NBC 2005

5.5.13 Cremation/.Burial Ground

The site shall be identified in locations, which are not proximous to residential areas
Land Area Required, Min
1) Electric crematorium (1 for large size towns)
Area 2.00 ha
2) Cremation ground (1 for 500000 population)
Area 2.50 ha
3) Burial ground (1 for 500000 population)
Area 4.00 ha

PUBLIC AND SEMI PUBLIC

Government/Semi-Government/Public Off~es (PS- 1)
Government Land (use determined) (PS-2j
Educational and Research (PS-3)
Medical and Health (PS-4)
Social, Cultural and Religious (PS-5)
Utilities and Services (PS-6)
Cremation and Burial Grounds (PS-7)

India’s Widow Burning

In India (during British rule) in the early 1800’s, it was the practice of many
to burn the widowed wife alive with her husband when he died. It took
twenty-four years of educational help and raising public awareness from the
missionary William Carey and his friends, to prohibit this cruel and
superstitious rite known as Suttee.

They made reports to the English Government with regards to suttee, (the
tradition of the immolation (the killing as a religious rite) of widows, on the
burning pyre of their dead husbands). Within a radius of thirty miles around
Calcutta, four hundred suttee ‘deaths’ were reported in one year alone.

In 1825 the British Indian Governor, Lord William Bentinck, finally outlawed
the practice of suttee and a proclamation was sent throughout the land in both
English and Bengalese saying, “The practice of suttee or burning or burying
alive the widows of Hindus is hereby declared illegal, and punishable by the
criminal courts.”

In India today, especially around the Ganges River cremations are performed
publicly (also in parts of Nepal) and the human remains are thrown into the
river. Some bodies (depending on who the deceased is, or how they died), are
not cremated or buried, but are wrapped in cloth and floated down the River
Ganges where they gradually decompose.
religion, hinduism, Sati, engraving, drawing, 19th century, India, cult, burning, widow, funeral, suttee,
historic, historica

Antyeṣṭi (अअअअअअअअअअअ) is a composite Sanskrit word of antya and iṣṭi, which respectively
mean "last" and "sacrifice".[7] Together, the word means the "last sacrifice". Similarly, the
phrase Antima Sanskara literally means "last sacred ceremony, or last rite of passage".[8]

Scriptures[edit]

A Hindu cremation rite in Nepal. The samskara above shows the body wrapped in saffron cloth on a pyre.

The Antyesti rite of passage is structured around the premise in ancient literature of Hinduism
that the microcosm of all living beings is a reflection of a macrocosm of the universe.[9] The soul
(Atman, Brahman) is the essence and immortal that is released at the Antyeshti ritual, but both
the body and the universe are vehicles and transitory in various schools of Hinduism. The human
body and the universe consist of five elements in Hindu texts – air, water, fire, earth and
space.[9] The last rite of passage returns the body to the five elements and its origins.[5][9] The
roots of this belief are found in the Vedas, for example in the hymns of Rigveda in section 10.16,
as follows,
Burn him not up, nor quite consume him, Agni: let not his body or his skin be scattered,
O all possessing Fire, when thou hast matured him, then send him on his way unto the Fathers.
When thou hast made him ready, all possessing Fire, then do thou give him over to the Fathers,
When he attains unto the life that waits him, he shall become subject to the will of gods.
The Sun receive thine eye, the Wind thy Prana (life-principle, breathe); go, as thy merit is, to
earth or heaven.
Go, if it be thy lot, unto the waters; go, make thine home in plants with all thy members.

— Rigveda 10.16[10]

The final rites of a burial, in case of untimely death of a child, is rooted in Rig Veda's section
10.18, where the hymns mourn the death of the child, praying to deity Mrityu to "neither harm our
girls nor our boys", and pleads the earth to cover, protect the deceased child as a soft wool. [11]
Traditional practices[edit]

Cremation of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, 31 January 1948. It was attended by Jawaharlal

Nehru, Lordand Lady Mountbatten, Maulana Azad, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Sarojini Naiduand other national
leaders. His son Devdas Gandhi lit the pyre[12]

The last rites are usually completed within a day of death. While practices vary among sects,
generally, his or her body is washed, wrapped in white cloth, if the dead is a man or a widow, or
red cloth, if it is a woman whose husband is still alive,[6] the big toes are tied together with a string
and a Tilak (red, yellow or white mark) is placed on the forehead.[5] The dead adult's body is
carried to the cremation ground near a river or water, by family and friends, and placed on a pyre
with feet facing south.[6]
The eldest son, or a male mourner, or a priest – called the lead cremator or lead mourner – then
bathes himself before leading the cremation ceremony.[5][13] He circumambulates the dry wood
pyre with the body, says a eulogy or recites a hymn, places sesame seeds or rice in the dead
person's mouth, sprinkles the body and the pyre with ghee (clarified butter), then draws three
lines signifying Yama (deity of the dead), Kala (time, deity of cremation) and the dead.[5] Prior to
lighting the pyre, an earthen pot is filled with water, and the lead mourner circles the body with it,
before lobbing the pot over his shoulder so it breaks near the head. Once the pyre is ablaze, the
lead mourner and the closest relatives may circumambulate the burning pyre one or more times.
The ceremony is concluded by the lead cremator, during the ritual, is kapala kriya, or the ritual of
piercing the burning skull with a stave (bamboo fire poker) to make a hole or break it, in order to
release the spirit.[14]
All those who attend the cremation, and are exposed to the dead body or cremation smoke take
a shower as soon as possible after the cremation, as the cremation ritual is considered unclean
and polluting.[15] The cold collected ash from the cremation is later consecrated to the nearest
river or sea.[13]
In some regions, the male relatives of the deceased shave their head and invite all friends and
relatives, on the tenth or twelfth day, to eat a simple meal together in remembrance of the
deceased. This day, in some communities, also marks a day when the poor and needy are
offered food in memory of the dead.[16]

Cremation ground[edit]
The cremation ground is called Shmashana (in Sanskrit), and traditionally it is located near a
river, if not on the river bank itself. Those who can afford it may go to special sacred places like
Kashi (Varanasi), Haridwar, Allahabad, Sri Rangam, Brahmaputra on the occasion of
Ashokastami and Rameswaram to complete this rite of immersion of ashes into water.[17]

Modern practices[edit]
Cremation of the dead by Hindus in Ubud, Bali Indonesia.

Both manual bamboo wood pyres and electric cremation are used for Hindu cremations.[18] For
the latter, the body is kept on a bamboo frame on rails near the door of the electric
chamber.[19] After cremation, the mourner collect the ashes and consecrate it to a water body,
such as a river or sea.
As mentioned in Bhagvad Geeta:
अअअअअअअ अअअअअअअअ अअअ अअअअअ अअअअअ अअअअअअअअ अअअअअअअअअअ
अअअ अअअअअअअ अअअअअ अअअअअअअअअअअअअअअ अअअअअअ अअअअअ अअअअअअ

During our daily lives we change our old and/or dirty clothes and put on new and/or clean
clothes whenever the need arises. Similarly, the soul or aatmancasts off its worn out
physical body and takes residence in a newer physical body at regular intervals in time. Just
like the clothes that we wear do not represent the real state of our physical body, the state of
our physical body (which deteriorates over time and is hence impermanent) does not
represent the truly unchangeable and permanent nature of the soul that resides within it.

Our human body is composed of five basic elements. They are earth, water, air,
fire, space primarily called Panchamahabhootha.

If you burn the body, it gets mixed with fire, air, earth, space. People take the remaining
ashes and drop it in the river. The point is here is our body which is made of
Panchamahabhootha gets equally distributed to all of them, maintaining an equilibrium. For
people who do not understand this scientific significance, they are asked to take it as culture
or belief or custom or they are made it follow it as it is sacred.

Why do Hindus burn their dead?

PALLAVI THAKUR, APR 30, 2014 04:12PM 1346K 334
 1/18

1
Funeral rites of the Hindus
The last sacrament in the life of a person is Funeral with which he closes the concluding chapter of worldly
career. The way one grieves, commemorates, and disposes the dead varies greatly from culture to
culture…Hindus burn, Muslims bury. However, the only common belief at this point is that the survivors
need to consecrate the death for the deceased’s future felicity in the next world. Hinduism is unique among
the world’s major religions in mandating cremation as one of the 16 life rituals. Let’s explore, why…
 2/18

2
The significance of Antim-Sanskara
This Samskara, being post-mortem, is not less important, because for a Hindu the value of the next world
is higher than that of the present one. The Baudhayana Pitrmedha-Sutras say, ‘It is well-known that
through the Samskaras after the birth one conquers this earth; through the Samskaras after the death the
heaven". Therefore the ritualists are very anxious to have the funerals performed with meticulous care.
 3/18

3
A mention in Mahabharata
‘What is the greatest wonder?’ Lord Yamraj asks in the Mahabharata. Yudhisthir replies, ‘Day after day
countless people die. Yet the living wish to live forever.’ Death has been an enigma from time
immemorial. The human mind refuses to accept its utter finality. All civilizations and religions believe that
somehow, the ‘individual’ keeps living, goes somewhere else, or will eventually ‘rise’ and reach heaven or
hell. Hindus believe both in ‘life’ after death and in reincarnation.

