Indian Centre Govt moves to push up Parsi numbers

The Central government is seeking inter-ministerial consultations to increase and stabilise the declining population of Parsis, lest they become extinct in India. The minority affairs ministry has submitted a concept paper to the Planning Commission for its approval and also asked the Commission to begin consultations with other concerned ministries of health and finance to finalise the plan. The minority affairs minister Salman Khurshid, who tried in the past to help Parsis with Rs1 crore from the exchequer, said the new plan envisages setting up of counselling centres and fertility clinics as the community has the lowest child birth record. He said while government policy has been to promote family planning to restrict country’s population, the minorities affairs ministry has sought reversal of policy in case of Parsis, who are one of the five notified national minorities. The DNA had earlier reported the letter written by Keki Daruwalla, Sahitya Akademi award-winning poet and a member of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM to the Planning Commission (PC). He had highlighted the Census figures which show that the number of Parsis in 1941, which was 1,14,890, almost halved to 69,601 by 2001. He has requested central funding for these schemes so that they can be implemented on a national scale. According to the committee report, funding infertility clinics will cost the Centre a modest Rs20 crore. The National Commission for Minorities has also suggested the community to reverse the trend of late marriages or no marriages. A survey commissioned by the NCM found birth rates dropping to 174 in 2006 from 223 in 2001. Since the 1950s deaths have consistently outnumbered births every year, resulting in aging population.

For the next ten days, the city’s art and history enthusiasts can get a glimpse of the timeless charm of the Zoroastrian pilgrimage capital, Udvada, enclosed in 60 odd photo frames. As part of the exhibition titled Udvada, city-based photographer Shantanu Das has captured the quiet hamlet of Gujarat in its distinct charm. The exhibition has been organised by industrialist Parvez Damania, who belongs to one of the nine priestly families of Udvada.
“I realised there is no photographic record or documentation of Udvada that is home to the 270-year-old Iranshah Atash-Behram,” said Damania. “Renowned not just for its old-world charm, but also for being a concentrated microcosm of the Parsi community, there are not more than 60 residents surviving in the town today,” said Damania, adding that there are not more than 7 priests in all.
For Das, capturing images of the rituals practised inside the temple was a challenge because he was not allowed to step inside.
“Since I do not belong to the nine priestly families, I had to capture the images of the devotees and customs through the iron gates,” said Das, who has been working on this assignment since December 2010.
“I tried to capture the town in all its distinct glory by highlighting the religious identity and lifestyle of the locals. They were very hospitable and enthusiastic,” he added.
The organisers are planning to publish the photographs in a book format apart from exhibiting the pictures in other cities.
The exhibition is being held at Tao Atrium Gallery, Sajan Plaza, 165, Dr Annie Beasant Road, Worli and will be open from 11am to 7pm up to April 7. It will be open on Sundays.

Ignis
Ignis does well by giving you a sweeping look at the heart of Delhi thanks to its first floor perch. With subtle interiors and intriguing décor choices, this place provides a calming atmosphere for a meal in the middle of the afternoon or after a stressful day. Ignis
offers both Continental and Indian cuisines, but tries to stay away from the clichéd options that fill regular menus. The Mushroom Cappuccino or Flambéed Prawn Bisque makes for a great start, accompanied by any of their varied kebabs. The main course is a treat, with options like Chettinad Mutton and Dal Muradabadi. You can also go for their Stroganoff or even a pizza. If you are looking for something light, the Smoked Salmon Sandwich is a good idea. Round it all up with a Parsi Kulfi, and you’re good to go.
Where: F-45, Inner Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi; 43081984
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine
Timings: 12 pm to 12 am
Cost: R 1000  Facilities:

Set’z Restaurant & BarT he name has changed (from Zest) but the heart is still the same. The island bar gives out a very contemporary vibe, while interactive kitchens dish out seven kinds of cuisines. The Indian section stands out the most with gems like Murgh Ghee Roast, and the Japanese and Thai sections are notches above their city
counterparts. Desserts here are fabulous. Setz is definitely gourmet theatre at its best.
Where: 405, DLF Emporio, Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj, Delhi; 43119999; www.setz.co.in
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine
Timings: 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm; 7.30 pm to 1 am
Cost: R2000 Facilities:

