The Ely miner., 1928-11-02


in the Eighth century, emigrated TO
India and made a settlement at San
Jan, in The neighborhOod of Surat.
Here / ey lived in the Sanjan country
for some seven hundred years in tran
Quillity and in full enjoyment of their
religious rites, under the government
of the Hindu rajahs of Sanjan, Guz'
erat.
They chiefly occupied themselves in
agriculture and industrial pursuits. 1t
is said that hey not only turned the
face of the territory they occupied
from dreary jungle into a fruitful
garden and made It blossom as the
rose but they also enjoyed consider
able pr sperity.
About the time of the discovery of
America the Hindu rajah's govern
ment, under which they lived, was
overthrown by Mohammedan-Afga
conqueror. The Parsees, with high
character for fidelity. were loyal to
the Indian Eings, who had given them
and their ancestors a welcome when
they had been driven from their own
Persian homes by the same foe. They
gathered their forces to the standard
of the rajahs, and proved themselves
of great valor. The result of the cam
paign was, however, one disaster.
They were finally dispersed from the
Sanjan country and compelled to seek
new homes in other parts of GUZerat.
1t was probably some time after this
event, though there does not seem TO
exist Gny authoritative record of the
exact date when the Parsees arrived
in Bombay. 1t may, however, be safely
said tfat their settlement in that is
land was some I'll before Bombay
was ceded to the British, in 1869, by
the king of Portugal, as a dOwry of
Catherine, princess of BraganZa, who
became the wife of Charles the Second
of England.
AS sect in Persia they have disap-
peared under religious prosecutions,
and lave sunk into ignorance and pow
erty, though still preserving reputa-
tion for honesty, industry, and obedi-
CilNC W law SupCliOl W thdt VI OlhCf
Persians.
Never Absorbed BY the Hindus.
There seems to be no authoritative
information as to the number compos-
ing the first exodus to India, or if the
Parsee colony was ever materially in
creased by early additions from Per-
sia.
For some 1,2O0 years they have lived
among the all-absorbent Hindus, yet
this mere handful, of people have moi
been absorbed. During the last 3tU
years the transmissive influence of an
Anglo-Saxon civilization has been re-
flected upon them, yet they remain
Parsees still.
The Parsees of India have been ex-
ceedingly prosperous and have stead
lily increased in number, now being
variously estimated at about 100 600
ouls They are most numerous in
Bombay. "A few have settled in China
and remote places in India for the
purpose of trade, but these outlying
settlements do not contain more than
that about 81 per cent of the Parsees
in India reside in the Bombay presi-
denty.
On the spread Of Mohammedanism
to India they became again the sub
ject of persecution. Since the occupa-
ton of India by the British they have
Jared better, and now form peace
full, intelligent, wealthy and influential
community.
Physically they are tall and erect,
having remarkably small hands and
feet, with facial features resembling
the Europeans. They have a quick
ness Of action bordering on nervous
ness. Their hair is jet black and their
eyes are dark. They are exceedingly
polite, kind and hOspitable, often put
ting themselves to great Inconvenience
to accommodate stranger.
The I'arsees have many customs
that differ markedly from those OF
other peoples That which marks them
most strongly. perhaps. is their meth
cd of disposal of their dead. Since
they hold fire, earth and water as
sacred elements. they are unwilling to
burn or bury the dead or To cast them
into the sea or .ivers. Instead they
expose them to vultures in great round
stone structures called Towers of ST.
lence" Five such towers rise on Mala.
bar hill in the outskirts of Bombay.