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In the meantime, we will climb to the top of the Malabar hill, to the “Tower of Silence”, the last dwelling for each of the sons of Zoroaster.   

In the meantime, we will climb to the top of the Malabar hill, to the “Tower of Silence”, the last dwelling for each of the sons of Zoroaster.   

The “Tower of Silence” is said to be a Parsi cemetery. Here their dead, rich and poor, ''nabob<ref>''Nabob'' – a governor in India during the Mogul empire. – Ed.</ref>'' and ''coolie<ref>''Coolie'' – an unskilled Asian laborer. – Ed.</ref>'', men, women and children, are all laid in a row, and in a few minutes nothing remains of them but bare skeletons. A strange and dismal impression is made upon a foreigner by these towers, where absolute silence has reigned for centuries, indeed. This kind of building is very common in every place were Parsees live and die, especially in Surat. But in Bombay, of six towers, the largest was built 250 years ago, and the next largest one – just recently. They are round or sometime square in shape, from 20 to 40 feet high, without roof, window, or door, but with a single small thick iron gate opening towards the East, hidden by bushes. The first corpse brought to a new tower ''dakhma'' (so they call these towers) must be the body of the innocent child, and certainly of a ''mobed'' (priest). No one, not even the chief watcher, is allowed to approach within a distance of thirty paces of these towers. Of all living human beings the ''Nassesalars'' (corpse-carriers)<ref>The life these men lead is simply wretched. No European executioner's position is worse. They live quite apart from the rest of the world, in whose eyes they are the most abject of beings. Being forbidden to enter the markets, they must get their food as they can. They are born, marry, and die, perfect strangers to all except their own class, passing through the streets only to fetch the dead and carry them to the tower.</ref> alone enter and leave the “Tower of Silence,”  their craft is hereditary and the law strictly prohibits them speaking with the living, touching or even approaching them. Entering the tower with a corpse, covered (it doesn't matter whether a rich or a poor person) with old white rags, they undress it and place it, in silence, on one of the three circles and preserving the same silence, they come out, shut the gate until the next corpse, and burn the rags without a delay.

The “Tower of Silence” is said to be a Parsi cemetery. Here their dead, rich and poor, ''nabob<ref>''Nabob'' – a governor in India during the Mogul empire. – Ed.</ref>'' and ''coolie<ref>''Coolie'' – an unskilled Asian laborer. – Ed.</ref>'', men, women and children, are all laid in a row, and in a few minutes nothing remains of them but bare skeletons. A strange and dismal impression is made upon a foreigner by these towers, where absolute silence has reigned for centuries, indeed. This kind of building is very common in every place were Parsis live and die, especially in Surat. But in Bombay, of six towers, the largest was built 250 years ago, and the next largest one – just recently. They are round or sometime square in shape, from 20 to 40 feet high, without roof, window, or door, but with a single small thick iron gate opening towards the East, hidden by bushes. The first corpse brought to a new tower ''dakhma'' (so they call these towers) must be the body of the innocent child, and certainly of a ''mobed'' (priest). No one, not even the chief watcher, is allowed to approach within a distance of thirty paces of these towers. Of all living human beings the ''Nassesalars'' (corpse-carriers)<ref>The life these men lead is simply wretched. No European executioner's position is worse. They live quite apart from the rest of the world, in whose eyes they are the most abject of beings. Being forbidden to enter the markets, they must get their food as they can. They are born, marry, and die, perfect strangers to all except their own class, passing through the streets only to fetch the dead and carry them to the tower.</ref> alone enter and leave the “Tower of Silence,”  their craft is hereditary and the law strictly prohibits them speaking with the living, touching or even approaching them. Entering the tower with a corpse, covered (it doesn't matter whether a rich or a poor person) with old white rags, they undress it and place it, in silence, on one of the three circles and preserving the same silence, they come out, shut the gate until the next corpse, and burn the rags without a delay.

