Dara J. D. Cama, a real estate agent in Bombay, was an outspoken critic of traditional Zoroastrian last rites and was a vocal proponent of electric crematoriums for the Parsi community. In 1967, he wrote blistering letters to the Parsi high priest in Bombay and also communicated with the Bombay Municipal Corporation. To bolster his argument, he obtained a "solemn declaration" from a Nasesalar (pallbearer) who apprised him of the ground realities.
To spread awareness, Cama published his correspondence in a pamphlet for distribution in the Parsi community. This pamphlet includes: i] the complete text of a letter written by Cama to Dasturji Khurshed S. Dabu, the high priest of the Wadia Fire Temple in Bombay; ii] a letter from the deputy commissioner of the Bombay Municipal Corporation; iii] a declaration in Gujarati by a Nasesalar (pallbearer) in Bombay.
All the images of the entire pamphlet are attached herewith. We have also provided an English translation of the Gujarati text in the pamphlet for the perusal of those interested.
PAMPHLET ON PARSI LAST RITES
Self-published by: Dara J. D. Cama
Year: 1967 — Extremely rare and out-of-print
Format: Original stapled pamphlet.
Language: English & Gujarati
Pages: 3 leaves (i.e. six pages)
Size: 16.6 cm x 12.1 cm
Condition: Pre-owned. Excellent. Pages clean, unmarked and completely intact. Minor, natural foxing/yellowing owing to age. The individual pages are not held together by the staples any more, the original staples have naturally rusted over the years; the left margin of each page has been meticulously and unobtrusively restored for future protection; images attached.
Remarks: This original pamphlet belongs to a unique category of rare ephemera with very few, if any, surviving copies in existence. Being rather unheard of, it is extremely rare and hard to find.
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The following is an English translation of the Gujarati text in this rare pamphlet:
I, the undersigned, "K. B. E.", a resident of Mumbai, aged 71,
belonging to the Parsi Zoroastrian faith, testify to the following:
1] I have worked for many years as a Khandia 1 and a Nasesalar 1.
2] After unlocking the iron door, we, the Nasesalars, take the
corpse inside the dakhma 2 and place
it in the pavi 3.
3] The entire dakhma is occupied with male and female
skeletons; long-haired female skulls also remain scattered there.
4] Since the dakhmas are not cleaned frequently, a horrible stench
of human waste, urine, blood and pus emanates from the decaying flesh. The foul
odour of the dakhma is so overwhelming that it becomes
difficult for us to get rid of the smell in spite of bathing with warm
water and soap.
5] The clothing of the male and female corpses is taken off after bringing them
in the dakhma; otherwise, the birds do not consume the
corpses.
6] Since the entire dakhma is infested with blood and human
waste, the corpse has to be kept in that unclean area itself.
7] As the vultures tend to avoid the corpses of certain diseased people, those
corpses remain decaying for several days resulting in a dreadful stench.
8] Large bones do not decompose even after several years. Such bones are taken
out and buried when the central pit of the dakhma is full.
9] Initially, the corpse is kept facing the sky and the following day, it is
turned over. Vultures do not eat the flesh of the rear side because of which it
starts decaying.
10] There are numerous rats in the dakhma that feed on the
remnant flesh stuck on the bones.
11] The Khandias and Nasesalars face several hardships.
No Parsi girl is willing to marry a young Nasesalar. It is almost
impossible for our children to get married.
We face many other problems but neither the Panchayat nor anybody else listens
to us and resolves our grievances.
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Glossary:
1] Khandia & Nasesalar: There are two classes of corpse-bearers — the
Khandias are carriers, they carry the corpse from the house to the dakhma;
the Nasesalars enter inside the dakhma with the corpse.
2] Dakhma: A well-like structure where bodies are laid out for vultures
to consume.
3] Pavi: A kind of trench a few inches deep in the ground, intended to
separate a portion of a place from the adjoining ground in order to perform a
sacred ceremony therein.
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