Zenobia Panthaki's Family
DESCRIPTION
In this slideshow, you will see:
Zenobia Panthaki's grandmother's portrait picture taken in 1919/20. In her oral history interview, Zenobia talks about her family history, particularly since the British rule in India and thereafter. Zenobia shares that this rare photograph along with others were all developed in India before she migrated to the United States.
The Damri family portrait taken in 1929. Zenobia's great grandfather along with grandparents are in the portrait. In this portrait all women wore their sarees in the Gujarati style, and Phirozeshah (sitting) wore daglis (standard attires of Parsi families). In her interview, Zenobia shares the historical connections of her family in relation to pre-partition India and the roles Parsi Zoroastrians like her ancestors played within their localities.
A portrait of Zenobia's grandparents, Tehmina and Jal Masters.
A photograph taken in 1947/1948, soon after independence from the British colonial rule. In the photograph, Zenobia's grandfather, Jal Masters, is with the AHQ team, shaking hands with former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
A photograph of Zenobia's father, Jehangir Masters, and her father's sisters, Nargish Masters and Lily Masters, taken in 1938. In her interview, Zenobia talks about her family growing up together in a small apartment in Calcutta.
A photograph of Zenobia's father, Jehangir Masters, as a young child (age 7) out to play hockey on ice in Simla, India, 1929. Zenobia talks about her family history, particularly since the British rule in India and thereafter.
An oval portrait of Zenobia's father, Jehangir Masters, as a young child (age 5) in 1927.
A portrait of Zenobia's great great grandfather, Khan Bahadur Bejanji Damri, taken in 1870.
A portrait of Zenobia's great great grandfather, Khan Bahadur Bejanji Damri, taken in 1855.
Zenobia's parents, Jehangir and Nargish Masters, on their honeymoon in Udaipurin February 1947.
Scanned portraits of Zenobia's great grandfather, Phirozshah Damri, her paternal grandma's (bapaiji's) father. Left portrait is dated 1891 (in which he looks about 20 years old) and the right portrait is taken in 1941. He would have been around 70 years old in the second portrait. He lived till Zenobia was 2 or 3 years old, so he died around 1952/53 at the age of 82/83. In the middle is a verse that reads:
I come to you with enthusiasm I seek your honour Speak speak wise sisters Guess who I am (guess my name)
After this verse, it says, 1/1/1321 (of the Zoroastrian calendar). The current Zoroastrian year is 1391, which places this postcard at 1952 (shortly before he died), Then it says "Sal Mubarak to my dear daughter Mehra" (Zenobia's cousin, Minoo uncle's mother).
ADDITIONAL METADATA
Subject(s): Zenobia Panthaki, Khan Bahadur Bejanji Damri, Phirozshah Damri, Jehangir Masters, Nargish Masters, Jal Masters, Tehmina Masters, Lily Masters
Type: Photograph
Source: Archival Creators Fellowship Program
Creator: Sharmeen Mehri
Contributor: Zenobia Panthaki
PROVENANCE
Collection: Sharmeen Mehri Fellowship Project
Donor: Zenobia Panthaki
Item History: 2022-07-14 (created); 2022-07-19 (modified)
* This digital object may not be sold or redistributed, copied or distributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media without express written consent from the copyright holder and the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA). The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. If you are the rightful copyright holder of this item and its use online constitutes an infringement of your copyright, please contact us by email at copyright@saada.org to discuss its removal from the archive.