Mercury was born on theBritish protectorateofZanzibar, East
Africa (now part ofTanzania).
His parents, Bomi and Jer
Bulsara, [a]wereParsisfrom theGujaratregion of the then province
ofBombay PresidencyinBritish India.
[12][b]The family surname is
derived from the town of Bulsar (also known asValsad) in
southernGujarat.
As Parsis, Mercury and his family practised
theZoroastrianreligion.
[13]The Bulsara family had moved to Zanzibar so
that his father could continue his job as a cashier at theBritish
Colonial Office.
He had a younger sister, Kashmira.
[14]The house in Zanzibar where Mercury lived in his early yearsMercury
spent the bulk of his childhood in India and began taking piano lessons
at the age of seven.
[15]In 1954, at the age of eight, Mercury was sent
to study atSt.
Peter's School, a British - style boarding school for
boys inPanchganinear Bombay (nowMumbai), India.
[16]One of his
formative musical influences at the time wasBollywoodsingerLata
Mangeshkar.
[17]Aged 12, he formed a school band, The Hectics,
andcoveredrock and rollartists such asCliff RichardandLittle
Richard.
[18]A friend from the time recalls that he had "an uncanny
ability to listen to the radio and replay what he heard on
piano".
[19]It was also at St.
Peter's where he began to call himself
"Freddie".
Mercury remained in India, living with his grandmother and
aunt until he completed his education atSt.
Mary's School, Bombay.
[20.