The spread of Islamic radicalism has resulted in the migration of native communities from their motherland on multiple occasions in the past. The departure of Parsis, or Zoroastrians, from Persia to other areas of the world as a result of the expansion of Islam in the 7th century AD is one such instance. We shall cover the entire history of the Religion with reference to the infamous events of religious persecution as we delve deeper into the exodus of Zoroastrians as a result of Islamic invasions and their migration to India.
The Parsis are an ethnoreligious minority currently residing in the Indian subcontinent. Following the invasion of Sassanid Iran by Arab Muslims under the Rashidun Caliphate in the 7th century AD, their ancestors moved to India. Parsis adhere to Zoroastrianism, also known as Mazdayasna in its original form, one of the world’s oldest religions. Until the middle of the seventh century, Persia (modern-day Iran) was a politically independent state with a Zoroastrian majority. For about 1000 years, until the Sassanian Empire, Zoroastrianism was the recognised official religion of the state.
History of Zoroastrianism
According to scholars, the origin of Zoroastrianism dates to the Bronze Age, when the Prophet Zarathushtra first revealed and preached “the Good Religion.” Around 1750 BC, Zarathushtra spread his ethical monotheistic doctrine across ancient Persia and Central Asia, converting a limited number of faithful men and women. Legend has it that Zarathushtra was invited to impart his teachings to King Vishtasp, who became one of the first of many Central Asian kings to adopt this new and revolutionary faith.
Zoroastrianism ultimately acquired widespread recognition, eventually becoming the religion of Cyrus the Great’s Achaemenian Empire (550-330 BC). Alexander the Great vanquished the Achaemenians in 330 BC, and the city of Persepolis, together with its collection of holy manuscripts, was destroyed by fire. After almost a century of Greek domination under the Seleucids, the Parthians (256 BCE-226 AD) ascended to power and dominated Iran for a number of years. The Sassanian Empire (226–652 AD) succeeded the Parthian Empire, and during the next 400 years, its monarchs made Zoroastrianism Iran’s official religion. With up to 30 million followers, this was the heyday of Zoroastrianism.
Persecution of the Zoroastrians
The Sassanian Empire was overthrown by Arab Muslims in 652 AD. A major portion of Zoroastrians converted to Islam; some practised their faith privately and were frequently persecuted. Forced conversions and intermittent violence were used as forms of discrimination and harassment against Zoroastrians both during and after the Arab Muslim conquest of Persia.
Throughout the history of Zoroastrianism, there is abundant documentation of Zoroastrians being persecuted. It is known that Muslims who came to the region during the Rashidun Caliphate invasion destroyed Zoroastrian temples. Many Zoroastrian temples were demolished, and mosques were built instead, with many Persian libraries set ablaze. Many Iranian fire temples were converted to mosques by the Muslim rulers. In territories that had been taken over by Muslims, Zoroastrians even had to pay a tax called Jizya.
In order to escape persecution and the negative effects of being treated like a second-class citizens during the Islamic caliphates, many Zoroastrians converted to Islam. Their children were sent to an Islamic school to learn Arabic and memorise the Quran, among other religious lessons, when a Zoroastrian subject converted. In an effort to persuade Zoroastrians to convert to Islam, the number of laws governing their behaviour rapidly increased, reducing their ability to participate in society and making life difficult for them. Zoroastrianism’s supremacy over religion in Persia was eventually toppled by the Arab invasion, which also made Islam the state’s official religion.
Migration of Zoroastrians to India
As Muslims began to Islamize Persia, many Zoroastrians fled to India, where they were granted sanctuary. According to legend, the Zoroastrians fled to northern Iran first, then to the island of Hormuz, and finally to India to save themselves and their faith. According to the Qissa-i Sanjan, the only documented chronicle of Zoroastrian emigrants in India, a small handful made their way to Gujarat, where they were given the name “Parsi”—literally, those from Paras or Fars, which is the traditional word for Persia.
Modern-day Parsis narrate a legend about Zoroastrian ships arriving in Sanjan and being received by Jadi Rana, a native ruler in Gujarat. Rana offered the immigrants a full glass of milk to indicate that there was no place for them. The Zoroastrians responded by adding a spoon of sugar to the milk, demonstrating their intention to blend in and subtly sweeten the figurative glass of milk without filling it to the brim. It is believed that following this incident, Jadi Rana granted the immigrants permission to stay on the condition that they learn Gujarati and wear the local attire Saree. The immigrants agreed to the requests and founded the town of Sanjan in Gujarat, named after their hometown in Iran. They began to live there as agriculturalists for a long time after their arrival.
Parsis gaining affluence
Many Parsis who had previously resided in rural villages around Gujarat moved to the English-run towns as soon as British commercial posts were established in Surat and throughout India in the early 17th century to take advantage of the new employment opportunities. Due to their increased openness to European influence and aptitude for trade and business, the condition of Parsis changed drastically.
After the East India Company seized power in Bombay in 1668, Parsis from Gujarat started to emigrate there. Their work and skill as merchants were largely responsible for the city’s expansion in the 18th century. By the nineteenth century, they were a distinctly wealthy society, and starting around 1850, they had great success in heavy industries, particularly those connected to railways and shipbuilding. The Parsis gained notoriety in India’s social, industrial, and educational domains over the ensuing decades. They were at the vanguard of progress, earned enormous wealth, and donated generously to the underprivileged.
Present status of Parsis in India
The Parsi community in India is one of the most prosperous minority and migrant communities in the world. Despite accounting up only 0.0005% of India’s population, they have had a significant impact on the country’s economy. According to the 2011 Indian Census, there are 57,264 Parsis in the country. The entire Parsi population in 2001 was 69,601. The population of the Parsi community was 91,266 in 1971 and 71,630 in 1981. The drop has eased in successive years, but the 2011 census revealed that their numbers are once again declining.
Maharashtra has the largest Parsi population of 44,854, followed by Gujarat with 9,727. There are just 221 Parsis in Delhi. In Andhra Pradesh, there are 609 Parsis, whereas in Karnataka, there are 443. Some of the Prominent Parsis from India are Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata – founder of the Tata group, Homi Jehangir Bhabha – renowned Indian physicist, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw – former Chief of the Army Staff, Ardeshir Godrej – Founder of the Godrej Group of companies, Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla – founder of the Serum Institute of India.
