BB&CI Office & Parsi Worship At Back Bay In Bombay, 1903 Photo
This rare 1903 stereo photograph captures Parsis worshipping at Back Bay in Bombay (now Mumbai). With the BB&CI Railway Headquarters (Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway) visible in the background. The iconic BB&CI Railway Headquarters, located at Churchgate, is today part of the Western Railways.
In the image, two elderly Parsi men are seen performing prayers during low tide at Back Bay. This scene dates back to the era before the Back Bay Reclamation Project (1930s-1940s). The ambitious project added a large stretch of reclaimed land to Back Bay, giving rise to the world-famous Marine Drive and its promenade.
The Parsis, originally migrants from Gujarat, belong to the Zoroastrian community that fled Persia in the 8th century to escape religious persecution. The British first encountered them in Surat, recognizing their value as skilled intermediaries in trade, finance, and shipbuilding. Over time, the Parsis emerged as one of the most influential communities in Bombay. They established fire temples, schools, clubs, hospitals, hotels, and memorials, leaving a lasting imprint on the city’s social and cultural fabric. Click on the photo to enlarge.
Did you know – a Parsi, C N Davar, opened the first steam-powered cotton mill in Bombay in 1854.
From the collection – Vintage Raja Ravi Varma “Laxmi” Oleograph., The Market At Cantonment Bangalore, Old PC 1905., Aerial View of Parliament New Delhi – Old Print 1946., View Of Cochin – Antique Hand coloured Plan 1704.
