The current controversy besetting the community is related to the disposal of Covid-19 affected dead bodies. According to the Bombay Municipal Corporation guidelines, safety measures need to be taken and all such bodies have to be cremated or buried. The High Priests and trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet wisely permitted four days’ post death prayers in fire temples for such persons, but a section of traditionalists in our community comprising well-known scholars and priests put up opposition, stating "dakhmenashini is the only permissible and doctrinally right method of disposal of our dead and that other mode of disposal for a Zarthoshti ruvan only leads to its severe torture and torment on the fourth morning after death when it embarks on its sojourn into the spiritual realm.”
With the near extinction of vultures, the system of scavenging is not served. The dead bodies remain in the dakhmas, rotting and decaying. We do not know whether alternate modes of disposal cause torment or torture to the ruvan but we know the present method is certainly causing torture and torment to the bodies of our dear departed by leaving them to decay.
At places where dakhmas do not exist, aramgahs have long existed. Here Zoroastrian corpses are laid to rest with all rituals and prayers.
Earlier, in Iran, dead bodies were placed on hilltops to be devoured by birds. Later the system was formalized by building dakhmas. There is always scope for change.
About 80 years ago when I was a teenager there was a phobia in more than 95% of Parsi homes that resulted in women in menses being abused and treated as outcasts. Today we laugh at this but we who grew up in those times experienced real torture. It is difficult to imagine our plight, specially the quarantine we faced, not attending school, not even being allowed to bathe during the period. My grandmother told us fabricated stories quoted from Jamaspi that if we did not observe the restrictions we would be made to wade through a river of dirty blood and menstrual fluids.
Despite being a highly educated community we still believe in such myths. Our scholars and priests should have a better grounding in our most democratic religion, one that enlightens the mind and permits us the freedom to follow our hearts. Did our religion teach that prayers should be denied to the departed if the body is not consigned to the dakhma? Is religion practiced with threats of punishment? Do we consider that the method of disposal of a corpse — a heap of perishable mass — will decide the fate of the soul (ruvan)? Will only those with a dakhmenashini certificate be granted admission to heaven? Will the rest be tormented and tortured?
In spite of our knowledge and achievements we still remain ignorant on many counts. There is no proof or evidence, as no one has come back to reveal what happens after death, whether there is rebirth, whether we are tortured or everyone is at peace. It’s logical that we shall be rewarded or punished according to our habits and behavior in life. By practicing humanity with humility we can be assured that we shall live in this world and the one beyond in bliss.
PIROJA HOMI JOKHI
piroja.jokhi@yahoo.com