Do Parsis still use the Tower of Silence?
The towers remain in use as sacred locations for the Parsi community, though non-members may not enter them. In Mumbai visitors are shown a model of a tower. Organized tours can be taken to the site.
Can we go to Tower of Silence?
You would probably have been told or read about Mumbai’s “Tower of Silence”, its mysteries and meanings. As a matter of fact, it is not a tourist attraction, it is not opened for visitors, and specially to those that do not belong to the Parse community and to the Zoroastrian faith.
Where can you find the Tower of Silence?
The Tower of Silence, also known as Parsee Bawdi, is a sprawling graveyard that is situated in the posh Malabar Hill region of the city. Covering an area of 55 acres, this funeral ground is where the last rites of people belonging to the Parsee community are performed.
How does the Tower of silence protect us from evil?
As evil rushes into the body, it contaminates the deceased. The Tower of Silence was the ultimate creation to keep the evil away from loved ones. The Tower of Silence also protects the elements of nature from contamination with dead bodies. For example, cremation pollutes the air and fire while burials in the ground contaminate the soil.
What is the Tower of silence in Iran?
Many of the ancient traditions that accompany the Tower of Silence are found in archeological records from India and Iran. Laying the dead out is at the heart of the Zoroastrian religion. However, it’s a controversial practice in modern times. In the 1970s, Iran banned the practice, but the Towers of Silence remain.
What is the Tower of silence in Malabar?
The Malabar Hill Tower of Silence today. A Dakhma’ (Persian: دخمه), also known as the ‘Tower of Silence’, is a circular, raised structure built by Zoroastrians for excarnation – that is, for dead bodies to be exposed to carrion birds, usually vultures .
What do the towers of silence look like?
The central pit of the (now-defunct) tower of silence at Yazd, Iran. The modern-day towers, which are fairly uniform in their construction, have an almost flat roof, with the perimeter being slightly higher than the centre.