History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAPTER IIL.

THE ZOROASTRIANS IN INDIA—THEIR MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.

The numbers of the Parsis—Small proportion of population—Their divisions —Foreign colonies—Rumours about other settlements—Sir Alexander Burnes quoted—Observations based on the last census—Growth of population—Low mortality— High average of children—Great weight of children—Statistical comparisons— Parsi oceupations— Their indifference to agriculture—Sir Richard Temple’s exhortation—A laudable example—Not a single Parsi soldier— Reasons for this, and regret at jt Parsi yolunteers—Parsis fond of active exercises—Desirability of some Parsis entering the army—The two sects of the Parsis—The Shehenshais and the Kadmis—The sole point at issue between them —A question of dates—The Kabisa—History of the dispute—Satisfactory conclusion—Differences of pronunciation—The Parsi dressChanges in costume—Parsi ladies and gentlemen—Children— Their mode of life—Partiality for jewellery—Improved residences—Parsi entertainments—Liberty of the women—Domestic felicity—The division of the Zoroastrian month—The auspiciousness of each day—List of these days—The great Parsi festivals.

THe numerical strength of the Parsis in India, according to the census taken by order of the Government of India on the night of the 17th of February 1881, was 85,397,—a number which must be considered extremely insignificant in proportion to the whole population of India, bemg no more

than one Parsi to every 2,973 persons. The total population of India amounted to 253,891,821. By