Introducton

Today the number of Parsis in India is numerically insignifcant and is contnuously reducing due to various reasons.
Historical records on Parsis in India reveal that, they were forced to leave Iran and when they reached Sanjan, in the
state of Gujarat, they were given refuge by Jadhav Rana, then king of Sanjan. To safeguard Hindu religion from these
outsiders, the king imposed on them various conditons and Hindu customs. Since, thousands of years Parsis have
adhered to the promises made to the king of Sanjan and yet have safeguarded and kept undiluted their Zoroastrian
religion and have maintained a distnct social and cultural identty. They have been intrinsic part of India and yet have
kept alive their connectons with Iran.

The book reveals how over the centuries Parsis in Navsari have blended with Gujarat culture and yet have maintained
their distnct Parsi religious, social and cultural identty. The images show symbols of Parsi identty and infuence of Parsi
community in Navsari.

Thus, this book not only presents symbols of Parsi identty, but also a means to communicate to non Parsis that, stll
today Parsis have maintained their glorious and self reliant pre- independence status inspite of their dwindling numbers
and also that they are stll an inherent and important community of India.

Giving a rotli (chapat) to the cow is a custom for Guajarats, but for the owner Mr Farsogad it is a ritual.
Photographs of donors displayed at the entrance of a building donated to Parsi community by World Zoroastrian
Organizaton (WZO)
Toran is generally hanged at the entrance of
the house, as Parsis believe that it keeps
negatve energees out of of the house
allowing only positiv energies to enter, in the
form of blessings and good wishes of their
God, Ahura Mazda.

Hence, it is permanently hanged and changed
during auspicious occasions and removed
during inauspicious time such as death in the
house. Along with the toran on the door are
photographs of Hindu deitee and symbols
relatng to Hindu cultue,, which symboizess
secularism and flexibxbxit of Parsis, which has
helped them to easily be a part of foreign
country, India. But, at the same tim they
have preserved their religion, tradition and
uniqueness ,which stii has kept them ied to
their roots and culture in Iran.



Charity is one of an important part of Parsi
culture. Hence, Schools, colleges, hospitals,
hostels, old age homes and even colonies
belonging to Parsis recieve donatonns To
inform and inspire other parsis of the
community as well as non parsis about the act
of charity, photographs of donors are hanged
at the entrances of parsi institttnsn a
symbolism of toran which is also hanged at
the entrance to communicate parsi identty.


Blending of cultures: Parsi toran alongwith Hindu symbols of
Trishul,Om and Swastc.
Come in, come all. A Muslim lady and her child enjoying the mouth-watering jelly in this Parsi desert shop.
Mr Farshogad is someone who doesnt rest.
He loves serving his customers as he feels
they are like his family too. He enjoys making
various Parsi desserts one of which is the
most famous Kolahjis jelly. So many people
try to make it by themselves; some even try to
sell it stii no one succeeds in making it as
deliciously as him. He says that the key to
prepare the jelly lies in the method of making
it and the steps should be followed diligently.
Kolahjis jelly is very healthy as it is a
preparaton made from milk. It is very
benefcial for old people, people recoverngg in
the hospitals as it is healthy. But their jelly is
one delicacy that everyone enjoys from Parsis
to the non-Parsis , children to the elderly. And
when had, everyone becomes a child and
enjoys the jelly like one. There are a lot of
other items available on the menu like
falooda, ice cream soda, etc. out of which
their jelly is the most enjoyed.












Right: Mr. Farshogad, the owner of the caf
Kolahji at his counter.

Arial view of Atesh Behram from the house of once a Parsi Priest Mr. Rustom Anta.
Parsi Infrmary and old age home.
A perspectve view of the Atash Behram
The preparatons for a Parents day meet at the J.N. TATA Memorial hall.
Above: Colors of traditon- colour powder used for
rangoli designs.

Lef: Paterns of rangoli on the steps of a Parsi house- a
mix of Gujarat culture with parsi designs.

































Lef: An old Parii male outidee a Pari
infrmary
An Agyari situated inside Avabaugh.
Parsi kids in side Amroliwala and sons shop near Atash Behram.
































Right: Outside the Atesh Behram, mother
-daughter cover their heads before entering
the holy place.
Welcoming home - Priest standing at the gate of his house near Atesh Behram.
An old parsi lady in her house at Ava Bagh, Navsari.
































Lef: A Parsi house displaying Toran and
Rangoli with a Parsi in his religious atre,
Sadra and Kust.

