A Woman's Journey Round The World, From Vienna To Brazil, Chili, Tahiti, China, Hindostan, Persia, And Asia Minor By Ida Pfeiffer
- Page 470 of 708 - First - Home
The Girdle Changes All; The Son Eats At
His Father's Table, The Girls Remain At Home, Etc.
A second religious ordinance relates to the shirt; this must be cut
of a certain length and breadth, and consist of nine seams, which
are folded over each other on the breast in a peculiar manner.
A Parsee is allowed to have only one wife. If the wife has no
children, or only girls, during a period of nine years, he can, if
she consents, be divorced from her, and marry another; he must,
however, still provide for her. She can also marry again.
According to the religious belief of the Parsee, he is certain to
enjoy perfect happiness in a future state of existence if he has a
wife and a son in this life.
The Parsees are not divided into castes. In the course of time the
Parsees have acquired many of the customs of the Hindoos. For
example, the women are not allowed to show themselves in public
places; in the house they are separated from the men, take their
meals alone, and are, upon the whole, considered more as mere
property. The girls are promised when children, and betrothed to
the man when in their fourteenth year; if, however, the bridegroom
dies, the parents can seek for another. It is considered by the
Parsees to be a disgrace if the father does not find a husband for
his daughter.
The Parsee women, however, enjoy far more freedom in their houses
than the unfortunate Hindoos:
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