Why Are the Parsis Called ‘Parsi’?

The term Parsi is a transliteration of the Persian word Pārsa, which refers to people from the once-mighty empire of Persia that is today known as Iran. The word Parsi also refers to the archaic form of the name of the language spoken in that region. It is important to note that no one in Iran is called by this name anymore; however, for the purpose of understanding, let's delve deeper into the origins and usage of the term.

Persia and the Fleeing Zoroastrians

After the Arab conquest of the Persian Empire, the conversion to Islam was enforced upon the defeated Persians who followed the Zoroastrian faith. A significant number of these Zoroastrians fled to India by sea and land to preserve their religious practices and traditions. They were welcomed and granted asylum by the Hindu rulers of India. This marks the beginning of the Zoroastrian community in India, which is known today as the Parsis.

The term Parsi in India has dual meanings: it refers both to a person from Persia and a follower of Zarathustrianism (also spelled Zoroastrianism). The question of whether Parsis came from Afghanistan does not arise because the migration was primarily due to religious persecution by Muslims, not ethnicity.

A Historical Context from the Encyclopedia Britannica

Parsi, also spelled Parsee, is a member of a group of followers in India of the Iranian prophet Zoroaster or Zarathustra. The Parsis, whose name means Persians, are descended from Persian Zoroastrians who emigrated to India to avoid religious persecution by Muslims.

This explanation from the Encyclopedia Britannica further clarifies that the term Parsi is derived from the Persian word Pārsa, meaning people from Persia. The word is used to identify the followers of the ancient faith of Zoroastrianism.

The Many Forms of the Term Parsi

To better understand the term Parsi, we can look at the different forms and their meanings:

Pārsa (The name of the place): This is the original name referring to the region now known as Persia. Parsī (Calling name of the people of the place in Persian): This is the term used to refer to the people from Persia. Farsī or Pārsī (Name of the language spoken in the region): These are the names of the language used in Persia.

A Note on Language

It is important to note that in the Persian language, the name for the language itself has two forms:

Farsi: This is the more commonly used form. Parsi: This is an archaic form of the word, which reflects the historical roots of the term.

When using the term in English, it is crucial to use the more current form Farsi and avoid using the archaic form Parsi to refer to the language. The term Parsi is reserved specifically for people who are followers of Zoroastrianism and descend from the Zoroastrians who migrated to India.