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

CHAP. IV.] BURVING THE LIVING. 211

nor burned in fire, but simply exposed in towers of silence which are not closed at the top, he can escape from the tower if by any chance life should be restored after the body has been laid within it. We are not aware of any such case having ever occurred, although reports to that effect have at times been falsely cireulated, but no definite evidence has ever been forthcoming as to resuscitated persons who have either escaped or who have been killed by the “ nasesalars,” or corpse-bearers. In the year 1826 it was widely rumoured that a Parsi had come to life in a “‘dokhma” at Bombay, and that he had escaped from it and was hiding in that city or at Thana for fear of being killed by the Parsis. The relatives of the deceased and the Parsi Panchayet made all possible inquiries, but no clue whatever could be obtained. The Panchayet then issued a proclamation to the Parsis showing the utter groundlessness for any such apprehension ; and, to disabuse the public mind altogether, they offered a reward of 200 rupees to any “‘nasesalar” or person who would in future aid anybody who showed signs of vitality after being taken into a “dokhma,” in making his escape, and in restoring him to his family. It must be admitted that Parsis of old had an impression that if a resuscitated person were allowed to come out from the “dokhma,” he would bring an epidemic among the people, and

that the ‘‘ nasesalars” therefore murdered him; but