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4
Hinduism and Cremation
Hindus believe in the soul being indestructible; and that death symbolises end of the existence of a person's
physical being, but the start of a new journey for the soul. This soul then reincarnates in some other life
form, and passes through the same cycle of taking birth, growing and eventually meeting death- only to
begin the cycle afresh. Cremation of a person's dead body is therefore, supposed to rid the departed soul of
any attachments to the body it previously resided in.
 5/18

5
Surrendering to the Holy fire
Fire is considered holy in Hinduism. It burns away everything until nothing remains. On the other hand,
burying is a very slow process of dissolving the five elements inside the body back into the five elements
of the cosmos. By cremating the body, the physical remnants of the ghost are entirely wiped out from the
face of earth, so that the ghost may continue with its journey forward after the 11 days.
 6/18

6
Surrendering to the Holy fire
Agni, consume not this body to cinders neither give it pain nor scatter about its skin or limbs. When the
body is fairly burnt, convey the spirit to the ancestors. May the five elements be merged with their basic
forms. – Vedic hymn to Agni. Since Agni, the god of fire is seen as a link between the gross and subtle,
matter and spirit, the seen and unseen, the known and unknown and a messenger between men and gods,
dead bodies were disposed by cremation.
 7/18

7
Surrendering to the Holy fire
Thus, the dead body is an offering to Agni with an earnest prayer to purify and lead the individual to a
better and brighter life. Another reason for preferring cremation is to produce a feeling of detachment in
the freshly disembodied subtle body and to encourage it to pass on, rather than hover around loved ones.
Moreover, Hindus, out of respect for the dead, did not want to leave the bodies around to be consumed by
vultures and other animals.
 8/18

8
Releasing the spirit
Hindus cremate their dead, believing that the burning of a dead body signifies the release of the spirit and
that the flames represent Brahma, the creator. In addition, burial sites utilize large areas of arable land.
Earlier, digging a grave was laborious and required special implements compared to cremation which was
easier, quicker and cheaper because everyone who came would bring along some wood for the fire.
 9/18

9
Exceptions to cremation
The exceptions to cremation are saints, holy men, pregnant women and children. Since saints are supposed
to have attained a high degree of detachment from the body, they do not need to be cremated – they are
buried in the lotus position. For children too, the attachment to the body is much less. Also, according to
custom, an offspring is required to light the funeral pyre, and both categories would normally not have any.

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10
Exceptions to cremation
Children are not grown so their funeral must differ from that of the adult. Their tender body should be
spared the fierce flames; their innocent life neither inflicts so much impurity nor does it require so much
purification. The next special rite is that of a Garbhini or a pregnant woman who dies in her pregnancy.
Baudhayana says that she should be carried to the cremation ground but after saving the child. In case, the
child could not be saved, she should be floated or buried.
 11/18

11
Burial versus Cremation
In ancient Egypt, the physical body was preserved through an elaborate process of mummification, as it
was believed that, without a home, the soul wandered around to be lost forever. Similarly, Chinese
emperors were buried with replicas of objects called grave goods. Again the belief was that on death, the
person enters an ‘after life.’ All the daily comforts of their past life such as servants, attendants, objects,
pets, wives, guardians, concubines, food and drink were buried along with the emperor.
 12/18

12
Burial versus Cremation
Among the ancient Greeks and Romans, both cremation and burial were practiced. Christianity and
Judaism discourage cremation and Islam prohibits it. Lately, more Christians are becoming open to the
idea of cremation, but the Eastern Orthodox churches still forbid it. Many Liberal and Reform Jews
support cremation as an option. The Roman Catholic Church’s discouragement of cremation stems from
the idea that the body is holy and should be treated with honour and respect. Moreover cremation
constituted a denial of the resurrection of the body.
 13/18

13
Burial versus Cremation
Burial as opposed to cremation, apparently, seems to be a ‘neater’ and ‘nicer’ way of disposal. However,
since the whole dreadful process of gradual decomposition and decay of the body is not seen, cremation is,
in actual fact, a ‘kinder’ method. Moreover, it is definitely preferable for environmental reasons. Since a
traditional burial consumes nearly one tree, Hindus are enjoined to plant three trees, on special occasions,
during their life span.

14/18
14
Islamic belief
According to Islamic belief, Allah will resurrect all dead from the graves on judgment day and send them
to heaven. If they cremate the body then there will be no body to resurrect. They consider body belongs to
god and burning it is disrespectful. Geographical conditions may also be responsible for this difference in
opinion as Islam is originated in region (desert) where cremating cannot be followed because of lack wood
(main requirement of creating fire)!

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15
The logic behind the ritual
A Human Being does not always die from old-age, he may die due to diseases. If he is burnt, the micro-
organisms in his body will die (no pathogen survives at the temperature of fire). Thus, burning of a body
after a person is dead ensures that you are not committing murder, and also you are preventing it from
being a source of spread of any disease.
 16/18

16
Being a part of the Five Tatvas
Also, a traditional belief among Hindus says that a person's body is composed of 5 elements- earth, fire,
water, air and sky. The cremation ceremonies of Hindus are directed towards returning the body to these
elements. The body is progressively returned to earth, air, sky and fire by burning it under skies; and the
ashes are respectfully collected and poured in a river.
 17/18

17
The concept of restrictive mourning
It is said that excessive mourning over a deceased prevents the soul from being completely detached from
its loved ones, and keeps it from undertaking its new journey- that of taking up a new life. Cremation (and
subsequent ceremonies in mourning) help to remove most of those things that can act as a reminder for the
person's existence, and thereby also assist the family in getting over the loss.
 18/18

18
To be cremated near Ganga
It is the ultimate wish of a Hindu to die and be cremated along a riverbank; the holier the river the better
for the departed soul. Many Hindu holy shrines are built along famous riverbanks. Banaras, situated along
the holy river Ganges, is the holiest of them all, considered so holy that every Hindu wishes to die there.
Indeed, this desire is so irrepressible that some pious Hindus make provisions to move to Baneras at an old
age for the sole purpose of uniting with God.

As mentioned in Bhagvad Geeta:

अअअअअअअ अअअअअअअअ अअअ अअअअअ अअअअअ अअअअअअअअ अअअअअअअअअअ
अअअ अअअअअअअ अअअअअ अअअअअअअअअअअअअअअ अअअअअअ अअअअअ
अअअअअअ

During our daily lives we change our old and/or dirty clothes and put on new and/or
clean clothes whenever the need arises. Similarly, the soul or aatmancasts off its
worn out physical body and takes residence in a newer physical body at regular
intervals in time. Just like the clothes that we wear do not represent the real state of
our physical body, the state of our physical body (which deteriorates over time and is
hence impermanent) does not represent the truly unchangeable and permanent
nature of the soul that resides within it.

Our human body is composed of five basic elements. They are earth,
water, air, fire, space primarily called Panchamahabhootha.

If you burn the body, it gets mixed with fire, air, earth, space. People take the
remaining ashes and drop it in the river. The point is here is our body which is made
of Panchamahabhootha gets equally distributed to all of them, maintaining an
equilibrium. For people who do not understand this scientific significance, they are
asked to take it as culture or belief or custom or they are made it follow it as it is
sacred.

Even if we take the Middle East angle into account, the fact is burial and cremation
were both followed here. Egyptians burried their dead, while Babylonians embalmed
it. Persians originally followed cremation, was prohibited during Zorastrian period.
The Phoenicians used to follow both practices, burial and cremation. So until Islam
and Christianity became predominant in the Middle East, cremation was followed to
some extent.
If you take the case of India, cremation was first followed by what you called the
Cemetery H culture( circa 1700 BC), which is traditionally Late Harappan phase,
which many believe to be the foundation of sorts for Vedic culture, that defines
Hinduism more or less, as we know it today. In the Cemetery H culture, bodies were
burnt, and bones were placed in burial urns. An important point here, is that in
early Indus Valley Civilization, people used to bury the dead in wooden coffins. The
Cemetery H culture came in the later phase of Indus Valley, and it gives credence to
the theory, that there was change in the settlement pattern of earlier Harappan
civilizations.

In addition the Rigveda too makes a reference to cremation, in the 10th Mandala,
15th hymn and 14th verse, where it invokes the ancestors who are "both cremated
(agnidagdhá-) and uncremated (ánagnidagdha-)". So it does look there was a
historical basis for cremation in Hinduism, with the Vedic texts which more or less
defines what we follow today. There also might have been a reason that ancient
India being a predominantly agricultural society, there was a belief that bodies
rotting in the soil, would render it infertile, and people preferred to dispose off the
dead bodies. And of course the core Hindu belief, that death liberates the soul from
the body, and it is indestructible. So burning the corpse, would help in detaching the
soul, from the body, and help it in moving to the next destination, which again is the
more philosophical explanation.

To sum up, I really am not a big believer of the Aryans coming from Middle East
theory, but even assuming it did happen, the fact, is cremation was practiced from
long in the Indian subcontinent, and the Vedic texts reinforced the practice further.

HINDU FUNERAL CUSTOMS

by Dana Parks | Nov 26, 2014 | Advice, Cremation, Funeral Planning

Hindu funeral customs for commemoration of death and dying are

held in a fairly uniform format determined by the Veda, the most
ancient Hindu scriptures, written in early Sanskrit. The rituals,
however, vary by the area, tradition, and other factors. Most rites
are carried out by the family with some rites performed by a priest.
Hinduism kind of unique in that there is no founder. It teaches that
God is within each being and object in the universe and also
transcends every object. It believes the essence of each soul is
divine; and that the purpose of life is to become aware of that divine
essence
HINDU FUNERAL CUSTOMS
The Hindu believe that when a person dies the soul which
represents the person departs, and death only occurs to the body.
Therefore, most families will select cremation soon after death. In
countries where Hinduism is practiced, a funeral pyre is constructed
and the body is incinerated outdoors. In the United States, bodies
are cremated in a crematorium. Some Hindus, as a show of respect
on how the body is treated will prefer to witness the body when it is
placed in the retort for cremation. This request can often be
accommodated by most funeral homes.
HINDU VIEWING CUSTOMS
At the funeral, the body is displayed in an open casket, and may be
adorned with flowers and sandalwood. A Hindu priest, or Brahmin,
receites scriptures in Sanskrit or Hindi, or in the local dialect of the
deceased. Funerals and cremations in India often happen in the
same location, whereas in the United States, this is this is usually
not possible. Some Hindus, as a show of respect on how the body
is treated will prefer to witness the body when it is placed in the
retort (cremation device) for cremation. This request can often be
accommodated by most funeral homes. A Hindu funeral is open to
family and friends of the deceased, but the cremation is a private
rite of passage just for close family.
After the cremation, the family retains the ashes that are
later spread in a sacred body of water, the Ganges River if in India,
or other body of water. The ashes may also be spread in a place
the deceased person may have thought important. If you go to a
Hindu funeral, you should see simple white causal clothes, hear
prayers and hymns, and see lots of flowers. Whatever things that
were brought from the home should be left behind or discarded and
are not to be taken back home. We have noticed this when we are
doing burials at sea, all the flowers that go our with the family are
placed in the water – nothing is brought back.
There is often a celebration for the departed in twelve or thirteen
days to show appreciation, and welcome the completion of travel to
the land of the ancestors. Each year, on the anniversary of the
person’s passing shraddha rites may be performed in the home.
This is observed for a specified amount of time or, in some cultures,
is a continual observance as long as the sons of the deceased are
still living. As well, we have noticed that some of our family like to
visit the scattering location on the anniversary of the scattering.
If you are interested in the history of Hindu funeral rites, and the
variations in the ceremonies; there is an excellent article in a site
called The Final Journey. Here is an excerpt from their introduction.
Hindu rituals for the dead, whether of the most ancient period or of
later times serve five purposes: disposal of the body, consolation of
those grieving, assistance to the departing soul to reach pitr-loka,
sustenance to those pitrs who have reached that destination, and a
call by the living for help at special times from the pitrs.
If you live in the San Diego area, or are travelling here please
contact at San Diego Burial at Sea for small intimate dignified
services on a luxury private yacht which are affordable. We
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Hindu Funeral Traditions

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Within Hinduism there are a number of sects,

subsects, and regional variations with differing
beliefs.

