Archive

Of the 772 deceased Parsis in Bombay, 87% (677) were consigned to the Doongerwadi as against 13% (97) who chose to be cremated at the Worli crematorium in 2016. In 2015, 64 individuals opted for cremation. Thus 2016 registered a 48% increase in the number of cremations while the number of those consigned to the dakhmas showed a two percent drop from the 2015 count (690).  Of those cremated in 2016, 54% were females and 46% males while at the Doongerwadi there was 50% parity among the males and females.
The interfaith marriage percentage that had come down to 36% in 2015 has once again risen to 38% as was the case in 2014. As compared to 103 Parsi marriages there were 63 interfaith marriages in 2016. While Parsi marriages had declined by 34 from the 2015 count, the interfaith marriages had reduced by 13. The drop was expected though, 2016 being a leap year when some consider it inauspicious to get married. Of the 63 individuals who married out of the community, 37 (63%) were males as compared to 26 (37%) females. This may be because the number of marriageable men in the community being than the women, men perforce have to marry non-Parsis or remain single.
The average age for grooms was 34 years and for brides, 32 years. In 2015 the average age was 33 for grooms and 31 for brides. The youngest bride was aged 20 years and the oldest was 50. Among the grooms, the youngest was 24 years old and the oldest, 52. The maximum number of community marriages, 28, was in December. February had 21 and January, 18. While there was one community marriage in June, the months of May, July, August, September and October witnessed two marriages each. The maximum number of  interfaith marriages, 14, were in the month of January. September saw one member of the community opt for an interfaith marriage, and May, two. Data on community marriages is obtained from the Bombay High Court, and on interfaith marriages from the Registrar of Marriages at Fort and Khar.
Whilst the official birth figures for 2016 are yet awaited from the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC), as per information available with Parsiana there were 71 births in 2016, 14 less compared to the 2015 count.  Among the new borns, there were 41 males and 30 females. The number of males had declined by one, the number of females had reduced by 13 as compared to the 2015 count. For the birth information, Parsiana is dependent on the Breach Candy Hospital and families who notify us by enclosing a copy of the birth certificate.

 

 

 

The average age at death was 80. The oldest to die was a 107-year-old man and the youngest, a three-month-old little boy. There were four centenarians (one male and three females) who died in 2016 as per the Doongerwadi death list sent to Parsiana by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet. At the crematorium, the eldest was a 100-year-old female, and the youngest, a 52-year-old female, as per notification sent by the Prayer Hall trust, Worli.
Presented below are the 2016 demographic details pertaining to the Zoroastrian community residing in Bombay based on information available with Parsiana.