Zoroastrian priests pray for the religious leader of the Iranian Zoroastrian community Dastur Rostam Dinyar Shahzadi during his funeral in Tehran on March 15, 2000 at the Zoroastrian Qasr-e-Firoozeh cemetery.(HENGHAMEH FAHIMI/AFP via Getty Images)

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The West has no structures or legal precedent for corpses to decay in the open air. For those wishing to follow traditions, funerals are a compromise.

Nevin Kallepalli

Nevin Kallepalli is a religion reporter based in New York City.