belongs to a Parsi or non-Parsi today. The Sanjan Stumbh, built in 1917, is a commemorative structure honouring the Parsis’ arrival in Sanjan in 936 CE, not the original landing or consecration site.

Exodus From Iran To India

Little is documented about the Parsis’ arrival in India. The earliest account, Qissa-e-Sanjan (1599 CE), was written nearly six centuries after their migration. While some believe Zoroastrians fled immediately after the fall of the Sasanian Empire to escape forced conversions, most historians suggest they arrived around the 10th century CE, about three centuries later. However, since Iran and India shared strong trade ties dating back five centuries before Christ, it is plausible that some Zoroastrians had already settled in India even before the Arab conquest, establishing early cultural and commercial connections that paved the way for later waves of migration.

Historians widely agree that the Arab conquest of Iran in the 7^th century did not immediately result in a mass exodus of Zoroastrians or the rapid disappearance of their faith. As noted by the late Professor Mary Boyce of London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies, the conquest took more than a generation to complete, and Islam required nearly three centuries to become the dominant religion in Iran.

Zoroastrianism continued to thrive for several centuries after the fall of the Sasanian Empire. Historical evidence indicates that millions of Zoroastrians still lived in Iran until the 10th century. Foundational texts such as the Pahlavi Dinkard and the Vendidad were compiled long after the Arab invasion, attesting to an enduring religious and cultural presence. Records also point to Zoroastrian strongholds in Khorasan and parts of northern Iran that survived well into the 16th century. The most significant decline of Zoroastrian communities occurred much later, between the 12th and 15th centuries, under the Mongol invasions led by Chengis Khan and Taimur Lang.

Supporting this, Dastur Dr. Hormazdyar K. Mirza, in ‘Outlines of Parsi History’ (1987), refers to the Zoroastrian priestly dynasty of the Masmoghans, who ruled independently in Damavand after the Arab conquest. The Bavand dynasty, believed to be their successors, continued Zoroastrian rule around Mount Damavand in the 10^th century, governing over 10,000 villages – a testament to the faith’s resilience and its lasting influence in post-conquest Iran.

Why Is Sanjan Given Importance?

When Zoroastrian refugees left Iran, they are believed to have first landed in Diu (Kathiawar), where they stayed for about sixteen years before settling in Sanjan, Gujarat. Sanjan holds greater historical importance, possibly because the poetic chronicle of their migration is titled Qissa-e-Sanjan or The Story of Sanjan. The Parsis also lived there far longer -over three centuries – and it was in Sanjan that they consecrated their first Atash Bahram, known as Iranshah. According to Qissa-e-Sanjan, this sacred fire was installed on the ninth day of the ninth month, Samvat 777 (721 CE), though some historians suggest 941 CE. The ritual requisites, including sacred ash from the Atash Bahram of Khorasan, were brought from Iran via Afghanistan and present-day Pakistan. The fire was thus named Iranshah, symbolizing its spiritual connection to the motherland and marking the dawn of the Parsi religious legacy in India.

When Sanjan Came Under Threat

After the installation of Iranshah, the Parsis lived peacefully in Sanjan for over three centuries. Their peace ended when Sultan Mahmud Begda’s forces, led by General Alfkhan, attacked with an army of thirty thousand men. The local governor revoked an earlier treaty forbidding Parsis from bearing arms and urged them to fight. In response, 1,400 Parsi men joined the army under General Ardashir’s command. They fought valiantly for three days, initially defeating the invaders. However, Alfkhan soon returned with a stronger force, leading to Ardashir’s death and the fall of Sanjan. Fearing desecration of the sacred fire, the Sanjana priests secretly carried Iranshah to Mount Bahrot, where they safeguarded it in a cave for twelve years, preserving their faith through courage and devotion amid great adversity.

Striking The Right Balance

Historically, Sanjan was always a busy and flourishing port. However, as time went by the community started moving to other parts of Gujarat. Today, Parsis, though small in numbers, are spread across India and the world. However, the community to this date remembers Sanjan with fondness for this is where Iranshah was consecrated. Sanjan is where the community found a safe new home. Sanjan is where we initially flourished. Sanjan is where our ancestors fought Sultan Mahmud on request of the local governor. Sanjan is where our ancestors learned and adopted the Gujarati language and our ladies started to wear the Indian saree. We owe so much to Sanjan and therefore we remember it with so much fondness and gratitude. We therefore hope and pray that an amicable solution can be found without dragging this matter to the court.

The need of the hour is problem-solving through dialogue involving collaborative conversation where all genuine stakeholders actively listen, share ideas, and work together to find a solution. Instead of debates on social media we need to focus on shared understanding and discovery through techniques like the ‘Socratic method,’ which involves active listening, and establishing clear ground rules for respectful interaction. More importantly, we need to strike a balance between ‘emotional sensitivity’ and ‘economic sustainability!’