Vultures at Doongerwadi

The breeding of vultures is once again being considered by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP). The BPP trustees, our priests and a part of our community members seem to be obsessed about using the dakhmas at Doongerwadi.

The practice of dakhmenashini was brought to Iran by the Magis (the priest class of Medes after Cyrus the Great defeated Media, around 350 BC). This extract from History of Zoroastrianism by Dastur Maneckji Dhalla, late High Priest of Parsis in Sind and North-West Provinces, gives details: "The Magi took a long time to supplant the religious practices of the Persians by their own. Two races differed very widely on some of the main religious observances. For example, the Magi held the elements of nature sacred. The earth was to be kept pure from defilement. Hence they exposed the corpses of the dead to be devoured by birds; though the Persians, on the contrary enclosed the corpses in wax, and interred them in the earth. We gather from Arrian that Alexander sent the body of Darius to be interred in the Royal mausoleum by the side of the remains of the departed ones of the Royal family of Persia. The Persians continued this practice for a considerable time, until finally with the complete fusion of the two races they seem to have exchanged burial for the exposure of the corpses.”

Our priests refer to Vendidad (which is thought to be compiled by the Magis) as a religious scripture. The Vendidad does mention the use of dakhma in normal situations. However, it prohibits its use when there are no scavenging birds and animals, suggesting that a temporary grave be made and corpse kept there till scavenging birds and animals are available. As can be seen from several portions of Fargad VIII of the Vendidad, dakhmenashini came in to being nearly 1,000 years after Zarathushtra and was imported into Iran by priests of a defeated country. Since its use is not recommended in the absence of scavenging birds, there is nothing sacrosanct in our religion about its use. Once we understand that use of the dakhma is only traditional and not religious, we will be able to think clearly on the subject.

The Religious Ceremonies and Customs of the Parsees by Dr Sir Jivanji Jamshedji Modi, considered to be the last word on rituals and ceremonies, has an entire chapter on death ceremonies. The Preface reads: "The times are rapidly changing. The ‘new’ has been springing rapidly upon the ‘old.’ As often said, the heresy of today becomes the orthodoxy of tomorrow: the liberalism of this year, the conservatism of the next. The reader will find that many a ceremony, ritual and custom has been spoken of as having become obsolete or as being more honored in the breach than in the observance. Many more will be obsolete in the course of next few years. Customs are often as despotic as fashions, but they also change as fashions.”

In An Autobiography, Dhalla writes: "Dakhmenashini is not a system created by the Almighty — it is a man-made system. The system of disposing the corpse has been rendered sacred custom because of its practice for 3,000 years. Yet, even its 3,000-year-old tradition of sanctity has not endowed it with immortality. With the change of times and circumstances its sway has come to an end. Dakhmenashini is merely a tradition. The demolition of tradition is not destruction of religion. Tradition is not religion. In understanding, digesting and acknowledging this fact lies the wisdom of all concerned.”

The wishes of the deceased must be respected and our priests should agree to perform the after death ceremonies, whatever the mode of disposal of the corpse as it is not against our religion. Abroad and in cities like Delhi, Nagpur, Madras and other towns where we have only burial, priests perform the ceremonies.

There are four main systems employed for disposal of the dead: burial or aramgah, dakhma also known as sky burial, cremation by wood (directly) and by electricity (indirectly) and modern mausoleums. Which of these can we adopt? The soil at Doongerwadi is rocky, but perhaps part of it may be useful as burial grounds. If the BPP can build an electric crematorium it would be a blessing for those who opt for it. The money saved from the experimental breeding of vultures can be used for the purpose. There is no fire in an electric crematorium. The furnace is heated with coils embedded in its walls, and when the body is put in it ignites on its own. No fire comes into direct contact with the body. It is an extremely clean and hygienic system as it does not defile the earth or fire.

The modern mausoleum is basically a building with large number of concrete chambers, something like a safe deposit vault, with each chamber accommodating a corpse. After laying the body the lid is put on and sealed forever. Relatives can visit and put flowers, etc, whenever they wish to. Our dakhmas too are available for those who wish to use them even in the absence of birds.

KERSEE KABRAJI

Poona

kerseekabraji@gmail.com