Adil J. Govadia Parsis first entered the printing business in 1743, when Seth Rustomji Khurshedji founded the first printing press using English typeset. Later, Mobed Furdoonji Marzban (1787-1847), a great Persian scholar who migrated to Bombay from Iran in 1805, opened a book-binding shop. In 1814, he pioneered the first Gujarati printing press and published books […]
Adil J. Govadia Parsis first entered the printing business in 1743, when Seth Rustomji Khurshedji founded the first printing press using English typeset. Later, Mobed Furdoonji Marzban (1787-1847), a great Persian scholar who migrated to Bombay from Iran in 1805, opened a book-binding shop. In 1814, he pioneered the first Gujarati printing press and published books […]
– Adil J. Govadia – East India Company, which began developing Bombay in the 18th century, invited Parsis to the city from Navsari and Surat to mainly work as interpreters. They took to Parsis essentially because of their flair for spoken languages like English, French and Portuguese, often addressing them as ‘Dou-bhashas’, meaning those who know […]
Historically, the microscopic Parsi community in India has always regarded physical recreation as the most important form of bodily fitness. Their inborn talent for sports and games has often led them to the maidans and gymkhanas across the country where they trained and excelled in various sporting activities. Parsis were the first in India to […]
Adil J. Govadia Recently, in mid-January 2025, my wife and I visited a 222-year-old Adarian Saheb in Amroli village, situated 12 kms from Surat railway station. The antiquated structure is extremely simple, devoid of outward trappings of a typical Dar-e-Mehr, almost passing as a private residential bungalow. The access to the Dar-e-Mehr is through a […]
Adil J. Govadia The exact historical data of Parsi arrival in Mysore or Bangalore remains uncertain as most of the available data is oral and not documented. Only in 1933 was an attempt made by Seth Faramji Cawasji Shroff to chronicle the outlines of Parsi relocation to Bangalore, in his book titled ‘Bangalore-ni Parsi Aaramgah-ni […]
Adil J. Govadia As explained earlier, Spenta and Angra are the two impersonal and universally opposing primeval spirits or Minos (Shaktis), while man’s endeavour is to convert his Angra-tainted Urvan (soul) into the Spenta-enlightened spiritual light of Wisdom. Thus, over several rebirths, man learns from experience and wisdom to practice Humata (good thoughts), Hukhta (good […]
Adil J. Govadia It is said that life is a school where civilizations have learnt to evolve and unfold, consciously or unconsciously. And though the lights of heart, mind and bodily perceptions are luminous, their glow relatively is dim as compared to the radiance of the soul which is intensely brilliant due the acquired wisdom […]
Adil J. Govadia History generally is defined as the ‘collective memories of a society’. The history of Parsi-Zoroastrians India is often debated. The narrative of the preservation of their religious identity as also the courageous voyage from Iran to India, is recognized and recorded… like the historical footprints of India’s early Parsi-Zoroastrian settlers, those little […]
Within a radius of 150 sq. kms of Belgaum (Karnataka), there are six Parsi Aaramgahs and two fully functional Dar-e-Mehrs with residential quarters for priests and sprawling open spaces and gardens. In the early 20th century, the townships of Hubli, Belgaum, Dharwad, Gadag, Gulbarga and Bijapur had a good Parsi population, with an Aaramgah in […]
Adil J. Govadia Ancient religions are known to use allegory* as a powerful literary tool to convey complex ideas and ethical lessons through exemplary representations. (An allegory is a parable that displays a deeper moral lesson like the ‘Hare and Tortoise’ story which underlines a hidden message – ‘slow and steady wins the race’!) By […]