In his letter "The signs of the age” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, October 7-20, 2019), Yazdi Kohiar has stated that with the disappearance of vultures the system of dakhmenashini is no longer effective.
I would term the system as Khurshed nagirashni (exposure to the sun) instead, which is the best mode of disposal of the dead. Since times immemorial Irani/Parsi Zarathushtis have laid their dead on elevated places (preferably hilltops) exposed to solar rays alone. Scavenger birds or animals would eat the corpses and the bones were placed in an aastodaan or ossuary (a receptacle for dry bones). In later years, an enclosure was made at special places on elevated ground for the disposal of corpses.
The Vendidad has specifically abhorred any other mode of disposal as being un-Zarathushtrian. In the Vendidad Zarathushtra asked Ahura Mazda thus: "O creator of the material regions, whither shall we carry the bodies of the dead? O Ahura Mazda where shall we place them?” Ahura Mazda answered, "O Spitam Zarathushtra! On the most elevated places where the corpse-eating birds and animals can most certainly see it.” This clearly implies that the dead body should be exposed to the sun’s rays only and that it is a sin not to do so. The Vendidad (talking of microbes, ages back!) mentions that the Druj-e-Nashush (putrefying elements such as germs and the flow of unhealthy vibrations) constantly emanate from dead bodies through their eyes, nose, mouth, genitalia, finger nails, etc. Today science believes that very strong vibrations do flow from the eyes and finger nails. Our religion is based on manthras and Staot Yasna (sound vibrations of words which create wonders). This proves that though old, our religion is pure and even more modern than today’s world!
Dakhmenashini does not mean merely consigning the dead bodies in the dakhmas. These are not just structures of brick and mortar. The most important part of the dakhma is the tana ceremony (a special intricate circuit of 101 threads of cotton or wool woven around 301 iron nails of specific weight, put at a specific place, in a particular manner while saying prayers all the time). The area beneath serves as a reservoir, curtailing the druj and speeding the spiritual progress. There has to be some sense in creating such intricate circuits! (A TV mechanic, on seeing the tana circuit, commented that it is very advanced and used for remote sensing and storage of energy.) The dakhmas are talismanic structures because of the tana circuit beneath them for storing and transmitting energy.
Regarding the lack of vultures, in the Bundahishn, Vendidad and Shayast La Shayast, though there is mention of scavenger birds, the main aim is exposing the bodies to the sun. I would not say that the system has failed, though at present it is not in prime condition, and steps should be taken to make it effective. The system has not failed us; we have failed the system. Deliberately!
At present there are aramgahs (grave- yards) at places where there are no dakhmas (supported by the community, priests and scholars, et al)! Strictly, according to the tenets, this is against the religion. Zarathushtra is said to have advised people to uproot graves and use the land for agriculture. Burial has its own problems, making that much ground unusable for habitation or agriculture. Ground water is polluted by the putrefying matter from corpses. People claim that corpses are lying a round in the dakhmas because there are no birds of prey. Why should one peep inside? Have you ever seen a corpse dug out of a grave say three years or even seven to 10 years later? I am sure it will be a horrendous sight. The same would be true for water burial. During cremation, some parts remain un-burnt, though one is generally not allowed to see them.
However, I do not endorse the hypocrisy, partiality and convenience of the rule that if a person dies in Bombay and is buried, no funerary prayers can be said; but if the same person is buried in Delhi at the aramgah all the prayers are done! Either all the prayers should be said for all people availing of other methods (as is done where there are no dakhmas) or no prayers should be said for anyone who opts for a method other than Khurshed nagirashni!
True, people flout the tenets of the religion by opting for other methods which pollute nature. Our system is economic and does not pollute nature, so should everyone opting for alternate methods be debarred from having prayers performed as it is irreligious? I had raised this question years back with priests and scholars and also aired it in the Parsi Press, but am still awaiting an answer!
BURJOR DABOO
Ahmedabad
burkhurdar@gmail.com
The editors reply:
While one may draw an inference that the Vendidad prescribes a corpse "should be exposed to the sun’s rays,” nowhere in the text is there any reference to disposal by exposing the corpse to the sun’s rays. The text clearly refers only to the scavengers devouring the body. According to the Vendidad, a dakhma should be demolished after 50 years and the land kept fallow.