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Zoroastrianism,
Christianity
and
Indian Culture
Preeti Awasthi
Population of India - 1991 Census
Less than 1%= Buddhists and the Jains
82% = HINDUS
12% = MUSLIMS
2%= Christians
Indian Culture- an experience….
‘Respect each other’- ‘Help each other’
characteristic feature of the Indian
Culture
Parsi Religion
Salient features :
• Origin of the Parsis
• Their historic past
• Role of Spenta Zarathustra- the Prophet of the
Parsis
• Religious scriptures of the Parsis
• Parsis of India
• Rites of Passage of the Parsis
• Zoroastrianism in Gujarat, Mumbai
• ‘Ilm- e – Kshnoom’- school of Parsi philosophy
• Pioneers of modern India- [Dadabhai Naoroji,
Madame Bhikaji Cama, Homi Jehangir Bhabha]
Origin of the Parsis• Parsis are of
ancient Persian
descent.
• Linguistic
similarities
between the Rig
Veda and the
Zoroastrian
Gathas.
Role of Spenta Zarathustra- the Prophet of the Parsis
He lived in Iran in 6000BC.;
Preached the oneness of god
Believed that Ahura Mazda was
the one and only god.
Ahura Mazda will do the final
judgement of all souls.
• Factions within
the community
• Parsi Jashan ce
remony (in this
case, a house
blessing)
Religious scriptures of the Parsis
Zend Avesta is divided into five parts:
1) Yasna ( worship with ceremony and
worship)
2) Videvdad ( laws against demons)
3) Yashts (worship)
4) Khordeh Avestha ( book of daily
prayers)
5) Five Gathas ( Ahunavaiti, Ushtavaiti,
Spenta- Mainyu, Vohu- Khshathra and
Vashishta- Ishti.

Parsis of India

According to the 2001
census, there were around
70,000 members of the
Zorostrian faith in India.

Pioneers in education,
banking and commerce,
law and journalism and
above them all eminent
freedom fighters too.
Prominent Indian
Parsis
Jehangir Sabavala
Painter
Freddie Mercury
Zubin Mehta
Born 29.04.1936
Bombay
Ratan Tata
Writer
Rohinton Mistry
Parsi Cuisine
Rites of Passage of the Parsis

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
Start at birth and solidify with the
Navjote.
‘Kusti’-the child is blessed by donning
a sacred thread and a soft muslin
‘Sudra’.
The final rite of passage at “Tower of
Silence”
A Parsee wedding -1905
Wedding portrait

As an ethnic community
Self-perceptions
 Parsi Navjote
ceremony (rites
of admission
into the
Zoroastrian
faith)
Zoroastrianism in Gujarat & Mumbai
GUJARAT• The Kissah-i-Sanjan came in the 8th century and
was given refuge in Sanjan by the local king,
Jadi Rana.
• Towards the end of of the 10th century, the
Parsis began to settle in five districts- Sanjan,
Nausari,Godareh-Ankleshwar, Broach and
Cambay.
Zoroastrianism
"Parsis of Bombay" a wood engraving - ca. 1878
Mumbai
• The first record of a Parsi, Dorabji
Nanabhai, settling in bombay dates from
1640 AD.
• In 1673, the British handed over a piece of
land in Malabar Hill to the Parsi community
for their first Dakhma, ‘ Tower of Silence’.
• In 1735, Lowjee Nusserwanji was granted
land in Bombay by the East India
Company, who took the name of his trade‘ Wadia’.
“ Ilm-i- Kshnoom”- Parsi philosophy

‘Saheb-e-Dilan’( Masters of the Heart) who are
said to live in isolation in the mountainous
recesses of the Caucasus.

Largest community lives in Jogeshwari, a suburb
of Mumbai.

They have their own fire temple- Behramshah
Nowroji Shroff Daremeher and their own
housing colony Behram Baug and their own
newspaper Parsi Pukar.
Rites of Passage of the
Parsis Start at birth and solidify with the Navjote.
 ‘Kusti’-the child is blessed by donning a
sacred thread and a soft muslin ‘Sudra’.
 The final rite of passage at “Tower of
Silence”
• Prominent Indian Parsis
Ratan Tata
•
art
Jehangir Sabavala,
Painter
•
Freddie Mercury
•
•
Zubin Mehta
Born 29 April 1936,
Bombay
Writer
Rohinton Mistry
Pioneers of Modern India
Dada bhai Naoroji, The “ Grand old
man of India”.
Madame Bhikaji Cama.
Pherozeshah Mehta.
Homi Jehangir Bhabha- Scientist.

Dada bhai Naoroji, The “ Grand old man of
India”
– Wrote the “economic drain theory”, Poverty
and unbritish rule in India, published in 1901.
– Was respected by both the Indians as well as
the British.
Madame
Bhikaji
Cama
Pherozeshah
Mehta
Homi
Jehangir
Bhabha
scientist
Indian Christians
Malankara Church and Saint Thomas
Christians
VASCODAGAMA CHURCH, COCHIN
THRISSUR - CHURCH
Churches with Saint Thomas
Christian tradition

