On the Auspicious Occasion of Parsi New Year Pateti, Spread the Love with a Very Special Gift: 10 Pateti Gifts to Strengthen Close Bonds (2020)

The Parsi community is now largely a residential community of India, but they are the original inhabitants of Iran and follow Iranian Prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra). The word Parsi has originated from the word ‘Persian’ in the Persian Language and they are an ethnoreligious group who migrated to the Indian subcontinent to protect themselves from the religious persecution by Muslims. Between the 8th and 10th century CE, Parsis emigrated from the Sasanian Empire (last king of the Persian Empire before the rise of Islam) to Gujarat in India and thereafter the community spread to different parts of India. Today, the Parsi community is mostly found in Gujarat, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Chennai in India and Karachi in Pakistan.

In India, the Parsis were a small agricultural community in Gujarat for almost 800 years, but it was after the British invasion in the 16th century that they started moving to Bombay and getting involved in trade and industry. By the 19th century, the Parsis in India were known to be a wealthy community, with major involvement in shipbuilding and railways etc. An estimated 70,000 members of this community live in India, though the number is less but they have contributed significantly to the development and well being of the country. A few prominent Parsis are Pherozeshah Mehta, Dadabhai Naoroji, Bhikaiji Cama, Homi J. Bhabha, J.R.D Tata, Ratan Tata, Adi Godrej, Jehangir and Ness Wadia, Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, Zubin Mehta, Sanaya Irani and Persis Khambatta.

Parsi New Year, also known as Pateti or Navroz marks celebrated mostly in the Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra and it the beginning of the Iranian Calendar. This day is celebrated as the New Year day for the people of Zoroastrian faith around the world and this Parsi New Year normally falls in August each year. Parsis call the first day of the first month as Farvardin and it is based on the vernal equinox (when the plane of Earth's equator passes through the centre of the Sun) as per Iranian Calendar. But, since the Calendar system followed in India doesn’t consider leap years; so this day is observed 200 days later in India and Pakistan (in August).

Parsis have been celebrating their new year for 3000 years now, but as per the Gregorian calendar, they toast to their advent in their new homeland (India) in the month of August. The people of Zoroastrian faith to believe that this day is the opportunity for the community to get rid of their bad deeds and thoughts and expiation of their sins (Patet means repentance). The Parsi new year day is also known as Jamshed-i-Nowruz as an honour to the Persian King Jamshed, who is believed to have first introduced the Parsi Calendar.

Parsis, before the New Year's day, clean their house and get rid of any unwanted belongings. Then on the Pateti day, they get dressed in their traditional attire and visit the fire temple (Agiary), where they offer sandalwood, milk and jasmine flowers to the holy fire before offering prayers. Thereafter, they visit friends and relatives and also make donations to charity etc. On this holy day. Parsis also decorate their homes with lights, flowers and colourful rangolis, greet guests by sprinkling rose water on them and also share Parsi delicacies like farcha, dhansak, Patra nu machhi and salli boti etc.

Lagan Nu Custard is milk-based dessert and a mouth-watering sweet recipe which is traditionally made as a wedding feast in Parsi weddings. This wedding custard is a Parsi version of creme brulee, which itself is a delicious and popular French Dessert. The ingredients used in this recipe are milk, eggs, green cardamom, vanilla essence cream, nutmeg, butter and dry fruits for decoration. The preparation takes around half an hour time and total time required to complete the dish is one hour.

Another traditional sweet recipe of Parsis; which is prepared by roasting the semolina in ghee and then cooked in thickened milk before adding dry fruits for added taste and decoration. This is an easy to make recipe which can be prepared well in 30 – 40 minutes and the ingredients required are semolina, raisins, ghee, milk, cashews, cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg powder. For decoration, some green cardamom and almonds are also required. This mouth-watering dessert is also popular in other festivals, birthday parties and anniversaries etc.

Parsi’s love sweets and this Parsi Sev are also one of the popular sweet dish made of Vermicelli and ghee. This is also easy to make mouth-watering recipe in which the preparation time is 5 minutes and the completion time is around 30 – 35 minutes. This recipe is quite popular in India and is made on the occasion of Eid and Holi as well. The main ingredients required are vermicelli, sugar, vanilla essence, nutmeg – powdered, cardamom – powdered, raisins, chironji, almonds – shredded and ghee.

A delicious dish of fish fillets, made using coconut and lemon juice, Patra Ni Machhi is a light and easy to make recipe as it is steam cooked. The ingredients required are fish fillets, grated coconut, lemon juice, chopped coriander leaves, garlic, salt to taste, chopped green chilli, cumin seeds, 5 - 6 banana leaves and a few slices of onion and lemon for garnishing. The preparation time is 45 minutes as the fish have to be marinated for this much time and the total time required to make the dish is about 1 hour, 10 minutes.

Salli Boti is a fusion dish made on special occasions in the Parsi community. In this Parsi style mutton curry dish, Salli means potato sticks and the chunks of meat are called Boti. This special recipe is made with boneless mutton and the divine taste comes from the Indian spices used in the preparation. The main ingredients used are vegetable oil, ginger paste, strips of boneless mutton, coriander powder, cumin powder, sugar, garam masala powder, salt, chopped onion, garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, chopped tomato, vinegar, strips of potato and chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.

