Indian rituals after death

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Hindu rituals after death, including Vedic rituals after death, are ceremonial rituals in Hinduism, one of the samskaras (rite of passage) based on Vedas and other Hindu texts, performed after the death of a human being for their moksha and consequent ascendance to Svarga (heaven). Some of these vary across the spectrum of Hindu society.

Shmashana – the cremation or burial ground

The cremation ground is called

Brahmaputra on the occasion of Ashokashtami and Rameswaram to complete this rite of immersion of ashes into the water.[1]

Some of the cremations are performed at ghats.

Antyesti – the cremation

Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Sarojini Naidu and other national leaders. His son Devdas Gandhi lit the pyre.[2]
ghats of Manikarnika, at Varanasi
, India.

The

Hindu society. Some of the popular rituals followed in Vedic religions
after the death of a human being, for his or her peace and ascent to heaven are as follows.

The last rites are usually completed within a day of death. While practices vary among sects, generally, his or her body is washed, sandalwood paste and turmeric are applied on the body, wrapped in a dhoti for a man and a saree for woman. The big toes are tied together with a string and a tilaka (red, yellow, or white mark) is placed on the forehead.[3] A bed is made out of bamboo sticks on which the deceased is taken to the shmashana. The dead adult's body is carried to the cremation ground near a river or water, by family and friends, and placed on a pyre with feet facing south.[4]

The eldest son, or a male mourner, or a priest – called the lead cremator or lead mourner – then bathes himself, and his hair is cut leaving only one strand of hair called the shikha before leading the cremation ceremony.

Kala (time, deity of cremation) and the dead.[3] Prior to lighting the pyre, an earthen pot is filled with water, and the lead mourner circles the body with it, before lobbing the pot over his shoulder so it breaks near the head. Once the pyre is ablaze, the lead mourner and the closest relatives may circumambulate the burning pyre one or more times. The ceremony is concluded by the lead cremator, during the ritual, is kapala kriya, or the ritual of piercing the burning skull with a stave (bamboo fire poker) to make a hole or break it, in order to release the spirit.[6] All those who attend the cremation, and are exposed to the dead body or cremation smoke take a shower as soon as possible after the cremation, as the cremation ritual is considered unclean and polluting.[7] The cold collected ash from the cremation is later consecrated to the nearest river or sea.[5]

In some regions, the male blood members of the deceased shave their head on the 9th day called as nauvar, and then invite all friends and relatives, on the thirteenth (13th) day, to eat a meal together in remembrance of the deceased called as Tehrvi Sanskar. This day, in some communities, also marks a day when the poor and needy are offered food in memory of the dead.[8]

Burial in Hinduism

Apart from the cremation method,

coffins and it is covered by sand or namam (sacred soil) as an act of austerity for the unfolding of Dharma Yukam
.

Post-antyesti rituals

Niravapanjali – immersion of ashes

Niravapanjali is a sacred ritual in

tapasya to bring down the river Ganges
upon earth, so that he could immerse the ashes of sixty thousand of his slain ancestors in her sacred waters.

Tarpana – sacred offering to deities for entrance to heaven

Main article: Tarpana

Parashurama offered a tarpana for his father Jamadagni
with the blood of his father's killer.

Tarpana is usually performed at a holy site such as ghats on sacred rivers or sites.

Rasam Pagri – appointment of successor on 4th day after death

Tehravin. The turban signifies honor of the family, and the ceremony signifies the transition of responsibility for the protection and welfare of the family from the deceased to the surviving oldest male member.[9]

Pind Sammelan or Terahvin – 13th day of death

Pind Sammelan, also called Spindi or terahvin in North India,[11][12][13] is a ritual performed in Hinduism on the 13th day of death of somebody. This ritual is performed to place the departed soul with their ancestors and deities. It is believed that before the ritual, the departed soul is a preta (evil spirit), and after performing this ritual, the soul will become a pitr and will be included in the ancestors.

Genealogy registers

Many people visit Hindu pilgrimage sites to perform, Śrāddha ceremonies, like

Gaya etc. where they also update their genealogy registers maintained by pandits
.

Ancestor worship

See also: Veneration of the dead in Hinduism

Pitrs – the ancestors

Main article: Pitrs

The pitrs (the forefathers) are the spirits of the departed ancestors in Hinduism, who are usually remembered annually and venerated.

Jathera, Dhok or Samadhi- the ancestor's shrines

See also: Gramadevata and Devata

Jathera or Dhok, from jyestha (elder) and dahak (dahak the sacred fire), are samadhi (shrines) dedicated to the worship of ancestors.

Śrāddha – annual homage to dead ancestors

Main article: Śrāddha

The

Sharad Navaratri in autumn.[18][19][20]

Pitru Paksha – sacred fortnight for annual ancestral worship

Main article: Pitru Paksha

Pitru Paksha is a 16–lunar day period in Hindu calendar when Hindus pay homage to their pitrs, especially through food offerings.[21][22][23]

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-0791432617
    , pp. 39–42
  2. ^ "Cremation of Gandhi's body", James Michaels, January 31, 1948
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-0813540689
    , pp. 99–100
  4. ISBN 978-1898723608
    , pp. 59–60
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0199172542
    , p. 58.
  6. ISBN 978-8120803961
    , p. 272
  7. ISBN 978-0199231355
    , pp. 757–758
  8. ISBN 978-0415522366
    , pp. 66–67.
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-0813544496
    , ... rasam pagri is the passing of the deceased male's turban to ... 'When people have the funeral gathering, a turban (pagri) is put on the elder son to show he is now responsible for the family ...
  10. ISBN 978-8182202085
    .
  11. ISBN 978-8173041143
    , ... Ashes of the dead are immersed in a river, preferrably [sic] Ganga. The thirteenth day or final day of mourning is known as terahvin. It can be held any day after the ashes are immersed though generally is observed no later than the thirteenth day. It is a way of bidding goodbye to the soul. Daan, that is, gift of a new bed, shoes, clothes, quilt, ...
  12. ISBN 978-0230608320
    , ... Other Hindus, they pray from the Gita or other slokas. And on the 13th day from death, Sikhs who have turbans, they necessarily have Guru Granth Sahib path. For 13 days they go on reading, and on the last day it is completed and special functions are held ...
  13. ISBN 978-8173040917
    , ... On terahvin, five pandits are called to perform purificatory puja and havan. Brahmans are treated to fried food, sweets and also given cash and presentations like a string-cot, bed, a stick, juti (shoes) and four or five utensils by way ...
  14. ^ Tracing your Asian roots Archived 26 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine www.overseasindian.in.
  15. ^ Hindu Pilgrimage Marriage Records www.movinghere.org.uk.
  16. ^ 10 "Places Across The World That Help You Trace Your Ancestors", India Times, 29 Jan 2016.
  17. ^ "Shradh Puja: Five Facts you should Know about Death Anniversary Ritual In Hinduism". NewsGram. 4 September 2017. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  18. ISBN 8120811925
    .
  19. ISBN 1134608756
    .
  20. ISBN 978-1135240608
    .
  21. ISBN 978-8183241137
    .
  22. ISBN 978-8120605237
    .
  23. ^ Vidyarathi, L P (1978). The Sacred Complex in Hindu Gaya. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 13, 15, 33, 81, 110.
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