Exhibition: October 11, 2015 – January 24, 2016 East-West Center Gallery, Honolulu, Hawai‘i The East-West Center Curators: Pheroza J. Godrej, Firoza Punthakey Mistree, Michael Schuster Arts Program presents Exhibition design: Lynne Najita Presented in cooperation with: Pheroza J. Godrej, Firoza Punthakey Mistree, Parsi Shangri La - Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art Silk & Muslin from Iran, India, and China and the arts. In the 19th century, many Parsis moved to the bustling port of Bombay during the British colonial expansion. During this expansion, they were instrumental in the British-dominated China trade. Living in Canton, China, Parsi merchants imported opium and cotton from India and exported tea and silk to the empire. They often acted as intermediaries for the English and by the late 19th century were educated in English medium schools, embracing features of English dress and culture. As Parsis entered professions within the British colonial administration, they became even further anglicized. After Indian independence in 1947, the special status of the Parsi community was greatly diminished. Because of the high education of Parsi men and women, low birthrate, and the prohibition of intermarriage, the community has been shrinking. The Zoroastrian religion is presently followed by two major groups: the Zoroastrians of Iran and the Parsis of India. There are less than 70,000 Zoroastrians in India, around 25,000 in Iran, and only around 125,000 Zoroastrians worldwide. This exhibition focuses on Parsi textiles, highlighting aspects of the long and varied COOVERBAI JAMSETJEE DADABHOY WADIA, OIL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION: H.B WADIA ATASH, BEHRAM, BOMBAY, development of the Parsi community. PHOTOGRAPH: HOMYAR MISTRY, HOMZ PRINTS Parsi clothing demonstrates elements Parsis, followers of Zoroastrianism, one Asia/Greater Persia when Islam was borrowed from Iran, India, Victorian- of the world’s oldest religions, are a overtaking the region and marginalizing era England, and China. The exhibit unique community found mostly the once-dominant Zoroastrian religion. emphasizes the continuity of in South Asia (they are the smallest The Parsis have been extremely Parsi culture, giving insight into the recognized ethnic group in India). important to India’s modernization Zoroastrian religion and its Persian From the 8th through 10th centuries, and are well-known in industry, roots, the history of the community, the Parsis emigrated from Central commerce, education, government, and its rich and complex culture. with their ancient Zoroastrian practices Zoroastrian Iran in adapted form. The sudreh is a religious and Their Textiles undergarment worn by Zoroastrian men The Zoroastrians are the followers of and women in India. It is made of a the great Iranian Prophet Spitaman single piece of muslin and is stitched on Zarathushtra, known to the Greeks the side. On the front of the sudreh is a as Zoroaster. The prophet Zarathushtra rectangular patch stitched to the neck lived somewhere around the Aral Sea, seam. This is known as the ‘pocket of circa 1200 BCE. For over 1,000 years, good deeds.’ This small patch has a hole circa 549 BCE to 651 CE, Zoroastrianism on the reverse side which is meant to flourished in Iran as the state religion of collect all the good deeds done by the three powerful empires: the Achaemenians, wearer. On the right side near the hem a the Parthians, and the Sassanians. After straight seam denotes the ‘right path’ a the Arab conquest of Persia in the 7th Zoroastrian must follow in his or her life. century, the subsequent spread of Islam A small triangular stitching near the forced the remaining Zoroastrians to live hem on the left side denotes the triadic KEIKHOSHROW MEHR OF YAZD, IRAN, PHOTOGRAPH, 19 TH CENTURY, in obscurity and isolation in the remote IRAN, COURTESY: PARVIZ VARJAVAND principle of Good Thoughts, Good desert provinces of Yazd and Kerman. Words & Good Deeds that the wearer Encircled by the great Salt Desert Parsi Arrival in India must adhere to. The Parsi women, in the northeast and the Sand Desert in In 936 CE, a group of Zoroastrians because of European influence, began the southeast, the city of Yazd became seeking freedom of worship fled Iran to wear sudrehs made of fine cotton net, home to the Zoroastrians of Iran, fleeing and arrived in India. There embellished to this barren province in an attempt they flourished and came to with embroidery to safeguard their religion. Yazd is home be known as the Parsis. As in white. This to countless Zoroastrian fire shrines the Parsi community grew in became fash - and towers of silence (sky burial sites). numbers, they moved from ionable, espe - The Zoroastrians of Yazd, many of Sanjan along the west coast cially among the whom still live in dun-colored adobe of India in search of economic elite who wore it homes, have preserved their ancient opportunities. Large numbers for formal traditions, customs, and practices, making settled in Surat. Early Parsis occasions. the