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

210 HISTORY OF THE PARSIS. [CHAP. IV.

The internal arrangement of the “dokhma” and the method employed by the Parsis in the disposal of their dead were explained to His Royal Highness by the Secretary to the Parsi Panchayet, and His Royal Highness was pleased to express his approbation of the sanitary precautions adopted in the mode of Parsi sepulture.

As a deceased Parsi is neither buried in the earth

to the ‘sagris, where the Parsis accompanying funeral parties stand and offer up their prayers for the dead. One compartment of the ‘sagri,’ where the sacred fire is kept burning from time immemorial, was shown from a distance to His Royal Highness, who was then led up a flight of stone steps into the other compartment, and thence into an open raised verandah, which, it is supposed, affords the best panoramic view of the town and island of Bombay. From this spot His Royal Highness’s eye was directed, on the south-western side, to the Prongs Lighthouse, and on the north-east to the Sion Fort, the Kurla Hill, ete. Beyond these were seen the stately vessels riding in the harbour, the Karanja Island, Butcher Island, the Elephanta Caves Hill, Matheran Hill, and the Syadri Mountains in the far east. Beneath His Royal Highness’s feet lay the cocoanut-tree plantations of Chaupati, Gamdevi, and Girgam. Farther on were seen the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Sir Kavasji Jehangir College Buildings, the Byeulla Club, the Jamshedji Hospital, and again, on the right hand, the Post Offices, the Public Works Offices, the University Clock Tower, the Secretariat, and other edifices in Frere Town. His Royal Highness remarked that the view, both by the naked eye and by means of a pair of field-glasses which were handed him by Sir Jamshedji, was admirable, and that he never could have expected to get such a bird’s-eye view of Bombay and its surroundings as he had obtained from that spot. His Highness expressed himself exceedingly pleased with what he saw, and thanked Sir Jamshedji for the opportunity given him of seeing the towers of silence properly, and Mr. Nasarvanji for the information and explanations given by him. Sir Jamshedji then led the royal party down the steps, where the Prince cordially shook hands with him and drove to Malabar Hill.”—Bombay Gazette, 18th November 1875.