Bombay: The Telling Figures

The number of Parsi (210) and intercommunity (95) marriages in Bombay have both declined in 2002. While the Parsi marriages dropped by 48 from the preceeding year’s total of 258, the number of intercommunity marriages dropped by 18 from the 2001 count of 113.

The percentage of intercommunity marriages continued to rise higher, from 30 in 2001 to 31 in 2002 if calculated as a ratio of intercommunity marriages to the total number of marriages (95:305). If calculated as a ratio of intercommunity to community marriages (95:210) the percentage increased to 45 as compared to 44 in the previous year.

As compared to 49 females, there were 46 males who opted for non-Parsi spouses in 2002, indicating that of those married out, 48 percent were males and 52 percent were females. Among the outmarrieds in 2001, 56 percent were males and 44 percent were females.

The number of births too, 180, showed a decline of 15 over the preceding year’s count of 195. While the males born in the community reduced by 20 over last year’s count of 97, the number of females born rose by 5 over the preceding year’s count of 98.

Although our birth count includes children of outmarried males and females, we are principally dependent on the data made available to us from two hospitals in central Bombay.

The death count increased by eight to give a total of 918 in 2002 as compared to 910 in 2001. While those consigned to the dakhma increased by six over last year’s count of 886, those cremated increased by two over last year’s count of 24. As compared to 432 males and 454 females who were consigned to the dakhma in 2001, there were 451 males and 441 females consigned in 2002. Among those cremated, the count showed 9 males and 17 females in 2002 as compared to 12 males and 12 females in 2001. Of the five crematoria in Bombay, Parsiana accesses data only from the Chan­danwadi crematorium in south Bombay.

From the data available to us by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, the Life Expectancy at Birth calculated for those consigned to the Doongerwadi was 76 in 2002 as compared to 75 in 2001. It was highest, at 79 years, in the months of March and April 2002, and lowest, at 74 years in May.

Given below are the 2002 figures pertaining to the Bombay Zoroastrian community based on records available with Parsiana.

Born: 180

Males 77, Females 103

Married: 305

Parsi 210

Intercommunal 95

Died: 918

Consigned: 892

Males 451, Females 441

Cremated: 26

Males 9, Females 17