Pateti is a very special day for Parsis and they celebrate it with great enthusiasm and preparations. Sending across a gift to your Parsi friend, relative or client is a good idea to strengthen your bond with them. We have selected a few gift items which would certainly be loved by a Parsi person and they will feel grateful to receive such a present on their New Year Day – Pateti.

This beautiful and delicious pineapple cake is a perfect gift for New Year as it has the words ‘Happy New Year’ written on it along with pretty flowers and designs. This pineapple flavoured white coloured cake is Eggless and the top coating is made with fresh cream along with the design of flowers and leaves. The cake will surely make your Parsi friend’s Pateti special and they would thank you from the bottom of their heart. The one kg New Year Sumptuous Pineapple Cake is available on Giftstoindia24x7.com for Rs. 1,559.

This round wall clock with a Parsi floral design can be personalized with the photograph of your choice. You can provide the family photo of the recipient while ordering the wall clock and also write a ‘Happy Pateti’ message on the clock. The clock is made of wooden MDF and is available in two different sizes: 8-inch diameter, which is available for Rs. 599 and 11.5-inch diameter which is for Rs. 899 and the clock can be ordered from Regalocasila.com. This round wall clock with Parsi floral design will surprise the recipient and every day they would remember you while checking the time in this gift.

Asho Farohar is a well known religious symbol in the religion of Zoroastrianism and this pendant with the Asho Farohar symbol will certainly be liked by anyone from the Parsi community and thus makes for an excellent Pateti gift. The pendant is made of 925 BIS hallmarked BIS sterling silver and Swarovski Marcasite, dimensions are 3.6 cms x 4.5 cms and weighs 6gm. Marcasite is crafted in Austria and the pendant is crafted in Thailand. The Swarovski gemstones are the finest tough gemstones and the mirror-like shimmering surface comes from precision cutting techniques. The Swarovski Marcasite 925 Silver Pendant Asho Farohar for Men is available on Amazon.in for Rs. 5,949.

This red, white Parsi design hand-embroidered satin silk clutch is an elegant gift for Parsi ladies, so if you are planning to present Pateti gift to a Parsi lady, then this can be a nice and sober gift. The measurement of this clutch is Length - 5.5in, Width - 10.1 In, Height – 2 in and Handle - 15.5 in and the material is satin silk with white colour embroidered Parsi designs. The clutch should be handled with care and should be cleaned gently with a clean and dry cloth to remove dust and dirt etc. This beautiful embroidered satin silk clutch can be ordered from Jaypore.com for Rs. 3,500.

The gara style of embroidery is most typically associated with the Parsis in India, it's distinct floral motifs with vivid depictions of birds is an amalgamation of the Persian and Chinese styles of embroidery. This Black Parsi Embroidered Saree Set by Pranay Baidya features a black saree in organza base with gara designs hand embroidery work. A matching blouse piece is provided with the saree to complete the set. The saree is designed to fit at bust and waist and looks an epitome of glamour and careful handwork. The Black Parsi Embroidered Saree set is not just a gift, but a legacy which can be passed through generations and hence makes for a very special Pateti gift for any Parsi family. The gorgeous saree set is available for Rs. 43,120 at Perniaspopupshop.com.

Parsis, the followers of Zoroaster culture would love to know in-depth about their religion and roots and this book written by Mr Shapurji Aspaniarji Kapadia gives a detailed description about the teachings of Zoroaster and the philosophies of Parsi religion. The book has a compilation of the work of scholars who are culturally important and the writer has tried to retain all the original facts related to Parsi religion. Proper references and library stamps have been provided along with copyright mentions. This book is available on Amazon.in for Rs. 1,079 (hardcover) and would make for a great Pateti gift.

Crafted on a 24 Karat Gold sheet, the artwork represents a Parsi symbol which is considered sacred by the Parsis. The box contains a religious frame, 2 back support stand, a metal hook and a guarantee card (Guarantee covers any defects in craftsmanship under normal use for one year from the Date of Purchase). The dimensions are L 16.5 cm x W 16.5 cm x D 3 cm and the frame weighs 500gm. The Parsi Symbol religious frame of Prima Art is available on Flipkart.com for Rs. 4,953.

Another religious article for the Parsi community, these floating oil lights (Parsi Vat) are used by Parsis during their religious rituals. The unscented wicks are packed in a set of 500 wicks per pack and you’ll get two such packs (1000 wicks) in this order. These floating wicks don’t produce any kind of smoke, thus suitable for lighting indoors during Navroz or other celebrations. Also, these wicks can be lighted anytime to have a sense of calmness and serenity in the busy urban schedule. Made from premium quality wax, these wicks are perfect for various festivals, home décor, parties, religious ceremonies etc and the set of 2 pack is available on Amazon.in for Rs. 920.

Dry Fruit Sweets never go out of trend as a gift item and is liked by almost everyone in a family. Parsis are fond of sweets and the various options provided by ‘American Dry Fruits’ will surely win their hearts. The most popular Mithais is Spr. Dry Fruits rose petal roasted sweets, Cashew Katli, Sp. Cashew Kesar Katli and Sp. Pista rolls etc. and can be ordered on Adfs.in.