Eastern Catholic Churches:
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

Oriental Orthodox:



the Chaldean Syrian Church (East Syrian Rite)
Independent:



the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church (West Syrian Rite)
the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (West Syrian Rite)
Assyrian Church of the East


the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (East Syrian Rite)
the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (West Syrian Rite)
the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (West Syrian Rite)
the Malabar Independent Syrian Church (West Syrian Rite)
the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India
► Open
Air Rock Cross
also called Nazraney
Sthambams in front
of the Martha
Mariam Catholic
Church at
Kuravilangadu,
Kerala
Malankara Church and Saint Thomas
Christians
Malankara Church and Saint Thomas
Christians
Relationship of the Nasrani (Saint Thomas
Christians) groups
• The Nasrani
Menorah, the
symbol of the
Syrian
Malabar
Nasrani
Christian
community
in South India.
Sacred Heart
Cathedral
in Delhi
Churches with Saint Thomas
Christian tradition
• Eastern Catholic Churches:
– the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (East Syrian Rite)
– the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (West Syrian Rite)
• Oriental Orthodox:
– the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church (West Syrian Rite)
– the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (West Syrian Rite)
• Assyrian Church of the East
– the Chaldean Syrian Church (East Syrian Rite)
• Independent:
– the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (West Syrian Rite)
– the Malabar Independent Syrian Church (West Syrian Rite)
• the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India
Kerala- adorned with churches
The Mar Thoma (Catholic)
Church,Kodungaloor, Kerala, India. One of
the seven churches built by St. Thomas. This
is considered to be the first Christian church
in the Indian subcontinent.
The St. Thomas (Catholic) ChurchPalayoor,
Kerala. One of the seven churches built by
St. Thomas.
The St Thomas (Catholic) Church,
Kottakkavu, North Paravur, Kerala. One of
the seven churches built by St. Thomas.
Altar of the Knanaya Jacobite Syrian Orthodox St. Mary's Church
in Kottayam, Kerala, also known asValiapally (Big Church),with
two Persian crosses of 7th century on either side of the Altar;
originallyAltar of the Knanaya Jacobite Syrian Orthodox St.
Mary's Church in Kottayam, Kerala, also known
asValiapally (Big Church),with two Persian crosses of 7th century
on either side of the Altar; originally built in 1550 built in 1550
St. Francis CSI Church, in Kochi,
originally built in 1503, is the oldest
European church in India
Churches with Saint Thomas
Christian tradition

Eastern Catholic Churches:



Oriental Orthodox:



the Chaldean Syrian Church (East Syrian Rite)
Independent:



the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church (West Syrian Rite)
the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (West Syrian Rite)
Assyrian Church of the East


the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (East Syrian Rite)
the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (West Syrian Rite)
the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (West Syrian Rite)
the Malabar Independent Syrian Church (West Syrian Rite)
the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India
► The
Nasrani Menorah, the symbol of
theSyrian Malabar Nasrani Christian
community in South India.
Relationship of the Nasrani
(Saint Thomas Christians)
groups

Malankara Church and Saint Thomas
Christians
A set of palm leaf manuscripts from
the 15th century or the 16th century,
containing Christian prayers in Tamil

St. Francis CSI Church, in Kochi,
originally built in 1503, is the oldest
European church in India
The Sé Cathedral of Santa Catarina is
a cathedral dedicated toCatherine of
Alexandria, located in Old Goa
Portuguese-Tamil Primer (1554). One of the
earliest known Christian books in an
Indian language
Distribution of
Christian
population in
different Indian
states. The total
number of
Christians in India
as per Census in
2001 are
24,080,016 or
2.34% of the
population.
Church in Vasai near Mumbai
Christianity in India
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CatholicCatholicOrthodoxOrthodoxOrthodoxCatholicProtestant
Protestant
Reformed
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Protestant
Unitarian
Unitarian
Church Name
Latin Rite
Syro-Malabar Church
Malankara Jacobite SyrianOrthodoxChurch
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
Malabar Independent Syrian Church
Syro-Malankara Church
Church of South India
Church of North India
Mar Thoma Syrian Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
MethodistChurchinIndia
Baptist
Lutheran
Indian Brethren
Presbyterian Church of Ina
St. Thomas Evangelical Curch
Worldwide Faith Missions
Evangelical Church
New Apostolic Church
India Pentecostal Church of God
New Life Fellowship
Manna Full Gospel Churches
Filadelphia Fellowship Church of India
Unitarian Union of Northeast India
Unitarian Christian Church of Madras
Population
11, 800,000
3,947,396
900,000
1,600,000
35,000
500,000
3,800,000
1,250,000
600,000
1,000,000
648,000
2,392,694
1,267,78
1,000,000
823,456
30,000
12,000
250,000
1,448,209
600,000
480,000
275,000
200,000
10,000
300

States with highest percentage of
Christians in 2001 –
India [total number of christians]=
=1,028,610,3282.324,080,016
StatePopulation
Mizoram
Nagaland
Meghalaya
Manipur
Goa
Kerala
Christian(numbers)
889,00090.5804,545
1,990,00090.01,791,398
2,319,00070.31,630,257
2,294,00034.0779,960
1,343,99826.0349,439
31,841,00019.06,049,790
Pope John Paul II with MGR on
his visit to Madras in 1984
A Bas relief from an early church
representing the Apostles of Christ
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi.In the year 1510
C.E., Alfonso De Albuquerque captured Goa. He
established Portuguese Rule that was to last for
over 450 years till the liberation of Goa by the
Indian army in 1962.
The Church of St. Augustine .
 This church was built in 1602 by the
colonial administration.
 Its five storeyed tower is an imposing
edifice
Most of the colonial churches were built as
imposing structures, to overawe the locals.
 On the keystone of their domes was
inscribed the royal insignia of the
Portuguese king.
 An attempt by Portugual to retain the
colonial territories was thwarted by the
Indian army
when it marched into Goa and put an end
to colonial rule in 1962.

Christianity
Thank you