Karaka, Dosabhai Framji: History of the Parsis: including their manners, customs, religion and present position ; in two volumes (Band 1) (London, 1884)

CHAP. V.]

PARSI CHARITABLE FUNDS.

241

recourse to a criminal court for defamation of
character.

The Panchayet is therefore, strictly speaking,
powerless for either good or evil, and performs no
other functions than those of trustee to certain
charitable funds of the community.

For the purpose of securing the better manage-
ment and administration of their religious and chari-
table funds and property the members of the old Parsi
Panchayet in the year 1823 selected from amongst
themselves four leading gentlemen as trustees—
namely, Hormasji Bamanji Wadia, Framji Kavasji
Banaji, Naorozji Jamshcdji Wadia, and Jamshedji
Jijibhai. In that year the funds and property con-
sisted of Es.20,000 in cash, including one sicca loan
for Ps. 2,000, the compound of the towers of silence,
with some land at Chaupati, and a " nasakhana," or
house for corpse-bearers, in the fort. But after the
appointment of the trustees the funds and landed
properties were gradually increased by contributions
from different benevolent Parsi orntlemen. The
said trustees and their successors regularly published,
and are still publishing every year, a full and
detailed account of all the receipts and disbursements
relating to the funds and landed property under their
control. It is a noteworthy fact that the funds which
in the beginning amounted to the insignificant
sum of Rs.20,000 have now increased to the very

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