In an old, neo-gothic building in Fort, an upmarket area in India's financial capital Mumbai, is a run-down office that produces one of country's oldest and most prominent Parsi magazines - Parsiana.
The magazine was started in 1964 by Pestonji Warden, a Parsi doctor who also dabbled in the sandalwood trade, to chronicle the community in the city.
Since then, the magazine has grown in subscribers and reach. For many Parsis, it has offered a window into the goings-on in the community, helping members across the world feel connected and seen as their numbers dwindled and dispersed.
After 60 years, Parsiana will shut this October due to dwindling subscribers, lack of funds, and no successor to run it.
The news has saddened not just subscribers, but also those who knew of the magazine's legacy.
It's like the end of an era, says Sushant Singh, 18, a student. We used to joke about how you weren't a 'true Parsi' if you didn't know about Parsiana or wax eloquent about it.
Since the announcement of the magazine's closing, tributes have poured in from readers who valued its role in preserving Parsi narratives and culture. Jehanger Patel, who led the magazine since 1973, has expressed a sense of tiredness mixed with sadness as the team prepares to conclude its journey.
With its final issues, the team plans to reflect on a rich legacy, chronicling both the achievements and challenges faced by the Parsi community over the decades.
