Talk by Kaveh Yazdani (History, University of Connecticut)

How, when, and why did the Parsis of Gujarat become among the foremost brokers and entrepreneurs in 18th -and 19th-century India? What are the different phases of their ascendancy and success, especially concerning their socio-economic activities in Gujarat? In order to shed light on these questions, first, I briefly touch upon the early history of Zoroastrians in Gujarat, including their socio-economic activities between the 10th and 17th centuries. Then, I shortly examine some of the devastating effects of the famine of 1630-31. The main focus, however, is on the socio-economic rise of the Parsis in Gujarat between the late 17th and 19th centuries, including some of the tensions that ensued from within and without their community. Lastly, I also discuss some of the negative views circulating about Parsis in the late 18th and early 19th centuries through the examples of Joseph Tieffenthaler (1710–1785) and Abu Taleb (1752–1806).