Hindu Rites of Passage Funerals

Death Rites All cultures attach special importance to dealing with and disposing of the dead. The ways in which religious people deal with death and the funeral rites they carry out are usually very closely linked with their beliefs about life after death.

Death Rites Q. Why are death rites so important? They show respect for the dead and often include various ceremonies which people believe are necessary to ensure that people go on to whatever their next life will be. Funerals give the relatives and friends of the deceased time to mourn and show their grief in a certain way. People often say that showing their grief formally helps them to get over their loss.

Hindu Funeral Rites Most Hindus are cremated as it is believed that this will help their atman or soul to escape quickly from the body. But exact details of the funeral ceremonies, which form the last of the samskaras (antyeshti samskara, final reincarnation), vary according to tradition and place.

Hindu Funeral Rites After death, the body is placed on the floor with the head pointing towards the North (considered the direction of the dead). An oil lamp is lit and placed near the body where it burns continuously for the first three days. At this stage, the dead body is considered to be very impure or polluting, so physical contact is kept to a minimum.

Preparing the Body After three days, the body is washed and dressed in new clothes or a shroud. If male or widow, they are usually dressed in white. If the deceased was a married women whose spouse is still alive or a young unmarried girl, the body will be dressed in either red or yellow.

Preparation for the Ceremony Funerals are usually conducted by a priest and by the eldest son of the deceased. Various rituals may take place around the dead body. These include… The singing of prayers and hymns Placing pindas (rice balls) in the coffin Sprinkling water on the body A mala (necklace of wooden beads) may be put around the dead person’s neck as may garlands of flowers

Funerals in India In India people hope to have their funeral at the burning ghats or platforms on the shores of the sacred river Ganga (Ganges) in the holy city of Varanasi.

Funerals in India The body is placed on a ‘pyre’, a large pile of wood. The eldest son recites Vedic prayers and lights the fire. Incense and ghee (cooked and clarified butter) are poured into the flames. Prayers are said for the dead person: ‘O Supreme light, lead us from untruth to truth, from darkness to light and from death to immortality.’

Scattering the Ashes After the pyre burns down the ashes of the deceased are sprinkled on water. The mourners go home to bathe and because death is seen as polluting, relatives avoid going out and meeting people until all the ceremonies are over.

The Kriya Ceremony After the funeral the widow or widower will wear white as a sign of mourning. The close family may mourn for ten to twelve days. On the thirteenth day the samskara ends with the ritual of Kriya.

The Kriya Ceremony During this, pindas and milk are offered to the deceased to show the gratitude of the family for the life of that person and all family members that have died in the past.

The Shraddha Ceremony After the Kriya ceremony, mourners can continue with their normal lives as they believe the soul of the dead person has been reborn. However, every year after the death, Shraddha takes place and Brahmins are invited to represent each departed ancestor. At this ceremony, food such as pindas is offered to the poor and needy in memory of departed ancestors.

TASK Q.1 Why are funerals so important in Hindu culture? Q.2 Describe how Hindu funerals reflect the main beliefs of Hinduism. Q.3 What problems might Hindus face in conducting a funeral in Britain?

Hindu Funerals in Britain In the UK, open air cremations were illegal for a long time. This meant that Hindus would be cremated in a closed coffin at a crematorium. Many families sent their relatives ashes to India to be scattered on the Ganges. However, a court ruling in 2010 paved the way for traditional Hindu funerals to take place here.