99-1067: Sorabji or Sorabjee is a Parsi surname and given name. It may refer to: As a given name [ edit ] Sorabji Colah (1902–1950), Indian cricketer Sorabji Pochkhanawala (1881–1937), Indian banker and one of the founders of the Central Bank of India As a surname [ edit ] Alice Maude Sorabji Pennell (1874–1951), Indian physician and writer Cornelia Sorabji (1866–1954), first woman barrister from India, social reformer and writer Francina Sorabji (1833–1910), Indian educator and Christian missionary, mother of Cornelia, Susie, and Alice Maude Sorabji Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (1892–1988), English composer, music critic, pianist and writer Richard Sorabji (born 1934), British historian of philosophy Susie Sorabji (1868–1931), Indian educator and Christian missionary Soli Sorabjee (1930–2021), Indian jurist [REDACTED] Name list This page or section lists people that share
198-496: A Lutheran church has been fully or partially established as a state recognized religion include the Nordic States . Jurisdictions that give various degrees of recognition in their constitutions to Lutheranism without establishing it as the state religion: Many Muslim-majority countries have constitutionally established Islam, or a specific form of it, as a state religion. Proselytism (converting people away from Islam)
297-647: A Zoroastrian community in the Indian subcontinent . They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, when Zoroastrians were persecuted by the early Muslims . Representing the eldest of the Indian subcontinent's two Zoroastrian communities, the Parsi people are culturally, linguistically, and socially distinct from
396-514: A beleaguered band of religious refugees escaping the new rule post the Muslim conquests in order to preserve their ancient faith." However, while Parsi settlements definitely arose along the western coast of the Indian subcontinent following the Arab conquest of Iran, it is not possible to state with certainty that these migrations occurred as a result of religious persecution against Zoroastrians. If
495-595: A few notable exceptions, as a form of state religion from this time until the collapse of the Chinese monarchy in 1912. Note, however, there is a debate over whether Confucianism (including Neo-Confucianism ) is a religion or purely a philosophical system. During the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China (1271–1368 CE), Tibetan Buddhism was established as the de facto state religion by the Kublai Khan ,
594-595: A fortune under the Dutch and Portuguese, was appointed the first broker to the East India Company (acquiring the name "Seth" in the process), and in the following years "he and his Parsi associates widened the occupational and financial horizons of the larger Parsi community". Thus, by the mid-18th century, the brokerage houses of the Bombay Presidency were almost all in Parsi hands. As James Forbes,
693-677: A law allowing religious freedom to everyone within the Roman Empire. Furthermore, the Edict of Milan cited that Christians may openly practice their religion unmolested and unrestricted, and provided that properties taken from Christians be returned to them unconditionally. Although the Edict of Milan allowed religious freedom throughout the Empire, it did not abolish nor disestablish the Roman state cult (Roman polytheistic paganism). The Edict of Milan
792-458: A non-Zoroastrian is suitable for copying Avestan language texts – but they provide a discerning insight into the fears and anxieties of the early modern Zoroastrians. Thus, the question of the ink is symptomatic of the fear of assimilation and the loss of identity, a theme that dominates the questions posed and continues to be an issue into the 21st century. So also the question of conversion of Juddin s (non-Zoroastrians) to Zoroastrianism, to which
891-523: A problem for the priesthood until the 20th century). For another, it did away with the boundaries along occupational lines, a factor that would endear the Parsis to the 18th- and 19th-century colonial authorities who had little patience for the unpredictable complications of the Hindu caste system (such as when a clerk from one caste would not deal with a clerk from another). Following the commercial treaty in
990-525: A religion, but the state does not need to be under the control of the clergy (as in a theocracy), nor is the state-sanctioned religion necessarily under the control of the state. Official religions have been known throughout human history in almost all types of cultures, reaching into the Ancient Near East and prehistory . The relation of religious cult and the state was discussed by the ancient Latin scholar Marcus Terentius Varro , under
1089-418: A remission of the jizya for their co-religionists in 1882. State religion A state religion (also called official religion ) is a religion or creed officially endorsed by a sovereign state . A state with an official religion (also known as confessional state ), while not a secular state , is not necessarily a theocracy . State religions are official or government-sanctioned establishments of
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#17327766226141188-582: A river of fire ordeal for burning of their dross and together they receive a post resurrection paradise. The Zoroastrian holy book, called the Avesta , was written in the Avestan language , which is closely related to Vedic Sanskrit . The Qissa-i Sanjan is a tale of the journey of the Parsis to India from Iran. It says they fled for reasons of religious freedom and they were allowed to settle in India thanks to
