Mumbai: Parsi heritage?

mparker · Mar 12th, 2008, 09:08

Hello all,

My girlfriend is Parsi and so when I visit Mumbai (without her, unfortunately) I would like to visit Parsi sights, in part to take photographs for her and her father, and in part to experience her heritage. Neither she nor her father has told me much. She's from Canada and he doesn't like to talk about Bombay, though I know he's from Chowpatty beach. Are there Parsi temples, areas, monuments, etc. that I can see in my two free days in Mumbai? Thanks for any help.

cheers

edwardseco · Mar 12th, 2008, 09:41

It might not make a good impression if you ask to see the funerary rites. Besides which the buzzards are dying out I hear..

mparker · Mar 12th, 2008, 09:52

Ok, good idea. No funerary rights, though I'm not sure what you're referring to.

Nevermind. I looked it up. Interesting...

Munivar · Mar 12th, 2008, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by mparker

Ok, good idea. No funerary rights, though I'm not sure what you're referring to.

It is a Parsi practice to leave the dead body in the funeral place to be eaten by birds.

Due to the vultures becoming rarer..this is running into some trouble.

iwanttogoback · Mar 12th, 2008, 10:27

the parsi funeral place (the name escapes me for the moment) is not accessible except to parsis attending a funeral service.

i have some very blurry photos taken from the road, but due to their being on a hill, and the hillside being very thickly covered in plants, there's not a lot to see, and what there is is kinda blurry.

towers of silence???

machadinha · Mar 12th, 2008, 11:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwanttogoback

towers of silence???

Yep. Or Dokhma, in (from) the Persian I believe. I read now that "Tower of Silence" is actually said to be a (erroneous) term coined by some British translator.

No idea what if any Indian name(s) they might have.

MParker, I'm sure you're aware of this, but Parsis are Indian Zoroastrians, so you could look for both terms (+ Zoroastrianism) in your searches. Parsee would be another spelling to look for.

kristinm · Mar 12th, 2008, 11:48

Definitely eat at Britannia restaurant in Fort - and also at Yazdani bakery - both not only fantastic Parsi food (really really delicious!), but also both still run by the same family that have run them for years.

The elderly gentlemen who rule over each place are lovely and really up for a chat about Parsi food and customs and happy to answer any questions (especially if its not too busy). I'd be willing to bet they know at least a distant relative of your girlfriend's dad.. and that he may well have gone to either of these places as a child.

At Yazdani - don't be shy about dipping your brun maska into your chai - that's how its done and its delicious!

xiaojie · Mar 12th, 2008, 11:55

The Britannia / Yazdani restaurant I think is Irani…but definitely close to the Parsi culure.

You may want to take good snaps of the architecture of the fire temples in Fort area & also one in Bandra …from outside though…. as entry is prohibited to non Parsis.

The Bhikaji Behram well is a must go. Its near Cross Maidan. Last time I visited it was behind a row of flea shops., its a heritage structure that was recently revamped.

The well is a place of pilgrimage. Its water is believed to have miraculous properties.

If you have the time, you may want to visit the Parsi Colony in Dadar in the evenings where you can probably see old time Parsi residents.

Incidentally, a lot of public institutions, hospitals, schools etc in Mumbai were built by the benevolence of Parsis.

http://www.india9.com/i9show/Bhika-B...Well-49248.htm

To try authentic Parsi food, you should go to “Jimmy Boy” in town.
Jimmy Boy Restaurant Address: 11 Bank Street, Vikas Bldg, Near Hornimon Circle, Opp. SBI, Fort - Mumbai - 400023 Email: jimmyboy_77@yahoo.com Tel: 22662503/22700880

Highly recommend you to skip breakfast if you are planning a lunch there.

http://parsikhabar.net/jimmy-boy-a-restaurant-review/

kristinm · Mar 12th, 2008, 12:06

No they are two separate places and both definitely Parsi - we had a long chat in each case with the 'boss' about various customs and other Parsi 'things' in Mumbai.. didn't try Jimmy Boy - although it is in the same general area as these 2... check out this thread for Mumbai food Gastronomic pilgrimage in Mumbai

Oyar · Mar 12th, 2008, 12:26

Everything mentioned by xiaojie is spot on. You are not allowed inside any of their fire temple (agyari & atash behram) .. an atash behram is something equivalent to a cathedral.

Even parsis themselves are not allowed to take pictures from inside, so there is not much u can do in anycase. There a a few new buildings in Dadar Parsi Colony which have have been built with a Zoroastrian theme kindofa look. Also the renovated fire temple there looks good from outside, so you could probably take a few pics there.

Briatania is open ONLY for lunch, so keep that in mind. The Taj Mahal Hotel was incidently built by a prominent parsi - TATA.

