Nanpura Parsi Library

Last updated

Nanpura Parsi Library and Reading Room
LocationNavdi Bandar Road, Opposite Lal Bhai Complex, Nanpura, Surat, Gujarat, India 395001
Other information
DirectorManav Vikas Sansthan Trust

Nanpura Parsi Library and Reading Room [1] is the oldest public library in Surat, formerly known for a large collection of books related to Parsi culture.

Due to dwindling interest in the library, it eventually shut down. The contents of the library were sent to libraries in Navsari and Mumbai as well as to other libraries under the control of the Surat Parsi Punchayet. [2]

The Manav Vikas Sansthan, a trust running other libraries in Surat, took over operations in 1980 after the Nanpura Parsi Library was closed. It now only consists of weekly periodicals and newspapers, in English, Gujarati and Hindi [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parsis</span> Zoroastrian community in the Indian subcontinent

Parsis or Parsees are an ethnoreligious group of the Indian subcontinent adhering to Zoroastrianism. They are descended from Persians who migrated to Medieval India during and after the Arab conquest of the Persian Empire to escape religious persecution and conversion to Islam. The Parsi people comprise the older of the Indian subcontinent's two Zoroastrian communities vis-à-vis the Iranis, whose ancestors migrated to British-ruled India from Qajar-era Iran. According to a 16th-century Parsi epic, Qissa-i Sanjan, Zoroastrian Persians continued to migrate to the Indian subcontinent from Greater Iran in between the 8th and 10th centuries, and ultimately settled in present-day Gujarat after being granted refuge by a local Hindu king, Jadi Rana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahura Mazda</span> Highest deity of Zoroastrianism

Ahura Mazda, also known as Asura Mazda, Oromasdes, Ohrmazd, Ormusd, Hoormazd, Harzoo, Hormazd, Hormaz and Hurmuz, is the creator deity and god of the sky in Zoroastrianism. He is the first and most frequently invoked spirit in the Yasna. The literal meaning of the word Ahura is "lord", and that of Mazda is "wisdom".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahriman</span> Personification of the "destructive spirit" in Zoroastrianism

Angra Mainyu or Ahreman is the Avestan name of Zoroastrianism's hypostasis of the "destructive/evil spirit" and the main adversary in Zoroastrianism either of the Spenta Mainyu, the "holy/creative spirits/mentality", or directly of Ahura Mazda, the highest deity of Zoroastrianism. The Middle Persian equivalent is Ahriman 𐭠𐭧𐭫𐭬𐭭𐭩. The name can appear in English-language works as Ahrimanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amesha Spenta</span> Class of divine entities in Zoroastrianism

In Zoroastrianism, the Amesha Spenta are a class of seven divine entities emanating from Ahura Mazda, the highest divinity of the religion. Later Middle Persian variations of the term include the contraction 'Ameshaspand' as well as the specifically Zoroastrian 'Mahraspand' and 'Amahraspand'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy</span> Indian baronet

Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 1st Baronet,, also spelt Jeejeebhoy or Jeejebhoy, was an Indian-Parsi merchant and philanthropist, later a British knight and baronet. He made a huge fortune in cotton and the opium trade with China.

<i>Yazata</i> Zoroastrian divinities

Yazata is the Avestan word for a Zoroastrian concept with a wide range of meanings but generally signifying a divinity. The term literally means "worthy of worship or veneration", and is thus, in this more general sense, also applied to certain healing plants, primordial creatures, the fravashis of the dead, and to certain prayers that are themselves considered holy. The yazatas collectively are "the good powers under Ahura Mazda", who is "the greatest of the yazatas".

Navsari is the ninth biggest city in the state of Gujarat in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Navsari District. Navsari is situated between Surat & Mumbai. Navsari is a twin city of Surat. It is located 37 km south of Surat. As per 2011 Census of India, Navsari is 16th biggest city of Gujarat state. It ranked 10th most populous city of Gujarat in 1991 Census of India and 2001 Census of India. Navsari is the 25th cleanest city of India according to the Swachh Bharat Urban mission. Dandi village near Navsari was the focal point of the great Salt March led by Mahatma Gandhi during civil disobedience movement of India.

Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia (1702–1774) was a Parsi from Surat province of Gujarat in India and was a member of the Wadia family of shipwrights and naval architects, who founded Wadia Group in 1736.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frere Hall</span> British colonial-era building in Karachi, Pakistan

Frere Hall is a building in Karachi, Pakistan that dates from the early British colonial era in Sindh. Completed in 1865, Frere Hall was originally intended to serve as Karachi's town hall, and now serves as an exhibition space and library.

Fardunjee Marzaban or Fardoonjee Marazban was, among other things, a printer and a newspaper editor. He established the first vernacular printing press in Bombay, India. He also started India’s oldest running periodical called the Bombay Samachar, which was printed primarily in Gujarati. He pioneered vernacular journalism in India, as also the production of Gujarati types.

Ilm-e-Khshnoom is a school of Zoroastrian thought, practiced by a very small minority of the Indian Zoroastrians (Parsis/Iranis), based on a mystic and esoteric, rather than literal, interpretation of religious texts.

The history of Gujarati literature may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, other than its composers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maneckji Limji Hataria</span> 19th-century Indian Zoroastrian scholar and social activist

Maneckji Limji Hataria (1813–1890) was an Indian scholar and civil rights activist of Parsi Zoroastrian descent, who took up the cause of the Zoroastrians of Iran.

Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many wealthy Parsis, began to travel to Iran from Bombay and Gujarat, to revive the Zoroastrian faith and traditions among the stagnating Zoroastrian community in Iran at the time, with prominent personalities such as civil rights activist, Manekji Limji Hateria of Surat gaining local renown.

Variav is a village in Surat District, Gujarat, India. Variav is on the right bank of Tapti River. Variav was recently added to the region of Surat Municipal Corporation, and is now a suburb of Greater Surat.

Bhatha is a village located in the outskirts of Surat. Pal is the most closest place to Bhatha which has recorded highest development since 2010. The village is divided into several streets and has well constructed kaccha house and pakka house.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Media in Gujarati language</span>

The Media in Gujarati language started with publication of Bombay Samachar in 1822. Initially the newspapers published business news and they were owned by Parsi people based in Bombay. Later Gujarati newspapers started published from other parts of Gujarat. Several periodicals devoted to social reforms were published in the second half of the 19th century. After arrival of Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian independence movement peaked and it resulted in proliferation of Gujarati media. Following independence, the media was chiefly focused on political news. After bifurcation of Bombay state, the area of service changed. Later there was an increase in readership due to growth of literacy and the media houses expanded its readership by publishing more editions. Later these media houses ventured into digital media also. The radio and television media expanded after 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iranshah Atash Behram</span> Zoroastrian fire temple at Udvada, Gujarat, India

The Iranshah Atash Behram, also known as the Udwada Atash Behram is a sacred fire housed in a temple in Udvada, Surat district, Gujarat on the west coast of India. It is the first of the eight fire temples of the Zoroastrian religion in the country. The Atash Bahram, meaning "Victorious Fire", is the oldest fire temple in India, dated to the eighth century, and represents the historical cultural and religious links with Iran. The current temple housing the sacred fire was built in 1742 by Motlibai Wadia from Bombay. The temple structure, built spaciously, is well decorated and contains the Dasturji Kaiyoji Mirza hall and a museum. The main hall of the temple is accessed through a two-stage staircase. The temple attracts Zoroastrian pilgrims from all parts of India, Pakistan, and from around the world.

Delphine Menant (1850–unknown) was a French explorer and ethnologist.

References

  1. Haug, Martin (2012). Essays on the Sacred Language, Writings and Religion of the Parsis To Which Is Also Added a Biographical Memoir of the Late Dr. Haug by Professor E. P. Evans. Cambridge Univ Press. ISBN   9781108053730.
  2. 1 2 "Parsi library now has newspapers & periodicals". dnasyndication.com.