1287-614: A small agricultural community. The term Pārsi , which in the Persian language is a demonym meaning "inhabitant of Pārs " and hence "ethnic Persian", is not attested in Indian Zoroastrian texts until the 17th century. Until that time, such texts consistently use the Persian-origin terms Zartoshti "Zoroastrian" or Vehdin "[of] the good religion". The 12th-century Sixteen Shlokas , a Sanskrit text in praise of
1386-457: A small remnant of one of the mightiest nations of the ancient world, who, flying from persecution into India, were for many ages lost in obscurity and poverty, till at length they met a just government under which they speedily rose to be one of the most popular mercantile bodies in Asia". One of these was an enterprising agent named Rustom Maneck . In 1702, Maneck, who had probably already amassed
1485-433: A state religion can vary. It can range from mere endorsement (with or without financial support) with freedom for other faiths to practice , to prohibiting any competing religious body from operating and to persecuting the followers of other sects. In Europe, competition between Catholic and Protestant denominations for state sponsorship in the 16th century evolved the principle Cuius regio, eius religio (states follow
1584-575: A well-defined community. The exact date of the Parsi migration is unknown. According to tradition, the Parsis initially settled at Hormuz on the Persian Gulf but finding themselves still persecuted they set sail for India, arriving in the 8th century. The migration may, in fact, have taken place as late as the 10th century, or in both. They settled first at Diu in Kathiawar but soon moved to South Gujarāt, where they remained for about 800 years as
1683-636: Is subsidized by the Russian government. The position of Islam as a major Russian religion, alongside Orthodox Christianity , dates from the time of Catherine the Great , who sponsored Islamic clerics and scholarship through the Orenburg Assembly . In addition, the Treaty of Lausanne explicitly guarantees the security and protection of both Greek and Armenian Orthodox Christian minorities and
1782-481: Is a matter of conjecture. All estimates are based on the Qissa , which is vague or contradictory with respect to some elapsed periods. Consequently, three possible dates – 716, 765, and 936 – have been proposed as the year of landing, and the disagreement has been the cause of "many an intense battle ... amongst Parsis". Since dates are not specifically mentioned in Parsi texts prior to the 18th century, any date of arrival
1881-554: Is not more than a legend, it still remains without doubt an extremely informative document for Parsee historiography." The Sanjan Zoroastrians were certainly not the first Zoroastrians on the subcontinent. Sindh touching Balochistan , the easternmost periphery of the Iranian world, too had once been under coastal administration of the Sasanian Empire (226-651), which consequently maintained outposts there. Even following
1980-435: Is not recognized as a state religion, but holds special status: The following states recognize some form of Christianity as their state or official religion or recognize a special status for it (by denomination): Jurisdictions where Catholicism has been established as a state or official religion: Jurisdictions that give various degrees of recognition in their constitutions to Roman Catholicism without establishing it as
2079-492: Is not, a Parsi is a matter of great contention within the Zoroastrian community in India. It is generally accepted that a Parsi is a person who: In this sense, Parsi is an ethno-religious designator, whose definition is of contention among its members, similar to the identity question among Jews . Some members of the community additionally contend that a child must have a Parsi father to be eligible for introduction into
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#17327766226142178-481: Is often illegal in such states. In some countries, Islam is not recognized as a state religion, but holds special status: In some countries, there is a political ideology sponsored by the government that may be called political religion . Islam in Russia is recognized under the law and by Russian political leaders as one of Russia's traditional religions, Islam is a part of Russian historical heritage , and
2277-419: Is perforce a matter of speculation. The importance of the Qissa lies in any case not so much in its reconstruction of events than in its depiction of the Parsis – in the way they have come to view themselves – and in their relationship to the dominant culture. As such, the text plays a crucial role in shaping Parsi identity. But, "even if one comes to the conclusion that the chronicle based on verbal transmission
2376-454: Is ruled by an exterior body; for example, in the case of Catholicism, the Vatican has control over the church. Disestablishment is the process of repealing a church's status as an organ of the state. In a state where an established church is in place, opposition to such a move may be described as antidisestablishmentarianism . This word is, however, most usually associated with the debate on
2475-571: Is the case in Alsace-Moselle in France under its local law , following the pre-1905 French concordatory legal system and patterns in Germany . A state church (or "established church") is a state religion established by a state for use exclusively by that state. In the case of a state church , the state has absolute control over the church, but in the case of a state religion , the church
