Home » Modern Indian History » Socio – Religious Reform Movements in the 19th and 20th CE India » Parsi Reform Movements
- The Parsi Religious Reform Association was founded at Bombay by Furdunji Naoroji and S.S. Bengalee, in 1851, with funds provided by K.N. Kama.
- Furdunji Naoroji became its President and S.S. Bengali its secretary.
- Naroji Furdunji edited in 1840s the Fam-i-Famshid, a journal aimed at defending the cause of Zoroastrianism.
- He also wrote a number of pamphlets and published the book Tarika Farthest in 1850.
- All these events led to the formation of a socio-religious movement designed to codify the Zoroastrian religion and reshape Parsi social life.
- In 1851, a small group of educated Parsis formed the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha (Parsi Reform Society)
- In 1850, Bengali started publishing a monthly journal Jagat Mitra and the Jagat Premi in 1851.
- The sabha’s journal Rast Goftar was the main voice of the movement.
- The leaders criticized elaborate ceremonies at betrothals, marriages and funerals and opposed infant marriage and the use of astrology.
- But, the activities of the sabha divided the Parsis into two groups: those who advocated radical change and those who wished only limited altercations in rituals and customs, organized under the Raherastnumi Mazdayasnan in opposition to the radicals.