@ xiaojie

How do you know so much about them?

xiaojie · Mar 12th, 2008, 12:33

he he Tks for the comment.

I m a mumbaite….plus used to read up/ meet / interact with various communities as a hobby whilst in college…...Bohris/ Parsis in Mumbai, Chettiars in south etc etc…

kristinm · Mar 12th, 2008, 12:43

A Chinese Mumbaiite or an Indian chinese person? What a great combination of cultures! I found the Parsi people I met fascinating, quite snooty and snobby in one way, but really wanting to talk about their culture and glad that we showed an interest.

The Bohri are the Muslim cultural group that we saw around Crawford market? Or am I confused? The women wear a quite wonderful brightly coloured multi-tiered outfit with a sort of bonnet (very hard to describe!)...?

xiaojie · Mar 12th, 2008, 12:51

Well Mumbai is my home...(home is where the heart is, isnt it..)

Yes..Bohris are one of the so many communities that so quintessentially make up Mumbai.

The women dress colourfully in colour ful chadors in light/ Pastel colours, instead of the black ones that other muslim women wear..Bohris are quite a close knit & very industrious community.
You can find them in Bhendi Bazar, Crawford Mkt, & in the western suburbs of Jogeshwari, andheri....

Bohri food is again a gastronomic delight..

Oyar · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:30

Chinese Mumbaiite??? Be careful of the MNS (Raj thakrey) .. they created such a ruckus about north indians taking away jobs ... i cant imagine what they will have to say about the chinese taking away jobs ! hehe

@Kristinm

Very often parsis are mistaken to be snooty & snobish... but thats rarely true. Its certain aspects which are hard to understand .. which get mistaken as snobish behaviour. (im not sure if i put that in the right manner) They can be very nice people.

kristinm · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:35

Amongst the nicest I met, so gentle and easy to talk to, not at all snooty to us - more that some of their comments about OTHER Mumbai cultural groups came across as a little snobby..when they were telling us where to go and where not to go etc....but then I guess that's true of many of the wealthier Mumbaiikers! Some of the strangest advice we got came from locals.

Mar 12th, 2008, 09:08	#1
mparker lost and found Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 9	Mumbai: Parsi heritage? Hello all, My girlfriend is Parsi and so when I visit Mumbai (without her, unfortunately) I would like to visit Parsi sights, in part to take photographs for her and her father, and in part to experience her heritage. Neither she nor her father has told me much. She's from Canada and he doesn't like to talk about Bombay, though I know he's from Chowpatty beach. Are there Parsi temples, areas, monuments, etc. that I can see in my two free days in Mumbai? Thanks for any help. cheers Last edited by machadinha : Mar 12th, 2008 at 11:30. Reason: adjusted title

Mar 12th, 2008, 09:52	#3
mparker lost and found Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 9	Ok, good idea. No funerary rights, though I'm not sure what you're referring to. Nevermind. I looked it up. Interesting... Last edited by machadinha : Mar 12th, 2008 at 11:31. Reason: merged posts

Mar 12th, 2008, 11:55	#8
xiaojie Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: China Posts: 84	The Britannia / Yazdani restaurant I think is Irani…but definitely close to the Parsi culure. You may want to take good snaps of the architecture of the fire temples in Fort area & also one in Bandra …from outside though…. as entry is prohibited to non Parsis. The Bhikaji Behram well is a must go. Its near Cross Maidan. Last time I visited it was behind a row of flea shops., its a heritage structure that was recently revamped. The well is a place of pilgrimage. Its water is believed to have miraculous properties. If you have the time, you may want to visit the Parsi Colony in Dadar in the evenings where you can probably see old time Parsi residents. Incidentally, a lot of public institutions, hospitals, schools etc in Mumbai were built by the benevolence of Parsis. http://www.india9.com/i9show/Bhika-B...Well-49248.htm To try authentic Parsi food, you should go to “Jimmy Boy” in town. Jimmy Boy Restaurant Address: 11 Bank Street, Vikas Bldg, Near Hornimon Circle, Opp. SBI, Fort - Mumbai - 400023 Email: jimmyboy_77@yahoo.com Tel: 22662503/22700880 Highly recommend you to skip breakfast if you are planning a lunch there. http://parsikhabar.net/jimmy-boy-a-restaurant-review/ Last edited by machadinha : Mar 12th, 2008 at 12:02. Reason: merged posts

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Irani Parsi Cafes fading in Mumbai	byronic	Mumbai (Bombay)	39	Apr 4th, 2008 12:22
Comfort Inn Heritage - Byculla, Mumbai	gohome	Lodging and Hotels in India	8	May 9th, 2007 06:03
Varanasi to Mumbai with lots of heritage stops	Pilotmonkey	India Travel Itinerary Advice	1	Nov 22nd, 2006 11:50
Hotel Heritage, Mumbai	ronago	Lodging and Hotels in India	0	Nov 19th, 2006 22:36
R U in 4 the IM\CS mumbai meet on 11th June, 4 heritage wallk in the FORT AREA	anilkhare	Mumbai (Bombay)	38	Jun 20th, 2006 22:21

Mar 12th, 2008, 09:41	#2
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,777	It might not make a good impression if you ask to see the funerary rites. Besides which the buzzards are dying out I hear..

