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The concepts of purity and pollution exist at two levels in the Zarathushtrian philosophy. At an ethical level where Asha or purity is highlighted above all attributes, as well as at a physical level. The ancient texts are rife with detailed purity ritual dating back to pre-Zarathushtrian times. Pollution of fire, land and waters from contact with corpses was dealt with at an almost fanatical level, most probably with fear of the disease and destruction that contact with a decomposing body could cause. Nasu Druj (demons of ies) would attack those who came in contact with a decomposing body. In case one did come in contact with the body or the carrion an elaborate purification ritual – the Bareshnum – was prescribed. Nowadays, this ritual is only performed by the priests as a general purification rite.

This led indirectly to the funeral practise of dokhmanashini which is uniquely Zarathushtrian Dokhmanashini refers to the fact that after death the body is placed in a tower (dokhma) far away from residential areas, on top of hills if possible. The dokhma is often referred to rather poetically as the Tower of Silence. The dokhma is surrounded by heavy coverage of trees where vultures, nature’s scavengers, live. They destroy the body much faster that the millions of worms and insects that feed on the body which is buried.