Dear Community members,

You are probably well aware that our community is heading straight towards extinction in India -according to demographic studies, our number will be down to 20,000 by 2050, if not earlier. So, if you wish to wake up from ‘Khavasni, Pivasni and Suvasni’ (good food, good drinks and good sleep), here’s two pieces of advice, straight from my heart:

Start calling yourself ‘Indian Zoroastrian’. Our forefathers came to India as Zoroastrians. We were called Parsis by others. Originally, we are all Zoroastrians and not Parsis. Since we are Indians, we should call ourselves Indian Zoroastrians–just like Indian Christians, Indian Jews etc.

Knock out a word called ‘Parjat’ from your mind and language. Actually we are the parjat – the Hindus and many others are the original residents of this country.

You greatly relish ‘sugar in milk’ story of Kisse-e-Sanjan and the promise given to Jadi Rana. So, if milk has to be sweetened, sugar must melt in it? Isn’t it so? Stop trying to keep sugar separate – the milk will not be sweetened! Therefore if your daughter is marrying a non-Parsi for whatever reason, she is actually helping the milk to be sweetened! Please don’t disown her and throw her out of the community but accept the reality and hermarriage. May be she will bring up her children as good Zoroastrians.

May Ahura Mazda be our Guide and may good practical sense prevail upon all of us.

Kersee Kabraji