2574-421: Is unusual: as of 2001, the ratio of males to females was 1000 males to 1050 females (up from 1024 in 1991), due primarily to the high median age of the population (elderly women are more common than elderly men). As of 2001 the national average in India was 1000 males to 933 females. Parsis have a high literacy rate ; as of 2001, the literacy rate is 99.1%, the highest of any Indian community (the national average
2673-476: The (r)atheshtarih (nobility, soldiers, and civil servants), vastaryoshih (farmers and herdsmen), hutokshih (artisans and labourers) – were folded into an all-comprehensive class today known as the behdini ("followers of daena ", for which "good religion" is one translation). This change would have far reaching consequences. For one, it opened the gene pool to some extent since until that time inter-class marriages were exceedingly rare (this would continue to be
2772-595: The British Raj , the British schools in India provided the new Parsi youth with the means not only to learn to read and write but also to be educated in the greater sense of the term and become familiar with the quirks of the British establishment. These capabilities were enormously useful to Parsis since they allowed them to "represent themselves as being like the British," which they did "more diligently and effectively than perhaps any other South Asian community". While
2871-468: The Chinvat bridge to grant passage to Paradise, Hammistagan (A limbo area) or Hell by the bridge remaining wide for a righteous soul and turning narrow as a sword for the wicked.. A personified form of the soul that represents the person's deeds takes the adjudged to their destination and they will abide there until the final apocalypse. After the final battle between good and evil, every soul's walk through
2970-512: The Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) advocated Confucianism as the de facto state religion, establishing tests based on Confucian texts as an entrance requirement into government service—although, in fact, the "Confucianism" advocated by the Han emperors may be more properly termed a sort of Confucian Legalism or "State Confucianism". This sort of Confucianism continued to be regarded by the emperors, with
3069-491: The Indian Constitution void the patrilineal restrictions expressed in the third clause. The second clause was contested and overturned in 1948. On appeal in 1950, the 1948 ruling was upheld and the entire 1909 definition was deemed an obiter dictum – a collateral opinion and not legally binding (re-affirmed in 1966). ) According to the 2011 Census of India , there are 57,264 Parsis in India. According to
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3168-512: The Iranis , whose Zoroastrian ancestors migrated to British-ruled India from Qajar-era Iran . The word Parsi is derived from the Persian language , and literally translates to Persian ( پارسی , Pārsi ). According to the 16th-century Parsi epic Qissa-i Sanjan , the immigration of Zoroastrian Persians to the Indian subcontinent from Greater Iran continued between the 8th century and
3267-665: The Kanheri Caves near Mumbai suggest that at least until the early 11th century, Middle Persian was still the literary language of the hereditary Zoroastrian priesthood. Nonetheless, aside from the Qissa and the Kanheri inscriptions, there is little evidence of the Parsis until the 12th and 13th century, when "masterly" Sanskrit translations and transcriptions of the Avesta and its commentaries began to be prepared. From these translations Dhalla infers that "religious studies were prosecuted with great zeal at this period" and that
3366-471: The National Commission for Minorities , there are a "variety of causes that are responsible for this steady decline in the population of the community", the most significant of which were childlessness and migration. If Demographic trends project that by 2020 the Parsis will number only 23,000. The Parsis will then cease to be called a community and will be labeled a ' tribe '. One-fifth of
3465-516: The Turkish-Jews . Their religious institutions are recognized officially by the state. In Rome, the office of Pontifex Maximus came to be reserved for the Emperor, who was occasionally declared a god posthumously, or sometimes during his reign. Failure to worship the Emperor as a god was at times punishable by death, as the Roman government sought to link emperor worship with loyalty to
3564-527: The world's largest Zoroastrian population . Notably, no substantial differences exist between Parsi and Irani religious principles, convictions, and customs. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica , Parsi, also spelled Parsee, member of a group of followers in India of the Persian prophet Zoroaster . The Parsis, whose name means "Persians", are descended from Persian Zoroastrians who emigrated to India to avoid religious persecution by
3663-468: The "Fire of Victory" (Middle Persian: Atash Bahram ) at Sanjan and its subsequent move to Navsari . According to Dhalla, the next several centuries were "full of hardships" ( sic ) before Zoroastrianism "gained a real foothold in India and secured for its adherents some means of livelihood in this new country of their adoption". Two centuries after their landing, the Parsis began to settle in other parts of Gujarat, which led to "difficulties in defining
