Mixed heritage
Has anyone worked out a figure of how many children of Parsi mothers married to non-Parsis are ready to become Zarthoshtis, with the support of the father and his family?
On what grounds do we say that these children will become devout Zarthoshtis and practice the religion and its tenets? Logically, if the Parsi mother loved her religion more than herself, she would not have married out. Also, a child growing up under the influence of the paternal family will learn little about our religion and will hardly practice it. Won’t that poor child grow up confused, not knowing why he has to practice any one religion without knowing or understanding anything? The mother will teach him our prayers and the paternal family with whom he dwells will practice their own religion.
If the Parsi parent has forgotten the very reason why our ancestors came to India, i.e. to save the religion, how will she convince the child to marry a Parsi or convert that non-Parsi spouse to become a Zarthoshti? Has anyone thought about the dilution of qualities and quantities this will create? Aren’t we fooling ourselves? We have often heard about the migratory Iranian groups that have disappeared/perished in Germany and China. Won’t this trend lead to the same pattern of extinction? Any guarantee that the further generations of interfaith married women will all become devout Zarthoshtis?
If this trend continues, how many lakhs of Zarthoshtis will these marriages result in? Remember, conversion must not be with an ulterior motive to gain facilities given to Parsis by birth. Will they not expect these perks?
ARMIN DUTIA MOTASHAW
Ahmedabad
armindutiamotashaw@gmail.com
Reader Homi Dalal, to whom Motashaw sent a copy of her email, responds:
My only daughter is married to a Parsi. However, I feel it is a sheer waste of time and energy to figure out how many children of Parsi mothers married to non-Parsis are willing to become Zarthoshtis with the consent of their fathers. How can one presume that the children of all Parsi women married to Parsi men will be devout Zarthoshtis and practice the religion zealously? Today there are many in the community who do not even wear the sudreh and kusti, leave alone pray as we did.
Gender discrimination against women who are married out cannot be justified. How many Parsi parents are able to convince their children not to marry non-Parsis? Interfaith marriages have exceeded 40%. How many children will purely Zarthoshti couples produce? Who can guarantee that the writer’s own grandchildren will not marry outside the faith?
Our ancestors came to India not to save the religion but to save their lives. This is evident from the fact that many Zoroastrians remained back in Iran.
The writer may not agree with me, but this is the plain truth.
The editors reply:
Most likely the early settlers came to trade.
I precisely asked this question; because we are arguing n fighting for a miniscule lot that would embrace our religion. Most non-Parsi Fathers would not wish their kids to be Zarathostis. Unfortunately I do NOT agree to this; I being an educated lady, would never think about discrimination; but practical realities cannot be shunned. We must face the truth that this act DOES DILUTE our strength, may be this would work in the matriarchal system. If our ancestors would accept Islam, they would not need to come down to India or go to Germany or China. What proof do we have that it was commerce n not religion ? May be those who stayed back had their own problems or were not brave enough to fight against the prevailing circumstances. It is better if we CONCENTRATE ON MARRYING EARLY WITHIN N MULTIPLYING. Armin
"Our ancestors came to India not to save the religion but to save their lives. This is evident from the fact that many Zoroastrians remained back in Iran." This statement is very very absurd. Those who could not take the sea route took the land route and escaped. Those who stayed back in Iran converted to save their skins. A few did not convert but had to pay the Jiziya tax to stay Zoroastrians. Children of Parsi mothers and non Parsi fathers should be given a choice to choose their faith. When one marries a muslim he/she has to become first a muslim before the marriage. In the Jewish religion the religion of the mother is the religion of the child. The mother has more control on the child's mind then a father will ever have. If both parents want the child to be Zoroastrians so be it. Better to have half blood Zoroastrians who believe in the teaching of Zoroaster than full blooded Parsis who devote much their time in the worship of Hajis, Bawas and what not.