The Tower of Silence,
often known as Dongerwadi by the Parsi Zoroastrians, is a circular structure
used for the burial of corpses. The traditional method involved the corpse
being exposed to sunlight and served as food for scavengers.
Architecture
of the Tower of Silence
The circular structure
where the bodies are buried is called a dakhma and it comprises of three concentric
circles. The outer circle is for the burial of men, the centre for the women and
the inner for children.
Once consumed and the
body disintegrated, the bones slide down to the ossuary pit where they are left
to dry under the sun for days, until cleared through natural processes. This
process is called sky burial or excarnation.
The traditional method
adopted in Iran included the dakhma being located in a secluded place,
somewhere in the mountains. However, due to the expansion of cities, the Tower
of Silence was being built in the midst of the cities.
The ritual of burial in
the Tower of Silence is prevalent even today. Out of the few Zoroastrians left
in the world, most of them reside in India. 42,000 out of 64,000 reside in Mumbai.
The Tower of Silence in Mumbai is located at Kemps Corner, Malabar Hill.
Death:
The Last Act of Charity
This method of burial
is practiced because Parsis worship the natural elements like fire, water,
earth and air. Since the burial of a corpse in a dakhma does not pollute any of
these elements, this process is best suited for the Zoroastrians.
The dead body is
considered to be ‘nasu’ or unclean and is said to be polluted by demons and
impurity as soon as it dies. It is believed that the body would contaminate
everything that came in contact with it.
A purification ritual
is performed before prayers are offered to the dead body and carried to the
dakhma for its final journey. Allowing the scavengers to feed on the dead is
considered a last act of charity on behalf of the deceased.
How Do Parsis Cremate the Dead?
As soon as the body of
the deceased is brought to a ‘bungli’ (house) in the Tower of Silence, a few
men wash the body with water and make it wear a new white suit. After this, a
family member ties the holy thread, 'Kusti' around the deceased, while another
recites a prayer close to the ear.
After this ritual, no
family member can come in contact with the dead. There are two or more
particular persons in every Tower of Silence called the ‘khandias’ who then sit
next to the body and manoeuvre it throughout the process, up to the final
destination, the dakhma.
They are dressed in
white uniform and each part of their body is covered, apart from the face. They
hold a ‘paiwand’ between them in the form of a white cloth or handkerchief that
connects the two men in the process since it is believed that no one should
bury the dead alone.
The priests then begin
to recite the funeral prayers and the holy Avesta as a part of the procession.
They maintain a three feet distance from the body. The holy fire or Atash is
said to destroy all the germs and disinfectants of the dead.
There is a unique
ritual where a four eyed dog is made to see the body. The dog is considered to
detect if the body is finally dead and prepares the soul for its journey by
warding off evil spirits and germs. The four eyes are said to be four because
the dog chosen usually has two spots, one above each eye.
Once the funeral
prayers are completed, the body is placed on an iron stretcher by the khandias
and carried to the dakhma. As soon as the body is picked up from the wooden
slabs, ‘nirang’ or cow urine is sprinkled. Nirang is believed to be a
disinfectant.
Final
Journey
Usually there is an
uphill climb to reach a dakhma since it has to be located in a secluded place.
The family members are allowed to accompany the khandias till a certain point.
Most choose to do it out of respect.
The pall-bearers/
Khandias take over the procession from here. After a long walk, the khandias open
the iron lock of the dakhma and place the place the body in the respective
concentric circle based on its gender.
They undress the body
with the help of metallic hooks and instruments and place it for the
consumption of scavengers. At all times, before and after coming in contact
with the dead, the khandias are supposed to recite a prayer.
Once the body is
completely decomposed, the bones of the dead slide down to an ossuary pit and
with the help of rain water, they are either carried away in pipes to the ocean
or disintegrate to form various minerals like coal and lime.
Do
the Parsis Still Use the Tower of Silence?
This burial practice
remains unchanged even today. An added advantage to this system is the
advancement of technology. Due to proper and updated drainage systems, the
dakhma remains clean and sanitised at all times.
The usage of solar
panels is now common and helps to speed the process of decomposition. This
method of sky burial is environment friendly as it does not harm any natural
elements and keeps the food chain intact.
It is not only a natural
method, but also provides essential minerals back to mother earth. The Tower of
Silence follows the most ancient method of burial since the 5th
century and is often a highlight of the Parsi community due to the mysteries of
the funeral processions which non-Parsis are forbidden to see.
Today, the Tower of
Silence is losing its ancient importance since the Parsis resort to an
alternative form of burial in electric crematoriums. In 2008, it was discovered
that the population of vultures in Mumbai had deeply reduced.
This was due to the
consumption of drugs that was mostly found in the body of the deceased. The
drugs were from injections given to the deceased in hospitals or the medicines.
Due to the urban location of the Tower of Silence in Mumbai and most other cities, very few scavengers frequent the dakhma. Due to this, the solar panels were introduced and has proved to be very effective.
We, the Parsis are
praised due to our ethnic purity and practice of ancient rituals. I have always
been asked if we are “buried in a well and eaten by vultures”, but there is so
much more rationale behind every ritual.
As soon as you enter
the Tower of Silence, you may find it hard to believe that you are in an urban
city. You are immediately surrounded by peacocks and the song of birds you may
never have seen and heard.
The Tower of Silence is an oasis of serenity amongst the busy and mundane life of people today. It is possibly the most peaceful form of burial to have been practiced till this day.
Written by Jerusha
Patel
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