Generally, Hindus believe that life and death are part of the concept of
samsara, or rebirth. The ultimate goal for many Hindus is to become free
from desire, thereby escaping samsara and attaining moksha, the
transcendent state of salvation. Once moksha is attained, the soul will be
absorbed into Brahman, the divine force and ultimate reality.

When Death Is Imminent

When a Hindu is approaching death, a priest should be contacted and the
priest and the family should gather to be with the dying person. Those
present should chant mantras or play a recording of mantras being
chanted. When death seems imminent, the body should, if possible, be
transferred to a grass mat on the floor. A small amount of water from the
Ganges River should be placed in the dying person’s mouth. If this is not
possible before death, then these actions should take place immediately
following the death.

After Death Has Occurred

As soon as death occurs, those gathered will avoid unnecessary touching
of the body, as it is seen as impure.

When To Hold A Hindu Funeral

Preparations for the funeral begin immediately. The funeral should take
place as soon as possible—traditionally, by the next dusk or dawn,
whichever occurs first. A priest should be contacted and can help guide in
the decision-making process and direct the family to a Hindu-friendly
funeral home.

Organ Donation
Organ donation is acceptable for Hindus, as there are no Hindu laws
prohibiting organ or tissue donation.

Embalming
Embalming is acceptable in Hinduism.

Preparing The Body

Traditionally, the body is washed by family members and close friends.
Many Hindu funeral homes recognize the importance of the family washing
the body and will allow the family to prepare the body. If this is not possible,
the funeral home may wash and dress the body. For the ritual washing, the
deceased’s head should be facing southward. A lighted oil lamp as well as
a picture of the deceased’s favorite deity should be kept by the deceased’s
head. Traditionally, for the “abhisegam” (holy bath), the body is washed in a
mixture of milk, yogurt, ghee (clarified butter), and honey. The body may
also be washed in purified water. While the body is being washed, those
washing should recite mantras. Once the body is sufficiently cleaned, the
big toes should be tied together, the hands should be placed palm-to-palm
in a position of prayer, and the body should be shrouded in a plain white
sheet. If the person who died was a married woman who died before her
husband, she should be dressed in red.

Viewing, Wake, Or Visitation Before A Hindu

Funeral
Hindus generally hold a brief wake before cremation. The body should be
displayed in a simple, inexpensive casket. “Vibuti” (ash) or “chandanam”
(sandalwood) should be applied to the forehead of a man, and turmeric
should be applied to the forehead of a woman. A garland of flowers should
be placed around the neck, and holy basil should be placed in the casket.
During the wake, family and friends gather around the casket and may
recite hymns or mantras. At the end of the wake, before the body is
removed for cremation, many Hindus place “pinda” (rice balls) near the
casket. At the end of the wake, the casket is removed feet-first and brought
to the place of cremation.

To learn more about viewings, wakes, and visitations, see our

article Viewings, Wakes, and Visitations.

Cremation
Traditionally, all Hindus—except babies, children, and saints—are
cremated.

Traditionally, the casket is carried on a stretcher and walked to the

cremation site, though it is acceptable to transport the body in a vehicle. If a
vehicle, such as a hearse, is used for transportation, the eldest male
relative (known as “karta”) and another male family elder should
accompany the casket. It is customary that only men attend the cremation.

Historically, Hindu cremations take place on the Ganges River in India. The
family builds a pyre and places the body on the pyre. The karta will circle
the body three times, walking counter-clockwise so that the body stays on
his left, and sprinkling holy water on the pyre. Then the karta will set the
pyre on fire and those gathered will stay until the body is entirely burned.
For Hindus living outside of India, there are companies that will arrange for
the shipment of the body to India and hold a traditional cremation with a
proxy karta.

In the United States, only crematories may cremate bodies. However, most
crematories will allow for ceremonies before the cremation and will allow for
guests to be present at the cremation itself. Thus, most of the rituals may
still be observed. The body should be brought into the crematorium feet-
first, ideally with the feet facing south. Those gathered may pray, and then
the karta will perform the ritual circling of the body. At this point, the body is
ready for cremation, and should be placed into the incinerator feet-first.
When the body has been fully cremated, those gathered will return home.

Post-Funeral Reception
Upon returning home, all family members will bathe and change into fresh
clothes. Then the family will gather for a meal. A priest may visit the family
at home and purify the house with incense.

Hindu Mourning Period And Memorial Events

 The day after the cremation, the karta will return to the crematory and
collect the ashes. Traditionally, the ashes should be immersed in the
Ganges River, though more and more other rivers are becoming
acceptable substitutes. For Hindus living outside of India, there are
companies that will arrange for the shipment of the cremated remains to
India and will submerge the ashes in the Ganges.

The cremation of the deceased marks the beginning of the mourning

period, which lasts for 13 days. During this time, the family of the deceased
will stay at home and receive visitors, though mourning rituals may differ
depending on the community. A photograph of the deceased may be
prominently displayed, and a garland of flowers may be placed on the
photograph. Throughout the mourning period, the rite of “preta-karma” will
be performed, which assists the disembodied spirit of the deceased to
obtain a new body for reincarnation.

One year after the death, the family will observe a memorial event called
“sraddha,” which pays homage to the deceased. The karta will invite
Brahmins, members of the highest caste, to the home and provide them
with an elaborate meal, treating them as he would his own parents.

The Final Journey

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Hindu Funeral Rites
Hindu Funeral Rites and Ancestor Worship
Antyesti, Sraddha and Tarpana
1. Introduction
The following article is a summary of the history of Hindu beliefs and ritual practices
regarding death and the worship of ancestors. It includes examples of the final rites
for the disposal of the dead, antyesti, and a discussion of the post-mortem rites
of sraddha and tarpana, which form the basis of Hindu ancestor worship. According
to Hindu belief there are realms of existence and classes of beings that exist
throughout this universe. Some of these beings live in regions above this earth and
others in regions below this earth. Some are classified as benefic and others are
classified as malefic. Among the class of benefic beings are the pitrs, who include
the ancient progenitors of mankind as well as the deceased relatives of the living.
Hindu rituals for the dead, whether of the most ancient period or of later times serve
five purposes: disposal of the body, consolation of those grieving, assistance to the
departing soul to reach pitr-loka, sustenance to those pitrs who have reached that
destination, and a call by the living for help at special times from the pitrs.
Three Periods

The study of this ancient belief system can be divided into three periods of
development: the Vedic period, the Grhya period and the Puranic period. In the
Vedic period it was believed that the spirit of a dead person became
a pitr immediately after the disposal of the body. As soon as the spirit became
a pitr it became a recipient of various Vedic sacrifices known as pitr-yajnas.During
the Grhya period it was believed that a soul did not become a pitr immediately after
death, but entered an intermediate stage of life called a preta. This preta being could
only become a pitr after certain rituals called ekoddista-sraddhas were performed by
living relatives. This usually took a year. During the final Puranic period the idea
expanded to include a new stage of life called the ativahika stage. As soon as the
physical body was cremated the soul did not become a preta, but instead took on an
initial ativahika body. In order to release the soul from this stage, a set of even more
specialized rites called purakas had to be performed by the living relatives.
This ativahika stage generally lasted for ten days after which the soul became
a preta wherein the ekoddista-sraddhas would be performed to complete the
transition into a pitr after one year. Underlying this process was the belief that
without the help of living relatives performing particular rites at specific times, the
departing soul was unable to obtain the necessary body by which it could partake in
the enjoyments of the pitrs. Therefore, in all stages, the living relatives had to
perform some required rites.

