An Ethnography of the Parsees of India 1886–1936

Description

This volume explores a wide spectrum of Parsee culture and society derived through essays from the Journal of Anthropological Society of Bombay (1886–1936). This journal documents intensive scholarship on the Parsee community by eminent anthropologists, Indologists, orientalogists, historians, linguists, and administrators in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Comprising 0.05% of India’s total population today, the Parsees (now spelled “Parsis”) have made significant contributions to modern India. Through contributions of Jivanji Jamshedji Modi, Bomanjee Byramjee Patell, and Rustamji Munshi, eminent Parsee scholars, the essays in this book discuss the social and cultural frameworks which constitute various key phases in the Parsee life nearly 100 years ago. They also focus on themes such as birth, childhood and initiation, marriage, and death. The volume also features works on Parsee folklore and oral literature. An important contribution to Parsi culture and living, this book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of sociology, social anthropology, ethnography, cultural studies, history, and South Asia studies. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of figures List of tables Contributors Preface Introduction Part I Birth and initiation Chapter 1 Birth customs and ceremonies of the Parsees Chapter 2 Parsee life in Parsee songs: Cradle songs Chapter 3 The baby language among the Parsees Chapter 4 The initiation ceremonies and customs of the Parsees Marriage Chapter 5 Marriage customs among the Parsees and their comparison with similar customs of other nations Chapter 6 Some Parsee marriage customs: How far are they borrowed from the Hindus? Chapter 7 A few marriage songs of the Parsees at Nargol, Part I Chapter 8 A few marriage songs of the Parsees at Nargol, Part II Death Chapter 9 On the funeral ceremonies of the Parsees, their origin and explanation Chapter 10 Notes on the Towers of Silence in India Chapter 11 The first-year funeral expenses of a Parsee of the last century (1763) Chapter 12 A vahi or register of the dead of some of the Parsees of Broach and a Parsee martyr mentioned in it Chapter 13 Another Parsee martyr of Broach Part II Chapter 14 Statistics of births, deaths, and marriages among the Parsees of Bombay during the last ten years (1881–1890) Chapter 15 Statistics of births, deaths, and marriages among the Parsees of Bombay during the last ten years (1891–1900) Chapter 16 A Parsee deed of partition more than 150 years old: A form of slavery referred to therein Folklore Chapter 17 A few Parsee riddles—I Chapter 18 A few Parsee riddles—II Chapter 19 Omens among the Parsees Chapter 20 Charms or amulets for some diseases of the eye Glossary Author and subject index