Early History
The Parsis first settled in Sanjan on the West Coast of India in the kingdom of Jadi Rana. The account of their arrival in India is to be found in a poem written in Sanskrit by a Parsi priest Bohman Kaikobad in 1600 A.D. English translations of the poem are available. The first 300 years after their arrival is clothed in mystery. However by the 10th century they had spread out from Sanjan into the cities and villages of Gujarat north and south of Sanjan. Parsi settlements could be found in Anklesahvar, Bharuch, Khambat, Navsari, Surat, Vankaner and Variav. About the year 1290 the Parsis were under 5 different groups of priests based on the geographical location in Gujarat. These priestly groups were: The Bhagarias (Navsari), Bharucha, Godavra (Surat), Khambatta and Sanjanas
One of the earliest records of the Parsis is a couple of graffiti in the Kanheri caves near Bombay written in Pahlevi on October 10,1009 and November 24, 1009.
Towards the end of the 11th century the Parsi settlement at Variav had become prosperous and strong and they refused to pay the Rajput prince of the area the excessive tribute he demanded. When the prince sent in troops to enforce the payment the Parsis fought them and defeated them. A little later the prince sent in a fresh force that arrived while the Parsi men were at a wedding feast out of town. The Parsi women put on armor and fought the Rajput force and were about to win when one of the ladies lost their helmet and Rajputs seeing that they were fighting women rallied. The Parsi women were about to be defeated and instead of surrendering, drowned themselves in the sea along whose shore the battle had been fought. This early tragedy is still remembered by a special ceremony performed in Surat every year.
The Travels of the Iran Shah Fire
Around the year 1400 the Hindu kingdom of Sanjan was invaded by the Muslims who ruled north Gujarat, the Hindu king asked the Parsis for help and the Parsis raised an army of 1400 men under their leader Ardeshir. Fighting alongside the Hindus they defeated the invading Muslims. The Muslims returned with a larger force and this time the Hindus and Parsis were defeated and Sanjan was destroyed, but not before the Parsis were able to take their holy fire IranShah to a nearby mountain forest called Bahrot. The fire was kept there for 12 years and then taken to a nearby village called Bansda, where it stayed for another 14 years. Then at the invitation of the Navsari Parsis the IranShah fire was brought to Navsari. The Sanjana priests who came with the fire from Bansda and the Bhagaria priests of Navsari had an agreement that the Sanjana priests would only take care of the IranShah fire and not perform priestly services for the Navsari Parsis. Services such as the performance of Navjote, Jashans etc. in Navsari were the exclusive right of the Bhagaria priests.
Iran Shah remained in Navsari for 320 years except for a period of 3 years (1733-1736) when it was moved to Surat because of political instability in Navsari. In 1740 IranShah was moved into Bulsar and then in 1742 to Udvada, back in the territory of the Sanjana priests and there it remains to this day. IranShah was not the only fire temple of the Parsis. As early as the10th century one knows of the existence of a fire temple in Bharuch.
The Rivayets
The Parsis had come to India to preserve the purity of their religion. In the 15th century they became conscious of the fact that they were losing their religious knowledge. They decided to send messengers to Iran to see how much the observance of their religion differed from that of the Zoroastrians of Iran. They also wanted to try and resolve some of the religious controversies brewing in India by getting advice from the Zoroastrian priests in Iran.
Over a period of almost 300 years, from 1478 to 1773, twenty-six messengers took questions to Iran and brought back answers from the Zoroastrian priests in Iran. This discourse between the 26 messengers from India and the Zoroastrian priests in Iran, are known as the Revayats. Additionally, manuscripts of Avesta and Pahelvi texts as well as information about the state of the two communities were exchanged. Many of the Revayat questions originated in Navsari and were answered by Iranian priests of Kerman, Isfahan, Sharafabad, Turkabad, and Yazd. Nariman Hoshang brought back to India the first Revayat. The travel expenses for Nariman Hoshang were paid by Changa Asha a famous leader of the Navsari Parsis who lived from 1450 to 1512.
Beginings of Prosperity and Influence
By the 11th century, Parsis were well established in Gujarat and are frequently mentioned in the travel accounts of Arab, Portuguese, French and English travelers to India. These foreigners recognized the Parsis as a separate group of Indians who originated from Iran.
The Parsis were traders, farmers, merchants, brokers, doctors (vaids), weavers, and performed all kinds of trades except ironsmiths. This last trade required working with fire and required quenching it with water and they felt it was not a religious thing to do.
In the reign of the great Moghul emperor of India, Akbar, Parsis priests were invited to the Delhi court to explain their religion to Akbar. Dastur Meherji Rana led the delegation and so impressed the Moghul emperor, that he instructed that a holy fire be kept in the court at all times. He even replaced the Muslim calendar and adopted the Parsi calendar. Akbar also observed Zoroastrian feasts according to the calendar.
Other Parsis honored by Akbar were Meherji Vacha and Mehervaid, a great Parsi doctor of that time. Parsis continued to be in frequent attendance at the court of the Moghul emperors after Akbar. Meherji Kamdina and Hoshang Ranji received grants of land from Emperor Jehangir. Rustom Maneck Seth of Surat visited the court of Aurangzeb.
Rustom Maneck Seth, was a powerful Parsi who lived from 1635-1721 in Surat. He was a broker by trade employed by English and Portuguese . He helped them to set up trading factories in Surat which at that time was under the Moghul emperors of Delhi.
