The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-11-14
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 construction leads
to the gateway at the top, on which is an
inscription that none but Parse cs may en-
ter there. This prohibition was rendered
necessary it is said, by the unseemly and
| inconSderabe conduct of those who use
formerly to he admitted within the iuclo-
sur. The gateway is also reached by
sort of giant staircase, half u mile long,
which, starting from the Glundavi 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 half-dozcn
steps. On the right is the Suggrcc, n 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 Suggree is built is
to prevent the ceremonies from being pro-
| famed by the gaze of unbelieying 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 Suggrce.
| Between the Suggree and the garden is
| large and handsome building, and arched
roof, designed to supersede the present
! Suggree, which is found to be inconvcni-
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
! toisome 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 whore 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 I'll coll
ored white. There is no window, and only
one door, covering small aperture about
third of the way up. To this aperture
access is obtained by narrow stone cause
way, up which the dead and the bier-bear-
ers 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 defilng the
place where their unconscious burdens are
to rest.
When a parsee dies his soul goes oheav-
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, say
three o'clock. when there would not be time
to gain the towers and pray becomingly be-
fore dark, the body is kept till the early
morning. Having been rendered indebted,
it is clothed in white, and prayers are olI5r-
ed at the house by the family and friends,
None may henceforth touch it; it is pure,
and must 50 remain.
The women of the family take a 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 a vehicle; the whole
journey, no matter what the distance, must
be made on foot. All who form part of the
cortege must have been washed and purified
and clothed in white, and to touch any one
would be to become defled. The women in
s)me cases wear mourning-black-bu the
men never. No woman attends funeral
the female relatives OF the dead always re-
main at home on that day But they may
! go afterward to the garden near the towers
to pray,
Carrying the body and following it in pro-
, cession, holding scarfs passed from one side
! to the other, those forming the eortege wend
their way slowly to the foot of the step:
leading to the top of the Maabar Hill La
boriously ascending these they reach the
crest in quarter of an hour, and the priests
3 90 through the sacred ceremonies in tho
Suggree. Some Parsees consider that tn,
prayers thus rendered have the effect o
I ave ting all decomposition or other dehle
ment. When the prayers are over, anC
, those who have come the long and wear,
= Journey are somewhat rested, the body il
borne to the foot of the causeway LEADING
to the door of one of the towers. Here tn,
face is uncovered so that all may take las
? lingering look ! it is covered again, and Tn,
i. form disappears into the tower.
Were there not serious misconceptions I,
be removed, we would not seek further Il
h penetrate these mysteries but as stories il
! which there is more of horror than of fac
! are rife among those who know absolutel
t nothing of what really takes place, it is bet
o ter that the truth should be fully told. Tn
towers are scattered over large and park