Q’BA, Connaught Place
Trendy and fashionable, Q’ba has lent itself well to Delhi’s ever-increasing taste for both a quiet daytime meal or stylish night out. In the day, the atmosphere is relaxed, with space for quiet conversation and time to enjoy your food. The terrace area gives a beautiful view of Connaught Place. The menu features Indian, Thai, Mediterranean and European dishes. If you insist on going east, try the Tofu preparations.
Where: E-42/43, Inner Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi; 45173333; 41512888; www.qba.co.in
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine Timings: 12 pm to 3 am & 7 pm to 12 am
Cost: R 1500 Facilities:

The Lap GardenThe Lap Garden is a lovely space that makes for a wonderful alfresco dining experience. Start off with the Phyllo, a lovely, buttery piece of pastry stuffed with nicely cooked lamb. The New Zealand Lamb en Croute is beyond tender and pinkly perfect. The Lap Garden does a very popular Sunday brunch with lots of live food stations and a special area for the kids. Service is efficient and suitably attentive.
Where: Hotel Samrat, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi; 24103762; www.laptheclub.com
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine
Timings: 12.30 pm-3 pm & 7.30 pm-11.30 pm
Cost: R 2000 Facilities:

MagiqueSet inside the sprawling Garden of Five Senses, Magique shines like a jewel in the city’s culinary landscape. Not only is the food great, the ambience is like a part of Italy in a quiet part of Delhi, and the service is blissfully unobtrusive. You can eat in the charming indoor area or outside in the garden. Come dusk, and the place transforms into a magical space perfect for a romantic dinner with your beloved.
Where: Gate No. 3, Garden of Five Senses, Said-ul-Ajaib, Delhi; 29536767; www.magique.in
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine
Timings: 12.30 pm - 3 pm & 7.30 pm - 11 pm
Cost: R 3000 Facilities:

Blanco
This swanky two-level bistro is done up in white and rather quirkily decorated with shelves of eyewear. The dishes are for the most part well done and the food presentation superb. Start off with any of their range of soups and go on to the legendary Vietnamese Prawn Rolls, which come with a nice sweet chilli dip. Come here for good food, excellent service and a warm ambience.
Where: 62, Middle Lane, Khan Market, New Delhi; 43597155/66
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine
Timings: 10 am to 1 am
Cost: R 1500 Facilities:

Sequel
This three-storied restaurant boasts an extensive menu of over 360 delicacies spanning exotic European, Western, Modern Asian, Mediterranean, and even regional Indian cuisines. Try the Jal Tarang Platter, which features a range of delicious seafood kebabs. Follow it with steaming Moroccan Lamb Tagine or Wild Mushrooms Ragout for main course. For dessert, try the delectable Trio of Kulfi.
Where: 35, Main Market, Defence Colony, New Delhi; 46576555/46576444
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine
Timings: 12 am to 12 pm
Cost: R 1200 Facilities:

The Odyssey One of the classiest joints in Gurgaon, The Odyssey takes you on a culinary trip around the world with its extensive multi-cuisine menu. The restaurant serves everything from traditional Indian, Oriental and Thai cuisine to Iranian and Mediterranean dishes. From the Iranian menu, try the Chelo Kebab Loghmai Zaffrani, which are succulent kebabs made with saffron-flavoured chicken mince. Prawns in Green Thai Curry and Herb Crusted Lamb Chops are other dishes worth trying. What really makes the place stand out are the glass and steel transparent interiors done up in a nautical theme. The quaint ship artifacts that dot the restaurant have actually been sourced from shipyards abroad! After your meal, head to the terrace area to catch some fresh breeze and a beautiful sight of the Gurgaon skyline.
Where: Third floor, Sahara Mall, MG Road, Gurgaon; 0124 4048031-33; www.odyssey.in
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine
Timings: 12.30 pm to 12.30 am
Cost: R 1200 Facilities:

Drift
Gurgaon’s culture vultures and business honchos make a beeline for Drift after catching a play or finishing a meeting. The world cuisine menu features delicacies such as the Classic Prawn Cocktail, Norwegian Smoked Salmon and the flavourful Mushroom Cappuccino Spiked with Mint Oil. But the star of the show is the Citrus Infused Duck Breast on Potato Corn Galette. Don't miss the desserts here.
Where: Epicentre, Apparel House, Sector 44, Gurgaon; 2715111; www.epicentre.co.in
Cuisine: Multi-cuisine
Timings: 12 pm to 3 pm & 6.30 pm to 11 pm
Cost: R 1200 Facilities:

