Letters to the Editor

Preserve Our Parsi-Panu

It has been a constant struggle nowadays to see a Parsi marrying a Parsi. In fact, the numbers are so skewed in favour of inter-caste marriages that the day is not far enough when people in our community shall stop talking about it altogether because it would have become a common thing! 

We often hear parents complaining that “Aapre su kariye!” The children are not counseled and these matters are not taken up seriously by parents when their children are growing up. In fact, it has become a fashion to marry outside and our girls are more and more into it. 

The tailor-made answer is, Parsi boys are not good enough. Money is the biggest factor for marrying outside. Even if they find a decent match within our community the biggest excuse for rejection is, he is not rich enough. Does he have a six-figure salary, or close to it maybe? Does he have his own accommodation? If not, then how much ‘old furniture’ is he carrying in the house. Old furniture mentioned here refers to the old, dependent parents. 

If such is the thinking, then it’s highly impossible for them to get a suitable match. Whoever caters to such high demands, regardless of his caste or creed, is accepted. The parents, meanwhile, are silent spectators, in fact, endorsing it by saying, “as long as they are happy, we are happy.”

Is that a true sense of happiness? Haven’t you put an end to everything we once stood up for? Great thinking. I hope there are still some serious orthodox parents who never succumb to such pressures and fight to preserve our Parsi-panu. God bless!

By Rohinton Mistry 

Great Show, Parsi Times!

Aapru Parsi Times has truly proved to be the community top weekly publication. All through this pandemic, and still continuing, Parsi Times has been providing the community of Parsi and Irani Zarathoshtis through the world with excellent news and very interesting and entertaining content.

At the time when all newspapers went digital and became half their size, Parsi Times went over and beyond increasing the number of pages, providing us with more news and information, though online. It is truly a very positive and non-preachy publication and Parsis of all ages and at all stages can relate to it – be it my 91-year-old mother or my daughters or even my grandson who likes to solve the puzzles in the TimeOut page. 

All writers of Parsi Times are great personalities and excellent professionals in their own right. I especially look forward to articles from Mr. Noshir Dadrawalla, Dr. Danesh Chinoy and Mrs. Daisy Navdar. Articles by Mrs. Ruby Lilaowala and Mr. Dara Khodaiji are always full of entertainment -perfect for Saturday morning and Mrs. Veera Shroff Sanjana always leaves us with so much food for thought. Editor Ms. Anahita Subedar’s editorials are superb and always spot-on and relevant – best thing about them is that they always give us message of positivity. Even the Reader’s Corner column is a great platform to showcase the hidden talent of our community. 

The New Year Special issue was excellent as always, and the best part is that it was great to once again hold the hard copy of paper in our hands. I’m glad that we get to read the physical copies since. I want to thank and commend team Parsi Times for all the hard work and effort put in to deliver the best news and information week after week. Keep it up, Parsi Times!

By Rati Rusi Jamasji