Mar 12th, 2008, 10:27	#5
iwanttogoback is sorry Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: perth Posts: 1,535	the parsi funeral place (the name escapes me for the moment) is not accessible except to parsis attending a funeral service. i have some very blurry photos taken from the road, but due to their being on a hill, and the hillside being very thickly covered in plants, there's not a lot to see, and what there is is kinda blurry. towers of silence???

Mar 12th, 2008, 11:48	#7
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,403	Definitely eat at Britannia restaurant in Fort - and also at Yazdani bakery - both not only fantastic Parsi food (really really delicious!), but also both still run by the same family that have run them for years. The elderly gentlemen who rule over each place are lovely and really up for a chat about Parsi food and customs and happy to answer any questions (especially if its not too busy). I'd be willing to bet they know at least a distant relative of your girlfriend's dad.. and that he may well have gone to either of these places as a child. At Yazdani - don't be shy about dipping your brun maska into your chai - that's how its done and its delicious!

Mar 12th, 2008, 12:06	#9
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,403	No they are two separate places and both definitely Parsi - we had a long chat in each case with the 'boss' about various customs and other Parsi 'things' in Mumbai.. didn't try Jimmy Boy - although it is in the same general area as these 2... check out this thread for Mumbai food Gastronomic pilgrimage in Mumbai

Mar 12th, 2008, 12:26	#10
Oyar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 162	Everything mentioned by xiaojie is spot on. You are not allowed inside any of their fire temple (agyari & atash behram) .. an atash behram is something equivalent to a cathedral. Even parsis themselves are not allowed to take pictures from inside, so there is not much u can do in anycase. There a a few new buildings in Dadar Parsi Colony which have have been built with a Zoroastrian theme kindofa look. Also the renovated fire temple there looks good from outside, so you could probably take a few pics there. Briatania is open ONLY for lunch, so keep that in mind. The Taj Mahal Hotel was incidently built by a prominent parsi - TATA. @ xiaojie How do you know so much about them?

Mar 12th, 2008, 12:33	#11
xiaojie Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: China Posts: 84	he he Tks for the comment. I m a mumbaite….plus used to read up/ meet / interact with various communities as a hobby whilst in college…...Bohris/ Parsis in Mumbai, Chettiars in south etc etc…

Mar 12th, 2008, 12:43	#12
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,403	A Chinese Mumbaiite or an Indian chinese person? What a great combination of cultures! I found the Parsi people I met fascinating, quite snooty and snobby in one way, but really wanting to talk about their culture and glad that we showed an interest. The Bohri are the Muslim cultural group that we saw around Crawford market? Or am I confused? The women wear a quite wonderful brightly coloured multi-tiered outfit with a sort of bonnet (very hard to describe!)...?

Mar 12th, 2008, 12:51	#13
xiaojie Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: China Posts: 84	Well Mumbai is my home...(home is where the heart is, isnt it..) Yes..Bohris are one of the so many communities that so quintessentially make up Mumbai. The women dress colourfully in colour ful chadors in light/ Pastel colours, instead of the black ones that other muslim women wear..Bohris are quite a close knit & very industrious community. You can find them in Bhendi Bazar, Crawford Mkt, & in the western suburbs of Jogeshwari, andheri.... Bohri food is again a gastronomic delight..

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:30	#14
Oyar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 162	Chinese Mumbaiite??? Be careful of the MNS (Raj thakrey) .. they created such a ruckus about north indians taking away jobs ... i cant imagine what they will have to say about the chinese taking away jobs ! hehe @Kristinm Very often parsis are mistaken to be snooty & snobish... but thats rarely true. Its certain aspects which are hard to understand .. which get mistaken as snobish behaviour. (im not sure if i put that in the right manner) They can be very nice people.

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:35	#15
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,403	Amongst the nicest I met, so gentle and easy to talk to, not at all snooty to us - more that some of their comments about OTHER Mumbai cultural groups came across as a little snobby..when they were telling us where to go and where not to go etc....but then I guess that's true of many of the wealthier Mumbaiikers! Some of the strangest advice we got came from locals.

User Name		Remember Me?
Password