Amongst the fire-worshippers, Death is divested of all his majesty and is a mere object of disgust. As soon as the last hour of a sick person seems to approach, everyone leaves the person alone, as  to avoid impeding the departure of the soul from the body, so to shun the risk of polluting the living by contact with the dead. The ''mobed'' alone stays with the dying man for a while, and having whispered into his ear the Zend-Avesta precepts: “Ashem-Vohu” and “Yato-Ahuvarie,” leaves the room while the patient is still alive. Then a dog is brought and made to look straight into his face. This ceremony is called ''sas-did'' (the dog's gaze), since a dog is the only living creature that the ''drux-nassu'' (the evil demon) fears, and that is able to prevent him from taking possession of the body... It must be strictly observed though that no one's shadow lies between the dying man and the dog, otherwise the whole strength of the dog's gaze will be lost, and the demon will profit by the occasion. The body remains on the spot wherever Parsee dies, until the ''nassesalars'' appear with their arms hidden up to the shoulders under old bags, to take it away. Having deposited it in a covered iron coffin – one for everybody – they carry it to the ''dakhma''. If any one, who has once been carried thither, should happen to revive – which happens quite often –  he will not come out anymore for nassesalars are bound to kill him. For such a person, who has been polluted by one touch of the dead bodies in the “tower”, has thereby lost all right to return to the living, by doing so he would contaminate the whole community.<ref>As some such cases have occurred, the Parsees are trying to get a new law passed, that would firstly allow the revival to come back to the world of living ones, and secondly compel the ''nassesalars'' to leave the only gate of the dakhma unlocked, so that ex-dead might find a way of retreat open to them. It is curious that the vultures, which devour without hesitation the corpses, will never touch those who are only apparently dead, but fly away uttering loud shrieks.</ref> Relatives follow the coffin at a distance and stop 90 paces away from the “tower”. After a last prayer at the gate of the dakhma, pronounced from afar by the ''mobed'', and repeated in chorus by the ''nassesalars'', the dog ceremony is repeated. In Bombay there is a dog, trained for this purpose, at the entrance to the tower. Finally, the body is taken inside and placed on one or other spot, according to its sex and age.

Amongst the fire-worshippers, Death is divested of all his majesty and is a mere object of disgust. As soon as the last hour of a sick person seems to approach, everyone leaves the person alone, as  to avoid impeding the departure of the soul from the body, so to shun the risk of polluting the living by contact with the dead. The ''mobed'' alone stays with the dying man for a while, and having whispered into his ear the Zend-Avesta precepts: “Ashem-Vohu” and “Yato-Ahuvarie,” leaves the room while the patient is still alive. Then a dog is brought and made to look straight into his face. This ceremony is called ''sas-did'' (the dog's gaze), since a dog is the only living creature that the ''drux-nassu'' (the evil demon) fears, and that is able to prevent him from taking possession of the body... It must be strictly observed though that no one's shadow lies between the dying man and the dog, otherwise the whole strength of the dog's gaze will be lost, and the demon will profit by the occasion. The body remains on the spot wherever Parsi dies, until the ''nassesalars'' appear with their arms hidden up to the shoulders under old bags, to take it away. Having deposited it in a covered iron coffin – one for everybody – they carry it to the ''dakhma''. If any one, who has once been carried thither, should happen to revive – which happens quite often –  he will not come out anymore for nassesalars are bound to kill him. For such a person, who has been polluted by one touch of the dead bodies in the “tower”, has thereby lost all right to return to the living, by doing so he would contaminate the whole community.<ref>As some such cases have occurred, the Parsis are trying to get a new law passed, that would firstly allow the revival to come back to the world of living ones, and secondly compel the ''nassesalars'' to leave the only gate of the dakhma unlocked, so that ex-dead might find a way of retreat open to them. It is curious that the vultures, which devour without hesitation the corpses, will never touch those who are only apparently dead, but fly away uttering loud shrieks.</ref> Relatives follow the coffin at a distance and stop 90 paces away from the “tower”. After a last prayer at the gate of the dakhma, pronounced from afar by the ''mobed'', and repeated in chorus by the ''nassesalars'', the dog ceremony is repeated. In Bombay there is a dog, trained for this purpose, at the entrance to the tower. Finally, the body is taken inside and placed on one or other spot, according to its sex and age.

