''Parsiana'' is a semi-monthly magazine written in English and published in

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

for the

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...

community.Zoroastrians volunteered to serve King EmperorParsiNews.net , Parsi Zoroastrian News
/ref> As of 2019, it was in its 55th year of publication.

History

1960-70s

''Parsiana'' was founded in Bombay in November 1964 by Pestonji Warden. The magazine covered articles about Zoroastrian religion, its history, customs and traditions, with the tagline "A new medium for old wisdom." The magazine became embroiled in community politics especially when Warden argued with the

Bombay Parsi Punchayet The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (Also known as ''Bombay Parsi Panchayat'', ''Bombay Parsi Panchayet'' or ''BPP'') is the apex body representing the Parsi Zoroastrian Community in Mumbai. BPP was founded in the 1670s. It is a charitable trust and is the ...

(BPP) over the printing of the month at the Godrej Printing Press run by the apex Bombay trust. For some time, it was cyclostyled. In 1973, Warden sold the publication to the journalist Jehangir Patel. In 1983, ownership of the publication was transferred to Parsiana Publications Private Limited.

1980s

''Parsiana'' was the first publication in India to use the prefix Ms when referring to women instead of Miss and Mrs, despite opposition from some readers. It has since dropped both Mr and Ms. Beginning in 1987, ''Parsiana'' published information surrounding community births, marriages, and deaths in the Zoroastrian community in Bombay; as well as sporadic data received from outstation sources. In 1988, it published data on interfaith marriages in Bombay which proved highly controversial. There was a public outcry as a taboo had been broken.

Other publications

The ''Parsiana'' ''Book Of Iranian Names'' was first published by Parsiana in 1978. The names were compiled by the late

Avesta The Avesta (, Book Pahlavi: (), Persian language, Persian: ()) is the text corpus of Zoroastrian literature, religious literature of Zoroastrianism. All its texts are composed in the Avestan language and written in the Avestan alphabet. Mod ...

and Pahlavi scholar Ervad Jamshed Katrak. In 2005, ''Parsiana'' published ''Judgments'', a compilation of judgements delivered in legal cases on the Zoroastrian community. ''Parsiana'' started a website in 2002 which carried extracts from the magazine. Beginning in December 2012, the entire contents of ''Parsiana'' issues have been published online.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official Website
1964 establishments in Maharashtra English-language magazines published in India Magazines published in India Magazines established in 1964 Parsi culture Zoroastrian media Semimonthly magazines Mass media in Mumbai Local interest magazines