While addressing this topic it is important to understand that Hindu religious traditions do not
fall within the jurisdiction of any one central authority. Hinduism has no ecclesiastic body that
determines its beliefs, ritual practices or social structure. There are, of course, a large
number of religious sects (sampradayas), with a great number of prominent teachers
(acaryas), but the authority of the religious sect and the individual guru extends only to a
relatively small range of followers. Consequently, Hindu beliefs and practices vary widely
from one religious sect to another and from one geographic region to another. This creates a
highly diffused and multi-layered tradition. Therefore, it is difficult to determine which
practices and beliefs are original and which have been added. It is also virtually impossible
to assert that any given regional practice is standard. Nevertheless, this article will attempt to
chart the middle ground and draw certain conclusions that describe the general Hindu view
on this complex topic.
In fact, tradition describes many classes of pitrs. Here is a list of just a few:
Agnisvattas (pitrs of the gods), Barhisads (pitrs of demons), Vairajas (pitrs of
ascetics), Somapas (pitrsof brahmanas), Havismats (pitrs of ksatriyas), Ajyapas
(pitrs of vaisyas), Sukalin (pitrs of sudras), and Vyamas (pitrs of the outcastes).
Pitr-loka is the name of the realm of existance wherein the pitrs dwell.
The word sraddha means an act of faith. The term is not used during the Vedic
period. The word first appears during the Grhya period. In the Asvalayana-sutra (IV
7.1) the sraddha is described as an ekoddista rite wherein in the ashes and the
bones of the departed soul are collected and placed in an urn. The
word ekoddista means “meant for one.” Ekoddista-sraddha are those rights designed
solely for the benefit of the departed soul and not for the pitrs in general.
2. The Funeral (Antyesti)
In Sanskrit the term antyesti refers to the final sacrifice, the last of the
16 samskaras or life sacraments that mark important events in an individual’s life.
The antyesti ceremony is the funeral ceremony. This samskara is performed to
dispose of the dead body, to give peace to the departed soul, and to enable it to
enter the world of the ancestors (pitrs). From the earliest Vedic times cremation was
the most common means of disposing of a body. There is, however, written evidence
that burial and post burial ceremonies also occurred during the Vedic period.
The Rg and Atharva Vedas mention both burial and cremation as legitimate methods
for the disposal of the dead. We find evidence in the Aranyakas that the burial of
incinerated bones and ashes was an important and elaborate ceremony. By the
Grhya and Puranic periods, however, burial and post cremation burial are hardly
mentioned. Cremation had become the only orthodox method for the disposal of the
dead.
Here is a summary of what we know about cremation from the Rg-veda:
1. The fire deity, Agni, was invoked to carry the departing soul to the realm of Yama, the
god of death.
2. In the case of a priest his sacrificial implements were burned along with his body.
3. Prayers were recited to various deities in order to transfer the departing soul to the world
of the pitrs.
4. A cow or goat, known as an anustarani, was burned along with the body of the
deceased.
5. In the case of a deceased husband, the wife would lay on the funeral pyre along side the
body of her husband. Before the fire was lighted, she would be asked to rise from the
side of her husband’s body and rejoin the living.
The Atharva-veda (XVIII) adds the following information:
1. The body was dressed in new garments before cremation.
2. Grains and sesame seeds were scattered along side the body before cremation.
3. The pitrs were ritually invoked to attend the ceremony and invited to sit on the southern
side of the fire.
4. Streams of ghee along with prayers were offered to the pitrs during the cremation.
5. Prayers and oblations made of rice cakes, milk, meat, whey, honey, and water were
used in the worship of various gods in order to ensure long life and prosperity for the
living relatives.
6. Prayers and oblations were offered to three generations of pitrs: the father, the
grandfather, and the great grandfather, during the cremation.
7. Cakes of rice, sesame and other articles of food were buried along with the cremated
bones.
It is evident from the Atharva-veda that the worship of pitrs had its origins in the
earliest Vedic period.
The cremation process during the Grhya period may be summarized as follows:
1. As soon as the person died a cremation pit called a smasana was dug. The pit was
made in a fertile place inclined towards the south.
2. All hair, including head and facial hair, was removed from the body.
3. A funeral procession of four parts was organized. The immediate family members carried
the sacred fire and the sacrificial vessels. Behind them an odd number of persons
 carried the dead body. Next, a cow or goat, preferably black in color, followed. Finally,
the relatives and friends of the dead person followed.
4. Once the funeral pyre had been prepared the body was placed on sacred grass that
lined the inside of the cremation pit along with wood. In the case of a husband who had
died, his wife would lie to the north side of his body. A brother or some other
representative of the deceased would ask her to rise before the fire was lighted. The
sacrificial implements used by the deceased person would also be placed alongside the
body.
5. The body would be covered with the skin of an anustarani cow or goat. If there was no
animal then cakes of rice would serve the purpose.
6. The fire was lighted starting at the head.
7. When the entire body had been consumed, the mourners would circumambulate in a
counter-clockwise direction and then leave without looking back. They would then go and
bathe.
During the Puranic period the procedures were as follows.
1. At the time of death sacred verses were recited to revive the dead person. When these
had failed the priest would announce the death. The cremation, if possible, was to be
performed on the day of the death.
2. Professional mourners would be hired, who would gather around the deceased with
disheveled hair, disordered garments, and dust covered bodies and begin wailing and
sobbing.
3. The body was washed; the hair and nails were cut. The body was dressed in new
garments and adorned with ornaments.
4. The body was carried on the shoulders of relatives, or pulled in a cart, followed by
mourners who would recite sacred prayers until they reached the cremation site.
5. After arriving at the cremation site the body would be placed on the funeral pyre with the
head facing the south.
6. The chief mourner placed ghee on the body to the accompaniment of sacred prayers.
7. All jewels and ornaments were removed from the body and a small mound of cow dung
was placed on the stomach or chest. The chief mourner walked around the body three
times in a counterclockwise direction while sprinkling water from an earthen vessel. The
vessel was then broken on the ground near the head of the deceased.
8. The chief mourner lighted the fire at the head to the accompaniment of prayers.
9. Prayers were recited to direct the various parts of the deceased’s body to merge with the
universal elements: the voice to the sky, the eyes to the sun, the vital breath to the wind,
and so forth.
10. After the fire has consumed the body the mourning party returned home to bathe and
purify themselves with prayers for peace.
11. Three days after the cremation the chief mourner returned to the burning area and
ceremonially sprinkled the ashes with water. The ashes were later poured into the
Ganges or other sacred body of water in a ceremony called visarjanam.
Current cremation practice in India generally follows this Puranic model.
Burning in Effigy (kusa-puttalika-daha)
If a person had died but the body could not be reclaimed, as in the case of a person
who had drowned or had been killed in battle, it was still absolutely essential for a
cremation to take place. The reason was simple: without cremation the departed soul
could not begin the transition into a pitr. In lieu of a body an image could be
cremated. The Bhavisya-purana describes an image made of 360 strands of kusa, a
kind of sacred grass: Forty for the head, twenty for the neck, one hundred in the two
arms, twenty in the chest, twenty in the belly, thirty in the hips, one hundred in the
two thighs, and thirty in the knees and shanks. Another account uses a coconut for
the head, a bottle gourd for the mouth, five gems for the teeth, a plantain for the
tongue, two shells for the eyes, clay for the nose, plantain leaves for the ears, the
shoots of the fig tree for the hair, lotus fibers for the entrails, earth and barley paste
for the flesh, honey for the blood, the skin of an antelope for the skin, a lotus for the
naval, eggplant for the scrotum, and tree bark for garments!
If a person became missing, but was not specifically known to be dead, as in the
case of someone who had gone to a foreign land and not returned, the relatives
were advised to wait 12 years before performing the cremation. In the case of a
person who has been cremated in effigy, but who then returned home, the person
needed to be reborn by being passed through the legs of a female and then, step-by-
step, have all the purificatory ceremonies (samskaras) performed. This may even
include a re-marriage if necessary.
There was also a special rite called Narayana-bali that was performed when a
person had died under unusual circumstances, such as through suicide or accidental
death. The Narayana-bali was atonement for the situation and made the deceased fit
for receiving the regular funeral process and subsequent rites.
The Anustarani Animal
Both the Rg and the Atharva Vedas prescribe that the skin and organs of a cow or
she-goat, called an anustarani animal, be burned along with the body. This was done
in order to lessen the pain inflicted on the departing soul by the scorching fire. The
hide of the animal covered the body. The vital organs of the animal were placed in
the hands and around the body of the deceased. During the Grhya period this
practice declined and by the Puranic period was stopped altogether. Instead, rice
was spread around the body in lieu of the skin. During Ravana’s funeral Valmiki
describes how an anustarani animal was used.
There is an interesting story in the Aitreya-brahmana that tells how rice became the
substitute for the anustarani animal. “In the beginning the gods used human beings
for sacrifice. Overtime the sap of life left the human being and entered the body of
the horse. Thereafter, the horse became the object of sacrifice. In time this sap of life
left the horse and entered the ox. The ox became the object of sacrifice. Then again
when the sap of life left the ox and entered sheep, a sheep became the object of
sacrifice. Soon this sap of life left the sheep and entered the goat, wherein the goat
became the object of sacrifice. For a long time the goat remained the object of
sacrifice. Eventually, the sap of life left the goat and entered the earth. Thereupon,
the earth became rice and rice became the fit substitute for the sap of life.” Here we
get the history of the sacrificial animal and the relationship between rice and the
sacrificial animal.
Post cremation Burial (Pitr-medha)
During the Vedic and early Grhya periods it was common to bury the incinerated
bones of a deceased person in an urn. This was the pitr-medha ceremony.
The Grhya-sutras of Asvalayana describe how the burned bones were to be
collected on the third lunar day (tithi) after death. In the case of a man who had died,
the bones were to be collected by elderly men and placed into a male urn. In the
case of a woman, the bones were to be collected by elderly women and placed into
a female urn. Urns were designed by their shape to be male or female. The
performers of this ceremony were to walk three times in a counterclockwise direction
around the bones while sprinkling milk and water from a particular kind of
twig (sami). The bones were then placed into the urn as they were picked up
individually with the thumb and fourth finger. First the bones of the feet were to be
gathered and then successively the other bones were to be gathered working toward
the head. After the bones had been purified and gathered they were sealed and
buried in a secure location.
By the end of the Grhya period the practice of burying bones in an urn declined.
3. The Purakas Rites
As we have noted, the notion of an initial subtle body, known as the ativahika-
sarira, was introduced during the Puranic period. As soon as the gross corporal body
was burned, the soul came to inhabit this subtle body composed of only three
elements: heat (tejas), wind (vayu), and space (akasa). This was the ativahika body.
The offering of the puraka rites, which involve the offering of handful size cakes
made with boiled rice, sesame, honey, milk, sugar and dried fruits, served the
function of step-by-step dissolving the ativahika body and gradually creating a
subtle preta body. The puraka rites usually last 10 days. The order in which
the ativahika body is dissolved and the preta body is created is as follows: On the
first day a cake is offered and the deceased obtains the head of the preta; on the
second day a second cake is offered and he obtains his ears, eyes and nose; on the
third day a third cake is offered and he obtains his chest and neck; on the fourth day
he obtains his stomach and abdomen; on the fifth day he obtains legs and feet; on
the sixth day, he obtains his vital organs; on the seventh day he obtains bones,
marrow, veins and arteries; on the eighth day he obtains nails and hair; on the ninth
day all the remaining limbs and organs along with vitality are developed. On the
tenth day, when the final cake is offered, the sensations of hunger and thirst
associated with the ativahika body are removed. The ativahika body is finally
dissolved and the pretabodied is fully developed.
In an emergency situation if the mourning period could only last one day then all the
ten funeral cakes must be offered on that day. In some communities these rites are
performed on the odd numbered days, but in all cases a total of ten cakes were to be
offered.