We have twice been present at the ceremonies of “dying,” and once of “burial,” if I may be permitted to use such an incongruous term in this case. In this respect the Parsees are much more tolerant than the Hindus, who are offended by the mere presence at their religious rites of an European. N. Bayranji, a chief watcher of the tower, invited us to his house to be present at the burial of some rich woman. So we witnessed all the rituals at a distance of about forty paces, on bungalow’s verandah of our obliging host. He himself, although he had served at the “tower” for many years, never entered it and did not even come close. While the dog was gazing into the dead woman's face, we were gazing, as intently, but with much more disgust, at the huge flock of vultures above the ''dakhma'', that kept entering the tower, and flying out again with pieces of human flesh in their beaks... These birds, that build their nests in hundreds round the Tower of Silence, have been purposely imported from Persia, since Indian vultures proved to be too weak, and not sufficiently bloodthirsty, to perform the process of stripping the bones with the dispatch prescribed by law of Zoroaster. We were told that the entire operation of denuding the bones occupies no more than a few minutes...  

We have twice been present at the ceremonies of “dying,” and once of “burial,” if I may be permitted to use such an incongruous term in this case. In this respect the Parsis are much more tolerant than the Hindus, who are offended by the mere presence at their religious rites of an European. N. Bayranji, a chief watcher of the tower, invited us to his house to be present at the burial of some rich woman. So we witnessed all the rituals at a distance of about forty paces, on bungalow’s verandah of our obliging host. He himself, although he had served at the “tower” for many years, never entered it and did not even come close. While the dog was gazing into the dead woman's face, we were gazing, as intently, but with much more disgust, at the huge flock of vultures above the ''dakhma'', that kept entering the tower, and flying out again with pieces of human flesh in their beaks... These birds, that build their nests in hundreds round the Tower of Silence, have been purposely imported from Persia, since Indian vultures proved to be too weak, and not sufficiently bloodthirsty, to perform the process of stripping the bones with the dispatch prescribed by law of Zoroaster. We were told that the entire operation of denuding the bones occupies no more than a few minutes...  

As soon as the ceremony was over, we were led into another building, where a model of the ''dakhma'' with all its inner facilities was to be seen. We could now very easily imagine what was to take place presently inside the tower. Imagine a quadrangular chimney standing on the ground, and you will get the right idea about the structure of an empty “tower”. In the granite platform, in the very center, there is a deep, waterless well covered, like a drain, with an iron grating. Around, on a slope constantly rising to the wall, surrounding the well with a triple ring, three wide circles were dug; in each of them, separated from one another by a thin wall about two vershoks [4 inches] high, there are coffin-like receptacles for bodies. There are 365 such places. The first circle or dent (2 feet width) near the well is destined for children, the middle one (4 feet width) is for women, and the third one (5 feet width) near the wall is for men. This threefold circle is symbolical of three cardinal Zoroastrian virtues – “good actions, kind words, and pure thoughts”. The last circle belongs to children, the first one – to man.

As soon as the ceremony was over, we were led into another building, where a model of the ''dakhma'' with all its inner facilities was to be seen. We could now very easily imagine what was to take place presently inside the tower. Imagine a quadrangular chimney standing on the ground, and you will get the right idea about the structure of an empty “tower”. In the granite platform, in the very center, there is a deep, waterless well covered, like a drain, with an iron grating. Around, on a slope constantly rising to the wall, surrounding the well with a triple ring, three wide circles were dug; in each of them, separated from one another by a thin wall about two vershoks [4 inches] high, there are coffin-like receptacles for bodies. There are 365 such places. The first circle or dent (2 feet width) near the well is destined for children, the middle one (4 feet width) is for women, and the third one (5 feet width) near the wall is for men. This threefold circle is symbolical of three cardinal Zoroastrian virtues – “good actions, kind words, and pure thoughts”. The last circle belongs to children, the first one – to man.

