Praising business acumen of Parsi community Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that in quest to boost Indian economy in adverse global situation, the nation would require business leaders from the Parsi community.
Acknowledging entrepreneurial ability of the minority community members, the Finance Minister, who is also Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) from Gujarat on Sunday, said that Parsis are extremely important for the higher economic growth of India. Jaitley was in tiny coastal town Udvada to attend ‘Iranshah Udvada Utsav’ – India first ever global congregation of the minority Parsi community.
Jaitley also touched the issue of dwindling number of Parsis. He appreciated Parsi community members’ desire to achieve excellence in whatever field they are in that too in ethical manner. He mentioned that Parsis reached to top positions in diverse fields ranging from medicine, business, law and even armed forces. On the conservation of Parsi heritage in Udvada, he promised for financial assistance from Central Government.
Ratan Tata who belongs to Parsi community was felicitated as ‘Icon of Success’ during the function in the presence of 3000 odd Parsis who came from across the globe to attend the function. The patriarch of Tata Group said that Parsis have innate quality of leadership and they would never hesitate in the development of country and contribution to the society.
Iranshah Udvada Utsav was organised by Parsi community with the support of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat limited (TCGl) for three days starting from December 25th. According to Udvada head priest Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor the festival was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brainchild. The objective of the three day event was to showcase Parsi culture and strengthen community ties.
Following the Muslim conquest of most of Iran in the 7th century, the Zoroastrians were marginalised and by about the 10th century, their areas were converted into Islam. One group of Zoroastrians fled from Greater Khorasan to the Indian West coast to save their three millennia-old faith and upon landing, they founded the settlement of Sanjan (Port), which is about 30 kms south of Udvada. The coastal village Udvada situated 200 km from Mumbai is an important pilgrimage for Zoroastrians across the globe.
The importance of Udvada in Parsi history and religion centers is because of the Atash Behram (victorious fire) – the highest grade of ritual fire of the Zoroastrians – housed in the fire temple. The Udvada Atash Behram is the most sacred of the Zoroastrian fire temples which is the oldest continuously burning fire-temple in the world. Of the 70,000 odd Parsis across the globe, nearly 6000 are staying in the nondescript hamlet.
