The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-03-14
A Parsee Funeral.


following interesting account of death
bed and funeral ceremonies among the
Parsees of India, taken from private
letter recently received from Bombay:
Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, the Parsee
BarOnet, near whose house (Mazagon
Castle) live, died at Pooma, the other
day. His body was exposed to the vul-
lures in the Poona Tower of Silence, but
the oothumna, or third days funeral,
was held at his house here. suppose
all the leading Parsees in Bombay,
thousands of them, together with 500
Parsee priests, were present. All the
streets were full of carriages, and
sowars, or mounted policemen, were
obliged to ride up and down in order to
clear the way for pedestrians and
ordinary carriages and carts. 1 could
not get out of my own gate until h al
sent a man in advance to send some of
the carriages away. Atall the funerals
the Parsees must wear their state dress,
which is long, white robe, made with
loose waist and full skirt, and reach
ing to the ground. Around the hips is
worn piece of white cloth one or two
yards cummerband. Cumberland
means band or bandage for the cum
mer, and the GUNNER is the hips. Well,
those who came in their own carriages
put on the robe before they left home,
but the poor ones, who came in carts
or walked, brought theirs in bundles
and put them on when near the house.
There were fifteen of them in our yard
at one time, robing themselves, and
twice that number outside the gate. 1t
was a most comical sight. After put
ting on the robe, which is, of course,
worn over the ordinary clothing, they
would get a man to hold one end of the
cummerband, while they wound them
selves up rs boys wind up the strings
of their tops. The unwinding process
is still more funny, for then the man
looks more like whirling dcrvish.
These people all sat around inside and
outside the castle, while the high priest
performed some sort of ceremony, do
not know what. Then silver coins and
sudras, or sacred shirts, were distrib-
uted to the poorer people. Several
thousands of the latter were given
away. 1t is made Of coarse muslin or
lace, and every Parsce, whether
man or woman, must wear it.
The Parsecs have some very strange
customs. They tic a dog to the dying
persons bed, to have it take the soul,
though in what way the animal is sup
posed to do it. | am not informed.
When they feel sure that the person is
going to die, they perform Il certain
ceremony, which consists in bathing
the patient, and then he is given over
to the men who are to carry his body
to the Tower of Silence. No person,
not even his best friends, can touch him
after that. If they do, they will be forever
defiled, for he is to all intents and pur-
poses Il dead man. 1t is thought that
people die whose lives might be saved,
if it were not for this foolish custom.
As soon as he is supposed to have
breathed his last he is wrapped up in
white cloth and carried on an iron bier
on the shoulders of these bearers, fol-
lowed at little distance by his male
relatives and other friends, all in the
long robes. to the Tower of Silence,
where no one except the bearers can
enter. His body is then exposed to the
vulturcs, which can always be seen on
the walls waiting for their prey, and
quick work they make Of it. 1t he is
only in Il swOon, as is sometimes the
case, he can never return to his family.
He is dead man as far as they are
concerned, and his return would bring
pestilcnce. There is y story that Il
young girl once came to life and the
bearers dispatched her with Il Ratchet.
And there is a man. now quite old,
living in Surat, who years ago made
his escape from the Tower of Silence,
but has never dared to return to his
friends. There has lately been Il good
deal of excitement among the younger
members of the Parscc community on
account of report having been
spread that {; man had lately come to
life and had been killed by the bearers.
There was a sort of investigation into
the case. The bearers denied having
killed a man, but did not explain salts
factorily what they did do. 1t is said
that in the new tower there is II stone
ladder to aid people to escape. AS no
one, not even doctor, is allowed to
approach them after the publication
ceremony, it is left to the bearers to
say when they are dead, and many mis-
takes arc liable to happen.