Funeral in the Hindu culture involves a lot of rituals and rites to be followed. The death of a family member is one of the occasions of great sadness. The funeral ceremonies in Hinduism will be much different from those of other religions. They can be pretty confusing to outsiders. The body of the person who died will be washed as well as clothed in white clothes. Family would spend some time sitting with the body during the Hindu funeral rituals sharing more memories while saying prayers. The deceased’s body will then be taken to the cremation ground where it will be placed on a pyre so it can be burned.
Preparing for a Hindu funeral:
Preparing for the funeral can be a daunting task when you are not familiar with Hindu customs. The primary step involved is to notify the community of the death. It will be done through the local Hindu temple or in the community centre. The community will begin to make preparations for the funeral. The body of the deceased will be washed. Family members or close friends will do it.
The body will first be covered in a sheet so that it can be placed in a bath of warm water and milk. These are ritually anointed with sandalwood paste along with holy water after the body has been washed for the Hindu funeral ceremony. The deceased’s body will be placed on a bamboo stretcher after it has been prepared. These will be taken to the cremation ground.
Funeral procession:
The funeral procession will be extensively led by the chief mourner especially the eldest son. Procession will be accompanied by chanting along with the beating of drums. The body will be placed on a funeral pyre upon arrival at the cremation ground. The chief mourner will light the pyre so the ashes will be collected. The ashes will be scattered in a river or ocean as a ritual. There is a period of mourning after the cremation.
The family of the deceased typically wears white clothing and refrains from eating meat for specific days. They would be holding prayer meetings along with visiting the cremation ground daily. The final prayer service will be held so that the close family members can shave their heads. It is the signal of the end of mourning.
Funeral rites:
Hindus believe in the cycle of life after death along with rebirth. Hindu belief is called reincarnation so that the soul never dies. It would be denoting about the body being born again as well as again into different bodies. Hindu death rituals involve cremation. The body remains in the family’s home until it is transported to the cremation location. Hindu funeral would have three parts such as the funeral in the family’s home along with the Mukhagni cremation ceremony.
Traditions:
A Hindu funeral takes place within a day so the two days after the time of death. Hindu funeral rituals would take the form of chants as well as chants. These are specially written to be chanted at funerals. The actual funeral takes place in the house making the event considered a wake by Western standards. The cremation ceremony also takes place at the place of cremation after the body is moved from the home.