Capsuled history

A neatly produced 20-page booklet titled The Faith and the Fol­lowers by Rusi Pardiwala capsulizes the history of the community from ancient times to the present. "The object of this writing is also to enlighten and to remind the Hindu brethren about the common Aryan origin and linkage and to highlight the similarities between the respective traditions, culture, scriptures and lan­guages so as to cultivate mutual respect and affinity,” notes the author in the Preface.

As state the publishers Sahitya Ane Sanskruti (D/2, 4th Floor, Sidhu House, Nanabhai Lane, Fort, Bombay 400001): "In the end, it exhorts the Parsis not to worry or to feel downtrodden but to feel exalted as the followers of the faith which is the first and the oldest, universal and eternal, teaching righteous­ness to all men of the world. Their’s is the religion not for few, but for all, encompassing (all) humanity.”

Pardiwala: high-light similarities

An advocate, poet and author, Pardiwala’s narrative starts with the settlement of the "Aryans” in Iran and India and then focuses on the establishment of Zoroastrianism in Iran till the advent of Islam. The book speaks about the relationship between the Hindus and the Parsis and the similarities between the two. In the penultimate chapter "The ship sails again,” Pardiwala talks about the recent diaspora and the new challenges facing the community. While recognizing the need to form a world Zoroastrian body to maintain links with coreligionists, he cautions, "The common religion alone will not be sufficient to sustain internal unity and concord.” He then states, "The Parsis are the aggrega­tion or group or stock that migrated to India with clear and firm intention to continue to profess Zoroastrian religion only. Therefore Parsi community has regard to time and intention. However, Zoroastrian religion has no regard to time or any place. It is universal and timeless. It has the same moderni­ty as its antiquity. It has the universal eternal ethical base. It has survived through roughest weather and toughest time. It has gone through the worst calamitous conditions. It is founded on the faith of ‘Ahuna.’ It is the religion of God. God has no beginning and no end. God and his religion shall forever remain.”