The state herald., 1897-04-16
PARsEE TOWERS OF SILENCE.
They Servo In Place of Burying Grounds
How Constructed,

HnoCE ioWEHS of oiLENCEs
They Serve In Place of Burying Grounds
How Constructed.
The bubonic plague, which now is
ravaging India and has gone as far on
the way to Europe as the island OF
kamaran, in the Red sea, is attributed
by medical men to number of diverse
causes, says lie Monde 1llustre. In n
consideration of possible causes and
certain propagators OF the pest the
famous towers of silence. which might
more exactly be named towers of death,
should not fail to receive attention.
The towers, of which there are ll5
scattered throughout India, serve de-
votees of the Parsee cult in place OF
buryinG grounds. This body of relig-
ionists one of the most curious aud at
the same time one of the most civilized
in India, is given to the worship OF are
in all its forms. At Bombay, where
their colony numbers 47,45S persons.
and which. 1t is to be noted. has suf-
fered more than any other Indian city
from the pestilence, the Parsees have
built seven of these towers, one after
the other for the inhumation, SO to
speak, of their corelgionists. These
seven towers, or dakmas, are grouped
at the summit of Malabar hill, which
overlooks the sea at some miles dis
tance from Bombay. Contrary to what
one might suppose, Malabar hill is
delightful suburb. well built up with
beautiful cottages, the dwellers In
which seem TO live in no fear of the
hideous dakmas near by. In point OF
construction these towers are enormous
masses of masonry, built to last for
centuries. The material is black gran
lite, heavily whitcwashed. Their height
is altogether out of proportion to their
diameter. The highest of them is nine
ty feet in diameter and thirty-iive feet
high. stone parapet fourteen feet
high surrounds the platform on which
the bodies are first laid. Thus all that
passes within Is invisible from without.
but the tower is open to sun and rain.
In the center of the platform is well.
fifteen feet in depth and forty-five feet
In diameter. into which are cast the
bones of the devout after the vultures
have stripped them. From the bottom
OF this bone well, down through the
masonry of the platform, run four
canals, at right angles each pair to the
other. Each of these ends in pit
filled with charcoal. the intention be-
ing thus to purify the teachings from
the bone well. The platform above is
divided into seventy-two compart-
ments, or open burial cases, disposed
along radii Of the tower circle. These
lie in three concentric circular rows,
separated by stone CUTTERS. which lead
to the canals and wells below. 1t may
be observed that the number 3 is SYM
bolic of the three precepts of Zoroaster
and the number ~ OF the seyenty-two
chapters OF the Yasne. one of the sec
tions of the Zend-Avesta. The outer
circular row OF stone biers serves for
tho men OF the Parsee faith. To the
row next smaller are consigned the
bodies Of the women. while the inner
row is for the bodies OF the children.
The bearers Of bodies to the interior OF
the towers of silence take many precau-
tions TO avoid spreading contagion.
without. After depositing the body on
its slab they bathe and change every
shred of clothing before issuing from
the tower. and the Parsees stoutly deny
that their funeral customs are in any
wise responsible for the spreading of
contagion. Our prophet. Zoroaster.' &c
they say. who lived more than 5000
years ago. has taught MS to consider
the elements as the symbols OF diyin-
ity Earth. water and fire ought never
10 be polluted under any circumstance
by contact with putrefaction. Naked
we came into the world: naked we 20
out. II Ia necdful that the particles OF
our bodies be decomposed MS rapidly as
possible. that our mother, the earth. be
not defiled. God sends the yultures,
and surely they accomplish their work
more rapidly than do millions Of in
sccts. In the case Of burial From the
sanitary point Of view no system can
be better than ours"