Zarine Khan's daughter Farah Khan Ali pays emotional tribute to mom: "Born a Parsi, Married as a Muslim and cremated according to Hindu rites"

Farah Khan Ali pays tribute to mom Zarine Khan

Veteran actress Zarine Khan, who was Sussane Khan, Zayed Khan, Farah Khan Ali's mother and Sanjay Khan's wife, passed away on November 7 due to an age-related ailment. She was 81.

Zarine Khan was born Zarine Katrak, it was an aristocratic Parsi lineage known for its deep ties to Mumbai’s cultural, business, and philanthropic circles and was married into a Muslim family.

Despite these, she was cremated as per Hindu rituals, which has sparked an online discussion.

Zarine Khan’s daughter, Farah Khan Ali, has now come forward and talked about the cremation with Hindu rituals.

She took to her Instagram Story and shared a picture of Zarine Khan with a flower garland around it. Alongside the pic, she penned in the tribute, “My mother Zarine Khan was a very special woman. Her philosophy of life was to "Forgive and Forget.””

She added, “She was kind hearted, loved by all her friends and family and cared deeply for one and all. She was the bond that kept our family together. Born a Parsi, Married as a Muslim and cremated according to Hindu rites. She epitomised Humanity and is someone whose legacy we hope to live.”

Also Read: Priyanka Chopra pays emotional tribute to Zarine Khan: 'You will be very missed aunty'

For the unversed, Zarine Khan never converted to Islam despite being married in a Muslim family. She was proud of her heritage. However, Farah and Zayed have yet to clarify why they followed Hindu cremation rituals over the Tower of Silence.

What is the Tower of Silence in the Parsi culture?

In Parsi cremation rituals, the deceased are placed in a Tower of Silence (dakhma) for natural decomposition by birds, mainly vultures. This practice is called Dokhmenashini.

The Tower of Silence symbolises the natural cycle of life and death and the Parsi belief in purity. According to Zoroastrian beliefs, it is revered because it keeps the earth and fire clean.