Are you among those who think Irani and Parsi people are the same? Well, before coming to the topic, know that both Irani and Parsi people are known as Zoroastrians. Zoroastrians are the people of Iran who follow the Zoroastrianism religion. It is a pre-Islamic religion that you can find in isolated areas of India.
There are some differences between Irani and Parsi people which you will learn in this article. The Parsee people came to India way before the Irani people. The Parsees are the first group of Zoroastrians that came to India from Iran. However, the Iranian people came to India in the last 200 years because they wanted to get away from the Muslims.
The Parsees are the same as the Irani people. They do, however, differ from one another in some respects. The Irani Zoroastrians did not like the decisions of Zoroastrian Parsi. Yet, they have the same religious practices and beliefs. The Iranian people are fluent in Farsi and Hindi. They love to eat Persian food.
Let’s dive into the differences between Irani and Parsi people in India!
Parsi Marriage Traditions and Community Governance
Since the Parsis always prefer to get married in the Parsi community, It is not easy to find an appropriate partner. If a Parsi woman marries a non-Parsi, she does not remain Parsi anymore. That is why they cannot get married outside of their community.
The word Parsi, or you can spell it Parsee, is a Persian language word. Parsi people can speak English, Hindi, Urdu, and Gujarati language.
The wise and older people of the Parsi community arrange a panchayat. They hold panchayat to resolve matters of their people and where they make decisions. However, Iranian people do not consider panchayat anything.
Do you think there’s a difference between Irani and Parsi people in India?
Have you ever heard about Zoroastrians? Zoroastrians are the people of Iran who follow the Zoroastrianism religion. It is a pre-Islamic religion that you can find in isolated areas of India. People who migrated from Iran and followed Zoroastrianism are known as Parsis (or Parsees). Zoroastrians are crazy about astrology and magic.
The Zoroastrians after migrating to India began to split up into two parties. The Irani Zoroastrians did not like the decisions of Zoroastrian Parsi. There is no major difference between Parsi and Irani people. They have the same religious practices and beliefs. But, there are some dissimilarities between Irani and Parsi people that we will discuss in the article below.
Do you know who are Iranian people in India?
Irani people are an ethnoreligious group living in India. The Zoroastrians who migrated from Iran to India in the 19th and 20th centuries are known as Irani (Iranian). They had a powerful influence on the economy, politics, and society of the Mughal Empire.
Some Iranians still speak the Persian and the Dari languages used by the Zoroastrians in those territories. Iranis are typically popular as a smaller segment of the larger Zoroastrian population. We can find Iranis primarily in and around Mumbai in India. Whereas in Pakistan, you can find them in Karachi and Lahore.
Their eateries and teahouses are well-known around the world. The superior Iranians use the surname “Irani,” but that is not always the case. When the Irani people came to India long ago, they used to live in tents. They are fluent in Farsi and Hindi. They love to eat Persian food.
Since they always prefer to get married in the community, they cannot get married outside of it. The Irani people always follow the practices and rituals they used to follow back in Iran, like their language, food, and clothing. But, Iranis consider India as their home.
Do you know who are Parsi people in India?
The ancestors of the Parsi people living in India and Pakistan came centuries ago from Iran. The group of Parsis came to Gujrat around the 7th century. They are also known as the Zoroastrians who migrated from Iran to India. They are the same as the Iranian people. They do, however, differ from one another in some respects.
Currently, the population of the Parsi people in India is declining gradually. Cousin marriages are common among Parsi people. Parsis gather to celebrate Navroz in festive clothes every year. The Tata, Godrej, and Wadia families are currently among India’s leading business tycoons, and these are all Parsis.
The word Parsi, or you can spell it Parsee, is a Persian language word. Parsi people can speak English, Hindi, Urdu, and Gujarati language. Authorities in India view Parsis as an example for other minorities. Only one baby is born for every four adults that pass away, which causes a rapid drop in population.