3762-530: The "traditional" 8th century date (as deduced from the Qissa ) is considered valid, it must be assumed "that the migration began while Zoroastrianism was still the predominant religion in Iran and economic factors predominated the initial decision to migrate." This would have been particularly the case if – as the Qissa suggests – the first Parsis originally came from the north-east (i.e. Central Asia) and had previously been dependent on Silk Road trade. Even so, in
3861-673: The 10th century. The earliest of these migrants settled among the Hindus of present-day Gujarat after being granted refuge by Jadi Rana , the king of Sanjan . Zoroastrianism had served as Iran's state religion since at least the time of the Achaemenid Empire . However, the conquest of the Sasanian Empire by the Rashidun Caliphate marked the beginning of the Islamisation of Iran , which prompted much of
3960-494: The 17th century, Henry Lord, a chaplain with the English East India Company , noted that the Parsis came to India seeking " liberty of conscience " but simultaneously arrived as "merchantmen bound for the shores of India, in course of trade and merchandise." The Qissa has little to say about the events that followed the establishment of Sanjan, and restricts itself to a brief note on the establishment of
4059-482: The 1930s, Parsis discussed the idea of buying land in Iran to create a Parsi colony. Sir Hormusji C. Adenwala proposed raising funds in Bombay for this purpose, with support from the Iranian government and Reza Shah. Some Parsis had already resettled in Iran earlier since the time of Maneckji Hataria . The Iran League Quarterly provided information on legal and economic aspects of land purchase. Land near Bandar-e Shapur
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4158-595: The Collector of Broach (now Bharuch ), would note in his Oriental Memoirs (1770): "many of the principal merchants and owners of ships at Bombay and Surat are Parsees." "Active, robust, prudent and persevering, they now form a very valuable part of the Company's subjects on the western shores of Hindustan where they are highly esteemed". In the 18th century, Parsis with their skills in ship building and trade greatly benefited with trade between India and China. The trade
4257-485: The Empire. Many Christians and Jews were subject to persecution, torture and death in the Roman Empire because it was against their beliefs to worship the Emperor. In 311, Emperor Galerius , on his deathbed, declared a religious indulgence to Christians throughout the Roman Empire, focusing on the ending of anti-Christian persecution. Constantine I and Licinius , the two Augusti , by the Edict of Milan of 313, enacted
4356-671: The Hindu caste system, they felt that their own safety lay in encircling their fold by rigid caste barriers". Even so, at some point (possibly shortly after their arrival in India), the Zoroastrians – perhaps determining that the social stratification that they had brought with them was unsustainable in the small community – did away with all but the hereditary priesthood (called the asronih in Sassanid Iran). The remaining estates –
4455-481: The Indian subcontinent, "Parsi" was used by the Indians to refer to anyone from Greater Iran, irrespective of whether they were actually ethnic Persian people. In any case, the term "Parsi" itself is "not necessarily an indication of their Iranian or 'Persian' origin, but rather as indicator – manifest as several properties – of ethnic identity". Moreover, if heredity were the only factor in a determination of ethnicity,
4554-756: The Iranians, the harbours of Gujarat lay on the maritime routes that complemented the overland Silk Road and there were extensive trade relations between the two regions. The contact between Iranians and Indians was already well established even prior to the Common Era , and both the Puranas and the Mahabharata use the term Parasikas to refer to the peoples west of the Indus River . "Parsi legends regarding their ancestors' migration to India depict
4653-723: The Muslims. They live chiefly in Mumbai and in a few towns and villages mostly to the south of Mumbai, but also a few minorities nearby in Karachi (Pakistan) and Chennai . There is a sizeable Parsee population in Pune as well in Bangalore . A few Parsee families also reside in Kolkata and Hyderabad . Although they are not, strictly speaking, a caste , since they are not Hindus, they form
4752-566: The Pahlavi dynasty in Iran, the relationship between Zoroastrianism and Iranian national identity was blurred. This was exemplified by Reza Shah's adoption of Zoroastrian calendar names and placement of the Fravahar symbol on prominent government buildings. Additionally, he maintained a close relationship with the Zoroastrian parliamentary representative, Keikhosrow Shahrokh , who was entrusted by him with important governmental tasks. Reza Shah
4851-637: The Parsi Benevolent Fund with the aim of improving, through education, the condition of the impoverished Parsis still living in Surat and its environs. In 1849 the Parsis established their first school (co-educational, which was a novelty at the time, but would soon be split into separate schools for boys and girls) and the education movement quickened. The number of Parsi schools multiplied, but other schools and colleges were also freely attended. Accompanied by better education and social cohesiveness,
