Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 676

1841.

Diary and Journal of Parsees.

659

sects to join them. They are strict in their observances. If any culinary vessel, be touched by one of another caste, it must be thrice. washed to purify it ; and if it chance to be a mineral substance it can never again be considered as pure.

Their religion requires them to say their prayers five times a day. The first' prayer, that said between sun-rising and midday, is called Havun; the second, that between midday and 3 r. m., is called Ru- peetun; the third, to be said before night, is called the Ogirun; the fourth, to be said before midnight is called Aevasruthrum; and the last, to be said before morning, is called the Hoseen. In saying great their prayers, they turn their faces to the luminous objects, as the most visible signs of the invisible deity. They do not touch the dead of either lower or superior animals, neither do they allow their shadow to fall upon them, and if this happens to be done they must consequently bathe. Ablution is frequently required by their religion.

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Some of the Parsees attend at their temple every day, but most of them only on specially appointed days, which are the 1st, 9th, 17th and 20th of every month. There is no preaching, but every one says his prayers, some orally and standing, while others sit and use their books. The priests are numerous; but are neither very learned, nor much respected. If a man does forbidden acts, he and his family are excluded from participating in the sacred ceremonies; but if he makes atonement for his crime, a restoration can then take place.

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Fire is consecrated and preserved in their temples with great care, and the ceremonies regarding it are made a subject of particular

attention./

The doctrines of Zoroaster were, for the most part, delivered in pa- rables, designed to civilize and improve the barbarians of his age. His followers have labored to prove that their's is the only sect whose dead are not turned into démons.

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Their treatment of the dead is remarkable. The bodies of the deceased are exposed to the vultures, in costly buildings, common to all Parsees: These buildings are of a circular form, about ten feet high, surrounded by walls of the same height. In the centre of these there is a hole, ten feet deep, communicating with secret vaults. There are many lines of communication, and numerous apartments. There are three receptacles of unequal dimensions, one for children,' one for females, and one for men. 'The ashes or remains of the dead are left in the dentre hote. A cemetery calculated to receive the bodies of 35 men, 35 women, and 35 children,—a model of which is in possession of the Royal Asiatic Society, has at the base a cir.