Navroz: Embracing the new year

The Parsi community came together on the occasion of Navroz, the Parsi New Year, on Thursday. Here’s how some Hyderabadis celebrated...  

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Going traditional 
We offered prayers at the Agiary (fire temple) in the morning, followed by a get-together at the Secunderabad Zoroastrian Club. We witnessed short plays and also felicitated people. On Navroz, women wear the Parsi sari with Gara, a kind of embroidery  primarily comprising the khakha stitch. It’s an adaptation of the Chinese painting on porcelain.

Members of the Parsi community at the Fire Temple in Secunderabad

The dinner consisted of Patra Ni Machi — fish cooked in coriander and steamed, Parsi pickle, Rotlis, Chicken Mari, followed by Palov and Daar (thick dal) and Laagan (custard). Although the food is served on a banana leaf, being Parsis, we will still wanted our forks. Back in the day, we used to have ginger ale, raspberry and mangola drinks, followed by an ice cream.

— Dhunji Kavarana, former GM Kakatiya

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Down the memory lane 
Our day started with decorating the house with flowers and Rangoli. We went to the fire temple and performed Jashan for the welfare of the community. For lunch, we prepared rice and fish curry. In the evening, we went to the Zoroastrian club and played tambola. I cooked Parsi Semiya (dry), which specially comes from Mumbai. In the olden days, all the food was cooked at the house. My granny would give me Rs 20 as a token of her love. And we also used to share food with our neighbours. 

 —Fashutana, homemaker

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Mouth-watering delicacies
I  am usually busy shooting on Navroz, but after three years, this is the first time I am celebrating it with my family in Mumbai. I had around 20 relatives visiting my house. We had a Parsi lunch. My mother and aunts cooked and all of us indulged in the lavish spread. The festival makes me nostalgic. As a kid, I used to wait for this day so that I can indulge in authentic Parsi dishes like Dhansak, Chawal, etc. I even had plans of setting up a Parsi restaurant. 
— Amyra Dastur, Actress