The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-11-08
The Towers Of silence.

The Towers Of silence.
On the northeast crest of Malabar Hill
in the Presidency of Madras, are situated
the famous Towers of Silence. There are
two approaches to the extensive tract of
ground on which they are built. From the
Gowalla Tank road toward the north
winding avenue of recent instruction leads
to the gateway at the top, on which is an
inscription that none but Pars ees may en-
ter there. This prohibition was rendered
necessary. it is said, by the unseemly and
inconsiderablc conduct of those who used
formerly to be admitted within the nclo-
sure. The gateway is also reached by a
sort of giant staircase, half a mile long,
which, starting from the Gaundavi road
close to Black Bay, comes almost straight
up the hill.
The visitor, who has obtained permission
to disregard the notice at the entrance, will
find on passing the portals that he is in
kind of small courtyard, from which he can
only advance by mounting some halt-dozen
steps. On the right is the Suggrec, a low
stone building, open on all sides, in which
prayers are offered for the dead. The chief
object for having the courtyard lower than
the level on which the Suggrce is built is
to prevent the ceremonies from being pro-
famed by the gaze of unbelicving eyes
When the mourners are numerous they
group themselves around the building, and,
from its being open, they can, of course,
see all that goes on within, and take part in
the prayers. The dead, it should be men
toned, are never taken within the Suggree
Between the Suggrce and the garden is a
large and handsome building, and arched
roof, designed to supersedc the present
Suggrec, which is found to be inconveni-
emily small Passing this new erection,
we enter a beautiful garden, ablaze with
flowers, among which roses are conspicuous
Along the walks are iron garden seats of
elegant structure and European make.
Here the relatives of the dead rest after the
toilsome ascent of the basalt staircase, and
on subsequent occasions come to pray, Be-
yond the garden, on the undulating summit
of the hill looking toward Malabar Point,
Is the parklike grass covered tract in which,
at irregular intervals, are the Towers of
Silence where the dead are laid.
The towers. of which there are six, are
round, and on an average from thirty to
forty feet high, and about as much in diam
eter, one or two are perhaps higher They
are solidly built Of stone, the walls being
some three feet thick, and they are all col
ored white. There is no window, and only
one door, covering small aperture about
a third of the way up. To this aperture
access is obtained by Il narrow stone cause
way, up which the dead and the ber-bear-
crs alone may venture. So scored was the
towers that no one except the bearers, who
are set apart for the purpose, may approach
within thirty PAGES of them. Inside on the
rock pavement spaces are marked out, ON
which the dead are placed to wait the vul-
lures, and pathways are marked out for the
bearers to walk upon without defiling the
place whore their unconscious burdens are
to rest.
When parsee dies his soul goes to heav-
en-, but his body must not be tainted by
corruption. Therefore it is at once washed
and purified, and if there be yet time it is at
once carried to the towers before shutdown.
If death takes place however, after, saw
three o'clock when there would not be time
to gain the towers and pray bccomingly be-
fore dark, the body is kept till the early
morning. Having been rendered undefiled
1t is clothed in white, and prayers are ofl5r-
ell at the house by the family and friends.
None may hencetorth touch it; it is pure,
and must 50 remain.
The women of the family take Il last look,
and the light bier on which it has been
placed being covered with white shroud.
it is carried by the bearers to the hill No
vehicle can on any account be used no one
must even follow in vehicle; the whole
ho n,o3o ou foot I ',ho fo,, 'u.' tnus'
cortaan nmst ,J ravo hnao iU pai. vi ens
ond oIon'nd j., ',',,i," , anu puriheu
"nr,d NO 70 ".i a'Ia ~ 'T%on any one
s,mn oos.s ,,onra;n h nJ women III
man noror No 'no',',, ,,o''h' lile
thc tamoIn roativ oo ~ a., "'' Iah mineral
main at homo on tIot d .,e 'V n, '.Mays re-
"o "t,orword ~ W. ,h '" 49, 9 nu' tno' may
10 nrav " '''' s"''''' near ''e towers
C try, tho hod, ord c,,,on.;n;.
cession boding Scarf. uo ,o| sr"S, ~ NJ PRO,
to thc otbor thoso fnrn,in o ,,a ,ton, Que sue
tboir ,yav sl,,vIv ~ tha enu eVt',Ee wehu
ieadng - the ION nf ,e M ioI' ", XXI S'9pS
borionsIv oscending these tho' r ,',,' Ia, Ia
crest in ouortcr If an bour ana H., he"un .,e