“Disposal at Doongerwadi”

It was interesting to read Los Angeles based Adi B. Gandhi’s informative letter "Disposal at Doongerwadi” and Oman based Cyrus Banaji’s piece "Rot in peace?” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, September 21, 2006).

I am all for our ancient system of dakhmenashini which works efficiently only if all elements for its successful functioning are present. But now for the last many years, the most important element, namely the vultures, are non-existent, and therefore the system stands totally collapsed and dysfunctional.

In the absence of vultures, our system is a total failure, as can be experienced by the foul smell in the dakhma areas. Few months back I myself experienced an overwhelming foul stench as soon as we entered the gate after the Albless Bungli, while following the mortal remains of a dear departed being taken up there after the geh sarna. Everyone of us had to cover our noses with handkerchiefs and I almost puked twice due to this unbearable stench.

However, on September 16, 2006, when I attended a relative’s morning funeral at Doongerwadi, there was no stench at all. But I noticed several large mounds of soil covered with plastic sheets on which stones were kept. I had never seen such mounds of soil before as I am very observant. Maybe the decomposed bodies had been taken out from the dakhmas and buried here, in the vicinity of the dakhmas, and that is why no stench was coming.

Later, after the funeral, as usual I went to the gate of the Anjuman dakhma near the sagdi, to spend a few minutes in silent prayer there as my dear late parents and several late dear friends and relatives have been consigned to this dakhma. I was praying all alone there when a nassessalar came up and tried to open the gate’s lock but failed to open the lock. Then he went around the wire meshing where there was an opening, and went up to the Anjuman dakhma, opened the door and went in. As he stepped in, I observed several huge kites fly out of the dakhma. After a few minutes, the nassessalar came out and said ‘sahebji’ to me as he passed me. I started talking to him. He said the solar concentrator on this dakhma is under repairs and he had gone inside to retrieve a tool (now in his hand) which had fallen inside. I asked him about the kites and he said these kites and crows don’t eat the corpses, they only peck away at the eyes and the solar concentrators dry up the bodies after which they are brought outside and buried in the vicinity of the dakhmas. Now this dakhma is clean and will be operational in a few days. Then I asked him about the several huge mounds of soil covered with plastic sheets. He denied that decomposed corpses had been buried there and said that those were construction materials for ongoing repair work, covered due to rains. I felt he was not telling the truth here. Then he pleasantly surprised me by saying that two vultures have come back since the last few days and are perched on the trees behind the Anjuman dakhma. However, they were not visible from where we were standing due to the thick foliage caused by the good rains we were having. Let’s hope this is true and these vultures start breeding and attract other vultures also. Let’s also hope that the kids of the highrises behind the Doongerwadi do not scare them away by shooting at them.

Through Parsiana I request the trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet to confirm the return of two vultures and also to make regular request representations/official communications to the office bearers of the adjoining highrises to restrain their residents’ kids from scaring away/shooting at these huge birds.

RUSI MISTRY