Navsari’s historic Parsiwada precinct came alive with art, memory and community pride as INTACH Navsari, supported by the Navsari Municipal Corporation, hosted a specially curated ‘PARSIWADA Heritage Walk’ with urban sketchers from Surat and neighbouring towns. The immersive initiative highlighted the deep cultural legacy of Parsis while encouraging heritage awareness through creative expression.

The walk was led by INTACH’s Ruzbeh Umrigar, with thoughtful curatorial support from FDMRL librarian Chaitali Desai, priest Farzan Antia, trustee Khurshed Desai and Shri Hitesh Parekh, Principal of Bai Lady N. Tata Girls’ High School. Artists travelled from Surat, Billimora and other locations to spend the day sketching landmarks that define Navsari’s Parsi identity, including the Fire Temple precinct, Tata Founder’s Birthplace Museum, Meherji Rana Library and the Vadi Dar-e-Meher.

Participants were given rare access to heritage spaces within permissible limits, allowing them to observe architectural details, textures and living traditions up close. The sketchers dispersed across lanes, libraries, school buildings and heritage structures, capturing Navsari’s character through pencil, ink and watercolour. A particularly moving moment for many artists was witnessing the concluding rituals of an induction ceremony for two young entrants into the Parsi priesthood at the Vadi Dar-e-Meher, offering an authentic glimpse into continuity of faith and tradition.

The initiative also aligns with the Navsari Municipal Corporation’s vision to develop world-class heritage precincts and promote heritage tourism, with PARSIWADA Precinct 1 positioned as the cultural heart of the city. Support from Commissioner Shri Dev Chaudhry and trustees of several Parsi institutions played a key role in making the programme meaningful and inclusive.

More than an art walk, the PARSIWADA Heritage Walk emerged as a tribute to Parsi history, resilience and contribution. It reaffirmed that Navsari’s living heritage continues to inspire admiration, pride and responsibility, ensuring that its stories endure through both, memory and art.Top of Form