Quotes
So they say
“You can inherit your height, the tone of your voice and a
genetic disease. But how can you inherit a belief?”
Dr Kaikhosrov D. Irani, professor emeritus of philosophy at the City University of New York, Manashni, the newsletter of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston
“My principle is, if I don’t get a pure Zoroastrian girl, I’ll remain single forever but I will never dilute my blood and make it impure with a non-Zoroastrian. A person who has married outside the faith will face severe punishment because his soul will not be able
to go out of this world.”
Neville Cyrus Saiwalla, a student at University in Mumbai, The Indian Express (North American Edition), June 19, 2007
“Having withstood the ravages of history, the community is now threatened by emigration, which is robbing the Zoroastrians of their precious youth day-by-day. Sources in the community estimate that at the very least hundreds of young Zoroastrians are leaving Iran for the US or Canada every year.”
APP, The Times of India, October 5, 2006
“We have busloads of foreigners coming in ever since the place has had a mention in the book, Shantaram .”
Farhang Jehani, a partner of the Leopold Cafe and Bar, Afternoon Despatch & Courier, May 16, 2006
“They wanted quick cash but in their pursuit of the Blackberry they have forgotten about blueberries and blueberry muffins.”
Zyros Zend, third generation owner of Yazdani Bakery, Time Out Mumbai, August 24-September 6, 2007
“Another Irani told him how in junior college, a teacher taunted him: ‘Ah, your father must be a chaiwalla.’ When the students burst out laughing, he wondered what was funny about his father running a cafe. After all, they were providing the community a service.”
Bruce Carter, public historian, Sunday Hindustan Times, December 16, 2007
Once our group — Sardar Amarjit Singh (who still lives behind Metro cinema), two Christian boys and a Parsi boy — didn’t have money and we were starving. We asked the man behind the counter (at Kyani’s) whether we could eat now and pay later? He obliged. We’d eat and sing songs, and the waiters would surround us and listen.”
Mahendra Kapoor, noted playback singer, Mid Day, May 22, 2005
“During the shooting of Main Hoon Na, Farah (Khan) used to order mawa cakes for Shah Rukh Khan and the film crew.”
Sarosh Irani, partner, B. Merwan & Co., The Week, July 30, 2006
“But talking of small and vulnerable, who is going to demand from Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad an apology for the slaughter and forceful conversion of Zoroastrians to Islam through Arab conquest in the seventh and eighth centuries? One may argue that Ahmadinejad’s ancestors were themselves Zoroastrians and that he is
perhaps descended from someone called Meenu Bombwalla, but that doesn’t make the historical fact any less apologiseable for.”
Farrukh Dhondy, UK-based novelist, columnist and screenplay writer, The Asian Age, February 7, 2007
“Whilst praying the head should be completely covered with a
white cotton scarf of a hanky (over the cap for men) so that
the hair is not visible at all. This is to prevent the continuous
harmful energies emerging from the hair to come into contact
with the invisible rays of the sun, which would cause friction and accelerate the entry of Asere Tariki energies into our Aipee, which would slow down spiritual progress.”
Nergesh Irani, Dini-Avaz, January-March, 2006
“When I was shooting, Shiamak (Davar) had told me, ‘You’re an actor. You should try out theatre.’ So I did stage on weekends. My first role was that of a pimp! It was just a cameo in Alyque Padamsee’s Roshni, but it got me rave reviews. Every Sunday, I’d come back feeling extremely thrilled. I’d be paid just Rs 700-Rs 1,000 a night but I learnt about team work... theatre trains you
for life and cinema.”
Boman Irani, actor, HT Cafe Mumbai, August 23, 2007
“With Hindus representing the mainstream and Muslims in the audience, there were two communities who could be mocked without any economic repercussions. Again, if I may be allowed to quote from my book on Helen, these were, ‘the Christians and the Parsi. For one, they were perceived as westernized, which was tantamount to sleeping with the enemy. For another, they could be offended without upsetting the box office since they rarely patronized Hindi cinema anyway. So Parsis figured as stereotypical eccentrics with walk-on roles. Christians got more screen time but were used in strange ways.’”
Jerry Pinto, poet, author, journalist and film critic, Communalism Combat, August-September 2007
“TV is an eventuality for me. I don’t look down upon it. In the future... I would want to start a career on TV. It’ll be a stable job. But no saas-bahu sagas for me, please. I want to be associated with more intelligent stuff.”
Perizaad Zorabian, actress, Mumbai Mirror, May 18, 2006
“There are two types of donkeys. One has four legs only and is useful in carrying burden; the other has two legs and two hands and is a burden to others.”