The ativahika stage is said to involve great suffering due to heat, cold and wind. It is
said that during this time the departed soul remains in the sky as wind without any
support (akasa-stho niralambo vayu-bhuto nirvasrayah) The subsequent preta body
is said to be less subtle than the ativahika body, but still more subtle than the
physical body and therefore invisible to the eyes of this world.
Here is a brief description of how the puraka cakes were offered. After returning from
the cremation, the nearest relatives of the deceased prepare the ground for
the puraka cakes by creating a small altar and marking it with lines. Then with some
stands of sacred grass (kusa) the performer sweeps the ground while naming the
deceased along with the family gotra, “May this offering be acceptable to thee.”
Making a cake with three handfuls of boiled rice, etc. he next says, “Let this
first puraka cake restore your head. May it be acceptable to thee.” He then puts
fragrant flowers, betel leaves and similar things on the funeral cake and offers a
lamp and a woolen scarf to the deceased while saying, “May this lamp and woolen
cloth be acceptable to thee.” He then places an earthen vessel of water and black
sesame near the puraka cake and says, “May this vessel of water and sesame be
acceptable to thee.”
Afterwards the puraka cakes and other things are thrown into sacred waters. The
ceremony is then concluded by wiping the ground and leaving some food for crows
and other such animals.
For ten successive days the puraka cakes were to be offered using a varied address
each day to restore the different bodily parts.
There are many lengthy rules which prescribe who was allowed to perform
these puraka rites and the other sraddhas. In fact, the right to perform
these sraddhas and the rights to inheritance were often inter-related. The general
hierarchy, going from eldest to youngest within each group, was as follows: the sons,
the grandsons, the great-grandsons, the sons of a daughter, a wife, the brothers, the
sons of a brother, the father, the mother, the daughters, the daughter-in-laws, the
sisters, the sons of a sister and finally any family relation. If no family members are
available then the rites may be performed by anyone of the town or village. In
making the decision who will perform the funeral rites the emotional and mental
competency of a family member was also an important consideration. At any time
one family member could defer his or her rights to the next member.
Sixteen Ekoddista-sraddhas
The period of the ten puraka rites was considered a period of mourning. It was also a
time of impurity, which meant that the family members would not travel to temples or
other holy places. Nor could any sacred ceremonies take place within the family.
Ordinarily this time ended after the tenth day with the final dissolution of
the ativahika body and the creation of the preta body. The subsequent preta stage
lasted for one year. During this time sixteen ekoddista-sraddhas were to be
performed to maintain the preta body of the deceased and elevate the departed soul
to the status of a pitrs. The last of these sraddhas was called the sapindi-karana at
which time the departed soul finally became a pitr. The timing of these
sixteen sraddhas is as follows. The first sraddha is performed on the eleventh day
after death. After that twelve sraddhas are performed in each lunar month on
the naksatraanniversary of the death.Two further sraddhas are performed on the six-
month anniversary of the death. These are usually performed on the day before the
regular sixth month and twelfth month naksatra sraddhas. The final sapindi-karana-
sraddha was performed on the day after the last naksatra sraddha. In this way a total
of 16 ekoddista-sraddhas were performed.
A brief description of an ekoddista-sraddha is as follows. A clean area is selected so
that the performer can face the southern direction, the realm of Yama. The area is
washed with cow dung and a seat made of sacred grass (kusa) is prepared. The
performer wears his sacred thread over the right shoulder (pracinavitin) and
performs a series of rituals and prayers that offer water, cloth, rice cakes (pinda) and
other articles to the deceased. In his left hand the performer holds a vessel
containing black sesame seeds and water, and in his right hand a special brush
made of sacred grass (kusa). This was called a kurca. He pours water through
the kurca and names the deceased person saying (in Sanskrit), “May this ablution be
acceptable to thee.” Afterwards he takes a rice cake (pinda) mixed with clarified
butter and presents it saying, “May this cake be acceptable to thee.” He serves out
the food with the following prayers, “Ancestors, rejoice. Take your respective shares
and become strong.” He walks counterclockwise around the consecrated spot and
says, “Ancestors be glad, take your respective shares and be strong.” He returns to
the same seat and again pours water on the ground over the kurca while reciting,
“May this ablution be acceptable to you.” The whole affair concludes with the feeding
of invited brahmanas in a feeding ceremony call brahmana-bhojanam.
The process of pouring water and black sesame through kurca is called tarpana. The
food that is mixed into cakes is made of boiled rice mixed with ghee and sesame
seeds. These are called pindas and they are similar to the puraka cakes used in
the puraka ceremony.
Sapindi-karana the final Sraddha
The sapindi-karana-sraddha is the last of these sixteen sraddhas that are meant to
elevate the departed soul to the rank of a pitr. It is performed in a similar manner to
the previous sraddha with the following additions. The performer sets out four
vessels with water, sesame and fragrance. Three are for the standard hierarchy
of pitrs, the father, the grandfather and the great grandfather, and the fourth is for the
recently departed soul. The performer then pours the vessel meant for the recently
departed soul into the vessels of the three standard pitrs. Similarly, four cakes of rice
(pindas) are prepared and the cake belonging to the recently departed soul is broken
up and added to the three cakes belonging to three standard pitrs. After the
performance of this rite the preta being becomes a pitr and joins the assemblage of
fathers in their abode (pitr-loka).
Releasing the bull (Vrsotsarga)
At some point during these sixteen ekoddista-sraddhas a rite involving the release of
a bull (vrsotsarga) was also performed. Some commentators suggest that it should
be performed on the eleventh day, in other words, during the first ekoddista-
sraddhas, and others say that it should be performed on last day during the sapindi-
karana-sraddhas. The rite is a remnant of the ancient rite of killing
the anustarani animal. If an actual bull was not available then an image made of
earth, rice or grass could serve the purpose.
Copyright © Sanskrit Religions Institute 2003.

All rights reserved.

The term ativahika has its origins in the Upanisads where it refers to those who are deployed
to carry the dead to the other world (ativahe iha lokat para-loka-prapane niyuktah).
The period of impurity would vary according to caste. Higher castes had generally
shorter periods of impurity. Ordinarily the major period of impurity would last until the
eleventh day. After that regular temple going would resume, but major auspicious
family ceremonies such as weddings may be postponed for a year until the
final sapindi-karana had been performed.
There are 27 naksatras in a lunar month. See —— for details.
The word pinda is derived from the Sanskrit root pind which means “to form into a
ball, to mass, or to join together.” A pinda is that food which is usually made of rice
mashed together with various things such as meat, sesame, ghee, dried fruits,
sugar, and other condiments. More often it is just made of plain rice. According to
some authorities the size of the rice cake should be as small as can easily enter into
the mouth of a child of two years. According to other sources it should be one
handful of size. Some sources describe it as the size of a hen’s egg. Usually
three pinda are offered, one for the father, one for the grandfather, and one for the
great-grandfather.
4. Pitr-yajna
Pitr-yajna
Upon being established as a pitr the departed soul became fit for receiving the
benefits of the numerous pitr-yajnas. The pitr-yajna is a kind of sraddha wherein
one’s family ancestors as well as the general class of pitrs are worshiped.
Hindu sastra prescribes a variety of such ceremonies.
Like the ekoddista rites these ceremonies involve the offerings of rice cakes (pinda),
libations of water (tarpana), and oblations through fire (homa). Three rice cakes, one
for each pitr, were generally employed. Some of the ceremonies were performed on
specific days of the month and times of the year, namely new moon (amavasya) and
during the dark half of the month of bhadrapada (pitr-paksa). For this reason they
were sometimes called parvana rites. Other varieties of these ceremonies are
called kamya or sometimes vrddhi-sraddhas because they may be performed as
desired for some specific purpose.
Tarpana
We have made reference to the offering of libations of water during the
sixteen ekoddista-sraddhas. This process is called tarpana and along with the use of
fire it is an essential component of the sraddha process. The word tarpana is derived
from the Sanskrit root trpwhich means to please or to gratify. Tarpana is the act of
pleasing (trpyanti pitaro yena). Specifically, tarpana is the act of pouring water
through the hands with the use of sacred grass called kusa as a symbolic gesture of
recognition, thanking and pleasing three classes of beings: gods, sages, and fathers.
Usually the sraddha-tarpana is performed in conjunction with other rites. Water
mixed with barley is sometimes poured through the hands as an offering to the gods.
Water mixed with black sesame is poured through the hands as an offering to
the pitrs. Different parts of the hand are used for pouring water when worshiping the
different classes of beings. According to Manu, the area in the center of the palm is
called the brahma-tirtha, the area below the little finger is called the prajapati-tirtha,
the region at the tips of the fingers is called the daiva-tirtha, and the space between
the bottom of the thumb and the index finger is called the pitr-tirtha. Devasshould be
gratified using the daiva-tirtha, rsis using the prajapati-tirtha, and pitrs using the pitr-
tirtha.
During the tarpana ceremony, the sacrificial thread is worn in different positions
around the shoulders and neck for worshiping the different classes of beings. A twice
born is called upavitin when the sacred thread rests across the left shoulder, he is
called nivitin when the sacred thread lies down straight from the neck, and he is
called pracinavitin when the sacred thread rests across the right shoulder.
The devas are to be worshipped in the upavitin position, the sages and exalted
human beings in the nivitin position, and the pitrsin the pracinavitin position.
Similarly, different directions correspond to the different classes of beings. When
offering libations of water to the gods, one turns the face towards the east, when
offering to sages one turns the face towards the north, and when offering to the
fathers one turns the face towards the south. These differences in thread, hand and
face positions are used simply to distinguish the gods, the sages and the fathers
from each other.

