History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

120 AISTORYV OF THE PARSIS. [CHAP, III.

Parsis of the present day, both on the ground of appearance and convenience. But they have not discarded the turban, although it is a cumbrous and inconvenient head-dress, not even affording protection against the sun. What may be called the Jeunesse doré among the Parsis are inclined to go still further, and it is impossible to say what changes will be effected in the dress of the next generation.

The dress of the Kadmi sect of the Parsis does not differ from that of the Shehenshais. A few priests of the former wear a peculiar garb of their own in imitation of that used by their late high priest, Mulla Firoz, which in a great measure resembles the dress of an Armenian ora Turk. The Shehenshai priests generally adopt the same costume as laymen, with the one difference that it is made solely of white cotton cloth, including the turban.

In appearance the males do not compare unfavourably with the other natives of India. Some of those who adopt European dress might even be mistaken for Europeans if they happen to be fair skinned and well built. They have not yet lost the mien and stamina of their ancestors, though early marriages and marriages amongst near relations have tended to lower the original stature of the Parsis. The earlier Parsis of India were generally of more than medium height and of a brave bearing; but nowadays this is not so common as it was.