4950-428: The Parsi community in India. You Parsis are as much the children of this soil as any other Iranis, and so you are as much entitled to have your proper share in its development as any other nationals. We estimate Our Empire's resources to be even greater than those of America, and in tapping them you can take your proper part. We do not want you to come all bag and baggage; just wait a little and watch. If you find
5049-473: The Parsis have integrated themselves into Indian society while simultaneously maintaining or developing their own distinct customs and traditions (and thus ethnic identity). This in turn has given the Parsi community a rather peculiar standing: they are mostly Indians in terms of national affiliation, language and history, but not typically Indian in terms of consanguinity or ethnicity, cultural, behavioural and religious practices. The definition of who is, and
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#17327766226145148-556: The Parsis would count as Parthians according to the Qissa-i Sanjan . The term "Parseeism" or "Parsiism", is attributed to Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron , who in the 1750s, when the word "Zoroastrianism" had yet to be coined, made the first detailed report of the Parsis and of Zoroastrianism, therein mistakenly assuming that the Parsis were the only remaining followers of the religion. In addition to above,
5247-608: The Parsis, is the earliest attested use of the term as an identifier for Indian Zoroastrians. The first reference to the Parsis in a European language is from 1322, when a French monk, Jordanus , briefly refers to their presence in Thane and Bharuch . Subsequently, the term appears in the journals of many European travelers, first French and Portuguese, later English, all of whom used a Europeanized version of an apparently local language term. For example, Portuguese physician Garcia de Orta observed in 1563 that "there are merchants ... in
5346-526: The Sakya sect had held the post of Imperial Preceptor (Dishi), thereby enjoying special power. The Mongol rulers Ghazan of Ilkhanate and Uzbeg of Golden Horde converted to Islam in 1295 CE because of the Muslim Mongol emir Nawruz and in 1313 CE because of Sufi Bukharan sayyid and sheikh Ibn Abdul Hamid respectively. Their official favoring of Islam as the state religion coincided with
5445-597: The State religion: The jurisdictions below give various degrees of recognition in their constitutions to Eastern Orthodoxy , but without establishing it as the state religion: The following states recognize some form of Protestantism as their state or official religion: The Anglican Church of England is the established church in England as well as all three of the Crown Dependencies : Jurisdictions where
5544-594: The Zoroastrian-majority population to either convert to Islam or flee, though a number of Iranian figures stayed in active revolt against the Rashidun army and the later Islamic caliphates for almost 200 years after the collapse of the Sasanian Empire. Nevertheless, Zoroastrianism continued to decline, and most Iranians had become Muslims by the 10th century, shifting the concentration of
5643-535: The colonial authorities often saw the other Indians "as passive, ignorant, irrational, outwardly submissive but inwardly guileful", the Parsis were seen to have the traits that the authorities tended to ascribe to themselves. Johan Albrecht de Mandelslo (1638) saw them as "diligent", "conscientious", and "skillful" in their mercantile pursuits. Similar observations would be made by James Mackintosh , Recorder of Bombay from 1804 to 1811, who noted that "the Parsees are
5742-477: The command of Middle Persian and Sanskrit among the clerics "was of a superior order". From the 13th century to the late 16th century, the Zoroastrian priests of Gujarat sent (in all) twenty-two requests for religious guidance to their co-religionists in Iran, presumably because they considered the Iranian Zoroastrians "better informed on religious matters than themselves, and must have preserved
5841-432: The community's sense of distinctiveness grew, and in 1854 Dinshaw Maneckji Petit founded the Persian Zoroastrian Amelioration Fund with the aim of improving conditions for his less fortunate co-religionists in Iran. The fund succeeded in convincing a number of Iranian Zoroastrians to emigrate to India (where they are known today as Iranis) and the efforts of its emissary Maneckji Limji Hataria were instrumental in obtaining
5940-461: The decrease in population is attributed to migration. There are sizeable Parsi communities in the United Kingdom , Australia , Canada , and the United States . A slower birthrate than deathrate accounts for the rest: as of 2001, Parsis over the age of 60 make up for 31% of the community. Only 4.7% of the Parsi community are under 6 years of age, which translates to 7 births per year per 1000 individuals. Concerns have been raised in recent years over
6039-403: The deep harbour on the east coast of the islands to be ideal for setting up their first port in the sub-continent, and in 1687 they transferred their headquarters from Surat to the fledgling settlement. The Parsis followed and soon began to occupy posts of trust in connection with government and public works. Where literacy had previously been the exclusive domain of the priesthood, in the era of
