RITES AT FUNERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 July 1932, Page 9

RITES AT FUNERAL

A PARSEE CEREMONIAL. LONDON, July 14. With simple but im'pressive ceremonial, the remains of one of the world’s most famous Parsees were laid before the holy .flame of his religion, and then interred near London yesterday. The scene was so charged with the atmosphere of the East that it was difficult to believe that it. was being enacted at Brookwood, and npt several ■ thousand miles away. Many of the most distinguished Parsees in this country had . come to do reverence to ‘ Sir Dorabji Tata, the great Indian industrialist and philanthropist, who died in Germany on June 3, and whose ashes had been brought to this country to be buried beside his wife. It is almost exactly a year since the death of Lady Tata, and Sir Dorabji - had raised an imposing . mausoleum - over her grave at Brookwood. He had been planning to visit it next week, on the anniversary of her death, but, before it was even completed Iris: own remains were lowered into the same grave. Few Parsee funerals, ever take place in tliis country, and Brookwood contains their, only burial ground. When., the funeral procession started towards . the chapel dedicated to their faith, two Pt . see priests headed it,' dressed in their white caps and robes. inside the chapel the holy fire had been kindled in a silver bowl. Frankincense was smouldering in vasesround the small room, and .the family mourners took their places on benches on either side of the casket, which was strewn with flowers. The priests began to intone the pray-

ers for tile dead, in which they’were joined by Dr. J. S. Vakil, , secretary of the Parsee Association. Sapdalwopd was thrown on.to the flame ,and, astho smoke rose from the silver bowl,the mourners rose from tneir places, . advanced to the bier, and made final obeisances to the dead. j. The prayers were recited in the ancient Zend language, in which the Avesta, consisting of the original documents of the religion of Zoveaster, is written. - V LThe procession then passed from the chapel to the mausoleum, where the ■casket, which is in exact replica'of the one made for Lady Tata, was Towered into the grave. The priests'intoned a further prayer, the mourners threw flowers into the vault, and the ; brief ritual was. over. . One ! of the mourners was Mr; Shar purji Saklatvala, fit© former Communis M.P. for North Battersea, a cousin of Sir Dorabji, who had' been his. companion in his prospecting work among ■the jungles of the Central Provinces. -Another notable figure was Mr?sV. J. Patel, the ex-President of the Indian Legislative Assembly. ■ Th© Maharaja of Burdwan was also present. ■'