Editing Parsis (section)

== Origin ==
In ancient Persia, Zarathushtra taught that good ([[Ohrmazd]]) and evil ([[Angra Mainyu]]) were opposite forces and the battle between them is more or less evenly matched. A person should always be vigilant to align with forces of light. According to the ''[[asha]]'' or the righteousness and ''[[Asha|druj]]'' or the wickedness, the person has chosen in their life they will be judged at the [[Chinvat bridge]] to grant passage to Paradise, Hammistagan (A limbo area) or Hell by the bridge remaining wide for a righteous soul and turning narrow as a sword for the wicked. A personified form of the soul that represents the person's deeds takes the adjudged to their destination and they will abide there until the final apocalypse. After the final battle between good and evil, every soul's walk through a river of fire ordeal for burning of their dross and together they receive a post resurrection paradise. The Zoroastrian holy book, called the ''Avesta'', was written in the [[Avestan language]], which is closely related to [[Vedic Sanskrit]].

The ''[[Qissa-i Sanjan]]'' is a tale of the journey of the Parsis to India from Iran. It says they fled for reasons of religious freedom and they were allowed to settle in India thanks to the goodwill of a local prince. However, the Parsi community had to abide by three rules: they had to speak the local language, follow local marriage customs, and not carry any weapons. After showing the many similarities between their faith and local beliefs, the early community was granted a plot of land on which to build a [[fire temple]].
{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

=== As an ethnic community ===
[[Image:Parsi wedding portrait with Dastur MN Dhalla.jpg|thumb|left|Wedding portrait, 1948]]
Over the centuries since the first Zoroastrians arrived in India, the Parsis have integrated themselves into Indian society while simultaneously maintaining or developing their own distinct customs and traditions (and thus ethnic identity). This in turn has given the Parsi community a rather peculiar standing: they are mostly Indians in terms of national affiliation, language and history, but not typically Indian in terms of [[consanguinity]] or ethnicity, cultural, behavioural and religious practices.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Entine |first=Jon |title=Abraham's Children: Race, Identity, and the DNA of the Chosen People |date=October 24, 2007 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |isbn=978-0-446-40839-4 |pages=236 |language=en}}</ref> <!-- religion, and [[socio-cultural anthropology]] -->

=== Self-perceptions ===
[[Image:Parsi-navjote-sitting.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Parsi ''[[Navjote]]'' ceremony (rites of admission into the Zoroastrian faith)]]
The definition of who is, and is not, a Parsi is a matter of great contention within the Zoroastrian community in India. It is generally accepted that a Parsi is a person who:

:(a) is directly descended from the original Persian refugees, and
:(b) has been formally admitted into the Zoroastrian religion, through the [[navjote]] ceremony.

In this sense, ''Parsi'' is an ethno-religious designator, whose definition is of contention among its members, similar to the [[Who is a Jew?|identity question among Jews]].

Some members of the community additionally contend that a child must have a Parsi father to be eligible for introduction into the faith, but this assertion is considered by most to be a violation of the Zoroastrian tenets of [[gender equality]] and may be a remnant of an old legal definition of the term Parsi.

An oft-quoted legal definition of Parsi is based on a 1909 ruling (since nullified) that not only stipulated that a person could not become a Parsi by converting to the Zoroastrian faith but also noted:

{{Blockquote|the Parsi community consists of: a) Parsis who are descended from the original Persian emigrants and who are born of both Zoroastrian parents and who profess the Zoroastrian religion; b) Iranis [here meaning [[Iranian peoples|Iranians]], not the other group of Indian Zoroastrians] professing the Zoroastrian religion; c) the children of Parsi fathers by alien mothers who have been duly and properly admitted into the religion.<ref>{{Citation |last=Sir Dinsha Manekji Petit v. Sir Jamsetji Jijibhai |year=1909 |title=33 ILR 509 and 11 BLR 85 |publisher=Justices Dinshaw Davar and Frank Beaman}}</ref>}}

This definition was overturned several times. The equality principles of the [[Constitution of India|Indian Constitution]] void the [[patrilineality|patrilineal]] restrictions expressed in the third clause. The second clause was contested and overturned in 1948.<ref>{{Citation |last=Sarwar Merwan Yezdiar v. Merwan Rashid Yezdiar |year=1948 |title=Parsi Matrimonial Court |publisher=Justice Coyaji}}</ref> On appeal in 1950, the 1948 ruling was upheld and the entire 1909 definition was deemed an [[obiter dictum]] – a collateral opinion and not legally binding (re-affirmed in 1966).<ref name="Jamshed Irani v. Banu Irani"/><ref>{{Citation |last=Merwan Rashid Yezdiar v. Sarwar Merwan Yezdiar |year=1950 |title=52 blr 876 |publisher=Justices Chagla and Gajendragadkar}}</ref>)