They face health complications due to cousin marriages. It is not easy to find an appropriate partner in the Parsi community. If a Parsi woman marries a non-Parsi, she is not Parsi anymore.
What are the differences between Irani and Parsi people in India?
| Irani | Parsi |
| The Iranian male wears loose-fitting shirts, long pants, and a turban. Their women wear colorful knee-length dresses with embroidery. The Iranian women also wear necklaces and bracelets of gold. They cover themselves with long shawls. | The typical male Parsi attire includes a long muslin shirt or sudra, loose cotton pants, and a white fabric waistcoat. The day a Parsi girl dons a sari is when she becomes a woman. They tie a small amount of rice onto the corner of the sari and sprinkle rose water on it as a representation of fertility. |
Irani Vs. Parsi – Do they speak different languages?
The Iranian people speak Persian languages like Dari and Farsi. However, Parsi does not utter the Persian language. They speak English, Hindi, Urdu, and Gujarati languages. Although, many Irani people can easily talk in Gujarati.
Irani Vs. Parsi –Do they have different surnames?
The Parsi keep different surnames like Patel, which appears like a Gujarati surname. That is because many Parsi surnames resemble Gujarati surnames.
You can effortlessly identify Iranian people by their surnames. Because they mostly keep their surname Irani. They usually keep their surnames according to their professions. If they have an alcohol business, they keep their surname as Daruwala. If they have a surname like Batliwala, which shows they have a bottle business. Also, they keep surnames as the names of the towns where they live.
Irani Vs. Parsi –who came first to India?
The Parsees are the first group of Zoroastrians that came to India from Iran. However, the Irani people came to India in the last 200 years because they wanted to get away from the Muslims. They got along with the British rulers well.
Irani Vs. Parsi – What kind of work do they do in India?
Both Irani and Parsi are Zoroastrians. But, the Iranis have bakeries, restaurants, and cafes in Mumbai. However, Parsi people are great with businesses.
Irani Vs. Parsi –Do they believe in panchayat?
The wise and older people of the Parsi community arrange a panchayat. They hold panchayat to resolve matters of their people and where they make decisions. However, Iranian people do not consider panchayat anything.
Irani Vs. Parsi –Do they have different marriage traditions?
Both are considered ethnoreligious groups, and the members of both organizations often do not marry outside their communities, but because both groups are Zoroastrians, they can marry each other.
Irani Vs. Parsi – Do they love India?
Both Parsi and Irani people love India. They will never leave India because they are happily and peacefully living in India. They do not want to return to Iran ever.
If you want to learn more about Irani and Parsi people in India, check out the video below.
Conclusion
- In this article, you will learn the differences between Irani and Parsi people in India.
- They have the same religious practices and beliefs.
- Both Irani and Parsi people are known as Zoroastrians.
- Iranis are typically popular as a smaller segment of the larger Zoroastrian population.
- The Iranian male wears loose-fitting shirts, long pants, and a turban. However, the typical male Parsi attire includes a long muslin shirt or sudra, loose cotton pants, and a white fabric waistcoat.
- The day a Parsi girl dons a sari is when she becomes a woman.
- We can effortlessly identify Iranian people by their surnames. Because they mostly keep their surname Irani.
- The Parsi keep different surnames like Patel, which appears like the Gujarati surname. That is because many Parsi surnames resemble Gujarati surnames.
- The Iranian people speak Persian languages like Dari and Farsi. But, Parsi does not utter the Persian language. They speak English, Hindi, Urdu, and Gujarati languages. Although, many Irani people can easily talk in Gujarati.
- The Iranis have bakeries, restaurants, and cafes in Mumbai. However, Parsi people are great with businesses.
- The Irani people always follow the practices and rituals they used to follow back in Iran, like their language, food, and clothing.
- The Tata, Godrej, and Wadia empires are currently among India’s leading corporate empires, and these are all Parsis.