Murali Ranganathan to talk about Parsi print heritage

On 26 November, print historian Murali Ranganathan will talk about the print culture in the Parsi community going back to 250 years. His focus is the 19th century when Gujarati printing was dominated by the Parsis. The talk has been organised by the Jiyo Parsi Friday Forum.

24 Nov 2021 | By Charmiane Alexander

Murali Ranganathan will talk about the long tradition of print culture in the Parsi community going back to 250 years. This will include his own discoveries on the subject. His lecture will focus on the nineteenth century when Gujarati printing was dominated by the Parsis. He will also present his thoughts on how this print heritage can be celebrated and preserved.

One of the objectives of the talk is to provoke interest within the printing and publishing community about the need for printing museums in India.

Murali Ranganathan is a historian, writer and translator who explores nineteenth century South Asia with a special focus on Mumbai and western India. He contributes a monthly article to PrintWeek on print history. Ranganathan said, "My articles argue for the need for printing museums in India in general (and Mumbai in particular). It draws out a general vision and action plan for such museums and is largely aimed at the printing and publishing sector."

Ranganathan said, Museums enjoy a mixed reputation in India. On the one hand, India’s cultural and historical heritage going back to five thousand years are housed in them. But on the other hand, they are generally considered rather downbeat and relegated as places to be visited by children on school trips. Museums associated with technology and science are not only few in number but also receive a short shrift from visitors."

To participate: Zoom meeting ID: 990 252 6711 | Passcode: jiyoparsi

The session will also be live on Parzor Foundation channel on YouTube.