Shah Nersee quoted in Dini-Avaz, July-September, 2006
genetic disease. But how can you inherit a belief?”
Dr Kaikhosrov D. Irani, professor emeritus of philosophy at the City University of New York, Manashni, the newsletter of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston
“My principle is, if I don’t get a pure Zoroastrian girl, I’ll remain single forever but I will never dilute my blood and make it impure with a non-Zoroastrian. A person who has married outside the faith will face severe punishment because his soul will not be able
to go out of this world.”
Neville Cyrus Saiwalla, a student at University in Mumbai, The Indian Express (North American Edition), June 19, 2007
“Having withstood the ravages of history, the community is now threatened by emigration, which is robbing the Zoroastrians of their precious youth day-by-day. Sources in the community estimate that at the very least hundreds of young Zoroastrians are leaving Iran for the US or Canada every year.”
APP, The Times of India, October 5, 2006
“We have busloads of foreigners coming in ever since the place has had a mention in the book, Shantaram .”
Farhang Jehani, a partner of the Leopold Cafe and Bar, Afternoon Despatch & Courier, May 16, 2006
“They wanted quick cash but in their pursuit of the Blackberry they have forgotten about blueberries and blueberry muffins.”
Zyros Zend, third generation owner of Yazdani Bakery, Time Out Mumbai, August 24-September 6, 2007
“Another Irani told him how in junior college, a teacher taunted him: ‘Ah, your father must be a chaiwalla.’ When the students burst out laughing, he wondered what was funny about his father running a cafe. After all, they were providing the community a service.”
Bruce Carter, public historian, Sunday Hindustan Times, December 16, 2007
Once our group — Sardar Amarjit Singh (who still lives behind Metro cinema), two Christian boys and a Parsi boy — didn’t have money and we were starving. We asked the man behind the counter (at Kyani’s) whether we could eat now and pay later? He obliged. We’d eat and sing songs, and the waiters would surround us and listen.”
Mahendra Kapoor, noted playback singer, Mid Day, May 22, 2005
“During the shooting of Main Hoon Na, Farah (Khan) used to order mawa cakes for Shah Rukh Khan and the film crew.”
Sarosh Irani, partner, B. Merwan & Co., The Week, July 30, 2006
“But talking of small and vulnerable, who is going to demand from Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad an apology for the slaughter and forceful conversion of Zoroastrians to Islam through Arab conquest in the seventh and eighth centuries? One may argue that Ahmadinejad’s ancestors were themselves Zoroastrians and that he is
perhaps descended from someone called Meenu Bombwalla, but that doesn’t make the historical fact any less apologiseable for.”
Farrukh Dhondy, UK-based novelist, columnist and screenplay writer, The Asian Age, February 7, 2007
“Whilst praying the head should be completely covered with a
white cotton scarf of a hanky (over the cap for men) so that
the hair is not visible at all. This is to prevent the continuous
harmful energies emerging from the hair to come into contact
with the invisible rays of the sun, which would cause friction and accelerate the entry of Asere Tariki energies into our Aipee, which would slow down spiritual progress.”
Nergesh Irani, Dini-Avaz, January-March, 2006
“When I was shooting, Shiamak (Davar) had told me, ‘You’re an actor. You should try out theatre.’ So I did stage on weekends. My first role was that of a pimp! It was just a cameo in Alyque Padamsee’s Roshni, but it got me rave reviews. Every Sunday, I’d come back feeling extremely thrilled. I’d be paid just Rs 700-Rs 1,000 a night but I learnt about team work... theatre trains you
for life and cinema.”
Boman Irani, actor, HT Cafe Mumbai, August 23, 2007
“With Hindus representing the mainstream and Muslims in the audience, there were two communities who could be mocked without any economic repercussions. Again, if I may be allowed to quote from my book on Helen, these were, ‘the Christians and the Parsi. For one, they were perceived as westernized, which was tantamount to sleeping with the enemy. For another, they could be offended without upsetting the box office since they rarely patronized Hindi cinema anyway. So Parsis figured as stereotypical eccentrics with walk-on roles. Christians got more screen time but were used in strange ways.’”
Jerry Pinto, poet, author, journalist and film critic, Communalism Combat, August-September 2007
“TV is an eventuality for me. I don’t look down upon it. In the future... I would want to start a career on TV. It’ll be a stable job. But no saas-bahu sagas for me, please. I want to be associated with more intelligent stuff.”
Perizaad Zorabian, actress, Mumbai Mirror, May 18, 2006
“There are two types of donkeys. One has four legs only and is useful in carrying burden; the other has two legs and two hands and is a burden to others.”
Shah Nersee quoted in Dini-Avaz, July-September, 2006
◆ ◆ ◆
From the archive