Dear Readers,
If there’s one golden thread running through our Zoroastrian philosophy, it is moderation. Then again, if there’s one golden thread mysteriously missing from many Parsi lives, it is… moderation!
Our religion tells us that the key to good physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health lies in balance. But try telling that to a bawa seated at a lagan dinner. What moderation? While the Sali-marghi and Patra-ni-macchi is still overflowing off the lagan-nu-patru, the mound of mutton-pulao receives national-level attention… and finally, multiple Lagan-nu-Custards are gulped down like they’re going extinct! And after all that, we blame ‘gas trouble’ on global warming!
Let’s be honest – most of us Parsis live in extremes. We’re either so dildaar that we leave tips big enough for the waiter to consider early retirement and wow the world with our philanthropy… or we’re so chingus (miserly) that we’ll argue over two rupees change like it’s a Supreme Court case and reuse the same plastic bag until it files for emotional trauma… despite most of us sitting on etlo badho baap-dadano paiso, tucked away in FDs, (mostly litigated) properties, jewellery and one dusty Godrej locker that hasn’t seen the light of day in over a decade!
Somewhere, we seem to have skipped that ‘Moderation gene’. But the beauty of our faith is this – it understands human weakness and still urges us gently toward balance. Eat… but don’t overeat. Earn… but don’t let greed rule. Pray… but don’t forget to live with joy. Drink… but please don’t let the Parsi Peg evolve into the Parsi Pond!
Moderation does not mean compromising on happiness; it’s about sustaining happiness. It allows joy to last beyond the moment, turning fleeting indulgence into steady well-being. It is wisdom in action and self-care in its truest form – helping us honour the present and the future, by keeping life meaningful, healthy and harmonious. This festive season, as indulgences peak, may we choose balance – in our plates, our tempers, our financial impulses and our legendary Parsi pegs!
Have a lovely weekend!
– Anahita
- Waiting For Winds Of Change? - 29 November2025
- Moderation: The Missing Parsi Gene - 22 November2025
- Rise Of Generosity In The Face Of Decline - 15 November2025
