| |  |
| Empty
Sanitoria, Hajira Belt | | |
 |
| Population
Decline Chart | | |
 |
Age
Composition of the Parsis
|
| |
 |
| Deserted
Mansion decaying in Adajania Village | |
Demographics Click
here for details about the 2001 Census During our field trips in
the 1990's a constant question that arose was about community numbers. Was the
community population really dwindling? What research was the project doing in
the field of demographics? Were there any solutions? The empty villages of South
Gujarat and deserted homes raised numerous questions. The population of the Parsi-Zoroastrians
has fallen from a peak of 1,14,000 in 1941 to 76,000 in 1991, a 33% fall in 50
years. It has fallen further to 69,601 in 2001. A demographic module was been
created to research into and try and answer some of these questions. At various
meetings of the demographic module it was found that many issues facing the Parsis
of India could be seen as Predicaments of Progress. These sociological issues
were found in several highly urbanized countries. The Parsis who have modernized
very quickly have pioneered this issue in India but recently sociologists are
finding that other Indian communities are also facing similar problems. These
include : - Problems
facing youth
- The
issues of the aged
- Late
marriages
- Non
marriage
- Inter
marriage
- Divorce
- Infertility
- Migration
The
latest census of 2001 has come at a very opportune time for the Parsi communituy
, because for the first time the census has analysed the data on religious communities
in India. Previously the Parsis, being a miniscule minority were clubbed under
"Other Religions" and the only data published was the number of males and females
and the rural-urban distribution (which has no meaning for a near total Urban
community) Instead the 2001 census has given all the important demographic details
regarding different age-groups, crude birth and death rate figures, male-female
ratio as well as literacy and working population figures. The
following statistics from the 2001 census pertaining to the Parsis stand out in
stark contrast to the demographic characteristics of the general population of
India. The Parsi demographic features are similar to those prevailing in the developed
countries. - Total
Count - The Parsis of India reached their highest ever census count of 1,14,890
in 1941. Since then, every decennial census has shown a 10% or more decrease.
The census of 1991 had enumerated population 76,382 which has declined by 6,781
within a decade, with the 2001 census reporting 69,601 Parsis. This is a decline
of 9%. In 60 years the Parsis appear to have declined by 40%.
- Growth
Rate - Whilst amongst
the general population the growth rate is 21%, amongst the Parsis there is no
growth but a decline of 8.88%. Parsis comprise a meager 0.0069% of the Indian
population.
- Male/Female
Ratio - In 1991, in the general population of the country there were 927 females
to 1000 males, whereas, among the Parsis, there were 1024 females. In 2001, while
the general population sex ratio has gone up 933, among the Parsis, is is 1050.
Amongst other minorities in India the next highest sex-ratio is amongst the Christians
at 1009, followed by 953 amongst the Buddhist and 940 amongst the Jains. These
are all above the national average. The worst sex-ration is amongst the Sikhs
at 893 suggesting a bias for the male child and the use of sex-selection tests.
While the Parsi figures speak fo the equal position in which women are held the
real reason is that women outlive men and therefore we have a situation of a larger
percentage of elderly women, widows or spinsters. This has a bearing the care-giving
functions required by them and the social responsibilities the family and the
community have towards them.
-
Age Composition - The most damaging finding is the strength of the population
in the 0-6 segment which is a mere 4.7%. In the general population this is 15%.
In 1901, the percentage of Parsi children in this age group was 9.5%. In one century
we have lost 4.8% which means a loss of 100% in this vital age group which determines
the demographic profile for other ages. As against this the aged segment of those
over 60 years is 31%. This segment in the general population of India is 7% which
was the figure amongst the Parsis in 1931. This means that though our Population
had peaked in 1941, the birth rate was 16.6 and the decline in fertility had started
much earlier in 1926 (C.Chandra Shekhar). The percentage of the aged is possibly
one of the highest in the world even when compared to western countries. Seen
in conjunction the birth and death statistics tell a clear story of where the
Parsi population is heading. In the left column, above, is a chart prepared by
the Census Commission giving details of the age composition of the Parsis
-
Crude Birth and Death Rates
- The crude birth rate in the 2001 census is 6 to 8 per thousand as against the
general population of 24.8 per 1000. By contrast the death rate is 16 to 18 per
thousand as against 9 per thousand in the general population. Which implies that
Parsis lose 10 persons per thousand per year which for a population of 69,000
amounts to 690 annually or a less of 6,900 in a decade.
