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January 5, 2003
EXCERPTS: Zoroastrian musings
Here are some snippets from a book about the Zoroastrian community edited by Sunnu Golwalla
The conference concluded with a talk by Dr Jal Bulsara. He said:
Any Parsi group, however small or self sufficient, would do well to keep abreast with the economic development of its country of adoption, and play a worthy role as an integral member of the nation, in which his lot had been cast either by accident of history, or by free choice.
In the economic and industrial development of united India, the Parsis had played a distinctive role, of which any community would be proud. ... We may recall the early establishment of trade with China by pioneer Parsis, which earned them the surname of Chinai or Chinoy.
Mr Lowji Wadia an expert mistry (craftsman) and shipwright built docks in Bombay and supplied both merchant and naval ships to the British which earned highest praise from British admirals. Petit, Readymoney and Tata families built the flourishing textile industry and their fine textiles earned a reputation in distant countries outside India. Mr Jamshetji Tata pioneered the iron and steel industry on which the sure foundation of India’s industrial development was laid. He also pioneered production of electricity from water-power.
A glorious chapter about the Parsis can be written in the economic and industrial history of India and also to some considerable extent that of Pakistan. The Jews, “baniyas”, “patharidars” also amassed wealth, but the world does not give them much credit for doing that. The real achievement of the Parsis, where our illustrious ancestors set an excellent example, was that, if they knew how to create and accumulate wealth, they knew, still better how to spend it.
They blazed the trail of Parsi philanthropy giving freely of their rich fortune for the benefit and uplift of the needy and poor, for promoting education, for establishing hospitals, dispensaries, schools and colleges. Hong Kong University owed its existence to the munificent charity of Rs25 lakh donated by a Parsi, so also did the Wadia College in Poona.
Similar to the Rockefellers and Fords of the US, the Parsis built the first nonstatutory or non-government social security system of a welfare community known to our world. The community provides substantial medical care for all its sick and can relieve the pangs of unemployment, old age and destitute disablement. Yet today there is a section, which does not contribute anything and even does not care to have the pride of sharing. They are only at the receiving end: never on the giving side.
The largest number of Parsis is in Bombay where they have been highly significant in their contributions to the economic, social, cultural and aesthetic development of that city. Their earlier strongholds from the 14th to 16th centuries were Surat and Navsari and the surrounding villages.
They were sought after as artisans and craftsmen, as traders, financiers and revenue collectors. Akbar had a number of Parsis as officers in his army and gave gifts to them. High priest Dastur Meherji Rana and Maneck Changasha acted as interpreters, agents, and brokers of Portuguese, Dutch, English, French, and quickly came to the forefront in trade, commerce and industry, and technology.
The early ancestors of the Parsis find glorious mention in Firdausi’s epic Shahnameh. Recorded history credits Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, Ardeshir Papaken and Khushru Anusherawan as first among the great empire builders and extols their constructive genius and qualities of administrative acumen, tolerance and justice in an age of warring tribalism.
The shipbuilder Lowjee Wadia was the first and perhaps the greatest shipbuilder. He and his grandsons erected the docks in Bombay and built, over an uninterrupted period of 150 years, numerous trading ships, frigates and men-of-war for the British Navy. Readymoney Hirji, Jeevanji and Tatas developed the textile industry. The greatest impetus to basic heavy industry came from the great entrepreneur, a man of vision and indomitable will, Mr Jamshdeji N. Tata of Navsari (1839-1904) who laid the foundation of the steel industry in Bihar.
Among the professionals, a Parsi doctor, Sir Temulji Nariman, at great personal cost established the earliest maternity home.... Dr Dadabhai Naoroji was the first to unfurl the flag of swaraj (self-rule); Sir Pherozeshah Mehta was the uncrowned king of Bombay; Sir Dinshaw Wacha earned financial fame; Sir Cowasjee Jehangir was a shrewd banker, industrialist and liberal statesman; Sir Homi Mody had unsurpassed wit and was a versatile administrator and consummate parliamentarian...
Doers rather than dreamers, pragmatists more than dogmatists, above all lovers of the good life, the Parsis have been trusted for what they are worth by all who have come into contact with them. Their greatest assets have been a sense of fair play and a desire to live and let live — a philosophy of life, which they have practised long before the political doctrine of coexistence came into vogue.
Parsis have laid claim to no territory, no special rights for themselves which they would not concede to others. They can therefore look at human relationships with a dispassionate eye, and deal with national and international problems and issues with a relatively greater sense of impartiality.
The strength of the Zoroastrian community in India has increased by 4,752 over the last decade, according to the 1991 census figures conveyed to Parsiana by the census departments in mid-October 1995.
The census figures state that there are 76,382 Zoroastrians in India of whom 51 per cent are females. Mahrashtra recorded 60,501 Zoroastrians of which Bombay had 53,794.... The census figures for the first time since 1950 have shown an increase in the Parsi population. The 1991 figures are even more intriguing when one allows for the declining birth rate and the high mortality rate, which in Bombay alone shows an excess of around 500 deaths over birth in a year.
Excerpted with permission from
Sands of time
Edited by Sunnu Farrokh Golwalla
Karachi Zarthosti Banu Mandal, available with Sunnu Golwalla at sunnu@cyber.net.pk
242pp.
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