Cultural Tropes of Contemporary Parsi Community A Selective Study of Parsi Fiction

Abstract

newline The study aims to explore the various cultural tropes of identity that a minority community may relate to. The Zoroastrians in particular are a very uniquely assimilated community in the Indian social environment because they were initially refuges in India. Keeping this in mind, the research work proposes to carry out a detailed analysis of the Parsi and Zoroastrian culture through an analysis of the select fiction. Zoroastrianism, by virtue of its three principles of good thoughts, good words and good deeds is one of the most righteous religious faiths in the world which is now endangered. There is an immediate need to throw light on the most important aspects of the faith and look into the problems of its demographic decline. It may be a fast-declining religion but it is one of the most remarkable religions across the world. Overall, the work had aimed at carrying out an analysis of the tropes of cultural identity which a normal Parsi identifies with. These tropes may be entirely different from those of the Zoroastrians of Iran but have played a major role in the formation of the ethnic identity of the community over centuries of assimilation and adaptation. The doctoral thesis entitled, Cultural Tropes of Contemporary Parsi Community: A Selective Study of Parsi Fiction comprehensively focuses on covering the various themes and issues under chapters as Tracing the history of Zoroastrianism: A Roadmap of Parsi Literature , Parsi Literature: Negotiating Existence , Issues, Politics and Literary Representations , Articulating Orthodoxy and Liberalism: Contemporary Perspectives and Conclusion . newlineThe discussions on Parsi identity and their future globally have been in the forefront for quite some time now. Owing to this, it becomes all the more important in today s day and time to highlight Parsi beliefs and practices. The cultural aspects studied have been done keeping the select fiction in mind like Meher Pestonji s Mixed Marriage and Other Stories and Pervez; Firdaus Kanga s Trying to Grow..