From prayers at the fire temple and pulav daal feasts to cherished childhood memories in her grandmother’s kitchen, Mirzapur actress Sherrnavaz Jijjan shares her heartfelt Navroz traditions
Sherrnavaz Jijjan
Mirzapur actress Sherrnavaz Jijjan is all set to celebrate Parsi New Year the way she knows best- with prayers, food, family, and a generous dose of love for animals. Speaking to mid-day, she shares cherished traditions, childhood memories, and a gentle reminder that Dhansak isn’t the festive dish many think it is.
Favourite memory
For Sherrnavaz, Navroz begins at the fire temple, where her family lights a diya and prays for the well-being of everyone around them. “Then we come back home and start cooking,” she says with a laugh. “It’s like a big Greek family cooking together — sipping on beer or wine, eating, and enjoying the vibe. Even though we are a minority, we get everyone together. It’s a very inclusive celebration.”
Pride in nature and compassion
Ask her what she cherishes most about Parsi customs, and she speaks with deep pride, “We believe in humata, hukhta, hvarshta- good thoughts, good deeds, good words. We worship the elements of nature, and even after we pass away, our body goes back to nature. We are very inclusive of animals and every living being that shares this planet with us. We even have the ocean as part of our God. It’s a very nature-oriented way of life.”
A Grandmother’s kitchen and lessons in French
Her fondest Navroz memory takes her back to her childhood in Dadar Parsi Colony. “I remember coming home from school to the whiff of my grandmother’s Patrani Machi and pulav daal,” she recalls. “The whole family would be sitting together, sipping on beer, while my grandmom taught me French in exchange for helping in the kitchen. I was 12, learning how to fry cutlets while picking up French words. It’s one of my sweetest memories — and it made me a good cook too!”
All about food
While Dhansak is often thought of as the quintessential Parsi dish, Sherrnavaz is quick to clear the air. “Dhansak is actually meant to be eaten when someone has passed away. It’s not a celebratory dish,” she explains. “For Navroz, we eat pulav daal- that’s the real festive food. That, and Russian cutlets… though I can’t have those anymore because I’m vegetarian .”
Parsi love for animal
One tradition she wishes more people outside the community knew about is the Parsis’ deep bond with animals. “We adopt, we feed, we take care of them like family. At least one Parsi family has two dogs, hands down,” she says. “We’re simple people. We like our alcohol, our food, and our animals.”
On Navroz 2025 dawns, Sherrnavaz’s words are a reminder that the festival is not just about feasting, but about the Parsi way of life- rooted in nature,compassion, and community.
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