The last rites of the famous industrialist of the country, Ratan Tata, were performed with state honors at 4 pm today. Before that, his body was kept for the last darshan at NCPA lawns in Nariman Plant at 10 am. Ratan Tata breathed his last at the age of 86 at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday at 11:30 pm. The late business tycoon was undergoing treatment at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital where he was admitted due to breathing problems.
Ratan Tata belongs to the Parsi community, however, his last rites were not performed according to Parsi rituals. His body was be kept at the electric crematorium in Worli, Mumbai at 4 pm. There was a praying session for about 45 minutes here, after which the last rites were completed.
The way of last rites of the Parsi community is completely different
Let us tell you that the rules of funerals in the Parsi community are quite different. The tradition of funerals in Parsis is 3 thousand years old. In the Parsi community, which came to India from Persia (Iran) thousands of years ago, the dead body is neither burnt nor buried. In the Parsi religion, after death, the body is left in the open for vultures to eat in the traditional cemetery called the Tower of Silence or Dakhma. Vultures eating dead bodies is also a part of the custom of the Parsi community.
However, Ratan Tata's body was creminated and not left in open. Earlier in September 2022, the last rites of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry were also performed according to Hindu rituals. This is because there were changes in the methods of cremation of dead bodies during the Corona epidemic. During that time, the funeral rituals of the Parsi community were banned.
How are funeral rites performed in the Parsi community?
After the death of a person from the Parsi community, the body is taken to Dakhma or the Tower of Silence, which is built away from the populated area. In many places, it can be a small hill as well. In the Tower of Silence, the body is kept at a height under the open sky. After this, the last prayer for the deceased is started. After the prayer, the body is left for birds like eagles and vultures.
The reason behind changing last rites rituals
Only a few people of this community, who once inhabited the present Iran or Persia, are left in the whole world. According to a survey conducted in 2021, the number of Parsis in the world is less than 2 lakhs. This community faces difficulties due to its unique funeral tradition all over the world. Due to the lack of a proper place for the Tower of Silence and the lack of birds like eagles and vultures, in the last few years, the Parsi people have started changing their way of funeral.
Kaikobad Rustamfram of the Parsi community always thought that when he died, vultures would consume his body as per the tradition of the Parsi religion, but now this bird has almost disappeared from the skies of India. In such a situation, it has become very difficult for the Parsis to follow their centuries-old tradition. Now many Parsi families have started taking their relatives to the cremation grounds or opt for electric crematoriums.
