Your Editorial Viewpoint ("Resilience, not regret,” Parsiana, December 7-20, 2024) is yet another wake-up call about the decline of the community!
Up to around the 17th century, the followers of Zarathushtra in India were Zarathushtis, often referred to as Parsis. But sometime in the 17th or 18th century the emphasis began to change. The community moved to being Parsi first and preferred to be known as Parsis rather than be recognized as Zarathushtis, e.g. temples were named Parsi agiary, not Zoroastrian agiary.
And so began the decline.
The Parsis being well-established in trade, banking, industry law, medicine and education had the opportunity to align more with the British colonial administration for personal and communal economic growth.
Their commercial acumen, combined with focus on education, helped some in the community to build significant wealth and influence. However, this prosperity also resulted in challenges and changes in religious life, practices and virtues.
Greater wealth may have shifted some focus from spiritual development and religious virtues to the pursuit of status and material success. This became a key indicator of achievement; the emphasis on spiritual discipline and self-restraint, which had traditionally been part of Zoroastrian teachings, sometimes took a backseat.
With greater exposure to Western education, especially through missionary schools, the worldview shifted and sometimes led to the questioning of religious practices. Some Parsis confused traditions (which had developed in India) as being the "laws” of the Zarathushti conscience.
Because of this, community-based religious education weakened. The decline in the adopted mother tongue, Gujarati, became common. Respect for the clergy diminished and was replaced by greater regard for the "sethias (moneyed individuals).” The traditionalists considered themselves orthodox; the liberals felt the need to evolve. The division/schism widened between what is Zoroastrianism and Parsipanu (the Parsi version of Zoroastrianism), dividing the tiny community. Unity was sacrificed as Parsipanu gained precedence over Zoroastrianism.
The time has now come to be Zarathushtis first and then Parsis (which means a person from Persia). We have to choose between giving priority to being a Parsi or accepting the wisdom of Ahura Mazda, the Light of Wisdom.
Zarathushtra’s ethical code is simple, universal and eternal, because of which it is evolving and flourishing globally.
JEHANGIR SAROSH
London, UK
jehangirsarosh@me.com
Congratulations to Parsiana on completing 60 years of service to the community!
I cannot agree more with your editorial ("Resilience, not regret,” Parsiana, December 7-20, 2024) about the declining condition of the Parsi community and the lack of concern from the silent majority while a tiny minority of ultra-orthodox actively persists in sticking to their devastating ideology in the name of tradition and religion. I was told by a Parsi community member in southern California that when he questioned one of the leaders of the traditional organization about the community’s future, the response was that he does not care about the future and would continue to follow his ideology.
In the mid-1982s, the orthodox Parsis had started their own traditional organization in order to follow their own stricter rules.
One spark of optimism is that the Iranian Zarathushti organizations in North America are adapting to the realities along with many Parsi organizations, allowing mobedyars to sit with the ervads for all community ritual prayers, as well as allowing women mobedyars to join them.
In southern California, Behram Deboo and I are two Parsi mobedyars who are welcomed by the Iranian organization (California Zoroastrian Association) to join Iranian priests (men and women) during community prayers like gahanbars and jashans at their prayer facility.
Keep up the good work at Parsiana of courageously and persistently making our Parsi community aware of the realities. May Ahura Mazda bless you with wisdom and moral strength.
MANECK BHUJWALA
California, USA
mnbhujwala@gmail.com
Here is a short comprehensive note on your fine editorial ("Resilience, not regret,” Parsiana, December 7-20, 2024). Zarathushtra indeed brought humanity a great message — good thoughts, good words and good deeds — as being the essence of a godly life. But subsequent influencers down the centuries degraded the original message when they introduced their dos and don’ts for living a godly life based on their hallucinations about the universe, especially the universe beyond our five senses.
Zoroastrians in India have lived religious and communal lives colored by influencers of ancient times, whereas our co-religionists outside India have decided to live only by the essence of Zarathushtra’s message. Even today, the hallucinations of influencers of ancient times are being marketed as reality to the community. And it is apparent that most people in the community in India are not buying that. Hence, the empty places of worship, the diminishing enrolment in madressas, the dwindling population figures, etc. Dr and Ms JAMSHED A. MODI
modi36@rediffmail.com
A perceptive editorial indeed ("Resilience, not regret,” Parsiana, December 7-20, 2024)! Words cannot save the community; action guided by leadership with vision can. Perhaps we should not shy away from creating a fully global structure and empowering it to take decisions based on a broad consensus. There is still a possibility of saving the community if we focus on the task. Parsiana at 60 should take the lead.
Dr VISPI JOKHI
vhjokhi@gmail.com
Congratulations Parsiana! Thank you for six decades of diligently assuming the role of Jiminy Cricket, prodding the Pinocchio-like leaders of our community to avoid the path to destruction.
Yourinsightful editorial ("Resilience, not regret,” Parsiana, December 7-20, 2024) calls for collaborative action by leaders of the plethora of socioreligious Parsi institutions worldwide. The community is holding its breath, hoping these leaders will collaborate by pooling their knowledge and community resources to begin resolving emerging community needs. Thank you, Parsiana, for this nudge in the ribs! YEZDYAR KAOOSJI
California, USA
yezdyk@gmail.com