Who are the Parsis? Where did they come from, what have they made of themselves over these centuries, and above all where are they headed? The Threads of Continuity Exhibition tries to answer these questions.
Check Out Ancient Manuscripts {Gifted By Emperor Akbar}, Buy Handicrafts, & Eat Parsi Food At This Event
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A Gift From Akbar
The Calcutta Zoroastrian Community’s Religious & Charity Fund has joined hands with the Parzor UNESCO Foundation for an exhibition which will showcase the Zoroastrian way of life and its contribution to the world. This event marks the culmination of its year-long sesquicentenary {150th} celebrations, its
Head here to get a comprehensive overview of Zoroastrian culture, art, and identity.
One of the exhibits on display will be the Akbar Sanad – a personal gift from emperor Akbar to the First Dastoor Meherjirana {the undisputed spiritual leader of the Parsi community in India during the 16th century}.
Stoles, Potlis & Purses
Parsi embroidery is an artistic and cultural amalgamation of four unique design traditions — Iranian, Indian, Chinese and European. This has resulted in a distinctive style which blends nature’s creations, birds — real and exotic, flowers, plant life and animals, with elements of mythology. These motifs are skillfully embroidered on kors {borders}, garas {saris}, jhablas {shirts} and ijars {pants}. Parzor Crafts, a UNESCO Parsi – Zoroastrian Project, trains crafts persons to revive Parsi embroidery in contemporary adaptations of original designs for accessories and items of home decoration. Such stoles, clutches and potlis in satin and silk will be available for purchase at the exhibition {like this hard clutch peacock pattern purse}.
To know more about Parzor, the brains behind the exhibition, visit their page here and have a look at the wonderful work they do to preserve and promote Zoroastrian history and culture.
Portraits And Pictures...
The exhibition will takes its audience through the various Persian empires and the heritage of the Parsi community in India. Seen here as part of the exhibits are the Portraits of Dorabji Tata and Lady Meherbai Tata.
... And Ancient Family Trees
You can also see portraits of Zarathushtra holding the flaming fire of Enlightenment {it has been sourced from Cursetji Manockji Shroff Agiary in Jamshedpur} and the Meherjirana Family Tree – the First Dastur Meherji Rana {also the first Parsi high priest of India} was emperor Akbar’s Parsi counsel.
Get to know more about the 145-year-old First Dastoor Meherjirana Library in Navsari here.
The First Bill OF Human Rights
Did you know about the Cyrus Cylinder? In 539 BC, the armies of Cyrus the Great, the first king of ancient Persia, conquered the city of Babylon. But it was his next actions that marked a major advance for Man. He freed the slaves, declared that all people had the right to choose their own religion, and established racial equality. These and other decrees were recorded on a baked-clay cylinder in the Akkadian language with cuneiform script.
Known today as the Cyrus Cylinder, this ancient record has now been recognised as the world’s first charter of human rights. It is translated into all six official languages of the United Nations and its provisions parallel the first four Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Documents asserting individual rights, such as the Magna Carta {1215}, the Petition of Right {1628}, the US Constitution {1787}, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen {1789}, and the US Bill of Rights {1791} are the written precursors to many of today’s human rights documents.
A Rare East Iranian Script
The exhibition will showcase the 1001 names of Ahura Mazda by Perin Pudumjee Coyaji. Coyaji is the only person in the world to have written a book of Kusti prayers in Avestan calligraphy, a rare East Iranian script as ancient as Zoroaster himself. Avesta is the name of Zoroastrianism’s oldest recorded scripture. It was created way before writing as a medium of communication even existed. It was first written in Pahlavi — a code script comprising 12 words. The Avestan alphabet was invented only in the 6th century AD, by which time the language had become extinct and only its liturgical form remained.
So, We're Saying...
Did we mention that there will be plenty of delicious Parsee food and delicacies available on sale? So what are you waiting for? Mark your calendars, ASAP. Visit the Facebook page to know more. This event is open to EVERYONE!
What: Threads of Continuity – an exhibition of Zoroastrian life & culture.
Where: Olpadvala Memorial Hall, 52, Chowringhee Rd, Elgin, Kolkata, West Bengal 700071.
When: October 26 – October 29.
