Aug 19
Today is Parsi New Year. And Srividya from Poona called me yesternight and requested me to post some things about Parsis this week… so here goes…
The Parsis were a warrior race originating in ancient Persia a few thousand years ago. They were known for their bravery, their amazing intellectual achievements and their devotion to their religion which was given to them by their prophet Zarathustra.
The percepts of the religion are very simple: Humakta: Good Thoughts, Hukta: Good Words and Havarashtha: Good Deeds. Parsis worship God (Ahura Mazda) through His creations, all of nature is revered. And their symbol is the Atash Badshah, The Holy Fire.
The muslim scourge and many unfortunate betrayals forced this once mighty race to its knees and millions were butchered and entire libraries of intellectual thought, science and arts burned to the ground by the islamic fundamentalists and terrorists.
Just three boat loads of Parsis escaped Persia with their beloved Holy Fire and their one remaining Holy Book, The Zend Avesta and after a harrowing voyage on stormy seas landed on the shores of India, seeking sanctuary in the Kingdom of Sanjan in present day Gujarat.
The King of Sanjan received these hardy and battle worn Sanctuary seekers with respect and awe. However, when the Parsi High priest approached him and made a plea to him that they be allowed to make India their home, the King refused saying that his Kingdom was already full and though he would have loved to give sanctuary and welcome the Parsis, he had no choice but to turn them down… He symbolically showed the High Priest a glass of milk filled to the brim, saying that his Kingdom was like that… much as he would have loved to have them, there was simply no place.
The High Priest smiled and asked for some sugar. He added the sugar into the glass full of milk and stirred it in thoroughly without spilling a drop. And said, just like this sugar, we will blend into India. And we will make it sweeter for having us…
The delighted King immediately declared that the Parsis were welcomed in India. But he was fearful of their strong bodies bristling with muscles and their mean looking weapons, so he put a few conditions. That the Parsis surrender their weapons and embrace peace. And that they should not inter marry or convert people (of India) to their religion. The High Priest readily agreed asking in return only that no non Parsi should ever be allowed into their Fire temples where the Holy Fire would be kept, so that the Holy Fire would always be protected and secure. The King nodded his assent.
The Parsis dropped their warrior training and became peace loving farmers and business men… and so, till today that ancient promise made to the King of Sanjan has been honoured…
And we moved into the Holy land of India and right through history since, have lived up to our promise of blending in and making each place we go to, or are in, sweeter because of us!
Saal Mubarak!
May everyone have a Blessed New Year!!
Jai Gurudeva!!!
love
bawa
ps more posts about Parsis in this week…
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Its Wonderful, Bawa. I would love to know such detail of religions and history, and broaden my worldview. please do post more such articles. thanks!
New year wishes Bawa
By the way where this ancient fire temple which the king allowed is at present?
Thanks for the (sweet) write up Bau:)
Saal Mubarak to you too !!
Saal Mubarak to you bau ………
what an amazing insight into the history of Parsis in India… can we please have some more on the history of this great culture..
And what language did they speak ?? persian/Arabic..?
Parsees speak Gujarati. They not only speak Gujarati but are Gujaratis and Gujarat is proud to announce that Parsees are Gujarati. They not only accepted their language but also their customs. You will be amazed to know Parsees make Rangoli out side their house each day. They match horoscopes and marry. The paress bride wears sari in Gujarati style.
It is a treat to hear them talk in their special accent when they talk in Gujarati.
Hi Bawa!
Isn’t India the richer for having absorbed all that is the best in our international heritage…? And ofcourse the sweeter for having the Parsi culture woven into our rich tapestry.
)
Wishing you a glorious New Year!
Looking forward to many more such interesting stories.
Take care. Jgd.
Sudha
happy new year 2 u too!!
It is amazing to know these facts about parsis!!!
tamne pan saal mubarak bau..
JGD
Jai Gurudev,
The story is lovely .. i knew a little of it, but much was new ..
Saal Mubarak!
with love …
saal mubarak bawa!!
i have worked in mumbai, and came across many parsis, what used to amaze me the most about them ,was their ever so smiling faces,very loving, humble .and the person who inspired me the most was dr. r.p.soonawala, a great doctor with whom i worked for 2 years.so i really love all my parsi friends a lot.wishing every one a very happy new year.!!!
Happy New Year Bawa!
The part about adding sugar to the milk was really a stroke of genius. Parsis are indeed very knowledgeable and sharp.
Navroz Mubarak bawa!!
Bau
Happy New Year!
Thanks for sharing the story with us… It was really interesting.
Looking forward to more of these
Bau
Happy New Year!
Thanks for sharing the story with us… It was really interesting.
Looking forward to more of these
Bau
Happy New Year!
Thanks for sharing the story with us… It was really interesting.
Looking forward to more of these
excellent bhaiya ..
tat was amazing .. i never liked history .. but narrated the way u did .. its jus awesome ..
and yea .. a very happy new year to you ..
saal mubarakh ..
hey bau
wish you and your family a very happy new year oopp ur style saal mubarak 
jai gurudev
love
dinesh
Humakta Hukta Havarashtha – so beautiful. Reminds me of my days in Parsee Colony Mumbai many years ago. My parsee land lady used to make a nice sweet on this day!
Do write about Udwada Bawa .
Saal Mubarak Bawa and Jai Guru Dev ,
saal mubarak!
should i say nav roz mubarak?
-meghna
Nice explanation. Happy Pateti!
JGD!
JAI GURUDEV BAWA!!
SAAL MUBARAK!
