Studies on the Assimilation of Zoroastrians into Indian Society with Special Reference to Sanjan, India: A Review

This paper presents an overview of multidisciplinary research conducted on human skeletal remains excavatedfrom Sanjan, located on the northern bank of the Varoli River in Umargam Taluka, Valsad District, Gujarat. Theexcavation, carried out during the 2002–2003 season at Dokhama, a Parsi funerary site dating to the 14th–15thcenturies A.D., uncovered the partial remains of at least 180 individuals.The recovered skeletal material has beenanalyzed through a combination of bioarchaeological, ancient DNA (aDNA), and ethnographic methods. Thisintegrated approach offers valuable insights into the biological history and cultural identity of the Parsi communityin India. The research aims to trace population dynamics, health patterns, and genetic interactions between Parsisand local Indian groups.The earliest significant study, published in 2011, involved a comparative analysis of dentalmorphology in both ancient and modern populations. The findings indicated early signs of admixture betweenthe migrant Parsi population and local communities. For the first time in Indian anthropological research, theseresults were further validated by aDNA analysis. The genetic evidence confirmed a pattern of maternal gene flowfrom local Indian women into the Parsi gene pool, suggesting sustained assimilation over centuries.Together, thesestudies contribute to a more nuanced understanding of Parsi migration, settlement, and integration in India. Theydemonstrate how bioarchaeology and genetics, when combined, can illuminate complex processes of cultural andbiological exchange in diasporic communities.