Hindus believe that life and death are an eternal circle. After life comes death, then reincarnation and so on, until, in some circumstances the soul can be set free from that eternal circle. One such circumstance, is the person dying in or near the holy city of Varanasi in North East India, where the funeral ghats are beside the sacred River Ganges. Hindus also believe that cremation allows the spirit to move on to its next incarnation and therefore nearer to heaven. Thus, although death is a sad event to Hindus, the emphasis is more on the soul's onward journey and that is celebrated. The flames of the funeral pyre are said to represent Brahama, the Hindu God of Creation. After a death, the family of the deceased will meet as soon as possible to pray by the body. The body will not be touched if possible, as a corpse is considered to be unclean. The deceased will be normally be dressed in white (a wife pre-deceasing her husband is dressed in her red bridal outfit) and will be placed on a bier and decorated with flowers and sandalwood. The funeral service will be conducted by a priest and lead by the eldest son or nearest male relative of the deceased, who will light the fire and will circle the pyre praying for the soul of the dead person. The exact order of service may vary depending on location and family traditions. The ashes are often sprinkled on water and some families go to the River Ganges to do this to ensure the most auspicious passage to the next life. The house of the deceased will be cleansed and purified by a priest using spices and incense and the 13 days of mourning will begin. During this time, there will often be a picture of the deceased on display, garlanded with flowers and friends will come to the house to offer their condolences. Mourners will wear white. On the 13th day, the ceremony of Kria is performed, which involves the offering of rice balls and milk in thanksgiving for the life of the deceased, after which, life for the family returns to normal. One year after the death and sometimes every year thereafter, Shraddah takes place, where the family offer food to the poor and needy in memory of the deceased. |