Thanks to the flocks of hungry vultures, the bones are gnawed round till the last atom in less than an hour, and, in two or three weeks, the tropical sun scorches them into such a state of fragility, that the slightest touch ruins them down to powder, it is when they are carried down into the well. No slightest smell is left behind, no source of plagues or other epidemic. Perhaps this method is  preferable to cremation, which leaves in the air about the ''ghat<ref>The ''Ghat'' is a place by the sea, or river shore, where Hindus burn their dead.</ref>'' a faint but disagreeable odour. Instead of feeding “Mother Wet Earth”<ref>Mother Wet Earth (Rus. Мать сыра земля) – Slavonic deity of fertile earth. – Ed.</ref> with carrion, Parsees give to ''Armaiti'' (earth)<ref>''Armaiti'' means, literally, “fostering cow,” and Zoroaster teaches that the cultivation of land is the noblest of all occupations in the eyes of God. – ''Yasna'' (hymns)</ref> pure dust. Accordingly, the worship of Earth is so sacred among the Parsees, that they take all possible precautions against polluting the “fostering cow” that gives them “a hundred golden grains for every single grain.” In the season of the Monsoon, when, during four months, the rain pours incessantly down and washes into the well everything that is left by the vultures, the water absorbed by the earth is filtered, for the bottom of the well, the walls of which are built of granite, is, to this end, covered with sand and charcoal.

Thanks to the flocks of hungry vultures, the bones are gnawed round till the last atom in less than an hour, and, in two or three weeks, the tropical sun scorches them into such a state of fragility, that the slightest touch ruins them down to powder, it is when they are carried down into the well. No slightest smell is left behind, no source of plagues or other epidemic. Perhaps this method is  preferable to cremation, which leaves in the air about the ''ghat<ref>The ''Ghat'' is a place by the sea, or river shore, where Hindus burn their dead.</ref>'' a faint but disagreeable odour. Instead of feeding “Mother Wet Earth”<ref>Mother Wet Earth (Rus. Мать сыра земля) – Slavonic deity of fertile earth. – Ed.</ref> with carrion, Parsis give to ''Armaiti'' (earth)<ref>''Armaiti'' means, literally, “fostering cow,” and Zoroaster teaches that the cultivation of land is the noblest of all occupations in the eyes of God. – ''Yasna'' (hymns)</ref> pure dust. Accordingly, the worship of Earth is so sacred among the Parsis, that they take all possible precautions against polluting the “fostering cow” that gives them “a hundred golden grains for every single grain.” In the season of the Monsoon, when, during four months, the rain pours incessantly down and washes into the well everything that is left by the vultures, the water absorbed by the earth is filtered, for the bottom of the well, the walls of which are built of granite, is, to this end, covered with sand and charcoal.

The sight of the Pinjarapala is less lugubrious and much more amusing. The Pinjarapala is the Bombay Hospital for decrepit animals, but a similar institution exists in every town where Jainas dwell, about whom it is a right time to say several words. Being undoubtedly one of the most ancient, this is also one of the most interesting, of the sects of India. It is much older than Buddhism, (which took its rise about 543 to 477 B.C.). Jainas boast that Buddhism is nothing more than a mere heresy of Jainism, Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, having been a disciple and follower of one of the main Jaina Gurus. The customs, rites, and philosophical conceptions of Jainas place them midway between the Brahmins and the Buddhists. In view of their social arrangements, they more closely resemble the former, but in their religion they incline towards the latter. Their caste divisions, their total abstinence from flesh, and their non-worship of the relics of the saints, are as strictly observed as the similar tenets of the Brahmins, but, like Buddhists, they deny the Hindu gods and the authority of the Vedas, and adore their own twenty-four Tirthankaras, or Jinas, who belong to the Host of the Blissful. Their priests, like the Buddhists', never marry, they live in isolated ''viharas'' (cells) and monasteries, choosing their successors from among the members of any social class. Considering Pali as a sacred language, they use it alone in their sacred literature (as well as in Ceylon). Jainas and Buddhists have the same traditional chronology. As Buddhists do, they do not eat after sunset, and carefully sweep any place before sitting down upon it, that they may not crush even the tiniest of insects. Both systems, or rather both schools of philosophy, teach the theory of eternal indestructible atoms, following the ancient atomistic school of Kanada<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanada_(philosopher) Kanada] (III–II centuries B.C.) – an Indian natural scientist and philosopher who founded the Vaisheshika school; also known as Kashyapa, Ulūka, Kananda and Kanabhuk. – Ed.</ref>. They assert that the universe never had a beginning and never will have an end. “The world and everything in it is but an illusion, a Maya,” say the Vedantists, the Buddhists, and the Jainas; but, whereas the followers of Sankaracharya preach Parabrahm (a deity devoid of will, understanding, and action),<ref>Brahm – without understanding, mind or will, “because It is absolute understanding, mind and will.”</ref> and Ishwara emanating from It, the Jainas and the Buddhists believe in no Creator of the Universe, but teach only the existence of Svabhâvat, a mutable, infinite, self-created principle in Nature. Still they firmly believe, as do all Indian sects, in the transmigration of souls. Their fear, lest, by killing an animal or an insect, they may, perchance, destroy the life of an ancestor, develops their love and care for every living creature to an almost incredible extent. Not only is there a hospital for invalid animals in every town and village, but their priests always wear a muslin muzzle (I trust they will pardon the disrespectful expression), in order to avoid destroying even the smallest animalcule, by inadvertence in the act of breathing. The same fear impels them to drink only filtered water. There are several millions of Jainas in Gujerat, Bombay, Konkan, and some other places.

