“A call to alms”

The ancient practice of dakhmenashini of the Zoroastrians is miscalled "sky burial.” This practice was given a "burial” by nature itself in an area ranging from Bangladesh to Barcelona with the disappearance of the three species of Asian vultures. (I am not going into the causes here. All talk of their revival is academic and economic balderdash.)

Your editorial ("A call to alms,” Parsiana, June 21, 2012) should have stated that the entire Parsi community and not just the rabid trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and the incorrigible priests should have the right to decide whether this nature-obsolete practice should be flogged further. How do we do that?

When I was the chief executive officer of the BPP, every estate, including the dakhmas and the Doongerwadi grounds, were inspected by me every six weeks. An estate-wise log was maintained and submitted to the board of trustees quarterly. (I am told that that practice has gone defunct.)

The six-weekly inspections of the dakhmas strongly brought home memories of the photographs published by Lord Edward Russell, 2nd Baron Russell of Liverpool, in his Scourge of the Swastika.

I told the board several times that for four to six consecutive Sundays Parsis (with proper IDs) should be allowed to look in from the doors of the dakhmas (no entry inside) to see the conditions prevailing there. Then let them, and not just the die-hard trustees/priests, decide who should choose to be consigned to the Towers. Also, those who opt for an alternative mode of disposal should have their prayers performed by the priests from the first day itself and not from the fifth. I find no evidence in our scriptures which sanctions this idiocy.

A mass movement against the BPP/priests’ high-handedness is called for. Our community has remained sheepish over this issue for far too long.

BEHRAM DASTUR