Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-04
rHE TOWERS OF SILENCE.

The Parsees will not, like the Hindoos,
burn their dead, for fire is 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 viii not defle it by
placing a corpse in its bosom. So, with
neither cremation nor burial, what are
they to do with the remains Of their dead
On Malabar hill, the highest ground in the
suburbs of Bombay, surrounded by a lofty
wall, and carefully guarded, is the Parsee
cemetery or mortuary. Leaving the city
we climbed the hill by winding road lead
ing through charming grove of palms,
aud past beautiful bungalows and villas,
with an enchanting view Of the city,
island and sea behind us. At length
we reached the abode of death. Over
the great gateway in large letters we read,
"None but Parsees can enter here !" For
200 years no European had ever set foot
within that Enclosure. But few years
since the Prince of Wales unsealed the en-
trance, and now by proper influence trav-
elers can obtain a pass. Thus we were
privileged TO enter the strange place. En-.
tering the mysterious inclosure. on our
right were the temples where the dead are
brought to be disrobed and anointed with
oil. Passing these we followed our guide
mp grand pathway until we were stopped
/ by another sign on which we read the
warning notice "Stop here We were
within fifty yards of the tower now in use.
Looking around we counted five great,
round, stone towers known as :" Towers OF
Silence" These circular structures are
built of large white stones, and are per-
fectly plain on the outside. They vary in
diameter from thirty to sixty feet, and are
from twenty-five to thirty feet high. The
Oldest is 200 years old, and is in
good repair. They cost about 100000
| 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
receptacles for the dead, the outer one for
men, the middle one for women and the
inner one for children. Ia the center OF
| the tower is deep we'll or pit reaching
from the top to below the bottom. Around
the outer edge OF the top is stone para
! pet, which gives greater seclusion to the
dead. At the gate of the cemetery the
funeral professions are met by the priests,
who take the remains first to the temple,
then to the tower. The bodies of the
dead are placed in the stone grooves on the
| top of the tower, and left, without a par
ticle of clothing, TO be devoured by the
great focks of hungry MIXTURES and other
carnivorous birds, which sit perched on
the towers and trees waiting for feast.
The moment the priests leave the re-
mains the gluttonous birds swoop
down upon their victim, screaming
ard quarreling as they tear it to
pieces. Within an hour every particle of
flesh is torn from the skeleton, and the
Parsee interment is complete. The naked
bones are left to dry and bleach in the sun
and wind for few days, then they are
carefully gathered up and thrown into the
deep well in the center of the tower. We
entered the cemetery about 9 o'clock in
the morning. Already three bodies had
been placed in the tower, and half hun.
bred greedy vultures had gorged themselves
with human flesh, and were sitting stupid
and satiated, lazily waiting for another
CHASTITY meal. The Parsees defend this
mode of disposing of the dead on sanitary
grounds, especially in large cities, and look
with disgust on other customs. But give
US the Bible method of burial, and the
grave for our departed, with the dear old
formula, Earth to earth, ashes to ashes,
dust to dust" Following our Savior into
the tomb we have the glad hope of a Clio.
rious resurrection. Rev. S. Brown, in
Troy Times.