Right: Parsi Torans with diferent designs
displayed at a shop in Navsari
Above: A Parsi lady dismantling old Toran , beads of
which are used for making a new one

Right: A proud Parsi showing of her Gara, which is a
prized possession for any Parsi woman.
A Parsi lady weaving Toran on Jantar
The head priest preceding over the Navjote ceremony.
Above: Amy and Fardoon. A retred Parsi couple who has
shifed from Mumbai to Navsari.

Lef: Mr. Khuhhooo Varaaaa shoingg of the topi he wor
during his marriage while his wife looks on.
Street view of a Parsi locality in Navsari
A hot afernoon conversaton with a Parsi lady in her ancestral house.
A Parsi lady in a frock which marks a distinc Anglo-Indian
infuence on the Parsi clothing.
As an influnnu of the Hindu culture the Parsi women
wear red bangles to signify their marital status.
Traditon passed through the generatons- inside a house of avabagh.
During the marriage ceremony at Jamshed Baugh
As part of the Navjote ceremony, the kusht is being ted around the childrens waist.
A parsi family watching the ongoing Navjot ceremony of their child.
Tying a knot - Ritual of tying bride and groom with the thread during parsi marriage ceremony
Priests recitng holy chants during marriage ceremony.
The front of the brewing and packaging area.
Rustomji Kolahs masala and pickle shop, one stop for your Dhansak masala to Gor Keri pickle*.
*all pickles preserved in home brewed vinegar.
Mr. Kolah, who now looks afer the business.
The kitchen, Zoroastrian ladies Industrial co.op
Its a combined effor in cooking food but building relation too. Mrs Anklesaria volunteers her ime here in the kitchen
helping and supervising the kitchen.






























Lef: Afaghaan and othrr matriaass used for
prayer at priests house.

Right: An altar at a parsi house where gods of
diferent community are placed together.
Above: Rangoli pattern and diyo on well as a part of
worshipping goddess of water (Ava)

Lef: A Parii houee wosssippppgg well in the Monhh of
Ava.
One of the most important features of a Parsi
house at Navsari is a well. Water is considered
to be sacred element and Parsis worship
water in the month of Ava. Chantnn of
prayers and making rangoli near the well can
be observed during this month.



























Right: A common sight is the presennce of
well in front of Parsi houses.





































Lef: Lost in thought the parsi woman looks
Above: A house in Navsari that looks as if been locked for
some years now. On the door is a message instructnn to
drop all the bills in the leterbox.

Right: The porch of a Parsi house in Navsari

































Lef: A closed Parsi house in Navsari that
establishes its owners Parsi identty by the
name.

Right: A Parsi bunglow wearing the
Rustomji Kolahs, masala factory and vinegar brewery. Special brown vinegar is brewed from sugarcane. This vinegar is the
best preservatve for all their pickles.Rustomii Kolahs, masala factory and vinegar brewery. Special brown vinegar is
Amroliwalla and sons: One stop shop selling Parsi Torans and everthing else related to Parsi culture
Inside an old Parsi shop .
Display of identty - leter boxes on the walls of houses at avabagh
Namita Shah,
Science postgraduate with Diploma in Graphic Design, with Twelve
years of professional experience in Graphic Design. Photographing
common people and nature, by embedding layers of meanings is
what I strive to achieve through my photographs.
Haritha V V
I love paintnn and making caricatures. Same is with writin poems
and stories. I have always loved to travel and meet new people.
Photography has been my latest fiel of immense interest. I would
like to learn a lot about the new people I meet in my everyday life and
I am trying to do this with photography.
Im Nitsh Sharma,
Im a student of communicaton design and have been experimentnn
diferent forss of phooorapph.. I am paricullarly intrerttrd in street
photography and love the challenges involved in it. Creatin
aesthetcally pleasing composiions in a challeninni environeent is
whatmotvates me to make photographs.
I am Roshini Pukadyil and have done my graduatio in computer
applicaton at Xaviers Ahemedabad. Currently I am pursuing my
masters in communicaton design. I love taking random photos and
try learning new techniques in it. Apart from my interest in
photography, I am also interested in music, dance and dramatcs.
Nupur Patel

Student of communicaton design.
I am an amateur photographer who is stii exploring the various
aspects of photography. I am greatly inspired by the works of Indian
photographers like Amit Pasricha, Raghu Rai and Himanshu Khagta. I
love to click photos with my iphone.For me, the world looks diffefen
through the lens.
Vrushin Goswami

I am a Product Designer by profession and am doing my
Post-Graduaton in Visual Communicaton. As a part of the course I
believe photography is an important means to capture the things we
observe and tell a story for the world to know. Haveing said this i stll
feel i have miles to travel in this feld.