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#17327766226146138-411: The degree of religious restrictions on citizens' everyday lives varies by country. Rulers of Saudi Arabia use religious power, while Iran 's secular presidents are supposed to follow the decisions of religious authorities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution . Turkey , which also has Muslim-majority population, became a secular country after Atatürk's Reforms , although unlike the Russian Revolution of
6237-475: The early 17th century between Mughal emperor Jahangir and James I of England, the East India Company obtained the exclusive rights to reside and build factories in Surat and other areas. Many Parsis, who until then had been living in farming communities throughout Gujarat, moved to the English-run settlements to take the new jobs offered. In 1668 the English East India Company leased the Seven Islands of Bombay from Charles II of England . The company found
6336-456: The faith, but this assertion is considered by most to be a violation of the Zoroastrian tenets of gender equality and may be a remnant of an old legal definition of the term Parsi. An oft-quoted legal definition of Parsi is based on a 1909 ruling (since nullified) that not only stipulated that a person could not become a Parsi by converting to the Zoroastrian faith but also noted: the Parsi community consists of: a) Parsis who are descended from
6435-406: The first group of immigrants originated from Greater Khorasan . This historical region of Central Asia is in part in northeastern Iran, where it constitutes modern Khorasan Province , part of western/northern Afghanistan , and in part in three Central-Asian republics namely Tajikistan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan . According to the Qissa , the immigrants were granted permission to stay by
6534-403: The first, and this time having religious implements with them (the alat ). In addition to these Khorasani s or Kohistani s "mountain folk", as the two initial groups are said to have been initially called, at least one other group is said to have come overland from Sari, Iran . Although the Sanjan group are believed to have been the first permanent settlers, the precise date of their arrival
6633-407: The founder of the Yuan dynasty. The top-level department and government agency known as the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs (Xuanzheng Yuan) was set up in Khanbaliq (modern Beijing ) to supervise Buddhist monks throughout the empire. Since Kublai Khan only esteemed the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism, other religions became less important. Before the end of the Yuan dynasty, 14 leaders of
6732-411: The goodwill of a local prince. However, the Parsi community had to abide by three rules: they had to speak the local language, follow local marriage customs, and not carry any weapons. After showing the many similarities between their faith and local beliefs, the early community was granted a plot of land on which to build a fire temple . Over the centuries since the first Zoroastrians arrived in India,
6831-440: The government, historically the state church of the Roman Empire in the last centuries of the Empire's existence, and is sometimes used to denote a specific modern national branch of Christianity. Closely related to state churches are ecclesiae , which are similar but carry a more minor connotation. In the Middle East , the majority of states with a predominantly Muslim population have Islam as their official religion, though
6930-426: The infrastructure that was necessary for the Parsis to set themselves up in Bombay and in doing so "established Bombay as the primary centre of Parsi habitation and work in the 1720s". Following the political and economic isolation of Surat in the 1720s and 1730s that resulted from troubles between the (remnant) Mughal authorities and the increasingly dominant Marathas , a number of Parsi families from Surat migrated to
7029-407: The kingdom of Cambaia ... known as Esparcis. We Portuguese call them Jews, but they are not so. They are Gentios ." In an early 20th-century legal ruling (see self-perceptions , below), Justices Davar and Beaman asserted (1909:540) that "Parsi" was also a term used in Iran to refer to Zoroastrians . notes that in much the same way as the word "Hindu" was used by Iranians to refer to anyone from
7128-491: The limits of priestly jurisdiction". These problems were resolved by 1290 through the division of Gujarat into five panthak s (districts), each under the jurisdiction of one priestly family and their descendants. (Continuing disputes regarding jurisdiction over the Atash Bahram led to the fire being moved to Udvada in 1742, where today jurisdiction is shared in rotation among the five panthak families.) Inscriptions at
7227-429: The local ruler, Jadi Rana , on the condition that they adopt the local language ( Gujarati ) and that their women adopt local dress (the sari ). The refugees accepted the conditions and founded the settlement of Sanjan , which is said to have been named after the city of their origin ( Sanjan , near Merv , modern Turkmenistan). This first group was followed by a second group from Greater Khorasan within five years of
7326-477: The loss of Sindh , the Iranians continued to play a major role in the trade links between the east and west. The 9th-century Arab historiographer Al-Masudi briefly notes Zoroastrians with fire temples in al-Hind and in al-Sindh. There is evidence of individual Parsis residing in Sindh in the tenth and twelfth centuries, but the current modern community is thought to date from British arrival in Sindh. Moreover, for
