In "The weight of words” (Editorial Viewpoint, Parsiana, April 7, 2017), you have rightly stressed many facts which are known to all yet certain sections of the community are in denial.
Despite the fact that dakhmenashini as a time-tested method of disposal of corpses has ceased to be functional due to disappearance of scavenger birds, some Parsis still refuse to acknowledge that the system has collapsed. It is an undeniable fact that bodies bloat, rot, stink and are allowed to be piled up without any dignity and ultimately taken out and buried in the mass grave at regular intervals. Does our religion permit or condone such hoodwinking?
Transparency, honesty and accountability were the three main pledges of every candidate at the time of contesting the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) elections. It is very sad that no trustee is candid enough to admit that the system has collapsed. The trustees, current as well as of the past boards, seem to pander to the ‘voice’ of a handful of noise makers. By refusing to admit that there is a problem, the trustees are like ostriches burying their heads in the sand. Manashni, gavashni, kunashni are sacrificed at the altar of remaining in power.
The only trustee who honestly and boldly exposed the then prevailing situation by going inside the dakhma was the late Shiavax R. Vakil (pictured). In fact, during his time there were a few scavenger birds after which the situation has further deteriorated. Vakil had to resign for exposing the truth! The subsequent trustees feared that instead of meeting the same fate, it was better to pretend that the "system had weakened” — a play on words. Before some wiseacre points out that the same Vakil was consigned to a dakhma, let me clarify that at that point of time, there was no alternative community facility for sacraments. One would have to book a private hall or perform the ceremonies at home. And hence many were compelled against their conscience to opt for the Towers. Arm twisting at its best or worst?
Many Parsis have belatedly started realizing that the system has collapsed. Around five or six decades back there were barely three to four cases of cremation in a month. However, the popularity of the Prayer Hall at Worli is increasing ever since it was established in 2015 and we find an average of eight bodies being cremated every month. The number is growing with the passage of time.
As a beneficiary of the BPP, I suggest that all the present trustees enter the dakhmas along with the vada dasturs and confirm in one voice that the system is working efficiently as it did say 70 years ago. They can take a nahn thereafter, as prescribed by the scriptures.
I understand disposal of the dead is an individual choice but I strongly feel that the crematorium at Worli should not have been built as it encourages our Zoroastrian community not to use the Doongerwadi.
Members of other communities feel that Parsis who have such a huge place in the heart of the city for disposing of the bodies are not optimally utilizing the property. One must stay at Doongerwadi for four days till the prayers are over as it is said that it is good for the soul of the deceased. I believe the soul remains at the same place from where the body is disposed and where the powerful prayers (geh sarna) are performed at the Doongerwadi. It leaves on the fourth day of the ceremonies. Therefore in the old days all the prayers would be performed at the bungli where a diva is kept burning for four days. I have stayed for four days on many occasions, experiencing the peace and serenity of the place.
The idea of cremation is totally against our Zoroastrian religion. It would be better if those who believe in cremation get converted to some other religion than follow our powerful and supreme religion. Priests performing ceremonies at the crematorium to earn extra money should be stopped. They are encouraging the wrong system by not believing in dakhmas. They should not be allowed to enter our fire temples as they are cheating on our religion.
I believe cremation is against our Zoroastrian religion because the fire which we worship is used in the wrong way. I reckon that cremation is done by electricity, turning the dead body into ashes but the skull which is so hard to burn must be exploding, giving out a huge noise. It is quite dangerous as electricity might even cause fire or a short circuit. It could even destroy the place and even the surrounding areas.
My understanding is that at the time of death, the soul leaves the body, thus the body has no life and value but the soul has life and continues. For the soul to progress further in the next life, we should continue with our old dakhma system rather than adopt new ways of disposing bodies.
PIROZE M. KHAN