Parsis celebrate Navroz with prayers and feasts

Mumbai: Parsis in the city celebrated the Persian New Year — also known as Navroz or Pateti — on Friday, along with their dear ones, with visits to fire temples, offering prayers and sampling delicacies.

Navroz is celebrated by the Zoroastrian community on the day of the spring equinox, which usually falls in July or August. Parsis on Friday wished each other and hoped that the New Year would bring in prosperity and good tidings.

Navroz, which derives from the Persian word “nav” meaning new and “roz” meaning day, marks the first day of the Iranian calendar.

Dr Shirjad Shroff told The Asian Age, “On this auspicious day, we go to the fire temple (Agyari) and pray for the wellbeing of our family and for prosperity. We also have a feast.”

The Parsi community is Zoroastrian by faith and came to India when the Arabs invaded Iran.

Homemaker Maharukh Raimalwala said, “Our celebrations begin with a bath in the morning with prayers, and we wear new clothes and visit the fire temple.”

“We offer flowers, milk, fruits and sandalwood to the fire god. On this day, I usually prepare delicacies like meethi sev dahi, mora dal chawal, machchi no patio, mutton pulao, saas ni machchi, marghi na farcha (crispy fried chicken), patra ni machli, sali boti, berry pulao, jardaloo chicken, kid gosht, cutlets, mawa ni boi, and lagan nu custard,” Raimalwala added.