Best Regional
Oh! Calcutta
This is one of the few places in Delhi serving authentic Bengali food. Seafood lovers should try out the buffet with unlimited prawns and crabs. Don’t miss the delicious Chittagong Pomphret Bhaja or the delicately flavoured Daab Chingri served in a coconut shell. Apart from regulars like Shukto, Puishaak Chingri and Kosha Mangho are all delicious. Service is excellent.
Where: International Trade Tower, E- Block Ground Floor, Nehru Place, New Delhi; 26464180
Cuisine: Bengali
Timings: 11 am to 11 pm
Cost: R 1500 Facilities:

Chor Bizarre, Daryaganj Chor Bizarre serves North Indian cuisine, with
special emphasis on Kashmiri food. All kinds of quaint knick-knacks make up the unique kitschy decor.Try the Yakhni, Goshtaba and Tabak Maaz to get the true flavour of Kashmir. If you’re in the mood for a royal feast, ask for the taramis, or thali. The staff is polite and also knowledgeable about the cuisine.
Where: Hotel Broadway, 4/15A, Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi; 43663600; www.chorbizarre.com
Cuisine: Kashmiri
Timings: 12 pm to 3.30 pm & 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm
Cost: R 1400 Facilities:

Rajdhani, Connaught placeUndiya, Gatte ki Sabzi, Khaman Dhokla and Masala Puri — if all this sounds like a treat, then this is
definitely the place you should head to. The meal starts with Chhaach, goes on to a variety of Gujarati sabzis, dals, curries, paranthas, puran poli and bajre ki roti. The feast ends with lip-smacking sweets, ranging from Gulab Jamun to sinful Pineapple Halwa.
Where: P 1/90, Connaught Place, New Delhi; 23346300/400; www.rajdhani.co.in Cuisine: Gujarati, Rajasthani
Timings: 12 pm to 11 pm
Cost: R 500 Facilities:

Zaffran
One of the first fine-dining Indian restaurants to set up shop in Gurgaon, Zaffran offers a nice repertoire of Awadhi and Hyderabadi dishes. The vegetarian kebabs take the cake here — from Nadru Ke Shammi Kebab to Dahi ke Kebabs — they all merit a bite. The portions are decent, the service efficient and there’s live music to complement the meal every evening.
Where: The Bristol Hotel, Sikanderpur, DLF Phase I, Gurgaon; 0124-2356030; www.thebristolhotel.com
Cuisine: Awadhi
Timings: 7.30 am to 11.30 pm
Cost: R 2000 Facilities:

The Oudh
This Awadhi fine dining restaurant offers a buffet at lunch and an a la carte menu at dinner. The menu itself is unique, because it’s printed in all the official
UN languages! The food is excellent for the most part. For a taste of traditional qorma, try the Oudhi Qorma; it can’t get better than this. The well-crafted Tohfa-e-Noor and the excellent Teh Biryani are other must-trys.
Where: The Ashok, 50-B, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi; 26110101; www.theashok.com
Cuisine: Awadhi
Timings: 12 pm to 11.30 pm
Cost: R 1500 Facilities:

Bijoli Grill, Dilli Haat
Not only does Delhi’s sizeable Bengali population flock to Bijoli Grill for a taste of home-cooked food, the place has a loyal following among the city’s butter chicken-loving non-Bengali population. Their Special Fish Curry, Fish Orly and Prawn Malai Curry are lip-smackingly delicious. The mishti here tends to fly off the shelves faster than you can say khub bhalo.
Where: 17, Dilli Haat, Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi; 26881855/ 29237371; www.bijoligrill.com
Cuisine: Bengali 
Timings: 10 am to 10 pm
Cost: R 800 Facilities:

Suruchi, Karol BaghSituated bang in the middle Karol Bagh market is a restaurant that offers decent home-style Gujarati and Rajasthani fare. Among the Rajasthani dishes, try Gatte ki Subzi and Dal Batti Churma; for a taste of Gujarat, Khatti Meethi Kadhi is a great option. Also tuck into their range of farsaan, especially Dhokla and
Jain Pav Bhaji.
Where: 15 A/56, WEA, Karol Bagh, New Delhi; 25731614-17; www.suruchirestaurants.com Cuisine: Rajasthani, Gujarati
Timings: 11 am to 4 pm, 7 pm to 11 pm
Cost: R 500 Facilities:

