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

cHap. 1v.] AN OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION. 205

is handed to the head priest of the district in whose jurisdiction it is situated.

The Parsis consider it an act of piety to attend and to take part in these ceremonials. Whenever, therefore, these occur they flock to them in large numbers, giving the place where they are held the appearance of a great fair or holiday. The person who causes a “dokhma” to be built at his own expense is considered to have performed one of the most meritorious of religious actions. Before the ‘“‘dokhma” is consecrated it is opened to the inspection of all, but afterwards’ it is rigidly closed to every person, whether they be Zoroastrians or nonZoroastrians. The brief opportunity of visiting these

1 In the year 1792 a European resident of Bombay secretly climbed up the wall of a tower of silence in that city and looked into it. The feelings of the Parsis were greatly outraged by this act, and they complained of this sacrilege to the Governor in Council at Bombay, who issued the following proclamation :—

« A PROCLAMATION,

“Whereas it has been represented to Government by the Caste of Parsis that a European Inhabitant of this Island, unobservant of that decency which enlightened people show to the religious ceremonies of * the Natives of India, had lately entered one of the repositories for their dead, to the great distress, inconvenience, and expense of the said Caste ; the Acting President in Council has thought fit to reprimand the person alluded to for his improper conduct ; and in order to mark in the strongest manner his discountenance of such unwarrantable proceedings, and to deter others from the commission of like indignities in future, he hereby causes it to be signified, that whoever shall obtrude themselves on the Temples, Tombs, or religious ceremonies of the Natives, residing under the protection of this Government, will be suspended the Honourable Company’s service, if in their