The general order in which tarpana is performed is as follows: First the devas are
gratified, then the rsi, then the divine pitrs. After that, starting with the most recently
deceased, those fathers who belong to the paternal are worshiped followed by those
on the maternal side.
Later commentators attempt to explain why water is used during tarpana. Water is
said to be a neutral substance, therefore it can most easily be converted into the
various foods needed to satisfy the respective pitrs. For those ancestors who have
entered heaven, nectar is said to be their food. For those ancestors who have
entered into an animal species, grass may be their food. For those ancestors who
had returned to this earthly realm, rice may be their food. Water, being a neutral
substance, can easily be converted into nectar, grass or rice, etc.
The matter is also explained in another way. When a friend or relative presents food
to a lady who is pregnant she eats the food and satisfies herself. At the same time
the child within her womb is nourished. The food is converted into a substance
suitable for the child. Similarly, when tarpana is offered to the divine fathers, they
accept it by first gratifying themselves and then gratifying the fathers over whom they
preside. Tarpana is perhaps the most important of the sraddha rites and can even
substitute for the rest of the sraddha process.

The word parvana refers to certain times within the lunar cycle, namely new moon, the
eighth and fourteenth lunar days (tithis). These are times especially set aside for the pitr-
yajna ceremonies.
Vrddhi means increase. Kamya means “according to desire.” One such Vrddhi-
sraddhawas called the nandi-mukha-sraddha because a certain class
of pitrs called nandi-mukhasare evoked and asked to bring prosperity and progeny to
a marrying couple.
5. The Feeding of the Brahmanas/Honoring the Pitrs
Along similar lines it was prescribed that during a sraddha ceremony it was also
required that brahmanas be fed. The brahmanas were not to be considered as mere
human beings, but as representative of the pitrs. The position of the brahmana in
a sraddha rite was therefore very high and they were regularly worshiped by the
performer of the sraddha. When the brahmanas ate they ate on behalf of
the pitrs. Their satisfaction was the satisfaction of the fathers. Although the germ of
paying homage to the brahmanas is found in the Rg-Veda, the practice of
feeding brahmanas was not in practice. In the Vedic period offerings for the dead
were poured directly into the fire, which then carried the food to the fathers. The
feeding of brahmanas was a practice that developed from the Grhyaperiod. In the
later periods, the brahmanas even came to occupy the position of the sacrificial fire.
And so food and other such articles formally offered to the pitrs began to be offered
to the brahmanas as their representatives on earth. In a further extension to this idea
the brahmana began to represent, not only the pitrs, but even Brahman Itself.
Consequently, when a brahmana ate Brahman ate, which meant that the whole
world also ate.
The Time for Honoring the Pitrs
It is prescribed that the pitrs be worshiped during the dark times. As such, the new
moon (amavasya), the dark side of the lunar month (krsna-paksa), the southern half
of the sun’s course (daksayana), the afternoon, during an eclipse, during the night,
and so forth, became the times when the pitrs were to be most respected. In fact,
any degree of diminution of light has come to be associated with the worship of pitrs.
The Satapatha-brahmana explains how darkness and some other details came to be
selected for the worship of the dead: The gods once approached Prajapati and said,
“Give us a means to live.” Thereupon the gods were properly invested with the
sacred thread over the left shoulder and were taught to bend using the right knee. To
the gods Prajapati said, “Sacrifice shall be your food, immortality your sap, svah your
call and the sun your light.” Then the pitrs approached Prajapati wearing the sacred
thread over the right shoulder and bending from the left knee. To them Prajapati
said, “Your eating shall be monthly, your call shall be svadha and the moon shall be
your light.” In this way the harmony between the gods and the pitrs was maintained.
One is worshipped in light and the other is worshipped in darkness.
The operative rule underlying most of Hindu culture is that the light of the sun was
used as a symbol for knowledge and consciousness. Vastu-sastra prescribes that
temples and homes must open to the rising sun in the east. Temple images should
also face the east. Uttarayana, the time of increasing daylight, is considered more
auspicious than daksinayana, the time of diminishing daylight. In contrast, death,
which is associated with the loss of consciousness, has come to be symbolized by
darkness. As the sun is an eternal source of light and so has become a symbol for
God and the divine life, so the moon, has become a symbol for the cycle of birth and
death. The moon regularly moves between light and darkness. Similarly, the
word deva is derived from the Sanskrit root divmeaning to shine. The devas are,
therefore, “the shining ones.” The pitrs, on the other hand, are bathed in the light of
the moon and so in this way are distinguished from the gods.
Pitr-paksa
In the Satapatha-brahmana it is stated that three seasons, the spring, the summer
and the rainy season belong to the gods. These three seasons together make
the uttarayana or the time when the sun is on the northern course. As noted above,
this is the time of increasing light in the northern hemisphere. In contrast, autumn,
early winter and late winter belong to the fathers. These three seasons
comprise daksinayana, the time when the sun is on the southern course. This of
course is the time of failing light in the northern hemisphere. In particular, the dark
side of the month of bhadrapada (September October) has been singled out as the
best time for the worship of fathers. A sraddha performed in this period was said to
produce special merit.
The manner in which the worship of the pitrs are worshiped during the month
of bhadrapada is as follows. If one’s father happened to pass away on the 5th lunar
day of any month (pancami-tithi) then the 5th tithi during the dark side of the month
of bhadrapada would be used for honoring one’s father and the other pitrs of the
family. If one’s relative happened to pass away on the 6th tithi then the 6th tithi during
the dark side of the month of bhadrapada would be used for honoring one’s father
and the other pitrs. In this way, all 16 tithis of the dark side of the month
of bhadrapada cover all the possible lunar days on which a family member could
expire.

Daksayana occurs when the daylight is shortest in the northern hemisphere.

During a fire sacrifice (yajna) oblations are offered into the fire with two
expressions, svahand svadha. Offerings made to devas are made with the
sound svah and offering for the pitrs are made using the sound svadha.
SB ii.1.3, 1-3.
Some sastras mention that the dark side of the month of asvina should be set aside
for the worship of the fathers, but this works out to be the same time period as the
dark side of the month of bhadrapada. This is because in some parts of South India
the lunar month is calculated from the first day of the bright fortnight to the new
moon, whereas in north India the month is calculated from the first day of the dark
fortnight to the full moon. In this way, the dark fortnight after the full moon of the
month of bhadrapada is equivalent to the dark side of asvina.
6. Another Form of Sraddha
I will conclude this article by mentioning a final variation to the sraddha process,
which is based on the ancient Pancaratra tradition whose influence can be readily
seen in the Mahabharata some of the Puranas.
A follower of Visnu is enjoined to perform the sraddha rites with the remnants of food
first offered to Visnu. The Padma-purana enjoins that deities other than Visnu and
the fathers may be propitiated with food that has been first offered to Visnu. In that
same text Narada says, “Following the ordinances of the Sattvata School, the
devotees first worshiped Visnu, the God of gods, and with the remnants of such food
worshiped the fathers.” In the Brahmanda-purana it is enjoined that the father’s
remain gratified for thousands of kalpaswith rice cakes mixed with sacred blossoms
of tulasi, prepared with the remnants of food offered with devotion to Visnu. In
the Skanda-purana, Siva says, “Food should first be offered to Visnu and then the
very same food should be distributed to the minor deities and the fathers.” In
the Purusottama-khanda of that same text, it is stated, “For avoiding defilement, the
remnants of food offered to Visnu should be mixed with the rice cakes to be offered
to the fathers. Food is rendered pure when sprinkled with the waters of the tulasi and
when mixed with the food offered to Visnu.” In the course of a conversation between
Brahma and Narada it has been made clear that the worship of Visnu alone is
capable of releasing the fathers from the suffering of hell.” It is even stated that the
performance of the sraddha rite is useless in the age of Kali without first worshipping
Visnu.
This series of quotations from various Puranas reflects the Pancaratrika idea that
through a person’s sole reliance on Visnu all things that a human being would
otherwise have to do alone could be accomplished through the grace of God. The
successful outcome of the sraddha process was therefore, not dependant on the
power of the ritual, the expertise of the priest, precise timing, and availability of the
articles, etc. but upon God alone. This approach involved the ‘handing over’ of the
fate of the soul to God.
According to this approach, food or water that is offered to the pitrs is first offered to
Visnu and thereby transformed into visnu-prasada. The word prasada means
“mercy” or “grace.” Thus visnu-prasada is God’s grace. This prasada of Visnu is then
offered to the pitrs, who now receive God’s grace instead of mere food or water. In
this way, the grace of God has the power to elevate and sustain the pitrs in a manner
that no human power can match. In the case of a homa or havan, a ritual performed
with fire, the fire is used as the “delivery system” by which Visnu is first offered food.
This food offering, which is now God’s grace, is then offered to the pitrs through the
fire. It is thus Agnideva, the fire God, who acts as the link between this world and the
world of the pitrs.
Psychologically this approach to the sraddha process is very satisfying to grieving
family members. The invocation of God’s grace to reach beyond human endeavor is
indeed powerful.
Walker, Benjamin. Hindu World, An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In two
volumes. New Delhi: Indus, 1968.

Shastri, Dakshina Ranjan. Origin and Development of the Rituals of Ancestor

Worship in India. Bookland Private: Calcutta, 1963.
Saraswati, Swami Dayanand, translation by Vaidyanath Shastri. The Sanskar Vidhi.
Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha: New Delhi, 1985.

