2013: The Telling Figures

Of the 98 interfaith marriages registered by Zoroastrians in Bombay in 2013, 57 were of males who had married out of the community and 41 of females. Thus 58% males as versus 42% females married non-Zoroastrians in 2013 as against 47% males and 53% females in 2012. As compared to 98 interfaith marriages, there were 156 marriages within the community, indicating that 39% of the spouses sought were outside the community in 2013, the same as the year prior. The total marriage count of 254 had risen by 32 over the count of 222 in 2012 which being a leap year saw fewer Zoroastrians willing to tie the knot. Whilst the number of interfaith marriages increased by five, the count of marriages within the community rose by 27.

The average age of brides which was 30 years in 2012 reduced to 29 in 2013; and for the bridegrooms from 34 to 33 years. Amongst the brides the youngest was a 22-year-old and the eldest a 63-year-old woman. The age of the grooms varied from 23 years to 66 years. The maximum number of community marriages, 40, were in the month of January 2013 whilst there was not a single one in the months of July and August. Interfaith marriages were highest, 17, in the month of February, and lowest, three, in September. Data on community marriages is obtained from the Bombay High Court and on interfaith marriages from the Registrar of Marriages at Fort and Khar.
For the data on births, we are dependent on the information furnished by the Breach Candy Hospital and families who send us copies of birth certificates. According to information available with Parsiana, the birth count showed a marginal decline from 93 in 2012 to 90 in 2013. As compared to birth details for 49 boys and 44 girls in 2012, in 2013 we were able to list 50 boys and 40 girls. The Parsiana figures do not reflect the total number of Parsi births in Bombay. The official birth figures for 2013 from the Bombay Municipal Corporation have not yet been announced but as per their figures for 2012, there were 201 births in the community, 99 boys and 102 girls.

Of the 756 deaths in the community in 2013, 711 bodies were consigned to Doongerwadi and 45 opted for cremations. Thus whilst 2012 showed that 4.2% of the bodies were cremated, in 2013 the count has gone up to 5.9%. In 2012, 730 bodies were consigned to the dakhmas and in 2013 there were 711, a decline of 19. The number of males opting for dakhmenashini were 325 in 2013 as compared to 343 the previous year; and the number of females were 386 as compared to 387. The Life Expectancy at Birth rose marginally from 80 years in 2012 to 81 years in 2013. Whilst the youngest to die were two males in their mid 30s, the eldest was a 105-year-old lady. Besides three other ladies who crossed the 100-year milepost, there were three more seniors who missed this mark by one year and another three by two years. The maximum number of bodies, 70, consigned to the dakhmas, were in the months of May and December 2013, and the lowest, 48, in the month of August. The Doongerwadi death list is sent to Parsiana every month by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet.
Whilst last year Parsiana was able to report on 31 cremations, this year there is data available for 45 cremations, 38 from the Chandanwadi crematorium, three from Shivaji Park and one each from Chembur, Vikhroli, Andheri and Virar. (This is not an exhaustive listing of those cremated). There were 21 males and 22 females who opted for cremation in 2013 as compared to 11 males and 20 females in 2012.

Presented below are the 2013 demographic figures pertaining to the Zoroastrian community in Bombay based on data available with Parsiana:
Births: 90
Boys: 50, Girls 40 (Parsiana figures)
Marriages: 254
Parsi: 156, Interfaith: 98
Males married out: 57
Females married out: 41
Deaths: 756
Consigned: 711
Males: 325, Females: 386
Cremated: 45
Males: 21, Females: 22, (Unknown: 2)