Home > Indian History > History of India > Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha
Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha
Nowrozjee Furdoonjee and Dadabhai Naoroji founded the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha for the purification of Zoroastrian.

Share this Article:

Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha, Indian Renaissance, British IndiaNowrozjee Furdoonjee and Dadabhai Naoroji founded the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha and did considerable efforts for the purification of Zoroastrian religion which was being prejudiced by Hindu elements like child marriages, polygamy, separate dining of men and women and use of nirang for sterilizing customs. In 1855 the Parsee Law Association was organized at a public meeting attended by 3,000 Parsis with Maneckji Nusserwanji Petit as chairman and Furdoonjee and Sorobjee as secretary. They were in charge later for the introduction of a uniform system of Parsi laws. All such important agenda was discussed in the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabhas.

By the 1870s education was becoming increasingly important as a passport to achieve success in Bombay. This fact was obviously recognized among the Parsis. A lot of importance was paid to girls` education. The Parsee Girls School Association was started by Framji Nasserwanji Patel as the chairman and Furdoonjee as secretary. A number of Parsi schools were also opened in Bombay. Behramji Merwanji Malabari (1853-1912) was one of the most successful Parsi reformers who devoted his life to improve the lot of Indian women who were ruined by social traditions.

The Parsis, refugee Zoroastrians from Iran who reached Gujarat in AD 936, spread along the western Gujarat coast and settled mainly in the ports and small towns of this area. Hereditary priests traveled also with them and came together as small groups of families. In the thirteenth century Gujarat was divided into five panths and each of the panth was governed by a council of priests and all five panths were tied together through links to Sanjan, the Iranian home of the Parsi migrants. Thus the Parsis discovered a system of socio-religious orders not unlike the caste system that widely existed among Gujarati Hindus. The Parsis were a closed community as well; they neither converted nor got intermarry with non-Parsis. Their temples and dokmas (towers of silence), where the dead were exposed, were closed for the non-Parsis. Access to their sacred literature was restricted to Parsi priests and discussed only within the community.

In 1851, Naoroji Furdunji and a small group of educated Parsis hailing from Bombay founded the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha or the Parsis` Reform Society with funds provided by K. N. Kama. Furdunji presided the Sabha and was selected for the office he held until his death in 1885, and Sorabji Shapurji Bengali took over the position of secretary. Bengali was a passionate writer, whose main subjects were the brilliance of ancient Iran and popularizing the new western knowledge. In 1850, he published a monthly journal, Jagat Mitra (Friend of the World) that aimed to accept his ideas among literate Parsis. The Sabha also issued its own journal, Rast Goftar (The Truth Teller), as the main voice of their movement. In 1851, S. S. Bengali published another journal, Jagat Prem (Lover of the World) with the principle of disseminating knowledge of ancient Iran. The journal contained stories on Iran`s cities, its sculpture and architecture, all as evidence of the greatness of the civilization that once existed in the Parsi homeland.

The broad motives of the Sabha were to achieve the renewal of the social circumstance of the Parsees and the re-establishment of the Zoroastrian religion in its pristine purity. To achieve this, Furdunji felt it was necessary to stand against orthodoxy. The leaders of the Sabha criticized sophisticated ceremonies at betrothals, marriages, and funerals. They opposed both infant marriage and the use of astrology or palmistry. The Sabha made known its opposition to orthodox beliefs and customs using lectures, pamphlets and the pages of their journal as their medium. It soon acquired a number of opponents among the priests and laity, even within Bombay where many of the older merchants still followed the Parsi traditions.

The search of the purified and proper Zoroastrianism led those associated with the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha to introduce western scholarship system into the training of Zoroastrian priests. In 1854, K. N. Kama established the Mulla Firoz Madrassah to teach the languages like Zend, Pahlevi, and Persian to young priests. During the 1850s, he established a translation fund so that the findings of modern research on his religion could be made available to his beneficiary Parsis. In 1863, following his lead, Jijibhai`s son, Rastamji, formed a seminary, the Sir Jamshedji Jijibhai Jarthosti Madrassah, under the headship of S. S. Bengali. In 1864, Kharshedji Rastamji Kama, a cousin of K. N. Kama founded the Jarthosti Dim Khol Karnari Mandah to produce trustworthy editions of the Zoroastrian scriptures, rituals and doctrines. These labors to discover proper beliefs and interpretations among the Parsis unsettled many of the literate and concerned Parsis. A further shock was generated with the visit of the German scholar, Martin Haug during the 1860s. Haug declared that only the Gathas that is a collection of ancient poems could only be considered as the words of the Prophet Zoroaster and thus should take precedence over all other texts.

The Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha created a great impact on the colonial milieu and on the western scholarship to reinterpret Zoroastrianism. Western scholars studied the sacred texts; rituals and customs of the Parsis, and their knowledge became the basic brick of the religious change and for the instruction of a new generation of Parsi priests. The Sabha was the creation of an erudite and urban class of Parsis in Bombay City, who became a highly successful elite in the city and also in British India. This acculturative socio-religious movement reshaped heritage that almost anglicized Parsis and they could defend against Christian missionaries. This movement was compatible with their changed social, cultural, and economic environment. As a result, the Parsi community was divided between this urban group and those who remained in Gujarat still under the authority of the traditional Parsi priests.

The Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha was, as a result, highly successful in regulating the Parsi culture to the requirements of the new developed Parsi elite, who in time became models of behavior for younger Parsis. By 1947, the Parsi community had largely succeeded in adjusting to the majestic milieu with perhaps greater success than any other group in South Asia.


Share this Article:

Subscribe to Newsletter
Learn unknown facts about India from a curated list of informative articles.

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India

History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
History of Khajuraho Temple
Located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is country’s most magnificent groups of temples.
History of Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda dates back to 5,000 years old and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world.
History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History of Indian Photography
An overview of the development of photography, through the various stages in India.
History of Delhi
History of Delhi began with the advent of Indian regal dynasties. Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of Hindu dynasties, Muslims and the British as well.
History of Indian Radio
History of Indian Radio dates back to late 1930s with the first establishment of All India Radio in 1936 that improved further after independence.
History of Punjab
History of Punjab dates back to the 16th century; however its formation is traced in the great epic Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
History of Maharashtra
Maharashtra, the land of charismatic Marathas, unfolds the legend of diverse culture and tradition, keeping in pace with the modernity. The gallant history of Maharashtra is still echoed amidst its historical relics and archeological wonders.
History of Kerala
History of Kerala can be interpreted from the inscriptions of Ashoka, Mauryan Emperor. History of Kerala is as interesting as its wide-ranging geographical features that make the land a place of versatile appeal.
History of Bihar
History of Bihar goes back to the very dawn of the human civilizations. Many eminent personalities and leaders from Bihar contributed for India’s freedom struggle.
History of Assam
In the ancient Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Assam was known as `Kamarupa` or `Pragjyotish`. In the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras there are references of Assam as Kamrupa kingdom.
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands dates back to the settlement of the East India Company in the territory of the Islands.
History of West Bengal
History of West Bengal is rooted in richness and is an important episode in the history of India. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.
History of Sikkim
History of Sikkim declares the pre historic culture and the colonial era hilly politics and the rules of Sikkim.
History of Nagaland
The history of Nagaland mainly revolves around and deals with the customs and economic activities of the Naga Tribes and how the state has evolved since the Indian Independence.
History of Mizoram
History of Mizoram includes the various historical events and incidents which occurred during the various ages, right from before the age of the Mughals.
History of Jammu & Kashmir
History of Jammu and Kashmir involves a series of political and geographical transformations from every ancient era to the modern times also. Even now, Jammu and Kashmir has its political tension between Pakistan and India.
History of Puducherry
Puducherry was invaded by different invaders in different times. The invaders include Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram, dynasties of the South, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas and Muslim invaders.
History of Chandigarh
In 1947, the British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Punjab was also included in this partition. So, there was a need for a new capital for Punjab, as the old capital Lahore became part of Pakistan during the partition. So, in 1948, under the leadership of chief architect Mr. P.L. Verma the construction of Chandigarh city began.
History of Daman and Diu
During the early stage, i.e. from 8th to 13th century, Daman and Diu was part of Goa.
History of Lakshadweep
History of Lakshadweep defines the first settlement on these islands under the Union Territory of India that was ruled by Cheraman Perumal, who was the last king of Kerala.
History of Karnataka
History of Karnataka comprised of the different rulers of different dynasties of various religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and later the Muslims.
History of Goa
History of Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC and reflects the rule of the mighty rulers and gained its independence under Jawaharlal Nehru.
History of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh possesses a rich historical heritage of culture of the ancient tribes. Being a bordering state of India, Arunachal Pradesh also has a history of military unrest since ancient Indian age.
History of Andhra Pradesh
History of Andhra Pradesh traces its origin back to the 5th century BC. According to the inscriptions, Kuberaka, the oldest Kingdom in South India had an empire in the coastal Andhra during that period.
History of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh narrates about the various settlements and dynasties that emerged in the region over time.
History of Uttarakhand
History of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavat. Uttarakhand is called as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines.
History of Rajasthan
The history of Rajasthan is dotted with tales of valor, chivalry, camaraderie and romance.
History of Tamil Nadu
History of Tamil Nadu reveals that this ancient place in South India was ruled by various kingdoms like the Pandyas Dynasty, Cholas Dynasty, Nayakas Dynasty and Pallavas Dynasty.
History of Haryana
History of Haryana depicts various events and influences that have cast a profound effect on the culture and people of the district. The place gained statehood on 1st of November 1966
History of Odisha
History of Odisha goes back a rather long way. Most of the history of the state is replete with the dynastic as well as tribal struggle for territorial superiority. Odisha is a place where one can find the religion, culture and history flow in away that lead to cultural amalgamation of early India.
History of Manipur
History of Manipur can be traced back to the prehistoric ages and this was followed by a number of rulers who reigned the land from age to age till it came under British rule and later joined the union of India.
History of Gujarat
History of Gujarat can be dated back to the 14th century that later witnessed the supremacy of many powerful dynasties.
History of Tripura
History of Tripura is dealing with the early mythological history and the history of British rule in North eastern part of India.
History of Meghalaya
The history of Meghalaya predominantly comprises of the three tribes of the state- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes. Later on Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam.
History of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh dates back to the era of epics and traces through the reign of powerful dynasties in India like Marathas. The area developed a rich cultural heritage during British era.