Milestones
Bombay: The Telling Figures for 2009
There was an increase of 107 marriages over the preceding year’s tally. But the increase in marital unions among the Zoroastrian community in Bombay was expected in 2009 for 2008 being a leap year, which some in the community consider inauspicious, weddings are deferred until the next year. Thus, there were 292 marriages in 2009 as compared to 185 marriages the previous year. Of these 292 marriages, 201 were community unions and 91 were interfaith. This works out to 31 percent interfaith marriages when seen as a ratio of interfaith marriages to the total number of marriages. This was the same percentage as in 2007. In 2008, the percentage had shown a drastic increase to 44 because whilst the community unions had declined by 54 percent, interfaith marriages had only reduced by 17 percent during the leap year.
There were 47 males and 44 females who married out of the community in 2009 as against 52 males and 30 females in 2008. Hence as against 66 percent males marrying out in 2008, this year the percentage declined to 52. Among females it increased from 44 to 48 percent. Data on community marriages is sourced from the Bombay High Court while the data on intercommunity marriages is accessed from the offices of the Registrar of Marriages at Fort and Bandra.
The largest number of marriages, 56, were in the month of January 2009 when there were 41 same faith marriages and 15 interfaith marriages. Next came December with 54 marriages, 33 same faith and 21 interfaith. The average age of brides was 25 in 2009 as versus 30 in 2008. Among bridegrooms the average age was 27 as against 33 in 2008. The eldest among brides was a 59-year-old woman, and among grooms, a 59-year-old man.
The Bombay Municipal Corporation has still to release the birth figures for 2009, says Bombay Parsi Punchayet senior executive – welfare Cawas Pan-thaky. The Parsiana data which is not exhaustive puts the figures at 109.
The mean age at death in the community was 79 in 2009 as compared to 78 for the preceding three years.
The number of deaths reduced by 50, from 842 in 2008 to 792 in 2009. Of these, 758 were consigned to the dakhmas and 34 were cremated (figures only from the crematorium at Chandan-wadi). As against 803 consigned in the dakhmas in the previous year, this year 758 (401 males and 357 females) were consigned at the Towers of Silence in Bombay. The number of cremations showed a decline from 39 to 34 (17 males and 17 females). But for cremation data Parsiana has only been able to access records from the Chandanwadi crematorium in South Bombay, and not the remaining five in central Bombay and the suburbs. Data on those consigned to the Doongerwadi is sent by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet.
Presented below are the 2009 figures pertaining to the Zoroastrian community in Bombay based on records available to Parsiana:
Births: 109
Boys 53, Girls 56 (Parsiana
figures)
Marriages: 292
Parsi 201, Interfaith 91
Males married out 47
Females married out 44
Deaths: 792
Consigned: 758
Males 401, Females 357
Cremated: 34
Males 17, Females 17
There were 47 males and 44 females who married out of the community in 2009 as against 52 males and 30 females in 2008. Hence as against 66 percent males marrying out in 2008, this year the percentage declined to 52. Among females it increased from 44 to 48 percent. Data on community marriages is sourced from the Bombay High Court while the data on intercommunity marriages is accessed from the offices of the Registrar of Marriages at Fort and Bandra.
The largest number of marriages, 56, were in the month of January 2009 when there were 41 same faith marriages and 15 interfaith marriages. Next came December with 54 marriages, 33 same faith and 21 interfaith. The average age of brides was 25 in 2009 as versus 30 in 2008. Among bridegrooms the average age was 27 as against 33 in 2008. The eldest among brides was a 59-year-old woman, and among grooms, a 59-year-old man.
The Bombay Municipal Corporation has still to release the birth figures for 2009, says Bombay Parsi Punchayet senior executive – welfare Cawas Pan-thaky. The Parsiana data which is not exhaustive puts the figures at 109.
The mean age at death in the community was 79 in 2009 as compared to 78 for the preceding three years.
The number of deaths reduced by 50, from 842 in 2008 to 792 in 2009. Of these, 758 were consigned to the dakhmas and 34 were cremated (figures only from the crematorium at Chandan-wadi). As against 803 consigned in the dakhmas in the previous year, this year 758 (401 males and 357 females) were consigned at the Towers of Silence in Bombay. The number of cremations showed a decline from 39 to 34 (17 males and 17 females). But for cremation data Parsiana has only been able to access records from the Chandanwadi crematorium in South Bombay, and not the remaining five in central Bombay and the suburbs. Data on those consigned to the Doongerwadi is sent by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet.
Presented below are the 2009 figures pertaining to the Zoroastrian community in Bombay based on records available to Parsiana:
Births: 109
Boys 53, Girls 56 (Parsiana
figures)
Marriages: 292
Parsi 201, Interfaith 91
Males married out 47
Females married out 44
Deaths: 792
Consigned: 758
Males 401, Females 357
Cremated: 34
Males 17, Females 17
◆ ◆ ◆
One reader wrote
would like to know why all details are not there? like all issues.
From the archive