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

158 HISTORY OF THE PARSTS. [CHAP, IV.

many poor babes and delicate mothers have been sacrificed to this prejudice, which, by the practice of centuries, has obtained a stronger hold on the minds of the Parsis than if it had been a strict religious ordinance.

The richer classes, who have their own bungalows, are much better off than their poor brethren. They have a large and commodious room for this event, and employ one or two maids to help the mother and nurse the child; whereas the poorer women, notwithstanding their delicate condition, have always to attend to themselves as well as to their infants. The wealthy Parsi lady can take a little walking exercise about her house on bare floors, but she is not allowed to touch any member of the family, or any article of furniture in the place. If the child is not nursed by its mother it is taken away from her, and on being washed is given into the charge of the wet nurse in another room. After this there is no risk of pollution from coming into contact with the child.

On the fortieth day the woman is bathed, and after undergoing purification she is allowed to mix as before with all the members of the family. With the exception of the iron portion of the cot and cradle, everything else which has been used or touched by the mother or child is thrown away or given to the sweeper.

The Parsis are now beginning to see the folly of keeping the woman in seclusion, as thus described,