Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-23
HIGH TOWERS OF SILENCE.
COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF INDIA,s
STRANGEST BURIAL PLACES.
A Parsee's Last Rites-The Structure
md How the Dead Are Deposited
in It-Bodies Are Speedily
Devoured by V%ultures.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
Less is known. by the masses of the Occi-
dent, of the Zoroastrians, or Parsees, and
their religion. than of any other Oriental
community; and although their Dakh-
mas. or towers of silence. at Bombay.
India, have been more or less specifically
described by travellers, the architectural de-
tails OF these peculiar structures have rare
~. II ever, appeared in an European or
American publication.
The most unique and impressive feature
OF Zoroastrian customs is their method Of
disposinS OF the dead. According to their
religion. earth. fire and water are sacred
elements, useful to mankind, and hence not
TO be polluted in any way. They are strict
ly enjoined that dead bodies shall not be
buried in the earth. Therefore the only
practicable course open TO them is to eX-
pose the naked bodies of their dead in the
open air so that they may decay and dis
lntesrate under the ordinary action of the
clements or be devoured by birds or beasts.
This exposure, however, is made with the
be speedily eaten by vultures, which are
numerous and voracious in Oriental coun-
tlies. and especially SO in the vicinity of q
tower of silence.
These, towers are not as numerous as is
generally supposed. Outside of Persia and
RUSSIA the only ones In use at present arc
tEose in bombay and one or two in China.
Iiiose IN bombay are located on the summit
or the Malabar NIL; a picturesque elevation on
which a magnificent view of the surround
ing country can be had. The Parsees own
about fifteen acres of the hill. and have
transformed the place into a Variable para
disc.
No Signs Of Death.
There Is nothing suggestive of death
about the place. 1t is a luxurious garden of
flowers. shrubbery. palms.
laid out with smooth, well kept gravel
walks. There are comfortable benches in
shady hooks. secluded trysting places. and
fragrant copses. where birds of brilliant
plumage sing and mate. Vigorous, eX-
uherant life Is manifest everywhere: while
al nature seems to de2recate funeral
ly joy and beauty. But these dreams are,
in Il measure. dispelled when one sees a
and recalls the purpose for which these
round; whitewashed piles of solid masonry
There are six of these towers located
within less than 100 yards of each other.
and partially hidden by the overhanging
foiiage OF palms and cypress: Five are used
in good standing In their community. while
the sixth receives the bodies of criminals
and outcasts. The first was built in 1863 and
the second in 1855.
Ceremonies.
When a death occurs the body is wrapped
In a white sheet and placed on an iron bier.
Within twelve hours thereafter it is taken
- ~ NoApoS ONoAS LII
kh&ndias, and a procession is formed head
ed by one or more mobeds. or Parsee
and friends Of the deceased in couples.
each couple holding the opposite ends of a
white handkerchief. an the participants
never worn afterward. No carriage or other
wheeled vehicle Is ever used. and the pro-
cession marches slowly and in silence from
hill. and up the long flights of stone steps
to the tower garden on the summit and to
f e pe1nt se Tishia f thir tge f es1e Of 1ee p Here fhe
mourners, mobeds and khandias leave the
body and retire to a sagree or prayer temple
sacred fire. fed with andal wood and in
cense, is kept constantly burning. While
prayers are being said for the safe passage
bridge" the corpse is taken into the tower
by two official bearers called nassasalars,
who strip it and deposit it naked in one
During all this the watchful observer will
notice evidences OF excitement among the
numerous large vultures perched among the
utter no cries, but move restlessly on the
branches and indicate plainly their impa-
thence to begin the feast prepared for them.
Left to the v%ultures.
The nassasalars. having performed their
task. emerge from the tower. closing the
door with a sharp bang. The instant this
sound is heard there arises a loud whir of
wings and a low roar as of a fierce wind
through a dense forest. A cloud of vultures
darken the air and settle down upon the
tower. In from one to two hours the bones
of the dead man are picked clean and the
gorged birds fly lazily back to their perches
or roost upon the parapet of the tower with
their heads turned inward as If contemplate
ing regretfully the remains of their recent
banquet.
The bearers. upon leaving the tower. re-
tire to a small Enclosure near by. remove all
their clothing, burn it. and battle their
bodies thoroughly. Not an article they
hose f0,,pIa1 M hoc tntt.ha1 tho worms
during the ceremony is permitted to cave
the garden; and they are supplied with new :
ers are supposed TO- CONTRACT impurity IN
to live quite apart from the rest of the
Parsee community and are, therefore,. we'll
paid.
The bones Of the deceased are allowed to
remain exposed in the receptacle from two
TO four weeks. Then the nassasalars. with
gloved hands and implements resembling
tongs. throw them into the central well.
where they ultimately crumble and pass
into the underground drains. Thus" says
the Parsee. ''the rich and the poor meet
tcpefber IN ona level Of eCualify after