Parsi dog-ma

Prophet Zoroaster never taught us to treat humans of other faiths as inferior to Zoroastrians. Yet, we consider our non-Zoroastrian friends inferior not only to us but even to dogs, just because they follow some other religion. We consider them unfit to see the face of departed Zoroastrians after the sachkar prayers have been recited, just prior to carrying the corpse to its final resting place.

But, these same Parsis have no qualms in exposing the face of the departed Zoroastrian to a dog after the sachkar rites are over. Nay, we do so deliberately, believing that the sniff of a dog certifies that no trace of life exists in the dead body. It is also believed that the gaze of a dog guides the departed soul to heaven. As far as a medical death certificate from a dog is concerned, how many instances have been recorded, throughout all the dakhmas and aramgahs in the country, where a dog has detected traces of life in a corpse? As for leading the soul to heaven, we know for certain that the mere gaze of a dog is not going to fulfil this mission.

Similarly, we must have simple common sense to believe, that the mere gaze of a non-Zoroastrian friend will not prevent the soul from reaching heaven. Preventing a life-long non-Zoroastrian friend, from paying homage to a departed Zoroastrian friend if he or she fails to reach the site of the funeral prior to the sachkar prayers, is an open insult to such non-Zoroastrian friends. More so, when they come to learn that they are considered inferior to even a strange dog which may not have known the departed, throughout his or her lifetime.

Parsis in big cities and towns of India do not seem to realize that Parsi Zoroastrians do live and die in remote parts of India and abroad where even a couple of able-bodied Zoroastrians may not be available to shoulder the corpse and lay it to rest in a grave. Under these circumstances, come to our aid none other but our non-Zoroastrian friends. Is it suggested by our orthodox clan that such Zoroastrians souls will never reach heaven just because they have been gazed at and even touched by non-Zoroastrians? One is destined to go to heaven or hell, depending upon the quality of life spent on earth. Self-styled, advanced and highly educated Parsis should have this much common sense at least.

FARAMARZ B. SETHNA

Gandhidham (Kutch)