7425-578: The modernization of Iran, particularly in the 20th century. They served as a reminder of Iran's ancient heritage, which was crucial to Iranians. The Parsis also demonstrated to Iranians that it was possible to be both modern and culturally authentic, and that the revival of Zoroastrianism could be a way of modernizing Iranian culture while retaining its original identity. Both Reza Shah and Muhammad Reza Shah played an active role in encouraging Parsis to invest in Iran and contribute to its economic development by inviting them to return to their homeland. During
7524-483: The new city. While in 1700 "fewer than a handful of individuals appear as merchants in any records; by mid-century, Parsis engaged in commerce constituted one of important commercial groups in Bombay". Maneck's generosity is incidentally also the first documented instance of Parsi philanthropy. In 1689, Anglican chaplain John Ovington reported that in Surat the family "assist the poor and are ready to provide for
7623-418: The old-time tradition more faithfully than they themselves did". These transmissions and their replies – assiduously preserved by the community as the rivayat s ( epistles ) – span the years 1478–1766 and deal with both religious and social subjects. From a superficial 21st century point of view, some of these ithoter ("questions") are remarkably trivial – for instance, Rivayat 376: whether ink prepared by
7722-419: The original Persian emigrants and who are born of both Zoroastrian parents and who profess the Zoroastrian religion; b) Iranis [here meaning Iranians , not the other group of Indian Zoroastrians] professing the Zoroastrian religion; c) the children of Parsi fathers by alien mothers who have been duly and properly admitted into the religion. This definition was overturned several times. The equality principles of
7821-744: The position of the Anglican Communion in the British Isles : the Church of Ireland (disestablished in 1871 ), the Church in Wales (disestablished in 1920 ), and the Church of England itself (which remains established in England). Governments where Buddhism , either a specific form of it, or Buddhism as a whole, has been established as an official religion: In some countries, Buddhism
7920-509: The proposition beneficial both to yourselves and to this land, then do come and We shall greet you with open arms, as We might. Our dear brothers and sisters. Iran is a vast country pregnant with many advantages and fresh fields waiting for development. We suggest that the Parsis, who are still the sons of Iran, though separated from her, should look upon this country of to-day as their own, and differentiate it from its immediate past, and strive to derive benefit from her developments. In
8019-402: The rapidly declining population of the Parsi community in India. Parsis have also been migrating to the traditional homeland of Iran and while the number of Parsis who have returned to Iran is small compared to the overall Zoroastrian community in Iran, their presence has helped to strengthen the ties between the Iranian and Indian Zoroastrian communities. The Parsis played a significant role in
8118-575: The recognized instrument for regulating the affairs of the community. Nonetheless, by 1838 the Panchayat was under attack for impropriety and nepotism. In 1855 the Bombay Times noted that the Panchayat was utterly without the moral or legal authority to enforce its statutes (the Bundobusts or codes of conduct) and the council soon ceased to be considered representative of the community. In
8217-595: The religion of the ruler) embodied in the text of the treaty that marked the Peace of Augsburg in 1555. In England , Henry VIII broke with Rome in 1534, being declared the Supreme Head of the Church of England , the official religion of England continued to be "Catholicism without the Pope" until after his death in 1547. In some cases, an administrative region may sponsor and fund a set of religious denominations; such
8316-594: The religion's followers away from the Iranian plateau for the first time in recorded history. The Gujarati -speaking Parsi community accounts for the oldest sustained presence of Zoroastrianism in India , and is legally differentiated from the Dari -speaking Irani community on the basis of the era of their migration to the country. Despite this legal distinction, the terms "Parsi" and "Zoroastrian" are commonly utilised interchangeably to denote both communities, which make up
8415-507: The reply (R237, R238) was: acceptable, even meritorious. Nonetheless, "the precarious condition in which they lived for a considerable period made it impracticable for them to keep up their former proselytizing zeal. The instinctive fear of disintegration and absorption in the vast multitudes among whom they lived created in them a spirit of exclusiveness and a strong desire to preserve the racial characteristics and distinctive features of their community. Living in an atmosphere surcharged with
8514-531: The same given name or the same family name . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sorabji&oldid=1251236801 " Categories : Given names Surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata All set index articles Parsis The Parsis or Parsees ( / ˈ p ɑːr s i / ) are
8613-414: The same time as the role of the Panchayat was declining, a number of other institutions arose that would replace the Panchayat's role in contributing to the sense of social cohesiveness that the community desperately sought. By the mid-19th century, the Parsis were keenly aware that their numbers were declining and saw education as a possible solution to the problem. In 1842 Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy established