- Literacy
- The literacy rate in the community is the highest in India at 97.9% which is
not surprising as education of Parsi children, male or female was emphasized as
early as the late 19th century. The Jains are second with a literacy rate of 94.1%,
followed by Christians at 80.3%. The national average is 64.8%.
- Working
Population - When we come to the working population it appears somewhat surprising
that it is only 35%, even lower than the national average of 39.3%. The reason
lies in the larger percentage of the aged segment which comprises of retired persons.
This has a strong bearing on the dependency of the aged on the younger generations.
- Population
Distribution - The Parsis are a highly urbanized community and 96.1% of Parsis
reside in Urban areas. This is in stark contrast to the general population of
which only 27.8% reside in Urban areas while 72.2% reside in rural areas. Geographically,
Maharashtra has the maximum percentage of Parsis (78.%) followed by Gujarat (16.7%).
Of the total rural Parsi population of 2,689 at the national level the largest
concentration is in Gujarat (69.5 per cent) followed by Maharashtra (18.7 per
cent).
- Fertility
- Fertility as reflected in annual number of births continues to have declined
sharply whatever may be the reasons or causes direct or indirect. Child woman
ratio (CWR) 0-4 or 5-9 is an excellent indirect measure of fertility particularly
when infant and child mortality are very low and age reporting fairly reliable.
Both these assumptions are in favour of the Parsi populations and therefore an
estimate of CWR 0-4 and 5-9 would give a good indication of the fertility level
among them. The reported CWR 0-4 and 5-9 for the Parsi population are 72 and 85
per 1000. These are extremely low as compared for Total India, which are 439 and
578 respectively, about one sixth for the Parsi's. (Extract for Fertility taken
from the report of the Census commission of India)
- Age
at Death - The following data on age at death has been taken according to
the information provided by the Parsiana magazine's November 2003 issue. Parsi's
have a very low infant mortality rate and no mortality from age 1 to 10 has been
reported. Almost 90 percent of all mortality has been reported for age 61 and
above. The following table has been taken from the Census commission's report.
|
Category | No. |
| Still
Born | 9 |
| Under
1 Year | 2 |
| Between
11-15 years | 1 |
| Between
16-18 years | 1 |
| Between
19-24 years | 1 |
| Between
25-30 years | 2 |
| Between
31-40 years | 6 |
| Between
41-50 years | 27 |
| Between
51-60 years | 81 |
| Between
61-70 years | 201 |
| Between
71-80 years | 468 |
| Between
81-90 years | 471 |
| Between
91-100 years | 123 |
| Over 100
years | 6 |
| Total
Deaths | 1399 |
| Male Deaths
| 722 |
| Female
Deaths | 677 |
For more
statistics and details on the 2001 census -
Causes
of the Decline in Population There
are a variety of causes that are responsible for this steady decline in the population
of the community. These include - - Late
Marriages - There
is a marked tendency of people marrying late in the community, the averages being
a very high 26.4 years for the females and 31 for males. A serious implication
of this is that the females are past the most fertile part of their lives when
they marry. A high number of never-marrieds exist with a significant number of
them being women.
- Childlessness
and Low Fertility
- Childlessness, whether due to attitudinal or medical reasons, is another important
feature which has to be researched comprehensively. Low fertility is noted with
an average Parsi woman bearing 1.54 children in her entire lifetime. Click here
for details from the 2001 census regarding Low fertility
- Lowering
Economic Status - Families appear to be moving from middle to lower middle
class status and a creeping poverty syndrome is noticeable particularly among
the aged whose numbers are ever increasing.
- Migration
- In the 1950's the Land to the tiller Act, Prohibition and Nationalisation of
Transport led to a large migration from the villages and small towns of Gujarat
to Mumbai . A following phase of migration abroad with some of the most qualified
and productive youth leaving the sub continent compounds the problem of already
falling numbers. A growing indifference to family and community responsibility
further compounds the issue.
- The
Inverted Pyramid - The existing population has a significant number of the
aged. The 60+ category accounts for around 31% of the community.
Also young children i.e. 0-6 account for only 4.7% of the population,
thus the demographic structure of the Parsis is an inverted pyramid.(See figure
above in left column)
Glimmers
of Hope: Back
to the Roots Movement - . One observation made during the field surveys is
of a numerically small but an attitudinally important 'Back to the Roots' movement
amongst some youth. They have chosen to return from the cities to family lands/
business because they perceive a better quality of life there and have pride in
continuing family traditions. The
WZO (World Zoroastrian Organisation) has also been instrumental in drawing
back some of those from the service sector in cities to develop their land holdings
and make them profitable.
Back to Top |