Gujarat Samaj Santushti
Looking for an unpretentious, pocket-friendly place that serves authentic Gujarati fare? Gujarat Samaj in Civil Lines is definitely one of the places to check out. The pure vegetarian thali works on an all-you-can-eat system. Though the menu is written in Gujarati, able translators are always ready at hand. Service is quick and friendly.
Where: 2, Raj Niwas Marg, Civil Lines, Delhi; 23981796-98; www.gujaratisamajdelhi.co.in
Cuisine: Gujarati, North Indian
Timings: 6 pm to 11 pm
Cost: R 500 Facilities:

Bernardo’s
Bernardo’s is the sole authentic Goan restaurant in town. The ambience reminds you of a typical shack by the beach; the framed family pictures
on the walls, other knick-knacks, and the few tables give a comfortable, non-commercialised feel to the place. ‘Home-cooked’ is how they like their food to
be known, and they succeed for the most part. The place is run by an old Goan couple who’s always around to help you pick dishes from the menu. A must-try is the classic Goan Vindaloo, apart from the Fugad and Fofos (fish croquettes).
Where: B-229, Supermart 1, DLF Phase IV, Gurgaon; 6518323; www.bernardosgoanfood.com
Cuisine: Goan
Timings: 1 pm to 3.30 pm & 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm
Cost: R 1000

Jakoi
This brand-new restaurant inside Assam Bhawan is slowly becoming the talk of the town for its authentic fare, reasonable prices, cheerful service and dishes that Delhi has never tasted before (including pigeon meat). The special Parampara thali is a hot seller. It includes Tenga Rohu Fish Curry, Steamed
Hilsa cooked in mustard, choice of pigeon or the traditional duck meat curry, vegetables and Khar Bowl. There’s an equally delicious vegetarian thali, too. Don’t miss out on the dessert of brown rice cooked in milk and lots of sugar.
Where: Assam Bhawan, Sardar Patel Marg, New Delhi; 24108605/24355555
Cuisine: Assamese
Timings: 12 am to 11.30 pm
Cost: R 600 Facilities: None

Poppadom
Delhi has finally got a classy Andhra cuisine restaurant. At the time of this review, the restaurant was only serving three kinds of all-you-can-eat thalis— vegetarian, non-vegetarian and seafood— though there are plans for an a la carte menu, too. The seafood thali features delicacies such as Prawn Drumstick Mango Curry, Black Pomfret roasted in Banana Leaf, and Andhra Crab Masala. Mutton Fry, Vizag Egg Curry and Chicken Kurma with Idiappam also get our thumbs-up. Poppadom is definitely a place to watch out for.
Where: 4, Ambavatta Complex, Mehrauli, New Delhi; 26644289/26641796
Cuisine: Andhra
Timings: 12 pm to 12 am
Cost: R 1500

More than 1,000 Parsis flocked to the city’s oldest fire temple to celebrate the Zoroastrian Feast of Fire, which fell on the agiary’s 300th anniversary. The Banaji Limji Agiary, in Banajit Street in Fort, was built by a wealthy Parsi trader Banaji Limji in 1709. It is one of 40 fire temples in the city housing the Atash Adaran, or second grade of fire.
There are a total of 47 temples: three contain the lowest grade of fire, the Atash Dadgah, and four the highest, the Atash Behram.
Parsis believe that fire is a physical representation of the son of God, so fires at Parsi temples are kept burning 24 hours and if they stop burning a series of complicated rituals are required to restart them.
The Feast of Fire is when prayers of thanks are offered to the fire.
On Thursday from 4 am Parsis started turning up pay their respects at the modern pink temple, which stood out in its bustling Fort bylane of scrap dealers, stationery shops and paanwallahs.
After untying and retying their sacred chords they went inside to chant the prayer Atashnyaish to the fire.
Dr Darius Umrigar (44), an alternative therapist from Grant Road, said: “I am here to take guidance from the fire on the correct direction of my life.”
“It is remarkable to think there is a fire which has burnt continuously for 300 years,” said Khojeste Mistree, co-founder of day Zoroastrian Studies, an organisation, which educates people on Zoroastrianism.

