Radiolab
Corpse Demon
Apr 21, 2023
Avir Mitra, a contributing editor and ER doctor, dives into the world of Zoroastrianism and its ancient burial practices. Discover the shocking decline of vultures in India, crucial for sky burials, leading to a crisis in both ecology and tradition. Avir unravels a mystery tied to veterinary medications that threaten these scavengers' survival. The conversation ponders morality, culture, and the human impact on nature, all while highlighting the unique perspectives of the Parsi community on death and afterlife.
31:09
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Quick takeaways
- Zoroastrians practice a unique burial method called the Tower of Silence, where dead bodies are consumed by vultures to prevent pollution and protect the living from a corpse demon called Nasu.
- The decline of vulture populations, caused by the use of diclofenac in cattle, highlights the dangerous effects of this drug on both vultures and humans, leading to efforts to ban it and explore alternative burial methods.
Deep dives
The Tower of Silence: A Unique Burial Method
In this podcast episode, the host explores the unique burial method of Zoroastrians known as Parsis. They have a tradition called the Tower of Silence, where they expose their dead bodies to be consumed by vultures. This practice is believed to protect the living from a corpse demon called Nasu and also prevent pollution of the earth or sky. However, the vulture population has rapidly declined due to an anti-inflammatory drug called diclofenac, which is given to cattle and contaminates their carcasses. This has led to kidney failure in vultures, causing concern and a need for alternative burial methods for Parsis.
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