Mumbai: Ratan Tata, legendary industrialist and philanthropist who passed away in Mumbai on Wednesday, was Parsi of the revered Tata family. The Parsis, also known as Parsees, are a religious and ethnic community in the Indian subcontinent who practice Zoroastrianism.
Although Ratan Tata’s last rites will not performed as per the Zoroastrianism tradition, his mortal remains will be cremated in Mumbai’s Worli. Here’s a look at the traditional Parsi practice.
Followers of Zoroastrianism religion traditionally observe a distinctive funeral practice known as “Dokhmenashini” or the “Tower of Silence” method. Instead of burial or cremation, the deceased is placed atop a structure called a Tower of Silence (Dakhma), where the body is exposed to the elements and scavenger birds like vultures. This ancient ritual reflects the Zoroastrian belief that fire and earth are sacred and should not be defiled by contact with a corpse.
After ritual prayers and cleansing, the body is carried to the Dakhma by pallbearers called “Nassesalars.” There, it is left to nature, allowing for an eco-friendly return to the earth. However, in some urban areas, due to the decline in vulture populations, modern adaptations like solar concentrators have been introduced to speed up the decomposition process.
Parsis believe that death contaminates the physical body, and their traditional funeral rites aim to preserve the purity of the natural elements. While many traditional Parsis continue to follow this ritual, some families have turned to cremation due to practical and environmental concerns.
After the 1990s, with the decline in vulture populations, many Parsis began opting for electric crematoriums as an alternative.
