The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-26
AT THE TOWERS OF SILENCE
A VISIT OF THE PRINCE or WALES
TO THE PIRSES' TONES.
The FIRST Admission OF European Visitors to
the Sacred Cemetery of Bonibny-A Vast
Accumulation ofthe Dust Of IIumnn Bones.

The FIRST Admission OF European Visitors to
the sacred Cemetery of Bonhny-A Vast
Accumulation ofthe Dust Of Iiumnn Bones.
Madras Correspondence Of the London standard.
In the southwestern corner OF Bombay
Island the low tlain swclls up rather suddenly
into hill 30 feet high, from the top of which
the whole city, and almost the whole island are
visible to the north and east and to the west
and south the wide sea. IT Is a spot which,
without a doubt. presents the finest view OF
what he's been called one Of the choicest scenes
OF the world, and might WELL therefore, have
been selected for the gayest villas " the richest
Inhabitants but " is fact that, till the Piihce
came To India. no EnrOpean except II may nave
been 10y stealth, had set foot upon II: None,
certainly, were privileged to examine this
strange place. and II any came, when may ven
be doubted, at most they could but cast fur-
tive glance around them, and steal away again
Two centuries have passed since, IN nus tneh
raised, no sign ~ life or mans habitat'on, hut
an abode OF DEATH and 20 well called the lower
of silence. As time went on four other towers
were raised around the first, the Parse, toWhom
these towers belonged grew IN wealth. anu IN
nuencc. the whole hill became theirs. and high
encrclin9 wall with iron gates barred access to
any but those OF their own NATION, Up 10 the
Prince of Walcs's wit do not only say That no
stranger has visited the spot | say more, that
no one ever expected to see u. The Par. "a are
not prosely tizng sect; they would not accept
prOselytcs. though they came to them Nountar-
Nv. There Is a Neil 81 mystery aud mysticism
over much that the Parscs do, and they do not
ivNe 70 thk "!th r.ranecrs ABOUT tnel, shcreu
things. Next To the strangeness nt the Princes
visit itself the strangest thing witch has hap
pened during that visit Is the easy way IN which
the curtain which has 80 long been held up 10y
the Parsts round their tom0s cas- been dropped
by them.
The Prince wished to see the Towers Of ST.
lence. Sir liarile Ftrrc wrote tu the governing
body Il the rarses that the Prince wished IL,
and To- II was dpne. II may be quite true that
the Gre w0rshippcrs had found that the de; rae
tors had made use Of the mystery IN which they
shrouded their funeral ntes To- invent many
raumuie- against them. but still do not TANK
that desire To set themselves right with the
world would alone have induced them to raise
the veil. 1t would never have been nut aside
but for the Princes wish to have it removed
and 80. If his visit to India should have no other
result 1t Will have IN this brought aDout one ~
the most curious changes that India hns Wit
messed. The thing came ABOUT so suddenly
that the Secretary II thr Pdrscs found himself,
so he told me, staudin. under the wall Of the
principal Tower Of silence close to the vast
stone slab IN wEich the corpses are deposited,
explain ng from model the intero or economy
of the structure To his ROYAL Highness and a
group Of his suite before he had time to prepare
his dress or his thoughts for the occasion.
You may ascend the hill Of the Towers OF
silence by long succession OF terraces and
flights OF steps from the south, or you may drive
IN 10y a carriage road at the northern entrance.
and read Us YOU pass the gate the inscription,
which tells YOU that the costly road was n ade
at the expense Of the son OF the first barouet.
sir Jamshidjc, In honor II his fathers memory.
After driving quarter OF a mile you proce d ON
foot up long, rocky ascent till YOU come TO a
enter" But the Prince had nnaealed the en-
trance. and, In con Ms with the courteous
Secretary Of the Fare Governing committee. !
stone chapel or house OF PRAYER. where the
Parscs who attend the funerals perform then
utVltluns.
