The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-18
THE PARSEES OF INDIA.
A Strictly Exclusive ana Very Pecu
liar People Their Traditions ana
Customs

book, and the venerated IorOaster, who
tiourished b. &. $50, is their great proph.
ct. Driven from Persia thousand
years ago, they found a refuge in India
Now there are but 5000 left in their an.
cent home. OF this strange people
there are but about POO 600 in the world
OF this number l5o,O are in India
Bombay, "the city Of the Parsees," has
10000, making 0ne-tenth Of the entire
population As YOU walk the streets of
Bombay You cannot help noticing these
disciples Of Ioroaster, differing rs they
do from both Mohammedans and
Hlndoos. The Parsce gentleman
IL tall and erect, with fair complex
ion and digniiied ali. Ills long white
coat OF silk or fine muslin IL huttoned
closely from chin 10 waist, and hangs in
y full flowing skirt to the knees. He
wears II tall, iapering, looking, in
iescflbable hat, without Il bfI'n, inclln-
ing backward from the forehead, and
looking very much like section of II
stOvepipe. IL ~ apparently Of paste
board covered with brown silk or mus
liza In the top is a hole IN which he
pnts his handkerchief. This hat is one
of the badges uf hi, religion, and he
must never change il for any other
style. The iaisec always Keeps his
head covered, indoors or out, day or
night, asleep or awake. Around his
waist he wears sllkcn cord, which he
Is TO unite when III prayer. No bargain
Is birding il this cord is left off " hen
the contract il II ade. These people are
among the most intelligent, influential.
and patriotic III the community. Most
Of them are merchants ana bankers
and as such are honest, industrious, and
polite, taking the leai in all the com.
nercal enterprises. One-half - the
wealth and rrefourths Of The business
oi Bombay il in Their hands. They are
,iten called the Jews of the east.
Tbe Palsees have All IduiatrOus rever-
ence for fire. They adore it AZ the prn.
clple OF life. To rxtlngulsh II tire is
looked upon as Il misfortune, and many
would not put oat "A fire, rVen if their
house was burning. The, keep lamp
ever burning in their honses. In II Par
see temple is u holy room in which is a
large vase or censer containing the holy
fire. None bnt the high priest must en-
ter this room or approach near this fire
And when they 60 to repieuish it thew
with fine linen cloth, lest their sinful
breath polute the holy flames as they
fecite their prayers. The sacred fire is
kept burning with costly woods and fra
grant oils and spices II must never he
extlngnished, day or night, from year TO
year and from age to age. Some years
since a mob lof lawlcs liindoos broke
into Parsee temple in Bombay and put
out the holy fire. This insult led to "A
fearful riot We were told that their
great teacher, Ioroaster, first brought
the sacred fire from heaven and placed
il on their altsrs, and since then for two
thousand years, amid all their changes,
prosecutions, and disperaions they
have never let eit go entirely ont
When they came to iIindostan tbous.
and years ago they brongh, the sacred
fire with them. The parsees are sun
=, orshipers as we'll as fire worshipers
Morning and evening we have seen
them with upllfted hands worship with
great solemnity the rising and setting
sun. The more intelligent of them say
they 90 not really worship the sun, but
adore il IA an emblem Of God and the
source Of life. We look npon this wor
ship az the least objectionable form Of
idOlatry, for did We not know the Lord
you 10 Dt Il Gun anu tNHltltl WE itieli
easily think the sun to be II lord and
god Besides the sacred fire, the Par
STE worship the moon, STARS, water, air
earth and all the clements of nature
But fire il their greatest object of adora.
ton.
The Parsees, " III not, like the Hindoos,
inrn their dead, for !lre Is too pure To
be polluted by the touch " death. They
viii not, like the rest os mankind, bury
iii Tia ground, for earth is the mother
of mankind, and they will not dctile it
by placing n corpse III its bosom. 80,
will neither cremation nor bnriai, what
can they do with the remains oi Their
dead? On Malahar !llli the
highest ground in the suburbs OF Bonn
bay, surrounded by lofty wall, ana
carefully yuarded, is the Parsee ccme-
terry Of mortnary. Leaving the city We
climbed the hill by II winding road lead.
ing through charming grove of palms,
ana past beautiful bungalows ana villas,
with an enchanting view Of the city,
island and sea behind us. at length We
reached the abode Of death. Over the
great gate way in large letters we read
None but Parsees can eI.ter herem For
two hundred years no European has
ever set foot within that enclosure. But
few years since the prince of Wales
unsealed the entrance, anG now by
proper influence travellers can obtain Il
pass. Thus We were privileged to enter
the strange place. Entering the mystic
rlous enclosure, on our right were the
temples where the dead are brought 10
he dsrobed and annointed with oil.
Passing these. we followed onr guide up
grand pathway until We were stopped
hy another sign, on which We read the
warning notice: "Stop hercI' We
were within fifty rods 80 the tower nov
in use. Looking around, We
counted five great, round stone towers,
known IA "iuWers Of Silence" These
ircnlar structures are built of large
white stones, and are perfectly pla in on
the outside. They vary in diameter
from thirty to sixty feet, and are from
twenty-five 10 thirty feet high. The
oldest one is 200 years Old and is in
good repair. They cost about $780, 600
apiece. Each tower has an iron door in
the side, from which flight of steps on
the inside leads to the top. On the top
are three circles Of grooves or open-stone
receptaces of the dead, the outer one
for men. and the middle one for women,
and the inner one for children. In the
center of the tower is deep we'll rea CHI
ing from top to below the bottom.
Around the outer edge OF the top is 4
stone parapet, which give greater seclu-
sion to the dead.
At the gate OF the cemetery the fune.
L. A