Concerns for dwindling numbers. Seminars on how to save their race. In 1940, when their number in India was a sizeable 1.14 lakh, the community probably never imagined that 67 years later, it would be fretting over its strength. Parsis came to India from Iran 1,100 years ago “for a better way of life”, as Parsiana editor Jehangir Patel puts it, and to escape religious persecution. They settled at first in Gujarat but started streaming into Mumbai in the 17th century to explore opportunities when the British began developing the city as a port and trading hub.
From establishing industrial houses (the Tatas) to building roads (the Jeejeebhoy family), Parsis had a giant hand in the city’s growth.
With prosperity, came education. The flipside, a section of the community believes, is that the career-consciousness engendered by education made Parsi women place marriage low on their list of priorities. Some married late, some stayed away from it completely. As a result, the growth of the Parsi population slowed down.
Today, Mumbai has around 45,000 Parsis living in colonies or baugs. “The 2001 census shows that the all-India number of Parsis is around 69,000,” Patel says. “In fact, the Bombay Parsi Panchayat is now giving incentives for a third child.” The community is also weakened because when Parsi women marry elsewhere, they lose their religion.
To preserve exclusivity, a group of religious scholars recently formed the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis. WAPIZ believes that if a Parsi woman marries outside the community, her spouse and children should not be recognised as Parsis. But children from a Parsi man’s marriage to a non-Parsi are allowed. “I think it’s wrong,” Patel says. “Zoroastrianism preaches equality.”
The community is credited with significant contributions to theatre in the city. Parsi Natak Mandali was set up in 1853 with support from Dadabhai Naoroji, and then others followed.  Today, the National Centre for Performing Arts, set up by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust in 1969, continues to fuel dreams on the art scene.
It also has to its credit luminaries like JRD Tata, Rohinton Mistry among others. Some Parsi eateries also remain. Most Irani restaurants have faded away into the sepia past, but you still have Kayani and Bastani to fall back on. And if the delectable flavours of Dhaansaak and Patra ni machchi know no religion, you have only God and Parsis to thank.

Alarmed by the drop in the number of vultures in the city, the Parsi community and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) have joined hands to start a vulture breeding centre at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivli. The Parsi community is concerned about the dwindling vulture population as Zoroastrian tradition requires them to place the bodies of their dead atop a tower — the Tower of Silence at Malabar Hill — and expose them to the sun and to birds of prey. “Due to the decline in the vulture population, the decomposition process has become slower,” said Khojestee Mistry, trustee of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat.
The first in the state, the centre will take a year to set up once government permissions are in place. The project is expected to cost about Rs. 2 crore.
“There are two species of critically endangered vultures, the white-backed vulture and the long-billed vulture. We will breed these two varieties,” said Dr Vibhu Prakash, deputy director and head, vulture conservation breeding programme, BNHS. “The vulture population has declined by more than 99 per cent and is diminishing at the rate of more than 40 per cent annually.”
The centre plans to breed 25 pairs each of both species and release them in batches so that in the next 15 years there are 100 pairs.
“Once the breeding centre is established, we want to house some birds in an aviary in the Tower of Silence,” said Mistry.
The BNHS has three breeding centres in Assam, West Bengal and Haryana, and will get the birds to the city from one of these centres.
The fall in vulture population is said to be because of the veterinary use of the drug Diclofenac, to treat domestic livestock on whose flesh the vultures feed. The drug was banned in 2005.

