History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes
74 HISTORY OF THE PARSTS. [CHAP. Il.
was felt to be more important than the one emphasising the necessity of abolishing the “jazia,” the imposition and attendant circumstances of which caused most of the misery to which the Persian Zoroastrians were exposed, and in the levying of which manifold evils were inflicted by the local officers. Involuntary apostasy to Mahomedanism and the too frequent exaction of amounts far in excess of the actual dues were the more serious of the evils towards the extirpation of which the managing committee of the fund, and notably their agent in Persia, had from the first devoted their energies. Nothing could surpass the zeal, courage, and persistency displayed by Mr. Manakji Antaria in his endeavour to procure partial or total relief from this cruel exaction; and it is not too much to say that, but for his unceasing efforts in so noble a cause, the obnoxious and extortionate ‘“‘jazia” would still have been in existence, instead of having become a thing of the past. The efforts for its abolition lasted from the middle of 1857 until nearly the close of 1882. In the autumn of the latter year the “jazia” was abolished, to the unspeakable joy of those who suffered from it and of those who had agitated for its abolition. This glorious result was not, however, accomplished without the greatest discretion and the most determined and unflagging zeal being exercised on behalf of the sufferers. Much pressure was used; but this would have failed if it had not