The Pancaratra Agamas claim to be based on the üukla-yajur-veda (which is no longer

extant) and purports to be of Vedic origin. The Pancaratra Agamas are extremely
voluminous. The number of texts is in the hundreds, but the most ancient and
authoritative Pancaratra texts are the Sattvata, Pauskara and Jayakhya Samhitas.
7. The Psychological Benefits of Sacrifice
The Satapatha-brahmana, a text of the Vedic period, speaks about the five debts that a
human being accrues by living in this world. A person becomes indebted to God, to the
gods, to the ancestors, to living persons of this world and to lesser beings. It states that
these debts can be repaid through sacrifice. God can be repaid through the sacrifice of
studying and teaching the Vedas. The gods can be repaid by the sacrifice of offering
oblations into the fire. The ancestors can be repaid through the sacrifice of offering libations
of water (tarpana). Elders of this world can be repaid through the sacrifice of showing
hospitality to guests, and lesser beings can be repaid by the sacrifice of offering food to
animals and other creatures.
In a similar way, the Manu-samhita, a work of the Grhya period, explains how even
unknowingly a human being causes suffering and thereby incurs sin while living in
this world. Five places are cited: the kitchen, the grinding stone, the broom, the
mortar and pestle, and the water pot. Like the Satapatha- brahmana, Manu says that
through sacrifice a human being can atone for these sins. In other words, Hindu
thinkers from the earliest times recognized that life involved consuming the resource
of this world. Both texts recognized that a human being had a debt to settle with the
world, and both agreed that it was through sacrifice that a human could settle this
debt and establish a just relationship with the world. The pitr-yajna was one such
attempt.
The psychological effect of sacrifice was to enlarge one’s individual existence. By
performing the worship of the ancestors, one established a relationship with the
ancestors. The person no longer lived alone in the universe. The meaning of the
opening prayers used in the tarpana ceremony is illustrative, “From the highest point
to lowest point, so far as this universe extends, let all divine sages and patriarchs, all
deceased fathers, on both the father’s and mother’s side, be worshiped. Let this
humble offering of sesame and water go for benefit the whole world, from the highest
heaven down to this earth, to benefit the inhabitants of the seven continents
belonging to unlimited families in the past.” The rite of pitr-yajna was therefore, an
attempt to psychologically harmonize the individual with the larger world outside.
This need for psychological expansion and to establish a just relationship with the
universe was also expressed in how the Brahmana texts interpreted
the pinda offerings used in the pitr-yajnas.The cakes were not simply food offerings.
They represented the pitrs and ultimately the whole of existence. The first cake, for
the father, was seen as the image of the earth (bhur) and just as fire enjoys the
earth, so the soul of the father was said to enjoy the first cake. The second cake, for
the grandfather, was seen as the image of the sky (bhuvar) and just as the wind
enjoys the sky, so the grandfather was said to enjoy the second cake. The third
cake, for the great grandfather, was seen as the image of the heavens (svar) and
just as the sun enjoys the heavens, so the great grandfather was said to enjoy this
third cake. In this way, the three pinda cakes were equated with the whole of
creation, bhur, bhuvar and svar. Offering the pinda to the pitrs was equal to feeding
the universe.
Copyright © Sanskrit Religions Institute 2003.

All rights reserved.

By Dr. Shukavak Dasa

Rituals to be performed prior to and during

cremation of a dead body
To enable mankind to get closer to God through the medium of various
events that occur from birth to death, HinduDharma has formulated various
religious sanskārs. Among them, the post-death rite is the final sanskār. If
post-death rites are performed with faith and as prescribed by our Scriptures,
then the linga-dēha (subtle body) of the deceased person, without getting
trapped in Bhulok (Earth region) or Martyalok (The region of the dead),
acquires a positive momentum and moves on to higher regions.
Consequently, the possibility of the deceased person tormenting the family
members reduces. The possibility of such a linga-dēha being enslaved by
negative energies reduces too.
Once a person dies, his/her post-death rites are to be performed at the
hands of a priest as mentioned in the Scriptures. Finding a priest with the
knowledge of post-death rites is difficult in most places. What should be done
under such circumstances is given ahead. There could be a difference in
some of the acts, depending on the region or traditions. Wherever one finds
such a difference one can consult one’s priest.

1. Initial rites

A. Collecting the required material for the rite

Given ahead is a list of such material :

1. Bamboo
2. Coir rope (1 kilogram)
3. Two pitchers (earthen pots) – one small and other large
4. A white cloth sufficient to cover the dead body
 5. Garland of tulsī (Holy basil) leaves
6. Mud from the base of a tulsī plant
7. 250 grams black sesame
8. 500 grams ghee (Clarified butter)
9. Darbha (A kind of sacrificial grass)
10. 100 grams camphor
11. One match-box
12. Seven balls made from wet barley or rice flour
13. Palīpanchapatra (An offering spoon and a metal cup used in
ritualistic worship)
14. Wooden logs of mango or jackfruit tree
15. A sickle
16. Bhasma or vibhutī (Holy ash)
17. Gopīchandan (This is a kind of white mud found in the Holy place
of Dvarka)
18. A piece of sandalwood
19. Cowdung cakes
20. One bowlful of panchagavya (a mixture of cow’s milk, curd, ghee,
cow’s urine and cow dung)
21. Seven pieces of gold.
B. The eldest son of the deceased person is authorised to perform all the rites
beginning from kindling the fire of the funeral pyre till the completion of entire
rites. If due to some unavoidable circumstances the eldest son is unable to
perform the rites, then the youngest son takes his place. If he too is not
available, then anyone among the other sons, son-in-law or other relatives can
perform the rites, in that order. The person who performs the rite is called the
‘kartā’. The rites for an unmarried male/female, or a person without any issue
can be performed by the younger (immediate) brother, father or elder brother
or other relatives, in that order.
C. Once a person is dead, as far as possible his/her upper and lower limbs
and neck should be straightened immediately and his eyes closed. With
passage of time, doing this becomes difficult.
D. Do not resort to crying aloud, beating the chest etc.
E. The household members should pray intermittently to Deity Dattātrēya for
protection of the subtle-body of the deceased from the attacks of negative
energies thus -‘O Dattātrēya, let your protective sheath be present around the
linga-dēha of … (mention the name of the deceased) always. We pray unto
your Holy feet to impart progressively higher momentum to the deceased.’
Perform all subsequent rites accompanied while chanting ‘Shrī Gurudēv
Datta’.

F. Before placing the dead body on the floor, smear the floor with cowdung. If
it is not possible to smear it with cowdung, then sprinkle water containing
either cowdung or vibhutī on the floor. Spread darbha on the floor and place
on the darbha either a grass-mat, blanket, rug or a woolen blanket, and on it
lay the person in a south-north direction with his/her feet facing the south.
Sprinkle bhasma or vibhutī around the body in an anti-clockwise direction at
some distance from the body.
G. If Gangājal (Water from the holy river of Gangā) has not been put in the
mouth of the person before death, then pour some Gangājal in his/her mouth
and place a tulsī leaf on it. Similarly, close the orifices of the nose and ears by
placing a bunch of tulsī leaves in them.
H. Light an earthen lamp or samaī (A metal lamp on a pedestal) with a single
wick and place it on a mound of wet kneaded flour of wheat at some distance
from the head of the dead body. The flame of the lamp should be facing the
south direction. Even when the dead body is removed from there, keep the
lamp lit for the next ten days.
I. The kartā should shave his head. The beard and mustache should also be
shaved off and nails clipped. While the head is being shaved, retain a tuft of
hair (Perform Kshourkarma), instead of a round area of hair as kept by a batū
(One whose thread ceremony has been performed).
Brothers of the kartā and family members who are younger to the deceased
should also shave their heads. If that is not possible, then it should be done on
the 10th day.
If the kartā is elder to the deceased, then he should not shave his head. Do
not shave the head after sunset, since that is prohibited. Under such
circumstances, the kartā should shave the head on the day on which the uttar-
kriyā (Follow-up rites of daily pinḍadān and offering of tilānjali is to begin). The
rest of the family members should shave their heads on the 10th day. Women
should not cut their hair or nails.

J. The kartā should bathe and use new fabric to cover himself; for example –
wearing a dhoti. Do not wear an uparna (A shawl or a small single cloth worn
loosely over the shoulders).
K. Family members younger to the deceased, and other relatives should pay
their obeisance to the dead body.
L. The dead body should then be taken to the front yard of the house and
placed in an east-west direction with the feet facing the west. The kartā should
then bathe the corpse amidst loud chanting of Deity Dattātrēya’s Name – ‘Shrī
Gurudēv Datta’.
Note – A custom of everyone offering a garland of flowers to the dead body,
putting sugar in the mouth and applying kumkum (saffron) to the forehead is
prevalent in many places. From the perspective of spiritual science, all this is
inappropriate.
M. After the bath, drape the dead body with new clothes (such as dhoti-shirt or
a sari). These clothes should be purified by sprinkling cow’s urine or tīrtha
(sacred liquid) or by holding them over smoke of frankincense.
 If a virgin / unmarried woman has died, she should be dressed in
a sari of any colour except white.
 If a married woman has died, she should be dressed in a new green
sari, green bangles should be put on her wrist and a garland of flowers
should be put in her hair. Kumkum should be put across her forehead.
 Other married women should apply haldī (turmeric) and kumkum to the
dead married woman.

N. Place the dead body on a mat or a mattress. Cover the entire body (except
the feet) with one single plain white cloth. Leave the feet uncovered. Tear off a
portion of the cloth that is covering the face and expose the face. A portion of
the cloth near the leg (one fourth the length of total cloth) is cut and used by
the kartā as uparna till the twelfth day. This cloth should not be misplaced. It
should be placed near the pinḍas (rice balls) during the ritual of sapinḍikaraṇ
on the 12th day and be immersed in water along with the pinḍas.
O. When the husband dies, the wife should separate the muhurtamaṇī and the
black beads that are woven in a golden string and offer them to be kept along
with the dead body of her husband on the pyre. Other gold in the
mangalasutra and gold ornaments should be taken off and kept safely.
P. Do not keep the dead body for long. If for any reason it is required to be
kept, make a circle of Name-strips of Deity Dattātrēya around the dead body.
Similarly, continue to play bhajans sung by Saints or chants of Deity
Dattātrēya’s Name in the house. Those present should also continuously
chant ‘Shrī Gurudēv Datta’.
Q. As far as possible, cremate the dead body during the day time.
R. All family members should constantly chant ‘Shrī Gurudēv Datta’ till the
13th day. Combine this chanting with praying as mentioned in ‘Point E’.
S. No one should unnecessarily touch the dead body.
T. If a boy or a girl aged less than 3 years old dies, they are buried, and no
religious rites are performed for them.
2. Preparation for the cremation ritual

A. Tying a bier
 Use bamboo sticks for making strips for the bier, as well as for placing
the pot containing fire.

 For preparing a bier, cut two pieces of bamboo approximately 6 feet in

length and place them horizontally on the ground. Keeping a space of
one & a half feet between them, tie the bamboo strips to them leaving
equal space. While tying the strips, do not cut the extra portion of the
coir rope, as that is later used for tying the dead body when it is placed
on the bier.

