Russy Sumariwalla

About Zoroastrianism & The Parsi Community

Zoroastrianism [Z] is considered by most scholars as one of the oldest continually practiced  religions – if not the oldest – in the world. It was born in the ancient Persian Empire [now reduced to Iran]; its date is controversial but most place it between 3000 and 2500BC. After the birth of Islam and its conquest of Persia around 700-750 AD, a small group of devout Z escaped from Iran and sought political asylum on the west coast of India and settled near Bombay [now Mumbai]. Since these immigrants came from Persia  [known in India at the time as Paras] they were called Parsi. Thus Russy is a member of the Parsi community in India. Over the millennia the Parsi community multiplied and prospered. They brought their Z religion with them to India. However, today their numbers have dwindled to around 50,000-70,000 in India.

According to the Z orthodoxy one has to be born in the religion – at least the father must be a Parsi. There is no conversion and no proselytism allowed in India by the Parsi community. Beginning in early 20^thcentury many Parsis migrated to Europe, Canada and the U.S. and again brought their Z religion with them in the form of “Fire Temples” [place of worship]. Today these temples exist in some of the large cities around the world such as London, Chicago, Houston, and in San Jose, CA. The Foundation of the Z religion rests on three principles: Hoomakt, Hookhakt, Harvarst translated as:

Good Words, Good Thoughts, Good Deeds, as preached by the prophet Zarathushtra or Zoroaster. Not unlike with other religions, the Parsi diaspora here celebrate their own holiday festivities like their New Year [Navroz], with religious prayers, special meals, parties, etc. A majority of the Parsi community in the U.S. is engaged in the professions: Physicians, Lawyers, Engineers, Scientists, Teachers and Professors, Writers and Researchers. Of course, in the U.S. there is no restrictions on marrying outside of the Parsi community – Russy is married to Anita [from Switzerland] who is a Christian.