Today at Stelae we will tell you all about the rituals of a Hindu funeral. Discover the symbolism of the oldest religion’s final farewell ceremony.
Introduction to Hindu funerals
Hinduism is a religion originating in India, which embodies a set of beliefs widely practised in South Asia. It is considered to be the oldest religion in the world and is very complex with different schools of thought that, nonetheless, share four fundamental pillars or 'truths':
- The existence of the god Brahman
- Karma
- Reincarnation
- Liberation
Death is seen as a great departure, a natural occurrence, and so a Hindu funeral is held to commemorate the life and memory of the deceased.
Pre-funeral preparations
There is no such thing as a Hindu burial as devotees of this religion favour cremation. It is believed that with this, the deceased can obtain the blessing of mother Ganga.
In a Hindu funeral, besides being cremated, it is also important that the location where the cremation is held is a sacred place. Many Indian funerals take place on the sacred banks of the gods (Ghats), located in the city of Varanasi, so that the ashes can then be thrown into the river Ganges where life and death bathe together. In Varanasi, as many as 200 dead people are cremated every day.
Out of all the rituals for saying goodbye to a loved one, the Hindu funeral has some of the most striking symbolism.
Hindu funeral rituals in detail
In Hinduism people believe in reincarnation and this is at the heart of all the rituals associated with a Hindu funeral. Hindus consider death to be essential in order to attain moksha and, with it, liberation from the bonds of karma and the beginning of the cycle of reincarnations.
Around the time of cremation, a Hindu funeral has different phases with a number of rituals.
Before the cremation
When a person dies, the first thing their relatives do is to close their eyes and mouth. Then, they light a lamp next to them to keep them illuminated for three days (it is placed in the area of their head). This light is believed to guide their soul.
During this time, the relatives avoid all contact with the deceased. Since they cannot touch them, they ask for an authorised funeral company to take the body away as quickly as possible so that the deceased can be washed, disinfected and dressed.
After three days, the relatives pray for their loved one, decorate them with jewellery and place them on a wooden stretcher to be transferred to the cremation site.
During the cremation
The cremation ceremony in a Hindu funeral also has certain procedures to follow. These steps are:
- The deceased person is smeared with ghee, a kind of clarifying butter typical of India.
- The husband, eldest son or closest male relative acts as the master of ceremonies. The head is shaved completely by this relative.
- The immediate family members wrap and decorate the deceased with cloths and flowers. If the deceased is a man, the cloth is white and if the deceased is a woman, it is red.
- A pile of firewood is prepared for the cremation while the master of ceremonies is dressed in a white robe.
- Once everything has been prepared, they wait 6 or 7 hours for the cremation.
- The deceased is placed on a bamboo base to be taken to the Ghat. During the journey, a mantra is recited which, translated into English, means: "The name of God is true".
- Once in the river, the deceased is immersed in the Ganges. This cleanses and purifies their soul.
- The deceased is taken out of the river and, kneeling, the relatives take a moment to pray.
- All layers of cloth are removed except for the white or red, depending on whether the deceased is male or female.
- In the temple of Shiva, using long straws, fire is taken from the sacred eternal flame (which is said to have not been extinguished for a hundred years).
- The person with these burning straws goes around the deceased person five times, symbolising the five elements: fire, water, earth, wind and spirit.
- Finally, the straws are placed on the pyre to proceed with the actual cremation. More ghee and sandalwood are added to provide a pleasant smell.
After the cremation
Once the cremation has been carried out, the Hindu funeral culminates with the throwing of the ashes into the Ganges. This is done by the master of ceremonies, who also uses holy water from an earthen vessel.
After the ceremony is over, it is customary for family members to go to the market to eat sweets. Then, in the days that follow, men mourn without shaving their beards, and women do not wash their hair. Nor do they visit temples, give alms or attend events. During this period they will bathe twice a day and eat only once.
After ten days of mourning, family members bathe in the Ganges, where the men shave and the women wash their hair.
Meaning and symbolism of the rituals
At an Arabic funeral, a Buddhist funeral or a Catholic funeral, which is the one we are most familiar with, rituals take place with a great deal of symbolism. This is also true of a Hindu funeral, where beliefs about life and death are the basis of every funeral practice that is carried out.
Each ritual has its own meaning and is created to celebrate a particular event as a community. In the case of the Hindu funeral, it is the beginning of the cycle of reincarnation.
