Traditionalists believe that if a Parsi corpse is disposed of by any method other than dakhmenashini the soul will be tortured, tormented and made to linger endlessly. This means that our fate is decided by the Almighty on the basis of how our material body is disposed of and not on our karma (deeds). Is this what religion teaches us?
In the current scenario we have perforce to bow our heads in fear of the wily coronavirus and are compelled to compromise on our rigid stands. We feel pain for the devout members of the community who succumbed to the coronavirus and have to be cremated against their wishes and beliefs. As responsible members of the community, should we not empathize with them?
Think of the plight of the victims of coronavirus, in the jaws of death, with not a familiar face to look at, no family members to hold their hand in their last moments nor touch their feet or pray a Yatha in their ears. How can we console them?
In the present circumstances when cremation is compulsory for Covid victims, we can offer some consolation by permitting our holy prayers to be chanted near the dakhma just to bring solace to the grieving hearts of the family members.
We do not wish to counter the opinions of those who claim that the prayers have to be performed near the body. Even if the prayers are ineffectual, they will not harm the individual or diminish the sanctity of the holy place.
Prayers at Doongerwadi for Covid victims have now been disallowed thanks to former Bombay Parsi Punchayet chairman Dinshaw Mehta’s intervention and trustee Armaity Tirandaz withdrawing her support. On many earlier occasions too, the community has been deprived of benefits thanks to Mehta placing a spoke in the wheel.
Though the bereaved family’s plan to perform the geh sarna prayers at Doongerwadi was thwarted, a prayer at the dadgah at Doongerwadi was arranged, which provided much solace to the family and filled them with gratitude for the priest performing a soulful prayer with devotion and dedication. Thank you Ervad, for acting in the true spirit of a Mazdayasni priest! May your tribe increase! PIROJA HOMI JOKHI
piroja.jokhi@yahoo.com