THE PARSIS OF INDIA

If you have a Parsi friend, chances are you fondly call him Bawa or her Bawi. Bawa or Bawi contribute to your friends’ circle with naughty jokes, warm hugs, a great appetite and plenty of good food.

- FREYAN BHATHENA

If you don’t already have a Bawa or Bawi in your life, go out and find this unique personality to be your friend! You might have to be quick, because the Parsi community is dwindling at an alarming rate in India.

The first thing people say when speaking of Parsis is how tiny the community is. In India, there are less than 65,000 Parsis alive today. The government-mandated programme, The Jiyo Parsi Initiative, encourages young Parsis to focus on adding cute little babies to the community and helping the numbers stabilise if not grow.

A large-hearted prophet...

The word ‘Parsi’ is an ethnoreligious term that refers to Pars, the original home of the community that migrated to India to escape the tyranny of invasion in the 8th century CE.

Parsis follow Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism is the religion preached by Prophet Zarathushtra. Zarathushtra was born in modern-day Iran. For the first time in history, he introduced the idea that there is only one God — Ahura Mazda — to whom mankind should direct their prayers, petitions and gratitude. Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest examples of monotheism or belief in one God. The religion he preached spoke of goodness, purity and kindness, and originated somewhere between 1500 BCE to 6500 BCE, making it the oldest religion in the world!

A little ritual...