The pârsî or “parses” - of Pârashika , Persian people of - are the followers of the Parsisme, confession derived from the Zoroastrisme, who fled at the 8th century a Persia conquered by the Arab and settled in India.

The pârsî settled first of all in the Sind and Saurâshtra with the Gujarat. It benefitted as of 716 (or 735) from protection from the rajâ Shîlâhâra Jâi which reigned on the States de Thana close to current the Mumbai. Like the Jewish installed in India of long time, they could consequently practice their worship freely and unconstrained.

They took part since very largely in the economic life of the area, in particular with the formation of the town of Mumbai (in the past Bombay), where they will occupy an important place in the administration and the culture.

The pârsî venerate fire and do not practice the cremation like the Hindu , not to soil it. The bodies are not buried for the same reasons but are not exposed in the turns of silence or dakhmâ in order to be emaciated by the vultures.

Like the indianized Jewish women, the women pârsî wear the sari, but by draping it on the right shoulder.

The population pârsî decrease, it passed from 114.000 in 1941 to 76.000 in 1991, that is to say a fall of 33% in 50 years. This is explained by the fact why they refuse conversions and must marry only between them (what was one of the conditions of their integration when they took refuge in India). The major part of them, is 56.000, lives in the town of Mumbai. The pârsî of more than 65 years account for 29% of the population to compare with the 5% general population in India.

Among the famous pârsîs, one finds the family of industrialists Tata, Dubash, Godrej, Pandole, Karkaria, the leader Zubin Mehta and the singer of rock'n'roll Freddie Mercury. Like Feroze Gandhi, husband of Indira Gandhi.