The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-08-09
The Parsees of India.


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The Parsees of India.
The Parsees of India are the descend.
ants of the ancient Persian "fre-wor.
shippers" They claim history back
to Abraham. The Zendavesta is theiD
holy book. and the veperated Zoroaster,
who flourished B. G. $50, is their great
prophet. Driven from Persia, thou
sand years ago, they found refuge in
India. Now there are but 5000 left in
their ancient home. Of this strange
people there are but about 200, 900 in all
the world. OF this number 100000 are
in India. Bombay, "the city of the
Parsees," has $1,000, making one tenth
of the entire population. AS You walk
the streets of Bombay you cannot help
noticing these disciples of Zoroaster,
differing as they do from both Moham-
medans and Hindoos. The Pars se gen.
tleman is tall and erect, with fair COM
plexion and dignified air. His long white
coat of silk or fine muslin is buttoned
closely from chin to waist, and hangs in
full flowing skirt to the knees. He
wears tall, tapering, queer looking. in.
describable hat, without brim, inclin-
ing backward from the forehead, and
looking very much like q section of o
stovepipe. 1t is apparently of pasteboard,
covered with brown silk or muslin. In
the top is hole in which he puts his
handkerchief. This hat is one of the
badges of his religion and he must never
change it for any other style. The Par
see always keeps his head covered indoors
or out, day or night, asleep or awake.
Around his waist he wears O silken cord,
which he is to unite when at prayer. NJ
bargain is binding if this cord is left off
when the contract is made. These peo-
pie are among the most intelligent, in
fiuential, and patriotic in the commun
ity. Most of them are merchants and
bankers, and as such are honest, indus
trious and polite, taking the lead in all
the commercial enterprises. One.half of
the wealth and three-fourths of the bust.
ness of Bombay is in their hands. They
are often called the Jews of the east.
The Parsees have az idolatrous rever.
ence for fire. They adore it as the prin-
ciple of life. To extinguish fire is
looked upon as a misfortune, and many
would not put out fire. even if their
house was burning. They keep lamp
ever burning in their houses. In q
Parsee temple is holy room in which is
large vase or censor containing the
holy fire. None but the high priest must
enter this room or approach near this
fire. And when they go to replenish it
they must even veil their mouths and
nostrils with fine linen cloth, lest their
sinful breath pollute the holy flames as
they recite their prayers. The sacred
fire is kept burning with costly woods
and fragrant oils and spices. 1t must
never be extinguished, day or night,
from year to year and from age to age.
Some years since q mob of lawless Hin.
docs broke into Parsee temple in Bonn
bay and put ont the holy fire. This in
suit led TO fearful riot. We were told
that their great teacher, Zoroaster, first
brought the sacred fire from heaven and
placed it on their affairs, aud since then,
for two thousand years. amid oil their
changes, prosecutions, and dispersions,
they have never let it GO entirely out.
When they came to Hindostan a thou.
sand years ago they brought the sacred
fire with them. The Psrsees are sun
worshipers as we'll as fire-worshipers.
Morning and evening we have seen them
with uplifted hands worship with great
solemnity the rising and setting sun.
The more intelligent of them say they do
not really worship the sun, but adore it
as an emblem of God and the source OF
life. We look upon this worship as the
least Objectionable form of idolatry. for
did We not know the Lord God to be
"Sun and Shield" we might easily think
the sun to be lord and god. Besides
the sacred fire, the Parsee worship the
moon, stars, water. air, earth and all the
elements of nature. But fire is their
greatest object of alteration.
The Parsees will not, like the Hindoos,
burn their dead, for fire il too pure to
be polluted by the touch Of death. They
will not, like the rest OF mankind, bury
in the ground, for earth is the mother Of
mankind, and they will not defile it by q
corpse in its bosom. So, with neither
cremation nor burial, what can they do
With the remains OF their dead? On
Maiabar Hill. the highest ground in the
suburbs Of Bombay, surrounded BY .
lofty wall. and carefully guarded, is the
Psrsee cemetery or mortusry. Leaving
the CITY We climbed the bill BY Q wind.