I REALLY LIKED THE PERCEPTS OF THE RELIGION…THAT MAKES LIFE SO MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL!!
thank you bau…i suddenly feel more connected to the community!
Love and wishes for the new year..
your knowledge of your religion is awesome. I believe that every Indian should be strong in their cultural roots while accepting other religions at the same time.
I am eager to read more posts on Parsis!
Jai Gurudeva.
thnx for d write up bau….. hope u’ll get us few more info abt parsi coz there is nt much information abt this community.. we’d love to get to know abt this lovely community…
jgd
jatin
Saal Mubarak Bau!!!!
wow bawa ……happy new year
the story of milk n sugar was indeed very sweet!
im very much interested in the Zoroastrian culture ….gettin the info from a parsi himself… its great !
Bau d write up is a gr8 insight about the parsi’s and their history..really enjoyed reading it…Saal mubarak ..Jai Gurudev
Great Post Bau…Saal Mubarak to you too!!!!!
Please post more such information about various religions..its a great read!!!
Saal mubarak Khurshed!
that was really nice. i knew this story in bits and pieces now i know the entire history. happy new year bau
:)
jgd
Happy New Year Bawa..!!!
Beautiful article..!!! nd awesome info. story of milk nd sugar was so appropriate…!!! wow..!!!
Navroze Mubarak to you Bau, DInesh dada,Yezdi Uncle,Abaan aunty,Perviz,Carl,Bhuvna,Armaan,Aahun.
The sugar+milk story is so beautiful.Thank God the king allowed the persians to stay in Inida else we would’ve had to Import you , bau
Jgd Bawa, Saal Mubarak ! I grew up in Jamshedpur with my father working in Tata Steel and I was influenced by many Parsi teachers in school … students too. The contribution of Parsis to India is unparalleled by any other minority.
Gurpreet
Bau Happy new year…!
Jai gurudev
Thank you so much Bau for the history in a nutshell. feel much closer now… and oh Yes you do make each place you go sugar free sweet ..
saal mubarak bau!!!
jai gurudev!
wow! what a story just loved it:). but how the sir names are kept?
Saal Mubarak, bau
dearest bawa,
SAAL MUBARAK
good to read about parsis history . but now what , the community is on the verge of getting over . lets do something otherwise india once again will become like a milk without sugar.
Namaste,Bau!
I’m glad that Parsis did come here to India!
Being in Mumbai for more than 18 yrs; I have experienced the warmth of Parsis firsthand!
Look what one great Parsi son is doing here in Bangalore!
Kudos, Bau!
Laods of love!
Jai Gurudev!
Jai GuruDEv Bawa,
I got to know many new things about Parsis …….. especially they were brave and warriors …….
I m from Surat so always heard of Milk story …….
And its really true ….. Parsis have kept the Promise .. …
Nava Varas ni Shubhkamna!!!!!
You personify the sugar the Parsi high priest mixed in the milk.
tamne pan saal mubarak bau…..
may you spread this sweetness even further, jgd
You and dinesh da personify the sugar mixed the Parsi high priest. Happy Navroz to you. And we all look forward to sweeter days ahead. JGD
NAYA SAAL MUBARAK BAU
AWESOME INFO
THANKS
JGD
How about getting married to some lovely bawi and have delightful little bawas for us..:)
The high Priest is my favourite character in this story !! He’s so smart
And the king of Sanjan HAD to agree – we needed Bawa here
haha.
you’re the best Bawa in the world
infact, when i first got to know that you’re a Parsi, i studied about the Faith on google !!
loads of love
Happy Blessed New Year !!
Jai Gurudeva
Navroz Mubarak Bau…..
The three principles you outlined above are what Guruji says as “purity of thoughts, purity of speech, and purity of action — the three types of purity”.
The unity of all knowledge is amazing, isn’t it?
Wish you a very happy new year ahead!
Thank you so much for sharing
Like I have always said before… Simply love the way you put things.
Wishing you and your family a very Happy and Blessed New Year !!!
Jai Guru Dev
Bawa where is the fire temples now?? Are non parsis allowed now or not???
i’ve always admired and loved the Parsis ..
*everybody* knows that the Parsis have contributed soo very much to practically every sphere of life in India – business and industry, education, science, music and theatre .. they’re identified with integrity, goodness, philanthropy, .. and (dare i say it
with a wee bit of eccentricity too ! 
(That actually comes from another wonderful quality – being natural
and very very human(e), if you know what i mean .. quite like our very own Bawa …
There’s a lovely little ditty we’ve known since we were kids (can’t remember where (school?) i picked it up) – here goes :
Jeejibhoy Jeejibhoy Jamshetjee
The Parsi Guide of GID
Engine No. 63
From Bycullla to Chinchpokhli ..
He was a pioneer … (do tell us the whole story ..?)
There’s a lot more that’s hovering at the edge of my memory, but it isn’t coming back right now, please do post the rest of it if you know ! i even know the tune … its really cute ..
love …
ohh … but i never knew they were a warrior race ! are you sure?? .. well, i’m sure you are
its just that i never knew *and*, none of the modern-day Parsis i know look or seem in the least bit warrior-like ! (oh, well maybe Gen Sam Maneckshaw … 
and oh yes, the Parsis are well known for being straight-forward, too !
oh i dint know about Parsis at all..thanks Bau for the interesting and insightful post..
Jai Gurudev..
Bau…
well m unfortunate to write this much much l8r…
but hv startd reading ur blog
i think that all the 3 percepts can be seen in U….
and U DONT NEED ANY MUSCLES TO WIN D WAR…
UR WORDS WILL DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOV U
nd startd immitating ur style too
JAIGURUDEVA!!!!!