Why Mumbai's Iconic Parsi Cafes Are Disappearing | The 120 Year History | BACK THEN | EP 04

Описание: Mumbai (Bombay) is famous for Bollywood, but its true soul lies in a 120-year-old institution: the Parsi Cafe. 🇮🇳☕ bun maska

In this episode of Back Then on South Era Network, host Shabnam Nasimi takes us back to the moment it all began. We explore how Zoroastrian immigrants from Iran settled in British India, creating inclusive "public rooms" where a Sikh, a Hindu, and a Muslim could sit side-by-side over a cup of tea.

Key Stories Covered:

The Migration: From the fall of the Sassanian Empire to the famines of the 19th century that drove Iranians to Bombay.

The Institutions: The stories behind legendary spots like Britannia & Co. (famous for its portrait of Queen Elizabeth next to Gandhi) and the wood-fired ovens of Yazdani Bakery.

The Food: The art of "Bun Maska" (crusty bread slathered in butter) dipped in hot chai.

The Decline: In 1950, there were 550 cafes. Today, fewer than 20 remain. We explain why rising real estate prices and a lack of successors are killing this cultural legacy.

Which Parsi cafe is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
#ParsiCafe #MumbaiHistory #IraniChai #FoodDocumentary #SouthEraNetwork #BackThen #Bombay #Zoroastrian #BunMaska #BritanniaAndCo

In this Episode:
00:00 - Intro: Mumbai's 120-Year-Old Institution
01:10 - The Migration: How Zoroastrians Came to India
02:24 - The Rules of Asylum: Adopting the Sari & Language
03:25 - Why Bombay? The 1860s Cotton Boom
04:20 - From Opium Dens to Tea Shops
04:58 - Britannia & Co: The Queen, Gandhi, and Zoroaster
06:00 - Yazdani Bakery & The Art of Bun Maska
06:30 - Why Parsis Built on Street Corners (Superstition vs. Business)
07:45 - The "Public Room": A Space for Everyone
08:08 - The Decline: Why Are They Disappearing?
09:05 - Parsi Cafes in Pune & Hyderabad
09:50 - Conclusion: A Chapter of Social History

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