“A visual feast”

PARSIS: The Zoroastrians of India — A Photographic Journey 1980-2004 by Sooni Taraporevala. Second edition published in 2004 by Good Books, 19 Kala Niketan, 47C, B. Desai Road, Bombay 400026. Pp: 252. Price: Rs 1,500.

"A remarkable marriage of heart and mind — a book of photographs that tells many good stories alongside,” summed up celebrated film director Mira Nair who launched the second edition of Sooni Tarapore­vala’s pictorial coffee table book, Parsis: The Zoroast­rians of India — A Photographic Journey 1980-2004 at Bombay’s prestigious bookstore Crossword on October 1, 2004. Thespian Boman Irani read passages from the many historical and personal essays as well as interviews incorporated in this volume. Also present were a galaxy of familiar faces including creative direc­tor of MTV Cyrus Oshidar, MTV VJ Cyrus Broacha, rocker Gary Lawyer, actor Kurush Deboo, and Ratan Modi, the oldest practising professional photographer in the city at 80 plus.

They are among the host of individuals featured in Tarapore­vala’s book capturing the ethos of the community with all its vibrancy and diversity. Images of young priests in training, elderly devotees, legends in the public eye and a rare interview with the mother and sister of the late rock legend Freddie Mer­cury of Queen are the other attractions of the 252-page tome. "Taraporevala’s lens takes us from public celebrations to private rituals, from fire-temples to living rooms, from the streets of Bombay to the villages of Gujarat. An intimate insider’s view of how the Parsis live today...All photos were shot in India, with one exception: Frene Ginwala, speaker of South Africa’s first democratically elected parliament,” notes an overview by Anjali Malhotra from Good Relations India (Private) Limited.

The first edition published in 2000 (see "The community in focus,” Par­siana, Books, February 2001) was acclaimed by maestro Zubin Mehta as "the finest documentation of the life and achieve­ment of our community in 20th century India,” and by author Rohinton Mistry as a "visual feast.”

At the launch: Nair (left) with Taraporevala; (Alongside, L to R) Cricket legends Surti, Umrigar and Contractor

The second edition has about half a dozen new photographs — of nonagenarian photographer Homai Vyarawalla, Taraporevala’s beloved English teacher, Rati Wadia, Zed Cama of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Coporation Limited who has been supportive of her efforts and erstwhile cricketers Rusi Surti, Polly Umrigar, Nari Contractor in discussion. Included among the new photographs is the Mumbai Marathon of 2004. As reported in the Afternoon Des­patch and Courier of September 30, 2004, when the lensman was asked what’s Parsi about it, Taraporevala replied, "The statue of Sir Pherozeshah Mehta witnessing the start.” Using her Leica M6 to shoot her Parsi subjects, Taraporevala plans to experiment with digital photography although she expressed "some kind of resistance to change.”

While the first edition was published by Taraporevala’s newly formed company Good Books, the second edition is co-pub­lished by Good Books, The Overlook Press (USA) and Duckworth (UK) whereby rights in India vest with Good Books and in the international market with the overseas publishers.

A graduate of Harvard University and New York University, Taraporevala is best known as the screenwriter of award-winning films di­rected by Nair like the Oscar nominated Salaam Bombay! and Mis­sissippi Masala. Recently she has written film-scripts for Tony Kushner’s play Homebody/Kabul, Hari Kunzru’s novel The Impressionist, and Pulitzer-prize winning writer Jhumpa Lahiri’s latest novel The Namesake, projects handled singly by Nair or in collaboration. Taraporevala’s photographs have been exhibited in India, the US, France and Britain, including London’s Tate Modern Gallery.

Parinaz Gandhi