The story of Bombay’s old Irani cafés

The Parsis are a proper Bombay success story. They are an ancient and distinct community from Iran which has not only been absorbed into the city, but has shaped it and is completely identified with it. At the same time, the community has held onto its identity and traditions with integrity. The Parsis originally landed and settled north of Bombay in Gujarat a thousand years ago, but came to the city as it grew. (Gujarat is also where Shamil and Kavi’s family is from.) They were enterprising and valued education, and became wealthy and influential through trade in cotton, opium and other goods. They were also strongly civic-minded and philanthropic. Over the centuries, Bombay has owed a significant part of its infrastructure and public culture to the Parsis’ generosity.