Parsis plan to go forth and multiply

Bombay Parsi Punchayet's function focuses on community's dwindling numbers

Bombay Parsi Punchayet's function focuses on community's dwindling numbers

It all comes down to numbers for the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) the community's dwindling numbers.
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At a BPP function at Dadar's Parsi Gymkhana recently, officially to unveil a new logo and apprise the community about their achievements, a discussion on the need to increase the Parsi population took centre stage.
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Dinshaw Mehta, trustee, BPP said to a rather amused audience, "Our dwindling numbers continue to scare us.
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The death rate is four times the birth rate. At this juncture, it looks like we are going to dwindle and become a tribe soon.

We are encouraging young people to marry early, the girls by 24 and the boys not later than 28. My own son is 31 and unmarried.

Hum Log-o: Parsis vote at the Bombay Parsi Punchayet's (BPP) elections last year. BPP unveiled a new logo recently

We are coaxing him to get married soon."
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Soon after that it was announced that the BPP had launched a youth wing called Zyng to facilitate social interaction amongst 15-40 year old Parsis.

At this, a member from the audience called out, "social interaction and procreation".

The BPP says it would like to do much more for the community, but trustee Jimmy Mistry added, "We are fighting an absurd number of litigations. I cannot give you a figure it runs into hundreds."

Parsi Population

The Parsi population in India reached its peaked of about 1.14 lakh in 1941. The last census, in 2001, pegged the Parsi population at 69,601.

In the last two decades, 1981-91 and 1991-2001, the Parsi population has declined by 10 per cent in each decade.

Did you know?
About 85 per cent of India's Parsi population lives in Mumbai

Also discussed
Meanwhile, trustee Khojesthe Mistree fired a salvo at the community-centric media Jam-e-Jamshed and Parsiana.

The BPP was equated with the Taliban in Parsiana because of its Orthodox stance. I have been called a Taliban in the press.

If I am a Taliban, so are all of you who voted for us. We are proud to be Talibans, said Mistree.

He later told MiD DAY, I wanted to make a point to Parsiana editor, Jehangir Patel, who was in the audience.

While Jam-e-Jamshed editor, R Dhondi was unavailable for comment, Parsiana's Patel said it had called the BPP Talibanised because of its move to ban two priests from the community.

It was not a personal attack, but an attack on BPP policy. I was aware that Mistree saw me and was referring to me, he chuckled.