Every time a relative comes visiting, retired mill worker Namdeo Hule (59) cringes. His 100-sq-ft house in Tejukaya Mansion’s building number 7 in Lalbaug is already too small to accommodate his family of five. One extra person means the former employee of Jam Mills and his two sons have to sleep outside their house. “I am worried about how I will manage after my grandson is born,” said Hule. “I may have to move the sofa set out.”
This space crunch is now set to ease, not just for the 500-odd residents living in 12 chawls in Tejukaya Mansion but also for more than 8,000 tenants of 80 old buildings in Lalbaug.
Dilapidated chawls in Lalbaug will soon be redeveloped into towers where tenants will get 300-sq-ft one-bedroom-hall-kitchen flats. Many of these projects have either been approved or are in the final stages of negotiations between developers and tenants.
Tejukaya Mansion, an 8,000-sq-m property, is being redeveloped by the landlords, Tejuakaya and Company. “Our tenants want to continue living in Lalbaug but are finding it difficult to adjust in small houses as their families have grown,” said Pranav Tejuakaya, the firm’s managing director.
These new houses will be worth at least Rs. 40 lakh with flats here selling for Rs. 14,000 a square foot.
Lalbaug is inhabited mainly by working class Maharashtrians, most of who came from Konkan in the late 19th century when Mumbai was emerging as a textile hub. These migrants worked in the city’s 58 textile mills and continued to stay here even after the mills shut down following the 1982 strike. Over the past six years, the area has seen developers line up to build residential and commercial complexes.
With developers now eying Lalbaug  as a cluster, its character is set to be transformed.
Ganesh Gully, famous for one of the biggest Ganesh festivals in Mumbai, will be redeveloped by Orbit Corporation Limited. Orbit has purchased 13 buildings here and is aiming to buy 40.
Then there is a 26,000-sq-m redevelopment project for Islam Mill, Lalbaug. Nish Developers will build 1,080 houses for the tenants and municipal staff here. In return, the developer will get 300 flats admeasuring 1,100-1,400 sq ft to sell. “The area is in the vicinity of the business district and corporates are eager to buy flats here,” said Kailash Agarwal, managing director, Nish Developers.
Anuj Puri, country head and managing director of real estate consultancy firm Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, said: “Lalbaug is ideal for people who want to remain close to south Mumbai. Unlike in south Mumbai where landlords demand higher compensation for property, here the rates are moderate.”
Other chawls on the revamp list are Peru Chawl, Doctors’ Compound and Meghwadi Chawl comprising a total of 1,010 tenants.
The National Textile Corporation has announced that the 32,400-sq-m Jam Mills compound will be redeveloped.
Author Sharada Dwivedi worries that this will end the culture of bonhomie chawls are known for. “All chawls had a central courtyard where people spent time. This won’t be possible now as they will live in isolation in high rises.” She said the place will now become a gated community.
Even Navroze Baug, an exclusive enclave of the Parsi community, has decided to go for a revamp. The locality’s 380 flats will make way for 1,000 bigger flats. The Parsi Punchayet will develop the property and houses will be sold only to Parsis.
Lalbaug will also have a multiplex in the neighbourhood once Vardhaman Builders constructs a multiplex on the plot where the 2,000-sq-m Ganesh Talkies stands.

Try this parsi egg dish….

Cut onions tomatoes garlic ginger and saute it in a pan till cooked, u can add some dry masalas too like garam masala or corriander powder and a dash of red chilli powder as per your chilli quotient .

Spread the mixture into the pan, like u would spread a pancake and then break the eggs on the cooked masala ( as per the size of the dish ). cover it and let it cook. once done in about 7 minutes or so. serve hot with a garnishing of green corriander. tastes awesome with bread or roti

try and lemme know how you liked it !!! Cheers

Is it an irony or a paradox that as different members of the large Nehru-Gandhi parivaar lock horns over what it is to be hindu questions are  being raised about just how hindu they are? We tend to assume that Rahul,  Priyanka and Varun are hindu but their parentage would suggest otherwise. And certainly by birth and upbringing Sonia is not a hindu – she’s  catholic.
So let’s start by unraveling the forgotten bits of their history. Indira Gandhi’s husband and, therefore, Rajiv’s and Sanjay’s father, Feroze, was a  Parsi. That makes the two boys half-Parsi and only, at best, half-Hindu. In turn  both of them married non-Hindus. Sonia, as we know, was Catholic. Maneka, as we  seem to have forgotten, is Sikh. Therefore their children — Rahul and Priyanka as much as Varun – are three-quarters non-hindu and only a  quarter-Hindu.
By parentage — and its important to emphasise that they could be  something else by choice — Priyanka and Rahul were born half-Catholic, a  quarter-Parsi and a quarter-Hindu. By the same method of calculation, Varun is  half-Sikh, a quarter-Parsi and a quarter-Hindu.
These fractions are not important. They are mere matters of detail. But  in the midst of the present controversy they are a useful corrective. They establish just how ‘hindu’ this generation of the family actually is.
Now, if you go by the position that caste is inherited from your father,  then there are also a couple of things these three young Gandhis are not. They’re not Kashmiri pundits – though Jawaharlal, their great grandfather, and  Indira, their grandmother, clearly were – and they’re not brahmins  either.
But there is something that they are of which all three could be very proud. Because of their mixed ancestry, which embraces and amalgamates India’s  minority faiths with its majority, the three Gandhis are a delightful religious pot pourri – or kichdi, if I may be blunt – that represents the solution and, I hope, the future of India’s often quarrelling communities. It’s when we’re  prepared to marry each other, regardless of religion and caste, that we will  have finally broken down and dispensed with the barriers of creed and jaat. The  Gandhi children are products of such marriages.
And yet, bizarrely, the Gandhis don’t present themselves in this way. Rajiv and Sanjay seemed to forget — perhaps even ignore — their Parsi half. As  far as I know, Rahul and Priyanka have never spoken of their catholic ancestry. And even Varun is silent about his sikh grandparents.
If the reason is that it could alienate voters in Hindu-majority India, then what does that tell you about the Gandhis? That they care more about not offending popular prejudices than standing up for secular values? At first that  might sound a trifle harsh but could it be the explanation? Think about  it.


