14 Facts About Parsis

1.

The 12th-century Sixteen Shlokas, a Sanskrit text in praise of the Parsis, is the earliest attested use of the term as an identifier for Indian Zoroastrians.

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2.

Gender ratio among Parsis is unusual: as of 2001, the ratio of males to females was 1000 males to 1050 females, due primarily to the high median age of the population.

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3.

Parsis have a high literacy rate; as of 2001, the literacy rate is 97.

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4.

Parsis found the deep harbour on the east coast of the islands to be ideal for setting up their first port in the sub-continent, and in 1687 they transferred their headquarters from Surat to the fledgling settlement.

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5.

The Parsis followed and soon began to occupy posts of trust in connection with government and public works.

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6.

In 1849 the Parsis established their first school and the education movement quickened.

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7.

The Parsis ran community medical centres, ambulance corps, Scouting troops, clubs, and Masonic Lodges.

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8.

However, the Parsis were the only Zoroastrians to do so, with the result that, from then on, the calendar in use by the Parsis and the calendar in use by Zoroastrians elsewhere diverged by a matter of thirty days.

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9.

Today the majority of Parsis are adherents of the Parsi version of the Shahenshahi calendar although the Kadmi calendar does have its adherents among the Parsi communities of Surat and Bharuch.

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10.

Parsis accordingly went on to alter some of the prayers, which in due course came to be accepted by all adherents of the Kadmi calendar as the more ancient.

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11.

Parsis have a high frequency of haplogroup M, similar to Indians, which is just 1.

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12.

Study published in Genome Biology based on high density SNP data has shown that the Parsis are genetically closer to Iranian populations than to their South Asian neighbours.

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13.

Parsis have however been shown to have high rates of breast cancer bladder cancer, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and Parkinson's disease.

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14.

Parsis have made considerable contributions to the history and development of India, all the more remarkable considering their small numbers.

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