Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

RE: Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

Personally I haven't a clue about this, and it would take a real and genuine Hindu to shed enlightenment for us(sorry for the pun!). It certainly would be novel if bodies were burned by the side of the Thames, as by the Ganges!

V

RE: Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

[link= http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/features/death/ ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/features/death/[/link]

i am doing a bit of looking (seeing as its snowing and cold out and i dont want to be there!) and so far i found this. its a bbc site though, so i dont know about its authenticity.

what came across as surprising though, is that the actual burning of the body (or fire element) is integral for the soul to carry on "leaving"...

and that the ashes are then scattered on the ganges (preferrably). the other articale indicated that it was important for the ashes not to intermingable with others (as what does happen in cremations)... but surely, scattering on the ganges, you're going to be intermingling with all sorts!

and no... i think the tyne is a chosen site.... not sure why!!

RE: Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

This is not Hinduism but related to Theosophy and such, Rosie. So I really can't say what Hindus think.

But from Theosophy it is a very down to earth (erk is that another pun?) and practical activity. The concept is, which I agree with, is that we all have an "etheric body". This is like the astral body but much nearer to the physical. In fact it consists of physical particles in what physicists call plasma. So the concept is that this body, just beyond the physical, and just invisible, takes about 3 days to detach from the dead corpse. And it aids the departed person if the physical is cremated rather than buried, for if it is buried it is still a problem that draws the "soul" back to this world and it's harder to detach. So the idea is that cremation is certainly the best way to go - but to wait a couple of days (you might put the body on ice) until the etheric and all other parts of self have truly detached from the physical form.

That's my own faith system, but again, how Hindus think exactly I must leave to them to say. But it may be similar.

V

RE: Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

Interesting point Rosie, I've already decided to be cremated when I go and ashes thrown in the sea. Can't see the point of taking up valuable space on earth. So it will be interesting to see what you uncover with your question. As an aside, Native Americans had their sacred places for burial yet when experiencing a past life the soul was not interested at all in the body. At the time I asked the therapist if this was usual and she stated that she had experienced the same in every native american past life; as soon as they had died the soul had no further interest and what was done to the body for any reason. So as usual it probably comes down to man and man's personal beliefs about what happens to the soul on the point of death.

Each to their own, also burning the body was part of many cultures including the Nordics it begs the question whether they thought by burning the body it might actually burn away some dross from the soul and aid purification starting the next life with less dross to carry?

Divine Love

RE: Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

This is an interesting concept, rosie. I too would have thought that very little importance could attach to the dead body per se. After all, it is only the 'envelope' which contains the atman, or eternal soul. So what does it matter just what happens to the body after the soul has left. Mind you, as I mentioned in my email to you, the Buddhists believe that it takes four days for the soul to leave the body so they prefer not to bury the cadaver for that amount of time - which can lead to problems in a hot climate, as you can imagine!

My preference would be for burial in a cardboard box in the middle of a forest. I believe there's an organisation that organises ecologically correct burials. That'll do me. (As will any other kind of disposal - I'm not that fussy!)

Love
Sunanda xxx

RE: Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

Hi Sunanda,

It isn't only Buddhists who like to keep a body for a few days before disposal. Christians do it as well, to give the soul time to leave the body.

I don't know anything about Hindu customs so cannot comment on this idea of open-air cremations, but I know that cremation in Britain has to be carried out according to the Cremation Act of 1888. This means that the body has to be consumed within a certain time limit, and must be completely reduced to ashes. I am not sure if an open fire would reach a high enough temperature to be able to cremate a body, especially in this climate, in order to comply with the law, and also, the open air cremation pyres might be an attraction to morbid 'sightseers', or might offend public decency. It is for these reasons that cremation is carried out in crematoria with equipment especially designed for the job, and away from prying eyes.

I want to be buried in a normal cemetery, but with a biodegradable coffin. No embalming, nothing - just allow the creatures whose job it is to take care of things like decomposition, to get on with their jobs in peace.

Love,
Patsy.
xxxxxx

RE: Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

Hi Rosie,

Do we know why the river Tyne will be the chosen site? I live not too far from Newcastle and i really can't see that happening anytime soon.......too many people would object!

Kate
xxxxx

RE: Hindus and Sikhs call for the right to open-air cremations

Anybody watch Heaven & Earth on Sunday morning? There was a discussion about this last week. They had a panel of people who are for these open creamations and why. Can't realy recall all of it but part had to do with the ritual at the buriel fire - had to walk around it so many times and then throw something over your shoulder to litethe ....???wood - this was like a closing seromony for the family to say the soul has now departed and we continue life. This made a lot of sense to me.

One father who had lost his son was also very upset as it seems that when the body is cremated (in a crematorium) it is only done for a specific length of time - according to their beliefs it has to burn much longer (probably to do with the lower intensity of heat as mentioned above?) - he eventually managed to buy 2 slots in order to make the cremation longer but as there was such demand for the crematorium no amount of money could persuade them to do it for longer than that.

Sorry that I did not pay more attention while I was watching! Maybe we have somebody on the forums that can say more.