 Prepare three strips of bamboo by cutting it vertically. Tie them together

in a triangular shape so that the pot of fire fits on it correctly.

 Once the bier is ready, place it in the front yard in an east-west

direction.
B. Once all the rituals that are to be carried out on the deceased inside the
house are over, the dead body is brought out and laid on the bier with its head
facing the east and legs facing the west.
C. Tie the big toes of both the feet together.
D. The dead body is tied to the bier with the help of coir ropes at the sides of
the bier.
E. The clothes and bed-sheets of the deceased should be carried with the
deceased during the funeral. Then these items should be placed on the pyre.
3. Funeral procession

A. The kartā should lead the funeral procession. He should hold a pot
containing the ignited fire in his right hand.
B. The family members and relatives of the deceased, or in case they are
absent, the neighbours should lift the bier and start walking behind the kartā.
Four people should shoulder the bier. Nobody should stand between the kartā
and the bier. All people in the procession should walk behind the bier.
C. The dead body should be carried with its head in front during the funeral
procession.
D. All should chant aloud ‘Shrī Gurudēv Datta’ till they reach the crematorium.
E. When the funeral is half way through or when it reaches the entrance of the
crematorium, the bier is lowered and placed on the ground. The kartā then
places the objects in his hand on the ground and offers two pinḍas of
barley/rice flour. These pinḍas may be brought from the house. Water is
poured into a pot and black sesame are added to it. The pinḍas are then
placed on darbhas to the right and left side of the dead body. Water mixed
with sesame (til) is offered to the pinḍa on the right side through the pitru-tīrtha
on the palm (Area of the palm between the thumb and the index finger) while
reciting the mantra – ‘अअअअअअअ अअअ अअअअ अ अअअअअअअअअ अ’.
Thereafter, water mixed with sesame is also offered to the pinḍa on the left
side while reciting the mantra ‘अअअअअ अअअ अअअअअ अअअअअअअअअ अ’.
F. Then, people who had shouldered the rear of the bier exchange their
positions with those in the front, the bier is lifted and the funeral procession
moves ahead.
4. Placing the dead body on the pyre

A. After reaching the crematorium, the dead body is placed on the pyre along
with the bier, with its feet facing the north and head facing the south direction.
B. All the coir strings and bamboos of the bier are untied, but placed on the
pyre itself.
C. Big toes of the dead body are untied.
5. Rituals before kindling the pyre

A. Pieces of gold are placed on the mouth, both the nostrils, ears and eyes. If
it is not possible to place the pieces of gold, drops of ghee can be put with the
tip of a darbha or with the help of a tulsī leaf.
B. The kartā then should place the pot for fire in the north-west direction and
kindle the fire in it. While reciting the mantra
‘अअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअ अ’ (Meaning : ‘I am
establishing a fire by the name of Kravyād’), black sesame seeds should be
offered to the fire. (Some people prepare a triangular altar of mud to the north-
west side of the dead body and kindle the fire taken from the pot). Then,
oblations of ghee are offered to the fire as mentioned ahead. The word
‘अअअअअअ’ (swāhā) is uttered with each mantra while offering each oblation,
and at the end of the sentence, ‘अअअ अ अअ अ’ (This does not belong to me)
is uttered.
अअअअअअ अअअअअअ अ अअअअअ अअअ अ अअ अअ
अअअअअ अअअअअअ अ अअअअअ अअअ अ अअ अअ
अअअअअ अअअअअअ अ अअअअअ अअअ अ अअ अअ
अअअअअअअ अअअअअअ अ अअअअअअ अअअ अ अअ अअ

Then, reciting the mantra -‘अ अअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअअ-

अअअअअअअअअअअअअअअ अ अअअ .. (mention the name of the deceased)
अअअअअअअ अअअअअअअअ अअअअअ अअअअअअ अ’, one oblation is offered on
the chest of the dead body and after taking the name of the deceased, the
following sentence is uttered – अअअअअअअ अअअ अ अअ अअ’

C. Five balls of the size of a betel nut prepared from either barley or rice flour
are placed on the forehead, face, both the shoulders and on the chest of the
dead body. Ghee is then poured on each of these balls.
6. The ritual of cremation

A. Those in attendance should place a piece of sandalwood, any other wood,

incense sticks or camphor on the dead body. This is not mentioned in the
Scriptures, but is a general custom.
B. The kartā should kindle the pyre with the Agnī (Fire) brought in the pot.
Begin with head side of the dead body for a male or from the feet side for a
female, and kindle the pyre from all the sides moving in an anti-clockwise
direction. This can be done by first igniting a piece of dried coconut leaf on the
fire that has been brought in the pot and using it to kindle the pyre.
C. Do not use objects such as tires to light a pyre. Make minimal use of
kerosene or other inflammable substances, and that too, if it is absolutely
necessary.
D. As far as possible, avoid the contact of smoke emanating from the pyre.
E. Once the skull of the dead body bursts, as judged by its sound, the kartā
should stand towards the feet of the deceased facing the south direction while
holding the earthen pot filled with water on the shoulder. Someone should
stand behind the kartā and make a hole in the pot just below its neck with a
stone picked up from the crematorium itself. This stone is known as ‘ashma’.
The kartā then circumambulates around the dead body once in an anti-
clockwise direction, while the water keeps flowing around the pyre through the
hole. On completion, a second hole is made in the pot below the first hole by
the person using the same ashma. The kartā then completes the second
circumambulation like the first one. Similarly, a third hole is made, which is
followed by the third circumambulation. On completion of the third
circumambulation, the kartā stands towards the head of the deceased with his
back towards the pyre in case of a male and towards the legs of the deceased
with his back towards the pyre in case of a female. Thereafter, he throws the
pot backwards so as to break it without looking back. In the present times, this
act is performed immediately after kindling the pyre.
F. The kartā should safely bring home the ashma that was used for making
the holes in the pot.

People preparing for a Hindu cremation. Date: 1846

Chennai Corporation to get 7 more gasifier crematoria

Published: Apr 03,201601:05 PM by Tharian Mathew

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The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) plans to open seven more gasifier
based crematoria shortly.
 Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC)

Chennai:

The local body has 38 burial grounds, 23 gasifier-based crematoria and another 7 electrical
crematoria. More than 150 deaths are reported daily within the city limits.

The new units will include two at Manali and one each at Madhavaram, Ayanavaram,
Mugalivakkam, Puludivakkam and Injambakkam, sources said. As gasifiers’ consume only
150 kilos of wood as against the 600 kilos needed for conventional cremation, the local body
has decided to opt for gasifier based units in the newly added areas as they are far cheaper
than electrical crematoria which need up to 125 units to cremate a body.

But the gasifier crematoria need to be closed for nearly 10 days for annual maintenance
during which period locals are advised to use traditional cremation methods, which
sometimes creates problems.

“As these areas now form part of GCC, processes are underway for the local bodies to hand
over their assets including burial grounds to GCC,” officials added.
While the Otteri and Velangadu crematoria are operated by NGOs which employ women for
all cremation related services, two other NGOs operate LPG based gasifier units at
Nesapakkam and Mylapore. “This has reduced pollution in addition to being cheaper,”
officials explained.

Special areas have been earmarked for the burial of pets in the Kannamapet and
Ayanavaram burial grounds, due to demand. But of late there were not many pet burials as
people still prefer to bury their pets in their homes.

CONCEPT:

In CRZ II areas, buildings are not permitted on the seaward side and existing buildings are subject to
local planning regulations. Existing buildings should also adhere to the norms of Floor Space Index
(FSI) and Floor Area Ratio (FAR). Authorized buildings can be reconstructed subject to the FSI/FAR
norms. However, there should not be any change in the existing use of these buildings. Any new
construction in CRZ II areas should be consistent with the surrounding landscape and architecture.

In CRZ III areas, no new construction is permitted in the area up to 200 meters from the HTL. Repairs
and reconstruction of existing authorized buildings are permitted subject to FSI norms. Areas in this
zone can be used for agriculture, gardening, forestation, and salt manufacturing. Prior approval of
Ministry of Environment and Forests is required for development of vacant land between 200 meters
and 500 meters of HTL and for construction of hotels and beach resorts.
In CRZ IV areas, discharging untreated water, dumping of waste, setting up of equipment/process/ for
disposal of waste, and any construction that may disturb the natural course of sea water is prohibited.
Converting wasteland into residential or agricultural land and mining of sand and rocks are also not
permitted.

It is essential for property owners to obtain FMB. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority
(CMDA) will verify the dimensions before approving any construction. The maximum height and FSI
permitted varies in CRZ areas. The FSI in CRZ areas can range from 0.8 to 2.5.

The permission for construction/reconstruction of buildings in CRZ areas is subject to the following
conditions:

 The total number of residential units should not exceed twice the number of existing units, in case
of reconstruction.
 The total area covered on all floors should not exceed nine meters.
 More than two floors, including ground floor, should not be constructed.
Restrictions in ARZ Areas

For a new construction in ARZ areas, the minimum plot size should be 440 square meters. The
frontage should be 15 meters and the maximum FSI permitted is 0.8. The height of the building
should not exceed 8.5 m and the maximum plot coverage should be 40 percent. The low FSI and plot
coverage enables to keep the ground free for recharge. Non compliance to these rules may deplete
the water sources and impact ecology.