Your reply to Burjor Daboo’s letter ("Men in May," Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, July 21, 2018) stating "Zoroastrianism does not discriminate against women, but sadly most Parsis do" hurt me for you are implying that Parsis are not Zoroastrians.
It is widely believed that Japanese women make the best wives and Parsis make the best husbands in the world. My driver has married a Parsi girl who has completely adopted his traditions and religion. Even when she came to the funeral of my mother-in-law, she respected our traditions and did not insist on coming in and sitting in the bungli.
I salute her, not some misguided Parsi women who, married outside our religion, have the means to go to the Supreme Court to assert their right. You salute them for fighting for their rights but I call them mischief-makers. They knew what they were going in for. No one forced them. Parsis are pioneers in so many fields in India and yet you insult them. I still insist as I have in my previous letter ("Whither, Parsiana?" Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, July 7, 2018) that you change the name of your publication to Zoroastriana.
MAHYAR ANTIA
mahyarantia@gmail.com
The editors reply
All Parsis are not Zoroastrians. Some are Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, etc. Many of those who are Zoroastrians do not follow the precepts of the religion.