8712-724: The same time period, it did not result in the adoption of state atheism . The degree to which an official national religion is imposed upon citizens by the state in contemporary society varies considerably; from high as in Saudi Arabia and Iran , to none at all as in Greenland , Denmark , England , Iceland , and Greece (in Europe, the state religion might be called in English, the established church ). The degree and nature of state backing for denomination or creed designated as
8811-460: The sense of the trust it is today) to assist newly arriving Parsis in religious, social, legal and financial matters. Using their vast resources, the Maneck Seth family gave their time, energy and not inconsiderable financial resources to the Parsi community, with the result that by the mid-18th century, the Panchayat was the accepted means for Parsis to cope with the exigencies of urban life and
8910-511: The sustenance and comfort of such as want it. Their universal kindness, either employing such as are ready and able to work, or bestowing a seasonable bounteous charity to such as are infirm and miserable, leave no man destitute of relief, nor suffer a beggar in all their tribe". In 1728 Rustom's eldest son Naoroz (later Naorojee) founded the Bombay Parsi Panchayet (in the sense of an instrument for self-governance and not in
9009-436: The term "Parsi" (Persian) existed even before they moved to India: In ancient Persia, Zoroaster taught that good ( Ohrmazd ) and evil ( Angra Mainyu ) were opposite forces and the battle between them is more or less evenly matched. A person should always be vigilant to align with forces of light. According to the asha or the righteousness and druj or the wickedness, the person has chosen in his life they will be judged at
9108-481: The term of theologia civilis ( lit. ' civic theology ' ). The first state-sponsored Christian denomination was the Armenian Apostolic Church , established in 301 CE. In Christianity , as the term church is typically applied to a place of worship for Christians or organizations incorporating such ones, the term state church is associated with Christianity as sanctioned by
9207-561: The wake of a July 1856 ruling by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council that it had no jurisdiction over the Parsis in matters of marriage and divorce, the Panchayat was reduced to little more than a Government-recognized "Parsi Matrimonial Court". Although the Panchayat would eventually be reestablished as the administrator of community property, it ultimately ceased to be an instrument for self-governance. At about
9306-511: Was 78.5%). 97.1% of Parsis reside in urban areas (the national average is 27.8%). Parsis mother tongue is Gujarati . In the Greater Mumbai area, where the density of Parsis is highest, about 13% of Parsi females and about 24% of Parsi males do not marry. According to the Qissa-i Sanjan , the only existing account of the early years of Zoroastrian refugees in India composed at least six centuries after their tentative date of arrival,
9405-545: Was also sympathetic to Indian Zoroastrians (Parsis) and actively encouraged their return to Iran to invest and help develop the country's economy. In 1932, he invited Dinshah Irani , a Parsi leader and founder of the Iranian Zoroastrian Anjoman and the Iran League in India, to visit Iran as part of a Parsi delegation. Irani was awarded honors by Reza Shah and entrusted with a message to take back to
9504-521: Was mainly in timber, silk, cotton and opium. For example Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy acquired most of his wealth through trade in cotton and opium Gradually certain families "acquired wealth and prominence (Sorabji, Modi, Cama, Wadia, Jeejeebhoy, Readymoney, Dadyseth, Petit, Patel, Mehta, Allbless, Tata, etc.), many of which would be noted for their participation in the public life of the city, and for their various educational, industrial, and charitable enterprises." ). Through his largesse, Maneck helped establish
9603-467: Was restored for a time by the Emperor Julian from 361 to 363. Julian does not appear to have reinstated the persecutions of the earlier Roman emperors . Catholic Christianity, as opposed to Arianism and other ideologies deemed heretical , was declared to be the state religion of the Roman Empire on 27 February 380 by the decree De fide catolica of Emperor Theodosius I . In China,
9702-624: Was suggested as particularly valuable due to government plans for the port. Similar plans were considered for other Parsi colonies in Iran, including Yazd and Kerman. Textile manufacturing was seen as a potential area for Parsi investment, leading to the establishment of the Khorsovi Textile Mill in Mashhad (based on joint Parsi and Iranian ownership agreements). There was also discussion of combining industrial and agricultural ventures in such colonies. The gender ratio among Parsis
9801-547: Was written in such a way as to implore the blessings of the deity. Constantine called up the First Council of Nicaea in 325, although he was not a baptized Christian until years later. Despite enjoying considerable popular support, Christianity was still not the official state religion in Rome, although it was in some neighboring states such as Armenia , Iberia , and Aksum . Roman religion ( Neoplatonic Hellenism )
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