province of Yazd a stronghold of the worked primarily in agriculture religion. The Zoroastrian women of Yazd and later became master have always worn colorful traditional carpenters and shipbuilders. costumes. This consists of a multi- By the 14th century, Surat SUDREH colored striped shalvar (baggy gathered became the main port of trade pantaloons) and qamis (dress), a maknun for ships sailing in from the Red Sea, (large head and body scarf) as well as a Straits of Malacca, Batavia (Java), and laachak (a small head covering). Textiles the South China Sea. By the early 16th woven in cotton and silk cloth in a century, Surat emerged as an important myriad of colors are examples of Yazd port city and eager traders from across Zoroastrian traditions. The thick-striped the world converged to this city as the cotton cloth woven and embroidered gateway to India and the spice trade. By by the Zoroastrian women the 17th century, a few Parsis from Surat reflects began their to assert rural them - background, selves as and the deep hues of the brokers and commission woven silk is a result of the agents to the Dutch and historical Silk Trade, which English East India traversed the province of Company, and developed Yazd and established the extensive reach within community’s early links Mughal India and the with China. outside trading world. Even though the Parsis became cosmopolitan QAMIS, YAZD, IRAN, 20 TH CENTURY, COLLECTION: FIROZA PUNTHAKEY MISTREE traders, they continued NAOROJI RUSTOM, COLLECTION: MANCHERJI BAHMANJI SETH FIRE TEMPLE, MUMBAI, PHOTOGRAPH: SANJEEV PRABHU industries, especially textile and steel mills, and ancillary industries such as banks, insurance, legal and trading firms. In order to achieve this, a network of partnerships was created with members from other communities, laying the base for Bombay becoming India’s financial capital. The Parsis also contributed to the development of Bombay through philanthropy, medical and educational establishments, art colleges, museums, and political service. Bombay is a testimony to the contribution made by the Parsis to its institutional and infrastructural development and the ethos adopted by the city. HIRJEEBHOY MERWANJEE WADIA, JEHANGEER NOWROJEE WADIA, SOONI TATA, WIFE OF RATAN D TATA AND LADY MEHERBAI TATA, WIFE AND DORABJEE MUNCHERJEE NANJI VOHRA, ARTIST: J ROBINS, Examples of the cosmopolitan OF SIR DORAB TATA, COLLECTION: TATA CENTRAL ARCHIVES 1842, COLLECTION: HAMEED HAROON nature of the Parsis can be seen in the headgear worn by Parsi men. The paghri Parsis and The Making of and pheta are traditional Parsi headgears the China Trade Bombay City worn by the men for ceremonial Canton (present-day Guangzhou) was The Parsis began to appear in Bombay occasions. Both headgears are an at the center of Chinese trade with the in the 17th century Indian development outside world. To facilitate trade, the (Bombay is now officially which became popular Chinese officials demarcated a strip of known as Mumbai). They in the 19th century. land along the Pearl River (which they came as builders of the The paghri is a stiff called the ‘Foreign Concession’) where fort walls and as providers dark-colored, lacquered foreign traders, brokers, and merchants of various minor services, headgear, similar in design from many countries could live and such as rope making, to those once worn by trade in their respective ‘factories.’ turning, carpentry, and some Indian traders in the The Parsis were at the epicenter of shopkeeping. With the 19th century. The shape of this trade, which brought them untold British East India Company’s the paghri is first formed with wealth and enhanced their social decision to give Bombay priority cardboard, which is covered with stature in Bombay. over Surat as a port, ships DEEP PURPLE PAGHRI MADE OF a dark indigo cotton cloth One of the most important began to dock at Bombay. UNLACQUERED SILK CLOTH with tiny pink or red dots. repercussions from this trade is the Quick to learn and impatient for Once it is glued to the cardboard shape continuing influence of Chinese progress, the Parsis saw a window of and dried, it is lacquered to obtain a embroidery on Parsi textiles. The gara , opportunity open for them. shine. The lacquering which is a silk sari heavily embroidered In Bombay there was process was likely learned with a fusion of both Chinese and Indian just one power base: the from Chinese migrants motifs, is a prized possession handed East India Company. living in Bombay. down among Parsi women. Seizing The pheta is an Motifs on the garas vary from the the opportunity, they adaptation of the bowler eternal fungus to flowers and birds. gravitated towards the hat worn by Englishmen Especially popular were garas East India Company, and the half-rolled embroidered with birds of paradise, and which controlled much RED FELT PHETA , STYLED SIMILAR TO turban worn by the what were eponymously referred to in A BOWLER HAT IS FINISHED WITH THE USE of the trade going out of OF A PANEL OF KASHMIRI SHAWL Zoroastrians of Iran.