Towers of Silence
99% Invisible23 Apr 2024

Towers of Silence

Situated right in downtown Mumbai, India is an area of about 55 acres of dense, overgrown forest. In one of the most populous cities in the world, this is a place where peacocks roam freely -- a space out of time. This forest is protected by a religious community. It has survived in a relatively undeveloped state in the middle of this gargantuan city. Importantly, it’s also home to an ancient tradition in crisis -- one that is central to the lives (and deaths) of a particular population.

There’s a certain point in this forest beyond which almost no one can step -- only special caretakers of these grounds can go any further. They go by many names: khandia, nassassalar, pallbearer, corpse bearer. Their work here is holy. They carry dead bodies to their final resting place – atop stone structures that stand gray against the lush green. These buildings are called Towers of Silence.

Towers of Silence

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Episoder(753)

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29 Jul 201518min

Awareness

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22 Jul 201516min

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15 Jul 201514min

Johnnycab (Automation Paradox, Pt. 2)

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1 Jul 201521min

Children of the Magenta (Automation Paradox, pt. 1)

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24 Jun 201528min

Freud’s Couch

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17 Jun 201513min

All In Your Head

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10 Jun 201530min

Voices in the Wire

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