The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-08-24
THE PARSEES Oh INDIA.

ay2sEH%8 Llulbs gIaSAsa VAiAO a
n RARSEES Oh INDIA.
a strictiy Exclusive mi Very Pecu
liar Peopie-Their Traditions aud
Cusfoins.
The Parsees of India are the descend
ants Of the ancient Persian stfre-wor-
shippers, They claim q history back to
The. Zendavesta is their holy
book. and the venerated Zoroaster, who
dourished B. G. $50, is their great proph-
ct. Driven from Persia, a thousand
years ago, they founda refuge in India.
Now there are but 8 900 left in their an
cient home. OF this strange people
there are but about 209, 900 in the world.
Ofthis number 100000 are in India.
bombay, ..the city Of the Parsees," has
III, 900, making Of the entire
population .Assyou walk the streets Of
Bombay YOU cannot help noticing these
disciples of Zoroaster, differing as they
do from both Mohammedans and
Hindoos. The Parsee gentleman
- tall and erect, with fair complex
ion and dignifed air. His long white
coat of silk ofsine muslin ia buttoned.
closely from chin to waist, and hangs in.
Q I'LL Howing skirt to the knees. He
wears q tai, tapering,i queer-looking,t in
deScribable hat, without a bri.n, inciin-
Ing backward from the forehead, and
looking very much like a section of a
%stovepipe. 1t is apparently of paste
board covered with brown silk or mus
lin. In the top lis ashoie in whichyher
puts his Handkerchief. This hat is n
OF the badges Of his religion, and he
must change it for any other
style. WiesiII EaTsee always Keeps his
head coVeTads Indoors Of out. ]dayy or
night, asleep or awake. Around his
waist he wears q silken cord. which ne
is I Q unite when at prayer. No bargain
y binding il this cord is left Off when
the contract is made. These people are
among the most intelligent, influential.
q patriotic in the community. Most
OF them are merchants and bankers,
as7sueh are honest, industrious, and
polite, taking the lead III all the com
mercial enterprises. One-half of the
wealth and three fourths of the business
OF Bombay IL in their hands. They are
often called the Jews of the east.
lne faTseess have an idotatrous ever
e,nce Tor IRE. They adore it as the prin-
ciple OF life. To extingnish a Ere ia
looked upon asa misfortune; and MANY
would not put out q fire, even if their
house WIS burning. They keep a lamp
ever burning in their houses. In a Par
eee temple is q holy room in which is a
large vase or censor containing the holy
fire, None but the high priest must en-
yer this room or approach near this fire.
when they 60 to replenish it they
must even veil their mouths and nostrils
with fine linen cloth, lest their. sinful
breath pellute the holy flames as they
fecite their prayers. The saeredSfire a.
kept burning with costly woods and fra
grant oils and spices. 1t must Y be
extinguisiled. dayser night, from year to
year n from age to age. Some years
fince q mob fof lawless Hindoos broke
into q Parsee temple in Bombay and put
put the holy fire. This insult led to a
fearful riot. We we're told that their
great teacher, Zoroaster, first brought
fhe sacred fire from heaven and placed
Y on their affairs, and since then for two
thousand years, amid all their changes.
prosecutions, and disper sions thew
eaye let Git 60 entirely out.
When they came to Hiniostan a thous-
md years ago they brought the sacred
Pre- with themN The Parseesl are sun
Eorship ers as well as ire-worshipers.
HH0rnlng and evening we have seer
Them with uplifted hands worship with
treat soIleflnity the rising and, setting
pun. The more intelligent of them say
they do not really worship the sun, but
adore ttas an emblem of God and the
source Of life. We look upon this wor-
ship a. the least Objectionable form Of
tdo!atry, for did we not know the Lord
God TO be a 'sSun and Shield" we might
easily think the sun to be lord and
god. Besides the sacred fire, the Par
Deo wOrshspthe moon, stars, water, air
earth and all the elements of nature.
But fire is their greatest object of sdora-
ti0n.
The Parsees, will not, like the Hindoos,
burn their dead, for tire il too pure to
be polluted by the touch Of death. They
Wltl not, like thesrest Of mankind, bury
In tn ground, for earth is the mother
Of mankind, and they will not deile it
by. placing 9 corpse in it's bosom. So,
will neither cremation nor burial, what
can they do @with.the remains of their
deadf On Malabar Hill the
highest ground ia theSsub lrbs Of Bonn
bay. surrounded by q lofty wall, and
carefully guarded, lathe Parsee ceme-
terry OF inortdary. Leaving the city we
Climbed the hill by q winding road lead
ing. through 9 charming grove of palms,
and past beautiful bungalows and villas,
with an enchanting view OF the city,
island and sea behind us. ut length we
reached the abode pf5death. Over the
FRAT gateway IN large letters WI read:
ssIHnNn hut ~ a1NAH nn 4. k~A n.