PARSI- AN UNWANTED DEATH / EXTINCTION

PARSI ,an enterprising community which I used to relate and Identify with a peculiar life of south Mumbai , its not that they make their presence feel only at South Mumbai but some how my graphic caricature was limited .In my student life , I got intrigued by the story of their expedition from Iran to SaJan and as the legend goes King of Sajan didn’t allow them initially and sent a Glass full of milk ,representing that city can no more accommodate further people . Parsi’s in return poured a spoonful of sugar in that glass indicative that they will mix with the existing people and in fact sweeten it further .

Till this time they have lived up to their promise, even during partition they were neutral . But some aspect of those pledges has become detrimental to their existence.
My house at Marine lines , where I stayed during my Sabbatical( that’s another story) was bang opposite the Parsi fire temple , u would see Old people coming in bits and pieces ,very few young people coming to offer prayers ,most of the time the temple wore a deserted look . The parking compound which must have been bursting with people is dotted with Cars parked by Local . Going further to right , you would see another Fire temple ( agiary ) ,similar story , further ahead is old parsi shop Kiyani and Co shop , the moment you enter , a sense prevails that death of the shop is Inevitable .
Inquisitive about what led to the virtual death of this community , which has played pivotal role in the Economy and poltical Landscape of the country ,I happen to meet Ms Roshni D souza , she was recently in media for her stand against Parsi Panchayat . Roshni is Parsi by birth and got married to a very dear friend of mine Savio D souza and apparently the moment a Parsi girl marries a Non Parsi ,she is excommunicated from the Community . While if the Boy marries a Non Paris ,she can practice Zoroastrianism . Roshni wanted to Initiate her daughter Zeena into Zoroastrianism , for which a ceremony called Navjot is performed , the apparent reasons were to rebel against archaic custodian laws and second was that Zeena should be able to see her mother’s funeral since non parsis are not allowed in the funeral . How inhumane is this?
Roshni went ahead and did Navjot ceremony against the backdrop of threats and under Police protection .
Interacting with numerous Parsi they feel that not allowing any one to convert , archaic marriage laws and not changing with the times has resulted in this grave situation .
All said and done , extinction of this peculiar community is on anvil and unless few more people like Roshni doesn muster courage ,the unwanted death of this community is real just years away .