The sight of the Pinjarapala is less lugubrious and much more amusing. The Pinjarapala is the Bombay Hospital for decrepit animals, but a similar institution exists in every town where Jainas dwell, about whom it is a right time to say several words. Being undoubtedly one of the most ancient, this is also one of the most interesting, of the sects of India. It is much older than Buddhism, (which took its rise about 543 to 477 B.C.). Jainas boast that Buddhism is nothing more than a mere heresy of Jainism, Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, having been a disciple and follower of one of the main Jaina Gurus. The customs, rites, and philosophical conceptions of Jainas place them midway between the Brahmins and the Buddhists. In view of their social arrangements, they more closely resemble the former, but in their religion they incline towards the latter. Their caste divisions, their total abstinence from flesh, and their non-worship of the relics of the saints, are as strictly observed as the similar tenets of the Brahmins, but, like Buddhists, they deny the Hindu gods and the authority of the Vedas, and adore their own twenty-four Tirthankaras, or Jinas, who belong to the Host of the Blissful. Their priests, like the Buddhists', never marry, they live in isolated ''viharas'' (cells) and monasteries, choosing their successors from among the members of any social class. Considering Pali as a sacred language, they use it alone in their sacred literature (as well as in Ceylon). Jainas and Buddhists have the same traditional chronology. As Buddhists do, they do not eat after sunset, and carefully sweep any place before sitting down upon it, that they may not crush even the tiniest of insects. Both systems, or rather both schools of philosophy, teach the theory of eternal indestructible atoms, following the ancient atomistic school of Kanada<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanada_(philosopher) Kanada] (III–II centuries B.C.) – an Indian natural scientist and philosopher who founded the Vaisheshika school; also known as Kashyapa, Ulūka, Kananda and Kanabhuk. – Ed.</ref>. They assert that the universe never had a beginning and never will have an end. “The world and everything in it is but an illusion, a Maya,” say the Vedantists, the Buddhists, and the Jainas; but, whereas the followers of Sankaracharya preach Parabrahm (a deity devoid of will, understanding, and action),<ref>Brahm – without understanding, mind or will, “because It is absolute understanding, mind and will.”</ref> and Ishwara emanating from It, the Jainas and the Buddhists believe in no Creator of the Universe, but teach only the existence of Svabhâvat, a mutable, infinite, self-created principle in Nature. Still they firmly believe, as do all Indian sects, in the transmigration of souls. Their fear, lest, by killing an animal or an insect, they may, perchance, destroy the life of an ancestor, develops their love and care for every living creature to an almost incredible extent. Not only is there a hospital for invalid animals in every town and village, but their priests always wear a muslin muzzle (I trust they will pardon the disrespectful expression), in order to avoid destroying even the smallest animalcule, by inadvertence in the act of breathing. The same fear impels them to drink only filtered water. There are several millions of Jainas in Gujerat, Bombay, Konkan, and some other places.