Irani 4436774 220787836 2008-06-21T16:07:05Z Stigmj 1936368 iwiki-fix {{Zoroastrianism}} {{Dablink|This article is about an ethno-religious community of the Indian subcontinent. For the city in [[Brazil]], see [[Irani, Santa Catarina]]. For the native name of the people of [[Greater Iran]], see [[Iranian peoples]].}} The '''Iranis''' are an ethno-religious community of the [[Indian subcontinent]]; descendants of [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrians]] who emigrated from [[Greater Iran]] (in the main from central [[Iran]]) to the [[Indian subcontinent]] within the last few centuries. They are culturally, linguistically and socially distinct from the [[Parsis]], who - although also Zoroastrians - arrived on the subcontinent over 1000 years ago. The Parsis and Iranis may also be considered legally distinct. This is based in part on a 1909 [[obiter dictum]] that, among many other issues relating to the Indian Zoroastrians, also observed that Iranis (of the now defunct [[Bombay Presidency]]) were not obliged to uphold the decisions of the then-regulatory Parsi [[Panchayat]]. Although the term 'Irani' is first attested during the [[Mughal|Mughal era]], most Iranis are descendants of immigrants who arrived on the subcontinent during the 19th and early 20th centuries, that is, when Iran was ruled by the [[Qajar]]s and when religious persecution of non-Muslims was rampant. The descendants of the immigrants of those times remain culturally and linguistically closer to the [[Zoroastrians in Iran|Zoroastrians of Iran]], in particular to the Zoroastrians of [[Yazd]] and [[Kerman]]. Consequently, the [[Dari (Zoroastrian)|Dari]] dialect of the Zoroastrians of those provinces may also be heard amongst the Iranis. In India, the Iranis are located mostly in and around the city of [[Mumbai]], while in Pakistan they are most commonly residents of [[Karachi]]. In both Pakistan and India, they are famous for their restaurants and tea-houses. Most Iranis have 'Irani' as a surname, but this is not always the case. Notable members of the Irani community with a [[Wikipedia]] article include: *[[Anosh Irani]], Indo-Canadian novelist *[[Ardeshir Irani]], Bollywood director of the first [[Cinema of India|Indian]] sound film, [[Alam Ara]] *[[Meher Baba]] (Merwan Sheriar Irani), Indian spiritual master *[[Boman Irani]], Bollywood actor *[[Jenni Irani]] (Jamshed Khudadad Irani), cricketer *[[Ronnie Irani]], cricketer *[[Dinshah Irani]], Zoroastrian leader who provided aid to the [[Zoroastrian]] community of [[Iran]]. *[[Honey Irani]], Screenwriter (Krrish) <!-- [http://www.iranian.ws/cgi-bin/iran_news/exec/view.cgi/5/12134] --> ==See also== * [[:Category:Iranis|List of Iranis with Wikipedia articles]] [[Category:Ethnic groups in India]] [[Category:Zoroastrianism]] {{zoroastrianism-stub}} [[fi:Iranit]]