The Gandhi children have the good fortune of being a bit of this and a bit of that. It makes them truly Indian. Yet they want to be known, seen and  thought of as hindu. They’re shrinking themselves, not celebrating their rich  and many-splendoured parentage.
Sadly, this is typical of many of us. I suppose you could call it the  folly of India. We need to become mongrels — yet when we are, all we want is to  appear pedigreed. This is where Obama and America are so different. He’s  half-black and half-white, his father was a muslim, his mother a christian, and  at his first press conference he was proud to call himself a “mutt”. It’s the  core of his appeal, which America readily embraced.
If Nisha had lived and we had children, they would be half-Hindu and  half-Catholic and not for a moment would I have claimed otherwise. They would  also have been half-Goan and half-Punjabi and so children of both north and  south India. In that sense they’d have been far more ‘Indian’ than either she or I. They’d be like the Gandhis. Only the Gandhis are more  so.
It’s time the Gandhis proclaimed the great advantage they have. If they  do I, at least, will vote for them.

There are so many misstatements, misconceptions and, well, mistakes embodied in the Thackeray family’s campaign to rename (or attack) those institutions that include Bombay (rather than Mumbai) in their names, that I really do not know where to begin.

But first, here’s the background. Ever since Bal Thackeray’s delinquent nephew set himself up as his Uncle’s Mini-Me, Marathi chauvinism has returned to Maharashtra politics. Raj (the Thackeray nephew) first attacked non-Maharashtrians and then made the re-assertion of Marathi identity his platform. Uncle Bal was slow to react but now the Shiv Sena has also joined the campaign. In recent weeks, activists have vandalised signboards that use Bombay rather than Mumbai (as in the Bombay Scottish School, for instance) and the senior Thackeray has written an article urging any entity that still uses ‘Bombay’ to change its name. (Bombay Dyeing should become Mumbai Dyeing and so on.)
This campaign is predicated on the assumption that Bombay is a Maharashtrian city whose name was changed by colonial oppressors or, worse, evil north Indians. To use ‘Mumbai’ is to reclaim the past and to shrug off the insult symbolised in the name ‘Bombay’.
This is a stirring argument when used as election rhetoric. But there is one problem: it is also nonsense.
First of all, whether we like it or not, Bombay is not an ancient Indian city in the sense that, say, Delhi is. It is a colonial creation. There is no record of any city on the site of Bombay before the Europeans got here.
That explains the name. It is generally believed (though there are other theories) that the word ‘Bombay’ comes from a Portuguese phrase which means beautiful bay. This was later anglicised — when the city passed to the British — to Bombay. So Bombay is not a Maharashtrian name. In fact, it is not even an Indian name. And that’s because the city did not exist before colonisation.
So where did ‘Mumbai’ come from? The general view is that it is a corruption of ‘Bombay’. Indians have a tradition of corrupting city names when we use them in different Indian languages. For instance, it is clear that the city of Ahmedabad was named for Sultan Ahmed Shah.
But no Gujarati calls the city Ahmedabad (especially when we are speaking Gujarati). It is always ‘Amdavaad’. Nevertheless, educated Gujaratis do not claim that Amdavaad is the correct name. We recognise that it is a corruption of Ahmedabad. So it is with Bombay. No Hindi speaker says that ‘Bambai’ is the real name. It is a corruption of Bombay. And Mumbai is probably also a corruption.
Nor is Bombay a particularly Maharashtrian city. There’s a reason for that: till 1960, there was no Maharashtra. After Independence in 1947, Bombay became a full-fledged state. The city was its capital and it included much of what we now call Gujarat state (excluding Saurashtra) and today’s Maharashtra (excluding such areas as Marathwada).
The most famous chief minister of Bombay, Morarji Desai, was a Gujarati and there was no sense — till 1960 at least — that Gujaratis had less of a claim to the city than Maharashtrians.
This was not a just a political distinction. It had its roots in the city’s history. Even during colonial times, Bombay was developed by many communities: Gujaratis, Parsis, Muslims (many of them also Gujaratis) and Maharashtrians. All of them regarded the city as their home. No Parsi felt he was a guest in a Maharashtrian city. Bombay’s fabled cosmopolitanism springs from those origins.
