Disposing of the dead > Cremation >
Hindu
"In Hindu religion, fire is considered a sacred gateway to the spiritual world. Cremation of the body has to occur within six hours of the person's death in the simplest ceremonial way"
"We don't have open fires in Australia but we use the consecrated fire as we do back home. Using clarified butter, the eldest son kindles a fire in a terracotta pot at home. The fire is then taken to the crematorium and put on top of the coffin as it is pushed into the chamber. We chant sets of mantras to cleanse the body and indicate to the soul that it can proceed to the spiritual world. We then release the ashes into flowing water."
Purohit Rama Chandra Athreiya, Domestic Hindu Priest
Purohit Rama Chandra Athreiya.
Photo: Stuart Humphreys, Australian Museum.
Cremation is the typical form of disposal of a corpse for Hindus. Many devout Hindus are cremated on the burning ghats of the holy city of Varanasi. The waterfront of Varanasi is lined with concrete and marble slabs on which pyres are erected. The remains are then either placed into urns or put into the sacred Ganges.
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2008
