Parsi cremation mumbai

In Augustdesmo group of Parsi-Zoroastrians inaugurated a prayer hall at the Worli municipal crematorium for families of those who chose not to be interred at the Tower of Silence on Malabar Hill. The three-centuries-old Tower of Silence, called Dakhmas, receives around dead bodies every year, but in the absence of vultures, parsi cremation mumbai, bodies can rot for months. A demand to construct a crematorium in a corner of the acre wooded Tower of Silence was not parsi cremation mumbai by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet BPPthe trust that manages the cemetery.

Many Parsi Irani Zoroastrian residents of Mumbai, concerned that the remains of their loved ones were not being speedily disposed but were putrefying, began clamouring for alternate systems of disposal — burial or cremation. The first seeds for a Prayer Hall where Parsi-Irani Zoroastrians could opt for alternate modes of disposal and be assured of obsequies being performed were planted many years earlier in the nineteen eighties, when Jamsheed Kanga, then Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai was approached by the late J. Tata enquiring which of the crematoriums at Mumbai would be appropriate for the obsequies and funeral of his brother D. Tata who had passed away, as many dignitaries were expected to attend. At that time, some of the crematoriums were closed as they were being upgraded, whilst others were very shabby. To tide over the situation, the crematorium at Dadar was tidied up, and when Jamsheed went to condole JRD, he was informed that Mumbai deserved better facilities. From amongst the many crematoriums at Mumbai, the one at Worli had a lot of space and was conveniently located for South Bombay.

Parsi cremation mumbai

Support Scroll. Seven firms that failed drug quality test gave money to political parties through electoral bonds. The prayer hall was inaugurated in August , had its first funeral in September , and since then has already been the venue of funerals for more than 50 Parsis in six months. The spacious 3,sq-ft prayer hall is the product of a vociferous debate between the liberal and conservative factions of the community about how to dispose of the dead with dignity. When Parsis migrated from Iran to western India more than 1, years ago, they built several Towers of Silence, or dakhmas , in keeping with the ancient Zoroastrian custom of disposing the dead by exposing them to scavenger birds like vultures. Bodies are placed in ridges at the top of the stone towers and allowed to be eaten by vultures as a means of giving back to nature. Mumbai has four Towers of Silence, built in a forested acre plot called Doongerwadi in the middle of the posh Malabar Hill neighbourhood. Vultures were dying not just because of urbanisation but also because the drug Diclofenac, introduced in the s to treat livestock for inflammations and fevers, proved to be toxic for the birds feeding on cattle carcasses. By , vultures were nearly extinct. This posed an unexpected dilemma for the small Parsi community, as uneaten bodies atop the Towers of Silence were left to rot for months. Progressive Parsis grew increasingly outraged about the indignities within Doongerwadi, and the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, a trust managing the affairs and properties of the community, tried to respond to the crisis through innovation. Attempts were made to breed vultures in Doongerwadi, but the plan did not succeed. The Punchayet installed large solar reflectors around the Towers to hasten the decomposition of the bodies under the sun, but according to Tamboly and other community members, this too has been ineffective. Over the past decade, the conditions at Doongerwadi pushed several progressive Parsis to turn to cremation as a more respectful method of disposing the dead.

The magazine, Parsiana, compiles and reports data on deaths, marriages and births in the community. Toggle navigation. Parsi Doongerwadi at Malabar Hill, Mumbai.

How much longer can this 3,year-old tradition survive? The prophet Zarathushtra insisted on a reverence for all elements. None of them is to be defiled. A corpse is considered impure not just physically on account of infection and decay, but also because it is swiftly colonised by evil spirits. Therefore, cremation and burial on land or sea are unacceptable.

Disclaimer: Originally published in April It is being republished since it still remains an interesting topic till today. They have their own belief system which does not allow them to do either. The carcass is left to be eaten by vultures. However, this method of disposing the dead is not being carried out recently. The Parsis are being forced to either bury or cremate their dead, although it desecrates the entire Zoroastrian system of disposing the dead.

Parsi cremation mumbai

In the Tower of Silence, which is situated at Malabar Hills, solar concentrators have been installed in order to decompose dead bodies. Mumbai: The ancient Zoroastrian sky burial tradition is all but vanishing with the community in Mumbai opting for other alternatives such solar desiccation and cremation, owing to the disappearance of vultures from the city. However, with the extinction of vultures in the city, we have come up with solar desiccation where the body is left to dry by the sun. However, this process is difficult to use during the monsoons. The solar panels converge light and heat at degrees Celsius on a corpse to quicken decomposition.

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We were extremely fortunate to receive excellent cooperation from Executives and various departments of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, with two Addl Municipal Commissioners taking active interest. At the furthest end of each channel is yet another well making four in all. Without their generous donation it would not have been possible to complete the construction of the facility within 16 months. The Punchayet installed large solar reflectors around the Towers to hasten the decomposition of the bodies under the sun, but according to Tamboly and other community members, this too has been ineffective. In pics: Anil Ambani's beautiful and luxurious 'Abode' india. Mumbai has four Towers of Silence, built in a forested acre plot called Doongerwadi in the middle of the posh Malabar Hill neighbourhood. Progressive Parsis grew increasingly outraged about the indignities within Doongerwadi, and the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, a trust managing the affairs and properties of the community, tried to respond to the crisis through innovation. How much longer can this 3,year-old tradition survive? A majority of the BPP Trustees and others professing the traditional mind set maintained that those intending to consider alternate systems of disposal should not expect BPP to approve of their proposal to allow any of the bunglis at Doongerwadi to be made available, but they should go ahead and make their own arrangements. In the middle is a well — just a pit paved with some stone slabs — about feet in diameter or less to go with the size of the dakhma. The dakhma is presented as the only intermediary for the true Zoroastrian. Sign out.

Many Parsi Irani Zoroastrian residents of Mumbai, concerned that the remains of their loved ones were not being speedily disposed but were putrefying, began clamouring for alternate systems of disposal — burial or cremation.

It could be less, but not much, for birds of prey like vultures to swoop in and out. They point to the fact that nine out of every ten funerals are still carried out in the traditional way. In Mumbai, the anger is laregly directed at the Bombay Parsi Punchayat BPP , which has been accused of not doing enough to resolve the issue. Over the past decade, the conditions at Doongerwadi pushed several progressive Parsis to turn to cremation as a more respectful method of disposing the dead. How can it? With some Trustees being in favour and some not, pressures from the clergy and vociferous sections of traditional Parsis did not allow this issue to move forward. These are outside the dakhma. Initially, funeral services at the hall were officiated at by just two reformist priests: Framroze Mirza and Khushroo Madon. How to reverse fatty liver in 8 easy and doable steps india. Parsi Doongerwadi at Malabar Hill, Mumbai.