Parsi Festival At The Back Bay Beach, 1905 Postcard
A 1905 postcard of Parsis celebrating a festival day at the Back Bay Beach. People are seen crowded around the beach at low tide, celebrating the Parsi New Year presumably. At high tide, the water rises to the stone embankment (seen at the back). Beyond that is the row of public buildings like the Secretariat, Rajabai Clock Tower & High Court (not shown here).
At the time, the Back Bay waters was closer to the public building but after reclamation, the distance widened. The Marine Drive, Art Deco buildings, Chowpatty, etc were formed after the Back Bay Reclamation Project, in the 1920s-30s. The Parsis moved to Bombay from Surat after the East India Company invited the community to settle around the Fort area. They became a successful community from thereon. Jamshetji Tata was the most successful Parsi entrepreneur in or outside the community.
Did you know – the Parsis were originally from Persia and had to flee to India because of persecution in the 8th century.
Past posts – Raja Ravi Varma Commemorative Stamp Folder., European Lady At Taj, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort – 8 Photos 1912., First Non-Stop Flight From England To India, 1929 Newspaper Clip., Train Journey From Calcutta to Madras In 1901.
