Occupation of the Parsis

OCCUPATION

By SUDITI UNIYAL

It has been seen that Iranian immigration to India came in waves. There is plenty of evidence which suggests that Parsis were involved in agriculture and trade through the years. The emergence of the Mughal government resulted in an influx of ministers and many administrative workers, clerks, scribes, translators etc. Here it is important to note that there is no evidence of any sort of systematic immigration of peasants and nomads. “Immigration to India from the Iranian plateau was mainly a concern of the elite.” During the Mughal period, the Persians’ refined culture was truly advantageous as it helped in providing them patronage in royal courts (Haneda, 12, Vol. XIII, 82).

Archaeological excavations revealed that the Parsis were involved in trade during the urban civilizations in and around the Indus valley. “Traces of boats along the Southern Gulf through the Persian gulf, remnants of Indus seals have been excavated at Kish, Ur and Susa in Iran.” Evidence also suggests that silver and gold was supplied to India from Iran, while India supplied them with ivory, turquoise and lapis lazuli (Jorfi, 68). Persians helped in establishing international relations with the help of trade. For example, their skills in shipping and trade helped in developing relations between India and China. Timbre, opium, silk and cotton were the main items that used to be exported.

Majority of the people who settled in Gujarat worked in agriculture till the 18th century. After the 17th century, some Parsis became artisans and traders with the coming up of European factories to “supply demand for exporting commodities.” Persian textiles were considered to be luxury goods and thus the demand was high especially in royal courts. Their metalwork and architecture were also extremely famous and highly valued.

Persian immigrants who were Sufis and religious scholars played a vital role in spreading Islamic teachings in South Asia. The poets and scholars who preached about artistic expression, art and literacy influenced many of the Indian artforms. After the establishment of British rule, literacy - which was predominantly associated with priesthood - soon provided the Persian youth with the abilities to read and write with the coming up of English schools for them. Soon these people moved from agriculture, to “jobs of trust” such as government and public posts.

By the 18th century, Parsis became moneylenders and brokers. They not only provided the British with financial services as well as credit facilities, but also played a key role in the development of their trading interests. 

Thus it is evident that Persians helped in developing a socio-cultural and economical reputation for India. Not only did their contributions impact the international relations between India and Persia but also with other countries. Their influence is seen even today in the architecture, textiles and in many Indian cultures. 

Trade during Indus Civilization

References

The Good Parsi: The Fate of a Colonial Elite in a Postcolonial Society (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1996), 76–88. (Call no. 305.891411 LUH)

Palsetia, Jesse S. (2001), The Parsis of India: preservation of identity in Bombay City, Leiden: Brill, ISBN 978-90-04-12114-0

S.K. Sinha, Indo-Iran Relations (Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Textbook Press, 1979), p. 4

Rusheed R. Wadia, “Colonial Trade and Parsi Entrepreneurs,” in A Zoroastrian Tapestry: Art, Religion, & Culture, ed. Pheroza J. Godrej and Firoza Punthakey Mistree

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