When Maharashtra was created, it was largely because of pressure from Maharashtrians. Gujaratis were happy being part of a non-linguistic state. And even then, there was some debate over whether Bombay should be part of Maharashtra or a city-state on its own. Certainly, the population statistics did not support the view that it was a Maharashtrian city. Marathi-speakers were actually a minority in Bombay. So the view that it is a Maharashtrian city and that everybody else is an outsider is not supported by facts.
Then, there’s the problem with the name. The claim that it represents Marathi pride is sought to be substantiated by another claim: that one of the fishing villages that preceded the creation of Bombay was named after a goddess called Mumba Devi.
This is a historically dodgy claim. And even if it is true, so what? We don’t live in that fishing village. We live in one of the world’s great cities.
The view that Mumbai is merely a corruption of Bombay gains strength from another fact which the Thackerays prefer not to highlight: Gujaratis also call the city Mumbai.
It has never occurred to Gujaratis that we do this to honour some long-forgotten goddess. We have always treated ‘Mumbai’ like ‘Amdavaad’ — as a vernacularised version of a name from another language.
So if ‘Mumbai’ means anything, it is as much a symbol of Gujarati pride as it is as an expression of Marathi chauvinism. It’s all very well for Thackeray to insist that the Bombay Stock Exchange (where only a tiny proportion of the members are Maharashtrians) should be renamed the Mumbai Stock Exchange. But if that does happen, it is more likely to be seen as a manifestation of Gujarati pride (the majority of the Exchange’s members are Gujaratis) than of Marathi chauvinism. This is as true of Bombay House or Bombay Dyeing. Parsis are Gujarati speakers, and do not regard Mumbai as a purely Marathi name.
So, if Thackeray goes ahead with this crazy scheme, all he will do is re-emphasise the Gujarati contribution to Bombay. Maharashtrian chauvinism won’t even get a look in.
Why then is Bal Thackeray doing this? In 1980, when he first pushed to change the name of the city, he was able to joke about it. At the time I was editor of Bombay magazine and publicly opposed to the proposal. “Don’t worry,” he told me, “you won’t have to change the name of your magazine to Mumbai.” Over a decade later, when the Centre finally dropped its opposition to the change and Bombay became Mumbai, he was still quite happy to allow the Bombay Stock Exchange and the rest to continue using ‘Bombay’. His own grandson went to Bombay Scottish School.
So, why the change in stance? Surely, Thackeray has seen the example of other cities. Calcutta may now be Kolkata but the CPM is not asking the Calcutta Club to change its name. The Karnataka government is not forcing ‘Bengaluru’ on shops and establishments in Bangalore. Most state governments have worked out that change proceeds at its own pace.
In the 1970s, when Ceylon became Sri Lanka, most of us were startled by the change in name. But now, who refers to the country as Ceylon? The same is true of Iran. Nobody calls it Persia any longer. Change does happen — but in its own time.
On the other hand, the Lankans don’t get hysterical about the use of the term Ceylon tea. The Iranians do not demand that every Persian cat be renamed an Iranian kitten. The historical contexts are all unchanged: it’s still Persian art or a Persian rug.
But the Thackerays don’t understand history — or consistency for that matter. As my colleague Sujata Anandan wrote perceptively in the HT’s Bombay edition on Wednesday, this new-found zeal sits uneasily with Bal Thackeray’s own record: if he’s so keen on Marathi usage, then he should use his real name. It’s Thakre not Thackeray, in the manner of William Makepeace Thackeray, the author of Vanity Fair. Not only does Thackeray use the anglicised spelling, he even pronounces it like the English author, who, as far as I know, was not a Marathi manoos.
Worse still, I don’t think that either Bal or Mini-me really care about the issue anyway. They just need a cause that sounds emotive and chauvinistic enough to motivate the goondas in their cadres. Thackeray is now old enough to recognise that this kind of platform is not sufficient to hold a party together in the long run. But faced with the threat from Raj, he’s had to go back to the primitive chauvinism of the Sena’s early years.
It would be a tragedy if the people or the politicians of the city of Bombay allowed this rivalry between uncle and nephew to change the traditions and heritage of this great metropolis. The only way to handle the Thackeray campaign is to hold firm and to tell the old boy to sort out his family disputes in the privacy of his own home.
We are certainly not changing any more names only because he can’t handle his nephew.