Cheers to the good life!

Parsis are known to live in the here and now; they abhor the idea of fasting or eating healthy (read: bland) and live their life to the fullest. Zoroastrianism is the religion of the good life, enjoining its followers to 'eat, drink and be merry' and fight on the side of good and not evil.

The Parsi wedding feast is a gargantuan spread—sizzling and rich in cholesterol. The banquet is a metaphor for the community itself, and reflects its view of the world. The Parsi New Year sees all of this come together, with great fun ruling the celebrations. Apart from the mandatory visit to the closest fire temple, clad in beautiful clothes bought especially for the New Year, the rest of the day is devoted to serious roistering. Parsi delicacies like sweet dahi, sev (sweet vermicelli), ravo (sweet sooji or semolina), dhan dal and fish patia (steamed rice, yellow dal and fish cooked in a tangy tomato sauce) and finally, fried fish are all consumed like there is no tomorrow, followed by resounding burps and a long, satisfying afternoon nap.

In the evening, the community heads out to watch a natak or play (preferably slapstick and corny) where they get the opportunity to wish each other with much backslapping, bear hugs and some affectionate swearing. A raucous evening at the theatre is topped off with a Parsi peg and an immodestly meaty, rich dinner at home or at a restaurant.

The milk and sugar story, today, has become such a painful cliché. For those who came in late—a thousand years ago, when the first boatload of Parsis arrived in India, they promised the local ruler, Jadi Rana, that they would merge into his kingdom and sweeten it like sugar in milk. The community is now deeply integrated into mainstream India yet clings on to its identity. We know of a few elderly ladies who, even today, say a prayer of thanksgiving every New Year to Jadi Rana for giving Parsis sanctuary in his bounteous land.