Parsis in Bombay
The first Parsi to arrive in Bombay was Dorabji Nanabhoy in 1640, soon after the Portuguese established the town of Bombay. He worked as a manager for the Portuguese. In 1668 when Bombay was given to the British, Dorabji became the tax collector and his family held the position through 1834. After 1668, more and more Parsis came to Bombay from Gujarat and eventually it became the center of the Parsis in the 19th and 20th centuries. The arrival of the Parsis in Bombay coincided with the rule of the British over most of India, and a golden period for the Parsis started.
Lowji Nasserwanji Wadia built the first dry dock in India at Bombay. He started building ships, many of which were ordered by the Royal British Navy. The BShip Foudroyant built in 1817 at the Wadia docks is still in service and served in World War II.
The Parsis after coming to Bombay eagerly studied western science, medicine, engineering and other professions and became proficient in the English language long before the rest of the populations in India. With their advanced Western learning, they led the Indians in starting almost every industry in India. Many Parsis involved in trade within India and with the outside world made large fortunes. Kavasji Davar started the first textile mill in 1851.
The Jeejeebhoy, Petit, Tatas and Cowasji Jehangir families and their descendants played an important role in the development of the Parsis in India and particularly of Bombay.
Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy made his fortune by trading with China. He used his immense wealth to found the Parsi Benevolent Institution which runs schools for the poor of all communities and religious backgrounds. He also built fire temples and towers of silence for the Parsis and financed the Poona waterworks, the first of its kind in India. During the potato famine in Ireland Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy donated large amounts of money to feed the Irish.
Dinshaw Petit made his fortune trading in cotton. He also started the Bombay Stock Exchange. He used his fortune to build the first engineering school in Bombay. His charities helped less fortunate Zoroastrians in India and Iran.
Cowasji Jehangir also made his fortune in cotton trading. He also used his fortune for charitable purposes such as building colleges and hospitals.
Jamsetjee Tata was born of a poor priestly family. He managed to educate himself in engineering and started the first steel works in India. His family has become a great industrial power in India by carrying on the tradition and pioneering new industries in India. Today the Tata name is well known for being the first to start industries like chemicals, locomotives, truck and car manufacturing. The Tatas were the first to start an airline in India out of which both Air India and Indian Airlines developed. In more recent years they were the first in India to start computer consulting services. Jamsetjee Tata was also responsible for building hydroelectric works at Lonavla to supply Bombay with electricity. The Tata family built the first school of Social Sciences in India. The family also founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, where research in nuclear sciences and mathematics is carried out. It was started at the recommendation of Dr. Homi Bhabha, the father of Indian nuclear industry who was working at this institute until his tragic death. In subsequent years the Tata family has branched into the manufacture of health and beauty aids, and food products.
The Godrej family is another important industrial family involved in the manufacture of electrical appliances (refrigerators, washing machines, fans etc.) and items such as office equipment, locks and safes, soaps. In more recent years they manufacture several other items and are in direct competition with Procter and Gamble.
Another illuminary, Sorabji Pochkhanawalla started the Central bank of India.
Politics
Dadabhoy Navroji started the Indian National Congress, which fought for India’s independence from Britain and from which the ruling Congress party in India emerged.
Phirozshah Mehta was the great and popular mayor of Bombay for many years and under him Bombay became one of the greatest cities in the British Empire. He was also involved in the Indian National Congress.
Bhikaiji Cama a Parsi lady who lived in London designed and flew the first flag of an independent India for which she was exiled from Britain and lived the rest of her life in France.
Armed Forces
Field Marshal Sam Manecksha led the Indian Army to victory against Pakistan in the war that created the country of Bangladesh. Until recently, the Naval Chief of Staff in India was Admiral Jal Cursetjee. Air Marshal Aspi Engineer headed the Indian Air Force for many years.
Arts, Sciences and Law
Dr. Jal Cowasji Paymaster is a world famous cancer specialist. Dr. Rustom Jal Vakil was the first to treat high blood pressure with Rawolfia plant extract and bring the drug to the notice of the west. From Rawolfia one gets Reserpine a very useful drug for hypertension. Dr. Vakil won the international Lasker award for his work. Dr. Noshir Antia is India’s leading plastic surgeon. These are but a few of the long list of Parsi doctors who were and are the forefront of Indian medicine.
The first Indian to conduct a western symphony orchestra is the great Maestro Zubin Mehta. For many years he conducted one of the world’s greatest orchestras, the New York Philharmonic.
Fardoonji Marazban started the first Gujarati press in 1812. He published the first Gujarati newspaper “The Bombay Samachar”, which is still published today.
Nani Palkhiwalla is India’s leading constitutional lawyer and lead the fight against the imposition of emergency rule and the suspension of democracy in India during the time of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He was India’s ambassador to the United States after democracy was restored in India.
Promises Kept
The population of Parsis in India is less than 0.02 percent, but their contributions to India’s economy, politics, educational institutions, science and the arts has been colossal. By following the tenets of the Zoroastrian religion, which require them to make the wise choice in all their actions, they have become leaders in all walks of life. By serving their communities and by performing their duties to the best of their ability, they have brought success to themselves, their community and to their country. When Parsis came to India they promised to live in peace with all of India and to sweeten the life in India. This promise made generations ago has been well kept. Their contributions to India have earned the Parsis great respect in India.