From tins spot there Is a most enchanting and
uncquallcd view over Bombay. when every In.
ropcan visitor should see II he can. while sal
here a model OF tower Of silence wa- brought
and Explained 10 me; the same identical mode
which mad Interested the Prince, and the cN-
planHfiun was given by the same cNpOsitor. As
/ listened. two corps cs. one OF which was that
of mphtd. or tri. .. were brought ub The rlcn \
ascent, c.ch followed Nv about one hundrs j
blHr ia RI str
RED uy four men, and Two Others followed, who
a.ur are al. wed - enter the towers. The
Passes VINO walked in tine urOcc s-iuu mad then
yarn cuts lirk"d two-ani-twp, AMI this had q
mystic :vcaning.
The towers are circular. and are 50 well built
that the Oldest has stood for AO years without
requiring e. Ice repaired. They are formed VI
huge stone slans. well ceiueuted together, ard
tue i'rgest cos AS,Vh III II may be assum ed
that the tour other towers cost on an aver
AZ fn.cO each. w should have tenth oi
miion invested IN these buildiugs alone
Add that sir Jarshidje gave 10000 squar,
wards of land and defiayed the expenses Of a
road aid some idch NAV b. formed OF the cos
Of tue whole cemetery In the circular cxterna
wall there Is but one aperture. about i've and
half feet square and thirteen feet from tn,
ascend 10y high: Of steps. aud there take ~ tn,
cOrpse. The outside wall Is from - to 40 fee
high. accurling 20 the Inequalities Of the groun,
~ MA ~ the tower Is hlili. INSIDE j. circula
platform, dt pre- "a gradually tow lrd the centre
Mheie l. a wall Of about 10 Ieet in diameter
Tue surface Of the platform consists If fiuteC
grooves Land out in three series. with circul i
ahth surrounding each s"iie-, to which com
'runicntitu l. obtained 10y "a straight path lead.
~ from tho 9gCr.IrC IN the outer wall to thi
wen IN the centre 81 the tower lis -traieh
oath :n'crccis b" circul r paths. and j. ghpu
.wo ard a lMi feet broad ard thea three feet.
lHccpri=ea are dci o-ited In The grooves. thDs,
= u.Cu occupying So" first series. those VI WO
an tho s",. nd series, and those Of cnildrer
.ne ttlrd. All the todies are absolutely made
90 iiiul the sayins. Naked came / into tn,
world. and naked shail - forih:" and IN hat
an b. VT from fuc time they Hre pat In IN,
grooves every particle Of flesh - stripped from
lie bones hy the numerous vultures thar inhabl
nc spot, lie skeleton Is lett 20 bleach IN sur
ana wind TIL II becomes quite dTv Two carrier
% th' dead thon enter with gloves on theI
nauGs and GroNilcd with bags, with which tie,
iriN the bones To tao central wei, where the
arc cast ana crumbs INTO dust. There are per
'otatt' rs IN the wall OF the well, through whtcl
any moisture caused bv rain o. otherwise assc
and drsCruds into tVp drains at the bottom a.
he bAiling, where IL passes through charcoal
ana 30 becomes dislnfect"d and !Iodoroas be
fore u reaches the reu. There is a ladder IN IT,
when y i necessary 20 clear the pcrf0ratiOn
from obstructipns. lite dust IN the wei accu
mulnies 50 slowly that IN the forty We - uurlu
watch the lareest tower has been used II Ia
risen unly Ave feet.
Tue origin OF the whole practice l. no duub
the Neneration with which the Par ., regard III
eleincuts fire rs too pure to be polluted b
committing cotp-eS to the flames. Water
almost equally Senerntcd, and 50. too is mothe
earth. Hence this strange system has been IN
vented, by which It Is supposed none Of the I'M
pGrIies Of the corlse can infect the elements
AT all events directly. And everything that CO
he thought Of Is done TO dlspel the gloom
thoughts which some parts Of the process nj
tutu.h rngender. Tue Caapels are situated In
heauiitui garden, where those who attend tn
funeral may at and elluy the beauty OF flower
ana noMering shrun-. those " ho deposit III
cOrpses IN the towers 90 through publication
and the garments th.v wear wncn IN the TOwt
ol silence are out away ~ another tower erecte
for the sole purpose Of receiving them, aud the
they shoulder away.
a TigRRIBLE ACCIDENT.